Re: It's tomorrow and I'm so nervous.......

[Guest guest]

HI Maggie

sounds about right, chapstick, i did bring my own nightgown , the ones they had were so huge i felt lost in them. I felt better in my own stuff, i just had to ask a nurse to unhitch the iv so i could switch into my own nightgown. i did bring some lotion to put on with a slight nice scent to make me feel more human also. a few magazines and that was about it.

good luck

colleenMaggie wrote:

I can't believe after all this time, almost a year and a half on the journey that I've finally gotten here and I feel totally unprepared and I can't sleep.I know I should bring some lip balm, like Chap Stick? Should I bring slippers? or sandals? What else? Should I bring my own nightgown? Robe?We had guests for dinner last night and I didn't drink any wine, and really tried not to eat too much. I was five pounds under goal this morning so I know I'll be fine...although I kept thinking that this was my last dinner as a civilian. I mentioned the upcoming surgery to my guests but I didn't say what it was for, just that I had to not drink wine or caffeine...Thanks in advance for any last minute help!Maggie

[Guest guest]

Hey there Maggie:

I wore the huge gowns they had there...had I been less deoped up, I probably would have felt like I was drowning in them, too...but it was fine. Better too big than too small. I did bring a robe, toothpaste and toothbrush, brush and moisturizer and lip balm. I brought slippers, but I just wore the footies with the grip bottom that the hospital gave to me. I brought books and mags that I didn't read (did I mention that I'm a total lightweight when it comes to drugs? I had a lot of visitors, and I walked A LOT----like 15 laps every few hours---so I wound up not reading, not watching tv. Of course, I was only there for one day.)

I brought loose clothing to wear home, my teddy bear (both for the hospital and to hold on during the ride home)...and that was it.

Good luck,

RobynnColleen Garner wrote:

HI Maggie

sounds about right, chapstick, i did bring my own nightgown , the ones they had were so huge i felt lost in them. I felt better in my own stuff, i just had to ask a nurse to unhitch the iv so i could switch into my own nightgown. i did bring some lotion to put on with a slight nice scent to make me feel more human also. a few magazines and that was about it.

good luck

colleenMaggie wrote:

I can't believe after all this time, almost a year and a half on the journey that I've finally gotten here and I feel totally unprepared and I can't sleep.I know I should bring some lip balm, like Chap Stick? Should I bring slippers? or sandals? What else? Should I bring my own nightgown? Robe?We had guests for dinner last night and I didn't drink any wine, and really tried not to eat too much. I was five pounds under goal this morning so I know I'll be fine...although I kept thinking that this was my last dinner as a civilian. I mentioned the upcoming surgery to my guests but I didn't say what it was for, just that I had to not drink wine or caffeine...Thanks in advance for any last minute help!Maggie

[Guest guest]

Hey there Maggie:

I wore the huge gowns they had there...had I been less deoped up, I probably would have felt like I was drowning in them, too...but it was fine. Better too big than too small. I did bring a robe, toothpaste and toothbrush, brush and moisturizer and lip balm. I brought slippers, but I just wore the footies with the grip bottom that the hospital gave to me. I brought books and mags that I didn't read (did I mention that I'm a total lightweight when it comes to drugs? I had a lot of visitors, and I walked A LOT----like 15 laps every few hours---so I wound up not reading, not watching tv. Of course, I was only there for one day.)

I brought loose clothing to wear home, my teddy bear (both for the hospital and to hold on during the ride home)...and that was it.

Good luck,

RobynnColleen Garner wrote:

HI Maggie

sounds about right, chapstick, i did bring my own nightgown , the ones they had were so huge i felt lost in them. I felt better in my own stuff, i just had to ask a nurse to unhitch the iv so i could switch into my own nightgown. i did bring some lotion to put on with a slight nice scent to make me feel more human also. a few magazines and that was about it.

good luck

colleenMaggie wrote:

I can't believe after all this time, almost a year and a half on the journey that I've finally gotten here and I feel totally unprepared and I can't sleep.I know I should bring some lip balm, like Chap Stick? Should I bring slippers? or sandals? What else? Should I bring my own nightgown? Robe?We had guests for dinner last night and I didn't drink any wine, and really tried not to eat too much. I was five pounds under goal this morning so I know I'll be fine...although I kept thinking that this was my last dinner as a civilian. I mentioned the upcoming surgery to my guests but I didn't say what it was for, just that I had to not drink wine or caffeine...Thanks in advance for any last minute help!Maggie

[Guest guest]

Hey there Maggie:

I wore the huge gowns they had there...had I been less deoped up, I probably would have felt like I was drowning in them, too...but it was fine. Better too big than too small. I did bring a robe, toothpaste and toothbrush, brush and moisturizer and lip balm. I brought slippers, but I just wore the footies with the grip bottom that the hospital gave to me. I brought books and mags that I didn't read (did I mention that I'm a total lightweight when it comes to drugs? I had a lot of visitors, and I walked A LOT----like 15 laps every few hours---so I wound up not reading, not watching tv. Of course, I was only there for one day.)

I brought loose clothing to wear home, my teddy bear (both for the hospital and to hold on during the ride home)...and that was it.

Good luck,

RobynnColleen Garner wrote:

HI Maggie

sounds about right, chapstick, i did bring my own nightgown , the ones they had were so huge i felt lost in them. I felt better in my own stuff, i just had to ask a nurse to unhitch the iv so i could switch into my own nightgown. i did bring some lotion to put on with a slight nice scent to make me feel more human also. a few magazines and that was about it.

good luck

colleenMaggie wrote:

I can't believe after all this time, almost a year and a half on the journey that I've finally gotten here and I feel totally unprepared and I can't sleep.I know I should bring some lip balm, like Chap Stick? Should I bring slippers? or sandals? What else? Should I bring my own nightgown? Robe?We had guests for dinner last night and I didn't drink any wine, and really tried not to eat too much. I was five pounds under goal this morning so I know I'll be fine...although I kept thinking that this was my last dinner as a civilian. I mentioned the upcoming surgery to my guests but I didn't say what it was for, just that I had to not drink wine or caffeine...Thanks in advance for any last minute help!Maggie

[Guest guest]

Hey Maggie,

Ok, relax now! I know it's easy to say, but try. I'll answer your

questions inline here.

Maggie wrote:

> I know I should bring some lip balm, like Chap Stick?

Yes

> Should I bring slippers? or sandals?

I didn't, at least in the hospital. Of course, you'll have something on

your feet when you get to the hospital. Flipflops? When I did my walkies

in the halls post-op, I just used the little sock thingies with the

no-skid that they provided. They went on and stayed on. Whatever you do

bring, make sure it is something you can put on and take off without

having to bend down to fasten, so open back. Even loafers could be a

problem. Assume your tummy will hurt, and not like being squished to let

you reach your feet.

> What else? Should I bring my own nightgown? Robe?

Don't bother. The hospital provides them. If there are any fluids that

leak from your surgery site, let the hospital do the laundry. If you get

cold, request a second gown to use as a robe. When doing walkies, you

can just ask them to tape the back closed, or put a second gown on as a

robe to cover.

What else to bring? Because I was fairly early in the morning, I didn't

even bother with a change of clothes, since the ones I wore to the

hospital were on my body for less than an hour. Do NOT bring a heavy

novel or anything like that. Between the drugs they pump you full of

before and during surgery and the ones in the IV, your brain probably

won't be able to process anything more complicated than Sesame Street.

Do bring a list of phone numbers and a small notebook with a writing

instrument. I found myself writing some of my thoughts in the middle of

the night. Later I found those drug addled scrawlings HYSTERICAL! Ought

to be good for a giggle, if nothing else!

Above all, keep your eyes on why you're doing this. You might have a

period post-op when you still hurt (I felt like I'd been hit by a truck

for about 24 hours) and wonder what the heck you did to yourself and

WHY. Remind yourself. Write down your goals that you want to be able to

do, that you can't now. This includes the serious and the silly. Add to

the list as you think of things. Fit in a movie theater seat? Buy sexy

undies? Call Lane and Roamans and tell them to quit sending you

catalogs, because they don't have anything SMALL enough? Airplane flight

without a seatbelt extender? Sit in any chair and get up without having

to push on the arms or table? Make your own list.

Relax, enjoy the ride, and keep us posted!

--

Eleanor Oster

eleanor@... (personal address)

www.smallboxes.com/gastricbypass.htm

San , CA

Open RNY (100 cm bypassed) 07/15/2003

P. Fisher, M.D., Kaiser Richmond (CA)

~5'9 " tall

05/09/2003 319 Orientation

07/15/2003 ~290 Surgery

Current 150-155 Goal until plastics?

[Guest guest]

Hey Maggie,

Ok, relax now! I know it's easy to say, but try. I'll answer your

questions inline here.

Maggie wrote:

> I know I should bring some lip balm, like Chap Stick?

Yes

> Should I bring slippers? or sandals?

I didn't, at least in the hospital. Of course, you'll have something on

your feet when you get to the hospital. Flipflops? When I did my walkies

in the halls post-op, I just used the little sock thingies with the

no-skid that they provided. They went on and stayed on. Whatever you do

bring, make sure it is something you can put on and take off without

having to bend down to fasten, so open back. Even loafers could be a

problem. Assume your tummy will hurt, and not like being squished to let

you reach your feet.

> What else? Should I bring my own nightgown? Robe?

Don't bother. The hospital provides them. If there are any fluids that

leak from your surgery site, let the hospital do the laundry. If you get

cold, request a second gown to use as a robe. When doing walkies, you

can just ask them to tape the back closed, or put a second gown on as a

robe to cover.

What else to bring? Because I was fairly early in the morning, I didn't

even bother with a change of clothes, since the ones I wore to the

hospital were on my body for less than an hour. Do NOT bring a heavy

novel or anything like that. Between the drugs they pump you full of

before and during surgery and the ones in the IV, your brain probably

won't be able to process anything more complicated than Sesame Street.

Do bring a list of phone numbers and a small notebook with a writing

instrument. I found myself writing some of my thoughts in the middle of

the night. Later I found those drug addled scrawlings HYSTERICAL! Ought

to be good for a giggle, if nothing else!

Above all, keep your eyes on why you're doing this. You might have a

period post-op when you still hurt (I felt like I'd been hit by a truck

for about 24 hours) and wonder what the heck you did to yourself and

WHY. Remind yourself. Write down your goals that you want to be able to

do, that you can't now. This includes the serious and the silly. Add to

the list as you think of things. Fit in a movie theater seat? Buy sexy

undies? Call Lane and Roamans and tell them to quit sending you

catalogs, because they don't have anything SMALL enough? Airplane flight

without a seatbelt extender? Sit in any chair and get up without having

to push on the arms or table? Make your own list.

Relax, enjoy the ride, and keep us posted!

--

Eleanor Oster

eleanor@... (personal address)

www.smallboxes.com/gastricbypass.htm

San , CA

Open RNY (100 cm bypassed) 07/15/2003

P. Fisher, M.D., Kaiser Richmond (CA)

~5'9 " tall

05/09/2003 319 Orientation

07/15/2003 ~290 Surgery

Current 150-155 Goal until plastics?

[Guest guest]

Hey Maggie,

Ok, relax now! I know it's easy to say, but try. I'll answer your

questions inline here.

Maggie wrote:

> I know I should bring some lip balm, like Chap Stick?

Yes

> Should I bring slippers? or sandals?

I didn't, at least in the hospital. Of course, you'll have something on

your feet when you get to the hospital. Flipflops? When I did my walkies

in the halls post-op, I just used the little sock thingies with the

no-skid that they provided. They went on and stayed on. Whatever you do

bring, make sure it is something you can put on and take off without

having to bend down to fasten, so open back. Even loafers could be a

problem. Assume your tummy will hurt, and not like being squished to let

you reach your feet.

> What else? Should I bring my own nightgown? Robe?

Don't bother. The hospital provides them. If there are any fluids that

leak from your surgery site, let the hospital do the laundry. If you get

cold, request a second gown to use as a robe. When doing walkies, you

can just ask them to tape the back closed, or put a second gown on as a

robe to cover.

What else to bring? Because I was fairly early in the morning, I didn't

even bother with a change of clothes, since the ones I wore to the

hospital were on my body for less than an hour. Do NOT bring a heavy

novel or anything like that. Between the drugs they pump you full of

before and during surgery and the ones in the IV, your brain probably

won't be able to process anything more complicated than Sesame Street.

Do bring a list of phone numbers and a small notebook with a writing

instrument. I found myself writing some of my thoughts in the middle of

the night. Later I found those drug addled scrawlings HYSTERICAL! Ought

to be good for a giggle, if nothing else!

Above all, keep your eyes on why you're doing this. You might have a

period post-op when you still hurt (I felt like I'd been hit by a truck

for about 24 hours) and wonder what the heck you did to yourself and

WHY. Remind yourself. Write down your goals that you want to be able to

do, that you can't now. This includes the serious and the silly. Add to

the list as you think of things. Fit in a movie theater seat? Buy sexy

undies? Call Lane and Roamans and tell them to quit sending you

catalogs, because they don't have anything SMALL enough? Airplane flight

without a seatbelt extender? Sit in any chair and get up without having

to push on the arms or table? Make your own list.

Relax, enjoy the ride, and keep us posted!

--

Eleanor Oster

eleanor@... (personal address)

www.smallboxes.com/gastricbypass.htm

San , CA

Open RNY (100 cm bypassed) 07/15/2003

P. Fisher, M.D., Kaiser Richmond (CA)

~5'9 " tall

05/09/2003 319 Orientation

07/15/2003 ~290 Surgery

Current 150-155 Goal until plastics?