DivaNurse

Were do i start. Am I going to start. As many of you know I was sleeved on the 19th of Feb, the surgery went quite well, my Dr said my liver was lovely. The problems for me started after the surgery and boy did they start. They went to remove the intubation tube and then it started, vocal chords started to spasm, fluid started to fill my lungs, throat begin to swell, the it shut down, clamped closed. I WASN'T BREATHING!!!!!!they were able to reintubate me breathing begin again. I guessed they tried again to remove the tube later and again I WASN'T BREATHING!!!!!!!!! (long pause, this is very emotional for me) after 2 attempts ti reintubate me to help to breathe I was placed on a vetilator, I COULD NO LONGER BREATHE ON MY OWN!!!!!! For 3 days I was on the lifesaving machine and in the ICU for 3 days. on that morning I was able to be moved to med/surg and on the floor for 5 more days. My blood sugar stayed in the medium 60's nothing they did would keep it elevated for more than 10 minutes at a time, we had to do something. In addition my blood pressure stayed dangerously low, heart rate seemed to race just because it was 2 o clock. My throat was very very sure and felt as if something was stuck there. Which was very very possible due to all the trauma it endure ...BUT I WAS ALIVE, I WAS ALIVE!!!!!!!!! It seemed has though one problem gets fixed another erupted. Drinking anything even sucking on ice chips was a major task not because of the sleeve but because of my throat, yes you guessed it I WAS DEHYDRATED, SEVERELY DEHYDRATED!!!!!!!! so what do you do increase IV fluids, that seemed to pose another problem within itself.....THE FLUID WAS NOT LEAVING!!!!!!!!!They really wanted me to take in fluid on my own, not possible I told them, I felt like something was stuck in my throat, I was feeling full up to my nose ok, FULL UP TO MY NOSE!!!!!! All I did was watch trays come and go come and go. My urine output was disgustingly low, no where near what it should have been for all the fluids I was taking in. I forgot to mention I hadn't had a bowel movement since the day before surgery. So nothing is MOVING NOT GOING ANYWHERE. but guess what I WAS BREATHING AND I WAS ALIVE BREATHING WITHOUT ANYHELP!!!!!!!! Despite those problems I m still thankful to be alive. I could barely walk for various reason , being lightheaded and dizzy due to low sugar and blood pressure, pain my entire abdominal region, my vision was effected also it sucked it sucked to be me........BUT MY GOD I WAS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!! so what did I do I got up and walked when physical therapy came in. Could I walk on my own BUT OF COURSE NOT!!!!!!!!SHE CAME IN WITH A WALKER......OMG A WALKER.... But I kept pushing.......I WAS GOING TO SURVIVE AND SURVIVE VICTORIOUSLY. There was no way I was walking out of that hospital with a walker, a cane, or oxygen....I neglected to tell you my oxygen level keep dropping down in the eighties.........BUT PEOPLE PLEASE LISTEN TO ME I AM ALIVE TO TELL HOW I BECAME A MIRACLE!!!!! This got really long and I am sorry. SOLUTIONS: how do we control the sugar fluids with D5 to keep sugars stabilized ...yes working, Blood pressure....still stumped on this one, increase the fluids, ahhh but a problem it is not leaving.....it's not were it is supposed to be either because my blood pressure is still low. feeling full to my nose, ahh lets try a suppository, embarrassed because someone now has to place something in my bottom, nope and why you ask, I AM ALIVE AND I BREATHE ON MY OWN... but guess what it didnt work, so what do we do , lets try 2 suppositories then, okay guess what nothing i mean nothing, but I am walking a little further now, refused to use the walker, just me a nurse and the trusty IV pole. I notice something strange though as i increase my walking distance, nurses, hospital staff members whom all see to know me were happy to see me up and walking, and so happy for me and how they prayed for me. I was none as the nurse in the ICU that works in corrections...During my 5 days on the medsurg floor those miss days from my life slowly begin to get filled in. One nurse Natalie even told me she was complaining to me one day she knew i would understand because i was a nurse, i asked her what I said she said i shook my head in agreement and went back out....But to finish up before I put you all to sleep, things got better slowly, I had a moment one evening wasn't pleasant, there was lots of tears lots of crying from me my nursing caregivers...my emotional stability was on the verge of eternal decline. I was nausea extremely nauseated, once i started vomiting which amounted to almost nothing except fluids were coming from everywhere, the pain during this episode was incredible, i was embarrassed wishing i had never done the surgery, hating myself for putting myself through this torture But all that was endure during was my turn around, my breaking point so to speak, after 2 days and night sleeping in a chair because laying was to painful and uncomfortable, that wonderful nursing staff at St Joseph East Hospital cleaned me up, restarted my iv which gave up after 4 days of fluids meds and blood draws had to be redone, dressed me in a clean gown dabbed my head with cool towels, held my hands, hug me cried put me to bed and assured me all is going to be okay as i cried and sniffled they covered me up with a sheet and my afghan brought from home, told me they love me and try and get some rest.....(crying now),things begin to get better.........and eventually i came home this week and have been reflecting over the past fews days and the changes that are going to take place in my life. Surprising to some reflecting doesn't really include loosing weight, it's going to happen that's why I had the surgery, but because I had a life altering experience living as i did prior to 2/19 can not be the same and will not be, am i going to crazy and start wilding out HECK NO, to old for that.......but life now has become even more precious to me than before and I am going to treat it as such...........I went in for a sleeve and came out with a new lease on life....................................

T minus 7 hours and I am still awake, put a load of clothes in the washer. I am I don't know, I guess I should try and get some sleep. Imma try and lay down for a bit.. Life changes are a trip, good bad and indifference......IM READY

Got my sx time for tomorrow 7:30am.....got alot of nervous energy right now...

Bandman I know exactly how you feel. My surgery is on the 19th also and I am feeling like you do. Heck I am so off today thinking about Tuesday I painted one of the small bedrooms in my home. I wish I could sleep right now.

Here's another good one........ Literally rolling out from the bed because you stuck in the sink hole you created...........

That was hilarious......ROFL.......

Thanks Missy, it has been a roller coaster of a week for me, and I didnt get the chips, thank goodness for the freezing cold outside.....lol

Ahhhhhh the rock and throw up out the chair......lol I remember it well.....

Evening all, well one day to go then surgery and I am not sure how I feeling. Heck I am so off that I painted a room,go figure. I know I want to do this, I want to have the sx I am just feeling so so unclear, I want some BBQ lays potatoe chips, what is that all about. I am on my 2 day pre-op diet, which I am doing fine with, I think my nerves are getting the better of me and I guess that is why I am wanting CHIPS.....I don'r know I am just venting a little. Whew just to many thought in this pretty little head of mines.....Ready for a valium.......

Been thinking about the things I have and will be able to do once I get to goal and just before. This is meant to be funny but true, feel free to add to the list, here are a few I thought of: Being able the walk up a flight of stairs without an oxygen tank strapped to my back Not having to purchase slip ons because i can't reach my feet Being able to see my feet For the men, Yes I do still have a penis, I knew it was there somewhere No more acrobatics to clean my tushy being able to use a regular towel instead of two sewn together to cover my really really big blessing in the back.... Saving money because I don't have to buy towels extra larger to cover my really really big blessing... this is just a few....hope you get a giggle from it.......feel free to add to it

That's a very good idea

looking good my friend....

Show off.......lol Glad you came thru with flying colors, hope minds goes just as well on tuesday

My surgery is scheduled for next tuesday and I have been on the Bari Diet for about a month, i shake lean meats and veggies. Start my liquid diet sat and clear liquids on monday. My BMI was 55, and I was told it was to have less of a fatty liver during surgery

Loving hearing how everyone is doing. Those that are not doing so well, it will get better, just take it one day at a time, stay hydrated and get that protein in. Was wondering if you guys would do me a favor right above your name you can rate this topic, would you take a moment to do so, thanks Sleeve Divas and Dudes.........5 days and counting down til my day.......

Asses of water....well alrighty then I prefer glasses myself.....ROFL to funny

I used to work for a weight loss center and we had a client we weighed her, then she said wait i need to go to the rest room first and i will be darn if she wasn't 5 lbs lighter........

I was like that to on my liver shrinking diet didn't lose anything for a week then stepped on the scale and dropped 3 more lbs, don't sweat the small stuff sweetie. Don't be a slave to the scale it will make you crazy just do what you are suppose to do and you will be fine. Here are some tips for weighting in: 1. Only weigh once a week 2. Weigh after you have had your first run to the rest room, you will be surprised how much poop and pee weigh....lol 3. never weigh after a meal or before you go to bed, you will be disappointed. 4. WEIGH IN THE MORNING AFTER YOU PEE AND POOP..... 5. NEVER WEIGH YOURSELF MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK I know I repeated myself but it was for a reason it is important.....And remember you are beginning a lifestyle change, embrace it and have fun with it.......

Hey Jeff, first glad you made it thru with surgery with no complications. Second of all everyone body processes differently so don't think you are doing wrong. But I would contiune to following the protocols your doctor put in place, NO MORE CRACKERS.....( i heard my moms voice oh no....sorry back on topic). I wouldn't worry about getting off track, part of this journey is mental as well. With that said you just need to change the way you think and do. No it won't be easy, change is never easy whether good bad or indifference. Take it one day at a time and don't worry to much about it. Remember your sleeve is just a tool but the real work comes in when you start to make the change mentally. I believe you can do, worry will only make you a bit crazy just take it one step at a time and it will get better and slowly you will change your lifestyle. Be grateful for no complication and enjoy the journey. Remember you are not alone there are gobs of us her for you ok. Praying for you

Thats what I did also

No problem.......

From what I have been reading it more of a thinning shed then a length shedding, so you should be ok.

My sx is scheduled on the 19th of this month and I talked to my Hair Salon Diva and she suggested I braid it up and put in a weave so as not to have to mess with it too much. I have been taking biotin for about 2 years 5000 MCG a day and have been going natural for close to a year, no color and it grows fast and is supper thick. Once I started my liver shrinking, or Bari Diet it started growing more because of the extra protein intake. So i will continue on this path and keep increasing my protein intake and hope to have minimal lost.

started a new topic in the post op section for Feb 2013 sleevers check it out. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/68655-february-sleevers-2013how-you-doing-after-youve-been-sleeved/#entry679387