Surgery to one week

Aug 31, 2010

David and I got up at 3:30 am on 8/25/10 to catch a 6:30 flight to Houston from Memphis.  No preop dieting, I actually gained up to 250 lbs freaking out.  Got to Memphis late and chastised by the ticket agent, but made it on the plane.  I took pj's, slipper, robe, one change of clothes, gasx,heating pad,  home meds, lap top and dsi game player.  Changed planes in Houston and made it to San Diego by 10:15 am.  Called the belite weight 1-800 number and told the driver was only a few minutes out.  I told Bibi I had just gotten there and was wondering only if he was running on time or not.  The driver was picking up others at the airport and several mixups later we were behind schedule. But Alberto was hilarious.  We proceeded to Tijuana after picking up another couple at the border parking lot.  By the way, the van is blue, not white.  It is the extra tall kind.  The driver most likely will not be waiting at baggage with your name on a card but ask you to wait at the car and to describe your clothing after you talk to him by cell phone. 

Driving through Tijauana is interesting as most mexican driving is.  They drive trucks like compact cars squeezing into lanes that are not there.  The INT hospital is a small 4 story building with 10 rooms.  The recovery and the OR on the same floor.  The hospital was very clean, but alot smaller than I was expecting.  We were met in the lobby by Joanne and excorted upstairs to our rooms to change and get preop testing.  I used the restroom, washed my hands and face and brushed my teeth.  The room was small with one bed, sink, a cushioned bench for David to sleep on.  The wall did have standard oxygen, air, and suction outlets.  There was some oxygen tubing hanging there and a glass jar for suction.  The Doctor's and nurses' and business people came and went completing their portion before surgery.  The consent form is in Spanish only.  My iv was started, blood drawn, ekg done, procedure explained, last of the money collected, and post op meds received.  Then the wait for my turn.

Oh yeah, I guess I am leaving out the part where I am freaking out that we drove the van into the carport and the hospital stays open to the outside.  The wall are very thin and I could here street traffic throughout the hospital including recovery area and or.  My husband was trying to be sweet.  He ran into a lady that had the vsg the day before and was doing great, going to hotel a day early.  He had her come talk to me.  Bad idea.  I wasn't afraid of the doctor or surgery, it was the hospital that was scaring me.  The ekg machine was archaic.  My heart rate and blood pressure were up and I lost it and started crying.  If only he would have left it alone.  Oh boy, now everybody comes and sees you again, petting you and reassuring you.  They brought me some medicine and I took a little nap.

Finally my turn and they roll my bed to the preop area.  Across the hall they pull in the girl that went before me.  She is a little restless in bed, moaning some.  They give her some medicine in her iv, doesn't seem to help.  I am seeing all this through shadows, no contacts or glasses and I am almost blind.  One of the doctor's is with us reassuring me.  I can see the or from here and The cleaning and room setting up process.  They take the grl back to her room.  Now it's my turn. 

They pull my bed up to the or table and have me scoot across.  Then the nice anesthesiologist gives me a kiss on the forehead and some iv meds.  I start to get dizzy.  They put on the arm boards and strap those on and crank the table up into reverse trendelenburg.  That is all I remember. 

I woke up in recovery nauseated and more iv meds.  I woke up again in my room with extreme nause and dry heaves.  I did spit up some old blood.  Honestly this was the worst part.  The nausea and dry heaves lasted two hours.  Then I rested.  I didn't ask for pain med that night and I was uncomfortable the next day.  Just uncomfortable.  Not a good position to sit or lie in.  The comfy furniture is in the community rooom at the end of the hall, but it is too hot for me and the furniture too low.  I sleep, pee, and walk.  Repeat.

I get ice chips around 11 am and so happy.  They make a gurgly sound in my throat all the way down and echoes back up.  Lots of new noises.  I have three bandaids and a dressing.  The nurse heplocks my iv and lets me shower.  Yeah.  I find one of them after to change my soaked dressing.  I am so swollen I really can't see the drain.  Later that day, tea, juice, and my favorite melon flavored jell-o.  Dr Sanchez says to take the tea first.  I honestly can't finish it all before I get another tray.  More exciting stomach noises.  My husband is chatty and made friends with everybody.  He went out to eat several times with the other husbands. 

Next day, I get another shower.  My husband said I slept through my sleeping pill...time change.  Of course I am the first one up at 4-5 am.  Dr Sanchez takes me to xray to do the leak test.  Looks good.  Contrast was horrible, I swear that was not oral contrast.  I was clear and thick, nothing like barium.  Thank god only had to take a mouthful.  Dr Umbarto? says I can have my drain and iv out.  Dr Sanchez came to take out the drain.  It was a penn rose drain.  He talked all they way through it and was very gentle.  I honestly didn't feel it come out.  The sweet nurse takes out my iv and we pack and wait for the ride to the hotel Del Real.  We Take the van over with two other couples. 

Check in went well but rooms not ready.  We went to the cafe with another couple to have some chicken broth.  Delicious.  My sleeve is very tight and takes me a long time to get anything in.  We get upstairs and I have a very comfortable nap.  We order room service for dinner umm more chicken broth. 

Next morning we start the return trip at 9:00 am their time and get to my house at 10:30 pm.  Home sweet home.  I get stronger everyday.  I have a chewable multivitamin, sl b12, and calcium vit d supplement it take.  I feel like I am starving sometimes.  Hard to get full on liquid.  The sleeve is definitly tighter in the morning.  I try to always start out with some nice chamomille tea, it seems to help.  I have walked several miles with the dog, gone shopping, done house work.  Tommorrow is day 8 and I plan to return to work.  I am an RN in a busy cath lab.  Hoping for a slow week.  I drink broth, juice, muscle milk protien water, cream soup, a bit of ice cream, popsicles, yougart, and water.  I have lost 12 pounds so far.  My husband is amazed at how well I am doing.  He had lap band a couple of years ago.  He didn't do nearly as well.  Of course he has never had a baby either. Haha. 

0 Comments