Surgery Day...

So, my mom and I got to the Tampa General Hospital around 7:05am, checked in at the Admission desk, they sent me up to Surgery Prep on the 2nd floor, checked in at the desk, and they handed me my chart and sent me back into the Surgery Prep area. I met me nurse at the nurses desk soon as I walked in, very nice lady by the way. She took me to my temporary room where I was asked to derobe and given a gown and a cup to pee in to check for pregnancy prior to surgery.

So I sat in that room for all of about 30 or 45 minutes; long enough for the nurse to check my blood pressure, temperature, ask me a few questions,and they gave me a shot of Lovenox I think in my left abdomen to prevent blood clotting. Then Dr. Dicicco came in marked my belly with a pen and asked it I had any questions prior to surgery. I asked what size band I would be getting. He explained that the use the standard AP LapBand either a 10cc or 14cc depending on the amount of fat around the actual stomach. So, I wouldn't know what size band until after the surgery. He also told me he'd be sending me home with some liquid Hydrocodone for pain, but to make sure that I asked for pain meds as soon as I get into the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), because they would be the only ones who could give me IV pain meds.

Then transport came and took me to the Pre Op holding area, where I sat another 30 to 45 minutes. I met the Anesthesiologist, Anesthesia Nurse, OR nurse, and I seemed like a lot of other people. My mom sat back here with me for a few moments. They rolled in another patient right next to me who was also getting the LapBand. I knew because she talked about her liquid diet and what not. I wanted to say hi to her, but I didn't want her to think I was being nosy. They started my IV in there and gave me a cap to put over my fro. Everyone was checking my name band, and I felt like a repeated my name, date of birth, and what surgery I was having about 1,000 times. Anyway, my sister came into the PreOp holding area just as I was being wheeled out of there she was able to say "hi" before they took me into the operating room.

All I remember is them telling me to hold my arms out to the side, I'm not sure if I was asked to slide onto the operating table, I think I did. The Anesthesiologist said he was going to give me my "cocktail" and while I saw him injecting three different syringes into my IV they placed an oxygen mask over my face and told me to breathe. All I remember is thinking" jeeze, THREE needles to knock me out" I stared up at the ceiling and I then I was out!

When I woke up, I was FREEZING! Shivering and all! My lips were dry and I just wanted to sleep. The nurse asked what my pain was and I told her an 8 and she came and gave me something my IV. I remember saying I was cold and I had warm blankets piled on me after that; even on my head, LoL! My mom and sister came in, and my mom was asking me questions. Not sure what she asked, but I do remember my sister telling her to leave me alone and to quit asking so many questions, LoL!

I don't remember this but I have pictures which I'll post later. Transport came back into PACU to take me back to the Prep Surgery Unit... they put me into another room, where my sister and best friend and her boyfriend sat back there with me until I left. I had to walk up and down the hallway before I left and I had to pee as well. I was sleepy/groggy from time I got out of surgery until about 1 or so. I asked my nurse what size band I had placed and she looked through my chart and the stupid Dr didn't document what size, which I'm not too pleased about. I'll have to wait until I go to my Post Op appointment on May 2 to find out. I also asked if I could be weighed before I left, because they didn't weigh me when I checked in and I wanted to see if there was a difference from my weight a day ago (there wasn't so surgery weight is officially 284) I was discharged around 2pm.

My sister drove me from the hospital, dropped off my prescription at Walgreens and took me to my parents house to wait. Soon as I walked through their door I plopped on the couch and slept from 2 to 6. Woke up just as my dad was bringing in my medicine... so I got up with some help since I was still sore. Went to the bathroom and then took a dose of my pain medicine, and then asked to be taken home. Once at home I tried to sleep in my bed and it was a complete disaster! I'm a stomach sleeper so, I just couldn't get comfortable. I stay with my 82 y/o grandmother, who kept checking in on me, she boiled water in a kettle and gave me an old fashioned heat pack for my belly. She's so sweet! So at around 2 or 3 am I had to pee which I was upset about because I didn't want to move, but I went potty and then I went and got on the couch and was able to find a comfortable position and that's all that happened surgery day...

Post Op Day #1...

So, PostOp day #1 was interesting to say the least! I was up after not being able to get comfortable and sleeping off and on 3 to 4 hours here and there. So, luckily my Netflix account came in handy. I've watched Seasons 1-3 of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (my favorite!!!) for the past three days! At around 5 or 6 my granny got up and started getting ready to go to her little "desk job" (she likes to keep busy). Then my other best friend called me at around 7 on her way to work to talk about something her boyfriend did (luckily I was awake because here's where it gets good!). My granny is legally blind due to 26 years of Diabetes. She can technically see, but her distant vision is completely gone, someone has to be right up on her for her to know who they are. So the city busline provides a van/small bus service for the disabled, and she rides this bus to work and wherever else she needs to go, when I or another family member can not take her, since we all work. So, this morning, the guy knocked on the door and from the couch, I yelled for my granny letting her know that someone was at the door. I thought I heard her say "ok", mind you I was on the phone still. So after while the man knocked again, so I went to the door told him just a minute because all I had on was boxers and a sports bra... I called for my grandma again and this time I asked what she was doing back there, and she replied "just trying to live" ... I knew then something was wrong.

I went back to her room and found her sitting on her vanity bench, sweating profusing, with a runny nose, and incoherent. I quickly hung up the phone with my friend, told the bus man to leave after he asked me if I was sure because this would be considered a "no call no show" and if I hadn't been so concerned with my granny I would've cussed this asshole out! Anyway, I ran back to the room dialed 911 told them that she was diabetic and I wasn't sure if she had any meds this morning or not. I kept calling her name and she would just say "hmm" and I'd ask her whats wrong and she just kept saying she didn't feel well. So while I waited for the EMTs I checked her blood sugar and her monitor read "Lo", so I knew she kept candy in her bedside night stand... I found a mini snickers bar and tried to get her to eat some... I wet a towel with cold water and wiped her down with it. And then finally the EMTs arrived. I told them what I could, and they checked her sugar again, they're monitor read "46" and so they decided to start and IV on her and give her a shot of D50, which is sugar basically.

I sat back there with them while they checked her vitals and waited until she slowly came around. They asked her her name and birthday and the year and the president... and after she signed the paperwork and they were cleaning up and getting ready to leave she realized all she had on was her thigh high stockings, her blouse, and underwear and she said "OH MY GOODNESS! I don't have any clothes on!" I knew then that she was back to normal. They laughed because like I said all I had on was a sports bra and boxers and my hair was sticking up EVERYWHERE! I laughed with them and told her I was practically naked too!

So, my mom and dad came over because now I needed someone to babysit the both of us for the day... My dad brought her breakfast because she needed to eat. She had taken her insulin that morning and got sidetracked looking for a paper and forgot to eat within the alotted time, so her sugar dropped. My sister left work and came waited on both of us... Then my aunt came over and sat... And then my boyfriend's sister came over. The my BFF who had come to the hospital came over to take my pictures of my abdomen and my "before/after surgery" pics...

Long story short... I was not in pain for about an hour that day! I guess the adrenaline rush for worrying about my granny and making sure she was okay made me forget all about my sore abs. I mean I was bending over (not all the way to the floor) but enough to be eye level with her while she was sitting and everything and I felt nothing until about an hour later... when I took a shot of hydrocodone and fell asleep.

An eventful Post Op day 1 right?!

Post Op Day #2...

So, I stayed on the couch again. My granny was feeling much better, she even went to the beauty salon the next morning. My sister came and sat with me. We watched "The Switch" with Jennifer Aniston... cute movie... Then my niece and cousin came over to decorate eggs with my granny and that was nice... My aunt came over again and I was in and out of sleep on the couch while they were there nothing much I can remember.....

I do remember being not as sore and the first two days, and getting so agitated with that fact that I couldn't really sleep. So I got up from the couch went back into my room, took my heating pad my mom got for me on Post Op day 1 and said I'm sleeping on my bed ON my stomach! It's gonna happen! So, I started out on my side which is where most of my pain is for some reason. So I placed the heating pad between me and the bed and laid on my side.. When I woke up I was partially on my stomach/side, so I knew this technique was working. I repositioned myself and my heating pad and was able to sucessfully sleep without pain on my stomach... My grandma was sooo worried about me because I slept from about 4 that afternoon until 2am the next morning! She kept coming in and asking if I was ok, and had I been drinking my fluids... I was just soooo happy to finally sleep straight through the night! (sorta)

Post Op Day #3...

So I woke up at around 2 am, and checked my discharge papers and realized I could now take a bath! I'll admit my armpits were on the verge of funkiness! So, I washed my hair and took a shower. I'm not sure if it was the meds or just me being down for a few days, or maybe just the hot shower, but I felt a little lightheaded while in there. Luckily my granny keeps a shower chair in theire for her use, so I just sat down and finished up. When I got out of the shower I sat on the toilet to catch my breath and to get a cool breeze because I was still feeling kinda light headed. But I dried off, put some leave in conditioner in my hair, made sure to "pat dry" my incision sites per the instructions and finished watching Law and Order: SVU.

It's Easter! So, my granny got up around 5 to go to Sunrise Service at church at 6am. So After she left, I was feeling pretty normal aside from the pain in my abdomen (like I'd done some sit ups). I was able to move around my bed normally and comfortably enough, so I got dressed, and went to Amscot for a money order (I had a bill to pay), and rode around for awhile. It was a little weird driving. My car is small and the the drivers seat is broken so it sits a little low, and I had to make myself comfortable here too. After that I came back home and decided I should walk. I took my dog from the back yard hooked up his leash and headed down the sidewalk very slowly.

Picasso, my 60lb pittbull, was pulling and I forgot just how strong he was. We walked a very short distance when I saw the neighbors dogs barking and then it dawned on me that not only is my strong muscular dog pulling the hell out of me right now, but I didn't bring a stick or any type of protection in case a stray dog arrives, and I knew I wouldn't be able to run. So, we made a UTurn and headed back home... LoL... we walked all of about 5 or 10 minutes...

I knew I had to work tonight (7p-7a) so I laid down around 11am. Granny came bugging me talking about I need to be up and moving around and drinking my fluids! LoL! I told her I had been up early this morning. So, around 5 we went to my parents house and THEY ate Easter dinner... Now what's funny is the last day of work before surgery my coworkers threw a going away party for another coworker and since I was on liquids I couldn't partake, but I was able to tell my best friend EVERYTHING they had and it was ALOT! But today, I wasn't even hungry, so I couldn't tell you what we had for Easter dinner other than I had broth and I sure I saw a Ham on the counter...

ALSO, I know this may be TMI as well, but I think I have a yeast infection... I can't remember whether or not they gave me antibiotics, which I'm sure they did, and I know from the past that antibiotics give me yeast infections... so I'm gonna call the DR and see if there's something I can take orally or hopefully the over the counter vagisil or monistat will clear it up... I know TMI but it totally sucks!

Back to Work...

So I'm at work now... not feeling too much discomfort. I never really experienced gas pain. I normally associate gas pain with my stomach, but other than the pain of the incisions I don't think I had any. Thank God! I have been passing gas though, and I burped for the first time this morning! I was so happy because it felt GREAT! But the gas (from the other end) has been small and minimal, LoL, TMI! I know, but I guess I was expecting large thunderous gas, and it's really been small quiet, small little toots, and they don't smell...

I'm trying to get in all my fluids... I think they said about a gallon a day, though I know that's ridiculous! I'm barely thirsty...

I'm feeling almost normal other than I'm not eating and like I said, I'm still a little sore... but I doing good. I cant wait until my Post Op appointment.... not sure if I'm supposed to be getting a fill or not. I have 5 incisions all about my belly button, one right under my boob! The first and second day I was practically naked because I didn't want my heavy ass DD boob laying on my sore incison... it's not sore anymore... I'm wearing wireless bras though until it completely healed... I have what they call "steristrips" of 4 out of five of my incisions. The one under the boob had only a band aid, which I was told to remove all bandaids on post op day one... so there's nothing there, but the incisions looks good. I'm kinda confused at the places where my incisions are... one seems to be on my left side where I thought my rib was located, but I dunno...

I think my port is my largest bandage/incision almost directly above my belly button but slightly to the left... I have a half dollar sized bruise between the port incision and a second incision... not sure where that came from... but duh, I sure some part of the surgery caused it...

Well, this has been one of the LONGEST blogs ever, so like I said I'm doing well... will post photos as soon as my BFF emails them to me, I'm gonna try to take a picture of my stomach with my phone in the bathroom and post it tonight while I'm at work, if I can't then you guys will just have to wait!

Again, I want to thanks EVERYONE for their prayers and well wishes! I'm home, ALIVE, and doing well!