Good news! Good news! Good news!

Oh..did I say, I have good news?????? Heather from Dr. Gupta's office just called me. Dr. Gupta called Dr. Bergman and they discussed at length my situation. It was decided that they will tag team closing me up as well as remove all the scarring. They both feel the most comfortable waiting until ~middle of January so Heather is going to go ahead and get it scheduled! Woo-hoo! I am so thrilled that there is now a game plan! Of course, this would also put me not going back to wor****il ~March 1st..but you know, at this point, I don't care! My check will get cut from 100% to 65% as of Dec. 24th..my bills will get paid...but not much to play with, but it'll be fine! My belly is going to get fixed!!! YAY!! I'll let you all know when I get an exact date. I have so much faith in Dr. Gupta and St. Vincent's OR staff that it makes me feel 100% better to know that she will be in there and that the surgey will be there and not in the plastic's surgery center. Don't get me wrong, I really like Dr. Bergman...but not the female who put me to sleep, nor the recovery room at the surgery center since I had problems breathing even in there and they did nothing. Sherri

Hip Hip Hooray! I am so happy for you! So would you still have gone to Dr. Bergman if you had it to do over again? Just wondering.

Yes...but, I'd ask for the same one to put me to sleep that put Marianne to sleep (it's a male..mine was female)  and I would discuss with her blood clot prevention at the consult. Think about it...for an RNY at St. V's which takes 1.5-2 hours AND they get you up walking within 2 hours of being out of recovery, you are on lovenox twice a day for a week. But for a 6-7 hour surgery and a recovery room that gets you up only because you ask to be gotten up, no lovenox at all...? It's a situation that is just waiting for blood clots to form. As to Dr. Bergman herself, I think she's very down to earth and I really like her. Her work looks very good. I do have some swelling in my hips but that is normal...and wouldn't be so bad if I could wear a compression garment..which I can't with my belly. There was nothing she did or did not do which caused my problems...unless it was due to blood clots but that really hasn't been determined either way. Which, if it was, I am just as much at fault there because I know the risks of blood clots and should have discussed it with her. Like so many people though, it just didn't occur to me that it might would happen to ME. Duh! You'd think that I would know better, huh? So...I'm doing what I can do by advising all of my friends to be smarter than I was!! Talk to her about it. Sherri

Sherrie, I am so happy for you.  That has got to take a lot of stress off of you.  Keep us informed when you will have your surgery, Dawn

Dawn,

Thanks. It did stress me out big time when she told me Monday that she wanted to let the hole close up on it's own. I was so very frustrated. It makes me feel so relieved to know that there is a game plan in the works now.

Sherri

That is great... I am happy they decided to go ahead with the surgery... Are you feeling ok now?? So, they are removing the scars and closing you up, is that what the plan is? Well, I hope you are doing ok... Megan

Megan, I'm sure by the middle of January the hole in my belly will be closed up or very close to it. The surgery will be to remove all the scarring it is causing and to do it to where the intestines are safe and healthy. I am basically feeling ok other than having this darn wound-vac and hole in my belly. I naturally can't exercise, lift anything (which, I MISS being able to hold my grand-babies!), sleep in my own bed (it's a 85% motionless waterbed) and therefore be able to sleep with my husband. My bowel movements are straightening up slowly but surely. The ticture of opium that I'm on keeps the intestinal spasms away. I probably feel better than I look. Make sence? Especially since I've been given permission to drive (as long as I don't take any pain meds before doing so...other than the 0.6 mL of ticture of opium for the spasms..that is ok for me to take prior to driving). Today, Bill had a dentist appointment. I dropped him off and then went and had my hair cut at Great Clips. It made me feel like a new woman! Sherri

It makes you feel better to get out of the house...But remember not to over do it... I am sooo guilty of this... My doc would take me off restriction when I was pregnant and I had so much I had not done in that time i would try to make up for it in 1 day... The bad thing is I felt terrible for weeks after... So I was back to square on with stuff( I still haven't caught up on stuff with organizing). My point is I dont want you to end up grounded again so take an easy.....Well, you take care, and I am super-duper excited for you!!!

Megan,

Don't worry hon, no over-doing it for me! Total, we were away from the house for 70 minutes today...and most of that, I was sitting in the beautician's chair. Yesterday, Tiff & I went to Applebee's for lunch (all sitting). Then to Fashion Bug (right next door to Applebee's). I'm a quick decider when it comes to shopping for clothes for myself. I knew what style I wanted/needed so it took me all of 15 minutes...lol. Then we went to Wal-mart. We were in there ~ an hour. I was pooped by the time we got to the check-out so I sat on a bench where I could see Tiff & the cart. I stayed there until it was time to pay. Then she put the stuff in my truck and I drove home. That little outing wore me out but I was fine by this morning. Bill has an eye appointment tomorrow. Since it's at Dr. Price..and he has to see Dr. Price, we'll be gone ~2-4 hours! So...I asked Tiff to drive us. I know that would wear me out too much. I would stay home but Bill has been having additional problems with his eye so I want to be there when Dr. Price checks him out.

I would love to be able to hop in the truck and go Christmas shopping!!! But I know better. I did let Bill know though that I'd like to go to Burlington Coat Factory and check out their kids clothes (I LOVE shopping for the grandkids there!! Great prices and selection!). As much as he hates shopping, he'll be going with me. He doesn't want me to go anywhere by myself right now...I think that's a wise thing actually given how quick I tire out.

I'd much rather go shopping (or anything else) 1 hour a day, every day than to go 4 hours one day and be bed-ridden for a week. huggs! Sherri

I didnt think you would over do it... I am sure you have been there done that type of thing before after surgery... I havent been to Burlington in forever... Except to help my kids grandma get her wedding dress and shoes the weekend before Thanksgiving(she married some guy she just met like 2 months ago, but that is another story!!!) but yeah. So, what side of town do you live on anyways? I live on the southside... so I was just wondering if we are close to eachother... Well, I will talk to you later.. HUGS BACK!!! Megan