Hi everyone..

I'm having surgery on June 30th. 16 days. I've had since April 1st to sit and stew about it.. basicially I'm at the point of just wanting it to be over.. but at the same time I can't believe how fast it's coming up!! I've researched it to death, I have THE top surgeon in this area (and probably country), I know the risks... I want it to be over.

so what do I do with myself for the next 10 days or so... ? im thinking that ripping my hair out and/or banging my head on the wall aren't good options.. lol


What kind of things should I have in the house for when I come home?
is sugarfree jello okay?
is sugarless gum okay as long as I dont swallow??
can I use a straw for my water?


Were any of you on the ventilator? what was it like? did it hurt? did it hurt coming out?

Thank you so much, I'm so glad this board is here.

If your having lap surgery you may want to plan on small walks, maybe in the local mall in about a week or less after surgery. Shop now for sugar free jello, some broth, light soups, diet pudding, skim milk, sugar free popcicles, ect.
You may even want to buy a short book, but remember that you should be up and around shortly after. No sitting around too long! Maybe make a list of things you would like to do....begining of your journey, the middle and the end of your journey!

Hi Kryssie,
Yep, I thought that waiting for surgery was maddening - and I only had to wait a couple of weeks once I got my date! Do anything you can think of to get your mind off of it for awhile. Read, garden, play with the kids, go to the movies, walk the dog - do anything but sit and stew. It'll be over before you know it and you'll be going about the business of shrinking. It's an exciting journey!

Chickadee

Yeah, I'm trying to keep myself as busy as possible. I had get my affairs in order, power of attorney and advanced directives (ew) unfortuntely I'm basically a shut-in right now because of my weight and health problems. I've been trying to get insurance company to pay for the surgery for 5 years.. finally it all came thru.. but anyways.

I'm sooo scared, and not of the surgery... I feel very confident that I'll make it through surgery.. but I guess I'm scared that it's actually gonna work... ?! I want it to work more than anything but it's so weird.. I know it's actually going to make this huge change and I'm so excited and have no issues giving up stuff.. I'm trying to picture what my face is going to look like.. lol *sigh* 13 more days.

I'm having an open gastric bypass R-ny.. they expect me to be on the ventilator for a couple of days but I'm requesting I be brought out of anesthesia as soon as surgery is done like normal instead of extending it for the vent. I don't want to become dependent on it and the longer I'm on it the more the chance that I will. Plus.. I've been told by everyone I've ever talked to that you have to get up and walk that day or it will be 10 times more painful the first few times you get up and move... Eeeek! so, I want to be off the vent and up moving around asap!!!

Yikes!!! I'm so excited.. <breathe krys breathe>

Thanks for your support! it means so much.

ok krys... relax. i'm a little surprised that they're planning to put you on a vent.. did they explain why it would be necessary? or did they say tht there'd be a good chance that it would happen???

do you have some help for when you're home?

and here's one little trick that no one every tells you about [except me!!!] use sanitary pads for the drainage.. more absorbent than gauze, and they stick to your clothes without tape.. a big issue for me since i'm allergic to just about every adhesive on the market. and they don't stick to the wound.

SF popsicles. SF/FF pudding. broth. lots of crystal lite or other non-bubbly calorie-free drinks/powders.

and it IS important to move.. if you're so heavy that you're pretty much housebound, you will be SHOCKED at the speed you improve.. but you're also right to be concerned aobut handling the physical and emotional changes. that's a big huge reason that support groups - either in person or on line - are so very very important. there aren't that many people who understand the issues...

soooo i'm really looking forward to having you around here.. we all need every little bit of support we can get!!!

I have congestive heart failure, borderline diabetic, and several pulmonary issues.. so they are definitely putting me on the vent, I'm hoping to be off it the same day.. my surgeon expects that it will be 2-3 days. They are also inserting some sort of heart catheter to monitor me.

Yep, I'll have my husband of course, plus my mom is going to stay with me for 3 weeks, and I have a nurse that comes once a week to check on me.

OMG That is such a good idea about the pads!!! I can't wait to get moving again.. I mean I get around but not for long distances. They want their patients to be walking a mile by 6 weeks.. lol not sure if I'll manage that but I'm sure going to try.

Thanks for being so welcoming, I'm looking forward to getting settled here and getting to know everyone.

kryssie.. we're all pulling for you... i know a woman who had pulmonary hypertensiona and CHF, and was in a wheelchair before the surgery, and for a couple of months afterwards.. and now, 150+ pounds later and less than a year, she's buzzing around without even a cane, and is completely off her lung meds.

it CAN AND DOES HELP!!! but for you, especially, BABY STEPS!!! literally. don't push too hard, just a few more steps every day. and you'll be SHOCKED at how quickly you progress..

attitude is everything!!!!

Wow 150 off in less than a year? that's great!! Found out today that they are probably going to admit me a few days early to take an ECG and diurese me. I take tons of diuretics anyways, but they always seem to pack and extra punch via IV. I go on friday for a visit with the surgeons nurse and the anesthesiologist.

My goal is to be able to walk into my in-laws house and up their stairs without practically killing myself when we go visit at Christmas.

I know this is going to work and I know my life is going to be so much better... just have to get thru the next few weeks.

kryssie.. this is very important [well, to us, at least!!!!] could you ask someone to post for you while you're gone??? we DO worry, ya know... and with these extra few days in the hospital, well, we want to make sure you're ok

it sounds like you're in GREAT hands. and you'll meet your goal.. they'll be so pleased and surprised and happy to see you climbing those stairs!!!!!!

NO STRAWS!!!!

for at least 6 months. you see, using straws allows a lot of air to get into your new tiny tummy. air bubbles. very very very very very very painful. and you'll end up throwing up water and feeling like everything is stuck, and then you'll panic because you're not even able to keep down water [not a good sign]. and the only thing that you'll actually have is a painful air bubble. as soon as you burp [or otherwise expel gas], it'll feel better.

i also found that talking and eating at the same time were not easy. i swallow a lot of air while talking, with the same results. no more waving a forkful of food around while yakking, and then taking a breath and eating it, and then continuing to talk.

i have to put the fork down, finish what i was saying [everything i was saying] and then take a bite.

kryssie..We will be thinking about you and hope everything goes well.

Good luck Kryssie, I am having my surgery on July 1st, guess we will be in the hospital together!

Kryssie I am having my surgery the same day as you and I have been freaking out too!!!! I can't wait for it to be over. I have been so so so so nervous, but luckily my husband is being very supportive. Well I will be thinking "Kryssie is having this too right now" and that will make me feel not quite so nervous

Hope all goes well, we'll have to check back in afterwards!

Hi Ladies,
Hope it is ok that I am browsing around. I have a friend that is thinking about g-bypass and I just wanted to check out some things on the forum for her.

I just wanted to say Good Luck to all of you having the surgery! I know everything will go great!

Keep us posted as soon as you can!

Oh,
Is anyone taking before and after pictures or measurements??

Good Luck! You all deserve it!

Thank you all soooooo much!!! Your support really means a lot. I will have my mom or hubby update you all on how I'm doing after surgery.. hopefully on wednesday, but probably thursday.

Tomorrow we're taking pics and measurements

Blueeyes I'll be thinking of you too!! Glad I'll know someone going in the same day!! We can compare notes. Good luck to you Misty!!

Talk to you all soon. *hugs*

thanks kryssie, best of luck to you!