Betty S.

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Here we go. 
Wednesday, March 25  530a....Horace and I enter the hospital for check in.  It's dark and quiet, but the check in goes well.  I pay them the required co-pay that was left, and was taken down to the pre op area.  No other patients were there, but the nurses were nice.  I got into my fancy gown-the kind with snaps down the shoulders so they can whip it off when I'm asleep- not a comforting thought at that moment. 
Starting the IV was a chore, as it always is.  Took 3 people 5 tries, and they finally got one in my left hand, which I hate because it makes it hard to use that hand, but I am used to it.  Maybe when I'm thinner this won't be a problem.  They slipped little slipper socks on my feet and gave me a little hat to wear.  They also gave me heated blankets, which was nice because the room was freezing.  Horace took a couple of pictures of me trying to look calm.  I met the doc who was putting me to sleep, nice guy.  Right then he gave me something to make me a bit woozy.  Dr S came in looking dapper in a fedora, asked if I was ready.  I'd waited years for this, but right then I wanted to say 'no'....but of course I said ok.  Horace and I prayed, they wheeled me into surgery.  I didn't move over to the operating table, just said hi to the anesthesia doc and the next thng I knew I was in a hospital room.  Horace came into focus and said everything went well, and that's about all I remember.
Sometime later they pushed something in my mouth to make me take deep breaths, and the nurse was very disappointed with me because I couldn't get a big breath.  There really wasn't any pain.  I realized I had a catheter in my bladder, but I wasn't bothered by it. 
Then it was time to get up....must of been around 10pm or so....all I know it was night.  I had some massive pain then, but realized it was muscle spasms from the incision.  It was a huge production getting me up, needing 2 nurses.  I had so much stuff hooked to me it would have been impossible for me to do anything by myself. 
But I got up.  I walked....about 30 feet.  But I did it.    Little did I know that I was going to be walked every 2 hours all night long.  I got pretty good at the walking part, and once I was up, it felt ok.  The muscle spasms were horrible, but came and went fast.  And they were gone in about 36 hours.  The incision itself didn't really hurt, even though the dressing went from my boobs to below my belly button, and I had a drain tube hooked to a mini-football hanging out.  They had to put me on oxygen, because every time I dozed off  I set off the alarm- my levels were bad, and I forgot my cpap machine. 
Thursday was more of the same.  Get up and walk.  I was on clear liquids, and I could sip a bit of water, and tried a bite of sugar free jello, but for the most part wasn't interested. 
Friday, Dr S told me to head home....I was shocked because I felt so fragile, but Horace got me home.  Now I live on the 2nd floor, with steep stairs, and that was a hard climb.  I went into the recliner chair, got some pain meds, and slept.  He was worried sick because I wasn't ready to go back down those stairs and hike around, but I got up and walked around the apartment.  I needed sleep....I hadn't gotten anything but a nap since surgery and I was worn out.   Those first few days were a blur of misery, but Sunday night Horace broke up a sugar free popsicle into a cup and gave it to me with a baby spoon, and it tasted wonderful!  All of a sudden I thought I might live.
At a week out, Dr S took out the drain tube, which didn't hurt.  I just kept keeping on, bored, lonesome, but too darn tired to do much about it.  I was having trouble getting in the fluids I needed, and swallowing my pills was getting harder and harder, so at about 4 weeks out he did an EGD and stretched my stoma.  That was horrible, being awake, but made all the difference.  Now I can eat and drink.
Today is the first day that I feel like myself....so I am going to make it through this.

Well, it's not much more time waiting..  Wednesday is the day.  Tomorrow is my last preop diet day where I can have protein drinks and chew on a little chicken or turkey.  But it's okay.  I'm down to eating a few ounces of meat once a day, and I'm not crazy...yet.  I just made a bunch of jello today, haven't done any of that.  For the last couple of weeks I've been doing protein drinks and water with different crystal lite things in it.  Funny, right now I don't like regular water...go figure.
I picked up all my meds at Target this afternoon...liquid vicodan, compazine suppositories for nausea (yay) and 14 medicine filled syringes that I have to do every day.  I had pulmonary embolism in the 70's, so my doc is being cautious.  I figure that a little shot in my belly isn't going to be a huge deal.
Went to the support group yesterday....this is one thing I LOVE about the surgeon I picked....he goes to the groups.  He is committed to follow-up, and that is a comfort.  But the cool thing is that Pat was there,..he had surgery exactly 4 weeks before me, so I really picked his brain, and heard all about how he is doing.  His incision is beautiful- looked like 3 months out instead of 3 weeks!  I hope I heal like that.  It is comforting to see someone how did exactly the same thing walking around and doing ok.   Yes, I have probably 20 years on him, so I won't be as peppy, I'm sure, but still. 
And to make me feel even older, I saw the eye doc today- had lasic eye surgery a few years ago, and am having trouble reading and seeing the computer screen....turns out I"m growing cataracts!!!!  I know it's not a big deal, easily dealt with but man, do I feel old.  He said the eye surgery probably sped the process up, and we will watch it for a few years.  Eventually reading glasses won't help, and then we will deal with it.  Oh, and it seems like my car air conditioning isn't working well, probably needs a charge.  Normally not a big deal, but this is Arizona, and it's already in the 80's.  jeez.  
Minor things...it's all good.  I probably won't blog before surgery, mainly because the next two days at work are going to be wild, and I want to hit another support group Tuesday night.  
I go to the hospital 530a on Wednesday.
see you on the other side....

Got the call last Monday- insurance approved it in less than a week from the submission!  I have been looking at March 25th, but didn't realize how much I was holding back until BCBS approved it.  I have been so nervous ever since.  The fear of surgery complications is right on top, along with wondering how much the open incision is going to hurt.  And what if I don't lose weight?  I don't picture myself slim.  Obviously I'm going to find a good counselor to help me work through that one.  My mind is the bigger problem, it seems.  Time for me to get busy. 

We are still a 'go' for RNY.  Tentative date is 3/25/9, but I won't believe it until insurance gives me the okay.  I spoke with my GI guy this week, and he is sending a letter recommending the surgery for my problem.  I met with my PCP and he has my records from Oregon going back to 2003, and he showed all my weights and visits over the years, and is faxing the letter over to Dr S today.  I passed the pulmonary test, meet with the psych on Monday and Nut on Tuesday,  and we are all done...Jen will submit to BCBS.  I know the okay can take up to a month, but since the insurance office is here in town I guess it normally doesn't take so long.  Dr Schlesinger's office has a good reputation for sending in complete, correct paperwork.  So....it looks like it's gonna really happen. 
I have been trying so long for this surgery- I started back in 2003!  The band seemed like a good solution, but all it did was put me in a lot of debt (self pay)  and I spent the last couple of years being very sad because it didn't work. 
I mean,  I am a failure at losing weight, then a bigger failure at the lapband!  But I am super nervous now.  This isn't a little surgery, and the idea of being opened up from sternum to bellybutton is worrisome.  There will be pain.  What if something goes wrong?  Well, I'll go out trying if it does. 
It would be stupid to not have any concerns before a procedure as life-altering as this. Everything is going to change. 

Got to the hospital this morning at 6am for the manometry.  In the big picture, it's not a huge deal, but it is unpleasant.  A tube with sensors was threaded through my nose into my stomach, and then one person gradually pulls it up while another nurse does whatever she does with the big machine doing the readings.  I have to admit, lying on that table with the tube in, I started thinking very hard about how many unpleasant things will happen to me with this surgery...ng tube, catheter, drain tube, staples....I've lost a little bit of heart right now.  I'm so excited about the possibility of surgery, and well aware of all the fun stuff that happens.  The test took a lot longer than planned, with them doing a lot of re-do's and whispering.  Of course they can't say anything, but when I asked her if the test was normal, she said 'this was anything but normal!'  
so will that mean my GI doc is going to insist on me having a fundoplication?  I really don't want that surgery.  But until he gives my surgeon a 'go ahead' for the RNY,  I'm in limbo.
I hate waiting.

I met with Dr Schlesinger yesterday.  I went in wanting a DS, came out planning an open distal RNY.   He is smart and careful.  Jen, his office coordinator was a jewel.  I'm still afraid of the RNY, mainly dumping and the thought of never eating ice cream again...ever.  I'm cool with no chocolate and I already don't like fatty foods, but ice cream....sigh.   I know, I know...it's for the best.  And I DON'T want to gain the weight back after going through all of this.  The doc went through all the reasons why the DS wasn't for me, and the problems that would be solved with the RNY...he made his case. 
My insurance covers the RNY, and I have already met all the criteria.  Saw the cardio doc today got the okay, will see my PCP for the xray and pulmonary tests.  See the psych on 2/16 and the nut on 2/17...then it's all ready! 
If everything works well, I should have surgery the last week of March.  My birthday is 3/30, and I'd love to be able to go home on my birthday!
I'm trying to imagine how good it will feel not lugging over 100 pounds around.  I couldn't pick up and carry that now, so no wonder I'm tired and achy.  I'm very hopeful.

It is not cancer.  Very, very good news.  But I'm going to have a manometry sometime soon because the GI doc thinks I should have a fundoplication....they take the top part of my stomach and wrap it around the esophagus so the stomach muscles take over the sphincter job...but he thinks that this can be done with WLS, and he knows Dr Schlesinger.  He spoke very highly of him, saying that he is known for fixing other surgery mistakes.  So...I made an appointment for a consultation.  I'll see him Tuesday morning, Feb 3.  We will see what he thinks.

leaving for the doctor soon to find out what the biopsies show, and what kind of surgery we are talking about.  I have been so nervous about this, because I know something is wrong, but the doc is pretty sure we can do WLS and correct the problems at one time...if it's not cancer. 
I dressed well today to boost myself up.  Isn't it funny, how I want to make a good impression with the doctor after he has stuffed a tube down my throat into  my abdomen and taken pictures and bits of my flesh???  But it does matter.  I think I'm going to go put a little makeup on now, too.  seriously. 

Well, I"m tired, and a little high after having the EGD today.  Yay, Versed!  It is the BEST drug ever.  I spoke with my GI guy before the procedure, and he said he will take a look at my insides to see if this might be an option.  After I woke up, he gave me some pictures of my insides, and the Barretts Esophagus has progressed, which isn't good.  But his big concern is that my lower esophegal sphincter is open...it is supposed to open and close, so this means that my stomach contents keep coming back up.  He talked a lot about surgery to fix this, but said that the sleeve surgery could still be an option.  But again, there were  a bunch of non-bleeding erosions in my stomach, and he biopsied those.  If they turn out to be anything, maybe the sleeve surgery isn't for me.  So I'm sad today, tired and dopey.  But I am going to stay positive and keep working toward the sleeve surgery.

today I saw my PCP, a great guy named Dr Stecyk.  He is 100% behind me all the way, and said he will do whatever is necessary to help me get preapproved.  On Tuesday I have another EGD with biopsies, and I'm going to ask the GI doc what he thinks.   I am new to BCBS, and hopefully next week I can get the guidelines for surgery prequalification.