January 19, 2009

Jan 18, 2009

I haven't been posting for a couple of months.  I've not been feeling very well and didn't really have anything positive to say.  I don't like to keep wining about my problems, so I just stayed away.

My problem, well, I'm still not sure what it was.  I started as a small pea sized lump in my stomach, just above the navel.  I wasn't painful at first, but it started to get bigger and by early December, it was started to get red. I decided I better looking into this further - not knowing if it was something that affect where I had WLS.  Following is what happened. 

Dec.  8:   Saw Dr. Dent and he suggested that I have an AS and sent a referral to Dr. Yelle (surgeon here in Ottawa). 

Dec. 19:   I hadn't heard back with dates for either and called his office.  My AS was scheduled for Mar. 2.  Way too long to wait.  He suggested that I go to Emergency and ask for and AS.  So, I spent 4 1/2 hours that afternoon only to be told that I would have to wait until either the next day (Friday) or Monday.  By now, the lump had gotten larger and redder.  It was becoming very painful

Dec. 23:   I hadn't received a call about the AS and called, only to be told that they hadn't received any requisition from Emergency.  They looked into it and I had the AS the next day.

Dec. 24:   AS results showed a cyst (2.8 x 1.8 x .8 cm).  The Dr. checked the AS when I was there and told me the results, but I was told that I was to take the written report back to Emergency to have a Dr. there read them to me - but I would have to be triaged again. So, back I go to Emergency, only to wait for about 1/2 an hour to be told that I would have to be triaged.  So, I waited some more and then finally got to Step 1.  Talked to nurse and finally convinced him that I really didn't need to be triaged and probably didn't even need to see a Dr.  He went back to talk to a Dr. and came back and told me I was right and didn't need to wait.  All I had to do was to go se my GP to have him drain the cyst.  The lump is even bigger now and I can't stand to touch it, it's so painful.

Dec. 31:   Saw my GP.  He tried to get some fluid with a needle, but nothing would come out.  Said that I should come back and they would make an incission of about 1-2" and drain it.  Didn't want to it that day, but their office would be closed until Jan. 5.  I needed to be able to come back in the day after for cleaning and further draining.

Jan.  1:   The lump started to drain on it's own.  The opening was only a pin prick, but I had a bloody substance draining.  It was enough that I had to put a gauze pad on it.  Over the next couple of days, the opening got a little bigger and continue to drain.

Jan.  5:   Back to my GP's office and they were pleased that it started to drain on it's own.  The lump is still big, but not quit as painful.  GP decided to go ahead and open it up more (1") and clean it out.  He ended up putting about 4 vials of freezing in because when he opened the wound, he said it wasn't a cyst, but a tumour.  GREAT!  I didn't think that tumours got infected or drained fluid like that.  He tried to cut the tumour out, but the freezing wan't keep enough and I just about passed out with the pain.  He finally gave up and said that I needed to see a surgeon.  I told him that Dr. Dent had already sent a referral to Dr. Yelle, although I hadn't heard from him office about an appointment yet.  GP said that I should call Dr. Yelle and get in a.s.a.p.  He was going to send a report about his findings.  GP left the incission open and packed.  Said I needed to have surgery within 3 days.

Jan. 6:   I went back to GP's office to have the opening cleaned.

Jan. 7:   Called Dr. Yelle's office only to discover that they hadn't received a referral from Dr. Dent's office and the report from the GP's office had arrived it (it was to be send on the afternoon of Jan. 5).  I followed up with Dr. Dent's office and they said they had faxed the referral on Dec. 12.  They would talk to Dr. Yelle's office. 

Jan.  8:   Dr. Dent finally talked to Dr. Yelle's office.  They had to re-faxed referral.  I called Dr. Yelle's office to make sure that they had also received report from GP's office.  They hadn't.  I was getting scared because I had been told that I needed to have the tumour out within 3 days and this was day 3.  I was given an appointment of Jan. 16.  I'm concerned, but this was the best they could do for me.

Jan. 14:   Noticed that the redness and pain wasn't as bad.  Finished 24 days of antibiotics, so I guess they were working.

Jan. 16:   Finally had my appointment with Dr. Yelle.  He takes a look at the wound.  It's much better now, but still open.  He doesn't see any tumour and scolds me for telling his nurse that I had a 2.8 cm lump.  I told him that's what I had been told and that the GP could see the tumour.  He calmed down and said that I need to just let this heal.  He didn't think there was any tumour, only a cyst.  After it's healed, have another AS and see of anything is there.  If there is something that needs to be removed, we'll deal with it then.

So, today is Jan. 19, and I'm back to work.  My wound isn't draining anymore and the incission is finally started to heal from inside out.  I just can't believe what all of this crap!  Anyway, the good news is that I'm still loosing weight and have now lost a total of 76 lbs.  Yeh!  Still love my surgery!!!

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