Has Anybody Heard from Martina?
How are you doing?
HW 240/ SW 229/ GW 146/CW 125; OH Support Group Leader
Starting size: 18W-20; Present size: 0 or 2; 5'5-1/2" tall.
Current BMI 20.4 as of 2/13/2013 (normal for the first time in my life).
Goal weight reached on 8/12/2010; As of 1/13/2013, 21 pounds below goal
HW 240/ SW 229/ GW 146/CW 125; OH Support Group Leader
Starting size: 18W-20; Present size: 0 or 2; 5'5-1/2" tall.
Current BMI 20.4 as of 2/13/2013 (normal for the first time in my life).
Goal weight reached on 8/12/2010; As of 1/13/2013, 21 pounds below goal
I'll let her know you all are concerned about her and will give you an update if it's ok with her.
**** I AM AN OH SUPPORT GROUP LEADER ****
WHY I CHOSE DS: No dumping. Highest percentage of weight loss, Best long term results, Won't regain weight! Eat normal sized meals, 96% diabeties, 90% high blood pressure, 80% sleep apnea cured. I 
MY DS!
My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there were three other people. ~Orson Wells
Martina had her DS surgery 03-2011. She began to develop complications early out from her DS and was unable to progress to eating and drinking at a normal stage. She was readmitted to the hospital and it was discovered she developed scar tissue and this prevented her sleeve from emptying.
She went through a series of EGD procedures to stretch her sleeve, but this was not effective. The scar tissue kept returning. Dr. H also discovered her pyloric valve was not functioning and the sleeve was not emptying. He theorized converting her to a rny would correct this by destroying the pyloric valve. So, a few weeks ago she underwent a revision to distal rny. This means she has a rny pouch with the DS switch. (the worst of both worlds for those of us that are DS savvy).
Since the DS to distal rny revision, there has not been any marked improvement in her condition. So, this was a fluke. (sorry Martina) There was a 50/50 chance of it working, and it didn't work.
She is still unable to take food or water in my mouth without vomiting. She is fed through a feeding tube. After the stretching procedures, she is usually able to drink small amounts a day or two, but the scar tissue quickly redevelops and she is back to square one.
Can you imagine not eating for 5 months!?!?! I thought I was gonna die after just 2 weeks!
Now, the game plan is to continue stretching her stomach every week or so to try to keep a passageway open. Most of her stomach was destroyed and removed with the rny revision, so there is not much left to experiment with... There is not much else they can do at this point.
She will stay on the feeding tube indefinitely, since she can not keep anything down by mouth long term.
I am sure I am leaving a lot out, and Martina can fill in the blanks later.
.....................................................................................
Having said all this, I'd like everyone to be aware of a few things...
Martina is one of the kindest, sweetest ladies I have met through OH. She has 2 small kids and a husband. Her mother, sister, and aunts have been very supportive, but she is also dealing with the "I told you so" syndrome. This sucks.
She works for State of GA (shbp insurance). Her husband works, but she carries the insurance for the family because his job does not offer insurance. They are regular paycheck to paycheck people like most of us.
She has exhausted all her leave at work. She has exhausted all the fmla leave allowed by law. Her employer approved her to solicit sick leave, so if you are a state employee and want to donate leave or have co-workers forfeiting leave , please consider donating leave to her. This way her insurance will not be canceled. If you PM me I will get her in touch with you, so she can explain the process to you,
She has been dealing with these complications for 5 months and this seems to be a condition that is not getting any better any time soon.
She really needs our prayers and support even though she is not able to get to her PC to check in with us.
If you have any questions/comments I will relay them to her on your behalf.
~LaShelle
**** I AM AN OH SUPPORT GROUP LEADER ****
WHY I CHOSE DS: No dumping. Highest percentage of weight loss, Best long term results, Won't regain weight! Eat normal sized meals, 96% diabeties, 90% high blood pressure, 80% sleep apnea cured. I MY DS!
My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there were three other people. ~Orson Wells
I can't imagine why Martina was the unlucky one to suffer such horrible, rare complications. She is a very sweet person and deserved to have a straightforward, uncomplicated DS. I can only imagine how she must be feeling about her decision to have this surgery now...particularly with the "I told you so's" from friends and family that she surely must be hearing.
I wish for her some kind of relief to her current condition and I hope that in time her stomach will allow her to eat more and keep it down. It must be agonizing not to be able to keep anything down for such a long time. If I worked for the state, I would absolutely donate some of my leave to her.
Please let Martina know she is in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry she is going through this.
Lia
Starting weight & height: 265/5' 8.5; Goal weight: 160; Current weight: 155
Unfortunately in the wls circle, no surgeon wants to take on another surgeon's post op. Much less someone with servere complications.
All we can really do is pray and encourage her.
**** I AM AN OH SUPPORT GROUP LEADER ****
WHY I CHOSE DS: No dumping. Highest percentage of weight loss, Best long term results, Won't regain weight! Eat normal sized meals, 96% diabeties, 90% high blood pressure, 80% sleep apnea cured. I MY DS!
My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there were three other people. ~Orson Wells
Rockmart Georgia
HW: 315 CW: 117 GW: First goal 150 met 3/23/2012, Second goal 135
