Phyllis M.

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Well today is Friday.  Not much more going on lately.   I'm down 18 lbs from Gastric Bypass Surgery and a total of 45 lbs since I started the nutritional counseling back in May from my "all time HI weight", so I'm a little excited about that total.   I'm anxious about Thanksgiving this year; however I will miss all of my favorite foods and I just have to remember that I can only eat very few bites and NOT until my heart is content.  I have no desire to eat out anymore because even though at most places, there are things that I can have and order; but it just seems like a waste of money now.   I can't enjoy it like I use to be able to, so why bother.     I am having some residual depression and I think mostly because my family is in OKC and I just don't have a whole lot of support here in Dallas area and I just feel so alone all the time.  Taking care of myself for the most part since day 4 after surgery; which is a good thing because I wanted to show everything that I wasn't going to be a whiney little brat, but then I showed everyone that I could do so much on my own that everyone just left me to fend for myself !!           Much to my surprise having a 2nd surgery only 2 weeks after the gastric bypass surgery wasn't my idea of "fun and games".  I am still recovering from that.   I saw dr this past wednesday where they removed the staples and left in the drain tube.   I go back in 3 weeks for next checkup,  unless otherwise needed.  I'm still really sore and painful to walk around too much - but YES - I am getting in my walking several times a day.   Today was another trip to Walmart for Amanda some jeans and me some more protein drinks and "water".  I've gotten to the point that I can NOT drink Irving's water and my water has to be bottled !!  

Well, I'm home again from the hospital.  I spent 6 days this last time in the hospital for dehydration, and hernia problem, and they found "something" that was attached to my intestine that apparently wasn't allowing me to hold in food.  Dr. found that when he explored AFTER  hernia repair.  Hernia repair was more painful than the gastric bypass surgery. (this was NOT related to the Gastric Bypass Surgery at all)     But I guess if there was a 2" incision that was cut into your belly button, one would think that it would suppose to hurt !! (VERY PAINFUL 2" INCISION)  Hopefully now I am on the real road to recovery and becoming more healthy by losing the excess weight that I need to lose.   I just need prayers to remember to eat 6 little times each day and fill me with protein so I'll heal faster and lots and lots of water to keep hydrated......I do NOT want to end up in the hospital again !!  I had a lot of respect for hospitals prior to this last stay, but after Tuesday night and the insertion of a "PIC" line............NO MORE FOR ME !!   As for my weight - I've gained a few here and there with the excess water they gave me in the hospital and the nutrients he was feeding me as well, but I can't wait to stop hurting - OH and did I mention ITCHING !   I broke out in hives sometime Wednesday night.................don't have a clue what from yet.   I think that it is from the 6 different sites that they had tape on..........they are most tape happy people !!   The dr doesn't know what may have brought those on.......but hopefully the itching will go away and then I can mend......excercise and get on a better road to recovery.       Thank you all for your continued support and prayers.

Well, I got to feeling really like crap by Saturday afternoon and had realized that I had had several days of not really holding a whole lot in me, nor taking a whole lot in.   2 days of diarrhea basically and well, on Saturday afternoon, I had Amanda to take me to the emergency room where they determined that I was extremely dehydrated and my urine was full of keytones (what ever that means-just confirms dehydration).  Luckily, my surgery/doctor was already at the hospital was on call all weekend !   I saw him before I actually even saw the ER nurse.......hehehehehe    Dr Matin is so great !!  He is so patient and understanding and I can talk to him just about anything.  He seemed to be kinda shocked that I hadn't called him and then I just showed up in ER !! 

Dehydration is a very common complication after Gastric Bypass Surgery and is really not that unusual.  Once behind in getting liquids in, just hard to get caught up without IV fluids.   I'm now on my 8th or 9th bag of fluids.  I am still having problems and can't eat but about 2-5 bites of food and then my stomach just hurts like an old fashioned belly ache and about 1-2 hours later, ends up coming OUT of my body.   Not a good thing.

Last night for dinner, I didn't eat any of the hospital food (exactly the same thing I had for lunch) I got sick after eating lunch and well, when I smelled the food at 5pm, I took 2 sips of Carnation Instant Breakfast which I do like and my stomach went into the HURT mode and all I could do then was just cry - just like a big old baby !!   I know that if I can't get enough in me to keep in me, that sending me home will probably be a mistake because I'll just end up dehydrated again.

Final diagnosis hasn't come in yet and hopefully when I see Dr. Matin today, he'll know by then if it is a viral infection (no treatment -just gotta run its course) or bacterial infection -(will be treated with IV antiobiotics).  I almost don't expect to get to go home today because everything that I've eatin' in the past 12 hours, has just gone through me, but I'm not the doctor...so we'll see.  All I know is that my stomach hurts and I just don't feel well.    Not a complication that I was expecting at all considering I had planned on being one of those exceptional patients that lost more than expected in a short amount of time while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and just feeling better than expected !!   DIDN'T HAPPEN !!  grrrrrrrrrrrr  I quess I can't have everything.

Six days after coming home from the hospital I was pain medication free. So that is good news.  I can drive since I'm not taking pain meds.  I'm still a little sore when I more in certain directions, but that is to be expected, after all, I'm only about 13 days post op right now and I think that I'm doing great with the exception of this little "bug" that I've caught has kinda thrown a monkey wrench into this plan.     GOD IS GOOD AND I'LL BE FINE IN HIS LOVING ARMS AND CARE. !! 

Hello everyone.  So far all is going well.  I had a rough night yesterday evening, but I think that I was just out and about way to long yesterday and all day yesterday.   I'm having dizzy spells quite often now and after several calls to the doctor, they've determined it is and can be usual.  They believe it is a sign of dehydration.   Imagine that.  You go from a  stomach to a "pouch" that holds about 2-3 ounces of whatever................and you are expected to drink at least 64 oz of water and/included in that you are to get 70-80 grams of protein in each day.   I'm lucky right now if I've gotten in 20 grams of protein in and maybe 10 oz of water a day.    Another sign of dehydration is that I'm always dry mouth and cottonny mouth...along with the dizzy spells.   The dr has advanced my diet to include a little more substance, meat, egg, cheese slices, etc.....isn't that kewl.   I had boiled a piet of chicken tenders w/chicken boillon last night and covered it with a piece of cheese, had 2-3 bites of mashed potatoes, and 2-3 bites of green beans.......and well, even though I didn't feel miserable at the time - about an hour or so later....I wasn't feeling good.  Amanda thinks that I ate too much and had "dumping" syndrome !!   :(      At least I didn't throw it up......She says I'm in denial because I don't think that is what I had !!!  lol

I'm getting out today to get a few more things that I can eat at Walmart to add to my diet, and get my flu shot which as been approved by my doctor.  I'm anxious to take today slow and easy and just relax.     

Well, 2 days in a row - pushed myself and did too much.  I'm trying to avoid naps in the afternoon so that I'll sleep through the night and so far that is working; however the past 2 days, I've just been out running around too much and have just really gotten over tired to where I could do nothing but cry, cry and well.....just more crying !!!    I've really been kinda depressed and lonely this week and just don't know what to do at this point.  

I had a really good night last night.   I wasn't feeling really all that great yesterday afternoon and evening and was really restless, but because the weather was so cold outside, I didn't get out and get my walks in.  I walked around the house - but it just wasn't enough.    I got confused after getting out of the shower and couldn't remember if I had taken my 6:00pm pain medication so just in case - I didn't take it again and about 9:00 I realized that I DEFINATELY DID NOT TAKE IT !  I took it about 9:30 to compromise in case I did and by 10:30 - I was off to lalalalalalalala  land.   I moved into my bed and slept right through the 2:00am medication time and woke up when my alarm to wake up Amanda went off at 6:00.    It was a rough morning for her....but she just stays up so late.....and then pays for it the next day with attitude because she is so tired.  Hopefully she won't take it out on me

I got really cold about 7pm  last night and so I had to turn on the heater to knock the chill out of the air and then I seemed to have been okay.  Maybe just one of those restless evenings of a long day all by myself.   Amanda was up at DeVry most of the day with her friends, and well, that was okay - I did okay - but I sure was lonely. 

The sun is out today and maybe it will be a little warmer than 45 degrees, so I'll get dressed and get out today several times and get that walking in. Sure made a difference and I hate to admit that - but I really think it did. 

I'm anxious to go see Dr. Matin tomorrow to see my progress and if this stupid drain pipe can be taken out.  I don't expect to be released to be able to drive yet which is fine by me because with the infections (staph) going around the Dallas metroplex, I am not one to get out and take that risk on adding fuel to this file.  Not just yet anyway.   Maybe by weeks' end I will get out and start venturing out a little more.

I could have gone home on Tuesday, but my sister and I decided that if I could stay an extra night, she and I would be more at ease, so I went home on Thursday.  Surgery was on Tuesday.       
I took a shower this evening and it took what little energy I had all out of me and then I was really grouchy.........trying not to be, but my daughter, Amanda got the brunt of it !!!   

I don't remember much.  I remember that the nurses DO get you up as soon as possible and I was ready for that.  I don't think that I was too unhappy or grouchy at them.........but I do remember that the morphine that they had me on was wonderful........there was a nurse on each side of me on my first walk and I remember them telling me to "keep my eyes open" and I said " I AM !!!" Their reply............" I can't see them !!!  "             I do know that I went a little farther than they thought I would, but I was determined to prove to my family that I was going to do this and I would not feel sorry for myself anylonger because I was overweight.  I was gonna show them..............
OH yeah day after.....they'll take you down and do a GI series on ya to make sure that there isn't any leaks, and everything should be where it needs to be.............

Now - where is that morphine button ????????????

Today was the day for my surgery.  A new beginning.  A new start to begin life alot more healthy.  Oh the hopes of being able to walk the mall with your child without having to stop every 4-5 stores if not less......the possibilities of being able to walk at the zoo without being there for less than an hour and needing to sit down and rest or wanting to go home to go to bed.........or just being made fun of because you are "fat".         I can't wait for this wonderful tool to take a hold of my life and let me live again !! 

I was approved by Aetna for the surgery...................yeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh !!!

Here we are middle of August.............August 14th was my last dietician appointment to meet the requirements for the insurance purposes......

All documents were submitted to Aetna on 8-16-07 for review and pre-authorization for the Gastric Bypass Surgery..........