AllisonG
REALLY MAKE SURE YOU WANT THIS SURGERY
Sep 25, 2008
This POST OP WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT NICE!!!!! Good LORD I have been through the ringer! I had my lap surgery on July 9th. Had a two good days in the hospital. Then released home on a Friday with my awesome husband who without I would not be here today. Anyway, my saturday home was not a good one. Didnt feel well at all and ran a low grade temp. Normal for that stage in the game. Well had visitors all day at the house and everyone told me nice to see you home but you look very pale. Figured it was normal, but I tell you people I felt bad. Well I was drinking my water sips, and drinking my broth. Doing what was told. I did spike a temp to 100 so I took some tylenol and went to bed sat night. Well Sunday morning I actually felt ok, Well.....as the morning grew I kept feeling full and I was thinking this is not normal but what am I to know for sure. Well I kept feeling like I had acid reflux, and I felt I needed to spit up. Well I did and I spit up quite a bit of bright red blood. I thought
thats not right. So I hurried and called my friend that had it done and she said thats not normal. Called the hospital much of no help told me if it happened again to go to the hospital. Well I got a hold of Dr Shimer myself and kinda calmed me down and said that may be normal. So I told my husband I should try some broth since I hadn't had anything and it was like 2pm. So he made me a little cup of broth and I drank about 2 sips. In about 30 minutes I got a tremendous pain from the top of my should to the bottom of my stomach and I thought I was GOING TO DIE 
. I quickly told Eddie to rush me to the hospital that something was wrong. So to make a really long story shorter. I had a gastric leak. Pretty big one from what I can understand plus a huge hematoma (huge like blod clot). Hence the reason for spitting up blood. Well had emergency surgery. Wont mention the horrible pain for 6 hours having to wait while they diagnosed my problem. Anyway, had the emergency surgery. Woke up in I.C.U intubated with a breathing tube. Being given 2 pints of blood with a central line in my neck. I was in ICU 3 days. Figuring that the leak was healed...Was it? NOPE...I come to find out I had railroad track sutures up and down my belly ( but very thankful I was alive yes) and to have 2 drains PLUS A FEEDING TUBE.....WTF!!
. Then my family tells me that my doctor said I still had a small leak and they had to have it heal. So I had nothing in my mouth for a month YES I SAID A MONTH WHILE IT HEALED. WELL GUESS WHAT?? IT DIDNT HEAL. When I say I didnt have anything by mouth I was being fed with milk through a feeding tube. Kinda terrible situation! Was GLAD TO BE ALIVE. MY POOR HUSBAND WAS AN
. So to add to this great situation. My doctor who has never had this problem with any of his patients and also feels terrible and even had cancelled his clinic for 3 days because he was so worried about me and thought I was going to die. Anyway, he tells me Allison I need to send you to Methodist Hospital in Houston Texas to see Dr Peter Schwartz so he can place a Gastric STENT over that area that is leaking so it can heal!!!! I was like OH MY GOD!!!
So we leave and go to Methodist. Which I must say is the best hospital I have ever been too. Even the treatment is awesome. Also got to meet Dr Davis he was one of my doctors off of the show Big Medicine. Anyway Dr Schwartz put this stent in and for 3 weeks I still was basically nothing by mouth. So for 6 weeks all together . I wont even mention that my feeding tube got clogged twice and I had constant nausea and vomiting for 3 weeks. But THANK THE LORD after 3 weeks my leak was healed and I was able to start taking things by mouth. Slowly things are returning to normal. Removal of the FEEDING TUBE was removed about 3 weeks ago and wassssssss soooo super painful...LORD.. So anyway I am about 3 months out and eating normal and have almost lost 60 pounds. I feel better now but I am slowly regaining my strength and emotional status!!! I mean I know I am losing weight now and I feel pretty good..BUT I WILL NEVER TELL ANYONE I WOULD DO THIS AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT! I hope I continue to feel better and lose weight healthy. I am doing all my vitamins, but this is a scary surgery which I almost lost my life!! I felt terrible for my family and this is something that you all need to think about before you do it. I was more worried about my family then dying because I sooooo never thought in a million years I would have gone through what I went through. I mean the first lap surgery was a piece of cake. It was all that followed that was MIND BLOWING. I just pray everyday I continue to live each day to the fullest 
...Not to mention 150,000 medical bill that is not covered by insurance because I was PRIVATE PAY....OH yeah everyday is a challenge in some way...Until LATER ~Allison
thats not right. So I hurried and called my friend that had it done and she said thats not normal. Called the hospital much of no help told me if it happened again to go to the hospital. Well I got a hold of Dr Shimer myself and kinda calmed me down and said that may be normal. So I told my husband I should try some broth since I hadn't had anything and it was like 2pm. So he made me a little cup of broth and I drank about 2 sips. In about 30 minutes I got a tremendous pain from the top of my should to the bottom of my stomach and I thought I was GOING TO DIE . I quickly told Eddie to rush me to the hospital that something was wrong. So to make a really long story shorter. I had a gastric leak. Pretty big one from what I can understand plus a huge hematoma (huge like blod clot). Hence the reason for spitting up blood. Well had emergency surgery. Wont mention the horrible pain for 6 hours having to wait while they diagnosed my problem. Anyway, had the emergency surgery. Woke up in I.C.U intubated with a breathing tube. Being given 2 pints of blood with a central line in my neck. I was in ICU 3 days. Figuring that the leak was healed...Was it? NOPE...I come to find out I had railroad track sutures up and down my belly ( but very thankful I was alive yes) and to have 2 drains PLUS A FEEDING TUBE.....WTF!!. Then my family tells me that my doctor said I still had a small leak and they had to have it heal. So I had nothing in my mouth for a month YES I SAID A MONTH WHILE IT HEALED. WELL GUESS WHAT?? IT DIDNT HEAL. When I say I didnt have anything by mouth I was being fed with milk through a feeding tube. Kinda terrible situation! Was GLAD TO BE ALIVE. MY POOR HUSBAND WAS AN. So to add to this great situation. My doctor who has never had this problem with any of his patients and also feels terrible and even had cancelled his clinic for 3 days because he was so worried about me and thought I was going to die. Anyway, he tells me Allison I need to send you to Methodist Hospital in Houston Texas to see Dr Peter Schwartz so he can place a Gastric STENT over that area that is leaking so it can heal!!!! I was like OH MY GOD!!! So we leave and go to Methodist. Which I must say is the best hospital I have ever been too. Even the treatment is awesome. Also got to meet Dr Davis he was one of my doctors off of the show Big Medicine. Anyway Dr Schwartz put this stent in and for 3 weeks I still was basically nothing by mouth. So for 6 weeks all together . I wont even mention that my feeding tube got clogged twice and I had constant nausea and vomiting for 3 weeks. But THANK THE LORD after 3 weeks my leak was healed and I was able to start taking things by mouth. Slowly things are returning to normal. Removal of the FEEDING TUBE was removed about 3 weeks ago and wassssssss soooo super painful...LORD.. So anyway I am about 3 months out and eating normal and have almost lost 60 pounds. I feel better now but I am slowly regaining my strength and emotional status!!! I mean I know I am losing weight now and I feel pretty good..BUT I WILL NEVER TELL ANYONE I WOULD DO THIS AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT! I hope I continue to feel better and lose weight healthy. I am doing all my vitamins, but this is a scary surgery which I almost lost my life!! I felt terrible for my family and this is something that you all need to think about before you do it. I was more worried about my family then dying because I sooooo never thought in a million years I would have gone through what I went through. I mean the first lap surgery was a piece of cake. It was all that followed that was MIND BLOWING. I just pray everyday I continue to live each day to the fullest ...Not to mention 150,000 medical bill that is not covered by insurance because I was PRIVATE PAY....OH yeah everyday is a challenge in some way...Until LATER ~Allison
