my surgery story(pt 1) very very long

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

It's been two weeks since my surgery and I feel great! I'm eating

anything and everything, drinking my water ect. Here's my surgery

story IN DETAIL (VERY LONG). Hope you preops learn something from it.

denise in ny

dr gagner

post op 2 weeks and feeling great!

Monday, September 10th, 2001

At the last minute, my dh and I decided to stay at home the night

before my surgery instead of staying at my mothers house, which is 1

hour closer to NYC. On Sunday my family had held a small BBQ/party to

applaud my efforts and to wish me well. Before I left the party, I

had my sister take some before pictures and measurements. When we got

home we took a nap. I got up around midnight to pack my bags for the

hospital and for my mom's, where I would spend a couple of weeks after

the surgery.

At 5:00 am we got up, showered, packed the car and headed for NYC. It

is amazing how much traffic is on the road at that time. I was

excited and nervous, but altogether in an up mood. We got to Mount

Sinai Hospital at around 8:30 am. We were directed to the same room

that we went to for pre-op testing. They registered me, put my id

bracelet on, and told me to wait until called. Since I thought I'd

have a bit of time left I decided to listen to my relaxation tape

(Prepare For Surgery, Heal Faster, by Peggy Huddleston). I got about

halfway through the tape when they called my name. They placed me and

my dh in a room nearby. A nurse came and told me to remove all my

clothing and to give my valuables to my dh to hold. She then took my

vitals and said that I'd be talking to the anesthesiologist before

surgery. She left us to wait. After a long while the nurse came back

to tell us there had been a problem with the previous surgery, so mine

had been delayed. She said it would be at least another hour or more,

so I laid down to nap, and Rich slept next to me in a chair.

The next thing I knew I was being awakened by the nurse. Who asked me

if I was ready for a walk to the operating room. I was ready. She

took us to a holding room, the last place I could see my dh. We said

our goodbyes and he left to go to the family waiting area until it was

over.

I was seated in a big chair with my surgery id number taped to it,

along with another woman who was a patient of Dr. Pomp's who was to

have a gastric bypass. We chatted a bit. She was very afraid of

going under the anesthesia and losing control for that long period of

time. She was starting to panic. Dr Pomp and the anesthesiologist

tried to reassure her, and took her away on a stretcher. 10 minutes

later she was returned in tears, calling for her husband. She was too

afraid to go through with the surgery. The Dr.'s and Staff were very

understanding, and wend to find him for her. I felt so bad for

her...to have come so close to a new life just to give up at the final

moment must be devastating. Hopefully, she'll be able to come to

terms with it in the future and be back.

I, on the other hand, was looking forward to the anesthesia. I didn't

want to know a thing!

My anesthesiologist came to meet me, reassure me, and answer all my

questions. I asked him to turn on my tape player with some classical

music (Bach) after I was under. He agreed. He asked if I was ready

to walk to the operating room, and I said yes. I walked down a couple

of hallways and was seated outside the OR for a minute or two. I was

instructed to take a couple of puffs of Albuterol for my asthma, and

even though it makes me gag, I complied. He then led me into the OR,

where I met with the team of anesthesiologists.

The First thing I noticed was the operating table itself. It looked

like a cross, or as my dh said, a starfish. The arms were outspread

to the side, and covered with a material much like egg carton foam

used for insulation and packing. The bottom of the table was split,

and the whole was covered with pillows. I was instructed to get up

onto the table. My arms and legs were strapped down so as not to move

during the delicate surgery. I was a bit concerned about my back,

which had given me problems in the past. Before I knew it, my IV was

being put into place. They had a bit of trouble, but not bad. I

remember looking at the OR lights overhead and thinking that I hadn't

seen Dr. Gagner yet today. I had seen his new associate, a woman, Dr.

Chou, earlier in the holding room. She was very nice, and answered

all my questions and explained the procedure, telling me that I was to

have only the sleeve gastrectomy at this time because of my high bmi

(62). I was disappointed, but I realized that the Dr. knows what is

best for me. Soon, I was out like a light.

My surgery started, I'd estimate, around 2:30 pm.

The next thing I remember was pain. They had explained to me that due

to my asthma and slight sleep apnea they were not able to give me pain

meds until I was awake and able to handle it. I remember moaning, and

I think I may have still been intebated, but I'm not sure. Someone

handed me the pain pump and I held it down continuously until I fell

asleep. I woke up later in my room. My husband was at my side. I

had made it!

My husband's account was a bit different. He said I was in surgery

from 2:30 pm. At 5:30 Dr. Gagner called him in the waiting room and

said I was done, had come out of it well, but I was having a bit of a

problem with pain. I'd be in the recovery room soon. My dh said it

was about an hour before I was brought into recovery. At 6:30 pm he

came in and said I opened my eyes and talked to him. (I don't

remember the recovery room at all.) At this time it was decided that

I need to sleep some more, so he went back to the patient lounge for a

couple of hours. There he met up with the aid he had hired for me

earlier in the day. They chatted and watched football until 8:30 pm

When they were told I was to be taken to my room. As it turns out, it

was 10:00 pm before I got to my room. I woke up there, and the first

thing I saw was my husband's face. He introduced mw to , the

aid, sat with me for a while, but soon left for home as I was still

dozing on and off, and it had been a long day for him. That night I

recall getting some sleep on and off. At interval some people came

in to take vitals (temp, bp and blood), but all in all, I had a good

night.

end of part 1