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Best decision I've ever made...



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My name is Trina and this is my story.

Surgery Date Dec 19 2011. RNY.

Surgery was fine. Walked around a bit the first day with no problems. Didn't get much rest due to vistors.

Second day Dec 20th was a different story and when all the complications started. Walked the halls but had some bleeding from one of the suture sites. It was packed but it kept bleeding which I was told could happen. Surgeon stitched up the suture and everythign seemsed ok. I later took some of my meds and about an hour later started to feel really bad; sweaty, cold and weak. I was to be discharged but instead laid back down.

Called the nurse in and told her how I was feeling. She took my vital signs, left out of the room and came back. Told my mom and company not to panic but my blood pressure dropped really low and that they were going to call in a crash cart team. Code Blue was called and about 50 people can running in along with the surgeon. Dr. E asked me what happened and how I was feeling which I explained. They took some blood and ran some tests. In a 10 minute time frame, I was told that there is some internal bleeding and that I would be having emergency surgery in the next few minutes. I was taken back to surgery.

Woke up in ICU and unaware that I had not only 1 surgery but 2 for a total of 3 surgeries within a 24 hour period. I developed pneumonia due to the breathing machine I was hooked to along with several other machines. The scariest part was waking up, not being able to talk and ask what happened. When the nurse introduced himself and said I was in ICU, I knew something did not go well. I later found out the 1st surgery could not pinpoint the cause of the bleeding so a 3rd surgery was done and part of my stomach was removed to stop the bleeding. My family camped out at the hospital the entire time I was in ICU. Everything happened so fast I was unable to contact friends or co-workers so people just started showing up at the hospital. I had told everyone that I was getting out Dec 20th. I spent 3 days in ICU and everyday I was there, someone passed away. My room was right outside the nurses station. I would hear Code Blue and people running, family members crying. It was overwhelming to say the least but I got better and stronger everyday and was able to leave ICU and return to a regular room. I was in the hospital for Christmas and spent a total of 7 days there. I am thankful that all of my problems were at the beginning and I have not had any since. I went without food for 7 days which was unthinkable before surgery. I wasn't even allowed to have anything to drink while in ICU because they wanted to make sure everything was alright so I had IV fluids until I returned to the regular room. I then had Clear liquids which I didn't want.

If I have learned nothing else from this experience, its that family no matter if you get along or not, was there for me around the clock; prayer changes things and sometimes when things happen to you its not about you but how you handle it which lets others know that even in the worst of times, there can be blessings as well. With everything I have been through..I am still thankful and to date have lost 100lbs. This surgery has saved me from destroying myself with food.

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Wow... What a story! I'm so glad that it had a good ending... Thank you so much for sharing

~Leticia **HW: 259**PreOp: 216**SURG: 3/21/13 **Discharged @: 221**28 days post op. CW: 193.8 lbs<br />---ONE-DERLAND ---

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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