I'm sure most of us have been told to fast after midnight until a scheduled lab or Doctor's appointment the following day...why did I feel like I was coming to the end of a road at 11PM Sunday night knowing that at the strike of midnight I could not only not eat but not have a sip of water AND when I could it would more than likely be a nasty slim fast shake?!?!?!
I planned my EGD on the day 1 of my pre-op diet!!! I figured I won't really be eating much anyway (slim fast 1200 calorie a day diet) so what's it matter if I don't eat or drink until after the procedure??? HA!!!!! Water never looks so good until you can't have it.
We had to be at the surgery center 2 hours prior to the procedure so we arrived at Forest Park Medical Center at noon (amazing facility!!!) and checked in at the front desk. They give you these pagers that essentially tell you and then your loved one/driver what is going on and how to proceed through each step.
1st we were paged to go to door 2 of admitting (kinda felt like Beetlejuice, were we gonna wait 80 years???) After signing my life away I had to go to labs for a urine specimen -- come on people, I haven't had water since 11 last night and I've already peed as much as possible today, there's no way you're getting even a drip!!! I hear Paul laughing with the lab techs, and I said I'm not good under pressure!!! Finally I was able to go!! For someone who goes multiple times an hour, not being able to is such a feeling of failure!!!!
As we were walking back to the waiting area the pager went off stating to meet your nurse at the desk for pre-op...nerves!!!!! Paul can't go back with me at this point but I think it worried him more than me. They just took me to my bay and I changed, got the IV set-up, told my life's story in 3 minutes and then the pager went off telling Paul to meet someone at pre-op to be with me.
When the time came 2 nurses came in and told him to take all of my belongings with him and wheeled me back to the surgery room, there were like 7 of them in there, music playing and they were all joking and laughing and I interrupted saying, I think I have to pee!!! Well hold it there aren't bathrooms back here -- NICE!!!!! My Dr. came in along with a nurse who was amazing and the anesthesiologist, they told me then that they were looking for Cancer -- HELLLOOO???? why wasn't I privy to this before that moment where I couldn't run???
Mom was always so afraid of being put to sleep that I started to get really scared and shed a few tears, the sweet nurse rubbed and held my hand and the inserted something in my mouth to keep it open and before I could fully say it was crooked I was asleep!
I remember waking up for a minute and asking if I had Cancer to which I was told no, next I knew I was waking up back in a bay of post-op and they paged Paul to come in. My mouth was so dry so I was given some water and the nurse came by to see how I was. I asked her if I had asked about Cancer and she said, "Oh sweetie you asked like 7-10 times!" OMG -- the things we do under medication (I can only imagine what else I said lol). The Dr. came in and said he did do a biopsy because the bottom of my esophagus was red and inflamed but having reflux it's probably that and stress, he was 99.9% sure nothing else looked or would come back bad, told me to double up my Prilosec until surgery and let me go home :)
I was groggy most of the day, drank a slim fast shake, had my 5 oz. salmon on some lettuce and dealt with the sore throat.
Today is Day 3 of the diet!!!! I don't like it but I'm not starving, I don't have a headache and I realize the importance. The 2 week pre-op diet is for the purpose of shrinking your liver because it could be damaged in surgery. It sure is hard smelling pizza in the living room but it will be so worth it in the end.
I have received so many amazing gifts (contributions) from family & friends, unfortunately it's still far from enough but I won't give up, it'll happen no matter what. I go Friday afternoon for labs and all the pre-admission stuff at the hospital so I will speak with financial and get an exact amount that has to be paid the day of surgery and go from there.
I am finding it hard to be going through procedures, diets, etc without Mom by my side. Paul has been amazing, with me every step of the way, checks on me nonstop at home, etc. but I won't lie, I still want my Mom!!! It's hard and I am still pretty sure it's gonna be worse during recovery but I know how proud she was that I had made this life changing decision and that makes me know she is right beside me!!!!
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