Made it to the other side!

Jun 19, 2011

 It has only been a little over 3 days since my last post, but it seems like it has been forever.  My closest friends and family know how scared I was to go through this experience.  It was one of the hardest decisions of my life, and I hope it turns out to be one of the most beneficial.  Now to the details for the preops who want to read about others experiences and the postops who like to compare....

I had to be at St. David's Medical Center at 6am.  Got there, was pulled to the back pretty much immediately.  In holding I was given the unsettling news that the MRSA test I had taken the day before was positive.  I was colonized with MRSA bacteria!  That would be a factor in the rest of my hospital stay.  Anyone coming into contact with me had to put on a plastic gown and gloves upon entering the room and take it off before leaving to avoid infecting other patients.  It wasn't fun feeling like a diseased pariah, but I completely understand the safety precautions.

Just to recap, I went into surgery with a BMI of 76.4 and a weight of 418 (down from a high of 456).  Because of some other health issues, as well as the extremely high BMI, I was considered high risk.  I really did my homework with choosing a surgeon and I think I made a great choice.  I had to travel for 7+ hours to get here, but it was worth it.  I made it through.

My only prep was clear liquids the day before surgery.  In the holding room they started an IV and gave me a dose of VERSED.  There is quite a bit I don't remember after that, but I remember going to the OR and scooting from the guerney to the operation table.  I was very uncomfortable on it, the anethesiologist put oxygen over my face, I remember thinking "I can't handle this much longer"  and that was it.  No counting down, nothing.  I was out.

It took slightly over 3 hours for my surgery.  They had problems inserting the breathing tube and catheter.  My throat is still swollen on the outside, like I have been strangled.  My throat isn't sore inside, but I am still extremely hoarse.  I started waking up in ICU.  I have to say that all my ICU nurses were top notch and I had the best care possible.  Eric, Robert and Jill were excellent and I appreciate all the time and care that they took with me.  Again, I don't remember a whole lot about that early time, just a lot of stuff going into my IV and people asking me questions.  

What was really hard was the no liquids from the night before surgery.  I had hydrated very well in preparation, but even that and the water swab sponges didn't do much to allieve my dry mouth and throat.  I was NPO for a total of 38 hours.  That seemed like forever for me.  I didn't do the barium swallow until about 26 hours after surgery.  Now THAT was an experience.

Labs reported that my potassium was dangerously low, so I had to have an infushion of it over about an 8 hour period.  Those 4 little bags of potassium were so painful going through my IV.  They were diluted as much as possible, but the pain was intense.  Even today, a few days after surgery, my hand and arm are still tender from the IV.  Had I been able to drink I could have had it orally, but snce I wasn't cleared, I had to do it through my IV.

My ICU nurse, Jill, accompanied me to the radiology department.  The radiologist had me sip the nasty stuff while standing in front of a board with a machine tracing it from top to bottom.  I was too short and she couldn't see the bottom of my small intestines.  She tried to convince me to stand on that step stool with a tiny base so she wouldn't have to do the manual xrays.  I simply refused.  400+ pounds,  24 hours out of surgery, not quite stable on my feet...yeah, a recipe for disaster.  She wasn't happy about having to do the extra work, but I would NOT risk my life to save her a few extra steps.  And yes, I did report the incident to my bariatric coordinator.  

After I got the all clear on the barium swallow, I was so glad to sip some ice cold water and eat ice chips.  It was like HEAVEN!  Later I had a light meal of a few spoons of vegetable broth that tasted like FunYuns, LOL, a couple of bites of orange jello, some warm tea and a bite of sugar popcicle!  Food service accidentally brought me a full sugar popcicle.  I just happened to look at the label while I was sucking on it and noticed it wasn't sugar free.  I panicked, thinking I would dump, but I didn't get enough in me apparently.  I checked all labels after that and suggest that no one take for granted that if they ask for sugar free, they will get sugar free.



Since I was doing so well, my doctor decided to move me from ICU to the regular floor.  I hadn't walked much yet, except to get up and sit in the chair for a couple of hours, then back to bed.  I was still on morphine injections every 2 hours.  So I was moved from the spacious, complete attention of caretaking ICU to a regular room.  A very small room for my big bariatric bed.  They were remodeling and told me that none of the 'bariatric rooms" were available, so I wasn't able to take advantage of the "Bariatric Center" I had expected.  I was able to walk around with a walker, although I tired out very quickly.  I had a supper of beef broth, orange jello and warm tea.  The warm tea really soothed my tummy.  

I wasn't able to lean forward without much pain.  I didn't know until it was removed that this was because of the JP drain tube.  When it was removed before I was released yesterday it was immediate release of the pain.  I had to keep the catheter until right before discharge, as well.  I was glad to have it, but glad to get rid of it as an irritated bladder is not fun--and sitting wasn't comfortable on the hard recliner, even with a folded blanket under me.  

My day nurses on the 4th floor were exceptional.  Yanni, Joanne and Kim really took great care of me.  I was sure glad to be leaving the hospital, though.  Life is much easier without being connected to a bunch of machines and gadgets.  Oh, and I don't want to forget my bariatric coordinator, Carrie, who walked me through the process at the hospital and visited me often.  

So now I am in the hotel.  I call my doc's office tomorrow and find out when my follow-up appointment will be.  I am hoping I will be able to go home by then.  

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