April1013
Pre-Admission Testing
Jun 16, 2009
So I went to Barix today for my PAT'S. It was at 8:15 and I arrived on time but I forgot that everyone always gets to Barix early because they put you in the order that you sign up. I guess for some reason I thought I was going to be the only one doing testing at that time, but there were about 15 other people. I was surprised that there were more men there than women. I guess the surgery is really catching on. So they didn't call me up til about 8:45, I met with some lady who took my payment. (Which was only $200..God is Good!!) I signed a few papers and then she sent me back to the lobby. I waited another 30 mintues or so until the nurse called me in. She ATTEMPTED to find a vain (which is very hard on me) but couldn't so she had to take 5 viles of blood from my hand!! After that they took me to another room where a nurse asked me a million question. (Sometimes I wonder the point of filling out all of this paper work, when they ask you the same questions over and over again)After that I went to get a ultra-sound of my gallbladder and I was scared to do becuase for the past few week I have been having pains on my side, and my mom thought it might be my gallbladder. But the technician said everything looked fine so I was relieved! Then I went and got a chest x-ray. Went back to my original room and the nurse had to finish the million questions she started asking before. Then the respitory therapist came in. She did the EKG, which was a breeze. I guess I was expecting some kind of electric shock or something. lol. After that she said they were going to take some blood and I was like "damn't, again!" lol. But then she said they had to check it for my oxygen levels but they were going to take it from an artery in my wrist! All I was thinkin was "this shit is gonna hurt!! " And I was so right. And what I love is that there were two nurses in my room and I guess one was still in "training" and the main nurse was like "would you like to get the blood" and in my head I'm thinking "hell no! Gauranteed she is not going to find it and just poke the shit out of me" And sure enough, I was right. Getting blood drawn from you artery is no joke! Especially when they hit nerves trying to find it, it is a really bad burning sensation. So "nurse in training" couldn't find it, so the other nurse came over and got it on the first try. (I'm always the guinea pig!)
So after that I was suppose to meet with my surgeon, but I guess he was busy because his assistant came in to go over my file. I was VERY dissapointed. I know Dr. Schram is a busy man, but one of the main reasons I came to Barix is because I wanted a more personalized feel during the whole process. So I won't be seeing my surgeon until surgery day, which kindda makes me angry. So his assitant asked me all the questions the nurse asked me at the beggining, she told me all my x-rays were good, and my gallbladder was fine. She asked me if I had any questions and then she was out! But she popped her head back in a few minutes later and asked me if I was anemic. I told her no, and she said the iron looked a little low in my blood and she would let me know if they wanted me to start taking medicine for it. But they never told me I did so I guess I not anemic enough...
They sent me back out into the lobby and I waited to be called in for the group meeting with the nurtionist. First they went over what to expect on surgery day, visitors, pain, after care etc. Then the nutritionist went over the food plans. I felt very proud of myself because everything she said I knew. I have done so much research on my own I feel like a weight loss surgery pro! The only thing she went over that I didn't know about what was the label reading. I always look at labels when I shop but I never knew that when you are looking at the sugar content look at the first 5 ingredients of it and if it doesn't contain any form of high fructose corn syrup or other high sugar content, then it is ok to eat! So she made us do an exercise where we each had our own food and we had to say if we could eat it or not. So after the class we were done!
There were four other women in the room with me. I overhead one say that her surgery was the same day as mine. I asked one girl on the way out when her surgery was and tried to start up a little conversation but she wasn't really havin it. I have noticed that many pre-op patients are reluctant to talk about the surgery. I have encountered so many people who have only told a few select people. (I have told the world! All my fam, friends, co workers, church people.)...But overall today was a good day. Hospital staff was very friendly. But I have to say I was kind of suprised at the lack of organization there was. The whole thing took four hours instead of three like I was told, and I didn't even get to see my surgeon :( Hopefully the care I recieve after surgery will make up for the things that went wrong today.
OOOHHHH, and how could I forget??!! NO DIET! The nutritionist said that we should just be eating smaller, healthier meals. I was excited at first, but then I thought maybe having a diet would have been better for me, so I would be more likely to stick to it. But I am going to make an good effort to eat healthy in the two weeks leading up to my surgery. I am even more excited ! Now I know there is nothing stranding in my way, I am all set to go. JUNE 30TH!!!!!!!
6 Comments
About Me
West Bloomfield, MI
Location
40.8
BMI
Surgery
06/30/2009
Surgery Date
Feb 03, 2009
Member Since
