ObesityHelp

Nov 1^st 2006 – Day of Surgery – Wednesday: 

I woke up early and arrived at the hospital around 6am and was immediately taken to Pre-Op (I was supposed to be there by 5:30am so I was freaking out that they might cancel my 7:30am surgery). I signed in at admissions and was told to head to the pre-op waiting room. We waited a short 10 minutes before I was taken back to my pre-op room. They came in and told me to strip down and put on the large gown they had ready for me and told me they had some quest tests I needed. After I undressed they came in and took some blood and then I had to wait another 40 minutes for my ABG’s to be drawn. Next I was taken to pre-surgery where they put in my IV and quickly put me to sleep. There was none of that count back from 100 for me. I was injected and then told the doc it was not working to relax me and the next thing I remember I was waking up after surgery. I do remember being given something to calm me down at one point and a anti-clotting drug a some point as well but the next thing I remember is waking up in pain and being pushed to my hospital room. The guy driving my bed sucked as I was bounced off many walls as he kept saying to keep my foot turned in, blah, blah. My sister later told me he was a horrible driver and kept hitting walls/corners on the short drive to my room. So my surgery was completed and the doctor told me I only had a few issues, none of which were really bad. He told me my gallbladder took over two hours alone to get out due to all the scar tissue and was the worse one they have ever done in over 1000 surgeries. So begins my hospital stay. 

Hospital Stay – Day 1 – Wednesday: 

I remember my wife and kids being in the room when I woke up. My 2 year old daughter was so scared seeing me in my pain and disorientated that she would not look at me. She kept asking if daddy was ok in a scared weak voice. I was in and out of it most of that first day. They kept coming by and giving me drugs, showed me how to use the morphine pump for my pain, and taking my stats. I slept constantly, a wake for a few minutes, then asleep for a few hours. 

Hospital Stay – Day 2 – Thursday: 

            I woke on the second day ready to be taken down for my x-rays. The sooner we figured out that I had no leaks the faster I could get something to drink. They came by and asked me to get into the wheel-chair and I was like no way, not until you get me more drugs. I was not really hurting but I feared moving around and having pain rip through me. After about 30 minutes of slowly moving this way and that I was able to get out of the bed and into the chair. I was wheeled down to the x-ray area and met some other GBS waiting on x-rays as well. Sean was about my age and size and felt just about as good as I did. Some other girl was down there but she had complications like spiking fevers and such and did not talk to us much. Sean and I became GBS companions on this path to the new us. We talked about our life before surgery and what lead us to this place in life. This was great. We challenged each other in every aspect while in the hospital making it more of a game than anything else. 

            We both passed our leak tests, (Part one - drink a shot of liquid and hold your breath, drink another shot and hold your breath again. Part two – is the same exact thing except with a different liquid. We both figured we took in about 2-4oz’s of liquid for this test.) When we got back to our rooms it was time to get up and start walking. I got up and headed down to Sean’s room with my sister. I was in room 627 and he was in room 611 so it was a good walk and about three times as far as the nurse said I should be walking. I stopped in and said hi, then challenged him to stop by my room when he gets up. He showed up about two hours later and this went on for the rest of our stay. We were given apple juice, broth, water, and jell-o once we passed our leak tests. This of course means at some point we are going to need to go to the bathroom. I remember reading on Basil White’s GBS page about the “No Twist Wipe” and how people thought it was a took to use but was in fact just learning how to wipe without twisting. For me this was a little easier as someone from the therapy offices came by with some special bathing wipes for me and also left me salad tongs, yes, salad tongs. She said they would make it easier to wipe. My sister thought they were for holding other things while I pee which really made me laugh. But I am getting ahead of myself here.  

Hospital Stay – Day 3 – Friday: 

            On day three I woke up with them telling me it was time to take my Foley Catheter out, disconnect my morphine, and pull out my leak tube which has been collecting anything I leaked inside like blood. Sean and I were still in competition and walking the halls. After they disconnected me I found myself walking more and out of bed more. At one point Sean and I hit the scale in the hall and I gasped when I weighed in at 422 pounds, 3 days after surgery. I only weighed 409 a couple of weeks before when I did my pre-op. Everything was going great, the pain was managed and not really there any longer. I was eating and enjoying moving around and everyone told me I was doing awesome. They asked me if I wanted to go home today or wait until tomorrow and I choose Saturday as the day to head home. 

Hospital Stay – Day 4 – Saturday: 

            I woke up feeling great ready to be discharged. If you get the chance to make a friend in the hospital do it. Talking about the common issues is great and will help time fly plus you have someone else to bitch too. Sean was out before me as I was waiting on my ride. I checked out, got wheeled to the car, and suffered the bumpy ride home. Make sure to bring a pillow for the car ride as it really did help with the bumps. I got home and settled into the rhythms of life again. 

Jump forward 10 days – Nov 10^th – Friday: 

            I visited the doctor today and found out I weigh in at 393 now. That’s 29 pounds in 10 days and wow I would not have figured such weigh loss this quick. I got my B12 shot and checked my stats, had my doc sign some paperwork for STD and filled her in on how I have been doing. Mainly I am getting my protein from shakes, about 70grams a day. I am also eating soups which I puree then nuke and they taste awesome. I talk about food all the time it seems but I have not been hungry at all. I have to force myself to eat and drink as I do not think about it at all. The soups help since they have great flavor. I have enjoyed a beef veggie soup and a split-pea with bacon soup. I also tried cottage cheese and apple sauce all of which are pureed. Tomorrow I will try some Clam Chowder. I have not been sick; have had no dumping issues, pain problems, etc. Life has been great to be honest. More later I am sure.

Yesterday I received the phone call telling me that my insurance has approved my case and I would be getting my surgery within the next 2-3 weeks. Ok, now I am scared. Time to step up my life and really start preparing. Eating correctly. Drinking correctly, Exercising correctly. You know the drill. Not that I am doing all that bad right now but I need to stop slipping every few weeks and having that 1-2 cokes on the weekend. Or bringing home that dessert once a week. I need to focus on eating more often and not drinking with my meals then drinking between meals, etc. I did this perfectly for awhile and start slipping a few weeks back which seems so easy right now. Once I have the surgery it will not be as easy but I know it is possible and I do not want to slip at all.

I have given up coke and other sode for months now but I have that craving every now and then and fill it with a drink like Red Bull. It is just as bad as coke I am sure but it comes in those little cans so its not like I can slip and get a 32oz Red Bull at every drive thru I pass. They even have the sugar free one which is great as well.

Its 6am and I work at 8am, with my extra time this morning I think I will go off to the gym. Later.