Dr. Esquerra - Actually gives awesome nut advice.

[Soonerjoseph]

On one of the days after my DS surgery, Dr. Esquerra and Nina, the patient coordinator, came by to see me. It was at this visit (I mentioned this in another thread) where me being so lightweight was discussed and Nina said "Well maybe the Doctor gave you a bigger sleeve so you won't lose too much". Dr Esquerra quickly said "No, I gave him a proper sleeve". That was just freaking awesome because futzing around with the sleeve to make someone lose more or less weight is something that my research showed just wasn't done, or sure as hell shouldn't be done.

Now here's where I think Dr. Esquerra actually raised himself above a lot of other surgeons I've read about. Yes, I know surgeons cut, and for the most part we don't take the advice concerning vitamins from ANYONE, that we use lab results for that. I mentioned that I had a ton of different vitamin and minerals in powder form to buy from Amazon, that I was going to make my own cocktails starting with small batches so I can adjust the cocktails as needed early out, and then maybe later on I could make bigger batches. That this would allow me to not become toxic on certain vitamins such as B6 that I've never read of any DSer actually needing to supplement. Nina said something about not needing that much vitamins, and Dr. Esquerra said that you really shouldn't worry about taking too much vitamins, that within reason the more the better. It sounded so much different than the usual bs vitamin advice surgeons give to patients that I've read about so much.

Just thought I'd mention this so people could see that Dr. Esquerra really knows his shit.

 

[Munchkin]

Good to know! How are you doing so far?

 

[Soonerjoseph]

Really, really well. So well, sometimes I wonder if I actually had surgery.

Thanks for asking

 

[Clematis]

Really glad to hear you're doing great. So far everyone I've heard from who had Esquerra has had an exceptional outcome. Makes me feel less nervous.

 

[Soonerjoseph]

Really glad to hear you're doing great. So far everyone I've heard from who had Esquerra has had an exceptional outcome. Makes me feel less nervous.

I'm 10 days out today. The biggest incision (the one where they remove the stomach and insert the drain) looks less like a surgical cut and more like I scratched myself lightly against something.

 

[Munchkin]

That's great news! So honestly was it scary doing the surgery in MX or would you do it again? What did you think of your doc?

 

[Soonerjoseph]

That's great news! So honestly was it scary doing the surgery in MX or would you do it again? What did you think of your doc?

I was nervous right when I got there and the lady (Karla) who escorted me around to get my preop testing had to tell me that everything was going to be OK. I told her that I was more nervous that I'd be turned down from a failed test...or that I was too small. As soon as I was approved I stopped being nervous.

I don't think there was really anywhere else to go to get the surgery with such a small bmi (33.8). I definitely do it again...I'd just take a plane for sure. Driving that long was a huge mistake. I haven't even told you all about being 2 hours from home and having to pull over to puke. I had to alternatively walk/lay down for 30 minutes on an exit ramp outside of OKC. My stomach was just having a huge problem with the bouncing around. Definitely not one of my brightest choices.

All the docs were freaking awesome. Dr. Campos and Dr. Beltran (honestly forget his exact name) were who I saw the most of and were extremely friendly and competent. I like how the anaesthesiologist (again I'm terrible with names) explained everything he was going to do and that he wasn't going to stick an oxygen tube up my nose. I have had over a dozen operations and waking up with a tube up my nose has created problems in the past.

Dr. Esquerra himself was really awesome. I don't think his English is great (yet?) so in all honesty I spoke to him less than I wanted to. But that's why there was more than 1 doctor I guess.

I had nothing bad to say about the whole experience except it took them longer to put my IV in after it came out than I'd have liked. They brought a guy or girl (I can't remember, it was the night after the surgery so everything is kinda hazy) in to put the IV in and I felt they used me as a learning experience. What they did didn't hurt, I just wanted some flipping pain meds in after a few hours without.

 

[BebeZed]

Ouch, I was wondering how you'd done on the trip home. That's an awful long drive. Sorry you ended up getting yourself sick!
I totally agree with you about Dr Esquerra and the MBC staff. I felt calm confidence in Dr Esquerra and he really set my mind at ease. Dr. Campos was fun and I always looked forward to chatting with him. I felt that they were all very competent and caring and did their jobs well.

Wow, your drain incision is healing fast! Mine has finally filled in with actual skin now (at a month out) but it looked kind of nasty for awhile. To be fair, though, I do tend to heal slowly.

 

[Clematis]

Yeah, I had a bad feeling about your drive home. I am so not looking forward to a full day of flying to get home -- I booked a San Diego hotel for 2 days after release from hospital.

@BebeZed He heals fast because he's only 33. We who are old enough to be his mother may take a wee bit longer.

 

[BebeZed]

@Clematis - hush you! I'm not a day over 29!

Hmmm now that I think about it, my oldest is 33 so I guess that whole "not a day over 29" thing will work for me anymore LOL

 

[Soonerjoseph]

When I had my 3 back surgeries I either left the day of surgery or the day after, and I had financial reason (aflac, which payed me hundreds of dollars a day) to stay in the hospital for each surgery. I hate hospitals after spending 6 weeks in one as a 9 year old after a head injury. I think that clouded my whole judgement on the matter. As far as hospitals that I've stayed in at least overnight go, Almater was the best.

I think I'm healing so well because I've been off nicotine products for 6 months now after 20 years of use. After my spinal fusion operation, which left me with a 17cm incision, I took over 2 months to heal. I think I'm in the best shape health-wise since my late teens right now, even with the added weight.

Oh, and the anesthesiologists name was Dr. Gutierrez. I'm of the belief that the anesthesiologists is just as important when it comes to your safety during surgery as any other factor (probably moreso). I'll never be able to 100% confirm this but during my last spinal operation I swear I woke up during the surgery. When I woke up right after the surgery in recovery I kept telling the nurses that I had woken up, they went to get a doctor and by that time I fell asleep. Once I woke up later in my room, I couldn't recall anything, other than I was certain I was able to remember what happened before I fell back asleep in recovery. Nothing like that happened during the DS operation though.

There was another Doctor I talked to, Dr. Lomeli, only one time before the surgery. He was really friendly and talked to me about my first time seeing the ocean.



@BebeZed, did it take them long to put your IV back in when yours fell out? I have a feeling that if mine fell out in the daytime instead of at night, it would have been put back in more promptly.


Is it normal to get not so sharp to kinda sharp stabbing pains in your guts this far out after the surgery? It's not bothering me a whole lot but just thought I'd ask you all. I kinda attribute it to starting more of the 2nd phase of my post-op diet.

Oh, and I might as well just tell about what happened to me my first night back home. I started leaking a crap-ton of clear liquids out of my open incision to the point that I was soaking everything I tried to cover it up with. I had to use towels and just go without bandages for a few hours. I think all this stuff was what was causing me some distress (or that I exasperated) with my ride home. Once most of the leaking stopped, I covered my wound up and the next morning I went to replace the bandages. I'm allergic (sensitive is more accurate) to medical tape and it was about to the point I knew my skin was going to be coming off next. I had huge patches of hair that I was ripping off everytime I changed my dressing. I couldn't take that crap anymore so I just said screw it, and have just left all coverings off my incision since. I just wore a tighter shirt, and a jacket over it to cover up any stains on my shirt. I think this has really helped with my incisions healing as well as just put a stop to irritating my skins to the point of bleeding.

 

[BebeZed]

@BebeZed, did it take them long to put your IV back in when yours fell out? I have a feeling that if mine fell out in the daytime instead of at night, it would have been put back in more promptly.

Mine fell out during the day because I was feeling entirely too frisky and wasn't careful about moving around. I think I hit something with my left hand and that's why it got dislodged but I don't really remember..(good drugs LOL) I'm pretty sure that you are correct - it would have been replaced sooner had it been daytime.

Is it normal to get not so sharp to kinda sharp stabbing pains in your guts this far out after the surgery? It's not bothering me a whole lot but just thought I'd ask you all. I kinda attribute it to starting more of the 2nd phase of my post-op diet.

@Felicity just went through that, although hers lasted for days and got quite severe. I also had similar pains. Turned out it was gas for both of us and we eventually found something that moved everything through us to fix it. Milk of Magnesia worked for me... extremely well. LOL If it gets worse try something like that to see if it offers you some relief. If it doesn't, I'd consult the doctor. That would have been my next step had I not been entirely cleaned out (and cured!) by the Milk of Magnesia.

Oh, and I might as well just tell about what happened to me my first night back home. I started leaking a crap-ton of clear liquids out of my open incision to the point that I was soaking everything I tried to cover it up with. I had to use towels and just go without bandages for a few hours. I think all this stuff was what was causing me some distress (or that I exasperated) with my ride home. Once most of the leaking stopped, I covered my wound up and the next morning I went to replace the bandages. I'm allergic (sensitive is more accurate) to medical tape and it was about to the point I knew my skin was going to be coming off next. I had huge patches of hair that I was ripping off everytime I changed my dressing. I couldn't take that crap anymore so I just said screw it, and have just left all coverings off my incision since. I just wore a tighter shirt, and a jacket over it to cover up any stains on my shirt. I think this has really helped with my incisions healing as well as just put a stop to irritating my skins to the point of bleeding.

Yikes! I think I would have totally flipped out if that had happened to me!! As it was, I had nightmares about my little dog jumping up on me and his paw slipping inside the incision... ugh. I had very little leakage but then, you had a very stressful drive home and that could have caused it. I'm glad it worked out... geez it would have scared me half to death!

I finally discontinued the gauze yesterday. I could have done so much sooner I'm sure but that piece of gauze was my security blanket so to speak... I almost felt like if I didn't have that, my nightmare just MIGHT come true. Silly, I know, but it helped put my mind at ease. BTW, the dog never even came close to the incision - I showed him my "owies" and he was really careful not to stomp all over me. He must know I'm better now because he launches himself onto me with abandon now... but I still cover that spot with my hand. Eventually I'll get over it LOL

 

[Soonerjoseph]

That's funny...I just had the biggest BM of my life after my last post. It didn't feel very big but I looked into the toilet and, wow. I had only had 2 BMs since the operation, really small ones at that. I've been wondering in the back of my mind where all the food I ate the day before surgery went. I stopped at 4 gas stations and bought 3 king size candy bars at each one. I bought bags of chips, corn nuts. I had a huge steak for dinner as well as $15 worth of burger king that was across from hotel Lucerna. All this the night before the surgery.

On being scared of your surgical wound. If I still had small kids around (don't have pets that can jump on me, just guinea pigs) I'd have been more reluctant to do what I did. It's funny what fears can do to us. I've had dreams of bugs crawling in open wounds before. LOL

 

[Munchkin]

Sounds like you had a great experience overall. Ever since I saw for myself in Spain I can say for sure other countries have hospitals that are as good or better than in the US.

 

[BebeZed]

I don't know why but that really struck my funny bone
I had a decent-sized one at the hospital that looked so funny that just remembering it makes me giggle. I feel bad for whoever had to clean *that* up... it was in the bedpan thingie that they put in the toilet. Oops.