Pinky had some medical issues earlier this year. As a result, we had to change her diet to some specially formulated food. Luckily, she actually likes to eat this food, so that has not been a problem. What has been a problem is that I was supposed to have brought a urine sample to the vet to ensure that the food is working properly. I have been unable to obtain a urine sample from her.
Why is that? Well, she is rather skittish. I have taken her on several walks and every time she squats to pee, I am right there with my mini Tupperware trying to shove it under her. As soon as I get there, she stops peeing. She is quite adept at this dance by now. I have changed containers, but still with no luck. I estimate my attempts at 20 and I have been skunked each time.
I MUST get this sample. I know I can bring her to the vet and they can extract a sample from her, but that will cost beaucoup bucks. Since the sample doesn't have to be "pure" the vet suggested I save some dough and get it myself. Up til now, the attempts have been fruitless. I am determined to get this pee sample. I am setting a deadline of obtaining it by December 31st, 2006. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Regurgitation
I was always someone who threw up easily. What does that mean? Smells, as in rotting garbage or foul-smelling flatulence could make me vomit. I had heard that post-surgery, smells can really get to you and make you puke. I was not looking forward to this since I was so easily a puker already.
The only smell that has caused me to puke is that of dog vomit. I must admit that this made me puke prior to surgery as well. I have vomitted post surgery due to some foods that I have eaten. Here is the list thus far:
macaroni & cheese
rice
crackers
eggs with salami
pastrami
rye bread
roll
Fatty meats like salami & pastrami are not sitting well in my new stomach. Breads and carbs don't seem to like it either. Still in the trial and error phase, so I will just keep trying different foods to see how they go down and if they stay down or not.
The only smell that has caused me to puke is that of dog vomit. I must admit that this made me puke prior to surgery as well. I have vomitted post surgery due to some foods that I have eaten. Here is the list thus far:
macaroni & cheese
rice
crackers
eggs with salami
pastrami
rye bread
roll
Fatty meats like salami & pastrami are not sitting well in my new stomach. Breads and carbs don't seem to like it either. Still in the trial and error phase, so I will just keep trying different foods to see how they go down and if they stay down or not.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Cream Of Wheat & Other Breakfasts
Yes, I was able to eat Cream of Wheat without a hitch. I couldn't eat a whole packet. When I was full, I just shared the rest with the two dogs. Of course, Cream of Wheat tastes like crap. It definitely needs something to make it more palatable. I swirled in a teaspoon of peanut butter and Splenda which made it much better.
Oatmeal went down fine too. One day I had mini pancakes from Aunt Jemima. I think the serving size is 13 minis. I was able to eat 3 of them. I dipped them in sugar fre syrup and they tasted all right. Pancakes were never my favorite thing though, but variety is nice.
My breakfast staple has been ricotta cheese with a little tomato sauce in it or egg beaters. I made some chicken salad the other day too. This consisted of canned chicken, a smidge of mayo, black pepper, and onion powder. It went down okay too.
Oatmeal went down fine too. One day I had mini pancakes from Aunt Jemima. I think the serving size is 13 minis. I was able to eat 3 of them. I dipped them in sugar fre syrup and they tasted all right. Pancakes were never my favorite thing though, but variety is nice.
My breakfast staple has been ricotta cheese with a little tomato sauce in it or egg beaters. I made some chicken salad the other day too. This consisted of canned chicken, a smidge of mayo, black pepper, and onion powder. It went down okay too.
Official Weigh in
Met with Dr. Bypass for my one month post surgical weigh-in. I'm down 23 official pounds, and 29 unofficial pounds, if you are keeping score.
My BMI decreased by 3 points.
My fat mass has decreased by 17 points. I really do not know what this means exactly. I didn't see this on the paperwork he gave me until I was home. I will ask him next month what that is all about.
Percentage of Excess body weight lost since surgery is 14.36%
He was very pleased with my results. I am definitely on the right path. Sometimes people who have had the surgery are already not doing well with eating and bad habits creep in. I was pleased.
I told him that I have been pretty tired by 2:30 and that I feel like I need a nap. He said this is very normal and that I should nap if I feel tired. Hey, that's why I'm still not back at work, right? This will probably continue for another 6 weeks. Oh, joy!
He gave me a list of vitamins, some I have already been taking and some I haven't. Here it is:
Centrum Multivitamin Chewable Tablet one per day
Centrum Mineral Supplements Chewable Tablet one per day
Vitamin B-12 that dissolves under the tongue
Complete B Complex one per day
Iron Supplement one or two per day
Calcium, Magnesium & Vitamin D tablet one per day
I have been taking a Flinstone's chewable vitamin twice per day since the surgery. These vitamins taste horrible. I will try the Centrum to see if they are better. (probably not).
I have been taking a liquid B-12 since the surgery. When that bottle is done I will switch to the pill.
I have not been taking a Complete B Complex, but I bought some today already.
I have been taking an iron supplement since the surgery. I was deficient in this prior to the surgery anyway.
I have not been taking the Calcium, Magnesium & Vitamin D tablet, but I bought some today. I was taking Caltrate prior to the surgery because I was deficient in this too.
In two weeks I will get a blood test to check all the levels of vitamins and minerals in my body to see how I'm doing.
My next check-up is January 12th.
My BMI decreased by 3 points.
My fat mass has decreased by 17 points. I really do not know what this means exactly. I didn't see this on the paperwork he gave me until I was home. I will ask him next month what that is all about.
Percentage of Excess body weight lost since surgery is 14.36%
He was very pleased with my results. I am definitely on the right path. Sometimes people who have had the surgery are already not doing well with eating and bad habits creep in. I was pleased.
I told him that I have been pretty tired by 2:30 and that I feel like I need a nap. He said this is very normal and that I should nap if I feel tired. Hey, that's why I'm still not back at work, right? This will probably continue for another 6 weeks. Oh, joy!
He gave me a list of vitamins, some I have already been taking and some I haven't. Here it is:
Centrum Multivitamin Chewable Tablet one per day
Centrum Mineral Supplements Chewable Tablet one per day
Vitamin B-12 that dissolves under the tongue
Complete B Complex one per day
Iron Supplement one or two per day
Calcium, Magnesium & Vitamin D tablet one per day
I have been taking a Flinstone's chewable vitamin twice per day since the surgery. These vitamins taste horrible. I will try the Centrum to see if they are better. (probably not).
I have been taking a liquid B-12 since the surgery. When that bottle is done I will switch to the pill.
I have not been taking a Complete B Complex, but I bought some today already.
I have been taking an iron supplement since the surgery. I was deficient in this prior to the surgery anyway.
I have not been taking the Calcium, Magnesium & Vitamin D tablet, but I bought some today. I was taking Caltrate prior to the surgery because I was deficient in this too.
In two weeks I will get a blood test to check all the levels of vitamins and minerals in my body to see how I'm doing.
My next check-up is January 12th.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Mac & Cheese
Macaroni & cheese is the great comfort food. I made this last week for AR and my daughter to eat as a side dish. As the macs were boiling, I tasted one to see if it was done, and it was so I finished up the dish by straining the noodles and adding butter and cheese. As I was stirring it, I decided to take a bite. After all, I had already eaten one macaroni and I felt fine. I quickly swallowed the cheesy mixture. I had a second bite as well. It was hot so I drank some water.
Two no-nos right there. I'm not supposed to be eating solid food yet and I had two forkfuls. In addition, I am not supposed to drink while I am eating. It fills you up too quickly and pushed the food through my system too soon. Uh, oh. My stomach did not like this. No, it was rebelling because I ate something I should not have eaten.
I sat there and watched while the rest of my family ate. I sipped my iced tea and ate nothing. Immediately after dinner, I felt like I had better lie down. I wasn't on the bed for more than two minutes when I felt the water forming in my mouth. I just knew that I was going to throw up. Would I make it to the bathroom in time? I dashed down the hall and made it just as my stomach heaved up the mac & cheese. It did it again and again. I swear that I threw up way more than I had eaten.
I felt instantly better after it was over. Why did I do it? I wasn't hungry. It just looked so good and creamy and yummy. Now that it is done, I could see that part of the problem is that I really didn't chew the macaroni properly. That, coupled with eating too fast and drinking just was a bad combination. I learned my lesson. I will not be doing this again.
Two no-nos right there. I'm not supposed to be eating solid food yet and I had two forkfuls. In addition, I am not supposed to drink while I am eating. It fills you up too quickly and pushed the food through my system too soon. Uh, oh. My stomach did not like this. No, it was rebelling because I ate something I should not have eaten.
I sat there and watched while the rest of my family ate. I sipped my iced tea and ate nothing. Immediately after dinner, I felt like I had better lie down. I wasn't on the bed for more than two minutes when I felt the water forming in my mouth. I just knew that I was going to throw up. Would I make it to the bathroom in time? I dashed down the hall and made it just as my stomach heaved up the mac & cheese. It did it again and again. I swear that I threw up way more than I had eaten.
I felt instantly better after it was over. Why did I do it? I wasn't hungry. It just looked so good and creamy and yummy. Now that it is done, I could see that part of the problem is that I really didn't chew the macaroni properly. That, coupled with eating too fast and drinking just was a bad combination. I learned my lesson. I will not be doing this again.
Moist & Mushy Food
I have just completed my second day of eating moist & mushy food. Yesterday I ate fate free ricotta cheese with some tomato sauce for breakfast. Lunch was 1/2 an egg salad sandwich. We were at the mall and AR wanted to eat at Johhny Rockets, that s style diner. I ordered the egg salad sandwich. I took two bites of the sandwich and then just ate the rest of the egg from the 1/2 I started eating. I wrapped up the other half and took it home. Dinner was egg drop soup.
Today I ate 2 ounces of plain fat free yogurt....not the most tasty. I added a packet of stevia and pumpkin pie spice to get it down, and then it tasted okay. I also ate 2 ounces of pureed peaches. I bought some baby food, which I don't think I really need now, but its good to have on hand. I made chicken salad for lunch and ate a few ounces of that. I ate once slice of mini pumpernickel bread too. The bread was hard to eat. I think I will stay away from that for a while. For dinner I had Progresso Chicken Gumbo soup with 2 ounces of ricotta cheese. It was tasty.
So far so good on the moist and mushy. I think I will try cream of wheat tomorrow morning.
Today I ate 2 ounces of plain fat free yogurt....not the most tasty. I added a packet of stevia and pumpkin pie spice to get it down, and then it tasted okay. I also ate 2 ounces of pureed peaches. I bought some baby food, which I don't think I really need now, but its good to have on hand. I made chicken salad for lunch and ate a few ounces of that. I ate once slice of mini pumpernickel bread too. The bread was hard to eat. I think I will stay away from that for a while. For dinner I had Progresso Chicken Gumbo soup with 2 ounces of ricotta cheese. It was tasty.
So far so good on the moist and mushy. I think I will try cream of wheat tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Offical Weigh In
Saw Dr. Bypass this morning. It has been 19 days since my surgery. I lost 14 official pounds. I say "official" because when I came home from the hospital, I had gained SIX pounds, so I lost those too, but my weight loss goes according to Dr. Bypass' scale and last official weigh-in, so he doesn't count those 6 pounds. Fair enough, but I will keep the tally in my head anyway :)
I can exercise only as far as walking right now. After 4 weeks I can start a more vigorous work out. The hospital offers an exercise program specifically for people who have had weight loss surgery. I will check them out some time this week to see what they are all about. In the meantime, I shall be walking.
Monday I can start adding moist and mushy foods to my diet. I am looking forward to it. This clear liquid diet is kind of boring, but I can't say that I'm hungry, so its definitely working. I asked the doctor why I'm not hungry and he basically said that they don't know why! It has something to do with hormones, but it is a great side effecft of the surgery. Yee Hah! It sure is.
I can exercise only as far as walking right now. After 4 weeks I can start a more vigorous work out. The hospital offers an exercise program specifically for people who have had weight loss surgery. I will check them out some time this week to see what they are all about. In the meantime, I shall be walking.
Monday I can start adding moist and mushy foods to my diet. I am looking forward to it. This clear liquid diet is kind of boring, but I can't say that I'm hungry, so its definitely working. I asked the doctor why I'm not hungry and he basically said that they don't know why! It has something to do with hormones, but it is a great side effecft of the surgery. Yee Hah! It sure is.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Diabetes Gone in Five Days
I've been recording my blood sugar levels since I've been home from the hospital. Other than the first day, my readings have been normal. Fasting overnight it has been 86. After "eating" it has been 95-101 consistently. I have not been taking any oral diabetes medication since I've been released from the hospital, as per doctor instructions.
I saw Dr. Fink today and he was elated with my results. He only wants to test randomly periodically, but that these results were likely to stay. I am pleased, but once I start eating more solids I will test regularly for a while to satisfy myself. Blood pressure is still high so I am staying on the Atenolol for now. I am hoping that with a significant weight loss that I will not have to take this medication for long.
As for weight loss...I am going to wait until Wednesday to reveal that because that is the day I meet with Dr. Bypass. I want to use his scale as the true barometer. However, I will say that the day after I came home I hoped on the scale just to see and there was a 6 pound gain! After three days of no eating, I gained weight. I know it was because of all the fluids I was getting, but It was disappointing. I will share that the extra weight plus more is already gone, but the official count will be later this week.
I saw Dr. Fink today and he was elated with my results. He only wants to test randomly periodically, but that these results were likely to stay. I am pleased, but once I start eating more solids I will test regularly for a while to satisfy myself. Blood pressure is still high so I am staying on the Atenolol for now. I am hoping that with a significant weight loss that I will not have to take this medication for long.
As for weight loss...I am going to wait until Wednesday to reveal that because that is the day I meet with Dr. Bypass. I want to use his scale as the true barometer. However, I will say that the day after I came home I hoped on the scale just to see and there was a 6 pound gain! After three days of no eating, I gained weight. I know it was because of all the fluids I was getting, but It was disappointing. I will share that the extra weight plus more is already gone, but the official count will be later this week.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Wendy's
Kind if a weird experience today. Went out with my family for a ride to a new WalMart. We bought some Christmas decorations. As we were walking to the car, my daughter was crying because she was hungry. It was past lunch time, about 2 pm. AR suggested we go to Wendy's because there was one nearby. I said, "Sure, no problem. I'll just sip on my pomegranate Crystal Lite." Which only made AR feel bad, so I told him to go ahead, because it wouldn't bother me.
We went to the drive through. Wendy's doesn't have soup, so there really wasn't anything for me there. Besides, I had my pomegranate Crystal Lite. My daughter had the ham and cheese sandwich and AR ordered the taco salad. We pulled over to eat. I removed the bread from her sandwich and rolled up the ham slices and she happily ate. I held the salad bowl while AR added in the tortilla pieces, taco meat and sour cream. It smelled wonderful.
Seriously, it smelled better than anything I had ever smelled in my life. The thing is, I wasn't hungry. I just sipped a little and watched them eat. It didn't bother me that they were eating and I wasn't. So even though it smelled great, I wasn't hungry. It is strange to sit and watch your family eat though. I keep telling AR that he wolfs down his food. I don't know why he eats so fast. I never noticed that before, but then, I have never been so focused on them during dinner either.
ONE Christmas present was purchased today. Ugh! I am not in the mood for holiday shopping this year either.
We went to the drive through. Wendy's doesn't have soup, so there really wasn't anything for me there. Besides, I had my pomegranate Crystal Lite. My daughter had the ham and cheese sandwich and AR ordered the taco salad. We pulled over to eat. I removed the bread from her sandwich and rolled up the ham slices and she happily ate. I held the salad bowl while AR added in the tortilla pieces, taco meat and sour cream. It smelled wonderful.
Seriously, it smelled better than anything I had ever smelled in my life. The thing is, I wasn't hungry. I just sipped a little and watched them eat. It didn't bother me that they were eating and I wasn't. So even though it smelled great, I wasn't hungry. It is strange to sit and watch your family eat though. I keep telling AR that he wolfs down his food. I don't know why he eats so fast. I never noticed that before, but then, I have never been so focused on them during dinner either.
ONE Christmas present was purchased today. Ugh! I am not in the mood for holiday shopping this year either.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Poo Day
I am happy to announce that poo has commenced. That was a relief because I was stressing a little about it, and now I don't have to worry. Another hurdle achieved.
I have removed two of my bandages. Dr. Bypass said I could start removing them in 4 days. He told me this on Wednesday so I wasn't clear on whether he meant 4 days from surgery or 4 days from Wednesday. It doesn't matter because after my shower one of the bandages started coming off on its own, so i helped it. The incision is about 3/4 of an inch wide. The area is very bruised and yellow/purple coloring, but the incision itself is healing fine. I showed AR and he nearly fainted. Chicken! Yeah, he'll be doing the lap band surgery for sure.
Went out for another ride, this time to the supermarket. We just had to pick up some cards, so I tagged along for the ride. I waited in the car with my daughter while AR did the shopping. I have to take my very own sippy cup with me wherever I go. I always need to be sipping on liquid, so I have to take it to go. No soda either! Well, I could drink soda if its flat, which I actually do not mind, but I've been sticking to tea, water and crystal lite.
AR is amazed that I am not hungry. He was afraid to eat in front of me for the first few days, and I told him that was ridiculous. For 1, I'm not hungry anyway and for 2. I can't eat solid foods yet anyway or I will get sick, so I cannot be tempted. I am craving hot chocolate. I bought some diet hot chocolate, but I'm not sure it qualifies as clear liquids. I may try some later tonight to see how I make out with it.
I have removed two of my bandages. Dr. Bypass said I could start removing them in 4 days. He told me this on Wednesday so I wasn't clear on whether he meant 4 days from surgery or 4 days from Wednesday. It doesn't matter because after my shower one of the bandages started coming off on its own, so i helped it. The incision is about 3/4 of an inch wide. The area is very bruised and yellow/purple coloring, but the incision itself is healing fine. I showed AR and he nearly fainted. Chicken! Yeah, he'll be doing the lap band surgery for sure.
Went out for another ride, this time to the supermarket. We just had to pick up some cards, so I tagged along for the ride. I waited in the car with my daughter while AR did the shopping. I have to take my very own sippy cup with me wherever I go. I always need to be sipping on liquid, so I have to take it to go. No soda either! Well, I could drink soda if its flat, which I actually do not mind, but I've been sticking to tea, water and crystal lite.
AR is amazed that I am not hungry. He was afraid to eat in front of me for the first few days, and I told him that was ridiculous. For 1, I'm not hungry anyway and for 2. I can't eat solid foods yet anyway or I will get sick, so I cannot be tempted. I am craving hot chocolate. I bought some diet hot chocolate, but I'm not sure it qualifies as clear liquids. I may try some later tonight to see how I make out with it.
Post-Op Day 3 & 4
I keep waking up at 3:30 in the morning. Its really hot. The weather is unseasonably warm so that hasn't helped. I get up and pee, but then the dogs wanna go out to so I let them out and then try to go back to bed. I'm able to sleep a bit more on my side so that is good.
I'm not supposed to lift anything over 5 pounds, which means that Pinky isn't sleeping with me. She cannot jump on the bed. Its too high for her and I can't lift her up so it is driving her mad. I can hear her pacing around the bed with her tags a jingling.
Every day is getting a little easier. I'm getting my 4 ounces of liquids in every hour and I am taking all my vitamins. My daughter understands that she can't pounce on me and is very concerned about "mommy's belly." She has been taking out her doctor's kit to take care of me. Its cute.
Day 4 I am not napping as much during the day. AR took me for a ride in the car and for a trip to WalMart. It was good to get out into the fresh air, but as I mentioned, its like spring. You don't really need a jacket. Walking around WalMart tired me out pretty quickly. We bought a few things and came home. I had some broth and napped for about 45 minutes.
I would have napped longer, but I had a visitor. My first one! My uncle came and brought me two dozen roses. I couldn't believe how heavy they were! I put them in water and we visited for a while. Of course, the house was a complete disaster. The slipcovers were half on and off the couch & love seat, there were toys all over and leave particles were all on the carpet, and there were goldfish crumbs on the coffee table and a sock was on the floor. It was my husband's!
Well, what can you do? I'm not able to vacuum and such and AR has had his hands full with taking care of our daughter & dogs 24/7. By the time he left, it was time for Dr. Phil so the nap portion if my day was over. I made some peach jello. Not bad at all. I measured it out into two ounce portions and poured into little Solo cups.
I have only been taking the Percoset at night, but it seems to have no effect on me. I am still waking up at 3:30 in the morning, so maybe I will stop taking it. I definitely do not need it during the day. I am not in pain. I am just a little uncomfortable.
Tomorrow is Poo day. Dr. Bypass said I should have a bowel movement 4-5 days after the surgery and tomorrow is day 5. I thought I was gonna poo today a few times, but it was only gas. Yeah, I have a lot of that, but more burping than flatulence.
I'm not supposed to lift anything over 5 pounds, which means that Pinky isn't sleeping with me. She cannot jump on the bed. Its too high for her and I can't lift her up so it is driving her mad. I can hear her pacing around the bed with her tags a jingling.
Every day is getting a little easier. I'm getting my 4 ounces of liquids in every hour and I am taking all my vitamins. My daughter understands that she can't pounce on me and is very concerned about "mommy's belly." She has been taking out her doctor's kit to take care of me. Its cute.
Day 4 I am not napping as much during the day. AR took me for a ride in the car and for a trip to WalMart. It was good to get out into the fresh air, but as I mentioned, its like spring. You don't really need a jacket. Walking around WalMart tired me out pretty quickly. We bought a few things and came home. I had some broth and napped for about 45 minutes.
I would have napped longer, but I had a visitor. My first one! My uncle came and brought me two dozen roses. I couldn't believe how heavy they were! I put them in water and we visited for a while. Of course, the house was a complete disaster. The slipcovers were half on and off the couch & love seat, there were toys all over and leave particles were all on the carpet, and there were goldfish crumbs on the coffee table and a sock was on the floor. It was my husband's!
Well, what can you do? I'm not able to vacuum and such and AR has had his hands full with taking care of our daughter & dogs 24/7. By the time he left, it was time for Dr. Phil so the nap portion if my day was over. I made some peach jello. Not bad at all. I measured it out into two ounce portions and poured into little Solo cups.
I have only been taking the Percoset at night, but it seems to have no effect on me. I am still waking up at 3:30 in the morning, so maybe I will stop taking it. I definitely do not need it during the day. I am not in pain. I am just a little uncomfortable.
Tomorrow is Poo day. Dr. Bypass said I should have a bowel movement 4-5 days after the surgery and tomorrow is day 5. I thought I was gonna poo today a few times, but it was only gas. Yeah, I have a lot of that, but more burping than flatulence.
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Day 2 Post-Op
I was up at 6 am and started on trying to get down 4 ounces of liquids an hour. I was able to tolerate the juice if I watered it down. The tea was okay too and the jello, well, maybe I just don't like jello that much. I took a few more walks and then lay down on the bed at 7:30.
Dr Bypass and his assistant came by to check on me again. My incisions all looked good. He asked if I wanted to go home today or if I wanted to stay another day in the hospital.. Are you kidding me? I wanna go home! He prescribed Percocet for me for the pain, but the pills are too big for me to take, so he suggested quartering them or crushing them to get them down. I could shower and I could remove the patches over my incisions in 4 days and then I needed to see him in one week.
The nurse came in and asked what time I wanted to leave. I knew AR was taking our daughter for her flu shot at 9:30 so I said noon. I washed my hair and put on underwear and a bra. I still left the hospital gown on because I was still getting shots and stuff.
Dr. Fink saw me again today as well. My blood sugar was still high, 160 vs the 190 it was yesterday. This is normal to have lousy sugar levels after the surgery, but with not eating anything, my levels are expected to go pretty low. He doesn't want me to take any pills, but he wanted me to monitor my sugar levels which I haven't been doing so he wrote a script for the monitor. He wants me to write down my sugar levels after testing and he wants to see me on Monday.
AR came to get me at noon and it was pouring rain. I just wanted to go home. The ride home was so bumpy and every bump hurt. He dropped me off at home and went out to get my prescriptions. The dogs were overjoyed to see me. They wanted to jump on me, which isn't something that you want after surgery. I took a nap on the bed and put a pill low on my belly to prevent doggy attacks. It worked pretty well.
I am going to have broth for dinner tonight.
Dr Bypass and his assistant came by to check on me again. My incisions all looked good. He asked if I wanted to go home today or if I wanted to stay another day in the hospital.. Are you kidding me? I wanna go home! He prescribed Percocet for me for the pain, but the pills are too big for me to take, so he suggested quartering them or crushing them to get them down. I could shower and I could remove the patches over my incisions in 4 days and then I needed to see him in one week.
The nurse came in and asked what time I wanted to leave. I knew AR was taking our daughter for her flu shot at 9:30 so I said noon. I washed my hair and put on underwear and a bra. I still left the hospital gown on because I was still getting shots and stuff.
Dr. Fink saw me again today as well. My blood sugar was still high, 160 vs the 190 it was yesterday. This is normal to have lousy sugar levels after the surgery, but with not eating anything, my levels are expected to go pretty low. He doesn't want me to take any pills, but he wanted me to monitor my sugar levels which I haven't been doing so he wrote a script for the monitor. He wants me to write down my sugar levels after testing and he wants to see me on Monday.
AR came to get me at noon and it was pouring rain. I just wanted to go home. The ride home was so bumpy and every bump hurt. He dropped me off at home and went out to get my prescriptions. The dogs were overjoyed to see me. They wanted to jump on me, which isn't something that you want after surgery. I took a nap on the bed and put a pill low on my belly to prevent doggy attacks. It worked pretty well.
I am going to have broth for dinner tonight.
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Day 1 Post-op
In the morning, a nurse came to remove the catheter. As soon as that was done, I wanted to pee, so they had to get me up, which was tough. I have 7 incisions in my stomach so just pulling myself up was a major feat. Hardly any pee came out though. My mouth was severely dry. I Brushed my teeth and it felt wonderful.
I went for a walk around the floor, which felt pretty good. When I came back to my room, a nutritionist was there telling me what I was going to be eating, or rather what I'd be drinking for the next two weeks. Clear liquids, so I could have water, diet tea like crystal light, diet jello, caffeine free tea and coffee, broth and sugar free ice pops. Day one I had to try to drink one ounce every 30 minutes by sipping slowly. The jello and juice did not agree with me. Not even the tea could I get down, so I stuck with water.
The more I drank, the more I peed, so that was pretty much the rest of the day for me. I tried the broth, but it made me naseous, so I would have to try that again tomorrow. I walked some more, but I was so tired from lack of sleep last night that I catnapped during the day.
At night I received a new roommate. She was having surgery on her arm tomorrow. Again, there was a lot of activity at night. Because I had been drinking so much, I was up ever hour to pee and then I decided to take a walk. This is how I got through the night.
I went for a walk around the floor, which felt pretty good. When I came back to my room, a nutritionist was there telling me what I was going to be eating, or rather what I'd be drinking for the next two weeks. Clear liquids, so I could have water, diet tea like crystal light, diet jello, caffeine free tea and coffee, broth and sugar free ice pops. Day one I had to try to drink one ounce every 30 minutes by sipping slowly. The jello and juice did not agree with me. Not even the tea could I get down, so I stuck with water.
The more I drank, the more I peed, so that was pretty much the rest of the day for me. I tried the broth, but it made me naseous, so I would have to try that again tomorrow. I walked some more, but I was so tired from lack of sleep last night that I catnapped during the day.
At night I received a new roommate. She was having surgery on her arm tomorrow. Again, there was a lot of activity at night. Because I had been drinking so much, I was up ever hour to pee and then I decided to take a walk. This is how I got through the night.
Monday, November 6, 2006
Surgery Day November 6, 2006
We dropped our daughter off at the babysitter's house at 8:30. She was so upset at my decision to have the surgery. She had been crying too. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked. I answered that I was sure. She hugged me and wished me well and said, "I think you look great just the way you are." I kissed my daughter goodbye and we got back into the car. By this time, I was crying. I just wasn't expecting that sort of reaction from the babysitter. She rattled me, but I quickly calmed down. As I mentioned before, I had total faith in this surgeon. I know that I would be fine.
We got to the hospital and checked in at the surgery floor. I got changed into a hospital gown while AR sat looking very nervous. The nurse could not get an IV into me. She tried twice and then said they would have to get it in the OR. Hope this isn't a sign of things to come. I went to the bathroom about 7 times. Nervous pee I guess.
The anesthesiologist came in and said not to worry about the IV. Dr. Bypass and his assistant came by to see me. Wanted to know if I had any last minute questions. Briefly, the thought crossed my mind to ask if it was too late to change my mind and get the lap band. I knew it was too late, and I also didn't want that surgery, so the fleeting thought passed by quickly. He said it should take about 2.5 hours and then another 1.5 hours in the recovery room.
AR kissed me goodbye and they wheeled me to the OR. Dr. Bypass and his assistant were sitting in the hallway. He said, "They usually make the bariatric patients walk to the OR. You must have some pull because you're getting the royal treatment." It made me laugh. He probably tells all of his patients this joke, but I still thought it was funny.
Once inside the OR, I noticed how cold and white everything was. I slid onto the operating table, which was pretty narrow. The OR nurse instantly got an IV into my wrist. Not the most convenient of places, but it was in. Another nurse was hooking me up to a blood pressure machine, and I started giggling because I'm ticklish, which in turn made the OR nurses laugh.
They put a mask over my face and told me to take a few deep breaths. I had to take more than a few, but the next thing I was aware of was waking up in the OR recovery room. I was cold and asked for a blanket, which they gave me. Before I knew it, I was in my hospital room. I was still kind of drowsy.
AR stayed a few hours and I finally told him to go home. I was in no mood for company. All I wanted to do was sleep, but did I get any sleep??? NO. I was inundated with nurses taking my blood pressure, my temperature, my oxygen levels and my blood sugar all night. No rest for the weary.
We got to the hospital and checked in at the surgery floor. I got changed into a hospital gown while AR sat looking very nervous. The nurse could not get an IV into me. She tried twice and then said they would have to get it in the OR. Hope this isn't a sign of things to come. I went to the bathroom about 7 times. Nervous pee I guess.
The anesthesiologist came in and said not to worry about the IV. Dr. Bypass and his assistant came by to see me. Wanted to know if I had any last minute questions. Briefly, the thought crossed my mind to ask if it was too late to change my mind and get the lap band. I knew it was too late, and I also didn't want that surgery, so the fleeting thought passed by quickly. He said it should take about 2.5 hours and then another 1.5 hours in the recovery room.
AR kissed me goodbye and they wheeled me to the OR. Dr. Bypass and his assistant were sitting in the hallway. He said, "They usually make the bariatric patients walk to the OR. You must have some pull because you're getting the royal treatment." It made me laugh. He probably tells all of his patients this joke, but I still thought it was funny.
Once inside the OR, I noticed how cold and white everything was. I slid onto the operating table, which was pretty narrow. The OR nurse instantly got an IV into my wrist. Not the most convenient of places, but it was in. Another nurse was hooking me up to a blood pressure machine, and I started giggling because I'm ticklish, which in turn made the OR nurses laugh.
They put a mask over my face and told me to take a few deep breaths. I had to take more than a few, but the next thing I was aware of was waking up in the OR recovery room. I was cold and asked for a blanket, which they gave me. Before I knew it, I was in my hospital room. I was still kind of drowsy.
AR stayed a few hours and I finally told him to go home. I was in no mood for company. All I wanted to do was sleep, but did I get any sleep??? NO. I was inundated with nurses taking my blood pressure, my temperature, my oxygen levels and my blood sugar all night. No rest for the weary.
Sunday, November 5, 2006
Informational Meeting
Every bariatric doctor requires that you attend an informational seminar before you can make an appointment with him/her. About 4 years ago AR and I attended one, well sort of. We went to the meeting. We filled out a TON of information and then we went into this room filled with a hundred people. It was so crowded that we could not even sit together. Before the meeting even began, AR signaled to me that he wanted to leave. We left.
He said he was looking around the room and just did not want to be there with all of those people. That night we went online and ordered food from Nutri-system. We did pretty well with that plan too, but it was very expensive to buy the food. It wouldn't have been so bad if we were just buying the Nutri-system food, but we still had to buy all the fruits and veggies that were needed to supplement the NS food. We stopped buying the food. We got fat again.
Fast forward to July 2006. AR wanted to look into weight loss surgery again. He did all of this research to find the best place and the best doctor. He scheduled an informational meeting for August, and he wanted me to go with him. Okay, I figured I would go to support him and to listen to the info that they would tell us about the surgery. I've been thinking about this anyway for the past year. In my mind, I had figured that I would do the lap band surgery. My recollection was that the death rate & complications were less.
The meeting was held in the waiting room of the doctor. You know, it really isn't a good idea to squeeze 30 fat people needing weight loss surgery into a tiny room. There was barely room to breathe. We were packed in pretty tightly. I wanted to sit in the front row so I could get a good look at whatever it was that we were going to see.
This was the first time I saw Dr. Bypass. He is tall and has blondish/gray hair. He wore a crazy pinstripe suit. The lapels were pretty wide and so was the pinstripe. He looked, I don't know, eccentric. He also had an assistant with him. I have seen the assistant on three separate occasions and this kid has never said a word. He just follows Dr. Bypass around holding a cup of coffee, but says nothing. I am not sure of what he actually does. Anyway, his assistant was there.
Dr. Bypass is very passionate about his work. He started explained how both surgeries worked. He explained that the death rate is the same for both. Both are done laproscopically. They both have risk of complications. People who have the lap band do not lose as much weight as those who have the bypass. It is possible to achieve similar weight loss with the lap band, but that requires a deep determination by the patient to work out vigorously.
While Dr. Bypass was drawing how he re-routes the intestines for the bypass, AR leaned over and said he would be back, and left. I figured he had to go to the bathroom. When he came back, his face was pale. I asked if he was okay, and he said yes.
He went on to describe the benefits of the surgery too. Most diabetics leave the hospital no longer needing any medication. You reduce risk factors for contracting various cancers, as well as reducing chance of heart attacks and strokes.
How well you will fare in your weight loss has been tied to how well you follow doctor's instructions and how often you see him for follow up visits. He does not charge a fee for follow up visits. His studies have shown that patients who do not follow through with office visits, gain weight back. A patient has to commit to seeing him One week after surgery, two weeks, after surgery, three weeks, four weeks, once a month for the first year, every three months for the second year and twice a year for the third year. He will tell you at every visit how well you are doing, if you need to change the path you are on to meet your goals, if you need the lap band adjusted etc...People who do not follow up, do not fare well.
Dr. Bypass requires that you have all of this bloodwork done to see what you pre-surgery levels are of everything that you can imagine. The list of things the lab had to test for was so long, it filled two prescription pad pages. Patients also need to see a nutritionist, have a psychological evaluation by a psychiatrist, get an EKG and a chest x-ray, all before you can make an appointment to see him. After the meeting, the receptionist handed out booklets that had all the information for what we needed to do.
While waiting for the elevator to take us down to the garage, AR asked me what I thought. I was pretty excited by everything I heard. I said I wanted to do it. He said that he didn't want to do it! Two completely different reactions to the same information. When AR left the meeting, he went to throw up. He said he was disturbed by the graphic illustration of the surgery. I said not only did I want to do it, but that I wanted the bypass and not the lap band.
It was ironic. I was really only going to this meeting to support AR and then he decided he wasn't going to do it and I decided that I was. AR is frightened at the thought of surgery. He doesn't handle pain too well. He sees how determined I am now and fully supports me. Now he is talking about maybe doing the lap band surgery. As long as I don't croak, I'm pretty sure he'll do it.
He said he was looking around the room and just did not want to be there with all of those people. That night we went online and ordered food from Nutri-system. We did pretty well with that plan too, but it was very expensive to buy the food. It wouldn't have been so bad if we were just buying the Nutri-system food, but we still had to buy all the fruits and veggies that were needed to supplement the NS food. We stopped buying the food. We got fat again.
Fast forward to July 2006. AR wanted to look into weight loss surgery again. He did all of this research to find the best place and the best doctor. He scheduled an informational meeting for August, and he wanted me to go with him. Okay, I figured I would go to support him and to listen to the info that they would tell us about the surgery. I've been thinking about this anyway for the past year. In my mind, I had figured that I would do the lap band surgery. My recollection was that the death rate & complications were less.
The meeting was held in the waiting room of the doctor. You know, it really isn't a good idea to squeeze 30 fat people needing weight loss surgery into a tiny room. There was barely room to breathe. We were packed in pretty tightly. I wanted to sit in the front row so I could get a good look at whatever it was that we were going to see.
This was the first time I saw Dr. Bypass. He is tall and has blondish/gray hair. He wore a crazy pinstripe suit. The lapels were pretty wide and so was the pinstripe. He looked, I don't know, eccentric. He also had an assistant with him. I have seen the assistant on three separate occasions and this kid has never said a word. He just follows Dr. Bypass around holding a cup of coffee, but says nothing. I am not sure of what he actually does. Anyway, his assistant was there.
Dr. Bypass is very passionate about his work. He started explained how both surgeries worked. He explained that the death rate is the same for both. Both are done laproscopically. They both have risk of complications. People who have the lap band do not lose as much weight as those who have the bypass. It is possible to achieve similar weight loss with the lap band, but that requires a deep determination by the patient to work out vigorously.
While Dr. Bypass was drawing how he re-routes the intestines for the bypass, AR leaned over and said he would be back, and left. I figured he had to go to the bathroom. When he came back, his face was pale. I asked if he was okay, and he said yes.
He went on to describe the benefits of the surgery too. Most diabetics leave the hospital no longer needing any medication. You reduce risk factors for contracting various cancers, as well as reducing chance of heart attacks and strokes.
How well you will fare in your weight loss has been tied to how well you follow doctor's instructions and how often you see him for follow up visits. He does not charge a fee for follow up visits. His studies have shown that patients who do not follow through with office visits, gain weight back. A patient has to commit to seeing him One week after surgery, two weeks, after surgery, three weeks, four weeks, once a month for the first year, every three months for the second year and twice a year for the third year. He will tell you at every visit how well you are doing, if you need to change the path you are on to meet your goals, if you need the lap band adjusted etc...People who do not follow up, do not fare well.
Dr. Bypass requires that you have all of this bloodwork done to see what you pre-surgery levels are of everything that you can imagine. The list of things the lab had to test for was so long, it filled two prescription pad pages. Patients also need to see a nutritionist, have a psychological evaluation by a psychiatrist, get an EKG and a chest x-ray, all before you can make an appointment to see him. After the meeting, the receptionist handed out booklets that had all the information for what we needed to do.
While waiting for the elevator to take us down to the garage, AR asked me what I thought. I was pretty excited by everything I heard. I said I wanted to do it. He said that he didn't want to do it! Two completely different reactions to the same information. When AR left the meeting, he went to throw up. He said he was disturbed by the graphic illustration of the surgery. I said not only did I want to do it, but that I wanted the bypass and not the lap band.
It was ironic. I was really only going to this meeting to support AR and then he decided he wasn't going to do it and I decided that I was. AR is frightened at the thought of surgery. He doesn't handle pain too well. He sees how determined I am now and fully supports me. Now he is talking about maybe doing the lap band surgery. As long as I don't croak, I'm pretty sure he'll do it.
Saturday, November 4, 2006
It's On!
Saw Dr. Bypass yesterday morning. He was NOT wearing that pinstriped suit. Nice to know that he has others. I noticed that the bowl of candy corn was gone from the office too. I thought he was trying to drum up business...I lost 4 pounds from my last weigh in. Woo Hoo!
They actually received all the information that they needed so I am scheduled for surgery on 11/6/2006 at 11 am. I have to be at the hospital at 9 am that morning and no food after midnight on 11/5. I don't know how long I shall be in the hospital. I could be released 11/8 or 11/9 depending upon how well I bounce back. I will be out of work 8 weeks, so my return to work date is January 1st, unless I feel tremendously better and then I can go back sooner/ Don't forget, I'm only getting like $150 a week or something for disability.
I'm going out today to buy some liquids that I will be eating for the next two weeks. More on that later.
They actually received all the information that they needed so I am scheduled for surgery on 11/6/2006 at 11 am. I have to be at the hospital at 9 am that morning and no food after midnight on 11/5. I don't know how long I shall be in the hospital. I could be released 11/8 or 11/9 depending upon how well I bounce back. I will be out of work 8 weeks, so my return to work date is January 1st, unless I feel tremendously better and then I can go back sooner/ Don't forget, I'm only getting like $150 a week or something for disability.
I'm going out today to buy some liquids that I will be eating for the next two weeks. More on that later.
Why am I doing this?
I've been fat my whole life, well, at least what I can remember of it. I wasn't fat when I was a baby, but I don't remember that. Food has always been my drug of choice. I used it to celebrate the good things that happen and I used it to medicate when I was unhappy. Like many overweight people I have dieted most of my adult life. Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Nutri-System, Medifast, Atkins, Cabbage Soup ad nasuem. My weight has been up and down like the proverbial yo-yo.
Two years ago I walked into my doctor's office and told him I didn't want to have that fat surgery, so what could we do? We talked about following a low carb diet and he gave me Meridia, a prescription weight loss pill. After 2 weeks, I lost 5 pounds and my blood pressure was way up, a side effect of the pill. After another two weeks I lost a total of 7 pounds, which didn't seem like a drop in the bucket and not worth (in my opinion) taking the pills, so I stopped.
My health has been going downhill in the past two years too. High blood sugar medicine I am taking caused me to gain 60 pounds in 18 months, which wasn't exactly the sort of response I was looking for, especially since I was eating less than I ever ate before and was watching the carbs! The added weight just lessened my desire and ability to exercise, which has further compounded the problem.
I have a soon-to-be three-year-old and I want to be able to run around the yard and play with her. I want to be her mother forever if I could, but certainly, I want to see her graduate from college at the very least. I want to be healthy for her. I want to set a good example for her and how can I do that now?
The biggest risk of gastric bypass is death. I am fully aware that some people have died while having this surgery. I had a stress test done to ensure that my heart was healthy and that there were no blockages. Could I still drop dead in the OR? Yes, but I am reasonably sure that I won't. My surgeon has quite a reputation and he wouldn't let that happen, even if only to make himself look good. He is very full of himself, but I think most surgeons are like that.
There could be complications such as infection, hernia and leakage in my future. Here is an explanation of leakage: An anastamosis is a surgical connection, between the stomach and bowel, or between two parts of the bowel. The surgeon attempts to create a water-tight connection, by connecting the two organs with either staples or sutures, either of which actually makes a hole in the bowel wall. The surgeon will rely on the healing power of the body, and its ability to create a seal like a self-sealing tire, to succeed with the surgery. If that seal fails to form, for any reason, fluid from within the gastrointestinal tract can leak into the sterile abdominal cavity, and give rise to infection and abscess formation. Leakage of an anastamosis can occur in about 2% of gastric bypass procedures, usually at the stomach-bowel connection. Sometimes leakage can be treated with antibiotics, and sometimes it will require immediate re-operation.
Are you still reading??? Good for you. That last paragraph nearly put me to sleep. I have had two previous knee surgeries on my left knee and lately it is hurting a lot when I take a short walk. My feet and heels hurt too. I just want to be healthy and this surgery will give me the boost that I need to get there.
Two years ago I walked into my doctor's office and told him I didn't want to have that fat surgery, so what could we do? We talked about following a low carb diet and he gave me Meridia, a prescription weight loss pill. After 2 weeks, I lost 5 pounds and my blood pressure was way up, a side effect of the pill. After another two weeks I lost a total of 7 pounds, which didn't seem like a drop in the bucket and not worth (in my opinion) taking the pills, so I stopped.
My health has been going downhill in the past two years too. High blood sugar medicine I am taking caused me to gain 60 pounds in 18 months, which wasn't exactly the sort of response I was looking for, especially since I was eating less than I ever ate before and was watching the carbs! The added weight just lessened my desire and ability to exercise, which has further compounded the problem.
I have a soon-to-be three-year-old and I want to be able to run around the yard and play with her. I want to be her mother forever if I could, but certainly, I want to see her graduate from college at the very least. I want to be healthy for her. I want to set a good example for her and how can I do that now?
The biggest risk of gastric bypass is death. I am fully aware that some people have died while having this surgery. I had a stress test done to ensure that my heart was healthy and that there were no blockages. Could I still drop dead in the OR? Yes, but I am reasonably sure that I won't. My surgeon has quite a reputation and he wouldn't let that happen, even if only to make himself look good. He is very full of himself, but I think most surgeons are like that.
There could be complications such as infection, hernia and leakage in my future. Here is an explanation of leakage: An anastamosis is a surgical connection, between the stomach and bowel, or between two parts of the bowel. The surgeon attempts to create a water-tight connection, by connecting the two organs with either staples or sutures, either of which actually makes a hole in the bowel wall. The surgeon will rely on the healing power of the body, and its ability to create a seal like a self-sealing tire, to succeed with the surgery. If that seal fails to form, for any reason, fluid from within the gastrointestinal tract can leak into the sterile abdominal cavity, and give rise to infection and abscess formation. Leakage of an anastamosis can occur in about 2% of gastric bypass procedures, usually at the stomach-bowel connection. Sometimes leakage can be treated with antibiotics, and sometimes it will require immediate re-operation.
Are you still reading??? Good for you. That last paragraph nearly put me to sleep. I have had two previous knee surgeries on my left knee and lately it is hurting a lot when I take a short walk. My feet and heels hurt too. I just want to be healthy and this surgery will give me the boost that I need to get there.
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Stress Test Part 1
I had to have the test in two parts. Part one was just the injection of radioactive dye and then x-rays of my heart with the dye pumping through it. Part two was the stress part where I walk on the treadmill, and then more x-rays.
So after all of that crazy back and forth shit with my PCP, don't you think that there was a problem with the paperwork when I got to the hospital? Of course there was. The paper that I was assured was a prescription and a referral, was indeed not. First, they didn't like the wording of the prescription and hopped on the phone to speak with someone at the doctor's office. It was 12:30, so of course, everyone is out to lunch. The hospital decided that the wording was correct after all.
I was called in to give more paperwork and that was when they decided that the paperwork from the PCP was not a referral. They called the doctor's office again and it was going to take them time to get the referral paperwork together. Meanwhile, I was sitting there waiting...The hospital decided to let them start the test even though they didn't have the referral, confident that the PCP would come through. Great because this was my lunch hour and now I was going to have to use more time to cover my absence from work.
A balding middle-aged man came to bring me into the room. He wasn't much of a talker and had zippo personality. Oh, this was going to be fun. I sat down and he went off to get the radioactive dye. It was the color of yellow/green Gatorade. He started looking for a vein to shoot the dye into. Since he was such a cold fish, I wasn't exactly forthcoming with how difficult it is to find my veins...I don't know why because the only person I was really hurting was myself.
He attempted to stick me in the arm. After digging around for a vein and not getting one, I suggested that he just go for the hand. Yeah, it hurts more, but at least they always find a vein. He tried the arm a second time and then went for the hand. He pushed the dye in and I said, "well, you got it, right?" and he said, "I hope so." That didn't make me feel too warm and fuzzy.
Anyway, I lay down on this narrow table with my arms over my head for 15 minutes while the machine slowly snapped x-rays. I wasn't supposed to move, but you know how that goes, right? Someone tells you not to do something, so of course, you have to do it. It wasn't too bad and then it was over. He said he'd see me tomorrow for part two of the test. I took that to mean that I was stuck with Mr. personality again. See what joys befall me?
I had no time to eat anything for lunch and had to head back to work. I used 1.5 hours of sick time in addition to my lunch. I heated a can of Soup to Go in the microwave and went back to my office to eat it. Just then, my boss walked in and sat down. She was in the mood to talk, so I couldn't really have my soup. The soup was too hot anyway, but by the time she left, it was cold. So much for lunch.
So after all of that crazy back and forth shit with my PCP, don't you think that there was a problem with the paperwork when I got to the hospital? Of course there was. The paper that I was assured was a prescription and a referral, was indeed not. First, they didn't like the wording of the prescription and hopped on the phone to speak with someone at the doctor's office. It was 12:30, so of course, everyone is out to lunch. The hospital decided that the wording was correct after all.
I was called in to give more paperwork and that was when they decided that the paperwork from the PCP was not a referral. They called the doctor's office again and it was going to take them time to get the referral paperwork together. Meanwhile, I was sitting there waiting...The hospital decided to let them start the test even though they didn't have the referral, confident that the PCP would come through. Great because this was my lunch hour and now I was going to have to use more time to cover my absence from work.
A balding middle-aged man came to bring me into the room. He wasn't much of a talker and had zippo personality. Oh, this was going to be fun. I sat down and he went off to get the radioactive dye. It was the color of yellow/green Gatorade. He started looking for a vein to shoot the dye into. Since he was such a cold fish, I wasn't exactly forthcoming with how difficult it is to find my veins...I don't know why because the only person I was really hurting was myself.
He attempted to stick me in the arm. After digging around for a vein and not getting one, I suggested that he just go for the hand. Yeah, it hurts more, but at least they always find a vein. He tried the arm a second time and then went for the hand. He pushed the dye in and I said, "well, you got it, right?" and he said, "I hope so." That didn't make me feel too warm and fuzzy.
Anyway, I lay down on this narrow table with my arms over my head for 15 minutes while the machine slowly snapped x-rays. I wasn't supposed to move, but you know how that goes, right? Someone tells you not to do something, so of course, you have to do it. It wasn't too bad and then it was over. He said he'd see me tomorrow for part two of the test. I took that to mean that I was stuck with Mr. personality again. See what joys befall me?
I had no time to eat anything for lunch and had to head back to work. I used 1.5 hours of sick time in addition to my lunch. I heated a can of Soup to Go in the microwave and went back to my office to eat it. Just then, my boss walked in and sat down. She was in the mood to talk, so I couldn't really have my soup. The soup was too hot anyway, but by the time she left, it was cold. So much for lunch.
Blood Pressure
So last week I met with this new doctor. Dr. Bypass told me that I needed a new PCP to see me with my post surgery issues. When I walked into the building where the office was located, I was impressed. It was well-lit and had marble floors. The security guard let you into the lobby and then I had to be buzzed into the doctor's office.
As I stepped into the office, it looked like circa 1952. The hallway was dimly lit. The rugs were thin and dark and thread-bare. I was suddenly concerned. I figured that this Dr. Fink was going to be old and decrepit. Then I saw his diplomas handing on the wall. Columbia University 1999! I started to feel better about him.
What I liked is that the receptionist was very nice. Not like the ones at Dr. Bypass's office! I had to fill out some paperwork and then was whisked into a room. Dr. Fink came in right away. He was actually very nice. We went through my entire medical history in a flash. All their records were computerized too. No more paper files for this office. I explained why I was there, at least as far as I understood it.
He explained that he was the director of bariatric at the hospital, and did most of the follow up visits with gastric bypass patients so he is very familiar with the issues we face post surgery. He asked me if I knew what sort of complications can be the result of the surgery. Um, Death is a possibility, so is leakage, hernia, blod clot and infections. He was happy that I just reeled them off to him.
He asked why I thought I overate. I said I was an emotional eater. He said that of all the times he has asked this question, only once did someone say that they were hungry all of the time. He pointed out that whatever issues I had would still be there post surgery and so I had to work through them, which I acknowledged. I'd have 12-18 months of a honeymoon period of weight loss and then after that, I'd know how to beat the system so to speak and while the surgery would make my stomach full, it wouldn't change what was in my head. Yes, there is going to be a shrink in my future and not just in pants size.
The nurse took my blood pressure when I came inand it was crazy high. 150 over 100. WHAT! Yeah, so he took it again and it was still high like 145 over 100. As I gain weight, my BP goes up. If I lose weight it goes down to normal. He said I was hypertensive and wanted to see me next Monday. If my BP was still high, he would prescribe a BP medication to get me through the surgery.
All and all, I liked Dr. Fink. He seemed nice, not jerky like some docs are. He also had a sense of humor, which I happen to like in a doctor. I told him I was having the stress test. He said that as long as the test was okay, he'd approve me to have surgery.
As I stepped into the office, it looked like circa 1952. The hallway was dimly lit. The rugs were thin and dark and thread-bare. I was suddenly concerned. I figured that this Dr. Fink was going to be old and decrepit. Then I saw his diplomas handing on the wall. Columbia University 1999! I started to feel better about him.
What I liked is that the receptionist was very nice. Not like the ones at Dr. Bypass's office! I had to fill out some paperwork and then was whisked into a room. Dr. Fink came in right away. He was actually very nice. We went through my entire medical history in a flash. All their records were computerized too. No more paper files for this office. I explained why I was there, at least as far as I understood it.
He explained that he was the director of bariatric at the hospital, and did most of the follow up visits with gastric bypass patients so he is very familiar with the issues we face post surgery. He asked me if I knew what sort of complications can be the result of the surgery. Um, Death is a possibility, so is leakage, hernia, blod clot and infections. He was happy that I just reeled them off to him.
He asked why I thought I overate. I said I was an emotional eater. He said that of all the times he has asked this question, only once did someone say that they were hungry all of the time. He pointed out that whatever issues I had would still be there post surgery and so I had to work through them, which I acknowledged. I'd have 12-18 months of a honeymoon period of weight loss and then after that, I'd know how to beat the system so to speak and while the surgery would make my stomach full, it wouldn't change what was in my head. Yes, there is going to be a shrink in my future and not just in pants size.
The nurse took my blood pressure when I came inand it was crazy high. 150 over 100. WHAT! Yeah, so he took it again and it was still high like 145 over 100. As I gain weight, my BP goes up. If I lose weight it goes down to normal. He said I was hypertensive and wanted to see me next Monday. If my BP was still high, he would prescribe a BP medication to get me through the surgery.
All and all, I liked Dr. Fink. He seemed nice, not jerky like some docs are. He also had a sense of humor, which I happen to like in a doctor. I told him I was having the stress test. He said that as long as the test was okay, he'd approve me to have surgery.
Stress Test Part 2
Part two of the test was scheduled for 8:30 am on October 31. Yes, that meant Halloween. It is also my wedding anniversary. Silly me, but I thought that if I arrived early, they might take me early and that would mean less time away from work. I was there at 7:45. No, they didn't take me early.
I was called in at 8:35. Zippo personality was nowhere in sight. I was lead into a different room and the nurse had me sit down so that they could put an IV in me. I started to explain that I was hard to get a needle into, and she said, " Oh, we know all about you." Uh, oh. Sounded rather ominous. She said that they were bringing in their top gun to get the IV in me as Zippo personality cued them in as to how difficult it was to get my veins!
Teeka came in and she slapped my arms and tied two tourniquets on me to find my veins. I told her to go for the hand and she did--twice, with no luck. The vein on my hand was popping, so she was putting a lot of pressure on it to prevent bruising. She did not want to try a third time. They called for reinforcements. A former IV nurse came in and did a thorough examination of my arms. Slapping my veins and tying the tourniquets while she yapped on and on. She kept saying that she wouldn't stick me unless she was sure that she could find a vein. I was beginning to think that it was never going to happen and then she did it. Right in my poor hand that had already been jabbed twice. Ouch! It really hurt, but she got it in.
Next, the cardiologist was called. It seemed to take him forever to show up. They couldn't start the test without him. The EKG things were all over my chest and side and back and I was just waiting. He finally showed up sp the test could start. I started walking on the treadmill at a nice pace. Nurse took my BP and it was 144 over 88. After 3 minutes, they speeded me up and took my BP again and it was 160 over 89. He kept asking if I had any pain, if I was tired or if I had trouble breathing - no to all. Then they had me going super fast. I wasn't running, it was more of a fast jog. My BP was 180 over 89.
The treadmill stopped and the dye was injected. The cardiologist said I did fine, but had to wait for the x-rays to give me a passing grade. He said that I was hypertensive, yep, I already knew that and thought I should be prescribed a BP medication temporarily. I explained that I saw his colleague last night and he did prescribe me medication that I was to take right after this test was over. He seemed pleased. I waited in the waiting room for 20 minutes while the dye worked its way into my heart.
Zippo personality came back to get me. He took me into his lair and did the x-rays all over again. When he was done, he removed the IV and the EKG thingies. I decided to stop by Dr. Bypass's office because it was in the same building. As soon as I got there, and told them whom I was, they said they already had the results of the stress test and I was a go for surgery on November 6th.
All I needed now was my medical clearance. I asked which doctor I had to get it from, thinking it would be my new PCP. I was told Dr. R., my former PCP. Great, now I had to get an appt. with him!
Went to work and called my husband. Explained I had to have an appt. with Dr. R tonight! Reason? It is the only late night for Dr. R and Dr. Bypass needed the medical clearance in their office two days before surgery. He called me back in a huff. They told him it wasn't enough time to get the clearance and Dr. R was booked so I couldn't see him. They told him could come in at 1 pm to see a doctor I had never seen before. First off, I didn’t know this dr. and second of all, I just got into work at 11 am. I couldn't very well tell my boss that I had to leave at 12:30 for another dr. appt.
The whole thing was exasperating. I couldn't get the medical clearance until the stress test was done anyway. I didn't make an appt. with Dr. R because I thought my new PCP was going to do the clearance. I decided to call Dr. Bypass's office. Can Dr. Fink do my clearance instead of Dr. R? Sure, they said. Why didn't they tell me this earlier??? Okay great. Fax everything to him. I called Dr. Fink's office to let them know the paperwork was coming. I called my husband and told him to forget Dr. R. He said he made me an appt. with Dr. R at 4:45 on Thursday. Forget it! That was too late anyway and I already have Dr. Fink doing it and I don't have to go back to his office as I just saw him last night.
ARGH!!! Doctors and insurance companies. What a combination!
I see Dr. Bypass tomorrow morning at 8:30 for my pre surgery weigh in. If they tell me that they do not have my medical clearance, you will be able to hear my screaming from the comfort of your own house.
I was called in at 8:35. Zippo personality was nowhere in sight. I was lead into a different room and the nurse had me sit down so that they could put an IV in me. I started to explain that I was hard to get a needle into, and she said, " Oh, we know all about you." Uh, oh. Sounded rather ominous. She said that they were bringing in their top gun to get the IV in me as Zippo personality cued them in as to how difficult it was to get my veins!
Teeka came in and she slapped my arms and tied two tourniquets on me to find my veins. I told her to go for the hand and she did--twice, with no luck. The vein on my hand was popping, so she was putting a lot of pressure on it to prevent bruising. She did not want to try a third time. They called for reinforcements. A former IV nurse came in and did a thorough examination of my arms. Slapping my veins and tying the tourniquets while she yapped on and on. She kept saying that she wouldn't stick me unless she was sure that she could find a vein. I was beginning to think that it was never going to happen and then she did it. Right in my poor hand that had already been jabbed twice. Ouch! It really hurt, but she got it in.
Next, the cardiologist was called. It seemed to take him forever to show up. They couldn't start the test without him. The EKG things were all over my chest and side and back and I was just waiting. He finally showed up sp the test could start. I started walking on the treadmill at a nice pace. Nurse took my BP and it was 144 over 88. After 3 minutes, they speeded me up and took my BP again and it was 160 over 89. He kept asking if I had any pain, if I was tired or if I had trouble breathing - no to all. Then they had me going super fast. I wasn't running, it was more of a fast jog. My BP was 180 over 89.
The treadmill stopped and the dye was injected. The cardiologist said I did fine, but had to wait for the x-rays to give me a passing grade. He said that I was hypertensive, yep, I already knew that and thought I should be prescribed a BP medication temporarily. I explained that I saw his colleague last night and he did prescribe me medication that I was to take right after this test was over. He seemed pleased. I waited in the waiting room for 20 minutes while the dye worked its way into my heart.
Zippo personality came back to get me. He took me into his lair and did the x-rays all over again. When he was done, he removed the IV and the EKG thingies. I decided to stop by Dr. Bypass's office because it was in the same building. As soon as I got there, and told them whom I was, they said they already had the results of the stress test and I was a go for surgery on November 6th.
All I needed now was my medical clearance. I asked which doctor I had to get it from, thinking it would be my new PCP. I was told Dr. R., my former PCP. Great, now I had to get an appt. with him!
Went to work and called my husband. Explained I had to have an appt. with Dr. R tonight! Reason? It is the only late night for Dr. R and Dr. Bypass needed the medical clearance in their office two days before surgery. He called me back in a huff. They told him it wasn't enough time to get the clearance and Dr. R was booked so I couldn't see him. They told him could come in at 1 pm to see a doctor I had never seen before. First off, I didn’t know this dr. and second of all, I just got into work at 11 am. I couldn't very well tell my boss that I had to leave at 12:30 for another dr. appt.
The whole thing was exasperating. I couldn't get the medical clearance until the stress test was done anyway. I didn't make an appt. with Dr. R because I thought my new PCP was going to do the clearance. I decided to call Dr. Bypass's office. Can Dr. Fink do my clearance instead of Dr. R? Sure, they said. Why didn't they tell me this earlier??? Okay great. Fax everything to him. I called Dr. Fink's office to let them know the paperwork was coming. I called my husband and told him to forget Dr. R. He said he made me an appt. with Dr. R at 4:45 on Thursday. Forget it! That was too late anyway and I already have Dr. Fink doing it and I don't have to go back to his office as I just saw him last night.
ARGH!!! Doctors and insurance companies. What a combination!
I see Dr. Bypass tomorrow morning at 8:30 for my pre surgery weigh in. If they tell me that they do not have my medical clearance, you will be able to hear my screaming from the comfort of your own house.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
More Stress
So I think my stress test is scheduled and then the hospital calls me and tells me that I have to bring the referral from the doctor, pre-certification and a prescription from the doctor. She left the message on my voicemail at work so nothing was explained. What precertification??? She said that she called Dr. Bypass and he said that they don't do the pre-certification.
I call her right back and get her voicemail and I leave a message for her and wait....and wait...I don't like waiting so I decide to call my new doctor that I saw Monday night. I'll get to that later, but I ask if the pre-certification is the same as the medical clearance, which we had discussed Monday night. Nope. They don't do pre-certifications. Dr. Bypass does that. ARGH!!! No one knows WTF is going on and I just want to cry. I hang up and wait.
The hospital called me and I asked her what the pre-certification was for. She said it was for the stress test. Okay, that helps a bit. I thought it had to do with the surgery. She told me to call my primary doctor to get the pre-cert and reminded me to get the referral and the prescription. I told her that the hospital should have the referral already, but of course, she said they didn't.
I shut my office door and call the referral people. They told me that I had to call a toll free number and make the appointment for the stress test. I already had the appointment for the stress test, but I play along. She gives me the authorization number which she says is the pre-certification. I call the 1-800 number and it was easy. I gave them my name and the authorization number and I told them where I was going for the test.
Then I sent my husband to my primary doctor to get the copy of the referral and the prescription for the stress test. They didn't understand why a prescription was needed because the referral was sent. AR came home with a piece of paper that he was told was the referral. Oh, it was a referral all right, but not the right one. It was a referral for me to see Dr. Bypass, which isn't going to help me get the stress test at the hospital. ARGH!!
We waited one day and then AR went back to the office. He was able to get the referral and the prescription. They knew he was going to come back because they realized they had given him the wrong referral. Would have been nice if they'd called us though, right?
It think it will be a friggin miracle if I actually have the surgery done on November 6th.
I call her right back and get her voicemail and I leave a message for her and wait....and wait...I don't like waiting so I decide to call my new doctor that I saw Monday night. I'll get to that later, but I ask if the pre-certification is the same as the medical clearance, which we had discussed Monday night. Nope. They don't do pre-certifications. Dr. Bypass does that. ARGH!!! No one knows WTF is going on and I just want to cry. I hang up and wait.
The hospital called me and I asked her what the pre-certification was for. She said it was for the stress test. Okay, that helps a bit. I thought it had to do with the surgery. She told me to call my primary doctor to get the pre-cert and reminded me to get the referral and the prescription. I told her that the hospital should have the referral already, but of course, she said they didn't.
I shut my office door and call the referral people. They told me that I had to call a toll free number and make the appointment for the stress test. I already had the appointment for the stress test, but I play along. She gives me the authorization number which she says is the pre-certification. I call the 1-800 number and it was easy. I gave them my name and the authorization number and I told them where I was going for the test.
Then I sent my husband to my primary doctor to get the copy of the referral and the prescription for the stress test. They didn't understand why a prescription was needed because the referral was sent. AR came home with a piece of paper that he was told was the referral. Oh, it was a referral all right, but not the right one. It was a referral for me to see Dr. Bypass, which isn't going to help me get the stress test at the hospital. ARGH!!
We waited one day and then AR went back to the office. He was able to get the referral and the prescription. They knew he was going to come back because they realized they had given him the wrong referral. Would have been nice if they'd called us though, right?
It think it will be a friggin miracle if I actually have the surgery done on November 6th.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
When a Pet is Sick
Those of us with pets know a love like no other. My Chihuahuas were my first babies before there was ever a two-legged baby in my life. Boy did I treat them like babies too. I would carry them around as if they couldn’t walk on their own and I cuddled with them and gave kisses and just spoiled them in general. In return I had two fiercely loyal companions who charged to greet me at the door every day when I came home. They leap into my lap as soon as I was seated. I was rewarded with sweet and sometimes not so sweet doggy kisses. So when Pinky first got sick, I was terrified.
She is a part of me and I simply could not imagine a day without Pinky in my life, and yet that is what I had to contend with. What ifs could drive a person insane, I know, but the reality was that I could lose her. I was not ready for that. Then I was wondering how Chi-Chi would react to not having her older sister around.
Pinky was only 9 years old and had lots of years left in her. She started having pee accidents in the house. This was unusual for her, so I knew something was wrong. The vet thought she probably just had a urinary tract infection (UTI) and prescribed anti-biotic and took a pure urine sample from her bladder. He cautioned that it could be a sign of something more serious like bladder stones.
She started the meds, but I didn’t see a huge improvement. The vet called to say that her tests came back positive for a UTI, so the meds he prescribed should be helping. I said that she was still peeing in the house only now it seemed like she was having trouble peeing. He scheduled a sonogram for Pinky to see if she had bladder stones.
The bad news was that she did have bladder stones, five to be exact. He recommended surgery to remove them and we decided to leave her at the hospital and have the surgery done immediately. She came through the surgery just fine and the stones were really pointy. She must have been in a lot of pain and never let on.
The stones were sent out to see what they were composed of which would tell us how she needed to be treated. Sometimes it would require medication and sometimes a change in diet, but the composition of the stones would let the vet know. The results took weeks to come back and they were mixed. It was highly unusual for the stones to be made up of different substances and that’s what we had.
I had to bring her in for some blood work to ensure she didn’t have liver disease. And no, thankfully, she does not. We are treating her now with diet. She is eating a special dog food and I have to get urine samples to see if the food is helping.
The good news is that she certainly seems fine right now. She actually likes the prescription dog food, which is a miracle because she is a fussy eater. What is the bad news? I had to contemplate a life without Pinky. It is not a happy place and I hope I don’t have to deal with this for years.
She is a part of me and I simply could not imagine a day without Pinky in my life, and yet that is what I had to contend with. What ifs could drive a person insane, I know, but the reality was that I could lose her. I was not ready for that. Then I was wondering how Chi-Chi would react to not having her older sister around.
Pinky was only 9 years old and had lots of years left in her. She started having pee accidents in the house. This was unusual for her, so I knew something was wrong. The vet thought she probably just had a urinary tract infection (UTI) and prescribed anti-biotic and took a pure urine sample from her bladder. He cautioned that it could be a sign of something more serious like bladder stones.
She started the meds, but I didn’t see a huge improvement. The vet called to say that her tests came back positive for a UTI, so the meds he prescribed should be helping. I said that she was still peeing in the house only now it seemed like she was having trouble peeing. He scheduled a sonogram for Pinky to see if she had bladder stones.
The bad news was that she did have bladder stones, five to be exact. He recommended surgery to remove them and we decided to leave her at the hospital and have the surgery done immediately. She came through the surgery just fine and the stones were really pointy. She must have been in a lot of pain and never let on.
The stones were sent out to see what they were composed of which would tell us how she needed to be treated. Sometimes it would require medication and sometimes a change in diet, but the composition of the stones would let the vet know. The results took weeks to come back and they were mixed. It was highly unusual for the stones to be made up of different substances and that’s what we had.
I had to bring her in for some blood work to ensure she didn’t have liver disease. And no, thankfully, she does not. We are treating her now with diet. She is eating a special dog food and I have to get urine samples to see if the food is helping.
The good news is that she certainly seems fine right now. She actually likes the prescription dog food, which is a miracle because she is a fussy eater. What is the bad news? I had to contemplate a life without Pinky. It is not a happy place and I hope I don’t have to deal with this for years.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Test Scheduled
My stress test has been scheduled; or rather I should say my tests have been scheduled. I have to have two done over a two-day period, which makes this all incredibly inconvenient. The first test as 12:30 on October 30th and the second is 8:30 am on October 31st.
The problem? I don’t really have any time I can use to take off from work. I won’t be at my job 1 year until November 14th. My surgery is November 6th. The little time I have must be used to get me from Nov 6th through November 14th, so that I can start FMLA from November 15th on.
I’ll have to go into work on the 30th and leave at 12:15. I’ll take my lunch from 12:15 until 1:15. They said I should plan on being there 1.5 hours each day. Hopefully I can be back at work by 2:30. The following day I will just have to go into work late and I am guessing that I shall be in work by 11 am if not sooner.
10/24/2006
The problem? I don’t really have any time I can use to take off from work. I won’t be at my job 1 year until November 14th. My surgery is November 6th. The little time I have must be used to get me from Nov 6th through November 14th, so that I can start FMLA from November 15th on.
I’ll have to go into work on the 30th and leave at 12:15. I’ll take my lunch from 12:15 until 1:15. They said I should plan on being there 1.5 hours each day. Hopefully I can be back at work by 2:30. The following day I will just have to go into work late and I am guessing that I shall be in work by 11 am if not sooner.
10/24/2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
Stressed Out
So it is October 23rd and I still don’t have an appointment to have my stress test done. I am so stressed over this (no pun intended, I swear!) like you cannot imagine. Why is this just so goddamned hard to get done? I’ve gone back and forth with my primary doctor’s office since October 13th. I foolishly believed them when they said someone would call me and leave me a message, which never happened. Precious time has been lost. It is difficult to make these types of phone calls from work too. I do not want the people I work with to know what is going on right now. Not their business.
Anyway, the way it was left off last Friday was that they sent the referral to Dr. Bypass. WHAT??? Why on earth would they send it to him? He isn’t doing the stress test. This has just become one confusing mess that I just can’t deal with it. I am to the point where I am going to say Fuck It and just forget the whole thing. I am that frustrated. I am so thankful that my wonderful husband has stepped in to get this done for me. Hopefully he will have good news to give me when we speak later today.
Anyway, the way it was left off last Friday was that they sent the referral to Dr. Bypass. WHAT??? Why on earth would they send it to him? He isn’t doing the stress test. This has just become one confusing mess that I just can’t deal with it. I am to the point where I am going to say Fuck It and just forget the whole thing. I am that frustrated. I am so thankful that my wonderful husband has stepped in to get this done for me. Hopefully he will have good news to give me when we speak later today.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Fleabag!
My dogs have never had fleas. I used to put these chemicals on them to prevent fleas. However I stopped using this last year because Pinky had a bad reaction. She was doing all of these odd movements. I don’t just mean trying to get the medicine off of her, because they both did that, but she was doing these jerky motions. It scared me and I bathed her to try and get the meds off. Chi-Chi seemed unaffected.
Someone told me to give the dogs garlic pills. It is a natural flea inhibitor. Guess they don’t like the smell of garlic, kind of like vampires, huh? Pinky LOVED the taste of the pills. Now the pills are very big pills. They crumble easily, so when I tried to cut them in half, they powdered. She ate them without the aid of peanut butter, which is indeed rare. Normally I have to hide the pills in cheese or peanut butter to get them to eat the pill, so I was happy she ate them like a treat.
Chi-Chi, on the other hand, did not like the smell at all. Even doused in peanut butter, she would only eat part of the pill. I’d find the other half, and sometimes all of it, under the couch with the peanut butter licked off. I thought about crumbling it in her food, but then I figured that she wouldn’t eat her food, and as much as she needs to slim down, I didn’t want that.
When Pinky had her bladder problem, I stopped all the supplements I was giving them for fear that the supplements were causing her stones. This was in May-June. So I got out of the habit of giving them their all-natural flea repellant. Do you see where this is going?
I notice Pinky was scratching a lot. I pulled her fur to see if I could spot a flea and I didn’t see any. Still, I decided that I’d better give them a bath. They both went into the sink for a bath, but all I had was regular doggy shampoo. I didn’t have flea shampoo. Why would I have that? They never had fleas!
I kept them both off the bed for a few days, which was a feat in and of itself. Pinky was easy because she cannot jump onto the bed. Do you know how many times a night I had to deflect Chi-Chi as she attempted to hurdle herself up there? 4-5 times every night. She was a persistent doggy!
I’m petting Pinky a few nights later and I feel something hard on her back. I literally had to pull it off of her. It looked like dirt. I kept petting her and I kept finding more and more of it. I sat her on a piece of paper and started brushing her and this dirt was coming off. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it wasn’t good. I examined her again and then I saw it. A FLEA. It was too quick for me to get it off of her. I figured that the dirt I pulled off was from the flea and it turns out that is a telltale sign that your dog has fleas.
I gave AR a list of things to buy: flea shampoo, flea spray for the room and flea dip. I remember years ago they had flea dip that you would put on your dog and it would get the fleas off. I also started the garlic pills again and settled on only giving Chi-Chi half a pill since that was all she would eat anyway. I checked Chi-Chi, but she did not have the dirt on her. I didn’t see any fleas either.
The pet supply store recommended a flea & tick liquid that you put between their shoulder blades. It was a different brand than I had used in the past, so that was purchased along with the room spray. They refused to carry flea dip as it has been known to cause blindness in some dogs. They also advised not to use the medicine and the flea shampoo, just one or the other or the dogs will get over-medicated.
No bad reactions from either dog, I am pleased to say. Within three days, the flea dirt is now gone from Pinky. Chi-Chi still is dirt free. Poor Pinky felt so rejected though because I refused to pick her up and tote her around the way I normally did, plus she wasn’t allowed on the bed even though she let me know every morning and evening that she wanted to come up. I had to tell her to Go TO YOUR BED and she was not pleased.
Lesson learned. Don’t stop flea treatments during flea season!
Someone told me to give the dogs garlic pills. It is a natural flea inhibitor. Guess they don’t like the smell of garlic, kind of like vampires, huh? Pinky LOVED the taste of the pills. Now the pills are very big pills. They crumble easily, so when I tried to cut them in half, they powdered. She ate them without the aid of peanut butter, which is indeed rare. Normally I have to hide the pills in cheese or peanut butter to get them to eat the pill, so I was happy she ate them like a treat.
Chi-Chi, on the other hand, did not like the smell at all. Even doused in peanut butter, she would only eat part of the pill. I’d find the other half, and sometimes all of it, under the couch with the peanut butter licked off. I thought about crumbling it in her food, but then I figured that she wouldn’t eat her food, and as much as she needs to slim down, I didn’t want that.
When Pinky had her bladder problem, I stopped all the supplements I was giving them for fear that the supplements were causing her stones. This was in May-June. So I got out of the habit of giving them their all-natural flea repellant. Do you see where this is going?
I notice Pinky was scratching a lot. I pulled her fur to see if I could spot a flea and I didn’t see any. Still, I decided that I’d better give them a bath. They both went into the sink for a bath, but all I had was regular doggy shampoo. I didn’t have flea shampoo. Why would I have that? They never had fleas!
I kept them both off the bed for a few days, which was a feat in and of itself. Pinky was easy because she cannot jump onto the bed. Do you know how many times a night I had to deflect Chi-Chi as she attempted to hurdle herself up there? 4-5 times every night. She was a persistent doggy!
I’m petting Pinky a few nights later and I feel something hard on her back. I literally had to pull it off of her. It looked like dirt. I kept petting her and I kept finding more and more of it. I sat her on a piece of paper and started brushing her and this dirt was coming off. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it wasn’t good. I examined her again and then I saw it. A FLEA. It was too quick for me to get it off of her. I figured that the dirt I pulled off was from the flea and it turns out that is a telltale sign that your dog has fleas.
I gave AR a list of things to buy: flea shampoo, flea spray for the room and flea dip. I remember years ago they had flea dip that you would put on your dog and it would get the fleas off. I also started the garlic pills again and settled on only giving Chi-Chi half a pill since that was all she would eat anyway. I checked Chi-Chi, but she did not have the dirt on her. I didn’t see any fleas either.
The pet supply store recommended a flea & tick liquid that you put between their shoulder blades. It was a different brand than I had used in the past, so that was purchased along with the room spray. They refused to carry flea dip as it has been known to cause blindness in some dogs. They also advised not to use the medicine and the flea shampoo, just one or the other or the dogs will get over-medicated.
No bad reactions from either dog, I am pleased to say. Within three days, the flea dirt is now gone from Pinky. Chi-Chi still is dirt free. Poor Pinky felt so rejected though because I refused to pick her up and tote her around the way I normally did, plus she wasn’t allowed on the bed even though she let me know every morning and evening that she wanted to come up. I had to tell her to Go TO YOUR BED and she was not pleased.
Lesson learned. Don’t stop flea treatments during flea season!
Yoga: Heaven or Hell?
Went to a yoga class last night. Truthfully, I was not looking forward to it at all. I didn’t think I’d like all the crazy poses and such. It was a gift from my dear husband, three months ago on my birthday he gave me an introductory session. I put it off until the certificate was about to expire. I have a cold, so I really wasn’t feeling up to going, but I didn’t want to disappoint AR, so I went.
As soon as I stepped into the office I felt as if I were in a different world. The lighting was dimmed; soothing Asian music was playing and there was a fresh pot of tea brewing beside a water fountain gently splashing water. Maybe this was my kind of place.
I was asked to fill out a form, and I did. One of the questions: weight _____. Why in the hell do they need to know that? I filled it out anyway and then checked off some boxes as to why I wanted to come to yoga. No, gift certificate was not a choice and neither was guilt. I chose: relaxation, improved emotional health and weight loss. Why not?
Then this tiny Asian woman came out and looked at my form. She took me into another room and closed the door once I was inside. There was one yoga mat on the floor. She told me that she wanted to evaluate me before class. She had me lifting my legs, turning my head and arms and stretching all different ways. When I was lying on the floor, she pulled on my feet and said my right side of my body was longer than my left side. She said I was imbalanced.
She had me breathe in and out and told me that I was not breathing properly. Huh? I’m alive, aren’t I? My breaths were too shallow. I need to breathe from my diaphragm. Then she touched my upper back and neck and said there was a lot of tension there. I was holding on to too much inside and need to let it out. My CHI is not flowing properly. When I am stressed, it always goes to my neck and upper back, but I’m sure most other people have the same symptoms.
I was a little out of breath by the time she finished evaluating me. In fact, I thought about maybe just going home, but the opportunity did not present itself as she shuttled me into the other room where the yoga class would begin. They showed me this intestinal exercise and we started doing that right away. As people came into the classroom, they just joined right in. Before I knew it, the class began.
You know what? It didn’t suck. I enjoyed it. It was challenging for me since I am so out of shape, but I found it invigorating and relaxing at the same time. It wasn’t a traditional “dog facing down” yoga class, I am happy to report. It was very much like the stretching exercises we did in tae kwon do. The only difference is that the stretching didn’t stop! It was a great work out. I couldn’t do everything due to my bad knee and excess weight, but I was able to do so much that I impressed the instructor. Of course, I failed to realize that the class was 70 minutes long! Christ, that is a loooong time, especially when you don’t know anyone and your muscles were getting wobbly from holding positions for such a length of time and you thought it was a 45 minute class!
They brought in a cup of tea for everyone, but I figured that this was my time to exit. I thought it would be awkward sipping tea with these people. I don’t know why. Maybe on another night it wouldn’t have seemed so strange, but I still was unable to make a quick getaway. They had to make their sales pitch, right? I sat through that and told her I was interested, but not sure when I could start classes. I know they will be calling me to get me back in.
I really think this would be great for me, once I've lost some weight after the surgery and I am cleared to exercise vigorously. I just can’t see starting it now, but I also don’t feel the need to tell them all the details of my life either. Of course, I am telling all of you, so I guess, what’s the difference? Good point.
As soon as I stepped into the office I felt as if I were in a different world. The lighting was dimmed; soothing Asian music was playing and there was a fresh pot of tea brewing beside a water fountain gently splashing water. Maybe this was my kind of place.
I was asked to fill out a form, and I did. One of the questions: weight _____. Why in the hell do they need to know that? I filled it out anyway and then checked off some boxes as to why I wanted to come to yoga. No, gift certificate was not a choice and neither was guilt. I chose: relaxation, improved emotional health and weight loss. Why not?
Then this tiny Asian woman came out and looked at my form. She took me into another room and closed the door once I was inside. There was one yoga mat on the floor. She told me that she wanted to evaluate me before class. She had me lifting my legs, turning my head and arms and stretching all different ways. When I was lying on the floor, she pulled on my feet and said my right side of my body was longer than my left side. She said I was imbalanced.
She had me breathe in and out and told me that I was not breathing properly. Huh? I’m alive, aren’t I? My breaths were too shallow. I need to breathe from my diaphragm. Then she touched my upper back and neck and said there was a lot of tension there. I was holding on to too much inside and need to let it out. My CHI is not flowing properly. When I am stressed, it always goes to my neck and upper back, but I’m sure most other people have the same symptoms.
I was a little out of breath by the time she finished evaluating me. In fact, I thought about maybe just going home, but the opportunity did not present itself as she shuttled me into the other room where the yoga class would begin. They showed me this intestinal exercise and we started doing that right away. As people came into the classroom, they just joined right in. Before I knew it, the class began.
You know what? It didn’t suck. I enjoyed it. It was challenging for me since I am so out of shape, but I found it invigorating and relaxing at the same time. It wasn’t a traditional “dog facing down” yoga class, I am happy to report. It was very much like the stretching exercises we did in tae kwon do. The only difference is that the stretching didn’t stop! It was a great work out. I couldn’t do everything due to my bad knee and excess weight, but I was able to do so much that I impressed the instructor. Of course, I failed to realize that the class was 70 minutes long! Christ, that is a loooong time, especially when you don’t know anyone and your muscles were getting wobbly from holding positions for such a length of time and you thought it was a 45 minute class!
They brought in a cup of tea for everyone, but I figured that this was my time to exit. I thought it would be awkward sipping tea with these people. I don’t know why. Maybe on another night it wouldn’t have seemed so strange, but I still was unable to make a quick getaway. They had to make their sales pitch, right? I sat through that and told her I was interested, but not sure when I could start classes. I know they will be calling me to get me back in.
I really think this would be great for me, once I've lost some weight after the surgery and I am cleared to exercise vigorously. I just can’t see starting it now, but I also don’t feel the need to tell them all the details of my life either. Of course, I am telling all of you, so I guess, what’s the difference? Good point.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Yet another doctor
Dr. Bypass's office called me to inform me that I will need a new primary physician that is affiliated with the hospital. This is so that the doctor will be able to keep tabs on me while I am at the hospital and for any post surgical issues I may have.
I am not thrilled with this news because: 1. I like my current PHP and 2. Now I have to squeeze in time to meet this doctor before the surgery so "he'll know me." Yeah, after meeting me once for 10 minutes, he's really going to know me. I'm starting to think that this is just a scam to get hospital affiliated doctors more patients. His name? Get this, Dr. Fink! Yep, that is his real name. Funny, huh? My appointment is Oct 23rd at 5:30. At least I don't have to take off from work for this.
I also have to have a stress test done, which none of my doctors do in the office. I will have to go into the hospital to have this done. Which of my myriad doctors will be coordinating this??? I don't know and I am so confused right now. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Now I have to scramble to have that done as well. Oh, joy!
I am not thrilled with this news because: 1. I like my current PHP and 2. Now I have to squeeze in time to meet this doctor before the surgery so "he'll know me." Yeah, after meeting me once for 10 minutes, he's really going to know me. I'm starting to think that this is just a scam to get hospital affiliated doctors more patients. His name? Get this, Dr. Fink! Yep, that is his real name. Funny, huh? My appointment is Oct 23rd at 5:30. At least I don't have to take off from work for this.
I also have to have a stress test done, which none of my doctors do in the office. I will have to go into the hospital to have this done. Which of my myriad doctors will be coordinating this??? I don't know and I am so confused right now. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Now I have to scramble to have that done as well. Oh, joy!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Dr. Bypass
Had my consultation with Dr. Bypass on Friday October 13th. Kind of an ominous date, so I was a bit nervous. I initially planned on going to work after the consult, but the sore throat I had the other day developed into a full blown cold, so I felt like shit. Called in sick.
Dr. Bypass was LATE. I was his first appointment of the day and he wasn't on time. I really hate that, but he was doing rounds at the hospital, so it wasn't like he slept late or anything. He wore a blue pinstripe suit. The pinstripes were kind of wide. Seemed like a strange choice in a suit. Weird thing is that the first time I saw him (in a group meeting) he had on the same pinstripe suit. Maybe all he owns is pinstripe? Anyway, I digress.
Got on the scale and it was the kind that tells you your weight and fat content. Great. I mean, I already know I am FAT, now I get to learn the percentage of fat I am. Oh, and they took a polaroid photo of me too. I'm sure I looked smashing in my sweatpants. I'm 52% fat. More fat than not.
Prior to the consult I had a battery of bloodwork done and an ekg and a chest x-ray which I had sent to him. I had a psych evaluation by a shrink (more on that later) & a visit to a nutritionist. I also had to fill out a stack of paperwork. I had to list my weight loss history. Yeah, that was depressing. I lost 300 pounds over the years, but of course gained it all back.
The upshot of it all was that he needs all this documentation to get the insurance company to authorize the surgery. "Not going to be a problem," he said. Wonderful, I am just so fat that they have to pay for it. Anyway, I'm supposed to weigh 145 pounds. I think I weighed that in 9th grade. Seriously, I am never going to weigh 145. Not ever. I will be happy to weigh anything in the 100s. If I follow his instructions and I choose the right foods and I exercise, one year after surgery I should weigh 190.
Before I left, I had to pick a date for my surgery. The first available date they had was November 6th. That seems awfully soon, but I said okay. Of course, my first thought was, what will I be eating for Thanksgiving? No, the surgery will not fix the way my brain works. Only I can change that and will be working on it. I can just see myself sitting there eating my two ounces of jell-o while everyone else is stuffing themselves with pepperoni, turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie! Well, I guess the holidays are as good a time as any to do this
I haven't told anyone about the surgery yet, except AR and my best friend. Guess I'll have to tell my family and my job soon. I mean, three weeks will come pretty quickly. Don't know how long I will be out of work. I'd like it to be as long as possible though :)
Dr. Bypass was LATE. I was his first appointment of the day and he wasn't on time. I really hate that, but he was doing rounds at the hospital, so it wasn't like he slept late or anything. He wore a blue pinstripe suit. The pinstripes were kind of wide. Seemed like a strange choice in a suit. Weird thing is that the first time I saw him (in a group meeting) he had on the same pinstripe suit. Maybe all he owns is pinstripe? Anyway, I digress.
Got on the scale and it was the kind that tells you your weight and fat content. Great. I mean, I already know I am FAT, now I get to learn the percentage of fat I am. Oh, and they took a polaroid photo of me too. I'm sure I looked smashing in my sweatpants. I'm 52% fat. More fat than not.
Prior to the consult I had a battery of bloodwork done and an ekg and a chest x-ray which I had sent to him. I had a psych evaluation by a shrink (more on that later) & a visit to a nutritionist. I also had to fill out a stack of paperwork. I had to list my weight loss history. Yeah, that was depressing. I lost 300 pounds over the years, but of course gained it all back.
The upshot of it all was that he needs all this documentation to get the insurance company to authorize the surgery. "Not going to be a problem," he said. Wonderful, I am just so fat that they have to pay for it. Anyway, I'm supposed to weigh 145 pounds. I think I weighed that in 9th grade. Seriously, I am never going to weigh 145. Not ever. I will be happy to weigh anything in the 100s. If I follow his instructions and I choose the right foods and I exercise, one year after surgery I should weigh 190.
Before I left, I had to pick a date for my surgery. The first available date they had was November 6th. That seems awfully soon, but I said okay. Of course, my first thought was, what will I be eating for Thanksgiving? No, the surgery will not fix the way my brain works. Only I can change that and will be working on it. I can just see myself sitting there eating my two ounces of jell-o while everyone else is stuffing themselves with pepperoni, turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie! Well, I guess the holidays are as good a time as any to do this
I haven't told anyone about the surgery yet, except AR and my best friend. Guess I'll have to tell my family and my job soon. I mean, three weeks will come pretty quickly. Don't know how long I will be out of work. I'd like it to be as long as possible though :)
Monday, October 2, 2006
Crayola® Kryptonite
I was awakened last night at 1:15 am from a deep sleep to the unmistakable sound of a Chihuahua heaving. Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a Chihuahua owner more than the sound of vomiting. There isn’t much worse in life than rolling over in bed into a puddle of cold puke, unless you have a dog with loose sphincter muscles but that is a story for another day…Luckily, the culprit this time was Chi-Chi and she is most considerate. When she feels the vomit urge strike, she leaps off the bed to hide under it where she does her dastardly deed. Of course, you are only lucky if it is at night because at least then you know what is transpiring. It can happen when no one is there to see it and then we play a game of “What’s that stench and where is it coming from?”
So there I was at 1:30 am attempting to coax Chi-Chi out from under the bed. AR was snoring away oblivious to all. She kept making that wretched dry heave sound without producing any vomit. She must have eaten a bad crayon or perhaps Chi-Chi had just discovered what her Crayola® limit was for the day. Either way, something needed to be done to remedy the situation.
I pretended not to care and climbed back into bed, allowing my arm to hang off of it so that my hand touched the floor. Slowly I heard Chi-Chi inch her way over to my side under the bed (AR’s side is the one she prefers to puke under), until her cold wet nose was flush with my hand. I gently scratched her head and rubbed under her chin all the while whispering to her that she needn’t hide under the bed since she isn’t a bad dog just because she feels sick over and over until she was finally out from under the bed.
Up until this point, Pinky was fully enjoying the luxury of being the only Chihuahua in the bed. She shot me a dirty look when I pulled Chi-Chi onto the comforter. Success at last! I scooped up the ill-feeling Chihuahua and sprinted into the kitchen with my catch. I dared not to release the petite hound for experience has taught that she would immediately dart under the couch, thus beginning the next round of coaxing.
With one hand filled with Chihuahua, the other managed to open the fridge door and pull out a bottle of tonic water. Tonic water is the great elixir when a tummy is upset. It works for humans, so why not for Chihuahuas? I somehow unscrewed the bottle cap with one hand and poured a small amount in a glass Pyrex dish, also known is this home as a dog bowl. I held the bowl up to Chi-Chi’s mouth and her head bent down slightly to inspect what was proffered. After a quick sniff, she flatly refused the tonic.
I took a spoon and tried unsuccessfully to get Chi-Chi to drink from it. Finally I dipped my finger into the tonic and touched it to Chi-Chi’s lips. She accepted the tonic and so we continued finger to bowl, tonic to Chihuahua lips until it was done. It was a painstakingly slow process.
I sent Chi-Chi out into the yard thinking that she might enjoy a chomp of some grass to force the vomit issue, but she did not partake of the green substance. Promptly she emitted a huge poo smattered with flecks of Vivid Violet crayon, the last Crayola® to meet with Chi-Chi’s vice-like jaws.
Chi-Chi scampered back into the house and was already peacefully slumbering before I reached the bed. I spied my daughter’s box of Crayolas® that have already proven to be one Chihuahua’s Kryptonite. I cavalierly tossed the sweet-smelling wax into the garbage without thinking how I was going to explain the missing crayons to her and retreated to the bedroom. Pinky had already assumed her rightful place atop my pillow. As I settled back into bed, Chi-Chi snuggled up to my legs and Pinky heaved a deep sigh. I looked at the red LCD numbers on the clock that said 2:10 am. Only three more hours until it’s time to get up I thought and instantly fell asleep. All was right with the world.
So there I was at 1:30 am attempting to coax Chi-Chi out from under the bed. AR was snoring away oblivious to all. She kept making that wretched dry heave sound without producing any vomit. She must have eaten a bad crayon or perhaps Chi-Chi had just discovered what her Crayola® limit was for the day. Either way, something needed to be done to remedy the situation.
I pretended not to care and climbed back into bed, allowing my arm to hang off of it so that my hand touched the floor. Slowly I heard Chi-Chi inch her way over to my side under the bed (AR’s side is the one she prefers to puke under), until her cold wet nose was flush with my hand. I gently scratched her head and rubbed under her chin all the while whispering to her that she needn’t hide under the bed since she isn’t a bad dog just because she feels sick over and over until she was finally out from under the bed.
Up until this point, Pinky was fully enjoying the luxury of being the only Chihuahua in the bed. She shot me a dirty look when I pulled Chi-Chi onto the comforter. Success at last! I scooped up the ill-feeling Chihuahua and sprinted into the kitchen with my catch. I dared not to release the petite hound for experience has taught that she would immediately dart under the couch, thus beginning the next round of coaxing.
With one hand filled with Chihuahua, the other managed to open the fridge door and pull out a bottle of tonic water. Tonic water is the great elixir when a tummy is upset. It works for humans, so why not for Chihuahuas? I somehow unscrewed the bottle cap with one hand and poured a small amount in a glass Pyrex dish, also known is this home as a dog bowl. I held the bowl up to Chi-Chi’s mouth and her head bent down slightly to inspect what was proffered. After a quick sniff, she flatly refused the tonic.
I took a spoon and tried unsuccessfully to get Chi-Chi to drink from it. Finally I dipped my finger into the tonic and touched it to Chi-Chi’s lips. She accepted the tonic and so we continued finger to bowl, tonic to Chihuahua lips until it was done. It was a painstakingly slow process.
I sent Chi-Chi out into the yard thinking that she might enjoy a chomp of some grass to force the vomit issue, but she did not partake of the green substance. Promptly she emitted a huge poo smattered with flecks of Vivid Violet crayon, the last Crayola® to meet with Chi-Chi’s vice-like jaws.
Chi-Chi scampered back into the house and was already peacefully slumbering before I reached the bed. I spied my daughter’s box of Crayolas® that have already proven to be one Chihuahua’s Kryptonite. I cavalierly tossed the sweet-smelling wax into the garbage without thinking how I was going to explain the missing crayons to her and retreated to the bedroom. Pinky had already assumed her rightful place atop my pillow. As I settled back into bed, Chi-Chi snuggled up to my legs and Pinky heaved a deep sigh. I looked at the red LCD numbers on the clock that said 2:10 am. Only three more hours until it’s time to get up I thought and instantly fell asleep. All was right with the world.
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