After 3 months of waiting, surgery day was finally here! The two weeks leading up to surgery were tough though. Lots of pre-op tests, including blood work, an EKG, a chest x-ray, a physical, and an upper GI. I have to say, the upper GI was probably the most disgusting thing I have ever done (although I hear the prep for a colonoscopy is worse!). I had to drink some incredibly thick liquid while the doc took x-rays to make sure that my stomach structure was normal. All on an empty stomach. Not pretty and not pleasant! But, it was over quickly. I also spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted my "last meal" to be. But, I couldn't decide, so instead I spent the week before I started the pre-op diet enjoying all my favorite foods!
Ten days before surgery I had to start my pre-op diet. All I was allowed was four cans of Slim Fast Optima a day and all the water I could manage. That was hard. I had headaches for the first week, no energy, and was so cranky I'm surprised my husband didn't throw me out! But, I made it through and managed to lose 9 pounds before I even had the surgery. The day before surgery I had to switch to clear liquid and I'm embarrassed to admit how much I enjoyed that bowl of chicken broth!
The morning of surgery I had to be at the hospital by 6:45 for a 7:30 surgery. I wasn't nervous at all until I had to change into that paper gown and socks. Then, it hit me. Oh my God, I'm about to have major surgery and I've willingly chosen to do this! What am I thinking? I could die! I'll never get to eat normal foods again. What am I doing???? Thankfully that didn't last long though. I knew in my heart I was making the right choice for me. Plus, the nurse gave me some "happy juice" to calm the jitters! When it was time for me to go, my mom and husband hugged me and told me they loved me. Then, the nurse wheeled me down the hall and into the OR, where I got on the cold table. I remember talking with the OR nurse, and then that's it until I woke up from surgery.
I had forgotten how much I hate the feeling you have when you first wake up. My throat was scratchy from the tube, I was incredibly groggy, I was nauseous, and my stomach HURT! I could barely talk, but the nurse realized I wasn't doing well and gave me some more pain meds and something to calm my stomach. After that, I spent the next few hours drifting in and out. Once I got up to my room I wasn't feeling too bad and the pain meds were really keeping any discomfort under control. I was allowed clear liquids, but really wasn't hungry at all, no surprise.
I had to stay overnight for observation and was able to leave after doing another upper GI the next morning. Luckily, that one wasn't nearly as bad as the first as I only had to take a couple swallows of that nasty stuff to make sure the band wasn't too tight. I was home the next day by lunch and much more comfortable than I'd been in the hospital. There's something about being miserable at home that makes things not so miserable as they were before! My kids were very understanding and knew that Mommy had "boo-boos" and were very careful around me. My dad had come in from Arizona to stay with us for a week and help out with the kids. He was a lifesaver! Took care of everything the kids needed and really helped me be able to get back on my feet at my own pace.
By day three I was feeling pretty good and not in much pain at all. I could make it through the day with no pain meds and only took some at night before I went to bed. I wasn't necessarily hurting at night, but if I didn't take the pain meds I would wake up in serious trouble after a couple hours. My heating pad was my best friend though! The port that the band is filled through is stitched into your stomach muscle, so that was pretty sore. I felt like I'd done a thousand sit-ups, with none of the benefits! My stomach was very swollen for a couple weeks after surgery. I looked like I was about 6 months pregnant. I couldn't button any of my pants and had to live in sleep pants or the one pair of elastic waist shorts I owned. Not pretty!
By 2 weeks out I was feeling almost back to normal. No more pain, the swelling was going down, and I was moving around pretty well. And, most important, I could button my pants again! No more feeling like I was pregnant, always a plus! Now that the surgery was over, I knew it was time to face the next hurdle--learning how to eat all over again.
