Friday morning!

Good morning everyone!! Honey, I'm home!!! It feel so good to be able to say that! We got to the house yesterday afternoon. If anyone would like to  or , give me a ring on my home #. I probably won't have the ear piece of my cell phone on unless we're not home. I've still been hurting quite abit. I find myself watching the clock during that last hour before it's pain meds time. I know this will improve but so far, it hasn't. It just makes me  when comments are made that they hope I'm not getting hooked on them!!! I am 3.5 days post-op. They did a major abdominal surgery on me where they sewed through alot of tissue to get the mesh put in place ( the opening was pretty much sternum to pelvis...so the mesh had to be sewed in along the edges on both sides of the opening on the abdominal wall after literally pulling the sides together as much as they could) and that was after manuevering my intestines back to where they belong. It was bad enough Bill saying something about me being on pain meds, but his mom did when she called last night! I could still sit down and cry from that! I told her to not be like her son...that I take the pain meds because and only because I am in pain. I mean...don't I get a chance to heal up first???? I told Bill about her call and he kinda laughed and said 'did she mention what time dinner is Saturday?'. I heard comments like that from Bill from the first day I was out of my coma last October (yeah, I'm laying in bed, can't move, can't walk, can't feed myself, stomach pooched out like a football with my intestines, on morphine, vicodin, and digit-something for my wound-vac changes..and he wants to critisize me for being in pain...shoot, not even my kidneys were working at the time!) so I know exactly where she is getting her concern from. Would you believe that WHILE I was in the coma, he told Dr. Gupta that he hoped I didn't end up hooked on all the drugs she was giving me while I was out?!?!?! After I got out of Seton, I only needed a vicodin 2-3 times...and that was for the early wound-vac changes (considerably WAY less that I had to have to control the pain in St. V's & Seton for the wound-vac changes then!). I am so upset over all of this! With me being in pain, the last thing I need is someone critisizing me for taking the pain meds the doctor told me to take! Last night, he kept acting like he was concerned..are you okay? Do you need me to open that for you? Etc. I just wanted to tell him to bite me. Dinner tomorrow night should be very interesting...especially if a single person brings up 'pain' to me! When/if you call, I won't be able to talk about this subject on the phone...not the pain, but Bill BEING the pain!....Bill will be here..but I did want to ask you all to please pray for me that those around me get some common sence & empathy for those who are in pain....namely, me! Along with the pain, I'm moving extremely slow (well..from being in pain mainly). I wouldn't even consider dinner tomorrow night with Bill's mom but it's her 83rd birthday and her BF asked us. As long as everyone understands that I walk slow, sit slow, stand up slow...it'll be ok. I will be taking my vicodin right before we leave and I'll have 4 hours before I am to take it again....so at least I won't be taking my 'drugs' in front of any of them. My MIL is usually fantastic and I've been looking forward to helping her celebrate this birthday (and every birthday!). I refuse to blame her for what she said. Like I said, I know where she got it from. Him, I blame! Linda Kay..thank you for the lovely card! I appreciate it very much.  Gail..thank you for the ecard & your phone call. I just love talking with you. Brenda...I'm sorry we didn't get to talk. I had already had my cell phone off & plugged in. Don't forget to call the house # first now that I'm home. Well...20 more minutes and I can take the anti-inflamatory & anti-biotic..and get a few more hours of sleep before it's vicodin time again. Please continue to keep me in your prayers. Usually I can shrug off my non-compassionate husband's ways...but I'm having problems with it this time aound. huggs... Sherri

Wow, It's friday morning.                                                                                                                                Welcome home Sherri. Bet it feels good to be home. I am sorry you have to deal with all that crap. Don't let it get you down. Atleast he is worried enough about it and isn't trying to feed it to you like candy. this seems to be a major problem for someone I know. Tell him how you feel. (if you can) I know after I had my daughter I was living on mine and it constipated me which was more painful than the actual birth was so that cured me real quick! Well I have alot going on again this weekend. gyno appt. today. Family coming into town from Ohio tommorrow. Working all weekend and trying to get to the cheerleading competition downtown with this "snow storm" coming. Whew I am exhausted just thinking about it! I spoke to Firemankevin the other night. He came into my work. he is doing great. He said he was a little sore and his shoulders were still sore. I told him to walk it out! He had lost 22 pounds from the preop Medifast diet. My coworker Kris is his sister and she was so glad to see him. He goes in next month for his first fill. Ok...I called Dr. mattars assistant yeasterday and left a message to find out when they would be submitting to Insurance. I am assuming they allready know they will approve me no problem because dr. Mattar was like "oh you will get approved" and then I am scheduled for my preop testing, which I am pretty sure from what I have read they usually do after Ins. approval. SO I am assuming everything is good to go. I do have 1 question though. How long after preop testing did you have actual sugery. Mine is the 28th. I read from Sandra that he will be gone in april (all month?)SO do I have to wait all of April and then In may? I have been told by the Owner I work for he needs me back by the 21st of May. He is leaving for Italy the 23 rd and needs me back by then not to mention this is our very busiest time of the year. I was hoping to be done by May but well you know how things go. For me has been very long! I am going now. I have rambling on and on. These are the things going on in my head. Thanks Shanna  

Sherri, so glad you made it home ok. If anyone makes another comment on you getting hooked on pills, tell them that I will come up there and kick their butts!!! I don't care what time it is, I need so release some pent up energy, and that sure is one way for me to take my frustrations out!!!  And believe me, I NEED to get rid of this!!  Just let me know where they are, and I will come put a size 8 1/2  spike heeled or cowboy boot print on their rears!!! (Of course, I don't have either one of those shoes, so I will just have to go shopping again for those next, but it will be worth it!!!) Lots of snow expected for today, and since I have to work, I was already told to come prepared to stay the night........so I have packed up my suitcase with enough clothes to get me thru until Saturday night at the casino.  If I get stuck, so be it......if not, I will probably wind up stuck at home..........I don't know if I could handle being stuck at home with DH and the girls!!! The girls will be too excited, and won't be able to control themselves!  Oh well, so be it! Either way, as long as I am working, and drawing the overtime, I don't care! I have to mention something about yesterday at work.  I put up a few new photos of the outfit I wore yesterday to work.  I have NEVER EVER in my life had as many compliments as I did yesterday about my looks!  I had people come up to me and tell me how wonderful I looked, and how much of a difference they can tell in how I am feeling!  Talk about a morale booster!  I really did feel great!!!  The jacket was the one that Molly picked out, and when I got home last night, I made sure to tell her what everyone said.  She was so excited and happy because everyone made me really happy!  I had people in other departments, and that I don't even know their names to tell me that I am really looking fabulous!   I don't want anyone to take offence to the next line, but it really happened!!!!  My co-worker, who happens to be gay, and in a life partnership with another co-worker, said to me, "GIRLFRIEND........ You look so hot, I would think about turning STRAIGHT again!!!!!"  I just smiled, and laughed, and said "Thank You, I will remember that the next time I want my day made!!!"  I know that he was joking, but he really made me feel good about myself!   Ok, I have rambled on enough!!! Time to get the girls ready for school.  They haven't had theirs cancelled yet, but it is only a matter of time. Hope everyone stays safe this weekend........take it easy, and take care! TTYL!

Sherri, sorry you're having a rough time. Tell people not to worry about your medication use. It's between you and your physician. Not their business! Sorry about the hubby situation too. They can be un-understanding at times. Is he trying to show he cares in any 'guy' ways though? Sometimes with my hubby, what I want and what I get are two different things, but when I really look at it, he's trying in his own way.  I should hear from the hospital TODAY to find out if medicaid approved Mikey's residential treatment. We could be taking him down there this weekend. I don't know whether I'm thinking that's good or bad. Yeah or Wah?!?!?! I am so nervous that he will resent us for sending him there. If he's admitted. Then I'm nervous about what if he's not admitted, because we need to try this. What a confused mess, I am.  I am a frustrated mess too, when it comes to weight. Yesterday I bounced up to 161, and today I bounced back down to 159. For the last 6 weeks, I've been doing that , between about 157-165. Mostly between 159-161 though. I wonder if I've gotten to my 'set' point. I think I'm really going to ahve to work to lose the last 15 pounds, and get down to 145. 

Welcome home Sherri!  I bet you feel much better in your own surroundings.  Just ignore everyone and let it go in one ear and out the other.  They are not Dr.'s they dont know what is best for you.  If they say something, just say "thanks for  your concern, but I will be fine". Linda my thoughts go out to you in this time of confusion.  Only you and your husband can make this decision and I am sure it is very hard to make.  But you have to do what is best for everyone involved.  You are not a bad mother if you have to do this, you are looking out for your son and doing what is best for him.  My prayers are with you. Hope nobody gets lost in any snow drifts this weekend. Stay warm and safe.

Welcome home Sherri, I just wanted to say hello and wave to you all. I gotta get ready and go to the doctors office for clearance for dental work (the dental school won't do my work without a medical release but my PCP wont sign it without talking to me and examining me because my asthma and stuff) I'm not really looking forward to going because the roads are sloppy and truthfully my hip is in a great deal of pain. Have any of you been able to take NSAIDS post op? I know to call Marta and ask her first but I know that she will say no probally because I had an ulcer and the way the steroids and stuff like that tear my stomach up. I want to ask my doctor for suggestions but I KNOW hes going to say my only other option is narcotics and I don't really want to do all that. The hip has been really bad and it hurts to move at all though. I'm gonna talk to him today bout the depression hopefully. I keep shying away and scaring myself away from doing it but i need to I know it. Anyways I better get ready to hit the road. Have a good one.

Good Morning Everyone, 1st Sherri, Take your pain meds, the doc wouldn't have gave them if you didn't need them. You need your rest to heal.   and . Today i am praying we don't get much snow, I have winter weather phonia.   Help !!!!!!!! I wish all those still not feeling well, Healthy Thoughts & Prayers. and those going out be careful. (thats my phonia kickin in )    Love Ya, Hugs and Blessings, Gail

Shanna...after having diahrea since October, constipation would be a welcome change! lol. Dr. Diaz released me yesterday since Dr. Gupta had a meeting. I talked to him about the diarhea and he put me on this powder that you dilute in 8 oz of water & drink it once a day. Each box has 60 packets...and he cave me 4 refills....so I take it that it might take awhile for my body to straighten itself out with that aspect. He blamed it on RNY..which I know better on for me. Until this whole intestinal thing in October, I was 'normal' to 'constipated'...never 'loose'. LaChelle...my address! After you take care of my 'light work', we can have some serious chick talk time! LOL! Linda...Bill isn't into doing any of the normal 'guy' things to show he cares. I think he was born without that gene. It has been a sore spot in our marriage for a long time. Jenny...I really wish I could say thank you and go on. I like to think of myself as being close to Bill's mom. I'm not to any of my own family and she has been a wonderful replacement. It upsets me that he would make her worried about me when it comes to the pain meds. That was just so insensitive of him toward her...and so unfair to me! I know some people do get hooked on prescription drugs...and I blame their doctors way more than I do the patients. I do believe those folks do reach a point though to where they are reaching for that script bottle knowing that it isn't from the physical pain that it was originally prescribed for. I, in no way, mean anything 'negative' about those who find themself in that position. Like I said, I blame their doctors. But I do believe that pain untreated, just makes matters worse. I was woken out sleep this morning by having a sudden sharp pain. I think I must have coughed or something in my sleep. If I hadn't been on pain meds, I would still be feeling that pain intensify and would had probably had to go to the ER by now.  Thank you guys for being so understanding & supportive! love ya's! Sherri

Hi Sherri and welcome home! Try to ignore Bill's comments (I know, easier said than done especially when you feel so bad), but you know what royal pains husbands can be!  The people closest to us can get on our last nerve the easiest, that is for sure!  If your mother in law says anything else just ask her if she trusts you.  She will be hard pressed to say no, then remind her that you are following your doctor's orders and you trust your doctor to give you the right advise on your meds.  That way you can gently remind her why you two usually get along so well. I hope you get to feeling better soon.  I'll try to give you a call this afternoon.

Hi Everyone,     Sherri- I am soooooo glad you are in your own surroundings- that alone makes you feel better! You know, I think sometimes people just don't get it- YOU know yourself better than anyone else!You were in alot of pain when I saw you, and need to take your meds. for relief!!!! I will join LaChelle in kicking some butt if anyone says anything else, or Bill doesn't straighten up!!!! "DON'T MAKE ME COME DOWN/IN THERE"grrrr--- I just don't understand why some people/ men are more compassionate than others- geeze  !!!!!! You may just have to tell Bill to go to his back room or computer room,& leave you alone- give you some space & time to heal! PLEASE be careful going out tonight- is someone picking you up???? I  want you to better Sis~ you have gone thru more than any of us imagine, and I for one, want you to take your meds. and HEAL!!!!! I'll call you soon!!!   *LaChelle- great photos- you are doing wonderful! *Linda- My thoughts and prayers are with you & your family this weekend. PM. me anytime, ok? *Shanna- Where are you going for your pre-op testing???It won't be long and you'll be a post-op, hang in there- the best is yet to come!!! Maybe we can meet for lunch when you come up for your testing?! *  Gail- Sweety, get a good book & bury yourself in it- thats what I did during our ice/snow storm, and I got 3 read!!!! You got mail!! Well, I am going to help with the grandkids today, so heres a ((((((((((((hug)))))))))))))))))))   everyone,  Ellen