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My Trip will begin on January 3rd

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A day in the life of a lap band surgery patient

Ok. I am sitting:sick propped up in my bed at home several hours post op. Things went well, though he had to switch out all of the needles for the port site because my adominal wall was thick and the needles he had out to stitch it in place were to thin. *I* would like to think that this is because I am so MUSCULAR...:cry R I G H T.:nervous I"ll have to ask him in three weeks when I go in for my fill. ANYwho... this is how my day went. As you may already now, Auntie Flow decided to visit yesterday:mad: VEHEEERRRRy convineant:tired . I slept pretty well last night suprisingly (thanks to the two tylenol p.m.) :notagree and woke up about 6. I got up and showered with the monkey blood soap stuff they gave me that kind of dried my skin out, got out of the shower and laid down with my heating pad until my sweetie :kiss2: got up and got ready. I put on my best/favorite pair of tie dyed socks and undies and threw my favorite denim dress over my head, grapped my little stuffed moose and away to Baptist we went. Got there about 8:20 checked in and hung out in w. room. The called me back about 8:40 and got me changed. The anesethia guy came in and did my IV then two or three more anesthia people came in asking me the same quesitons over and over.. who are you,, what are you having done.. WHAT... is your favorite color... etc. I'm like.. hmmmm The do know what they are doing and where they are right?? :paranoid They let my hubby back about 9:30. OH>>> and those of you who might be wondering, they let me wear a tampon.. :clap2: it probably depends on the surgeon. Anywho.. 10:39 comes around and they wheel me back to the surgery room, scoot me on to a different table and put on this DREAMY warm blanket:p ... Next think I know, I'm awake and my 'port site' was hurting like a mo-fo:cry .:faint: they give me something for pain in my IV...30 minutes later some more of that then 30 minutes later the finally gave up and gave me some morphine. After that they wheeled me back to xray, had me drink some barium... which folks.. I'll tell you here and now... WAS DELICIOUS:hungry: . I was "lips sticking to my teeth" parched. And you know.. after not eating real food for awhile.. it's amazing what taste great. The table they had me scootch up on this time was a beeeeatch :omg: for me to scoot on because of the discomfort of the port site. Anywho... it was like a frigging 6 flags ride:phanvan . My feet were against a metal thing at the foot of the bed and it was the only thing between me and me sliding off in the floor:juggle:... ALL 331 lbs of me.:eek: Wasn't a real comfortable experience and lasted a little long for my taste.. but.. the things we do for beauty:rolleyes: . All that took what seemed to be about 40 minutes or so then they wheeled me into my room where I got to hang out and watch Oprah, the news, then Hank Hill. Had to wait :bored around until someone looked at my rays to make sure things could go down. I had lots of ice in the meantime. The 1st thing I remember when I woke up was... YES IT"s over Finanly it's over. To ,me it's the worst part.. all the waiting:bored . waiting for all of the paper work to get filled in... :pout:waiting for Dr.'s appointments, :bored waiting to hear all of your paper work was faxed in. getting denied and :pout:waiting for paper work to be faxed again. finding out your approved, then:bored waiting to schedule, :pout:waiting for your preop testing, :bored waiting for you surgery date, the THE WORST waiting of all for me, is:pout: waiting in your pre op room for the procedure.. then all of the sudden.. the waiting is over... well... unless you count waiting to go home. I 1st tried to do this 4 yrs ago with diff. insurance and was crushed when I got denied, now, Im sitting here, typing up my experience.. and it's DONE!:clap2: Now all the work begins, but that is ok... because now I have a Tool,,, finally a tool that will work for me and help me to become the healthy me that I was meant to be. I'll be healthier at 40 that I have ever been in my life. I just had my 37th bday and I can't wait to be 40! :humble: I didn't really have trouble with nausea :speechles until the ride home and it wasn't overwhealming. Todd turned up the air and drove real slow. When I got home he got me set up in my bed with tons of pillows and stuff so i'm not laying down flat. I'm keeping my liquied antibiotic and liquid Loritab in a cooler filled with ice right here along with some sugar free popcicles. My throat is fairly sore from the breathing tube stuff and my chest is kind of tight and breathing deep isn't the best experience. I kind of dread Thursday slighly 'cause for me, the 2nd or third day after something is usually pain wise the worst.. but maybe not this time. I'm on liquids until Friday then I start stuff like soft scrambled eggs and soups and oatmeal. Don't know that I'll be ready for that yet but we'll see. I would be nice if I could work a 1/2 day on FRiday even though I have it off. So far.. knock on wood, no gas pains however I did buy some rolaids gas chewables just in case. When I do get up and walk around some I burp a couple of times and i feel a little better. I have had to cough a few times and I've been holding a pillow on my tummy for that and it's not so bad. It keeps going through my head over and over.. now I have a chance..... now I have a chance. I am so excited about this new opportunity I've been given and can't wait to become more active and do the outdoor things I love. Oh.. also.. if you haven't had it done yet.. I got a reach/grabber thing from bed bath and beyound called the gopher and IT"S GREAT. I can grap stuff with out bending over. I can't wait to take a hot bath. He did say that I chould shower tomorrow. YOu should see my insicion bandages.. they cut the gauze into heart shapes.... Well it's about time for pain med dose 2 so more later.:biggrin1: :grouphug: :hug: __________________ Started Process 1/3/07 Insurance of BCBS if TN Have exclusion policy for WLS Date of approval 2/13 Date of surgery 2/27 BMI 54 Weight 336 Height 5'6 1/2" age 37 Surgeon Dr Charles Morton Baptist Hospital Nashville, TN Goal: Not sure yet. Somewhere under 200 "Always leave get well cards on your mantel, that way when guests come over, they'll think you've been sick:sick and unable to clean." :hippie:Blessings & Fae Kisses :kiss2:
synicalchick

synicalchick

2
 

8 days post op.

3 oz chicken breast 120c 20prtn 6:30 Sfree pudding 60c 2prtn 4:00 1/2 cup tuna with mayo no clue what-so- ever. came in big 6 serving pack. one serving was 60c Sfree pudding 60c 2prtn 4:00 one can of mini ravioli 500c I started out eating the 1/2 cup or less tuna naked.. but my sore firy mouth couldn't handle it so I added a pack of mayo.
synicalchick

synicalchick

1
 

7th Day /ONE Week post op

ACK... my mouth is still on fire. I've had four doses of the prescrip stuff so hopefully it will be better by this afternoon. Back at work today and will probably leave this afternoon when I start to get tired. I can tell the swelling is starting to go down now cause I'm hungry more often. I had 3 ounces of chicken breast this a.m. then a 15 g protein shake around 9 and then a sf jello a few minutes ago. I forgot to bring my chicken to work so I'll do another drink I guess for lunch plus I brought some kefir probiotic yogurt smoothie stuff too. My mouth is so friggin' tender that just about anything I eat or drink hurts... i think I'm ssssin' my words too. Tongue feel swollen. Soreness is SLOWLY but surely diminishing each day. I feel like I've been in a wreck every a.m. when I wake up and try to get out of bed. I haven't had any ibuprophen yet today but may break down and take some here in a few minutes. Surgeon and other fellow bansdters say I should start feeling about normal around Friday. Considering I am one week to the day today from the operation I'm doing GREAT. Driving myself to work and everything.
synicalchick

synicalchick

1
 

4/2

Well poke a badger with a spoon :phanvan I was worried about not getting a fill until 3/27 well, now it's not until 4/2. That's one day short of 5 weeks. whew... give me the strength to control myself for that long. I think I'll be ok but I'm afraid overdoing it once is all that it will take... hopefully that knowledge will keep me in line. I forgot my lunch today so i went to a mex place with friend and got grilled chicken and beans. Ate half and boxed up the rest. Since I have been walking on my lunch break and knew I would be able to today, I walked once around the building this a.m. and plan to go again this afternoon.
synicalchick

synicalchick

1
 

2 mile walk!

Yesterday I did 30 min on my lunch break which is 1.6 miles according to the people at work. TODAY however... I went to the park and walked around the lake which is premeasured to be exactly 2 miles. I started it at 4:36 and finished at 5:17 which is a decent clip for a person of my size I think and it took me 5,014 steps (according to my NEW free Chicken Little pedometer that a co-worker gave me out of a cereal box... whatever works man.. What's cool about all this is NO LOWER BACK PAIN! now as far as the REST of my body goes... hmmph My hubby let me order a Refurbished iPod off of the Apple site for me to walk with (that my ex hubby suggested... I lead an interesting life.. what can I say..) I Can't WAIT to get that puppy in! Of course, the challenge for me will be figuring out how on EARTH to get music on it off of my computer. I'm so excited.. now I can bust a move to ABBA, Jack Johnson, Simon & Garfunkle, Nickel Creek, Dixie Chicks & Blue October.. just to name a few. I'll have to be careful.. I'm liable to dance my way around the lake when Cecelia comes on. My restriction is still more than in the a.m. and by supper, though I'm not NEAR what I used to be and I still have to be careful WHAT it is to avoid the dreaded PB I can def eat more by supper time. I've been eating about 1/8 cup of cut up Spring Greens (hubby bought me a Hinkle scissor and knife set) 1-2 cut up strawberries, one cut up low fat string cheese and vinaigrette. It's VERY good. if that's all I'm having I'll add extra cheese for protein, & do about 1/2 cup of greens, or If I have fixed bacon for my hubby I'll cut up a couple of strips of that. Tonight I am fixing one of those Campbell's supper bakes.. garlic something. It comes with pasta and I'll only be able to eat like 2 or 3 pieces of that and the chicken we'll have to see. The whole thing is an experiment. I don't know WHAT I'd do without sFree popsicles. Good for late night cravings. Ok.. I'm like rambling now. More tomorrow Cheers!
synicalchick

synicalchick

2
 

1st uncomfy moment

WHOOWEEE WHAT an afternoon. I have been sipping on stuff at work like veggie juice and coffee. I left to go pick up hubby for his nose appointment and grabbed a Naked protein juice drink out of the fridge. It's about a 14 oz bottle and has almost 40 grms of protein in it. I started sip/drinking it and about 20 minutes later probably had about 2 ounces of it left, then OH MY GOD... weirdness. I don't even know if I can begin to describe it, but obviously I drank to much of it. It didn't occur to me that I should go over 8 or 9 ounces because, well, it's liquid.. it will run right through right? Well I guess not. I was V. uncomfy for about an HOUR. slight nausea but not overwhealming, felt like I had gas and trapped air, slightly sweaty, sitting down was not comfy AT ALL so I was standing/pacing and bending. we finally got home and I stripped down went upstairs, go a cold wash rag turned the fan on high and laid down on a slight incline until it passed. wow. Moral of the story... even when drinking... drink/sip SMALL amounts and not in a hurry... it sneaks up on you. I'm supposed to start eating tomorrow and now I'm slightly paranoid about it but I'm sure I'll be fine. Tell you what.. I'd rather over do it and learn on liquid than actual food. I'm still pretty gassy feeling but after the worst was over I went outside and walked for about 10 minutes and that made me feel better as well. I can tell right now, this band/tool will most def be a success. NICE.
synicalchick

synicalchick

1
 

1st night post op

Well I made it through my 1st night. got up about every 3 hours to take more med. I'm not used to sleeping on my back and that's all I can do right now. Now I'm sipping on a 1/2 c of Kefir lowfat probiotic smoothie. It's pretty good and high in protein.   What's bothering me the most right now is the port site. The port is the part of the band that allows the dr to insert saline soloution that controls the adjustablility of the band. WOW... not realy comfy. Gas pains are suposed to be a pretty big side effect and so far so good.. no gas.. though I do burp everytime I get up. My chest is really sore as well and I'm coughing up stuff. I guess that is from the breathing tubes.   For my outside excursion today i'll have todd take me to Target so I can pick out some cute small plates and untensils. I'll probably hit the baby ilse and get the classic pooh stuff. I bought some classic pooh dixie cups and that is waht I"m using now to drink from.
synicalchick

synicalchick

1
 

#$%@ all this W A I T I N G

URGH.. all this waiting and not knowing if I'll be approved. sigh My DH and I have planned my 'last steak dinner' trip for the weend following V.day in Gatlinburg, TN. One of our favorite spots. it's only about a 3 hour drive from here. Is it sad that we have planned a trip based on me eating one last large steak dinner... hmmmm ANYwho. tick tick tick tick tick T
synicalchick

synicalchick

1
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