August 2002

8-21-02 Uneventful…Walked outside for about 30 minutes and didn’t have much trouble with the 4 flights of stairs.

 

 

8-22-02 Doing pretty well…Not hungry and have to remind myself to eat. The nutritionist has me on pureed foods for the next 3 weeks. The only thing that did not agree with me so far was Welch’s Grape Juice (mixed 50/50 water) and SF Popsicles. Oh, also I have yet to take any pain medication since coming home. I have been eating: refried beans w/ cheese, mashed potatoes, carnation instant breakfast SF w/ skim milk, ricotta cheese, scrambled eggs w/ cheese, crystal light, skim milk, water and apple juice (50/50).

 

 

8-23-02 1st Follow-up Appointment w/ Dr. Leitman. Got my staples out and replaced with sterile strips. My new best friend, the SCALE, said I was down 21 Lbs (283.5 Lbs)! OMG! Was I shocked? Dr said my mouth was VERY dry and I wasn’t getting enough liquids. He said he rather have me drink then eat. Doesn’t care much about the food in the first 3 weeks, drinking is more important. Mentioned I can’t quench my thirst, this is b/c I am dehydrated!

 

 

8-27-02 walked a ton yesterday & today.... Don’t mind the walking, just hate having to come home and climb the 4 flights of stairs. It is the stairs that are killing me! They never did pre-op. I was the master. My incision (under the sterile strips) appears to either be leaking a bit of fluid of blood. Nothing major, just a bit. I am guessing it is from all the walking and climbing. Plus, my husband & I have been out the last 2 days looking for new furniture, and since I am constantly trying out the sofas, I think the entire sitting down & getting back up again must strain my incision and my insides. OUCH! Other than that, food still going down find was hungry for the first time this morning since the surgery.

 

 

8-29-02 2 weeks post op today and my incision is LEAKING like a faucet. Reddish Yellow, no odor...My Dr is on vacation till next Tuesday and Joan assures me this is normal. She instructed me to keep it dry and keep it covered. She said that unless it gets smelly, looks infected and I get a fever, its nothing to be worried about? I know I need faith, but, this is making me miserable. Ugh! On a food note, nothing making me dump or vomit yet...I haven't been very DARING yet, but, I need to be soon as I am getting bored with my food choices.

 

 


The Hospital = Lenox Hill 8/15 - 8/20/02

8-15-02 (Surgery Day) arrived at the hospital @ 6am. Was the first surgery of the day. My mom & husband were with me. They weighed me; I now weigh 304.5 lbs. I have gained about 13 Lbs from my first appointment in April till surgery day. We waited and met with all the doctors and the anesthesiologist. About 7:30, they wheeled me into the OR and I say Dr. Leitman. I joked with him right about now, I am glad I did not take him up on the offer to be documented on “Inside Edition”…he laughed and mentioned that Tom Brokhaw from NBC Nightly News was also following him around today was going to have a film crew @ Lenox Hill’s Support Group that evening for the nightly segment called “Eye on America” (should be on soon). I asked him if I could come down in a wheel chair after the surgery. Nada. Last thing I remember, he told me to think of the happiest day in my life…As I thought of my husband on our wedding day (11-3-2001), I was OUT! Next thing I knew I was in recovery. I was in recovery for about 5 hours, as they didn't have a room ready yet. Say my mom & husband in my room, talked to some friends who stopped up after support group and spoke with a few friends on the phone. Switched from the morphine pump to Demerol. I wasn’t in a ton of pain, so, they decided to get me off of it immediately. Somewhere late that night after my mom & hubby went home, my roommate, arrived.


8-16-02 (Day 2)
didn’t sleep too well last night. The Demerol made me very nauseous. They switched me to a Morphine shot. My catheter was taken out which sucked b/c now I had to go the bathroom myself. With all the fluids they were pumping in me, I must have gotten up every 2-3 hours that Friday. I guess this helped in my recovery, but I wasn’t too happy at the time. Also, constantly tried to through up. But, all that would come up was black bile. Starting to feel like a pincushion with all the shots. Had a constant fever of 101 degrees. Boy did those ice chips taste good.

  

8-17-02 (Day 3) Saturday, was the worst day so far. My IV was taken out this morning which helped alleviate all the bathroom trips; however, it also meant that I would be getting more shots as they could no longer add the stuff to the IV. We also got to eat for the first time today – LIQUID. Had a lot of apple juice, Jell-O, applesauce and tea! Yummy! My pain was the worst today and the nursing staff was unbearable. You had to beg someone to help you @ Lenox Hill during the daytime. I got in a fight with the nurse. She must have bathed in perfume before coming to work. Her reply was “I can wear what ever I want”…then, I had to beg someone to help me bathe/wash, and again my response was “you gastric bypass patients are self sufficient after the first 24 hours, we are not hear to help you”. Needless to say, I got all worked up about this and FREAKED OUT! 
 

8-18-02 (Day 4) Sunday was pretty uneventful…no real pains, just uncomfortable all day. Switched to pureed foods. Also went off the morphine shots and went to Tylenol w/ Codeine (liquid). Got no sleep that night as the fire alarms @ Lenox Hill went out for an hour around 4am and the lady next door in the private room was screaming uncontrollably. 
 

8-19-02 (Day 5) I was supposed to be released today, however, I was still running a 101 fever. So, I begged my doctor to let me stay. I also was worried about returning home to my 4th floor walk up, so, I am, glad they let me stay. Still very worried about the fever, resident thinks I may have had a UTI due to the catheter. My roommate was released and allowed to go home. Later that night, I had major chest pains and had to get an EKG and chest x-ray around 2am.

  

8-20-02 (Day 6) Temp down to 99. They let me go home. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

 

 

 


August 2002

8-4-02 Just got back from a week@ the shore....Countdown 11 days till surgery! Gosh, I can't believe it is almost here. I really hope I have the nerve to go through with this. My husband keeps saying to me "I know you are going to wake up the morning of the 15th and roll over in bed and say you changed my mind". I really hope not. While away, I found out from my sister's friend had a heart attack 2 weeks ago, she is bigger than me but only 27! WHAT A DOSE OF REALITY. Right now, I am trying to get everything done pre-op that I will need on the 15th. My pre-op testing is the 12th, 3 days prior. My insurance company will only pay for it 3 days pre-op...So, I am cutting it really close. But, I am having it done @ Lenox Hill; so, the results will be ready immediately. Let’s hope for the best. I still haven't even worried about losing food yet. I am still more scared of the surgery and dying on the table rather than being without food...I guess this is b/c I have never had surgery before in my life. Please wish me well. All emails are welcome.

 

 
8-10-02 6 DAYS AND COUNTING! I would like an Angel, if anyone here wants to be my Angel, I would be so happy and honored! 
 

 

8-13-02 Ok, today is Tuesday and my surgery is 7am on Thursday the 15th. I am remarkably calm right now. I keep repeating in my head "I will survive this surgery...I will be successful"! I went out for dinner last night to my favorite restaurant in the city, Rosa Mexicano. I was joined by my post-op friend, who is down 80 Lbs in just short of 4 months, and another girl I met from this site who is still in her planning stages. It did a lot for me! They did a lot for me! They assured me I can do this. For someone who is such the savvy businesswoman (myself), I am amazed sometimes at how uncertain and ambiguous I can be about other things in my life. Namely me!
 

 

8-14-02 Here I am, it is 10pm in NYC and I have to be at the hospital at 6am, I am the first surgery of the day. God, please be with me through this and see me through to the other side. T minus 8 hours...See you on the other side...MUUUUAAAAAHHH!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


About Me
New York, NY
Location
28.3
BMI
Surgery
06/23/2011
Surgery Date
May 17, 2002
Member Since

Before & After
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8-15-02 @ 305 lbs (5'5
7-6-04 @ goal 173 - down 132lbs & Lower Body Lift 5-11-04

Friends 72

Latest Blog 3
August 2002
The Hospital = Lenox Hill 8/15 - 8/20/02
August 2002

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