Letter to all....from LOTSOFKIDS

[vinesqueen 2]

Hurray! Hurray! I'm so very happy everything has gone so well for you Diane!

I've been thinking about you, hoping everything is going well. I'm sooo sorry you are on so much steroids. :faint: I personally HATE it when I have to be one them, but that's me...

I've been thinking about how you don't want this to affect your kids. I just wanted to let you know how my situtation has affected my boy-ohs. I've had some serious health episodes all my life, all my son's life. And it really has affected him. He's always been a sensitive boy, but I think my health issues were part of that.

I think because I've been so sick, my son has gained a greater sense of empathy. A sense of needing to be sensitive to the needs of other people. All my boy-ohs have developed a greater sense of empathy. And by my boy-ohs, I mean all the teen boys that hung out at my place, before they all grew up and became adult men.

I sure hope that made sense. I'm on a raging steroid High and my headache is particularly bad this morning.

I pray that you have had a complete recovery and a cure!

[Chris S. - L.I. 0]

So glad to hear this wonderful news! What a miracle!

Chris

[KariK 0]

Yay Diane! Even though Ive never met or talked with you personally you have no idea just how much you were on my thoughts! I was worried sick about you. Im so happy everything was such a success. You are a great example of what positive thinking can do, not to mention prayer, and support. Once again, thank you for sharing your life with us, such an inspiration (not to sound cliche, but I don't know how else to express it).

[lotsofkids 0]

Ok guys....I arrived back in Cleveland yesterday.... : )

Still plumb tired out..but happily recovering. Figured I should give ya a peak at my brain surgery! Don't look if you are faint at heart. They did the same thing on both sides.... just a few days apart.

My son calls it Frankenmom.....I told him I have the "coolest" scars of any mom!

http://www.msnusers.com/15bh5d6dlq2oii39dbhjug4ra5/Documents/Pictures%2FIMG%5F0173.JPG

i hope this works.....not sure I did it right.

smiles.....diane :0

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[lotsofkids 0]

looks like it worked!!!!

I will write and thank you guys....after a few days....I am still pretty fatigued over here....and with a box of bills and miscellaneous "important" junk. But, I do want to say....having such wonderful people in my corner....really did make it that much nicer. Thank you all for your prayers and concern. You were an outpouring of support.....I want to hug you all.....so this is a giant ((((((((((GROUP HUG))))))))))

Smiles.....Diane : )

[paula 4]

Hey Diane - SO glad to hear fom you!

ok, just so I get this straight - you are home now?

awe, and the link for your scars... i cant get the picture to show up! Darn.

Thanks for checking in - God bless you...

[paladin 0]

Diane, it's great to hear from you and so glad to hear your doing so well. Of course, we knew you would. BTW, your link requires a user name and password. Is there anyway to bypass that or maybe post pics on this thread?

Keep in touch!!

[leatha_g 4]

Welcome Home!!!! So glad to see you posting and thank God for your successful surgery and recovery!!

[shell04937 0]

I am so sorry to hear that you are going thru this right now. I have only been coming to the board a short while and will be banded on Sept 22.

I have walked the land of uncertanty with my health and at 28 was unable to function more then a few hours a day. I suffered head to toe body pain and sever headaches and fatigue along with daily fevers, yes a fever everyday for 2 yrs.

Well thru this process I learned a few things:

1) Never be afraid to question a Dr. opinion.

2) Listen to what your instinct is telling you.

3) Never except and "I dont know" Search until you hear the words "We found out what is wrong with your.

4) Always give yourself permission to react the way you need to. Dont let others decide your response to your situation.

After 3yrs, 3 Rheumatologist, 1 Infectiouse disease Dr, 1 pain DR and getting a new family Doctor. After 3yrs of being looked at like I was crazy and told I was just fat and depressed, I got the answer I had been looking for.

Mrs. Lambert we know what is wrong with you "Your Fatiuge is due to Chronic fatigue syndrom, Fibromyalgia and "Oh ya you have a sister sickness to Lupus and it is called Sjogren's syndrome". This is an autoimmune disorder.

If I remember right Lupus patients can have Pericardidits, Vasculitis, Kidney and liver problems. It basicly can effect your whole body. A great resourse to learn about Auto Immune disorders is Web MD. THey dont have individual message board for each Auto Immune disorder so people with just about every kind of AI disorder go there.

When the DR thought it was in my head, the people on that board keep me from loosing my mind.

I am now on an Anti malarial med used for Auto Immune disorders called Plaquinel. Aften they use high doses of prednisone for AI disorders. One thing that just came to mind was my step grandmother has temporal arthritis and she was miss diagnosed over a year ago with Vasculitis and now she is loosing her sight.

Make sure if you have any doute that they have the right diagnosis that you ask to see another Dr even if it is just another Dr at the same facility.

I ended going to Brigham and Womens hospital in Boston Mass. It took me 3 yrs but I now have the answers to my puzzle and am well enough to work again which I could not do for 2 yrs.

Sorry if this got kind of long or became about me. I didn't mean it that way. Just dont give up and keep your chin pointed high.....

For

[lotsofkids 0]

I am overwhelmed at all this great support from all you guys!!!! Don't you have some wt loss to focus on or something? I am a total stranger and you have all come out in droves to follow my wild ride. I had barely met a few of you here....as all this crazyness started only a week after my lapband surgery and only got wilder and more colorful as they discovered more and more was going on!!!! Well, it was a summer to remember (or forget) according to how you want to look at it. I believe I was truly blessed....as I would have most likely had a very short future ahead. Thinking my health problems were a result of my apnea and wanting to solve my apnea symptoms thru having the lapband was the very least of it....all those doctors who let me drop thru the cracks for 5 yrs saying, apnea, migraines.....fibromyalgia...go stretch......well, now I want to stretch their necks!!!! As they took this...."you are young and active".....wait and see attitude with my complaints of fatigue and cronic dizzyness etc.... (sure...there wasn't any blood/oxygen flow to the "ol brain...duh!) Well, I was NOT meant to give up....and I am a testament to having a higher power not letting this come to a fateful end. I am now on the road to recovery and given the ultimate second chance!!!!! In a few months, I will get back on the wt loss...but for now...I'll focus on getting stronger.....and hey....maybe I'll be rollerblading in the spring!

I think I figured out the photo thing...one is the right side surgery and one is the left side. My kids are calling me FrankenMom : )

[lotsofkids 0]

Shell......

you know the frustration of not being dx'd (or misdx'd)....it can be frustrating and even depressing when you try to research your own health issues....because YOU know something is not right.

Of course, you are exactly the expert now.....autoimmune can present as vasculitis, and pericarditis etc.....they can all be inter-related if you have an autoimmune disorder. The doctors were all looking into a connection with me thinking that it would highly unlikely to have two RARE dx's in the same month! (well, I was just lucky I guess) Lupus, Sjogren's syndrome..all those were in my workup (I did have a high cardiolipen so they were going down the list of all the autoimmune dx's and also having a history of mild pericardial effusion)

if there was "any" chance of vasculitis which was not fully ruled out...this is what the docs said " most likely, we believe you have Moyamoya...and although we don't feel you have vasculitis...we cannot fully rule it out......we will know for sure when we go in and preform the brain bypass.....the artery being bypassed will disintigrated / disolved if you have vasculitis"......(just something to think about LOL)

Now that would have really put me up a creek without a paddle! My hubby never slept a wink the night of the first surgery.....I went in very calm......I just knew it would all go smooth.....I just had an inner peace about the whole thing.

well, you all got a book.....chapter by chapter.....but with a happy ending!

smiles to all.....diane : )

[Mvpo8961 1]

Diane I am so glad your home and everything is going well. You don't know how many times I think about you. I know the kiddos are glad to have you there. I hope school went smoothly for them while you were gone.

Tell hubby he is okay in my book.:first:

Myra

[KariK 0]

Geez Diane you should send your story into that Medica Mysteries show!! You should be famous for all you've went through! Plus you'd be great with all your charizma. Seriously lol you should.

Thank goodness you are safe and everything went so well. Im just so happy for you and your family.

[lotsofkids 0]

I have been going thru some of the past posts and I am sooooo sad to see that while I was away from the board.....things of trivial nature and personality clashes got in the way of support and solidarity here on the board. I see many members were actually suspended!!! Even 3loves was suspended. She was super supportive as a fellow May bandster.....I hope they will reinstate her if she is willing to come back. I will miss her and some of the others too.

I have no desire to engage in mud slinging and I never will.......I have a renewed sense of priorities from all that has happened over the past few months and many posters here have serious issues happening in their lives right as we speak.

Let's all use this board for what it is intended......to share much needed information, medical and personal.....related to our lapband decisions....and as an emotional support and friendship sharing our experiences and success with those who value our tribulations.

For those not here anymore....if you can read this...you will be missed....this was a community......and you were all an important part of it. I'm so sorry things had to get out of hand and emotions took off in the wrong direction. Let's take a deep breath and hopefully this won't ever repeat itself.

Many wonderful posters leave when they see negative posts. It is important to keep the integrity of the board, as we really do need each other. At least, I know... I need you guys!!! for my daily hugs and laughs....and well, just that good 'ol sense of belonging! : )

diane

[LindaV 0]

Hey Diane,

Glad to hear you came through everything well and you are home now.

You have been missed on the May Band Crew thread.

I will continue to pray for you complete and rapid recovery.