My MGB experience (Long)

[Guest guest]

Hi!

This is Jenn in Vancouver, Washington. I'm happy to report on my experience

crossing to the other side. Sorry this is about 2 weeks late, but I've felt

so good that I haven't wanted to sit in front of the computer for very long.

I guess that is one of those, " side effects, " we have heard about over and

over again. LOL

I would first like to give my thanks to Cat, my lifepartner. Without her

support and encouragement I would probably still be miserable. Watching her

great recovery after having an open RNY late in 1997 was truly an education

for me.

Okay... on to my story.

With the exception of being born an underweight and premature, " blue baby, "

I've been, " morbidly obese, " my whole life. I can remember topping the

scales at over 100 Lbs in the 2nd grade. The usual name calling, shunning,

and teasing toward the fat kid existed for as long as I can recall...

extending to my college years. It did feel good, though, to get those,

" Frat rats, " with a water balloon the day after after they followed me to

the dorms making, " moo-ing, " noises. *evil grin*

I spent over nine years prior to finding Dr. Rutledge and the MGB wanting

and researching different WLS options. Up to that point I didn't like what

I saw out there as far as WLS options. I was very careful in examining WLS

options, since my mother had almost died due to severe malabsorption and

anemia (her intestinal incision didn't stop leaking blood postop) after the

old and very dangerous Jejuno-Illeal intestinal bypass in the 70's. (It was

reversed and she's once again MO, BTW.) I had two criteria at the top of

the list after watching mom go through hell.... 1. The procedure had to be

easily reversed if needed, and 2. I did NOT want an open procedure.

It seemed that many things in my life converged at the same time to make me

push myself to start the application process. In the very same week that my

father recieved a hospital bed (due to many obesity related health

problems), I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and put on blood pressure

medicine. I was determined not to head down the same road, physically, as

both my parents.

I completed my packet and wrangled with my insurance over medical necessity.

(I continue to fight with the insurance, BTW.) I finally decided to raid

my retirement so that I could have a chance of retiring, and a surgery date

was set for November 1st.

Cat and I left for Durham on October 30th. The whole airport experience

made me glad I was having the MGB in just a couple days. The wheelchair I

requested to assist us between gates was too narrow for my butt. I had to

walk anyway. On the planes I could barely make the seatbelt buckle click.

Ok... I was too stubborn to ask for an extender. Silly, huh? Later that

evening we had a great time visiting with Ruqayya and her husband, ,

Gwen, and Gloria (I hope I got everyone!! It's all still a blur. LOL) at

the Outback Steakhouse.

On the 31st we went to Durham Regional Hospital to take care of my

pre-admission paperwork, payment since I was self pay, and drew up a living

will/advanced healthcare directive in the chaplain's office. (Nice folks!!)

We then drove down to Dr. R's office to take care of payment and get

directions to clinic... and went to Clinic.

Clinic was good and very informative. After the introductions and Q & A

session Dr. R took all the postops aside to remove staples. I weighed in

and had my waist measurement taken and had my one-on-one meeting with Dr. R.

We went through my packet one last time, talked about my elevated liver

enzymes... which had almost returned to normal by then, and I asked... of

all things... if the staples would set off airport security alarms. (The

answer is no.. they are titanium, not ferrous.)

I ate very lightly the day before, soups and veggies, mainly. This insures

that the digestive tract doesn't get stretched out so that Dr. R. can have a

more accurate idea of how much he is bypassing the following day.

The day of surgery we got there an hour earlier than we'd been told. I

hadn't called the day before to find out when I was scheduled, so I wanted

to be there in case there was a possibility I could go early. Dr. R.

stopped by the waiting area first thing and asked if I was ready to go... I

said, " YES!! "

I met the nurse anesthesist and got to joke around with her. I used to be a

respiratory therapist, so my question was what sized ET tube was she

thinking of using. She winked and said a 9.0Fr!! (That is the size vets

use on horses, BTW.) She was only kidding. LOL I told her I was very

concerned about postop nausea. She did a great job by giving me meds that

prevented it. I didn't feel a single nauseous moment.

I was given some medicine to, " relax, " prior to walking into the operating

room. All I can remember was laying down on the table, my arms being

secured, and opening my eyes... it was over. I even had to ask, " did he do

the surgery already? " Then I asked for, and got, ice chips to chew on.

My worst complaint after that point was back pain. I have severe chronic

back pain, and apparently the laproscopic gasses had made it worse. My

incisional pain was near nothing.... just felt like I'd been doing sit-ups.

I had a demorol pain pump available to me... and I used it for my back, not

my incision. Within 30 minutes after coming out of the OR I was up and

walking... mainly because I knew that would rid me of the gasses.

The day after surgery, after I ate beef broth and jello for lunch, Dr. R.

paroled... er... discharged me from the hospital. I was feeling so great

that Cat and I walked down to surgical center to try and see another,

" postop sister, " well over a mile I think. She was was getting well needed

rest, so we took a cab back to the motel and took it easy.

The remainder of our week in Durham we walked nice, long, walks each day...

dined on broths, nonfat/sugarfree yogurt, clear juices, and V8. We took

time to walk around a mini-mall and watch a movie, as well as find a factory

outlet mall to walk in.

Day 6 postop I went to clinic. I was floored to find that I was 14 pounds

lighter. I know most of that was water weight, but I'll take it!! Dr. R

took my staples out. The ports looked great, but I had an icky rash where I

had a reaction to the dressing's tape. Over the counter hydrocortisone

ointment (cortaide) took care of it well, though!

We literally DASHED to the airport from clinic, as our return flight was

taking off only a couple hours from then. I didn't feel too great during

the flights, as gas in my intestines expanded in flight. OUCH!!! As much

as I loved my experience in Durham, boy, was I glad to get home!

My mother came up from southern Oregon to, " take care, " of her daughter and

was happily shocked to see me doing so well. We had a wonderful time

together. She truly wishes that the MGB was available when she went through

her WLS horrors.

I'm still doing great! I'm not waking with asthma attacks every night any

more, and have had no migraines since. (I'd average one a week.) My blood

pressure is returing back to normal, and I can see my ankle bones. I have

my first postop appointment with my PCP this Friday, and will let you know

what my new blood pressure and weight are then.

Truly grateful;

Jenn in Vancouver, WA

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[Guest guest]

Jenn! Thanks for sharing your experience w/ us. And congrats for making

it safely to the other side!

Woooooohoooooo from the PHAT chick,

Cindy

[Guest guest]

Oh Jenn. Sooo glad to read your post and see how well you're doing! Thanks

for taking the time. You know how many folks are going to want to list you

as a contact now, with that great story. All my best to you. Keep doing

well and keep telling us about it. I was 2 days after you, and doing fine,

but not yet ready to leap any buildings! Some of us recover more slowly, and

I seem to be one of them. PhillyJude MGB 11-3-00

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the low down...Please keep us Pre Op Hopefuls informed...

Robin from Ohio

My MGB experience (Long)

>Hi!

>

>This is Jenn in Vancouver, Washington. I'm happy to report on my

experience

>crossing to the other side. Sorry this is about 2 weeks late, but I've

felt

>so good that I haven't wanted to sit in front of the computer for very

long.

> I guess that is one of those, " side effects, " we have heard about over

and

>over again. LOL

>

>I would first like to give my thanks to Cat, my lifepartner. Without her

>support and encouragement I would probably still be miserable. Watching

her

>great recovery after having an open RNY late in 1997 was truly an education

>for me.

>

>Okay... on to my story.

>

>With the exception of being born an underweight and premature, " blue baby, "

>I've been, " morbidly obese, " my whole life. I can remember topping the

>scales at over 100 Lbs in the 2nd grade. The usual name calling, shunning,

>and teasing toward the fat kid existed for as long as I can recall...

>extending to my college years. It did feel good, though, to get those,

> " Frat rats, " with a water balloon the day after after they followed me to

>the dorms making, " moo-ing, " noises. *evil grin*

>

>I spent over nine years prior to finding Dr. Rutledge and the MGB wanting

>and researching different WLS options. Up to that point I didn't like what

>I saw out there as far as WLS options. I was very careful in examining WLS

>options, since my mother had almost died due to severe malabsorption and

>anemia (her intestinal incision didn't stop leaking blood postop) after the

>old and very dangerous Jejuno-Illeal intestinal bypass in the 70's. (It

was

>reversed and she's once again MO, BTW.) I had two criteria at the top of

>the list after watching mom go through hell.... 1. The procedure had to be

>easily reversed if needed, and 2. I did NOT want an open procedure.

>

>

>It seemed that many things in my life converged at the same time to make me

>push myself to start the application process. In the very same week that

my

>father recieved a hospital bed (due to many obesity related health

>problems), I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and put on blood pressure

>medicine. I was determined not to head down the same road, physically, as

>both my parents.

>

>I completed my packet and wrangled with my insurance over medical

necessity.

> (I continue to fight with the insurance, BTW.) I finally decided to raid

>my retirement so that I could have a chance of retiring, and a surgery date

>was set for November 1st.

>

>Cat and I left for Durham on October 30th. The whole airport experience

>made me glad I was having the MGB in just a couple days. The wheelchair I

>requested to assist us between gates was too narrow for my butt. I had to

>walk anyway. On the planes I could barely make the seatbelt buckle click.

>Ok... I was too stubborn to ask for an extender. Silly, huh? Later that

>evening we had a great time visiting with Ruqayya and her husband,

,

>Gwen, and Gloria (I hope I got everyone!! It's all still a blur. LOL) at

>the Outback Steakhouse.

>

>On the 31st we went to Durham Regional Hospital to take care of my

>pre-admission paperwork, payment since I was self pay, and drew up a living

>will/advanced healthcare directive in the chaplain's office. (Nice

folks!!)

> We then drove down to Dr. R's office to take care of payment and get

>directions to clinic... and went to Clinic.

>

>Clinic was good and very informative. After the introductions and Q & A

>session Dr. R took all the postops aside to remove staples. I weighed in

>and had my waist measurement taken and had my one-on-one meeting with Dr.

R.

> We went through my packet one last time, talked about my elevated liver

>enzymes... which had almost returned to normal by then, and I asked... of

>all things... if the staples would set off airport security alarms. (The

>answer is no.. they are titanium, not ferrous.)

>

>I ate very lightly the day before, soups and veggies, mainly. This insures

>that the digestive tract doesn't get stretched out so that Dr. R. can have

a

>more accurate idea of how much he is bypassing the following day.

>

>The day of surgery we got there an hour earlier than we'd been told. I

>hadn't called the day before to find out when I was scheduled, so I wanted

>to be there in case there was a possibility I could go early. Dr. R.

>stopped by the waiting area first thing and asked if I was ready to go... I

>said, " YES!! "

>

>I met the nurse anesthesist and got to joke around with her. I used to be

a

>respiratory therapist, so my question was what sized ET tube was she

>thinking of using. She winked and said a 9.0Fr!! (That is the size vets

>use on horses, BTW.) She was only kidding. LOL I told her I was very

>concerned about postop nausea. She did a great job by giving me meds that

>prevented it. I didn't feel a single nauseous moment.

>

>I was given some medicine to, " relax, " prior to walking into the operating

>room. All I can remember was laying down on the table, my arms being

>secured, and opening my eyes... it was over. I even had to ask, " did he do

>the surgery already? " Then I asked for, and got, ice chips to chew on.

>

>My worst complaint after that point was back pain. I have severe chronic

>back pain, and apparently the laproscopic gasses had made it worse. My

>incisional pain was near nothing.... just felt like I'd been doing sit-ups.

>I had a demorol pain pump available to me... and I used it for my back, not

>my incision. Within 30 minutes after coming out of the OR I was up and

>walking... mainly because I knew that would rid me of the gasses.

>

>The day after surgery, after I ate beef broth and jello for lunch, Dr. R.

>paroled... er... discharged me from the hospital. I was feeling so great

>that Cat and I walked down to surgical center to try and see another,

> " postop sister, " well over a mile I think. She was was getting well needed

>rest, so we took a cab back to the motel and took it easy.

>

>The remainder of our week in Durham we walked nice, long, walks each day...

>dined on broths, nonfat/sugarfree yogurt, clear juices, and V8. We took

>time to walk around a mini-mall and watch a movie, as well as find a

factory

>outlet mall to walk in.

>

>Day 6 postop I went to clinic. I was floored to find that I was 14 pounds

>lighter. I know most of that was water weight, but I'll take it!! Dr. R

>took my staples out. The ports looked great, but I had an icky rash where

I

>had a reaction to the dressing's tape. Over the counter hydrocortisone

>ointment (cortaide) took care of it well, though!

>

>We literally DASHED to the airport from clinic, as our return flight was

>taking off only a couple hours from then. I didn't feel too great during

>the flights, as gas in my intestines expanded in flight. OUCH!!! As much

>as I loved my experience in Durham, boy, was I glad to get home!

>

>My mother came up from southern Oregon to, " take care, " of her daughter and

>was happily shocked to see me doing so well. We had a wonderful time

>together. She truly wishes that the MGB was available when she went

through

>her WLS horrors.

>

>I'm still doing great! I'm not waking with asthma attacks every night any

>more, and have had no migraines since. (I'd average one a week.) My blood

>pressure is returing back to normal, and I can see my ankle bones. I have

>my first postop appointment with my PCP this Friday, and will let you know

>what my new blood pressure and weight are then.

>

>Truly grateful;

>Jenn in Vancouver, WA

>_________________________________________________________________________

>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

>

>Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at

>http://profiles.msn.com.

>

>

>