I had surgery on 3/4 at 10am. Great time cause I got to sleep in a bit. Arrived at the hospital with my sister and husband and was directed to the surgical waiting area. They called my name, I was taken to pre op and given a gown , slippers and a hat, pointed to a tiny restroom. I changed, put my clothes in the bag with my name on it and came out into the pre op area with the beds separated by curtians. I was weighted (255) and assigned a bed. Note on the gown- nice and big made of soft paper and had velcro at the shoulders for-I found out later- ease of removal in surgery. The nurse asked me a million questions-allergies, what I was there for, name, is the ID band correct, medication Im taking. She started the IV, gave me a shot of Lovenox(hurt,stings) and my family was brought in. Anesthesiologist came looked at chart and left.
Sidebar- I contacted the complementary medicine department at the hospital about relaxation therapy before surgery and was told to purchase a cd in the gift shop and listen to it before surgery. Than this lady, Irene would come up to pre op to help me with the stress of the surgery. Ok Im game. I buy& listen.
In comes Irene all cheery, did I listen to the cd? yes. Am I still nervous? yes. How about listening to the cd again? screw the cd, I need more then the cd. She rubs my forehead and ears kind of like a massage, but not. She has stinky perfume. Ok I smiled said she could stop. Now she just hovered next to the bed talking about grace and mercy. I tuned her out.
My Dr comes in & starts talking about the procedure and how everything will be fine. OK here it comes- I say It will be fine as long as I don't have a catheter. Dr says well thats not how they do it here. Wait for it.....
Amanda FREAKS!!!!!
I banged both hands on the rails of the bed and started in on how I was the patient and what I said goes. I gotta give the Dr credit he didn't freak (Irene jumped and disappeared) He just continued talking like I never popped a fuse and said maybe I wasn't ready for the band. My sister gives me the look and said I needed to explain why I wasn't going to have the cath. Now Im a little embarrassed about popping off and pissed that the cath has anything to do with getting banded. Staring off into the ceiling I explain why- infection, pain, and (the kicker) if no cath I will get up and walk more in recovery as with the cath I will remain glued to the bed. I will be a happier more willing patient.
The Dr stops, blinks, says OK, and walks away. I am so pleased with myself.
The Anesthesia nurse comes in with the good drugs, asks me who I am then pumps them in the IV. They start pushing the bed out of pre op. Sister squeezes my hand and husband gives me a kiss.
I totally freak-again.
Am I doing the right thing? Did I think this through? Someone is going to be CUTTING ME!
This all passes though my head in about 5 seconds. Deep breath. The drugs must be kicking in. I don't care any more. Im just enjoying the view.
Rolled into the surgery suite, asked to slide to other table, centered myself and told them I was "equadistance from both sides of the table". Ha ha. Next thing Im waking up in recovery.
Im asked if Im in pain, rate it 1-10, I said 3 or 4. nurse said you mean more like 7 right? Nope , then I remember about how if you say you're nauseated they give you something that has a side effect of making you really sleepy and Im thinking sleepy would be really good now. So I say Im nauseous. In go the drugs out goes Amanda.
I woke up about 2 hours later with the nurse saying that I needed to be moved to the bed I would be in overnight. HA? Bed? You mean moved to room, right. Nope. No room at the hospital, Im going to be staying at the back end of the recovery with 3 other Lap banders. Great.
So they tell my family to leave and get me out of bed. Here is where I found out about the velcro on the gown. noone redid it after putting it back on after surgery and as I go to sit up I flashed the recovery room and my fellow patients all my new incisions and my boobs. Great.
I get wrapped up, moved, pit stop at the john where I have to pee in a container they called the hat and connected to monitors and compression bootys. So starts my first overnight stay in the hospital.
I could keep going about all that happened. The bed didn't work, the compression booties stopped working about midnight, pain shot (that I took only to get some sleep) gave me a headache, I used the sore throat spray on the scrape the Anesthesiologist made on the top of my mouth, ate alot of ice, tried to sleep, 3am ripped out of sleep by the fire alarm clanger next to my bed, the people running through the fire door also next to me,(the false alarm was never explained but since my hospital was in the fire district my husband volunteers in I knew I was in good hands), 8pm 12am,5am 8am temp and blood pressure, 2 more Lovenox shots(ouch), multiple trips to the john (about 500cc each for those that were counting) 8am trip to radiology for the barium and x ray. They messed up the first picture and had to do a total of three which meant that I drank 16oz of barium. Then Im sent home with instructions to drink 1 ounce every hour. (I asked about the 16 0z of barium, no one had an answer or comment) a pain scrip (later at the pharmacy I found out it was one that Im allergic to) and the instructions printed out from the nutritionist for my meals for the next 5 weeks.
I dont think I want to go to the hospital again.
At home all things are better. Heating pad for the shoulder, liquid Tylenol(good stuff!) for pain, lots of juice and broth with unjury added.
Im a happy camper now. Very minimal discomfort. I don't think I will ever stop passing barium. (ya-TMI)
Before surgery I drew a smiley face (my signature as I have one as a tattoo somewhere) and a green shamrock on my belly for the Dr to find. It was the first thing he mentioned to my family after surgery. Said everyone got a good laugh and he put the port right under the shamrock. Im thinking of getting a shamrock tattoo there later. So I guess Im really committed to this shrinking shamrock thing.
TTFN
Im on my own for dinner tonight and I have quite a few leftovers to choose from. In the past I would have heated them all and had a smörgåsbord. I've been good about packing away the leftovers in meal size portions so If I need to grab something I don't have to think. This is working REALLY well for me. I've been breaking down the grocery's too when I get home. Crackers, carrots, beef jerkey in little ziploc bags pre-measured. I've been buying tuna in the single serve cans- a bit more expensive but worth it.
So as I wrote over on the March thread.
"This is the first week that I feel great, really super. No doubts. Controlling my hunger with my food choices. I have a ton of energy. And best of all "Spring really becomes you. Your cheeks are rosy, and you're looking radiant" from a coworker.
What a difference a few lbs make.
When I make goal I'm going to be a whole new person!!!":thumbup::thumbup:(I hope I like me)
TTFN
comments always welcome:wink2:
I went to my favorite Japanese place tonight. Out of habit I ordered what I always ordered. Its a chefs special, always something different but served in a bento box. I love how all the food is separated into its own place , no sauce touching something its not supposed to. Today it was: three pieces of sushi, 4 wedges of orange, four little pieces of sweet potato, chicken teriyaki (about 1/4 cup), two pieces of shrimp tempura & two pieces of carrot tempura, with a bowl of rice and miso broth. I knew I was not going to be able to eat it all. I had about half of the soup, the fish from the sushi(i guess that made it sashimi) two wedges of orange(an 1/8) the shrimp and the sweet potatoes. I figured it out at home for the calories and am very happy to say it was 300 cals, 22gm protein and 8.3gm fat. Not bad if I say so. I chewed very well and ate slowly. I had them pack the chicken and some green beans from DH's dinner for lunch tomorrow.
I'm so happy I don't have a problem with Japanese food!! Im staying away from the rice, which I really don't miss.
I've only lose 14 lbs since surgery but over 40 since starting the journey. I'm happy with that.
Ok Im off to add my 2 cents to the boards.
PS is having the soup with dinner the same as drinking liquids?:confused2: Crap I didn't think about that.
Hi all. Work has been a bear, so I haven't been posting.
I saw my Dr on the 21st and he cleared me for solid food. I asked about the mushy phase and his reply " you're a smart person, chew until mush then swallow. Unless you want to puree your food" Ive been enjoying food again. Ive found that I really cant eat more then a cup of food. Im keeping the protein up (60gm) carbs low & cals low(under 800) and taking 20-30 minutes to eat.
I still have to pulling sensation under my port, but Dr said that is muscle healing.
Im getting most of my water in. Ive found if I drink 20 oz on the drive to and from work that really helps.
night:sleep:
It all seemed to hit me. I may never eat regular again. I now have surgical scars on a body that had never even been to a hospital. I mean Im having BIG time doubts about this and I can't change back. It's not like ANYTHING Ive ever done before. I had this thing put in. It was my choice, Im the only one to blame. I really did a lot of research before the surgery but nothing could prepare me for how Im feeling. I was really thinking about making myself puke so it would slip and have to be removed.
I really shouldn't be complaining I get a good nights sleep. Ive been sleeping on my stomach since the first night in the hospital. Drinking my 5 meals getting all my protein. Not getting enough water, but whatever. Going on walks with the DH to get exercise. Im not really in pain, just discomfort.
I wish I could be more psyched about this but right now I'm just trudging through the day thinking I've made the worst mistake of my life and pissed at myself for putting my family, body and mind through this.
I know this is not what you guys want to hear but It's how Im feeling. I think Im getting depressed. __________________
UPDATE If you're reading this please know that Im fine and after a few days I wrapped my mind around stuff. I'm doing really well and am happy with my decision. :confused_smile:
I had a bit of a scare in the mall yesterday. I had some soup and a few minutes later my stomach was a bit unnerved. Well I went to the health food store and got some ginger. That and alot of water to wash it through seemed to help. I did get diarrhea, but I didn't puke. I got really nervous thinking about getting sick and the band slipping.
I got my surgery time 10:00. My stomach is all gurglely from the liquid diet.
I'm going to go have a glass of white wine(clear liquid) and listen to the relaxation cd from the complementary medicine program.
Night all.:thumbup:
I'm down to 4 days now. All week I was just "off" at work. I was occupying space, putting on a good show but really didn't get much done. That will bite me in the butt when I get back because I'm the only one who does what I do. My desk is going to be FULL when I return. I usually am more on the ball when I know I will be out of the office. I have to let that go. My mind can't really focus on anything. I keep shoving down my worries on the band. I've done alot of research on the band and my Dr. I know what I'm getting into. But still. I've never really been sick, never hospitalized. The idea of being told to "stay" just isn't sitting with me. I wish this could have been outpatient. I know some people have had it that way but it's not available around here. I'm freaking out about the catheter, having to take my wedding ring off, about staying overnight, about having an IV in so long. Getting my period, which is not due but everyone says will happen anyways because of stress or the Heparin. I will not wear that gown walking up and down the halls. It's all little stuff, but still...
On top of this a couple we haven't seen in a while invited us to dinner tomorrow night. They don't know and I'm not sure I want to share. Do I go and have soup and say Im babying a bad stomach? If I say no then Im limiting my husbands social life. I don't want him to resent my choice of the band already.
Ok that's enough. I'm going to have a hard enough time getting to sleep already.
After a surprisingly good nights sleep I've accepted the invite to "hang with" my friends (it just happens to be in a restaurant) I have to learn to not put food in the forefront of social situations.
Lesson learned: It's the friends not the food.:thumbup:
I had my "education meeting" today. A mandatory meeting for to-be-banded folks that have a surgery date with my Dr. What a waste of time. 2.5 hours of an RN talking about everything I all ready know(mostly from LBTF). I guess the meeting is needed because one lady actually asked when will the band be removed? She was shocked when she heard it would be in her for life. She was the one who also asked how soon she could schedule the surgery "with this Dr." to remove all the extra skin ?
I also met a lady in the Dr's office that has been banded for 4 years. What a downer she was. She said she hasn't really lost much weight and can eat "anything she wants". Well maybe thats the reason she hasn't lost anything. She pooh-poohed LBTF as a bunch of kooks. Said I should join her support group so she could teach me how to eat with the band. A- NO thankYou.
On another journal (sunshine2) I found a link to www.livingafterwls.com that celebrates living after weight loss surgery. I love this site. They have a newsletter, recipes, and the neighborhood, which is alot like here. A great resource.
I'm very psyched. This time in 2 weeks I will be banded!!!:thumbup:
I have a cold. I've been coughing up a lung. I can't help but wonder what a cold will be like with the band. I've read about pouches filling up with post nasal drip and coughing so hard it feels like its ripping the stitches of the port or possibly causing the band to slip. Cold medicine, will I be able to take whatever I need too?
Back to bed.
:sick
The up side is the scale went down.
All of my orders have arrived. Kind of like a late Christmas. Now what to do with it all. I started to poke around in the cabinets in the kitchen. I've got a lot of junk. Every flavor of pudding and Jello I like, boxed mac & cheese, six shapes of pasta, a bunch of sauces and marinades that looked good in the store , three boxes of swiss-miss cocoa, a few cans of nuts, and tons of other stuff I would really like to munch/snack on. Every door held another taboo food. This is not good. No matter where I put all my new food (protein drinks) next to it will be something more tasty. It's all got to go.
My husband walked in on me tossing his chocolate covered cashews in the overflowing Hefty bag. Not good. Just because I have no willpower doesn't mean he can't pick a snack out of his kitchen. So I compromised and through out all my old bad stuff, put his stuff back and cleaned out one cabinet for all my new stuff .
I've been working on not drinking with meals and eating at regular intervals (thanks to my nifty new watch). I've having a protein drink each morning for breakfast and sometimes lunch if I 'm really busy. The weather here is quite cold, I'm busy and I haven't been getting any exercise. It's just hard to move this big body around. Differently something I have to work on.
TTFN
Comments are always welcome.
I hit the web hard today.
I ordered a bunch of protein shakes/puddings from different brands because I'm not sure which ones I'll like. I REALLY like food and variety is the spice of life. I've read on the boards about a few different brands and everyone seems to have a favorite. Soon to be arriving at my door are; Unjury(I liked that they have sample sizes), Medifast, and Focus 28.
My big problem is that when I eat it is everything on my plate and maybe what is left on my husbands. A smaller problem is remembering to eat. The first will be solved with the band. The second will become a very large problem if I don't address it. I get very focused at work and skip lunch. When I get home it's --GET OUT OF MY WAY-- as I head to the frig. The nutritionist suggested I get a timer that reminds me to eat. Hmm good idea. It would also work to remind me to drink. So I hit the web again and found this
really nifty watch that has a alarm setting. I thought about a kitchen timer but if I leave my office or am out and about I'm not going to take that with me.
I'm looking into elliptical trainers but I don't think I will buy that on the net.
tomorrow is -make some sense of the basement day.
Comments are welcome and appreciated.
:cursing: TTFN
I was sitting at my desk hunched over the year-end numbers and my cell phone rings. Very absent-mindedly I answered. It's about 10 seconds in when I realize that its the desk lady from the Dr.'s scheduling my surgery date. "How's March 4th?" "Is that a good date?" "Okay how about the next week?" Now I focus in. Excuse me, what would you like me to do when? She says she's sorry, she knows she talks fast. " Your LapBand surgery. Would you like to schedule it for March 4th?" Now she's got my full attention. I was hoping to have it sooner but the Doc is going away on vacation for the month of January so that's the best they can do. I scheduled the surgery and the meeting with the hospitals nurse educator and ask to be put on the waiting list.
So again I wait.
I'm VERY glad to find that the nutty psych doc didn't sidetrack me.
So now I'm thinking maybe I will knuckle down and start the fitness part in January like I was planning. Maybe even start the liquid part in February, just to jump start things. I was really pumped to get this thing started at the first of the year. New Year, new start and all that. It looks like fate has a different path for me.
I called my sister to moan about the delay. She was really good about it and redirected me to the fact that it's going to happen, it's just delayed. She said March was a better time anyway because then she could fly out and take care of me for a week. How sweet is that?!
My husband will be very happy. I don't think he was looking forward to that first cranky week. Me hurting and only drinking my food. Him a big strong fireman having to forage for himself (My sister is a good cook- he won't go hungry).
I guess that's enough of a rant for today.
TTFN
I've been hanging around, reading posts and journals for a while now. I really respect the folks that are recording their lives here. I don't know how long I will be able to keep this up. I'm not much of a writer and I'm sooo glad there is spell check. But Im going to try. Maybe someone will read something I write and get something from it. I know I've got a lot from the journals I'm currently following.
So here goes:
My name's Amanda. I'm 41, married to a wonderfully supportive guy and have 2 step sons (30 & 31)I'm very close too, and we live in the Northeast. I am the CFO of a small company, so I work at my desk, in my office, all day and it doesn't leave much opportunity to move around during the day.
My weight has been up and down all my life. Mostly up. I'm at my heaviest and not liking myself much lately. My husband and I like to keep busy and we do many sports together (golf, biking, walking, shopping(involves lots of walking!!)) and I love everything to do with the water (kayaking, sailing, fishing, boating, swimming). In 2005 I was on a 3 person team that completed a triathlon. My goal is to do the triathlon again. (UPDATE ON AUG 2, 2008 I COMPLETED MY FIRST SOLO TRIATHLON!!)
I've been looking into the LapBand for about 2 years, ever since my sister-in-law got it. She has since had it removed because it was eroding, but says she would have another put in if she could. About 2 months ago I went to my first information session and consultation with the surgeon. I have since jumped through all the hoops (psych,nutrition,upper GI,pulmonary and cardiac clearance, diet history, blood tests). So far so good. I stopped by the Dr.'s office to see how things were progressing last Friday. They have received all the information and will now submit to insurance. Then they will call with a surgery date. The desk lady said I should be hearing in a week.
So I wait.
I've been working on eating meals without drinking. It does make me feel full faster. I'm going to sign up at the gym after the first of the year. I've lined up with my company to take a week off after my surgery, hopefully in mid January.
A word about the pre-tests. I breezed through the cardio, pulmonary, blood, nutrition and diet history. It was the psych that messed me up. I've had some hard times these past few years. Many deaths (a very dear friend from suicide and all grandparents, a daughter-in-law, my father-in-law and mother-in-law. I guess I'm a bit depressed. This Dr had me thinking I have some real problems and they might get in the way of her passing me for the surgery. I figured I flunked the psych part. Is that possible I asked my husband? Well I didn't hear anything further from her so I guess I didn't flunk. But gees I am an intelligent person that goes to work each day, am very successful, happily married and don't beat my dog. This lady had me doubting myself. I'm just fat, not suicidal! I'm glad I don't have to see her again.
So I wait.
I've decided not to tell most folks about the surgery until it happens or someone asks after. My business and all that. My close friends and family know. I'll need their support.
Well I guess that's it for now. I hope to chronicle as often as possible or when the facts allow.
Comments are welcome and appreciated.
TTFN :cursing:
