June 2010

Jun 01, 2010

June 22, 2010

After I went to see Dr. B....the blister on my leg appeared.  So I decided that since no one can tell me what is causing them...I would go to the wound care clinic.  They popped the blister and took a sample.  Then they cut the skin off so the blister would not refill with fluid.  They are treating it as a wound. 

They think that I may be having some issues with circulation in my lower legs and they set me up to have venous and aterial dopplers on both legs.  When you have that procedure...they put blood pressure cuffs on both of your ankles and she also put cuffs on my arms.  When she took the pressure on my arm...something told me to ask her what the number was....IT WAS 227.  So I had decided to go to my primary doctor and have them recheck.  It was 200/120.  They gave me a beta blocker blood pressure pill and a shot of lasix.  It came down and they sent me home.  By the time I got here I was beat and decided I would go lay down.  My heart was pounding....I went in and sat with my husband, got something to drink and told him that I was going to lay down and nap for a while.  I did...but I woke up and needed to go to the restroom.  I got in there and I knew I was in trouble.  Pressure started building up in my head and making it where I could not hear.  I started sweating enough it was falling off of me.  I was sick to my stomach...I felt as though I was going to pass out and just about the time my husband came to check on me, my hands began to feel like they were going to sleep and I COULDN'T MOVE THEM...NOT EVEN A FINGER.  He helped me get from there back to the bed and I was not making much sense with my sentences.  My heart was still pounding...we called a neighbor who is a nurse and then they called the ambulance.  So off to the ER I went.  Everytime I sat up or they had me stand up I would not be able to breathe well and feel sick to my stomach.
They did blood work and took an xray.  They checked my blood pressure laying down and standing up.  Every time I stood up my blood pressure would plummet.  After 4 hours they gave me fluids by IV and then sent me home.  I was exhausted.  I decided that I would not go teach school today and was glad of that decision.  I have been exhausted.  I hope tomorrow is better....NO MORE ADIPEX!!!

June 14, 2010

I got the bloodwork results today....everything is fine.  My triglycerides are in the 190's but that is mild compared to the over 300's that they were before I had my band.  We will repeat the bloodwork when I go back to Dr. B due to a cyst that I have on my kidney...just to make sure that everything is still ok.

I had a chance to discuss the diet plan I had.  I just do not understand the logic of it.  So.....when I mentioned WW, she said he approved of that program completely.  Well gee, it was in my chart.  So I researched on the internet about conversion of calories to points.  That is what I will look at next.

June 13, 2010

I have studied the diet I was given and have made menus to follow.  I am just trying to figure out the logic in how they have it set up.  I will give it a couple of weeks and if I don't see good results I will do theirs one week and Dr. Merriman's the other week. 

The more I think about the beginning of school, the more I am looking to the probability of surgery in November instead of August.  It makes more sense for me to begin school, get everything set up, a routine in place for the kids, meet the new principal and take possibly only 3 weeks instead of 6 weeks.  I would have the week of Thanksgiving and the two weeks for Christmas.  I still would have 6 weeks off...but only my pay would be affected by three of them.  I don't know...but that is what I am thinking.

I have done ok with his diet so far.  I think that the medicine has given me a slight headache today and when we were getting ready for my parents to come for lunch...there were several times I was dizzy.  It passed...and so we will plan for day 3.

We had a dear friend pass away last February when he had surgery on his heart.  It wasn't that portion of the surgery that went wrong...it was because of scar tissue that tore from a previous surgery.  That really makes me stop and think hard about this...especially since everyone considers this an elective surgery...But Dr. Merriman already has addressed this issue and that is the reason he wants this surgery to be an open procedure, rather than laproscopic.

I am going to sit down tonight and plan my meals for the next two weeks and see how things turn out.  Once I get out of summer school tomorrow, I will go and buy the things I need.  I think that I have most of what I need...just a few items. 

Stay cool...it is 96 degrees here today with a heat index of 105....it is HOT!!!

June 11, 2010

I went and had my bloodwork done this morning.  They are checking my cbc, cmp, lipids and thyroid.  The normal things they check for.  My triglycerides have not been checked since my lap band was removed...so they will be looking at those too.  I have the hardest veins to find...the little girl took several minutes looking for a "good" vein, and then butterflied a small vein in my arm.  They said that he should have most of the results this afternoon and that maybe he would call me Monday.  I had my prescriptions filled and will start them in the morning.  I am looking at the diet and planning menus.  There is no way that I can see losing 40-50 pounds in 8 weeks.  That may be a blessing in disguise.  It might be a better choice to have surgery in November and then I might even decide to have it next June.  I don't know....I just am disappointed that I didn't ask for help before now.  Please if you are reading this, if you find yourself in a situation that you need help...ASK!!!!  They can not read our mind.  They are busy people..that doesn't mean they don't care about us....they are just one person who see a great deal of people each day.  We are one individual and need to take the initiative to pick up the phone and call when we need them.  I am guilty of not doing that myself and now I will not have surgery when I wanted.  So here goes the new adventure in preparing for surgery once more and hopefully the last one I need.

June 10, 2010

We went to Shreveport today and saw Dr. Bernard.  He was very nice and seemed truly concerned about my health.  He is going to add some medicine because I have endema and he wants some of that to subside.  I go in the morning and have bloodwork done and the results will be faxed to him.  I will temporarily take adipex and follow his diet at the moment.  I have another dr. visit in a month.  We will see what happens then.  After I finish in the morning with bloodwork, I am going to try to go and walk on the treadmill for a few minutes..  boy oh boy...it has been a while since I have been there and it will  be like I have never been there...starting over...ok..if it takes a while for me to get where I was...so be it!  I also started thinking about when to have surgery.  I had my heart set on the beginning of this summer....that didn't happen...so then I gave in and started planning for it to be the first part of August.  I just worried about it happening then...with my principal retiring...that means I will have a new principal...I have new children ( I am going back to teaching resource and there are new students entering the program),and l worried about having the kids start with a "new" teacher and then me going back and them having to adjust again. So last night I came up with a plan B....possibly have the surgery the week before Thanksgiving....and then go back after Christmas break.  I know that still means an adjustment for the kids...but I would start school with the new principal and settle the new children and get them in routine...and get ready for the sub...then I would be back in time to continue helping them prepare for spring testing.  That in the long run, might be the way to go.  I am just so disappointed that everything turned out the way it did...but the sun will come up tomorrow. :) 

June 7, 2010

This morning began as a typical school Monday would...got up early and went to an inservice.  While I was there...they needed a summer school teacher...so because I have trouble with the word "no"...I will be teaching for the month of June.  It won't be bad...just kind of messed up SOME plans I had for the month...but not severely enough that will cause devastation....lol.  When I got home, I figured that I would already have heard from the weight Doctor...when I didn't my husband called (while I was driving home) and when I got here, they still had not called so I called them.  I have an appointment this Thursday.  My husband wants to go to this appointment to see what they have to say.  Anyway...they said that 40-50 pounds was not unreasonable to lose in 8 weeks.  I hope they are right...I am ready for the surgery now.  For those of you who have had surgery and are waiting for the revision...you know what I am talking about.  I am ready to lose this weight again...and I know that I can be successful.  I was with the band...it evidently didn't like me.. .. I hate being the 2%...I am concerned about having surgery at the beginning of school and hope to have healed enough that it won't mess up.  I want this next one to be the last!  So I will close tonight, and try to be up and ready for those smiling (sleepy) little faces in the morning. :)
 
June 4, 2010

Now the waiting game has begun.  I have waited since September because I had to wait 6 months before doing anything.  I already knew that I couldn't do anything until school was out...so like a dummy I waited to make an appointment once school was out!  Silly me...he was busy until June 2nd.  I should have made an appointment and went to see him during Easter or Spring break.  Anyway....I have to lose 40-50 pounds in order for him to do surgery.  So I am being referred to a doctor to lose weight before I lose weight.  lol.  I guess that I thought everyone would feel the urgency that I do...I still have not heard anything....that is a lot of weight to lose in 8 weeks and need to get started as soon as possible.  I hope they call soon...like the first of next week.  I am ready to begin this journey.

June 2, 2010

I went to see Dr. Merriman today.  I have so many emotions today.  I called the insurance company...hopefully for someone out there...I will be able to be a voice heard so that you can have surgery under State Group Benefits of Louisiana...I am giving it all I have.  I spoke to someone in legislature today....Unfortunately...it looks as though the bill might not pass...if it does...it won't be until it is time for school to start again...anyway.........................

Back to my story.....

My appointment was at 3:30....I had filled out the paperwork and sent it online...the only thing is...they are going to electronic paperwork...so I had to retell what I had filled out...no problem...they had to only transfer most of it.  Once all that was done...Dr. Merriman came in.  We discussed the two surgeries...sleeve and bypass...we discussed the weight I had gained since my lap band removal...we discussed the insurance and the legislature...we discussed bougies and sizes...we discussed not wanting two surgeries if possible... only one....we discussed the scaring and blood vessels around the area...let's face it...we talked and talked...and thanks to all of the research I have done...I was able to keep up and understand probably 99% of what he was talking about.

My problem of today...the weight I gained.  I have to lose 40-50 pounds before we do surgery.  He is figuring about 8 weeks...that puts me right at the beginning of school.  We are having to look into my options...anyway...they are setting me up with a doctor there in Shreveport for medication and diet.  I plan to get up in the morning and start slowly...but be back at the gym.  We are discussing that we will try for the sleeve, but won't know until we get there if he has to do the bypass.  It will all depend on the scarring, blood vessels, etc.  Then to my shock...I said...this will be laproscopic right????  Nope...it will be open.....my heart sunk.  I have done so well with laproscopic, but he wants to be very sure what he is looking at and be able to feel everything. 

So with a heavy heart...my journey has just begun.  But you better bet your boots...I will keep an eye on insurance and legislation...and fight,fight, fight for us!  I will not give up...but this sure reminds me when I moved back to Louisiana as a single mom and needed a little assistance....I was to rich to be poor and to poor to be rich!  I was in the gray area of the system.  Now I am in the gray area of weight loss and insurance!  I WILL NOT GIVE UP FOR YOU!!!!

June 1, 2010

I go and see Dr. Merriman tomorrow.  I will update after we meet.

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