- Username: teresa62012
- Location: Springfield, MO, USA
- Member Since: 4/7/2012
- BMI: 46.6
- Post Op
- Surgery Type: RNY (07/16/12)
- Surgeon: Christopher Edwards
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July 31st... post op 2 weeks on July 31, 2012 11:46 am
I haven't done as well as I'd hoped in checking in here, but I do want to keep trying. I know preop I so loved reading about the recent experiences others were having. So... yesterday was 2 weeks out and I was down 13 pounds since surgery, 34.7 pounds since my preop diet started. I have been so very fortunate in my recovery with VERY little nausea or pain.
The one major hiccup I have had is the poison ivy I came down with a week later. I have no idea HOW I could have gotten poison ivy at this particular time, because it has been SO hot here and I've not had the energy to endure the heat to really do anything. Dr. Edward's practitioner looked at it during my post op visit last Wednesday but it was only a rash then... and she thought it might be an allergy (I did have a small rash where the incision glue was also). By Saturday I took myself to urgent care because it had blistered up horribly and they confirmed that it definitely looked like poison ivy. They gave me a steroid shot, and some pills which they said might cause some stomach upset, especially with the gastric bypass... and was really worried about that, but it was clear I had to do something. I did get nauseous Saturday evening after the shot and had to make myself empty my stomach... and even though I only got rid of about an ounce of liquid from my stomach it made me feel so much better. I haven't been sick since, so again I do feel fortunate.
Now that I'm not preoccupied with the crazy itch, I am looking forward to giving my house a good cleaning and getting more active. I am still off work until the 13th of August, but I think I may go back earlier since I'm feeling so good. Can't say I'm looking forward to it ... its crazy busy there... but I feel pretty useless sitting around all the time. I wish that all post ops could breeze through it as I have so far... I had prepared for a much more difficult time so I do understand how hard those first few weeks can be... I'm just very thankful I have been one of the lucky ones!
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Home and doing great! on July 20, 2012 11:10 am
I was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday about noon and went to Mom's house for some TLC. It's now Friday and I'm feeling amazingly good. I'll recap the week:
Monday, July 16th... surgery day. I was told to arrive at 6:30 for surgery scheduled at 8. I soon found out that there was an emergency surgery that was being done and mine would be delayed. My mom and my daughter had accompanied me to the hospital and we went to the cafeteria to get them something to eat. It did not bother me at all - I had no appetite and had already become accustomed to others eating what I could not through my liquid diet. They felt bad, but I assured them that this was the first of many meals that I would not be sharing and that knowing what I was signing up for, they were not allowed to feel bad eating in front of me. After eating, we remembered that we never did take those before pics, so we went to the hospital courtyard and took a couple pictures with our phones. We went back to the surgery waiting room and was called back at around 1030 or so. I was taken to the preop area, had lots of people introducing themselves to me as part of the team. All made me feel as if I were in very good hands. My IV went in with ease and although it seemed to take longer, I'm sure I wasn't in the preop area more than 45 minutes or so. The only thing I remember about being in surgery is that they had me move to a different bed, started strapping me down and gave me an oxygen mask... they told me to take some deep breaths and off to lala land I went.
When I came out of recovery I remember some pain and saying "oh, oh, oh"... pain meds were given and I went to sleep. I don't remember what level I would call that pain or how long I was in recovery. When they took me back to my room my mom and daughter were waiting outside for them to get me situated and I was feeling pretty good. I was given morphine and expected to be sleeping all day, but actually I felt pretty good that afternoon. I was awake and talking... pain meds were given but I can't say I was hurting very bad. Both Mom and Lindsey wanted to stay the night but I was doing so well, I didn't want either of them to stay since it would just keep them from getting a good nights sleep.
I had asked for a private room but didn't get one... I was told they would put me on the list, but there were none available. All was going well until about 1030 pm when my roommates family arrived. They had just flown in apparently and from that point on my night went downhill. They were very loud first of all. Lindsey had gotten some nice relaxing music together for me so I could drown out the hospital noises when I wanted to sleep... even at a volume louder than I wanted, I could still hear one of her visitors over them. I had mentioned to 2 different nurses that I was really tired and wanted to sleep but that they were so loud I could hear them over my earphones... neither of them said anything to the visitors. Finally at 12 they left and I started to sleep. I woke up at 130 with pain and called out on the intercom to get some pain meds. No one came, and I assumed it wasn't time yet. At 300 the aide came in to take vitals and I asked her to tell me nurse I'd like some pain meds and she said she would. At 330 the nurse came in to see how I was doing. She didn't have pain meds. I told her I'd been asking since 1:30 but she said she'd never been told. I'm not so sure I believe that, but she did bring me morphine. The morphine didn't cut it this time. The loud male visitor arrived AGAIN at 4:15 am. Yea.... just as loud as before... and just as irritating. I can assure you that the young girl who was my roommate didn't feel like having him there either... she was pretty sick and was having a hard time controlling her pain as well.
Tuesday, July 17th... The pain never really got better... and when my new nurse arrived at 7 I asked for something different. I was given Dilotid (sp) which worked better but still wasn't reallly cutting it. I didn't expect the pain to completely disappear, but I did expect it to subside more than it was. The next time I asked for something, she suggested Lortab, which is a liquid pain med. It tastes like terrible cough syrup and it seemed as if I had to take an awful lot of it, but it worked better than any I had taken.
Dr. Edwards came in to see me and said I was doing wonderfully. He asked if there was anything he could do for me and I said "get me a private room". He didn't seem all that concerned about it, but 20 minutes later the nurse manager came in and told me that Dr. Edwards had spoken to her and they were moving me as soon as possible. She apologized profusely for my disturbances. I was moved to a private room by noon. My mom bent over backwards to make sure I didn't have to lift a finger... and still is... It's nice to be spoiled a bit. Tuesday was a good day... with the new Lortab my pain was good and I slept alot. I did sit up in the chair quite a bit when I was awake also ... I got lots of flowers and a couple of visitors. I was allowed to take a shower which made a world of difference in the way I felt. I had my upper GI which was no big deal. The stuff you have to drink tastes horrible but they don't make you drink much of it. To me, it is a small price to pay for knowing everything is working as it should be. I did have to lean a bit to each side, but my pain was under control at that time and I did fine with it. Lindsey spent the night with me that night although I asked her not to. The night nurse came to see me at the beginning of the shift and left me completely alone until 5:30 am. It was heavenly.
Wednesday, July 18th... Dr. Edward's PA came in to see me this morning... he said I could go home and that they would take out my drain before I left (I had thought I was told I'd have it for the first week, but I was happy to let it go) He gave me my instructions and said I'd be going home with the Lortab (YAY).
I wanted to take a shower but decided to wait til my drain was out... they came in to take that out at about 1030. She removed my IV first and I moved to the bed for the drain removal. She unwrapped the dressing and I watched her cut away some stitches that were holding the drain in place... and suddenly I had this HORRIBLE pain in my shoulder... in front of my shoulder like someone was pinching it soo hard... this pain was a 10. It was bad. The nurse just stood there looking at me like she had no idea what to do... my mom reached over to rub it and said my shoulder was unbelievably tight... I know it had to be a stress reaction to having the drain pulled but nothing like that has ever happened before. The drain was still in and the shoulder pain was not getting better.... finally mom talked me through some deep breaths and told the nurse to go ahead and get it over with. I swear I don't recall the drain coming out at all because the pain in my shoulder was so intense.. and when it was over the shoulder pain slowly receeded. I joked that maybe the drain was stitched to my shoulder... but wow... that was the strangest thing, and the most uncomfortable part of the entire hospital stay. Once I got my bearings, I went to take a shower... when I got out of the shower my discharge papers were ready to sign and I was on my way out the door.
Some suggestions:
Know what is supposed to happen ahead of time : I had to refuse 2 trays because I knew I couldn't eat yet and they kept bringing them to me. I had to request to be walked. The first time the response was "well, we can if you want to". My response to that was "whether I want to or not I'm supposed to". After the first time, I walked with my family. Please be motivated to do this for yourself if your nurses don't do it. DO bring music and headphones! Forget cards, puzzle books, etc... I slept alot and when I wasn't sleeping finding something to do really wasn't something I cared about. Mostly, just have realistic expectations by being informed and have a positive attitude.
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5 DAYS!! on July 11, 2012 7:03 am
It's only going to be 5 days before surgery now!! It's so hard to believe after all this time. I'm so psyched!! I've not had a minutes hesitation as to whether this is what I need to do and I am very content with that. My liquid diet is going very well, but I don't have to cook for anyone and I've done liquid before, so I knew what to expect. I have noticed that my brain isn't functioning well. I assume it's natural to be so distracted when surgery is all I think about. Coworkers will talk to me and I'm only half listening... I seem to almost be in a daze sometimes. I'm also very busy getting things done before surgery.. running errands... making lists and checking them twice.. wrapping things up at work.. etc. This weekend I'll be deep cleaning the house so I don't have to worry about that for a while.
I don't know how much time everyone usually takes off work, but I have plenty of time accrued to take a month off and my surgeon says that is very reasonable since this is major surgery. I have a friend who came back in 2 weeks and she said she doubted every day that she could do it because she was so tired. So, I'm planning a month and if I feel really good, I'll go back in maybe 3 weeks. Work is really busy right now and I hate to leave them high and dry, but I also don't want to go back before I can do my job.
Almost everyone who knows me is aware I'm having surgery and it seems as if more people in my office are finding out every day... (thats kind of how offices are, huh?) I'm getting lots of support and ready to GO!!!
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Surgery date 7/16/2012!!!! on July 1, 2012 1:12 pm
I guess I'm not very good at updating things here. I got my surgery date about 2 weeks ago and now its only 2 WEEKS away!
I had my final appointment with Dr. Edwards and my final nutrition and exercise appointments on May 29th. I called Dr. Edwards office a week later to make sure everything was ready for the insurance and I was assured it was. I was speaking with Donna who told me that Coventry insurance was taking 4-5 weeks for approval now. Although every case was different, she said it was probably going to be that long. I had been hoping all along to have surgery the end of June or first part of July, so it was not looking like that was going to happen. I tried to set myself up to be patient and wait it out. I got a call from Donna on June 14th telling me that insurance had approved my surgery. I was so shocked I think I screamed at my desk! The next step was to set up a day to come in for scheduling and to have my pre-op testing done (labs, ekg, xray), which I did on June 20th.
My surgery date is scheduled for Monday, 7-16-12. When I went to the scheduling appointment, they made it clear that if any of my bloodwork came back showing a problem it would have to be rescheduled. Knowing that I'm otherwise healthy, I asked what could be wrong if I didn't have any other health problems. I was told that if my H. Pylori antibody test was positive I'd have to go on antibiotics and that there's no way it would be completed by my surgery date. H. Pylori is a bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract that can cause ulcers or gastritis... but much of the time it has no symptoms at all. I was really upset about this because I had no idea what to expect of my lab results now. Fortunately, I am signed up with MyMercy, which is website that will give you your lab results when they are available and I was notified by MyMercy that my lab results were in. According to the results, my H. Pylori was negative and my other labs were right on perfect! I haven't heard from Dr. Edwards office, but I am assuming no news it good news....
So now my countdown officially begins. I started the first week of my protein diet a week early and did wonderfully until yesterday. We were required to go to work (Saturday) for inventory to prepare for our go-live of some new software on Monday. There was a lovely catered lunch provided and I did eat it... but I thought since I didn't officially have to start the protein diet until July 2nd I was good. Today I'm back on the wagon and on my way to the finish line! Life is good! 
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My Story
I was here many years ago hoping against hope to be able to have gastric bypass. My insurance at the time wouldn't cover surgery and I've always had a good successful career that I couldn't just leave to find new insurance. I was also the single mother of two young daughters. I left with resentment and bitterness that I couldn't afford the freedom that so many were enjoying. Maybe I'd just get so fat I couldn't work so the government could pay for surgery.... I was angry with my employer (a different one at the time), insurance companies in general and yes... those people for whom insurance (or the government) did pay. Although those were honestly the thoughts I left with, I was fortunately not desiring a path to further self destruction and I was able to maintain my status quo in my career as well as my weight.
Today I come back filled with the knowledge that this is actually going to happen after all these years. I believe in fate... things happening for a reason. While I usually don't understand the reason things happen, I do believe there is a purpose for many things. I don't know why I had to wait over 10 years for my opportunity to happen. It was a painful time emotionally, but not because I couldn't have surgery. Perhaps I had to grow in my understanding of what I really wanted out of life - what things are truly important and valuable to me. Mostly I think it was a matter of insurance companies realizing what a life saving procedure bariatric surgery can be, and how much money refusing it costs them in paying for the health problems of the morbidly obese. Today I do not resent those for whom surgery was available at all ... I am so thankful for all of you who forged the way... but I hope all of those who need to have surgery are someday able to, because I believe it IS the answer for so many reasons.
I've been overweight all of my life. I am quite sure I was born weighing 120 pounds. I graduated high school at 200 pounds. I lost and gained over the years but never got below 155... ever. After my second divorce at 35 I became very anxious & apparently depressed, although I never acknowledged that. I began taking antidepressants for anxiety and within about 2 years had gained over 100 pounds. At the time I had changed employment (and insurance networks) a couple of times, so my primary care doctors changed and no one really caught on. I guess I was in denial or just didn't care at the time, because I just remember waking up one day and realizing what had happened. I was shocked and appalled and felt that I had fallen into a bottomless pit that I would never find my way out of. I tried all the diets we have all tried. Many times. And of course I failed miserably. Literally. I wanted surgery but after all of my researching and praying, my insurance company was not going to cover it no matter what I did. I gave up bitterly. I tried to find a way to be happy with the "skin I was in", but I couldn't be. I could put on a good act... no one was aware of the pain inside.. but it was there. I resolved that life wasn't about me, it was about my daughters and the most important thing was that I be a good mother to them. I gave up trying to date altogether. I devoted myself to my girls and didn't really give it another thought.
As anyone who has adult children knows, they grow up WAY to fast. My oldest moved out on her own and my youngest graduated high school last year. It hit me very suddenly that my work was mostly finished. I raised two wonderful and beautiful daughters who were now young ladies and - like it or not - were now making lives of their own. Of course, that's what we all work for. If we do it right, we work ourselves right out of a job. Wow. How did I not see this coming? No one warned me I'd feel this way. I became very depressed in a way I'd never known. The question in my mind was "what am I going to do NOW?"... and the answer as a very dark "nothing" that came from a place I didn't like. I had friends at work, but had absorbed myself in the girls and spending time with them, not socializing myself. I didn't even like to go out and have to worry about what to wear or how others would perceive me. I had been in such personal isolation and denial all these years that I really had no answers. I had no one to discuss these feelings with because no one I knew felt this way or knew that I did. I saw for myself a future of darkness and loneliness... getting fatter and fatter until I couldn't leave my home. I don't know where these thoughts came from or why, but they terrified me. I talked to my doctor and after a few months she recommended a wonderful counselor by the name of Monica.
Monica was my light in the darkness who accepted everything I had to say and offered me hope. We worked through my negativity and I found some peace. I went through weeks of being on such an emotional roller coaster that I was scared to death I was bipolar. Monica assured me that was not the case, but that I had to get used to feeling and dealing with emotions rather than denying and pushing them away. We worked through stress responses, my relationships with my family members, my past... and my weight issues. At one point she recommended Over-eaters Anonymous and somehow it was as if a rainbow was pointing the way... I started attending OA and found so many wonderful people who understand and LIVE all of those things I kept hidden from even myself. They get it. I highly recommend OA to anyone who is dealing with food and emotional issues. Every group is different, but the foundation is the same. OA helped me see so many of my struggles and helped me see what I needed to do to deal with them. Of course, I'm not there yet... it's a lifelong process... but it was a wonderful awakening experience.
I found out last fall that FINALLY my insurance through my current employer was going to pay for surgery. They were not only going to cover it, my yearly maximum cost was wonderfully affordable. I was elated. Monica was less so, but acknowledged to me that I had come so far emotionally that she thought I could handle it. Monica has seen everything I believe... and she is well aware of the emotional struggles of bypass patients. I trust and value her input. I would have planned the surgery without her blessing, I know, but her endorsement means more to me than she will ever know. The knowledge that she will be there when I need her (and I will need her) as my life changes is so wonderful and comforting. I stopped going to OA because I had heard some comments in my group... just generic ones... that were fairly negative in regard to bypass surgery. I love those ladies and I know they would have been supportive to me... but I did not want any negativity surrounding this decision. I also know that once the surgery is over I will be welcomed back if I feel it necessary to return.
So, in a nutshell, I began the process with Dr. Christopher Edwards at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo. Dr. Edwards is wonderful and his bariatric surgery program has been awarded the Center of Excellence designation by the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric surgery. Mary, his office nurse is wonderful and attentive to any and all concerns I've had. I am working the program and will be looking toward having surgery the end of June or first of July. I am in wonderful hands and this is my time. : )
Honestly... if it's any consolation to those of you who are waiting... this IS the right time and it has been worth waiting for. My daughters are grown, so I can fully concentrate on what I need to do. I had been on blood pressure medication for about 8 years and somehow, last year it resolved. I did not lose weight or change anything (aside from counseling !?!)... but somehow my blood pressure is completely and totally normal. I have gerd and sleep apnea, both of which will resolve after weight loss. I am more in tune with my emotions and how to deal with them than I have ever been... but mostly my motivation has changed. After 10 years, the main thing that has changed is that while I DO hope to look better and wear smaller, prettier clothes... my motivation is that I want to LIVE. I want to feel more energetic and be able to do the things I haven't done in years. I want to explore the things I have never experienced and to make life for my empty nested self that is fulfilling and uplifting. If I had been able to have surgery 10 years ago things would have been different. It might have worked out beautifully... but considering the emotional work I've done in the last year, I suspect I would have been miserably thin. I don't think I was in a place back then to have been able to make the most of the new chance at life I have laying before me now. I am thankful for life as it is and for the opportunity I am being given.
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