Overnight stay at Harper

Oct 17, 2007

Well, the pain just would not let up in the neck and shoulder.  I couldn't get comfortable in any position.  A Physician Assistant came some time before midnight and I explained my pain.  He said he could give me morphine, that it would help.  Around about 20 minutes later the nurse came and gave me a shot of morphine.  It was a different kind of high and not particularly helpful for the neck and shoulder.  Soon the nurse comes to inform me that I needed to pee or they will have to put a catheder in.  Never had one before, didn't want to start that day.  But I could not get the urge.  I said maybe if I actually sit on the toilet I will get the urge to go.  Sure enough it worked.  Went pee right away.  Whew.  Glad of that.  I fell into a very light sleep at around 4 a.m.  Lo and behold, another PA shows up at exactly 6 a.m. to let me know he and a team of doctors would be there at 8:00.  Owwwww, my neck and shoulder still hurt bad.  They gave me some liquid vicodin.  Did not help much.  Course, I could not go back to sleep that entire day.  Deb came and got me around 11:00.  We drove the 30 miles straight home.  Got home, took a shower being very paranoid about getting the cuts wet.  There were about 5 cuts.  Doc gave me script for motrin and liquid vicodin.  Said I could take them together and would work better than the morphine.  Deb went to the drug store for meds.  After I was all clean, medicated to the max and just plain tired out, I fell asleep about 7:30 and slept very comfortably until the pain med wore off.  I took more med, fell back asleep and slept again until meds wore off.  Felt good to sleep. 


I'm a bandster now (sung to the tune of the commercial for hugg

Oct 13, 2007

My friend Deb took me to Harper hospital on Wednesday the 10th of October to get my Lap Band surgery.  The room where one waits to be called in for their procedure was packed.  I was told to be there by 8 a.m.  So I go there at 7:50 like a good little patient.  Well, they were behind.  When aren't they??  My surgery was supposed to be at 10.  At around 10 they called me .  They took me to a room to undress and bag up my clothes and put on the evil no back gown.  Nurse Laurie was very nice.  Next I went to big holding area where I got on the gurney.  They hooked me up to the finger thing and the blood pressure cuff.  They put little feeties on me that compressed and released every so often to keep the blood flowing.
And I waited, and waited and waited for what seemed like forever.  Finally at around 11:30 or so, they rolled me into the OR.  The anestesiologist puts the mask on my face and says I'm going to put you under.  I said when?  He said now.  Last thing I remember.  

Next thing I am aware of is the doc and the anestesiologist standing over me and me saying I needed my inhaler and had to blow my nose and I tried to sit up.  One of them gave me a kleenex and I tried to blow.  Only a little came out, when I was expecting a lot.  Next I am being wheeled into the recovery room and I can see a clock that says 1:35 p.m.  In recovery, the anestesiologist give me a breathing treatment right away.  That was better.  I was sooooo thirsty.  I asked and asked for water.  They said I could have NONE.  UGH.  After about an hour and a half, a nurse said I could have a wet wash rag if I promised I would not suck the water out of it.  I promised. Amazing what you'll do to get what you think you need.  Stayed in recovery until about 4:45 pm.  And off I went to my room.  A real nice nurse brought me there in the big bed that is hard to steer.

To my delight, it was a private room.  And the mattress was not the normal plastic lump either.  Small luxuries mean a lot.  My neck hurt bad.  My neck and my shoulder on the left side.  The incision areas were numbed by the ON-Q ball.  They put these blow up leg compressors on my shins.  Put oxygen on my nose.  Floor nurse came and asked what my pain was on a scale of 1-10.  I said stomach okay, neck and shoulder a 10.   She gave me a shot of pain med.  Left me alone.  My friend Deb came in.  Boy was I glad to see her.  I was ALIVE!!  More later.

Surfing the OH boards

Sep 28, 2007

Between this post and the last, I have been what some call "lurking" on the boards.  That is, I go there and read and read and read and try to find out as much as I can about the surgery.  At one point, I think I became obsessive.  But today I feel calmer cause I have a date:  October 10, 2007.  Now I am only gonna think positive thoughts.  I hope.


A battery of tests

Sep 16, 2007

9-16-07     The scope was traumatic for me.  The thought of having a tube shoved down my throat was more than I could bear.  Originally, I was scheduled for late August for the scope.  I chickened out and didn't show up.  But I called to let them know that.  For two weeks I teetered back and forth about the scope test.  I will.  I won't.  I will.  I won't.  I know that doc must have been po'd.  After two weeks, I called the doc's office again and asked to reschedule the scope.  This time I vowed to not even think about it til I got there.  Strange how the scope was scarier to me than the lap band surgery.  Anyway, had the scope and they put a filter in me to prevent blood clots in future.  I am such a wimp, my neck hurt for two days where the filter was put in.  Just a tiny hole no larger than a pin prick.  When I say hurt, I mean minor.  Afterward I emailed the surgeon's assistant and she let me know that while they did the scope they found a large hernia which they could repair during the lap band surgery.  Immediately, I get on the web and start checking out hernias.  Found tons of info and even found video of the operation at MedicinePlus Videos of Surgery.  It was gorey but I watch the whole hour because I needed to demystify what was going to happen to me or else my imagination would just take it and run with it.  Saw a video of the lap band procedure too.  Love, Love, Love that web site and if anyone new is reading this go there and check it out. 

The process of WLS...lap band and hernia repair

Sep 14, 2007

September 14, 2007     I found Obesity Help from surfing around on the web and boy, am I glad I did.  I started reading the message boards to see how everyone else was handling the lap band surgery process.  I learned a lot.  By nature I am a curious person.  Love the internet for answering questions.  

I began thinking about lap band around the mid part of May, 2007.  So I surfed until I found Dr. Nunn at Harper Hospital.  Called their number and a gal named Rochelle said she would send info.  She did and then she invited me to join support group a few days later.  Went to support group and got lots of info and knew right then that this is what I wanted to do.

While at the support group, we were each given packets to take home and peruse.  Very helpful.  They had listed each and every test and requirement pre surgery.  So I started at the top of the list and sent in my insurance info.  Then I had to have my primary doc send medical records.  Then I had to have a heart test.  Then I had to see a shrink.  Then I had to have a scope. 

About Me
MI
Location
40.4
BMI
Surgery
10/10/2007
Surgery Date
Sep 09, 2007
Member Since

Friends 32

Latest Blog 5
Overnight stay at Harper
I'm a bandster now (sung to the tune of the commercial for hugg
Surfing the OH boards
A battery of tests
The process of WLS...lap band and hernia repair

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