Louisa??????????

Hey, I was just wondering how your infection was and just how your doing? I know you had a ruff patch in the beginning and I am hoping it is all behind you. Updates chicky!!!!! Shannon

HEY there Shannon!! I am plodding along..but getting better...at least I think I am, lol!! Go to the surgeon tomorrow, so I will know for sure!! Still packing the incision wound 2 x day, but the hole is getting smaller and the other spots have stopped seeping.........so that sounds good. The scar area has lots of sore, hard places under it........that is a bit worrying, so will ask tomorrow..keloids?? Weight is coming off a lot more slowly as I eat more..........but more is certainly relative, lol. I am trying for about 50-60g protein a day for now at 4 weeks out.........and the calories/day are in the 600-800 range. How are you doing? What are you eating? Are you tired? Does your back hurt? Mine is still pretty miserable...but not the end of the world,lol. Update us on YOU too!! Great to hear from you!!

Woohoo.......just back from the surgeon, and OFF THE PUREED MUSH!!! I CAN EAT ANYTHING!! NO MORE PILL CRUSHING! Can you tell I am excited?? His scales say I have lost 25lbs in the 4 weeks...mine say one more, but it is close enough for gov''t work. The wound is for sure better but STILL draining and healing..still needs packing, but with less stuff........started putting an entire 4x4 into it, then 3x3, etc.......and now down to just some thin wicking material. He says several more weeks though. They laughed at the minipad stuck to my shirt to keep the ooze from coming through. My skin is so sore from a month of tape, so I started just hooking the pad to the shirt..works fine, looks a bit odd, but does the job. He and a student mashed around on the "lumps"...were undecided as to what they were, but in case they were hematomas, he got a BIG old needle and stuck it in to aspirate...........and nothing came out! SO, just big old sore lumps..... whatever. He wants 4 lbs off a week, and see me in 3 months! I feel like I just got an all A report card!! How silly is that?

Well, your doing much better these days. Getting off that mushy crap is very exciting. When I was told I can advance at my own pace I felt like I was in control of my body again. I think sticking the pad to your shirt was a great idea. You have to do what ever makes it easier for you to handle. That sucks you have a few more weeks left but I am happy to hear it is closing and there isn't any new infection. Yuck about sticking the needle in. They wonder why we never like to tell them when something is wrong, it always ends up with a needle being stuck in somewhere. I am glad they are anything to be overly concerned with. I know it is sore for you but I hope not all that bad. Thanks for the update. Congrats on that straight A report card. It feels great when you see the doctor and find out your doing everything right. It helps to reassure yourself. I am doing pretty good. Sometimes I have trouble with the things I eat, probably from not chewing or maybe eating to much. Other then that I am doing great. I think I have lost a little more but since I don't have a scale that goes over 290 I really don't know. Shannon