SisterDi

LOL! Oh no. Reformed Catholic here. Or, as some in the Church would call me, excommunicated by my own actions and intentions.:rolleyes Even so, my behavior in the last few years could almost be described as "nunnish". That nickname came from my former bandmates, and it just stuck.

I'm from Illinois, just south of Chicago. My medical mess is a little different, but then I guess everyone's is, right? For starters, I have a blood clotting disorder called Antiphospholipid Syndrome. I've had multiple pulmonary emboli since I was 23, and have been on coumadin since then. About two years ago, I thought I had laryngitis. Well, it was a little more complicated than that. I have left vocal cord paralysis, and was unable to speak for 18 months. They were unable to find the cause at that time, but I had an implant inserted into the paralyzed cord. During pre-surg testing, they found some abnormalities with my EKG, and I had to be seen by several specialists before I could get released for surgery. I just wanted to speak again! After that, I held off on seeing any more doctors until the fall. I was just sick of them, and needed a break while my throat healed. When I finally followed up on the abnormal EKG, they found enlarged lymph nodes in my chest, and during a sleep study, they found that I had obstructive sleep apnea and that I also desaturated while lying flat. A subsequent f/u with a pulmonologist and 3 angiograms and many nuclear scans later, they diagnosed me with pulmonary hypertension secondary to sarcoidosis. I'm on oxygen all the time now, and I'm also taking meds for right heart failure. It's no wonder I'm such a risk for surgery with all of this. And there is more that I haven't even included. I used to work as a CNA before I had to quit in 2003, and I've been on SS disability since then. At that time, I hoped to be approved for WLS of some kind and to get my health back on track. Now, my only goal is to increase the quality of life that I do have left, and to actually live instead of the pathetic excuse for life that I've been creating in the last 3 years. There are times that I want to just throw a tantrum about how unfair it is that I was "blessed" with all of this. Faith is not a part of my life. It isn't that I don't believe, I'm just not in a good place for that right now. Either way, my relationship with my higher power is and will always be a personal one, and I don't seek that kind of fellowship here. I'm just hoping to learn more about Lap Banding from a patient's perspective. I've already been to a seminar, and I know the stats, etc. Di

Hi everyone! I'm in the Chicago area too. Mandy, I noticed that you were banded by dr Lahmann. He refused to do me because of my medical conditions, and said I'd never come off the ventilator if he tried. He also said it would be like putting a gun to my head. Ugh. I really liked him, and was so discouraged. My cardiologist has been speaking to someone in the city about me, and they may be willing to take me on, so I'm getting my hopes up again. I hope there is a brave surgeon out there.

My name is Sister Di and I was directed to these forums by a dear friend from another board. I haven't read much yet, I just figured I'd register and then check it all out. I'm not scheduled for surgery yet. My cardiologist is still working with a colleague of hers to find a surgeon brave enough to take me on. I have just loads of complicated medical conditions that make me any surgeon's nightmare, but we think that we may have found someone to help me with this issue. I look forward to reading here and getting to know some of you better! Di