Re-post of my adventures in OZ

[Guest guest]

Thanks T..gee like a soap opera...stay tuned til tomorrow for Days of

our Surgeries! LOL Appreciate you taking the time though!

Holly

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/28/2000 6:56:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

SpecialAngel36@... writes:

<< I will continue this tomorrow...I hope this will post

Love,

T. >>

Please do come back and write more of your " adventure " I loved that, I

laughed and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think my mouth was hanging open the

whole time I was reading it I got so involved. It was great !!!

Cathy in Lenoir, NC

5' 0 "

216.5 Lbs.

BMI 42

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

[Guest guest]

Dear Gang,

Holly asked if I would re-count my experience dancing.

L., I just wanted to tell you that I am living on eggrolls and

water...just kidding everyone, an inside joke. To date I have lost

20 whopping pounds. Totally unbelievable! O, yes! It was a

blast being in Durham. I will tell Tami you said thanks. I don't

know what I would have done without her either.

Sunday July 16th- I worked my usual shift in the store 6 a.m. to

2 p.m. I called my best friend, Tami, and told her I couldn't wait

until tomorrow (anticipated leaving date was Monday, July 17th).

She, being a nite-owl said, " Yeah! Let's go. " We left Florida at

about 6 p.m. in a blinding rain storm. We couldn't see but right in

front of the car and I remember thinking it wouldn't do any good at

all if we get in an accident before I have surgery. I drove all the

way to Florence, South Carolina. I remember wanting to get there

thinking it would be a good omen if I get to a town that has the same

name as a very dear friend that I met through this site, FLO! I told

Tami then, (about 1:00 am) that I was very tired, and asked if she

wanted to stop or drive and she said she was wide awake and would

drive for a while. I fell asleep and the next thing I know we are

off of 95, (Tami flashing the car lights at some trucker she had been

flirting with to pass the time...LOL) and we are on I-40. Tami waved

goodbye to her 'friend' and she said, " Call the hotel and see if we

can check in tonight. " I called the Comfort Suites, (off Durham-

Chapel Hill Blvd) and asked and the man told us to come on in and

register. It was 4:30 am when we arrived.

July 17th..Tami and I slept for most of the day. Despite the

concierge's assurance that we wouldn't be disturbed, the Spanish

housekeeping staff, although very nice woke us up at 9:30 asking if

we wanted towels, etc. Thank God, I know a little Spanish. Siesta

was all I was thinking at this time of day. Later on that afternoon

we got showered and dressed. (You haven't seen nothin' yet until

Tami has to put on her make-up, and curl her hair. It's a 3 hour

ordeal, just ask Joyce) We went to pick Joyce up at the airport. Her

flight, originating in Kentucky, arrived at 7:38 pm. I got out at

the airport leaving Tami in the car and went to find Joyce's flight.

I saw her sitting in the seats just outside where the flight had let

her off. I smiled half heartedly and when she looked at me and

smiled I knew it was her. (I had never met Joyce before, only had

talked to her through the internet). We took her back to the hotel

and let her freshen up some and then we took her to Darryl's where we

met some of our new 'family'. I remember hugging Kim first wondering

which littermate she was, then a (vivacious, a!), then

V., my sister who got to the other-side before me, (The angel you

gave me will always remind me of you, !), and last but not

least, baby ! We wined and dined. (We dined so long it was

free! Thanks L!) To the other unnamed benefactress, thank you

too. Yes, Tami spilled the beans, but to a loving, understanding,

and very grateful ear. After this excitement (my last love affair

with filet mignon.), we retired to our rooms to rest up for the 9

a.m. clinic appointment.

July 18th-Clinic! We are all weighed in and measured. I am not

happy to find that I have gained an additional 20 pounds. Thank God

there is a MGB surgery. Everyone introduces themselves pre-ops and

post-ops and then we individually go in to talk to Dr. Rutledge. I

guess I didn't ask enough questions because I was #7 on the surgery

roster the next day. If anyone is brave enough, ask him what the

criteria is for surgical number...LOL. I only asked one question

because I have had 4 months of nothing but eat, sleep and drinking

MGB. My question was should I d/c my Lasix. Dr. R said I would

never need it again. He was definitely right. My other question

that I forgot because I was so nervous about 'dancing' was what was

Dr. R's 'sign'...Joyce asked him for me, Virgo. I knew with a Virgo

doing surgery I had nothing to fear. OK..too far out for some of you

babies. We met our gang one more time at Cracker Barrel for

L's last supper, and mine, Joyce and Kim's light supper.

July 19th- SURGERY! We are all at the hospital at 8:30 with the

exception of Kim. She is already dancing. I find out today that

there are more than 4 of us having surgery. I met O, M.,

Becky, and . I found out that another Becky is also having

surgery after Kim. Waiting was the hardest. Wishing I would have

eaten more than what I did the night before. Wishing that someone

would knock me out until it was my turn to dance. Don't watch TV,

the commercials will kill ya...lol. It was much better to roam the

halls checking on people who had danced before, and ask when are you

going to get your chance. 5:30 pm, My chariot arrived with a thin

'coachman' with bleached blonde hair. (Hey, he smelled good too) He

let Tami walk down to the pre-op OR with me. Into Anesthesia where

started my IV. First stick, no problem and she gave me

Lidocaine, too. Dr. R came by and asked me if I was ready and I said

yes. He showed me some pre and post op pictures of two sisters and I

was thinking I will be glad when I get to that point. I remember

them telling me that after surgery I would have to move to my

hospital bed and later waking up in recovery ashamed that I didn't

help. I was wheeled into the OR gently trying not to show my big

butt, lol, knowing full well I would be exposed when I was asleep. I

remember the anesthesiologist saying, 'Oh, you feel the Versed going

into your veins? " Before I could say yes, I was asleep and in

recovery. I remember them telling me to wake up. I wanted to

sleep. They wanted me to breath, my sats were low. I wanted to

sleep. Man, those were some good drugs!..LOL. It took me longer to

wake up (2 hours) than it did for my surgery, which was 31 minutes.

I remember being miffed at the nurse that took me to the room. She

told Tami I had been snoring away in recovery. I don't know why this

always makes me mad but I figure, Hey, I was sleeping and what you do

in your sleep you cannot help.

I will continue this tomorrow...I hope this will post

Love,

T.