RussH

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Today, I found out how sick I was exactly. I found out that I had a full blown case of pneumonia and about 4-5 pulmonary embolisms (blood clots) in my lungs.  So now starts the race to start breaking down the clots with heparin and antibiotics for the pneumonia. Still coughing up the nasty crap from my lungs and it is getting harder to breath deeply.

I woke up Turesday morning feeling no pain from my stomach area, I was psyched but this was short lived as I started to cough and cough. I felt myself becoming weaker and weaker. I contacted Dr. Crookes and he had me come in to see him, he took one look at me, listened to my lungs and said your going back in the hospital. I had alot of fluid on my lungs.

So this day finally came, gawd I was getting cabin fever in the hospital. Granted I had some really awesome nurses, but I wanted to blow the joint and start my real recovery outside the hospital. My father and uncle pick me up at the front door and then its like NASCAR on the way to my uncle's home. Oy gotta love, LA traffic. I got home and fell immediately asleep, due to the exhausting day.

OMG that was horrid, the first thing I get to drink in 4 days is this nasty contrast media called gastrografin and then barium sulf. sol. It was so horrible that I wanted to spew across the radiology department. Whats worse is that they wouldnt let me wash my mouth out afterwards, sighs.

We I woke up at 4am and I was craving a shower but no shower for me. I had done a Chlorhexadine prep last night so I was tacky. I get a fone call from my dad saying that he was almost to my hotel and that he, my uncle and aunt would be ferrying me to USC.

So we are here and its 7:30a and I didn't have to be here until 10:30 and my surgery scheduled at 12:50p. They pull me into pre-op and have me change into a bariatric gown, so I am waiting there for about 2hrs and then they decide to do the epidural, I send Ocean and my aunt away so that they could insert the epidural. I had two anesthesiologist and 3 RNs, it was funny cuz they worked on finding the appropriate spot, but the RNs hit me with a ton of Versed. They installed the epidural, I sat back and woke up in the recovry room and it was 8pm.  According to Dr. Crookes the surgery took longer than expected but it was a  completely successful.

I woke up this morning very thirsty and hungry. I went to USC and the GI Lab there, and chit chatted with the nurses about various things including using Pyxis  MedStation. They finally started the the IV and rolled me into the lab and administered the the meds and I remember them asking me if I was tired and I said no and the next thing I know is that they are unhooking me from the equip. I inquired as to why they were unhooking me when they hadnt done the proceedure.  They informed me that it was complete and that everything was normal.  I came back to the hotel room, walked down to the corner store and picked up food and drinks to cover my last day of my fat life. So I picked up cottage cheese, string cheese and milk.  so now to relax an what not.

I arrived in L.A. at 8a on Monday at Union Station and after getting turned around at U.S., I finally found the bus to USC HSC.  I showed up at Dr. Crookes office only to find out that I needed to next door to get admitted this was around 0845.

I sat in Dr. Crookes office until about 1100, as they were able to squeeze me in so I was practically a walk in. Its ok, I was able to recharge my cellphone and laptop as some idiot left it on the night before where there wasnt any service...you know between Kingman and Barstow.

They brought me back to the lab and said they were going to stick this wire down my nose and into my stomach. Then I had to swallow water to let them see my swallow quality, it was pretty cool.  I was excited with my next activity, it was food time. Although I wished that the cafeteria was something other than Sodexho, but hey the food was pretty good. That is what I have at work and they dont have some of the things that they served here.

I went to the PACE clinic where I met Michelle and Ojenee who are awesome and kept up with my korny sense of humor. 
Came home relaxed and fell asleep.

I was doing so well in loosing the pre-surgery weightloss, but I cheated. At the hospital today where I work they had a confection vendor. I broke down and bought 10$ worth of fudge (3/4#), I have already eaten 2 of the 3 pieces. I feel so bad about doing it, but I was craving sweets something fierce.

Tonight I finished my left over vegitarian pinto beans. I say vegitarian because I do not add any meat products to it, but I have perfected the art of making crock-pot beans and I have fans of them...just for the bean juice. It was about 1-1/2c of beans left and I wanted to finish them as I didnt want to leave food that might spoil in the fridge. So now all that I have left in there is coffee, Kosher crackers, Sunkist tuna, a jar of mayo. 

For some reason I felt bloated and sick stomached so I cheated again. I found some ice cream I had forgotten about in the freezer and I scooped me out a bowl of it.

Now after todays events I feel so guilty. I mean Dr. Crookes asked me to only loose ten pounds and I think after today I will have to work at it again. I attained my goal on Tuesday of -10#.

I am finding that my tolerance to certain little things is decreasing and that I am wanting to snap out at someone. This could be a result of my many recent sleepless nights. I dont know.

Last night was very odd as it seemed to be filled with all sorts of nasty items that would make one jump in the night. I am not sure if this is just pre-surgery jitters or what. I wouldnt think it would be jitters as I am pretty confident about this whole undertaking. *shrugs*