Surgery Day - Tuesday Feb. 8, 2011

In preparing for surgery - the last day is basically only clear liquids.  You might as well have called it a fast for me - since all I had that day was water... until the magnesium citrate flush :(
Strangely enough - I wasn't hungry.  It was really weird.  I guess the nerves were kicking in.  I got a call saying my surgery was going to be delayed by an hour.  I was trying to figure out how I was going to go 11 hours without drinking a thing and nearly 36 hours without food.

On Tuesday (surgery day) I got a phone call that my surgery was moved up by and hour and how soon could I get to the hospital.  I flew out of bed - got my parents (they came in on Monday) and we headed for the hospital.  I had already pre-registered so check-in was a breeze.  I waited about 30 minutes and was taken back.

They had me change into my surgical gown and started drawing blood, giving me blood thinners, running pregnancy tests (no surprises there) and making sure all my paperwork was in order.  They called my parents up to come hang out with me.

While waiting - I started talking to the patient in the bed next to me (through the curtain.)  She was there to have gall bladder surgery.  She said she had VSG back in September and had lost almost 100 lbs. She said her husband had had it last December and had lost 140.  She told me to stick to the diet plan - she had gotten herself sick eating the wrong things too soon.  (Noted!  I didn't want to have more surgery!)

I finally met with the Anesthesiologist, my Surgeon, the ER Nurse and the Nurse Anesthetist.
It seems like it was a lifetime - but I was finally wheeled back for surgery.  From what I was told - that part was really quick - under an hour... and all went well.

It took me a bit to wake up in recovery - and I immediately felt nauseated and vomited.  (sorry to be graphic)
To be honest... I did a lot of vomiting that first day... every time I got up and went for a walk - I got sick.

A lot of people wonder about the pain from the surgery.  I honestly didn't have that much pain.  I only used my morphine pump a few times a bit after surgery... and I really think it was because I had menstrual cramps (I started the morning of surgery... horrible timing I know!!!)

After the first few hours - I didn't need that morphine pump anymore.  I couldn't have anything (not even water) until the morning after surgery.

OK - so let me break it down.... last food was at 7pm on Sunday, last drink was 11:50pm on Monday and now I couldn't have a drink again until Wednesday!!!

They did my sleeve test - and it went well (no leaks - but more nausea/vomiting - yuk!)

at 10am they finally brought me ice water.  I learned 2 things very quickly.  I get full after 2 oz of fluid and that ice water HURTS!  I used to crave ice water before... now it left a stabbing pain.  That was very weird for me.

Speaking of pain- the only major pain I had from the surgery was the gas pain from them bloating up my abdomen to make room for the instruments.  That lasted for a couple of days... but walking did make it better.

I finally moved to chicken broth and Gatorade later that day on Wednesday.  A few slight complications arose with a low grade fever and my blood sugar started to spike the night of surgery to where they had to start giving me insulin injections.  I stayed a second night in the hospital until all of that stabilized.

By Thursday after lunch - they upgraded me to full liquids (cream of chicken soup and yogurt) and I was sent home.  I got some well deserved rest that night :)