Ciara Patrice

<BR><BR><BR>LoL! Glad you were able to laugh with me!

So, I'm 6 days Post Op as of 12 o'clock this evening and, I'm feeling about 85% normal. My abdomen is still sore and some of the incision sites. I can actually see one incison (the bandage came off) and the incision looks healed for the most part. I'm hoping I won't have horrible scars on my tummy, but then again, I have stretch marks so I doubt it makes any difference. I'm also feeling hunger pangs. Or should I say hunger pains? I looked into the forums and read that though our small pouch may be filled to capacity the larger stomach is still there growling underneath. My question is... is hunger supposed to hurt?! I've felt hungry pre-surgery and it didn't "hurt" just a lort of growling... Now post op, I get the growling and it hurts! I'm not sure if it's because of the band and it's still sore/swollen on the inside, which is my best guess... but sheesh! When it growls, I can not waist anytime! That's one pain I don't want to deal with... Now to the TMI... I'm pretty sure during surgery they gave me antibiotics, and these almost ALWAYS cause me to get yeast infections. Ugh! So three days post op after anesthesia and all the meds are completely wearing off, I realize that I have a yeast infection. This sucks because I HATE using the nasty creams and inserts you can buy from the store, and I think the prescription pills work best, but now that pills are a no go for bandsters, I had to break down and buy the insert... Why am I sharing this info? I don't know just mad that I have a yeast infection and can't take a Diflucan to get rid of it ASAP...just needd to vent! Well anyway, I haven't weighed myself since surgery... I think I'll wait, but I won't lie, I'm very tempted. I'm at work so if I find time I'll probably go check it out, but I won't update my ticker until I have my first post op appt on May 2. I guess that's all for now. Hope all is well with everyone in LapBand land and my Surgery Date Twins! TTYLaters!

Surgery Day... So, my mom and I got to the Tampa General Hospital around 7:05am, checked in at the Admission desk, they sent me up to Surgery Prep on the 2nd floor, checked in at the desk, and they handed me my chart and sent me back into the Surgery Prep area. I met me nurse at the nurses desk soon as I walked in, very nice lady by the way. She took me to my temporary room where I was asked to derobe and given a gown and a cup to pee in to check for pregnancy prior to surgery. So I sat in that room for all of about 30 or 45 minutes; long enough for the nurse to check my blood pressure, temperature, ask me a few questions,and they gave me a shot of Lovenox I think in my left abdomen to prevent blood clotting. Then Dr. Dicicco came in marked my belly with a pen and asked it I had any questions prior to surgery. I asked what size band I would be getting. He explained that the use the standard AP LapBand either a 10cc or 14cc depending on the amount of fat around the actual stomach. So, I wouldn't know what size band until after the surgery. He also told me he'd be sending me home with some liquid Hydrocodone for pain, but to make sure that I asked for pain meds as soon as I get into the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), because they would be the only ones who could give me IV pain meds. Then transport came and took me to the Pre Op holding area, where I sat another 30 to 45 minutes. I met the Anesthesiologist, Anesthesia Nurse, OR nurse, and I seemed like a lot of other people. My mom sat back here with me for a few moments. They rolled in another patient right next to me who was also getting the LapBand. I knew because she talked about her liquid diet and what not. I wanted to say hi to her, but I didn't want her to think I was being nosy. They started my IV in there and gave me a cap to put over my fro. Everyone was checking my name band, and I felt like a repeated my name, date of birth, and what surgery I was having about 1,000 times. Anyway, my sister came into the PreOp holding area just as I was being wheeled out of there she was able to say "hi" before they took me into the operating room. All I remember is them telling me to hold my arms out to the side, I'm not sure if I was asked to slide onto the operating table, I think I did. The Anesthesiologist said he was going to give me my "cocktail" and while I saw him injecting three different syringes into my IV they placed an oxygen mask over my face and told me to breathe. All I remember is thinking" jeeze, THREE needles to knock me out" I stared up at the ceiling and I then I was out! When I woke up, I was FREEZING! Shivering and all! My lips were dry and I just wanted to sleep. The nurse asked what my pain was and I told her an 8 and she came and gave me something my IV. I remember saying I was cold and I had warm blankets piled on me after that; even on my head, LoL! My mom and sister came in, and my mom was asking me questions. Not sure what she asked, but I do remember my sister telling her to leave me alone and to quit asking so many questions, LoL! I don't remember this but I have pictures which I'll post later. Transport came back into PACU to take me back to the Prep Surgery Unit... they put me into another room, where my sister and best friend and her boyfriend sat back there with me until I left. I had to walk up and down the hallway before I left and I had to pee as well. I was sleepy/groggy from time I got out of surgery until about 1 or so. I asked my nurse what size band I had placed and she looked through my chart and the stupid Dr didn't document what size, which I'm not too pleased about. I'll have to wait until I go to my Post Op appointment on May 2 to find out. I also asked if I could be weighed before I left, because they didn't weigh me when I checked in and I wanted to see if there was a difference from my weight a day ago (there wasn't so surgery weight is officially 284) I was discharged around 2pm. My sister drove me from the hospital, dropped off my prescription at Walgreens and took me to my parents house to wait. Soon as I walked through their door I plopped on the couch and slept from 2 to 6. Woke up just as my dad was bringing in my medicine... so I got up with some help since I was still sore. Went to the bathroom and then took a dose of my pain medicine, and then asked to be taken home. Once at home I tried to sleep in my bed and it was a complete disaster! I'm a stomach sleeper so, I just couldn't get comfortable. I stay with my 82 y/o grandmother, who kept checking in on me, she boiled water in a kettle and gave me an old fashioned heat pack for my belly. She's so sweet! So at around 2 or 3 am I had to pee which I was upset about because I didn't want to move, but I went potty and then I went and got on the couch and was able to find a comfortable position and that's all that happened surgery day... Post Op Day #1... So, PostOp day #1 was interesting to say the least! I was up after not being able to get comfortable and sleeping off and on 3 to 4 hours here and there. So, luckily my Netflix account came in handy. I've watched Seasons 1-3 of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (my favorite!!!) for the past three days! At around 5 or 6 my granny got up and started getting ready to go to her little "desk job" (she likes to keep busy). Then my other best friend called me at around 7 on her way to work to talk about something her boyfriend did (luckily I was awake because here's where it gets good!). My granny is legally blind due to 26 years of Diabetes. She can technically see, but her distant vision is completely gone, someone has to be right up on her for her to know who they are. So the city busline provides a van/small bus service for the disabled, and she rides this bus to work and wherever else she needs to go, when I or another family member can not take her, since we all work. So, this morning, the guy knocked on the door and from the couch, I yelled for my granny letting her know that someone was at the door. I thought I heard her say "ok", mind you I was on the phone still. So after while the man knocked again, so I went to the door told him just a minute because all I had on was boxers and a sports bra... I called for my grandma again and this time I asked what she was doing back there, and she replied "just trying to live" ... I knew then something was wrong. I went back to her room and found her sitting on her vanity bench, sweating profusing, with a runny nose, and incoherent. I quickly hung up the phone with my friend, told the bus man to leave after he asked me if I was sure because this would be considered a "no call no show" and if I hadn't been so concerned with my granny I would've cussed this asshole out! Anyway, I ran back to the room dialed 911 told them that she was diabetic and I wasn't sure if she had any meds this morning or not. I kept calling her name and she would just say "hmm" and I'd ask her whats wrong and she just kept saying she didn't feel well. So while I waited for the EMTs I checked her blood sugar and her monitor read "Lo", so I knew she kept candy in her bedside night stand... I found a mini snickers bar and tried to get her to eat some... I wet a towel with cold water and wiped her down with it. And then finally the EMTs arrived. I told them what I could, and they checked her sugar again, they're monitor read "46" and so they decided to start and IV on her and give her a shot of D50, which is sugar basically. I sat back there with them while they checked her vitals and waited until she slowly came around. They asked her her name and birthday and the year and the president... and after she signed the paperwork and they were cleaning up and getting ready to leave she realized all she had on was her thigh high stockings, her blouse, and underwear and she said "OH MY GOODNESS! I don't have any clothes on!" I knew then that she was back to normal. They laughed because like I said all I had on was a sports bra and boxers and my hair was sticking up EVERYWHERE! I laughed with them and told her I was practically naked too! So, my mom and dad came over because now I needed someone to babysit the both of us for the day... My dad brought her breakfast because she needed to eat. She had taken her insulin that morning and got sidetracked looking for a paper and forgot to eat within the alotted time, so her sugar dropped. My sister left work and came waited on both of us... Then my aunt came over and sat... And then my boyfriend's sister came over. The my BFF who had come to the hospital came over to take my pictures of my abdomen and my "before/after surgery" pics... Long story short... I was not in pain for about an hour that day! I guess the adrenaline rush for worrying about my granny and making sure she was okay made me forget all about my sore abs. I mean I was bending over (not all the way to the floor) but enough to be eye level with her while she was sitting and everything and I felt nothing until about an hour later... when I took a shot of hydrocodone and fell asleep. An eventful Post Op day 1 right?! Post Op Day #2... So, I stayed on the couch again. My granny was feeling much better, she even went to the beauty salon the next morning. My sister came and sat with me. We watched "The Switch" with Jennifer Aniston... cute movie... Then my niece and cousin came over to decorate eggs with my granny and that was nice... My aunt came over again and I was in and out of sleep on the couch while they were there nothing much I can remember..... I do remember being not as sore and the first two days, and getting so agitated with that fact that I couldn't really sleep. So I got up from the couch went back into my room, took my heating pad my mom got for me on Post Op day 1 and said I'm sleeping on my bed ON my stomach! It's gonna happen! So, I started out on my side which is where most of my pain is for some reason. So I placed the heating pad between me and the bed and laid on my side.. When I woke up I was partially on my stomach/side, so I knew this technique was working. I repositioned myself and my heating pad and was able to sucessfully sleep without pain on my stomach... My grandma was sooo worried about me because I slept from about 4 that afternoon until 2am the next morning! She kept coming in and asking if I was ok, and had I been drinking my fluids... I was just soooo happy to finally sleep straight through the night! (sorta) Post Op Day #3... So I woke up at around 2 am, and checked my discharge papers and realized I could now take a bath! I'll admit my armpits were on the verge of funkiness! So, I washed my hair and took a shower. I'm not sure if it was the meds or just me being down for a few days, or maybe just the hot shower, but I felt a little lightheaded while in there. Luckily my granny keeps a shower chair in theire for her use, so I just sat down and finished up. When I got out of the shower I sat on the toilet to catch my breath and to get a cool breeze because I was still feeling kinda light headed. But I dried off, put some leave in conditioner in my hair, made sure to "pat dry" my incision sites per the instructions and finished watching Law and Order: SVU. It's Easter! So, my granny got up around 5 to go to Sunrise Service at church at 6am. So After she left, I was feeling pretty normal aside from the pain in my abdomen (like I'd done some sit ups). I was able to move around my bed normally and comfortably enough, so I got dressed, and went to Amscot for a money order (I had a bill to pay), and rode around for awhile. It was a little weird driving. My car is small and the the drivers seat is broken so it sits a little low, and I had to make myself comfortable here too. After that I came back home and decided I should walk. I took my dog from the back yard hooked up his leash and headed down the sidewalk very slowly. Picasso, my 60lb pittbull, was pulling and I forgot just how strong he was. We walked a very short distance when I saw the neighbors dogs barking and then it dawned on me that not only is my strong muscular dog pulling the hell out of me right now, but I didn't bring a stick or any type of protection in case a stray dog arrives, and I knew I wouldn't be able to run. So, we made a UTurn and headed back home... LoL... we walked all of about 5 or 10 minutes... I knew I had to work tonight (7p-7a) so I laid down around 11am. Granny came bugging me talking about I need to be up and moving around and drinking my fluids! LoL! I told her I had been up early this morning. So, around 5 we went to my parents house and THEY ate Easter dinner... Now what's funny is the last day of work before surgery my coworkers threw a going away party for another coworker and since I was on liquids I couldn't partake, but I was able to tell my best friend EVERYTHING they had and it was ALOT! But today, I wasn't even hungry, so I couldn't tell you what we had for Easter dinner other than I had broth and I sure I saw a Ham on the counter... ALSO, I know this may be TMI as well, but I think I have a yeast infection... I can't remember whether or not they gave me antibiotics, which I'm sure they did, and I know from the past that antibiotics give me yeast infections... so I'm gonna call the DR and see if there's something I can take orally or hopefully the over the counter vagisil or monistat will clear it up... I know TMI but it totally sucks! Back to Work... So I'm at work now... not feeling too much discomfort. I never really experienced gas pain. I normally associate gas pain with my stomach, but other than the pain of the incisions I don't think I had any. Thank God! I have been passing gas though, and I burped for the first time this morning! I was so happy because it felt GREAT! But the gas (from the other end) has been small and minimal, LoL, TMI! I know, but I guess I was expecting large thunderous gas, and it's really been small quiet, small little toots, and they don't smell... I'm trying to get in all my fluids... I think they said about a gallon a day, though I know that's ridiculous! I'm barely thirsty... I'm feeling almost normal other than I'm not eating and like I said, I'm still a little sore... but I doing good. I cant wait until my Post Op appointment.... not sure if I'm supposed to be getting a fill or not. I have 5 incisions all about my belly button, one right under my boob! The first and second day I was practically naked because I didn't want my heavy ass DD boob laying on my sore incison... it's not sore anymore... I'm wearing wireless bras though until it completely healed... I have what they call "steristrips" of 4 out of five of my incisions. The one under the boob had only a band aid, which I was told to remove all bandaids on post op day one... so there's nothing there, but the incisions looks good. I'm kinda confused at the places where my incisions are... one seems to be on my left side where I thought my rib was located, but I dunno... I think my port is my largest bandage/incision almost directly above my belly button but slightly to the left... I have a half dollar sized bruise between the port incision and a second incision... not sure where that came from... but duh, I sure some part of the surgery caused it... Well, this has been one of the LONGEST blogs ever, so like I said I'm doing well... will post photos as soon as my BFF emails them to me, I'm gonna try to take a picture of my stomach with my phone in the bathroom and post it tonight while I'm at work, if I can't then you guys will just have to wait! Again, I want to thanks EVERYONE for their prayers and well wishes! I'm home, ALIVE, and doing well!

No problems with pain med post-op... I was prescribed Hydrocodone, and the bottle said take with food, but I'm on clear liquids post op so I was nervous it would make me sick to the stomach as the side effects did list nausea and vomitting, but nothing happened... I only took the recommended dose a few times and they weren't necessarily consecutive doses either just when I felt I needed it. Made me high, literally, and then sleepy LoL... but no other issues! Good luck with everything!

I was banded 4/21! And I agree each day gets easier and easier! I too can't wait for mushies! I just want to eat! not craving anything particular, but I was a 2wk liquid diet preoper, and I'm on liquids 3 weeks post op as well! (1 wk clears, 2 wks full).... So I'm ready to progress! Good luck with everything! I've found a lot of good information on this site and ObesityHelp.com... so I'm so happy they're are so many support forums for ANY question you may have! Haven't had much gas, but I did burp for the first time today and it felt great!!! Good Luck to everyone on their journey!

We'll be banded together! I promise to keep you in my prayers as I send up my own little prayers come Thursday! Good Luck!

I tried it for the first time with my first BF and it was horrible... tried it again with the same BF when I was more excited and down for anything and it was great! I currently participate in this with my current BF of about 4 years, and even though I like it, if he goes in and tries without me really wanting it, it hurts and its painful... But if I'm fully aroused and it's wet enough down there then I might just "make" or manuver him in there myself on purpose... I LOVE it! I know it's taboo and I hate admitting to people that I actually like it but I do! I agree with previous posters that it takes relaxtion and patience...

I had a clitoris piercing a year or two ago and it wasn't bad at all. I would love to get my nipples pierced! Mine seem small and if this would help them "grow" or even look "bigger" I'd be pleased... I am a little scared, so I think I'll wait post-op... maybe as a little gift for myself! GREAT topic!

Wow! I've had a GREAT day today! I had my PreOp appointment today and that went well, but before all of that went down, I had to go to employee health soon after I got off work (I work nights) to do my annual exam.. Soo, I haven't weighed myself since my consultation appointment with Dr. Dicicco. Well, they had a digital scale out in the hallway for personal use along with a bunch of healthy posters and examples and proper portion sizes (they had plastic food on a plate... ), so I went and checked in at the desk for my annual, set my stuff down, and then ran back out to the hall to hop on that scale... I was soooo shocked to see 286.2! I've lost almost 10 pounds since I went for my consultation with Dr. Dicicco! Mind you I've seen stories where people who've lost more, but for me this was a victory! I didn't think I was doing anything special with this liquid diet, and I don't really feel as though I'm smaller, but everyone else is seeing this! I'm shocked I've lost almost a total of 20 pounds from my highest weight! It was so funny because I had to weight in again once I was getting my actual annual and I was just blabbing to the LPN about how I've lost weight and I was just so excited and pumped that my blood pressure was high when she checked it! LoL! She told me congrats and to calm the hell down, and took my BP again... I tried to relax, and it went down a few notches, but I couldn't help my emotions were so high! All I could think was, "I have seven more days...I wonder what my surgery weight will be?" Anywho... after I left there I had about 45 minutes to an hour to kill before my actual PreOp appointment began, so I took a walk along Bayshore (beautiful LOOOONG sidewalk near downtown Tampa) and just felt great! I was SOOO happy! I think the last time I was THIS happy I was excepted into Spelman College, and the time before that I had 10th row seats at a Backstreet Boys concert! LoL! Yes, I'm corny! But this was just one of the BEST days EVER! So, back to my PreOp appointment! Everyone was really nice, as far as the nurses go. I was weighed, asked to pee in a cup, and they took blood. They also did an EKG and Chest XRAY... I was joking with the tech who took my EKG... she told me I'd have to unbutton my bra because it had underwire in it, but she said I didn't have to take it off. She still ended up seeing my boobs because of where she had to place the EKG leads. I joked with her that I was flashing her, and I was so embarassed. LoL! As I was leaving she said don't ignore her if I ever see her, since I work at the hospital. I told her I'll always remember I flashed her, LoL! The PreOp nurse went over what time I should be at the hospital (7am) and what time my surgery was actually scheduled for (9am). She also went over a bathing regimen they wanted me to do the night before. They gave me some Chlorahexadine wipes to take home. An hour before bed, I'm supposed to shower and shave as I would normally do, dry off, then wipe down with the wipes, and in the morning I'm allowed to brush my teeth, and then I'm supposed to wipe myself down with these Chlorahexadine wipes once more before leaving home. The Anesthesia nurse came in, she was kinda straight forward about everything. Asked me questions I felt I probably already answered, wrote down some things on a form, asked me if I had any questions and then left, I think she was the unfriendliest of them all, but she still said "good luck with everything.." EKG was good, I'm assuming the Chest XRAY was good, and all labs... So, overall I had a FAB day! My ticker is moving and I haven't even had surgery yet!!! One last thing! I'm happily sipping on a DELICIOUS Strawbery/Banana protein shake that I made! Mmm! 1 scoop Strawberry Chike 1 scoop Banana Chike 6oz Fat Free Milk 1oz Water Ice Whole fresh Banana BLEND!!! and DRINK!!!