Day 5 Post Op "242.5 lbs"

Today I will give you all the details of my surgery and the week following. Today I feel pretty much like my old self but only 20 lbs less. Here goes.
DAY ONE:
Monday morning we had to be at the hospital by 6:00 so we wanted to get up about 5:00. Well at 5:00 our doorbell rang and it was Tom, my father-in-law to stay with Chris and take him to school. That was our signal to get up and get going. All I had to do was get dressed in comfy clothes because I had to take my shower the night before and than wipe down with these special wipes the hospital had given me. As I heard one patient say at the hospital, the wipes felt like they had glue on them. Back to the night before, I have to shower, wipe down, sleep on clean sheets with a clean nightgown. With that all done it was simple for me to get ready and go to the hospital. John did a short form of his morning routine and we were ready to go to the hospital by 5:30. We packed a bag for both John and I to spend the night in the hospital, took my c-pat machine and we were on our way.
When we got to the hospital we went to the surgery waiting room and waiting for it to open to check us in. Believe it or not, we were not the first there, there were 5 other family groups there also. About 5:50 someone came out and started checking us in for surgery. About 6:00 I was taken back into the surgery area and my preparation was started. John was told that he would be called back in about 30 min or so and he could stay with me until I was taken into surgery. I signed a few papers and they started my IV. Like my father, it is not easy to take blood or start an IV in me. The RN only wanted to stick me once so she ended up putting it in the back of my left hand. She did a really good job and it did not bother me anytime during my stay. The only other medication that they came me was a shot in my stomach of a blood thinner, it really burned but after this I think all medicine burns when it is given through an IV. After my prep was all finished, they called John back and we waited for the doctor to come by. About 7:00 Dr. Hitchcock came by and explained to John and myself what was he was going to do, how long it would take and left. He does not have much of a bedside manner. John and I had fun watching the other patients and their families while we waited for me to go back. Soon it was my turn and they gave me the good drugs in my IV, I remember turning the corner going out of the surgery room and that was it.
Next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery. I did not really have any pain just a feeling of fullness in my stomach area from all the gas they use to do the surgery. People by every few minutes asking me the same questions, do I have any pain, do I have any nausea. I had neither so I just continued to wake up. One thing they did do to me was take an xray to make sure the band was in place and everything was working. They had to get 2 xrays and they really scraped up my back when they were putting the file cartridge under me. I was still to asleep to say anything, I just knew it was happening. About 10:30 or so, not sure of the time, all my vital signs were stable and they took me up to my room for me to spend the night. John was given my room assignment and showed up in a few minutes. It was a semi-private room but I was the only one there at the time. We go settled in and it was pretty uneventful. I didn't have alot of pain but AI took their pain medicine because I did not want to have paid. I was given hydrocodone liquid for pain and also an anti nausea medicine in my IV. They both worked very good. I was sore but no real pain. I got up and started walking before noon because the only pain I had was from the gas that walking would get rid of. They brought me a clear liquid lunch of beef broth, green jello and orange sherbet. I ate some of all of it and it was really good. It didn't take much to fill me up. I continued to walk during the day and I think I made a total of 12 trips around the hospital floor during the day. Tom and Judy picked Chris up from school but he did not want to come to the hospital and see me, which was OK, they spent the night with him also.
Late in the day I got a roommate that had also had lap band surgery. She came in about 5:00 and she did not think she was going to have to spend the night so no one was with her. She needed a specific xray before she could go home and it could not be done until early the next morning so she had to stay. While I was there, no one came to be with her, it was kind of sad. Once when I lived in Stillwater, I had to go to surgery alone and it was a little scary. I know someone would be there when I came out but going in alone was not fun. Since I now had a roommate, the nurse said that John could not stay with me, but my roommate said she did not care so they said he could stay.
John stayed with me all the time I was in the hospital and he was such a comfort. He is such a great care give and I am so lucky that he loves me and I love him in return.
DAY TWO:
Tuesday was a totally different day. I still really did not have any pain from the surgery, just pain from the gas and I had the startings of nausea. During the night, I didn't know if it was a dream or real, but I had waves of nausea that I fought back and they still lingered this morning. I didn't eat any breakfast and when I got up to walk, I only made one trip around the floor. I had no energy. We started back with the ice chips and built up from there. I still had my IV and they continued to give me antibiotics, pain medication and anti nausea. I walked a couple more times but only 1 trip around. John was very worried about me and I am sorry for that, I just didn't feel well. Once I finished my last dose of IV antibiotics and the RN talked with my DR office, I was ready to be dismissed. They gave me my discharge instructions and let me walk to the car and we went home. I was very slow but I did fine.
They gave me 2 prescriptions one for pain and one for nausea to take at home and John got them filled. Most any medication I take needs to be in a liquid form so it does not get stopped by the band. The doctor puts the band in with a few cc's of restriction so from the beginning you have to be careful about what you swallow. When I got home I was not at all hungry so I ate Jello and broth. I called the doctor and the nurse sent over more discharge instructions from their office that the hospital did not have. It explained alot about what foods I could eat and when and what to expect. They suggested I get liquid Tylenol and Mylanta for gas. John picked them up and the Mylanta was my savior. It really helped get rid of the gas. This is Friday and I think I took my last dose of Mylanta last night. I think the gas is pretty much gone.
DAY THREE:
On Wednesday, I took my first shower and it really helped. I was feeling much better today. The nausea was gone, just soreness in my abs like I had been doing crunches. Gas is better but not gone. The pain in my left shoulder is still intense and the pain medication does not help, so that is my biggest complaint. John had to go to work for a few hours and he will bring home liquid Tylenol and Mylanta. I talked with my family during the morning while I felt good so everyone knew I was doing better. John got home about 2:00 with the medications and they both helped alot. Wednesday was a good day, I walked outside and just rested. Still didn't feel much like eating but had a protein drink late in the day to get some nutrition. Took only the Tylenol for pain and it is doing the job.
DAY FOUR:
This was my first day alone at home. Feeling good, just a little tenderness but not bad, gas is better and my appetite is coming back slowly. The doctor instruction on diet is clear liquid through today and than full liquid until I go to the doctor on Tuesday, Oct 13. I had a protein drink but I also made some chocolate pudding and cream of chicken soup today instead of waiting until day 5. Didn't eat much and seemed to do fine. John and Chris were very upset with me so I need to follow the rules from now on. I have been pushing the fluids to get rid of the fluid weight I gained in the hospital. When I came home from the hospital I was back up to 250.5 but on Thursday, I was down to 243.5. It rained all day today and couldn't walk outside so I just walked around the house.
DAY FIVE:
Today if Friday and I am getting out of the house today. Have an appointment at 11:00 and it feels good to get out. Really feeling good, no pain today, just slight tenderness, gas is almost gone and nothing hurts. Weight is down to 242.5 today so that is great. Just have to be careful with what I eat, chew it alot and drink alot of water. FOLLOW THE RULES and I will succeed.
I have great support in my family and I love them all very much. Even Chris in his own way lets me know he loves me. He is very protective. I have a deal with him. When I get down to his weight, he weighs about 210, he will join me on my weight loss journey. We will have fun. He is very competitive with me in everything.
I have had an exciting and great week, I will never regret having the surgery done. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. All for now.