Diana S.
Well-Known Member
... other than my insurance timeline/nightmare.
I had my VSG to DS revision (or part two, if you will, of a whole DS procedure) on February 8, 2018. It's been nearly three months and I feel pretty darn good.
In the hospital, the twisted stomach I thought I had was really (as Dr. Rabkin explained) a over-careful shaping of the stomach my by original VSG surgeon, so that the top of the incision in my stomach was as far away from hitting the esophagus as possible, it created this curved line that created a narrow point where food was getting stuck. I was fine for years and years (had the VSG done like 12-13 years ago) but maybe pregnancy (my kiddo smashed everything UP and not OUT) and adhesions and time and whatever else, created this perfect storm that prevented me from eating solids any more. So he fixed that, fixed a hiatal hernia, removed my appendix, and of course rerouted my intestines in the DS way. He said my measurements were an alimentary limb of 150cm, common channel of 125cm, and my sleeve was trimmed down to about 3.5oz.
Of the hospital experience, I remember the first bowl of beef broth they brought me and how that was absolute heaven. It took me forever to get through but I didn't care... teeny sips and smelling it were absolutely enough. I had some terrible coughing fits and that was the worst thing ever, but if I felt them coming on, I would lean forward and press a pillow into my middle and somehow that managed to help. I was reluctant to get out of bed and start walking around because of how I felt, but honestly, after the first step, and then doing it a second time, it just got exponentially easier and made me feel worlds better... both physically and as an independent personality.
I've been dragging my feet on this update, but that's because I don't really feel like I have anything of overt interest to say. I guess that means no problems and while that's not sexy headline news stuff, that's awesome news for me! I remembered and was prepared for some of the feelings I had post-VSG (like water tasting like dust, being SOOPER emotional, etc.) but they still managed to get me all riled up. It took me until week four for my guts to believe I might actually survive the surgery, and then it's been an upswing since then. I'm still horribly out of shape and tired as all get-out, but I'm slowly getting there.
Hydrating is not a problem... I wasn't tracking initially because I was certain I was under my goal and I didn't want to freak out (good reason, huh?) but I actually started tracking everything and was excited to see I'm pretty much on target for everything.
Dr. Rabkin has me slowly introducing supplements and vitamins, in his "you have to crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run" example, and I have another appointment with him at the end of the month. I will get my first set of labs at the six-month mark, and I'm interested to see what those look like... just because I'd like to see what my body is actually doing internally.
As far as working, I work as the Admin in a tiny, small-town fire department. I had negotiated with my Chief that I would need to take some time off, and he was fine with that, but I was popping in at week two post-surgery to make sure the payroll was done. I spent two hours and regretted every second. So that apparently set an expectation (stupid me) and I would come in for 2-3 hours almost every day, and then 4 hours a day at week four, and then was back to full time within a month. I really wish it could have been different but it all worked out ok (except for all this filing! I have NO TIME FOR EXCESS FILING!).
Now I am able to move and stretch and run down the driveway to catch my escaping three-and-a-half wildcat child, and crunch numbers for the fire department budget and coordinate events and everything I need to do. What I need to pick up the pace on is walking longer distances, maybe dust off ye olde bike, and pretend to enjoy the sunlight. With this lily white skin and only a smattering of freckles to save me, I don't know much about the latter.
To date, I have lost something like 30 pounds. It's not a lot and doesn't change drastically on a daily basis so I'm not weighing myself often. I knew it would be slower because this wasn't a "virgin" surgery, but I'm already in my when-I-get-thinner jeans and certain things are changing shape and getting easier to move around. I'm good with that.
I invite questions to the curious, the new, the bored and the "what the hell were you talking about?" crowds
I had my VSG to DS revision (or part two, if you will, of a whole DS procedure) on February 8, 2018. It's been nearly three months and I feel pretty darn good.
In the hospital, the twisted stomach I thought I had was really (as Dr. Rabkin explained) a over-careful shaping of the stomach my by original VSG surgeon, so that the top of the incision in my stomach was as far away from hitting the esophagus as possible, it created this curved line that created a narrow point where food was getting stuck. I was fine for years and years (had the VSG done like 12-13 years ago) but maybe pregnancy (my kiddo smashed everything UP and not OUT) and adhesions and time and whatever else, created this perfect storm that prevented me from eating solids any more. So he fixed that, fixed a hiatal hernia, removed my appendix, and of course rerouted my intestines in the DS way. He said my measurements were an alimentary limb of 150cm, common channel of 125cm, and my sleeve was trimmed down to about 3.5oz.
Of the hospital experience, I remember the first bowl of beef broth they brought me and how that was absolute heaven. It took me forever to get through but I didn't care... teeny sips and smelling it were absolutely enough. I had some terrible coughing fits and that was the worst thing ever, but if I felt them coming on, I would lean forward and press a pillow into my middle and somehow that managed to help. I was reluctant to get out of bed and start walking around because of how I felt, but honestly, after the first step, and then doing it a second time, it just got exponentially easier and made me feel worlds better... both physically and as an independent personality.
I've been dragging my feet on this update, but that's because I don't really feel like I have anything of overt interest to say. I guess that means no problems and while that's not sexy headline news stuff, that's awesome news for me! I remembered and was prepared for some of the feelings I had post-VSG (like water tasting like dust, being SOOPER emotional, etc.) but they still managed to get me all riled up. It took me until week four for my guts to believe I might actually survive the surgery, and then it's been an upswing since then. I'm still horribly out of shape and tired as all get-out, but I'm slowly getting there.
Hydrating is not a problem... I wasn't tracking initially because I was certain I was under my goal and I didn't want to freak out (good reason, huh?) but I actually started tracking everything and was excited to see I'm pretty much on target for everything.
Dr. Rabkin has me slowly introducing supplements and vitamins, in his "you have to crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run" example, and I have another appointment with him at the end of the month. I will get my first set of labs at the six-month mark, and I'm interested to see what those look like... just because I'd like to see what my body is actually doing internally.
As far as working, I work as the Admin in a tiny, small-town fire department. I had negotiated with my Chief that I would need to take some time off, and he was fine with that, but I was popping in at week two post-surgery to make sure the payroll was done. I spent two hours and regretted every second. So that apparently set an expectation (stupid me) and I would come in for 2-3 hours almost every day, and then 4 hours a day at week four, and then was back to full time within a month. I really wish it could have been different but it all worked out ok (except for all this filing! I have NO TIME FOR EXCESS FILING!).
Now I am able to move and stretch and run down the driveway to catch my escaping three-and-a-half wildcat child, and crunch numbers for the fire department budget and coordinate events and everything I need to do. What I need to pick up the pace on is walking longer distances, maybe dust off ye olde bike, and pretend to enjoy the sunlight. With this lily white skin and only a smattering of freckles to save me, I don't know much about the latter.
To date, I have lost something like 30 pounds. It's not a lot and doesn't change drastically on a daily basis so I'm not weighing myself often. I knew it would be slower because this wasn't a "virgin" surgery, but I'm already in my when-I-get-thinner jeans and certain things are changing shape and getting easier to move around. I'm good with that.
I invite questions to the curious, the new, the bored and the "what the hell were you talking about?" crowds
