shblack
I have struggled with being heavy most all of my adult life. When I reached the point that I was over 100 pounds overweight and after seeing some friends go through Gastric Bypass and Lapband surgeries, I decided to do something about my weight. I come from a long line of heart disease and I have 2 boys and a granddaughter that I want to be able to spend my life with and really live! I went to a seminar for the lapband and changed my mind to the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. This surgery seemed to be a much better option for me. I liked not having adjustments and I liked the fewer side affects. I went through the 4 months of pre-op appts that my insurance required and a sleep study. Then my insurance finally approved the surgery in early December. I assumed I would have to wait until January to have the surgery. Shockingly I received a call on December 17 that I could have my surgery on December 20th. I worked everything out so I could be gone for the overnight procedure and take some time off of work. I also got everything ready for my family's Christmas. I went in for surgery on Monday morning and woke up in ICU that afternoon to the words that something went wrong. Apparently my anesthesiologist had made a mistake and basically tore up my stomach. My surgeon probably saved my life by repairing the tears to the best of his abilty. I was put on a feeding tube to avoid anything going into my stomach while it healed. I had to stay in the hospital for 10 days and went home on the feeding tube. A week later I was back in the hospital with fluid on my lung that I believe had been there since before I had gone home. I spent another 7 days in the hospital. 6 weeks later I am still on the feeding tube and have another week and a half at least of this tube. There is a pinpoint hole in my stomach repair that is allowing air to create a pocket outside of my stomach. Until that pocket is gone I can not have any food in my stomach still. I have lost 23 pounds since surgery day. I do believe that at some time in the future I will be glad I had this surgery done, but at this time I am very depressed and angry about the situation I live with daily. I do not get to eat, I can't do my very public job, and I do not leave my house other than to go into my office and hide out while I work. I have vomited 3 times and am not sure why that is either. I have a fungus on my tongue from the amount of antibiotics I have taken. I have to have CT scans almost weekly. I will keep everyone updated on how things are going.
