frekklz927

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

haven't been on here in ages and feel bad about that, but I have so much energy... I'm always "out & about"
it's like a new life to me....  

I have lost 100 lbs so far.. gone from size 22 to size 12.  Need to exercise more.. have little jelly belly and thighs.. but now that the weather is warming up again, I'm on it!!  I've been doing lots of yard work lately and starting to ride my bike.  Overall, health-wise...I've gone from taking 9 medications to 1 still just for Hypothyroid.  No high blood pressure or Diabetes symptoms anymore.  Feet and ankles don't hurt even after horseback riding for hours.. and no edema in legs anymore. 

I have posted new "head shot" of what I look like now.  I will have to take some full body shots for the before and after picture comparison.  Talk to you soon.  Hope we get more warmer weather in NJ this week.  Frankly, today was a bit chilly for me. 

I feel really stupid because on Friday I started taking all my vitamins and didn't bother crushing them. I did break them in half and spaced apart when I was taking them but apparently they got STUCK and didn't go down.  I then ate lunch and found that 1 hour later lunch would come back up (I didn't know why though)  for the rest of the day, nothing would stay down, not even 1 sip of water.  I had a very difficult night with no sleep and very uncomfortable feeling in my chest/stomach area.  I finally gave in and called the Dr. at 6am and was told to go the ER.  I continued to vomit, even without trying to eat or drink and have excruciating pain in my chest... then was admitted to the hospital with dehydration and they see a blockage in my stomach on the chest x ray.  Fortunately when I had an endoscopy today, the blockage had already passed on its own but what an experience!!! So I just want to tell everyone, even if you think you are able to swallow your meds and your vitamins, you are probably better off crushing them or getting liquid form.  I would not want anyone else to go through the pain of what I've been through the past 2 days.  I am home now and very relieved that this is all it was and I didn't have a stricture or any other complication.  I am investing in a pill crusher tomorrow and will be crushing everything from now on! 

this is going to be short & sweet because I'm working from home tonight and got lots to do!  It is one month since my surgery date and I've lost a total of 41 lbs (15 before on liquid and 26 since surgery)  I am feeling really good and going to start riding my bike this week and lifting dumbbells again to help tone my arms.  I am noticing a big difference in my clothes and am enjoying the compliments from my friends & co-workers!  I have also joined a walker's group at work and it starts Friday.  We will be walking everyday.  I want to tell everyone out there that this is the best thing I have done, it is only month and I know my life is going to be changing in a very big way because it has already started!!!!

....so that is why you haven't heard from me in a little while.  My gallbladder pain went away just as quickly as it came and the tests did not reveal any stones at this time but the "sludge" does not go away and eventually I will probably have my gallbladder removed.  I hear it is a piece of cake though so I'm not even thinking about it. 

I feel so different already and it has not even been a month!  I have lost 15 lbs before sugery and 25 lbs since surgery and have gone down from size 22/24 pants to size 18.  It is such a feeling to have pants which were sometimes too tight on my waist that they left big red marks by the end of the day now are so loose on me I keep hiking them up all day like Erkel on TV.. haha  "Did I do that?"  You can actually tell that I only have one set of boobs now too. (just kidding) and my pants are sagging in the butt area.  I can't believe I'm telling you all this but you gotta laugh sometime, don't you?  I had scrambled eggs this morning.. well almost a whole scrambled egg and it was real good.  I am allowed soft foods now and have had a few things.  One of the most enjoyable was tilapia I broiled.  It was tasty.  Next week will mark one month since surgery and Dr. says I will be able to lift dumbells, ride my bike and go horseback riding again if I want.  I have not ridden since October so I'm looking forward to going soon!

To all the Mom's out there... Hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow!  Happy Mother's Day! 

I have been feeling pretty good, walking on the beach, doing some shopping and moving about.. still no exercising or lifting my 4lb dumbbells yet (dr's orders) can't even ride my bike yet, but I have been feeling pretty GOOD.............I keep telling myself, I will feel completely normal if this pain on my right side (right under breast) will just finally go away.  This appears to be the only residual left from surgery.  I start to notice it does not appear to be lessening.. it is getting more painful.  Especially when I breathe in deeply.  So I go to the doctor to have it checked out.  I went for a gallbladder ultrasound and chest x-ray this morning real early.  Doctor calls me and says I have sludge in my bile duct.  Could have a stone in there but now I need to go for a MRCP which is some special MRI to detect more than an ultrasound.  Sludge? This is not a word you want someone to use to describe any part of your body.  Apparently you can get sludge and/or gall stones from losing weight quickly.  Well I am waiting on a precertification from my insurance company right now before the test can be scheduled.  So we'll see what happens.  I ask the question.. what is worse case scenerio?  Doctor says if you have a stone, we will want to take your gallbladder out.  That is just great.......  Well the Radiology Dept just called and the precert is done so I have an appointment for the MRCP tomorrow at 3:15pm.  It is good that this is scheduled quick because I don't want to stress over this anymore than I need to.  I just want to know one way or another.  Gallbladder to be removed or not?

Saw my surgeon today, things went well. He removed the drainage tube.. O U C H !  He warned me, said it was gonna hurt but would be over in a few seconds.  The pain shot to my left shoulder, similar to pain I had in the hospital.  Doc explained it again while I lay there trying to compose myself.  I am allowed to go to Step 2 of the diet which is full liquids and includes things like yogurt, applesauce, light creamed soups and pureed chicken & turkey.  The pureed meat doesn't appeal to me at this point but I did have some cream-o-wheat at breakfast today and some peach yogurt late afternoon.  I tolerated these both with no problems.  I am going to have some cream of mushroom soup for dinner tonight.  Sounds good to me.  I have been getting my protein in and drinking lots of water.  I have found I am able to take bigger sips than I was before.  I think I was just nervous though.  I am feeling great right now without the drainage tube.  It was a nuisance, especially in the shower!  Good riddance tube!!

Just when I think I am healing and getting rid of pain in one area .. like the abdomen ...something else creeps up.  This is weird.     I have pain in my neck and upper chest.  Not constant, or short of breath but sort of like nerve type pain or muscle spasms...  anyone experienced this?  I hope this goes away.  Besides that, I would be feeling pretty OK.  I'm tired as heck and I'm sure I look it too. (I've also been told).  I don't stay up as late as I used to (1am) but I find myself sleeping until about 10am each day no problem!   Dozing off here and there all day long.  I get up frequently though, wash dishes, walk to the mailbox, play with the cat ... nothing crazy.  But still  T I R E D...  even after a little nap.  I am hoping the drain tube comes out tomorrow because it is very uncomfortable to put clothes around.  When I went out, I slipped it in my pocket to make it less conspicuous.  There is some fluid still draining.. not as much as before though. Not by a long shot.  So I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Dr. will take it out tomorrow as scheduled.  I worry about getting dehydrated although I am drinking as much as I can right now.  I don't really have any symptoms of dehydration but I hear it will just creep up on you.  I am still not able to get all my protein in right now.  They want me to have at least 50 grams. I traded in the vials I had for Isopure bottles which are 40 grams each and are much easier to get down.   Funny, everybody else in my family thinks they taste good except me.  I think my taste for sweets has really changed.  I am able to eat plenty of sugar-free ice pops.  That's what I've been living on pretty much.. ice pops and swanson chicken broth.  I was using bouillon cubes but I switched to low-sodium broth from a can instead because I was afraid the sodium was having something to do with the headaches.  Well, I will say they have certainly decreased but I do get at least one or two killer headaches a day.  I am also out of pain med already as I was going through that like water.  If I need more, I'll get a refill at my Dr. visit tomorrow. 

I haven't mentioned yet that I get to watch my soaps everyday "live" as I have been watching One Life to Live and General Hospital for 34 years and tape it most of the time while I'm at work.  Problem is, when it comes to commercial, I grab the remote and try to "fast forward".  haha  I'm spoiled.    I have been reading a lot which I have enjoyed since I was in school, but don't make the time for so much anymore, only if I'm on vacation or lying on the beach.    I'm reading "The Help" right now.  Also, have watched two great movies "Nights in Rodanthe" and "Twilight"  both were great movies.  Reading and watching movies helps the time go by.  I am not used to being home by myself all day.  I am sort of enjoying the time to myself anyway.  I am still not looking forward to going back to work yet.  That place stresses me out.  I'm not ready for that yet. 

My thoughts at this moment:  doctor tells me tomorrow all my aches and pains are "normal" and I can advance from this clear liquid diet to S O M E T H I N G  more substantial.  I have a box of Cream-o-wheat just waiting for me..  yum.

Saturday and Sunday the weather was gorgeous here in NJ.. what happened?  well, at least everyone had a good weekend before heading back to work on this rainy Monday.

Well, I've continued to have very bad headaches, told the Dr.'s office but they feel it is normal.  If not for the headaches, don't think I'd need to take the pain med.  Anyway, I'm worried as I have been able to drink water and chicken broth but have not been able to get in much protein at all as I really have no tolerance for anything sweet.  The vials I have are Blue-Raspberry and no matter now much I dilute them or mask flavor with added in Crystal-Lite, they still taste nasty.  I'm going to try to exchange them for something else today.  Does anyone recommend anything which doesn't taste too bad or too sweet?

I had my first BM this morning since before surgery.. OMG.. should have gotten stool softener but too late now!   Let me just say this one thing about that experience............... I survived.

I must be getting back to my old self because I was able to haggle with my cell phone company yesterday and managed to get $250 credit on phone bill.   You see my 14-yr old daughter was using the internet from her phone to download backgrounds, etc.. and racked up $320 in charges.  Boy oh boy!!  She is lucky I was able to get $250 credit here otherwise the whole amount was going to be deducted from her savings account!

On a lighter note, the weather outside is beautiful.  It mostly rained while I was in the hospital which sorta felt appropriate for how I was feeling.  I did have a nice big window in my room with pretty nice view and spent a lot of time watching rain propped up in bed or sitting up.    I want to get outside and take some of this nice air in .. walk around my yard a little.  I know there will be plenty more days like this when I am able to do more. 

Everyone enjoy their weekend!!!
 

well, i came home yesterday!  had my surgery Monday 4/13 at 11:30am. I had lost almost 16 lbs on the liquid diet so that was good.  Easter was really difficult, so many temptations.    i did not think the pain would be as bad as it has been.  I have had two c-sections and this has been  a very, very painful recovery period.  In the hospital the staff was wonderful and attentive.  i tried to stand up and walk around 9pm first day but my drainage tube started leaking all over the place leaving a trail so decided against it.  I was up and walking very slowly next day.  that seemed to help with the gas pain.  i have had horrible pain in left shoulder   My doctor has tried to explain why this occurs. Something about the diaphram and there's a nerve that shoots up to the shoulder.  Anyway, this really prevented me from sleeping for two nights while i was in hospital.    so i came home yesterday.  I am taking tylenol with codeine for pain. supposed to be every 6 hours but sometimes can not make it past 4hrs.  usually because i have had extreme headaches.  does anyone else have really bad headaches?  this worries me a little.   as far as liquids, i could tolerate almost everythng on the clear liquid tray at hospital although no desire to try the cranberry juice at all.  i find that most things real sweet are bothereing me a lot.  when i take the tylenol w/codeine it is cherry flavored i think and  i can feel it going down almost like the burn of a shot of whiskey.  i am feeling a little bit better in the abdomen area as far as pain.  keeping a pillow around to counter-pressure works very well.    i am just a bit lost at this point, don't know what else i can try to "eat".  i have only had chicken broth and veg broth, water and little bit of protein shake.  they said i need 50g of protein and to take two vials of the liquid protein i bought but at this point i cannot stand the taste of it.  it is blue raspberry and WAY TOO SWEET for me.  i have put in a big jug of water to dilute the sweetness but did not even drink half of this.  i am going to have my husband get me some sugar-free ice pops when he gets home from work tonight.  do anyone have any suggestions on what else i should try?    as everyone warned me, i have had my thoughts... "what have I done..?" etc.. as pain almost too much to bear at times although each day getting better.  I know i will feel differently soon but if anyone has any suggestions for me, please let me know.  I am going to need all the help i can get to get through this.. thanks!

 Well, I made it through a big family gathering with so much delicious food all around me and I made it!  It was a little difficult today, to say the least.  While on this liquid diet at home, I had worked out my little "plan" of avoiding the aroma or presence of food I couldn't have.  I would either read in my bedroom at dinner, or work late or just watch TV and my husband would light a candle to get rid of the delicious lingering smell afterward... especially garlic bread smell.. yummy!

Today at Easter I had to sit amongst my family while they all had big platters of ham, rice&beans, pasta salad, shrimp, ziti, need I say more?  It would have been really rude to not be social on Easter.  Only a handful of them knew I didn't even eat, most didn't even notice.  It really wasn't that bad.  My family is great.  The kids had an Easter egg hunt outside too and that was fun to watch.  Hope everyone had a great Easter. 

Well, I have to be at the hospital tomorrow at 10am.  I am a "little" nervous at this point, but trying to keep my cool.  Afterall, this is what I have wanted for well over a year, after 3 insurance denials.. why be nervous now?  I have been having thoughts or visions of my new healthy body and lifestyle... yeah, Rock On!  I will be there before I know it!  To all my new friends on here:  you have given me the encouragement that I needed the most to get thru the "before" process and I thank you all.  I wish everyone the best with their upcoming surgery dates and hope to share this experience with you all.  See you all on the loser's side.. haha