Re: My Switch Story - 8 months VERY long

April 25, 2001

Kris,

I'm so glad you got that caught in time! Is there anything we can do

to make ourselves less prone to adhesions ? Do you think the ER doc

would have found it in time ? I'm only asking because if I have that

problem which I hope I don't, I won't be near anyone trained in

BPD/DS, just a normal ER. I don't know if their first response would

be to do a CT scan.

Glad you're back on the road to better health! *hugs*

Anita

Pre-pre-op in Denver

>

> Eight Months

>

> On 4/20, two days before the celebration of my eight month

anniversary, I ended up requiring an emergency surgery for bowel

obstruction. A couple days prior to the surgery, I was experiencing

some pain in my mid-back, mainly the left side. It was a tired, achy

feeling pain and I thought I was perhaps coming down with the flu.

On that Friday evening, I started getting really bad gas and

bloating, which is rare for me - I got much less gas post-op, then I

did pre-op. After taking some meds for the gas, the gas pain turned

into severe pain in the stomach area. My hernia was very distended

and I couldn't push it back in. I called the emergency number and

was waiting for the on-call doc to get back to me. The pain got so

much worse and I began to panic, thinking I had a strangulated hernia

or something. I called Dr. Maguire's nurse, Kim, at home - who is

also a very good friend, and she suggested I have bring me up

to Kettering and check into the ER. She said it sounded like an

illeus (sp) to her (the beginnings of a bowel obstruction). My hubby

drove me up there and before receiving pain meds in the ER, I'd

safely say that I had a couple hours of the worse pain I had ever

felt.

>

> Kim and Dr. Maguire are THE best! Kim called Dr. Maguire at home,

as he was not the doc on call. Dr. Maguire had called the ER twice

before I got there, to see if I had arrived yet. He made

arrangements for me to see the resident surgeon, instead of the ER

doc, so that I could get right in as a private appointment instead of

waiting in emergency. Upon arrival, I was vomiting and quite the

loud paitient due to the pain. I was dehydrated and they were having

trouble getting an IV into my already hard to hit, tiny and rolling

veins. Dr. Maguire arrived at the hospital about the same time I did

and while I was getting ready for the CT scan, he indicated he

thought I may have a kidney stone.

>

> He reviewed the CT scan, along with my husband, as they were

performing it. Immediately afterward, he indicated I did have a

bowel obstruction and that we needed to do surgery right away.

>

> I was in surgery from 12:30 or 1:00 a.m. until 2:30 a.m. He

repaired the bowel obstruction, which ended up being a kink in the

bowel, with adhesions wrapped around it. He also spent time butting

away adhesions that had developed since my original surgery. He also

used mesh to repair my hernia.

>

> Summary of symptoms:

>

> Back pain

>

> Gas

>

> Severe abdominal pain

>

> Dehydrated

>

> Very pale

>

> Clammy

>

> Vomiting

>

> He indicated that because it was caught in such a timely fashion,

that he was able to repair the obstruction with no damage to the

bowel. A matter of just a few more hours could have caused some

major problems with the bowel dying, becoming gangrenous or causing

sepsis. I feel VERY fortunate to have such a conscientious, caring

surgeon.

>

> I asked him about the possibility of a bowel obstruction

recurring. He indicated that this was even less likely than having a

bowel obstruction in the first place, which is a very low

percentage.

>

> I was in the hospital 4 nights. Was released on 4/24 after I had

been passing gas about 12 hours. In the hospital, I was on potassium

to get me rehyrated, an antibiotic, the morphine pump, toradol. It

was all pretty similar to the first surgery, as he had indicated it

would be. Though, he said it might be a little rougher than the

first time around, I found it to be a bit easier. Especially, the

walking was easier at this much lighter - I was a walking fool! They

even took the inflatable stockings off after the second night, as I

was up walking so much. They used the existing scar and the new

incision was the entire length - but a bit longer at the bottom. I

had a jp drain, which I came home with and have to drain and record

the volume twice a day. I go in Friday, 4/27 to have the staples

removed and hopefully, the jp drain. The recovery requirements, such

as lifting, etc. are the same as they were for the original surgery.

>

> If you have any further questions on my experience, please let me

know. Remember that this is very rare - I want to say 1%, though it

might be a little higher percentage. Thanks to everyone who was so

loving and helpful to me during this time. It meant the world to

me. Definitely not the way I would have chose to celebrate my eight

month anniversary, but am very grateful it was caught in a timely

fashion.

>

> I had a better weight and inch loss this month than last month.

And, due to bloating of all the IV fluids, am guessing next month

will look pretty good, as well. Until the bowel obstruction, I was

feeling really great - feeling almost normal and very healthy.

Fitting easily into size 10 and some 8's. Only 7 more pounds to

be " normal " weight and 19 pounds to the goal which was set by Dr.

Maguire. I lost 12 pounds this month and 8.25 inches. Below are the

accumulated totals of loss:

>

> To-date Loss

>

> Weight

> 117 pounds

>

> Neck

> 2

>

> Bust

> 13

>

> Under Bust

> 12

>

> Left Bicep

> 5.25

>

> Left Forearm

> 1.75

>

> Left Wrist

> 0.5

>

> Left Thigh

> 5.5

>

> Left Knee

> 1.5

>

> Left Calf

> 2.5

>

> Left Ankle

> 1

>

> Right Bicep

> 5

>

> Right Forearm

> 2.75

>

> Right Wrist

> 1

>

> Right Thigh

> 6.25

>

> Right Knee

> 1.75

>

> Right Calf

> 2.5

>

> Right Ankle

> 0.5

>

> Waist

> 17.25

>

> Stomach

> 22.5

>

> Hips

> 12.75

>

> 117.25 inches

>

> Obviously, I need to concentrate on more on staying hydrated, so am

going to really try and drink only a little Diet Pepsi and try to

have water as my mainstay liquid. I continue to take Prevacid for

GERD and since I switched vitamin brands, I haven't had to take

acidopholus or Devrom. Will be interesting to see if that changes

after this second surgery. I also found I need to continue taking

Zinc, as for me, it truly helps stop the hair loss. I hadn't taken

it for 4-5 days when starting my new vitamins, and it started falling

out again. Coinicidence, perhaps, but it is the 2nd or 3rd such

coincidence. On some of the other lists, it has been mentioned that

Nixoin (a shampoo also utilized by chemo patients) helps with the

hair loss, as well. The new vitamins I take are Vita 4 Life,

specifically for weight loss surgery patients and can be found at:

>

> http://www.vita4life.net

>

> I continue to feel very blessed with the surgery, although I'm

disappointed I was one of the few who got a bowel obstruction. I'm

not thrilled about having to go through recovery, basically, again.

But, am very grateful it was caught in time. Even with this recent

surgery, I would do it all again - as it has truly given me life

back -- my good health back! The happiness I feel because I'm not

disgusted with myself, the energy I feel because I am so much more

healthy - makes it all MORE than worth it. I still count myself very

fortunate, as I didn't have major problems and still haven't. And,

may have even taken the obstruction blow statistics for a bunch of

you. =)

>

> As I am continuing my recovery, I still plan on getting the ball

rolling with the non-profit organization, New Life Teams for Better

Health. There will be a website developed at newlifeteams.org.

There are groups of folks working on start-up of the organization,

education of PCPs and the public, education of insurance companies,

funding for those qualified candidates who cannot get insurance to

cover them or afford to self-pay, fundraising efforts on behalf of

the organization and extended stay projects. If you are interested

in being part of the organization, we would love to have your input.

You are welcome to subscribe to the yahoo list at:

>

> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newlifeteams

>

> If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to our great

cause, or know of someone who would, contributions can be sent to:

>

> New Life Teams

>

> P. O. Box 112116

>

> Cincinnati, OH 45211-2116

>

> Thank you, as always for your wonderful support -- I feel that you

are all like extended family and feel very blessed.

>

> Love,

>

> Kris G

> Cincinnati, Ohio

> 5'7 " , 40 years old

> 8/22 - 283 - BMI 44.3

> 04/22 - 166 - BMI 26

> ciao to 117 lbs. & 117.25 inches in 8 months

> Open BPD/DS 08/22/00

> Bowel obstruction surgery 4/20/01

> Dr. Maguire, Kettering OH

> HumanaFreedom Plus Plan

> iwillbefit@y...

April 25, 2001