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At my last post I was feeling quite good about things.  I was loosing weight and things were going fine.  My food was going down, my pills and supplements made me feel good, and I was working very hard at applying for a new job, or to graduate school.  Then two weeks ago, I began to have some pain in my right foot.  I am used to that being an obese man, and went on living.  It seemed slightly worse each day, but again was not unexpected.  Then that Thursday July 26th I began to have problems keeping food down, in fact, nothing but my meds stayed down that day.  The next day was just as bad, and I was told that my stomach pouch was irritated and to revert to fluids for a few days.  I did and by Sunday I was able to eat a little again.  To this day, I can eat very little and foods I could eat before now bother me and come right back up (eggs for example).  Monday came and my foot hurt so bad I missed work and went to the doctor.  It took me 1 and a half hours to accomplish this task.  He decided it was gout and ordered Celebrex.  I cannot take that, and suffered a few more days waiting for a doctor to give me something I could use.  Finally my PCP contacted me Thursday and we got some meds in me...  My foot feels much better, but the nausea and diarrhea lasted for days.  I still don't feel good, but I am back to work...  Whose idea was it to have this surgery again???  I've got some serious buyers remorse right now...  MY RNY was the worst decision I have ever made in my LIFE!

Well, I had my surgery two weeks ago.  Although I have my moments of “What was I thinking”, for the most part it has been a blessing thus far.  I rarely want food, although occasionally I really want a Hot Dog or a piece of Pizza.  I am a bit tired of my food options right now, but I have not been all that creative with the spices.  In two weeks, my wedding ring went from tight, to practically falling off my finger, which is kind of cool!  Speaking of cool, I am cold all the time, and really didn’t expect that to happen at all!!!  It’s weird how the body works.  

My supplements are all going down ok, although I am sick of isopure. 

I really feel pretty good, and am looking forward to getting a few items added to the menu at the one month appt.

Marcie is doing wonderful, and our baby is growing lots.  We cannot wait to meet her, but we will not have to wait long.  She is due in just a couple of Months!!!  We cannot wait to be parents!  I just hope I am a good Father.  We have a Dr Appointment tomorrow to check up on the Baby!!!!  Everything seems to be going really well!!!

For a very brief time, I actually thought that things were starting to go my way.  My wife was feeling better and her bleeding had all but stopped.  We learned of a local program that helps people get into a home of their own, and they seemed excited to help us.  I was doing well in school and had aspirations of finally finding work in a career.  My surgery was still a little ways off, and other than struggling to loose weight, I am right on track.  What a glorious week that was.  I remembered what it was to be happy and full of hope.  Then as I should have expected, but didn’t, Life kicked me between the legs… again…

 
It all started with a phone call about 7:00 pm Last Thursday.  It was my wife’s Doctor and he was worried because her amniotic fluid was low.  His concern is that the subchorionic hemorrhage had blocked some nutrient from reaching the baby.  My wife is now on limited activity (again), but has also been placed on disability, because the doctor does not want her to work.  Next to call was the housing people, who told us we didn’t qualify for low income help because we couldn’t qualify for $140,000 mortgage.  If we could qualify for a mortgage like that we wouldn’t need their help!!!  My current job ends in a few weeks, and the only interview I have is for a internship making a whopping $7.00 an hour…  What will I do with all the money?  Then Dr. Blackstone’s office calls and tells me my surgery (already rescheduled 3 times) is being rescheduled again!  At least it was a short move, from June 8^th to June 25^th.   

So basically, I have to continue to live with my parents (My wife and I had to move in with them last April when I was layed off), have zero career options open at the moment, and after paying insurance premiums, will have little money left to work with.  I have not been considered seriously for any “real” jobs due partly to my necessary time off for surgery in a few months, but mostly because of my obese body.  I keep telling myself that after the surgery things are going to look up.  I will feel better, and be more competitive in the job market.  I will be a Healthier Dad to my first child (Due in September) and with a little luck and a lot of work, Life will be better.  Am I deluding myself?

Hello everybody,

What a heck of a month this has been!  Between school, work, my medical issues, the problems my wife and I have had with our pregnancy, and my sister-in-law’s first child being born W/ complications… I have hardly had time to breathe.  Marcie is still bleeding, and we don’t know if her hematoma is shrinking, staying the same, or getting larger.  It certainly has not resolved itself.  We both try to remain optimistic, but worry always finds it way inside our minds.  

My sister-in-law, had her baby a week and a half ago, but there was a blockage in the baby’s intestine requiring surgery.  We ended up in Albuquerque for that procedure and mother and baby are still there.  The baby is doing ok, but still cannot feed on its own.  The intestines and stomach are not moving things through effectively yet.  We are hopeful they can return home early next week.

I am sill on track for my surgery in June, although I am finding it hard to loose the weight I am supposed to, especially spending so much time on the road trying to help with the situation in Albuquerque .  I have been going to a psychologist for a month or two now, trying to get myself mentally prepared to deal with the rapid changes coming my way.  Together we are exploring my eating, and how I use it emotionally and to find ways to process my emotions more positively.  I hope that we can figure something out!

Please pray form my wife and baby, my sister-in-law, and me…  I would like for everything to work out for all of us.

Richard I

Hello again,

 
How quickly things can change huh?  Sunday I was happy in the fact that I was going to be a Daddy in September and post-op in June.  Monday morning saw me and my wife in the ER because my wife had excessive bleeding.  Of course my wife and I were not only scared, but convinced that we were loosing our child.  My lack of faith was very apparent that day, because I was wrong.  The pregnancy is actually fine, at risk a little, but otherwise fine.  My wife was experiencing a subchorionic hematoma.  We were told that most likely this will resolve and the pregnancy will go full term, but nothing is certain.  Marcie is on a week’s bed rest to give the hematoma time to heal a bit.  Thank GOD!  The Dr. gave us an 80% chance of resolution which is good, but that also means a 20%chance of miscarriage.  We are optimistic and things do seem to be on the mend.

My surgery has been rescheduled for June 8^th and is still on track as far as I know.  

Richard Immell

Boy what a strange couple of months I’ve had.  Just a quick re-cap.  First I was scheduled for surgery, then I was not scheduled for surgery… then I was scheduled for August, then October, then I was not on the schedule at all.  While this was going on, my wife and I found out that we are pregnant with our first child.  

Well, yesterday we had an ultrasound done, and I saw my child for the first time.  It seemed to wave at us and although it is way too early to tell what sex it is, we were happy to see that the baby is growing and that everything looks normal.  My wife and I are hoping for a girl, but healthy will be just fine.  It was very exciting!

Today, I got a call from Dr. Blackstone’s office to get me scheduled again.  I once again have a date, and it is not in August or October.  My new Surgery Date is June 8^th.  I am perfectly happy with this date.  I would like it sooner, but it falls after the semester ends and is way before my wife is due.  Score one for the Fat Kid…

Please keep my wife and unborn child in your prayers.

Richard I

PS  Ultrasound images will be posted soon...