Guest guest Posted May 26, 2000 Report Share Posted May 26, 2000 , What a wonderful description of your surgery. In fact after reading it I called NBC and told them to dump their 6 and 10pm news anchors because I knew someone who would put them to shame./////////////// Lv Judi in Fla Quoting cnmorris@...: > Hi , > > Wow! What a great testimony! It was really good to hear how well > you have done with your surgery! I'm just starting to look into this > option, and this is exactly the type of information I was hoping to > find on this site! > > Congratulations and best wishes for continued success! > > Connie > Dallas, TX > > > > Friday, May 26, 2000 > > > > Hi Ya'll! > > > > The *worst* part of the surgery was being without my computer! > LOL! > > (but entirely true!) > > > > Stats: I'm 47 years old, 5'4 " tall, starting weight 249, surgery > > date May 18, 2000, current weight 238 (1 week later). I lost 17 > > pounds in the 6 weeks before surgery when I had gotten up to an > > all-time record high of 265 lbs. > > > > Here's my blow-by-blow description of how my trip to Oz went for me: > > > > GETTING THERE: > > > > I'm from Alabama and Dr. Rutledge requires out-of- town patients to > > attend one clinic prior to surgery. Since he is holding clinics on > > Tuesdays now and my surgery was scheduled for Thursday, May 18, > 2000, > > I arrived in Durham on Monday, May 15th, in order to attend the > > Tuesday, May 16th clinic. > > > > For anyone travelling alone, I was solo and it is definitely > do-able. > > I would have done a few things differently but my original plans > > were made when I thought I would be accompanied to Durham, which > got > > changed at the last minute. Mainly, I would have stayed someplace > > closer to the hospital and not fooled with getting a rental car, but > > I was able to drive easily two days after surgery so it wasn't > really > > a big problem. > > > > I got my airplane reservations from lowestprice.com for $130 ($156 > > after taxes and surcharges were added), with less than 7 days' > > notice, round-trip from Montgomery, AL to Durham, NC on Northwest > > Airlines. > > > > Being on the conservative side, when I made my reservations, I > > planned to stay in Durham for 5 days after the surgery, so I was in > > Durham from Monday, May 15th through Tuesday, May 23rd, when I flew > > back to Montgomery and then went to a friend's house in Florida to > > visit until today (Friday, May 26th). I could easily have left > either > > the day after surgery or two days after surgery with no problems. > > > > I stayed at Extended Stay Inn on Tower Boulevard. The cost is $272 > > (total, after taxes) for one week for one person and it is about > $20 > > more for the week to add another person. The room is on a par with > a > > Days Inn or Red Roof Inn -- not spartan and ugly, nice but not > plush. > > It has a kitchen and it is located across the street from South > > Square Mall and within 2 blocks of a 24-hour Kroger and several > > restaurants and fast-food places. > > > > However, I just read today where someone found a *much* better deal > > at 1-888-Medstay, that has a free buffet breakfast, lunch and a > pool, > > so I'd try that first! > > > > Rental Cars: The best price for one-week on Rental Cars was from > > Dollar Rental Car at the airport. You could get a small truck for > > $149 a week or a small car for $172 for the week. I lucked out > > because they were out of small cars so I got a mini- van for the > same > > price for the whole week and 1 day I was in Durham. > > > > ================================================ > ====================== > > HINT #1: BEFORE YOUR LEAVE, CALL YOUR HOTEL AND GET *SPECIFIC* > > DIRECTIONS TO YOUR HOTEL FROM THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AIRPORT AND WRITE > > THEM DOWN AND TAKE THEM WITH YOU. My plane got in at 11:30 at > night > > and I forgot to bring my directions with me. The rental car place > > gave me directions to downtown Durham, but I spent about 3 hours > > driving around in the middle of the night, looking for *anyplace* > > open just to get directions from downtown Durham to my hotel. I > > finally ended up being shown how to get there by a security guard > > from the Marriott in Downtown Durham. > > ================================================ > ====================== > > > > CLINIC: > > > > I showed up at Dr. Rutledge's office on Tuesday morning, May 16, > > 2000, for the 9:00 a.m. clinic. His receptionist gave me my file > and > > directions to go to a building just past the hospital, a few blocks > > away. > > > > The clinic was held in a small room in what appeared to be a > > medical-annex type building. Dr. Rutledge spoke at the front of > the > > room. Behind him was a blackboard and above him and to one side was > > a video screen. > > > > There were about 35 people, including potential patients and some > of > > their family members, in the room, seated in plastic chairs. Some > of > > the chairs don't have arms on them but some do. Don't get there > last > > if you want a chair without arms . . . > > > > In the back of the room, Debbie, Barbara, and two other women whose > > names I didn't get, worked on getting patient information, weights > > and waist sizes from everyone. > > > > I was given another Patient Information Form to fill out. > > > > ================================================ > ====================== > > HINT #2: Print off TWO copies of your patient information sheet > when > > you submit it to Dr. Rutledge, one for you and one to take with you > > to your clinic visit, otherwise, you will get to fill out *another* > > Patient Information form (just like the one on the webpage) at the > > clinic. > > ================================================ > ====================== > > > > I was weighed (249 lbs., argh!) and my waist was measured (45 > inches. > > Sigh.) > > > > Dr. Rutledge calls on each person in the room, asking them to > > introduce themselves, then he answers any questions they may have. > > He illustrates things using the blackboard. Towards the end of the > > clinic, he shows a videotape of an actual Mini- Gastric Bypass being > > done, as he explains what you are seeing (which was very helpful > for > > me since I had no clue what organs were what). It is remarkable > how > > tidy the inner organs are and how skillfully Dr. Rutledge can work > > with those tiny little tools, looking at a camera image of what > he's > > doing. He also explains why the MGB is readily reversible. The MGB > > takes about 35-40 minutes and a reversal takes approximately 1 > hour. > > Both are done laparoscopically so there is very little blood loss, > an > > average of 1 day in the hospital, and a very fast recovery time. > > > > Dr. Rutledge then goes into a small patient area and each person is > > called back to speak with him individually. > > > > My questions were: > > > > " After the MGB, does the larger part of the stomach that is cut > away > > from the new small stomach growl or send hunger signals to the > brain > > and if not, why not? " > > > > Dr. Rutledge explained that the stomach does not send hunger > signals > > to the brain. It is the small intestine that does that (and > > approximately 6 feet of that is bypassed by the MGB). I didn't > think > > to ask if the bypassed small intestine sends hunger signals to the > > brain since it would be empty all the time, but I think the cutting > > of the vegas nerve that occurs during the surgery alleviates that > (I > > may be wrong on this point). The bypassed stomach doesn't growl > > because it doesn't have any air left in it. It also does not > > atrophy, which is one reason why the surgery can be reversed. > > > > MISCELLANEOUS, DAY BEFORE SURGERY: > > > > You are supposed to wash with Hibiclens the night before surgery > and > > the morning of surgery. This is a red-colored cleanser that will > > pretty much permanently tint your washcloth pink (good thing you're > > staying at a hotel, right?) For those not staying at a hotel, > don't > > use your good washcloths for this. > > > > I found Hibiclens in a small bottle for $3.59 and a somewhat larger > > bottle for $6.79 at the Drug Emporium next to Circuit City, across > > the street from the Tower on Tower Boulevard in Durham. The smaller > > sized bottle would have been sufficient. > > > > Remember not to eat or drink after midnight the day before your > > surgery. > > > > Call Durham Regional Hospital after 3:00 p.m. the day before your > > surgery and they can give you the exact time you are scheduled for > > surgery. You are supposed to get to the hospital 2- 1/2 hours > before > > your scheduled surgery time. > > > > > > THE DAY OF SURGERY: > > > > I parked my rental car in the patient parking lot in front of > Durham > > Regional Hospital. There is no charge for parking there. I walked > > through the main front door. There is an information booth just > > inside the front door and I asked where a pre- operative surgery > > patient should go. I was directed to a waiting area on the third > > floor. There was a receptionist there with a sign- in sheet which > was > > used to call patients for processing. I only had about a 10 minute > > wait before I was called. While I was waiting, I met the woman who > > was scheduled for surgery with Dr. Rutledge's before me. I was > > scheduled to be the second one of the day. > > > > When my name was called, I was directed to a small room just behind > > the receptionist's area. A lady asked my name, address, and > > insurance information. Dr. Rutledge stuck his head in to say " Hi. " > > > Next I was directed to another lady who made a patient i.d. > bracelet > > and put it on me and then led me to the next area. > > > > I found myself in a fairly large room with nursing supplies and > > counters down one wall, with patient cubicles formed by large > > curtains hanging from ceiling tracks going down the other side. > Each > > patient area had a gurney with sheets on it. A nurse gave me a > > patient gown and some footies to put on. I was told to remove > > *everything* and put on this gown. > > > > The gown tied in the back and snapped at the neck and down the > short > > sleeves. It was plenty roomy and large enough, but it didn't tie > > well in the lower back, so that if I got up and walked around in > it, > > my bare behind was flapping in the breeze. I quickly parked myself > > on the gurney with the gown tucked around my hinterparts and stayed > > there. > > > > Shortly, a nurse came and took my temperature, blood pressure, and > > used a nifty little gadget to stick me in the finger to get some > > blood, that did not hurt one iota (a *big* improvement over the > days > > when they used jagged metal for finger sticks, let me say!) > > > > I was told to put anything I brought with me into a bag and the bag > > was marked with a sticker with my patient information to be sure it > > got to my room (it did). I had brought my Walkman, some books, a > > gown, and my purse. > > > > ================================================ > ====================== > > HINT #3: Don't take your jewelry and purse to the hospital. If > you > > have a family member with you, leave these with them; otherwise, > you > > should check them with the hotel and have them put them in a safe > for > > you. It's a nuisance to keep up with them at the hospital and you > > are going to be asleep a lot, plus your bag of items can easily get > > misplaced from the time you check in at pre-op and get moved to a > > room. They will *not* be insured against theft if you just leave > > them in your hotel room, either. > > ================================================ > ====================== > > > > Shortly, a nurse came for me and wheeled the gurney and me to the > > surgery staging area. This is another room, just outside the > surgery > > rooms, where patients for different doctors are lined up > > side-by-side, waiting their turn for surgery. It's a pretty plain > > room with a nursing station in the middle. It seems that patients > > are expected to be laying down so I did. > > > > Now, this is the part I dreaded most. I've had several surgeries > and > > I've given birth to three children, and each time, I had to have an > > I.V. I knew from these experiences that the I.V. needle is usually > > stuck in the back of the hand between the thumb and wrist -- where > > there are hundreds of nerve endings -- and it hurt like hell and > > beyond. > > > > Pre-Op Nurse Sheila Weeks sets up all the I.V.'s. She is clearly > > expert and she has a wonderful technique. She first gives a small > > Novacaine injection into the hand. This hurts a little (not much) > > and it is wonderful, because I then did not feel the I.V. needle > > (which is quite large) *at all* when she put it in place. I did > not > > have so much as a tiny bruise at the site when the I.V. was removed > > the next day, either. Truly wonderful. Thank you, Sheila!! > > > > Before anyone goes sticking an I.V. needle in you, particularly if > it > > is not Sheila, make sure they are going to give you the Novacaine > > shot in the hand first. > > > > Presently, the Anaesthesiologist and shortly thereafter, the > > Anaesthesia Nurse, stopped by to see me. This was a good time to > > mention any drug allergies. Both of them asked me to open my mouth > > and say " Ah, " so they good see if I had a good airway. (Anybody > who > > knows me knows I have a big mouth and plenty of airway!) > > > > It didn't seem like 2-1/2 hours had zoomed by, but before I knew it, > > I was being wheeled on the gurney into surgery. There seemed to be > > several people in the brightly lit room and everyone was wearing > blue > > gowns over blue pants, with blue hair covers and face masks (E.T. > > phone home!). Dr. Rutledge was standing off to one side with his > back > > to me. I think he was washing his hands. > > > > It's hard to see much laying flat on your back, but I knew it was > Dr. > > Rutledge because he immediately started in with his usual chipper > > chattering. Assured that at least I was in the right place, I laid > > back and relaxed. Momentarily, a gloved hand appeared and put a > mask > > over my nose. I started breathing into it and conked right out. > The > > gas didn't stink or have any odor to it at all that I could tell. > > > > I woke up in the post-op recovery room. Things are a little hazy > but > > I had no tubes in my nose or anywhere else. There was a nurse next > > to me saying things like " Your oxygen isn't high enough. Breathe > > deep! You must take deep breaths! " So I did. I'm laying there > > sucking enough wind to take the chrome off the bedrails. (I found > out > > later that they seem to say this to everybody so when you wake up, > > just start breathing deeply!) > > > > At some point, I remember somebody, I think it was Dr. Rutledge, > > saying " Your operating time was 37 minutes. " > > > > As I got more awake, within what seemed like minutes, I was being > > wheeled down a hallway to my room. > > > > Lori Honor, an angel who lives in the Durham area and is having her > > surgery the end of May, had come to wait for several of us who were > > having surgery that day and she was the first person I saw when we > > got to what was obviously the patient rooms. I thought we were just > > a few feet from her (she says I was actually at the opposite end of > > the hallway) when I hollered out, " IT WAS A PIECE OF CAKE! " And, > > indeed, it was. > > > > DRUNK AND DISORDERLY: > > > > I think the anaesthesia made me goofy and drunk- like because I was > in > > high spirits, to say the least, when I got to my room! I don't > > remember getting off the gurney and into the bed but I did. The > > nurse came and gave me some pain medication. I wasn't feeling any > > pain at the time, at all. Within a few minutes, I got up and went > > into the bathroom which was just a few feet from the bed. I called > > over my shoulder to Lori, " You've seen a fat ass before, I know! " > > since it was useless trying to get the gown to cover mine and I was > > laughing too hard to care anyway. I fell asleep sitting on the > > toilet three times. Fortunately, Lori would wake me up. I'd > laugh, > > try to pee, then fall back asleep each time. I finally succeeded > and > > then got back into bed. Right about that time, a friend called me > on > > the room phone. I tried to talk, but fell asleep on the phone. > > > > The next time I woke up, about 3 hours later, I had some pain and > > discomfort. This was from the gas that is blown into the belly > > during surgery so the doctor has room to work and see what he is > > doing. This gas is *not* like " having gas " when you get the burps > or > > farts. It gets in all sorts of places, like up under your ribs and > > in your shoulders and there is a lot of it and it is really > > uncomfortable. It's not like having terrible pain but it's > annoying > > and at the same time, you're tired from the anaesthesia, so you > feel > > pretty washed out. > > > > The gas *will* go through membranes, though, so it will go to your > > throat and lower intestines on its own. If you can force > > yourself to burp or pass gas (the men ought to be good at this. > Just > > remember your boyscout campouts), you can get rid of it faster. I > > put my best efforts into it and within about 6 hours after I got > out > > of surgery, I was feeling pretty good. I had the burps and passed > > gas more frequently for several days, though, and I also got the > > hiccups a few times after eating. > > > > Lunch, dinner, and breakfast the next day at Durham Regional > > consisted of a clear broth (be sure you get salt), jello and 4 > ounces > > of fruit juice. I would keep the broth from breakfast to lunch, > > sipping it as I could and I saved the jello and fruit juice to take > > back to the hotel. Just the broth was plenty. I never felt > hungry. > > I was extremely thirsty frequently. My mouth would go so dry my > lips > > stuck to my teeth. So I guzzled a lot of water and ice. > > > > POST-OP: > > > > I was discharged from the hospital the next morning after surgery. > > After Dr. Rutledge came by, I remembered something I needed to ask > > him and I actually ran down the hall (no pain at all) to catch him. > > > > Since Dr. Rutledge's D/C instructions mention " No driving for two > > weeks " (until you are off pain medication), and I was concerned > about > > the effects of anaesthesia, Lori came and took me to the hotel and > I > > left my rental car at the hospital. Since I had five days until my > > plane left, I spent the rest of that day lounging, but by the next > > day (Saturday), I went with Lori to a support group meeting at the > > hospital and drove the car back to the hotel. That night, I went > to > > Krogers to buy some juices. Sunday, I went to the mall and went > > shopping. Monday, I went to the mall again and packed my things > for > > the early morning plane on Tuesday. I hefted my 80 pound suitcase > > into the mini-van, drove the 25 miles to the airport, checked the > > rental car back in, rode the shuttle over to the airport and hefted > > the suitcase another time to get it checked in. I had a long walk > in > > Memphis to change planes and it was uneventful. When I got back to > > the Montgomery airport, a friend was waiting to pick me up and we > > went to Florida, where she lives, for three days. We went shopping > > and generally did ordinary things and I had no problems at all. > > > > I haven't had any problems with dumping, nausea, or vomiting and > I've > > had milk, a bite of double-fudge ice cream, jello, soups (including > > some creamy mushroom soup the other day and chicken vegetable soup > > today), apple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, and grape > juice, > > and a banana in the week since my surgery. I haven't been hungry. > > I got a couple of cravings in the past day or so, but nothing > > serious. > > > > I haven't had over 600 calories in any given day and I am usually > > averaging about 350 calories a day. > > > > At the end of the week, I'd lost 11 pounds and 1 inch off my waist. > > > > So far so good. > > > > Also, let me mention here that before surgery, I received replies > to > > my queries from 94 of Dr. Rutledge's patients and the majority of > > them related that they had discomfort the first day and little or > no > > pain, nausea, etc. thereafter, the same as me, so my experience is > > very much the norm, not the exception. > > > > Dr. Rutledge, you're the best! > > > > Kind regards, > > > > ( " the Barbie Wannabe " ) > > email: lindat@f... > > website: http://www.fourlane.com/lindat > > > > Stats: > > 47 years old > > 5'4 " , 249 lbs. > > Surgery date: May 18, 2000 > > Today's weight (May 26, 2000): 238 > > > ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------ > CLICK HERE***SPECIAL OFFER***$60 in FREE calls > ***SPECIAL OFFER***CLICK HERE > http://click.egroups.com/1/4127/2/_/453517/_/959396153/ > ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------ > > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm > > > ----------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through Hitter Communications Webmail http://webmail.hitter.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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