Surgery moved up to next Tuesday!

Hello,

After meeting the 3 month requirements, I was approved by the insurance company and scheduled for my VSG.  I received a call on Monday to let me know the surgeon had a cancellation for 7/21 if I was interested.  Of course, I was interested!  The sooner the better, I thought.  I am excited and extremely nervous! I keep reading the pre-op/post-op material because I'm afraid of missing an important detail.  

I so appreciate all the information and personal accounts I have read on this forum.  All of you who post regularly have been such an inspiration and have helped to better prepare me for this important change in lifestyle I am about to undergo.  

I still need to take my before pics so I can always remember where I started. I will not forget my kindle, chapstick and some shorts for the necessary walks down the hospital hall.  Other than my basic toiletries, are there other things you wish you had brought with you to the hospital?

Looking forward to joining the losers bench 

Here's an article from the HELP section at the bottom right of each OH page.  It helped me.  

http://www.obesityhelp.com/articles/weight-loss-surgery-hosptial-stay-what-to-pack 

Thanks, Mary!  That was most helpful.  I wouldn't have thought of many of those items (e.g. a pillow to help with the seatbelt).

Congratulations! Nice to get in so quickly.

Here's my advice: do not cheat on your pre-op liquid diet and get in lots of fluids. Wear loose, button up or elastic waist clothing to the hospital - nothing over the head. You'll appreciate it post-op. Slip on shoes, no laces or zippers. ChapStick, lotion, comb/brush, toothbrush/paste,  maybe one magazine or your phone. You won't feel up to much. Walk often right after surgery - it is hard but helps immensely, and, sip,sip,sip water once cleared to do so. That pillow for the ride home is a must.

Good luck!

Thanks! I recall feeling like it was going to be a long wait with the 3 months of required nutritional counseling plus an additional 1-2 month scheduling wait once I was actually approved.  Time passed more quickly than I thought it would (of course, the older I get, the quicker it seems to pass :-).  Total wait time to surgery has been 4 months, for which I am grateful!

It's interesting...my surgeon doesn't require or request the pre-op liquid diet, except the day before surgery.  He does require varying degrees of weight loss during the months leading up to surgery for better results and to help shrink the liver.  It's amazing to me how much deviation there seems to be in the pre-op, post-op, and calorie recommendations among different surgeons.  

I really appreciate your advice; I hadn't even thought about the shoes I was going to wear.  Congratulations too on your success! It must feel great to have surpassed your goal.  

There are certainly lots of different requirements from different surgeons. Just stick to your surgeon's plan, stay hydrated and maybe eat lightly the day before your all-liquids day. Your colon will thank you. 

I'm happy to have surpassed my goal, it feels like a bit of a buffer. I'm also at a much higher calorie count than most (1600 per day) so just do what is successful for you and follow your dietician and doctor's directives. You'll hear lots of differing opinions here but figure out what works for you.

Good luck!