How did your surgery go?

[NotSoFunny]

Lets share surgery experiences for those who are getting close.

I went to Monterrey Mexico to have my surgery done. I went with my husband Rob and we had a blast in the city a few ays before hand. It was a lot of fun. Come the day of my surgery we went to the docotr's office that morning to do a final weigh in, and go over post op instructions. I paid my money, and we walked over to the hospital to check in. All went smooth, and soon I was in the waiting room of the surgery dept. My husband and I started talking when a woman came up and asked me to come with her. I got into the back and realized I had not gotten a kiss or hug or said goodbye to my husband, so I freaked! LOL I went back out into the waiting room and showed him some love. :)

I was taken into a changing area to get dressed in a gown and get all of my clothes into a locker to be given to Rob. They took me to preop where they rew my blood one last time, and gave me a shot to help thin my blood. they wrapped my legs with ace bandages to keep them from swelling, and also gave me a shot to calm my nerves. by this time I was crying. MysherriJo was in the be across from me, and though we could not see each other we talked for about an hour. After they wheeled her away for surgery they took me to the post op area so i could watch some tv while waiting. I watched parts of the Shining. LOL that was stupid. When a commercial came on they always played this ad for Drumstick ice cream. All of this comes into play soon. LOL

When it was time to go back they wheeled me into surgery. I remember going past this beautiful plate glass window and the mountains looked so peacful and serene. this helped me. I got in...moved over to the operating table...and prepared myself. the last thing i remember was the meds kicking in, the room spinning, and the doctor kissing my forehead and telling me he was going to take care of me.

Then came the dreams. Scary little ghost girls and freaky monsters chasing me around the shining hotel trying to steal my ice cream. telling me i would never eat it again. they were so mean. :(

When I woke up they were transfering me to the gurney. They said everything went perfect and I was all done. I raised my hands and waved and sai loudly "Muchos Gracias!!" they all laughed at me. its cool. I was stupid. LOL

I got into recovery and had to wait an hour till they put me in my room. My stomach muscles felt like i had been kicked in the gut a few times. Mainly my port incision hurt a lot. I had an AWFUL taste in my mouth, and this great need to cough, but I was too afraid to. When they got me into my room my husband Rob was there waiting. It was a really nice room. It was huge!! and there was a comfy pullout couch there for Rob to sleep on, as well as a balcony to walk out on. I shared a balcony with MySherriJo. I got into be and they gave my my first foods. The tray had coffee, water, cup of ice, applejuice, tea and broth on it. I wante none of it but they told me i had to drink or I would stay hooked up to the iv.

The rest of the night was fille with long walks down the hall to relieve gas pressure and pain and to keep my blood circulating, and 30 minute naps in between. The next day I was discharged to the doctor's guest house where I relaxed, walked and enjoye time with mysherrijo and another girl, Tracy, who had her's done the same day.

We flew home two days after surgery. I felt fine, could walk like normal, but it was nice to have rob there to carry my bags.

thats my story an I'm stickin to it.

[Diva]

Ok why not?
I was scheduled for 8:00 am surgery and was supposed to be there by 6:30 am. I showered and packed a small bag with extra panties, hair brush, pony tail holder just in case I had to stay. No handbag. DH had my insurance card and ID.
I also had a new Happy Lapband Day outfit. It was a new long pink tee shirt with capri pink thin striped pj bottoms and slip on espadrilles. May I add I had matching pink cotton panties. The ride was supposed to take 15 minutes.
We got stuck in rush hour traffic and encountered two Big Dig detours so I was starting to cry as it turned into 6:45. DH screeched into the valet parking and I ran upstairs ahead of him. I was interviewed by a nurse, got my name and my "Latex free" bracelet and was told to change into the lovely johnny. Meanwhile my DH took care of my paperwork-we signed him up as healthcare proxy and I saw him go into the waiting room.
I changed into a johnny that would fit a small baby elephant and realized they expected me to leave my DH and go with them.
I ran out into the hall and motioned frantically for him to come out so I could kiss him bye. He looked at me quizzically and calmly waved back. I, of course, cursed like a sailor and ran into the long waiting room, boobies flying, huge johnny flapping. I ran up to him said-I gotta go I love you and kissed him. He kissed me back and looked at me like I was going on the Baatan death march. He was scared witless. So I flew back down the hall. Quite the sight.
I got hooked up in the presurgery room, met the knock out juice doc, they played pin the needle in the fat girl trying to find a good vein. I never ever have problems with veins but they said it was because of no water since midnight. The nurses and the doc were calm, sweet and wonderful. I teared up a little and apologized for being late. They laughed and said they couldn't start without me. Once I was hooked up they gave me some stuff to relax me and I was off to the operating room. No waiting-zoom - right in. I highly recommend scheduling for the first surgery of the day. I lay down, I saw my surgeon come in, he smiled at me and thats all she wrote till the recovery area.
Big room lots of nice nurses very few patients (yet). I was laying down and had an oxygen mask. As soon as I awoke my own nurse came over to me. I asked to be put in a sitting position. She told me I did great and put a warm blanket on me. I took off the mask and my oxygen level alarms went off. She gave me the nose oxygen things and I leveled off.
Meanwhile DH was told by the surgeon that I was fine and my surgery was "routine". I was in some pain (inside on left side) so my nurse gave me some happy juice and some percocets cut in fourths with water. DH came in and was moved to tears as I was hooked up to all sorts of machines and was so blown up I looked like I was pregnant with twins. He sat with me as I drifted in and out sipping water. My mouth felt like cotton.
I had to lie down when the x-ray tech came in and shoved the portable x-ray thingy under me. That hurt quite a bit.
After a while I stopped dozing and was feeling ok. They gave me some more water but it was cold and man did I feel that cold going down! Make a note-room temperature is better than cold after surgery!
My nurse unhooked me and we went for a walk together to the bathroom where I gratefully peed.
Then I was together enough to go home. They got me out to the car, I had not dizziness and just a little pain. I barely kept my eyes open till we got home. DH got my percocet perscription, I got comfotable at home and that was that. I even posted the same day on LBT.
I was home by 2:30 pm.
And I lived happily ever after.

[PhotoNut]

I showed up.
They put me to sleep.
I woke up. Ow.
I begged for pain killers.
They gave me some.
I slept.
They said go home.
I cried, No!
They shoved me out the door.
I went home against my will.
I got better.
Ive lost 90 pounds in 8 months.

The End

err.. The Beginning! :)

[A1ikou]

Went to nice hospital in Athens.
Played nice with electric bed...up/down/feet up-down
Gown on but no paper panties to fit so keep mine!
Down in lift to operating threatre (no balcony seats...)
Waited for ages, watching world go by
Nice Docs keep coming to say "Hi" and practice their English
Sleep time...
Woke up quick (still pulling tube out of mouth..urrrgh)
Back KILLING ME...ouch, help, ouch
Back to room
Pain meds....aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Played with bed
Hubby sat all night giving me little water on very dry lips (stayed overnight coa had gallbladder and 28 stones removed too)
Next morning home in taxi
And that's that. 6mths ago as of 20th Sep.

[NotSoFunny]

i love hearing surgery stories....it always helps me to know what others go through.

any one else willing to share? this is helpful to people who have not been through it yet.

[SandraDee]

I flew to Monterrey, Mexico by myself. My husband and MIL wanted to go, but weren't able to and I didn't mind doing this alone. My mom is from Mexico and I've been there many times so I felt pretty comfortable.

They took me to my room to get settled in and after that I went through admissions at the hospital and they did all of the pre-op tests. I went to meet my doc and he went over everything with me. The surgery was scheduled for the next morning. I had the whole evening to relax. I went down to the cafeteria and had my last meal. It was this hamburger with cooked ham and avacado on top (sooo good). I met this lady there who was so happy. Her first granddaughter was born. I went back up to my room and watched a movie.

In the morning, they came to my room and gave me my hospital gown to wear. They wheeled me over to the operating room and set up my IV. The last thing I remember was looking up at the ceiling and glancing at the operating light.

When I woke up, I was in a post op room and my legs were wrapped. My doctor came and checked on me and they moved me to a different hospital room. This room had it's own living room and a HUUUGE big screen TV (like I needed it though, I was so drugged up).

The day after, they moved me back to my original room to recoup and I spent the day reading, while the staff came and brought me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During this time, the doctor and anesthesiologist came and checked on me twice.

All I can say about my experience is that everyone was so nice there. I was so well taken care of that I never felt alone.

[mysherrijo]

Amy,
Ditto on the surgery story. There is no sense in me giving mine because you said it to a T. The only thing I can add and I don't know if Rick told Rob and you this or not, but when we left the guest house that morning, remember I left before you, well I could tell my T.O.M. was getting ready to start so I told Rick, go to the gift shop and get me some tampons I'll need them after surgery. I laughed my ass off when he told me what happened. Here I am just out of recovery and I said, Honey, where are my tampons and he said I kept telling her I need tampions, tampions please. He said I even showed her that I needed something to you know, put in and she pointed to the coke machine. I still laugh today. Needless to say, my T.O.M. stopped dead in it's tracks that day and didn't start for another 6 weeks but it was sooooo funny.. Oh, one other thing, I did sneak a candy bar and coke around midnight before surgery next morning, remember. LOL

[NotSoFunny]

YES!! Rick told us about the coke and candy bar.

ok...i gotta laugh at rick trying to explain to a woman that he needs tampons, making a gesture as if he is inserting one and she points to the coke machine. "crazy american wants something to stick up there, he can go at it with a coke can."

[Scribby]

Well, here it goes...

Surgery was set for 12:30 so i checked in at 11am at the hospital in Reston, VA. I was pretty much taken immediatly to the pre-surgery area. Shawn was able to come with me thank god! He helped me put on the gown, surgical socks and tie my hair back. The nurses came in and took blood pressure which was getting higher by the second. They said my deer in headlights look may be the reason...I told them I am a barfer and they assured me that they would put the stuff in my IV for that. They put the iv in and it was perfect. I started to cry and Shawn assured me I would be ok and what was I getting upset for that I had fought to have this done for a year. *sigh* he is perfect..anyway...I met with my surgeon for a min then the anesthesiologist and then it was time to go. I barely remeber the ride into the OR and glanced slightly at it then was out!. I woke up to heaving my guts out which wasnt good. I went to the post op area and chilled out. I had to pee and was very thirsty so, 5 hours later from when I got there I was home! I slept a lot and took pain meds and everything was great!!

And thats ma' story!

[Susan]

I'll share my story...

My surgery was scheduled for 7:30 a.m. I arrived at the hospital with my hubby and parents at 5:30 a.m. They took us to our private room where I changed into a gown and got weighed. At about 6:15 a nurse came in and hooked me up to the IV and asked a million questions. At 6:45 it was time to go down to the surgical waiting area. Only one person was allowed to go with me, my hubby, so I gave my parents a hug and they told me not to be nervous, that everything was going to be fine. Nervous, that was not me, I could not wait to get my band and was filled with nothing but excitement. The ride to the surgical waiting area was a bit bumpy because the person pushing the gurney kept running into things. Things got pretty busy once we got there. I had the pre-op nurse ask me a million questions. Then the anesthiologist (spelling) came by and asked me the same questions, a few minutes later his assistant came by to ask the same questions again. Then hubby and I had a few minutes to ourselves before my surgeon came by and explained one final time to my hubby what was going to happen and that they would have someone update him on my progress every 15 minutes or so. Finally, the anesthiologist comes back and says he is going to put a little something in my IV to start me relaxing and that it may sting a bit. I looked at my husband and commented that I felt like I was in the twilight zone. Next thing I know I wake up in recovery with Dr. Herrera standing over me. I asked him if my liver was ok and did I have a band. He laughed and said everything was great and yes, I had my band. Then he told the nurses he wanted me transferred to my room and up and walking in 30 minutes. At this point, I wanted to see my husband in a bad way and was a bit upset he wasn't allowed in recovery. But, they transferred me up to my private room and as soon as I got there, the nurse had me up and walking down the hall. I remember how scared I was because she was all of about 5'3" and 90 pounds and here I was this MO person, drugged out, dizzy and very unsteady on my feet. I almost fell once and when I looked up I saw my hubby rushing down the hall towards me, with my parents close behind, and he took over and helped steady me and walked with me. I was so happy to see him I almost started crying. I was definitely sore, especially in my port area. They had a bed in the room, but they also had a reclining chair that I could push a button and it moved and helped me up and I was much more comfortable sleeping there than in the bed. I spent the night in the hospital and went home about 11:00 a.m. the next morning. Oh, the day of the surgery, I was only allowed ice chips, but for breakfast the next morning I had juice, tea, broth and jello.

[Goannabanda]

I've been waiting for the post-anaesthesia brain-fog to clear so I could write this post... ...sorry it's a long one!!!:heh:

DH and I arrived at the hosptial at 7am on Thursday 5th October, and were told to sit and wait in the foyer until my name was called. At 7:15am I was called with two others (turned out later this was Rose and Chris, fellow lap bandsters), and taken around to the Short Stay Unit, and told to wait in another foyer. About 5 mins later, they put me in a cubicle where we waited for 10 more minutes. The SSU has about 12 cubicles with narrow trolley beds, like a casualty ward. DH and I wondered if this was where I'd be overnighting - I hoped not, considering how much we fork out for health insurance!

The anaethetist came at about 7:30am, which was the first time I met him. He was with me for about 10 minutes, asking all the relevant questions and reviewing my test results. I pointed out that I have a history of nausea with anaesthetic, and he said that they'd include anti-nausea medication in the sleepy juice. The admissions nurse came as soon as he was done with the very glam TEDs (surgical stockings) and inflating compression stockings (complete with air pump). She also gave me clexane (blood thinner) injection, and a soluble zantac. Just as we were dealing with all of this, the theatre orderly came for me. It was 7:45am. She threw the stockings on me really fast, and they whipped me out of the SSU to the theatre almost before I could say goodbye to DH (let alone have time to cry! LOL!).

I waited another 10 mins in the theatre pre-op room, where the anaesthatic nurse came to see me and check blood pressure. The assistant surgeon (Mr Gilholme) also called by to say hi. I was wheeled into the theatre and climbed aboard the very hi-tech looking operating table at about 7:55am.

I almost laughed as the anaethetist grabbed one of my arms, and his nurse the other (crucifix style) onto their own little tables, and started doing things to me. It was kind of funny with all going on at once. At 8 am exactly the drip line went into my left forearm, and the anaethetist said: "That's the first part of your anaesthetic, you'll start to feel sleepy now". I turned to the nurse and said: "Don't let me wake up halfway through! I'll see you on the other side". She laughed and said: "We won't!". And that was it. Lights out for the next 2 1/2 hours. I don't remember evern seeing the surgeon himself beforehand.

I woke up at 10:25am (the clock was the first thing I saw). Pain in my ribs and stomach, glue mouth, very disoriented. There was a nurse beside me, and everytime I groaned she asked me how bad it hurt, on a scale of 1 to 10. I had to remember how to speak! "Five" I groaned. And morphine was delivered. The pain went down. For about a minute, then got worse.
Groan. "How bad?". Groan. "Five!". More morphine. Someone was wheeled in next to me. The surgeon's here. Saying something about it went well, and they're looking for DH. Don't they know where they left him? Idiots. How can you lose a fully grown man?
Groan. "How bad?". Groan. "Five!". More morphine. It was Chris, he was already awake and sitting up and talking.
Groan. "How bad?". Groan. "Five!". More morphine. My body is sooo heavy.
Groan. "How bad?". Groan. "Five!". More morphine. Aaaahhhh, I am floating, floating, such pretty colours, swirling, spinning.
Someone says "Will we roll this mat out from under her now?". I am rolled onto my right side.
Yell.
I am rolled onto my left side.
Yell louder.
More morphine. Aaahhhhh! Floating again.
The bed's moving. Crash. Bed's moving again. Crash again. Bed's moving again. Crash again. Bed's moving again. Stops.
DH is here. Ice in my mouth. mmm. Tastes good. Someone's pumping up my arm again. Go away. Not you DH, you can stay.
Quiet at last.
Sleep.

I woke up sometime just after lunch, to a cup of ice chips, apple juice, and a full bladder! Ouch had to get up to the loo. I was allowed clear chicken broth and apple juice for dinner on the first night. The surgeon called by during the afternoon. He told me the surgery all went very well, and that the band was in a very good position. He had given me the new AP band that I had asked about. I listened to some CDs during the afternoon, dozed and enjoyed the ride induced by the anaesthatic drugs, morphine, paracetamol, codeine, and whatever other drugs were partying on inside me. I was very dizzy and had low blood pressure, so my bed was tilted backwards until the next morning.

DH went off to work by lunchtime (as it was nearby), and came back at about 4pm, along with my parents and DS. I was recovered enough to look and sound normal enough for DS (I think! LOL!). He was very interested in playing with the electric bed, and wanted to know why I had a bag of water attached to that big needle in my arm. I scored bonus points with him when I gave him a present out of my bag and some money for the lolly shop. I know my way to his heart. hehehe.

The night was rough - lots of pain from the surgery sites, band and port, but the worst was the migrating gas - stuck under my diaphragm and in my shoulder blades and sternum. 2:30 am: They gave me panadeine. Walked around for an hour. 3:30 am: They gave me a shot of something else. Walked around for another hour. 4:30 am: Finally I was in tears. They gave me morphine. Blissssssss. Sleeeeeep. zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

I had apple juice and chocolate milk for breakfast. Peppermint tea for morning tea, which I promptly threw up. I have never seen nurses move so fast to get anti-nausea meds into my drip. About 1 minute flat. The surgeon came shortly afterwards. Because of the pain, low blood pressure and nausea, I stayed another night. Yucky sustagen for lunch, and yummy mushroom soup for dinner. The surgeon said maybe even a third night if I needed it. i got to meet up with Rose and Chris. chirs went home. Rose stayed another night too.

On the Saturday I felt even more swollen and nauseous, still very dizzy and disoriented too. I didn't drink any breakfast, other than water / ice, but had had an incident free night, so in the nurses eyes, could go home. I wasn't really happy to go home yet, but to weak to defend or argue with the nurses, or to demand to see / speak with the surgeon. So I meekly packed up and went home to rest. At least at home I could do what I wanted, and could make liquids to my taste. Rose was doing better than me, she went home too.

I was well enough to go shopping to the supermarket for about an hour on the Sunday, so I could stock up on fresh smoothie / soup ingredients. My mum came and did all the shopping work for me (I have been pampered), but I was still wiped out afterwards. A victory today, in that I could sleep almost flat on my right side. The dizzyness / nausea / disorientation cleared by about Tuesday.

By 1 week out, most of the gas pain had gone, just minor port pain, band discomfort and incision itchies. 9 days out and I am down to minor port discomfort and minor incision itchies. I am even able to lie on my tummy for a few seconds, but still can't lie on my left side. I am enjoying the liquids phase - it is possible to drink REALLY well during this phase. I am surprised at how easy I am doing this so far. I am full after about 150 - 250 ml fluid (morning) or 250 - 400 ml (evening), 4 or 5 "meals" per day, on average. Looking forward to the staples coming out on Day 11. I get to stop wearing the very fetching TEDs on Day 14 (yippee!). By 2 1/2 weeks out, I expect that all pains / itchies will be gone.

[chrispygal]

Here's my story:

Surgery was Monday Oct 2nd at 12:30pm. After hitting much traffic on the way to the hospital I arrive at 10:30am. They take me into the pre-op prep area where I change into my glorious Jhonny and slipper socks. I was lucky enough to get my TOM a few days before, so I also got to put on those lovely mesh panties with a pad. lol.

So in walks my anesthesiologist - and he is HOT! My last surgery (breast reduction) I had a hot anesthesilogist too. I have some luck! lol. So he's asking me questions and he asks how much I weigh. 268 I tell him and he says, "wow - you don't look like you weigh that much." I replied "thanks, but trust me I do." haha! We then moved on to IV time. It took 6 times and 3 people to get the IV in. That was the worst part of the whole experience! By the time the IV got in it was already 12:30PM, so they wheeled me into the operating room. I was completely awake and told them I felt like I was on Grey's Anatomy. I moved myslef onto the operating table and they put a gas mask over my face which was making me sleepy. The last thing I remember is them telling me that they were putting the meds in my IV and it would hurt. And boy did it!

I woke up ever so comfortably in recovery, with the glorious morphine pump! I pumped that thing all the time! lol. I was very comfortable and slept like a baby! The next morning I had my barium swallow and FINALLY was allowed to drink some water. I had never been so thirsty in my life! They released me later that day and I walked myself out of the hospital. The rest is history.

[Alicia521]

Honestly, I can’t remember all of the details of mine very clearly. My surgery was scheduled for early AM on 5/8/06 – 2 days after my son’s first birthday- probably why it was such a blur. I had permission to cheat on my pre-surgery diet on his birthday and I cheated all day on Saturday and then we went to Chuck E Cheese the next day and I ate pizza there too. We got to the hospital around 6am if I remember correctly. I was very sleep and groggy and hungry. I changed into my gown and they made me put on compression stockings. I was in a crowded room with many other out patient surgery patients and we each had our own curtain for privacy. My DH sat by my side and tried not to cringe as they stuck me with needles – he passes out around needles. I was in the pre-op area for what seems likes hours. Finally my nurse came in and hooked up my IVs, gave me a shot in my stomach to thin my blood, I believe. It hurt like crap and made my stomach burn. I remember she sprayed a numbing agent on my hand before inserting the IV and I told her how wonderful it was and how I wished they had used that at the hospital when I had my son. Then the wheeled me back to another room and I spoke briefly with the anesthesiologist. That is the last thing prior to surgery I remember. Then I woke up in the recovery room and as soon as I woke up I threw up green stuff. I had my gallbladder removed at the same time. My stomach hurt worse than it did after I had my c-section…probably from the 2 surgeries combined. I needed to cough and I was terrified. The nurse made me get up and walk around and I was dizzy and weak and almost passed out, so she put me back in bed and gave me a popsicle. I ate about half the popsicle and got sick again. I guess we stayed there another hour or so after that and went home. We have a high pillow top bed and I will never forget how bad it hurt for the first week or so to get in and out of the bed. In fact, it would take me about 10 minutes to get up out of bed and I had to have help from DH and cried many times in the process. I actually was very sick for about 3 weeks after surgery – I threw up non stop and couldn’t keep anything down. I had to see my surgeon the next week for tests to see if something was wrong with the band. They could not figure out the source of my non-stop nausea and sent me home. I tried to go back to work after 2 weeks and within 1 hour of working I starting throwing up. I went and took a nap in my car and then drove to my MIL’s house. My parents had to pick up my son from daycare and come pick me up because I was too weak to drive. The next day I saw my IM doctor and they sent me to the hospital for a CT Scan and turns out I had a huge kidney stone all along that was causing all of the problems with the nausea. Within the next few days I passed the stone and felt like a new woman. So obviously my recovery was delayed due to having my gallbladder removed and a kidney stone. I took me about 30 days before I felt like myself again. I would do it over in a heartbeat!

["Just Jess"]

WOW! I only hope to be as successful as you, Susan!!!

You're my new hero!!!!!!! Over 10 lbs. a month - WOO HOO!!!!

:woot:

:hug: Hugs,
Jess


I showed up.
They put me to sleep.
I woke up. Ow.
I begged for pain killers.
They gave me some.
I slept.
They said go home.
I cried, No!
They shoved me out the door.
I went home against my will.
I got better.
Ive lost 90 pounds in 8 months.

The End

err.. The Beginning! :)

[Jachut]

This is waaaay down the track but I've just had my bandiversary so its a little trip down memory lane for me.

We dropped the boys and Lizey off at mum and dad's the night before. Everyone was emotional and terrified, why? I dont know, its not like I'd never had surgery before, why lapbanding was different I dont know. I got teary driving home, really scared that my kids would grow up motherless.

Anyway the next morning came, up VERY early to arrive at the hospital at 7.00 am, in leafy gorgeous Prahran. A very swish hospital, gosh I LOVE LOVE LOVE my private health insurance. Sat around till 7.15, got taken up to the ward, told to shower quickly with antibacterial wash and that I'd be first cab off the rank. They came to get me within 15 minutes, took me up to the theatre, I waited just outside, was given a preop and lay there sh##)g myself. The surgeon arrived for the morning, said hello, how was I feeling, I said I was terrified and he laughed (thanks). Then they had a great deal of trouble putting in an IV and I had to have this minute tiny one that they would change over when I was under anaesthetic since it would hurt as apparently I have no veins - I always have this trouble with giving blood etc.

I remember climbing onto the operating table, but nothing else, till I woke up, freezing cold needing hot blankets. I was in reasonable pain, and when I was given morphine it leaked out of my hand from the tiny IV as they'd never changed it over. Same thing happened after my caesar, they knocked the epidural out of my back and I had no pain relief for hours till they discovered it. They put a pillow under my knees which relieved the pain greatly.

I was taken back to my room, didnt have a catheter or anything but didnt need to go for hours and hours and hours. Slept most of the day away, apart from the barium swallow, woke at night and was really uncomfortable from then - not pain, it was irritating discomfort. I'd lain on my back all day, it was sore and numb and I wanted nothing more than to just be able to move easily, which of course I couldnt. That night was torture, didnt want to lie on my back, couldnt get onto my side easily and when I did, it hurt after a few minutes, nothing on the bloody TV, boring as all get out, I kept getting up, wandering round, lying down again, in the end I asked for a couple of sleeping pills which did the trick.

I was fine when I woke up the next morning, had a physio session and went home to normal life basically.

["Just Jess"]

Reposting:

I arrived at the hospital around 5 am and was nervous as hell. I even got my address wrong in talking with the hospital admittance people... geesh!
After changing into my lovely gown, shower cap, and booties, the nurse came in to ask me a battery of questions and poke me two times unsuccessfully with the IV needle... He then sent another woman in to give the tough skinned/deep veined/twisting veined girl a shot at getting some IV. She was successful on her second try (4 holes in me before any incisions were made, how's that?!)

The surgeon came in and spoke to me and introduced himself to my family. Then the anesthsiologist came in and asked me a million questions. The the OR nurse and some other nurse. And before you know it, it was 7:30 and time for surgery. They gave me a moment to say my good-byes to my boyfriend, father, and aunt... who all graciously came with me. The they wisked me away to the OR - which was FREEEEEEEEEEEZING. As soon as we got in there, I cracked up and said (aloud) "THAT is why they call it a "crucifix"table!" and the nurse and I joked back and forth a while. They put the compression socks on me and someone came in and told me they were giving me something to help me relax......... and BAM! I do not remember anything else until recovery. Very weird!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I awoke "Jim" the recovery nurse was with me and I was covered with 100 blankets. I felt so warm. I asked "Am I done?" and he said "yup, you're banded!" and then I asked to take the blankets off. He took them off me and gave me a cold cloth on my head. I had a mask over my face and wanted that off also. He gave me the kind with the tubes up my nose instead. I asked for my glasses and he went and found Vinny and got them for me! I was then in and out of sleep for a couple hours, apparently. At the time, I had no concept of time though.

Then they asked me if I wanted to try standing. And I did. I was a little lightheaded at first, then OK. They wheeled me down to radiology and made me stand for 5 or so minutes and drink this NASTY stuff to see if everything was moving through my stomach the way it should and that there were no leaks. I passed, thankfully!!

Next thing I knew, I was being moved to "phase 2 recovery" where they put me in a comfy chair and called for my family. We sat there for a few more hours. I asked for some pain medicine. They gave it to me.

Around 5, the surgeon came to see me and do his final analysis. All was well and I was good to go home. :) I got dressed with the assistance of my aunt - thankfully, that was a much harder prospect than they make it out to be. I went bra-less, as my incisions are so close to the top of my abdomen and all in a line - nothing like any of the diagrams, btw.

I got home around 6 and had a pretty relaxing evening. I drank my isopure out of a 1 oz. medicine cup they gave me and did pretty good. No nausia, thankfully.

I propped myself up on about 8 pillows to sleep... I woke up about once an hour. Around 3 am, I finally woke Vinny up asking for some pain meds (they prescribed me liquid roxicet - very good) and then this morning when I woke up around 7am, I REALLY felt the pain. MORE PAIN MEDS, PLEASE, HONEY!!!!!!!! I've been documenting my liquid schedule all day. Starting with 3. oz of decafe hot tea to my most recent 4 oz. of chicken broth. I feel dydrated fine enough. I cannot wait to have a smoothy or protein shake tomorrow!!!!!!!!! 48 hours of clears (plus the 24 hours previous to surgery) is enough!

As far as pain goes, I am feeling OK. Most pain is on the right side of my stomach. The weird thing is this burning sensation between two of the incisions, could that be my port?? Kind of between my belly button and right side?

Sitting in the chair I am most comfortable, and it isn't too bad in this computer chair right now. Standing is also OK - just hard going between those 2.

I am so excited to begin my banded life. Wish me luck over the next couple holiday weeks as I continue with my full liquids.

Thanks to ALL of you for your thoughts, prayers, well-wishes, etc. I am psyched to be on "the other side" now.


:hug: Hugs,
Jess