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Hey Everyone, I know I just posted, but there is another website I just found...YouTube is a great community of wls patients. I just found http://www.pouchfriendly.com

I got a friend request from someone on this site, and I came back to my profile. I'm nine weeks out from my surgery, July 15th, 2010 and I have lost 46lbs. I've lost about two and a half dress sizes so far, and I update on a regular basis on youtube.

Week 1 Update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NystvfTg1Y

Weeks 2 & 3 Updates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgDSMBecwXI

I'm back from surgery everyone. I survived! Anyway, I thought I would take the time to tell you, and to record it for myself, what my hospital stay was like. After the video in the previous blog, I didn't get much sleep. I was too anxious. I slept for three hours and then I was wide awake. My best friend came over in the morning to take me to the hospital where I checked in and changed clothes and laid down on the gurney. My surgery took place about an hour and half after I came to the hospital. The first time I met Dr. Atkinson, face to face, actually speaking to each other was about five minutes before the surgery. I was so nervous that my blood pressure was sky high. He asked me if I was ready and I said, I wasn't sure. Of course, he gave me a look like, it's going to happen anyway, and it did.

When I woke up from the surgery, I had an oxygen mask on my face but I was gasping for air. I tried to take the mask off my face, instinctively, and I was saying, "Help," of course there was a nurse screaming at me to move...move up I guess, but I didn't think I could breathe. I thought to myself, I'm in excruciating pain, I can't breathe and Nurse Ratchett is screaming at me. I couldn't really move my arms or my legs and my torso was on fire, literally. I had to psych myself up with things like, "You survived, Michaela..you did it...you're ok." I finally got the nurse to stop screaming at me because I moved up the bed. Then she said she was going to take me to my room and I was thinking, "Wait a minute, you're not going to give me pain medicine?" 

I was wheeled into my room and my mom and another friend, not my best friend were there. They wanted to make small talk. I was in no mood for small talk. I was in too much pain to be polite. My friend had brought me a gift she wanted me to look at but I couldn't concentrate as my pain level was at about a 12. I'm not going to lie...it was the worst pain I have ever felt. They don't tell you that in the commericals when they want you to have it. I had gastric bypass surgery by the way. I knew it would be painful, and I'm sure if you've had kids you are used to pain, but other than one other surgery, this is the biggest surgery I have ever had. I don't even remember my first nurses. They said that my blood pressure was so high that they had to wait to give me pain medicine.

The nurse that came in at 7pm though, I do remember. Her name was Anna. She was so cool. She was very attentive and answered all my questions and helped me walk. When you are in that much pain and you know they want you to walk around the building you think they are crazy, but it is possible, tough, but possible.

It used to be that when it was going on 2 1/2 hours I started asking when I could have pain medicine, but now, I haven't had pain medicine in like two or three days. It is really painful, but by like day 5, you learn what you can cope with.

The next morning, the nurse did just enough. I mean, she was good, but she wasn't Anna. I could tell right away. I didn't hate her, but you know, but I thought I could use more help than what she want to give.

I was scheduled to go home but I really didn't feel good. Dr. Atkinson said it was ok if I needed another day in the hospital, but I really wanted to go home. I probably shouldn't have, but I wanted to go home. I came home that Friday night and my best friend spent the night. She was really concerned about me. She knew I was out of it. I was basically strung out on pain medicine. My whole personality changed when I needed medicine and when I was feeling better I was 'normal.' Anyway, I had a slight fever that night, and she called Dr. Atkinson. He basically said it was normal that I just need to drink more water and walk around the house more. I did. The next morning my friend left and my family came to watch me. I slept a lot on Saturday. I was really tired. I slept most of that day away. My fever went even higher that night and Dr. Atkinson wanted me to come back to the hospital to have a blood test. The hospital found out that I had pneumonia, non-surgery related, or so they said, and my oxygen level was 45% when it was supposed to be 95% to 100%. I don't know how it got so low, but I figure that's why I slept so much on Saturday. Anyway, I was admitted back into the hospital where I had lots of breathing treatments and antibiotics flowing through my veins. I had a CAT Scan in the meantime of my stomach, and there was no infection there, everything looked good. They told me my lungs almost collapsed. Most interesting stuff that's happened to me. lol Anyway, the respiratory doctor finally discharged me on Tuesday afternoon and I've been taking antibiotics ever since.

Since this last Friday I haven't had any pain in my stomach or around my incisions that I would take pain medicine for. Oh, and I've lost 21lbs so far.

www.youtube.com/watch

I went for the last consultation after the psychological evaluation. After everything was done, he said, "Let's get you a surgery date." I thought it was going to be three weeks from now, but the scheduler had an opening tomorrow. She said, "I have Thursday." I said, "Oh, next Thursday?" She said, "No, I mean, this Thursday, the 15th." I was totally shocked. I've been so frustrated and had the feeling I wanted the surgery "yesterday", that when they said they could schedule me so soon, I couldn't believe it. I go in for my pre-surgical appointment today, and then I register at the hospital afterwards. Then be at the hospital tomorrow morning! I can't believe it. The wait is finally over!

Well, I've had the pre-op tests, and my doctor finally, officially, approved me for surgery...hopefully her office has sent the authorization to my insurance company. She said she would, she did it for my friend, so I'm hoping I don't have any hold ups to getting an appointment to get the psych evaluation. I called before and they said they had to have it before they could schedule it. That's the one thing that's been so frustrating. One person says one thing, you talk to the next person, and it's the complete opposite. There have been times when I have wanted to give up because there are so many obstacles in the way, but I have tried to stay positive and kept going. Forcing people to listen to you, and not taking no for an answer has been a lesson in perseverance and strength. I want to know when the surgery is happening and I guess everyone and their brother asking when it is, do I know yet, doesn't help. I really believe I will know next week.

Hey I just wanted to post that I finally went to the seminar..well I did it before, and it was too long ago. I've done the six months, now all I need is the tests,  psychological evaulation, see dr atkinson of course, and I'll have a date. I'm thinking six weeks until a surgery date!  I hope it's that quick. Just thought I'd update.

Don't get me wrong, I have a job. At the moment I work in retail. I love the people I work with, and I've made some good friends, working there almost four years, but with my weight, is just getting to be too much. Standing on my feet the whole 8 hour shift...well I hobble home in agony. I've taken every pain medicine known to mankind, and I think my body is numb to them, because I can't feel the difference. Another piece of the puzzle, I suppose. I've been asked for a supervisoral position more than once, and the money is good, but 37.50 hours all standing on my poor feet...I had to turn the position down. I could be at least a supervisor or maybe even a manager...the customers certainly assume I'm part of management anyway...but my body can't handle it. I'm 32 years old, and my body can't handle it. I don't tell my managers this, but I think they know why I've turned them down so many times. It's terrible that I have to weigh and measure if the pain is worth the money I'll earn. Most of the time I turn them down. It's riddiculous.

Like I've said in the past, I'm earning my bachelor's degree in human services management, and I have lots of expericence and work well with the computer...I just need a sitdown job. Or more sitting than standing, randomly. My feet and legs kill me when I get home. I am blessed to have a job in this economy. Especially the Las Vegas economy. The news said today that the unemployment rate is 14%. When President Obama is telling tourists not to come to Las Vegas, that's what happens. It's getting better, but still, it's pretty bad. I have a couple of friends who are unemployed right now. I know I'm blessed. At least I have a job. Not a life-affirming career, not yet anyway, but I have money coming into my bank account.

Every day I'm working, I think to myself, "I'm smarter than this job." Anyone else feel like that? So, I decided to do something about it. I reorganized my resume, and I sent it out, and will continue to send it out until I get a full-time, sit-down job. The only reason I bring it this up on this site is because I wanted to do it after my surgery, and who knows that might be in mid-July, and I keep waiting and waiting...my current job is willing to give me three weeks off..that's the reason why I procrastinated, but I have to know what's out there. I have to do something. I can't just sit, or stand, on my laurels. I'm ready to move on. Besides, I am NOT working another Christmas in retail.

You know what I love at this time of year?

Growing up in Las Vegas might seem a weird concept to most. My childhood, besides the last post, was pretty great--especially in the summer. The days were spent in the hot sun, swimming in the neighborhood pools to cool off. Everyday, the neighboorhood kids and I would choose which pool to play in, and we would spend all day long jumping in and out of the pool. I of course, as you can tell, was very fair. The brutal Las Vegas summers turned me into a lobster, and when that happened, I had to spend a couple of days recovering indoors. I didn't care. My parents had to force me to stay home on those days, because the kid universe revolved around swimming, at least in my neighborhood. When we finally decided to come in from the pool, the air conditioned houses would blow cool air on our 'fresh out of the pool' bodies. We lived on kool-aid and watermelon. Our hair full of clorine and our eyes burning--we loved being fish for those three months. Three glorious months of sun, swim, bike riding, summer nights and absolute freedom.

That's when summers meant acutually relaxing instead of just hot cars blowing semi-cold air in the middle of rush hour. Children have the ability to make almost anything magical. Las Vegas seemed to come alive, at least in the kid world. There were baseball games, backyard bbqs, picnics and plays to attend. I remember on a couple occasions we made a monumental trip down to the 7-11, by ourselves walking, to buy slurpees for everyone in our group. The conversations we had as we all galavanted down the street--well, I'll never forget. There were no predators, no child molesters, or evil people out to get us. We didn't know about them anyway. The world was innocent. Everything was at peace. How I long to go back to that world of complete ignorance instead of the adult world we all live in now. The world was our oyster and every summer was going to be 'the best summer of our lives.'