I'm Home!

Hi Everyone!
My surgery took 3 1/2 hours and another 4 hours before I woke up enough for them to let my husband in.  I had surgery at 7:30am and was in my room at 4pm. I was up and walking at 6pm (250yards!!!!)  walked once more that night.  They discharged me the next day at 2pm.  They have NEVER discharged a RNY'r on the day after surgery!  I guess I was doing so well that they let me go.  The most pain I experienced was from the JP Drainage tube.  It was up against my lungs and with each breathe I had extreme pain, not to mention when the striped it, I had problems for 30 minutes... not good.  I was still having pain from the now removed drain but not bad. I spoke to the Dietitian who went over all we could and couldn't eat and answered all my questions.  I asked her specifically about the 30 grams of protein and if that's all we could absorb at one time, she said that that is not true.  We can absorb any amount at one time.  Also, she was very impressed with the All-In-One chewable vitamin I had found and that all the vitamins and minerals came in a from that was most readily absorbed by our bodies. (www.bariatricfusion.com)  She also said that the IsoPure RTD Zero Card drinks were great post surgery.  So we went home Wednesday and I survived the night and the wonderful shower I took.  The next morning (Thanksgiving) we woke up and drove 2 1/2 hours to my parents house where our children had been staying.  The drive was a little rough, but not too bad.  I slept on a reclines up there with my heating pad and was VERY happy!  Everything went well but when I woke up Saturday morning, my arm (where my IV had been) was swollen, painful and had red streaks.  After a quick ER visit, it was determined that I had an infection from the IV and was put on liquid antibiotics and now I am feeling better.  I was at my parents house all week and we came home today.  I am VERY tired and have only had water, IsoPure protein drink, chicken broth, sf Popsicles and 3 bites of SF jello.  My husband has been trying to make me rest but it is hard.  Now I am resting and drinking.  I am scared to try milk or any thicker fluid...I guess I will wait a couple more days.  Thank you so much for all your thoughts.  Make sure to let me know how you are doing!  My husband asked me on the way home today, "Would you do it again?"  I said, "Oh yeah!  I know this is changing my life."  Oh yeah, I went to Wal-Mart this morning on the way home to grocery shop for the week, and I even pushed the cart and I survived that as well.  I was definitely tired and promptly feel asleep in the car but I was okay!  Please feel free to PM me and ask me ANY questions you want answered.  Now that I have been through it, I am very happy to help in any way I can.  Thank you ALL for your thoughts and prayers.  They really did make a difference!

Charity

I forgot to mention that my blood sugar levels were high coming out of surgery and I had to get 2 rounds of insulin.  I have never had a problem before so I was very concerned.  They explained to me that it is due to the stress our body is under.  By the 3rd  finger ***** test, I was back to normal and all was good. 

Congrats on your RNY. Hoping you have a speedy recovery. Your now on the losers bench...

Congratulations and I am happy that everything went well.  I am pre-op and wrote down the vitamin, calcium and IsoPure in my notes.  Thanks for sharing your tips!

Charity,

I am so happy to hear you are doing so well..  You have been in my thoughts and prayers.
Wow, home the next day... Way to go... 
Keep up the good work, and don 't push yourself to hard..   I am here if you need to talk to..
Just PM me anytime... 

Congrats again, and how good does it feel to be a "looser"..

Hugs,

Jenn

Charity,

I have been thinking about and praying for you and I am so happy to hear everything went so well.  Sounds like you have trained UCSF, so I thank you for that, 5 weeks and I will have my date there too.  Please remind me what all-in-one vitamin you had. 

Welcome home and you're on your way!

Always,
Barb

****Update****

So yesterday evening around 6pm I started having chest tightness with pain and numbness down my arm.  I called my surgeon and he wanted me to go to the hospital where I had my surgery.  Upon arrviving the staff was great!  They did an EKG immediatly, which was normal.  Almost before I had a chance to sit down they brought me in to my room.  They were worried that it could be a Pulmonary Embolism (blood clot trapped in your lungs).  They ordered a chest xray and a Chest CAT Scan, which was also negative.  I thank my famlies prayers for that!  Anyway, I basically was sent home and told to watch my symptoms and if they get worse of I develop a fever that I need to go back to the ER.  I am still having pain in my upper chest whenever I take a deep breathe.  I am still on antibiotics for the infection from the IV.  They called my surgeon and he wants to see me Wednesday in his office.  NO FUN!  

Question for you all:
My surgeon told me I could increase my drinking to 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of liquid per 1/2 hour as tolerated, has anyone else been doing this or are you all just a 2 ounces/hour?  I have been increasing my liquids but I just wanted to see what you all were doing!  Thanks!


Barb,
The all in one viamin is Bariatric Fusion.  If you email them, they will send you samples!

Congrats and welcome home!

Could that pain be from gas? You would be amazed at how BAD a pocket of gas can affect you! I had horrible gas pains up in one of my shoulders a few days after surgery. I kept a heating pad on it and moved around a lot and it eventually went away, it was the worst pain I had post op, including when I woke up in recovery!

Glad to hear you are home and doing well!


Shells

They didn't seem to think so.  I took GasX and had no relief.  Maybe my md will have some ideas on Wednesday.  Thanks so much for the thought, that was my first thought too!  Great minds do think a like.