May 10, 2003
I had my surgery on April 29, 2003.  I was scheduled to have surgery at 3:30pm that day.  What I DIDN'T know is that there were two traumas that came in right before I was to have surgery.  I got to the hospital at around 1pm.  I saw my Aunt, my dad's mom, and my sister. I only got to chat about 7 mins. when they took me back to prep me.  I took off all my clothes except for my socks, and put on that typical hospital gown, which was suprisingly big on me!  They must have special sizes ordered for the gowns, since Alexian Bros. does so many gastric bypass surgeries now.  Then, the nice lady nurse asked me a bunch of questions...did I have dentures?  do I have a hearing aid...to which I replied, "HUH?"  Hee hee.  So, then she took my vitals, and I hopped onto the bed and waited.  Then my posse came in to visit.  I had quite a crowd & was the talk of the day surgery area.  Mike was there, my mother-in-law, my best friend since we were 11, Nancy was there, Laurie from Spotlight was there...we met last year when Mike & I were her co-angels for her surgery), my mom's parents were there, my great uncle was there, my dad's mom, my Aunt and later I found out my Uncle was there.  I waited patiently for them to come get me for surgery.  I joked and laughed with my family & friends.  I was psyched!  I wanted this to happen NOW.  I was ready! My surgery time was getting near.  No nerves.  The nurse...I think her name was Tonya...don't quote me...tried to start my IV, since they were backed up in pre-op holding.  She tried twice in my left arm.  MAN, that stuff they give you numb it before they insert the IV hurt SO BAD!  OW!!  First there was a jab, and then a burning sensation.  And of course a HUGE bruise eventually from where that attempt failed.  Finally she got it started in my right hand.  Mike walked with me asI went to pre-op holding around 3:45 - 4:00ish, and asked if I was scared, and I said "now I am" with tears in my eyes. My family waited in the waiting room.  I don't remember the exact time of my surgery.  I DO know it was after 6:15pm, because I remember thinking that if the surgery was 2 hours, I wouldn't be in recovery until almost 8:30pm, and that was getting really late.  Then I started to wonder if they would bump my surgery.  Finally they came for me, and I realized that it was gonna happen!  They wheeled me into the hallway, on the way to the O.R.  I remember I wanted to see an actual O.R., so I was glad I saw it.  It wasn't so scary.  Big huge lights to see, and it was quite cold in there, but I was so warm, it felt good to me.  I was joking with the nurses & the anesthesiologist.  I remember the nurse telling me she would put a warm blanket on me.  I told her I didn't need one at that time, cuz the cold felt good.  They filled this air mattress that I was on (which they use to move patients - it's easier on their backs) and moved me onto the table.  The table was quite narrow, and I remember not knowing what to do with my arms.  The head thing was quite comfy.  It was like a big foam block with a scoop in it for your head.  Very neat.  Then I remember getting really fuzzy, and I said, "whoa...trippy" and the anesthesiologist said, "What do YOU know about trippin'?"  And I said, "nothing...I'm a good girl" and that was the last thing I remember.  I woke up in a LOT of pain, being wheeled to recovery.  I saw my sister in the hall as I was wheeled to recovery.  I remember hearing her say "that's my sissy", but it didn't register right away.  I DO remember seeing Mike in the hallway and calling out his name.  That first night was wonderful!  I had so many people in to see me.  Sheila & Robin from Team Chi-Town, Judy from the Alexian group...it was wonderful.  I remember fading in & out all Tuesday night while Robin & Sheila were there.  CCU was wonderful!  I got to sleep!  They didn't wake me up at 5am every day like on the 4th floor.  They gave me a sponge bath in CCU.  I was a little embarrassed, but hey...all modesty goes out the door in the hospital, eh?  I had to sleep with my Cpap on, and I remember the stupid monitors going off cuz my oxygen levels kept dropping, and I remember hearing, "Deep breaths, Marcie...deep breaths".  That got annoying.  Then I got to experience the breathing machine.  Very interesting!  I got a fever a couple of times from not using it like I should have been, but they passed.  I remember the horrible spasms, too.  Oh my gosh, I thought I was in labor!  I was doing lamaze breathing just to keep the pain at bay.  I didn't know you could have pain like that after surgery!   But I got thru it, with a lot of praying and a lot of love from my friends & family.  I got sprung last Friday, and being home is kind of boring, but I'm healing.  The tongs will soon be a thing of the past, and so will my old way of eating.  I can't believe I'm finally on the other side.  Now I want to share my experience with pre ops.