Originally published March 24, 2009
I suppose I could just as easily titled this post “Time Flies”. Last week I posted that I had six more weeks based on insurance authorization on my upcoming surgery taking up to four weeks. Well, it took four days. So after that I made my appointment for April 2nd for my final surgeon consult which is where we review everything one more time and schedule the surgery. That cut two weeks off the wait.
Then yesterday I get a call, they had a cancelation for today and did I want to come in. I said yes. Now my surgery is scheduled for April 8th. The six weeks became three, and I’m two weeks and one day from going inder the knife.
We went over a lot of the same stuff, how this is not a cure – it’s a tool. And if I don’t use the tool right, I either won’t lose the weight or I’ll lose it, but gain it back. This is a life-altering change. I’ve made some progress towards many of the changes needed… but at this point I’m going to have some rather major physical … limitations? Well, during the first few weeks I guess I could call them that. Incentives? Mmmm… assistance. Back to it being a tool. This doesn’t make things “easy” by any stretch of the word, but I suppose in many ways it will make it easier…?
Besides the usual, the surgeon went over the possible downfalls… infections, bleeding, leaking, clotting, all sorts of fun things… up to and including the possibility of death. I get it. I mean this isn’t exactly like getting a cavity filled… or even like when I got my wisdom teeth yanked. This is a big deal. I’ll be put under for a couple hours or so. There’s always that risk… but I’m not worried bout that.
I also got a new toy… an “volumetric incentive spirometer” – I need to start sucking on this thing to help make sure I maintain good lung capacity and junk. You suck in air through the tube, keeping the floating indicator on the right at a certain level (not too slow or too fast) until the large floater gets to the top. It’s not as easy as it looks…
Then there’s the info on pain with the lil frownie faces (at the top of the page here). They want you to stay in the 2-4 range, and be sure to ask for the good drugs if it gets beyond that. Manage your pain! Oh, and I get to go in for an ultrasound on Friday. Let’s see… then next week a physical with my primary care physician… then the week after I’m on the table.
I’ll probably wait a bit to post about what the last few days before surgery are gonna be like… but as a preview, I had to pick up some Milk of Magnesia tonight.
Oh yea.. top image was from my handout, the spirometer is from Wikipedia.
