GigiIsMeMe
Conclusion...
Apr 24, 2008
Well, another surgery was in the works. I had just started a new job prior to getting my surgery done so I was upset that I'd have to take more time off. Secondly, there was a lady that I work that had-had major surgery herself and was off work over two months.
So that being said, I waited---- And waited. Finally said coworker found herself back at work and I finally-finally scheduled my revision surgery. All was set for April 11, along with ten days of recoup time post surgery.
Now this is where things get tricky, again. My Husband and I paid cash for the procedure, $15,000 to be exact. So here comes a revision surgery and I'm all scheduled and the week before I call and make all the arrangements needed. I'm talking to Dr.----'s office and they say, "the surgery cost will be about $2,500." Whoa! I pitched a fit, I hadn't done anything out of doctor's suggestion post-surgery that would have cause the stitches to break loose. No lifting, no twisting...
I'm not paying for the surgery that I've had no benefits from, is the basic context of what I said, lil' bit of silence and the doctor's representive said, "let me see what I can do." And we discuss that I would have to pay the surgical center fee and that the doctor's fee may be waived due to the circumstances. We talk prices, $800 conscience sedation, higher if they put me under, $1,200. I say well given a choice I'd like to have conscience sedation. And they said they'd get back to me.
No word and the surgical center calls, "Your appointment is tomorrow at such and such time and you'll need to make arrangements to pay the $2,500 dollars." Whoa! I politely say that someone needs to call Dr.----'s office and get things straight as I'm not paying the whole fee out of my pocket. More drama, more calls, more stress.
Finally things are settled and we go in for the surgery. We pay another $800 to the surgical center and wait to start. There is some delay, which is no biggie, I'm all prepped and held in the holding area. I'm with my Husband crying my eyes out, first with fear of surgery and secondly grief over all the hard times I have experienced with the lapband. All the hopes for being a different person with weight loss, better health and mobility. It had been six months and I really had none of those.
One bright spot that despite having very little resistance I had still lost thirty pounds total. That was surely one bright spot, I hadn't even bothered to weigh myself after a certain point for the fear of what the scale may show.
So the doctor comes in and I just start bawling like a baby, he's a lil' taken aback by my reaction but reassures me that everything will be fine. He really is a kind and gentle soul, I really do have to say that.
Then the anesthesiologist comes in looking very dour. He says something about, "I'm doing this for free, evidently." and looked me over. I take a deep breath and ask about the conscience sedation and he answers my few questions very aburptly and leaves the area. Nice to know I've just pissed off the man who's going to make sure I'm alive while the surgery is being performed. More stress.
I go in and it's over, apparently they did end up putting me under due to the fact the medication they'd given me to sedate me wasn't doing a good enough job and the amount needed for someone of my size could have caused complications. So I'm waking up and it's nothing like the original surgery, a lil' pain but the most annoying aspects are related to the anesthesia, painful numbed swallowing and cough.
The recovery nurses were angels, I can't say that enough. Again, I was on my way back to our hotel to recoup. I have to say that I took regular pain medication and didn't have an ounce of pain. What a relief to be done and to be painfree!
So that being said, I waited---- And waited. Finally said coworker found herself back at work and I finally-finally scheduled my revision surgery. All was set for April 11, along with ten days of recoup time post surgery.
Now this is where things get tricky, again. My Husband and I paid cash for the procedure, $15,000 to be exact. So here comes a revision surgery and I'm all scheduled and the week before I call and make all the arrangements needed. I'm talking to Dr.----'s office and they say, "the surgery cost will be about $2,500." Whoa! I pitched a fit, I hadn't done anything out of doctor's suggestion post-surgery that would have cause the stitches to break loose. No lifting, no twisting...
I'm not paying for the surgery that I've had no benefits from, is the basic context of what I said, lil' bit of silence and the doctor's representive said, "let me see what I can do." And we discuss that I would have to pay the surgical center fee and that the doctor's fee may be waived due to the circumstances. We talk prices, $800 conscience sedation, higher if they put me under, $1,200. I say well given a choice I'd like to have conscience sedation. And they said they'd get back to me.
No word and the surgical center calls, "Your appointment is tomorrow at such and such time and you'll need to make arrangements to pay the $2,500 dollars." Whoa! I politely say that someone needs to call Dr.----'s office and get things straight as I'm not paying the whole fee out of my pocket. More drama, more calls, more stress.
Finally things are settled and we go in for the surgery. We pay another $800 to the surgical center and wait to start. There is some delay, which is no biggie, I'm all prepped and held in the holding area. I'm with my Husband crying my eyes out, first with fear of surgery and secondly grief over all the hard times I have experienced with the lapband. All the hopes for being a different person with weight loss, better health and mobility. It had been six months and I really had none of those.
One bright spot that despite having very little resistance I had still lost thirty pounds total. That was surely one bright spot, I hadn't even bothered to weigh myself after a certain point for the fear of what the scale may show.
So the doctor comes in and I just start bawling like a baby, he's a lil' taken aback by my reaction but reassures me that everything will be fine. He really is a kind and gentle soul, I really do have to say that.
Then the anesthesiologist comes in looking very dour. He says something about, "I'm doing this for free, evidently." and looked me over. I take a deep breath and ask about the conscience sedation and he answers my few questions very aburptly and leaves the area. Nice to know I've just pissed off the man who's going to make sure I'm alive while the surgery is being performed. More stress.
I go in and it's over, apparently they did end up putting me under due to the fact the medication they'd given me to sedate me wasn't doing a good enough job and the amount needed for someone of my size could have caused complications. So I'm waking up and it's nothing like the original surgery, a lil' pain but the most annoying aspects are related to the anesthesia, painful numbed swallowing and cough.
The recovery nurses were angels, I can't say that enough. Again, I was on my way back to our hotel to recoup. I have to say that I took regular pain medication and didn't have an ounce of pain. What a relief to be done and to be painfree!
Long Hard Road..
Apr 24, 2008
It's been a long time since I've posted. I've been throughly disillusioned with the whole lapband process up until this point. I had my surgery and that went off without a hitch, which is a true blessing. However, six weeks later I went to get my first fill and it all went downhill from there.
I took my only day off of the week and drove two and a half hours to get it done. I go to an office in the building where the surgery was done where they do the fill. I've lost maybe eight pounds in the last six weeks so I'm really sad about that as I'd been really trying to eat well and move around as much as possible. But I know that there is no resistance in the band so I try to calm myself a it.
So I go in and of course wait, that's just a part of any medical appointment. The girl comes in and is *very,* pleasant and asks me how I'm doing and asks about my diet. Then the girl numbed the area and stuck me about six times, unable to locate the port. I'm a nurse but I guarentee you that *no one,* likes being put in a position where they're accessed that many times without a lot of anxiety and frankly, fear occurring.
She said that I could have imaging done while this occurs but that woman was not there that day and asked if I could come back tomorrow. I let her know that I drive quite a distance to get to their office and that coming back the next day would not be an option for me. So then I scheduled an appointment for the next week, again my only day off, with the idea that they would do an imaging to find the port to access it quickly and get the fill done.
I just remember calling my Husband and crying on the cellphone, I was throughly upset and shaking and nervous about not having the fill as I was ready for the band's full effect to take place.
I go back to the office the next week, again driving hours to get there, and I go to the office where the fills are done. Just a note here, the fills are not done in my doctor's actual office, I have to go back to the surgical center where the surgery was done to do this. I go in and they tell me that they do not have anyone with my name scheduled and that I would have to go across the building to where the surgery was actually done and talk to them. More hassle and emotions.
I go to the surgical office and they seem annoyed to have to deal with me, which totally rubs me the wrong way, "Are you sure you have an appointment,?" ect, ect. Finally something clicks and they tell me to wait.
I didn't wait long at all and went into the imaging room with the lady that does the fills with the imaging. She hurries me up on the gurney and doesn't speak to me, she pulls out the needle and I ask if she's going to numb the area. "No, I don't feel it's neccessary," she tells me obviously annoyed that I'm "telling," her how to do her job. Plunges the needle in and back out.
She went on to say, "Your port's flipped," and tells me that I can get my clothes on. I dared to ask her what exactly that means and how that's corrected. "I don't know you'll have to consult with Dr.---," and ushers me out.
Again calling my Husband bawling my eyes out. He's angry and calls Dr.---'s office and complains. Dr.---- calls him back, apologizing throughly and being supportive. "We'll get this taken care of."
I took my only day off of the week and drove two and a half hours to get it done. I go to an office in the building where the surgery was done where they do the fill. I've lost maybe eight pounds in the last six weeks so I'm really sad about that as I'd been really trying to eat well and move around as much as possible. But I know that there is no resistance in the band so I try to calm myself a it.
So I go in and of course wait, that's just a part of any medical appointment. The girl comes in and is *very,* pleasant and asks me how I'm doing and asks about my diet. Then the girl numbed the area and stuck me about six times, unable to locate the port. I'm a nurse but I guarentee you that *no one,* likes being put in a position where they're accessed that many times without a lot of anxiety and frankly, fear occurring.
She said that I could have imaging done while this occurs but that woman was not there that day and asked if I could come back tomorrow. I let her know that I drive quite a distance to get to their office and that coming back the next day would not be an option for me. So then I scheduled an appointment for the next week, again my only day off, with the idea that they would do an imaging to find the port to access it quickly and get the fill done.
I just remember calling my Husband and crying on the cellphone, I was throughly upset and shaking and nervous about not having the fill as I was ready for the band's full effect to take place.
I go back to the office the next week, again driving hours to get there, and I go to the office where the fills are done. Just a note here, the fills are not done in my doctor's actual office, I have to go back to the surgical center where the surgery was done to do this. I go in and they tell me that they do not have anyone with my name scheduled and that I would have to go across the building to where the surgery was actually done and talk to them. More hassle and emotions.
I go to the surgical office and they seem annoyed to have to deal with me, which totally rubs me the wrong way, "Are you sure you have an appointment,?" ect, ect. Finally something clicks and they tell me to wait.
I didn't wait long at all and went into the imaging room with the lady that does the fills with the imaging. She hurries me up on the gurney and doesn't speak to me, she pulls out the needle and I ask if she's going to numb the area. "No, I don't feel it's neccessary," she tells me obviously annoyed that I'm "telling," her how to do her job. Plunges the needle in and back out.
She went on to say, "Your port's flipped," and tells me that I can get my clothes on. I dared to ask her what exactly that means and how that's corrected. "I don't know you'll have to consult with Dr.---," and ushers me out.
Again calling my Husband bawling my eyes out. He's angry and calls Dr.---'s office and complains. Dr.---- calls him back, apologizing throughly and being supportive. "We'll get this taken care of."
It's over..
Nov 09, 2007
It's almost eight p.m. and my Hubby and I got to the Specialty Surgical Center at about eight a.m. What a day! I was scared and I cried but I'd think it would be silly to not go in with some fear and concern. Also being an RN is was hard to not ask questions and evaluate the staff as they preformed their jobs, I'm assuming it was just an outlet for my nervousness.
The surgery went without a hitch and I quickly found myself recovering. I was up walking within a half hour of fully being roused. I was ready!-- The gassy feeling post-op is truely lessened with walking or even just sitting up. I had a Barium swallow x-ray to verify placement. It made me somewhat nausous and I was given some Phenergan. Within another half hour to forty-five minutes after that my Hubby was waiting for me in the car. No pain with ambulation as of yet.
I've finally expelled most of the gas that has made this day very uncomfortable. The gas is the most painful aspect, so far, of this surgery. I was miserable for about four hours with pain between my shoulder blades, I really wanted to cry.
As for now I'm actually up and moving, walking unassisted. I had some cold chicken broth and some Jell-o, I kept both down fine. I've called my sister and best friend to let them know I made it! They are stoked! My Hubby has been my angel and just reinforces to me that He's totally my best friend.
Mr. Marsden, Olga, his pre-op nurse, and the post-op nursing staff, I can't remember their names, I'm sorry :( They're all angels.
The surgery went without a hitch and I quickly found myself recovering. I was up walking within a half hour of fully being roused. I was ready!-- The gassy feeling post-op is truely lessened with walking or even just sitting up. I had a Barium swallow x-ray to verify placement. It made me somewhat nausous and I was given some Phenergan. Within another half hour to forty-five minutes after that my Hubby was waiting for me in the car. No pain with ambulation as of yet.
I've finally expelled most of the gas that has made this day very uncomfortable. The gas is the most painful aspect, so far, of this surgery. I was miserable for about four hours with pain between my shoulder blades, I really wanted to cry.
As for now I'm actually up and moving, walking unassisted. I had some cold chicken broth and some Jell-o, I kept both down fine. I've called my sister and best friend to let them know I made it! They are stoked! My Hubby has been my angel and just reinforces to me that He's totally my best friend.
Mr. Marsden, Olga, his pre-op nurse, and the post-op nursing staff, I can't remember their names, I'm sorry :( They're all angels.
Tomorrow is the day....
Nov 08, 2007
Tomorrow is the big day, no pun intended! I'm scared but optimistic. I woke up so energized and happy this morning, next to my Husband. We shared a laugh and talked about things very briefly, He's amazing.
I called the surgical center and found out I need to be there at 0830. We'll be driving into Hurst tonight and spending the night. The company that does the banding got us a hotel for tonight and tomorrow night.
Everyone wish me luck and keep me in your prayers.
I called the surgical center and found out I need to be there at 0830. We'll be driving into Hurst tonight and spending the night. The company that does the banding got us a hotel for tonight and tomorrow night.
Everyone wish me luck and keep me in your prayers.
