Gutless

I can’t believe today is finally here. I have waited for so long and have already been through so much, I just want to feel better and am hoping that this is the beginning to that. I start this whole process by fasting from 11:00pm the night before. This includes water, breath mints, and gum. I don’t sleep a wink the entire night.

I check into the hospital at 5:30am. I first have some more labs done. I go back into the Same Day Surgery department where all my vitals are taken. I am then led into a room and told to change into a gown and socks. Once I do all this, the nurse comes into the room and we begin the real fun. She starts this process off easy by going over my health history and asking me questions. I get compression socks hooked up to my legs, this prevents blood clots from forming until I can get up and walk. I then have to take some heartburn medication for my reflux; this stuff tastes pretty dang awful. Once all this is done, it is time to start the IV. She tries three times. Another nurse comes in and tries 3 times. Then the Anesthesiologist comes in and he takes the gold. He tries 7 before he gets a tiny vein in my hand on the eighth try. In the middle of all this pain and chaos at 6:00 in the morning, Dr. Rasmussen comes in and signs a couple papers in my chart, makes sure I haven’t changed my mind and answers some more questions from my nervous parents. After he leaves the room, the OR nurse comes in talks to me for a minute and then leaves. Then an OR tech comes in and puts a hat over my hair. All of this happens while I am still being poked. At this point I have been poked so many times that I am getting nauseous. The Anesthesiologist notices this and puts a patch behind my ear to help with the nausea. Once he gets the IV in (14 sticks in total) he instantly gives me versed. I don’t remember anything after this and I hate it. I hate not being in control of things I do or say. I don’t remember saying goodbye to my parents, being wheeled out of the room, or even going into the OR.

The surgery starts at 8:00am (I am a ½ hour delayed due to the IV issues) and lasts pretty close to 4 hours. My poor parents sit in a waiting room this entire time, waiting to hear good news. Dr. Rasmussen comes out and talks to them after the surgery is over. The surgery went very well. They were able to remove most of the stomach and create a new stomach pouch that is about the size of 2 thumbs (1 thumb bigger than anticipated, Yippee). The hiatal hernia was smaller than anticipated so they were able to just pull it back down and staple it. The new roux limb is now 40cm which is exactly how long Dr. Rasmussen wanted it. I am now what my family calls gutless. I will have a leak test done in the morning. He is anticipating my stay to be 3-4 days. 

Flowers and balloons filled my room!!