Last Sunday: I began the clear liquid diet and the "colon prep" for my surgery scheduled for Monday morning at 6:00 a.m.
Monday: I didn't go to bed Sunday night, I was too nervous. I stayed up all night. I had to get up at 3:00 a.m. anyway to get dressed and be ready to head to Dallas by 4:00 a.m. We made it to the hospital right on time (even though the fog was bad) and I was able to sleep a bit on the way to the hospital.
I got the call to go back to the Pre-Op area where they weighed me and gave me my hospital gown, little sockies, and my hair hat thingy. Once I was undressed and into the proper hospital attire, the action really began. They took my vital signs and of course my blood pressure was high but that's to be expected. The nurse put an IV in and took some blood samples. After a few minutes, the nurse came in and said that my blood sugar was low; it was 55 so they had to re-test it. Upon retesting it, they discovered it had fallen even further to 23. They kind of freaked out and gave me this huge IV push of dextrose/glucose, which hurt me and also sent my blood sugar through the roof. All this blood testing and such took about an hour I guess. Finally they got my blood sugar up to 101.
They finally let Ray into the Pre-Op room with me so he got to witness the IV push of dextrose and the ensuing flutter of activity around my blood sugar issue.
FINALLY the surgeon came in to talk to me and let me know that while he was in taking the Lap Band out, he was also going to take my gallbladder out as well. I'm fine with that because I was actually worried about it. Then he’d also perform the gastric bypass. So, THREE surgeries at one time….yikes.
I remember being rolled into the surgery room but that only lasted about a minute and the next thing I remember I was waking up in the recovery. They had me under this wonderful blanket and had this hose of warm air blowing in on me! I immediately knew I'd had surgery because I was sore and knew so much was happening around me, a flurry of activity. Somehow I ended up in my room. I don't remember that at all. I just know that Ray appeared and we were in the room. He told me the surgery was an hour longer than anyone had expected so I was in surgery for 3 hours!
The rest of Monday was really me fading in and out. But, about mid-afternoon, maybe a little later, they asked me to begin walking. They asked that I walk the full hospital hallway length every 1.5 hours. I also had to breath into this little plastic thing to keep my lungs clear. I wasn't allowed to have anything by mouth and my mouth felt really gross so I asked if I were allowed to brush my teeth and they said yes. Thank goodness!
I had to get several insulin shots because now my blood sugar was too high!
Also, my blood pressure was high but they were not too concerned with that.
Finally my heart rate was high, around 130 but it is always high.
So, I dosed off into sleep for Monday but of course got alot of interruptions for them to take my vital signs, test my blood sugar, and give me various IV updates such as the antibiotic, more fluids, and such.
Tuesday
ROUGH day. I woke up feeling like a truck had run over me. I was not interested in any phone, ipad, TV or anything, I was simply miserable. I hurt, I ached, and I could barely walk up and down the hall. It was simply a rough day. Finally around 2 in the afternoon I told my nurse that I felt SO bad. She told me I wasn't using my pain medication enough. Literally one nurse had come back to read the machine 3 times because it indicated a reading of 6 when the potential reading was closer to 24 and she thought something must be wrong with the machine. Finally she asked me if I was using my pain medication and I told her no. The nurse told me if I'd use the morphine drip more, I'd feel better. She said I was eligible to give myself a dose every 15 minutes. So, I gave myself a dose and about an hour of 15-minute doses, I felt alot better. I decided that a good pace for myself was to give myself a dose on the hour and on the 1/2 hour. After that, I was fine.
They took my catheter out on Tuesday too-which meant I now had to get out of bed to go. They were pumping a TON of IV fluids into me so I had to go alot! It was such a big deal because I had to get out of bed, Ray literally having to pull me up a couple of times, unplug my IV pole, and roll into the bathroom. Then I'd have to wait for Ray to put this little thing I had to go into, into the potty. Then the sitting down process and the getting up process.
I fell asleep after getting up and walking around 6:00 a.m. and the respitory guy woke me up to do some breathing around 8:30. I felt this odd drip off my arm and looked down, something had gone wrong with my IV and blood was puddled on my arm, was dripping down my elbow and had a huge spot in my bed. He ran and got my nurse. Turns out my IV had popped out and I'd been sitting there bleeding while I was asleep! They had to come change my bed and give me new linens; I had to wipe all the blood off my arms and back. It was pretty gross. They then moved my IV from my arm to a central line in my neck. That allowed them to pull blood whenever they needed plus have the IV still going in.
I kept walking though and that has been the best thing I could have done.
On Tuesday I was approved to have ice chips. So Tuesday afternoon they brought me a cup of ice chips. Those were THE BEST ice chips I've ever had. I was so thirsty and wanted to gulp them all down, but had to slowly eat one and let it melt, eat another.
Was able to sleep really well Tuesday night so that went nicely.
Wednesday: Sip Test Day! I was told I'd be going for an Upper GI where I was drink something that had a dye in it so that I could be seen in the x-ray. So around 7:50 the nurse gathered me and 2 other ladies up and we went down for the sip test. There were about 10 people there total doing the sip test, but I was 2nd to go and got to return to my room pretty quickly. I drank this clear stuff that was TERRIBLE. It was so nasty. The Radiologist watched me swallow, pointed some stuff out to the Technician, made me drink some water, watched some more, they discussed something some more and then said I could go.
On the elevator, we asked the nurse if we all passed and she said two (of 3) did. I was thinking "crap, I didn't pass the test" but about an hour later the nurse assistant came bouncing in and said I'd passed and she was there to teach me how to drink! I started sipping on a grape protein drink and was able to drink for eleven straight 15-minute intervals, which was the goal to get discharged.
Now, all morning the nurses and technicians have been taking my blood pressure and my pulse because my pulse is about 130. My blood pressure has finally dropped to about 120/80 so I'm good there, but my pulse (which is ALWAYS high) was being normal and racing. The doctor even came in a second time to listen to my heart.
Around 12:15 the doctor visited me and said that because I've made such great progress he's going to let me go home! Mixed emotions: I'm so ready to be in my own world, be able to shower, be able to have regular clothes/pajamas (instead of the hospital gown) on BUT I was not ready for what the pain might be like without the IV. I was scared about being able to get enough water and protein in each day.
We continued to walk and rest Wednesday. I figured it would be around 2 before they got all the discharge paperwork done and I still had the central IV line so I couldn't get dressed or anything. Finally around 3:30 I sent Ray to the Nurse's station to ask about my discharge because we needed to plan the drive home. Ray was worried about getting caught in traffic with me hurting and he wanted a smooth drive so I wouldn't be uncomfortable.
FINALLY at 4:00 p.m. they discharged me. They have currently taken me off all my diabetic medications, my blood pressure medication, and my cholesterol medication. I have added a medication that slows my heart rate down.
Got home Wednesday night around 7. Mom is here to help me and take care of me. She's been AMAZING. I have been so very fortunate to have her here. She has swept the floor, fed the dogs, cleaned the kitchen, made my bed, and gotten anything I needed for me. It has helped me so much. She's also walked with me as I've walked ALOT.
Thursday: Ray went to work this morning so I took a little walk around 8:00. I didn't want to walk too far so I just walked from my house to the end of the street and back to my house. Mom was up by 9:00 and she and I walked every 1.5 hours steadily increasing the distance or speed. Took my pain medication a couple of times, mainly to deal with the soreness. Got all my water in and got all my protein in for the day also! YAY, I better day.
Friday: Mom and I didn't walk as many times but we walked further today. We walked twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. Joshlyn came in and she and Mom went shopping at Wal-Mart. I napped. It was a better day, getting stronger.
Saturday: Walked completely around the block twice today! Got all my protein in! Got all my water in too! I took the last dose of pain medicine Friday night around 8:00 p.m.; didn't need any at all today. Now that I'm feeling a little better, I try to help out like unloading the dishwasher and having someone else re-load it for me. Bending over is still a little hard. I go back Tuesday to get my staples out. I had thought I’d be back at work on Monday, but this was MAJOR surgery and had some complications.
The Lap Band had grown into my stomach and liver. The surgeon had to cut into my liver and my stomach to get the band out. The gall bladder alone is major surgery. The bypass alone is major surgery. So I had three major things at once and I simply wasn’t prepared for how it was really going to impact my body. Now I realize trying to return to work in a week was simply unrealistic. I think the doctor will probably allow me to return to work on November 7.
I’ll be on clear liquids for 3 weeks because of the extent of damage to my stomach, I have to be on them an extra 3 weeks per the surgeon’s instructions. He said my stomach needs extra time to heal. So, I’m drinking the heck out of some green tea!