CandaceJ
8 days Post-op
Jul 07, 2007
and I'm still alive. Doc decided not to do the hernia repair because it was small enough to heal on its own, but he took a culture of my liver, which was unexpected. 3 hour surgery and I'd never had one before.
It hurt. It hurt bad when I woke up. After 8 hours of drifting in and out of conciousness and telling my family to shut up I started feeling better. One serious and definite lesson I learned about being in the hospital, make sure you have someone with you thathas had enough surgeries to anticipate what you need. My sister Audra had everything ready about 10 seconds before I needed it: my robe, dragging my iv around, food, towels to heave on, chapstick, and she could go find a nurse when various machines hooked to me started screeching. That happened quite a few times. The nurses and aides are nice, but they're too busy to check on you often enough. I learned that in the middle of the night when my morphine ran out and the iv was beeping and I was writhing in pain for nearly 20 minutes. My saline ran out and the same thing happened again not 3 hours later.
After 2 nights in that joint I got sprung out. So now I'm off the liquid diet and on to pureed food. I'm having some trouble sticking to it though. I justify my actions with "If I chew anything long enough it becomes pureed."
And I'm walking. Did a good 10 minutes today without stopping, going at a good pace. My back hurts; I got used to those nice hospital beds that inflate around you and fit so perfectly to your body. I've noticed my bed at home has a hollow of my body right down the middle of the mattress.
Dr Kozar said I'm doing excellent in all the areas of recovery. This goes against everything I've ever done, as I have identified myself with mediocre accomplishments throughout my life spiced with an exceptional one every now and again to impress everyone. Now I'm going to be held to this excellent thing throughout my recovery and weight loss.
Total weight loss since 6/15= 22 lbs
It hurt. It hurt bad when I woke up. After 8 hours of drifting in and out of conciousness and telling my family to shut up I started feeling better. One serious and definite lesson I learned about being in the hospital, make sure you have someone with you thathas had enough surgeries to anticipate what you need. My sister Audra had everything ready about 10 seconds before I needed it: my robe, dragging my iv around, food, towels to heave on, chapstick, and she could go find a nurse when various machines hooked to me started screeching. That happened quite a few times. The nurses and aides are nice, but they're too busy to check on you often enough. I learned that in the middle of the night when my morphine ran out and the iv was beeping and I was writhing in pain for nearly 20 minutes. My saline ran out and the same thing happened again not 3 hours later.
After 2 nights in that joint I got sprung out. So now I'm off the liquid diet and on to pureed food. I'm having some trouble sticking to it though. I justify my actions with "If I chew anything long enough it becomes pureed."
And I'm walking. Did a good 10 minutes today without stopping, going at a good pace. My back hurts; I got used to those nice hospital beds that inflate around you and fit so perfectly to your body. I've noticed my bed at home has a hollow of my body right down the middle of the mattress.
Dr Kozar said I'm doing excellent in all the areas of recovery. This goes against everything I've ever done, as I have identified myself with mediocre accomplishments throughout my life spiced with an exceptional one every now and again to impress everyone. Now I'm going to be held to this excellent thing throughout my recovery and weight loss.
Total weight loss since 6/15= 22 lbs
Couple more days
Jun 26, 2007
So i'm on the special mix stuff for my liquid diet. It's been fine so far, haven't gotten hungry. Commercials are killer though, and smells. The vanilla mix is just foul. I tell people it tastes about 70000% times worse than the barium they give you for an upper gi, grainy too. If I had known before hand how bad the vanilla and banana were going to taste I would have only got the chocolate. It's easiest to choke down.
Date
May 24, 2007
Got it! June 29th!
Still nothing from scheduling
May 16, 2007
I'm really starting to get anxious now. I'm generally not an impatient person...
I wonder how far out they'll schedule it for.
I wonder how far out they'll schedule it for.
The first entry...is always the hardest?
May 14, 2007
Ok, so I first came to this website last year when I was searching for info on WLS. At this point, having been through an insurance denial and appeal (I won), I am guardedly excited. Some time this week I am supposed to get a call from scheduling at Western Bariatric to set a date. For no reason aside from that I am a skeptic, I expect them to call and say it's all a no-go.
Defense mechanisms, what are you going to do?
But after all this time (my process began last October, I know that isn't a long time, but I'm very centered on immediate satisfaction) it's surreal. I'm thinking that maybe when I have a date it'll sink in and I'll have a heart attack, fingers crossed that that's just figuratively.
So down to what this post is really about- support. If it hadn't been for my wonderful family and friends (disclaimer: they have been wonderful so far, who knows about the future. Also, when I describe my family as wonderful, I only mean in regards to supporting this WLS, aside from that, they're pretty much horrid) I'd never have appealled the insurance company's decision and be where I am now. Specifically, my sister Audra for helping me write the letter and prodding me to keep moving on this thing: Zoot.
Defense mechanisms, what are you going to do?
But after all this time (my process began last October, I know that isn't a long time, but I'm very centered on immediate satisfaction) it's surreal. I'm thinking that maybe when I have a date it'll sink in and I'll have a heart attack, fingers crossed that that's just figuratively.
So down to what this post is really about- support. If it hadn't been for my wonderful family and friends (disclaimer: they have been wonderful so far, who knows about the future. Also, when I describe my family as wonderful, I only mean in regards to supporting this WLS, aside from that, they're pretty much horrid) I'd never have appealled the insurance company's decision and be where I am now. Specifically, my sister Audra for helping me write the letter and prodding me to keep moving on this thing: Zoot.
