Update!

Well, I'm home now and resting up. Figured I'd blog a little about my experience.
Originally I was scheduled for 9:45am arrival and a surgery time of 11:45am. The doctors office called me Wednesday evening and asked me to come in later. So I had to be at the hospital at 11am and my surgery was at 1pm. I checked in and sat around with Dana, Mom & Jason for a little while before I was called to the back to get prepped and ready.

The nurse took my vitals, had me change into a gown, started my IV, gave me the sedative I had asked for (which didn't even end up working for me) and then I was taken to another part of the hospital to wait for it to be my turn. I met with my Dr. briefly and spoke to a few more nurses and about 1:30ish they came to get me...it was time! At that point I got really emotional and was very scared. I hugged everyone and was wheeled into the main OR. I had never been in an OR before so it was a really scary experience. It was really cold, there were people everywhere, very bright, machines and equipment everywhere...pretty intimidating to say the least!

I had a nurse on my right side and the anesthesiologist on my left. She was talking to me and next thing you know, I woke up in the recovery room! Who knew it would be that easy! :) I was in the recovery room for about 3 hours since they did not have an open room for me yet. I didn't care much because I was being pumped full of meds to keep me from being nauseous and they made me really sleepy. Apparently, Mom, Jason & Dana were getting antsy...which I can't blame them! That's a long time to just wait around!

I finally got in my room and I don't remember a whole lot after that. Thursday night was pretty much a blur. Everyone eventually went home and I was left to sleep. I was woken up quite a few times over the night by the nurses and that was some what annoying but I guess that's how it goes.

Friday morning I woke up feeling like a new person. I was in some pain but not nearly as out of it as I was the day before. I had to go get an upper GI test done to make sure that my new stomach was how it should be and those results came back fine. The Dr. came in about 12-1pm and told me that he was going to send me home since I was doing so well.

Around 2ish I got my first bit of water and "food". Crystal Light lemonade, vegetable broth, and jello. I drank 4oz's of water and two spoonfuls of the broth and I thought I was going to get sick. It was amazing how fast my stomach filled up and I didn't even notice until it was too late. To put it lightly, it SUCKED and I was miserable for a few hours.

I waited for Jason to get off work at 10pm last night to bring me home. I didn't want to have to deal with Toby by myself if someone else had brought me home. (Love my puppy but he's a little much for me to deal with while being under the weather.) We made it home about midnight last night and I had never been so happy to see my own bed!

So now, here I am at home trying to get adjusted to this new stomach of mine. I haven't been able to eat much of anything and I'm trying to stay focused on drinking the fluids I need to drink so I stay hydrated. I've tried chicken/beef and vegetable broth and all of them taste like dirt. It's going to be a long week until I can have something other than broth, jello and water...but it's for the best I suppose.

Thanks to everyone who came to visit me, called/emailed/texted/prayed, etc. It means so much to me that I have wonderful people like YOU in my life to help me get through this!! :)