Update on Davenport

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

I had a pt scan last week at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston and

unfortunately the results were all bad. The mesh they used to repair my huge

hernia has to come out. There are two layers of that mesh and both have to

come out because of the ongoing infection and the hernia is already back. So

unfortunately the last year of pain and suffering has been for naught.

For the past six weeks I have had a central line and am on two IV

antibiotics twice a day. On Thursday (June 26) I will be having my pre-op

screening at Memorial Hermann. Dr is going to put me asleep and send

a camera down my throat to examine everything. Then they will turn me over

and check my prostrate. They will do the x-rays and blood work that day

also.

The surgery should be sometime in the first or second week of July. It will

take 8 to 10 hours and be performed by Dr , Dr Gorsky and Dr Moody

will be there. In addition to removing the mesh they will repair that hernia

again and adjust my gastric bypass. Since they have to expose the organs

anyway, they will go ahead and move the bypass limb down further which will

restart my rapid weight loss.

They will probably keep me flat on my back the couple of weeks because of

the extensive cutting they will have to do to get at all the mesh. That mesh

is about 14 " X 14 " and they will have to remove the top layer, cut down

deeper and then all the way across it to remove the fasteners to remove the

bottom layer. It is a nightmare of an operation.

I want to address something here. There is a significant risk I may not

survive this surgery. With all the infection, I don't have a choice, the

mesh has to come out and the hernia has to be repaired. However, this will

be my third major operation in two years and I am getting weaker with each

one. Last July it took three days to wake me up from the anesthesia - I

went into a mild coma. So even with the best surgical team in Houston, I

recognize how much greater the risk this time than the previous surgeries.

I am telling you this because if things don't go well, I don't want people

thinking having the gastric bypass was a mistake. The mistake was those tow

nurses dropping me and all the complications I have had have come from that

incident. With the surgery I lost 285 pounds and even with the

complications, my life has been so much richer and so much more fun. I

believe in these doctors and I trust these doctors. I believe in the gastric

bypass and the LAP-Band surgery and even after all I have been through,

believe me, I would have the surgery again today.

Obviously I prefer to survive the surgery and am pining my hopes on that

outcome. However, if that is not the case, I want all my friends on the

Board to know I fought hard, I lived hard and I loved life. The gastric

bypass gave me three years of life that I probably would not have had at 685

pounds. If I die, do not use my death as a reason for people to be concerned

about having the surgery - it is not. If anything, my life and my desire to

live should be used as an example of why people should have the surgery as

soon as possible.

I urgently need your prayers over the next month. Anyone that wants to can

visit me in the hospital after my surgery. Because I am from Baytown and

don't have much family in Texas, visitors are deeply appreciated. The night

before surgery I will post again and include the address for the hospital in

case anyone wants to write or send cards. But mostly, I will appreciate your

prayers and support throughout the hard days ahead.

Davenport

[Guest guest]

Like the others , my prayers are with you.

Neci

[Guest guest]

, my prayers go out to you. I hope this surgery heals your

wound, and you can now live a long, healthy and happy life.

Love and healing thoughts,

in NJ