jennm

I started this journey in December 2012-went to an informative session-the prescreening process was extremely thorough and took longer with lots of barriers getting in the way. I was finally on the home stretch, met w/ my surgeon in late May hoping to get a surgery date. Once again had a couple more obstacles that got in the way but was able to get a surgery date. I was sleeved on the 23rd at BIDMC. I am nearly 1week post-op. The first 5 days post-op were difficult and my certainty became clouded w/ doubt. I woke up w/ a NG-tube and was told that it had to remain in place for 24 hrs. My pain scale wasn't too bad and was controlled my self administered morphine pump. My biggest complaint was my sore throat and not being allowed to drink or have some ice. I even made it to the bathroom on my own several times that night. I went to sleep that night feeling optimistic. Because I fell asleep I missed a few doses of pain meds and woke up in extreme pain. The night nurse responded to my call and reassured me and told me to push the pump button several times. On Tuesday morning, nature called and pressed for assistance to use the bathroom. The overnight staff assisted by disconnecting my oxygen and GI suction. Upon returning to my bed, the nurse reattached my oxygen but not my suction. Once I noticed that something did not feel right I began pushing the call button. Yet no one came to help. Someone came across a loud speaker asking what was up. In my panicked state I tried to describe what was happening, but still no one came and I could see the blood. It wasn't until my roommate arrived at 7:40a that i got the attention I needed. Finally several of the nursing staff, doctors came to my rescue. They reassured me and removed the tube. I felt extremely vulnerable and embarrassed. As you could see my 2nd post op day did not start off well and I was in pain. I controlled the pain w/ the morphine which made me extremely loopy and a little "psychotic". I did pass the barium test with flying colors. The rest of the day 2 was a blur but I was on my stage 1-1oz Water each hour. My morphine dose was decreased and i woke up more lucid day 3. I took a sponge bath w/out assistance and was advanced to stage 2 & 3 with hopes of being discharged that evening. Yeah!!!
Day 4 at home went okay. Slept a lot and met my daily hydration goal but fell short of my Protein goal. My pain was managed by OxyContin and at worse was a 3.
Day 5: woke up feeling better, more energy and more optimistic. Took a shower, did some work on computer and talked to a few friends. That afternoon had 2 coughing episodes , shortness of breath and lightheaded ness. My surgeon wanted me to go back to ER. Several hours later I was diagnosed w / pneumonia. Did not meet my hydration nor Protein goals.
Day 6: little to no pain-switched over to liquid Tylenol. Walked more and much more alert. Even went out to pick up my liquid antibiotic and purchased a belly support brace . Boy did that make such a big difference! Still very emotional and in doubt that this was worth it.
Today-woke up feeling much better and more optimistic and even positive.
I haven't weighed myself, but already feel a difference.
I have shared this story not to make others doubt that this is worth it, but to be honest that this is a process and that doubt is very normal. I will continue to share my experience. I'm still not 100%certain that I made the right decision but for right now I am closer!
Have a great day all .
J

I started this journey in December 2012-went to an informative session-the prescreening process was extremely thorough and took longer with lots of barriers getting in the way. I was finally on the home stretch, met w/ my surgeon in late May hoping to get a surgery date. Once again had a couple more obstacles that got in the way but was able to get a surgery date. I was sleeved on the 23rd at BIDMC. I am nearly 1week post-op. The first 5 days post-op were difficult and my certainty became clouded w/ doubt. I woke up w/ a NG-tube and was told that it had to remain in place for 24 hrs. My pain scale wasn't too bad and was controlled my self administered morphine pump. My biggest complaint was my sore throat and not being allowed to drink or have some ice. I even made it to the bathroom on my own several times that night. I went to sleep that night feeling optimistic. Because I fell asleep I missed a few doses of pain meds and woke up in extreme pain. The night nurse responded to my call and reassured me and told me to push the pump button several times. On Tuesday morning, nature called and pressed for assistance to use the bathroom. The overnight staff assisted by disconnecting my oxygen and GI suction. Upon returning to my bed, the nurse reattached my oxygen but not my suction. Once I noticed that something did not feel right I began pushing the call button. Yet no one came to help. Someone came across a loud speaker asking what was up. In my panicked state I tried to describe what was happening, but still no one came and I could see the blood. It wasn't until my roommate arrived at 7:40a that i got the attention I needed. Finally several of the nursing staff, doctors came to my rescue. They reassured me and removed the tube. I felt extremely vulnerable and embarrassed. As you could see my 2nd post op day did not start off well and I was in pain. I controlled the pain w/ the morphine which made me extremely loopy and a little "psychotic". I did pass the barium test with flying colors. The rest of the day 2 was a blur but I was on my stage 1-1oz Water each hour. My morphine dose was decreased and i woke up more lucid day 3. I took a sponge bath w/out assistance and was advanced to stage 2 & 3 with hopes of being discharged that evening. Yeah!!!
Day 4 at home went okay. Slept a lot and met my daily hydration goal but fell short of my Protein goal. My pain was managed by OxyContin and at worse was a 3.
Day 5: woke up feeling better, more energy and more optimistic. Took a shower, did some work on computer and talked to a few friends. That afternoon had 2 coughing episodes , shortness of breath and lightheaded ness. My surgeon wanted me to go back to ER. Several hours later I was diagnosed w / pneumonia. Did not meet my hydration nor Protein goals.
Day 6: little to no pain-switched over to liquid Tylenol. Walked more and much more alert. Even went out to pick up my liquid antibiotic and purchased a belly support brace . Boy did that make such a big difference! Still very emotional and in doubt that this was worth it.
Today-woke up feeling much better and more optimistic and even positive.
I haven't weighed myself, but already feel a difference.
I have shared this story not to make others doubt that this is worth it, but to be honest that this is a process and that doubt is very normal. I will continue to share my experience. I'm still not 100%certain that I made the right decision but for right now I am closer!
Have a great day all .
J

Courtney it is ok to be nervous I am too and mine is the 24th but I just keep thinking about the big picture wait I won't have any more big pictures because I will be smaller. We will do fine...