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9/7/04 - I can hardly believe the surgery is less than 1 week away. Getting a little more nervous about having surgery in general..but looking forward to a new beginning. I am sure the butterflies will multiply as the date rapidly approaches. According to the doc's scales my weight on my last visit was 276.

9/10/04 - Went to the hospital today for pre-op. Paperwork..paperwork and more paperwork. The countdown is on..only 2 1/2 more days. Getting a little more nervous as the day gets closer. Not sure how I will sleep the next few days. Especially the night before. Also, went to the store again today to get more things to stock the pantry for after I return home and can start on pureed food. Till next time.

9/12/04 - Well, it's the last night before my surgery. Tomorrow I'll be on the losing side. I am excited but nervous. I am sure I won't sleep a wink tonight. I didn't sleep much last night either. Thank you to all that have supported my decision and are standing behind me during this journey. I'll update again when I'm back home in a few days. :)

9/13/04 - I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep for poo and right now I feel like I could hurl! I forgot how totally nerve wracking it is before surgery. Getting ready to leave to pick up mom and drop off my dogs at the PetsHotel before going to the hospital. Till I return home.





9/13/04 - Just wanted everyone to know that she is now on the losing side and is doing great. I am about to go and see her at the hospital and will report on how she is doing when I return. I am so proud of her and her first step to her new life. You Go Carmen!!!!! Hugs, Sherry (Her Angel)

9/14/04 - Just wanted to update and say that she looked Great compared to what she should of looked like. She was awake and talking, complaining which means (she is fine), and even joking.
Wow she is a Trooper. I couldn't even crack a smile but no not her. She is such a sweetie I tell you. She will use this tool with such great use I know. I am going to the hospiatl this morning and will try and get her to up to walking and all. That is if she's not up already doing it. She's been one step ahead of her old Angel already. (lol)
Hugs, Sherry

9/16/04 - She looked really good yesterday. She was up walking around and sitting in her chair and keeping down all the broth, juices, & water they were giving her. I am so proud of her (you Carmen). You will surpass this all with in no time. Just keep up all the great progress you are doing and you will be just fine. Great Big Hugs to you. Sherry

9/18/04 - So glad to be home in my own environment. It feels really good. Lots to update. Surgery went off without a hitch..thank the Lord. My back hurt the whole time I was in the hospital..I guess laying and/or sitting lots..does it to you. Walking..well that's another story. I never thought that walking about 50 feet would feel like a mile...lol. But you must walk often to help prevent blood clots, etc. I was supposed to be released on Wednesday, but my blood count was a little low so Dr. Barker kept me one more day. On Thursday afternoon, he came in and told me that my count was back up and I could go home..yea. I left the hospital that afternoon and went to my mom's house. My mom is a wonderful person...she slept at the hospital night after night to make sure I was okay. She got very little sleep...although neither did I for that matter. Just as soon as you do get to sleep...then here someone comes into your room for something. Anyway, back to the story. At mom's house on Thursday night I had some ice chips, water and beef boullion. That evening I took my pain meds. It was Stadol (the generic of it) nasal spray and went to bed. I couldn't get comfortable since I am a side sleeper and it hurt to do that so I was sleeping on my back. Then I started getting this horrible headache. Shortly after that I started having chest pains..when I'd take a breath. I woke up my mom and asked her to take me back home so I could try and sleep in my recliner. Well, she did and I tried..but it didn't work. Within about 2 hours the chest pain was so bad I had to call her to come get me and take me to the emergency room. I thought I was having a heart attack. They hooked me up to all the stuff (iv, heart monitor, blood pressure cuff, oxygen), took blood, did chest xray then a cat scan while injecting iodine in my iv. The doctor thought pulmonary embolism since I had just had major surgery. All tests came back okay..again thank the Lord. Earlier I had read the insert that came with the medicine and it stated in the section of rare side effects that chest pain could be a side effect. So I informed the doctor of this and he also read the insert. He wanted to rule out the major things first before he thought this might be related to the medicine. I got release to go home about 7am. The chest pain was still pretty intense but not as bad as it was when I went. Over time (about another 18 hours) the pain gradually got less and less. I called my doctor's office that morning and told them what happened and Cindy told me that she knew of one other patient that had the same reaction. She asked me what I had on my stomach before I took the meds and I told her. She said I might not have had enough before I took it. I asked her to call me in something else (Lortab liquid) for pain because I wasn't going to chance that reaction again. No way! I am feeling so much better this evening. No more chest pain..yea. I've got an appointment for Tuesday to get the staples out. I think I'll feel lots better when those are gone. They pull so much when you are trying to stand upright. I never thought I'd ever hear myself say..."I can't wait to get to eat the pureed food"...lol. I'm sick of liquids. Unfortunately it is a necessary evil to give our new little tummy a chance to heal. I guess that's all for now.

9/18/04 - One more thing...I wanted to thank my angel Sherry. She was totally there for me during this whole ordeal. She and her husband were there with my mom keeping her company during my surgery which I so appreciated. I was so scared when they came to get me and the three of them were very reassuring. I also want to thank my friend Gracy..she came to visit me also and called me often to check on me. They are very sweet people. I just wanted to mention this. Till next time.

9/21/04 - Had my first follow up with my doctor today. He removed my staples and what a relief that was. I don't feel like everytime I try to move I'm being pulled. He also released me to go ahead and start trying other things now on the pureed agenda. I had baked potato soup for lunch..well 1/2 cup..and boy did it taste good. I left off the chives and bacon but it was still very good. I brought the rest home for later. I weighed today and lost 3 lbs. I really thought I had lost more, but I am still full of fluid from my emergency room visit and still swollen. So we shall see what my loss is on my next visit in two weeks. Did a little shopping after my lunch and it was fun but if wore me out quick. So it was back home for the evening.

9/23/04 - While it does feel great to have the staples out, the steristrips he put in their place are itching like crazy. Just talked to one of my best friends today and she is trying to see if she can get approval for the surgery too. I hope she is successful. I know she really wants this and would be committed to getting healthy. So far so good on the food front. Haven't run across anything that really gives me a hard time. I had a little vegetable soup today and it kinda gave me an upset tummy so I'll wait some time to try it again. Maybe the acid in the soup base. TTFN

9/28/04 - So glad that the steristrips are gone now. Still itching around my incision but that is to be expected. Food going okay..no problems. I found some really great chocolate pudding made with Splenda. It's good. The brand is Kozy Shack. It is kind of hard sometimes finding something that is different during this puree stage. It does get kind of boring, but it is worth it when you see the results on the scale. So far since surgery my weight loss is about 12 lbs. All together I've lost 17 lbs..that from the weight about 2 weeks before surgery. It is really crazy to see your weight loss on a daily basis. How funny to think you can lose 1 or 1.5 lbs. in one day. Pretty cool. I need to get my daughter over here to get my measurements. I haven't done that yet and I want to have them. As far as the rest of me, I have been sneezing my fool head off for the last few days. Darn those allergies! Glad I didn't have this allergy attack while I still had my staples in....whew! I go back to my doc next Tuesday 10/5 for my checkup. I have also met a new friend who I will be her angel during her hospital journey. Her surgery is scheduled for 10/4 and her name is Kinikia Hartfield-Hunter. Please stop by her profile and leave her well wishes on her surgery. Thanks. Till next time.