Emergency Surgery ~ Life Resumes.....

What an ordeal! Symptoms started Monday with some adbominal swelling, saw my Surgeon who did some blood tests and said that I was suffering from pancreatitis. Told me to go home and take it easy.

Thursday morning I woke up in excruiting pain, it was on the left side of my stomach, ran down to my pelvis and also ran down my back. After several hours of suffering I finally called the office back and told them that something was really wrong, they said that the Surgeon would call me back.

About 30 minutes later I started feeling like I was having a heart attack. Called the office back and said that I was afraid and was going to call 911. Called my Husband and he rushed home from work, we delegated the kids to our friends house and went to the hospital.

They took me straight back and did an EKG which was normal, did bloodwork (which still showed high amylayse levels but otherwise normal). They took me back for a CT scan which again didn't show anything.

The pain was sooooooooooo bad. Diladaid and morphine didn't touch it at all, I was out of my mind in pain. My Surgeon admitted me and said that he would do a barium swallow on me in the morning.

Here is the scary part: I did the swallow the next morning and immediately started throwing it up. No one told me anything, they did as much as they could do and sent me back to my room.

I was in my room for only 15 minutes when a Nurse came in gangbusters and said that I needed to be prepped for surgery ASAP. No one told me what they found and I was NOT happy!

Right before surgery my Surgeon came in and told me that he found an obstruction and he would try to take care of it via lap but he may have to open me wide up.

Did okay in recovery, surgery was about 1.5 hours long and I was amazed at what they told me when I got back to my room:

I had scar tissue (an adhesion) from my gallbladder surgery 3 weeks ago had formed itself around my bowel and sealed it shut tight ~ the reason why I was in such pain and couldn't drink or eat the day earlier. It also caused me to have severe reflux that masks that of a heart attack.

He removed the adhesion and checked me over to make sure everything was in working order ~ which it was and closed me up. Had a rough recovery b/c I had surgery 22 days earlier, YUCK!!!

I don't EVER want to go through that again. Dr. Wadley said that it was a fluke that it happened at all ~ I'm scared it might happen again,this was truly a frightening experience....there were times I really felt like I was going to die. :(

Really have to take it easy now, the babies are in St. Louis with my parents *cry* and I should be joining them in about a week and I can't wait!

Here is the obstruction:

A Year Ago Today....Approved!!!!

Wow, I can't believe how much my life has changed since that phone call! Bill had called me earlier in the day telling me that we had orders to Whiteman AFB, Missouri ~ I about flipped out!

Then only to get that phone call hours later saying that I was approved and that I needed to call Creighton and set up a date for surgery....seriously.....life changed as I knew it forever!

I blindly ate my way through May 2008, I knew that I was going to have this surgery but it wasn't until 1 June that I got my act together and lost 22 pounds before surgery ~ and now that total comes to 113 pounds!!!!

From a size 24 to a size 6/8 ~ unthinkable ~ even with that phone call I never imagined my life like this right here and right now. All of my co-morbidities are GONE, the first and foremost reason I did this!!!!!

Thank you RNY, you've given me more than I could have ever imagined and more!!!!!

Lots of love to everyone!

Amy

7 Pounds From Goal!!!

Wow, just 7 pounds stands between me and the finish line, yippeeeee!!!! Feeling much better now that surgery is a week behind me, whew! Saw Dr. Hornbostel today who said that he expected the swelling and discomfort to last at least until June ~ wow?!?

The hematoma I acquired after surgery is the size of a softball which explains why my stomach was so swollen last week and this week too. I still appear to look pregnant (GASP) but at least the binder hides it some.

I hope to get the babies back soon, I miss them so!!! I am able to resume driving and lifting (within reason) and I'm ready for life to resume back to our craziness <3

Lots of love to everyone!

Amy

Almost Back To Pre-Op Weight....

165 today, amazed that the weight is coming off so fast....I was dreading that this would take weeks to accomplish.

Not able to eat, just not feeling hungry whatsoever ~ i've been downing water like crazy though, but I know that isn't enough. I feel so binded up, no b/m since last Wednesday, ugggh!

I'm amazed at how much energy it is taking to recover, when I had my c-section almost 2 years ago I was very motivated to recover ASAP to see my baby. The tonsillectomy later that year was very rough, probably the roughest recovery i've had, i've never slept so much in my life. The pain was TERRIBLE!

My RNY was typical, I was in pain ~ the most of it being from the drain tube which I swear was the devil but once it was removed I was on the road to recovery...and oh yeah....I had a UTI/Kidney infection to boot.

So, back to this recovery. I am thankful that my Mom was able to take the babies (Della and Edward) to St. Louis so I could recover ~ what a blessing this is because I truly would be unable to care for them due to my exhaustion.

I do wish she was here, I think she had my made all my recoveries go by faster, being here all alone is boring....and she also pushes me to do more things, be more active. etc.

So....my wish is that a week from now I am feeling more like my old self. All I have wanted out of this surgery was to be out of pain, well that pain is gone but this new one from recovery is here, blah!!!! I also want my energy back, I want to look forward to each day instead of dreading the pain and loneliness and just plain being miserable too.

I'm blabbing on......love everyone!

Amy

Home Sweet Home!!!

Well, the worst is over!!! Checked in Wednesday night and Dr. Hornbostel did surgery at 10:30 Thursday morning ~ he found an area that had herniated which he repaired and also removed my gallbladder which he said was HOT.

I had terrible swelling due to hematoma which they orginally thought might be a
hernia but luckily (I guess) it's just ugly looking and I looked like I was a
few months pregnant (see pic below)



I also had problems urinating after surgery, they had to cath me 2x just to let
it out but my Surgeon didn't want to leave it in b/c he wanted me up and
walking....I finally was able to go on my own last night and what a RELIEF b/c
the at the last cath the nurse removed 1500cc's of urine, OUCH!!!!

I have to wear a binder on my stomach for the next 2 weeks, I have a followup on
Thursday and can't drive for a week and no lifting anything for 2 weeks ~ we
sent the babies to STL so I can rest up.

Feeling very tired but happy to be on the road to recovery!

-111 Pounds!!!!

9 more pounds until my final goal. I've hit my first post-op complication ~ my gallbladder is full of stones and sludge and it's been living hell trying to get the referral set up to have it taken out. Say a prayer for me, my appointment with the Surgeon is tomorrow afternoon. I think the process of having it removed will put me close my goal in no time, but feeling better takes priority.

XOX

Amy

Found out this morning that my gallbladder has to come out, I am not happy that I have to wait until the 28th for my consultation!!! Uggggh!