First Post, Third Day After Surgery

WOW, it sure has flown by. I remember meeting my doctor for the first time back in dec/jan (not sure exactly when) and here I am on my last day *hopefully* in the hospital.

I called the number i alwasy heard on the radio about Baptist Health System's Weight Loss Center and set up the consult. They asked if i had a certain doctor i wanted to see, um, i had not really researched that part so they just assigned me to a doctor. I am so thankful they assigned me to Dr. Alvarez. He is considered one of the top weight loss surgeons if not the top here in San Antonio.

I went into my first consultation expecting to be told i did not qualify. I did NOT look like i needed the surgery (atleast to some people). I wasnt ginormous or anything but i was overweight. I took meds for high blood pressure, GERD (heartburn), depression, anxiety, and allergies. That i would be told to eat better and excercize. I told the Dr. Alvarez that i was ALWAYS hungry regardless of how much and how often i ate, even if i physically felt full i would still be hungry. He explained that it was because the stomach sends out chemicals to the brain saying that it is hungry and that my body was over producing them. The best way to stop that is to have the vertical sleeve sugery. This is where they permanently, yes, i used the word permanently, cut out 80% of your stomach, restricted how much you physically can eat but also reducing the checmicals that are yelling to your brain "FEED ME".  He thought i was a perfect canidate.

Now is where i share the info that most women hate to share. My preop weight. I dont like to weigh myself so i rarely ever do. I LOOK my heaviest back in September 2009, when i was at my friend's wedding. WOW! I never actually thought i looked that big! And since i dont weight myself, i have absolutely no idea how much I weighed at that point. If i had to guess, probably aroun 230ish. Now mind you, i am 5 foot 1 inches. My healthy weight is suppose to be 118 lbs (a range from 105 - 135). Yikes, how did i let myself get to this point? Marriage, divorce, pregnancy, american food, chemicals in my stomach, bored, laziness... you name it, thats prob why I am overweight. I want to be here for my daughter when she is grown up. I dont want to continue to gain and become more and more dependant on medications.  So here is my magic number.

At the time of my first consult i was 220 lbs, at 1 week preop diet start 215.6, at surgery day 205. Still have a long way to go.

Sept 2009

Last month

The preop diet was the only thing i was really afraid of, weird right? You would think it would be the surgery and pain after but no, the constant feeling of hunger that last week. And it was no joke. Its very hard to have 2 protein shakes (one in am, one at lunch) and then 3 oz of protein (i had egg whites, tuna in water, and boca burger) 1/2 cup veggies and 1/3 cup fruit. Thats it. for 7 days!! Plus i needed to get in atleast 64 ounces of fluids in during the 24 hour period. Thank heavens for crystal light and G2.  Oh and did i mention that on day 7 it was nothing BUT fluids? I was cranky, hungry, and felt exhausted. I was probably not the most pleseant to be around. I was able to keep the diet though because this sugery was something I really wanted and needed.

My original surgery time was 1pm. Not cool since i wasnt allowed to eat or drink anything, and when i say anything i mean not even a sip of water up to my surgery. Thankfully that friday they changed the time to 730 am and that wasnt so bad. I barely remember going under and have a flash of waking up and being wheeled to my room. I also found out that i had a heital hernia also which dr alvarez also fixed. A heitel hernia is when the stomach pushed up through the diaphram through the opening where the esophoges is.

Probably the reason i was in a bit more pain than expected.  I know that the meds they gave me helped with the pain,but the gas was the most painful part, just like you hear. I read all the forums and they all said bring Gas-X strips because you will need them to get rid of the gas. So i bought 3 packs (overboard? probably lol) thinking it would help, but nope. the hospital took them along with my other meds, which not to think of it, i havent taken those either yet. I will have to ask when i can take the others lol.  

Monday and Tuesday were mostly consisting of sleep, walking (hated that part), eating/drinking (obviously had probs with that), respiritory therapy (albuterol thru a nebulizer and using an handheld IP to open my lungs), labs and nurses taking my blood pressure, temp, and oygen levels. On day two, i started to have a low grade fever because i was not walking enough and using my IP machine enough. These two things were a MUST because there is a chance for pnemonia if i didnt. Problem was i was always sleeping adn it hurt to use the breathing machine. (The IP machine is essentially the opposite of a peak flow meter. You breath IN and must get the moving part to or past the level they want your lungs to open to).  I started making sure i was using it more and walking more. It made it alot easier once i was no longer hooked up to IV's and a machine that makes sure i get circulation to my legs. The worst part was yesterday morning when i had to go take a barium xray. Im already not wanting to drink things like broth and they give me this nasty tasting stuff that makes me gag. Gaging KILLS my stomach. I was so glad when it was over. Although it was cool to see a picture of my tiny tiny stomach. On the screen, to me at least, it looked about the size of a dollar coin.

So here we are to 5:40 am. I am sitting up in bed, watching a bad show because there is NOTHING on tv lol, sipping on my water and ice chips, and when done with this, will go take a stroll in the halls. It still hurts to cough, and i do need to because i feel like i have a post nasal drip and congestion so i need to cough. Im able to use my IP machine and get just a bit past where they want me which is AWESOME!!!   I dont really need the strong pain meds anymore, they give me just regular meds and usually only when i ask because ive been coughing. I am looking forward to breakfast actually to see if i can actually tolerate some of it better now that i am feeling better.  My incisions dont hurt that much. Mostly only the biggest one where they had to take the stomach out of, and thats usually only when i cough or bend.

So based on what i thought before and what after, this is what i would say:

Ask the hospital if they allow gas-x strips lol, i wouldnt have bought as much if i had known. Definitely bring your own pillow and own clothes. Dont bring a million things to entertain yourself. You WILL sleep alot so keep to a computer and their TV. At the moment, that is really all i can think of. It all depends on the doctors and hospital on what they will or will not allow or provide you with.
You MUST walk and do the breathing excercizes, otherwise it will hurt worse when you have to get up and breath.

Well this past couple days have gone by so fast! Now as i wait for my doctor to come around noon to let me know if i can go home or not, (hoping i can), I am happy that i did this.

Til Next Time!