I got home on Halloween at about 6pm.  Mostly sore, no real pain except for some gas/bloating from the car ride.  When they say walk every hour on the drive home, they mean it!  I went a little longer because it started to rain.  Tried to walk off the gas/bloating when I got home, but finally had to take a Ducolax to get some relief.  That was the only downside of the ride home.  I do wish I had taken much looser fitting pants for the ride though.

On that note, here is a list of things that I took to the hospital with me.

Arrival/departure outer and inner clothes and shoes (make sure the departure clothes are very, very loose fitting)
Slippers
Pillows (I took 3, 1 for my head and two to rest my arms or back against)
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Shampoo/soap/facial cleanser
Cottenelle booty wipes (keeps you fresher longer!)
Books/magazines
Chap stick or other lip balm
Photo id
Insurance card

Since the hospital is in Little Rock and I live about 2.5 hours away, my husband, aunt and I headed out of town about 7am Tuesday, October 28, 2008.  This was the day for all of my pre-op appointments.  Met with Dr. Gibbs and Carrie his nurse.  Had lab work drawn and an EKG.  Visited with a respiratory therapist and got the little plastic breathing machine that you use to take deep breathes and cough.  Lastly, met with the dietitian and reviewed the post-op diet process.  On a side note here, I did not have to do a two week pre-op liquid diet, just did my regular thing.

After my pre-op stuff, we went out for dinner with some family that lived in town.  I went for the steak and baked potato as I knew it would be a while before I could enjoy steak again.

On Wednesday, the day of surgery, I had to be at the hospital at 5:30am for a 7:30am surgery.  When I showered at the hotel that morning, I used a special body soap that I had been given the day before.  Thankfully, I could use my own shampoo and face wash.

Surgery took a little over 1 hour and the doctor reported to my family that it was a textbook case.  He actually finished sooner than the hour and a half he had anticpated.  I remember waking up in recovery and then getting wheeled up to my room.  I got to my room a little after 11am but my family was no where around.  Since my husband had my cell phone, I tried to call him collect using the room phone, but he would not accept the charges!  He couldn't figure out how I could be calling!  I finally buzzed the nurse and asked her to please find my family.  Just as I got that done, my family walked ino my room. 

I had an IV but no catheter.  I also had a PCA pump for my IV pain medication.  Those are the best thing since sliced bread!  No having to call the nurse and wait for them to draw up the meds.  You push a button and here comes the pain control!

As far as the post-op diet while in the hospital, the day of surgery, I had  nothing by mouth.  Thank goodness for toothbrushes and toothpaste and chap stick!  On Thursday, I was advanced to ice chips.  On Friday, I had clear liquids for breakfast and full liquids for lunch.  They send you home after lunch that day if all is going well.  Going well is measured by the IV is out, you are on oral meds for the pain and are able to tolerate both that and the full liquids.  You also have to walk in the halls several times and pass gas!

Wow, it has been a busy week.  First I got the results of my sleep study.  No sleep apnea, so no CPAP thank goodness.  Just some "restless leg syndrome".  Going to start on Requip and see if that helps.

Second, today Carrie from Dr. Gibb's office called and I have a date!  Yeah, I'm so happy.  It is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29th.  So just a mere 6 weeks from today I will begin the surgical transformation which will save my life.  Can't wait!!  I'll be even happier when I reach the 6 week mark on the other side of my surgery date.