iggychic

I had to give up my career when my son was born. I was a geriatric mother so this was a huge change for me I went from being "someone" to no one (more in my mind than anyone else's likely...I had just always known me as "VP of whatever"). Being at home is not all of the sunshine and roses it might seem. I do now work from home, but to be honest I don't work much on the actual work stuff. I very much miss the social interaction associated with working at an office. Both from clients and coworkers. I miss the responsibility and yes I probably miss being able to answer the "What do you do" question with an answer more fun than I plastered the kitchen today. What was this topic about LOL Oh getting out. Yes honey, put on your big girl jeans, tie them with a rope and get out and talk to people. It's good for you and they can then tell you that your pants don't fit cuz you're turning into skin and bones THat's a good thing!!!

That's what was happening to me Hence my not posting much. I sure hope this gets fixed soon.

Congrats Grammy That's probably the only way you'd get me to a DMV voluntarily prior to renewal LOL

LOL I was thinking the other day of updating my exercise by posting my one mile walk in two feet of snow while wearing five inch high heels...but I wasn't sure how much that burned heh heh I offset the airport run with a glass of wine on the plane and some really horrific chicken served in first class. I thought first class was supposed to at least get fresh food...not rehydrated chicken chunks So much for feeling special LOL

You would have to have been pre 12 days...at the surgery date to not have shown up... and for some, even as low as 8 and it wouldn't show. Can you date it using that time frame??? It's key to date it now because the anesthesia used in surgery can have some very detrimental effects on the fetus. I learned this the hard way. I had an emergency surgery at 8 days and the surgery damaged the fetus badly. I faced the decision to terminate due to profound fetal issues or move forward but knowing her chances were slim with a guarantee of lifelong medical issues...severe. Fortunately I had a natural miscarriage but it was a heartbreaking time for me and my husband as we had been trying to have a second child for some time. We never achieved that goal. If only I knew then what I know now about anesthesiology. But....hind sight is always so much better isn't it? You need to try to date the pregnancy as closely as possible and don't wait, don't email, go now to your OBGYN as you are going to have to make some important decisions very quickly. First obviously if you wish to carry this pregnancy is the first one. I am not implying judgement on that either way, but the earlier you make this decision the easier on you dear. Secondly, if you are going to continue, you need to have testing done to ensure that the baby is ok for both your health and the baby's. And if there is something wrong, you need to know the scope so you can make the hard decisions again, as early as possible. And lastly, if the pregnancy is going to continue you need to start immediately on a medically supplemented diet program because you can't get enough nutrition in to support the pregnancy in a healthy way this early out from your surgery. Whatever you do, I wish you the best. This is scary and of course a hard decision to have to deal with. I didn't want to scare you, just to share the road I traveled so that it might possibly help you out. Take great care of you!!! And best of luck with the future, whatever you do!!!

Are you sure those are both you???? What a change! Nice work.

Ech...I don't so much like those, but any repair is a repair so it's a movement forward. I haven't been able to get on because I'm traveling but I'm waiting for the ferry now and (finally) the app is working again. How are you doing Liz? Is the stint in place? Are you still at the hospital????

Well let me share my experience and I want you to really consider it carefully, because I do not think this is a good idea when it's cosmetic (as it was for me and is for the OP). I was low BMI with zero risk factors for the surgery. I have had surgery in the past and never had a problem. I recover quickly am active and healthy though was a 35 BMI. I had my surgery in the US at a center of excellence (whatever that means...eyes rolling) and had researched my doctor carefully. I went into surgery with the anestesoligist laughing about playing tennis with me the next week.... During the surgery I had massive internal bleeding. I spent 24 hours afterwards having full body seizures which likely caused the leak in my stomach which was discovered five weeks later. I spent two nights in a hospital through the ER while my blood was gotten under control with transfusions. I now have the risk of hepatitis in the future. But I'll look good while I'm dying of that right? I went home from there only to return back and forth to the ER's and my doctors office for four weeks. My inability to walk more than a few feet without fainting, nausea, severe pain, etc was attributed to the blood clot left in my abdomen. My inability to breath was attributed to my being on my back all the time.... Then I was sent via ambulance to a hospital two hours away after repeated drainings of my lungs failed to help me breath. The drainings are done without anesthesia. They cut a hole in your back and stick a large needle, about the size of a knitting needle down your back into your lungs and suction out a pint or two of Fluid so you can breath. They are incredibly painful...incredibly. You feel all but the initial cut. One of them would have induced me to lose the extra weight pre-surgery...I can't possibly explain the pain...I had three total. And did I mention sometimes you have spasms afterwards...gad those are nice. They then had to cut a hole under my breast and insert a garden size hose into my chest after spreading my ribs...again only topical anesthesia so you feel all but the cut. This is attached to a pump which constantly pumps the fluid out of your lungs so you can breath...so you don't die! I could not eat, sleep, comfortably breath, bath myself, go to the bathroom, etc. I gained 40lbs. I nearly died. This was just to save my life from the complication of the surgery and allow them the ability to diagnose my symptoms, which then turned out to be a leak. My stomach was sending poison to my body which was flooding my diaphragm with fluid, thus filling my lungs. The tissue from my stomach was so badly damaged by the delay in treatment that they couldn't repair the leak with traditional surgical means and had to use a new technology which had a very very high failure rate, but was my only hope verses losing my stomach all together. I was in bed for sixty days. I was unable to lift anything over five pounds for three months. I had two surgeries, so basically at six weeks I started all over again with my recovery. They asked if I wanted a chaplin twice. I was away from my very small son for 22 nights. I was nearly away from him forever. This cosmetic procedure nearly killed me and has left me with damaged lungs, risks of future illnesses, and yes weight loss. Its not worth it. Go out and pick up a garden hose and think of cramming that down your chest...try to spread your ribs....stick a knitting needle down your throat...that's easier than your back....It's not worth it. Someone else here is going through what I did right now. It's NOT UNCOMMON!!!! I had no risks...I nearly died twice. It's not worth it!!!

woops, i was tired last night and read that wrong...thought you were looking for a referral because of other posts Best of luck with your recovery and surgeries!

i'll try again bb I thought I'd done that before, as well as deleting and starting over, etc. The thing is, I can't run it in portrait mode all of the time so I started today (now) after doing what you said but I"m back in landscape...will it fall apart again???? D

To use the program in portrait requires me to disconnect the ipad from the keyboard, remove it from the sleeve and then turn off blue tooth etc. this isn't the most convenient system .

I don't know Liz...I'd personally just want the surgery before the tissues get worse...have they talked about that with you? And then will it be a repair done from the outside of the stomach or the inside? Ask about the claw, which is new technology and what I used successfully. It's particularly effective for damaged tissue in late discovery leaks. Darling I think about you daily. Just reading this brought tears to my eyes both from memory of where I was and where you are now. My heart is with you! Dawn

Oh Liz...I'm so sad for you. I totally get how you feel of course, and wish you weren't in this position! I understand the rage, frustration and probably deep sadness you are feeling right now. This was supposed to be the magic bullet right? And then it just feels like a bullet I am encouraged you're mad. I got so worn down by it all I reached a point where I just cried. Everytime they'd draw blood, do another test, attempt another fix, I just bawled constantly (I'm not a cryer). It's so debilitating to feel so out of control. And the pain was very hard on me as I'm sure it is on you. My heart is there with you Liz even if I'm not there in person. Fight, even if it's hard. And do you have someone with you darling? Family etc???? I hope the "fully" is a repairable leak and the MRSA can be dealt with quickly. Oh gad Liz...I'm sorry honey.

so thats a little over twenty shots and 1400 calories....basically ten drinks one night and five the next two....you dont see there is a problem here thats bigger than the both of us? on the weight loss issue alone you are looking at a couple days of calories, but then take into consideration you are drinking twenty drinks over each weekens....

One bottle of burbon is approximately 17 shots and equals around 1200 calories. You are doing this in one night each weekend??? I would have to agree with you, this is a problem. But I'm not sure its even categorized as a cross addiction because seriously...to drink an entire bottle of bourbon in an evening....it's kind of a different problem that you need to get a handle on quickly. On the weight loss side, it's empty calories, but on the "drunk" side...a bottle of hard liqour an evening, even if you only do it one evening is bordering if not in the functioning alcoholic category.

I think you have the right attitude A bit of burger or fries isn't going to kill you. Three burgers and a whole basket of fries might! Mom and I went to red robin after shopping on friday. I had onion soup and we shared a french fry appetizer. She had a burger. We had a great time. And I've lost 15 lbs since then so I must be doing something right LOL

Ya it was different than that. I couldn't walk down a hallway or barely leave my bed for almost two months. It's an exhaustion that's hard to explain. And I'm glad you aren't feeling it!!

Extreme weakness that never left me after the first surgery. Low grade fever that never went away. Pain on my left side, mostly upper shoulder and arm. Inability to eat or drink much and the weakness went from bad to worse (passed out a few times trying to walk). In and out of consciousness due to the dope the docs were giving me and my lack of both nutrients and fluids. This lasted for a few weeks. I didn't vomit until the last day I was home (then sent to the hospital for my final stay and second surgery). I also had difficulty breathing, not that I couldn't breath but I felt like I felt better breathing in short shallow breaths quickly verses normal breathing. Later I learned that this was because my left lung was completely crushed by my plural sac (the balloon around your lung).

Oh Liz darling...I've been down that exact route. I didn't want to hear you were on it my dear. 2q You know I'm thinking of you and if you want to talk to someone who's down that road, please send me a PM and I'll call. Love me (I'm so sad to read this I was hoping you were doing a bit better).

I was thinking about this thread tonight and thought I'd share my evening meal with the OP. DH was out of town last week and just got home. So we went out for "date night" tonight. I had a glass of chablis with him prior to dinenr, then had a cup of french onion Soup (just the broth mostly) and then we took a break and had dinner (so the soup could settle). I had a beautiful burgundy wine with dinner, sips, but I still drank. Dinner was a gorgeous duck cassolette (white Beans, sausage, duck, cooked in duck broth with some root vegies) which was delicious. DH and I shared the meal. It was plenty for both of us as I limit myself to 1/2 cup max. We took the wine and a bit of dessert home and I had a few bites of persimmon bread pudding with the burgundy later in the evening with DH by a fire and a christmas tree. What changed about that evening since surgery..... Well surgery nearly killed me so we are pretty appreciative of life right now That's the biggest, but presurgery I would have had a glass of wine with the salad, one prior to dinner, and one or two during dinner as well as an appetizer, salad, dinner and my own dessert. And then at home we might have had a bit of good chocolate with any left over wine....Tonight we had one glass with the app/salad, (which I didn't have) I had no bread with dinner, and I ate just a few bites of soup then a lovely 1/2 cup cassolette...that's it Oh and those couple of bites a few hours later. So a 300 calorie meal verses a 1000 to 1500 calorie meal. So life hasn't changed much, aside from me eating a few less courses We still had a lovely evening, ran into friends and enjoyed that, and life has gone on as usual I just look better doing it LOL

I can have anything I want aside from raw vegies and nuts right now (tomato is ok but nothing hard). I can have those at six months but my doc is extra cautious because I basically had two surgeries due to the complications. Shrimp is allowed, but I find that even one prawn or a few bites of shrimp makes me feel uncomfortably full, though I know that they don't equal my 1/2 cup portion. The same thing happens with lamb and halibut, but bison, beef, pork, wart hog and monkey brain go down fine (ok maybe I don't know how the last two would do lol). I can eat whole wheat rices and Pasta easily, but not much of them. Your body really does change after this surgery. I don't desire things like hot tamales, oreo's, m&m's...things I used to enjoy and as someone else said, I don't mind missing out on I was never a huge amount eater, I am just a horribly lazy cook and find cheese and crackers with wine far easier to cook than an egg LOL Or snacked on candy...or chips somewhat. Fishie crackers LOL I used to like those and now I can eat about six and want no more. Liqours (Baileys and the like) do not sit well on my tummy, nor does eggnog or sugar syrups. Again, that's not a bad thing is it? I didn't have this surgery so that I could never eat again. I didn't even plan on having it so I wouldn't like candy I just wanted the high level restriction initially. And I got that plus a near death experience that I don't recommend! So the non carb loving tummy is actually just a nice bonus. whole wheat rice does not exist lol....i meant brown or whole grain!

I would have to disagree that after six weeks you can eat anything....maybe some people, but most still have issues with foods at that point, particularly raw fruits, vegies and heavy Proteins. All of our bodies are different, but I'm at 3.5 months from my first surgery, almost two from the second, and I could never eat a small cheeseburger. A few bites yes, but that kind of bread and a greasy burger would kill me if I ate more. I do eat and drink at the same time. Wine with dinner out, but I sip, not guzzle. I also don't drink Water when I'm doing that. I can eat many things, but heavy sugar is a no no. I can eat 1/4 cup of ice cream, but no more. I do eat carbs, but only complex and nothing white flour. It bothers me within a bite or two. Shrimp is a never which is sad cuz I love it. Your tastes and ability to eat are very changed for at least the first six months, which is why the majority of weight loss happens during that time.

I had a leak (not because I broke rules) but I don't want ANYONE to experience the hell that is a leak. You will find that the next step is harder than you think and understand why to wait once you get there, but don't push it...it's just not worth it! Best of luck. I hope you're finding your recovery easy.

Prepare your foods for Monday over the weekend but stick to your doctors schedule. A leak nearly killed me...you don't want to do something stupid while healing. If your doc wanted you to advance today he would have suggested it

Sweetheart...you just had MAJOR surgery. You are losing weight rapidly (which causes huge releases of estrogen) and you are probably physically tired my dear. Give your poor self a break And quit hurting you silly Really, go make a cup of hot chocolate and take five mins for yourself. You deserve it!!! But don't gulp LOL