My Surgery Experience

Jan 31, 2014

I'm now 7 days post-surgery.  My highest weight was 321 lbs.  I lost 10 lbs pre-Opti.

My three weeks on Opti were pretty rough... I was nauseous for about 2 hours after each shake, couldn't trust my toots, and made many mad dashes for the wash room. I couldn't wait for my surgery date to arrive.

On the morning of my surgery I was weighed in and had lost 21 lbs on Opti, which was a great morale boost! I got registered, gowned and put on my little surgery booties. The staff labelled my things and put them in a locker. I waited in the Registration waiting room as other day surgery people filed in. I was the only bariatric patient there. About 30 minutes prior to surgery I was given a blood thinner and moments later all the pre-surgery people and their loved ones were herded down to the waiting room outside the surgery theatres. It was a tight squeeze because many people brought 2 people with them. I was solo.

My surgeon came to say hello prior to the surgery and I met again with the anaesthesiologist to review my file. The surgery room was much warmer than I had experienced in the past (usually they are like ice boxes), and the surgery table was more like a bed. An IV was started and an O2 mask put on. Before I knew it I was off to sleep and waking up in the recovery room.

I must have pinched a nerve in my neck while I was being intubated because it hurt like a bugger. I felt like I had been punched repeatedly in the stomach and my throat was sore (from the intubation), but a request for pain meds quickly solved that problem. Before long two porters came and wheeled me and my bed up to my room.

I had six incisions instead of five, which I'm told sometimes happens. One recommendation I'd make is to ask your RN for a pack a Steri-Strips to take home with you (they are skin closures that are put over your incisions), because I had to replace a few of mine when I got home.

I had coverage for a semi-private but they must have been full because I was put in a room with three other patients instead of just one. All my "room mates" were of very loud talking, large family origins. They were all really nice but it was a bit of a circus. I was really glad I had brought ear plugs. An eye mask also helped because the florescent lights in the room were pretty bright, especially when trying to catch a nap.

The two and a half days in the hospital flew by, and I learned the importance of bringing comfortable slip on shoes. Getting up and walking, even for short distances, felt great and helped relieve the gas. I set the alarms on my phone to chime every 15 minutes to remind me it was time to sip, sip, sip. I would recommend bringing a clock as it's not always possible to see the one in the room due to curtains being moved around -- and you definitely need to keep your eye on it to make sure you're getting the right amount of liquids in.

I was brought clear broth, tea, and jello for every meal, but was only able to get the broth down. I kept the jello in case I needed something to mix my meds with, but on day two was given apple sauce for the task. If you have additional meds you need to take don't be shy to ask the RN for apple sauce... it really helps.

A tip for the ladies... whether you're expecting your period or not, bring provisions! Mother nature arrive two weeks early. Maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the blood thinners, but the nurse told me it was quite common.

A suggestion for all... there are antiseptic wipes all over the place. As often as you can put on a pair of gloves (also all over the place) and wipe down your bed rails, the machines, your table, the bathroom door handle, anything you, another patient or a nurse touches. The last thing you want to walk out with is a cold, or worse.

On the first night a Respiratory Tech (RT) stopped by to get me hooked up to my CPAP. I was still on oxygen so he brought an adapter so I could run O2 through my machine.

On the morning of my release I had some more blood work done and was visited by the RT again, the Dr filling in for my surgeon (it was the weekend), and an Occupational Therapist who assessed my walking ability. Once the blood work was back I was given the green-light for release and ended up leaving around noon.

I was given a prescription for the Prevacid and blood thinners. They had to be filled at a local pharmacy because most pharmacies don't carry them. I would also recommend picking up liquid Tylenol at the same time.

I was also given paperwork from the Internist that listed what medications and vitamins I was to be taking (including the type and dosage of the liquid Tylenol). I also got the appointment dates and times for my one month and three month follow-ups. I was told to make an appointment with my GP for Day 6 post-surgery for blood work (they gave me a list of what needed to be tested). I was also told to call the surgeon's office to make an appointment for a post-op check-up one to two weeks out.

Getting home from the hospital was a bit bumpy (it's pothole season after all), but it was much more comfortable than I expected and the bumps actually helped move around the remaining gas! I was glad to be home in my own bed... sore but manageable.

The whole experience was a lot less scary and a lot less painful than I ever expected. Three cheers for pain meds and nice nurses!!!

That about covers my first 3 days with my new stomach. Stay tuned for Days 4 - 7! I hope it helps any pre-ops out there!!!

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