About VSG

Sleeve Gastrectomy is a surgical weight loss tool in which the stomach is reduced to about 25% of its original size, by surgical removal of a large portion of the stomach, following the major curve. The open edges are then attached together (often with surgical staples, glue and possibly cauterization) to form a sleeve or tube with a banana shape. The procedure permanently reduces the size of the stomach and is performed laparoscopically and is not reversible.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/about_vertical_sleeve_gastrectomy.html

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Saturday, May 7, 2011

big mistake

So I got my stitches out yesterday and doc told me to put polysporin on them 3x/day to promote healing and cover with bandages if I wanted to keep it from getting on my clothes. So last night I lathered up my incisions and bandaged each one.

This morning I have a rash all over my tummy.  It's so itchy!  Booooo.  I hate adhesive allergies.

Friday, May 6, 2011

First moment of nausea happened today.  With the exception of fatigue, I'm feeling more and more like my old self (pre-surgery) and I took a big swig of apple juice I had been nursing all afternoon.  Big mistake.  I didn't bring it up but boy did my sleeve tell me I'd overdone it!  Lesson learned dear sleevey. Match and point.

In other news... stitches are out! Yay!  Didn't hurt either.. just a tiny pinch and they were all out in a matter of a minute. Doctor reminded me that I'm not allowed any heavy lifting for 6-8 weeks as I can tear the healing done inside me. Also got a note for the time I was off work.  I didn't think to get one when I was having surgery.  Since I was off over 3 days (I was 4 days), they require a dr note to credit sick leave otherwise I'd have to use my vacation time.  So now I have a note.  Granted its not from my surgeon, but I don't see why it wouldn't be acceptable.  I had surgery, I had to recuperate, I needed the time off.

I know I'm only 10 days out but I really want to exercise.  I hope this fatigue sorts itself out soon.  I'm so over feeling so exhausted all the time

yummy yummy

Hubby made turkey and mashed potatoes for dinner last night!  It was sooooo good.
He cooked up some lean ground turkey and mixed it with mashed potatoes and pulvurized it with the hand blender.  Heaven.  All I needed to make it complete would be some cranberry jelly!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Officially on mushies!

Wahoo!  I had lentil soup last night (pulverized with the hand blender).  It was fabulous. Definitely a different feeling in the ol tummy.  I got full way faster on way less food.  Seriously, 2-3 tablespoons and I was stuffed!
I can't wait to have more of the thicker soups tonight.  I'm getting tired of drinking my meals!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Apparently my sense of smell is firmly intact.

Hubby just cooked a hamburger patty, yams and a nice green spinach salad.  I'm sitting over here salivating at the smell :(

Surgery day outline

I guess I never really posted how the whole thing happened.  I know I'll want this information later and it might be helpful to others that are considering this procedure so I'm going to go over it now.

April 27
We met up at the San Diego Jet Blue terminal at 8am with Terry, Leslie, Darlene and Jason who were also getting the sleeve the same day as me.  Our transport arrived on time in a VW van to take us to Tijuana.  The trip over the border was uneventful.  I think we stopped for about 2 seconds...  didn't have to talk to anyone, nothing.  Vehicle just got its pictures taken, that's it and then we were off.

We arrived at the Jerusalem Clinic about 9am and sat around upstairs for quite awhile.  Blood was drawn, EKGs were done, met Dr Almanza and he discussed the procedure a little, consulted with Juan Betancourt (patient coordinator/admin) and Dr. Betancourt (his brother and VP of the place) were done and then we were taken down to the room to be put in a gown, IV put in and weighed.

Not too much longer later you're walked into the surgical suite.  Within moments you talk to the anesthiesiologist and you're out like a light.   You awake in the recovery room beside the surgical suite and are then walked to a waiting bed.  From then on, its basically pass out, pain meds/saline by IV, walk a little to get rid of gas pains, pass out, ad nauseaum until the next morning.

April 28
By 9am they put some more meds in your IV and you're transferred to the recovery house/hotel (whichever you've chosen).  They dropped us off at the hotel, made sure we were situated and then we didn't see anyone again until around 8pm that night when we were picked up again for transport back to the clinic for more pain meds and antibiotics and then transported back to the hotel.

April 29
They picked us up around 10 am and they took us to radiology to have our leak test.  They give you this nasty blue water that you're supposed to drink down while they drive you.  Once you are called in for your test, you're done with the nasty blue stuff and instead, you get even nastier clear stuff.  You have to drink it while standing in front of the xray so they can take pictures while it goes down and make sure you're ok to go home.  After the test, we were driven back to the clinic to have the xrays reviewed.  We were there not even 10 minutes before we were released and headed back to the hotel again.  Yay no leaks! That night we were picked up again around 10pm and brought to the clinic for 1 last pain med and they took the IV out as well as the drain.  It doesn't hurt.  It feels really weird, but it doesn't hurt to have it removed.  They don't sew up the spot where the drain was so you're left with a 1" slit that has to heal without the stitches.

April 30
They picked us up at 11 am and off we headed to the USA border to go back into San Diego.  The drive was very quick.  They had warned us originally that it could be up to 3 hours waiting to get through but it was an hour total from the time we left the hotel until we were back in the states!



We flew home May 1 :)

Senses change

You know how some people say when you lose one sense, you gain in another?  My hearing seems to be super good these days since the surgery.  Almost to the point that things annoy me way more because I can hear everything crystal clear and I'm not able to just ignore things anymore.

Also my taste has changed... so far something weird.  I tried cottage cheese last night for the first time.  I had to ask hubby if he put any pepper in it because I find it very spicy!  It makes me cough its so spicy!   I never had that reaction to cottage cheese before.  Weirdness.



my stitches hurt.  i wanna go home :(

10 am and already a rough day

Getting ready for work was a chore this morning.  I was wiped out by the time I got to my vehicle.  80 emails to review when I got to work... at least I have a desk job so I can sit most of the day.

Woke up this morning to some menstrual bleeding.  That wasn't unexpected as estrogen is stored in fat cells so many people experience this after losing weight quickly however I'm a little surprised since I am using a hormonal birth control method.  I'm not due for 2 weeks dammit!

The anitbiotics are so unbelieveably nasty.  I just can't do it.  They taste so badly.  I even tried to quarter them and take them with some juice.  Didn't make it down my throat and I nearly puked. :(  I know the antibiotics are preventative but I'm just at a loss here... I just can't get them down.  If I crush them and put them in yogurt (or the like) they make the mix taste horrible.  If I quarter them and try to get each piece down, I nearly puke.  I'm considering just hedging my bets and not taking them.  If I end up with an infection, then I'll deal with it then.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Cipro is disgusting

Because I am not (mostly just afraid to) swallowing pills yet, I'm taking my antibiotics by crushing them into my yogurt.  Its the most yucky thing ever... or damn near close.  It's like chewing a tylenol... but worse.

So yucky.

Also I'm so itchy from the damn adhesive tape.  My hand is just burning... what am I supposed to do with this!? I have this itchy blistering on my tummy too :(

My incisions


There are 5 incisions.  The pic was taken after taking the tape/gauze off so its a little wrinkly from that.  I'm also very swollen in this pic.
Last night was tough. I was in pain and exhausted. I decided that I needed another day to rest before going back to work. Tomorrow I'm going back. Feeling tons better this afternoon.  Could be the naproxyn but I prefer to think I'm on the mend :)

Much easier to get my fluids in today and have started drinking the Unjury chicken soup a fellow sleever gave me. It smells nasty but tastes decent enough.

I'm so happy for a friend of mine as well for some recent developments for her

Things are looking up!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Meanderings

I have a rash where my IV was taped to my hand. It's rough and red and itchy.

I'm irritable today. The din of humanity has me cranky. On the plane there was fidgeting from my hubby, children screeching, valley girls talking about their latest nail appointment and new bag. Just ugh. I wanted peace and quiet and no movement. I took a painkiller for the flight and I was half out of it for the majority.

What does dehydration feel like?

Heading home

Yesterday was alot for me. I was exhausted and sore by the time we got back. The roads here are very bumpy and the constant vibration had my insides irritated.

Sitting in the San Diego airport waiting for our flight now. Layover in Seattle. There's nothing to do in this part of the airport because it's a domestic flight. Hopefully Seattle will be more interesting. I'm chillin in a wheelchair currently people watching while Hubby roams around.

I had a pic taken of my 5 holes in my tummy, I will post it on here when I'm home.