JanM
March 26, 2006
Mar 25, 2006
March 25, 2006
Mar 24, 2006
March 24, 2006
Mar 23, 2006
March 23, 2006
Mar 22, 2006
March 22, 2006
Mar 21, 2006
March 21, 2006
Mar 20, 2006
Didn't get much sleep last night. Seemed like they were always checking me. There was a patient coding off and on all night so they shut my door in between and let me be. I again asked about getting up and said my surgeon wants us up 5-6 times a day and said I was afraid he was going to be angy so my nurse helped me dangle and rubbed my back with powder while I was up. It wasn't too bad but it wasn't fun. At 0600, he got me up to walk and we went 2 rounds around the nurses station before going back to bed.
Dr. Eibes came in shortly after and checked me over. I finally met his PA. He came with. The first thing he asked was how many times I had been up and if they got me up yesterday. I told them I had asked several times and had been put off until the next day. He was none too happy. He went out and came back and said he talked to the head nurse and told them they have to walk his patients. The next nurse that came in was mad. Rather than asking if I had done my breathing exercise (which I did automatically and timed around my PCA hits) she just said to do my incentive and cough. So I did, without the benefit of the PCA first. She brought me some ice water to sip. Soon after I got moved to the medical surgical floor.
I first was in a double room without a room mate. They said it was likely I would get a room mate and I could put my name on the waiting list for a private room. I had them add me to the list. Within an hour they moved me down by the nurses station to a private room. The one thing that was really nice about all of their rooms is they have fans mounted on the ways by each bed so I could stay cool. The nurses always thought my room was cold but I was perfect. I slept off and on (walked once before I moved). Walked a total of 3 times that day. The clear liquids went in fine they just tasted awful. The isopure was like weak tang but I drank it. I had lots of gas. The PCA made the pain tolerable. The staff was all very nice and pleasant. Barb and Jim came to visit at noon. Barb brought me a beautiful cyclamen plant. I went back to sleep as soon as they left. One of my co-workers stopped by after work. She had WLS 4 years ago and lost 212 lbs. She was just what I needed to see. I was sitting there wondering what I had done to myself and she brought it all back into perspective. I got a call from my friend Barb, too. She said she had the flu so she wouldn't be coming and I said that was fine. My sister came and brought me a beautiful plant. It was the first flowers I got. I went to bed about 8:00 p.m. as I was so tired.
March 20, 2006
Mar 19, 2006
Surgery Day! I did sleep a few hours last night to my amazement. I set two alarms to be sure I didn't oversleep. My sister picked me up at 4:30. We got to the hospital a few minutes before 5:00 a.m. It was a long walk from the front door to the outpatient surgery area, especially carrying my overnight bag and CPAP. I checked in and only had to wait a few minutes before they took me back. The nurse asked me a few questions, attached ID bands and had me get in a gown. Before going over to the pre-surgical area she gave me a shot of Lovenox (blood thinner) in my stomach. About 6:30 a.m. they called me over to the pre-surgical area and we ran into my husband on the way. My sister went on to the waiting area, she was dying for coffee but didn't want to drink in front of me. I am not a coffee drinker so I told her it wouldn't bother me but she had refrained none the less.
Upon arriving in the pre-surgical area, they put me on a cart. I was glad to note it was of adequate width for a bariatric patient. An anesthesiologist came and talked to me. He gave me some local anesthetic in the bend of my arm and then started an IV. Doctors just are not as good as nurses at starting IVs as I felt like he was shoving in a garden hose, even with the local! That over, my surgeon stopped in and checked on me. Then they rolled me over. They said they would be starting a foley and putting compression stockings on my legs once I was asleep. They were still setting up the room and didn't seem near ready but they moved me to the table. I remember they had placed one of those foam wedges on the table to keep my head elevated. The nurse had a fit as the doctor wanted me to lay on it covered in plastic. She put a sheet over it first. After that they put me out and the next thing I knew I was awake in recovery and extubated. They said the surgery was over. It seemed like a blink of the eye! I did notice abdominal soreness now and they had started a second IV. The air compression stockings they put on my leg felt heavenly. They were like getting a continuous leg massage. I remember them asking if I had pain and then saying they were giving me some fentanyl. They then transferred me to CCU to watch me over night because I use a CPAP. The funny thing was they kept oxygen on me but never put on my CPAP! The anesthesiology said that it could blow air in my stomach and stretch my pouch so they were going to wait until tomorrow.
Once in the CCU, about 9:00 a.m,. they checked me frequently. I hate those stupid automatic BP cuffs. They squeeze the hell out of your upper arm. They finally put it on my lower arm and that wasn't as bad. My sister and husband kept me company. I had given my sister questions to ask and she reported to me that he said they bypassed 130 cm of small bowel. My husband told me that my gall bladder had been difficult, Dr. Eibes said that it was covered with fatty tissue and he had to disect it away from the liver. He didn't open it but sent it off for examination. He said a lot of my gastric distress was probably the gall bladder, not GERDS. He said it took him as long to take out the GB as it did to do the bypass itself.
Not much else to report for the rest of the day. I had a little drainage on the upper part of my dressing but it didn't increase. I had no drains or NGs for which I was thankful. I didn't have any nausea at all but boy was I parched! Finally on evenings the nurse swabbed my mouth. I asked the nurse about getting up as I knew Dr. Eibes expected it but she said to wait until tomorrow. I know I loved the PCA and I was diligent about doing my incentive spirometer every hour and coughing. My little cough buddy bear I ordered was perfect for splinting my incision. I sent Jim and Sher home in the evening as all I wanted to do was sleep anyway.
March 17, 2006
Mar 16, 2006
Happy St. Patrick's Day! I didn't think I was ever going to get everything caught up at work so I could leave without feeling guilty but I did. I got the call from the hospital today and I have to be there at 5:00 a.m. Monday with surgery to follow at 7:00 a.m. I am glad to be first but man oh man, that is early! I am not a morning person! We finally got things worked out for the care of our autistic son. One of his caregivers will come to the house at 6:00 a.m. Monday and take him to camp until Friday. My sister will take me to the hospital (have to leave by 4:30 a.m.) and my husband will come as soon as my son's caregiver shows. He may miss me before surgery but that is okay. He has been a bear all week. Ever since I got the approval and a date he has not been his previously supportive self. I am sure he is concerned about me and the changes that will affect his life as well as mine. He hates to miss work and he is worried that he will have to miss more than one day. He thought he was going to have to miss work surgery day, when I come home and Friday when my son gets home. I arranged for a caregiver on Friday and told him he doesn't have to take the day off when I come home! I will be fine. I know how to dial a phone.
My co-worker that had surgery on Monday did great. She has asthma and had one evening of breathing trouble and trouble peeing after her foley came out but otherwise no tubes, lots of pain but no trouble eating or drinking. She went home Thursday. She said she had no regrets.
I cannot believe the surgery is just over 48 hours away! I have to pick up a few more things this weekend and pack my bag but I am ready to be a loser!
March 12, 2006
Mar 11, 2006
March 10, 2006
Mar 09, 2006
I went for my pre-op appointment with my surgeon. I found out he doesn't routinely place surgical drains so I could come home with no tubes whatsoever! Wouldn't that be great! I got weight and had lost 2 lbs. It is amazing but their scale weighs almost 10 lbs. more than my scale at home which is a Healthometer with the weights that slide and everything. My scale matches every other doctor I see. The number doesn't matter, it is the trend that counts. I had the H. Pylori test even though I had only been off the protonix 12 days. (Thank GOD!) It was negative. I drive home before returning to work to take my protonix. On the way home when I was switching from my glasses to my sunglasses, my bow fell off. I ran over to Pearle Vision thinking it would just take rescrewing it but the frame was broken. Before I got out of there I had to spend 200.00 on new frames! I found out with all the testing I have had for surgery, I have met my deductible so I have to prepay the surgeon my copayment of 10% or 300.00. Will drop that off next week. I need to get some pjs and a couple pair of sweats for the time it takes my abdomen to heal. I also wanted to pick up the protein powder that people on the boards are talking about that Walmart has. Then I think I will be ready.
Our owner closed the offices at 3:00 today because we all had a good week. I went and got my nails done before heading home. Had to pick up the house as all my kids will be here this evening. The countdown is on! Only 10 days!