Here I am at the Scottsdale Health Care Hospital, the bariactric Center is on the fifth floor, and my room number is 5421. The experiene has been a new and interesting one.
While driving to the hospital we recieved a phonecall telling us my surgeon, Robin Blackstone, was running a little ahead of schedule. We arrived 15 minutes early, and I was immediately prepped for surgery. I had no time to sit and be nervous, but I think I preferred it that way.
I really like this hopsital. Everyone was kind and reassuring as they took my vitals and tarted teh IV. Mom was with me after the prep for a few minutes - before they took me to OR. She tells me I was calm and collected about going in.
The anestheiologist gave me my "forgetful" drug, and the next thing I remember was waking up in Recovery, with six small incissions. There are two on my right side, two on my left, one near the center of my rib cage and one near my belly button.
To explain my surgery: They cut and sutured my stomach to the size of a golfball. They also rewired one/third of my intestines, so the stomach attaches directly to the rest - hence the gastric "by-pass."
While workig on the by-pass, they decided to give me a "two-fer." My gall bladder came out! Other than that the surgery was uneventful and went very well. Dr. Blackstone is the best in her field, and we chose her for that reason.
My recovery was supposed to take, at most, two hours. But because of room availability, I was there for six hours. Mom was a little concedrned until she realized they weren't able to shuffle people out fast enough to shuffle me in. I didn't mind at all. I slept through the whole thing.
Coming back to my room, I was pretty much alert. I remember being told I had three jobs to do the rest of that day and through the next two days. #1 Breathe. #2 Walk. #3 Drink Water. -- More about those "jobs" later.
Meanwhile, my family and close friends were all contacted andt old that I'd been a "star" patient. The first call, of course, went to Scott, and the following were next: Parents, Parents-In-Laws, Siblings, and Best Friends, Lori and Joanne.
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