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Posted 9/26/2010 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
I am scheduled for surgery a week from Monday I am starting to get a little nervous but I just keep telling myself this is the right thing to do.  Have to go to the hospital tomorrow to do all the presurgery testing not sure what all this envolves I know blood work just not sure whatelse.  Also the day before surgery I have not been told whether I need to do any type of bowel prep.  I hope not it is my son's 5th birthday I hope to be able to enjoy one last good meal before having surgery.
Posted 9/26/2010 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
My pre-surgery prep was questions, bloodwork, x-rays, and an EKG.
My surgeon didn't require a bowel prep, just don't eat or drink 12 hrs before surgery.

The surgery day was surprisingly easy for me. I was very nervous until that morning.
1. show up at the hospital
2. Put on breezy gown (brrr!) Watch that back door! :P
3. Climb into bed and cover up.
4. Nurse comes in and asks a million questions.
5. Get IV
6. Rolled to pre-op.
7. More questions, a anti-nausea patch behind the ear, anti-nausea meds injected
8. Rolled into the OR. Lots of masked people. : D (Who was that masked man?!)
9. Get scooted over on the table. See the huge lights overhead!
10. Stretch your arms out on the braces...Night night!
11. Wake up some in the post-op. You'll be very thirsty and feel some pain, you have to get fully awake before they give you something. It's to make sure you don't overdose on the meds. They took X-rays of me while I was in there.
12. Rolled to your room. Transferred to bed. You have to help! Ouch! You have to pull on a trapeze bar to help. It hurts some.
13. When you get fully awake and realize what's going on, ask for a cup of ice to rub on your lips and let it melt in your mouth. You'll find pressure boots on your legs. They stay on until you leave.
14. They'll encourage you to get up and go to the bathroom and do some small steps around the room. Getting in and out of the bed is tricky, but just try not to use your stomach muscles.
Don't forget to ask for an extra pillow to lay across your belly and rest your IV arm on. My IV caused some trouble later for me. It got inflammed from them putting demerol on top of phenagen left over from the surgery. It scalded the vein. If your IV hurts tell them right away.
Posted 9/26/2010 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
Joy
Thanks for all the information this is really helpfull. You look on the internet and you find all kinds of stuff some of them say you have to do bowel prep before and others say nothing. The surgeon just told me nothing to eat or drink after midnight which is no big deal I am always in bed by that time anyway and have to be at the Hospital at 6 a.m. that way before I normally eat anything anyway and used to drinking something as soon as I get up though. Again Thank You Joy you are a great help hope you are feeling better.
Posted 9/26/2010 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
You'll do great. Just keep a positive attitude and relax. It will all be for the better in the end. Don't fight your recovery. Listen to your body and focus on recovery.
Posted 9/26/2010 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
Ritch

You are going to do fine.  I think you would not be normal if you did not  have a few jitters about your surgery.  You have done your homework now just try to stay in the moment and enjoy each day to the fullest.  We are all here to support you.  :-)

Kindly,

Kitt

 

Posted 9/28/2010 12:42 AM (GMT 0)
Had my preop visit today they just took blood and did an E.K.G. and anasthesia came and talked to me. Have to be there at 0530 on monday morning for sugery everything should be done and ready I hope.
Posted 9/28/2010 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Ritch,
I had the surgery in February 27, 2009. I understand your trepidation...it's never easy to look toward surgery. Those of us with severe GERD, or moderate GERD with bad side effects (my problem--asthma made uncontrollable), sometimes find ourselves faced with the reality that there is really no other choice--we can't go on the way we are, and need to give the surgery a try.

Then we start researching the procedure and find ourselves reading all kinds of negative posts written by people whose surgeries were botched by inexperienced hands, and start projecting all kinds of horrible problems on ourselves via our own surgery. My advice is STOP! Thank goodness for the wonderful people who inhabit this forum. If it weren't for them, I might have never had the courage to go forward with the surgery. I put it off far too long--so long that I very likely compromised the success of my own wrap, due to steroid usage for my asthma issues.

I was very pleasantly surprised with my recovery from this surgery. I was prepared for the worst, and it was much easier than I had ever hoped.

As Joy said, the day of surgery isn't a problem...

As I recall I got to the hospital, they put me into my hospital room. I was then visited by various medical personnel, who prepared me for the surgery. I had to have a nebulizer treatment for my asthma, as it was very bad.

They took me to another room to meet the anesthesiologist, and he asked me a few questions. The surgeon visited me then as well, and gave me the opportunity to ask questions.

Then I said bye bye to my husband, and was transported to the operating room. (It was COLD!)
I was transferred to the table, and they placed me on some sort of positioner, which wasn't that comfortable, but it wasn't long after that when the anesthesiology knocked me out and I don't remember anything until I woke up in the recovery room.

Thankfully, I wasn't nauseous (I was afraid I would be), and I really felt quite good. I don't even remember having a sore throat. Once they had me talking, and threw a couple very warm heated blankets over me, they gave me something to suck on for my dry mouth, and as I recall, not long after that (I'm sure it was longer than I remember) I was returned to my room and my waiting husband. My husband said I was gone for about two hours.

During the night you'll get enough pain relievers to keep you comfortable...I was given very good advice from my night nurse. She said to walk the halls whenever I went to the bathroom. I did a lot of walking my one night in the hospital. She said that the more I walked, the more I would be relieved of the shoulder pain that is often a post-op symptom--caused by the air that they pump into your abdomen to make it possible to operate laproscopically.

That, as it turned out, was excellent advice, and I continued to follow it when I went home. The more I walked, the less I suffered from that gas-provoking shoulder pain that many find very hard to live with. (It's temporary, but for some, can last far too long.)

I had liquids on my breakfast tray...the tray had coffee, juice, ginger ale...and a straw. What's wrong with this picture? Coffee is a no no, ginger ale is carbonated...another no no, and a straw introduces way too much air into your stomach...another no no.

You'll have to educate yourself, because typically, the hospital won't have a clue about what you can and can't have! A liquid diet is a liquid diet.

When I went home I was moved to soft foods (squash, applesauce, egg custard, yogurt, etc.) I was on soft food until I saw the surgeon five days later, when he put me on solid foods that could be chewed to a liquid.

So that's another description of the surgery...
Not so bad, is it?
You'll do just fine!
Any more questions? Ask away!
Take care and best wishes.
Denise
Posted 9/28/2010 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
I'm meeting my surgeon Thursday. It's so comforting to have this stuff to read.
I know you're all talking to Ritchg but it's helping me to read it - and I wanted to say thanks.
I've been absolutely scared to death.
The gas pain thing is the scariest part for me I think - that and the cuts.
the more times I hear "You're going to be okay" the better off I think I am.
Thanks.
Posted 9/28/2010 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
ZhyKitty,
You're going to be OKAY! We're here for you, so if you have any questions or need more support, be sure to post a new thread so we can watch you through your surgery!
Best wishes! When you're done, you'll join us as a member of the "Wrapped Club"!
Take care and think positive thoughts!
Denise
Posted 9/28/2010 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
My cuts were about inch long and glued closed. They were tender, but it wasn't a big pain. Most of my pain was inside where the wrap was. It hurt to breath very deep and when I had hiccups from over eating.
I was the odd one in my healing. I needed pain medicine only once at the hospital in 24 hours. At home I took only about three days of pain medicine, mostly to sleep at night.
My surgeon was wonderful in bleeding off the gas when he finished, so I didn't have the pain in the shoulder everyone complained of happening to them.
Posted 9/29/2010 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Denise thank you for your great post you gave me a lot of great info. I really appreciate it.
Posted 9/29/2010 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
Glad it was helpful, Ritchg! If you have any more questions or worries, just ask, and we'll do our very best to help! Best wishes for an uneventful and successful surgery. Keep a positive attitude, and let your recovery lead you. If you can accept what is, and relax into it, you'll do much better. Stressing and trying to rush things will only complicate your life.
We're here for you, and will be waiting to welcome you to the "Wrapped Club"!
Denise
Posted 9/30/2010 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
you will be great no dont worry its just a bit sore and dont over eat as you will hicupps which can hurt good luck mookie
Posted 10/4/2010 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Tomorrow is the big day it can't come soon enough. I hope the pain after surgery is not as bad as what I am experiencing right now. May of over done it today decided to go all out with my eating today probably overate and didn't follow any of the gerd rules and paying for it now severe heartburn. Oh well you only live once. Will talk to everyone in a couple of days after the surgery is done and let everyone know how I am doing.
Posted 10/4/2010 1:09 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck, Ritch! We'll be welcoming you to the Wrapped Club tomorrow after your surgery!
Don't worry...if you're anything like me, you'll find that it's not nearly as difficult as you expect.
Be sure to keep us posted during your recovery, and let us cheer you on! yeah yeah yeah yeah
Denise
Posted 10/4/2010 9:06 PM (GMT 0)

Ritch, know you are not there you are still in the hospital.

However, wanted to greet you when you get home. 

1/2 cup at a time, no more than that.  You can eat every 2 hours or so.  I was put on liquid when I went home, not clear liquid.

Oatmeal (thin) helped loads.  Also I had potato soup (used a blender). 

No carbinated drinks, no tomato soup - too much acid, no coffee.

I followed the diet of liquid diet (look it up on the net) and made sure I only ate 1/2 cup at a time.  The only time I had the shoulder pain was when I ate a little more than 1/2 cup.  Walk walk walk and it will go away.

When I went back for my checkup a week later I was put on regular diet, except no steak, no carbinated drink and watch the bread, he also said chew chew chew.

I know some feel food get stuck.  I never did and think it was a comination of a great surgeon and my following the diet so closely.

Welcome to the wrap club.

Jayne

Posted 10/6/2010 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone ThankYou for all your support. Had surgery on Monday but unfortunately I am still in the hospital having some bladder issues. I should be able to go tomorrow they have started me on flowmax to get by bladder going hope not to have to go home with the cath. but if I do I do I am ready to go. Finally got put on full liquids this afternoon tired of broth and jello. It all seems to be going down ok and staying down had some issues with nausea yesterday but they stocked me up on antinausea medicine overnight and have felt real good today except the cathater.
Posted 10/7/2010 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the wrapped club!
Sorry you're havin bladder issues. I hope it's resolved soon.
Yes, the liquid diet is very boring and you'll feel lacking at times. But remember your swollen and will be getting more swollen over the next two weeks.
Posted 10/7/2010 2:48 AM (GMT 0)
Ritch,
Congratulations on becoming a member of the Wrapped Club! yeah yeah yeah yeah Thanks for posting your experience. I know the feeling of wanting to get "sprung" from the hospital. It can't happen too soon, can it? You can do a better job of taking care of yourself at home...good luck with the bladder issue. Hope that straightens out ASAP!
Relax and take it easy!
Denise
Posted 10/7/2010 11:03 AM (GMT 0)

Welcome, welcome to the wrap club.  Your healing is beginning.  Hope the medicine has done it's trick.  Full liquids are so much better than the clear liquid diet.  Try oatmeal, it is filling.  But don't try the ones with bits of fruit just yet.  The blender will be your friend this week.  You can eat lots of things if it is blended.  Again, stay away from foods that are acid and no carbinated drinks.  I would also stay away from coffee this week.  Hopefully you will then be able to eat most things.  Steak and carbinated drinks - not for a few months but everything else will taste so good. 

Glad the operation went well.

Jayne turn

Posted 10/7/2010 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
I'd add untoasted bread to that list...
Posted 10/7/2010 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thank You to everyone finally got to come home the bladder issues have seemed to of resolved themselves. The doctor told me a slippery diet or anything that can be put in a blender just no meat. I have plenty of soups and protein drinks to get me through for a little while just not much of an appetite eat just a little bit and am full. Will have to weigh myself in the morning to see how much weight I have lost I need to loose about 30lbs. anyway. Again Thank You
Posted 10/7/2010 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
I lost 20 pounds but it came back with friends. LOL! You won't have much of the appetite for these first few days. Remember keep it less than half a cup and you'll do great.
Posted 10/10/2010 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone I am starting to feel better every day less pain really only hurts when I cough or sneeze. Still not eating much not much of an appetite. Only taking pain pills at night before bed to help me sleep. Go back to surgeon on thursday for post op visit and get release to go back to work on light duty.
Posted 10/10/2010 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
You'll be sinsitive for awhile to coughs, sneezes, and hiccups for a couple of more weeks. Remember to take it easy, no lifting over 5 lbs for six weeks.
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