NurseT01

5/21/15 Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy performed at Ohio State University.
5/22/15 Released home.
5/25/15 Return to OSU with abdominal pain/no appetite.  Blood clot on mesenteric artery found. Abdominal abcess found, drain inserted and heparin started.  In and out of hospital of next several weeks due to complications.
7/11/15 Admitted to OSU with blood clot still and another abdominal abcess in which drain was placed. Multiple NG tubes inserted due to inability to keep anything down. Multiple cat scans done to try to figure out problem to no avail. Multiple swallow studies done that were normal, but still with vomiting. Finally decided it may be bowel obstruction. Had anything from being overdosed with pain meds and having to be narcaned, hallucinations from meds, urinary tract infection, 2 picc lines, TPN, etc.  It was a very dark and lonely time even with lots of family support who lived an hour away and two younger children. This was a first for my doctor who has been doing these surgeries for 16 years.
8/21/15 Operation for bowel resection done, worse pain than the VSG. Had to be an open surgery (not laprascopically like the VSG). I had to have a sterile dressing change done twice daily that was also very painful. Finally I got well enough to be discharged home on 9/3/15.
 
I have had several check ups since that time and seem to be doing well. I am back to work full time as a nurse.
 
I went from 263 pounds to currently 143. I am very happy with my progress, and I would do it all over again.