My Story (Very long)

Nov 29, 2009

I started my journey to weight loss surgery in February. Well, that's when I started researching it and talking to my husband about it. 
 I went to the surgeon's seminar about the two different surgeries they offer, Lap Band and RNY. I drug my husband. He wasn't at all supportive of me getting this surgery.
 I had my first appointment in April. I left my husband in May. He had been emotionally abusive since we got married. Discussing this surgery brought out the worst in him. So I took my kids and left.
 I saw the psychologist in June. She said the only concern she would have is if I went back to my husband. However she made me promise I would tell my surgeon. Of course I did. He told me to bring my mom to my pre-op since I had told him that she was my support.
 At my pre-op my surgeon went over the risks of surgery and specifically the RNY. He said I was at very low risk for complications, but he goes over them with everyone just in case.
 The beginning of September I got my surgery date. 12 October 09. I was so excited. After fighting my insurance I finally was going to get a surgery that would change my life.
 I got through drinking the pre-op nasty stuff. I prayed really hard that the snowstorm would clear up so I could make it to the hospital. And we made it up. (my mom took me to the hospital; my dad kept my kids)
 Everything was going great on surgery day. I was his first surgery of the day. I remember moving onto the operating table and that is all....until I got to my room. I don't even remember the recovery room. 
 I slept alot. The nurse would come in and tell me to do my breathing thing and get up and walk. I remember getting up for the first walk being mostly aware. I just couldn't hold my head up to well...and it was a struggle to walk even the length of the hallway. I walked twice on Monday. 
 I remember being taken to radiology for my tests to see if I have a leak. I had to lean on one of the techs almost the whole time. I was getting frustrated with myself because I didn't think I would be so out of it after this surgery. It wasn't my first surgery. 
 I got back from my trip to radiology and slept some more. At some point the nurse came back in and gave me my blue jello which meant that the tests from the radiologist were fine. My mom had to keep waking me up to eat my 1oz of jello. The jello test went fine and  I had no leaks from my new pouch. 
 That night I kept pushing the button for the morphine. I have had morphine before with no problems. This time though, I kept feeling nauseous, so I told the nurse. I was given meds for the nausea.
 Tuesday morning my mom came back and told the nurses that I have a high pain tolerance and I shouldn't be using so much morphine. Also my blood pressure kept going higher and higher and my heart rate was high. I wasn't really stable. Sometime Tuesday afternoon/evening I started throwing up blood. My stomach started feeling better...but I was really bad off.
 I was still mostly out of it, but I remember the surgeon coming in and discussing with my mom either doing a CT scan or back in for surgery. He left to look at my chart and make a decision. He came back and had my mom sign for me to go back in for surgery. 
  Before surgery I woke up in searing pain. It was worse than labor or my gallbladder attacks. One of my CNAs emptied the Jackson-Pratt drain and the pain stopped instantly. It was old blood.  A little while later the pain came back. I told my mom to get a basin and I emptied it myself (I remember the pain, mom told me that I was the one who emptied it). Once I got into the pre-surgery waiting area I got the pain again. I think that nurse emptied it four times. When I got back into the OR it came back one more time....I emphatically told the nurse to empty my JP drain and the pain would go away. She did and was surprised that I was right. Then they put me out. Blissful, painless sleep.
 This time I do remember waking up in the recovery room. I was dreaming about my daughter's upcoming date to the symphony with her uncle and grandmother. I thought I had a bugger, so I picked my nose (gross I know). Only it wasn't a bugger. It was an NG tube. I pulled it out before the nurse came back. Needless to say, they weren't very happy.  Another bariatric surgeon came in and decided that I didn't need to have the tube put back in. (For that I was very thankful)
 I was in and out but not as unable to wake up. I went to the ICU around 11pm Tuesday night. I went back down to the surgical ward about 6pm on Wednesday night. When I got to the surgical ward, they wanted me to walk. My heart was beating so fast that I didn't think I could and I told them I was tired. Dustin took my pulse and it was in the 130's resting.  So they let me rest that night. I think I did get up to walk early the next morning, before shift change at 7. 
  Thursday I was doing better than Tuesday. I was up and walking, slowly, but walking. I even made it one whole lap around the nurses station. Thursday afternoon the doc came back in and suggested a blood transfusion. I was thinking "no"! I think I was just afraid of hepatitis or HIV. But my mom was shaking her head yes, so I agreed.  I got two units. They put it in my IV that had been started on Monday morning.  
 Friday I was starting to feel a bit normal.The transfusion blew the vein. I had a bruise that was probably three inches long by two inches wide.  The nurses couldn't get another vein on my left arm, so the suggested a PIC line. I agreed...less poking for blood draws. That was placed on Friday morning. That was such a relief. I could move my arms and hands without restriction. I still babied my left arm with the PIC line in it though.
 Friday I was up and walking at least one loop around the nurses station and sleeping a lot. I finally was taken of NPO Friday afternoon. I had a shower and a Popsicle. I was so excited!  Mom went home to be with my kids for the weekend. We knew at this point that I would be in the hospital until at least Monday. 
 Saturday I dropped the morphine drip. That allowed me to not need the oxygen in my nose or pulse oximeter on my finger. 
I also got to get rid of the catheter. Yay! Freedom! I also learned how to disconnect my g-tube from the suction on the wall. 
 So Most of Saturday and Sunday I was able to be up and about whenever I needed or wanted to. I also rested a lot. I watched a lot of HGTV and TLC.  Just taking a shower would wear me out though. So although doing much better, I was still weak.
 Monday morning my mom came back. We were prepared to spend another night at the hospital. About noon on Monday we saw the surgeon and were allowed to go home. The following Tuesday I got to have my JP drain removed. That was a wonderful feeling.  
 I still have my G-tube in. I am scheduled to have it removed right before Christmas.
 .

1 Comment