karlij
2.5 years post-op
Jul 23, 2010
Wow, I have not been on here in a while! So much has happened. The best thing is that I am now 7 months pregnant with our second child, after going through two difficult miscarriages last year. We started trying for a baby as soon as we reached that 18 month post-op milestone and got the OK from my doctor, my body just didn't want to cooperate. Typical.
My son is doing fantastic. He still talks about mommy being sick, and is very nervous about me returning to the hospital soon to have the baby (repeat c-section), but otherwise seems to have made it through our horrifying ordeal OK. It's amazing how much a 2-year old can remember, though - he's 4.5 now and still talks about "mommy's food" (feeding tube) like it was yesterday.
I had a tough year with weight gain last year, I put on about 20 lbs. I was very depressed after the repeat miscarriages and unfortunately ate my way through the pain. My parents also moved from Tucson to OK, due to a job transfer, which was extremely hard. This led us to put our own house on the market and start the process of moving back to Texas, which is where the rest of our family is. I'm happy to report that a year after we decided to move, we finally made it! We love our new home and my SIL is able to watch our son for us, which is wonderful. No more daycare!
So the question I always get asked (still) is would you do the surgery again? Absolutely, yes. I still have a lot of guilt around almost dying and leaving my family alone, but my post-op post-traumatic stress disorder problem is finally gone and mentally I feel good. The only physical problems remaining from my ordeal are my 12 ugly scars, including the lovely 18 inch midline one which is stretching out even bigger with pregnancy (great.). And it hurts when I sneeze and breathe deeply in the mornings, which is due to scar tissue around my lungs (the abscess and leak were on my left side under the diaphragm).
Every time I tell my story, especially to anyone in the medical field, I am grateful all over again to have made it through this - especially happy and whole. What I went through *should* have killed me, but by the grace of God it did not! I know others are not as fortunate. Every time my OB sees my scar, she reminds me how lucky I am to be alive. The best thing about nearly dying is that I now cherish everything in my life so much more, because I almost lost it all.
Good luck and best wishes to all contemplating this surgery. It is lifechanging in ways you can't even believe. Anyone who is experiencing a leak or difficulty post-op with VSG, please feel free to contact me.
0 comments
My son is doing fantastic. He still talks about mommy being sick, and is very nervous about me returning to the hospital soon to have the baby (repeat c-section), but otherwise seems to have made it through our horrifying ordeal OK. It's amazing how much a 2-year old can remember, though - he's 4.5 now and still talks about "mommy's food" (feeding tube) like it was yesterday.
I had a tough year with weight gain last year, I put on about 20 lbs. I was very depressed after the repeat miscarriages and unfortunately ate my way through the pain. My parents also moved from Tucson to OK, due to a job transfer, which was extremely hard. This led us to put our own house on the market and start the process of moving back to Texas, which is where the rest of our family is. I'm happy to report that a year after we decided to move, we finally made it! We love our new home and my SIL is able to watch our son for us, which is wonderful. No more daycare!
So the question I always get asked (still) is would you do the surgery again? Absolutely, yes. I still have a lot of guilt around almost dying and leaving my family alone, but my post-op post-traumatic stress disorder problem is finally gone and mentally I feel good. The only physical problems remaining from my ordeal are my 12 ugly scars, including the lovely 18 inch midline one which is stretching out even bigger with pregnancy (great.). And it hurts when I sneeze and breathe deeply in the mornings, which is due to scar tissue around my lungs (the abscess and leak were on my left side under the diaphragm).
Every time I tell my story, especially to anyone in the medical field, I am grateful all over again to have made it through this - especially happy and whole. What I went through *should* have killed me, but by the grace of God it did not! I know others are not as fortunate. Every time my OB sees my scar, she reminds me how lucky I am to be alive. The best thing about nearly dying is that I now cherish everything in my life so much more, because I almost lost it all.
Good luck and best wishes to all contemplating this surgery. It is lifechanging in ways you can't even believe. Anyone who is experiencing a leak or difficulty post-op with VSG, please feel free to contact me.
One Year Later
Dec 30, 2008
Wow, what a year this has been. My VSG was (almost) 1 year ago on 1/2/08.
This year I nearly lost my life, thanks to a post-op leak that kept me in the hospital for 2 months and off work, in physical therapy, for 5 months. Do your research, people, and be prepared. See my profile for pics of me in the iCU if you don't believe how real complications are.
But, I got a new life in return. I have not reached goal weight yet, thanks to my reliance on Dr. Pepper and junk food to get me through working 12-24 hours per day this Christmas season (I'm a retail manager). I am very close, though, and once I kick the DP to the curb and get back to the gym next week, I know I will get there. The last 10 lbs will probably have to wait until after plastics, as I have a lot of extra skin!
The best way to describe how I feel after having VSG is "normal". What a great feeling that is! I am no longer the fattest person in the room everywhere I go, I can shop in the regular section of stores - I wear a M/L in tops and a 14 in bottoms. I don't feel like a freak in public like being a fat person eating huge meals always made me feel. Well, I still feel like a freak sometimes because I can only eat 1/2 of a kids meal at dinner and servers always want to know what's wrong! :-)
My marriage is completely changed for the better, because being fat meant that there was literally always an "extra person" between us. My hubby absolutely loves the new me - I haven't been this small since we started dating in high school. My baby also loves the new me. I can chase him around the house all day, get on the floor to play with him, I have an actual lap for him to sit on, and in general I am just a much happier and cheerful person.
Would I do still choose to have VSG again, if I could go back in time? Yes.
I still feel guilty about nearly dying and leaving my baby without a mom - my being in the hospital was so hard for him that he remembers everything about it and still talks about it to this day - and he was only 2 years old at the time! He still asks me, "mommy you go the hospital, you feel better?" all the time, and it breaks my heart. I also don't know what my life will be like in 30 years because of all the scar tissue I have from my many post-op complications and surgeries, so that scares me somewhat. But, it's in God's hands.
What i do know is that nearly dying, the horribly difficult recovery from that, and then losing 105 lbs all in one year has been an amazing journey that has given me an incredible new perspective on life, and I wouldn't change that for anything. When I think about the person I was one year ago, I know that she would not ever have believed how challenging and wonderful this year would be. She also had no clue how stong and beautiful she was!
Now I am off to celebrate, with a really sloooow dinner at my favorite restaurant, The Melting Pot! Good luck to all newbies and be ready - your life is going to change, in ways you don't even know.
1 comment
This year I nearly lost my life, thanks to a post-op leak that kept me in the hospital for 2 months and off work, in physical therapy, for 5 months. Do your research, people, and be prepared. See my profile for pics of me in the iCU if you don't believe how real complications are.
But, I got a new life in return. I have not reached goal weight yet, thanks to my reliance on Dr. Pepper and junk food to get me through working 12-24 hours per day this Christmas season (I'm a retail manager). I am very close, though, and once I kick the DP to the curb and get back to the gym next week, I know I will get there. The last 10 lbs will probably have to wait until after plastics, as I have a lot of extra skin!
The best way to describe how I feel after having VSG is "normal". What a great feeling that is! I am no longer the fattest person in the room everywhere I go, I can shop in the regular section of stores - I wear a M/L in tops and a 14 in bottoms. I don't feel like a freak in public like being a fat person eating huge meals always made me feel. Well, I still feel like a freak sometimes because I can only eat 1/2 of a kids meal at dinner and servers always want to know what's wrong! :-)
My marriage is completely changed for the better, because being fat meant that there was literally always an "extra person" between us. My hubby absolutely loves the new me - I haven't been this small since we started dating in high school. My baby also loves the new me. I can chase him around the house all day, get on the floor to play with him, I have an actual lap for him to sit on, and in general I am just a much happier and cheerful person.
Would I do still choose to have VSG again, if I could go back in time? Yes.
I still feel guilty about nearly dying and leaving my baby without a mom - my being in the hospital was so hard for him that he remembers everything about it and still talks about it to this day - and he was only 2 years old at the time! He still asks me, "mommy you go the hospital, you feel better?" all the time, and it breaks my heart. I also don't know what my life will be like in 30 years because of all the scar tissue I have from my many post-op complications and surgeries, so that scares me somewhat. But, it's in God's hands.
What i do know is that nearly dying, the horribly difficult recovery from that, and then losing 105 lbs all in one year has been an amazing journey that has given me an incredible new perspective on life, and I wouldn't change that for anything. When I think about the person I was one year ago, I know that she would not ever have believed how challenging and wonderful this year would be. She also had no clue how stong and beautiful she was!
Now I am off to celebrate, with a really sloooow dinner at my favorite restaurant, The Melting Pot! Good luck to all newbies and be ready - your life is going to change, in ways you don't even know.
Happy Birthday to Me
Jul 03, 2008
July 2 was my birthday AND my 6 month surgiversary. I was a little bummed at being a year older, but then was reminded by my husband - if I had died, as I very nearly did, I would have been 30 forever! So, I am embracing the big 3-1 and celebrating it.
6 months out now - can't believe it. I am finally glad I had this surgery. I am 83 lbs lighter, wearing a size 16 pant & XL shirts (NO MORE PLUS SIZES FOR ME!!). I can walk 2 miles with my toddler without feeling like I am going to die. I can get up and down from the floor easily. I don't get worn out at work - I still have energy at the end of the day. I feel sexy, even with all the 10 freakish scars on my stomach courtesy of my complications, and the saggy skin.
I eat normal foods now for most meals, lots of string cheese and chicken deli meat. I even drink the very occasional soda or have a bite of dessert. I completely lost my sweet tooth after surgery, and please God may I never find it again :-) I actually dump when I have too much food or sugar, which is an awesome tool for keeping me on track. My biggest weakness is cheese popcorn. I hated cheese popcorn my whole life, but for some reason have craved it NON-STOP since about 3 months out. I treat myself occasionally but stay on track diet-wise 90% of the time.
I am happy and I feel normal. What else could one ask for??
6 months out now - can't believe it. I am finally glad I had this surgery. I am 83 lbs lighter, wearing a size 16 pant & XL shirts (NO MORE PLUS SIZES FOR ME!!). I can walk 2 miles with my toddler without feeling like I am going to die. I can get up and down from the floor easily. I don't get worn out at work - I still have energy at the end of the day. I feel sexy, even with all the 10 freakish scars on my stomach courtesy of my complications, and the saggy skin.
I eat normal foods now for most meals, lots of string cheese and chicken deli meat. I even drink the very occasional soda or have a bite of dessert. I completely lost my sweet tooth after surgery, and please God may I never find it again :-) I actually dump when I have too much food or sugar, which is an awesome tool for keeping me on track. My biggest weakness is cheese popcorn. I hated cheese popcorn my whole life, but for some reason have craved it NON-STOP since about 3 months out. I treat myself occasionally but stay on track diet-wise 90% of the time.
I am happy and I feel normal. What else could one ask for??
feeling "normal"
Jun 08, 2008
Well, I finally went back to work 3 weeks ago, finished physical therapy last week, and am feeling like myself again. If I could go back in time, I still am not sure if I would have the surgery again or not - but living life 75 lbs lighter sure is wonderful. I still don't have my full stamina back, so I get tired pretty easily when I am at work or the gym. But, that should come back in time. I do worry about what the future will look like, as far as my complications go - will I have trouble with scar tissue, etc.??
My biggest struggle right now is that I DO feel like myself again, and I am slipping sometimes and eating too many carbs. This has slowed my weight loss down, and I am now not going to hit the -100 lbs mark my surgeon wanted me to hit by July 15. Oh well, I will get there eventually. This is not a race, it is a lifetime journey.
My biggest struggle right now is that I DO feel like myself again, and I am slipping sometimes and eating too many carbs. This has slowed my weight loss down, and I am now not going to hit the -100 lbs mark my surgeon wanted me to hit by July 15. Oh well, I will get there eventually. This is not a race, it is a lifetime journey.
My leak story (the short version)
Mar 08, 2008
I had my sleeve on Jan 2, the first 2 weeks were great, but suddenly on Jan 17 I developed a 105 degree fever and abdominal pain. After multiple tests, heading to the ICU and nearly dying, it was determined that I had a leak and my entire abdomen was septic. I had another surgery, this time open with a foot-long incision, and 3 abdominal washes to clean out all of the infection. I spent 3 weeks in the ICU after that, and 2 weeks in rehab learning how to walk again and build up my strength. I am still weak and have to use a walker, even typing is hard because of muscle mass lost in my fingers. My right foot is also mostly numb, due to disruptions in my nervous system, but it is slowly coming back - 3 weeks in ICU will do that to you! It is also hard on the pocketbook - at last count, my hospital bill was about $474,000 - yep, 6 figures! Thank God we have great insurance.
I went into this surgery thinking hey I am young & healthy and I will breeze through it, but that obviously wasn't the case for me. So I just urge anyone considering the surgery to really internalize that there ARE REAL risks to this. Dr. Chiasson still does not know why I suddenly had a leak 2 weeks after surgery, I was totaly compliant to the "rules" and was doing fantastic until the day I suddenly woke up with the fever, etc.
After 6 weeks in the hospital, I was finally released last night. I am home on tube feeding (going straight to my intestines) and a wound vacuum which is helping my huge abdominal incision heal, which is a big pain, but I am happy to be out of the hospital finally. It has been a long and difficult road, but hopefully I am nearing the end of it.
Right now I regret ever having the surgery - the pain and worry this caused my entire family makes me feel horribly selfish for ever having done it, and I missed 6 weeks of my 2 year old son's life that I will never get back - I even missed his 2nd birthday (I was still in ICU). Hopefuly a year from now this will all be a distant memory and I will feel better about my decision to have the sleeve.
home from the hospital
Jan 07, 2008
So, I came home from the hospital on Friday night. I almost had to stay one more night because I was having trouble getting fluids down, I was just sooo nauseous. I am doing better with the liquids now, but am really missing food. I am so tired of nasty, sweet liquid protein and crystal light. I know I have to drink it, but it is getting old. I told DH I feel like I am in food rehab.
Approved for VSG!
Dec 20, 2007
So, after starting this whole process in August, getting approved for RNY in October, then doing 2 appeals for the VSG while I waited for my surgery date of 1.2.08 to roll around, I have been APPROVED for the VSG! This is the surgery I have really wanted all along. I was prepared and ready to go ahead with the RNY, but am ecstatic that my first choice of surgery is now going to be covered. I am totally doing the happy dance right now! Any pre-ops who may read this someday, please know that it's worth it to go that extra mile and do the appeals, if you know in your heart that you really want this surgery. Happy early Christmas to me 
black friday
Nov 18, 2007
I am a retail manager and am so not looking forward to all the long hours this weekend, and until New Year's! I can't imagine how different life is going to be for me next Christmas. Hm, I am starting my surgery bowel prep on New Year's Day, what a way to ring in 2008.
About Me
Fort Worth, TX
Location
28.2
BMI
Surgery
01/02/2008
Surgery Date
Jul 18, 2007
Member Since
