A View From Over The Scales

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Surgery.... DONE!! (Twice)

It is Tuesday morning and I finally got out of the hospital on Monday (mid afternoon)...

To say that my time in hospital was carefree would be a lie, but it has been a bit of an eye opener!

I had my initial surgery on Thursday afternoon and from all reports it went well. When I awoke Friday morning, I was given some tablets to help with pain and then something was clearly wrong. I was able to swallow, but everything I swallowed come back up.

Dr MOF came by and we went thought the possibilities, decided that the swallow test (x-ray) needed to be done and it showed that nothing was passing the band. It was too tight for now.

We decided to wait it out over the weekend to see if the swelling came down of its own accord. I spent the weekend unable to process even saliva (YUCKKY).

BY Sunday afternoon it became pretty clear that this would not work without an intervention, so less than 30mins later I was being processed for surgery (fasting was not an issue). I felt like I had a really difficult time through recovery, but maybe that was just my head working in strange ways after the anaesthetic.

After a pretty sleepless night, I awoke with a feeling that I had not had the previous time, and that was the ability to swallow down saliva without it revisiting me. Hmmmmm this was nice!!!

Wow, breakfast (after fasting for 4 whole days), it consisted of a bowl of clear soup and in normal times it would have just been an insipid bowl of stock flavoured water, but to me the 5 or 6 spoons full were heavenly!!! And sips of water, wow cool water.

This is how it should have been!!

Now, what went wrong?? Well, nothing went wrong. The band was placed correctly, and no other damage done, but it seems that part of the problem can be if the band situates over a layer of fat around the stomach.

Apparently this is a less than 1 percent issue, and happens sometimes with big blokes. The resolution was to go back, undo the band (that was still in situ as expected) and "de-fat" where it was placed. Apparently the site got a bit "oozey" and this necessitated that a drain be placed for the recovery phase. Now, let me tell you about the drain!!! It was just another bit of kit they have hanging off you for your wellbeing, like the drip stand that I became very intimate with (took it to bed 3 nights in a row, took it with me for walks, had breakfast with it, I am sure it would have held my hair back if I threw up, such was the bond we developed... It woke me up regularly through he night and day, just like a snoring or tossing and turning woman.... Get the picture??

Well the drain is a tube that is placed in the wound with constant suction applied to get any "free" blood or fluids out of the wound site... Worked a treat, and I got the good news that it would be able to come out.

I had a student nurse (3rd year, just about to graduate) working on me with her preceptor, and it was interesting hearing what it was, how to get it out, the pitfalls that may befall the unaware nursing staff etc etc etc. This I found interesting until she said: "This would be painful, it is just a strange sensation...." I hate the "this wont hurt a bit" comments, don't you?

Well, Student Nurse does what she had to by removing the retaining stitches, good so far, then grabs the hose (some what akin to a garden hose in my mind) and starts pulling, and pulling..... and pulling until I hear, "WOW, that was longer then I thought!!"

Now the experience was not "painful" but it was the damnedest feeling of your intestine being tugged out.... I felt the tube unwrap itself from my entrails (in here, around there, up here, down there and OUT!) I really do want to return this experience to the sealed memory box, even thinking about it has my stomach turning a little.

Anyway, after a lunch of strained soup, a spoonful of (well, half a spoonful) of jelly and a sip or two of water laid back and waited to see what would happen.. Nothing!! YAYYYY!!

Out came the IV entry, new dressings and I was out of there.

The thing that happened that I was hoping for did! I was not hungry the whole time I was in hospital, but I do feel the need now for a bit of fluid) Hunger pangs just for the hell of them are gone...

Now it is just up to keeping up with the recovery plans, and I cannot wait till I get some solid food in about 2 weeks!!

I have to say that the respect I have always had for nursing staff has been reinforced. Where would we be without those who choose these sorts of careers... Thanks to all of them!

And also, thanks to you all who called in, emailed, and phoned. It was really nice to see a face or two every so often, to break the self-pitying moments.

Oh, and if you want to lose weight, I can recommend the 2 weeks of Optifast, followed by 4 days of NOTHING but IV fluids and self pity, as being effective, but not desirable! I have not stood on a scale this week, but will report back later!

Onwards and lighter



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4 Comments:

At 16 October, 2007 09:55, Blogger The View From Fez said...

Well done! marbruk! Congratulations!

 
At 16 October, 2007 12:18, Blogger Magic Hands said...

welcome home!
I shall be attempting visitation as soon as break in the chaos emerges.. Have been sending lots of love your way xxxx

 
At 16 October, 2007 20:50, Blogger Anke said...

So, do you hear "well this is longer than I thought" often? Well done mate. *hugs n stuff*

 
At 17 October, 2007 13:50, Blogger Kali said...

Hey there Bobbles, So glad things have worked out good at last. I'll toast your success wtih a sip of water! Love 'n' hugs

 

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