6 days post op-15 pounds down.

Jun 01, 2010

 Well, everything since surgery has been a crazy ride. Let me begin to dive into this past week.

Monday afternoon my mom, dad, sister, and I arrived at my eldest sister's house in McKinney, Texas. My parents took all 3 daughters and my niece to a nice steak dinner (nothin' like steak in Texas!). The next morning we woke up bright and early for the 45 minute drive to Denton for our 8 AM pre-op consultation. We made extra time for what we thought would be the "last supper". Not really knowing much of the area went to Cracker Barrel for a light (compared to the dinner the night before) breakfast. I had 2 scrambled eggs and 2 biscuits. We headed to our consultation which ended up being about a 5-hour affair. Once again, we waited on Dr. Stewart for A LONG TIME! Our first consultation we had to wait 1 1/2 hours past our appointment time, this time it was about 45 minutes--VERY frustrating! We then headed to lunch around 1 (we weren't supposed to eat after noon but the nurse whispered to us that we would be fine any time before 3). We found a Pei Wei near the office and indulged for one last time. After lunch we drove to North Texas Hospital for pre-registration, blood work, and a chest x-ray. We also had to find a pharmacy to fill out Emend, a pill that Dr. Stewart wanted us to take an hour before surgery to help with nausea ($50 per pill!!!). We finally left Denton around 3, exhausted. The rest of the day was a no-eating blur.

Wednesday the 26th was the big day. My sister was scheduled for surgery at 11:30 and me at 1:30. The surgery went well, I suppose. I woke up in the recovery room screaming. Being an asthmatic, I HATE having an oxygen mask. Any irregular amount of oxygen makes me begin to hyperventilate. I started screaming and telling the respiratory doctor I was drowning, that I was an asthmatic, and that I couldn't breathe. I think she wasn't very fond of me. The absolute WORST part about surgery was waking up with the SOREST throat imaginable. I was in a lot of pain for quite a while afterward, still feeling like I was suffocating with oxygen. Finally around 10 or so I was able to get up for the first time, use the restroom and take a walk around the ward with the night nurse. I kept feeling better into the next day. 

My grandfather was admitted to the ER early on Thursday morning in Oklahoma City so we checked out of the hospital early before 11. We headed on the 4 hour trip back home having no pain medication since early that morning. As we drove, i got sicker and sicker. My nausea was so horrible I didn't feel up to seeing my grandfather in the hospital. I headed home and passed out after my mom forced a Loretab down my throat. I was so nauseated, I refused to drink water, have a mint, or take medicine. Finally Friday my mom filled another Emend prescription and liquid Loretab. I still felt horrible and nauseated, I fell asleep with only the Loretab on my stomach..bad idea! 

Saturday my grandfather started to decline rapidly and I felt well enough to visit him at the hospital in the morning. We came back home and I slept until noon when we got the call that Dr.s had bad news about my grandfather. We learned he had less than two weeks to live. Talk about stress! Still feeling weak, my sister and I headed 4 blocks up the road to my grandparents house, as my grandfather had elected to leave the hospital to be at home in the care of hospice. My sister and I got to spend the rest of the night with family and my grandfather. We kissed him goodnight around 10 PM. At 3 AM we got the call from my aunt that he had passed. Both my sister and I were extraordinarily close to our grandfather and the news was very sudden and devastating to the entire family. 

The past few days since then we have been a lot more active than we should have been and have gotten far less sleep than recommended. I think the extra stress and activity has probably increased my weight loss. I am just now getting enough water and eating enough. As of yesterday, I had lost 15 pounds! However, that is still in the back of my mind. I know my grandfather would have loved to see me and my sister skinny. He knew how much being overweight affected our social lives and our lives in general. I am sure he is thrilled right now to see my 1-week success.

I will try to remember to take a 1-wk post-op photo tomorrow!

God Bless

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