whiskiekitty

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I know I should have been blogging all along but, got so tied up at the begining with complications that I wasn't on the computer much and then was so far behind I felt overwhelmed just thinking about trying to catch up. But, I'm going to try to make up for it.

Right after surgery things went great. I was able to walk the entire square around the hospital floor and was very happy with my progress. Then they decided I was fit to go home and that's when all the fun started. I didn't realize how much I'd miss that little green button on that pain pump. OMG - was I in pain. Because of some blood issues Dr. Maguire wanted me in to see him the Monday after surgery. Now that was a real fun day. I was not in any shape to be going to the doc I was so darned tired and I hurt like crazy. Then Dr. Maguire had got called into surgery and was running late. When I finally got to see him, the first question was where was my blood work. Well, no one had ordered blood work. So that meant a trip downstairs to the lab and then back to wait for the results. Finally, a little after 5:00 p.m., he had my results. Everything was o.k. but, I sure as to heck wasn't. I was exhausted to say the least.

Then I was having trouble with my incision getting nasty around it. Called my sister the RN and she came down and told me I had cellulitis and needed to get to the doc ASAP. So off I go to the doctors office the nex day. Thank goodness it was a scheduled appointment and my nephew took off work to take me. Another God send.... Well when Dr. Maguire took out the staples all heck broke loose. I gushed fluid and it was nasty. Then I kept passing out. I'd tell them I was ready to sit up and pass out again. It was awful.... I was sure I was going to wake up in a hospital room one of the times but, I didn't and finally after 3 hours they sent me home. Thank heavens for my nephew. He had to push me all the way to the car, I could no more have walked then the man in the moon. It was so cold I was freezing by the time we got to the car and even after the ride home I was so cold. My niece got me in the lift chair and put 4 blankets over me and finally I stopped shaking and feel asleep. That day was a nightmare. But, things didn't really improve. I had an inhome nurse to change the wound and a wound vac for a long time. The next check 2 weeks later I was sent to an infectious disease doc and discovered I had MRSA. So that meant lots more meds. During this time I was sick to my stomach most of the time and so darned cold, I just couldn't get warm. It was awful and something I don't want to repeat. At about 6 weeks we had the MRSA gone and things were looking up. I was finally able to eat a little bit without being sick. I still had the wound vac and was still not able to do a whole lot. But, I was feeling much, much better. Then on March 15th I was finally released to go back to work.

Now here's the next fun thing, I came back from the surgery to no job and one of the worst job markets in history. I'm still out of work but, am confident the right thing will come along.

Fast forward to June 27th. I am down to 245 pounds from 385 at the start, have lost 140 pounds. I still have at least 45 more pounds to go and maybe a little bit more. We'll have to see where it leads me. For the most part I am eating normal meals and drinking lots of water. I still throw up sometimes but, it's when I eat too fast or too much and that tends to happen when I'm with friends and not paying attention or the food tastes so darned good I can't help myself.

Poo issues - I still have very loose stools most of the time and when I have to go, I have to go. But, I take the pills the doc gave me and for the most part don't have any issues. Like most DSers I have to go first thing in the morning, usually 2 - 3 times and then am good for most of the day. Usually go 1 or 2 more times in the afternoon or evening. Things are about the same as they were before my surgery as the metformin I took for my diabetes made me run for the bathroom too. Actually before surgery it was worse.

Later I'm going to blog some of the WOW's I've had but, I'm signing off for now.

Well today I'm almost there, still not sure what I'll wake up tomorrow evening with but, I'm sure hoping it's the DS.... Like most people I'm starting to get a little freaked out at having major surgery. But, since I have to have surgery no matter what well, I keep looking at it as having 2 for the price of one. Hopefully since the hysterectomy is not an elective surgery I might get some money back on the DS since it's now a piggyback surgery.  Now that will be interesting to see and I'd sure love some money back in my pocket. Today I had my PICC line installed, it hurts. Maybe I'm just a baby but, I think it's pretty darned uncomfortable. However, I'm sure tomorrow night I'll forget I even have a PICC line in. I keep telling myself when I wake up I have to walk, so as soon as I wake up I'm going to ask to go for a walk. No matter how painful it is I have to get up and walk. Well so much for now......

Well my surgical team has been assembled and I have a new surgical date of December 2nd. Things began to get complicated when I had to have a D&C w/ablation. This was precipitated by 2 month long periods. Before the D&C my OBGYN had an ultrasound ran and they discovered 2 large masses. Then we had to have the CA125 test and a pelvic and abcominal CT scan. Well it was determined that I had to have a hysterectomy ASAP. Therefore my DS date was pushed back to December 2nd with the lead off surgeon being Dr. Thomas Reed. He will take out the ovaries and they fibroid tumors, they will in turn be viewed for cancer. As long as the cancer screening comes up clear, then it's time for Dr. Maguire to step in and take over and perform the DS. Of course, if the tissue s cancerous all bets are off. But, I'm so very sure they aren't my mother and sister both had very large fibroid tumors that were not cancerous so I'm betting mine aren't either. Well know for sure later! Looking forward to the big day!

Finally have been approved for my DS. I started this journey on July 11th and have been working towards getting approved since that time. It wouldn't have taken so long but, getting it to see specialists for approvals seemed to take forever. My insurance required a Cardiac clearance and a Pulmunary clearance. Once both of those were obtained my insurance, UHC, approved me as soon as they had them in their hands. So, I'm good to go and excited and nervous all at once. I'm ready to continue this journey and see where it takes me.