Tubes, tubes and more tubes

Well, I finished my pre-op class yesterday and was very glad to switch places with a woman whose surgery date was on the 10th (mine was the 17th).  She had needed to switch because of a class she was taking, etc. etc.  To the tube point.  We were all doing wonderful through the class and had reached the last part of the day when the nurse explained the pain ball and how these little finger like wire tubes (looks like thin small wires) are inserted in the stomach and that we would "just pull them out" when the pain meds/antibiotic was finished--WELL, I almost passed out and I looked around and everyone's mouths were dropped open.  She went on to discuss the drainage tube and how that could possibly go home with us (we wouldn't have to pull that out ourselves though).  I guess that was one thing I hadn't learned yet (and I thought I knew everything after extensive research).  So, my feelings afterwards are--when someone tells me I have taken the easy road to weightloss, I will remember tubes and think not

I've never heard of a "pain ball" and little wire tubes.  Can you tell us more about that?

On-Q pump looks a bit like this one except instead of one wire it had a few.  The ball is outside of the body of course.  I guess from reading up on it now, its quite state of the art equipment that can really help.

Wow.  I've never heard of the pain ball, and I had no drainage tubes. I bet your mouth dropped open!  It would have been "too much information" for me. 

I'm glad your date was moved up a week.  You'll do great, and it won't be long until we are sharing success stories from the loser's bench !

Carol

Thanks Carol, it's called the On-Q pump.  I just asked hubby and he said he did have it in the hospital and asked for it to be taken out before he went home.  Thanks for your encouragement Carol, its very nice to hear.

 

Denise

Mercy! The only tube I had was an IV! Good luck next week!

I know!! Thank you atl_gadget_grrl!!!!!!

I didn't have a drain but I did have the pain ball. It's meant to last two or three days so I went home with it. My sister, who is a vet, pulled it out. I thought I would die just from the thought of it but it didn't hurt a bit and was out before I even realized it.

It's not a big deal at all. I think if you have a drain, you go back in to let them take that out but I'm not sure about that.

Thanks Deckeriv.  I did research it a bit more, and it's not a bad thing I guess (pretty state of the art?).  The nurse kept saying, no worries, it doesn't hurt at all when pulled out.  I think it was just she rub her fingers straight down the long looking wire tube when she was showing us and it looked like it was so long to be coming out of the body 

I have never heard of the pain ball, I also did not have any tubes after surgery besides my IV.I think I would faint if I heard that too!!