Purple Lotus
I'm home, here's my story
Feb 28, 2008
I had to arrive at the hospital Monday at 6 am. So, we went in and checked in, and waited around until they called my name. I think they called me back around 6:30. After that, things went pretty quickly. We went up to the OR, and they started prepping me. I had to get stuck 3 times for my IV; the nurse who was prepping me just couldn't get it. I told her I was a hard stick, but did she listen? Nooope. So another nurse came and got it, first try. Then they checked my vitals, asked questions, and just did general stuff like that. I didn't have an epidural; the lady from anesthesia prep said I would but she was wrong, and that was fine with me. John was allowed to stay back there until they rolled me out. Just before they did that, they gave me a Happy Injection and that's the last thing I remember.
Then I woke up in a LOT of pain. I was pretty out of it but I was telling the nurses that I was in pain, and they'd tell me to push my PCA button. Which wasn't cutting it, and they should've known I'd need something stronger to start off with. @@ But, they finally listened and gave me an injection of some good stuff (can't remember what it was), and then I felt much better. I had to wait a LONG time for a room, because they try to give all employees a private room. But they had already told DH & the family that I was out and everything had went fine. They did the procedure a little differently because the blood vessels around my liver are very short. So he had to route everything behind my old stomach instead of in front of it. But he was still able to do it laproscopically, and the end result is the same.
So, I was pretty out of it the first night, pushing my PCA button pretty often and staying half-asleep. I got a ton of visitors and phone calls and had a good night. I kept telling the nurses that I needed to walk, and they said I wasn't allowed to until the next day. Well, later, my surgeon came by and asked if I'd walked yet. I told him what they'd said, and he went out and set them straight. HA! So I finally got to walk. It wasn't bad at all.
The next day, pretty much was the same but I came to the conclusion that the nurses on that floor suck. I know I'm used to ICU nurses but this was ridiculous. I guess the clerks up there got tired of me calling because they were just shutting my light off. I passed my barium swallow in the morning but didn't get any fluids until that evening, which could've been a doctor issue but from the way the docs acted, I don't think so. I was SOO thirsty and couldn't take my anxiety meds, which the dumb nurse informed me I could miss a dose of. @@ She REALLY needs to do some research on Effexor withdrawals before spouting off.
My IV pumps would beep for ridiculous amounts of time before they'd take care of them, and I paged for over an hour just for someone to come unhook me so I could walk. DH was more than happy to walk with me, I just needed to be unhooked! Right when all of that was going on, the nurse manager for that floor came in and asked how my nursing care was going. She got an earful! And she asked a lot of questions like had I been offered a bath yet? To which the answer was NO! So she was not very happy herself. It was ridiculous and I hope to never be on that floor again.
Anyway, that day my IV blew out, and sure enough my nurse just HAD to try it not once but twice, before calling in the IV nurse to get it done. I am bruised up like a domestic violence victim! Between that and the 'stab wounds' on my abdomen, I told John I'm going to take pics as blackmail so I can pull them out if he ever makes me mad. LOL!
So, the nurses sucked, but otherwise my stay was OK and I was SO, incredibly, glad to get out! My percocets are controlling the pain well, and I'm only taking one every 5-6 hours. I'm keeping down everything with no problems at all *knock on wood*. (everything meaning my fluids, protein drinks, liquids, meds & supplements) I walk pretty often, and do as much as John will let me. LOL He is taking care of everything and being awesome, and I'm loving this time with him.
I will keep y'all posted as the weight comes off! Hopefully I'll be back to work in a couple of weeks.
Thank you all for your prayers, support, and encouragement!
xoxoxoxo
Tomorrow is my Day!!
Feb 24, 2008
I'm still not nervous, really. I had a day last week that I freaked out a little, and I still occasionally say to myself, "Am I really doing this??" But I think I'm doing really well. I think I'll be nervous tomorrow about the IVs and catheter and fun stuff like that, but overall I'm really calm about it all. DH is doing well, too. I still haven't packed! I'll be doing that soon. I have a whole list of recommendations from OH'ers of what to take. :o)
I'm so excited to start this new life. I still can't believe it's real, that as of now I will be LOSING!! Every time I looked in the mirror and saw my CHINS today, I remembered that soon they will be gone! YAY!
Thursday
Feb 23, 2008
Pre-Op
Feb 21, 2008
Anyway, I got everything taken care of so now it's just waiting till Monday. He said I will have to be there at 6am if not earlier. The surgery should take about 2 hours. He's very confident and totally knows what he's doing.
I'm feeling really good about it all!
Psych Visit
Feb 20, 2008
I was having a little trouble mentally figuring out if I should be 'dieting' or not at this point. I've settled down and stopped beating myself up and things are much better now.
Kicking caffeine/Diet Pepsi isn't fun either, but I'm doing it.
I had a couple of days of feeling kind of freaked out, but I'm ok at the moment.
Tomorrow I see the surgeon, the nut, and do the pre-op anesthesia stuff. Oh, and I see the financial people because I found out today that I'll be paying $1800 out of pocket that I didn't know about.
I should be able to make payment arrangements, though. Talk about dropping something on me last-minute!!! 
Hopefully tomorrow will go well and then I can just chill until Monday!
Counting Down........
Feb 16, 2008
This weekend, I am trying to get all prepared, buying the stuff I'll need post-op and getting everything ready for hubby & the kids, too.
I'm also eating all of my favorite things!
Friday, Shelbie and I went to Bono's BBQ for lunch. I had my fave thing, cheesy fries with BBQ pork. They weren't as good as usual, which is kind of good since I won't have such a delicous memory of them. lol
Friday night, hubby and I went to On The Border and had chips, loaded queso, and fajita quesadillas.
Saturday, we got reuben sandwiches and chips and took it out to Lake Alice, and had a picnic. It was very nice.
Later, we got Krispy Kreme donuts. Then for dinner, we went to the Ale House, and had chicken wings and Philly Cheese Steaks.
We haven't decided yet what we'll be eating tomorrow but I plan to make it good, because after Monday I'm going to cut way back. Then, the following Monday is the big day!
All day, though, I felt like I looked SO awful.
And I kept having to remind myself that it's about to change! I would see my reflection and be so disgusted, 
then a light bulb would go off. 
8 more days! Then my new life begins! 
Up until recently, I would have my days where I thought I looked pretty good (considering). But lately, I don't look good (to me) no matter what. It's so depressing.
I also bought a scale yesterday. I think the dr's scale would say more, but as of today MY scale says 251.
I also had DH take my official "before" pictures, but I can't find my USB cord right now so I can't upload them. Hopefully soon.
I can't believe MY time is almost here! I haven't gotten scared yet, although I did have an emotional moment today. I honestly don't think I'll get nervous until the night before or maybe even the day of. I'm just too HAPPY to get scared/nervous!!
When it began
Feb 10, 2008
That was June 30th, 2007.
I'm having surgery on February 25th, 2008.
It's went by fast, really! I still can't believe it's almost here. 2 weeks from today! Last night, I couldn't sleep and I thought about it a LOT, but I wasn't scared, just thinking of what I needed to do before, how life would be after, and just THINKING.
I just can't wait until the weight starts coming off!
Changing my mind a bit..........
Feb 10, 2008
When I originally started thinking about this surgery, I planned on telling VERY few people. I even considered not telling my own parents until it was over, just because if they have a negative opinion about something they will NOT hesitate to let me know, over and over.....and I knew I didn't need that. But in the end, I very matter-of-factly told them about it and let them know that the decision was made and I wasn't changing my mind. And they've been totally supportive.
Then, my Mom decided to tell a lot of that side of the family. I wasn't very happy about that, but you can't un-ring a bell, so I just let it go.
I was pretty sure I didn't want my in-laws to know. I've already posted about my insecurity around them regarding my weight, and I just felt really uncomfortable with them knowing. But, I changed my mind just within the last few days. For one, I know that DH is going to be VERY nervous, and I think it's wrong to not let him have his family around to comfort him. That's my main reason. And, I know that they care about me, so it just doesn't feel right to undergo surgery without them even knowing. I know they'll want to visit and everything, well at least I'm quite sure they will. And if DH feels like he needs something while I'm in the hospital, or they happen to call, how would they feel knowing this was happening and they had no idea? So, it's not that I feel they have a right to know or I'd be wrong to keep it from them.......it's mostly for DH's sake and it just feels like the right thing to do, for ME.
I think part of it is, I'm this close now so it's not like anyone is going to talk me out of it, and most people probably wouldn't even try this late in the game.
Also, my co-workers. I work in a hospital and I have a LOT of co-workers. The unit I work in is staffed by a larger unit so I work with many different people. I originally planned to tell almost no-one, just my closest work friend and 2 nurses I am close with, who have had RNY. And I only told my boss that I'm having surgery. Being a hospital, they know better than to ask for details. But....I'm waffling a little on that, too. I mean, they're going to notice an absence of several weeks and then a quick weight drop. And sure, I could still stay quiet about it, and for many of them I will. But for the ones that I am somewhat close with, I think I will tell them. In fact ,I told the first co-worker (besides the three I mentioned) on Friday morning. Her reaction was VERY positive, she was SO excited and happy for me. She is young and has a fantastic body and I was so afraid that her reaction would be a total lack of understanding or worse.....but she wasn't like that, at all. She made me feel really good about it! So, hopefully most people I tell will do the same.
Only one person has been negative, and that's my uncle (aunt's husband), who shouldn't even know but I have my Dear Mom to thank for that, LOL..........he said to be careful, and at first I thought, ok, he's just concerned...but then he went on to say that some people at his church had the surgery and they are already....and he made 'fat' motions with his hands, conveying that they were gaining weight back. Such encouragement......NOT!!
But, oh well, I love him but honestly, his opinion on this matter means absolutely nothing to me. His wife, my aunt who I adore, is totally supportive, said she thinks I'm smart do be doing this and she's proud of me. 
So, I'll just take things as they come. If I feel like telling someone, I will. I told DH if he wants to call his mom tomorrow and tell her about it, that's fine with me. I'd still prefer that some people like my ex and DH's ex don't know about it, but if they find out, OH WELL. I dare them to say something about it to ME!
It's MY Turn!
Feb 04, 2008
February 25th, 2008. 3 weeks from today.
OHHHHHHH MY GODDDDDDDD!!!
I am SO excited!!!!
IT'S MY TURN!!!! It's my turn for surgery, it's MY TURN to take care of myself, it's MY TURN to eat healthy, it's MY TURN to look better, feel better, have energy!!!!!
OMGosh!
Jan 28, 2008
She emailed me back right away, saying she'd double-check that everything was done, and if so she'd go ahead and submit to the insurance for approval.
OMGosh!! I totally knew that was coming, but when I saw it in writing from her, my heart starting pounding! It just seemed so REAL.
Things have plodded along slow and steady so I've been pretty calm about things, but now I am SOOO excited!
I hope the insurance co. doesn't drag its feet for an eternity!!!!
