Step 1

The incision.

The procedure involves an incision, typically running between the tip of the breast bone and the navel.

Step 2

The stomach is divided into two parts.

The stomach is completely separated into two parts using a surgical stapler. Four rows of staples will be used. The upper part forms a small pouch, holding approximately 20 - 30 cc or about 1 ounce, which will receive food.

Step 3

The small intestine is carefully measured and cut.

The lower (distal) part of the stomach is bypassed, as is the first portion of the small intestine (duodenum and jejunum). The small intestine is cut at this point. Although food does not go through this bypassed segment, it is still functioning. The bypassed stomach secretes its usual gastric juices, and digestive juices from the liver and pancreas still empty into this area as before.

Step 4

The small intestine is connected to the small pouch.

The lower part of the small intestine is brought up and is connected to the small stomach pouch. Food will pass through a small (12 mm, about the size of an M&M) opening (stoma) from the small pouch into the small intestine.

Step 5

The bypassed part of the small intestine is reconnected, forming a "Y".

The end of the bypassed section of small intestine coming from the bypassed stomach is reconnected to the lower (distal) small intestine, forming a "Y". This allows digestive juices to empty into the portion of small intestine where food is present. Care is taken to ensure that sufficient small intestine is available between this junction and the large intestine to insure good absorption of essential nutrients.

SURGERY DAY

On March 7th, Bill and I made the one hour and fifteen minute drive to Florence and got to the hospital at 4:45am, my surgery had been moved up from 7:30am to 6:20am. We were taken back to an area where I could change into a gown (and the had the big ones!!), get my vitals taken, and lay on a gurney. At 6am the OR Tech came to get me to take me to the Surgery Waiting Area.

In the Surgery Waiting Area, I had an IV put in (ouch!). The Anesthesiologist said he would give me a Fentinyl PCA to ward off the nausea I experience with Morphine. He then gave me a dose of "Happy Medicine" (Versed). Thinking back, I'm glad I got that shot because I was ready to back out!! I was terrified and didn't want to let go of Bill's hand!!! He held my hand and walked with me to the door of the OR . . .

Fade to black . . .

I don't remember anything from the door of the OR till I briefly woke up in Recovery when the nurses (I'm sure these two graduated from the Marquis de Sade School of Nursing!!!!) were trying to get the binder on me. Now, picture this: I have just come from surgery and have had no pain meds. I have an incision from my breastbone to just past my belly button. And these two want me to roll to my side!?!?!?! Well, they finally got the binder on me and gave me the Magic Button! I quickly learned that I could push the button every 8 minutes and get some relief. I was also getting small doses of Fentinyl all along. I also learned that as long as I didn't move, I didn't have any pain at all!!!

I was back in my room by 12:30pm. Not too bad! Getting from the gurney to the bed was painful, but the floor nurses helped as much as they could. I kept asking for Bill, but no one knew where he was. Finally about 1:15pm he came into the room and I was so relieved to see him that I immediately went to sleep!

I think I woke up about 4pm, with Bill sitting right next to me. I had some pain, but as long as I was very still, it wasn't bad. I asked the nurse if I could get up and walk and she said not until the doctor ordered it. Besides, I had the IV in my left hand and the IV pole was on the left side of the bed. I had a catheter in and the drain bag was on the right side of the bed. I had an NG tube in and the drain bag was at the head of the bed on the right side. I had compression hose on and they were connected to the box at the foot of the bed. I was kinda tied down!! I told the nurse that I was extremely thirsty and she gave me a wet wash cloth to wipe my mouth with. I can't tell you how good it felt to bite down hard on that wash cloth and feel a drop of cool water squeeze out of it!! They said that until the NG tube stopped draining, I couldn't have any ice chips.

Respiratory comes in and brings me a breathing machine. I have to get it up to 2500. I breath. It goes up to 1000. JEEZ!!!

DAY 1 (after surgery)

NG tube still draining, no ice chips. Cold wet wash cloth fast becoming my best friend. Dr. Balder came in at 6pm and said that my surgery was textbook and it was completed in just under 2 hours. He wants me up the next morning and said he would be in early.

Bill drove up after work and got there about 6:30pm. I was glad to see him. He stayed till about 8:30 and went home.

Breathing machine up to 1500!!

Temp of 101.3 that night. I won't cough. It hurts too much, even with the pillow held tight to my tummy.

DAY 2

I ring for the nurse at 4am and ask to get up in the chair!! Can't take laying in bed one minute longer!!!

Dr. Balder was in at 6am and said that because I ran a fever, I'd have to have a swallow test. He also said that if the swallow test is negative, I can get this awful NG tube out and I can have ice chips!!! Oh Happy Day!!!!!

They came to get me at about 9am. In radiology the little man asked me to climb on the table and lay on my tummy. I think he knew by the look on my face that that was the wrong request!! I told him to stand the table up and that he could get his pictures while I was standing!! A more seasoned tech came in while I was telling the little man this and said that I was absolutely right!!

They gave me a cup of GastroGraffin to sip. What a treat!!! SweeTarts melted in warm heavy, salt water and old ginger ale probably would have tasted better!! But I sip it, not once, but twice!! Once facing forward and once sideways.

I passed!!!!! I get ice chips!!!!!! There IS joy in Muddville today!!!!!! Mighty Casey passed the test!!!!

I finally get to get up and walk too!!! The walking was less painful than my tailbone from lying in the bed!!! The nurse, Carol (best nurse in the world, bar none!!) tells me that the Fentinyl may be causing my bowels to sleep. As long as they sleep, I can't have any liquids. Hmmmmm I ask Carol to call Dr. Balder, get me off this pump and onto a liquid pain med. She does and he puts me on Tylenol 3 elixir. The hand part of the IV is still in, but disconnected from the pole!!

Breathing machine up to 2000.

Ran a fever again, 101.3. Ok, ok, tomorrow I'll cough once or twice.

DAY 3

YEE GADS!!!!! My belly has blown up like a balloon!!!! Carol, the wonder nurse, comes in, listens to my tummy and promptly brings me a dose of Milk of Magnesia. Within an hour, my tummy feels better! The best part about today is that I get liquids!!!

Lunch: Chicken broth (nectar from God!), lemon jello, and tea. It was wonderful!!!

Breathing machine up to 2500!!!

And . . . I cough, more than once and actually feel better. Don't get me wrong, it hurts to cough!! But I've already added 2 days onto my hospital stay by running a fever 2 nights, I don't want to add more!!!

DAY 4

Tummy feels so much better today!!

Pretty routine day. Walk, walk, walk. Cough. Breathing machine. Cough. Walk some more.

The bowels start moving too!! I can have full liquids!!! Cream of chicken soup tastes wonderful!

DAY 5

Ok. This is pretty boring. I can walk by myself. I can get in and out of bed by myself. I can take a shower by myself. Can't I go home??

Well, of course not! Dr. Balder won't be in till Monday morning and none of the other doctors can be coerced, errrr persuaded, into releasing me!

DAY 6

HOME!!!!! I am going home!!!

Thank goodness for the pillows!!!!

I don't know how I would have gotten through this without my loving husband, Bill!! He has been by me every step of the way and was at the hospital every day. He would get off work at 4:30 pm and go home, feed the dogs and himself and then drive up to the hospital and stay with me as long as they would let him, which was usually about 8:30 pm. Then he had to drive back home, getting there about 10 pm. I think he is pretty amazing!!!!

DAY 10

Got my staples out today. It was painful!!! I don't know if they were stuck or if the nurse was just rough, but they hurt!

24 pounds lost in less than 2 weeks!

DAY 21

Got on the scale today. 31 pounds gone!! I am happy!!!

DAY 31 (1 Month)

36 pounds lost!!! There are absolutely no regrets here!! I have eaten almost everything I wanted to, well, no sugar and very little beef, but I don't feel deprived at all!!!

2 months

I have lost 49 pounds so far!! I joined the gym and go 5 days a week. Who would have thought I would like exercising!!!

3 months

So far, I have lost 64 pounds. I'm still exercising at least 5 days a week and I feel great!!!

4 months

WooooHoooooo!! I'm down 78 pounds so far!! I can eat most anything, but am still staying away from too much sugar. I have found that I can eat about 10 grams with no dumping.

5 months

94 pounds gone!! My goal has been to lose 100 pounds in the first 6 months.... I think I'll make it!!!!

6 months

I made it!!! I have officially lost 106 pounds in 6 months!! WoooooooHooooooooo! There for awhile, I was worried! But then my brother, who hadn't seen me and didn't know about the surgery came to visit and told me that I looked exactly like I did in high school. Then I remembered the oft repeated advice that when you plateau, it is usually at a spot where you were for a long time and that your body is comfortable there. I finally relaxed and then it happened!!!

7 months

I have now lost 122 pounds!! I can eat just about everything, well, except Mexican food..... darn it!! And of course, too much sugar or fat. I am now wearing a size 16W and they are getting loose!! Of course, not loose enough to wear the size 14 jeans hanging in my closet!! I just don't like clothes that look tight.... oh well, that may change one day, too!!!

8 months

I'm now down 133 pounds!! I'm wearing a size 14..... that just amazes me!! Hubby says he is going to buy me size 12's for Christmas..... Keep your fingers crossed that I'll be able to wear size 12 at Christmas!!!!

9 months

I've lost 145 pounds so far!!! I'm down to 185 and..........

My diabetes is under control... most mornings my blood sugar is between 75 and 80! Not too bad!

11 months

I've lost 153 pounds so far and am able to wear some size 10s!!!! That just totally amazes me!! It's time to start looking into an abdominoplasty and brachioplasty. I have enough skin to build another person!!!

One year update!!

One year ago.....

...I was just getting back to my room at McLeod Hospital in Florence, SC. My Open RNY went well said Dr. Balder, just under 2 hours.

...I weighed 330 pounds.

...I wore a size 30W.

...I was 5'7" tall.

Now.....

...I just got home from school where I am working on becoming a Physician's Assistant.

...I weigh 174 pounds.

...I wear size 10.

...I am 5'9" tall.

I have lost......

...156 pounds (just over 11 pounds a month)

...5 inches off my neck

...15.5 inches off my bust line.

...21.5 inches off my waist.

...23.5 inches of my hips.

...12 inches off each thigh.

...2.5 inches off each ankle.

...1.5 inches off each wrist.

I have gained....

...my health!!

...self-esteem!!

...more confidence!!

I can truly say, at one year out, that I would have the surgery again in a skinny minute!!

Was it easy?? Not only no, but, Hell, No!!! Giving up eating lots of food was like giving up a good friend!!!

Was it worth it?? Oh Yes!!! My one year blood work is perfect!! My blood glucose was 76, my cholesterol was below 200, my triglicerides was below 100, my B12, calcium, and protein were all within normal limits!!

I still take 2 One A Day Essentials, 1 800 IU vitamin E, 1 200mg Celebrex (for rotor cuff tendinitis caused by VERY large bat wings!) and 2 to 4 Viactiv Calcium chews every day, and a B12 sublingual every other day. I get at least 60 grams of protein in and drink at least 75 ounces of water a day. I can eat right at 1 cup of food at a meal. I may be able to eat more than that, but I don't.

Do I have the occasional diet soda? Yeppers

Do I still dump? Yes, but I can eat more sugar now, about 13 grams. Do I eat sugar every day? No way!!

A thought to all you preops, when you make the decision about having surgery, please make the decision for you!! Don't do it for a loved one, do it for YOU! And make the decision because YOU want to be healthy, because, that is what this is all about, becoming healthy!!!

13 months

I have now lost 160 pounds and have 5 pounds to go to my goal!!! I feel better than I have felt in years!! Let me clarify "feeling better". My blood sugar is completely normal, which means my pancreas is working as it should. My knees and ankles and feet don't hurt like they did when I weighed 330 pounds, which means I've taken some of the stress off of them. I don't have sleep apnea anymore. I don't have GERD anymore and my exercise induced asthma is gone!! I now have more energy than I did when I was a teenager, which is a good thing, because my grandson is now walking and I can keep up with him! I've learned to make conscious decisions about food. I can eat more now and sometimes still have the urge to overeat, but I think before I do that. I'm healthy now and I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize that!!

2 Years

Ain't Life Grand!!

I am down to 159 pounds and feel better than I have in a long time!!! The only problems I have had is keeping my blood sugar up and I am lactose intolerant. My blood sugar has a tendency to drop in the afternoons, so I am now having 4 or 5 meals a day to keep it level. And I use Lactaid Milk or Lactaid tablets if I need to. Other than that, I am very active and am enjoying life more than ever!!!!

4 Years

Long time between updates, and I'm sorry for that. I now weigh in at 175 pounds and have been here for over a year. I was so thin looking at 159 that people started asking me if I was sick. When I thought about it, I realized that I didn't feel as well or as energetic as I did at 175. So I guess 175 is a good weight for me.

We had moved to West Virginia in November 2001 to help my then 83 year old great aunt, who had a massive stroke. After getting her all the assistance she needed to stay in her home (years of social work were not wasted!), we moved back to South Carolina in November of 2002 to help my mother-in-law. She had been diagnosed with emphysema in December of 2001. Within 2 months of moving back, she had two heart attacks. So now I am taking care of her. She lives alone, about 5 miles from me. She doesn't drive, so I make sure she gets to all of her doctor appointments and to the store when she needs to go or just wants to get out of the house. She's a neat lady and I love doing things for her.

As soon as I can, I will try to get an updated picture on here!!

.............to be continued............