mehelga
Tomorow the gasro doc
Oct 13, 2008
I have been throwing up most meals now for a month. I finally called my surgeons office and they set up an appointment with a gastroentrologist--probably I have stenois (scar tissue overgrowth at surgery site). Most of the time I lose food or have massive foamies, even waking up in the morning. So it will be a relief to get this taken care of soon. I am hardly losing weight (21 pounds now in 7 weeks after surgery, another 10 the week before for a total of 31 pounds). Not keeping food down should be worth a lot more weight loss. What is my body thinking???
Nevada "lost trip"
Oct 04, 2008
We got home yesterday from the trip I call "the lost trip". I lost money at the casinos, I lost almost all of my meals and we got lost trying to find Red Mountain to look for fossils. The directions we had were obviously out of date but we tried anyway and got lost in the back country of Nevada trying to find a way back to civilization without going on any posted keep out private property areas. Thank goodness for 4 wheel drive because we did find 2 old mines and many ruts so called roads by others. Those fossils are safe until we try to get better direcions for next time.
Now for the good news we found lots of quartz including specimens with silver inclusions and smoky topaz at Crystal Peak (another adventurous place to find even with accurate directions). And we got lots of wonderstone, which is actually banded rhyolyte. Today we are going to go through everything and take the extra rocks to our rock club meeting tomorrow for the kids and to be used at our show in March. We also got good pictures of us standing by a impressive earthquake scarf (1954, 7.9 earthquake).
I still feel really crappy and tired because I seem not to be able to hold down anything besides chili and toast. So I started using protein shakes last night after we got home and plan only to try to EAT when my grouchy pouchy is still. I was upset when I stepped on the scales last night and had gained 2 pounds in 5 days away. How could I? I looked down and my feet and ankles were swollen from the 5 hour car ride--that how. This morning I am back to the same weight I left with. It is so nice to be home in my own bed, even with the puppy waking me up early. And the money we lost in the casino was actually from my winning streak, so it was their money. We still have "fun money" left over for our next trip.
So overall if I would start feeling better I would really appreciate it. I am going back to water aerobics starting Monday--maybe that will help move the weight loss along a bit. Until then I will follow my doctors advise and hope this body will start playing nice to let me feel better and have enought energy to do what I want and still lose weight.
Now for the good news we found lots of quartz including specimens with silver inclusions and smoky topaz at Crystal Peak (another adventurous place to find even with accurate directions). And we got lots of wonderstone, which is actually banded rhyolyte. Today we are going to go through everything and take the extra rocks to our rock club meeting tomorrow for the kids and to be used at our show in March. We also got good pictures of us standing by a impressive earthquake scarf (1954, 7.9 earthquake).
I still feel really crappy and tired because I seem not to be able to hold down anything besides chili and toast. So I started using protein shakes last night after we got home and plan only to try to EAT when my grouchy pouchy is still. I was upset when I stepped on the scales last night and had gained 2 pounds in 5 days away. How could I? I looked down and my feet and ankles were swollen from the 5 hour car ride--that how. This morning I am back to the same weight I left with. It is so nice to be home in my own bed, even with the puppy waking me up early. And the money we lost in the casino was actually from my winning streak, so it was their money. We still have "fun money" left over for our next trip.
So overall if I would start feeling better I would really appreciate it. I am going back to water aerobics starting Monday--maybe that will help move the weight loss along a bit. Until then I will follow my doctors advise and hope this body will start playing nice to let me feel better and have enought energy to do what I want and still lose weight.
one month and counting
Sep 15, 2008
Tomorrow I see the after care nurse, Alice. It will be one month and I can't hold down a lot of food some days. I felt so much better right after surgery than I do now. I never know what will cause problems and I cannot keep up with my life easily. Last Thursday the Red Hat ladies went to a houseboat for our meeting and a day of fun. I got nauseous and could barely keep down liquids. I did jump in and paddle around a bit and ride noodle as my DH paddled in a small boat. I held on and he dragged me a ways. It was fun but my whole insides ached—probably still swollen. The next day our cleaning lady came and as it is our tradition, we fled the house so we would not get cleaned too. We went to a local casino in the morning and then set up the tent and tables for a both we had at the local fall festival (I make jewelry). The next day at 6:30 AM we left to set up product and about 11 AM I was finished. I told my DH I was going home for a couple of hours and just collapsed as soon as I walked in the door. The mailman rang the doorbell at 2 PM and I woke up and by 3 was back at the booth. We went out with another couple afterwards. I did manage a cup of soup. It was the only solid food that stayed down that day. Sunday I worked on jewelry with another friend who is starting to sell her stuff and held nothing in the way of food down the whole day. Even cream of wheat refused to stay down. Today is better—breakfast and lunch was fine. Dinner was Tuscan crock-pot chicken and my grouchy pouchy refused after only 2 bites. So who knows? Tomorrow I am off to see nurse (about 1 hour drive away) and do a little shopping at Trader Joes. Since it is suppose to be around 95, I am taking an ice chest so things make it home still cold or frozen. So have I lost weight? Yes but only 2 pound in the last three weeks. I think my body is in starvation mode since I am only allowed 1/4 to 1/3 cup of food per meal—3 meals and a snack per day. So many people lose so much more in the first month it is discouraging. Actually, if I felt better then this would be easier to absorb. But life goes on. Let’s see what the next month brings.
home from hospital
Aug 20, 2008
Interesting awakening with an IV in my neck. I knew they were having troubles getting an IV site in pre-op but the ladies were really nice so I didn't mind all the pokes. The anesthesiologist came in--a tiny oriental lady. Told me I had a celebrity doctor and that she had worked with Dr. Higa the past 8 years. She gave me something up my nose to relax me and they wheeled me into the operating room. I remember that they wanted me to scoot over onto the operating table and I said sure.
The next thing it was 5 hours later and I am in my room. My DH said he talked to me in recovery but I was pretty well out of it. I shared a room with another gal who had WLS three weeks ago and had problems. They did an endoscopies procedure to stretch her top stomache opening on Sunday and then surgery when she turned out to have a block at the point where the stomach meets the intestine. She said that only 4 or 5 people out of the 7000 Dr. Higa did had her condition. The nurse, Alex, was from Russia and was excellent.
Today I had seepage from the main port site and there was a chance I would have to stay an additional day--something that meant trying to jump on my bed every time I had to go walk or use the restroom. It was a special bed and just too high for my short legs.
I ran into Terry from Big O Tires while walking in the halls so it was nice to see an old friendly face. Ernie and little Ernie came to pick me up and had a drink and my pillow waiting for me. Right now DH is making Jell-O for a "later meal". I actually enjoy the SF Popsicles--strange because I never liked them as a kid.
Overall, I found the surgery to be exciting, frustrating, not a bad as I thought and I have no "buyers remorse" that I keep reading about on the message boards. Well off to bed and trying to sleep on my back and with my DH in bed.
The next thing it was 5 hours later and I am in my room. My DH said he talked to me in recovery but I was pretty well out of it. I shared a room with another gal who had WLS three weeks ago and had problems. They did an endoscopies procedure to stretch her top stomache opening on Sunday and then surgery when she turned out to have a block at the point where the stomach meets the intestine. She said that only 4 or 5 people out of the 7000 Dr. Higa did had her condition. The nurse, Alex, was from Russia and was excellent.
Today I had seepage from the main port site and there was a chance I would have to stay an additional day--something that meant trying to jump on my bed every time I had to go walk or use the restroom. It was a special bed and just too high for my short legs.
I ran into Terry from Big O Tires while walking in the halls so it was nice to see an old friendly face. Ernie and little Ernie came to pick me up and had a drink and my pillow waiting for me. Right now DH is making Jell-O for a "later meal". I actually enjoy the SF Popsicles--strange because I never liked them as a kid.
Overall, I found the surgery to be exciting, frustrating, not a bad as I thought and I have no "buyers remorse" that I keep reading about on the message boards. Well off to bed and trying to sleep on my back and with my DH in bed.
2 weeks and counting
Aug 06, 2008
Well--the last supper syndrome has hit and it is a fight to stop thinking about "one last time" for guacamole salad or rolled tacos or breakfast in the car on the run. I will succeed--only wish my mind would stop. LOL
first blog of my life--here we go
Jul 31, 2008
July 31--
Now I wait. My surgery is coming up after a 15 month wait for all the insurance requirements and I have started to buy protein and get vitamins only to find out my surgeon doesn't want protein from drinks, just from food and vitamins don't come until 3 weeks or more after surgery. So today I tried to get this profile up and sent in my avatar so soon things will be more complete here. Hi to all my new friends. This journey to wellness should be interesting.
Now I wait. My surgery is coming up after a 15 month wait for all the insurance requirements and I have started to buy protein and get vitamins only to find out my surgeon doesn't want protein from drinks, just from food and vitamins don't come until 3 weeks or more after surgery. So today I tried to get this profile up and sent in my avatar so soon things will be more complete here. Hi to all my new friends. This journey to wellness should be interesting.
