I am home... Finally!

My surgery was on Oct. 15th and I came home for a day and a half, then returned by helicopter with a leak.  It was touch and go for about 3 weeks but I pulled through and now am home trying to recover and get used to my new life.

I just wanted to let you all know.  I am not on the computer much but I am still here.


 

OMG! Thank god you are better now!

We have been SO worried about you!  (We called, etc but noone knew anything, etc!)

I am so glad you are okay now and I hope the rest of your journey is much more uneventful than the beginning has been! 

Thank God you are okay!!!!  I can't imagine how stressful this has been for you and your family... post updates when you feel able, all right?

(((((((Amy)))))))

Hey Amy!!!!  I am so sorry you had a complication.  I have been really worried about you!  Take care of yourself and keep us posted!  (((hugs)))  Amanda

Oh my goodness, Amy, what a thing to have to go through. I am so glad you are home and doing ok. Hopefully there will be no more problems from here on out. I wish you the best and please take good care of yourself. Sending ((((hugs)))).

Thank goodness you're home safe and sound. We've all been so worried about you, look back on the posts and you'll see.

I've been around the WLS community in LR for well over two years and have never heard of a patient of Baker or Gibbs having a leak. They are such good surgeons, it just doesn't happen. Thankfully you were in excellent hands and I know the rest of the road will go much better for you!

Please take care of yourself and keep us posted on your recovery.

Gentle hugs

Okay, so I had to reach deep and find the stalker in me (I was pretty good at it when I was single...lol. What? men lie!) Anyways...I volunteered to call your home and left a voicemail. I got really worried when you didn't call after a really long time, so I found where you were in your church's prayer list. While this isn't where we want to be, it could be worse. I believe I called your house again many days later. I also e-mailed the address associated with your photography website (Great pics by the way!). So, um, I am the big stalker, but I am glad you are okay. I've been thinknig about you a lot and knew that you wouldn't just leave us hanging, but I didn't know what was keeping you. Hope you are feeling well and sorry if I creeped you out a little

Shawna I am not creeped out I am glad you all remembered me and cared.  I do remember someone calling the room and my husband telling you everything had gone fine.  At that time it had.  I was walking up and down two wings and felt ok.  My surgery was on a Wed and it was Friday night that I started feeling bad.  I thought it was stomach cramps and the nurses were filling me full of pain medication.  Then I was so high I didn't know what was going on.  It takes very little for me.  Dr. Baker left for the weekend and another doctor came in on  Sunday, handed me my papers and said you are going home today.  I should have known something was wrong but at that time we just didn't know that what I was feeling wasn't normal.  I came home and even my 6 year old knew I wasn't right.  I was home 2 days and I can only remember a couple of things during that time.  We called 911 around 5:00 on Tuesday.  Before I left our local ER I was on the vent and my kidneys had shut down.  My local ER was treating me for a blood clot, they called Dr. Baker and he knew instantly that it was a leak.  He sent the helicopter after me and when they got to El Dorado I wasn't stable enough to transport, but it was do or don't.  By the time my family got there I was in  surgery and Dr. Baker finally came out and said I was still with them.  My mom said they weren't sure for about 3 weeks if I would make it through or not.  The leak was in my old stomach and the stomach acid was going all through my body.  I had a trach that I HATED!  But it was taking out before I left the hospital and has now closed up.  Dr. Baker couldn't close me up so he went back in later and sewed up the muscles and I have a wound vac that I am still carrying around.  I actually have an appointment with him tomorrow because a piece of the black foam that pack it with has come off in my incision and he is going to have to cut it out.  Just my luck. 

I too thought Dr. Baker had no leaks but I guess that isn't true.  I did read in the memorial of a patient of his that passed away from a leak but it was 9 years ago I think.  But I am living proof that even the best of the best make mistakes.  But if it wasn't for him then I wouldn't be alive now.  He said he didn't think from the looks of things that it had been leaking for about 6 hours but something was making me really sick before I left the hospital.  Oh he said the hole was the size of a marble.

The word was that I wouldn't be home until after Christmas.  But once I woke up I was ready to come home and I was walking with my walker in a week and a half.  I am still using my walker but getting much stronger.

I can't thank you all enough for worrying about me and I am sorry no one could get in touch with us.

I am so EXTREMELY glad you are okay.  That is a terrifying story.  Prayers for your continued recovery and for the rest to be smooth sailing.

Oh my goodness, you have been through so much.  If there is anything at all you need, please, let me know.  We were all on here asking after you and it's good to know finally that you are going to be okay.
You are in my prayers,
Regina