December Post-Op Thread

[HeavyHeartland 0]

After your surgery, check in here and let everybody know how things went.

[christasha 0]

Will do! Good luck to everyone!

Chris

[Carolk1 0]

I posted this on a separate thread, but I'll put it here for all Merry Bandsters..

Home from 12/3 surgery

I arrived at the hospital at 5:45 am, did all the pre-op (went very smoothly). I met with the nurses and the anesthegiologist and the surgeon. My surgeon's last words, "this shouldn't be a problem I've done 2000, see you when you wake up". They rolled me into the surgery room, strapped me in and said goodnight....

The next thing I know I'm being rolled out of the OR and see my husband talking to the doctor, gave them a small wave and was looking forward to my life as a bandster.

I get settled in my spot in post-op and I over hear the nurse whispering while she's looking at my chart, saying ohhhhhhhhhhh.

The surgeon walks over at this point, while I'm totally out of it and says, "I'm sorry we were unable to place the band". My first thought was, is this a dream? Second thought, a sigh of relief, third thought - What the F????

He tells me that he couldn't get through a wall of scar tissue that was there from a gallbladder surgery I had in 1988. Apparently the scar tissue was so great that there was no way around it.

Now the fun begins...what do I think? what do I feel? all this prep, all the emotion. The surgeon mentions I could have a sleeve done and we can discuss at my post op appt. (not dying to go back to surgery also bad timing to bring this up).

Nurses then came over to me one by one and at least 3 of them said, oh that's too bad, I guess you'll have to do it the old fashioned way...at that moment I was completely defensive and could not believe what I just heard. It came across to me as they were a bit superior and I'm this diet/exercise failure. Which I'm not - I"m very successful at losing, just can't seem to keep it off.

So, now I'm home, experiencing all the pain, soreness and gas that I have prepared to deal with for months, but no band....I'm confused, lost, relieved, excited, sad, just a whole mix of emotion. I hope and I pray that I can turn this whole ordeal into a positive motivational factor to continue on my journey of creating a healthier life. And doing it, "The Old Fashiponed Way".

[sewenup1 0]

Carol, how disappointing for you, to go through all that and not have the band.

I was banded last night and spent the first night in ICU. I am now up on a ward where I will spend tonight (Tudesday) and go home tomorrow morning.

Will have to wait a while to decide if this is all worth it though.

Danna

[mejr62 0]

I am so very sorry. I can only imagine how disapointed you must be.:cry

Please try and keep your chin up. I almost teared up just reading your message......... Take care of you and keep us posted!!

[mejr62 0]

Danna,

Glad you are doing well..... keep us posted and get some rest!!

[Carolk1 0]

SEWEN and MEJ - thanks for well wishes...Best of luck to you both...MEJ I'm sure after a couple of weeks you will definitely feel it was well worth it....Good luck on your weight loss. For now, I will continue to be a merry bandster because it's great support and motivation for me...

[HeavyHeartland 0]

Wow Carol, that is awful. Just know that you cannot quit the Merry Bandsters, you are a member for life!

I just got home about an hour ago and here is how my adventure went.

I was supposed to check in at the hospital at 7:15am for 8:45 surgery. I checked in on time, had bloodwork done by a trainee who took two attempts at drawing blood. I was going to keep track of all the shots and needles but I lost track at some point.

After going back and putting on the gown and getting in the bed and waiting to go back I discovered that the doctor was running "90 minutes late." My parents and my wife were all able to join me so that made the time go by. 8:45 went by, then 9:45, then 10:45 ... fortunately I was too nervous to be mad. Around 11am a nurse came back to get me and checked my name tag on my wrist and it didn't match her clipboard, which led to a a lot of nerves. I didn't want to get back there and wake up missing a leg or something! After that was all straightened out they took me back. The nurse asked me what operation I was there for and I told her, "YOU tell ME!" She said lapband and I said, whew! A few minutes later they wheeled me back to surgery. The anesthesiologist answered all my questions. I asked how long it took to kick in and he said, "watch this." The next thing I remember is waking up in recovery.

I woke up to a voice saying, "you're in recovery, the surgery is over and everything went well." Then I said, "Jesus? Is that you?" And the nurse said, "no, I'm a nurse." So then I said, "well, that's good." I spent about 30 mins there before moving back to a room.

They must've really filled me up with anesthesia because I spent the next 3-4 hours sleeping off and on. Most of the time I could hear my wife and mom talking but I was too tired to respond.

I spent from 5pm-9pm sitting in a chair in my recovery room. I watched all of the Patriots/Ravens football game that I could keep my eyes open for and then got in bed and went to sleep. I think people's complaints about those leg massagers are overrated, I quite enjoyed them. Of course I slept like crap throughout the night, lots of vitals checking and stuff like that.

My doctor's assistant came by this morning and officially dismissed me around 8am. I had a shower and got dressed (couldn't put my socks on but did everything else). My wife and dad showed up around 10am to drive my car home.

Apologies for any holes or typos, I just had some Loritab about an hour ago. I will write more later. But I'm home and well and made it! Good luck to everyone else!

[Jonesy 0]

Carolk1-

How are you feeling today?

Take care and keep us posted!

[Carolk1 0]

Jonesy - I'm doing well drinking Protein shakes and Soups...I hope the shoulder pain ends soon....Also can't wait for the incisions to stop being so sore and heal already...For the most part I'm doing ok...Thanks!!!!

HEARTY - AWESOME for you!!!Sounds like everything went well especially being able to sit up and watch the rest of the game....Good luck over the next few days and keep moving it helps the gas break up.....

[christasha 0]

Oh Carol . . .My daughter read your email to me on the phone last night and I felt so bad for you! Please ALWAYS be a Merry Loser! We need you!

I'm almost embarrassed to say I had a "text book" experience . . . checked in, did all the sticking and stabbing with needles . . .down to preop - with 6 other people who were all "first". My Lord, you have a nurse, anesthelogist and doctor at each bed . . . along with relatives . . . it sounded like a bee hive. And then we rolled . . . and the last thing I remember was someone saying they were putting another IV in my arm "in case .. . " and I was out. Never did find out WHY they did that . . . and I had to tell each nurse "got me". I woke up in recovery and was there for an hour . . . and then back up to the room at 11:00 am.

I wasn't expecting to spend the night - but they said outpatient is anything up to 24 hours . . . so I figured I might as well stay there where they could keep an eye on me. I never went to sleep until 11:30 last night. I had the pain medicine once when I got up to the room, and once about 10:30. Haven't taken any today, but I might now that I'm home and can really rest a bit. Was up walking the halls by 12:30 and then made a point of doing it every 2 hours. Then room service came and I'm going "huh???" and she had 4 bottles of Water and 4 bottles of Propel . . . my food lol. I haven't had much pain for gas . . . just a slight bit in the shoulder, but the gas-x helped that . . . I LOVED the leg things . . . I don't have anyone to rub my legs and feet . . . so that was a treat!

The poor woman in the room next to me did not fair quite as well. She had nausea quite a bit, and was crying when they were trying to get her up walking. However - today she was walking the halls too . . . and smiling a LOT . . .

So that is my beginning journey - and I'm hoping everyone else has good stories too!

Extra hugs to Carol AND Dee!

Chris

[Carolk1 0]

Chris - I'm so glad all went well for you....Keep taking the Tylenol in your system it really helps, also keep an ice pack on all the incisions, it will definitely help with any soreness you may feel. Both of these things have been helping me alot...I'm still trying to find an answer to - do you gain weight when you have surgery? I'm up 5pounds.

[HeavyHeartland 0]

Hey Chris, sounds like we had similar experiences. Glad everything went well for you too. Here's to hoping everyone else having smooth and comfortable experiences as well!

[christasha 0]

Carol . . . you would ask if I gained weight . . . and YES .. . I'm up 6 lbs from their scale yesterday morning to when I got home today. I had 3 IV bags overall . . . and 4 bottles of Water and same of Propel since then. That Propel does have sugars in it . . . not much . . .but maybe it is the gas they pump in that weights more lol (I amuse myself). You know what . . .I WISH I could have a cup of hot tea right now . .. I'm freezing . . . I think I'll have to break down and turn on my heater today . . . 48 in the morning in San Diego is pretty cool for us . . . and my house has ZERO insulation I think. This weight too shall pass . . . I'm just calling it procedure weight. Nothing I did to cause it.

Chris

[Carolk1 0]

Carol . . . you would ask if I gained weight . . . and YES .. . I'm up 6 lbs from their scale yesterday morning to when I got home today.

Chris

FABULOUS!!! I'm sorry you're up 6lbs, but I'm so happy to hear this....I'm pretty much trying to follow my bandster diet minus the band, but it totally freaked me out when I got on the scale this morning. I've been trying to drink as much Water as possible to flush out my system, but it doesn't seem to be working...but I'll keep trying......How you feeling today???? Getting better one day at a time???