Hey Guys! ... it's along one.

I'm still alive.  I haven't even had time to lurk lately, but wanted to check in and see how you all are doing. 

I so appreciate that you guys stay the course and keep the board going. 

I lost a friend to cancer week before last.  I was so busy with work that I barely made it to the end of her memorial service.  I did manage to buy the food for her memorial and get it sent over, and I took up a collection for Hospice, but I was late to the memorial and collapsed into a chair exhausted after  day of meetings and being up all night getting food ready.  One of the people who helped set up came over and lit into me for not being there on time.  I didn't even have the energy to snap back.  What's up with that?  :)  t's so not like me to take getting chewed out like that.  Emotions were riding high so it was best to let it ass.  I don't know why I brought it up, but I do want to let you guys know what a very special organization Hospice is.  Doris wanted to die at home and hospice had doctors and nurses going out to the house to care for her every day.  If you are ever looking for a worthwhile place to donate money, please consider your local hospice organization.  They are also a wonderful place to volunteer at. 

Another friend has cancer and it has spread to her brain.  I've been taking her to Tucson for radiation treatment and she has now started chemo so I'm taking her down for that.  When someone asks you for help saving her life, how do you say no?  I certainly can't. 

I'm still working both jobs, seeing many doctors and burning the candle from the middle out.  I'm actually looking forward to surgery in October so I can have some down time.  The pain and reduced mobility and loss of some income will hopefully all be worth it in the end.  I'm having a rough time right now because of the barometric pressure change.  I was in so much pain after work last night that I seriously considered taking a cab home.  Once I got home, I collapsed in bed and was in so much pain I couldn't get up to get  drink of water.  I thought for sure that I wouldn't be able to get up and go to work this morning, but somehow I managed to get up and get out the door. 

So get this, for some strange reason, I'm swelling like a bratwurst on a grill and I've gained 17 pounds in a month according to my doctor's scale.  If you press on my shin, it leaves a major indentation where your finger was.  The doc calls it pitting edema.  No idea where this has come from or how to get rid of it.  Lasix causes the most horrible leg cramps so I'd rather have knockworst legs.  The scars on my arms actually hurt and one of the scars split a little from all the fluid I'm retaining.  The poor Man rubs and rubs my legs trying to get the swelling to go down.  I have a battery of tests in the morning so maybe they'll show the cause.  Is anyone else experiencing swelling like this?

So the doc and I were talking about doing my tests and everything that can go wrong 5 years after wls.  I told him that I was low on Vitamin D and needed to be tested.  He didn't think that it's wls related as he has a lot of non-wls patients that have a D deficiency.  He thinks it is more likely caused by people avoidng the sun these days, which I certainly do. 

One more thing, has anybody else had a hellacious return of acid reflux?   I don't have it during the day, but several mornings every week, I wake up feeling that I've had someone trying to choke me in my sleep.  I feel pressure in my throat and my voice is raspy.  At night, acid rises up from my stomach (even if I sleep sitting up) and I've woken up by choking on bile.  This also happens several times a week and not always before the morning when I wake up with the throat pressure.  I told Doc that I was supposed to have less acid since surgery and he just chuckled. Not sure what that meant.   I'm on Protonix now, but I still have problems.  Anybody else have worse acid reflux than you had before surgery?  If so, what are you doing about it? 

OK, I'd better close this long post before I fall asleep sitting up.  There are nights that I fall asleep sitting up in bed and Rufus barks and nudges me with his nose until I turn out the lights and lay down.  Crazy dog.  Many hugs to you all.  Please know that I think about you guys all the time.

Connie

Hey Connie good to hear from you. Sorry to hear that your life is in such pain physically and emothionally. Don't worry if you didn't get the chance to snap at your rude friend giving you a hard time aobut being late you'll get her another time. I can not imaigne anyone doing that to anyone else. like no one has ever been late before to somnething? if they know you then thye know that you g9ive 150% of yourself to your family friends and job often from the soujds of things by not giving even 10% to yourself.
sometimes i use to read the postings here from others and think Oh no not me I don't and wont have those issue. Like the weight gain....HA! famous last thoughts!
So now when I read something like your having problems with the acide reflux I think oh great thats what i've got to look forward to. then i think please dont' let me get it.
its all a crap shoot.
so far (excuse me i'm knocking on the fake wood of my computr desk...) i've not had that.
good luck and god bless your in my prayers, pammy

Connie, it's great to hear from you. I'm sorry to hear about friends.  I my best friend's mother died last week.  I was in her home from the time I was a child, she was like a second Mother to me. She was 89 years old. Today I went to the hospital to visit a neighbor that I've known all my life, she's in her 80's and she is so sick. I told my sister when we left I prayed God would go ahead and take her on home.  These two ladies were the back bone of our church and our community.  It's so hard to lose friends.
I will be praying for you as you help your friends while you're in so much pain. I do pray that your surgery will help your pain. 
Love ya, Judy

WOW, So sorry to hear you are going thru so much these days. Losing friends and or family is soooo hard. Your health problems go hand in hand with being so busy I am
sure of it. You don't give yourself time to rest & eat properly, so your body reacts. I
do swell this time of year when we get the humidity. We had some bad storms the past
couple of days & I know your area did too!! That for sure does not help anything.
Hopefully it will dry up in the next couple & that should help. I hope you take the
time you need to rest & recoup from your upcoming surgery & that it works & gets
you out of some of this pain. Won't that be a treat!!