I had my surgery on Feb.4!

Feb 09, 2010

After all was said and done, participating in the Kaiser classes gave me great information and helped me to form a support group with some of the other people in the class.  I think the whole "Options Program" is very valuable.  If you dont see the need for some of the psych stuff before surgery, you sure do afterwards.

My highest weight was 292, but I managed to lose a little and went into surgery weighing 279.  While most people would have been proud of that I found myself  asking the question, "Do I really need the surgery if I can lose the weight on my own like this?"

For me the answer was simple.  Losing the weight had never been a problem...I have lost the same 30 lbs at least 50 times in my lifetime.  The question was, "Do I have a solid system in place that will stop me from getting to this weight (or higher) again?"  The answer was "no".  On with the surgery!

Surgery was great...I don't remember a thing.  The several days I spent in the hospital are a blur.  I'm fortunate that my husband was there and I can see the value of having a Very Special Person program that allows someone of your choice to stay in the room with you.  I can't remember much of what happened, but my husband handled many of the decisions for me. 

I had a problem with my 02 sateration levels which were down to 73 on several occasions and I was taken to have a chest x-ray.  Everything looked fine except I needed to do some additional deep breathing and walking.  I started doing that and improved greatly.  I was discharged home on Sunday.

Monday I was in surprisingly good spirits, despite the restless night of nightmares and periods of having to get up thorughout the night.  I was excited for my journey and not feeling much pain due to the liquid pain meds I was given.  By Monday evening, after two restless naps, I knew I was having nightmares as a reaction to the pain med.  The surgeon said there wasn't anything else he could give me that wouldn't have the same effects, so I stopped the pain meds.

Tuesday was a bummer.  I was in pain.  And while I wasn't throwing anything up, the gas and "gurgling" response I had to everything I drank had me uncomfortalbe, cranky, and thinking, "What the hell did I do to myself"  I worried that I wouldn't be able to get enough protein and liquids down to keep me from becoming dehydrated and seriously ill.  My one week appt. wasn't until Thursday morning.  I was taken off all my aniexty and depression meds in the hospital so those issues were rearing their ugly heads.

Worst of all, the one tool I had to deal with all of these emotional issues (food) was now gone.  What?!  Deal with an emotion?  Gee, what a concept.  That's when I pulled out my Options Program materials and started reading them through...and I mean, really reading them this time.

0 Comments