hi folks.

My surgery is Tuesday. I had help coming from out of state for my original surgery date, but it got moved up and now im back to going it alone.

I plan on having a taxi to and fro the hospital. I have most everything set up here at the house. I feel it should be okay?

HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THIS ALONE? please respond. Your input is so important.

I Did, except I stayed in hospital overnight for the one night- mainly because I have other medical problems and the surgeon said for saftey sake eiter I needed to have another adult present for the first 24 hours or stayed in overnight. I was already wheelcahir dependant but had minimal pain and felt that I could have managed but respect the saftey concerns. Everyone one is different, some people experience minimal pain others have a tough time- I would say that at the very least, it is highly desirable to have support and assistance available if possible. if you don't need it, all well and good but if you are having a tough time and have no one to call on it could be rough

I was banned on Friday. I took a taxi to the surgical center and then had a car service pick me up and take me home. I stayed at the center till I felt well enough to walk and talk. I had everything ready for when I got home. It was really quite easy. I would always say if some one could help you out it would be better, but sometimes you have to go it alone! Make your doctor and nurses know of your plans before you do it. Good luck!!

My Sister in law took me to the hospital but did not stay. I was in the hospital overnight and the my sister picked me up the next day dropped me of at home and was alone from then on. I agree having help would have been great but I made it alone. Where do you live? I noticed you are having surgery in Huston.

You may want to check and make sure that it is okay with the hospital and Dr. that you take a taxi back to the airport/hotel. Many will not let you because you will be drugged and they do not want to be responsible if anything happens.

Good Luck!

Amelia

thank you so much for your input! i feel better about it. I quite literally have no one i can call. I am completely by myself. My friend who was going to come lives in oklahoma and cannot get here now. Yep, im being banded in Houston. I live in Maine. I am renting a cottage in Galveston. When the surgeons office calls tomorrow i will tell them about my situation and go from there. Ive really tried to prepare here at the cottage for my return and recovery as best i can. I have made arrangements to stay here in the cottage until the end of march. Believe me, i wish i wasnt alone, but i am. Its just how it goes. ya know?

Hi Lizbit

Another Mainer here......thinking of you.......today is YOUR day!!! Hope all went well.

Ennigmah

Lizbit

Hope all went well!

hey guys!

thanks for your posts!

i wound up hiring the cab ive been using to get back n forth to houston to come in and wait for me. It went VERY smooth, I got fitted for a medium sized band!!!!

im banded!!! woooooo!

i have the house all set up (thank god) and im spending a LOT of couch time wiht pillows propped up.

listen, the only thing i can get down so far is special k Water and liquid lortab! thnk goodness for the liquid lortab and gas x! The surgeon was FANTASTIC and the gas isnt TOO horrible. Nothing in my shoulder so far, but it did feel when i first woke up like id swollowed a football!

This was such a fantastic decision. Im absolutely happy to be a bandster!!!

woo!

hey, btw, the liquid diet preop??? i TOTALLY understand wny now. If you are preband, and they put you on one STAY ON IT. i think i would have been horribly unconfortable if id not followed it.

im chillin for now. I have five 'bullet holes" just undermy boobs and some bleeding at the port site which is on my left ribcage. (for now) i think when i lose the wieght it will be just under it and high enough so that when i have a tt later on it will not affect the band

woo!

its not so bad, but it sure felt good to see your posts! i dont "feel" alone

congrats Lizrbit!

Thank you for updating us.....so glad all went well.

Ah, a cottage on the beach on the Gulf in the winter....must be heaven for someone from the snowy northcountry!

Take care of yourself!!

I'm glad everything went well with your surgery! And your recovery sounds like it is also going well.... Congrats

Congrats Lizrbit. When you're feeling well, you're certainly welcome at any of the support groups around Houston, for some company!

thanks very much everyone! Out of all the surgeries ive had, this one was definitely the smoothest. My throat isnt even sore from the breathing tube. I love this surgeon.

im three days out now, and its been fine. I told my employer i had stomach flu and she brought me some chicken broth yesterday, i drank all that, and then today i woke up and honest to gosh laid there with my eyes open and could not feel anything sore. I felt completely normal..then i sat up! yikes! by dr's orders im walking thirty minutes a day and its helping a LOT with gas as well as soreness and nausea. Today i even rode my bike to the store to get more gas x and chicken broth!

That cabbie wound up costing me 480 dollars. For the other tests it was 200. he waited for me and really went out of his way to help me, and it was worth it, but you should have heard the sound i made when i found out!

Having the house set up helped significantly.

some examples:

i had extra pillows all over the bed ready for me to just fall into. cans and cans of chicken broth, liquid medications ready and on a table right next to a couch with more pillows. Toilette paper stocked up, wetnaps available in bathroom, bag of ice in freezer, my favorite sweats all clean and wainting. lots of kellogs protien water. flip flops i wound up not using, but got them just in case i couldnt bend over to put on my shoes. lots of netflix movies, lots of flavored teas and honey.

Its working out very well so far.

my people from back in maine call often and ive enjoyed that, but find that if imon the liquid pain meds i dont like being on the phone much.

Being alone sucks, of that there is NO doubt. but i think this board is a wonderful wealth of knowledge that can prepare people in a realistic way of what to expect so that its not too bad.

Thanks for inviting me to the Houston Group, i would have already been there if i could. since i flew down, im on foot, and after this last round of cab ventures i need to save the money to get to the follow up visits. Hey though, im staying at a vacation cottage thats used for group retreats in the historic district in Galveston. Maybe we could set up a meeting here? i could host it! we could make band freindly meals, and hang out and talk. PM me if this sounds even remotely interesting? Id do it in a heartbeat.

OK...I had my surgery Wednesday and I can't even imagine riding a bike, but more power to ya!!

Glad it worked out ok not having someone there with you

Lizrbit, can't believe the bike ride. I was banded on Monday, and took a very short car ride to the store yesterday and felt every single bump in the road. I'm sure I could not be as brave as you to do it all alone. My daughter was banded a year ago, so I have lots of good advice. One thing I did find out today was that I could take 800 mgs. Ibuprophen finally, which was a lifesaver. The liquid/codene stuff was making me crazy. Way too groggy. This is so much better. Gas pains in my shoulder finally slowed down today (day 5). Feel almost human today, plus I can have milk now..I love skim milk, so maybe adding Unjury to it will boost my energy level. Glad I didn't go back to work today as I had thought. Now with Pres. day off, it gives me a few more days. Good to hear you made it by yourself! You're an inspiration!

lessofme

I went to Mexico alone. You'll be just fine. Good luck.