I've joined the band !!

So it is done !! Whew and oh-oh !! the day started off with a very long, long,long wait !!! I was schedued to get the prep started @ 9 am with surgery @ 11am...well 11:30 and I was still sitting in the waiting room...waiting !! Needless to say startving like hell since the last time I had "eaten" or drank anything was 9 pm the previous night !!

Well around noon I was finally called in and got the ball rolling.Changed into my flattering sexy surgical gown ( ha!) and got some last pre-op pics taken by the hubby. The OR nurse and anesthisiologist came to see me and ask me questions and to explain what was going to happen. I was starting to get VERY nervous and thought about making a run for it a couple of times !!! Dr. Ren finally came in and explained what she was gonna do and reassured me that my nervousness is totally normal and that I would be incredibly happy with my decision in a couple of days.

I put on my surgical socks and cap, kissed the hubby bye and walked into the OR with the nurse. I have to say at this point I really wanted to turn and run the other way. Having NEVER had any type of surgery the site of the operating table and the lights and all the stuff really scared the crap out of me, but I guess my nurse saw the scared deer look in my eyes and took my hand and said it's gonna be alright dear and helped me up on to the table. The anesthesia guy came back in and eased me up by craking some jokes. They hooked me up to the most awesomest massage booties that keep you from getting blood clots but give an awesome calf message while there at it. Then the IV went in and the mask over my face. I was told to breath in deeply ten times...I dont know how many I got to, but the next thing I remember is waking up in the recovery ward with the nurse gently storking my hand.

I had the worse sore throat ever, which is expected from the respirator tube and was really waked out, but I came too little by little and saw my hubby standing next to my bed. Dont remember much about our conversation but I do remeber having alot of people checking on me and my temp, bp, oxygen levels...needless to say I was being taken care of VERY well. Had a morphine drip going so there was no pain. After about 2 hours I was moved to my room.

I had been warned by another bandster that the 13th floor at NYU had some not so attentive nurses, but I am happy to say that all of my nurses were very nice and very attentive and most importantly very liberal with the morphine (YAY!!!). Once i got to my room I was helped out of bed and instructed to just walk around. The nurse did the first lap with me to make sure that I could handle it and then I was on my way. There were alot of other band patients on that floor so we kept meeting eachother on our walks.

The first nite..sleep was rough due to the gas and trying to find a comfy position which was near impossible. Going to pee was also a production, since I had to be helped out of bed and the massage booties taken off and then draging the IV with me. And since they have to monitor your urine output I had to pee into a special container in the toilet, never mind trying to move around with the pain in the incisions. Most of the sleep I got was with the morphne drip ( did I mention how much I LOVED the morphine!!!!). The nurses would come in every hour to check on me. They also give you some heparin injections to avoid blood clots, but they inject them into the stomach and I didnt like that at all !!!

The next morning the surgeon's residents came to see me and check on my incisions. Reiterated the importance of walking to help the healing process and started the discharge procedure. My hubby helped me change into a loose dress, pants with elastics and zippers not a good idea when you have an insision on your belly button. I was given my final instructions to wait to bathe for 24 hrs and my med instructions and i was on my way home.

The ride home was rough. The bumps of the road were VERY rough on my belly, I was very happy to get out of the car and take some vicodin !!!! I had absolutely no desire to eat anything and it was a battle to even get 6 oz of the chicken broth down, I know this will change eventually but for now it is liquids for 9 more days !!! YUM !!!