iggychic

I never felt good after the first surgery. Somewhat due to the issue with internal bleeding, but also because of the leak. As each day passed I got weaker and weaker. I was in and out of the ER constantly and the doctors office. I never felt remotely well after the first surgery. After the second I was amazingly better even the first day after. It was like night and day.

Oh I forgot...are you eating frozen farmed salmon? Frozen fish are always dryer (even flash frozen) than fresh. If someone tells you it's "fresh frozen" please remind them that once it was frozen...it's no longer fresh King salmon is much moister than any other type you might find. Alaskan king, Kwethluk King and Yukon or Russian River are the best. WHite kind is devine if you can find it. While king is more expensive than coho (which we don't even attempt to eat unless we catch it that day) you can eat so little you can afford the splurge if you're going to enjoy some salmon It may now be apparent I'm a bit of a fish snob? Salmon in particular LOL M Street Market in Anchorage ships fresh if you're desperate LOL

Oh doxie I forgot to ask DH....Baked...leave the skin on with the skin down on the bottom of the pan. RUb it with some olive oil and season as you wish. We like paul prudom's magic salmon seasoning. Bake at 350. To check it for doneness you stick a fork into it in the center of your piece. You want it to be flaking on the top but pink in the center. Typically a one inch filet would be checked at ten mins and then every couple of mins there after. Fifteen would be max. If the piece is thicker or thiner adjust your time. The lemon caper sauce we like is made by finely dicing shallots sautéed in two tablespoons or so of butter. Add in the capers when shallots are cooked and sauté for a few mins to soften. juice half a lemon into the butter mixture with 1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine, whisk and reduce it down and add in a thickener (we use a bit of arrowroot). Salt and pepper to taste. You can find more defined directions for a lemon caper sauce online if you need them. My dear husband does not use much in the form of measuring spoons If you grill the salmon, again leave the skin on. That's a key to keeping it moist and don't flip the fish to sear on both sides in either case. Grilling is dependent on the heat of your grill so it's harder to tell you specifics but if you want me to pick his brain I will. We use a big green egg for grilling. As to the skin...we serve it skin on and don't eat the skin if it's just us, or if it's grilled it will just stay on the grill. If we are doing a fancy party we remove the skin and the gray portion of the fish down there if there is much of it.

I know you don't feel lucky...but you were lucky it was discovered at the hospital. Mine was out five weeks and it caused lasting damage to my lungs. My plural sac was punctured three times with a thick needle to draw out Fluid, then my ribs were spread and a garden hose on suction was put in the front to continually drain it. During that time my lung was crushed so I now have to watch for any illness that goes to my lungs because they are weak. I will find out the 26th if my leak is officially cured, but I'm out six weeks and it's unlikely it's not (the doc and I just couldn't schedule the test this week). If the claw didn't hold I will either lose all or part of what's left of my stomach or have another repair attempted. I'm hoping that their feelings that all is well are right I'm sorry you went through all of that. I know your concerns! but if you are healed and following doctors orders you will likely be ok now. Take it very easy though. It's nothing to play with.

Obviously you are a pack, not a posse can't they see the pics? LOL

Feels good to get past one doesn't it LOL I'm glad it's getting a bit better...but it sounds like you have a ways to go hun. Take care and keep in touch!

so many do that it's typical for doctors to prescribe prilosec or another PPO at the surgery. Call and get some asap.

It was likely from the start, possibly from the seizures I had for 24 hours after the surgery due to internal bleeding and a hematoma that was left in my abdomen. I had symptoms from the beginning (after surgery) but they were dismissed as being an issue from the hematoma (which was wrong). The leak caused my esophagus to swell which hid the leak and also caused my plural sac to crush my lungs, so they were trying to deal with the lung issue which had become life threatening. Since it wouldn't stop (swelling etc) they had to do multiple tests to finally find the leak, then because the tissue was so badly damaged they had to figure out what to do because they didn't expect any normal repair to be successful. So...it was five weeks before the leak was repaired. It was discovered maybe at 4? I must admit to being a little bit out of it during that time The most likely time for a leak to be discovered is during the first weeks, but the danger extends beyond that to another sort of safe period of six weeks, then rarely but still possible, three months. This is why your diet is so conservative and you have lifting restrictions for the first six weeks typically. Leak symptoms are fairly obvious and include a low fever, shoulder pain on the left, and nausea (though I did not have that symptom) weakness and likely a general feeling that something isn't right. I asked for a leak test several times in the first weeks and the docs said it was not necessary as my issues were due to the hematoma. Learn from me...if you have symptoms, a test is much easier than the alternative of weeks of pain and suffering and possible death. Insist, don't ask, it's a few hundred dollars for a barium swallow. Cheap money compared to my half a mill in bills!

Honest answer? he will reschedule and hopefully you will not eat when you are told not to. The 24 hours before surgery aren't just cheating on a diet. They're about your body being prepared for a major surgical procedure. Be honest about what you've done because it could be a danger to your life and then you just have to do what the surgeon says.

No hospital would deny you because you had surgery elsewhere. You may find that some surgeons don't want to take you on due to their own case loads, but for emergency care you would be fine.

Thanks for sharing your opinion. Nice to see someone join this site just to do so When my son is not in school he is with either myself, my husband or his nanny. He has a feeding disorder...rest assured your concerns for him are duly noted. He's in great hands at all times. Right now he's doing his homework while I sit with him. And I'm barely 49. To be an old bully I think I have to be at least 60 don't I? Lux babe...how's it going today? I'm hoping slow but steady on the mend?

Oh Joe thanks I am happy to read when someone hasn't gone down this road! It's not something you'd wish on your worst enemy...ok well maybe my ex SIL...umm no no one MZ you aren't alone, but I know how you feel about that. It sucked to feel I was continually going down hill when everyone else who had the surgery when I did was rocking! Every day I would get weaker and weaker and the doctor would just say "wait...wait" and I'd get worse and worse! Thank god I stood up for myself and finally moved onto a new doctor who figured out it wasn't the internal bleeding causing the problem (yes I was lucky and had that complication too LOL) but a leak! Unfortunately my tissue was a mess so it was not an easy one to fix. I'm fortunate. It looks like when I go in for my final testing on the 26th I'll be pronounced "OK" with no further surgery (I should have symptoms if it wasn't holding by now they think). Is your leak fully repaired???? That was sort of a turning point for me. I went from being a basket case to feeling SO MUCH better (not 100% but at least 50% which I hadn't been since the first surgery) after the fix. But the energy is still an issue for me. You can't lay on your bum for weeks and just pop back to life. I still have weakness that hits me on occasion, so again, take it easy And no more leaks!!!! Iggys Orders!

OH you wanted to lose weight and have this surgery???? Silly.... (I can be sarcastic...I've been down your road my dear). Let me just say first, I'm sorry you are suffering! I was down for just under two months, 22 days of that in the hospital having my lungs drained and a second surgery five weeks after the first. My first surgery was aug 23 and the second sept 28. I GAINED 40lbs going through much of what you did. TPN feedings, tube feedings etc. Weight gain and retention after such a major struggle is normal because your body is holding onto all of those extra fluids just in case it needs to protect itself again. I saw that gain slowly drop a few weeks after I got out of the hospital (Oct 6th) and then after that I took some dramatic losses as it finally decided I was going to be ok and the retention gave up it's battle. I'm down half of my goal weight (over 40lbs) loss now, just over six weeks after I returned home, but I was told it could take up to four months for my body to normalize again, so I was actually lucky. Unfortunately due to the trauma you have the same issue. But I assure you, it will go away. You're still too weak to get much movement I'm sure and likely you are in early stages of food I'd guess? Just like the healing, you have to give it a bit more time than anyone who went a more "normal" recovery route. My battle was hell and frankly I was just happy to come out alive. Weight loss is a bonus Right now I'd just focus on getting in all of your Protein so you heal properly this time, and your fluids, and rest as much as you need. You'll find you will see those pounds go away as your energy increases, but don't push it. You have been through the wringer, let your body rest! Take care!!!

I've done the transfer (many many years ago for a little boy who unfortunately still lost his battle) and it's horribly hard on your body, hence the denial, but I'd like to encourage you, especially the OP to consider being tested when they are able if this is something they would do for a friend or a stranger. Im losing my best friend to luekemia. She is a very high priority on the donor list and has been for several years, but she is african american/hispanic. Both are classes where donations are significantly lower than white bone marrow donors sadly. Her mix makes it even more difficult for her So if this lovely OP inspires you...consider asking your doctor to have you tested? It's free, and in the rare case that you might be a match for someone, it's a possible life saver!

I've been wearing spanx since heck...maybe a week out? I prefer them to the "jiggly" feeling. When I was newly sleeved it felt better to me to be sort of "bound" up by the support garments. I have two types. One is kind of a body suit that ends mid thigh. It does not have any elastic that is tight on my abdomen like the top of a hose might be. But I was also wearing the high tops spanks (which end at the bra line) as soon as the wound under my breast healed enough to wear a padded bandage. Maybe you might consider a size up or something???? It might be too binding if they are bothering you now....just a thought.

There are a few key issues missing here. First, where are you in your recovery. For someone who is still on liquids and using higher calorie Protein drinks as their main food source, they might have higher calories (though you should look for a lower calorie Protein Drink if it's 400 calories!) Mine is 30g protein and 160 calories (costco premier...very good too. unjury is good as well). You are eating so little "food" that you just can't compare yourself to someone out several months who can eat more complex protein which is actually easier for low calories. Then the second is your size. I am 5' tall, shooting to be 110. If you are a man who is 6'2" and you want to weigh 195 you will be given different calorie and protein goals than I have been given. Also there is your current weight. I am 145.4...if you're 200 plus your goal will likely be different than mine on a daily basis because you are larger than I am. We eat to fuel the body we have, not the body of the guy on a diet next to you OK that said, I struggle to get in 60 g's of protein and I am on full foods. So that's why I do a protein drink. My day varies a lot as to what I eat or drink. I don't like to be the same and we eat out three too five times a week minimum. But here's a shot... I start the day with 8oz 0 fat milk and 8oz coffee with sugar free vanilla syrup (my home latte). then later 1/2 c 1% cottage cheese snack is a Premier Protein drink 1/2 cup wild boar for lunch in a spicy tomato sauce 3oz wild king salmon (don't eat farmed fish LOL) with a garlic, caper, lemon sauce 4oz Pinot Gris That will come out right about 600. Another lunch I have often is fresh fish and chips (halibut or cod). I eat a very small part of the fish which is lightly breaded and maybe 5 chips. Last night my dinner was pork tenderloin in a dijon sauce which was delish! I don't like things like tuna or other canned fish, but we are able to get fresh shrimp or scallops most of the year. A couple feed me easily so I do that for lunch often as well. I also love bbq chicken (dry rub, no heavy sauce) or beef tenderloin. Antelope is good if you see one wandering by LOL I vary up my Proteins a lot aside from that 1/2 c cottage cheese which I do most days. I occasionally will have an egg with a little cheese, salsa and sour cream instead though if I am having a non busy day

I didn't have a normal recovery so I went without much food via mouth for about 60 days, most of that on IV and TPN. That's been six weeks back (discharge from hospital) and I definitely have a loss of smell and taste. I should have realized that when I started adding salsa to things...I don't normally eat much of that, but I like big flavors now. But I really realized it when I went back to drinking wine. My palate was gone when I started....red tasted like vinegar This is a major issue to me so I now have to practice practice practice Tonight I enjoyed a Malbec. I'm getting better but the subtle notes still escape me, and I used to be the queen of picking a wine apart. Sadly that just means I have to drink more

Would those work with a treadmill? I hate putting on shoes unless they have a good 5 inch heel I once ran a mile barefoot in Alaska in the frost bite foot race. You are highly motivated to move, and to keep it going when you are running on ice Perhaps this would be good practice for you????

I'm guessing you posted that before reading the rest of the posts where I posted a long novel about my complications? If not, go back to page one and look for the novel...

I have been at 600 since surgery, though early on that was a challenge. Now I average around there, sometimes less, sometimes more, but instead of focusing on the calories I actually just focus on getting in my 60g protein. As soon as I started doing that I broke a three week stall and have dropped over 8lbs in a week. Eating more, and drinking wine Who'da thunk LOL

I would never do that of course But that's not how the post read. Then again, like others have mentioned, why are we adding skinny to the equation? How about just any rude person said someone's butt was couch size? Why does it matter that they are small? Rudeness knows no size. Mentioning they are skinny is akin to mentioning that they were black, white, yellow or green and then tossing out the rudeness. Her size didn't matter, just her nasty words. To say that skinny women do not feel like "real women" in the bedroom....that's kinda rude too. The size of your arse does not equate to quality of sex. Right? I'm just saying....prejudice happens when we add a descriptor to the derogatory comment. A rude girl said this....that makes her rude. Her size isn't necessary to discuss.