So Important to Listen to your body!!!

One of the vets suggested I post this here. Because of my work schedule I read alot, but cant post much anymore...but I have been around a minute.

We took that amazing opportunity and stepped onto the loser bench and did what we thought was best. I don't regret any of my decisions, and I have been one of the few who have had many complications. My husband says if there is a side affect I will get it, the doctors(multiple who dont know each other) marvel how I like to go big or go home.

But what's the point?

We can never just step away and not be vigilant. You HAVE to listen to your body forever. And YOU know your body better than anyone.

A week and a half ago I almost died, honestly. I am not a newbie I had surgery 3 years ago. I havent had any serious issues for over a year and even then it was my gall bladder.

Last friday I woke up in the middle of the night with extreme abdominal pain. I brushed it off and went back to sleep(I am not a stranger to pain as I have chronic non surgery related issues)

Later that day it came back and I was vomiting. But hey, I have always been a puker so I didnt think anything of it. I assumed it was the nauseau from the pain....then came the blood in my puke. That is when I backed up the train and had my husband take me to the ER.

I was quickly diagnosed with a hernia and then the curve ball came, they didnt want to treat me they wanted me to go to my Bariatric Center. WHAT?!?!?! So they called them and they gathered a late night surgical team and hubby drove me over there and they rushed me in.

I know that hernias can usually wait but when it is an internal hernia there can be additional bowel issues that have to be resolved right away in order to not lose large sections of your bowel(and it was apparent in my scans that I was already having issues).

That is when the surprise came. I knew it was going to be an open surgery because of adhesions....but when they got in they found SO. MUCH. MORE. Just below my hernia was a 10 pound mass that was covering many of my organs. They had to call in 3 additional surgeons to all do their part. In the end, I had a partial hysterectomy and the mass had ripped a hole in my bladder. They placed a stent in my bladder that slipped and I had to have another surgery to fix that.

My point?

It is not just newbies that have to be vigilant. We made a decision to change our bodies and our bodies may speak to us differently and will always have things that can happen or are more likely to happen than people who haven't been down this road.

You know if something is wrong or just is "off" make sure you listen and take the steps necessary to make sure it is made right.

I am happily on the mend and have approval to go on my family vacation in 2 weeks...but for now I am still mostly laying in bed.

Omg! I'm glad you're ok now! You're right, we are the only ones who can determine what feels normal to us.

Thankfully you listened to your body, thankfully your husband listened to you, thankfully the hospital sent you on to your specialists, thankfully they got additional help surgeons, thankfully your surgeries were successful, thankfully you are on the mend! And thank you so much for sending out a clear reminder to everyone to remember... we need to listen and hopefully create our own best outcome...just like you were wise enough to by listening. Best wishes for your recovery

I'm so happy they were able to get you all fixed up

How scary!!!

Also hope that things continue to heal and you're all back to your old self (minus 10 pounds of ICK) and stay that way for a long time to come!!!

you are a lucky gal and so am I. I had a bad hernia and twisted bowels. I couldn't keep down solid foods. It would make it through stomach and all hell would break loose. the Radiologist that did my CAT scan missed it. If it weren't for my surgeon not taking things at face value (and looking at the scan himself) I also could have died. Emergency surgery 2 weeks ago.

So scary!!! I am glad your doctor didn't just bru**** off. Are you OK now? I had mine 2 weeks ago today but am having some complications so more time off work....

It's just been 2 weeks yesterday

Did you lose any bowels? They had to take some of mine.

No thank goodness but I've done some reading on twisted bowels and a high percentage die from it

Thanks for sharing your story, and I really glad you are ok and had the right team of docs that made the right decisions. But of course that all started with you listening to you.

I have one question. It may sound like a vanity question- but its not. Since removal of the 10# mass, do you notice a difference at all in your abdomen? I'm wondering if the mass was at all visible/palpable externally. Losing so much weight- we get used to calling our lumps and bumps 'skin'. So I'm curious is after the removal- you notice a difference in your abdomen?