lesserman
FRI 29 JUL 2011
Had my first appointment with the nurse practitioner who will be my primary point of contact for intake to the program and throughout the next six months of weight loss under the direction and observation of medical professionals as per my insurance carrier's criteria.
From this date through FEB 2012, I attended classes; met with a psychiatrist and a dietician (twice), had bloodwork done and managed to drop a total of nine ponds through diet and frequent execise (daily whenever possible but never more than two consecutive days without walking 3 miles). Insurance approval was obtained on THU 9 FEB 2012 and surgery scheduled for WED 4 APR 2012.
MON 19 MAR 2012
Completed pre-op testing and have one final pre-surgery class to attend on TUE 27 MAR 2012.
SUN 25 MAR 2012
Day 1 of the extremely low-carb, high-protein and mostly liquid diet to reduce the size of the liver to better facilitate surgery. This is now the regimen for the days remaining until surgery on WED 4 APR 2012.
MON 26 MAR 2012
Day 2 begins...will be incorporating steamed veggies into the diet to make it somewhat more palatable...
TUE 27 MAR 2012 - TUE 3 APR 2012
Days 3-10...were largely (no pun intended) much the same as Day 2...nothing really worth reporting.
WED 4 APR 2012
Arrived at NMH (Northwestern Memorial Hospital) campus at approximately 7:30 am, Central time to check-in and be prepared for surgery at 9:00 am. Everyone was so pleasant and professional.
At approximately 12:30 pm, Dr. Hungness informed my wife that the surgery proceeded as close to textbook as it could possibly be, in other words, highly successful in his opinion (this has since been borne out to be true as my recovery has been almost issue-free). I have since been moved into the ICU where I wake up at approximately 3:30 pm and shortly thereafter I vomit as a side-effect of the general anesthesia.
Once my vitals have stabilized, I am transferred to my private room on the 12th floor of Feinberg Pavilion where I have a lovely view of the tops of the buildings that sprawl to the west from the shore of Lake Michigan. I have one more episode of nausea and a dry heave from the anesthesia, but it is the last that I will experience. My lips, mouth and throat are dry but since I'm not allowed yet to drink anything, I am given a cup of ice and a large toothpick with a sponge attached to one end so that I can at least moisten my lips, mouth and throat.
While I am awake, I am instructed to use an inhaling apparatus to help prevent pneumonia...I am to breathe in deeply 10 times in an hour. I remember talking with my wife (but about what, I have no clue), placing my CPAP mask on my head and face then hooking it up to the machine and being instructed on how to use the pain pump (my very best friend in the whole world) before dropping off to sleep.
The sleep was not at all restful and the position in which the bed was configured did not help. My knees were not sufficiently elevated and my lower back muscles were tightening up so that not even the pain medication could help. At approximately 4:00 am, I called the nurse and she showed me how to change the bed settings and once I adjusted the elevation of my knees and the angle of incline for my back, the muscles immediately begain to relax and I was able to finally get some real rest. What I found strange was that I would wake up and check the time, then go back to sleep; I would then wake again feeling as though I had slept for hours but when I checked the time, it had only been maybe 15-20 minutes.
THU 5 APR 2012
I am visited by my surgeon, Dr. Hungness and his resident, who assisted with the surgery, two of the bariatric surgery nurse practitioners as well as the two nurses who will be attending to me for the day and early evening.
The catheter is removed (painless) and I am able to relieve myself in the normal way...I don't believe that urinating ever felt so wonderful...it was like coming up for air after a long submersion...I am given my first drink of water in a 30cc cup and I sip it for approximately one hour...this continues for the morning...
Around mid-day, I am encouraged to begin walking in order to move the bowels and begin to expel gas...I complete several laps around the ward before I decide to rest a little and watch the Cubs game...one of my best friends ever comes to pay me a visit and I will never be able to express to him just how much it meant.
The Cubs are losing and so I decide to take another several laps around the ward and I pass my first gas...it was almost as wonderful as relieving my bladder earlier in the morning. I go until I begin to feel a little tired when I return to my room to rest some more and nap while listening to coverage of The Master's....after my nap, a few more laps around the ward and it's time for bed.
FRI 6 APR 2012
A most sound and restful sleep was had and I am awake and refreshed at 8:00 am. A breakfast of apple juice, orange jello and hot chicken broth is most welcome...the broth goes down very, very easily but I take my time with the jello.
After a visit with the surgeon, his resident and the NP, I'm ready for more walking so I wear a path in the carpet around the ward. Later I have a visit from Dr. La who is pushing for a discharge for me today. The surgeons are a little concerned because my heart rate, BP and blood sugar readings are elevated enough to warrant consideration of one additional night in the hospital but even one of my nurses has observed that given the sheer volume of fluids (much of it sugar water) being pumped through my system, it would be more surprising and cause for concern if my vitals weren't elevated...ultimately, in the early afternoon, the IV tower is disconnected so that I can move around even more freely and I am informed that I am, indeed, being discharged today!
I begin to gather my things and pack up what I can so that my wife and I can get home. However, in my haste, I failed to pack up my mask and tubing for my CPAP and didn't realize it until I began to unpack...my wife, who is a sainte, drives back down to the hospital and is able to collect them both and bring them home where I immediately drift off to sleep.
Now the recovery really begins.
SAT 7 APR 2012 - MON 9 APR 2012
First real day of recovery begins with a breakfast of a protein shake (consumed in very small sips) and adherence to the post-op menu prescribed by the bariatric surgery medical team...the other meals and snacks are much the same...in the afternoon I go for walk around the tiny courtyard in our condo building before heading back up the three flights of stairs. It is enough for today...the days following are also much the same until I have my one-week follow up appointments with the NP and surgeon...
TUE 10 APR 2012
Much, but certainly not all, of the bloating and gas has gone by the time I arrive for my first follow-up appointments.
I feel good, and am cleared to resume driving and to go back to work whenever I feel able...I applied for 2 weeks of short-term disability and it was approved so I am going to take them to recuperate...
The only real issue I've had is that once my bowels began to move, the stools have been most diarrhea-like. I'm told that once I begin to take in more solid food, that will cease to be the case...we'll see...
WED 11 APR 2012 - SUN 22 APR 2012
The days begin with a blood sugar reading, followed by taking my multi-vitamins, protein shake, me meds and other vitamins followed by breakfast, water with Crystal Light (or, more frequently, Target's Market Pantry private label of the same thing) with three (3) 250mg calcium citrate tablest ground up and dissolved in 32 oz of water.
Usually, in the afternoon, I go for a long walk around two (2) large blocks on the University of Chicago campus...I love Spring time on a college campus...
Most days I am feeling stronger and stronger...but occasionally, there is the day when for no apparent reason, I am just wiped out by the mid to late afternoon...
MON 23 APR 2012 to the Present
I am returning to work and am glad to be back...in many ways, it is as if I wasn't out for over two (2) weeks at all...and that's fine...most everyone is glad to see me and glad that I have returned.
Being at work makes for a much more structured day so it makes getting in the fluids and eating much more on a regular schedule than doing so at home on a "whenever" basis...
This morning's weigh-in was 270.0 making for a total of 16.7 pounds lost since surgery...
