Had my pre-op with the NUT and that was kind of a **** show. I am out of network and my insurance simply isnt covering the surgeons entire program (surgery only) so I KNOW Im missing out on some things he would normally offer through his hospital but I just dont know exactly what (I dont know what I dont know...get it!!) They also changed NUTs on me and this new woman didnt study my case history and called me today to say she'd forgotten to tell me a few things. One being the night-before cleanse! **** show...Tomorrow is my official pre-op with my surgeon and I want to pummel him with questions! Toss your best ones my way

Hahahaha mine is tonight so bump!

I mean I’m pretty well prepped but the one thing I want to ask him is “can I trust you?” while arresting his eyes with a direct stare, you know

One of my questions that I am asking the doc on Friday for my pre-op is about my gallbladder (will he remove it if it looks iffy). I also want to know if he does an air test in the OR or if I will have to do a swallow test.

I asked my surgeon whether he uses absorbable sutures to reinforce the staple line (he did).

You could ask what the staples are made of, and how long it takes for scar tissue to form on the stomach (preventing leaks).

You could ask whether you can expect to have a drain.

Ask what percentage of excess weight you should expect to lose.

Get a copy of the pre and post op diet plans.

Phew, what a frikken crazy day! Owners meeting at work- always a blast but we're behind schedule and they didnt let us forget it! Got lots of steps in. I also went to see a therapist on my own, went well, and I will continue to see her for awhile. Obviously I have food issues and this will do nothing but strengthen me for this journey.

Then I saw the surgeon and pre-op nurse. He answered all my questions: I will stay 2-3 days. I need to speak to the anesthesiologist about getting a breathing treatment for my asthmatic bronchitis prior to surgery. I have no gall bladder and there are no special considerations. Post-Op I can continue to take Benadryl and Claritin. I asked about the bougie and Im getting a 40 French. I LOVE IT, I laughed so hard, my doc is cool...so happy about that!!

Surgery is set up for 6AM, Tuesday October 17th. I go to the hospital 7 days prior for a drop-in assessment where I assume I'll sign other misc. consent forms and pay pay pay. Day before I am on "Clear Fast" which is not a cleanse but a nutritional, pre-op drink- 2 the day before and I bring 2 to the hospital for after surgery. I guess those will be my last and first meals on my bariatric adventure.

Oh, I take 4 grams of EPA/DHA Omega-3 supplements everyday from now til the surgery (I'll up that to 4.2 grams which equals a teaspoon).

That's it...I was way more nervous yesterday. I think part of it was I had an insanely busy day at work and my appointment literally was the last one of the day....I had no time to mind f**k myself and it all went great!

I'm so excited, I just can't hide it...if you were here, I'd kiss ya thank you so much for your support!

Hey, that’s awesome. It’s good to be busy busy... like you said; doesn’t leave room for one to mind frick themselves )

Oh and I had my pre-op yesterday as well. I ended up asking a whole bunch of things but also whether he had ever “lost” any patients. His answer satisfied me. He was very calm and collected about the whole procedure; I mean he even went into detail warning me about the quirks of the hospital so I don’t get upset the day of. All in all very considerate I’d say.

Oh man, lets hope doctors don't routinely lose patients. Imagine waking up in the maternity ward and nurses are trying to give you a baby! Eeekkkk!!!

You're like, NOooo I'm here for a baby tummy, not one of those!!

Oh man, lets hope doctors don't routinely lose patients. Imagine waking up in the maternity ward and nurses are trying to give you a baby! Eeekkkk!!!
You're like, NOooo I'm here for a baby tummy, not one of those!!

Hahahahahaha.... I was really more interested in his reaction and how he handles a question out of the blue...

Oh and I had my pre-op yesterday as well. I ended up asking a whole bunch of things but also whether he had ever “lost” any patients. His answer satisfied me. He was very calm and collected about the whole procedure; I mean he even went into detail warning me about the quirks of the hospital so I don’t get upset the day of. All in all very considerate I’d say.

Great question. But gosh how awkward it is for them!!! My surgeon pays for the local hotel conference room for our monthly WLS support group and he lectures often. At one of the early ones I went to, while covering the very graphic portions of surgery on a PowerPoint, someone blurted out and asked if he’d ever lost one on the table. He stopped everything and became very somber. He took the question very seriously and the discussion shifted to the importance of communication and pre op health and that statistically it really doesn’t happen much and that no, he’d never lost a patient. It was a very important question because it opened up the fears that many of us in the audience had- this is life changing surgery and might I die during it. Yes, it’s always a possibility because of the very nature of surgery. I had two disks replaced in my neck and could have been paralyzed, or worse. I was never so scared in my life and I clung to my two sons as I was wheeled off to the operating room. It’s always a possibility.

Ask lots of questions, even if they seem stupid but especially if a response would calm your fears. I mean yesterday I asked about abnormal pain. I JUST had my gall bladder removed, almost the same surgery so I know what to expect (kind of) He smiled and said dear you’re going to be in pain, it’s surgery. You will get through it but if something doesn’t feel right, you’ll know it. Pick up the phone and call us, twenty times if you need to. Then he winked at me. I’m figuring that meant you BETTER NOT call twenty times....I feel much more sure and calmed after my pre-op visit.

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I asked about the bougie and Im getting a 40 French. I LOVE IT, I laughed so hard, my doc is cool...so happy about that!!

Wait -- what does this even mean, LOL. I am so NOT cool, evidently :-)

A bougie is some sort of measuring device the surgeons use to cut and hem out new pouches and the 40 French apparently is one of the sizes of the pouch. I have NO CLUE how they do all this laparoscopically but there ya go!!!

Disclosure: this is my very rough, truly uneducated explanation, I’m a pre-op newbie and am hoping a better, more wizened explanation will follow [emoji851]

I asked about the bougie and Im getting a 40 French. I LOVE IT, I laughed so hard, my doc is cool...so happy about that!!

Wait -- what does this even mean, LOL. I am so NOT cool, evidently :-)

And Apple203, I think you’re cool [emoji41]

Ok, so a bougie is something (metal? Plastic?) shaped like a hot dog. They run it down into the stomach (via the esophagus) during the operation. Then they use a nifty tool that cuts, cauterizes, and staples, all at the same time, to separate the "keep" vs. "don't keep" part of the stomach.

The bougie is inside the "keep part" and gives something firm to make the cut against, while also making the sleeve the correct size.

The bougie is removed when the cuts are complete.

40 is a size measurement, and French is style I guess.

For a possibly more helpful description...

You have a pillowcase. I want you to make the pillowcase just big enough to hold your foot and lower leg. How would you do it?

Let's put your foot and leg into the case against one side, then cut off the extra case and stitch the two edges together. Voila! Custom leg accessory.

Now.. the pillowcase is your stomach, and the bougie is your leg.

Since stomach acid shouldn't get loose in the abdominal cavity, the cutting and stapling happen at the same time. The surgeon may also use suture material to oversew the staple line by hand, but that is done after the staples are in place, already securing the edges.