You know those complications the surgeon mentions...

It's taken me a few days to consider whether or not I was going to hop on here and tell my story. But, I've decided that everyone needs the good with the bad. So here's my surgery in a nutshell.....

April 5th I was scheduled for surgery finally at 10am. My Aunt and I arrived at the hospital did the check in ect. everything was right on schedule. When I checked in my weight was down to 285. (I started all this at 339) I lost approximately 17lbs on the Opti.

All was good to go, made it into the OR and all but danced. It had taken me 4yrs to get there and NOTHING was going to stop me!! Dr. Jules and his team were fantastic and all was well.

The surgery went well, but they kept me in recovery for an extra 3 1/2 hours because my blood pressure was 178/105 it's not normally high. They were concerned but eventually agreed sending me back to my room figuring the stress of the whole thing + pain + who know what was causing it. So up to my room I went. My Aunt, God love her spent the entire day waiting for me to come out. (They wouldn't tell her why I was still in recovery, they just kept telling her they didn't have any beds available) But they finally sent me up to my room and she joined us. I was in my room by shortly after 5pm. I felt great, very little discomfort, a little shoulder gas pain but nothing I couldn't handle. 

My best friends came up around six and were with me until they got kicked out lol literally haha....but I was up walking the hallways bound and determined to rock this. I didn't sleep Friday night, up and down walking and just laying there....I guess because technically I had "slept" all day. 

Saturday morning was much of the same but closer to lunch time the pains in my shoulders and side were really starting to hurt. They hung a bag of morphine and away we went. I had a lot of company that day, but ended with my Daddy and my Uncle. We had a nice visit, but by the time they left I was in excruciating pain. I thought stupid me, i've been sitting up too much today and am just likely sore. My nurse came in to check vitals and everything was right on except my pulse was running high (and I'll add here that it was high all day, everytime they checked it) it should run around 75, mine was 105-108.

She kept asking what my pain level was at and what it felt like and I kept trying to explain it to her. We BOTH chalked it up to gas pain (I'm prone to getting it) So I continued to walk and drink and walk. 

I settled in for the night, but could not lay down. So with my bed propped up I just drifted in and out and again not getting much sleep. The doctor ordered morphine to be hung on my IV every 2 hours as needed but the nurse decided not to give it to me because it really won't work on gas pain and too much will constipate me. I understand that but twice I was crying so hard, and was having such a hard time breathing she broke down and gave it to me. Not morphine but oxycodone by mouth (note the by mouth and wait...)

Dr. Jules (on his weekend off and not on call) came to check on me again as he had the day before. I told him about the pain and I was visibly distressed because it was getting harder and harder to breath. He asked if I was getting my pain meds, I told him what the nurses had said, he had a stern conversation in the hallway and two minutes later they were hanging morphine. I got up and walked a little bit that morning but it was getting harder and harder to do so. I was so scared but kept pushing along. the gas was moving, but the pain just seemed to be getting worse and not lightening up at all. 

Dr. Jules was back in after lunch and it was much of the same. He told me he was staying in Guelph and would only be 10 minutes away if I needed him. As the afternoon progressed it was getting harder and harder to breath. I had visitors but I couldn't even sit up, I just stayed in bed drifting in and out from the morphine. The Doctor came back up to visit and I found out he had called several time through out the day talking with nurses to see how I was doing. He came back in it was about 5:30pm He asked me to describe my pain. Not sure how to describe it I said on a scale of 1-10 (10 being worse ever) it was a 15. I have an extremely high pain tolerance. I was begging to die it was so bad. I felt like someone laid me down and kicked me in the stomach breaking all my ribs X 3. He did an exam of my tummy and all seemed okay, there was no pain in the area. He said it didn't present as a leak or anything else. He ordered blood work at 530, by 540 he had the results. He came into my room, sat on the chair and we discussed another surgery. The Pros and Cons....Cons being going under general anesthetic twice in a 72hr period (not good) the chances of me surviving it were low. Worst case scenario they go in and nothing is wrong, they stitch me up we deal with the gas. Best case they go in, maybe it's a blood clot or a small leak they rinse me out, fix me up and we start over. He said we could wait until Monday. Do an upper gi, confirm it there is a leak and go from there. But he said he wouldn't sleep knowing I was in so much pain and he knew I wouldn't sleep obviously for the same reason.

I agreed to do it. At that point I didn't care...I was like, either fix me or let me die! i couldn't take anymore. He advised me to call my family. (for those who have had to do hard things, try calling your dad and best friend to say good bye) That's what I did, it still brings tears to my eyes and was bar none the HARDEST thing I've ever had todo.  I gave Dr. Jules my dad's phone number and he put it in his pocket. They rushed me to the OR and I was on the table at 6pm. 18 minutes from the time I said yes until I was on the table. They had to move me on a back board because I was gasping for air and I was in so much pain I couldn't move. 

The Anesthetist was amazing, the nurse held the oxygen over my face and he gave me a shot of something to relax me and calm me so I wasn't struggling so hard. He said he'd put in the IV and anesthetic once I was out. When that feeling washed over me I knew that was it and was thanking God it was almost over. *Poof* I was gone.

Good News! I woke up in recovery 4 hours later. The nurse said I had been in surgery 2 1/2 hours (so I knew something had happened) They took me back up to my room about 35 minutes later and again I was pain free and feeling good! The nurses were checkiing on me constantly and the Doc was back up in my room before 8am Monday morning. He explained:

There really is no explanation to what happened. He said that typically leaks will happen around staple holes ect. But there was an area of about 7" that he had stitched. He said it looked like someone went in after him and removed ALL the stitches. That area was completely open. He doesn't know why. Were the suture material a "bad batch" so to speak, did my body reject the material? no one will ever know. But they literally melted away. So that means that everything I took by mouth, Water, Tea, Soup, Jello, medication, everything was flooding my chest. Then my body goes into defense releasing more fluid to help rinse it I guess. But anyway, my entire stomach area, chest, shoulders and back were full of fluid. The fluid was squeezing my diaphragm and It was suffocating me. It was a close call on the table, I almost didn't make it they said. Dr. Jules is my HERO!

So my recovery started late Sunday night, but now it's different. I was in the hospital for a total of 8 days ( I begged to go home so he let me go a day or two early) I was under a lot of stress in the hospital and my anxiety was through the roof. So I came home in Friday's Ice Storm. But I didn't care! 

The entire week in the hospital, I had water and SF popsicles. That is it. I couldn't look at anything else without wanting to hurle. Talking with my nutritionist yesterday we've determined that my body had quite literally gone into starvation mode. It is eating all my muscle to get the protein it needs to survive. I have always had solid muscular legs. I walk every where (don't drive) it was the rest of me that was fat lol. But my legs are quite literally skin and bones. Sounds gross but if I run my fingers up my calves I can feel the muscle melt under my touch. It hurts and is uncomfortable. I can't cross my legs or sit for too long. It just gets uncomfortable. So I started Sunday with yogurt and protein powder and creme soup and protein powder because my body is craving it. When i spoke with the nutritionist yesterday I had my fingers crossed i wasn't doing anything that would set me back yet again. But she said that my instincts were correct and that my diet will be different from everyone else as I have a whole body to heal not just a pouch. So yesterday I was allowed to start mashed potatoes and mashed veggies. (My GF did a roast in the crock pot) so i had roasted carrots, sweet potatoe mashed and let me tell you it was divine! My pouch tolerated it well and hopefully in a week i'll be on full veggies and maybe soft fish...Too soon for chicken perhaps at the end of the month. But I have to get all the protein in I can so my body knows it's going to get fed and stops eating it's self in the meantime. I've started walking the halls in my apartment and even took a short stroll outside. ( My ass is getting sore from sitting so much, even in my La Z girl chair!!)

So that's my story, It was a long rough road but I SURVIVED IT!!!!! Now Onward and Upward! If I can do it YOU can do it!!!

One Day at a Time   

Best Wishes

Sherri

Oh yeah, I went in the hospital at 285 morning of surgery and came home Friday at 265....Not the best way to lose 20lbs but Yay me! lol

 

Wow. You have been through a mess! I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a bad time of it. It sounds like you are having a positive attitude though, which is amazing for what you've been through. I hope, in the end, it will be all worth it for you. Best of luck with your continued recovery. Thanks for sharing your story.

Wow, I started to cry @ the fact that you had to say goodbye to your loved ones; not knowing. So glad you had such a concerned doctor who so went above and beyond. And so so glad you are here today to help us all have our eyes just a little more open

Sherri, the pain sounds horrific. I'm sorry you had to go through that.You do have a great attitude and I hope every day is great for you from now on!

That's quite the story!  Sorry you went through that, but happy that you're okay!  Nice to hear that you got such good care from your doctor!!  Good luck with the protein and the recovery!  Hopefully it won't be too long before you're rebuilding that lost muscle!

Cheers,

DD

Oh my lord honey , i am so glad your home and on the mend. Thank-you so much for sharing . Please keep us updated and i pray for a speedy recovery for you... Take Care Krista..

So sorry to hear you had all those complications!  I can't imagine how difficult it would have been!

Here is to new beginnings, and the rest of your life.  Welcome to the bench!

Wow Sherri!!  What a trooper!  Thanks very much for sharing your story, you're absolutely right.  We need to hear the good with the bad because knowledge really is power and you might have helped someone else out with the same symptoms.   Your bright and shiny attitude is what brought you through this crazy episode in your life...  I am a fan, Sherri.   I know I'm probably much older than you but let me say anyway, I want to be just like you when I grow up.

wow.

 

Nora

Wow! We were worried about you as we hadn't heard from ya! Horrible experience to say the least and I am so happy to hear you are home and on the mend, finally!

annette