Pre-Op hospital appointment

So my Surgeon, Dr. Telepun, has an agreement with the local hospital that allows many of his patients to stay over night, and since his office is literally across the street from Decatur General Hospital, right after you complete the Pre-Op office visit you go to the hospital to get registered, talk to the anesthesiologist, and the nurses.

My number one piece of advice is BRING A NOTEBOOK.

You'll be writing down a lot of stuff. Luckily the office assistant had put all of my stuff to take to the hospital in a folder and so I just wrote all over the top of that. As you can see, there was a lot to write.

So when I got there the first thing I had to do was Registration. Now, I've never been to this hospital before, so I believe there were more steps for me than there would be for someone who had used the same hospital prior to this surgery, but I was very impressed that the people at Decatur General were very nice and efficent. SO NICE! I can't tell you how impressed I was and how different the experience was for me verses other registrations I've gone for.

REGISTRATION

When the lady completing my registration saw my surgery she even said "Good for you girl! I wish I could do it!" Again, reconfirming that this is not the hush hush secret thing it use to be.

The Pre-Registration process took about 40 minutes from start to finish. Because I'm using Care Credit, the Dr.'s office had cut a check to the hospital for the amount to be paid to them, which I delivered on this visit.

She also explained that when you do plastic surgery you are marked as Confidential, so NOBODY can find out anything about you without the special code you get on the day you enter. This is important for you to know because nobody can call up to the hospital and check on you. They can call your cell, but to the hospital you don't exist via phone.

After my registration was completed I was taken down the hall to wait for the anesthesiologist. I waited no more than 5 minutes. I brought my kindle along with me, thinking there would be many times to sit and read, but I'd rarely get a few pages finished before the next person was ready for me.

ANESTHESIA

The anesthesiologist was with me for about 20 minutes and was again, shockingly nice and friendly. He went through questions about my medical history (I'm very healthy just have this big pooch) and asked if I had any questions. In particular he wanted to know about my history of nausea after anesthesia, I would imagine because he wanted to be extra prepared. I told him I don't really know, but in the past its not been too bad, however since giving birth the second time I get nauseated on planes, but now put an ear patch (Transederm- Scop) on to help with the nausea. He suggested I go ahead and put one on the night before surgery, but to be SURE to tell the nurse as soon as I got in and settled that I had it on.

He also explained that the surgery would be EIGHT HOURS LONG! This was not information I had been told up to this point. He said the Abdomnioplasty would be 4.5 hours approximately and then the Mastopexy would be about 3. Dang... that's insane. I will tell you that this made me a little bit more nervous. That's a long time. I did tell my husband though, that there's no reason for him to sit and wait as his office is less than 12 minutes away from the hospital, and that he could call (with the special code) and that they would call him if any emergency happened and he'd be there within minutes. You might feel differently, but for me 8 hours is a long time to sit around staring at the walls.

He also explained that he would be giving me a medicine that's similar to pepsid that would help with gas build up during the surgery and that there was no need for me to take my synthroid pill the morning of the surgery. And then he was gone and the nurse came in.

MUST KNOWS from the NURSE

Next came in the nurse went through my health history once again and then hit me with the big lists of "must knows" for the day of the surgery. I'll share with you what she told me:

No:

-jewelry

-makeup

-fingernail polish

-food or drink after midnight (including brushing teeth, just rinse and spit she explained)

Bring:

- a person to take care of your "stuff" while you're in surgery. This would be my overnight bag, clothes I've changed out of, and my glasses case for me because I don't plan on bringing anything else.

- a copy of your Living Will if you have one.

- list of the meds and milligrams of each that you take.

The night before surgery

- Scrub your body with the Hibiclens soap they provide before going to bed for at least three minutes. Don't get any on your face or hair, she warned and scrub with your hands. Record how long you showered because they're going to ask.

- Don't eat or drink anything after midnight.

Morning of the surgery

- Take a SECOND shower with the Hibiclens soap, at least three minutes long.

- If you brush your teeth make sure you don't swallow any of the water.

- I have to be there at 6am. So make sure alarms are set!!!

She also talked about how there would be a patient advocate present and to let someone know before you leave the hospital if anything was lost while you were there.

It appears that Dr. Telepun has a great relationship with the hospital. Two different people told me that "we basically do whatever he asks" and that he has three rooms that only his patients use in the hospital. Pretty cool in my opinion.

LABS

Finally I had some blood drawn (a small amount to test for anemia) and also had to pee in the cup for a urninealis. This might be good for you to know also so you don't go to the bathroom just before you have labs and have to come back and do it later. Drink a little water as you go.

The entire process took me 2 hours from start to finish. So I would be sure to set aside at least three full hours for the office and hospital appointment and I would be SURE to NOT BRING CHILDREN!

If you have any questions please feel free to asks.

Pre-Op office appointment

Ok, well I had my pre-op appointment and I'm feeling much better about things now. Almost excited! So here's a rundown of what all happened.

1. I arrived at Dr. Telepun's office, checked in and waited for just a moment until his nurse, who is so nice, called me back to the examining room. She gave me a quick run-down of what would be happening in the visit and left.

2. Dr. Telepun came in and went through the consent forms. He was very thorough and went through line by line so I wouldn't have any questions.

- He explained that he couldn't 100% promise that things would be perfectly symmetrical , and that with any surgery there comes risk of infection, etc.

- He talked briefly about the jp drains that would be put in. Since I'm having two surgeries, an abdomnioplasty (tummy tuck) and a Wise Mastopexy (breast lift) at the same time I will have three JP drains in the tummy and one drain in each breast. He then briefly discussed that the breast drains will come out after 48 hours and the ones in the tummy come out when certain measurements of output are recorded.

- Then I signed my consent forms for both procedures.

3. After that it was time to be re-examined. So Dr. Telepun left and the nurse got out one of those oh so lovely paper vests and told me I could keep my pants and underwear on and that they would just be slightly lowered when the time came. I'm not really shy about this so it didn't bother me much.

- When he returned he checked the breasts first. He seemed to think it will be a "perfect procedure". One of my breasts is larger than the other, so one will require tissue removal while the other will not. This causes a bit of trouble since you're having to get them to the same size. But for me I know that normal breasts are not perfectly the same either, so I don't care as long as its not insane. He said he thought I'd be really happy with the results.

- Then he checked my tummy. He explained that the lower pooch, which is all the hang-over below the bellybutton, will be removed in the procedure. "So you will be really flat there", he said. Since my muscles are being significantly tightened he seemed to have hope that the top part will not be as pooched out either. It does have a layer of fat, but he said with proper diet and exercise and losing maybe 10-15lbs that are could get flat as well. He explained that when those muscles loosen to the degree mine have they actually account for a good deal of the "top pooch" and also told me when the skin is pulled down and sewn back into place some of that will "roll out". This was great news for me, since I know that he doesn't like to do liposuction while doing two big procedures like I'm having because of blood and body stability.

4. Next it was time to get the dreaded before pictures. We stepped into a room next door to the examination room where he has set up lights and a backdrop. Your head is NOT a part of the shot, so nobody will know it is you except for him. I was only asked to pull down my pants to the pubic line so that I was still covered but you could see the overlay. He then takes your picture from the front. You then turn and get photographs at 45-degrees to the right, 90-degrees to the right, 45-degrees to the left, and 90-degrees to the left. I really let it all hang out in those pictures. My feeling is that the worse the before shot the better the after looks. Besides, it will all be different in 5 days anyway.

5. I was then taken back into the examination room and told I could get dressed and meet the office personnel at the front.

6. After I was dressed I went to the front office window and the lady at the desk took my Care Credit account number. We are using the 6-months no interest option with Care Credit. Dr. Telepun's office doesn't allow you to take the 12-months or the 18-months option of no interest because the fee to the office is so high. Understandable. I already have the money set aside, so I could have paid up front, but its all the same to me to let it sit in the bank and draw interest till its time to be paid.

7. She then gave me a check to take with me over to the hospital as well as my forms. So off to the hospital, which is just next door, I went. You can read about the next part of my pre-op by clicking HERE.

This entire procedure took less than 30 minutes. Now granted, I was the first appointment after lunch (at 1pm) so there was no waiting, but it was all done very quickly. I would NOT suggest bringing a child along with you to this. You'll be distracted and you need to be able to pay attention to what your doctor is saying.

Pre-Op appt jitters

So, I admit it. I'm getting a little nervous.

I'm sort of a control freak and the idea that I wont have any control over a) the pain b) how long the pain or inability to move goes on c) bathing my own body for a few days d) my house still functioning while I'm "out of it" is making me panic.

I found myself snapping at my husband over and over yesterday and every time I see anything that reminds me of my grandmother (who died last July after having surgery) I start crying.

I stayed in the tub for two hours last night. I kept grabbing that weird flap of tummy skin and thinking, wow, how many times have I said "if I could just cut this off I would!" And now, only 5 days from surgery, I'm looking at my body and thinking... what will I look like?

What if I don't look how I want? What happens if I still have that weird top pooch (aka muffin top) up there and the bottom one is gone? What happens if it still takes be a bazillion years to lose weight (part of why I decided to get the tuck in the first place!)

I'm also nervous because my surgeon doesn't do lipo on any area, except where the scar on the hip stops so there's not a weird pocket of fat there. Which means, no flanks, no upper tummy, nothing. Scary.

How will I look? Will I still be the same me? What happens if I'm in pain for WEEKS?

I guess it is normal to have these jitters, but I think sharing them with you, so you don't think you're INSANE when you start to the feel the same way, might help.

I'm about to load in the car and head to the Pre-Op appointment. I'll debrief when I get home.