Hi!

I just got my surgery date today (Sept. 8!) and my mind is spinning with all kinds of things, everything from "can I afford vitamins forever?" to "what should I take to the hospital?" I even wrote a blog post about some of my fears, https://amiabutterfly.blogspot.com/2021/07/hey-yall.html trying to get them all out of me. What worries did you have, rational or irrational?

Also, I will be in the hospital Wednesday night and Thursday night, going home on Friday of that week. The hospital is a bit far away, and I'm wondering what's a reasonable amount for my husband to stick around the hospital for? It's not that I don't want him there! But I was thinking he could stay for the surgery, and seeing me up to my room on Wednesday, go home Wednesday night, and then come back for me Friday? I'm not sure there'd be anything for him to do on Thursday, other than hang out with me being half asleep. Did you need the support? Or were you fine on your own? We have a dog, and I don't want to leave the dog on her own, or at a kennel too long (she's old and I feel bad for her). So I was thinking we'd leave the dog at the kennel Tuesday into Wednesday and that would be the only time she had to sleep over if we did that.

Sorry for thinking out loud, I'm just wondering what's reasonable and what's too much of a stretch?

Thank you for your responses, and generally being lovely people with my last post.

Just a note, you will be saving so much money after surgery because one small container of Panera soup will last for 3 days lol. That money alone will pay for your vitamins.

I would say have him come the day of surgery and wait around, see you up to your room and maybe stay for an hour. You're going to be tired and out of it. You won't be in the mood for company. I slept more or less the majority of the first 48 hours I was in the hospital. You'll be on pain meds and sore and just all around uncomfortable. You're likely going to want to sleep just to avoid it all and make the time go by faster. So I didnt have any visitors until my girlfriend came to get me on my 3rd day when they sent me home. By then I was still very tired and still a little sore. I slept most of the car ride home and I was pretty inactive that day. It won't be until probably the 4th day or later when you have more energy and get back to being yourself.

As for fears I didn't really have any rational fears before surgery. I figured if **** goes wrong it goes wrong, nothing I can really do about it. Just hope for the best. I did fear I'd never eat a delicious cheeseburger or a piece of pizza again.. and if I did it wouldn't be the same. But that was probably just the weeks of pre-op liquid diet I was suffering through and my taste buds crying out for salvation.

The irrational fears I have are things like.. how the f**k am I going to get all my vitamins if we have a zombie apocalypse?? Could I survive without them? Will I ever be able to eat a real meal again and enjoy it? Those are the things that go through my head now and before I had surgery. I know a day will come when I can eat regular food again and have some of the things I used to love. It just feels soo far away and right now I'm still in the phase 2 diet stage. So everything sucks and I just keep daydreaming about life 6 months from now.

11 hours ago, John M said:

The irrational fears I have are things like.. how the f**k am I going to get all my Vitamins if we have a zombie apocalypse?? Could I survive without them? Will I ever be able to eat a real meal again and enjoy it? Those are the things that go through my head now and before I had surgery. I know a day will come when I can eat regular food again and have some of the things I used to love. It just feels soo far away and right now I'm still in the phase 2 diet stage. So everything sucks and I just keep daydreaming about life 6 months from now.

I also have zombie apocalypse fears. And I agree—if something goes wrong and I die, I’ll be too dead to care. It’s like the bomb squad guy who says he’s successful or it’s not his problem anymore.

My fear is that I am going to go through all the insanity I went through to get approved, through the pre op diet that I am going through right now (incidently after 16 pounds or so I am stalled for the last 4 days), go through the surgery and recovery and more restrictions only to find out that I am not going to lose any weight for some physical reason unique to me. I guess it is irrational, but that is my sick mind at work. I am meticulous with following direction (20 years military does that to you) and know it will all be fine, but I worry it will all be for nothing.

I haven’t had surgery yet but have had them in the past and having someone there when you wake up is nice but other wise you will just sleep off and on and more than likely won’t even care.

Interesting thing about vitamins is that after about 6 months I had to switch from bariatric vitamins because some of my
levels were too high, specifically iron and vitamin d. So my costs aren’t high at all.

My husband never even stepped foot in the hospital. Dropped me off at the door and picked me up, due to covid. I was fine, and I’d probably do the same thing even if covid hadn’t been a thing.

I was worried I’d never be able to eat normally again, I would have a leak, and that I wouldn’t lose weight. I’d say I eat very normally now (9 months out), I had no complications, and I’ve lost 158 lbs, so all fears were unfounded.

My advice to everyone in life is to stay far away from Facebook. Your life will be better for it! This site has great advice.

I am two days post up right now and did everything myself. They don't offer the surgery to patients with a BMI under 40 in my country, so I had to go to a different country (which is still only about 4 hours away). We have a very sick large dog that can't stay home alone, so that's why my BF wasn't able to come. I had surgery in the morning and then slept almost the entire day, so I didn't really mind being alone. It would have been nice having someone there the next day, helping me pack my bags and put my shoes and socks on lol. I also took public transportation home by myself and it was fine, but someone picking you up is definitely a lot better.

Right now I'm most afraid of getting dehydrated. Getting your fluids in is a lot harder than I imagined.

I just slept and didn’t really want anyone there, my sister came for about 10 minutes right after I got to my room. I just wanted to sleep. As far as the vitamins go I had the same worries. I bought a 2 month supply of Barimelt brand vitamins. After a couple months you can just take regular vitamins from Target or Walmart. Your dog will appreciate your husbands company more than you will. I way over packed for the hospital, I really only needed pjs. I had so many worries too, all unnecessary. It was all really SO much easier than I expected. Within a week you feel better than you have felt in years! It is so worth it.