1/15/2008 -

First, if you haven't noticed, I alternate my kitty pictures with those of my 4 cats.  It seems appropriate that this "turn" is Pixie's as my baby girl has moved on to kitty heaven.  My sweet little girl survived over a year after having surgery for bladder cancer (when only given a 3-month estimate), but it came back with a vengeance, and I lost her in October.

Anyway, my update.  After having hernia repair/TT in mid-September, I lost down to 179 pounds, then in November had a rapid (literally overnight!) 8 pound weight  gain associated with extreme bloating and pain in the upper right abdomen.  I had a home health nurse 3/x a week at that point as I was on a wound vac, so I asked her about it, and she said to call my PCP which I did. 

The doctor thought it could be a reccurance of the hernia or a seroma, so sent me for a CT scan and wanted me to review the results with a local surgeon (I had my DS surgery out of state). 

So, I had the scan and set up the appointment to see the local surgeon.  In the meantime, my weight continued to creep up and I continued with daily swelling and pain.

About 1 1/2 weeks later, I see the surgeon, and am told that "everything looks good" and there is no problem.  So, here I am, STILL gaining, STILL swelling, and STILL having pain on a daily basis!  Bah!

Anyway, I guess I need to contact Dr. Anthone, but I'm afraid he'll just say it's nothing, too!  I'm soooo afraid he'll think it's all my fault (the weight gain) and that there is nothing causing it - or that it's just my imagination (the swelling) - so I started measuring in the morning and eveing - and I have at least a 2" difference from am to pm!  Grrrrrr!

So, as of this morning I'm 190 lbs. and NOT happy!  That would mean I not only lost nothing with the TT/hernia repair, but actually GAINED 2 lbs. as I had 9 lbs. of skin removed.

I'm just soooo frustrated!!!

Another month with ZERO weight lost, however, I did see 200 several times - which would have been a 1-pound loss.  Just didn't stay there on weigh-in day.  Poop! 

Still haven't had my hernias repaired or my tummy-tuck.  Been really dragging my feet.  I just don't feel comfortable with the local surgeon.  I really want Dr. Anthone to perform my surgery, but he was uncomfortable with my out-of-state status for the TT portion.  I've decided to talk to him again, and see if we can't work something out.  I'd be willing to commit to a 2-week in-state stay, and arrange with a local guy to follow-up if needed after that.  I'll see if this will satisfy him.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Man, I just keep thinking, if I get these @#$ing hernias repaired and a tummy-tuck, I should be firmly into Onederland!  At this point, I doubt I'll ever get to goal, but I think I could learn to be happy at 175 or so.  Hopefully, this surgery will be the boost I need to make it to my "revised" goal.