~*~Rose Y.

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I'm feeling great!!   I am getting my energy back and doing all of my house work now.  I wanted to start walking, but it's been soooo darn cold here this past week!!  I'm freezing!!
I've always been a hot person.  I was always having hot flashes (menopause) and now I'm always cold!!   I always have a fire going in the fireplace, always wear my robe even over my clothes while I'm in the house with socks and slippers, lol.

My youngest son won the spelling bee for his grade today.  I'm so proud of him!!  He will be going against the other winners at his school on December 20th.  He's such a smart one!  He's my bookworm, or nerd if you will, lol.  I love him to pieces!

I had a really nice Thanksgiving with my family at my sisters house.

I did feel a bit left out when it came time to eat, though.  I felt just a tad bit sorry for myself, lol.

I did eat one tiny piece of dark meat, a couple of bites of mashed potatoes and gravy, and two bites of green bean casserole.
It was so delicious!!

I haven't weighed myself this week at all.  My weigh-in day is Monday and I'm trying to wait until then so I don't drive myself crazy with the scale.
I've heard so much about not losing on week 3 so I'm geared for that. 
My eating is doing well.  I'm not dumping on anything I've tried really.  I did have a fast heart rate and was shaking a bit with some bbq sauce and cream of broccoli soup.  I won't go there again!

My face is really thinning out.  Here's a pic to show you....

I still need to take body shots which I will do tomorrow.

I'm officially down 20 lbs!!
I lost 23 lbs prior to surgery, for a total of 43 lbs down!!!!

I'm feeling better every day.  I have only missed one day of hitting the 64 ounce mark on my fluids.  I am having a bit of a time getting my protein in though.  I'm headed out soon to do some shopping and will pick up a couple more to try.
I'll take my 2 week pic's later today and will post them.


Rose :)

Everyone keeps telling me how my face is looking skinny, or course that's the first place I lose.  Took a pic to see for myself and it's true!
I added a filter to the pic due to no make-up and looking kinda haggard., lol.

I had my drain removed yesterday.  I feel so much better without it!

It cramped for a bit, not too too bad.  

The appointment went very well.  I'm doing great, he says.  I've lost 13.5 lbs, not 11.5 (my scales at home are a little heavy).  Not bad for the first week, eh? :D

I tried some mashed potatoes last night.  I ate about 4-5 little bites and it felt heavy on my tummy so I quit.  I was satisfied with that.

I started my vitamins yesterday.  I'm still doing great getting my fluids in. 
I do have a bladder infection that's killing me this morning.  You know, the pressure and burning.  It's from the catheter.  I get one every time.  I need to run to the drug store and get it filled.  By the time I got back from Roseville last night, it was too late.

Doc says I'm free to do anything now, just use common sense and listen to my body.   I have a ton of backed up laundry that needs to be taken care of, so I'll be working on that.

Hubby has his company Christmas party on December 8th this year.  I'm not sure if I'll be going or not since I'm not able to eat, really.  We'll see.

I'm feeling better and better with each day that passes.  My stomach isn't quite as sore, the gas is getting less, I'm getting more energy and most of all....I'm getting all of my fluids in each day!!!

Yesterday I ate some cream of chicken soup and it was soooooo good.  I also had 4 baby spoon bites of refried beans and cheese.  It went down okay, but felt "heavy" in my tummy.  It was satisfying though. 

This morning I'm planning on having some cream of wheat for breakfast.  I'm drinking a protein shake as I type.  This waiting 30 minutes without drinking before eating, then waiting 30 minutes after eating is one of the hardest things for me to get used to.  I always had something to drink while eating before. ALWAYS.

Today my mother is taking me to get my drain out.  I can't wait to get rid of this sucker. 

Oh, one thing I wanted to say is that I've been able to sleep on my left side (drain is on the right) since day 3.  I can't wait to be able to sleep on my right side, which is the side I normally sleep on.

I think I might be getting a bladder infection.  I usually do after having any type of surgery that requires a catheter.  I'll have my surgeon check it out.

I'm doing really well.  Today I was able to go onto pureed foods and I made some refried beans with cheese, put them in my little processor and at about 4 bites.  It felt great to be eating real food again!

Tonight I had one tiny slice of avocado (chewed very very well) with my cream of chicken soup, and had no problem with that.

I also tried an EAS Carb Control Strawberry shake and it went down smooth and again, no problems.

I'm finding that I'm addicted to the sugar free popsicles.  I ate 5 today! :D

My fluid intake is right on track.  I forgot to start my vitamins today, but will get in at least my chewable multivitamin before bedtime tonight and will start a regular vitamin regime tomorrow.

I'm finding that if I listen to my body and rest when I'm tired, I feel much better.
The gas isn't so bad any longer.  It comes and goes, not a constant.  I am finding my drain to be a bit more sensitive, not like I'm getting an infection or anything like that, but it kind of pulls now. 
I was supposed to have it removed today, but it had to be rescheduled for tomorrow.  I can't wait to have this thing out of me, lol.

We (Hubby, youngest son & I ) arrived at the hospital at 8:45 a.m.

I checked in, they gave me my ID bracelet and waited in the pre-surgery waiting room for about 40 minutes before being led back to the surgery area, where they asked me all sorts of questions and gave me a gown and hooked up my IV.  Unfortunately, my surgeon had an emergency surgery come up and I had to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait...all the while with NOTHING for my nerves.

Surgery was scheduled for 10:30 a.m., mine didn't actually occur until around 1:45 p.m.

They wheeled me into the surgery suite, one of the nurses ran to get the anesthesiologist so he could finally give me some happy meds while we waited until the surgeon and his assistant to walk in.

That's the last I remember until waking up in extreme pain.  I'm talking, I want to die pain.  I knew something wasn't right.

My doc had told me that my surgery took twice as long because of adhesions I had from my previous (3) C-sections.  I thought that the pain was from that, but I was soooooo very wrong.


A few hours later, my condition revealed itself.  I was bleeding to death.   My pain was from my pouch being sooooo overfilled with blood.  Once I vomited, I felt better.  The cycle repeated itself about 4 times, then I was moved to ICU. The stopped the blood thinning shots immediately and started checking my blood every 2 hours..checking on my hemoglobin. 
My diabetes really raged on as well.  My blood sugar rose to over 450 and I had to take insulin shots every 4 hours. 

I then began to have frequent large bowel movements of nothing but blood.  A lot of blood.  My pouch was bleeding internally and it was passing through my digestive tract.

I then was required to have a blood transfusion, while they waited to see if the bleeding would stop on it's own or if I needed more surgery. 
Thankfully the bleeding stopped on it's own and the 2 units of blood I received made me feel so much better.  The low blood pressure was gone, as well as the stomach pain and racing heart rate.
I felt like CRAP though.  Still tired and I even started my period while in ICU, like I wasn't bleeding enough lol.

I had my leak test on Friday (day 5) around noon and passed with flying colors.  I then was able to drink a bit of broth, apple juice and diet Jello with no problems but gas.  I was able to walk a bit, too.  I was so happy!!

I was still in ICU at this point.  My doctor was trying to decide whether to send me back to the surgery floor or send me home.

I was sent home!!  I was the first person they had ever seen being released from the hospital FROM ICU!   The nurses all gave me a standing ovation, lol.

I got home about 9 p.m. last night and had a very restful sleep that wasn't interrupted with blood sugar pokes or blood draws.

I woke up this morning feeling even better.  Hubby had to work today, so I went to my mothers while he was at work.  She and my daughter took good care of me. 

I was able to get in all of my liquids today!!  I worked so hard at it.  I'm not to focus on protein until next week, according to my doc...but I did sneak in a scoop of Unjury into my 32 oz cup before I left this morning.


I took some pic's on the day of surgery and I took a pic of me tonight.  I have yet to step on a scale, but will do so tomorrow (my official first week weigh-in).


Until next time.................

Surgery at 10:30 tomorrow.  I need to be tehre by 8:45.  It's supposed to take just a bit over 1 hour, then it's to recovery for an hour or two.  We'll see how it goes.

Everything is ready here at home.  Just doing some last minute cleaning and laundry to make sure everything is in tip-top shape for my recovery.
Hubby is taking a few days off from work to be with me.  I'm supposed to go to my mothers house so she can take care of me, but I think I'll stay home.  I don't think I'll have any problems taking care of myself.  I also have the help of my 17 & 10 year old, if I were to need anything.

I'll see you all on the other side!!!!!!!!

May the Angels be watching over me...

I thought this was so good, I have to post it here for safekeeping and to share with everyone who reads my blog.

"

If I could share something with you, prior to ordering your jewelry or card, please think about what might be important info and what isn't.

As an AZ Paramedic speaking from experience in the emergency field, I would like to say something about the medical ID's. Jewelry will be found the quickest by emergency persons, wallet cards will be found in the hospital (usually) and the information that will be the most important to saving your life will be:

1. ALLERGIES TO MEDICATIONS - SO IMPORTANT!!
2. MEDICATIONS YOU ARE CURRENTLY TAKING
3. IMPORTANT MEDICAL HISTORY, INCLUDING RNY or WHATEVER
4. YOUR NAME & FAMILY CONTACT INFO
5. YOUR PHYSICIAN & CONTACT INFO

Obviously, everything can't be put onto your jewelry so you might want to put the most important info there and keep everything else in your purse or wallet. You can refer to your wallet car on the jewelry.

Always tell your family the above information about yourself incase you can't talk and they are called upon. Make sure they know your doctors info as well as your medical info.

Blind NG tubes - Nasogastric (NG) tubes are usually blindly placed in the field. In most places, there isn't any other way to do this procedure outside of the hospital and if you need it, it will be done but ONLY IN AN EMERGENCY. It is a tube that is measured on the outside of your body and inserted into your nose, down to your stomach. They are usually used for stomach pumping for toxins or feedings (not done in the field). In the hospital, you can tell them about your surgery or they will have asked your history and take precautions.

Blind Entubations - First off, you are probably unconscious if the Paramedics are entubating you. The tracheal entubations are usually done with a scope unless there is a reason that your vocal cords can not be seen and than it is blindly inserted but will be checked to make sure it isn't in your stomach prior to inflation. If an ETT has to be inserted blindly, you really need it bad and you aren't conscious anyway!"