Re: Greetings from the other side

[Guest guest]

Hi there . . . ette, isn't it?

I am so glad to hear that you are home and doing fine.

I love your account of your hospital experience. I think it really gives

any pre-ops a good idea of what to expect. I remember I was so worried about

just what it would be like in the hospital, then I read a couple of folks'

accounts of their hospital experiences and I felt much less anxious.

Take it easy . . . rest & recuperate.

All the best,

Kay

open RNY 12/1/03

pgbaker21 wrote:

Hi all!

I'm going to try and get all I want to say out quickly because I'm

beginning to lose steam and it's time to take a nap. But aside from

my friends I know locally who've had WLS, I couldn't wait to get back

to share my surgery experiences. I had my surgery on 3/30 at Kaiser

Richmond. I went to Richmond (because I live in Elk Grove and didn't

want to fight the morning commute) on Monday afternoon to do the two

blood tests that need to be done within 72 hours before surgery. I

checked into the Holiday Inn Express in San Pablo (right off of 80)

with my husband and we enjoyed a quiet pre-surgery evening together.

I was instructed to report to the Surgery Reception are at Richmond

at 8:30 a.m. and I was relieved because I hadn't eaten anything after

6 PM the evening before (except some decaf green tea and water) and I

had nothing except for the meds the anesthesiologist gave me and my

heart medicine the morning of surgery.

The nursing staff in the pre-op area are all up beat and very

positive which was helpful to my silent anxiety. They handed me my

surgery ensemble picked out by the Kaiser fashionistas - tan slipper

socks (you really don't need slippers while you are in the hospital

because the slipper socks work just fine); a sufficiently large tan

hospital gown with green and blue print to match the blue surgery cap

I was given to wear, and to top off the ensemble, a green surgery

gown to be flung over the shoulders to wear as a cape. After I came

from the changing area, looking very cute, I was asked to sit in one

of their supersized recliner-like chairs and they put in the IV, gave

me some sour medicine for my tummy and then Dr. Fisher came by in his

scrubs to ask if I had any last minute questions and to explain that

I will be meeting with the ansethesiologist of the day and then going

into the OR. The nurse explained that in the OR, I would be lying on

a narrow table to give the surgeons and other staff easy access

during surgery and my arms were most likely going to be strapped out

in a cross like formation. Sure enough, when the nurse walked me

into the OR, there was a cross-like looking table. The

ansethesiologist explained that they would adminster the anesthesia

in the IV and I would feel a slight burning sensation, and soon after

that and after getting oxygen mask on, the ansethesia would quicly

take effect. True to their words, it did. I remember asking Dr.

Fisher if they were going to play music during surgery and he said

they would, and if I wanted it on earlier, they would put it on.

Well, the anesthesia worked so quickly, I didn't even hear the

music. The next thing I knew, I woke up in recovery. In the pre-

surgery appointments, the Bariatric Surgery Case manager asks you to

project on a scale of 1-10 with ten being the highest level of pain,

to project what level of pain you could tolerate without meds. I had

projected five. Expecting this, I was surprised when I woke up in

recovery that my pain level was only like a 3 and pretty much stayed

that way for the rest of the day. I was wheeled from revcovey to my

room on the 3rd floor and found that my friend, Beverly who had

surgery the day before had already been released and I was in the

same bed that she was in, so she must have been released that

morning! In the room, I had the pain med monitor hooked up and the

IV as well as the pulse/oxygen monitor and the oxygen hook-up. My

husband joined me and spent the rest of the afternoon with me. I was

given the spirometer to take 10 breaths each hour to help with the

recovery. It wasn't long before the "lift team" - two young guys -

alo upbeat and positive - came to disconnect and reconnect my wires

and to virtually push and lift me out of bed. Walking was not

actually bad and I found that I was disappointed that they only had

me walking every four hours. I found I wanted to get out of bed and

walk every hour. This became a little more difficult when the "lift

team" went home and I had to rely on the night nurses to help me

out. I soon learned the best ways to get out of bed and move around

so I could be more independent. Dr. Fisher and Dr. Park both visited

the bariatric patients the morning after surgery - there are always

two surgeons present at every surgery. So it was nice to meet Dr.

Park and Dr. Fisher was very pleased with my "numbers" and my level

of activity.

I rejoiced when they brought me a cup of ice chips - but be warned to

take the chips slowly - I got my first "foaming" experience when I

downed more than two ice chips in 15 minute - you're supposed to only

take in a few ice chips every 15 minutes so that your intake is not

more than your pouch can handle. Soon after, If felt naseuous and

upchucked some foam. After that, I was more careful about what I put

in my mouth, not wanting to repeat that experience.

I later found out that there were three bariatric surgeries that day -

I was the first, and my room mate was the third. It was great

because she had an open surgery too, but she was experiencing a lot

of pain and nausea. She was so sick, she had to bring her upchuck

pail when she went walking. Needless to say, she was still in the

hospital when I was released.

Yesterday, I found out that your anestheia wears off and my pain

level started to increase - especially after they unhooked the pain

meds and the IV. My pain level went to my seven level and they soon

brought me some liquid pain killer that did the trick immediately. I

found that the liquid stuff only lasted two to two and a half hours,

so I got in my walks and naps before it was time for the next dose.

My friend and my family came to visit me in the afternoon, and within

15 minutes after my husband left, Dr. Park came in and asked if I

wanted to go home. Needless to say, I called my husband's cell and

asked him to turn around. The pharmacist delivers the meds to take

home and I was soon on my way.

My first night home was rough - I couldn't find a company that would

rent the lifting recliners and I didn't want to put out the $$ to

purchase a lifting recliner since I don't plan to be a couch potato

much after my recovery. So, my husband had to be my "lift team"

until I found a comfortable way to get in and out of bed and to find

a comfortable sitting chair, propped with pillows, etc. I am now

losing steam, so I am signing off, but I wanted to share my first-

hand experiences from the other side. I had looked forward to visits

from the 4/1 orientation class people and from Gemello, but I'll have

to get my greetings online. I'll keep everyone posted! Nap time

now...

[Guest guest]

Wow Pat!

Sounds like everything went so well! Im so so happy to hear it. I

have to tell you before my surgey I did invest in a huge lazy boy

recliner. I slept in it for the first 2 weeks! and today I still

love it .It was $800 so it was not cheap but well worth it.I now

call it my SUV chair and when I sit in it I feel sooooooo Small, but

its so comfy

Please keep us posted on your speedy recovery!

love,

Shell

359/201/?

> Hi all!

> I'm going to try and get all I want to say out quickly because I'm

> beginning to lose steam and it's time to take a nap. But aside

from

> my friends I know locally who've had WLS, I couldn't wait to get

back

> to share my surgery experiences. I had my surgery on 3/30 at

Kaiser

> Richmond. I went to Richmond (because I live in Elk Grove and

didn't

> want to fight the morning commute) on Monday afternoon to do the

two

> blood tests that need to be done within 72 hours before surgery.

I

> checked into the Holiday Inn Express in San Pablo (right off of

80)

> with my husband and we enjoyed a quiet pre-surgery evening

together.

> I was instructed to report to the Surgery Reception are at

Richmond

> at 8:30 a.m. and I was relieved because I hadn't eaten anything

after

> 6 PM the evening before (except some decaf green tea and water)

and I

> had nothing except for the meds the anesthesiologist gave me and

my

> heart medicine the morning of surgery.

>

> The nursing staff in the pre-op area are all up beat and very

> positive which was helpful to my silent anxiety. They handed me

my

> surgery ensemble picked out by the Kaiser fashionistas - tan

slipper

> socks (you really don't need slippers while you are in the

hospital

> because the slipper socks work just fine); a sufficiently large

tan

> hospital gown with green and blue print to match the blue surgery

cap

> I was given to wear, and to top off the ensemble, a green surgery

> gown to be flung over the shoulders to wear as a cape. After I

came

> from the changing area, looking very cute, I was asked to sit in

one

> of their supersized recliner-like chairs and they put in the IV,

gave

> me some sour medicine for my tummy and then Dr. Fisher came by in

his

> scrubs to ask if I had any last minute questions and to explain

that

> I will be meeting with the ansethesiologist of the day and then

going

> into the OR. The nurse explained that in the OR, I would be lying

on

> a narrow table to give the surgeons and other staff easy access

> during surgery and my arms were most likely going to be strapped

out

> in a cross like formation. Sure enough, when the nurse walked me

> into the OR, there was a cross-like looking table. The

> ansethesiologist explained that they would adminster the

anesthesia

> in the IV and I would feel a slight burning sensation, and soon

after

> that and after getting oxygen mask on, the ansethesia would quicly

> take effect. True to their words, it did. I remember asking Dr.

> Fisher if they were going to play music during surgery and he said

> they would, and if I wanted it on earlier, they would put it on.

> Well, the anesthesia worked so quickly, I didn't even hear the

> music. The next thing I knew, I woke up in recovery. In the pre-

> surgery appointments, the Bariatric Surgery Case manager asks you

to

> project on a scale of 1-10 with ten being the highest level of

pain,

> to project what level of pain you could tolerate without meds. I

had

> projected five. Expecting this, I was surprised when I woke up in

> recovery that my pain level was only like a 3 and pretty much

stayed

> that way for the rest of the day. I was wheeled from revcovey to

my

> room on the 3rd floor and found that my friend, Beverly who had

> surgery the day before had already been released and I was in the

> same bed that she was in, so she must have been released that

> morning! In the room, I had the pain med monitor hooked up and

the

> IV as well as the pulse/oxygen monitor and the oxygen hook-up. My

> husband joined me and spent the rest of the afternoon with me. I

was

> given the spirometer to take 10 breaths each hour to help with the

> recovery. It wasn't long before the " lift team " - two young

guys -

> alo upbeat and positive - came to disconnect and reconnect my

wires

> and to virtually push and lift me out of bed. Walking was not

> actually bad and I found that I was disappointed that they only

had

> me walking every four hours. I found I wanted to get out of bed

and

> walk every hour. This became a little more difficult when

the " lift

> team " went home and I had to rely on the night nurses to help me

> out. I soon learned the best ways to get out of bed and move

around

> so I could be more independent. Dr. Fisher and Dr. Park both

visited

> the bariatric patients the morning after surgery - there are

always

> two surgeons present at every surgery. So it was nice to meet Dr.

> Park and Dr. Fisher was very pleased with my " numbers " and my

level

> of activity.

>

> I rejoiced when they brought me a cup of ice chips - but be warned

to

> take the chips slowly - I got my first " foaming " experience when I

> downed more than two ice chips in 15 minute - you're supposed to

only

> take in a few ice chips every 15 minutes so that your intake is

not

> more than your pouch can handle. Soon after, If felt naseuous and

> upchucked some foam. After that, I was more careful about what I

put

> in my mouth, not wanting to repeat that experience.

>

> I later found out that there were three bariatric surgeries that

day -

> I was the first, and my room mate was the third. It was great

> because she had an open surgery too, but she was experiencing a

lot

> of pain and nausea. She was so sick, she had to bring her upchuck

> pail when she went walking. Needless to say, she was still in the

> hospital when I was released.

>

> Yesterday, I found out that your anestheia wears off and my pain

> level started to increase - especially after they unhooked the

pain

> meds and the IV. My pain level went to my seven level and they

soon

> brought me some liquid pain killer that did the trick

immediately. I

> found that the liquid stuff only lasted two to two and a half

hours,

> so I got in my walks and naps before it was time for the next dose.

>

> My friend and my family came to visit me in the afternoon, and

within

> 15 minutes after my husband left, Dr. Park came in and asked if I

> wanted to go home. Needless to say, I called my husband's cell

and

> asked him to turn around. The pharmacist delivers the meds to

take

> home and I was soon on my way.

>

> My first night home was rough - I couldn't find a company that

would

> rent the lifting recliners and I didn't want to put out the $$ to

> purchase a lifting recliner since I don't plan to be a couch

potato

> much after my recovery. So, my husband had to be my " lift team "

> until I found a comfortable way to get in and out of bed and to

find

> a comfortable sitting chair, propped with pillows, etc. I am now

> losing steam, so I am signing off, but I wanted to share my first-

> hand experiences from the other side. I had looked forward to

visits

> from the 4/1 orientation class people and from Gemello, but I'll

have

> to get my greetings online. I'll keep everyone posted! Nap time

> now...

[Guest guest]

That was a great post. I will print it so that I can refer back to it. I'm glad you're home and doing good. Take it easy and get some rest.

Carolpgbaker21 wrote:

Hi all!I'm going to try and get all I want to say out quickly because I'm beginning to lose steam and it's time to take a nap. But aside from my friends I know locally who've had WLS, I couldn't wait to get back to share my surgery experiences. I had my surgery on 3/30 at Kaiser Richmond. I went to Richmond (because I live in Elk Grove and didn't want to fight the morning commute) on Monday afternoon to do the two blood tests that need to be done within 72 hours before surgery. I checked into the Holiday Inn Express in San Pablo (right off of 80) with my husband and we enjoyed a quiet pre-surgery evening together. I was instructed to report to the Surgery Reception are at Richmond at 8:30 a.m. and I was relieved because I hadn't eaten anything after 6 PM the evening before (except some decaf green tea and

water) and I had nothing except for the meds the anesthesiologist gave me and my heart medicine the morning of surgery.The nursing staff in the pre-op area are all up beat and very positive which was helpful to my silent anxiety. They handed me my surgery ensemble picked out by the Kaiser fashionistas - tan slipper socks (you really don't need slippers while you are in the hospital because the slipper socks work just fine); a sufficiently large tan hospital gown with green and blue print to match the blue surgery cap I was given to wear, and to top off the ensemble, a green surgery gown to be flung over the shoulders to wear as a cape. After I came from the changing area, looking very cute, I was asked to sit in one of their supersized recliner-like chairs and they put in the IV, gave me some sour medicine for my tummy and then Dr. Fisher came by in his scrubs to ask if I had any last minute questions and to

explain that I will be meeting with the ansethesiologist of the day and then going into the OR. The nurse explained that in the OR, I would be lying on a narrow table to give the surgeons and other staff easy access during surgery and my arms were most likely going to be strapped out in a cross like formation. Sure enough, when the nurse walked me into the OR, there was a cross-like looking table. The ansethesiologist explained that they would adminster the anesthesia in the IV and I would feel a slight burning sensation, and soon after that and after getting oxygen mask on, the ansethesia would quicly take effect. True to their words, it did. I remember asking Dr. Fisher if they were going to play music during surgery and he said they would, and if I wanted it on earlier, they would put it on. Well, the anesthesia worked so quickly, I didn't even hear the music. The next thing I knew,

I woke up in recovery. In the pre-surgery appointments, the Bariatric Surgery Case manager asks you to project on a scale of 1-10 with ten being the highest level of pain, to project what level of pain you could tolerate without meds. I had projected five. Expecting this, I was surprised when I woke up in recovery that my pain level was only like a 3 and pretty much stayed that way for the rest of the day. I was wheeled from revcovey to my room on the 3rd floor and found that my friend, Beverly who had surgery the day before had already been released and I was in the same bed that she was in, so she must have been released that morning! In the room, I had the pain med monitor hooked up and the IV as well as the pulse/oxygen monitor and the oxygen hook-up. My husband joined me and spent the rest of the afternoon with me. I was given the spirometer to take 10 breaths each hour to help with

the recovery. It wasn't long before the "lift team" - two young guys - alo upbeat and positive - came to disconnect and reconnect my wires and to virtually push and lift me out of bed. Walking was not actually bad and I found that I was disappointed that they only had me walking every four hours. I found I wanted to get out of bed and walk every hour. This became a little more difficult when the "lift team" went home and I had to rely on the night nurses to help me out. I soon learned the best ways to get out of bed and move around so I could be more independent. Dr. Fisher and Dr. Park both visited the bariatric patients the morning after surgery - there are always two surgeons present at every surgery. So it was nice to meet Dr. Park and Dr. Fisher was very pleased with my "numbers" and my level of activity.I rejoiced when they brought me a cup of ice chips - but be warned

to take the chips slowly - I got my first "foaming" experience when I downed more than two ice chips in 15 minute - you're supposed to only take in a few ice chips every 15 minutes so that your intake is not more than your pouch can handle. Soon after, If felt naseuous and upchucked some foam. After that, I was more careful about what I put in my mouth, not wanting to repeat that experience. I later found out that there were three bariatric surgeries that day -I was the first, and my room mate was the third. It was great because she had an open surgery too, but she was experiencing a lot of pain and nausea. She was so sick, she had to bring her upchuck pail when she went walking. Needless to say, she was still in the hospital when I was released.Yesterday, I found out that your anestheia wears off and my pain level started to increase - especially after they unhooked the pain meds

and the IV. My pain level went to my seven level and they soon brought me some liquid pain killer that did the trick immediately. I found that the liquid stuff only lasted two to two and a half hours, so I got in my walks and naps before it was time for the next dose.My friend and my family came to visit me in the afternoon, and within 15 minutes after my husband left, Dr. Park came in and asked if I wanted to go home. Needless to say, I called my husband's cell and asked him to turn around. The pharmacist delivers the meds to take home and I was soon on my way.My first night home was rough - I couldn't find a company that would rent the lifting recliners and I didn't want to put out the $$ to purchase a lifting recliner since I don't plan to be a couch potato much after my recovery. So, my husband had to be my "lift team" until I found a comfortable way to get in and out of bed and to find

a comfortable sitting chair, propped with pillows, etc. I am now losing steam, so I am signing off, but I wanted to share my first-hand experiences from the other side. I had looked forward to visits from the 4/1 orientation class people and from Gemello, but I'll have to get my greetings online. I'll keep everyone posted! Nap time now...