Surgery is near

Well hi all. Surgery is on Thursday. 2 more days. Am I nervous?? Not really. More ready to get this over with. I hope to be in and out fast. I don't know what the recovery will be like or anything. I suppose I will call and ask in a bit. They said 3-4 days in the hosp if all goes according to plan.

Lol as I type this Erica is in the shower singing some song I have never heard. It is cute. Makes me smile. I have learned to cherish those moments. I need to start a separate blog for moments with my daughter.

I don't have a lot to say. I was put on home IV last Fri and it infiltrated Sunday. I went into the ER and they would not put a new one in. I suppose I could have called the home health nurse but she tried 3 times to stick me and dug a lot in my veins. She had to call AMR (the local ambulance company) to some put it in. They did first time and quickly.

I am out of things to write at this time so I suppose I will write more tomm before surgery if I feel the need. If not I will write more after I am home and feeling up to it.

Well aint this some Schitt

Today I was sitting at home not doing a lot. I suddenly get a phone call. Odd cause I was not expecting anyone to call. It was One of the Drs at my regular clinic. I thought it was strange he called specially cause he did not seem the type to call patients unless something was up.

Well something was definitely UP My Lipase and Amalayse are both up from last time. AGAIN!!! I am also still anemic. He said he wants me to go into the hospital again. For IV hydration. (I am not vomiting anymore thank the lord) Also to make sure I am NPO compliant (no food) and clear liquids only. Well a "former fat chick" can only go without food for so long. I having had the RNY do not absorb all the nutrients that I consume any ways. So that could deplete me in my vitamins and cause extra problems. I have been NPO on and off. Well liquids yes. I am not in the hospital and I do not have an IV. I am not going to deprive my body of something I am not really getting anyways.

So he tells me he wants me to go inpatient again. (He said this last Friday too.) Actually he has said this every time I have seen him. I asked him what they could do there that was not getting done here in my own home. He basically agreed with me.

I also can not leave Erica with ppl all of the time. It is hard enough asking for help with her. I don't ask because most folks treat me being sick as an "inconvience" to them. I also have some trust issues. The last 2 sitters I have had watch her have been less than a positive role model. The first one well her mom and moms bf were in prison and got out wanting to "change" they both ended up back locked up. I later found out that the girl stole my brand new camera and tried to give Erica a joint!!!The last girl lives upstairs from me and is a pot head. Now don't get me wrong I don't give a shit that someone smokes pot. Just DO NOT do it around my kid, do not offer it to her, keep your paraphernalia AWAY from her and do not be high or get high while watching her, OR let anyone AROUND her get high. She will tell me EVERYTHING.. I am NOT afraid to call whomever I need to to keep my baby safe.

I also tend to find sitters who don't play with her. Who don't watch her. Who don't entertain her. She is 6 and pretty self reliant. All I ask is for someone to PLAY with her. She is fun to play with. Give her some makeup and she will be busy for hours. She loves to draw and write. Loves to play and ride her scooter. She just wants someone to play with.

Ok I got off track!!

The Dr. wants me on IV meds. What I don't know exactly I think some antibiotics. He really wants me FULLY NPO. I think then I will have some addtl items in my bag. So I asked him about home health care. He is working tonight but will get with me later on in the am Tomm. I should have a home health care nurse come in to set up everything. He only is letting me do this cause I am an EMT. I know how to spike a bag, stop and start a line, I will likely even draw my own bloods for the nurse lol. I bet she will love that. I can also start my own line and take it out prn.

Ok I have once again typed WAY more than I wanted to. I will say G nite, God bless.

Feeling like hell has wrapped me in his arms

Well since Sunday I have felt like crap. I have not been able to keep foods down. I have lost 8lbs since Sunday. Exhausted as can be. I had a phone call from my Drs today (my primary) and told them about how I am feeling. They told me to call the Drs in Denver. Either they do not know what to do or are pawning me off on them. Regardless something HAS to be done. I am sick and tired of this crap.

To top it off I am frustrated at home. I have tried to do what I can as far as keeping the house kept up and food cooked and dishes done. I am not getting anywhere it feels like. I am working for nothing. I need some help around here. I feel like I am in a rut around here.

Some new info and a date!!

I got the name of my surgeon and I did some research on him. I am SOOO freaking happy!!!! He is a Bariatric Surgeon WITH Pancreatic expertise!! I am so happy. I have never seen a Bariatric Dr EVER!!! I can ask him questions and when I can eat again I know that I will be on an appropriate diet. He also has a Bariatric Nut on his team. I am FINALLY pleased that I will have a Dr who will be able to help me AND knows my anatomy!!

My Date is March 25th. I have 16 days left to go thru this crap. I have been feeling horrible the last 2 days. Holding NOTHING down and just in pain and very nauseated. It is nice to know my date. I have some meals already planned while I am gone. I will be an hour away for approx 3-4 days. I am expecting 4-5 days tho for some reason.

I will be taking some magazines, maybe my laptop, phone, charger, some pro shakes, chapstick and my pillow, and the obvious clothing and sox.

I was also told not to eat for 6 hours pre op. I think the scheduler was not thinking I am having a scope not surgery. That is what she has seen in the computer with me before. I had to make a few calls to light a match under the 2 offices to get going on my date.

Just wanted to share with you all. I am thrilled!!

Decision Time

Well I have told many people what my decision is. I however have not posted it on my blog. I have decided that I will go with the Lap Surgery. I want to do this in as few visits as I can. Especially since my treatment is in Denver. It is about 1:05-1:25 minutes away depending on Denver traffic and time of day. I called Dr. Shahs office on Thursday about 12:30. I got a call back about 4:30 pm and was told that they were now starting to coordinate the Surgeons schedule as well as Dr. Shahs Schedule to they both can be in the OR at the same time. The Surgeon so he can put the lap instruments in and get to the area he needs to get to and Dr Shah so he can place the stents and or splice the scar tissue if needed.

I have never met the surgeon and I don't think I will until I see him either in pre op or anest. I have already had my pre op appointment done so I should not have to do a lot but wait now. The gal I spoke with who is trying to schedule both Docs was really nice. She said she was going to TRY to get them to do the surgery on my original day. Which is Tuesday the 9th. 3 days from now. I personally do not think that will happen. However is is a slim possibility. They want to do this asap. My biggest worry is infection from this port. I do not think I will need a drain. (Gosh I hope not) my last drain was the WORST!!! That got infected despite me keeping it clean and covered. So did my bellybutton from my lap gallbladder removal. That cleared up nicely. However I will have a hole in my body that is a direct route for infection.

I will update more when I know the date.

Went to Meet the New Dr Today

Well today was a good day. I went to Denver with my mom. We had lunch at this FANTASTIC little bakery that I used to go to since I was about 4. I have been there since but not with my mom in oh about the last 20 years. It was great to sit with her and talk. PLUS lmao she told me I did a good job eating!!! I looked at her with a confused grin on my face and she realized what she had said we got a kick out of it. A good laugh was needed. They have the best food. The most awesome pastries. It is just a great place to go.

After our early lunch we went to the University Hospital where I met with Dr. Raj Shah. He is one of the only docs in Colorado who has experience with this ERCP procedure + RNY that I need done. I have it scheduled for next Tuesday March 9th. He said there is no guarantee that they will be able to do what I need done. The tool might not be long enough. He does not know how long or small my intestines have been cut to. He also may not be able to get to the part he needs to to inject the dye needed.

The other option is more likely to be effective and they WILL be able to get to where they need to go. However it is a bit more invasive. It is done lapriscopic. Regardless I will have to be in the hospital at least overnight. 1 night with the above mentioned procedure (ERCP) IF I decided to have the lap procedure done it will be 3-4 day stay. I also will have a tube in my abdomen if done by the lap procedure. It will be there for approx 6 weeks. He said it is like a feeding tube. But the tube is really a port he said. Only because he MAY have to go in again to remove the stent or do more work. This could happen with either procedure. With either procedure I may develop chronic pancreatitis. Meaning this crap will go on forever. I will either have some stents placed so my ducts can drain what they are not draining now. OR they will just cut the scar tissue in the ducts. When the Dr came in and said that the ducts are bigger than he was told. Meaning they are outside normal on the high end. He was not expecting that. This surgery will NOT be done on the 9th like the ERCP. It will have to be coordinated with surgeons.


I asked him what he thought I should do. He said that the least invasive was he likes to do first. I then asked him what he would tell his wife or daughter or whoever he really did not give me a clear answer. He told me wither way it was up to me.

I honestly am leaning towards the lap procedure. I am deathly afraid of something getting perforated as with the ERCP thus requiring more surgery. I also don't want to go there for nothing cause it is likely he will not be able to even see what he needs to see. The Lap procedure he WILL be able to do and see what needs to be done. I already have had 2 abdominal surgeries so I know what the recovery and etc is like. I am a bit apprehensive about a port placed in my stomach. Infection and misplacement/shifting are a concern of mine.

Personally I don't want to have more crap done than necessary. I have already had nuff problems.

After my meeting the Dr. Who seemed REALLY good and explained everything I asked and my mom asked as well. It was nice to have my mommy there with me. I went to Pre op testing. I had a FULL history done and vitals. They did an EKG on me and asked me to get another one from the past to compare it too. When the Tech did my EKG she all but ran out of there and got the NP who was taking my hx. They said that my t waves were abnormal and that is why they wanted to compare it to a past one. I know my past ones were fine but this worries me a bit.

Well I have talked nuff and my fingers are getting sore. I will post my final decision when I make one.