Gastric Bypass Adventures 5

Gastric Bypass Adventures 5

Surgery and Hospital Stay

Now you would think that I wouldn't remember anything from the time they knocked me out until I woke up! Never having had surgery before I didn't know that I wasn't gonna be completely gone before they wheeled me in that operating room! Maybe that isn't the norm....I don't know...all I know is that faced with all that STUFF in the operating room and being asked to transfer myself from the nice comfy hospital bed onto the operating table....I panicked! I did my best to cooperate...I transferred myself from one bed to another. Considering I weighed 300 pounds at the time this was probably a good thing....I wouldn't want those nurses to strain a muscle trying to move me or anything! I wouldn't wish that on anyone! They had just better be glad that they put whatever kind of knock out drug they had in my IV about that time....because I was once again ready to swing my legs off that table go find my hubby and Daddy and go home! I would just stay fat...I didn't care at that point! Can you tell I was just a wee bit scared???

Of course after transferring myself I woke up in the recovery room...relieved, kinda confused, and the first thing that goes through my head. "Oh @#@#@! It's too late!" I was very glad that I was incapable of coherent speech at that point. I had some very nice nurses that took care of me and couldn't understand my hand motions looking for my glasses. I later found out that Tool Man had taken them off my face before I left for surgery and he returned them when he saw me again. My sweet hubby knows how much I depend on those things....and when I miss place them HE is always the one that finds them for me!  Now for some reason anytime I have some sort of medical procedure done....I get to be practiced on by the trainees. Of all things to remember I remember that one of my nurses in the recovery room was a trainee...funny what sticks in your head, huh? Of course it was better than when I gave birth....during that experience I had a WHOLE class watching!

After dozing off and on in the recovery room....wishing I had my glasses...and wondering where my Hubby and Daddy were...they gave me another ride on the moving bed, this time to my home away from home for the next couple of days! Now you would think that considering I now supported a 10 inch incision from just below my sternum to just above my belly button that I would get just a little help moving myself around....NOPE I once again was asked to transfer myself from one bed to the other! SIGH....what happened to the big burly orderlies that are supposed to help with things like that??? What surprised my nurses....is that they asked me to do this...and I just did it...no problem....scooted my bottom over and got into the other bed! I was just happy to be still for a while.

The next thing I knew my sweet hubby and Daddy were at the end of the bed to see me...what aggravated me...I got a pat on the foot and they went to lunch! Do you see how much I am loved!??? OK she's OK...where do you want to eat? The rest of this day is kinda fuzzy...it takes a while for the drugs to wear off and of course you have pain meds going to...which always make me sleepy! I know that my Momma and Little Sister came for a visit that evening....I am pretty sure I slept through most of that visit. Tool Man was there when I needed him.

Now you would think that I would get to lay in that hospital bed for a little while....but NO....I had to get up and walk once an hour! They gave me time for the meds to wear off where I wouldn't fall...but I had to get up and walk down the hall! At some point during the afternoon I found that I had this huge elastic support band around my middle...this wonderful thing helps to support your belly as you heal! You become very dependant on this very quickly! Because you feel as though you guts are gonna fall out that 10 inch incision. I don't tell you this to scare you...just to warn you....the feeling does go away...but you have to wean yourself off that belt thingy.  This really helped when I was walking up and down the halls...along with the small pillow that they suggested that I use to hold my belly.

My Tool Man was the most helpful and supportive husband during all this....silly man wouldn't let me get away with anything! He was great about helping me up out of the bed....but he also was the one poking me to get up when all I wanted to do was lay there.

Another thing that I had to endure...nothing to drink. Because of the nature of the surgery all they would let me have is this little sponge thing soaked in water to swab my mouth with every so often. Now they were really nice and kept the water fresh and put ice in the water so that it would stay cold. But I was thirsty! I wanted a drink! But no can do....just swab your mouth! When I finally got to the point where I could have a drink I was so grateful! Of course my new tummy could only tolerate a couple of sips...but at least it wasn't a swab!

The nurses are trained to have you do as much as possible for yourself as quickly as you can. They are not there to baby you! After the first 24 hours I was shown how to get myself out of the bed to go potty and to get up and walk. The nurse wouldn't help me and they didn't want Tool Man helping me. As long as I could do it, I was asked to do it for myself! I could go into details about my stay in the hospital...but I am not a very good patient...and this was not very fun...however it was necessary! So I am going to sum it up pretty quickly. As long as I got up and walked every so often and did what they asked...I got pain meds and then I got released on Thursday.

Another surprising thing to me....I didn't have to ride in a wheel chair to leave. I was escorted by a nurse...but I walked out on my own. Of course I didn't go very far....I had a doctor's appointment the next day and Dr. Warnock wanted me to stay close to the hospital...just in case...so Tool Man and I went back to the little motel across the street. They have rooms special for patients like me....with huge recliners in them. The only problem for me...was that the recliner was huge even for me and it was one of those that you have to lean back in to get the foot rest up and then push really hard down on the get it back down....at that point I just wasn't capable of operating it...so I still slept in the bed. And my Tool Man slept in the chair.

Now if you are wondering I haven't had a bite to eat since Sunday, it is Thursday by this time and I am supposed to be able to eat broth or even a cracker. But I am having a hard time drinking watered down apple juice so I am scared to try and eat anything. So I don't. I didn't actually eat anything until I got home. I went to my Doctor's appointment on Friday and then Tool Man took me home and put me to bed before going to get my Bear!

Until next time.
God Bless,
Mama D