shellrny
| Shelli Hoover Parkesburg, PA, USA Post Op - BMI: 38.1 Surgery Type: RNY - distal Member ID: H1120924928 Contact: Click here to send a Personal Message Surgeon: Thomas Beetel, M.D. |
Spending time with my husband and three girls is the most important thing to me. I'm looking forward to being able to run around with them and not be out of breath and tired.
6/13/05 Met with Paula and she gave me all the scripts for blood work, EKG, ultrasound, chest x-ray, arterial blood gas test, PT consult, nutrition consult & psych consult.
6/14/05 Got blood work done
6/15/05 Got EKG
6/17/05 Met with PT for consult. My range of motion is great - very flexible. But 10 minutes on the bike and I thought I'd pass out! I'm so outta shape.
6/20/05 Got Chest x-ray, ultrasound & ABG tested.
I'm on a roll....
6/28/05 Met Teresa Runkle for my nutrition consult. She was awesome! I learned so much.
7/5/05 Met Dr. Shires for my Psych consult. He was very nice. He speaks so softly I had to ask him some things twice. He recommended me for WLS. He said I had a great support system with my family and friends being so supportive.
7/06/05 Today I had my pre-op appointment with Dr. Beetel. I was very nervous, I had lost about 7 pounds because I had a reaction to some med's my PCP had put me on. He said that my low BMI may cause my Ins. to not authorize me. He recommended me and the letter is being sent to my insurance company. It will take anywhere from 2-8 weeks to hear back. I have my pre-op class and test with Paula on 7/19/05 and my EGD is 8/1/05. Now I just have to wait to see if Ins. approves my surgery.
7/19/05 Has my pre op nutrition class with Paula and about 5 other people having the surgery as well. We took our written test to see if we read our handbooks (Bonanni bible). Met Susan and Mitzi after the class.
8/1/05 EGD was a piece of cake. I was very nervous and almost vomited. When I woke up on the way to recovery I couldn't believe it was over! I only had a slight sore throat. Reading Surgical Center is amazing. The people were comforting, the place is clean and very organized. If I ever need another procedure I'll definitely go there.
8/10/05 Still waiting on insurance approval :-(
9/01/05 Insurance improved me and my surgery date is 9/22/05!
My weight was 229 and I start my liquid diet on Sunday.
9/17/05 My husband took me out to our favorite restaurant for dinner. I had sirloin tips with crab imperial and béarnaise sauce over it, baked potato, broccoli, 2 drinks and a slice of peanut butter pie. YUM! Fell on the steps as we were leaving and really scraped up my leg. But I never let go of the takeout container!!!
9/18/05 My niece and I went to a seafood buffet for my "last supper". It was awesome, you name it I prolly had it! And 2 margarita's to wash it down with. I'll miss them, but that's the price I'm willing to pay!
9/19/05 Started the liquid diet today. No too bad. I love Turkey Hill Diet Decaf Iced tea. I think I'll be living on this stuff for awhile.
9/20/05 My stomach growled for quite awhile last night. I'm missing food today! Hopefully I'll lose a few pounds these few days before surgery. I'm starting to worry some more now. I don't have a will.
I'm worried that if something does happen to me that my two beautiful older girls will have to go live with their father. I would want them to stay with my husband (their step-dad) instead. Their real father can't afford to keep them, he lives with his girlfriend of a few months, they don't have rooms for the girls, he can't afford to help the older one who's going to college next year, he's an alcoholic with 4 DUI's. The girls love my husband and we have another girl together. I want them to be together. My husband can provide for all three of them and they can stay in their home together. I had thought of asking my ex to sign something saying they could stay with my husband but have been too afraid to approach him. He'll never agree to this. I'm healthy with the exception of being overweight and thyroid disease so I'm sure I will not die from this surgery. But like with anything there are no guarantees. Pray with me that I have a successful surgery.
9/21/05 Took pictures this evening thanks to my hubby. He's been so supportive. I'll miss everyone from my support group, I look forward to chatting with them online each day. I think I would have chickened out if I didn't have them.
9/22/05 Day of surgery! My surgery time was for 1 in the afternoon so I slept until 10 am. Got my shower and rode the 45 minute drive to Reading Hospital with my husband. After checking in and changing into my robe and slippers I was let into a long room with lots of beds with curtains between them. Here I was given a shot of Heparin and Valium. Surgical stockings were put on my feet and a beautiful cap in my head. After only about 10 minutes I was wheeled to the holding area after kissing my husband. I waited there for around 1/2 an hour and was then taken to the OR. Everyone was very nice and introduced themselves to me. They kept me talking so I never had a chance to cry which I thought I would do. Next thing I remember was waking up on the way to my room. I never remember waking in recovery. My husband and two oldest girls were in my room waiting for me. Thank goodness for morphine! Well let me just say as the #1 sissy when it comes to pain, OMG! Worse than childbirth for me. Now everyone is different but why me having all that pain. I slept most of the time. When they tried to get me up to walk in the evening I got dizzy and felt sick. They had to put me back in bed. Slept pretty good but had a ton of gas pain.
9/23/05 Whoa, can't get rid of the dizziness. Twice I tried to get up and blood pressure dropped to 95/57 and had to go back to bed and get a shot for the sick feeling. Morphine every 6 hours and something (can't remember the name) in between. Got 1 oz. of fluid every hour today and it took almost the hour to drink it. Eight of my support group friends came to see me today!!! How awesome is that! My husband and two older girls came to visit me today also. I felt somewhat better but still dizzy. I did walk to the end of the hall and back this evening.
9/24/05 Wow, I didn't know about Ketosis before. My breath is foul! Doc is keeping me another night since I'm so dizzy and haven't walked much. Today I had 2 bites of jello, a few sips of broth and some diet decaf iced tea for each meal. Still in much pain and the drain tube leaked because someone forgot to bandage it. YUCK! Sponge bathed myself and changed gowns. Two more support friends visited today along with my husband and two older girls. They brought me flowers and balloons. I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful family!
9/25/05 Today's the day to go home and I'm wishing I could stay longer. I won't get the pain killers at home. I was afraid the Tylenol with codeine wouldn't be enough. The nurses were all so awesome! They were always there and when I was hot they got me a fan within 15 minutes. I had a great experience at Reading Hospital. The ride home was long and painful. I held a pillow over my stomach but I felt every bump. The JP tube bothered me and I can't look at it so my wonderful husband drained it for me twice a day and kept track of it. I slept in a recliner most of the day.
9/26/05 Tried to sleep in bed and made out ok. My husband took the week off to care for me. Good thing as I can't get up alone and need his arm to walk as the dizziness has not gone away yet.
Tried to sleep in bed, not comfortable so ended up on the recliner again. Having a ton of pain in my left shoulder, from them pumping me with air.
9/29/05 Got ready and went to my PCP to look at my shin where I fell before surgery. The pain wasn't going away. While there I was so sick and dizzy that they gave me a shot of something to make me feel better. Then off to Dr. Beetel's to have my JP tube removed. I expected a lot of pain from it and there wasn't. I lost 12 pounds. The shot wore off and I had a miserable visit and ride home. Got home and took some pain med and slept the rest of the night.
9/30/05 Rested most of the day. It's very hard to get my fluids in. Everything is too sweet or tastes like dirt! Water is my friend now and I didn't care for it before. I've tried a few protein shakes and the best is the cheapest one from Wal-Mart. Go figure. This evening we went to the local parade, my oldest daughter was in the Homecoming court and I couldn't miss that. Went home and slept the night away again.
10/1/05 Today was coronation for Homecoming. We went to see Chelsea although she didn't make Homecoming queen she made me proud. In my dizzy state I almost fell and pulled a few incisions. Came home and rested the rest of the day.
10/6/05 Two weeks out and down 17 pounds. I'm still dizzy sometimes but I haven't had any problems with foods. Still no hunger and if it wasn't for a dry mouth I wouldn't even want a drink. So weird cause I see this new commercial for Subway and this awesome chicken parm sandwich and I'm like man why didn't they have that 3 weeks ago?!?! LOL Taking the Actigal is bad cause the pills are huge. I got one caught in my throat last night and it took 2 hours to get it down.
10/9/05 Today was a great day. I have hardly any pain now, just a few stings in my incisions now and then. I can get up on my own now and I'm doing well getting all of my vitamins and minerals in but not quite enough protein. I'm getting more fluids in and the dizziness is going away. I lost another pound yesterday. I need to stop weighing myself everyday and do it once a week. I'm just so excited!
10/26/05 YEAH!! Today I weighed myself and I'm officially under 200 lbs! 199.4 that means I have lost 30 pounds so far. Tomorrow is 5 weeks since surgery. I'm having some problems with keeping things down today, all liquids! Tomorrow I'll have an upper GI to see if there is a stricture.
10/27/05 Bummer! I have a stricture! Where they attached the intestine to my new stomach is at 5 mm and should be more like 9-11mm. Everything is sticking and I can't keep anything down, even struggling with fluids today.
10/30/05 Today I had an EDG and DR Beetel blew the stricture open. Just like the first EDG it was a piece of cake. (Funny how I use that expression even though I can't eat cake anymore!) The drugs they give ya are awesome! Came home and took a nap. Woke up for trick or treating this evening. I sat on the porch with a blanket and gave out the candy while my husband took our youngest daughter around the neighborhood. Had a large cup of coffee and enjoyed the fall breeze.
12/22/05 Today is 3 months since my surgery. I have lost a total of 55 pounds! I weigh less than my husband now and that was my first goal! I have lost 1 inch in my upper arms, 4 1/2 inches from my thighs, 5 1/2 inches from my chest, 5 1/4 inches from my hips and 9 inches from my waist so far! The weight loss has slowed down considerably and even have had a stall for the past 2 weeks. We had our Christmas party for all the post-ops from my surgeons office and it was a blast. It was fun shopping for a sexy lil outfit. My buddies Debbie and Jeanne went with me shopping 2 weeks back. Our yahoo support group is the most awesome bunch of gals I've ever met! We go out often for lunch and dinner. We're going on a cruise in June and we are going to the mountains for a weekend in Feb.
1/5/06 I am at 3 1/2 months out now and feeling great! This is the best thing I've ever done for myself! (Cept marrying Rob) I'm over the food aversion and stricture. I can eat anything except noodles, untoasted bread and white rice sometimes bothers me. Of course I don't have anything over 3 grams of sugar. I'm afraid to even try sugar not cause I may dump but because it may NOT make me dump. Then I'd know I can have sugar and I'd eat it more than I should. Sugar alcohol sometimes makes me feel a little crazy...like a caffeine high. So I don't try too much sugar free sweets. Christmas and New Years were awesome! I didn't miss the food at all. Some of my friends felt like something was missing and/or had the winter blues and couldn't binge eat. I'm working part-time now and will add some hours by Feb. as I'm feeling pretty "normal" now. I don't barf much as I have learned what not to eat and to chew, chew, chew my food! I'm down 57 pounds and yesterday I made my second goal...to be able to wear my hubby's jeans! He came home from work and looked at me and said, "Look at you in your skinny clothes!" Then I had to tell him they were his!!! I'm so lucky to have a husband who is so supportive of me in my weight loss journey as well as the rest of our relationship!
2/20/06 As of today I'm down 72.5 pounds! 3 more days to 5 months out! I'm really hoping to lose the last 16.5 pounds before my 6 month point. We got the workout room set up in the basement now so I have to get to working out now. Last Tuesday (Valentines Day) I got Restylane injected into my lips. I always had a very small upper lip and now boy oh boy I have lips now! I like them but look so different still, gotta get used to them. I have a consult with Dr Lamanna on this Friday Feb. 24th who is the chief of plastic surgery at Reading Hospital. I'm looking to have my breasts lifted and possibly a small implant. I'm around a 36C now and want to have perky "girls" for the first time ever. The only time I seem to have problems with food is when I try pasta's. I keep trying thinking one day I'll be able to have them again. My thyroid levels are normal and I'll be having a CAT scan of the nodules in June to see if they have grown. I feel so great and sexy!! I have gone from a size 24/22 to 10's!! I've already bought a pair of 8 jeans and will try them on from time to time till they finally fit. I will have Dr Lamanna perform a mini tummy tuck and lipo of my belly, hips and thighs when I make goal. Then I should drop 5+ pounds from the plastic surgery and that will give me a little bumper. If your thinking of WL surgery....all I can say is follow your heart! It can be a bumpy road and it isn't the easy way out no matter what you hear. It's a lot of work as it's a total life change. 10/10/06 I was having severe stomach pains and needed to go to the ER. I had my husband drive me the hour drive to go to Reading Hospital where I had my GBS incase there was a problem associated with the surgery. That way I could see Dr Beetel also. This is a post from my yahoo group dated Tuesday October 10th, 2006.On Sat afternoon I was getting stomach pains and as the
night went on they got worse and worse. I kept thinking it was gas
pain. I took a few gas X chewy's but didn't work. The net morning I
was pretty good but as soon as I ate something the pain got worse.
Then went away after awhile only to come back after I ate dinner. My
belly was distended and sore to the touch even. At 10pm I was crying
from the pain and decided to go to the hospital. I had Rob take me
to Reading Hospital since Dr Beetel was there and Dr Ku if Beetle
wasn't available. I was given an IV and some morphine which took the
edge off the pain. All in all I had 5 shots of morphine. I had a
catscan and they couldn't find anything. My urine sample showed
crystals but no stones showed up on the cat scan. Gallbladder looked
fine and no bowel obstructions. They did say I was dehydrated (I
know I usually am cause I don't drink much) so I got 2 bags of IV
fluids. I asked to see Dr Beetel and about a hr and a half later I
got to see a new PA from his office. She said she didn't know how
much she could do for me since I was "discharged" from their
office!!!! I said I had asked for a copy of my records to be sent to
my PCP. I explained that I was having problems with Teresa and Patty
the PA at the WMC. My PCP has been following up with me. She said
she was new and looked in my chart and there was a letter saying if
I missed one more appointment I would be discharged from there! I
NEVER missed an appointment there! She said my PCP never received my
chart and I said I did it when the WMC said after 2 weeks they were
gonna start charging to have records sent to other doctors. My chart
and myself was sabotaged by someone at the office. I wonder who that
was!!!! So...because I was "discharged" De Beetel wouldn't come and
see me!!! MY surgeon!! I was a mess! I was so embarrassed that the
doctor that did my GBS who I requested was refusing to care for
me!!!!!!!!!! I was crying and hyperventilating so bad they
immediately came in and gave me 2 adavans and another dose of
morphine! The new PC got a little pissy with me cause I was crying
and she felt I was yelling at her. Whatever! She said she was told
(I don't know for sure who told her to) give me a list of GB
surgeons and told to find a new doctor!!!!!! Ku was X'ed off the
list too!!!! I had sent Rob home cause they said it would have been
hours till Dr Beetel was done his surgeries. I was up and using the
phone there and called Patti to come and get me. I was getting ready
to pull the IV out when the nurse came in and said she didn't care
about the "politics" that I was her patient and not to be
embarrassed. Made me slightly better. They were so lucky they doped
me up so good cause I was about to hunt down the WMC and punch
someone in the face for screwing with my relationship with Dr
Beetel. Patti and Debbie Green showed up at the emergency room and I
cried and cried! I couldn't even walk straight and they had to help
me to Deb's van. I was hungry and we stopped at Mimmo's but I kept
falling asleep and couldn't eat. Asa showed up and took me home
where I went to bed. Rob came home and found the prescriptions in my
pocketbook for vicodin and adavan for my nerves. He had them filled
and I slept till 9pm. Woke up and tried to eat but got more pain and
so took another vicodin and adavan and back to bed till 1pm today.
It's finally time for another pill so I'm going to do that and head
to bed again. I have a PCP appt for 2 tomorrow. I will see what
tests they send me for. If it seems to be something GB related then
I will be seeing Dr Kowolski (Asa's surgeon in Philly). I am still
in pain especially after eating.
10/11/06How sweet....while I was hooked up to morphine for the pain and
having an anxiety attack because a PA that I never met was sent to
tell me Dr Beetel would not be coming to treat me as I had been
discharged from the practice and NEVER told about it, they were
typing this lovely letter that arrived today! So interesting that
they knew exactly the date that I talked to Patty and asked for a
release so a copy of my records could be sent to my PCP. A copy was
both faxed and mailed to me both of which I faxed and mailed back.
My PCP NEVER received the copies. I told the new PA I never received
notice of being discharged from the practice (guess they wanted to
cover their asses with this letter informing me now). I guess that
my interactions, ie, Teresa breaking patient confidentiality (HIPAA)
and discussing me at a dinner of former RSA patients and saying I
was a whiney witch (days later an EDG revealed I had a stoma and it
was blown open), me and Rob being shunned at the office and left in
the waiting room for almost 3 hours the day I had my drain removed
as punishment, every time I made an appt with Dr Beetel being
switched to Patti the PA even though DR Beetel was in the office
they had just overbooked and I said I was a bit unhappy, when I went
for my final visit before surgery and was informed I HAD to have a
visit with Paula first and didn't have one so Teresa told Georgia to
reschedule my surgery! when it was the offices mistake and Georgia
had to go talk to Teresa 4 times before getting her to say I could
stay and see Paula that day since THEY made the mistake in not
scheduling me and my surgery was the next week...are the reasons
that I was discharged from the practice. Well...I know there are
those of you that have left them also...beware...are you still going
to be able to see Dr Beetel or Dr Ku? More than likely yes. I was
not liked by Teresa when she came to RSA and her head swelled from
her new position there. She forced Paula out and then me, who's
next?!? Hard to believe Dr's Beetel and Ku can't see her crap does
stink and she's the one that drove that practice into the ground.
Those of you that really know me know that I am an easy person to
get along with and would do ANYTHING for those in my life. I am the
first one there to help whether it's with helping you with Christmas
gifts for your children, bringing you chicken soup and Kleenex when
you are sick, sending a card or flowers when you are ill or a family
member passes, bringing tons of clothes to share with my "new"
sisters, planning outing upon outing for our family of friends,
making or bringing dinner for your family when you are ill, picking
you up from the airport and visiting you in the hospital, I do all
that I possibly can for you all! I am not the witch that I am being
made out to be and yes I am ticked off. I wouldn't return there if
they begged me but it hurts that Dr Beetel really doesn't know ME he
knows what Teresa and Patty have told him only.
Dear Shelly
I am writing to inform you that the RPS Weight Management Center
will no longer be able to provide your post-operative bariatric
care. Your interactions with and towards the staff and lack of
follow-up in the office indicate that you would best be served by
another program. Your phone conversation with Patricia Golembiewski
on 2/20/06 indicated that you were leaving our practice and that
your family doctor would be caring for you. There are several
programs in the area which may be able to meet your needs. Enclosed
please find a list of programs in your area. We have also provided a
form for medical records release. You can either fax the form to us
at 610-568-3139, or return it in the enclosed envelope. Please
return the completed form, and we would be happy to send a free copy
of your records to the facility of your choice.
I wish you the best of luck in the future.
Sincerely,
Thomas Beetel MD
10/31/06 Well it’s been a year and a month since surgery. I have lost 105 pounds and now weight 128 and wear mostly 4’s but can fit into a stretchy 2! Wow I don’t ever think I wore a size 2! I had a breast lift with Dr Lamanna in late March and lost so much skin that I went from a big D to a B cup. I was disappointed with the small size but happy with the scarring and that they are perky now! I had a revision for some “puckering or dog ears” of the outside of the scars and that seems to have worked out fine. Dr Lamanna is a funny doc with a great bedside manner. He is a bit “old school” and not as up to date as some other plastic surgeons that I’ve consulted with. I currently have consulted with Dr Ellenberger and Dr Schlecter both in Wyomissing near Reading PA. I wanted to have my thighs lifted and breast implants but Dr Schlecter said he wouldn’t do both at the same time as the thighs is considered a “dirty area” and the possibility of infection or problems to the breasts would be greater. I saw Dr Ellenberger back in July and really liked her a lot and maybe need to see her again to discuss my options. I’m waiting to hear back from Dr Schlecter’s office with a quote to have the breasts and a mini tummy tuck at the same time in his office as an outpatient. Marilyn is awesome, she’s the PS coordinator for Dr Schlecter. I have been through so many tests this past 3 weeks and I am having my gallbladder removed and exploratory surgery this coming Monday November 6th, 2006. The surgeon, Dr Fredrico Ceppa, doesn’t think it’s just the small stones and sludge in my gallbladder that have given me all the pain and problems. He will check for a hernia, scar tissue from the GBS, bowel obstruction or any holes or problems. On my cat scan it said I had “free fluid in my cul-de-sac”! LOL Apparently that means something is in the pelvic region and they aren’t quite sure why. It also said I had cysts on my cervix. I had over 100 cysts on my uterus when my youngest daughter was born by c-section in May 2002 and took my 2 ob/gyn’s over an hour to remove them all. Dr Ceppa will check out my cervix, uterus and ovaries while removing the gallbladder. If there is a problem he will call the gyn on duty since mine doesn’t do surgery at this hospital. He will take pictures and discuss the findings with Dr Delaney if there are any problems. A lot of my pain and suffering could have been avoided if Dr Beetel had seen me 3 weeks ago while I was in the ER at Reading Hospital. Dr Ku was disappointed to hear of what happened to me at the ER and is looking into the case. Regardless of his findings I won’t return to their office but hopefully it will keep this same thing from happening to anyone else!
11/6/06 I had my gallbladder removed, an internasl hernia fixed and multiple adhesions from the GBS removed. Had I been given a Hidascan at Reading Hospital they could have done the surgery asap. My new pouch and liver were adhered together from the scarring left by Dr Beetel's GBS on me. Apparently there was quite a bit. Also there is a spot that wasn't sutured properly and someday in my future I will need a revision of the GBS! Dr Ceppa and I hope it's a long way down the road. I need to keep an eye out for any weight gain, if so then they will need to do the revision. I have received quite a few bills from the hospital, doctors, prescriptions and testing along with missing work for 7 weeks total. I have been concidering talking to my lawyer about the Weight Management Center of Reading Hospital and Dr Thomas Beetel's neglect when I requested them to care for me when I was in the ER there. I think I will consult with him on this and go from there.
1/5/07 I had breast augmentation (550 cc high profile "gummi" silicone implants), mini mastoplexy (lift), areola reduction and scar/dog ear revision from my previous lift. Dr Schlechter in Reading was the surgeon and it was preformed in his office suite. What a wonderful experience! I was given a massage to calm me while I waited to be taken into the surgi suite. The anastesiologist was awesome and he and one of the nurses were dancing and singing "Anticipation" by Carly Simon while they were prepping me and giving me the IV. He used novicaine to numb my arm before the IV. I never felt it one bit and I can't even find a mark where it was in my arm! I usually bruise badly. Speaking of bruising...I had horrible yellow and purple bruising when I had my lift last March and I have seen zero bruising this time! Amazing! Dr Schlechter only uses dissolvable stitiches so I don't have to worry about having them taken out. I think so far they look great. I have an appt Monday for a follow-up so I will get to see them then.
1/8/07 I had my check up tonite and both Dr Schlechter are very pleased with the results so far. The steri strips will stay in place until my next appt. in 2 weeks or they fall off. I love the way the new "girls" look in tops now....sexy! I'll post an after photo soon.
10/17/07 I was hospitalized for 4 nights with severe pain for an ulcer where my esophagus and new stomach are attached. This is the third time I believe that I have had problems with an ulcer there. I've never had an ulcer before my GBS. They upped my Protonix to 2 a day and added Carafate also.
4/16/08 WoW I didn't realize it had been so long since I updated my profile here! The augmentation/mastoplexy went great and I just love Dr Schlechter. My breasts look and feel so natural.
I'm having MAJOR problems with the ulcer again! I was scheduled for a routine follow-up EGD yesterday to the October ulcer hospitalization to see if the ulcer was gone. The day before I had pain where I had before with the ulcer. By the evening I was doubled over, couldn't swallow even liquids comfortably and was ready to head to the hospital. I called the doctor that I was scheduled to have the EGD with and he said if the 2 percocet I took didn't help to head to the ER. I did get enough relief that I was able to sleep. I had the EGD as scheduled yesterday morning and the results were that the ulcer was there and had actually gotten larger! I've had an ulcer there since 2 weeks after my GBS. So now the doctor that did the EGD and the surgeon, Dr Ceppa, that took out my gallbladder, fixed my internal hernia and fixed the multiple adhesions in 2006 have recommended a revision of my GBS!!! WoW! Who would think that at 130 pounds I'd need GBS! I'm very scared as everthing I've read about revisions says that they are a higher risk than the first surgery. Anyone who has had a revision because of ulcers please contact me as I'd like to hear about your experience.
