Lisa C.
Lisa's Profile:
This is my Journey before, during and after weight loss surgery!
[MY JOURNEY:]
A little about myself: I have always been overweight. I was at an average weight when I was younger but started to get chubby, to chunky to fat to obese. I would always get the comments, "you have such a cute face!" Fast forward a lot of years and lots of extra weight. The straw that really broke this camel's back is the fact that I had my gall bladder removed. That little puppy had kept me from overeating too much because of the intense pain and heartburn I would get. (I hadn't eaten tamales, hamburgers, fast food and mayonnaise for years!) Well, once the gall bladder was removed, gone were the restrictions to what I could eat. I could eat everything I hadn't been able to eat for years. So of course the weight just piled on! UGH! So after much soul searching, and a suggestion about WLS (I was very defensive about it) I found that I needed to find something that would work for me. I even attempted the Atkins diet one last time to see if I could lose weight before I started my research on WLS. Well, Atkins worked for the first month or so, but then I started to eat all the things I wasn't supposed to and gained the weight I lost and so much more. (I was at 280, and ballooned up to 309 when I was done) So then after much research and finding ObesityHelp and their wonderful before/after pictures that really changed my mind. The doctor that I chose gave me the confidence and security I needed to know that I chose the right doctor.
I have an angel! Yay!!!
Thanks Stacie S.
So below is my journey through that process.
This was posted on 8.12.04 (The day I was leaving for the hospital to have surgery) on the messageboard by Carrie Legeness. This has really showed me that what I'm doing is the right choice:
"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction." John F. Kennedy
March 31, 2004
(309 lbs. 34 years old)I am pre-op right now. I have already selected the doctor I will be using, Dr. Klein in Torrance. I have gone for the first check-up and will have the Pysch eval on Friday, April 2, 2004. I have my medical tests on May 6 and I wish I could have gotten it sooner. I am a full time college student and work full time. I'm going to have to take off next semester so I can have time when they schedule the surgery...If I get approved. Wish me luck. I'm already freaked out about the negative stuff that could happen, but the good outweighs the bad. Why is it whenever you tell someone you are going to have the surgery they only know about the deaths, and not about the success stories??
May 6, 2004
I just got home from the hospital, having all those wonderful little tests. I got to the hospital at 5:45 and the place was empty. Got everything squared away and headed to the first department, Cardiology for my EKG, but the place was closed. I sat in the hallway waiting for someone to show up to let me in. I kept wondering why would they schedule an appt. if they weren't even open yet. A few minutes later a nurse/doctor came by and asked me If I was Hernandez. I told her no and asked her about the cardiology department not being open. She said they don't open until 7. She looked at my paper with the appointments sheduled on there and told me she needed to see me anyways so took me to get my Echocardiogram. That was the coolest thing I've ever seen! You lay on the table with those thingys hooked onto your chest and stomach and it's like an ultra sound. I got to see my heart valves and hear it beating. She also put it in color so you can see the blood (blue and red) going in and out of the valves. What an awesome sight to see! She kept pressing the ultrasound into my chest and it hurt a little but I was so tired and the lights were dim that I was about to fall asleep! She was done in about 10 minutes and then I was off to the radiology department. I was way too early so they asked If I could go get my blood work done, and then come back. I said sure, and I was off to get the blood samples. I wish she would have told me before because I had already used the restroom waiting for her. So off I was to give 6-8 vials of blood...I kind of lost count after awhile. He counted them but I know there was at least 6. Gave my few drops of urine and back to the radiology. Sat there for a few minutes and she called my name. I had to go change into 2 hospital gowns and before I could even sit down they were calling my name to head over to the X-ray room. Which by the way is all the way on the other side of the hospital, which means walking in your hospital gown with no bra on all the way over there. Talk about free flowing, very embarrassing!!! Did the X-rays, that took all of 5 minutes and then off to the wonderful Barium Upper GI. YUCK! That's all I can really say that makes sense. I have never tasted anything that made me want to throw up as much as that did. First they give you this little fizzy drink that is about 2 tablespoons and then he tells you that you will be taking a big gulp of barium and swallowing it. Well, the machine kicked on and I could barely hear him and I took the swig of white liquid chalk and then I hear him say swallow. UH..hello??!! I had already swallowed the gunk. So then he tells me, okay..you are going to HOLD it in your mouth and then when I tell you to swallow you swallow. I kept thinking, why didn't you tell me that before??!! I had to do that a few times and then he said, do you have more barium in the cup? I said yes, so he told me to drink it down quick and he would take a look. Well, there was about two gulps left and that was about all I could take. I started heaving and the nurse and doctor are telling me to use the cup and all I'm trying to do is keep it down without getting all that white gunk on me. I had it all over my hands and when I finally calmed down I went to the restroom and I looked like someone had taken white lipstick and smirred it all over my lips and face. UGH! It wasn't that bad..it was just the last gulps. After the Barium GI, I was off to the EKG. That only took 3 minutes, it took longer to put the stickies and wires on then it did to get the information. After the EKG, I was off to the pulmonary testing. He was really nice. His name was Dennis and he was making me laugh. He shoved the needle into my wrist trying to get blood and all he kept saying is "it's deep". He kept shoving that needle in and left and right and deeper, my hand was going numb and I kept thinking, please hurry and hit the vein. No luck. After trying so many times to find the blood he finally gave up. I had to do all my air tests, which were bizarre but okay. Not anything major. Just breathe, pant, blow hard, inhale deep, breathe normal, exhale fast, etc. I kept thinking my boyfriend would freak if he had to go in that air chamber, because he gets soooo claustrophobic. It didn't bother me a bit and I was just glad to have it done with. It was already 9 by then and I was done for the day. I got lucky because I got all my tests done quicker then they scheduled me for and they took me in early at all the places. There are some very nice people who work at Torrance Memorial Hospital! Okay, I'm off to take a nap, since I was up so early. I have class tonight and I want to be alive for it. I hope this kind of helps some of the people who are going to be going through this procedure so they know what to expect and look forward to. :)
May 7, 2004
I'm so glad those tests are over. I'm just curious to know how they came out. I keep reading about other people and their doctors calling about problems they found. I just hope everything goes smoothly. I was so exhausted after yesterday's testing and the warm weather doesn't help. I returned to work today and found out that I don't have any more sick days left. I didn't realize how many I've used until I looked at my paycheck stub. Oops! I have to start using my vacation pay which I have plenty of, but hope I will have sick leave when I have my surgery. I guess all my next appointments will have to be considered vacation or schedule them after I get off of work. I went to the gyn today. I haven't been in a few years, because HMO didn't have her listed on when they did some changing. She takes PPO and as I needed to get all my tests from her too, I decided to return to her. She's really an awesome doctor. She always reminds me to take 1000 mg of calcium and is a big believer of getting your calcium. I forgot that until I sat down to talk to her and she kept saying it over about which ones you can absorb and etc. She asked me about birth control and convinced me to get back on it. Her comment was, If you are having periods regularly then you are able to get pregnant. Do you want to get pregnant? So of course I don't want to get pregnant right now when I want to have this surgery so I'm taking the patch. Sounds easy enough and I'm so forgetful with the pills that this should be relatively easy to remember. I remember rushing to go to my brother's wedding in Laughlin a few years back and forgot to pack my BC pills. Lo and behold, it wasn't a pleasant weekend. This way I won't have to remember for at least a week. Yeah!
May 11, 2004
On the good note, I now have two angels! Yay!!! Thanks Stacie S. and Beth W in CA I'm so lucky! Okay..now for the bad news. I just got a call from the doctor's office saying that they needed me to contact them about my test results. I call back and the person who answered (get some anti-depressants into this woman!)sounded as If I was calling a funeral home. So that didn't help me any, as I'm calling back to see why they had called. She started telling me that my EKG had some problems with it and they needed me to schedule an appointment with another doctor to redo it. I asked if there was a problem with me or the EKG. She said she wasn't a doctor and wanted me to go get another EKG so that they could be sure that I'll pass for the surgery. That kind of freaked me out a little. So I call the other doctor's office and the lady/man (I have no clue which) was talking to me and another person at the same time. They told me they were pretty busy and couldn't get me in until June...I kept thinking, JUNE??? That's a whole month away! They then tell me that I would have to come in and do a stress test and then after they would have a consult with me. They then asked if I could run on a treadmill. My answer was do I HAVE to run on a treadmill? They asked again, my reply was the same. I think they were getting fed up with me! :) I said, if I have to run on a treadmill then I would, but If I didn't have to, then I wouldn't. I guess I will be running on the treadmill. :( I took the earliest dates possible, June 11 and June 21. I'm just depressed because that is really going to be putting my surgery back even farther. I was hoping to have it in the summer (since I work for the school district) but now I'm going to be looking more towards September or October. Luckily I didn't register for CSULB next semester so I won't have to be worried about school AND the surgery.
May 18, 2004
Stress level is starting to go down...until I get the phone call from the Dr's Office. Kathleen the wonderful chipper person that she is tells me that I have to go and meet with a pulmonary doctor. She says there is some defect. I'm like DEFECT??!! Defect in the lab results or defect in me? She says defect in my lungs, OR it could be mild COPD (which translates into Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease...I had to look it up) OR Asthma. She really knows how to freak out a person. I don't have problems breathing and I don't have asthma. At least, I'm not aware of it. Now there's another doctor I have to go see. Are they just trying to make a buck off me, or make it safe?? I called that doctor and the receptionist said it was a 45 minute consultation and he would review my chest x-rays. She said bring my chest x-rays with me. Like I carry my chest x-rays with me everywhere I go?? Hello???..I don't have my chest X-rays! She made it sound like everyone should have their chest X-rays. Oh well...that's just another thing to add to my list of having to have checked out to clear for surgery. At this rate I may never have it.
May 26, 2004
I got a call from Cathy at the doctor's office. I was kind of dreading it because the last few phone calls meant more doctor's appointments. She put me on hold which only made things worse, so I'm going through all the possible things that could happen she comes back on. She tells me she had submitted the papers to the insurance company and that she had put that I wanted a long limb (which I don't. She then told me that it was more difficult to get the long limb. She asked me did I want the long limb and I told her no, that I wanted the short limb with a wink. She said oh good, because then she would have to appeal for me. It's good they are already submitting my information even though I'm not even done with all my testing. I'm crossing my fingers that they'll accept.
APPROVED
May 27, 2004
I'm APPROVED!
Yeah! I just got a call from Cathy at Dr. Klein's office saying that I was approved for the surgery I wanted. YES! She was ready to schedule an appointment for me to meet with the Dr. but I had to go and open my big mouth about my other Dr Appt's that I have to go to. I mentioned them and she said that I did have to still go see them but as soon as I've been cleared to give her a call and let them know and I will be able to get an appt. with the doctor to schedule a date. YEAH! I'm almost there!
May 28, 2004
I got a call from Cathleen asking me If I had set up my appts with the Pulmonologist and Cardiologist. Geez...now it's like they are rushing me to make sure I've done what they asked. Of course I have...I made the appointments the day they told me about a month ago. These are the earliest dates that they had available. Anyways, I guess now that I've been approbed they are making sure everything is done so they can hurry up and schedule the surgeon consult. I just pray that everything goes good on my appts. and that they'll give me clearance for the surgery.
June 1, 2004
I am so scatterbrained! I misplaced the dates and times for my appt with the cardiologist. I always write stuff down on a piece of paper and then end up losing it. (I got a PDA over the weekend so no more problems) But I needed to get the information so I called the doctor's office and the lady said she had just seen my name on something. She pulled up my information and started telling me what I needed to bring and stuff and of course I kept asking do I have to run and should I bring tennis shoes. She then said she would rather have me do a cardiolite persantine and then see the doctor. I said okay, not really knowing what it was. She told me what to do and scheduled me the appointment for next week on Thursday and I have to go back on Friday for the resting period. I had to look it up online and basically what it is is they give me this stuff through an IV and it's supposed to stimulate my heart and they monitor it at the same time. Then I come back the next day and do another one at a resting period. So it doesn't sound like a big deal, at least not right now. Seems like more and more stuff keeps popping up! AAGH!
June 10, 2004
Last day of work until summer school starts and I had my cardiologist appointment today at Torrance Memorial. I got there at 7:30 and had to wait until around 8 to be seen. They took me in and put an IV into my arm. Then I had to change into a little bitty surgery gown for the top part. Geez, those things are either really small or I'm huge! Then I had to be hooked up to the BP cuff and an IV. They kept paging the doctor and told me he's usually late, probably won't show up until 9 or so. I'm laying there on the table, freezing looking at my heart beat because I'm hooked up to all the electrode things too. As I'm watching the IV dripping I keep thinking if I should have went to the restroom before hand just in case, because who knows how long I'll have to lay here before the doctor comes. Next thing I know, the doctor enters. He's nice looking and kind of young for a cardiologist! He tells me all the side effects of the persantine which freaks me out because I'm such a hyperchondriac that I'm thiking I'm going to have every one of them while he watches. He inserts the stuff into the IV and I can feel my heart start to race just a little, nothing major. Then I feel this warmth and it feels like all my blood has settled in my backside and that I feel really heavy. Then I start to get a little scared and nervous because I'm thinking way too much about it and I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. Then he puts in this other stuff and then the antidote all the time watching my heart on the monitor. He asks me if I feel my heart and notice something about it. I say no. He's referring to some extra beat or something that I've just learned I have. I'm still unclear about all this. Then he asks have I ever had fainting spells? That freaks me out! I say no, and should I be having them??!! He says no, but I'm not too sure about that. He acts like he's wondering how I'm still alive! The nurse then asks me How do I feel? and I reply nervous. The doctor then gets his little recorder stating my name and I'm there for Morbid Obesity and am attempting to get WLS. It just freaks me out that a doctor refers to the patients as if they are not even there. Oh man....let me tell you about the antidote that he gives me! That was probably the scariest thing. He injects it and immediately I can taste this metallic taste and tingle on the roof of my mouth and tongue. Like someone just stuck foil paper into my mouth or something. After that, it was over for the first part. They told me to drink water and get something to eat and come back in an hour. So I ran over to give samples of blood and urine and then ran to the cafeteria. They actually had pretty reasonable prices at this hospital, cheaper than CSULB! I came back to the cardiology and then they had me lay on this table and rolled me under this camera machine. They had me lift my arms and then they tucked me into these sheets to kind of bind me. I laid like that for about 20 minutes, it was really relaxing! If I was the type that could sleep, I would have. After that, they told me to come back tomorrow and I have to do half the procedure, minus the persantine again. They want to see how my heart is doing without the stimulating medicine. It wasn't that bad, probably because I didn't get any of the side effects, thank goodness. The funny part about this whole thing, is they pumped me with an IV while I was waiting and then afterwards. Oh geez! All that fluid in me, makes me go crazy.
June 11, 2004
Went to the hospital today to finish off the cardiolite testing. I had to get the injection and go wait it off for an hour and grab something to eat. I brought a book along so it was relaxing in the hospital cafeteria reading and eating. Came back and had to lay in that machine again for 20 minutes while it took pictures of my heart during the resting period. The nurses said I did pretty good yesterday because I took it well. They said it was because I'm young. I hate to tell them I don't feel all that young with all these problems that seem to keep popping up. Oh well, as long as I get cleared for the surgery and I'm a healthier person, that's all that matters. I just hope I don't have some other underlying health issues that I should be worried about. I was watching the Ronald Reagan funeral procession in the evening when it got to California. I can't believe how many tears I cried. It was such a beautiful cermony and very touching. I just loved all of it, but I kept thinking how tough it must be for Nancy Reagan and the family to have everything in the open and not have any time to spend alone with Ronald Reagan. I will remember this for a long time. I don't think any other president has caused so much emotion in me that I can remember.
June 15, 2004
I went to see the pulmonologist. He was very nice and friendly. I had to answer all those questions before I could see him because they forgot to mail them to me before I came. The doctor did a quick physical and listened to my lungs. Told me I had palpitations in my heart. FINALLY someone's told me what they were checking. I just can't believe that all the times I've gone to the doctor, not one has told me this except for the other pulmonary guy who was checking my lungs at the hospital. Anyways, he said I was fine and there was nothing to prohibit me from having the surgery on his end. YAY!! One doctor down, another one to go and then I can meet Dr. Klein!
June 21, 2004
Summer school started today. I had to leave early today, for an appointment with Dr. Scuderi. Got there 15 minutes early and they took me in immediately. I had to do another EKG and get weighed. I won't mention the weight as I've gained a few pounds in the last few days. I thought I was going in a for a consultation and the next thing I'm sitting in this little office while she's typing up the answers to my medical history that they forgot to give me before I came. That's the second dr. who forgot to mail it to me before I got there. Anyways, we were in there for about 45 minutes and a lot of whispering was going on and then they finally decided to tell me because the person taking my information was going on her lunch break in 15 minutes. The doctor had a cap fall out of his tooth and was at the dentist and he was suppposed to be back at 11:30, and they couldn't get a hold of him and he also had to be at a meeting at 12:30. At that moment it was 11:50 and they felt the doctor was not coming in so I would have to reschedule the appointment. I WAS PISSED! I had to get off of work to get to this appointment and then the doctor wasn't coming in??!!! It's not like these appointments are free to top it off! UGH! The lady felt awful and tried to accomodate me. I was mad because I had to wait a whole month to get this appointment and on Friday they scheduled me to come in even earlier than my original appointment at noon. So, now they changed my appointment for no reason and then they couldn't bother to tell me beforehand that the doctor wasn't going to be in??!! It's not like they couldn't call me today to let me know in case I wanted to come in and do everything at one shot. She got me an appointment on Wednesday which means I have to leave work early AGAIN! He might be a great doctor (I don't know if he is or not since I haven't spoke with him about anything)but his organizational skills suck! He was the one they told me would probably be an hour late for my cardiolite since they say he's always late. I have no idea how long it took him to get there because I was laying on a table with an IV coming out of my arm and the nurse trying to do about 20 blood pressure readings on my left arm which left me with bruises up and down my arm from all the squeezing! Anways, I'm pissed needless to say. Oh well, not like I'll say anything to them because I'm too docile and nice.
June 23, 2004
They called me at 6:30 this morning to confirm the appointment. I was in the shower getting ready and was able to get back to her to let her know I would be coming in at 8. Arrived around 7:50 and the receptionist was there but no one else. The nurses started arriving while I sat freezing in there! It's always so cold in the morning in the drs. office. They checked my blood pressure, said it was fine and left. I sat there for 35 minutes waiting for the doctor in the room. Luckily I had my PDA, which has monopoly on it so I passed the time playing. Great investments for all these dr. appointments. Doctor finally came in but had to see another patient because she was in dire need. I noticed everyone in there was over 60 and I was the youngest patient. The doctor finally came in and wanted to go over my medical history and information. He went through everything and finally told me that he would not be able to clear me for surgery! He said I had high blood pressure(the first anyone has EVER told me)and said that he would not be able to reccommend the surgery until I have a coronary angiogram. He said my cardiolite persantine suggests I have an underlying coronary artery disease. He also told me that if there is no blockage than I can leave the hospital after 3 hours and he will clear me for surgery. If I have a blockage, then I'll have to have an angioplasty/stent procedure to fix the blockage. I'm scared sh*tless right now over this. He said I have a problem with my left ventricle and there's leakage. Even if I go for teeth cleaning I have to take an antiobiotic before I can go in so I don't get an infection in my heart. Crazy huh??!! As I'm writing this, the doctor called (I'm amazed! It's 8 p.m. and the cardiologist called to tell me that he forgot to give me the presciption for presidnone) He said he would call in the prescription for me and I should start taking it tonight for tomorrow. I go in at 9 tomorrow at Torrance Memorial and if all comes out fine, I'll be home by 4. If not, I'll be spending the night in the hospital. Send lots of prayers!
June 24, 2004
Went to the hospital today. I couldn't sleep all night, kept waking up with cold sweats. I was so nervous that I just kind of laid in bed and drifted in and out of sleep. Got up early and asked my mom to come with me to the hospital. She was going to stay with me, but it would be too long so I thought it would be better to have her go home and then return to pick me up since I probably wouldn't be done until after 3 or 4. I think it hit me again as soon as she hugged me and told me she loved me that I started to get scared again. I kept thinking off all the positive things everyone said in the messageboard for those who've had this procedure or knew someone who did. I kept thinking, I'm young and healthy and kept praying to God for him to guide me. I calmed down after a while and read for a bit. There was another gentlemen before me waiting to have the same procedure but he had a different doctor. I kept trying to go to the restroom as much as possible because they had me hooked up to an IV and I don't do well with all the fluid in me. Honestly I'll be so happy they put a catheter in me when they do the WLS! The gentlemen across from me got called and was wheeled out but not even 30 minutes later he was back again. I thought, wow! that was pretty darn easy and he looks amazingly well. About 10 minutes pass and the guy comes in with the wheelchair for me and I start to freak a little. The time has come for me. I asked the guy about the other gentlemen and he said he did not get it done yet, that there was a problem with someone before him and there was an emergency so he wouldn't be getting his done today. No wonder he looked well, nothing had happened to him yet! The guy wheeled me to another floor, I have no idea where, I was lost by then with fear of my impending doom. He wheeled me into this small hallway, and through a door that looked like a janitors room with stocked boxes and stuff and then opened another door in the tiny closet and there was the room with all the machines. That made me even more nervous because it seemed like it was hidden away and I was getting scared. The nurse asked me a question and I started bawling because of all the pent up emotion and how scared I was. I felt like I was going through this alone emotionally even though I kep trying to calm myself down by remembering all the well wishes and experiences I learned from the messageboard. The nurses were really nice and asked if this was my first time and I said yes. They tried to put me at ease and explained the whole procedure. They had me lie down on this skinny board and my arms were out for the IV and BP machine. The doctor came in and said hello. A nurse came up and said he was going to shave me in my groin for the procedure. He shaved both sides and all over and I asked if he was giving me a bikini wax. He said when he was done I could wear a bikini. Which I snickered at and said, Yeah right! Then anoter nurse came with the icy cold benodine which she rubbed the crap out of my freshly shaven groin which hurt like hell! I really think that was the most uncomfortable part of this whole experience! They dried it up and then the doctor came over and the nurse gave me benadryl to help relax me she said. I kept thinking benadryl?? Give me something stronger! Then she gave me the pain killer which really didn't do much because I could feel the doctor putting pressure down there. I would hold tight my legs and pull away and he kept telling her, give me more pain killer. She would give me more and then he would do it again, and I could still feel it, and he would say give me more pain killer again. She was like, I gave her 50 in the beginning and 25 and 25. Seems like she thought it was too much, heck I thought it wasn't enough! Then I started to relax, I could feel a slight pressure but nothing major and I just closed my eyes and listened to them telling me what to do. Breathe in and hold. Breathe in and hold. Oh my goodness. When they inserted the dye in me they said you'll feel this hot rush through your body. I told them, "it feels like I peed my pants" They all laughed. Well, heck it did! He had me continuing to breathe while they took the X-rays and then they said, okay, you're going to get the pee in the pants feeling again. :) Then he said 10 more minutes and your done and then next thing I know he was withdrawing the catheter, and plugging me up and they were applying pressure to the groin and I was done. The dr. told me my persantine cardiolite was grossly misrepresented. I had no coronary artery disease and everything looked absolutely normal. YEAH!!! I heard him reading the results into his microphone and he was saying that It was perfectly normal. I was wrapped up and moved to a gurney and moved to the waiting room before I could leave. I laid there for about 4.5 hours. I couldn't move my right leg or lift my head up. And then the thing I dreaded the most would happen. I had to use the restroom! They said, no getting up, you have to use the bedpan. That was my first time using it and it's the most embarrassing thing to me. I knew that would happen with the IV. I got to eat a sandwich and an hour later, I had to use the darn bedpan again. It was funny because she was standing there and I'm like, I have stagefright. She said she would leave and come back later. I guess I have a hard time peeing laying down on a plastic contraption while a nurse is looking on. Go figure!? I pretty much ended up laying there reading for hours. My mom finally came in and she brought my cell phone and I called my nephew to let him know I was okay. He wanted me to bring home pictures of my heart. (He's 8) My mom hung out with me for a while and met the doctor, he asked if she was my sister. My mom and I laughed. Her comment later was I'm looking old. Hahaha...not he must be mistaken but that I'm looking old. (I'm 34!!!) I think she was very flattered and enamored by my doctor. He's a hottie if you ask me, though his picture on his website doesn't look a thing like him. So I send my mom to the cafeteria to hang out and eat since there were no chairs for her to sit on and I still had a couple of hours to go. I was so ready to go when the time came. I was the last person to leave and I was itching to get up and move my legs, and oh yeah, use the restroom. :) As soon as she said I could get up I was up and waiting for her. I think I had more energy for her, poor nurse, I bet she was tired having to deal with all the patients and she was the only one there doing everything. Thanks Terri! She was really nice, we kept talking about Dr. Scuderi and how he's all over the place and so hyper. So, that's pretty much my ordeal. I got to go home, and I told my boyfriend about the experience. He couldn't come with me because he had worked graveyard and I knew he needed to sleep so wouldn't be any use for me anyways. He said he started to get worried when I wasn't home by 6, and thought they had decided to keep me in to do the stent. He was so happy to see me and was so relieved. I told him everything was fine and of course as I started relaying all that happened I started to cry again over that same part where they took me into that room. For some reason that room scared the daylights out of me, I think because of where it is positioned and how it's behind a small room which I thought was a closet. I'll probably be having nightmares about that room for a long time to come! Anyways, I think this is enough writing as my wireless keyboard is going all crazy and I think I'm using up all the batteries in it! :) Hopefully soon I'll be writing that I have a date! Wish me luck!
June 25, 2004
Big Yay!!! I'm one step closer. I have a date with the surgeon planned. They called me this morning to tell me I have a date with Dr. Klein on July 29 at 2pm. I'm so ready for this, I've gone this far that I need to make it all the way. It seems like such a long time to get to this point but I guess it's relatively quick for those who've been waiting longer. I'm so excited...and I just can't hide...whoo-hoo!I'm back. Oh my goodness. I went to take a shower and I had to remove the bandages off my groin. Wanna talk about painful??!! That hurt more than the procedure did! Yowza!
June 26, 2004
Wow, I think that was the hardest part besides thinking I was going to kick the bucket on the table or come out paralyzed from that angiogram. I really have never been more scared about something before in my life. Looking back on the procedure it wasn't that bad. It was just all those horrible thoughts going through my head. Seriously, the thing that really hurt the most was taking off that bandage! It still smarts where I had to pull it off the skin. It was literally like a second skin. I've been doing pretty good, I just don't want to strain myself because I'm afraid I'm gonna have that angio-seal come flying out from my groin. The nurse told me when I left, if it starts to bleed call the doctor, if it starts to gush or squirt blood, call 911. So of course I have this image of me going to do something and that angio-seal comes popping out and it looks like oil has been struck. I've finally worked my way to laying on my stomach. I've been scared that if I do, all my weight is going to push it right on out of me. Nothing's happened so I might try to sleep on my stomach tonight. I hate sleeping on my back. Hmmm...another thing is that I've been taking the blood pressure medicine for 3 days now and my palpitations have kind of decreased a little. The doctor told me I had a heart murmur and palpitations along with the high blood pressure. I've noticed though that my hands aren't as numb. I can drive and not have to put my hands down to get blood back into them. I can also lay on my back and hold a book up and not have my fingers start tingling and going all numb. They are still just a little tingly but not like they were when they would go totally numb. I hope it gets better!
July 1, 2004
I go to see the Cardiologist tomorrow for a check-up on the angiogram procedure. I'm doing really great and really don't have any problems. My leg was crampy the first few days because I'd been cooped up trying not to put too much pressure on my groin. The hospital called to check up on me and I was like I feel great. No problems! I'm really glad that whole thing is over. I can't wait to find out how my blood pressure is doing since I've been taking the high blood pressure medicine. I'll update tomorrow.
July 3, 2004
Well, the doctor's appointment went okay. The office seemed like they were getting ready for a marathon echocardiogram session because of all the printed signs up giving patients directions and instructions. I got to go in and get those dreaded questions that they seem to ask me everytime I go in. Do you feel this, and do you feel that... Oh well, but it seems like filler for me since they have these interns working there. They are pretty nice, but the girl needs to learn how to do the blood pressure correctly. I don't think I've gone through a more painful bp reading in a long time. Not even the machine in the hospital is that cruel! She pumped it so high and then turned that knob soooooo slow that I thought I was going to have to rip it off or my arm was going to explode. The doctor ran in asked me how I was doing and then put some gloves. All he did was ask me to stand and tried to pull the front of my pants down to take a look at my groin. How embarrassing! He had to lift my bellies up to take a peek! He couldn't find where the incision was and kept pressing trying to find the knot that he said I would have (I don't have it) and said it looked wonderfully. He practically had to bend all the way down to even see but at least I'm done with all that.
July 12, 2004
I've been freaked out lately about my insurance. I posted it on the messageboard about how I was afraid I would be stuck with this huge bill and that I wouldn't be able to pay for it. It's so hard right now because I am only working summer school and it's only 4 days a week for 5 weeks. I'm not a great saver and I need to start saving money. (one of the things my boyfriend is always nagging me about!) Anyways, after I freaked out about the idea that I may have to pay in the thousands for having a doctor who's our of network I was able to call today and relieve my mind. I called Cathy at Dr. Klein's and she said he IS IN the network and that I will only have to pay the deductible which I've already met. Yeah-HOO!!!! So I feel sooooo much better now. Only 17 more days until I meet with Dr. Klein and get to know my surgery date. YAY!!!
July 17, 2004
I got my insurance information from BS today. OUCH! It told me how much I'm going to have to pay for that angiogram I had done a few weeks ago. The procedure cost over $5000.00!!!!!! Can you believe that??!! Especially when it turns out I didn't need it! I have to pay a $328 bill for some outpatient drugs. Uh..they didn't give me any drugs...If I'm paying for the drugs..I want them! J/K! I'm going to review it again with my boyfriend to make sure they didn't overcharge me and make sure it looks right. I'm just kind of mad that I had to go through all that pain and emotional stress when there was no reason for me to do it. That's about it for now. Just trying to cool off in this heat. It's about 80 degrees in my place right now and I have every fan on and it's not really doing anything. Oh well...till the next time.
July 24, 2004
I've been so busy lately still trying to get things done for my sister's wedding. Let's see...I'm still waiting until next thursday when I meet with the surgeon. I'm excited but scared. I think it has to do with the notion that I'm finally moving ahead and there's no turning back now. I just wish I could have this surgery with the assurance that everything will be 100% a-okay. I have such a big fear that if it doesn't work out that I've done all this for nothing. I have so much to live for right now. I want to get married next year, I want to have a child as soon as I've met my goal weight and I want to finish my education. At least I get to relax and take it easy for the next month. I'm on vacation from work and I can devote my time to making all the stuff for my sister's wedding. She's soo lucky to have a sister like me who likes to be creative and is a cheapskate! Hehe. I love looking through magazines and seeing stuff and If I can make it cheaper...I'll make it. I guess I'll write more later when I find out when my surgery date is. I'm soooo excited!
GOT THE SURGERY DATE
July 29, 2004
Technically today I have an appointment to meet with the surgeon to find out my surgery date. I am sooo nervous! I found this cool counter off of another OH member. I'm going to update the date as soon as I get my date....does that make sense?? Oh well, it's 1:50 a.m. and I can't sleep..so nothing really makes sense. Oh well..it didn't work. I'll have to find another.I got my date!!!! Yeah! They had a cancellation and I was able to get in earlier than expected (they are scheduling for November) My surgery date is August 13, 2004!! I got lucky. Lettie told me she had a date for me as soon as I walked in and said did I want it. I said sure...since I needed to get everything done before my sister's wedding.
PREPARING FOR SURGERY
July 30, 2004
I really didn't write much yesterday. I think it had to do with the shock of getting such an early date. I'm going to be so busy within the next few weeks getting everything ready and squared away. I already have a full day on Monday..I have to give blood at 9:30 in the morning then go for an orientation from 1-4:30 then afterwards go to the support group at 7 p.m. So I'll be running back and forth between Long Beach and Torrance all day. I'm not really nervous but I think deep down I am. I started my period today...a week early so I think I was stressed out about it and just didn't really let it effect me.
August 4, 2004
I haven't a chance to update my profile and I was going to do it earlier but couldn't get through because of the hacker screwing up everything. Well, I was very busy on Monday and haven't had a chance to write what happened. I went to give blood, and it was so hard for them to find a vein. The lady had to keep going over and over the vein with her finger trying to find it. Finally got that done and had to run back to pick up my mom. Went to the Hospital Orientation at 1 o'clock. They went over EVERYTHING! They leave no stone unturned! You find out what floor you are staying on (5th Floor), how to operate the hospital bed (IT's HUGE!!) and will take a computer genius to figure out how to work it. There's actually a scale on the bed and it can put you in an upright sitting position. AWESOME! All they have to do is teach it to feed us and it's perfect. They show you all the catheters for your body (neck and bladder) and then they show you the drainage tube. They also show you the shot that you have to take in your stomach. We don't have to worry about bringing any meds with us as they will prescribe what we need and they'll pretty much inject everything into the catheter in our neck. Weird huh?! They even draw the blood out of the neck catheter. We also get an epidural right before we go under. They told us about all the med cocktails they will be giving us to help us relax. It was pretty cool how they go through everything so you aren't as anxious. I met a girl who will be having it 3 days before me so we will be in the hospital at the same time. They told us not to bring anything that's not needed except what you will be wearing when you leave the hospital. We won't even need undies or a robe and won't be able to take a shower while we are there. They will give us a spongebath the time we are in the hospital. So let me write down what they told us will happen in case anyone wants to know:-Eat normal breakfast, eat light lunch and dinner. -Check in hospital after 8 p.m.-Get blood drawn and verify information. -Take Castor oil to help get rid of poopies.-They'll give us something to help us sleep.-Wake up around 5:30 and take shower.-Give another relaxing cocktail.-Get wheeled or gurnied into pre-op room.-Epidural will be given while we are awake.-Transferred to hospital table and lights out.-They will put large ace like bandages around your legs working up towards thigh and squeezers will be placed on. Then egg shell foam things will be put over your legs and you will be strapped into table. There are also foot guards at your feet because the table tilts up and I guess down. (That scared the crap out of me..I don't want to be standing up!) There are blowers also inserted below the egg foam to keep us warm.-NG tube will be inserted while we are asleep and catheter (who knows when but we are asleep...hallelujah!)-Surgery performed. They will wake us up to tell us how it went. -Transferred to gurney with roller thingee.-Moved to post-surgery room for a few hours. They said it depends on the nurses and how busy they are if they'll let anyone visit you in there.-Moved to private hospital room after all is done.First day: Relax and sleep.Second day: Physical Therapist will come to room and see how we are doing. Assist us with getting up and walking around. So that's all I know so far. We'll see how well this goes as planned. I'll write the updates on the after surgery section. At least my dr. is pretty thorough so you aren't thrown for a loop when you get there. At least I know what to expect. I'm actually pretty excited. I've really been too busy to get scared. I think it will hit me on the last day. I don't know if I'll have my cell phone on me. I'll have to wait and see. I have to go this weekend and get a few things for afterwards. I need to get the fan before hand. I think I'll need it for noise and because those leg things are going to make me HOT!I went to the support group. Met a lot of nice people there...some post-ops and some pre-ops. Everyone is so friendly and funny. It's such an inspiration to hear stories about people and what they've gone through. One guy who was having problems the last time had already lost 80 lbs. Another lady who was just about to have surgery lost 80 lbs too. Amazing! I can't wait to start telling my numbers!Sara Giannosa wrote this on my surgery page and I think it's absolutely wonderful! I think I'm going to print that out and take it with me to the hospital. Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
August 5, 2004
Went to Wal-mart and found a battery operated fan. It was $10 and takes batteries OR can be plugged in. I figured that would be better in the long run because if it only takes batteries I'll probably never use it again. I figured it has to be cheaper there than at Sav-on where somebody else was able to find it. It's a pretty good size little fan, just hope it lasts the stay at the hospital! Only 8 more days left till surgery!
August 6, 2004
Went to Trader Joes and bought some protein shakes, a can of protein powder, soups, broth and diet cranberry juice. I'm not going to go and get much right now because I won't know what I like until later. Plus, I do have family members who will get it for me later. I tried the protein powder in some nonfat milk and it wasn't bad. It tasted kind of like nestle quick. I don't like stuff that's too sweet anyways, so it was pretty good for me. I haven't tried the shakes yet, so I'll wait on those. I can't believe it's only 7 more days!
August 12, 2004
Oh wow! I'm soooo scared! It's really finally starting to hit me now that the time is getting closer. I guess I've just kept myself so busy that I haven't had time to really think about it but now I am. I went to the Dr's this morning to return some consent forms and signs some other ones but the dr. was in surgery. I didn't even know I was meeting the dr. again, I wish I would have known sooner. I arrived 40 minutes early and had to sit there the whole time. They only told me when it was my appointment time. So now I have to have my mom take me earlier for the appointment tonight at 6 and then on to the hospital. I've gotten all my stuff together. Anything I forget, I'll just have someone bring to me. I just want to make sure I have comfortable clothes that I can wear home and a book to read. My fiancee left for work and I won't be able to see him until tomorrow when I get out of the recovery room. Well...I think that's about it for now. I'm already starting my liquid diet right now, so that way I won't have much to poop out tonight. I'll make it easier on myself! Well, the next time I write, I'll be a "loser". Count your blessings instead of your crosses; Count your gains instead of your losses. Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes. Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears. Count your full years instead of your lean; Count your kind deeds instead of your mean. Count your health instead of your wealth; Count on God instead of yourself. [Author Unknown]
POST-OP
August 19, 2004
Well, it's been a long week! I'm finally up to sitting here at the computer writing down my experience...so it might be cut short and then continued later. I can't believe how long I was at the hospital! I have to say that I received excellent care and everything that they told me would happen, happened! I arrived a little early and was going to grab a bite to eat in the cafe but it was already closed (7 p.m.), so I just sat reading a newspaper, waiting for it to get closer to 8. Just to let you know check-in time is 8 and they can't do your paperwork until their computer says 8 or you get charged an extra day. They completed my information and was led up to my room. I got a HUGE room! Very private and had two windows, two sinks and was super nice. Everyone told me its a benefactor's room, or donor's room. They said that someone who donates a lot of money gets those rooms. Well..I just got lucky. They gave me the phisohex, and bottle of castor oil. YUCK. That was the most disgusting thing to try to drink down. They offered to mix it with cranberry juice...they put ice so all it did was coagulate the mixture and make it even more disgusting. After all the peeing out of my butt, (it was disgusting) I was so excited over the next day. I finally climbed into bed after they gave me a pill to help me sleep. I was woken up around 5:30 and it all starts to get foggy. I remember going into a pre-op room but can't remember how I got there..did I take a wheel chair or was the bed wheeled in? I remember the hospital bed being wheeled into the operating room, and I was commenting on how small it was. Only saw the guy nurse, and corrine wasn't there because she was on vacation so Diana was taking her place. I remember laughing with the anesthesiologist, and hugging the pillow. The epidural didn't even hurt, and that's about it until I woke up in the revovery room! Oh man...I couldn't open my eyes and all I could say was I was nauseaous. I was so sick, I thought I was going to up chuck right then and disgusting thing to try to drink down. They offered to mix it with cranberry juice...they put ice so all it did was coagulate the mixture and make it even more disgusting. After all the peeing out of my butt, (it was disgusting) I was so excited over the next day. I finally climbed into bed after they gave me a pill to help me sleep. I was woken up around 5:30 and it all starts to get foggy. I remember going into a pre-op room but can't remember how I got there..did I take a wheel chair or was the bed wheeled in? I remember the hospital bed being wheeled into the operating room, and I was commenting on how small it was. Only saw the guy nurse, and corrine wasn't there because she was on vacation so Diana was taking her place. I remember laughing with the anesthesiologist, and hugging the pillow. The epidural didn't even hurt, and that's about it until I woke up in the revovery room! Oh man...I couldn't open my eyes and all I could say was I was nauseaous. I was so sick, I thought I was going to up chuck right then and there. I slept for a while and then remember them wheeling the bed up to my room. I remember them saying someone was there and I said, oh is he tall? It's my fiancee. That's all I remember at that time until I woke up a few hours later and my fiancee was asleep on the chair. Later on, I was talking to everyone and felt sooo good. Then the next day I was dying! I had nausea and was feeling so down. I didn't sleep all night because there was a kink in the catheter in my neck so it kept buzzing the machines every 15 minutes. I kept waking up and buzzing them telling them the machine was beeping. Finally in the morning, Nolan the nurse came in and checked my neck and saw it was kinked. He snipped the stuture and fixed it and taped it back down. He was really an awesome nurse, always talking to me and telling me everything. We became very close as he was the one that had to give me the suppository while I was in there! YUCK!! The physical therapist came that day to get me out of bed. I was so exhausted from not sleeping and they made me get up. I had to walk around and I was even more tired after that. Next day, Sunday, I felt soo much beAt least I got to sleep and I found the chair was much softer than the bed. The bed was an expensive bari-bed but dang that thing make my butt feel like I was sleeping on rocks! This bed could put you in a sitting position, that's how cool it was. So on Sunday, I was supposed to go for my leak test, got there around 9 a.m. and let me tell you it's almost the first thing you've had to drink except ice chips, and you are almost ready to guzzle the stuff but you are too scared too. And then the taste hits you. It tastes like an oversweetened syrupy apple juice. (It looks like apple juice). Well, he told me to swallow and then he started taking pictures. Big mistake. He's supposed to take a few pictures BEFORE HAND to see the difference of the swallow. Well, that meant, I went back to my room and waited to find out. My great nurse, Nolan, made a few inquiries and found the problem. I told my Dr. Ford who went and asked too. He told me I would be going back at noon to do another swallow test. I was soooo disappointed! Well, around 2:30 Nolan comes in with a paper with a sentence underlined saying that there were no leaks and that yes, the NG tube could be removed. They had also taken my NG tube out right before Stacie S walked through the door. Wanna talk about oh my gosh..that thing felt weird coming out! You feel like you are gagging when it's being pulled! YUCK-O-RAMA! They'll probably tell you to cough when it's coming out. You will. Anyways, that's when I started to get all my visitors. I had Stacie S, my mom, my sister and fiancee and my fiancee stop by. They all brought some beautiful flowers but Stacie's roses were by far the prettiest. The next few days just dragged on and on. I got my first drain pulled out of my chest by the dr. in the early morning and then two days later (wednesday) morning he pulled out the JP drain. OMG! WAnt to talk about HURT. It felt like it had attached itself to my inner back and he was yanking them both out. You are not on any epidural, so my suggestion to anyone who has Dr. Klein is to get your pain med about 1 a.m. on the day he says they are going to take it out. He only comes to visit around 12-3:30 a.m., so just make sure you have it in you. It was probably the most painful experience. After that tube is removed it's basically time for you to go home. They gave me some more fluids because I was low and said I would have to go home on Oxygen because I failed the oxi-walk the day before. I finally got to take a shower. I kept dropping everything on the floor and I could not bend over to pick it up. So I just left it there till my fiancee came and I let him grab everything. Hint...take some really comfy light shoes, light elastic clothes and tee shirt. Also, bring shampoo and whatever you use because they didn't give me anything. I'd put it all in one of those hangable hook bags so you could just hang it in the shower. There's really not much room in the shower though mine had a seat in it, but not much room for standing. After that was done, Nolan removed my bandages and put fresh ones on. Ask for another binder so you can have a fresh clean one all the time. They wheeled me out and voila I got to go home with a list of medicine a mile long that I have to take. Some side notes: Some of the nurses are really good. Nolan was awesome and I had him most days. But when he wasn't there you could really tell the difference. Carol was good too and so was Sherri/Shelli. There was one nurse, who I won't name who added something to my buzzer and it delayed the ring for five minutes. I rang that button 8 times and about 15 minutes later they started replying. One time, I asked her for pain medicine and 2 hours later someone else came in and I got it from her. There are tons of nurse's aids and my favorite are Cora and Tia. I loved Tia. She would always giggle and talk to me. She loves the enquirer and you might want to bring a few extras for her to borrow she loves that. I loved talking to her about anything because she was so nice and friendly. Cora kind of was getting exhausted with me asking her to come help with wiping so I think she was glad to see me go. She even asked if I could wipe. Like I was sticking my big booty in the air for my personal pleasure! UGGHHH!!!I'm so glad I'm home but I'm soooo restless. My butt still hurts and it actually feels like it's numb on some places. I can't sleep in my bed and the couch is uncomfortable because my neck is hitting my chest and I feel like I'm going to stop breathing because of the fat surrounding my throat. Oh well...at least I can sit up, I can go to the bathroom and I can eat and drink. I was able to eat one soft boiled egg for breakfast, half a jello cup for snack, one water bottle all day, 1/2 yogurt with protein added...(YUCK..it tasted too sweet) and 2 1/2 oz. of mashed potatoes. That's it for now!Lisa
July 29, 2007
I ran out of room...they won't let me post any more information. Let's just say that I will be 3 years out next week and I've had a wonderful time in the last few years. I had a baby girl on December 3 2006 and I feel great!
