Happy New Year
my friends, I'm down to 9 days. I am to be at Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville at 6am, my surgery is scheduled for 8am. I'm up first. I will need to leave here at 4:30am to get there. I feel like there is so much to do and no strength to do it all. I know it will be proximil (sp), and it's supposed to be laproscopic but Dr. Colquitt may have to do open. I have to stay in a motel for a week after discharge or he won't do my surgery. I live past the 50 radius. I won't be online for at least two weeks. Then on the 31st I will be having outpatient surgery for damaged nerves in my right elbow. My hand is going numb from diabeties and if I don't have it soon, I will lose all use of my hand. I'm right handed. So please bare with me.
Have a safe New Year's Eve and be good to yourself. 
Kathy 
Hi Kathy! hope you don't mind a California girl crashing your TN board but I just wanted to offer you my support with your coming surgery. I'm 2.5 years out of open RNY and I remember what it feels like to be where you are. I pray that all goes without a hitch! My husband and I are interested in moving out of California and one of the spots under consideration is your beautiful state...who knows, maybe someday we'll be neighbors?! We'll see. Oh, the other thing I wanted to say (which I'm sure you already know being on OH) is the first couple of weeks/months are the hardest. I'm one without ANY complications and I STILL went thru the "oh-my-gosh-what-did-I-do-to-myself" stage. A word of advice: stay out of the kitchen and DO NO****ch cooking shows (or even food commercials!). I actually MOURNED food. But now-all the things that I thought I'd NEVER be able to eat again I can eat in small quantities and be satisfied (well, 'cept ice cream-my "drug" of choice). Oh, and the one thing that I was sooooo glad I brought to the hospital...earplugs!
Best wishes to you...what a way to start off the New Year, eh?!
Beth W. - 1/2 the woman
Tom, thanks so very much. How are you doing? From Tuesday thru Friday I am booked with appointments. On Sunday, my son and his wife will be here. Mom will be here also, so between them and my one year grandson, watch me, I won't be packed for the hospital. 
You take care Tom and be there for me in thought and spirit. Kathy 
Kathy,
Good luck with your surgery. The last few days are the hardest.
Pack your own pillow so you will be more comfortable in the hospital. I could not sleep in the hospital bed but the room had a recliner so I was able to get some rest.
Where do you attend support group meetings?
Connie Williamson
Connie, so far OH.com is my only support group. I always take my own pillow, I end up leaving my pillow everytime too. I have been sleeping in a hospital bed since I broke my hip and pelvic in 9/03. Can't sleep any other way now. I've slept in mom's recliner and my younger son's when I am in their home, can't get comfortable, and it causes me a lot of pain in my lower spine where the leukemia is more promenint. I plan on taking two pillows, one for each side, so I don't try and roll over. I can't believe that after trying for almost 3 years, I have 7 days left. It seems like there is so much to do, and I either don't have the strength, or enough time and don't know where to start. , just thinking about what all lies ahead of me, makes me nervous. Not about the surgery, just talking about this week alone. I'm worried that I won't get something done that is important. Thanks for the pillow advice. Kathy Most Active
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