~Nov 23, 2004~ Tuesday
Yesterday is finally a little clearer to me and what my son told me. It really didn't sink in until my nurse removed my catheder and I had to get out of bed on own to go to the bathroom. OUCH!  Now all my mind could think is how dam big is this additional incision and what does it all really mean?   Can I get some water? I know my mouth was dry, dry, dry.  The nurse had to check with Dr. C and see if I was allowed anything.  I finally was brought some ice chips.  Dr. C came up later and explained a little more to me what happened.

~Nov 24, 2004~ Wednesday
Still in the hospital, feeling like crap, wanting something, ANYTHING to drink.

~Nov 25, 2004~ Thanksgiving
Nothing much more happening today, I am allowed to have broth now, just wish they'd mix it up, not much fun drinking powder.

Thursday night, sometime during the night I felt like an alien was coming out of me, from my old stomach up, clear into my mouth and erupting on my face as a fever blister.  I had to take my teeth out even as it felt like cellophane as I said from my old stomach on up.  It was a horrible feeling for sure, I get fever blisters from stress and when I'm really sick, but this was harder than normal for sure.

~Nov 26, 2004~ Friday
I started begging Dr. C to let me GO HOME! I was tired of being in the hospital bed and wanted the comfort of my home and the quietness, because I sure was not getting any rest in the hospital and the bed was killing my back. He said I could go upstairs to the hotel room and if I had a good night, I could go home on Saturday.

~Nov 27, 2004~ Saturday
Dr. C come found me in the hotel room and released me to go home, I'm now in a better mood.  I think the ride home was the longest 200 miles of my life.

Home - o sweet home - I felt weird when I got home, like I didn't belong in my own home.  I just wanted to go to sleep and rest soundly for all night.

~Nov 28, 2004~ Sunday
I awoke feeling weirder than I had when getting home. It didn't take long before I was telling my son, Daniel, call 911.  I had the ambulance take me to the only hospital here in Toledo that had a bariatric surgeon on staff.  Of course because it was Sunday, I never seen him.  I don't know if he would have come seen me anyways as I am not his patient.  But I thought perhaps the hospital would know more of what I was feeling.  My fever had spiked, the fever blister on my face was spreading and all I could think was I wanted this nightmare to end now.  I spent about 19 hours in the ER, ran through a battery of tests before it was decided I was to be ambulanced back to Cincinnati where my surgeon was located.  I refused to ride 4 hours in a gurney and had my son go get my van, so at least it would be half comfortable going back down.

Will write more later on, my butt hurts!

~November 29, 2004~ Monday
Back in Deaconess Hospital in Cincinnati, I've had a long, long weekend and when I got in my room I asked, please just let me rest now.  The hospital staff obliged my wish.   My son Daniel and I rested undisturbed for about 3 hours and then at that time, my son headed on back to Toledo again.  God bless this child of mine, at 18 years of age he has exceeded what most 18 yr olds would do for a parent, he's been with me non-stop for the last 8 days and has not complained once and has shown a maturity that has far surpassed his young age.  I love you Daniel!  After he left, I continued to rest on Monday, barely being disturbed, this is a good thing as my body was showing it's wear and tear of the past week.   I was allowed to start on pureed foods at this point.  But, OMG, if the hospital cannot tell you what kind of meat puree it is, who wants it?  YUCK! 

~November 30, 2004~ Tuesday
Alone in Cincinnati, no family, no friends, no phone numbers... heck nobody knew I was back in the hospital except for family members 200 miles away. 

I was taken down to have a PICC line put in as my veins were shutting down and I needed to be on an IV.  I think this was also the first day I seen Dr. Curry again and he told me a Dr from Infectious Disease would be coming to see me.   That Dr. finally came in early that evening and asked me 2000 questions about my health, previous to surgery.  He then order a barrage of antibiotics that I would be on constantly over the next day or so.  My room also went under quarantine, anyone coming in was at their own risk and hospital staff was order to wear masks, gowns and gloves.  I was so uncomfortable in my own skin, my stomach hurt, my face hurt from the infection that was rapidly spreading and OMG my back and sciatic nerves were totally inflamed from being in that dang hospital bed for so long.

~December 1, 2004~ Wednesday
Let the antibiotics begin... they are so piggybacked that I am barely allowed out of bed to go to the bathroom.  Forget washing my body or hair, there was no time between doses for that.  Now I'm miserable and filthy too.  I told a nurse to bring me a pair of scissors so I could cut my hair off, she said I couldn't do that and I said, oh yes I can it's MY hair and YOU won't let me wash it.  Anyways, I never got the scissors.  The alarm on the IV pump constantly goes off, I ring for my nurse, but it takes forever for them to get to me.  I'd get so perturbed by the alarm, I'd shut down the pump and rest.  This constantly happened for over 24 hours, it was on my last nerves.  When I'd shut down the pump, then the medicine dosages would get off schedule and leave less time for anything else.

~December 2, 2004~ Thursday
The antibiotics continue to flow, another Dr from Infectious Disease came down last night and was trying to get what I need in pill form, to go home with.   Last night my PICC line also started to shut down, my poor old veins are tired from IV's for over 10 days now.  The nurses have to force the flushes of the IV. 

Good news, I'm going to be released again!  The hospital on call Dr came and removed my PICC iine and I was changed over to oral meds.  I called my son about 1 pm and said, COME GET ME!  I'm so relieved that I am alive, feel so-so and am now truly ready to go home.

Also note that since I am writing this from memory, the past week of events might be off a day, as it is all a blur now.