Hi All,

I owe this blog to this forum and all the members as I was highly motivated after most of you wrote about your experiences, so its my responsiblity to share my experience with you all.

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Surgery Date - 15 July 2011, 9 AM

Place - India

Weight at the time of surgery - 104 kgs (aprox 228 pounds)

Height - 5 ft. 5 inches

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D-Day - I reached the hospital at 7:20 AM, just kept on cracking jokes with the surgery team, the nurses, anesthesits and the surgeons. I was taken to the Operation Theatre and when I was given a General Anesthesia (GA), I wished luck to my doctors. It was 9 AM. After that it was completely the surgery team as I went out of senses.

At 10:20, my family was informed about the successful surgery done upon me. At 11 AM, doctor came to me, asked me how I was doing, I was semi-conscious but remember the team came over and told me that the surgery went fine.

At 1200 hrs, my family was allowed to come and meet me in the Recovery Room. Finally, I was sleeping, waking up and just lying down in the bed till the end of the day.

At 1700 hrs, I complained of pain in the chest (it was due to acidity), then my bed was lifted so that I could sit down halfway.

The whole night went restless, with IV attached and not much of moment and I could feel slight pain in my shoulders and upper back. I was sleeping for two hours and then awake for two hours and so on.

I had the team of nurses and doctors who were supervising me throughout night and I was taken well care of.

16 July, 2011 - I woke up at around 8 AM and I knew its time for me to get my IVs and Cathe. removed, jump out of the bed and walk. I was out of bed at 9 AM with support from my mom and the nurse by my side. But I was able to walk up to the wash room and brush my teeth, go to the loo and just walk around.

I got tired in 10 minutes, sat on chair, sofa etc for about 1 hour.

At same time my liquid diets also started which included lime water, coconut water and apple juice. I was supposed to drink 30 ml per hour (waking), but I could hardly drink 30 ml in 2 hours.

After 1200 hrs, the situation worsened, when I complained of massive chest pain for 4 hours, I could not breathe easily, and at one point I told my mom to take care of my kids when I am no more. I felt I will die due to the chest pain and may be by mistake the surgeons have done something to my heart also.

Within a nick of time, ECG was done, Echo was conducted and X-Ray was done and all reports were normal. It turned out to be Acidity pain only.

I was given an injection to avoid acidity and a pain releiver, after that I spent a better night with slight cough.

17 July, 2011 - Thankfully, I got up almost with no pain in my chest, brushed my teeth, walked around in the room and requested the docs to discharge me. Yaayyy... I was declared fit for discharge at 1200 hrs. Then I was just sitting uprightly, walking around and sipping just about 10 ml per hour. I was afraid to drink anything (do not know why). Finally, I was discharged at 1500 hrs. I reached home and was feeling very cold and slept with a blanket on.

After that there was no looking back and I started recovering hour by hour but with constipation.

18 - 19 July, 2011 - I started walking for about 2 hrs a day (in total), resting, sipping more than 100 ml per hour. I took my bath, went shopping and some minor day to day activities. There was no Acidity pain, but I continued one tablet for acidity every day and one multi-vitamin tablet (both in crushed form). What I could not do in these days was: bending, lifting my kids and other heavy material, exertion and eating.

20 July, 2011 - I started driving and could resume my primary activities, although I have taken 10 days off from office just to take some time off and rest for myself. I got rid of constipation but had to get on to medication for dysentery.

21 July, 2011 - I was asked to take an injection (some antibiotic) every day for 5 days and finished those off today. But today I can sip lots of liquids, I will be going to my surgeon for stitches removal tomorrow.

Overall, a start of a new journey with a mixed emotion of pain and feeling of joy.

Hope this will help some of our sleeve aspirants and those in line for surgery during their first week.

Good luck to you all and keep losing (something we want to loose)

Silverlining for you too !!