Sandra L.

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Well the silver lining disappeared three weeks ago.  I went to hopsital in pain unable to eat.   Guelph suspected a umbical hernia but would need a CT scan to confirm.   I was given pain meds and spent the night in ER.  Everyone was supper nice even with construction going on, they kept apologizing.   Well 5 days later I'm back cause I cannot breath.  An x-ray shows a lung infection.  Not surprised cause my lungs didn't feel as good when I came out of the anisthetics this time.  I was put on antibiotics for 7 days.   Then on the 27th I started running a fever and just couldn't shake it. Another trip to ER.   Doctors insists on a CT scan of my lungs thinks it may be a clot.  I look at him and say no way.   Results come back and I'm right, my blood work shows a severe infection and the CT scan shows an infection again. He puts me on IV antibiotics and sends me home with a 7 day treatment of two antibiotics.   On day 6 of when the fever started I'm still running a fever.  Back to ER.   They are concerned with my states and hook me up.   Doctors order blood work and chest x-ray.   Results come back I now have Pneumonia.  I asked to have both antibiotics switched to liquid (as suggested by wls friend) to help with the absorbtion.  Husband takes prescription to get filled and pharmacy questions ER Dr.  She calls (like he is going to remember me) and they end up reducing the prescriptions to half.   I'm like wtf.  I now have pheumonia and your reducing my antibiotics.   Husband takes me back and I tel her the conversation and she apologies.  I'm so angry with the drugstore for sticking her nose into my medication.  Even after my husband explains she choices to ignore.    Will not be returning to that drug store again.  On Monday I'm hoping to get into my family doctor and get things straightened out.   Just a reminder to every don't be afraid to fight for what is your health after WLS.  Twice now I've had pharmacists who don't know shit and have caused me issues.  First was a med that I was told did not contain sugar which was full of sugar and now this.   The good news is that today I think the fever is starting to subside and I am now down 120 lbs and only 20 lbs away from my target but below clinics goal.

Well officially 4 1/2 months out I managed to get a nice hernia.  Must say that Guelph was very quick at getting me taken care of.  Went in on Wednesday night, spent night on IV and morophine drip till CT scan at 9am Thursday.  CT showed hernia.  Moved upstairs to a room to wait for ER time.  Surgeron called for me at 2pm.  Was in recovery and then up to my room for 4 pm.  Lots of pain and was very bummed out.  Didn't come out of surgery as well this time  Lungs were very sore along with my throat.  Really struggled to eat for several days.  Wasnt able to get very much protein in.   Just feeling really down and out of sort way more then the RNY surgery.  Ended up back at ER on Monday cause breathing was getting harder and chest was really sore.  Was getting chivers and then sweating like crazy but no fever.  Last time I had this I had phemonia.  ER doctor didn't know much about RNY surgery but listened to me say what he could and couldn't do. Gave me three treatments of ventolin which helped a little.  Felt it best to put me on antibiotic.  Wanted to give me prednizone but I wasn't sure that was a good idea.  Got home from hospital and got a call about an hour later from the ER doctor he talked to my RNY surgeon and said that given the circumstances it was a good idea to put me on the prednizone and not to worry.  They faxed the presctiption off to our pharacy.    Monday night was able to eat more and by tuesday was starting to feel so much better.  Getting back on track with protein, just frustrated that I'm not able to do any exercise for 4 weeks and cannot do any housework for a while.  Driving my OCD crazy.    I was so down in the dumps for several days.  Even thinking about how far I had come didn't really help, but after receiving top notch care from Guelph General Hospital it was that little lift I needed to move forward.   Message for others be sure you are comfortable with the Hospital your dealing with it can make a world of difference in the outcome.

Well its hard to believe but 10 days ago I had by RNY.  Jan. 28th 2015.   Two weeks of Opti went fast and with no issues.   Surgery went well but I struggled to get rid of the gas after surgery.  The first nurse also failed to explain things to me correctly which cause me to stay in hospital an extra day but no big deal.   I lost a total of 13lbs on Opti for a total of 38lbs prior to surgery.  This was a record hadnt lost that muh since back in 1990.  I am also off by blood presure pills for the first time in over 10 years.

Sturggled the first few days to get the required amount of nutrtition and water in but by the 6th day everything was going smoothly.  Started the next phase 1 week of after surgery and must say the change was very enjoyable.   But the thought of 3 weeks on this phase is going to be a challenge.  Already noticing clothing is looser and have put several items into a bag that are officially too big.

I am working towards getting my 2litres of water in so I can get back to playing soccer a.s.a.p.  I am really missing it although my energy levels are low making playing a full game almost impossible.   I am seeing the Sleep Doctor tomororw to see if I can adjust machine a bit cause it keeps causing my ears to plug, and then on Thursday I get the staples out.

So looking forward to what the days ahead will bring and a healthier me.

Well day 9 of Opti Surgery Jan. 28th.   Very excited.   Opti hasn't been as bad as I though.  I've managed to get in 4 everyday except the 2nd day so far.  I've already hit a milestone from being on Opti.  Belwo 300lbs for the first time in over 8 years.   I've started preparing for after.  Jello in Muffin tin size servings is in the freezer and ready to go when I get home.   Ive purchased some smaller clothing, buy taking advantage of the January sales.  

It was feeling like this journey was never going to come to a conclusion after delays and transfering to another facility.  But the transfer was the best decision I every made.  The Staff at Guelph have been so supportive and helpful.  I feel so much more assured that I am making the right decision on having this surgery.   I know that at any time help is just a phone call away.  I have Dr. Reed as my surgeron and I'm told he is the best of the best.  He rymed off all kinds of his stats for me which made me feel so much more at ease.

I have continued with my soccer and volleyball, and have asked when I can get back playing both.  Was given an objective by Dr. Reed and will make every effort that I hit that so I can get back exercising a.s.a.p.

Just wanted to share for others.  It has been almost 2years for me to get to this oint after changing my mind back in 2008.

Well, my journey is moving along.  On Dec. 23 I was given approval by the Surgeon and given a surgery date of Jan. 28th.   I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present.   My Pre-Op is Dec. 31 and I meet with the Anisthisiologist on Jan. 4th.   Im so supper excited and so very nervous all at the same time.  I look back at all the changes I've made to get me to this point and look forward to all the changes in the coming years. 

It has been a battle to get to this point.  And without all the support from my family, friends and facebook group I might have decided to back out again.   Again I am so very happy that I changed from Humber to Guelph.   Each and every person that I have been in contact with in Guelph have made me feel even more comforable about my decision to have this surgery.  The information and support that the Nurse, Dietician and Social Worker provided was amazing.  I managed to lose 24lbs in the last 3 months but Christmas has come and put a little kink in the road.  But I'm back on track.   I will no longer hide from cameras becuase I don't want to see what I look like, I will be able to play soccer the way my head thinks I should but my body cannot do, I'll be able to play volleyball and actually move on the court to get to a ball rather than waiting for it to come to me.   I will be able to walk into a store and not get dirty looks because they clothing doesn't fit me or to be treated like a second class citizen purely based on my looks. 

The New Year is going to be such a great year.  It will have it ups and downs and the downs will only be on the scale.  Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year.

Well it is hard to believe it has been almost a year since my last post.  So many ups and downs.  I am so very grateful that I decided to swtich centers from Humber to Guelph.  I feel like a person and not just a statistic.   The support group is also great.   So many changes personally have occured during this time.   The passing of my father-law will be 1 year anniversy on the 17th.  It is hard to belieive he is gone.  He was truly the only man in my life that was a father figure.  We moved the end of October only to find that we were going to have to move again as the owners were returned.  We opted to leave in August causing a very stressful summer and really not much holiday time.  We moved in August 23rd and are settling in nicly.  My daughter chose to move out with her friend which has helped our relationship a great deal.  I have struggled to lose any weight and just don't understand how this doesn't happen when I am so very active.  Tomorrow I go to Guelph to a what will hopefully be my final trio appointments and get approved to move forward with the surgery.  I am a firm believer that when the time is right it will happen. 

Well things were going along great.  And then the world came crashing in.  I struggle each day right now to avoid binge eating.  We have been told we will have to move when our lease is up as the owners are returning home.  Moving=Extreme Stress.  All I want to do is cry.  I don't even want to eat.  I'm still waiting to start my new job that was delayed by four weeks.  I am still waiting for gynecologist to do an ablation to help stop some of the other issues I am experiencing.  Some days I just want to give up.  Being treated like a piece of crap by people is not motivating.  If is wasn't for soccer in Guelph and Volleyball in Orangeville and the support they unknowly provide me I more than like be 400 pounds by now.  Guelph is where I am allowed to play soccer as a person not an over weight slow poke.  I have scored 8 goals in one winter because they allow me to play.  I am no different then they are.  It is such an impowering feeling to play with them.  Volleyball accepts you for who you are we are there to have fun and learn and grow.  My skills have improved so much.  This summer is going to be so hard.  Searching for a new place to call home, saving for first and last plus a mover this time around.  I'm also frustrated with this whole Sleep Apnea process.  My machine has been giving me grieve since September and in January I had it looked at and was told yea its got issues but you cannot get a new one until March 2015.  So I go yesterday to get a new machine and get told I have to do a new sleep study.  I get so made.  I was never told that when I was there in January.  This is crazy.  Like I really want to use all this stuff, lets just make it a little harder for me to live. 

Well with the holiday season over.  I can say I survived. I cut back on all the extra goodies that I used to make.  New Years I decided not to drink.   It was very hard not doing any soccer and volleyball over the holidays.  I really missed them.  I am very excited to get back to playing soccer today and cannot wait for the end of the month for volleyball to re-start too.  I found it very hard not doing anything over the holiday.  I will after investigate what I can do next holiday season to ensure I keep my activity up after I have my surgery sometime this year.  Right now I need to focus on finding a temporary job until I have surgery.  And working on changing bad habits regarding food.  Here's hoping 2015 is an amazing year for all of us.

Yesterday morning I woke up to terrible pain across the upper portion of my back between the bra line and the shoulders all across the back.  This had happened a few weeks earlier and it got better throughout the day.  I figured I had just pulled the muscles cause I had a restless night of sleep.  This time things didn't get better as the day went on, in fact by about 7pm taking deep breaths hurt.  I got concerned cause my chest was so very tight and figured cause I'm over weight I better get it checked out.   I went to the local ER and was greeted by a very nice doctor.  He decided that he would run some test to rule out other issues, like heart attack, phenomena etc.  All the test came back negative so in fact I had just pulled the muscle.  His polite way of suggesting my issue was lack of movement "I suggest you get out for a walk each day to strengthen the muscles".  At which point my husband and I both got angry and before I could say anything my husband says to the doctor, "how much more do you want she plays soccer twice a week and volleyball once a week you think she is just sitting around doing nothing."  He had no response. I responded with "I'll check on line to see what I can do to strengthen the muscles so it doesn't happen again".   I grinned inside knowing how wonderful my husband was, but was so upset that people always assume that because your over weight you don't do exercise.   It is very sad I now expect people to treat me this way, but a doctor should know better. I suspect a thin person would have been asked what kind of activity do you do, but because I'm overweight the question is always different.  I cannot wait to sit on the losers bench and stop all the discrimination. 

Well, today was a binge eating day.  I've learned that not working and eating right feeds by binge eating.  I've been off work for a week now and not really eaten properly all week.  Then today the bottom fell off and I feel so sick from over eating and binging on all the wrong foods.  ALl I can think is tomorrow is a better day and I'll learned from this for now and the future.