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I'm having some bleeding from the incision at my bra line between my breasts.  I've put a gauze pad on it.  The bleeding has stopped.  Trying to decide whether I should be calling surgeon or not.  I need to start doing some walking, but am afraid of what will happen if I put a bra on again. 

Gas pains on and off.  It seems to build an subside through burps or farts.  I've only been up for about 2 1/2 hrs, but feel ready for a nap.

Surgery went well. It took 3 nurses and the anesthiologist a total of 5 tries to get an IV started. I was wheeled into the OR at 7:30AM and woke up in recovery at about noon. I was really confused when I woke up. I remembered Dr Laycock telling my husband that the surgery would take about 3 hrs. I didn't understand how it could be noontime. I guess it takes them a while to get me ready for the surgery once in to OR. SO if you are pre-op, expect atleast an additional hour from when you think you will be done due to catether insersion, positioning, etc.

I got to my room around 2 - 2:30. Around 4:30 I was going to try sitting on the side of the bed. That is when we discovered that my incision right above my belly button was leaking heavily. I remember in recovery being in a total body sweat. So I had thought that was why the sheets felt wet. Well I soaked the bed, huge puddle on the floor. They had me get back into the bed and put a towel over it. Which got soaked through. They paged for a resident to come check it. An hour later the nurse came in and changed the sheets and washed me up, because the resident still hadn't come. Of course all the moving around resulted in another flood. Resident finally came around 6. Said he wasn't concerned about it (which is why the nurse had tried to leave me in all the wet stuff, so he wouldn't say this). Well after 2 more soaking bed changes, the resident finally decided a stich was needed at about 4AM. The RN on duty this first night (Steve) was excellent. He gave me a hot pack to hold on my belly. It felt really good. He was going to come back and rub my back to help with the gas, but never made it back. He was covering his own patients, plus was charge nurse for the the other pods. He was very appologetic. However, it turned out that he gave me more attention than any of the other RN or LNAs did.

Day 2 - Lab techs came in to draw blood about dawn. Couldn't get it. Next set of techs came by and again couldn't get it. IV nurse came in later in morning and got the blood drawn with no trouble. LNA gave the person in the bed next to me a bed bath - and never even offered me a wash cloth - all day long. I guess I should have been more demanding of the things I felt I should be getting or doing. Found out my husband was not going to be able to come visit me this day because of a commitment in the evening that he couldn't get out of. Got weepy. Ofcourse this is when they came to get me for XRAY. Got out of bed FOR THE FIRST TIME at 10:30AM to go to XRAY. Got to walk about 5 steps to stretcher. XRAY tech was wonderful. She stayed with me the whole time. Made sure I was comfortable. Swallow went well. Was back to my room at about noontime. My son & his girlfriend came in for a visit then for about an hour. Resident came by and said I passed the swallow test. I asked about my depression medicine. I take effexor and it is nasty feeling when you miss it. He said he'd put in a pharmacy order for it. I was brought my first meal at about 3 pm. 2T broth, 2T apple juice and 2T jello (which they expected me to eat by sucking threw coffee stirrers.) DR Laycock came by around 4pm and said they were wrong, I should have been given a spoon for the jello. I told him they weren't getting me out of bed at all. The only time I had been up was to go to XRAY. He said he would speak to the RN. About 9 PM a LNA came and helped me get up for a walk. About midnight when the RN came to give me an insulin shot, I asked again when was I going to get my depression medicine. Well the pharmacy had never delivered it. I again explained why I didn't want to be skipping doses of it. Finally got it (crushed pills to take with orange sugar free jello - YUCK) at about 3AM.

Day 3 - IV unhooked and catheter removed at about 7AM. AHHH free from all tubes tying me to the bed. In order to be discharged, you have to pee on your own. I asked if I could take a shower. They let me take a shower. Well after breakfast I drank a 24 oz bottle of water. Still couldn't pee. Drank my morning snack. Was finally able to pee at around 12:30. Intern came by at around 1:45 and said I was being discharged and that the nurse would be by to go over discharge summary and remove IV needle. Well the RN for my POD was off to a class on new equipment from 2:00 - 3:00. About 3:30 she came in and said she still didn't have anything about my discharge. I showed he the papers the intern had left with me. He was supposed to leave them with my chart for her to go over them with me. So she said ok you can go. I reminded her of my IV needle. The LNA took it out. Then the nurse is like do you need a wheel chair. I have no idea how far it is to the car. Luckily the LNA said yes I did need one and got me one. I think he was embarassed at the fiasco of my discharge. Got home at about 6pm.

Incision between my breasts started bleeding when I removed my bra. Thankfully with the application of a couple of gauze pads it stopped. Last night I slept well.

Today Day 4 - I sure am glad to be home. My son (22 yo) is taking care of my needs.

Summary -- I've made it through the first post-op days. DR Laycock is GREAT. DHMC nursing care is either too short staffed or is what I would consider substandard care.

Nancy

Highest weight 358
Surgery weight 267
Discharge weight 277

I have to be at the hospital for 6am.  The hospital is about  1hr 20 min from home.  So my husband & I will need to be on the road by 4:30.  It's going to be such a long day for my husband.  I'm not worried about me at all.  I think the surgery is going to be harder on him - waiting to hear that I've come though without problems.  Postive attitude is everything - LOL!!

I wonder how many tries it will be for them to start my IV.  I had an upper GI endoscopy done as part of my pre-op testing and it took 3 nurses a total of five tries.  They finally used a pediatric needle as I have small veins. 

I've told several people at work that I'm going to be having this surgery.  Surgery is next Monday.  Everyone keeps asking me if I'm getting nervous.  I'm not nervous at all.  On one hand I just wish the day's would fly by so that Monday would get here.  One the other hand, I have so much to get done at work that the day isn't long enough.  I've put in 11 hour days the last two days, and missed doing my aqua aerobics classes in the process.  Not good.  I plan to be out for 3 weeks and go back to work part-time the 4th week, if all goes well without complications.  But today I even told my supervisor that I would work on some system testing from home (so long as I feel up to it), if he could get me a laptop with a wireless card and remote access to the system. 

I went for my pre-admission registration/testing today.  It was no problem at all.  I had to get weighed. They checked my pulse and went over my medications.  My Dr had not ordered any tests.  So it was in and out.  I was anxious about it for no reason at all. 
I also had my pre-op physical with my PCP today.  (PCP scale was 2 lbs higher that hospital scale)
One step closer to the big day! 

This does get easier as time passes.  The only hard part today was having to stop at the grocery store on the way home from work.  I was hungry and it was difficult getting thru the store without picking up something I can't have. I hate shopping when hungry.   I frequently had to argue with myself (picture angel and devil on shoulders).  But I made it thru only getting cat food, fruit, fish and cottage cheese. 

I'm going to do my pre-admission registration/testing tomorrow.  I also have a PCP appointment tomorrow.   Hopefully the scale will be my friend.  I feel like I've been losing.

Day 2:  Feeling better than yesterday.  Still have a headache tho.  Had strawberry carnation instant breakfast (sugar free of course) for breakfast with a small banana.  Had a peach mid morning.  I was feeling like my BS was running low.  Had a low carb slim fast chocolate shake for lunch.  40 oz of water throughout the day.  Dinner was 3 sea scallops, lettuce and fat free italian dressing.  I will probably have a SF popsicle later. 

I've never been a person that always drank water, or anything much throughout the day.  All this drinking is going to be a big change to get adjusted to.  But - 13 days until surgery. 

Day 1:  This is not starting out well.  I started feeling sick to my stomach and headache yesterday afternoon.  I was up half the night with acid reflux.  So today I start my pre-op diet.  My stomach still feels quezy and my head is pounding.  I had a Unjury Vanilla shake for breakfast and a peach.  I will definitely not be ordering any more Vanilla shakes from Unjury.  I had to hold my nose to swallow it.  Weird oder to it and after taste.  I think I will be back to chocolate for lunch.  I hope I start to feel better soon.