I wanted to post an update
I have been out of the loop for a while, here is an update to my journey:
I have been laying low lately, mostly because I have been horizontal in a hospital bed for the better part of the end of 2009. I spent Christmas and the New Year in the hospital, and I was on the verge of just showing up at the Mayo clinic if I couldn't get in the conventional way, which seemed a long shot. An associate of my original RNY surgeon had posed a plan to me about 6 months ago, a surgical plan that he was convinced was going to fix me. I have obvious trust issues at this point of any doctors, and this surgeon does not do WLS, he is a general/vascular/trauma surgeon, so that also stopped me in my tracks, and I obviously didn't want anymore surgeries. I kept drifting in and out of the ER, as a patient instead of working, encountered a very lovely doctor TWICE who was just convinced that I was a drug seeker, or some pathetic loser, which after some research I can't take it personally because I have heard he doesn't believe in pain...hmmm, has he ever been kicked in the groin? sorry, I have wandered off my track, it just felt good to get that out.
After spending the holidays in the hospital, I decided I had to do something and take control of this, because IT had control over me, still does at the moment. The surgeon explained to me that he was going to have to do an "open" abdominal surgery, all my others had been laparoscopic. He needed to see 360 degrees and needed to get his hands in there to really see and feel what is going on. Just a refresh, I had already had my RNY reversed at U of C, but in order to prevent weight gain, that surgeon made my stomach kind of like an hourglass, I had a top pouch, then a passageway, then a bottom pouch, my intestines were stapled back together on top of each other, instead of end to end. The theory: where those small intestinal connections were stapled together end to end, it made it almost impossible for normal peristalsis (intestinal movement of food) to happen because the connections were so stiff, plus he felt that I needed to go back to having a normal stomach, as normal as I can have anyway, I have lost a certain percentage of my stomach to previous surgeries, so it will never be a normal size. He also put the small intestine connections together end to end and hand sewed them with dissolveable sutures, same with the stomach, all hand sewn, no more staples inside me.
I go back to my karma issues because while thankfully I made it through this complicated surgery, and with no leaks or infections, I did however have some problems, ones that could have been avoided if staff had done their job. The surgeon told me that the surgery was going to be very painful, so he had the anesthesiologist put an epidural in before surgery to cut some of the post-op pain for the first couple days and I would also have a PCA pump for pain. I woke up from surgery in the most horrific pain, and kept hitting the button, asking the nurses in recovery, why am I in so much pain? They didn't know, and didn't bother to look or check the epidural. My family and friends came to visit me those first couple days and I couldn't even lift my hands to my face or move my legs because of the pain, my feet were twitching from the pain. The surgeon had another anesthesiologist come in and check the epidural 2 days after surgery, and he walked in the room and looked at the pump sitting next to me on the bed, and knew from just looking at it, that it wasn't working properly OMG!
They took the epidural out to find it wasn't in all the way, I told the insurance company not to pay for it :)
I was in the hospital for about 9 days, I lost a unit of blood in surgery because they nicked my spleen trying to get rid of adhesions that were covering the small intestine. They gave me blood in the OR, but even a few days later I felt so weak and was sweating, feeling like I was going to pass out, and my hemoglobin was still only 8.8 (they transfuse at 8), so they watched it until I left the hospital, and I think that is one reason why my recovery has been extra long.
I'm not sure if it worked yet, I don't want to jinx myself. I still have nausea that is crippling at times, but my guts have been re-arranged 7 times! There is no reference point for me, no way for any doctor to say, oh yes when people have problems or surgery like you, they feel like this...I don't know anyone else like me yet. I know there are a lot of people suffering with very similar problems, and I know I have heard of people having their surgery reversed, but to my knowledge this is a whole different animal...if there is someone out there, let me know how things went and how you are now.
I love some of the people from my support group, but I am done going. I had not been in a while, and I went this week, and I don't talk openly about my problems, I don't want to scare people or be a bad example, someone brought up some symptoms similar to mine, and 4-5 eyes were drawn directly to me, their faces falling in sadness and disappointment, and a couple even said my name out loud...made me feel like a freak! I don't think that every person who has pain in their left side and persistent nausea and eating problems has what I had, but I also don't think they want to talk about it and disrupt the happy flow of SG. People talk about those first, rough 6-8 weeks, and symptoms that usually end up being stenosis, but that comment/question just struck a chord with the people who do know about my issues, it almost felt like, uh oh, our shiny happy party is over. I know this is my interpretation, but it really felt that way. So, I will rely on my close friends and family, and always be there, a positive force for anyone who is struggling, praying all the time that they aren't like me. I have somehow managed to stay positive, difficult since I lost my job/career over this illness, and in trying to obtain new employment, all anyone wants to focus on is why have you been off work so long? I feel like this is going to curse me for finding a new job, I would have better luck if I had a criminal record!
I hope that updates everyone, thanks for all of you who have checked in on me, and sorry I have been out of the loop for so long. I have a strong family, thanks to them, not sure where I would be without them. I'm always here for anyone who needs help.
Jules
I have been laying low lately, mostly because I have been horizontal in a hospital bed for the better part of the end of 2009. I spent Christmas and the New Year in the hospital, and I was on the verge of just showing up at the Mayo clinic if I couldn't get in the conventional way, which seemed a long shot. An associate of my original RNY surgeon had posed a plan to me about 6 months ago, a surgical plan that he was convinced was going to fix me. I have obvious trust issues at this point of any doctors, and this surgeon does not do WLS, he is a general/vascular/trauma surgeon, so that also stopped me in my tracks, and I obviously didn't want anymore surgeries. I kept drifting in and out of the ER, as a patient instead of working, encountered a very lovely doctor TWICE who was just convinced that I was a drug seeker, or some pathetic loser, which after some research I can't take it personally because I have heard he doesn't believe in pain...hmmm, has he ever been kicked in the groin? sorry, I have wandered off my track, it just felt good to get that out.
After spending the holidays in the hospital, I decided I had to do something and take control of this, because IT had control over me, still does at the moment. The surgeon explained to me that he was going to have to do an "open" abdominal surgery, all my others had been laparoscopic. He needed to see 360 degrees and needed to get his hands in there to really see and feel what is going on. Just a refresh, I had already had my RNY reversed at U of C, but in order to prevent weight gain, that surgeon made my stomach kind of like an hourglass, I had a top pouch, then a passageway, then a bottom pouch, my intestines were stapled back together on top of each other, instead of end to end. The theory: where those small intestinal connections were stapled together end to end, it made it almost impossible for normal peristalsis (intestinal movement of food) to happen because the connections were so stiff, plus he felt that I needed to go back to having a normal stomach, as normal as I can have anyway, I have lost a certain percentage of my stomach to previous surgeries, so it will never be a normal size. He also put the small intestine connections together end to end and hand sewed them with dissolveable sutures, same with the stomach, all hand sewn, no more staples inside me.
I go back to my karma issues because while thankfully I made it through this complicated surgery, and with no leaks or infections, I did however have some problems, ones that could have been avoided if staff had done their job. The surgeon told me that the surgery was going to be very painful, so he had the anesthesiologist put an epidural in before surgery to cut some of the post-op pain for the first couple days and I would also have a PCA pump for pain. I woke up from surgery in the most horrific pain, and kept hitting the button, asking the nurses in recovery, why am I in so much pain? They didn't know, and didn't bother to look or check the epidural. My family and friends came to visit me those first couple days and I couldn't even lift my hands to my face or move my legs because of the pain, my feet were twitching from the pain. The surgeon had another anesthesiologist come in and check the epidural 2 days after surgery, and he walked in the room and looked at the pump sitting next to me on the bed, and knew from just looking at it, that it wasn't working properly OMG!
They took the epidural out to find it wasn't in all the way, I told the insurance company not to pay for it :)
I was in the hospital for about 9 days, I lost a unit of blood in surgery because they nicked my spleen trying to get rid of adhesions that were covering the small intestine. They gave me blood in the OR, but even a few days later I felt so weak and was sweating, feeling like I was going to pass out, and my hemoglobin was still only 8.8 (they transfuse at 8), so they watched it until I left the hospital, and I think that is one reason why my recovery has been extra long.
I'm not sure if it worked yet, I don't want to jinx myself. I still have nausea that is crippling at times, but my guts have been re-arranged 7 times! There is no reference point for me, no way for any doctor to say, oh yes when people have problems or surgery like you, they feel like this...I don't know anyone else like me yet. I know there are a lot of people suffering with very similar problems, and I know I have heard of people having their surgery reversed, but to my knowledge this is a whole different animal...if there is someone out there, let me know how things went and how you are now.
I love some of the people from my support group, but I am done going. I had not been in a while, and I went this week, and I don't talk openly about my problems, I don't want to scare people or be a bad example, someone brought up some symptoms similar to mine, and 4-5 eyes were drawn directly to me, their faces falling in sadness and disappointment, and a couple even said my name out loud...made me feel like a freak! I don't think that every person who has pain in their left side and persistent nausea and eating problems has what I had, but I also don't think they want to talk about it and disrupt the happy flow of SG. People talk about those first, rough 6-8 weeks, and symptoms that usually end up being stenosis, but that comment/question just struck a chord with the people who do know about my issues, it almost felt like, uh oh, our shiny happy party is over. I know this is my interpretation, but it really felt that way. So, I will rely on my close friends and family, and always be there, a positive force for anyone who is struggling, praying all the time that they aren't like me. I have somehow managed to stay positive, difficult since I lost my job/career over this illness, and in trying to obtain new employment, all anyone wants to focus on is why have you been off work so long? I feel like this is going to curse me for finding a new job, I would have better luck if I had a criminal record!
I hope that updates everyone, thanks for all of you who have checked in on me, and sorry I have been out of the loop for so long. I have a strong family, thanks to them, not sure where I would be without them. I'm always here for anyone who needs help.
Jules
Jules RNY 10/30/2007
Sorry Girl,
I haven't been on in a while either. I'm so sorry to see what has happened. You have taken the "nurse"s Curse" to a whole new level. I have been so concerned about you when I didn't see a post for a while.
Don't worry , some of us understand things can go horribly wrong sometimes. I will support you anytime , no matter what.
When you interview, just tell them you had medical issues , but they are resolved now. They don't need the details. If you pass the Physical , that's all that matters!
Keep me posted on how things are going, and you can alway PM me with your e-mial. Would love to meet up some time!
Hang in there!!
I haven't been on in a while either. I'm so sorry to see what has happened. You have taken the "nurse"s Curse" to a whole new level. I have been so concerned about you when I didn't see a post for a while.
Don't worry , some of us understand things can go horribly wrong sometimes. I will support you anytime , no matter what.
When you interview, just tell them you had medical issues , but they are resolved now. They don't need the details. If you pass the Physical , that's all that matters!
Keep me posted on how things are going, and you can alway PM me with your e-mial. Would love to meet up some time!
Hang in there!!
Same days it doesn't pay to chew the restraints off... 
Most Active
Recent Topics
