Jamie T.

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Monday 10/2- A rep from the hospital's day surgery dept called me and took some medical history questions over the phone and gave me the info on what I needed to do when I came in Tuesday.

Tuesday 10/3 Surgery Day- Arrived at the hospital with husband and mother-in-law accompanying me at 8:00am. Checked in at registration, paid my $50 copay and was given paperwork and a bracelet and directed to the day surgery dept in the hospital. Checked in at the day surgery nurses station and they showed me to a little room with a bed, two chairs, bathroom and tv. Aaron (husband) and Linda (MIL) were allowed to sit in the chairs while I was in there. The nurse had me change into a gown, put on the circulation socks, weighed me (364lbs) and give a urine sample. She came back and took some blood and put the IV in my right hand. She gave me a few different injections, I don't remember now what they were and we watched tv until it got close to 10:00am (my scheduled surgery time). My surgeon came in and said hi and then the anesthesiologist and the OR nurse came in and introduced themselves and put the paper hat on me and gave me some injections in the IV. I got a little sleepy but then they rolled me out, let Aaron give me a kiss and took me to the OR.

The last thing I remember is moving over to the operating table and them pulling the arm things out for me to put my arms on. Next thing I know, the anesthesiologist is shaking my shoulders saying "Jamie, wake up". I am in and out here and realize there is something hurting. After surgery, Dr. Martin (surgeon) came out and told Aaron and Linda that everything went well and that I would be in recovery for about 2hrs, then they would take me up to a room. Meanwhile, I am waking up and hurt and feel like I have to pee. I remember actually saying "it hurts" on more than one occasion to the nurse and I told her I had to pee and she said that I had a catheter in and that it would feel that way. There are about 5 other beds in the recovery room and one lady is all moaning (which I remember to be annoying) and somehow I got lucid enough to understand that there were no rooms ready and that's why we were here and that I was going to be room 356 but they hadn't finished it yet. Finally at 4:00pm (4hrs in recovery!!!) I am wheeled out to go to my room, Aaron finds us in the hall and has been sitting there not knowing what's going on since there is no one in the waiting room to ask and he thought I would be out in 2hrs but it had been 4hrs. He said he was getting nervous but was glad to see me.

He followed us up to my room which was the tiniest thing on earth. Most rooms are big enough to have those nice recliner/bed chairs but this was so small we had a hard little chair for him and he actually had to move anytime someone went into the bathroom. I had a nurse, a patient care assistant (came and took vitals, brought water, etc) and then a respiratory person came around and took my pulse ox several times (always was good, over 95 each time). My vitals stayed normal, blood pressure always runs a little low and it did the whole time I was there too. They came in and out several times for different things. Someone came and took the catheter out about 6pm. I was so glad for that, it felt weird and it hurt when they took it out!!!

About 8pm, they made me get up and walk. I remember it hurt like hell getting out of that bed but the walking wasn't really hard. I had tons of gas pains, my lower back was hurting really bad and my left side was hurting a lot from the surgery. So they added a morphine pain button to me about midnight. That helped me sleep good for the most part. I would wake up hurting, then hit the button every 8 minutes for about three times and then pass out. I was in and out all night. I remember I actually woke up bored a couple of times and would have called Aaron but wanted to let him sleep since I knew he would be back to sit in the chair again all day Wed. I know at some point I got up and peed which was painful too but I was glad to do it on my own!

Wednesday 10/4- A steady stream of people coming to check things happened non stop while I was there. They finally did some bloodwork about midnight and again midday Wed. About 8:30am I was taken downstairs for my upper GI to test for leaks. Rolling around on that table was a lot harder than it had been when I did this pre-op. Aaron arrived as soon as I was brought back to my room, yeah!  I was brought a breakfast tray with very gross chicken broth, two kinds of sugar free jello, applejuice and tea. I was told I had to eat something from it to see what happened.  I ate a few bites of jello and sipped some water and was fine.  I walked again and Dr. Matin came about 2pm and looked at my incisions and we had a list of questions to ask which he answered and he said it all looked good so I could go home.  I finally got to go home about 4pm, Aaron took me to the house and got me situated and then went and filled all my prescriptions.  I left with the drain in me, coming out of my side which was a huge annoyance but it was still draining blood so I had to.  I was given liquid Loritab (generic was hydrocodone), sublingual prevacid (which my insurance didn't cover and it was going to be $200, Dr. Matin said this might happen and not to fill it and call him so that's what we did) and I have to give myself injections of Lovenox twice a day in my stomach for 10 days (blood thinners).   

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