shrinking_sarah
Surgery Story
Dec 31, 2012
I'm actually amazed at how good I feel. Don't get me wrong--my stomach is sore (feels like I did a bunch of sit ups), and I'm sip sip sipping all day long, but considering that 85% or so of my stomach was removed, I feel pretty darned good. And according to the scale this morning, I have shed the water weight from the hospital and am now boarding the train to loserville. :)
This post is mainly for pre-ops. Here's my experience: Went to the hospital, got prepped, got an IV, waited waited waited waited. Had a HUGE headache b/c I had been on a liquid diet for nearly 3 days and had no liquids after around 10 p.m. the day before surgery. My dr. ordered iv tylenol and some fluids. The fluids got placed but as soon as that happened they came to take me downstairs.
Once downstairs I answered the same questions a lot, talked to the anesthesiologist, nurse, and my surgeon's PA. Then my surgeon came in, found out I never got tylenol and blew a gasket at the nurse (felt kind of bad for her, but hooray my dr. expects a lot from his team). Walked into the OR, got settled, had on an oxygen mask. The last thing I remember is saying to the anesthesiologist, "It's normal to think I'm doing something insane, right?" She laughed and said yes, and then I woke up in the recovery room with the dryest mouth EVER.
I was woozy, but not really in pain. My shoulder blade/back kind of hurt (I have a hard time staying in one position too long, so I think it was that and not gas). My headache was gone, at least. :) They took me upstairs, got me situated, let me use the restroom, and then I mostly tried to sleep despite the nurses taking vitals, adding stuff to my iv, etc. after that (it was around 9 p.m. by the time I was in recovery).
Saturday I spent a lot of time walking, going to the bathroom, etc. I did my best to drink the protien shakes. I found I liked the broth best. FINALLY Saturday afternoon I managed to pass gas. Who knew that would be so exciting? My surgeon came in around 4, talked to me for a bit, and said I could go home. Around 2 hours later I was on my way home with my hubby and kiddos.
The first night I took the pain stuff the surgeon prescribed. It knocked me out! I woke up around 4 and took some nausea meds and about half a dose of the pain stuff and went back to sleep.
Since then I've tried just using regular tylenol (I break the capsule in half and take half at a time) for pain, b/c I can't sleep all day if I need to be walking and drinking.
My family and I took a walk around our block yesterday. Today we are headed to a "noon year's eve" party for the kids. I will take my pineapple orange protein drink and just sip the whole time.
Weird stuff: while some real food still looks good, I have no desire to eat it. Also, the vitamins are a freaking meal in themselves. I got in everything except the 3rd calcium tablet yesterday. Those things are enormous!
And that's the story in case anyone is close to their date and wondering. Obviously we all have different experiences, but this was mine. Best wishes to you all--I hope to be posting before/after pics soon!
