Surgery Day (Getting the Monkey off my Back)...

Well, I tried to go back to bed on the morning of my surgery but decided I would rather keep reading Catherine's Blog as I was so excited.  At 6am I ate some toast and had a cup of tea but then realised I had not weighed myself and there was no point now since I had eaten and drunk  water since 3.30 am.

DH and I then got the kids ready for school and went to their parent teacher interviews.  Both the teachers were highly complimentry of our girls and doesn't that make your heart just swell.!!!!  We then headed up the street to finish off the Christmas shopping as even before the op I have needed help because I am on crutches.

Once finished we headed over to the hopsital which is about an hour away.  I choose a Dr  and clinic about an hour away because I liked the idea of the whole team approach and also there is NO WAY I would run into anyone I know over that way.  I know alot of people and my mother was a theatre nurse and as she does not knowI am having the op, I didn't want to risk the chance of running into anyone she knew.

So we arrived a little early and DH had some lunch (I wasn't even hungry...just thirsty) and then had to wait 1/2 hour to get into the room.  I was a little dissappointed to find I had a share room and that the patient was not even getting banded.  DH then left as he had to get the girls from school and I don't want them to know about this for the time being.

The nurses came to admit the girl in the bed next to me and OMG can you believe it but they ask her to step on the scales and she says 'Oh I have not weighed myself since I was 11!!!!' She is around 28...WTF???  As yep she is TINY. Even worse they then all start going on about how she should put on weight and she is going oh am I underweight blah blah blah.....At this point I want to run because I don't want them to know what I am having done (Lucky her mother assumes it is for my foot!!!).  After a quick text to my only friend who knows about the band and I have calmed down.  Her advice was to pretend I had turrets and start yelling out "Shut the F*** up" I would never see them again anyway...LOL.  I refrained.

This is me checking in at the hospital

Then they come to admit me, take some blood, do an ECG and give me my pre- meds (heaven!!) and then they put some betadine in my belly button which burned until surgery...weird.  She slao never said anything about the banding out loud.  She said discretly "I think you know what you are having done"  Wasn't that nice.  The worst bit???  I go to put on my nightie and find that I have left it at home!!!  Derr....

So for the next 4 and 1/2 hours I lay around reading "The LapBand Solution" by Dr Paul O'Brien which I heard about from Dash's Blog and had the good sense to borrow from the library on the way to the hopsital.  It was great to have something relevant to pass the time as my mags were not cutting it as I was so excited and consumed by the band.

Finally at about 5.45 pm I am wheeled off the theatre.  I told the guy who came to take me away that I was just about to roll myself up to theatre!!!!  Then I had to wait again until I was taken into the side room for my anethesist.  It was here that the lovely nurse Jane told me I wasn't that big...how nice.  I took this as a compliment and told her about my life long battle with the weight and she told me how great Dr Taylor was!!!

Paloma, the anethesist, then came and saw me and told me all about what the drugas were etc.  I have had many ops and basically knew what to expect and as my mum is a nurse and I am totally into anything medical ...I truly love looking around the theatre and having a good old chat.  Jane said it was great to see someone so excited!!!

So in I go with all the gadgets hanging off me, even my head!!!! and they attach me up to more.  I am telling them there is no way to escape now even if I want!!!!  I then tell Dr T that he better not be too tired for MY op and he had better do a good job.  It is 6.30pm by now!!!!  They all laugh.

Next thing you know I am awake on the table and it is over.  The first thing I notice is a super sore throat...funny I have never had that before.  Then I am wheeled to recovery and I get the shakes.  The nurses are lovelyand then I can't stop chatting!!!  They all tell me I am great to look after...what a boost to the ego today!!!

I get back to the ward at 8.50 pm and for the next hour call DH and the kids and then I want to go for my walk (the DR's told me this was vital) so I buzz the nurses but it takes 1/2 for them to come to me.  They don't want me to get up so soon but I tell them I need to sleep.  More painkillers and I drift off around 10pm.

Who said you go to hospital for some rest????  Forget it!!!  They wake me at 11pm - hey I just went to sleep - for my obs and a walk.  Off I toddle with my boot and crutch and they finally make my bed.  Then I am woken at 1.30 and 4 am for more obs and again at 6am for obs and a walk.  Feeling ok...just tired and start reading my book again.

Not looking my best!!!

Anyway breakfast (or should I say) liquids arrive at 8am and I just have the tea and broth....I don't really like sweet drinks.  Throughout the night I have managed to drink nearly 1200mls of water...slowly of course.

 DH arrives shortly after and then we just need to wait for DR T and I can go home.  He came in around 9.30 -10.00am and says I am doing fine and can go home.  I need to keep the wounds covered for 2 weeks to prevent infection, drink only liquids for 2 weeks and see him in his rooms in 2 weeks.  Oh and he gives me some pictures of the band!!!  I love that and may post them later.  (I love gore...LOL) So all is great and I head dome after a quick shower.

Excuse the big bloated tummy...so attractive!!!

I can't really explain how I feel....I feel excited especially after reading so many positive blogs out there.  I feel that I may just be getting this Monkey off my back after so many years.  Yes I still have hard work to do but I am on my way.

Thank you so much to everyone for your support....to come home and see so many new comments really made me feel like I have some new friends out there to support and help me through this new chapter in my life.