Erin A.

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Finally home!!!... in June I was found to have a gall bladder full of stones. I was admitted for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in September 21. I was discharged after 12 hours. Three days later I began having severe abdominal pain. Three visits to the ER and I was readmitted Wednesday Sept 27 with abdominal pain, distension, and nasusea. Plain radiography, Ultrasound examination was done, I had a high white cell count but otherwise normal biochemical variables. On September 29 a repeat CT scan was done, and I had an emergency laparotomy where a bile leak was discovered. Bile is a toxic substance to tissue. When a bile leak occurs, the flow of bile into the free abdominal cavity can cause an inflammatory reaction. These leaks most commonly result from incomplete closure of the cystic duct stump following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or from peripheral hepatic radicles, also called accessory ducts of Luschka or cholecystohepatic ducts that supply the gallbladder, and which can easily go undetected during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Up to 10% of people have accessory right hepatic ducts. During my laparotomy a JP drain was put in - this will allow the bile collection to drain to the outside and my body to heal (I still have this at this point). They also attempted an Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) - NOT pleasant, and was unsuccessful... at this stage it may still be a possibility to try again, but the draining amount of bile has significantly decreased in the past 48 hours so I am home to rest and heal.

I woke up at 3 this morning with the start of the same problem as yesterday… Louis took me back to emerge about 8:30 where I spent the entire day. Good thing was, this time they did diagnostic tests – all is OK inside (no perforations, appendix OK, bile ducts OK, no missed gall stone etc)… just a bowel obstruction again and the spasms… it did not get quite as painful today and they administered a different drug which did wonders. I got home about 5:30 this afternoon with strict instructions to rest for the next 3 days… so, my ex has the boys until Friday after school so that I can just relax and take care of me. I truly hate doing nothing all day, but the doc says if I don’t listen to him and watch it that he’ll admit me to the hospital… I still go to see him Friday morning, and he said we will discuss things then. I really feel bad about this as so many people have told me that their lap experience was a breeze – some were even back to work within a week!

Gosh, I hope that RNY is easier then gallbladder surgery!!! The doc prescribed percocet and a stool softener for pain... I took it the following day but by day two I hated the way the percocet made me feel - very dry mouth, light headed and dizzy, and I had the sweats bad... so I ended up going to the clinic for a script for tylenol 3s... I was still taking the stool softener as codeine can constipate. Well, early this morning, around 1am I woke up in severe abdominal pain... my entire belly was in spasms and I could not take it... pain was a 9 on a scale of 1-10... I actually had my BF call an ambulance (he had to be here for my kids) to take me to the hospital! Turns out it was severe constipation!!! Three enemas and a colon cleanse later (not the most pleasent, let me tell you!) I finally had relief. They kept me about an hour later then told me I could go home... it was about 6am. I went to get dressed and a dime fell off my pile of clothes - odd - and my blood ran cold... I went to my purse to discover that my wallet was wide open and my cash/coins all gone... I had been robbed while I was in the bathroom in the emergency department!!! About $55... money for my son's Cub camp and a little spare which was my cab money home from the hospital. The nurse felt so bad about not reminding me / taking me my purse while I spent all that time in the bathroom... the hospital paid for my taxi thank goodness! So, two lessons learned... DRINK YOUR WATER and take your fibre; and KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS at all times!!

I am feeling better - kinda crampy residual pain from the spasms, and I am eating soft foods (hey, I will be a pro for my RNY eh???!!!) and of couse a bit of pain still from the surgery itself, but I am only taking Advil now!!

Hi all - so much to report on!!

1) Gallbladder... showed up at the hospital at 1 pm just like they told me. They got me all ready the "hurry up and wait" routine... and wait I did... I was wheeled into the OR at 9:26!!!! Woke up around 11 to find the surgery WAS done lap!! woohoo!!!! They decided to admit me overnight due to the time, so I got home about 9:30 this morning. I have 4 poke holes... sore and tender as oppsed to pain.. I am walking a bit, had some yummy soup and a nap - amongst all the phone calls to everyone wanting to see how I am.

2) While waiting 8.5 hours at the hospital to go into the OR Louis did a few errands... and there was a package notice for me from Purolator on the door... he went and picked it up for me... papers from OHIP... I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR OOC!!!!!! Submitted papers Sept 5 and acceptance papers are dated Sept 18.

3) My sleep study is scheduled for October 28

Yes, I do the emotional eating. I know I need to sacrifice "my best friend" for my health, for my sons and those who love me (that includes me too!!) I have cried, I am terrified of never having these foods again; I am not sure how I will cope. I just know that I want to live more than I want to eat. This surgery will help me to do all this. This surgery is not the easy way. My "fat head" won't go away with the pounds I loose. I think it's why I need the support from each of you, and I actively engage in the process, to know what is going on, to understand the "right" way to eat, to be a participant in my aftercare and not to just sit back and listen and nod my head. This is a tool, a once in a lifetime opportunity to reclaim my health and make a new start. I know how I got to be morbidly obese, I'm sure there are a variety of different paths for each of us, how we got here. I am hoping the key to keeping off the weight is what I do during this journey to health. It's more complicated than changing my body. I'm looking at this transformation as a quest, an opportunity to learn what makes me tick, what makes me eat, now that I won't be doped up by food, I have to deal with my emotions in some other way. I'm willing to look at my life, my history and behaviour in a clearer light hoping to put right what went wrong.

My horrid luck... ok... scheduled for gall bladder removal at 8 am tomorrow morning... just got a call from the Drs office... the special (extra long) lap instrumentaion was lost in transit... replacement will arrive sometime tomorrow hopefully... so I am delayed until minimum Thursday late afternoon!!! grrrr...

Oh, and I got a call from OHIP asking me to stop calling them for updates, that they would be contacting my family doctor and to call them for info... AND apparently they DID receive my first fax on Sept. 5th!!!!! grrrr again!!!!

Called my PHP, no word from OHIP yet, and the doc STILL has to make my referral for sleep study!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

tick tock tick tock......

And as a record since I have posted this about 10 times in the past few weeks, OHIP contacts are:
The telephone number is 807-475-1354
The fax number is 807-475-1427
Address is:
435 James St. South
Suite 113
Thunder Bay, ON
P7E 6T1

Hope that helps everyone! Good luck with your submission!

Played volleyball last night - what fun! I had a great time... I have not played in YEARS! This is a rec league, 18 women of all different playing levels. I am right in the middle... boy, did I work up a sweat, and found some muscles I forgot were there! I have always like to exercise - it makes me feel more energized afterwoards, I am not as sleepy... although I have not had WLS I am sure the fact that the exercise will make the weight loss more significant will be the motivation I need. I actually have always been pretty active all my life - not as much recently due to aches and pains, but I do a lot of walking. I will continue to do this after WLS and hope to add on joining a mixed league softball team with my boyfriend, and coaching one of the kid's soccer teams. I guess another big motivational factor will be that these teams will need me in order to play - I like being counted on!

OHIP did confirm they received the information I re-sent on Tuesday... and Kaleida Health has me set to attend their info session on October 5... if only OHIP will come through!!!!! I am crossing EVERYTHING!!!

I personally faxed my OOC forms on September 5th, even got a print-out of the journal to confirm... I just got off the phone with Shirley @ OHIP (and she is very nice BTW)... she has no record of it!!!! A week of patiently wating is WASTED!!!!! Lost in cyber-space!!! I have the forms at home so I am re-faxing first thing tomorrow morning... so, just a heads-up... maybe it is best to pester then to sit idley by...

Today is the 5th anniversary of 9/11 ... we remember and will never forget...

A horrible tragedy occured at 8:46 Tuesday Morning September 11, 2001. There were 4 planes hijacked by terrorists. A senseless act of cowardness.

American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. There were 92 people aboard, including 9 flight attendants and 2 pilots.

At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower, carrying 65 people, including 7 flight attendants and 2 pilots.

At 9:38 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. There were 64 people aboard, including 4 flight attendants and 2 pilots.

At 10:10 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 crashed Southeast of Pittsburgh carrying 45 people, including 5 flight attendants and 2 pilots. It is believed that flight 93 was headed for the White House when some of the passengers rushed the terrorists, causing them to miss their intended target and crash into a field in Pittsburgh. We thank those aboard flight 93 for such a courageous act of selflessness and bravery for saving the many lives that would have been destroyed at the White House.

May God Bless the heroes who have lost their lives in helping save the lives of others.

I had my PATs for my gallbladder surgery today... bloodwork, chest xrays, ECG, nurse took BP, weight etc and then met with the anesthetist who informed me that since my asthma and GERD are under control I am the best physically that I can be for surgery given my "elevated BMI"... LOL!!!!!!!

This past tuesday I had my appointment with my PHP... he made the call to Dr Reed in Guelph - I got in, but my CONSULTATION is not until June 4, 2007!!!! So, the wonderful man also filled in the OOC forms for OHIP... I faxed them the minute I got back to work! FINGERS CROSSED!!!

We also discussed me doing a sleep study for sleep apnea... he is going to set that up; and he filled in the hospital forms for my gallbladder surgery... the hospital called and I have my PATs on monday - they say 2-3 hours, I need bloodwork, x-rays, meet the anesthetist and a nurse.

I also joined a women's rec volleyball league for Thursday nights - I have not played in years but it is something I enjoy - just better not break a fingernail, lol! My kids have got me on the run this year too... Joshua is in Cub Scouts and swimming, Mitchell is in Sea Cadets and swimming, and occasionally I'll see Kaylee in soccer academy and swimming... busy, busy, busy - no rest for the wicked, lol!

WooHoo! Down 5 pounds! I was given an electronic scale the other day - love it! Since my sinus surgery 4 weeks ago I have lost 5 pounds... making healthy choices and a bit more walking... I feel very good right now about myself!