jennwell

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I had surgery on December 16th and was released from the hospital on December 18th, in a snowstorm.  In hindsight  i should  have stayed in the hospital, as I had a choice.  I was doing well on liquids only, but I wanted to see my daughter before she left on a mission trip.   I had a little bit of a high protein shake when I got home and spent the rest of the night getting rid of it.  I did not then understand that I was experiencing dumping syndrome and more than likely my stomach was really swollen so it could not keep anything down except clear liquids.  My daughter drove me back to the hospital 12 hours later, before she left on a trip.   After I returned to the hospital it was discovered that I had cellulitis, an infection in my fat tissue around two of my laproscopic incisions.  The infection wrapped around my side and down into my lower abdominal fat.  I gained 6 pounds of fluid in 2 days.  My Dr. was scared that the infection was in the fat on my inner body cavity as he found during the surgery that I have extensive fat around my organs.  A cellulitis infection inside my body cavity would have been very difficult to treat.  It was also suspected that my infection was MRSA, though the test said no, they treated it like it was anyway.  I was on 4 antibiotics via IV in the hospital and two more after I was released.  I was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve!  I had been told that I would most likely be in the hospital until at least the 26th, so it was a real gift to get out for Christmas.  I also did not need any pain meds after getting out of the hospital, which was a blessing.  I still have a hemotoma on one of my incisions, which created a big bruise, this was apparently from throwing up so hard in the hospital.

I am doing very well now and I moved to pureed foods on Christmas Day.    I am still on pureed foods but I have added in a few experiments of solid foods and chewing thoroughly.  I have experienced the beginning of dumping syndrome a couple times and I am still learning how to best eat and time my drink intake to work the best for me.  I have lost about 22 pounds already and all the swelling from my cellulitis has gone down completely!  My hospital, Overlake was top notch and Dr. Lauter took great care of me and I also saw an infections disease specialist at Overlake who took great care of me.

I have to be really careful and the head hunger really gets me at night.  I don't have all my energy back yet, probably from fighting the infection, but  I need to get my but in gear and exercise!  I also have a hard time getting in all my protein and water and I need to eat more meals I think.  God Bless, Jen

My Surgery is less than 2 weeks away!  I am getting so stinking excited!  I am also feeling guilty for every "normal" meal I eat, but I need to be not so hard on myself.  I got the baby spoons and had some fruit salad last night, practicing how I will have to chew and rest.  I am so bad at that right now and I have to learn to eat very slowly.

For years the one thing that I have wanted to do and have been unable to do it is lose all this weight.   I weigh 247 but I have been told I don't look it.  I am a size 18-20.  The truth is that I think my genes make me carry a lot of fat in my abdominal cavity, which is one of the reasons why I have heart disease.  I tend to convienently forget that my fat is literally killing me.  I have been in denial that I am as heavy as I am and now I get to do something concrete to insure that I will get to someday meet my future grandkids!