edugas76

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I coudn't believe it when I put these on and zipped them up! granted they have some stretch to them (ususually I am in a 12) but I haven't been this small in FOREVER!
Big woo hoo moment for me!

I am now just over 5 months out and have lost 63.5 lbs. I should be happy right!? well the last 3 lbs have been the toughest to lose so far. It has taken almost a month to lose that! I know that I have been spoiled seeing pounds just drop off over the last 5 months and now I have to work at it, bu it's frustrating. I am making sure to get in 75-100 grams of protein in a day, I exercise at least 4 times a week even though I HATE it.

My next focus is my liquid intake, I don't drink nearly enough and I know it! I get about 30 to 50 oz a day. The problem is that before surgery I could chug a water bottle down with ease, now my pouch can't stand even the thought of plain water and I have had to switch to crystal light, so I carry around a bottle of diluted crystal light all day. I just have to make it a goal to get more in.
My goal is to lose another 20 lbs. I would be happy there Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with what I have achieved so far but for a long term goal I would like to be under 160.

I know it's been a while and I know some of you are worried! I'm sorry!

So, let me start off by saying, I don't even remember writing my last post! WOW! It's accurate. I was readmitted and did have a second surgery on the 12th, but seriously I don't remember writing any of it!!!

So, what happened was a nightmare for me! Like I said, I came home and felt fine. The next morning I felt like I was on deaths door. My stomach was distended, I was vomiting, weak, miserable! I was instructed to go to the ER, which I did. I got there mid afternoon. The ER docs were not able to get an IV in me. Literally after hours of attempts ( I think I counted 9 times including 2 in my neck!) They decided to do a femoral line, which is in the groin! not only did it hurt like hell, they had to suture it in place!
I sat in the ER until about 2 am when they finally took me up to a room on the floor!

The next 4 days are a blur, I don't remember much but begging the doctors to do something. I looked 9 months pregnant, I was so nauseous. They kept giving me morphine and telling me that I needed to walk because of the gas! yeah right! They did one x ray and a bunch of blood tests in those 4 days, but that's it! The nurses kept telling the doctor that I was looking better! I think they were trying to convince themselves!

Now I forgot to mention that Dr. Giovanni, the Dr that did my original surgery, had left for her wedding and honeymoon right after my surgery, so Dr. Pohl came in on Tuesday ( it was the holiday weekend so he was off the long weekend). When he got in the FINALLY did a CT scan on me and saw I ad a bowel obstruction. I was scheduled for surgery that day and this is where I left you all hanging.........

Sorry! 

I was told by Dr. Pohl that they were going to go in by a few of the laproscopic sites that were previously used for the first surgery and repair the blockage
Ok, I was taken to surgery and they found that one of the stitches in my intestine had caused my intestine to fold over itself. Since I sat in the hospital for 4 days, my bowel was FULL and my stomach was badly distended. Because of this, Dr. Pohl was not able to go in laproscopic but had to open my abdomen to correct the issue. When they did this, the accidentally perforated my bowel and it's contents spilled into my abdominal cavity! ( I know nice right!) So now the surgery was completed, the obstruction was fixed, and I was taken back upstairs. I woke up to a 22 cm incision in my abdomen!

2 days later, I was running a fever and they realized that my incision was infected! ( like it can't get worse!) The perforated bowel and it's contents caused the infection. I was placed on IV antibiotics and the incision had to be reopened to allow the infection out.

So here I sat in the hospital with an open wound and feeling miserable. Days later the infection subsided and I was placed on a wound vac (google it) . I was in the hospital until the last week of October. I came home with my mom and husband.

Today is actually my first day home alone! I needed someone with me around the clock at first because I couldn't do alot for myself. I am still sleeping in a recliner in my living room because, guess what, I till have the wound vac! Per Dr. Pohl, I will probably have it until around Christmas. A visiting Nurse is here 3 times a week to change the wound vac dressing.

Is this what I signed up for? no! Don't get me wrong, I was aware of possible complications. Did I think it would happen to me though, NO. Who ever does. But I'm going to tell you all what I have been telling everyone else, I'M NOT SORRY I DID IT!
I'm truly not! I've been to hell and back and I'm still dealing with it, but I'm still happy with my decision.
I NEVER thought it was going to be easy, and I suggest if you do, that you read up. I struggle with the diet, with the complications, etc. BUT, I am also down 34 pounds!!!!!!!!! I see it when I look in the mirror! When I try on clothes that were tight, I see it in my blood sugar numbers, and it reminds me of why I did this!

yup! I was seemingly fine, discharged Thursday afternoon. WEnt home, ridw was  abit bumpy but tolerable. Tried to sip on my third shake for the day and do some laps on my prorch, COuldn't finish the shakes but figued it was good enought for day one. I took naueau and pain mesd and went to bed. NExt morning felt pretty crapy and figured I'd start with a warm cup of tea with some benefiber in it before my shke. tea went down nicely but that was it for the rest of the day. I gagged, chocked, threw up, dry heaved you named it, i DID IT! By 4 pm I was back at the ER ans admitted. this is now day 7 and I am still in the hopsital. FInally being sent for enoscopy today. Still NPO! Trying to hang in there but this is unreal!

OK I've had my barium and ct scan.  AT 3:00 the dr comes in and tells me I HAVE A BLOCKAGE
It hurst so bad, my stomach is so distended and I can't wait to have this fixed. THey will be re-operating tonight, so please keep me in your prayers. I am very nervous. THe only good thing is now I know this pain is vaildadted and I am not just a big baby! Look LIke I will probably be here anothercouple days, if not a week.

Ok this is the worst day yet! I have such bad gas in my belly and it won't come out. It hurts! and it makes me get the dry heaves because it makes me nauseous! It's 11:00 and I haven't even finished half of my breakfast protein shake yet! The surgery part I am fine, I can get up and lay down on my own. I can sleep in my bed on either my right or left side. I just wishe the gas pins would go away!

Had surgery Tuesday early afternoon and was in my room by 3pm. Per the doctor all went well. I have been sore especially my left side where she said she had to cut through muscle. Meds help!!! I am slowly sipping on my first protein shake, I never thought a shake would taste so good to me, but after just water yesterday (1 oz an hr) this is a treat! If I can keep this down without getting super nauseous then I'll go home after lunch!

So this morning I start my pre-op diet. It consists of  protein shakes a day and one light meal ( 3 oz meat and veggies). So for the next 14 days, this is myprotocol. I'm going in optimistic, I can do this, no big deal, it's only 14 days, yada, yada, yada. Hubby and I took my "BEFORE" pics last night. I can honestly say that this was the first time I didn't care what I looked like in a picture because I know that will be changing. I took one look at the pics and thought, "this is the last time I am going to see this girl!" I head out in about 20 minutes to go to the hopsital for all of my pre-op testing. The cool thing about this is I have met up with the girl having surgery on the same day as me, in the same hospital, with the same surgeon!!
And just coincidence that we met on OH! So I can't wait to meet her too.

Yup, October 5th it is! I received a call from the hospital yesterday and confirmed I will be having surgery on the 5th! I have pretesting on September 21st. They will give me all of my instructions for my admission date then. Finally! I am so glad!

yay and nay! LOL well when I was in the Dr.'s office I was told 4 to 6 weeks. They called me with a tenative date of Oct. 5th!! agh! that's 8 weeks away! I was hoping for something sooner but beggars can't be choosers right!? I 've waited this long, I can wait 8 more weeks!
I did it!
Now for the real countdown!!!

I was APPROVED!!!!!
just recieved the approval from my insurance company! Woo Hoo!!!! Waiting for a call back from the surgeons office to set up a date!