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Zeekecavaricci's (dennis') surgery information

  1. Zeekecavaricci
    Zeekecavaricci
    Hey Guys and Gals,
    Sorry I didn’t get information out there about my surgeries. I have been a bit busy. Here goes:
    Anticipating the surgery, I didn’t sleep before my plane left. I had to be up at 03:00am for a 06:05 flight to San Diego. I just kept repacking all night. I did complete my 2 weeks of full liquids and then 1 week of clear liquids only. I got to San Diego Airport and called Melissa as instructed and she told me where to wait for the van. When I arrived at the location, there were 7 of us and a few family members. The driver took us straight to the hospital for all of our pretesting. As everyone says, when you get there it is like a strip mall. On the left side of the mall is the Jerusalem Hospital. (FYI – 6 doors to the right is Dr. Almanza’s Esthetica Center). They do botox injections (cheap) and plastic surgery consultations there.
    We then were escorted into the lobby and they had paperwork already filled out for everyone and we signed our acknowledgements and consents, etc…..We then were taken one by one to the lab area where they drew our blood. They then took us upstairs to cubicles with beds and the Cardiologist completed a comprehensive assessment. He then did an EKG. We were then taken out to a waiting area to wait for Dr. Almanza to come and talk to all of us as a group. He did and explained exactly what would happen to each of us. He is an amazing guy, handsome, talented, personable, kind, educated, etc…..can’t say enough about Dr. A. After he was through talking he approached me and said, “I know your surgery isn’t until tomorrow, but I am very busy tomorrow and today am not so busy.” “Would you like to have your surgeries today?” I said, “Sure!” I was having my lap band and port removed, then the gallbladder taken out, and last, the Vertical Gastric Sleeve. All in one procedure. Everyone else was just sleeves and on other was having a lap band out and sleeve done. Their surgeries ran about 45 minutes. He said, “Your surgery is going to take about 4 – 4 ½ hours and I want to do yours last to have enough time to go slow and not have any nicks or cuts removing your lap band.” They took me to a room, had me strip naked, put on a gown, inserted my I.V. and started my I.V. fluids with Ancef antibiotic added to the IV fluids. Just like we do here in the U.S. They wrapped my legs with ACE bandages to prevent leg clots. Put on my surgery cap and booties. I then talked with all the people who were coming back from surgery that day and also those from the day before. I read every magazine in the place and they finally told me that I would get in O.R. at 6:15 pm. Well, there was still one waiting at 6:15pm ahead of me. I finally walked to the operating room at 9:10p.m. and climbed up on the surgery table. They were very busy getting ready, so it gave me time to investigate the surgery room. The room is very modern and up to date with high tech. equipment just like here in my hospital. The staff was very professional, kind, considerate, and experienced. The anesthesiologist went over everything again and then said, “Goodnight”. I was OUT !! I woke up on the table at 01:30a.m. and they talked to me and Dr. Almanza explained what he did and then they sat me up on the side of the surgery table and helped me step down and Dr. Almanza held my arm and walked me back up the stairs to the recovery rooms. He said it was a good thing I had the lap band out as my stomach had migrated up through the lap band and was the reason I had to much GERD. He also said that my gallbladder was full of stones. The surgery tech. later brought a bottle to my recovery bed and showed me the stones. All white. One stone was the size of a large purple grape about 1 inch in diameter. I had to Penrose Drains on left and right side of lower abdomen covered with gauze and tape. I had a drain tube that goes up to where the stomach was located and it was draining fluid into a JP bulb. I also had a GTube draining to a vacuum bag. This is a tube to drain the bile out from where they removed the gallbladder. I also had an NG tube through my nose to my sleeve and to a suction bulb. Nothing really hurt, just tender and sore. I was up and running around the hospital within 2 hours. Many of those who had surgery that day and the day before were sick, nauseous and vomiting. Guess What? They were also the ones who said they could not follow the pre-op diet. One supposed to be on 10 days, Started on 3 days before with shakes and then the day before leaving, “HAD PIZZA WITH HER KIDS !!!” Being a bariatric nurse, I helped take care of everyone else. They kept saying you are doing better than us and you had 3 surgeries, general anesthesia, and you don’t even have pain, nausea, or vomiting. To this day, I have not had any vomiting.
    At 08:20 a nurse walked me out the door and down the sidewalk to the condo building. I was placed in a room upstairs with a T.V. and nice bed. A private nurse for us there took wonderful care of us. She changed dressings, continued I.V. fluids, checked on us about every 10 minutes.
    At 4:00p.m. the nurse called Dr. Almanza and told him how good I was doing, so he ordered the IV Fluids stopped, the NG tube out. And the Gtube drain out. She then gave me a popsicle and it was the most wonderful thing ever !!!! The nurse helped me get dressed and a driver came and carried all my luggage to a Mercedes Black Limo. At 5:30p.m., they took me to the Hotel Tiquan. It is a 5 star hotel. Absolutely beautiful. I was so tired that I went to sleep about 7:00p.m. The nurse came once to my room and emptied my drain, and changed my dressings and retaped my IV site. The next morning I received a phone call in my hotel room telling me to be in the lobby at 08:45a.m. A nurse came to the room and brought me a bottle of Purple, Purple dye to drink. You have to drink it all at once and then get to the lobby. A van took 10 of us to an outpatient radiology (x-ray) center about 5 blocks from the hotel. It was very busy and we waited a long time, but then our driver talked to the radiologist and got us special privileges. They opened up another room and finished all 10 x-rays in about 20 minutes. We then were driven back to the cosmetic center and they removed everyone’s drains and put on new dressings and then they took us all back to hotel. I wanted to check out some of the dentists and 2 people from our group were going to a dentist referred by Dr. Almanza. A driver picked us up and took us to the dentist office which was only 5 blocks from the hotel. The dentist office was nicer than mine here in the states. They worked me in did an exam, took x-rays and then the dentist took me to his office and had diagrammed everything I needed done. His whole office is digital including the x-ray machine. What was going to cost me over $17,000.00 here in the states is going to only be $3,400.00 , but I will have to fly back down and stay a full 5 days to get it all done. This includes 2 crowns, removing 4 teeth on front bottom, making an implant of those 4 teeth, doing 2 root canals and 2 more crowns, and then inserting the implanted teeth. He is also going to do 2 fillings, 2 veneer repairs. It will definitely be worth it to get everything done during one trip. I then walked the 5 blocks back to the hotel and that is a major shopping district and got to stop and shop at leisure. Back at the hotel, I went to the restaurant and they served me warm chicken broth and water. The hotel desk is great about keeping things for the bariatric patients. They have V8 splash, cartons with juices, and lots of popsicles. You can get all you want.
    My surgery was supposed to be o Friday, but changed to Thursday. I was completely done on Saturday night. My return flight was to be on Tuesday evening and get in at midnight. I called and was able to change my flight and left out on Sunday. A driver picked up about 6 of us and took us to the airport at 11:30a.m. My flight was connecting and a bit choppy. This was the first time I had nausea, but made it home about 2:00a.m. on Monday morning. Nothing like your own bed.
    They sent us home with Cipro antibiotics, Toradol pain pills, and a bottle of like Mylanta. I have been taking those and had no problems. The first day back to hotel, I drank over 2,000 ml or 64 ounces of liquids. The next day I drank over 3,000 ml of liquids. I sipped constantly and never had any problems with gas, pain, nausea or vomiting. I ended up teaching some of the other sleevers how to drink and they were also able to get down plenty of liquids. After having the lap band for 6 years, I learned how to drink and it makes a huge difference.
    I have been busy since I got home, unpacking, shopping, cleaning, drinking, etc…..now it has been 9 days and I am back to having full liquids and protein shakes. Nothing solid. I follow a strict diet. I do eat lots of popsicles. I bought a huge variety of juices and liquids before I left and it really helps to have a variety and drink something different all the time. In about 3 days, I will try some thin mashed potatoes and/or thin smashed scrambled eggs.
    The good news is that from the day I started my fast to today, I am down 24 pounds. I have already had to change from my 38 inch jeans to my 36 inch jeans as the 38’s were falling off. You see more of a physical change than you do a pound change.
    Summary:
    I would do this again and again if necessary. It was a wonderful experience and I am ready to get back on the forum and develop some more “DO’S AND DON’TS” for my group.
    Thanks to everyone for all your comments and messages of support !!!!
    Love Ya’ll,
    Zeekecavaricci (Dennis)
  2. Harley Granny
    Harley Granny
    Thanks so much for sharing...happy it went so well for you. And how nice of you to help them out!
  3. Gillian52
    Gillian52
    Well done, your account was so great to read,I feel like I was there with you. Just two Weeks before I get my plane to Prague, then a few days later
    I hope I have a reasonable experience, please keep us posted and thanks again
  4. kimber22
    kimber22
    Thank you for your sharing your experience. It eases my mind to know how successful your surgery was. I go Monday for my pre-surgery visit. I will find out then when my surgery date is.
  5. Truebody
    Truebody
    Dennis thanks for all the info. It may be a little different in Australia but not vastly enough to mean that I didn't get a lot from your post.
    How do you drink. Trickle??
  6. nana banana
    nana banana
    Great experience! Relate to the nurse mode & being alert to those around you.
  7. StacyD
    StacyD
    Dennis I enjoyed getting to read your journey with the sleeve. Thank you for sharing your whirl wind adventure!
  8. Juliebythec
    Juliebythec
    Fantastic! Thanks for sharing. I am leaving Monday for Surgery on Tuesday. Hope my surgery goes as well as yours!
  9. JKRsmom
    JKRsmom
    Thank you for sharing your experience, this is helping me ease my anxiety - I have surgery on Friday Oct 18th. I am getting really nervous, but I think it is more excited type nervous than deathly scared type
  10. Slamer3
    Slamer3
    Thank you for sharing your story, it was a great read....I firmly believe diligence and attitude have a lot to do with success !
  11. Lee6Lee
    Lee6Lee
    I know this post is a year old, but must thank you for starting the group, etc. please tell me the secret to getting the fluids in...the secret to the sipping. I'm being sleeved April 22nd and want to be prepared.
  12. jacquidaniels
    jacquidaniels
    This was a great, informative read. I'm having my sleeve done in the states, (4/7) but I enjoyed hearing about your experience!
  13. Laura2
    Laura2
    What do you mean by "how to drink" is there something special or a secret to help out here??
    Thanks!
  14. magnifica
    magnifica
    Zeeke,
    Thank you, thank you so much for that detailed summary of your trip and surgery.
    That means everything to me......
    I don't like to travel, I am afraid of surgery and I have health issues that worry me sick.
    Now, my biggest challenge is getting the money.
    I am all alone in this goal. I have no support or help!
    I really needed the reassurance that my dream can come true!

    Magnifica
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