My journey

[loveelaura 52]

I everyone! I warn you that this may be long. I'm a typer lol

So everything for me starts back in July of 2013. I saw my brother's serious girlfriend for the first time since she had lap band surgery. I was amazed at how healthy she looked-- she glowed! After our vacation, I texted her a tonnnn of questions asking about surgery and everything. I ended up researching it like crazy but found out I have a bariatric exception in my insurance policy so I stopped researching for a couple days. I started looking into self pay band and was turned off bc of having to pay at each fill plus the surgery. I also did not like the idea of having a foreign object in me for life and read tons of posts about people who had bands slipped and removed. I gave up until I saw something called the VSG pop up on my internet page. I had never heard of such a thing before and started researching that. Once I learned they remove 85% of your stomach, i wrote it off as too extreme and stopped looking. After thinking about it though, I realized that the band procedure was essentially the same thing just not as permanent as the sleeve. I needed something permanent so why was it bothering me ?? I found this forum and read hundreds of posts before signing up to start asking questions of my own. I started looking at self pay rates around me and was blown away at the cost! I'm in the Chicagoland and the cost was about 25k. I'm 24 with a mortgage, I don't have access to that kind of dough! I started researching lower options in the USA and narrowed it down to a place in Vegas, Oklahoma City and one of the Carolina's. I switched my gears to researching every surgeon at each place and their statistics. The Carolina place I eliminated bc of them requiring a 2nd person come with you. I wasn't sure if I was going to share my news with anyone at this point. The Vegas place I dq-ed due to reviews online. So that left WeightWise in Edmond, OK. I searched for over a week I'd say on each surgeon and the facility itself. There are hundreds if reviews and I think I read each one . Every single one was positive and grateful or gushing. I sent an email to inquire about their out of state program and rates. The rest is history ! I set up my first appt with dr. Walton at the end of August. He sent me a bunch of labs and tests to do at my primary care doctor in Illinois that ended up being faxed to his office. Things like blood work, EKG, sleep study.. Each month I had a phone consult with him, a dietician and an exercise physiologist . I started out at 281, went up to 290 when my metabolism had to be kicked and then got down to 256 the day of surgery . I am. 5'9"

I just had surgery yesterday afternoon 1/21/14 about 1pm. My veins were stubborn so I had to be stuck 5 times before they were able to get an iv into me. After that I had tons of people coming in to introduce themselves before surgery and ask the same questions -/ my name, age , procedure , do I have all my teeth lol. I was given a shot of heparin in my stomach and then carted off to the OR. They had me move tables, center myself on it, covered me with a heated blanket and bam! I was out like a light. I woke up groggy in recovery but remember talking with the nurses, hearing two argue and then saying something about having their own tv show for the drama lol . I remember the nurses saying what a young sweet thing I was... Being rolled into my room, cute orderly bringing me flowers from my cousin and saying that somebody loved me! The nurse I had at first was kind of a letdown-- she kept forgetting to get my mom and sister from the waiting room so they didn't come back for about 35 mins. I was in and out of consciousness anyways. I had a dull throbbing pain in my side, stomach and core. I asked for some pain meds about an hour and half after I was in my room. My nurse was shocked I didn't ask sooner bc apparently they didn't give me anything after the surgery. Oops! So they gave me dillatell ( sp) in my iv and the pain went away. The cute orderly got me up and walking about an hour after that. I got very light headed and nauseous upon arrival back into my room. He brought me a tray of drinks and broths// tea packets , crystal light, hot Water , broth , propel zero , and a bottle of cold and room temp Water. He told me to start sipping every 5 mins-- maybe half a shot glass size full. I asked for anti nausea meds and almost vomited while waiting for the zofran to kick in. Once it did, it was night and day diff. Had no problems getting up to walk every hour and sip like crazy. I asked for the iv pain med about every 4-5 hours. I realized that I had no gas pains whatsoever so I am one of the blessed ones in that aspect! The only pain I've had is the largest incision. Today it just feels very tender. My throat has been sore as well from the tubes and such being down there but nothing horrible. Slept for a couple hours early this morning. Of course had to wake up to tinkle. Got myself out of bed and unhooked from my compression socks only to be clothes lined by my oxygen line lol. My mom rescued me luckily. I've had 2 bags of antibiotics and fluids since yesterday afternoon. Had some blood drawn this morning to check my blood hemo levels, potassium and something else. Was given liquid pain meds this morning to ensure I can tolerate them before getting released! Eww they're so gross!! I have to drink 4 bottles of water before getting released. Just finished the 3rd. Going to go tinkle and head out for a lap and then come back to keep sipping!!

It's crazy that I've joined the land of the sleeved !!

[Miss Mac 6,262]

Here's hoping you have a lovely textbook recovery.