3 Week Post-Op

Sunday, Mother's Day. I started throwing up some blood. At first it was old blood which then turned into bright red. Nausea got really bad so I called the surgeon on call and I was told to head to the ER again. With it being Mother's Day and Monday was my youngest DD's birthday we decided to celebrate both before I headed in.

So around 8pm we finally headed to the ER. I was admitted by 2am. They did a chest x-ray again which was again normal and all blood tests were normal too. I was severely dehydrated though which stands to reason since I couldn't keep much down. So IVs a plenty for me. I had 3 rapid infusions and I was still dehydrated and my output was minimal. It took til Wed. before I was caught up.

Wednesday they decided to do a CT scan which came back normal as well. So we're back to tweaking medications.

I finally left the hospital Thursday morning. I am nervous in keeping up with the meds as well as keeping them down. They have me on 2 PPI meds that aren't covered by insurance and am getting through my PCP via samples. Still on 2 different anti-nausea drugs too. It's easier at the hospital because it was all done through IV, so now I have to try and keep meds down and take them "on time". I tried 3 times to get a schedule of meds from them, but just kept getting told "as needed". Um it's all "as needed".

I've wasted 2 weeks in the hospital and now our packing is all backed up. I finally got to see the house we're moving into soon and I am not too happy. It's a major fixer upper and with 7 kids and 3 adults crammed into it I doubt we'll be able to get much done.

So I am stressed about my condition as well as packing. This royally farking sucks!!! I'm also trying to do a garage sale next week for some extra $$ and so we have less to move.

Since being home I've so far felt - okay. I've been drinking and got in some broccoli cheese soup from Subway. Not all of it but it served me for 2 meals with left overs. Better than hospital food.

I'm trying to take things slow for now but I am dying to have something more than liquids soon and yet I am afraid to even try something non liquid.

Oh and to top it all off, on Memorial Day my sister invited us over for a picnic party. So much good food and I doubt I'll be able to have much of anything. :(

So I am alive and well. Doing much better than my one friend who was sleeved the same day as me. She happened to be re-admitted Sunday too. She ended up with an infection from her port and needed a new drain put in. She's in a LOT of pain. She can keep food down though, but she put my problems in perspective, since I know I would rather be vomiting than in pain.

Also Thursday she went for an upper GI and they discovered a tiny leak in her intestines, which is odd for a sleeve so she'll be stuck in the hospital until at least Monday now. I'm thanking my lucky stars I am only dealing with nausea and vomiting, now. When my kids came to visit me, on Wednesday, I made sure they brought with them some balloons for my friend to help cheer her up and they really did brighten her spirits up.

Oh and on a happy bright note, my one sister had her 5th baby on May 9th! 8lbs 14oz, Addison Elizabeth. Just 2 days before my Jaylen's birthday. My other sister (the twin of the one who just had a baby) has about 3-4 weeks left before her 5th baby is born too.

Ok, so it's late now, and I am still on messed up hospital time. grrr. WTH is up with 4am blood draws?!?! 6am drug doses?!?!

2 Week Post-Op

I am MISERABLE!!

Plain and simple truth here. I am truly and utterly miserable. Even my 4yo is saying what a bad idea surgery was, and unfortunately I am agreeing with him.

Now I know many will tell me "It will get better." and "Just take it slow." but OMFG I don't think they have had to endure what I am enduring here.

Sunday, things took a turn for the worst. I did great for the most part. apx 40-oz of liquids and a couple of small "meals"; liquid-ish of course. Then it happened. My biggest most incredible mistake ever. I never thought for a minute it wouls result in what it has resulted in.

10:30ish PM during Desperate Housewives, DH made some cream of wheat. He shared with me, because yes it is allowed on my "full liquid diet" which is confusing I know. I took 3 of the tiniest bites imaginable and after the 3rd bite, I started getting the signs of 'OMFG I am going to PUKE' here. Saliva started running like a faucet and I jumped up and went to the kitchen - sink was full of dirty dishes because apparently I am the only one who can do them but I am out of commission right now. Next stop was the bathroom, but that stank and was dirty too because kids took a bath and the counters were covered in toothpaste and other junk. Ok so that was a no go too. So I went outside to get cool air and possibly puke over in the bushes. I just rocked and swayed and felt dispondent. Noticed the neighbor in her back yard and figured puking would not be a good thing with an audience like that. So I went back inside still rocking and swaying praying I don't puke.

Thankfully I didn't puke but I felt nauseous the rest of the evening with a HUGE migrain to boot.

I went to bed early after Borthers & Sisters, hoping Monday would bring me relief. It didn't. Monday started off ok until I started drinking. I started off with my protein shake and took 2-3 small sips and felt like shite again. Migrain and generally nauseated. This happened all day long and twice I puked.

By the end of the day, barely having gotten anything in me Dh and I decided a trip to the ER was warranted so at about 11:30pm I headed to the ER. I waited, & waited, & waited among coughing crying babies and other folk just praying none of them had the swine flu. I finally got into an exam room around 2:30am. I was in that room until around 4-5am. They gave me 2 different IV's. The first one the lady tortured me with a WRIST IV and other doctors and nurses just looked appauled whenever they saw it. They only changed it later on before I was admitted.

So yes, I was admitted to the bariatric center finally at around 7am. They gave me chest x-rays and did blood tests. All came back negative and normal. Still I felt nauseous and . . . .I seriously do not know how to describe it, but I'll try.

First I get a headache to a migrain type feeling. Then it feels like someone or something is sitting on my chest right on my stomach. This feeling lends itself to me feeling like I NEED to puke just to get relief. I'll admit I did self induce a couple of vomits because I did feel better afterwards. Even still with the IV fluids I felt 100 times better. Probably because I didn't HAVE to drink or eat anything. But still when I did, while on the IV, I didn't feel sick.

They did another barium test too, to rule out leaks, there still aren't any. So I was finally released back intot he "wild". We were all hopeful that things would be under control. They aren't. . .yet.

They basically changed meds around to see if that would help any. I'm having a difficult time getting my prevacid filled which I really, really, really NEED. I've resorted to the suppositories to help with nausea. Of course no sooner had I put them in did I have to have a BM. Grrr!

They gave me some patches to help with nausea and vomiting, usually for motion sickness. They helped a little while at the hospital but at home I am still just as sick as ever.

So I feel like I am back at square one. They won't do a scope this early out because they said it could ruin the stomach or tear it apart. Of course at this point I feel desperate enough I wouldn't mind it being torn apart, because as I see it the fucking cream of wheat did this to me. So maybe there is a little bit stuck somewhere causing all of these problems.

I am getting to the point again of thinking about heading back into the hospital, even though I am overly sick and tired of the hospital, the geriatric patients crapping themselves in the beds next to me all the while whining and crying to the point I can't sleep. I dn't think I have an available vein for another IV either. I've had 5 IV sites in 2 weeks people! My fingers are sore from all of the blood checks even though all of my blood tests are normal and I am NOT diabetic. Although the lady next to me eating rolls and pancakes and syrup had a blood sugar level of 217 while mine has been a steady upper 80's, yet I am the one with more blood sugar checks - why?!?!?!

Right now I am feeling overly sick and nauseous and migrain-y to even finish this. I'm seriously ready to DIE if I have to live like this forever.

ETA: I am down 43 lbs now from my highest. I'm mixed in feelings about this since most ofit is because I can't keep much down to begin with. :(

1 week Post-Op

And 35 Pounds Gone Forever!

First off, I can finally wipe myself again. I'm still in pain and I am working on that with some stretching exercises.

Still the last couple of days have really SHOCKED me. Here is my weight loss since Surgery Day:

4/24/2009 306.6 -19.4
4/27/2009 303.8 -22.2
4/28/2009 299.8 -26.2
4/29/2009 298 -28
4/30/2009 295 -31
5/1/2009 291 -35 ~ That's 15.6 pounds in 1 week!!

I've only really seen results like this on The Biggest Loser. Still my main concern is that this fast weight loss is from my body going into starvation mode because of how little I can eat right now. Oh and the last 3 aren't even me rounding down, that's what the scale actually said!

Essentially at this rate I could be in the 280's by tomorrow! Weird!!