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I give all the praise and glory to God for allowing my surgery to go well.  I thank God for blessing me to connect with an awesome doctor to perform my surgery. 

Here's my experience:

My surgery was scheduled for 10:38am to be exact.  I went in for Lap RNY and gall bladder removal.  I was told to arrive at the hospital @ 8:30am and I did.  However, the admitting staff was running behind scheuled and I wasn't called to the back for prepping until about 9:30.  Once I got to the back, everything went so fast.  They took my vitals and weight, had me change into the surgery gown, gave me socks, hooked me up to the foot pumps, gave me the heparin shot in my stomach.  The nurse was great.  I didn't feel a thing.  They went over my chart and my meds.  Soon, Dr. Zorn's wife Becky came in, put the cap over my hair and asked me if I was ready to get going.  Becky is so great.  She has such a sweet disposition and a positive spirit.  She put me at ease.  The anesthesiologist reviewed my medical history with me and asked if I had any questions.  I just told him to make sure I wake up when the surgery is over and he stated, "That's what I am here for."  Next, I was wheeled into the surgery room, I moved over to the surgery table, they put something in the IV and I thought I could/would stop myself from going to sleep......Next thing I know, I'm waking up. 

I'm in no pain...by the time I got to my room though, I was feeling some discomfort.  I may have used my morphine pump three times, right after surgery. Days 2 and 3 I didn't need any pain meds.  I had a problems with nausea, but by the second day it was gone and I was feeling much better.   

They have exercise classes for the bariatric patients.  I went to the first one, the day after surgery but I only stayed for about 10 minutes as the nausea was really getting to me.  I didnt go the second day because there was a problem with my IV...the nurses were looking for another vein. 

I did a lot of walking.  The foot pumps made me crazy and I ended up taking them off.  I don't recommend that anyone else does this.  I walked a lot so I figured I'd be okay.  The gas was a bit troublesome, but my tooter finally started working and I was okay. 

The nursing staff were "tha bomb."  I cannot say one negative thing about them.  They took very good care of me.  Their bedside manner was superb.  I feel so blessed to have been in the care of such wonderful people who seem to really like their jobs 

Dr. Zorn does his rounds early in the morning, like at 7am so by 8am I was leaving the hospital.  By 8:30 I was on the fwy and home by 10am. 

I must also tell you that the staff were very accomdocating by my mother who stayed in the hospital with me my entire stay.  She was provided with a roll away cot/bed to sleep on.  It was somewhat uncomfortable, but my mother is cleaver...she made it work.  She placed pillows between the bedframe and mattress so that she wouldn't feel the springs.  My mom also takes insulin shots and the nurses labeled her supplies and kept them in the fridge for her. 

I'm home and feeling good.  I'm happy to be on the loser's bench (although I'm up about 10lbs...I think its from fluid). 

Another thing, I did have a drain tube.  Dr. Zorn removed it the day of discharge.  After it came out, the minor discomfort left with the tube. 

Now I am home and I am sip, sip, sipping away on clear fluids for the next 7 days.....

Wow, getting my surgery date and finding out that my transfer came through on the same date has sent me into a whirlwind.  Focusing on tying up loose ends and transferring my work to others while also concentrating on the things I need to do to prepare for surgery has exhausted me...and this all in exactly one week's time. 

Tomorrow I go to Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego for my pre-op appointments.  My mother is going with me.  She has been so supportive (once I obtained the courage to tell her about my decision to go through this).  She will also be staying with me at the hospital.  I know that I am blessed to have my mom.  Just having her support gives me comfort in knowing that everything will work out fine.

I still need to clean my house, prepare meals for the little ones, obtain my prescriptions, purchase the rest of the vitamins I'll need....and oh yeah a little chix broth, sf popscicles and jello

OKay, my previous post is not here.  What happened?  I'll  just bring you up to   speed...

6/18/08:  Options classes completed
6/21/08:  Got authorization # from Kaiser
7/8/08:    3 consults completed at Pacific  Bariatrics
7/24/08:  They called me with a date!!!!  I'm scheduled for 8/4/08