Bariatric C.

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Well, the last time I wrote to you, I was having severe pain in the navel area and my stomach was the most unusual color of black/blue with the skin looking like it was gong to crack open.  I called the surgeon's office and ask if they wanted me to send them a  pic via email...and the male nurse told me to come in the next morning so they could take a look at it....
I went in.....he took a first quick glance & said, I'm getting the surgeon to look at this.   The surgeon came in....told me he had never had a situation like this & that he was going to have to go into the area just below the navel & open it up bcs he thought there might be infection setting up.....so he did go in....no numbing....no anesthesia.....just scalpel.....oh boy.
My husband was in the room & the mnute he cut me open...this huge stream of black blood came pouring up up up & out like a fountain.  It was the old blood I had lost during the internal bleeding episode in the hospital post op.  All that old blood had been trapped in the fat tissues of my lower abdomen & that is what was causing the burning like pain that was almost unbearable.  I immediately felt relief.  He packed it....and it is deep.....   Now I have a home health nurse that comes daily to repack my wound.  The black stomach is no longer black....its green bruised looking & healing.  However, where the blood was trying to find its way to the surface, I guess thats why the skin had looked dry & cracked on top of the "bruise" before he drained it......the skin is healing now & itchng like crazy crazy.   I'm thankful to get this cleared up......but WOW has this been a tough surgery for me.   I did not expect all this.  I'm down 23 lbs as of 2 days ago.  I'm hoping its 25 when I weigh at the docs today.
This has been difficult, bcs many said they had navel pain, so I thought this was the same as they had.....It was excruciating, but I was trying to bear with it.......so glad I went in for Doc to see it....   I'm gong back this morning & hoping that I will get the ok to start Phase 4 Diet (Pureed foods).  I'm having extreme muscle tightness or intestinal inflammation on my left side.  Gotta ask about this now.......

Please please reply to me about your experience......Has ANYONE experienced such drastic hot curling iron laid on the naval type of pain post op....my entire stomach is blackbruised..........the other incisions are healing great & look great....but under the skin originating from the naval area is a huge bruise that burns so severe I can't hardly move.....I need help doing everything.....I do mean everything............this is so so miserable.........Please someone tell me this happened to them.......It aches so so much...........except when I'm sitting still.................it helps to hold the area when I go to stand & walk, but the bottom of the stomach is so big, I can't hold it all.   I've contacted the doc.....told the doc at the hospital....(this was my coplaint from minute ONE)...............the rest of the hernia repair, adhesion removal, and gastric bypass seems normal....it hurts, but hurts as expected.    I tend to run a small body temp of 99 degrees.....which is so uncomfortable also....but not a drastic temp.

Karen

I'm finally home.  Its been a rough few days.  This surgery has been the scariest thing I have ever done.....I'm in so much pain.  My navel & left side feels like someone is holding a hot searing curling iron under the skin when I move.  Started out a small bruise and now my entire stomach is black...entire stomach originating at naval area.   I was in ICU for 4 days,  I had internal bleeding & they gave me 6 BAGS of blood, 3 bags of magnesium, 2 potasium, 1 calcium, cipro for pneumonia like symptoms, heart rate of 151, low blood pressure, inverted T Waves for my heart..........I've run a fever and still running a miserable fever.   LOL...................I had the ABSOLUTE BEST MEDICAL TEAM & DOCTOR ON THIS EARTH IN MY OPINION.  I TRULY FEEL I WOULD HAVE DIED HAD THEY NOT BEEN ON TOP OF EVERYTHING.   I HAD THE BEST HOSPITAL CARE I'VE EVER HAD......A MEDICAL TEAM ON TV COULD NOT OUT SHINE GEORGETOWN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL......I HEARD IT WAS GOOD.....BUT I'M SHOUTING FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP......THEY ARE BEYOND QUALITY.........i OWE MY LIFE TO THEM.   MY DOC WAS CONSTANTLY BY MY SIDE.  They were prepared to go back in for a 2nd surgery to find out where the bleeding was occurring, but it finally stopped.   I feel blessed to be home & hopefully all will get better and I will be so happy I did this.........as for now.....i'm struggling with lots of pain, bruising, fever, and the fear of internal bleeding.  Keep me in your prayers......Karen

Had a great day!!  Drove to Georgetown for my Blood Typing.....All went well...........Today has been a clear liquid day and that has went well.  I'm all packed & ready to tuck in......3AM comes early......I will leave home at 4AM to be at hospital at 6AM.   Should be back home on Friday.

Wish me well....and say a prayer for me.........   I'm so ready for this....but still nervous...

I will keep you posted...

Karen

Tomorrow is my clear liquid day before my surgery Wednesday morning.  I am schduled to arrive at 6AM Wednesday morning.  I go tomorrow for my blood typing at the hospital......

Cross my fingers & toes....that they don't reschedule me again....lol.   I thnk it will happen this time....  I've been relaxing today & trying not to be nervous.   I've had a couple times that my nerves wanted to stand up, but I keep talking myself into a calm.......I will be so happy when this is behind me.  I'm ready for the show to begin!

I've found it amazing that a few of my family support me including my husband, parents, & aunt..........but my son, his wife, and the rest of the family don't say much unless I mention it and they still don't make too many comments.  I have one friend that is very supportive bcs she is also a RNY patient (1 yr post op).......another friend & cousin are supportive (the friend is 2 yr post op RNY)....................and the majority of my support is coming from WLS patients on this website, WLS Channel site, You Tube WLS patients....etc...........

I've actually been experiencing some jealousy from "friends" & cousins over this surgery....Its sort of shocked me.  I would think they would be happy for me.   I was always supportive of friends in the past that were able to do this.  I'm sure that will be more of an issue when they actually start seeing the results.  Why are people jealous of others when its actually something so uplifting for them & will make them so much healthier?

I'm so ready to be happy & live my life the way I want too again........  Although, I don't talk about it, ..... I can't wait to do all the vanity surgery when this RNY has completed its job.........I'm ready to LIVE!

Your Prayers Are Appreciated,

Karen

Hey,  This is about ridiculous!!  Gotta laugh instead of cry.....It seems like every time I get to the doorway....the door gets slammed in my face??????     I went to my scheduled appt today to bariatric doc office....afterwards they reminded me of going to hospital immediately before noon today to do my Blood work for surgery tomorrow (Oct.30th)....I proceeded to the hospital, did the blood work, and they placed a bracelet on me and told me how important it was to keep this bracelet on for arrival in the morning.  I agreed I would leave it on and they wished me well.....I drove home.   Upon arriving at home, I checked my voice mail and had 3 calls from the doc office.   I returned the call and was informed that my surgery was not going to be in the morning!!!!   Instead, back when they cancelled my operation on Oct. 14th until I could get other specialist appts completed,.....the scheduler never marked my file as being cancelled.....so when I went back after seeing Allergy Specialist, my Bariatric Surgeon looked at my file....and saw my surgery date of Oct. 30th....so told me that my date was the same as before....I followed up today as I was directed.....all was well..........after I left the office today, my surgeon asked scheduler for my file since he was preparing for tomorrow's surgeries......the scheduler told him I was not on schedule for tomorrow......she failed to mark my surgery date as "Cancelled"  in my file....and everyone in the office read according to what the file said.................so we all got shocked................scheduler was able to put me in surgery slot on November 4th due to a cancellation........(left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing is how I feel at this point.)..................  not the surgeon's fault......the scheduler dropped the ball on my file by not appropriately notating  my file.  So now..........I have to go back Tuesday again  to the hospital and have the tubes of blood drawn for the Blood Typing before Wednesday's surgery all over again.  Not to mention, this meant that my friends & family that had ask off from work had to be notified of my surgery cancellation at last minute, and some could not be..........plus the new date is a real problem for my husband's employer...........but they have waited so long now that if I postpone it to another week, I would have to do the Cardiology and chest xrays again?????   Wow.....I never dreamed this would be such a long and winding road just to get to the operation room.    I'm tired.................   So many bumps in the road.....   So now....if all goes as new plans call for....I go for surgery on November 4, 2009 at 6AM......

Well, my visit with my surgeon went great......Thank God Above.....I'm still on for this Friday, Oct. 30th.  I register at 12:30pm & surgery should be about an hour later after preop.  I'm nervous, but excited!  Need lots of prayer......Thanks, Karen

Well, lots of things have went on since my all day appointment with my surgeon.   Since my preop xrays taken the week prior to my surgeons appt date, showed a poor pulmonary return........I was required to go back to the hospital on the same afternoon as my all day appt with my surgeon.....for more respitory testing.  I was so nervous about the lung testing that I ended up having my neurocardiogenic syncope symptoms for the first time in 3 years.  I had these symptoms similiar to panic attacks for 2 solid days, Sunday & Monday.  Due to the nature of the symptoms, I was afraid I was having a heart attack, since my left arm & entire face was numb....so I ended up in the ER for the regular 4 hr minimum trip....(no heart attack...thank goodness....just the neurocardiogenic syncope symptoms).   So when I went to the surgeon the next day,  I mentioned that I had been in the ER the night before with these "Panic Attack like" symptoms....and .that led them to require me to see the Psychologist.......which ended very well .......after explaining to her that I thought the attacks were generated from the fear of the lung test results.....(which by the way, were also excellent after retesting in respitory that same day).  She already knew that I had not been on medication for my condition since we had discussed this previously that my family doc wanted to see if I could get off of the medicine.  She didn't agree with it at the time....and now it proves she was correct.

My family doc had agreed for me to try to go off of my medicine for the neurocardiogenic syncope unless it came back & to start the med again....Well, I had been off of the meds for about 3 months....& I guess being nervous over the lung xrays brought the attacks back on.   I have been back on the meds since last Sunday & will stay on them thru the rest of this wls journey.   Thus far, no more attacks, this is the 8th day of being back on them.......it usually takes 14 days to get in my system really good.    So.....over that hurdle and it was time for the education preop class later that afternoon............

Class was informative, received my Owner's Manual, spirometer, pedometer, pill organizer, and other paperwork.  Great.....then I mentioned that I was going to try the Egg White Protein Powder bcs of all of my "food allergies"........lol........oh boy......opened my mouth.............oh boy.....

Next day, I received a message from the bariatric office to call them that it was important.......so I called & was informed that I was being removed from the surgery date until I could go to an Allergy Specialiist to have a food allergy panel done.  After getting the results, I was to make an appointment with the Nutritionist again to work out what I would be able to do about sufficient protein intake.  Also they wanted me to have all records faxed to them from my Gastro Specialist & colonoscopy results.(which are good).   Then after that, I would be able to make another appointment with my surgeon to get a new surgery date if applicable & discuss the type of surgery for me.  (I'm only doing the RNY surgery, I won't accept the LapBand....instead I will find a surgeon that will do the RNY if necessary.)

OK......I went the next day & picked up the colonoscopy records & notes....faxed them to the bariatric office......then I got an appointment the next day with an Allergy Specialist in Lexington, he called the results in to my bariatric surgeon, gave me a copy of them, ........I drove that same morning to Georgetown to take a hard copy to my surgeon's office, got an appt later that same day with the Nutritionist  (she told me to start introducing lots of foods back into my diet that I thought I was allergic too prior to testing)........and now waiting on the surgeon's second appt this Thursday.  This was all great & grand to check me out for the allergies....I needed this, plus the nurse that does these pre op classes is "on the ball".....I really like her alot.   However........the test did not include Aspartame, Gluten intolerance, Whey (protein shakes), Lactose Intolerance, etc.....or any other kind of intolerance........I learned that what I have are intolerances, not allergies...according to the Allergy Specialist......but you better believe I'm not opening my mouth & he promised me that he wouldn't mention anythng either...........let the show continue...........the technical "food allergies" that I've been saying I have are "intolerances"...........but I won't be adding any information to the pie.....MUM is the word for now.  I just want this thing over with.......so I can move on to the next stage & start losing.....

This WLS is a long journey & the hills & valleys are ridiculous sometimes........I know its for our own good, but it doesn't make it any easier......its nerve wrecking just waiting & waiting....and then getting up to the plate & being told to sit down again..........its almost torture.........lol.  Although, I must admit, my surgeon's office is being very careful to make sure all is well before surgery.  No animosity on my part, because its all to protect my health & I realize that.......

I ask if I could keep the same date since everything checked out ok......but was not promised the same date of Oct. 30th.....I was told I have to see the surgeon again.   So at this point, I don't have an exact date.......????   I should know Thursday after seeing the doc... I'm faithfully doing the spirometer exercises daily & hoping to keep the Oct. 30th slot.  Just praying that nothing more is required before this surgery ..............

Still Waiting after 11 months.........

Bariatric Contessa

I'm so excited...Tina emailed me my paperwork this morning....and it had a tentative surgery date on it of October 30th!!! YES!    Please please say a prayer for me......I will return the prayer for you........
Thanks,

The silence and waiting finally broke today!!! Yes!!  I go for my preop testing Oct. 5th and go for my all day visit with Dr. Sonnanstine on October 13th.............Wow............I feel like its actually going to happen now!!!  I can't express how relieved I feel to have these dates............I will get my surgery date on the 13th.................Keep Me In Your Prayers!!!

Thanks so much,