HAS ANYONE EVER BEEN ON A RESPIRATOR???

[ursieursie 1]

Finally!!!!!!!!! I saw my surgeon again yesterday bout my hernias....THIS IS WHAT HE TOLD ME.... " he will clean out intestines first, cut out some part of bad intestine, clean out all he can of old scar tissue from 16 previous abdominal surgeries, find and cut out 2 old meshes from previous hernia repairs, repair a multitude of ventrical hernias and 2 others on both sides of my stomach, pull walls of stomach together and do some reconstructive surgery, and remove some fat around surrounding areas.....afterwards, the bariatric surgeon will step in and sleeve me! He said this will take a minimum of 13 hours!!!!!!!!!! and, I will be on a respirator for at least 2 days afterwards...for sure!!!!!! IM DYYYYYYYING GUYS. IM SOOOOOOOOO SCARED OUT OF MY MIND U CANT IMAGINE! What im wondering though, is what it's like to be on a respirator??? I WANT DETAILS. I am a panicy person. The surgeon said I will not know about it, which is a plus I guess. This is all occuring one day next week. I was told I will definitely get a call on Monday coming, (since I was scheduled originally for June 13th), the hospital will tell me when to go in. I have never been soooo scared in all my life!!!!!!! Im trying to weigh the options, but all im doing is crying my eyes out!!!!!! All I keep thinking to myself is...what is going to happen to my poor 12 yr old baby boy, since I have no family members left at this time. They allllll died from complications of fattness and issues related ...OHHHHHHHHHHH, and the best part is....my hospital stay will be 2 to 3 months!!!!!!!! this is what I was told yesterday! With all the surgeries and all I have been through over the years, the surgery itself is not whats scaring me, although of course the very first thing he said to me was....this will be the most challenging surgery of anyones career, but he has done it b4, and feels optimistic. Well, Im glad someone is feeling optimistic, cause it sure is hek ain't me!It is very dangerous, and we r talking very serious here he said!, you can die from this, and must know that.....so go home and get all ur affairs in order....we will call u Monday and take it from there!!!! I need all the advice I can get, and all the experience out there plzzzzz. Im soooooooo sorry for this long novel, but if I didn't do this, it wouldnt be me

[happy1957 138]

This is elective surgery? Are you sure the hospital stay is months not weeks? Usually after a week or so they would transfer you to a rehab center. Yikes, I wish you luck.

[Tiffykins 673]

I was on one after my anesthesia complication for about 4.5-5 days, and I remember absolutely nothing. My lungs did not recover after the leak repair, and I was on life support due to complications and lack of recovery from the 2nd surgery.

I don't remember them removing it, or me waking up, I do recall my throat being scratchy for several days. I was not allowed to drink anything, or eat anything, no ice chips, nothing for over 20 days because of the complications so I can't comment on that aspect of my recovery. All they allowed me to do is scrub my mouth with these repulsive lemon flavored hint of menthol swab thingies.

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, please keep us posted.

[ursieursie 1]

Ohhhhhhh Tiffykins, thank u sooooo much for responding. I remembered ur story, and I was hoping u would respond cause I didn't know how to find u. Do u remember hearing people talking around u while u were on the respirator or not? When the surgeon told me I will be on the respirator for 2 to 4 days, he said I wont know anything, but I get very panicy and im wondering if I would hear people around me and if this would make me panic or anything like that. Im also wondering if u r awake, and what it is like when they remove the tube. I was told u get wild and crazy, and dont know where u r. Omgggggg, im going out of my mind. I cant believe I will be going through alllllllllll this Tiffykins, ALLLL FOR food Im sorry im driving u crazy with all this. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers, and for responding to my post I will not have access to a computer, and since the surgeon told me I will be hospitalized for 2 to 3 monthssss, u will not hear from me for a while, but if and when I get access to a PC, I will definitely let u know how all things went. Thanks again

I was on one after my anesthesia complication for about 4.5-5 days, and I remember absolutely nothing. My lungs did not recover after the leak repair, and I was on life support due to complications and lack of recovery from the 2nd surgery.

I don't remember them removing it, or me waking up, I do recall my throat being scratchy for several days. I was not allowed to drink anything, or eat anything, no ice chips, nothing for over 20 days because of the complications so I can't comment on that aspect of my recovery. All they allowed me to do is scrub my mouth with these repulsive lemon flavored hint of menthol swab thingies.

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, please keep us posted.

[Tiffykins 673]

Ohhhhhhh Tiffykins, thank u sooooo much for responding. I remembered ur story, and I was hoping u would respond cause I didn't know how to find u. Do u remember hearing people talking around u while u were on the respirator or not? When the surgeon told me I will be on the respirator for 2 to 4 days, he said I wont know anything, but I get very panicy and im wondering if I would hear people around me and if this would make me panic or anything like that. Im also wondering if u r awake, and what it is like when they remove the tube. I was told u get wild and crazy, and dont know where u r. Omgggggg, im going out of my mind. I cant believe I will be going through alllllllllll this Tiffykins, ALLLL FOR food Im sorry im driving u crazy with all this. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers, and for responding to my post I will not have access to a computer, and since the surgeon told me I will be hospitalized for 2 to 3 monthssss, u will not hear from me for a while, but if and when I get access to a PC, I will definitely let u know how all things went. Thanks again

I literally have/had zero recollection of any of that time. I didn't recall them removing the tube nor did I hear anyone talking, or moving around me.

They kept me sedated until they pulled my tube, and woke up a couple hours later from my hospitalization reports and the accounts of the day from my mother.

[jwg527 0]

WOW...reading your post and thinking you are probably post op now. I pray that everything is going well for you.

What a huge decision for you to have to make. I hope you will update us when you can.

I have joined this board as I research whether I want to pursue this or not. I have always said I wouldn't do it while my kids are young but I'm scared I may not make it until they are grown. I know that I am not being the mother I want to be because of weight issues.

Good luck to you and please update us. Prayers~