Slow recovery...

It has been a few days since my last post, sorry for the delay. The recovery this time is a little tougher than the first time. I'm a little more uncomfortable and so exhausted. I went to the mall yesterday to do some walking, which is great to do after surgery, but I think I over did it a bit. I paid the price today!

So, my surgery went pretty much as expected. I arrived at the hospital on Monday morning as planned and by 10:15 I was being wheeled into surgery. Dr. Benedetto came to see me before surgery to discuss exactly what he was planning to do and to answer any questions I had. He told me that if my stomach was in rough condition the old band would come out and he would wait a few months before putting in the new, larger one. This made total sense to me, although I was really hoping to have it all done at once. Initially I woke up from surgery feeling very little pain. I was brought up to my room and greeted by my nurse. All of the nurses I had were awesome, of course I didn't expect anything less since I knew this from my last surgery. As the afternoon progressed my pain increased so my nurse gave me something to help ease my pain. A little while after dinner Dr. Benedetto came by to see me. He told me that he removed the old band and was able to put in my new band but there was a lot of scar tissue. He also said that my original band had slipped a little bit, probrably as a result from all of the vomitting. He then said that due to the fact that he removed so much scar tissue he expected me to be pretty enflamed and sore so it was possible I would be staying an extra night. This was fine with me. As much as I love sleeping in my own bed, I would much rather be where I could be taken care of.

The first night sucked!!! I couldn't get out of bed on my bed alone to pee and I had to pee alot because of the I'V fluids. The nurses were great and came to assist me every time I needed them too. I was pretty weak and dizzy too. By the time the morning came I was feeling a little bit better but still pretty weak and in pain. Dr. Benedetto's surgical resident cme by to see me to check on me. She was sooo nice and very pretty! She really took her time to explain everything to me and answered all of my questions. I told her I was still in a lot of pain and she said it looked like I would spend another night. The day was pretty mellow after that. My roommate had a very large family who came to visit a lot. They kind of adopted me and one of her daughters actually sat in my room and watch t.v with me for a few hours. My roommate was leaving later that day and I was anxious about who was going to replace her. My next roommate is a story for another time. Anyway. I slept on and off all day but still didn't get up to walk around. Dr. Benedetto came by to see me at 7:30. I couldn't believe it, it had been such a long day and here he was checking in on me. I honestly have to say that this is what sets NSMC apart from other hospitals. The doctors are really invested in their patients and really care. He said tht everything looked good and I should be all set to go home the next day. I thanked him for stopping by and sent him on his way.

The following morning I got out of bed and walked the halls. I was feeling better and was ready to go home. Dr. Benedetto's resident came by to see me before breakfast to check in. I told her I was feeling well enough to go home and she agreed but ultimately Dr. Benedetto would be the one to give the okay. He came by to see me after he finished his surgery and gave me the okay. By this time I couldn't wait to leave. Larry was with me and we were on our way.

Each day since surgery is better than the day before. I think the fact that the surgery was a little different than the first time has a lot to do with my recovery. I'm not pushing it and am really take things at a slow pace. I am not planning to return to work until March 8th. There's no way that one week is enough time to recover, not for me anyway. My boss, who is a very good friend of mine, completely understood and told me to take as much time as I need. My follow up appointment with Dr. Benedetto is on Thursday. I'm looking forward to putting all of this behind and taking the next steps.

Thank you for all of the nice emails I received!!! Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way!

Good Night and Sweet Dreams!!!
Jenn

Home sweet home...

Quick update: I ended up staying an extra day in the hospital to recover my revision surgery. All went well. I'm very tired and a little sore so I'm heading off to bed for a few. I will post with all of the details later. Thanks for all of the well wishes I received!!!

Warm regards,
Jenn

Today's the big day...

In a few hours I will be having my revision surgery. I'm ready and just want to get it over with. I slept surprisingly well last night but I'm really thirsty this morning because I haven't been able to drink or eat since midnight.

In a strange coincidence my sister is also having surgery today. Her surgery is a hysterectomy and is much more invasive than mine. We are twins so this makes it a little weirder. I'm worried about her and don't like that she'll be having surgery when I can't be there to help or support her. I'll be in Salem and she'll be in Beverly. It's crazy!!!

So, my surgery is scheduled for 10:00 this morning. I need to be there by 8:30 to check in and such. I have my strict instructions of no lotion, deodorant, make-up, or nail polish. Good thing I didn't get a manicure the other day! I'm okay with the no make-up but the lotion and deodorant are killing me. I have the world's driest skin and always cover myself from top to bottom with lotion, every single day!!! The deodorant is the other item I never leave my house without putting on. I'm really self conscience about smell. I packed lotion and deodorant and will be putting both on as soon as I feel up to it after my surgery.

Well, time to go! I will post again soon with updates from my surgery. Good bye old band, hello new band!!!

Warm wishes,
Jenn

Pre-op testing....

So tomorrow is my pre-op testing for my surgery on Monday. For some reason I'm kind of nervous but I'm not sure why. I've already been through this and I know what to expect so I'm surprised that I'm feeling a little nervous and anxious. I know my feelings are completely normal, they're just a little unexpected.

I recently found out that my good friend Rhonda is also having her band replaced. We had surgery about 6 months apart, she was first. I actually met her on an on-line support group and discovered that she actually lives about 5 minutes from me. She was soooo helpful when I was going through surgery the first time. I must've asked her thousands of questions and she graciously answered each and every one of them. I'm sorry that she has to have surgery again but it's kind of reassuring having a friend to go through this with.

The pre-op stuff is pretty routine. Blood pressure, blood test, surgery history, weight and so on. The first time I had my surgery the day after Christmas so my pre-op appointment was a few days before Christmas. I remember feeling so excited and nervous. I was also starving because I was on the dreaded two week liquid diet. It amazing how much my life has changed and how much I have learned since then. I'm not the same person in many ways. I am much more confidant now and not so afraid to come out of my comfort zone. I have developed much healthier eating habits(when I can eat) and now recognize the triggers that set me off on a major binge. I still make mistakes from time to time with my food choices but I no longer let food control my life. I am so much more prepared for what lies ahead and I am ready for any challenges that come my way.

I hope to post one more time before my surgery if possible. If not, I will be back again some time soon. I am optimistic about my new adventure and look forward to taking the next steps in becoming a healthier and happier me!!!

Good Night and Warm Wishes,
Jenn

Surgery Date!!!

"NA-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey-hey-hey, good-bye"! This is the new theme song for my band! My revision surgery has been scheduled for Feb. 22nd and I can't wait to say goodbye to the band that has been making my life miserable!!! The funny thing is that I'm actually kind of excited about having this surgery. Two weeks ago I was kind of frustrated and disappointed but I have really had some time to think this all over. I'm looking at this as a second chance, a do-over. It feels as though I'm having surgery for the first time and since my band has never really worked the way it should, I'm looking forward to starting fresh.

I have shared this experience with a few of my friends and family members. One of my friends and I were talking about my revision surgery. She said she would be so mad if she was in my position. I asked her who she would be mad at and she couldn't answer me. It made me think a little, is there someone I should be angry with??? Who, my surgeon? It wasn't his fault this happened. Myself? I didn't do anything wrong. Anger has no place in any of this for me. I knew there were risks when I had surgery the first time. I didn't think anything would happen that would require another surgery but I did my research and I was well aware of the possibility. It's time to move on, plain and simple.

As I mentioned in an early post, Dr. K no longer performs bariatric surgery so Dr. Benedetto will be my surgeon this time around. I am very comfortable and confidant that my surgery will go as smoothly as the first time. At least I know what to expect. I already have my comfty clothes ready to go. I will go to the supermarket next week to pick up all of my post-op supplies and my heating pad will be ready for me when I get home. I will spend the night just as I did with my first surgery. The staff at the hospital were wonderful so I know I'll be in good hands. My pre-op visit will take place on the 17th and then it's full steam ahead!!! I'm so glad that I don't have to do the two week liquid diet because that wasn't easy and I wasn't a very nice person to be around.

Time to go, I wish you all a healthy and happy night!

Warmly,
Jenn

Holy Girl Scout Cookies.....

I am an extreme person, always have been. I believe in community service and giving back and often volunteer to help others in need. I'm actively involved at my son's school and go above and beyond when I can. Why am I telling you this? Well, being the extreme person I am you can imagine what happened when my friend sent an email on Facebook that her daughter was selling girl scout cookies. Everyone quickly signed up to buy a box here, a box there, not me. I ordered 7 boxes!!! What the heck is wrong with me???? What am I going to do with 7 boxes of girl scout cookies???? At first I figured I would order 2, thin mints for me, and peanut butter sandwiches for Larry. I put the thin mints in little snack size bags in the freezer and when I'm craving a sweet treat, I just grab a little baggy with two cookies. No big deal. Something took over and I ordered lemon sandwiches, caramel delights, samoas, and god only knows what else. At over two years out from surgery you would think I know better right??? Well, I do know better because with the lapband, for some strange (and cruel) reason, junk food passed right through and doesn't get stuck. There is no dumping like you would get with the bypass so you always have to be careful with what you chose to eat. Bringing 7 boxes of girl scout cookies into my house is a recipe for diaster. I don't have cookies in my house because I know I would eat them. I couldn't call my friend and cancel my order because her daughter was so excited, apparently this was her biggest order. Instead I have made a plan. Thin mints and peanut butter cookies will be dropped at my house. The rest will be delivered to the local food pantry which hosts weekly lunches for homeless people. I figured they might enjoy having a special treat and I won't have the temptation in my house. It's a win, win for all!!!

Stay healthy, and stay away from girl scout cookies!!!
Warm regards,
Jenn