scmoon

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

I can't believe it has been 2 months since my last post.  I am still having issues with the food, and eating too fast.  However I am loving the results.  I have lost about 75 pounds so far, and this weekend I tried on some clothes 2 sizes smaller and they fit!!!  That is very exciting.  I started a new job (actually in the hospital where I had my surgery) and I am walking a LOT, and I am doing it without feeling like I am going to die.  I have more energy and stamina.  I am still sort of avoiding joining the gym... but I am weakening on that point.  I think I will....soon.  I am loving the positive feedback, and the way I feel. 

I am doing well.  I am having some issues with eating too fast and with too big a bites... and boy my little stomach tells me about it.  I have lost enough people are starting to notice, which is nice.  It does help motivate me.  I am just now able to drink water without HUGE cramping... I am hating the vitamins because I got the chewable kind...NOT recommended.  I remember giving my sister such hell because she wouldn't take them and whined that they made her GAG.... I owe her a humble appology.  My biggest issue now is that I am unemployed, and stressed about that.  I came back from surgery, worked 2 days and on the third, they "let me go".  My job was with Hospice, and the census was so Low that they didn't need 2 social workers, so I believe they kept the worker they paid less, which was NOT me.  I was devistated... but I am looking and the new "raise" in unemployment is helpful... It was just a bump in the road I did not need.  Thankfully my parents are helping me Cobra my insurance, and the stimulus package should kick in and pay for part of my Cobra costs, so the Lord is good!!! I am needing more excercise, and that is always an issue for me.  I expect to jump right in any day now!!!      Sooo I have lost 55 or so pounds.... and I feel MUCH better already.  I have more energy... My insulin has been dropped more than half....actually I am taking only a quarter of what I did take.  My Blood pressure meds are cut in half, and I am hoping for good news when I go for another sleep study next month.  Now If I find employment all will be better.  I am looking forward to continuing to shrink away...  Later!!!

Well, I had my surgery, and I am at home now.  Everything went well, and I am feeling pretty good overall, just tired.  It will really take some getting used to learning how to manage a different type of eating.  I am greatful to a wonderful Doctor and team (Dr. Whipple and Jody) and a great nursing staff at Memorial Hospital in Savannah.  Now comes the hard part, learning to live with this... I imagine I will be here frequently!!!

It is official, I have a date scheduled for January 27, 2009.  I am excited and nauseous all at the same time. 

I can't believe it has been since September since I Blogged... I have been through Hell and half of Georgia.... but I am finally about to be scheduled for surgery.  Since I have the Cirrhosis, my Liver doc, and the surgeon have been looking closely at any potential problems for bleeding.  We did and EGD....no signs of varicees, CT Scans, and MRI, Cardiac Stress test and have examined every bit of me except my toes... and I just kept reading that RNY was stopped on those in whom they discovered Cirrhosis and most went on to have the Sleeve.  So my surgeon and I talked and he Soooo put my mind at ease.  He is the first one to tell me that the MRI's and scans do not indicate any abnormal or distended vessels, and there were no signs of Portal Hypertension in my EGD.  We have decided to proceed with the RNY, with the idea that if he gets inside my belly and SEES problem vessels with the potential to bleed, he will switch to the Vertical Sleeve.  He also discussed research on RNY in patients with Stage A cirrhosis, and the outcome of surgery in reversing the fat in the liver, and prevention of further scarring.  He made me feel so much better.  So I am jazzed and ready.  My surgery date is tentatively January 27 (I have to wait until then so I can take FMLA from work).  So... anyone with any Cirrhosis experience, please write.  I would love to hear other stories. 

I had my first meeting with the surgeon today and we decided on the Gastric ByPass.  I wasn't sure, but because of blood sugar issues, and the liver issues, and the amount of my BMI, we decided it was the best route.  It looks like I am going to be self pay, so I am starting to schedule all of those appointments.  I find that since I am over 50, I will also need a cardiac workup... and a stress test, which I dread..... We are still waiting to hear if the insurance by some strange possibility will pay for this, but it is looking unlikely.  I Have appealed their decline of services, and am waiting to hear back from them.  I don't expect a lot.... It would be nice to be pleasantly surprised. 

I have finally completed all of the Liver testing, including a Gruesome CT scan (with barium AND 2 doses of the IV Dye), an MRI and a zillion blood tests, and we have a definate diagnosis of Cirrhosis with the only identifyable cause being the fat in the liver.  So The Liver Doc wrote a letter for my insurance and they denied it.  So because that was the first denial, we are now going to send appeals.  I am not going to wait too long, before I go ahead and just pay for it.  I want the surgery soon, and I want to be on the other side of this.  The Liver doctor says my liver function is still good and I will see him in 6 months... but I am struggling now to get my Blood Sugar under control, and have tried 2 types of insulin, and find that my sugers were LOWER when I was taking the oral med Januvia.  I just believe all of this struggle will be behind me If I can get the surgery.  So I am still working.  I have an appointment with an Endocrinologist soon, but I am finding it hard to focus in so many directions.  I want to just focus on the surgery. 

Well, I had my follow up from Gall Bladder surgery, and the news wasn't great.  He says the Biopsies they took of the Liver indicated Chirrosis, and he believes that it is caused by the fat in the Liver, but he isn't ABSOLUTELY sure, so he is sending me to a GI doc to rule out anything else.  If it is the fat that is causing the scarring in the liver, he says that the by-pass will reduce the fat in the liver significantly, and keep it from getting worse. I asked if it was due to Fatty Liver, would that increase the chance of insurance paying for the bypass... and he didn't know, but said it would be a reason to appeal if they denied.  I am still waiting to hear from  the programs first contact with the insurance company, but my family is working on cash funding if that fails.  Agonizingly the wait continues. 

I had gall bladder surgery last week, (4/16) and we discovered my liver is fatty and there is some evidence of scarring, so I need to get started on this process and put full steam ahead.  I made my follow up with my surgeon (who is also the head of the Bariatric program at Memorial Health in Savannah GA).  So we can discuss more specifically time lines and expectations.  I hope I can have a laproscopic proceedure, but because of the size of the liver I am not sure that will be possible.  I pray for that though.  I also called the Bariatric program admin person to have them pre-cert my insurance.  I have no real hope they will approve it because it states that all weight loss proceedures are "exclusionary" on my policy, but I hope to "beat them down" with the information about the liver problems, and all the other co-morbidities.... if that fails, plan B is a home equity loan....we will see!