My surgical experiencwe

[Guest guest]

,

It is difficult to describe the experience precisely in words, but I

will try.

I had no problems with the preparations for the operation. While

having them put the epidural in was uncomfortable, it was not really

painful, and it was well worth it! I don't remember much of what

happened after the epidural was put in.

I woke up in the recovery room perhaps an hour after my surgery was

complete. My heart was racing and my legs would shake a bit. For

some reason I thought that I needed to walk right away to avoid a

Pulmonary Embolism. I took that advice a bit too seriously I guess.

Seriously, the Anastasia did some strange things to my sense of

perspective. I was so upset that I couldn't walk yet, but it was

impossible to walk that early. There were no beds available in ICU

until 7pm, so I staid in the recovery room. I don't remember much

more about that time.

At 7pm the transferred me to ICU. My heart was still running fast.

After a few more hours my heart rate settled down enough for my wife

to go back to the hotel. I was really out of it. I didn't so much

feel pain as discomfort and total disorientation. I couldn't figure

out where my page button was, so I would wave to get nursing help.

That was OK for the ICU since there was always somebody close. I

don't remember what I needed them to do, but I didn't even try to get

out of bed. I think they needed to refill the saline bags and other

such things.

At 11am the next morning I was transferred to a regular room. I was

still groggy from the Anastasia. The epidural worked very well, and

I didn't feel much pain. I did feel nausea all the time. I didn't

like having all these tubes sticking out of me, but on the other hand

they were necessary. The catheter relieved me from needing to get up

to go to the rest room. The central IV line kept me pumped with

fluids, and was a conduit for medicine. The J tube and JG tubes were

used for draining at this time. The most annoying thing was the nag

tube (in my nose). I took my first walk that afternoon. I was

still very disoriented and dizzy.

For the next couple of days I got steadily better. I was never

really comfortable, but the pain was mild to moderate. Nothing that

was heard to bear. The nausea was uncomfortable but tolerable.

After a couple of days they removed the NG tube. This was a real

relief. Breathing was easier for me. All kinds of mucus had backed

up, and I was able to blow it out. At this point I felt like I could

breathe rather normally. I was still tethered to the IV post with

the central IV line, and I still had the catheter, J-tube and JG

tubes. I also had the epidural still.

The next day they removed the epidural. At first there was no pain

and I though, no big deal. But in the middle of the night the pain

suddenly came through in a wave and I had to get pain meds. It took

the nurses about 20 minutes to respond, and that was no a good time.

I had been feeling pain, but I mistook it for nausea. The pain is

not really super specific. It was more of a general feeling of pain

in an entire region. It is hard to describe.

Once the pain meds settled in, I was OK. The next day they removed

the JG tube and catheter, so I had to start using the rest room on my

own. No big deal at this point, though I still had to be careful not

to tangle my IV line.

On the last day they took out the central line. I still have the J-

tube in me.

To this day (16 days postop) I still take some pain meds, though in a

smaller quantity. My wife thinks I am addicted. I just find it

unpleasant to go without. I don't much care for pain. My wife is

more of the " suck it up and tolerate it " philosophy.

So overall it was not terrible, but no picnic. I have experienced

significantly worse pain in my life than I did with this operation.

Probably the real issue is that it takes a long time to recover and

you just have to keep plugging away. Some days are good and then the

next day may be bad. It is as much a psychological struggle as it is

physical. The epidural comes highly recommended though, as it really

worked for me.

Hope that helps.

Hull

> > > > > How many of you have (or think you have) a 100 cm. common

> > > channel,

> > > > > and what have been the results of your weight loss?

> > > > >

> > > > > Thanks,

> > > > >