WLS has literally saved my life

Hi everyone,
I know it's been a long time since I posted or visited you all. I blogged about what was/is going on with me healthwise but I will write it down again. Since my gastric bypass surgery on Feb 23rd, I have had an  additional surgery to repair a small bowel obstruction on March 10th. The back in May right beofre Memorial day, I was driving to work and started to get thispai inmy right flank area. thinking it was just a pulled muscle. After being at work for an hour, i was in terrible pain and in tears. Since I work in an ER, I just checked myself in with everyone thinking I had a kidney stone so we did a CT. I did not have a kidney stone, but the next thing I know I am being admitted to the hospital to be worked up for lymphoma. To make this long story short, I do not have lymphoma, but I do have a cancer. Carcinoid syndrome, or neuro-endocrine tumors, a mesentary mass. My WLS surgeon feels as if I should not have surgery, considering where the tumors are. says it's too dangerous, So now I have an oncologist added to my bag of tricks. I am waiting for my insurance to authorize a referral to some surgical oncologists at UCSF and Stanford for some 2nd and 3rd opinions, I know there is someone out there who can do this surgery. My other options are to get this drug injection that can shrink the tumors, but not get rid of them, or I think I could have radiation too. This is just a mess. But I can honestly say that gastric bypass has saved my life. Even though this cancer was in incidental finding, we woold have never found it otherwise. When I had my second surgery in March, a CT scan was done, and when they did another one in May, that was when they saw that my lymph nodes had grown considerably, enough for someone to take notice.
SO now I am just playing a waiting game with the insurance so I can see these other surgeons. These tumors release compunds/toxins in the body so some days are good and some are bad. I have good food days and bad food days where I can't keep anything down. But, I am not taking anything for granted anymore. DOing more fun things with my family, buying something if I want it , working more hours to make more money to do more fun stuff. There's a lot more to the story, but I don't want to rant on and on.
On a more positive note, I have acheived 2 more goals. AS of yesterday, I have lost 60lbs (ya me!!!) and today I fit into and bought a size 12 jean from the Gap, for $11 no less. So now I am out of the teens sizes (14 and up). I just cannot believe the changes that have happened to me and my body. My legs are skinny, my friends call me skinny, my face is skinny, my arms are skinny. I actually tried on a pair of skinny jeans today too, but they just feel weird. I don't know if I would feel comfortable wearing them. When I was fat, I just didn't get the whole "low rise" jean thing or the mid-rise concept either. But now that I can fit into them, I do get it. They look and feel sexy. Now I need to try and do some shopping at Victorias Secret. That will be the next goal to acheive.
Other than this whole stupid cancer thing, I feel and look great!
I hope that you all are having all the success that you wanted and hoped for. I hope that for all the new patients who are waiting for their date, that you have great support and that you find success. I hope that for all the patients who just had their surgery and feel like they cannot get down one more acky protein shake, it will get better. I promise.
Good luck to you all and God bless.
leanne

Congratulations on your weight loss and I am so sorry for you carcinoid. My husband has that. They removed a tumor where the small intestine meets the large intestine. He went to Stanford, Dr. Wellton is an expert of this type of cancer. Dr. Shelton is really good too. Dr. Fisher is his oncologist. He is doing really well. I will PM you with my email and phone number and you can talk to my husband. He says you should get the surgery first. This is a pretty rare cancer and there is a lot of wrong information on the net.

Take care, and I hope to hear from you soon.

(Oh my DH is a nurse.)

I'm so sorry to hear about you being sick. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

 
Congratulations on your weight loss, you are doing so awesome. It is such a nice feeling when we feel sexy in a pair of jeans. I agree with you on the low rise jeans. Never could figure out why people would want to wear them that low, but now I do.

I hope the insurance comes through soon, so you can get a second opininon. Keep us posted on how things go. Big HUGS to you.

Leanne -

First congrats on your weight goal achievements!   That is big...  Keep up the good work. 

Second, I am sorry to hear about what you have gone through.   A very similar thing happened to my dad, his cancer was found on a fluke.  I truly believe that some things do happen for a reason.  Like you if my dad's cancer hadn't been found when it did we would have been dealing with a different out come.  He is doing wonderful now & also has a new view on life.  

If this isn't a reminder for all of us to live life to it's fullest and don't take anything for granted!!! 

GOOD LUCK and please keep us posted on your progress. 

 I had my WLS in August of 2004 and it did save my life, too!! I would never be able to live the way I am now! Good luck to anyone who has had it or will!

Elizabeth, you are my angel in disguise. Love love love you!
I went and bought some cute little tshirts today and a cute little short summer skirt at Target, and 2 pairs of capri leggings. I can't remember the last time I wore a skirt, let alone a short one, and I used to wear leggings back in the day with big long tunics to hide my big butt, now I can show off my little butt! I love shopping now! I drove past an Avenue store today and wanted so badly to run in there and scream at the top of my lungs "I DON'T HAVE TO SHOP HERE ANYMORE!!!"
leanne

 Leanne,

First off congrat's on your progress with WLS.  To think it has only been 5 mos and you have accomplished soooooo much.

Regarding your Carcinoid, I truly am sorry you have to go through this.  Please take care of you and get the 2nd & 3rd opinions to make the right decision for you.

I will keep you and your family in my thoughts & prayers.

(((((XOXO)))))  hugs & kisses