cherimen

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Well, my two year anniversary was on 4/16/09 and my appointment went very well. Dr. Ludwig was very pleased with my progress and my blood work came out good also. He still would like me to lose 15 to 20lbs so it is really time to get serious about my exercise program. So after my P.S. on 4/28/09  am going to really be concentrating on getting myself focused on that.

Well, I have something going on with me. When I went for my one year post op appointment with my surgeon, he said that my bilirubin test came back slightly elevated. He advised me to follow up with my PCP. So a few weeks ago I went in to see her and she said well lets run the test again because ususally it is an isolated incident. So she ran it again and it came back elevated again.

She is completely dumb founded by this because I no longer have my gall bladder and I am not showing any of the typical symptoms of someone whos bilirubin is elevated. So she said lets run some more blood test along with an ultrasound to find out what is going on. I am trying not to be nervous about this, but she is testing me for everything from Hepetitis to HIV. I work in a dental office and there has been times in the past that I have stuck myself with an instrument. I have been tested for those then but it has been well over 5 years. 

So I don't know what is going with me. I go for my ultrasound on Monday and I had my blood work done on Wednesday (7 vials of blood). I don't go back to see her for the results until the middle of July. It is going to be hard to wait that long to see what is going on.

I had a consultation today with a plastic surgeon. He said I would be good conadate for a tummy tuck and that I should be able to get good results from it. I am also looking in to get my arms done (those will be done  first) plus a breast lift.  All together it is going to cost about $20,000. Ouch!! It is definetely something I am going to have to do over a long period of time. Plus I have to have the time off from work to have each procedure done. But he said that people heal pretty quickly from the arm surgery and you only need about a week off from work. That is doable. So I am going to start there. I am so tired of wearing 3/4 length sleeves. But I guess I will have to suffer through summer because right now they are scheduling into September. But at least that will give me sometime to get the $$$ situated.

Well, today is my 1 year anniversary. I can't believe it has been 1 year ago today that I started my life all over again. What a year it has been. This, by far, is the best decision I have made for myself in a very long time. I feel great, have so much energy and for the first time in my adult life, I love to shop.

I can't thank my surgeon, Dr. Ludwig, and his staff ,enough for preparing me so throughly for this journey. It has been hard work (and anyone who thinks otherwise has not gone through this) and something that I have to think about daily. Maybe sometimes even hourly. But those of you who have had the surgery know what I am talking about. The water, protein, vitamins, supplements and exercise. It is consistantly on my mind. But that is a small price to pay for getting my life back. I would do this again tomorrow if I had too.

I want to thank all my OH friends that I have met here and have been a wonderful support for me. And also to all my friends at our post op classes and monthly support group. I could not have made it this far without you.

I don't know if it was something I ate or if I picked up a bug or something, but yesterday I was so sick. I was at work when it started and I ate lunch (which is something I had before) and my stomach start aching something fierce. It eased up somewhat after a couple of hours but everytime I tried to eat something it flared up again. I actually got very nausous and had the dry heaves at one point (sorry TMI). I went to bed with my stomach so sore. Even to touch it hurt. I have no idea what caused all this. This morning it feels better, still a little sore to the touch,but I am afraid to eat anything, just in case.

This was the first episode I have had since surgery, not fun at all. I definetly do not what want to experience this again.

Well, I finally got around to taking a picture of me in my jeans that I wore right before surgery, and I can fit into one leg of them. What a great feeling that is. To know that you have worked so hard and to see the results of that. I know I still have work to do (it will be never ending, a life long commitment) but in just 10 1/2 months to have lost 175lbs and to go from a size 32 pants to a size 14 is amazing to me. I feel very blessed to have gone through this process and to have no complicatons and right now I am loving life. Not that I didn't before, but I think I was just existing before. Now I am enjoying life, everything. I don't have to worry about not fitting into the movie theater seats or that my knees will hurt so bad only after 1/2 hour of shopping. And just the fact that I can go into a store and look and clothes and know that I can pick something off the rack and it will fit. I have never been able to do that in my adult life. 

I can't believe that my one year anniversary is next month. Where has the time gone. Well, you know the old saying, "Time flys when you are having fun". And I have been having a blast!!

I know part of it might have to do with it being winter, but man, have things slowed down. I seem to be  in a pattern where I might loss one week and nothing the next. And I know that I need to increase my exercise but like many have said it is hard with the weather being so cold. I know, I know, excuses, excuses! But I am still happy with my progress. At least it is still moving the right direction. I set a goal for myself and am only 25lbs from that goal. So I am very excited about that. But at the rate I am going I am not going to reach that by 1 year anniversary, which is very quickly approaching. But, it is just one day at a time, making the right decisions about food and keeping on track. Life is good.

I have just had the most stressful week that I can ever remember. I have a dear friend that is fighting a losing battle with lung cancer and things just seem to be getting worse and worse for her. This week alone she found out that she had not been given any antibotics since her surgery that she had the Thursday after Christmas. I guess the computer was showing that she was getting them but no body bothered to actually if she was in fact getting them. They had to go in and insert a large drain tube because of all the fluid around her lungs and she has developed an infection because of all the fluid. Then on Tuesday they tell her that she has a blood clot on her lungs so they have to put her on blood thinners but because of the drain tube she could bleed to death. Now they tell her that she will always have the drain tube and be on antibotics and they are unable to do chemo while she is on antibobtics. So the cancer is just going to continue to spread. Yesterday was an especially difficult day for her. She had a lot of doctors in and out of her room all day. Today she sounded a little better but you can hear the stress in her voice. She has always been so positive through all shes has been through, but I think this last week has weakened her spirit a little. And it just breaks my heart to see that. She is the most wonderful and giving person I know. She would do anything for anyone. She is just that kind of person. And it is so hard to see her go through this.