Chris Jordan
Dehydration Sucks
Feb 08, 2008
Wow.
I just spent the last five or so hours in the emergency room getting IV fluids because I got dehydrated. I know that getting in all the requisite fluids has been a struggle of mine, but this morning it became a problem.
I'd been having headaches and something resembling nausea for the past couple of days, but I didn't think too much of it. Then this morning after getting a post Cream 'o Wheat drink, I started to feel the headache and stomach pains again. I thought I'd just maybe overfilled my stomach by drinking too much too fast. I went to have a lie down when my nausea became overwhelming and had my first post-op vomit!
Nothing really came up and it tasted -- to my surprise and relief -- like nothing. But the heaving was real and it was powerful. I called my surgeon's office and they recommended that I visit the emergency room. They also said that I could just have the flu bug that's going around, and that if I wanted I could try to get fluids in on my own by mouth. I opted for that in the beginning, but after not being able to keep down even the tiniest sips of water, I packed it up and headed to the emergency room along with my folks.
They hooked me up to IV fluids (saline only, no glucose) and then took a set of x-rays. I don't really get that one still. They used no contrast fluid so what the heck were they looking for? To stick my insurance company with some procedure that didn't need to be done probably. Anyway, then they ordered something that sounded sensible: a CT scan of my abdomen to be sure that the heaving action didn't break any sutures or anything.
They gave me two medications to counter act any nauseous reaction to the contrast liquid that I had to drink for the CT, but one of those (I can't remember the name just now) I had a reaction to. It's weird. I basically went crazy for a short period of time. It was like my skin was over sensitive and everything irritated the hell out of me. I was climbing the walls I got out of the bed twice and kept saying something like, "I can't get comfortable! I can't get comfortable!"
And I couldn't. It was a feeling that is very difficult for me to describe. They came in, and gave me some Benadryl and almost immediately I felt better, and fell asleep.
Anyway, the CT came out great. Nothing is busted inside. I got more than enough IV fluids to last me a while, but already I'm starting fluids by mouth in prep for tomorrow.
One nice thing that came out of this was a suggestion by the ER physician. We were talking about my surgery and my post-op life when I made the statement that one of the things I really miss is mastication. To which she said, "Chew some gum (sugar free, of course)!"
Why had i never thought of this before? I'd be interested in finding out if anyone else out there chewed (or still chews) gum in their early post-op life just to get the sensations that come with mastication.
Yay for Malt-O-Meal!
Feb 04, 2008
Today, is the first day that I'm able to eat what my surgeon calls "full liquids". That means anything that I can pour from one glass to another and doesn't have any big chunks.
This Morning I had a 1/2 coup of thin Malt-O-Meal hot cereal with Splenda and a small bit of butter and it was so good I almost ate it too fast! The portion was perfect. Fifteen minutes later, I started on a sugar-free Carnation Instant Breakfast. I'm so excited that I can eat these sorts of things now.
I'm still hanging on for when I can have better "real food". Actually, I'm craving cheese right now. More specifically, I'm craving Mexican food. For now I'll have to make do with pureed lintels, or pureed vegetable beef soup.
Speaking of which... I think I'm going to cut this little blog post short. See ya in the forums!
Chris
My Surgeon
Feb 03, 2008
Glenn M. Ihde, M.D.
Dr. Ihde is the man.
He's very helpful, always talks on my level and draws pictures when necessary. I *love* that he wrote a book on weight loss surgery and that he makes it freely available to his patients and to other area doctors so they can give it to their patients who are looking for information on bariatric surgery.
Dr. Ihde's staff (Stephanie - receptionist, Kim - Nurse) are the most wonderful people. There were weeks leading up to my surgery where I called them daily -- in fact sometimes several times a day. It got to be that I didn't even have to give them my last name when I called! :o)
They helped me so much in figuring out how I was going to pay for my surgery. They helped me deal with my insurance company. They even yelled at them for me when Humana yanked the rug out from underneath me!
You see, at first Humana said they would pay 50% then three days before the original surgery date they went back on that saying that it was a mistake to have said they'd pay in the first place. Anyway, it's no matter, both Stephanie and Kim helped me figure out the financing -- which I finally secured through Capitol One.
Dr. Ihde also teams up with a psychologist, Merrill Littleberry LCSW,LCDC,CCM and a Nutrition Counselor, Lisa Badolato, RD, LD.
Both of these wonderful women are very friendly and supportive, and they -- along with Dr. Ihde -- make themselves personally available to patients for questions and support. In fact, I called Dr. Ihde's personal number the night I came home from the hospital because I thought something was wrong, and I wanted to know if it was normal and what I should do. A very sleepy Dr. Ihde picked up the phone and answered my question. He also called me back the next day to see how things had gone.
Dr. Ihde is one of only six surgeons in the DFW area who perform RNY using a laparoscopic approach.
Dr. Ihde requires that all of his bariatric patients attend MIBU -- Minimally Invasive Bariatrics University -- a four hour session where the patient meets with Dr. Ihde for an hour, then with Merrill for an hour and then with Lisa for an hour and then again with Dr. Ihde for another hour. This marathon session is all about educating not only the patient but those whom the patient lives with -- since their lives will be affected by this surgery too. I brought both of my parents with me, and it was a great experience. The only thing I think I would like to have had at MIBU would perhaps been a chance to talk to a post-op patient. I guess I could have attended a support group in my pre-op state, but I didn't think of that.
Also, you leave MIBU with a binder full of information and useful tools like a food diary. It has sections on protein rich foods, supplements, and exercise. It contains guidelines for the post-op diet, calorie intake, and a nice shopping list so you're prepared with all the stuff you'll need when you get home from the hospital.
I think the best thing I like about Dr. Ihde is how personable he is and his bedside manner. It also, helps that he's performed over 600 of these procedures, and I had complete confidence in him. He is great.
MIB (Minimally Invasive Bariatrics) also host support group meetings which can be attended by pre- and post-op patients.
Four days post-op and counting...
Feb 03, 2008
I am enjoying reading everyone's recipes and I'm looking forward to tomorrow which is when I'm allowed to start eating "full" liquids like:
- Thin hot cereal (Cream of Wheat, Malt-O-Meal, etc.)
- Skim Milk -- Yay!
- Carnation Instant Breakfast
- Pudding
- Cream Soups (I'm so sick and tired of broth!)
... those sorts of things. Basically anything that can pour from one glass into another. So, I cannot wait until I'm allowed to eat "real food" again.
The funny thing about all this is that it's made me forget that I'm losing weight!
While I was in the hospital recovering I completely forgot that was going to be happening. I was thinking, "Hey, my diabetes is going away! Hey my high blood pressure is going away! Hey, my high cholesterol is going away! Hey, my sleep apnea is going away!" What I wasn't remembering was that the thing causing these marvelous wonders was that I'd be losing weight!
So, I'm trying to survive these first few weeks keeping in mind that I'll be losing weight, and that I'll be able to eat real food again soon.
I can't wait! So I'm four days post-op and counting...
