Day 1 - Post Op (Details And Pictures Included!)

This morning was my infamous panniculectomy surgery. Dr. Neal L Gorlick was my assigned surgeon, and I was told to call yesterday to find out the exact time of my surgery. When I called the first time, they told me to come to Kaiser at 9:30am for an 11:30am surgery. Calling was a little surreal, because having a set time made it that much more real. Later yesterday evening, I received a call from Kaiser telling my that my surgery had been rescheduled, and I was to show up at 7:30am for a 9:30am surgery. I was excited for it to be sooner, but it meant that we had to leave the Antelope Valley at 6am to get there on time. That wasn't a problem. For some reason, I was not able to sleep well last night. After going to bed around 9:30-10pm, my body woke up at 2am and did not want to go back to sleep. After a few hours, I ended up taking a short nap before getting up and taking a shower and getting ready. I was not allowed to eat anything or drink anything after midnight so my mouth was very dry. I grabbed everything I needed, and we were on our way!

Hi! My name is Dr. Neal L Gorlick, and I am Rachel's surgeon!

We arrived at the hospital a few minutes early and checked in at admitting. I was given a white hospital bracelet and told to go up the elevator to the surgery holding area.

My official hospital band

After getting to the holding area, I was weighed and told to change into a hospital gown, cap, and shoesocks. For those of you who don't know what shoesocks are, they are these nifty little socks that have grip on the bottom so you don't slip while walking. I love them, and I was excited to get another pair. I'm still wearing mine! After I changed, they moved my mom and I to a corner area with a hospital bed and began to take my blood pressure, temperature and covered my legs in compression cuffs to avoid clotting during surgery.

Hi! My name is Rachel, and I am excited for surgery!

Unfortunately, there were a few mishaps along the way. The nurse that tried to put my IV in couldn't find a vein because I was very cold. When she finally was able to locate one that would be usable, It really hurt when she put it in my hand. Also, another surgeon came to talk to me about "my surgery," and after asking a bunch of questions and becoming comfortable, she realized I was not the right patient... Her patient was next door. Oops!

My IV and me being sad when it hurt putting it in

A while later, my REAL surgeon came to mark me up. He asked my mom and the second nurse to leave the room, and then he took his surgeon marker and drew where they would be cutting. He told me that the skin and fat they would be taking off would only weigh about 2-3 pounds, and it would not be a significant weight loss.

After the markings, I was almost ready to go! The anesthesiologist came in and spoke to me about the risks and complications for the surgery. He explained that the surgery would be about 2-2 1/2 hours and I would be under general anesthesia during that time. Shortly after we spoke, I was wheeled away to the operating room. I was moved to an operating table and my arms were placed on side tabled to be secured for surgery. I don't really remember much after that.

I woke up kind of groggy, but I remember asking for my mom right away. The nurse tried to reach her, but the hospital service was not great so we had some issues. While I was finishing up in the recovery unit, my mom was gracious enough to go to the pharmacy and pick up my antibiotics and my pain medication. The nurse was able to get me a cup of ice water, so my mouth was not so dry.

After my mom came, the hospital wanted to make sure that I was not nauseous and I was able to urinate before leaving. They provided me with a diet 7-up type drink and a small cup of sugar free jello. After consuming the jello and the drink, I was able to stand up and walk on my own. I also was able to make it to the restroom and do everything else they needed. They informed me that my surgery only took about an hour and half, and I was done, dressed, and in the car leaving the hospital by 1:45. Originally, they told me that I should expect 2 hours before surgery, a 3-5 hour surgery, and 1 hour post surgery... That would have totaled 6-8 hours and I was only there 6 so it was definitely faster than I expected.

After I got home, I was able to take some pictures with the bandages on. You can see that I definitely still have loose skin and excess fat in my upper abdomen, but the entire lower part is missing. I can't wait until I am able to remove all of my gauze, tape, and coverings to see what the scar looks like. I know is is about 20 inches across my lower abdomen from hip to hip, but I hope it looks aesthetically pleasing. Let me know what you all think!

Thank you for all of your support and keep reading!!!