Time To Check Out My Hospital's Er!

[Katie713 423]

Liz...happy birthday girlfriend! I am glad you are home recovering and yes, even though this may be the most difficult experience of your life, you've exhibited such a strong will to survive and demanded the medical attention you needed that you deserve nothing but the best for your future!!

The ricotta bake was a fave...in a ramekin, layer marinara sauce then ricotta (mixed with some parm and an egg) a little motzarella, then another layer of sauce then motzarella and parm on top. Bake until brown and bubbly. You can make about 6 and bake together, then refrigerate the extras and microwave as needed, they taste like little lasagnas. Even though I am not a huge proponent of carbs these days, mashed potatoes with gravy was so easy to get down in the mushy stage, add a can of chicken drained to the gravy for Protein. Refried Beans with melted cheese and a dollop of sour cream and mashed avacado was devine. Butternut squash roasted then pureed to a Soup with a bit of chicken broth makes a nice snack.< /p>

We are here thinking about you and praying for you. Keep up the good work!!

[buttrfli1 17]

Liz! I'm so glad to hear your on the up and up! Lots and lots of praying going on here must have helped Along with your determined spirit!!

[GlendaLee 44]

Happy Very Blessed Birthday!!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[fyre_storm 1,412]

Liz I'm so happy your feeling close to normal! I wish you a happy birthday! And once I get over my emotional issues ill start cooking again! Have fun!!!

[Misty_eyes 79]

It's my birthday! I made it to 26' date=' and the morning of my emergency surgery and even the day after they weren't sure that would happen. I've been home over a week and while I went through some rough morphine withdrawals and thrush, I'm doing ok. Came home on full liquids and tonight (I keep weird shifts with my fiancé) I had some mostly puréed chicken salad. Or life cycle salad since I added an egg to up the Protein I had 2oz and while it feels totally different it isn't making me sick and I have more energy right now than I have since the day before my first surgery. Not that I'm running a marathon or even walking the block quickly but I can shower by myself, and make my own meals.

I will say I almost went to the ER a few days ago for HORRIBLE pain in my drain site. I called my surgeon and while I was laying down with an ice pack he called back. I felt much better, stood up to read him my intake journal, and realized I was soaking wet. I though my ice pack burst. It was my drain, the pain I had was a softball size mass of Fluid that had collected internally but managed to find my old drain tract and started making its way out. Surgeon said this is good. Now if it stops draining and my fever doesn't go down I need to call him but as long as there's some discharge my fever stays gone. It stopped a coule hours last night and my fever spiked to 102.5. Placed a warm compress and no problem sense. It's gross, but part of the process.

I have my first follow up on Tuesday. (I was in the hospital before I even made my first post-op appointment.)

Thank you EVERYONE for EVERY thought and prayer. It's so hard to explain how much that kept me going. Even at my worst, I read. I couldn't respond but I promise I read, I even teared up early on (when the NG had taken my voice away) that was fun to try and mime

Hope everyone's new year was fabulous and is still great. I've never been so grateful for a birthday. And if you wanna share your "staple" soft/mushy recipes I'd much appreciate it [/quote']

Hi Liz, nice to hear back from you. I am always keepin you in mind and in my prayers. I am glad that things are inproving , also that your drain is intact and as long as it keeps draining that's a good sign. You want all that drainage out of your body. The fever is an indicator as well of the infectious process, so hope no more fever for you. I am an ICU nurse and have seen this before, keep your courage, stay positive. We are all praying for you. Happy birthday!

[tparkerc59 334]

Good for you Liz....happy birthday and keep up the good healing work.

[Katie713 423]

Liz....hope you're recovering well and transitioning to food without too much internal turmoil !! Give us an update when you feel up to it...

[lizv123 389]

Liz....hope you're recovering well and transitioning to food without too much internal turmoil !! Give us an update when you feel up to it...

Food isn't a problem so far. Unfortunately I tolerate bread and rice fine, I was hoping I wouldn't. I haven't come close to dumping, feeling choked, or sliming. But I cannot keep ground beef down for anything. That's fine with me, I hardly ate it pre op anyway Its very hard to eat, not physically, but mentally. NOTHING sounds good and everything smells so bad since surgery! I keep telling my fiancé I need nose plugs but he doesn't think I'm serious lol I've been stalled for a few weeks and while it's frustrating, I don't really care right now. I'm just happy I can eat and drink again

My only trouble is my energy level, but that was an issue pre op because of the Fibro, I have pain that I also had pre op. I can't really complain about how I'm doing post life threatening incident.

My best friend for 20 years, however, last week was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma (stage 2 or 4, we'll know Tuesday.) But until she gets more of a routine with her chemo and radiation I'll be in charge of her 11 month old. Eeeek! You can pray for me there lol I love babies and expect to have my own but this will absolutely be a test of my strength!

[suepeeps 230]

So sorry about your friend! I will say a prayer for her.

I have fibro too so I know what you mean about the energy. I am on the guai Protocol and it is really helping. I walk for an hour 3 x a week. I still cant go daily because of the fibro but wow! Its awesome.

Sounds like you are doing great.!

[Katie713 423]

Thanks for the update Liz. My prayers will be with you and your friend. My daughter has fibro as well, I know everyday tasks can be daunting! Hopefully you will manage the babysitting like a champ! Sometimes we need to step up and that is what we do for our loved ones. I am doing some caregiving for my mother, but I work full time as well, and my mothers health is declining very quickly...it is so hard at times to work through the tough times, but don't lose focus on your own health, and I am trying to do the same, to stay in a good place while I work the rest of this weight off. I stopped losing so I have to do something to shake it up, I know it involves exercise and reducing carbs...I will get there!!

[lizv123 389]

Hello

After a break from the forum I'm back. Here's a brief update:

I'm a "slow loser" losing 57lbs. It's slow, but I'll take it! Also, I think the slower speed of my weight loss has helped me keep my hair from thinning. That, and my no estrogen birth control, haha. I also think my slow weight loss has helped my skin be a tad less saggy than it would have been otherwise. Not to say my arms don't flop around, but it's more of a pudding ripple instead of a Jello jiggle

I still have issues with random bouts of esophageal spasms so some days I can't keep food or Water down but those days diminish in number each week.

Since I was on morphine every six minutes for a month my previous pain medicine just wasn't strong enough so they've recently upped the dose of that and my anti-anxiety/antidepressant. For now it keeps me sluggish but hopefully in a couple more weeks I'll be used to. But because of my pain levels being so high I haven't been able to work out like I want and need to. I manage to get 30-60 minutes on my bike everyday but most of the time any type of toning exercise I try leaves me walking like a zombie for the next few days. I'm hoping that changes with my med adjustments.

I had a big NSV today! I managed to fit into a size large dress! I was in a 2x pre-op. I also fit into my high school graduation dress! Now I was still very overweight in high school but, progress is progress!

Of course the two places I lost weight first were the two places I didn't mind having weight, T and A! I've lost so much of what flat behind I had before surgery I now get to carry around this super sexy butt cushion. Oh well, it adds 2 inches to my height when I'm driving so I don't always have to readjust all the mirrors after my fiancé drives the car

My engagement ring is starting to fall off, all my shoes are too wide, and my mom (who had the DS a month after my sleeve) keeps getting some awesome hand me downs she should be able to fit into in a few months.

A big drawback from my extended use of TPN is the relaxing of my sleeve. I can easily hold the same amount of food a patient with an old sleeve can. I just measure more frequently and avoid the scale on the most part.

I have occasional pains where my drain used to be, I get random sores inside my nostrils from the MRSA, and my scars have turned kinda purple. Right now their placement makes me laugh. To me, my stomach looks like the face of a happy or sleeping cartoon whale

2 more notes:

1. For those of you that kept up with me and stayed with me during this entire fiasco, I cannot thank you enough. I had my family for support but nobody that could relate to being a leak patient or even just being sleeved. This forum helped me more than words could ever say. If there is ANYTHING that any of you ever need PLEASE ask me! You were all an irreplaceable part in a serious chapter of my life.

2. Some of you may think I'm too short or judgmental on some of my posts to others and I won't say you're wrong. I spent YEARS researching for this surgery and did everything by the book and still almost lost my life. To see people complain about getting sick after eating Taco Bell, whine about the supplements, start solids too early, or act surprised when that major surgery hurts, I get furious. And I know part of all

of you feel that way. "That's what you get for not researching" or "that's what happens when you don't follow surgeon's rules." I'm trying to get better at holding my tongue but I implore you, I know this surgery saves lives and a lot of you would do it again in a heartbeat, just remember so much publicity is now surrounding the sleeve and so many people are opting for it to lose only 30-40lbs. Share your positive stories! But keep it real, too. This is a major surgery and isn't a temporary fix. This is a lifelong dedication. So many on here hear it works and jump on the bandwagon and go through terrible stress and regret afterwards. It's their fault for not researching, but their negative feedback can and will deter others (like most of us) that NEED this type of surgical intervention to allow us to live the lives we deserve.

Thanks again SOSOSOSOSOOOOOOO much for everything you all did for me. You'll never know what a place you all have in my heart