greensthings

Items I took to the hospital, that made a difference in how I felt: My favorite pillow My favorite fuzzy blanket My favorite robe Comfy slippers 3 pairs of fuzzy socks (cause my feet are always cold) chapstick my laptop my favorite body & face lotions A size bigger than you would normally wear fuzzy pants or sweat pants for the ride home, as your belly is going to be tender. a "wife beater" heavy T shirt to wear under baggy shirt instead of a bra for the ride home, as a bra might be too uncomfortable. Baggy soft sweater to wear on ride home as it was cold and snowing here. Of course all of these things were left in the car until my surgery was over, then my husband brought them in. *Except for one pair of fuzzy socks that I was able to wear through surgery, they were the only clothing from home I was allowed to keep on, I explained my feet get cold and I was told I could keep them on*

Just so you know a little more about me, besides my VSG/Hernia repair... I am a 3 time cancer survivor (age 10, brain tumor[Menegeoma], age 21 Uterine Cancer [discovered when I was 6 months pregnant], age 36 skin cancer), as well as a Service Connected Disabled Veteran (US Army 6 years). I Garden and give the produce to my local food bank, I do charity sewing (cancer hats, preemie onesies, homeless sleeping bag kits, blankets for Project Linus and much more), I am very active in the DAV as well as performing Honor Guard duty for Military funerals along side of the VFW, American Legion and DAV. My Husband has lost over 30 inches of intestine due to Crohn's disease and has not worked in over 3 years and is waiting to be accepted on Social Security. Our oldest son at home is bi-polar. We are living on my very small VA check. To say that things are tight is an understatement, but we always manage to squeak by. My car doesn't go into reverse unless it has been running to warm up for over a half an hour. This means anytime I park, I have to find a pull through spot, just in case I can't back up. It may be a beater and all rusted through but it is paid for and the only transportation I have. Which since we have so many medical problems in our family and we have to drive over an hour one way to get to the various Doctors, we pray every time we get into the car, that it will make it to our destination "just one more time". My life's motto is, Nothing is so bad, that you can not over come it. Laughter goes a long way to making yourself, and those around you feel better. I try and make the most out of every day. I have done so much in my life. I lived in Europe, I sang in a band, I play Cello and Bass, and you know, I don't think I would have done so much if I had not had cancer. My personal philosophy about life reflects the Tim McGraw song "Live like you're dying".

I just found this forum board! Hi everyone! I had my VSG with Hiatal Hernia Repair on Nov 10th, released from hospital on Nov 11th by 7pm (Thank Goodness or they were going to kill me!) The ride home was over an hour and I cried the whole ride home, even though I was doing amazing in the hospital (despite the oopses they were making). I am still on Clear liquids, tomorrow I should progress to full liquids. I am walking, and tolerating clear fluids well. Where I hurt, is not my stomach, or the 4 out of 6 puncture marks from my laprioscopy. The 5th puncture (the one over my liver) hurts the most. My Surgeon said that is where the deep muscle stitches and where he pulled the excess stomach material after reducing my stomach in size. I lost 65 pounds pre-surgery (Starting weight in April was 287 pounds) surgery date I was down to 232 pounds. I work out in the High School Gym 5 days a week (Free and open to the public from 4pm to 7pm M-F), Water exercise 2 days a week (Sundays the High School pool is open and free, Tuesdays for 2$ we have a water exercise teacher. I do the exercises she teaches us and do them for free on Sundays). My Surgeon told me absolutely no exercise (not even walking) and no lifting weights over 5 pounds for 3 weeks. Yet my Bariatric program (They are more geared to the RnY/Lapband group) said I needed to start walking on the treadmill as soon as possible. I am confused. At this point I figure my surgeon knows best, so I am listening to him. The Hospital I went too, within an hour after getting to my room after surgery, they wanted me to start drinking clear Protein drinks, and juices (every "meal" they would have pineapple juice in a cup and that BURNED so badly!!), one medicine cup full every 15 mins (that hurt like He**!!), the next morning they brought me in a multi Vitamin (full, regular non-chewable that was the size of my thumb) and insisted I take it. I protested saying it should be a chewable, the RN (who had just got done boasting that I was her first VSG since she had been in the hospital and was getting one herself in 2 weeks, should have known better). Argued with me for several minutes, before yelling at me, "Just take the damn pill, its only a vitamin and can't hurt you!" So I took the "damn pill" and within 15 minutes I was throwing up and in major pain! Between throwing up, I was walking the hallways, and that is why they let me go home so early, because I was walking so much. They sent in a CNA to remove my IV (Since when is THAT allowed? I was an LPN for 20 years and CNA's weren't allowed to do things like that!). I had an red allergy tag that clearly was marked I am allergic to tape and the CNA tried to put tape on my several times. I was super glued closed on the holes to my laprioscopy so that no tape or bandage had to be applied to my belly. Long story short, I am glad my surgery is behind me, and that I am at home where I can get tender loving care!

I just found this forum board! Hi everyone! I had my VSG with Hiatal Hernia Repair on Nov 10th, released from hospital on Nov 11th by 7pm (Thank Goodness or they were going to kill me!) The ride home was over an hour and I cried the whole ride home, even though I was doing amazing in the hospital (despite the oopses they were making). I am still on Clear Liquids, tomorrow I should progress to full liquids. I am walking, and tolerating clear fluids well. Where I hurt, is not my stomach, or the 4 out of 6 puncture marks from my laprioscopy. The 5th puncture (the one over my liver) hurts the most. My Surgeon said that is where the deep muscle stitches and where he pulled the excess stomach material after reducing my stomach in size. I lost 65 pounds pre-surgery (Starting weight in April was 287 pounds) surgery date I was down to 232 pounds. I work out in the High School Gym 5 days a week (Free and open to the public from 4pm to 7pm M-F), Water exercise 2 days a week (Sundays the High School pool is open and free, Tuesdays for 2$ we have a water exercise teacher. I do the exercises she teaches us and do them for free on Sundays). My Surgeon told me absolutely no exercise (not even walking) and no lifting weights over 5 pounds for 3 weeks. Yet my Bariatric program (They are more geared to the RnY/Lapband group) said I needed to start walking on the treadmill as soon as possible. I am confused. At this point I figure my surgeon knows best, so I am listening to him. The Hospital I went too, within an hour after getting to my room wanted me to start drinking clear Protein drinks, and juices (every "meal" they would have pineapple juice in a cup and that BURNED so badly!!), one medicine cup full every 15 mins (that hurt like He**!!), the next morning they brought me in a multi Vitamin (full, regular non-chewable that was the size of my thumb) and insisted I take it. I protested saying it should be a chewable, the RN (who had just got done boasting that I was her first VSG since she had been in the hospital and was getting one herself in 2 weeks, should have known better). Argued with me for several minutes, before yelling at me, "Just take the damn pill, its only a vitamin and can't hurt you!" So I took the "damn pill" and within 15 minutes I was throwing up and in major pain! Between throwing up, I was walking the hallways, and that is why they let me go home so early, because I was walking so much. They sent in a CNA to remove my IV (Since when is THAT allowed? I was an LPN for 20 years and CNA's weren't allowed to do things like that!). I had an red allergy tag that clearly was marked I am allergic to tape and the CNA tried to put tape on my several times. I was super glued closed on the holes to my laprioscopy so that no tape or bandage had to be applied to my belly. Long story short, I am glad my surgery is behind me, and that I am at home where I can get tender loving care!