NWA Dr. Roller?

[GBFree82 75]

So the pre-op diet of two Protein drinks a day and either a healthy dinner or a lean cuisine/smart choice type meal stinks! lol I was so hungry the first day, but I think I've figured out a system now. I have my self on a three hour time plan, first shake at 9am second at 12, coffee at 3 dinner at 6. TONS of Water between 6 and bed and I've been going to bed hungry so that stinks too.

I go in for my pre-op tomorrow and I don't have too many questions, the handbook we all got pretty well lays everything out for you. Saturday will be my last day at work for a while and I've been using this time to really clean the house and get stuff organized.

I still have to buy a Protein mix that I like and so far the Bariatric Advantage Orange Cream is in the lead. Oh, and here's a tip! Mix your Protein Drinks with Almond milk, it makes them taste sooooooo much better! I tried Water and gagged the whole time I was drinking it.

I liked the banana one too but it was a very obvious fake banana flavoring.

I'm so glad you got the credit to bariatricchoice! It's a really good deal! I'll get my credit after your first purchase but please! I'm not worried about it at all, I just wanted to make sure you got it!

The only things I've bought for this are some glad snack size storage containers, I read on here that they help with Portion Control and to trick your mind. they say that you feel different eating 2-4oz out of a snack container than eating the same amount out of a huge Cereal bowl. lol. guess I'll find out soon enough!

Well, i'm off to Wal-mart, I'm putting together a goodie bag for my husband to have while I'm in surgery. Just a few of his favorite things and drinks and maybe an iTunes card or something for him to pass the time!

Take care and let me know how your next appt goes!

[formyboys3 4]

How did it go today? Did he explain how the surgery goes? Like what he actually does? I've seen so many different variations on this surgery I just wonder what his procedure is like.... Will you have a drain? What time are you scheduled for on Monday? I have a friend who went thru this in Feb, tho she did the bypass and she said at her pre op apt there were a bunch of other people in there with her. Was it like that for you today? Was there anyone else who was doing the sleeve? I'm just curious because I know they do more bypasses than sleeves and all the people I've talked to this far have had the bypass and all the meetings I've gone to the people who have gotten up to give their testimony have all had the bypass... Besides this site I've not been able to connect w/anyone who has had the sleeve. I'm so glad to have found you on here and am hoping that after you "come out on the other side" you will be able to give me a better outlook on this whole process

I like your idea of doing stuff for hubby! I think I will defiantly do that for mine and for the boys as well. My mom has been bringing me baby/child plates (some divided) to help w/portions later. I also read that a lot of people are using baby spoons or toddler silverware to help them take smaller bites. Thinking that's a pretty good idea! I will try the almond milk.. I've heard it's pretty good and I've been seeing on here where a lot of people become lactose intolerant after surgery. Did they say or give you anything to help w/the possible Hair loss issue? I've also seen where people are taking a special supplement to help w/that.

I don't envy you this week at all! I know it can't be easy. My mom kept telling me to "act like I was already sleeved" and just keep doing it and I could loose weight and wouldn't have to do the surgery. I told her if it was simply that easy I wouldn't be where I'm at now and part of this surgery is to reduce your stomach so you will get fuller and satisfied faster and thus be able to do what is required of you. We can't do that now... Just the thought of a week is killing me because I know how hard it will be. But I know I will stick to it because I don't want to mess up anything for surgery. Nothing like a good scare tactic to make you do what your supposed to do! LOL

How long are you planning on taking off of work? Do you have a very demanding job? I work w/ children so when you mentioned the stomach bug it really got me thinking! If everything goes as planned I will hopefully be having my surgery in Sept/Oct which is right about the time you start catching all the dreaded stuff that comes along w/the start of school. SUPER!! Or should I say YIKES! I may have to wear a mask! Hahaha

Almost there girl! Are you getting nervous?

[GBFree82 75]

hey chicka,

It's been a very busy few days for me. So I had all my pre-op stuff done, and yes it's mostly done with a room full of other ppl. no one said what they were having so I don't know who was having what operation. He told me that where he would be making the incisions and that was pretty much the only thing new. He said it was extremely rare for him to have a patient with a drain, I asked specifically about this.

I work retail in Rogers, it's busy but not very demanding. I'm taking off for two weeks, I think by then I should be good to go. My liquid diet starts tomorrow, Clear Liquids and then a bottle of magnesium citrait... oh joy. lol I will warn you though, when you start your diet for this, don't be surprised if you are extremely forgetful. I am having a hard time from one thought to the next!

I think if you stay up with all of your Vitamins and wash your hands you will be fine not getting sick. I hope your time flies for your surgery, do you have a goal weight in mind? my fertility dr wants me to lose 100lbs, I'll see where my body wants to go.

Everyone (that knows) asks if I'm getting nervous yet, but I'm not I'm just ready to get it done and start my new life.

it might be a while before I'm back, take care until then!

-Ginger

[formyboys3 4]

Hey just thinking about you and wanting to wish you well tomorrow. I know you will out of pocket for a few days, but when you can shoot me a quick message and let me know your ok I'll be praying for you! Try and get some good rest tonight. ~Rachel

[GBFree82 75]

Hey girl. I'm home now. There was a complication after surgery and I lost a lot of blood, went back into the OR and spent the night and all the next day in icu. Everything is fine now, I'm just exhausted from the lack of sleep. Ill tell you more when I get my energy back.

[formyboys3 4]

Oh my goodness!!! I'm glad you are home and ok, but how scary!!! Yes, defiantly fill me in...I'm worried now! I will continue to pray for you! Rest, rest, rest and get your fluids in Talk with you soon. Thanks for letting me know your ok

[formyboys3 4]

Worried about you girl and wanted to check in with you. How are you doing? Are you feeling ok and are you ok? No more complications I hope! Here is my email address if it would be easier to keep in contact that way. Walkerfamily2000@att.net

Still praying for you!

[GBFree82 75]

I'm doing better. Just now getting the enegery back.

here's what I posted today:

I was sleeved on August 5th, just now getting up the energy to get this written. Anyhow, my husband and I arrived at the hospital at 8am and I was feeling pretty good, not all that nervous, Just ready to get it done. I get admitted and set up in the pre-op room waiting for 10am to come around. My inlaws drove over that morning to be with me and with my husband while he waits and I can tell that my MIL is sooo nervous, she keeps rubbing my arm. When the nurses come in we all chit chat while they are taking vitals and hooking me up with this thing and that thing. Someone brought up the question on if I needed a blood type band, but the other nurse said no it wasn't necessary. My husband asked why and was told that my Surgeon "Never needs to do transfusions so we don't worry about it." Meh, sounds good to me, I have complete trust in my surgeon!

Before i know it my surgeon is here and the anesthesiologist is here and we are headed down the hallway. I don't even remember making it to the OR.

Fast forward a few hours and I'm in a small hospital room, my husband is there and he says everything went great! I remember my mouth being soooo super dry and the nurses let me swish some Water around and spit it out. I remember telling my husband to go out to lunch with my inlaws and get something to eat! Then darkness.

I wake back up to several nurses in my room and my husband and lots of beeping going on, someone is trying to either get a vain to put something in me or take blood I'm not sure, I'm so tired I can hardly even keep my eyes open. Everyone is shaking me and telling me to open my eyes, wake up, stay wake but I'm so tired. I hear my husband tell me to open my eyes and now my surgeon is in the room and nurses are on both hands trying to get a vain, I don't feel anything anymore. I hear my husband say "Take Her!" and then I don't remember anything.

Fast-forward to 8pm that night, I wake up in the ICU of the hospital with a very stressed out looking husband. I am hooked up to several machines at this point. My surgeon comes in to check on me and tells me what happened. My sleeve procedure went smoothly, but while organs were being moved around some blood vessels that go from between the stomach and the spleen had gotten pinched/torn but it was in a way that nothing was showing itself as a problem. I had my surgery and was in recovery for 2 hours and in my room for 1 hour without any issues at all, I was a star patient. Until, as my husband told me, the nurses came into the room to start getting me up to walk, as they lifted the head of the bed all of my vitals crashed. As they were trying to get me to get up those blood vessels that were pinched were shifted and I started bleeding out. My surgeon took me back into surgery and said it was like a mini geyser in there. He said he cauterized it 9 times to stop the bleeding.

I lost a lot of blood and while I was in ICU, I received two units of blood. I was on a pain pump, morphine and I remember I kept asking the nurses for something stronger, I just couldn't breath, it felt like I had done a thousand ab crunches and I couldn't even take a breath. After giving me morphine and Vicodin through the IV they finally called in something stronger called HydroMorphin. That stuff was AMAZING! within 20 minutes I was able to take my first real breath. I had lab techs coming in every hour to take blood samples and check my platelet count, my veins were collapsing and they had to call in the big wigs, he said he was only called when no one else could get anything, and it still took in a try or two, I;m still foggy at that point.

I think I fell asleep because I open my eyes and my husband is there the next day, he had to go home shortly after I arrived in ICU to feed and let out our dogs and get some sleep. I am still having labs drawn and by this point I'm still not really feeling the needles, at one point the poor tech only got out a few drops before it was over. That lab had to be redone since it was so small it had clotted. They successfully attempt to get blood out of the IV that they had been giving me blood through. It must of been ok because they didn't hook me up to anymore blood bags. Yay! It's time to start getting up! My ICU nurse starts to position the bed into a seat position and my heart goes from 98 to 160, she panics and lays me back down and starts on the phone with my surgeon who has told them to call him if I go over 110. At this point my respiration drops and more alarms are going off. the nurses come in and check my breathing and open up the air thingy behind me. Respiration goes back up, but I can still hear my heart beating in my ears. that slows down and they draw more labs!

Over the course of the day and three shift changes, I was able to get up and out of bed, I walked a few short trips around the ICU and I was bubbly happy when I was cleared for my first sip of 1oz water! I over heard the ICU nurses talking about me and how crazy it was that they actually had a bariatric patient because "That NEVER happens!" My Surgeon came by and told me how i was a first for him as well, as in bleeding and having to go to the ICU. I was in his "less than 1% complication" I graduate to phase two and started on my Protein drinks, no problems at all, maybe a little gassy but not bad.

At 11pm that night, (day 2 post-op) I get moved to the bariatric floor of the hospital. I text my husband the room and try to get some sleep. No luck, hourly checks have me awake most of the night. I scare the hospital staff when I try to getup to go to the bathroom, (they took the catheter out at the ICU), my heart rate jumps back up into the 160s and I suddenly have a couple of nurses in my room. Eventually they come to accept that if my heart alarm is going off then I'm out of bed. They slowly stop checking on me throughout the day. I've been up and walking the floor, I've peed tons! I've walked some more. I keep asking to have the IV lines taken out since I wasn't hooked up to them anymore. I keep getting told at 3pm. I am going to get checked out at 3pm. Thankfully 3pm shows up and I've meet with the head nurse, and the nutritionist and some other ppl and I am cleared to go.

By 3:45 I am home and exhausted. I sleep on the couch and my husband tends to me sweetly.

So now that I am 8 days post op here's what I have to say.

I absolutely LOVE my surgeon, as my MIL said, other surgeons would have maybe tried to wait and see if my vitals leveled out but not my surgeon, he saw that there was a problem and took Immediate action!

I would absolute do this surgery again even with time spent in the ICU, The staff there were amazing.

Days 1-6 TOTALLY Completely SUCK Monkey Butt, but it gets better.

I don't want to weigh myself until my two week check up, but I am as gitty as a school girl about it!

So, pick your surgeon wisely and trust him/her completely! I did and still do!

[formyboys3 4]

All I can say is wow!! Your MIL was right I'm thankful that Dr Roller was so attentive! You may have scared the crap out if him LOL!

Thank you for letting me know how your doing. I do worry about the possible complications and it keeps going thru mind, but I'm like you, I feel very confidant in his abilities and at this point the benefits of the surgery far out weigh the risks. I did just read a post about someone about our age going into surgery and having major complications and she died...that does scare me, but I'm trying to remember that we don't know all the details and her current state of health going into surgery... And like I told my family, if its my time then it's my time and please be at peace w/that. Hate to sound so morbid, but I have to keep that frame of mind to get me thru this... The one thing that I need to do that has me upset is the pre planning such as making sure my husband knows where everything is at incase he needs it (I handle all the bills, computer and day to day stuff around the house) and I feel like I need to write letters to my husband, boys and family just in case... Do I sound crazy? I guess I just want to be prepared for the worst and pray for the best

So, how are you doing now? Are you able to get up and around pretty good? Are you having trouble getting all your fluids in? I'll take any info good or bad that you can give me I don't get grossed out that easily and I would rather have the cold hard truth about it Thanks girl!

[formyboys3 4]

Got a quick question... So I made the BA chocolate w/milk and it was shake like in consistency... Then I tried the strawberry w/ almond milk and it turned out thick like pudding... Did u run across this when u used almond milk instead of reg milk or is the strawberry a different texture? It was just weird....

[GBFree82 75]

Ok, sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, it's hard to type long messages on my phone so I've been waiting until I was up to getting on the computer.

I don't think there's anything wrong with writing letters to your family, but I wouldn't write them like you are going to die. Maybe just a promise that from now on things are going to be different and better. Tell them why you are doing this, I assume it's ultimately for them right? To be able to spend more time with them and have a more active life with them.

As far as the shakes go, I have entirely moved over to using powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury. I actually tried the BA strawberry and banana and Orange Cream with almond milk before surgery and they came out like a shake, I don't remember them being too thick, but then I made the vanilla with just milk and it came out so thick I couldn't even drink it, this was after surgery, I had to keep thinning it down it. And it tasted so bad! Like trying to take shots of vanilla cake frosting yuck!

I'm now drinking Unjury chocolate with milk and the chicken Soup with Water, both are much better! Last time I was at the office they said that they will be coming out with new flavors of the PF brand they carry so I'm excited about that.

So how am I doing? Well, the first week really was awful, and I had the whole what did i do to myself mopping thing, but I re-read my handbook and realized this will pass and food is not lost to me forever, I'll get it back it's just going to take some time and learning Portion Control. My night 7 I was able to go to bed in my bed instead of the couch which was amazing! I started walking, though my first trip out to Walmart wasn't fun and came home sick with terrible pain/pressure behind my breastbone. You'll get that too in the beginning, From what i understand that's my full signal and in the beginning it's super sensitive to everything. In the beginning I couldn't even drink room temp fluids, I had to have everything, even Water, heated up in the microwave or I was in tears when I tried to drink. My MIL set up a small crock-pot half full of water next to the couch I was sleeping on so that I could keep my water and Soup cups in there to stay warm, BEST idea ever!

I started walking last week, first to the end of the block and back and that was so hard and I was so tired afterwards. A few days later I decided to walk more and ended up walking 1.44 miles round-trip, came home and when my husband came home for lunch I thought I'd take a shower, got in and a few minutes later called out to him for help cause I was about to pass out. He helped me into bed to rest for a little while. after he went back to work I felt better so I went into the living room to take my muli-Vitamins and within just 2-3 minutes I was in the bathroom experiencing my first vomiting experience post-op. It wasn't so bad and I instantly felt better. The chewable vitamins have been hurting my stomach from the start so I knew something like this was coming.

I still get tired easy, I went out on sat with my bff to get pedicures and we did some like shopping at the mall and then that night we went to the naturals baseball game. Sunday, it was all I could do to take a shower and make it to the couch where I stayed all day I was so totally exhausted.

Oh, here's another tip, NO MATTER WHAT: Get your Protein drink in before you do ANYTHING else in the morning or you will be sick. Trust me. Been there done that!

[GBFree82 75]

Also. After talking to the diet lady at the office, she said not to drink almond milk cause its mostly fat and only 1g of Protein. Skim milk has 8g protein so it's better. I was bummed cause I like almond milk but I'd rather have the protein.