Three months out, first post-op post...

Diana S.

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Nov 21, 2016
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80
Location
Georgetown, CA
... 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 ;)
 
It sounds like you are coming along just fine.
As a fellow member of the pale skin with freckles family, and now a member of the basal cell skin cancer family despite use of sun screen and always wearing a hat, may I recommend to you Nutrogena spf 85+ sun block? It's what my dermatologist recommended, and I only wish I had known about this product sooner. You can find it on Amazon. It has no odor and has a nice, light feel. They also make an spf 100 product, but the derm tells me people don't like it because it feels greasy. I can't speak from personal experience on that one. You're a lot younger than I am, so protect your skin now and avoid the skin cancer in the future. I'm going to be fine, but it's been a bit of a pain, and I'm just fortunate it wasn't melanoma.
 
Glad to hear you’ll be ok... the big C is a scary thought no matter what circumstances it comes under :(

I’ll give that a go, but I generally practice avoidance. I need to keep this in mind for my kiddo too because my Irish mixed with dad’s Danish heritage created a little red head with an adventurous spirit and a hatred of hats and coats. Gotta keep him safe :)
 
Diana S. Congratulations on a successful procedure! Appreciate the update and am glad to hear it is going so well for you! :)
 
Larra, Sorry to hear of your skin cancer experience and hope that you've seen the last of that. I'm another (along with my pasty husband and matching kids) who can benefit from your Neutrogena 85+ SPF suggestion. Thanks for sharing. Wishing you the best!
 
Yep pasty, that's me. I used to say that if they ever come out with a shade of foundation called cadaveric, I'd buy it.

Diana S. now is the time to get that kiddo used to sunblock, and the spf 85 should be something a young child would tolerate (no smell, feels nice, etc). Other products I used in the past felt heavy, or made me feel as though my skin wouldn't be able to sweat normally, or had some other unpleasant effect. We didn't know as much when I was younger, and the products available weren't as good. These days it's much easier to protect yourself and loved ones from sun damage.
 
I’m not red hair/freckles but my dh is....we have to be careful with him as he’s already had spots of skin cancer.

Sunblock is vital! I don’t care what your complexion.

Glad to hear you are being absolutely boring in your recovery. :)
 
Good to hear from you with a nice boring update!

I'm olive complected, always tanned to nut brown, and spent a lot of time at the beach coated in baby oil/roasting oil. The horrid age spots on my face, and growing crop of freckles/beauty marks on arms and back and other exposed surfaces, are now demonstrating the effects. My husband (blonde but somewhat possessed of melanin) used to work outside shirtless and never used sunscreen (and still won't), has had two kinds of skin cancer. Admittedly, the first one was squamous in the one region that the sun never saw, but the second was a basal carcinoma on one of his weathered hands.

I still think I look better tanned than white, but I suppose that using a browner foundation would be the wiser way to do it.
 
I'm glad things are uneventful now. You definitely deserve a break after the fight to get here.

And Larra, thanks for the sunscreen recommendation. My son got my olive complexion so we don't burn even without it but obviously I'd rather we wear it. He has autism and the sensory sensitivities have prevented him from tolerating every kind I've tried.
 
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.

it's just wonderful you are doing so well. :)
 
Manapan I'm sorry about your son's difficulties. I can't promise that he'll tolerate this product but it's worth a try.
 

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