Surgery is Over and I'm Home!

I had surgery on Friday, 9/10/10 at around 12 noon. The two days prior and the past four days following the surgery have all been a whirl-wind...and kind of a blur (post-op narcotics will do that to you).  :)

I want to record everything in detail...for future me...for future readers (I don't really have any right now, but maybe someday).

Well, my last few posts were about my pre-op appointments and tests, so I've got that covered. However, I didn't mention much about the emotional side of preparing for surgery.

Amazingly, I wasn't too nervous, but I was planning for the worst...you just never know. I had prayed A LOT about this surgery and I had spent the last five years researching and preparing for it, so my nervousness was at a controllable level. I prepared some documents so that my husband would know what to do  in case anything went wrong. I made a binder with all of important stuff (birth certificates, passports, marriage license, social security cards, and typed up log in information, how to pay bills, made a list of important contacts, and my health care power of attorney). I wrote letters to my family (husband, parents, grandmother, sister & brother)...as if it may be the last thing I have to say to them while on this earth. I got a little emotional during that...it was like I was saying goodbye.  My husband was to give the letters to my family if  I didn't make it out of surgery. Some may find this extreme, but it gave me a feeling of preparedness, closure and peace.

The only members of my family that actually knew about the surgery was my husband and grandmother. In fact, they are the only ones who know...I didn't tell any friends either. That was a personal choice. I wasn't sure how my family would react and if they would honor my wishes to keep it private, so I decided not to tell them...that was one less stress for me. I don't have any friends that I feel close enough with to trust with all of this. So, I suppose in doing so I put a lot of pressure on my husband and grandma, because they had nobody to share the burden with.

My husband was a nervous wreck. He was VERY quiet the week of surgery, and when we got down to the day before surgery he just broke down. My husband is this 6ft polynesian...tough guy...man's man, so it takes a lot to bring him to tears. But, he just felt so lost. He was very upset and crying, because he was worried something would happen to me and he didn't even want to think about life without me. He said he didn't even know how he and my son would live if I didn't make it out of surgery. Of course that brought tears from me, because I didn't like to see him so upset, and the thought of leaving my two boys behind was heartbreaking. But, we talked about it. We reviewed the positives and negatives again. We talked about the risks and that while there is always a risk of complications with surgery, the statistics were in our favor. We talked about our faith and our belief in life after death, we fasted and prayed, which brought us both great comfort. We worked through it, and he felt a little better after that. I think he needed to get it out there and work through his feelings to help him cope. It made me realize how much he really loves me...and me him. 

I heard from my Grandma often who was very nervous, but more composed than my husband. She knew it would go well.

And surgery did go well. I was in recovery for about three hours, which is always kind of the worst part...coming out of anesthesia. That is also when I was in the most pain, and I had an I.V. with my own pain med pump, but it wasn't working, so they give me something stronger. That is why I was in recovery for so long, because they couldn't move me to my room until my pain was under control. Then they transported me to my own room (thankfully didn't have to share), and that is where I stayed for the next three days. I was in a little more pain than I anticipated, but they kept it pretty much under control with some Oxycontin, which meant I was sometimes a little out of it. The first day in my room I couldn't even keep myself awake. I remember talking to nurses, but having no idea what I said to them. :)

So, the only problem with pain meds and anesthesia was that it made me vomit. Well, not really vomit...because there isn't a single bit of stomach acid or anything in that new stomach, but I really heaved, and that was SOOOO painful. It felt like all my guts were splitting open and getting ready to come out of mouth. They gave me something for the nausea, but it didn't always work. So, my nausea and heaving lasted for about a day. Then things settled down. The Oxycontin didn't make me nauseous and was pretty good at controlling the pain.

By the second day I was thinking a little more clearly and I was relieved to have the surgery done and didn't have any regrets like some have mentioned immediately following surgery. I was pretty excited, because I had waited so long to have it done.It was also time to take the catheter out and start walking around. I really wanted to get up and get going, but the first time was a lot harder than I thought it would be. My abdomen was so sore, and as soon as I stood up gravity was just pulling on it...VERY sore. I felt pretty weak as well, but I went and did a few laps in the hallway, which got my blood going and I felt a little better. 

By my fourth day in the hospital I was feeling a lot better and could get up and move around a little easier. I was ready and anxious to go home. They discharged me and sent me home with some pain-meds.

I thought I would only be another week before getting back to routine, but boy was I wrong.

Bad, BAD Girl Follow-Up

I'm all done with my pre-op appointments, and surgery is in two days! I didn't gain too much weight...5 lbs. It's sad that it's a gain when it should have been a 10 lbs loss (minimum), but it isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Nobody on the bariatric team mentioned anything about the gain. Nobody asked about how my pre-op diet went. Everything was about getting ready for surgery.

My Pre-Op Day:
-I started out getting my blood drawn...twice. They do this to verify your blood type, and I guess procedure requires your blood to be drawn twice by two different nurses. 

-Then I met with my surgeon's nurse for some surgery education (pre and post). I was with another person during this meeting. She was having the LapBand procedure done. They gave us a notebook that explains all about what to expect surgery day, hospital practices, discharge, etc. There was also specific information about preparing for surgery. Two days before surgery you have to drink a "colon cleanse," and they put you on clear liquids. This one I won't have problems doing...it's only two days and my procedure REALLY depends on it.  They also gave me an antiseptic wash that I have to use in the chest/abdomen/groin area the night before surgery and the morning of. Then there was all of the usual surgery day stuff: no nail polish, makeup, jewelry, contacts, etc.

-After that I met with the doctor (Dr. Cetin) for a check-up. He sent me down for another EKG (it had been over 9 months since my last one) and a urine test (possible UTI).

-I came back up and met with my surgeon's "Fellow." No, not fellow as in "guy friend," but he is a graduated general surgeon who is trying to specialize. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed I didn't get to meet with my surgeon. I have only met Dr Kroh once...for literally 2 minutes...about 9 months ago. I just thought it would be nice to talk with him since he will be rearranging my guts! Anyway, the "Fellow" wrote me a prescription for colon cleanser, something to prevent gallstones, a narcotic for after surgery, and an antibiotic.

-After meeting with Dr Kroh's "Fellow" (that just sounds so funny) I did what they call a "HealthQuest" test. It's a computer Q&A to prepare for the anesthesia evaluation.

-Which meant, after completing HealthQuest I did my Admit interview (insurance, identification stuff) and then met with the anesthesia nurse to complete my evaluation. She basically asked me all the same questions the HealthQuest program did. She took my vitals and made sure I could move my neck comfortably and open and close my mouth comfortably.

Through all of this nobody gave a darn about my gain (or at least they didn't say anything) or if I stuck to the pre-op diet. WHEW! I was beating myself up over nothing.

So, right now I'm sipping on a colon cleanser (as prescribed by the doctor). One word: NASTY! Tastes like salt water meets dirty-sock-water. While I am spending a lot of time on the "throne" it hasn't been as unpleasant as some have described. My irritable bowel produces WAY worse cramps and discomfort and diarrhea than this.

Tomorrow (Thursday)...all liquids until midnight, and then nothing after that.