WELCOME TO MY DAILY LIFE......

sometimes uneventful and other times unbelievable!

Friday, November 19, 2010

I've had my gastric bypass surgery!  I had it Tuesday, November 9th at Trinity Hospital in Augusta, GA. 
Trinity is a nationally certified "wellness center" and specializes in bariatric surgery.  Dr. Arthur Chasen is my doctor that I absolutely love. 

I will say I was not nervous at all.  I just got in there and let them (the nurses & doctors) do what they needed to do make sure my surgery was successful and so far it is.  I never had anything for pain...nor was I ever in pain.  My stomach was sore but the more you get up and walk the faster that soreness goes away.  I did exactly what they told me to do in the hospital and for me I was blessed to have had no nausea or pain.  I stayed in the hospital for two days and got my drain tube out the 3 days after the sugery.  The drain tube did make my stomach cramp some but thank God my dr. chose to take it out one day after he released me from the hospital.  My first shower after the drain tube was removed felt the best!  I actually felt like a new person.  In fact I felt so good that Friday that if I had to have worked that day I do believe I could have done it. 

I'm amazed at the amount of energy I have continued to have all during this post-op time.  I have only taken one nap and that was last Sunday when I took a Benadry for the itching that I'm experiencing.
I have an adhesive allergy and they knew this so for the most part they use "paper tape" on me.  But I have broken out in a rash underneath my breast and in the creases of my legs where they meet my torso.  It's driving me nuts and after talking to my dr. he seems to think it's when they draped me off during surgery....and taped the drape in those locations.  I'm dealing with it and this has been my only issue of the entire surgery. 

I went this past Wednesday for my first post-op appointment.  According to their scales I had lost 13lbs in a week.  Wow....I was a little disappointed!  NOT!  Thrilled is more like it! Dr. Chasen said I was doing fantastic and that my goals for the next three weeks were to drink which means getting 32oz+ of any sugar free beverage or water in daily and reaching the goal of walking two miles a day.  I told him that I was already walking two miles so he said make it three or more.  The dietician came in to talk to me after he left the room.  She was very nice and the good thing was she had gastric bypass 18 months ago and had lost 101 lbs.  So having a dietician who had been through what I was going through was great! She gave me some pointers and told me what my goals were for the next three weeks.  Take my (4) types of vitamins.  They all have to be chewable because that is all I'm able to absorb now. 
The (4) vitamins are :
A good adult multivitamin (chewable or even a gummie)-I got the gummies...they are yum!
B-12-sublingual (you put this under your tongue for a few seconds then chew it up
B Complex-chewable
Calcium Citrate-chewable

The last two I will have to order online because you can't find them locally. 
I will have to take these vitamins for the rest of my life but it's better to take vitamins than medication that you are forced to take because of poor health. 

I will have to say this has been the easiest surgery I've ever had in all of my surgeries.  I know not all gastric bypass patients are as lucky as I am but I truly believe that "attitude" is half the battle.  If you go into this new journey with an attitude that you'll do everything they tell you to do and when they tell you to do it, stay positive, and pray daily for God's help....you will do fine! I'm excited about this new journey of my life and will be sharing my ups and downs in the future. 
Now off to clean my house, paint my dining room and decorate for Christmas.......so love this energy!

3 comments:

TDB said...

YAY!!! Fantastic........I have huge allergic reactions to tape...and iodine which they often use pre-surg....so I know how itchy and annoying THAT can be.

YOU GO GIRL!!!

vicki said...

Mary it is all about attitude and you were so in the zone for this surgery and how it should work etc
I think 2011 will be your year and great to see your positive attitude

Doreen said...

So happy that all went well. Looking forward to updates to your road to wellness!!! Keep up the fantastic work and attitude!!