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Hi ,

     Sorry I have not updated lately, kids have kept me busy.  I have lost 48 lbs. since surgery and feel so much better, so that's a total of 80 lbs. since Jan. 2007.  I still have to work on getting in enough fluids, but I found that I like the "New Whey Liquid Protein" I add half a tube to light OJ in the mornings.  I try to get the rest in my food.  I have only got sick about 6 times and I thought I was doing great then today I ate to fast and got sick while driving down the interstate, I had to pull over quick. lol  

     I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.   My Step-kids only came over to get their presents.  We have been having trouble with my step daughter, she has not came over for about a month.  She will be 17 Jan 19th and is in "love" and knows everything, except how to be truthful.  

I will try to stay in touch more often,
Kim

Second Day - Fifth Day After Surgery
October 19-22, 2007

       My blood count was still low and they gave me 2 more pints of blood. And my blood work leveled out.
        
       I was making progress walking around the nurses station.  I made several laps a day.

        I was able to get a shower. 


Day After Surgery
October 18, 2007

       I went for my x-rays to make sure I didn't have a leak.  Everything looked great.  The stuff I had to swallow was gross.  But I got to get a popsickle.
        
       I didn't have any "gas" pains from the Lap gas but when I went to the bathroom my husband thought I would not quit passing gas.  I was also passing black stool, well what their was of it.  I had to nurses check it out and they called Dr.Freeman.  It seems I was bleeding internally inside the intestine.  I ended up having to have 2 pints of blood that night, because my blood count had dropped.

         I was still getting up to walk and felt pretty good.  I was able to get a shower and that felt wonderful. 

Surgery Day
October 17, 2007

        We got up at 2:00 am to travel to Anniston Alabama for my surgery.  I had to be at the hospitial by 6:00 am, we were their early.

         I was calm and talkative to all the nurses, Dr. Freeman prayed with my family and me before surgery. The surgery only took about 1 hour and was complication free.  I slept alot and hit my pain pump, but I was up by 1:00 pm walking.
  

Well my preop appt is on the Oct. 11, 2007 and my surgery day is Oct. 17, 2007.  I am scared but excited.  I have an angel:  Kristie T. username kdtorn ... you can contact her for an update on me, I won't have access to a computer for at least a week.  I live about five hours away from the doctor and I will have to stay in a hotel after being released from the hospitial.  

I have farmed out my kids to family, so my husband doesn't have to worry about running them around the week I have surgery.  My baby just turned 6 and other baby turned 15 and she got her permit to drive!  Watch out on Mississippi roads - cause my step son (15) Just got his permit too.  My step daughter is 16 and has been driving on her own about 6 or 7 months.

My husband is a big deer hunter and he won a draw to hunt in north MS and guess what day it is ... my preop appt on the 11th.  He works and does stuff at the house, so I told him to go and have fun.  My sister Shonnon will be riding with me that day.  I will have to get up and leave by 3 in the morning to be able to make my first appt at 8.

I will post as soon as I can after surgery, but Kristie T. username kdtorn will have the updates.  Thanks Kristie!

Kim

Well there is not much to tell.  I am still waiting on the Hospitial to be certified "Center of Excellance".

I called the doctors office to check on the COE and Beverly told me that the onsite inspection will be on May 17 and they should know within 4 weeks if it was passed.

I will be praying that they pass.  

Today was my consult and it was in Alabama.  We had to get up at 3:00 AM to travel 4 hours one way.  

I just new my DH was going to be a grouch, but he was pretty good the whole day.

We got there exactly on time, not a minute to spare.  I had already faxed my packet back to them - the day after I received it and filled it out.  I was a little excited to be starting this journey.  They copied my DL & Medicare & my supplemental insurance cards.  

With in a few minutes we got our pic made, measured(5'8), and weighed(279). Then we were shown into the conference room.  The whole office was beautiful.  The first thing we did was the test to see if you have a bacteria in your stomache (Mine was negative) that they want to get rid of before any surgery.  Then we had a snack, because we came fasting - well I did - The DH stopped and got a KING size Snicker bar and a cappuaccino.  But I was strong, even with chocolate fumes all in the car.

We watched a video explaining bypass and lap band.  They explained everything about what you could experience before, during, and after surgery.  It was very informative, it was a kind of review for me since I have done so much research already.  

My surgeon came in and introduce himself to everyone by our names.  We had never met him before but he new us.  Dr. Freeman was very charming, sincer, believable and friendly.  He had just gotten through with doing two lap band procedures this morning.  A christian man who was not afraid to talk about god and pray with us. 

Next we were shown to a private room for an exam.  Dr. Freeman's surgery asst. was going to do the exam but was held up by something at the hospitial, soo Dr. Freeman handled mine personally.  I was impressed with all the staff today.  Everything looks great and I will be able to get Medicare to cover it, due to my BMI 42.4 and my co-morbidities.  Medicare has a new requirement that the doctor's office and the hospitial have to a "Center of Execellence".  Dr. Freeman's office has already got this status and the hospitial is in the process to get theirs.  So I will have to wait.... maybe not to long! Sigh

I couldn't have the sonogram preformed because the person who did that wasn't there today. Bummer!

I had scheduled my psch evalation for the same day and I may have sat in the waiting room for fifteen minutes.  Then I was off to a private room to "talk" for awhile.  My DH asked if he could go to - I said no that wanted to pass this test. LOL  The doc was very nice and understanding.  He told me it only took less than a week for his report to be turned into Dr.Freeman. Yippie!  He asked what I planned on doing after our appt., I told him I hope my DH takes me to Out Back to eat lunch.

As he walked me to the waiting room he shook my DH's hand and told him he only had one recommendation for him.  He said he suggested my DH take me out to eat at Out Back.  It caught my DH off guard - all he could do was laugh. hehe!

My DH did take me to Out Back but they were closed.  The one time I get to go -they are closed.  I did get him to take me to Red Lobster and it was great.  I have to say, minus the driving time, it was a great day. 

Talk more next time,
Kim

I have several medical aliments:
         Rheumatoid Arthritis;
         Osteoarthritis;
           Fibyromyalgia;
           High Blood Pressure;
           type 2 Diabetes;
           Sleep Apnea;
            thyroidism