Melanie Watson

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As I mentioned below,  Wednesday I'll be 3 weeks out. So how do I feel? I'm feeling pretty good. Well, honestly ... I'm feeling run down and if I'm sitting for more then 10 minutes, I'm good as sleep.

I had a 2 week  post op check since all of my excitement. Dr. Schwartz said that the blood scar is looking good and it (the blood is resorbing) is going to take for my skin to be back to it's natural color.

I mentioned to him that the past few days I've been hungry and I'd been eating just about every 2 hours or so. He said that it was normal and as you go through the healing process that is the first sign that I'm ready for my first fill. So he said 7 - 10 days and to call the fill center and set my appointment.  

I call the fill center and they so rudely told me they would not be open since the labor day holiday was upcoming and would I like to come in this Wednesday. Hell yeah!!! What a GREAT 3 week present to me.

But I'm thinking I need to take some vitamins or at least get a B-12 shot. 

Night time is the worst because I seem to get hungry, but I don't give into it so it makes morning not so pretty.

Over all, I feel I'm doing good. I have an AWESOME support system and family and friends that are cheering the Mello on to success.

I will continue to keep you up to date on my crazy like.

Okie dokie, so this Wednesday I will be 3 weeks post-op.
What has happened since then? Hold on, it's been a WILD RIDE.

To make the long story short, on Sat (day 3) I was feeling pretty good. I'm able to bend over and tie my shoes. Still a little stiff, but that was to be expected. My neighbor was seeing after my son and myself at the same time her husband was also in the hospital.

I ran my back to school errands (being careful of course) and wham bam I started to feel run down and feverish. By the time we made to to Wal-Mart I cruised around the over packed store in the go cart and with tears in my eyes I managed to make it through. We leave and get to the rehab hospital where Buddy is and once I walked through the door, I asked for a wheelchair as I felt I was gonna pass out. Not only did I feel like I've been hit by a mack truck, I'm burning up. Cheryl was rubbing ice on my arms to cool me down and one of the nurses took my temp. Of course it was normal ... I'd been eating ice chips.

By the time we made it home, my temp was now 100.8. I called Dr. Schwartz and told him how I was feeling. He said I might be a little dehydrated(sp) and to go to the er and get checked out. I didn't want to go, but I changed my mind about going, but gave into to all the threats from my next door family.

I'm in the waiting room for 2 hours. My vitals were taken upon my arrival. So now I FINALLY get called back to the back. I feel bad for nurse Nancy because all I hear is is a baby crying at the top of her little lungs and grown azzz folks calling her out by every name but the one her parents gave her.

She make several attempts to fina a vein and whamo we have a winner after 4 attmepts. Now I've got some fluid flowing throw my veins.

Remeber my nasty bruise I mentioned before? Well as we all know they get nastier looking before they get better.  Nurse Nancy is asking 20 ?'s about surgery and feeling comfortable with her I say ... "Wanna see my cool bruise?" so I flash her. At that same exact moment, Dr. Tarr walks in and says ... "That's not a bruise dear." "Yes it is!!!! Nurse Amy said so!!! She said it was because of the heprin shots being given too close to my incision". "That may be so, but bruises are not supposed to look like that. It needs to be investigated ASAP! It may take several hours, but I would like to do a cat scan of your tummy." Then the good doc takes off.

I'm thinking now .... "What the F*^%$ did I sign up for?" During my stay in the very uncomfortable er bed was made enjoyable because Nurse Nancy kept giving me pain meds through my IV . Just as the Dr. said, it took several hours and I was awoken and told ... "You've just bought yourself a bed." "Oh no I didn't!! I've got to be at church in the morning. I feel better now. My fever has broken and I feel good to go." "Has anyone come in to speak with you?" "Ahh...NO"  
 
Dr. Tarr comes back to tell me that my band is ok and the surgery and it's placement went a-ok. Then he comfirms that I indeed had a reaction to the heprin shots that were given and I had been bleeding internally ... hense the large ugly bruise (that wrapped from my left side just below my arm pit and extending to my incision on the right side.) AND thte blood had been pooling in my stomach. AND my blood count had dropped to 6. I'm not sure what a normal blood count is, but I need to  have a blood transfusion, 2 pints to be exact. The idea was if the clotting factors did what they are supposed to do, the bleeding would stop and I would just need to heal. If not, another surgery would be necessary to drain my stomach and to find the vein that is hemmoraging and repair it.

Now, I'm not the the best when it comes to prayer, but I was a praying FOOL this morning. The good Lord heard my prayers and I avoided surgery. I stayed another 4 days in the hospital before getting back to my life.

Whew .... so much for that being the short version.

I arrived at the hospital with my family in tow (all ten of them) at 6:30 in the morning. To my suprise, when I was called back to start the prep process the nurse that rang for me was a close friend of mine that I had lost contact with. I knew it was starting out perfect.

My son and good friend Gina walked me down to the holding tank and we said our so-longs (we never say goodbye as it is forever).

My IV did not want to cooperate so I instantly became a pin cushion and it took the charge nurse to get it right on the 4th try. The last thing I remember is being told "I'm going to give you something to make you relax". My next recollection is waking up in the emergency room. All I could think was ... give me DRUGS!! Oh Lawd!!! what did I do to my self!! I guess that is a pretty common reaction.

After 3 hours in recovery, I was reunited with my family I left behind several hours eariler. Mama was sitting in the corner with tears in her eyes not saying anything, and wanting to know how I felt. My family stayed with me for a few more hours because I kept dozing in and out on conscienceness (I think I spelled that right)

It took several hours to finish my dinner and I didn't realize how liquid could fill you up so fast.

A few more people snuck in after visiting hours and I was determined that I was not going to get up to start walking until I finished watching the last episode of House of Payne. Now I'm being hard headed. 

I'm up and walking and beltching up a storm. (I would make a few bar goers proud) So, now it's time to hit the hay, I'm too pooped to poop (literally). Now, I'm adjusting myself to get comfortable as I can only to  wake up with the most horrific gas bubble that any one could imagine. I believe that everyone on the floor was laughing uncontrolably as I was screaming at the top of my lungs ... Oh Lord help me Jesus ... Just take me now and relieve me of this misery. I had an awesome nurse that took care of me and rubbed my back and calmed me down. I'm so thankful for her. She told me to set the alarm on cell phone to every two hours so I could adjust myself. It helped. She told me this morning that she came in to check on my about 30 minutes after my walk and I was snoring so hard she couldn't stop laughing.

Today 8/7/08 .... wasn't so bad. My muscles are very sore and I have a real nasty bruise on my left side. Nurse Amy said it was probably a result from the heprin shots that was given on my left side and just to keep an eye on it. I'm home now and my son is doting over me and wanting to take care of me. I'm off to the recliner and there is an icepack somewhere that has my name on it.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Mello