I am starting a new support group that will be meeting on the 1st Monday of each month at 6pm at Park West Hospital in the Grubb Room in the cafeteria. 

Please come be a part our group.  We'd love to have you!!  We need you just as much as you need us!!

Well, I thought I'd write a line or two about my tail bone removal... 

Quick history for those that are not aware of the pain in my butt.  Colby (my second & LAST born son whom is almost 3 years old) "dislocated" my tail bone during his birth.  He was 10lbs and 5ozs. 

I pretty much refused a c-section and hired a Doula ahead of time to assist me with his birth.  I had developed the dreaded evil gestational diabetes and we knew that he was getting large but my Dr wouldn't induce early because there was no reason....  Mmmm I beg to differ!    Long story short.. He came fast and he was to say the least a tight fit coming out but did so successfully without any tearing on my part.  He had a long scraping bruise down his shoulder and arm that were due to it rubbing down my tail bone.

I tried many treatments for my terrible pain all to no avail.  These included:  *internal* physical therapy, chiropractic work, and caudal epidural injections.  I was told by the nice PT that my tail bone was just flitting back and forth in there like loose change.  After conferring with at least 3 surgeons I found one that was willing to remove it.  And that is just what I did...

I have a couple of inch incision between my top butt crack.  He removed over two inches of tail bone and relayed to me that the cartilage was broken and it would not have repaired itself.  Well HELL, you'd thought that if it *could* have repaired itself it would have in the almost 3 years that I suffered with this!!  So, there you go... it's gone.

Yeah, it's been about a month now and the pain is some better.  It is worse if I sit for long periods of time but I have to say that it is better.  I don't regret the removal and in time the pain might be completely gone. 

Below is the email that I sent to my "Loser" friends explaining my ordeal...
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Well, I am finally home after a extra night due to dehydration, low blood pressure and a bad headache.  I am sore but I hope in time it will be worth it. 

I was finally able to talk them into giving me IV fluids.  I just don't think they understood that I couldn't drink enough to catch up.  Plus, I was taking lots of pain meds and it kept me asleep on my face in bed and I can't drink if I am sleeping.  Then they wanted me to drink PowerAid and I didn't want to... 15g of sugar!!

The Dr that did the surgery said that the cartilage was broken and was literately just laying in there.  I haven't figured this one out ... but he said that he had music playing and once he cut it open the loose broken part would move or jiggle with the beat of the music.  My question... was the music that loud or did they have the music box sitting on my back??

I had to make the hardest decision of my life - to put my beloved Lillie to eternal sleep today.  She was the best dog ever and at 17 years old was doing as well as a dog of her age could.  This past weekend something happened and she was not able to see and just wandered around in our home like she was lost.  Her hearing was also gone as well as her balance. 

I don't think I have ever cried for so long and so hard and today I am almost numb.  My face and eyes are in such pain but it doesn't compare to how broken my heart is right now.   I know in time I will feel better and I can only hope that I can understand that it was the best for her.  Lillie will always be missed and loved.  Rest in Peace, Lillie -  April 1991 to May 17, 2008.

I have said this before but it is worth repeating.  The transition from pre-op to post-op eating is a difficult one that takes time to get use to.  What I mean by that is, you have to adjust to the rules of your new eating ... the rules of eating that we have to abide by for the rest of our lives.

Too Fast
Too Dry
Too Much
Wrong Food

It was really hard for me to do all of these rules when I was fresh post-op.  I could do one or two but all of them together were hard to do.  And really if you think about it ...  none of us had good eating habits to begin with and the surgery is not going to change that immediately. 

In my experience, I suffered with clumping for a little over 6 weeks.  I honestly think it took me that long to figure it out...  how to eat & what to eat.

You are going to have to experiment with food and be very conscious of your eating behavior.  Make sure and document what is happening and what you have eaten.  I'll bet you'll find a pattern... I did.  In my case, chicken and eggs really bothered me but most of all what got me was STRESS. 

I was stressed when I went to eat.  Stressed cause I wanted to lose weight NOW, stressed that others were eating "good" food and I wasn't, stressed cause I didn't know if I was eating the "right" food, stressed cause I didn't know if I was going to get sick, stressed cause my kids weren't eating what I fixed them, stressed JUST BECAUSE you name it.

So... my advise is to learn fast by trial and error and know that you are not alone.  Second, Pre-ops do lots of research and know what you are getting into with WLS.  Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't change a thing!!    If you are informed and have support you will make it through this tough time and be stronger for it.

One last thing... Clumping is a vicious cycle. Once I had a problem with it - it would snow ball. I am sure that my esophagus got irritated and when that happens it is very necessary to give it a rest. So, if you clump or get sick (throw up) you need to make sure and do 24 hours of liquids after that. When it got bad for me I went back to all liquids for 4 days per Dr. Williams' orders.

Hope this helps.

Hugs,

Jennifer
-112lbs
8-8-07
 

PS:
Thank you Sarah, Andrea, Krystal and Dr. Williams for helping me through my clumping issues!  You all are the best!

If you've started out in pursuit of your goal
And you've really tried with your heart and your soul,
but somehow things got out of control---
START OVER.

When you've tried your best to do what you should
And you thought this time that you surely would,
But once again, you didn't do good---
START OVER.

When you've worked so hard to follow a dieters way
And you fought to win a victory each day.
But one more time you went astray---
START OVER.

When you've tried so hard to yourself to be true
And do the things that you know you should do,
But once again you failed to come through---
START OVER.

When the road to success seemed much too long
And each temptation was oh so strong
And once again you gave in to wrong---
START OVER.

When you've told your friends what you planned to do
And trusted them to help you through
But soon discovered it's up to you---
START OVER.

When you know you must be physically fit,
But your hope seems gone and you're stuck in a pit
That's not the time for you to quit---
START OVER.

When the week seems long and successes few
And at weigh-in time you're feeling blue,
Remember tomorrow is just for you---
START OVER.

To start again means a victory's been won
And starting over again means a race well run
And starting over again proves it can be done
So don't just sit there---
START OVER

~~ Author Unknown ~~