April 20th, 2007 at 9:05am

Apr 19, 2007

Back home agian... Well, I had my procedure yesterday.  I went in abour 9:30am to get all prepped.  I weighed 241lbs.  That is with clothes on, by the way.  The last time I was on that same scale I was 285lbs.  So I'm pretty happy.  Well, about 12:30 they rolled me back into the OR and the lights went out.  I remember seeing Dr. Melkonians face and him saying my name, but then I went back to sleep.  I got out of recovery around 4:30.  So all this time we were thinking my intestines were kinked, not so.  It turns out that I had too much scar tissue wrapped around my intestine where it met the colon.  So Dr. Melkonian made the opening a little bit bigger.  Hopefully that solved the problem.  I got back home last night around 7:30pm.  I feel pretty good right now.  I'm taking it easy and resting a lot, but all in all I feel okay.  Thanks for all the prayers and happy thaughts sent my way.

April 17, 2007 at 7:35pm

Apr 17, 2007

I had my appointment with Dr.Melkonian today.  He sys there is a kink in my intestine at the point where it is sutured to the colon.  I am now scheduled for a procedure on thursday to have him fix it.  He is going to go in there with 2 instruments and a camera.   He'll take a look around and then straighten out the kink.  Best part is that I will be able to go home that same day.  Also I will be able to eat "normally" agian that night.  WOOHOO!!  I'll just be so glad when this is all behind me.  I'll post more later.

April 14th, 2007 at 10:58am

Apr 14, 2007

Well, it has been a nice morning.  I cooked bacon and eggs and pancakes for my husband.  Kaitlyn had a little friend spend the night last night.  They liked the Reecie chips I put in the pancakes.  I love to cook breakfasts.  I, of course, couldn't eat any of it, but it sure looked good.  I was trying to sip on some coffee, but I just don't like it as much as I used to.  It stays down and everything, I just don't like the taste anymore.  Who knows why.  This is going ot be a nice lazy saturday afternoon.  John has to mow the lawn, Katie is playing with her friend and I have some puttering to do around the house.  I need to get some laundry done and vaccume.  I'm going to open up the windows and put on Top Gun... oh like you don't have a favorite movie to put on when you are cleaning!!  Maybe we can get up to the mall today... I need a bra.  LOL

I posted new photos...

April 11, 2007 at 8:26pm

Apr 11, 2007

I got a call from Dr. Melkonians office today.  They wanted me to come in and see Dr. Lowe at 4:20pm.  I met with Dr. Lowe and he gave me the skinny about what is going on.  My test results show that I have a norrowing in my small intestine about 4 or 5 inches from my pouch.  This was most likely caused by scar tissue.  There are two available treatments.  One is surgery and the other is another endoscopy.  But this time there would be a balloon at the end of the scope.  The doctor would place the balloon in the norrow part and blow it up, stretching the area.  Then when he takes the balloon out, hopefully the area will stay open, if it closes up... we go to surgery.  Here is the kicker...  I have to wait till Dr. Melkonian gets back in town to have the balloon thing ordered.  So now I have to wait around for 6 more days, not eating anything, to have Dr. Melkonian say the same thing that Dr. lowe just told me.  It's not as if there are 5 or 6 forms of treatment here... there is only one besides surgery.  i find it hard to believe that Dr. Melkonian would jump straight into surgery if there is another option to try first.  So I am frustrated, to say the least.  Sombody pass the V8.....


April 10th, 2007 9:30pm

Apr 10, 2007

Well, I have no news.  Dr. Melkonian is out of the country (must be nice) until next week.  So, Dr. Lowe is going to review my charts and recent tests and decide what to do.  I guess it could go anywhere from a surgery right away or waiting for Dr. Malkonian.  So it might not be until next week before I know anything.  Right now I am just sticking to my liquids and juices.  I'm staying hydrated, so I feel pretty good.  I've lost 45 pounds now.  I'm super happy about that.  I will post tomorrow when I hear what happenes next.

April 5th 2007 at 10:42pm

Apr 05, 2007

Yet another chapter...  Jill called me tonight.  I have a place in my intestine that is too narrow.  How does one fix such a problem??  I'm glad you asked... more surgery.  Fabulous!  Just what I always wanted.  It's not set in stone yet but it's likely.  I have to do the lower GI first and then Dr. Melkonian will decide what to do from there.  

Needless to say I am discouraged.  I know it could be much worse.  It's not like I can't get out of bed or something.  I feel reletively good.  I am drinking water all the time and I also like V8.  I worked all day today at the fire station and ran 5 calls with no problem.  I just can't eat anything solid.  Or even close to solid for that matter.  I'm more just annoyed that I have to do (or may have to) another surgery.  I trust Dr Melkonian and the other doctors that have been taking care of me, but it's just disheartening.  I just want to get past it and move on.
 

April 5th, 2007 at 08:14am

Apr 04, 2007

And the saga continues...  I had the endoscopy yesterday.  That really wasn't too bad.  Jill was with me, which made it easier.  The good news is that I don't have any ulcers.  The bad news it that I have a place in my small intestine that is more narrow than it should be.  More bad news... I have to have another upper GI on monday so they can take pictures of my belly lower than the first time.  I have no more good news.

April 3, 2007 at 09:18pm

Apr 03, 2007

And the hits just keep on comming.  I should have posted days ago but I really didn't feel much like it.  So there is a little back story that must be told.  I was/am having a problem keeping any kind of food down.  So I stopped eating since saturday.  I went in to get an upper GI and blood work on monday.  I saw Dr. Melkonian today to get the results.  He said everything looked good in there.  I don't have a leak or anything else that would be a major concern.  Now I have to go get an edoscopy done.  He believes I may have an ulcer.  Rita, the nurse, called in a Rx for omeprezone (prilosec) for me.  I have taken 2 pills of that.  I was able to eat a little tonight.  I had some juice and a tangerine.  So far it has stayed down.  I hope it will stay down the rest of the night.  So I will see what is going on in there tomorrow.  That is the very condensed version of what is happening.  

There is a bright side to all of this...  I know it's crazy!  My friend Jill A will be with me through my endoscopy.  I am so grateful for her and her friendship.  She helped me get in to see the doctor quicker than I had planned and is going to be right there with me.  She going to have to hold my hand.  Hee hee!  If you don't know Jill, she is a wonderful person and a valued friend.  If you don't have a friend like her, you are really missing out!!  THANKS JILL!!!  

Also, I lost 40 pounds!!!

March 28th, 2007

Mar 28, 2007

Wow it's been a while since I've posted.  There has been a lot going on.  First off, I'm down 37 pounds.  Woohoo!!  I feel good for the most part.  I have a story...

Saturday afternoon, I woke up and got into the shower.  I started to feel really lightheaded and so I turned the water more cool and cracked open the door.  I thaught it was just the heat.  Well, then I really felt bad, so I hurried along and got out.  Well, I was able to get out of the shower and onto the bed halfway.  Then I blacked out right there on the floor.  I came too after just a few minutes, but that was really scary.  It zapped my energy for the rest of the day.  I didn't really think too much of it, because it was hot and not very well ventalated.  Well, then yesterday I worked at the fire station.  I was kneeling to check out some equipment and started to feel lightheaded agian.  I asked one of my partners to  take my blood pressure.  It was 80/48.  So I laid down and put my feet up.  My pressure corrected itself after about 15-20 minutes.  Needless to say, I went to my PCP today.  Diagnosis... vertigo caused by dehydration.  So, I'm drinking more more more water.  I hope it doesn't happen agian but I know the signs now.  My PCP is afraid that it will be a problem for me this summer.  So, that is the latest story for me.  Scary stuff, but I think it's under control.  I know the warning signs.  I hope this story helps someone else.

March 21,2007 at 2:05am

Mar 20, 2007

Oh the joy of being back at work.  Anyway, yesterday was one month for me.  Horray!  I never thaught I would be saying that!  I've lost 30 pounds.  I can't seem to break below that yet.  I'm sure I will eventually.  I know in my head that 30 pounds in 1 month is great, but I still get annoyed when I look at the scale and it refuses to move more than a pound or two. 
Eating has become a pain in the rear.  I want to comfort myself with food and I can't.  I want to have a good salad with all the yummy stuff and I can't.  I want to have a thick juicy steak and I can't.  I know this is what I wanted but it is like losing a best friend.  I read about that in the forums, but I never thaught it was that hard.  Well, I am corrected.  It really is hard.  
On a positive note, I love my support group!!  I love getting emails from the women I've met there.  I look forward to the meetings so much.  I'm glad the support is there.
 

About Me
Monroe, NC
Location
RNY
Surgery
02/20/2007
Surgery Date
Nov 13, 2003
Member Since

Friends 35

Latest Blog 70
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