I'm home

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

Hi everyone, I had my MGB on July 12th, Barb Ivory and I were roomies.

I will tell you that Barb really had a wonderful experience. Mine was

not quite as easy, but as of today, which is one week post op I had my

first wonderful day. I did need to hear from Dr R personally that my

pain was normal and I was more than likely not harboring a leak. It was

gas and I was quite sore on my tummy area.

A little overview of my journey: I arrived at clinic on Tuesday morning

with my son Bret. As I was waiting at the main desk for directions to

the clinic room, I heard a man reeling in excitement as if seeing an old

friend. I turned around to see what was going on and quickly realized

that this man was probably Dr R. seeing a patient he had not seen in a

year. It was apparent that she was bursting with happiness inside and

out that she was unrecognizable to him. He fussed like a good friend

you had not seen in years. It really got me. I even said to him " I

sure do hope you greet me like that in a year from now, " and that was my

unplanned introduction to Dr R. Apparantly he really does scan over

the messages in his spare time and gets to know us to some degree. When

I shook his hand I told him I was Sue Gordon. He said " Oh yea, Susie

from New York! " that blew my mind. Clinic was wonderful, you get to meet

your littermates, Barb and Debbie, post ops with and without problems,

and future hopefuls who need and want this surgery just as badly as us

all. Every name on this list has a face and an emotion and a desperation

only we know. For those of you that I met that are working so hard to

lose enough weight to have this surgery safely, it will happen! My love

to you all.... So.. at clinic Barb ( who I adore) and Debbie who is a

dol weighs you and measures your waist. I hopped on that scale for

the first time in my life with total abandon. It read 320 and for the

first time in my life I knew that It would be the last time I ever saw

that number. Silently I said good bye to it and stepped off. Dr R

speaks, as do guest speakers, and then your called out privately to

speak to Dr R about your surgery. . He goes over your packet a bit and

reassures you that all will be well. He will answer any of your private

questions if you have them at this time.

That evening, many of us went to the Cattleman for our " Last Supper " ,

others just stopped by to say Hi, and was such a trooper, she

even showed us her 5 band aids, from her surgery 2 days prior. WoW! she

was doing great and allayed many of our normal fears.

Wednesday morning we all showed up at the hospital at 7:00 am. This was

our most fun and bonding time. Kandy J , Kandy B, Trudy, ita, Dena

and myself with mommies, sons and hubbies. We carried on so, giggling

and laughing others were looking at us . They must have been thinking

" hey this is a pre-op area, a little decorum please " Who else would be

so happy that they were hours away from surgery. They didn't get it, and

that was even more fun.!

They put us in private rooms to put on our roomie gowns and they put the

white stockings on you. Then we ran amuck visiting each others rooms and

turned the hospital floor into a dorm. As the stretcher would come up ,

one of us would be taken with the support of all of us rooting them on.

I was # 8 to go so the cheering team was weakening. Dr R did 9 that

day... We were taken down to a holding pen where your IV is started,

and they put the cap on your head. My nurse Sheila was wonderful, did

not feel much of anything. The anesthesiologist comes to speak to you

and looks down your throat to check your airway. Not too worry, we all

seem to have a good one., even tho we may have chubby necks and throats.

Now... they say that nothing is going onto your veins to make you relax,

but I sware, I was very calm. I skooted over onto the operating table

and everyone was busy around me hooking me up to things. Dr R came in

all masked up and said " so... are you reafy to get skinny? Ahhh

music to my ears. They put a little mask by my nose and said to

breath in the oxygen. The next thing I remember was waking up in my

room. No tubes, just my IV. I slept a lot. had no nausea (ever) but.. I

did bleed a lot from one of my ports. The nurses were WONDERFUL. I did

have terrible gas pain after the first day. If I could make one

reccomendation it would be that we should be given something to try to

dissipate the gas. A week out and that is still my major suggestion.

Two nights later we all went out for egg drop soup. Some of us stayed in

Durham and some did not. My suggestion in hind site is too stay to make

sure all is well as a leak could occur days later. Most importantly is

; do not eat, only liquids and small amounts, and I mean that!!!!!! I

stayed at the Faifield Marriot $39 a night with breakfast and pool. The

room was very plain but clean. I would strongly sugest that your hotel

has a * recliner* in it. You will be more comfortable. A little fridge

would have been nice too. My room had neither. Too bad.

Today one week later I have lost 13lbs I got dressed and friends came

to take me out. I had my nails done and had a smoothie. It really was

my first great day. My tummy pain has lessened greatly! So there

it is friends... all my love and best wishes to all pre and post ops.

It will happen! Luv Susie

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