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My thoughts of my hospital stay as a more averaged sized person (not lapband surgery)

blahblahblah

By blahblahblah, in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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blahblahblah    4

blahblahblah
Posted

Hello all,

I was just in the hospital overnight after having a sling placed under my urethra to help support it. This was my first time in a hospital as a more average sized person....I thought I would share the experience with you.

Well, upon arrival i was given a gown. An extra large gown...It embarrassed me and made me feel as though everything I have worked for was for naught....But then i put it on and it was so enormous I could slip it off of me without untying the neck tie. It slid right down my shoulders. I HATED wearing it...It made me feel so similar to when I was MO...It, of course, had a different pattern than the rest of the gowns...so I just felt awful..Additionally, it was so large it was uncomfortable because the extra material bunched up...and I was anxious about my boobs showing.

Other than that, I can honestly say that this was my best visit to a hospital. When they moved me from the OR bed to the stretcher, I didn't worry that they would drop me. They also didn't have to call in extra people to help them. The person pushing the stretcher didn't look as though she was going to pass out while pushing me. I felt more comfortable in the bed. The support hose they made me wear fit and were comfortable (hot as hell, but comfortable). And the list goes on and on.

Whereas I once would have been concerned about whether I would be hungry and want more food, I barely ate anything and was totally fine with it. It wasn't a travesty that the food was gross, I didn't really care---I was more than content to read my book. That, as far as i'm concerned, is a huge HUGE HUGE difference for me!

Additionally, I felt almost normal sized as I sat in that bed...I didn't feel ashamed of myself as I have always felt in the past. I wasn't mortified when people saw me naked. (However, I must point out, that I almost look worse naked now than I did 116 lbs ago!!!---lots of ewwey skin on my tummy!) I never heard, wow, you're a big woman...I just heard that I was tall...and to be honest, i am very tall...so I always hear that. But tall is certainly easier to swallow than BIG...

It's funny, I still really perceive myself as an MO woman. I don't think of myself as more average sized...I tend to think that i never will.... but I definitely noticed a difference this time I was in the hospital...I'm not sure if it is a difference in myself or a difference in how I was treated, or both...but I loved it and it is only one more in a long laundry list of why I love having made the choice to be banded.

Oh well...off to take some percocet and fall asleep...Just thought I would share.

Rain

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Insky67    2

Insky67
Posted

What a great experience to share with us. It's funny how little things like that gown can make us feel, but those feelings are so real.

Congrats on your weight loss and hard work!

Robin

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Northwest_Nance    0

Northwest_Nance
Posted

You look great! Thanks for sharing this..... it's all these "little" things that keep us going on this journey. Glad your surgery went well too and that you're home.

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GayleTX    1

GayleTX
Posted

Funny you should post this.....I had a very similar experience just last week. Had a heart cath (something I've had done many times before) but this time the experience was very different.....before my biggest fear was being dropped or of having a nurse get hurt trying to lift or turn me. Before, they would have to pull my belly up and then tape it to the sides of the bed to hold it back so they could cut iinto the artery in my groin - very humiliating!!! This time I recovered quicker, had less pain, slept more comfortably in the bed. Before I had wls, I had said many times 'I don't want to be skinny, I don't want to be sexy.......all I want is to be somewhat normal.' And normal feels awfully good, doesn't it!!!

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juliegeraci    7

juliegeraci
Posted

Hi Rain, that is great honey. Sorry about the gown. Mine was big on me too when I went for my latest OBGYN appointment. And today at our corporate offices where I occassionally visit an old friend she he didn't recognize me. Now that is inspiration.

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Go To Topic Listing LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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    • Alisa_S

      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.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      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

        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

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • KimBaxleyWilson

      KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

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