9 month mark

About time I updated this ... things have been busy here at the old homestead.

I had my 9 month check up last Thursday and they are quite happy with my results so far.

I'm not losing tremendously fast but that is probably for the best in the long run.

I am probably going to have to start Physical Therapy soon though. I have been having such pain in my left leg .. I thought it was Sciatic nerve issues. They are more convinced it's a nerve issue somewhere in my L5 region. My back is pretty out of whack with the major weight loss.

So I figure it can't hurt .. I'm just so tired of feeling like I have a charlie horse in my ass lol

They also want me to start the pouch flush before I eat.

I still have so many issues with being able to keep food down on a regular basis that now 1/2 hour before I eat they want me to down 12 oz of fluid to clean out any remnants that may be in my pouch. Then not to drink for an hour after I eat. I can't say as I have seen much improvement lol but then again I'm not doing so well downing the liquid either. I can't gulp down fluid like I used to be able too. I'll keep trying though and see if it helps.

always somethin' eh?


I couldn't believe a year has passed since I started this process. It was this time last year that I was about to take a long walk off a short Pier ... and now life is completely different ... I can hardly wait to see what life will be like a year from now

I go back in Feb for my year check up .... time is flying

My Version of French Onion Soup for One

This will make 3 servings.

*edit (I have been scolded lovingly from my British Chef Confidant that my soup isn't nearly dark enough ... which means I didn't cook the onions long enough to caramelize properly ... I'll get it right next time lol)

I didn't want to make a whole big batch of soup so I threw this together and it was mighty tasty.

2 med Onions or 1 really large one ... sliced thinly
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs flour
1 tsp sugar
3 beef bouillon cubes
3 cups boiling water

Saute Onions in oil until tender and opaque. Sprinkle with sugar half way through cooking to help caramelization

Add Bouillon cubes to boiling water to dissolve

add flour to onions and stir constantly for a few minutes .. to cook out the flour taste

pour in water/bouillon cube mix

Bring to a boil , turn down and let simmer for about 15 minutes to bring all the flavors together

I didn't add any salt. The salt content in the beef cubes was enough for me. I did add a little fresh ground pepper

I don't eat bread so I just shaved some cheese into the middle of the bowl and it was might good.




This makes a good 3 servings of one cup each for me. A great little lunch for the next few days.

Sister comes for a visit

My middle sister lives out in Fort Plains and stopped by for a visit the other day. I managed to talk both sisters in to getting a "Sisters" Photo. I think they wanted to kill me.

I never used to want photos taken .. now I am always saying ... "Oooh take a picture!" lol



btw ... 176lbs gone forever :)

Apple Picking

We all went Apple picking at Bowmans today. What a great Orchard! So many different kinds of apples. I got a bag of Shamrocks .. sort of like Granny Smith. They make awesome pies.

The kids had a blast.

I nearly had a heart attack when 5 bags of apples came to 60 bucks! I thought I was going to need smelling salts!









Our Desperate Housewives Pose

Locks of Love

I received my card today.







My hair arrived safe and sound. I hope it brings joy to a special little one out there.

Updates

Went to the Docs today for my check up after Surgery. Everything is looking good and I don't have to go back until November for my 6 month checkup from the Bypass Surgery.

Weight loss is good and blood levels are looking good. Vit D still really low but that's nothing new.

So not much to report for once. It was a good visit.

To date I have lost 168 pounds

5 Days Out

It's been 5 days since my Gall Bladder removal. I have to say this surgery was like a walk in the park compared to other surgeries I have had.

Other than being a bit tired and feeling a bit of pinching/burning at the puncture sites, it hasn't been too terribly bad.

I went out shopping yesterday to Target and felt ok ... I was tired when I got home but I did it.

My Doctor said the surgery went great. He did mention that I had built up all the scar tissue he cut out last surgery .. so he cut it all out again lol ... I do like to heal quickly.


Other than that he said things went smooth as silk and I only spent 2 hours in recovery and about one more hour just walking around and getting my feet back under me and then getting discharged.

I tried to lay on my side Saturday night ... that was a mistake .. owie! But, last night I was able to lay on my side fine.

Lets just hope this is it for a while..... the only thing I have left hanging over my head is having to have the thyroid biopsies redone ... but I am holding off on that for a little bit.

BTW speaking of that ... I saw one of the other Doctors I had seen a while back and he walked right by me didn't even recognize me until I said hello to him then he did a double take ... I've lost so much weight and with the short hair ... no one recognizes me anymore lol


Here is a pic I took of myself yesterday before going to Target .... who is this person with the skinny neck? Cause it sure isn't me lol!




I notice I am wearing a lot more Pink now too. I never used to wear pink. I always thought people would associate it with Pink Elephants ... Now I just wear it because I love the color. I don't even think about that anymore. It is amazing what the brain will retain and let go of when you start feeling better about yourself.

I still have a long way to go ... but as of today I am 172 pounds down and I am feeling stronger and have more stamina every single day.

23g of Protein In Instant Coffee???

Yep you heard it here folks lol ....


Well sort of ;)

I have a new concoction I made.

I love my new EAS chocolate protein mix. I decided to try some in a cup of coffee and wow .... It was pretty darn good. Tasted just like a cafe' mocha.

Each scoop of EAS has 23g or protein in it. So it's a win win for me ... I get my coffee and my protein ..... and of course my beloved chocolate lol :p

One word of advise ... mix up the EAS in cold water then heat it and add a spoon of instant coffee. I tried to add it to the hot coffee and I ended up with a cup of glue .... not good lol.

But live and learn eh?

~ Try it .. you will like it

Surgery is set

After seeing my Surgeon last Thursday - surgery has been set for September 3rd. I will be having my Gall Bladder removed and a general check up in there to see if there are any adhesion's causing trouble.

I can't say I am looking forward to more surgery. It's been a bit of a struggle coming to terms with it. I seem to just start feeling good and something else sets me back.

As they say I know this too shall pass ... but it sure is hard to stay positive at times.

But, remembering that pain from the flare up and blockage is more than enough to make me want the surgery more than not want it.

And regardless ... no matter what I have no regrets. I do feel SO much better and can do SO much more already.

I plan on having a rockin' summer next year ... being able to go and do all sorts of things :)

Hospital Update

I am just now getting around to update this. I am doing ok now ... but last Sunday was the day from hell.

I hadn't been feeling good all day it started about 4am. It felt like someone was standing on my chest.... I thought GREAT! I've been doing all this to get healthier and NOW I am going to have a heart attack!

... well after I calmed myself down and laid down for a while it felt better ... I figured I was having an issue called "dumping" that happens to bypass patients sometimes. It can mimic a heart attack but it's all in the digestive tract. The only flaw in that theory is it happens right after you have eaten something ... I hadn't eaten anything since dinner around 6pm the night before.

Well since the pain stopped I didn't give it much more thought. There are so many freaky things that pop up now and again from this surgery that I just chalked it up to one of those occurrences.

Noon came and went ... I ate a little lunch and everything seemed fine but I was just zonked out ... I felt so drained I laid down and fell asleep. I didn't wake up until nearly 7:30pm. I figured I should get something to eat because I have to eat a little something every 5 to 6 hours or I don't get enough nutrition in to me.

With in two teaspoons of food I had to run to the bathroom .... I was so sick :(

.. then the chest pain started again ... then I got hot, cold and sweaty/clammy all at the same time. I thought ... hmmm not good.

I wobbled myself back to my room and laid down ... as soon as I stretched out I felt a little better and I turned to my left side and just laid there but started to get a little uncomfortable. I then turned to my right side and WHAMMO!!! I felt like someone had just gutted me like a deer! The pain was so intense I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even speak for a minute... then I just screamed it hurt so Goddamn bad!

My sister and nieces came racing in and Jessy took one look at me and called 911 .. I loathe going to the hospital ER's but I was in no position to argue. I was nearly ready to pass out.

All I could think of was this had to be Gall Bladder related .. I can remember my Mom and Sister being in agony before theirs were removed.

Once they got me in the ambulance - my first time ever in one of those contraptions - they gave me some good drugs and everything calmed down.

I then got to the ER ... a brand new multi million dollar state of the art new addition they put on the Hospital. (this is useful information for later in my story)

So they all did their thing .. ran tests ... CT Scan ... blood tests ... pushing here ... prodding there ....

Conclusion was .... small intestinal blockage.

Ok fine .. "we are going to admit you for the night for observation"

So my sister and brother in law leave and I am laying there watching the lovely flat screen TV that the ER has as part of their new gorgeous roomy rooms.

They then said umm we don't seem to have any room at the inn ... all the rooms were filled to capacity ... but they "saved" me a place in the hall.

I found that rather funny that I now had to move from my gorgeous ER room to the hall for who knows how long ... someone is either going to have to die or go home for me to get a room

One of the Nurses commented that now we need a new hospital since they can take so many more people in the ER now.

(See why I told you how fancy it was?)

Ok back to me ...


around 9am I get visited by one of 3 Surgeons .... man I sound like a Christmas Tale here....

The Surgeon of Gall Bladder present ...

He is sure it's my Gall Bladder and has a plan ...


The Surgeon of Gall Bladder past ...

It could have been your Gall Bladder but it's moved the problem is your intestines ... He has a plan ...

The Surgeon of Gall Bladder Future ...

It's not your Gall Bladder it's your Liver ... She has a plan


:D


By the time all was said and done I got into a room by 11am and they all got together and decided that ....

I had a small intestinal blockage caused by an inflamed, enlarged Gall Bladder which backed up into my Liver causing the infection and I was going any where until that started clearing up .... fast forward 4 days and the levels in the liver finally are nearly back to normal but the Gall Bladder really needs to come out.

So I am looking at yet another surgery probably with in the next month or so and on top of it the Endo's office called and wanted to redo the biopsies ... I said well ... you guys are gonna have to wait .. I can only handle so much once. My arms already look like I have been severely beaten. My neck just stopped looking severely beaten.

I'm trying not to let it all get to me ... it started to about mid wednesday ... I was really starting to lose the plot.

But now I am definitely home and brought some heavy duty antibiotics with me. I have to see both the Surgeon next week and have my 6 month bypass Eval with that Surgeon and get more blood tests to check on the liver progress on Monday and then on Thursday more blood tests for every other level ...

I should have taken out stock in the needle company :(

So tomorrow is the day ... I go see my bypass Surgeon for my 6 month check up and bloodwork and I will find out what the next step is.

One thing I must add ... the staff at the hospital was wonderful ... everyone was so nice and professional. They really made the stay a lot more tolerable ... I just wanted to go home so bad :(

I really liked one of my Doctors ... man he was cute .... I really looked forward to seeing him every day :p