Update on Martina P x-post
OK guys, here is an update on Martina...
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
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
k9ophile
on 7/13/11 2:21 pm
on 7/13/11 2:21 pm
Thanks for the update. I've been thinking of her a lot and was fixing to PM her. I was hoping that no news was good news. Having had the very pleasant experience of meeting her during one of her stays, I agree whole heartedly: She is one of the sweetest people on earth. She was able to keep very optimistic through all of her setbacks. I only wish I had sick time to donate to her. I am also sorry she is dealing with the "I told you so" idiocy. Perhaps those twits, with all their skill at predicting the future, can pick out the lottery numbers to ease her financial burdens or they can shut the frick up.
She is a great hugger. Please give her one for me next time you see her.
She is a great hugger. Please give her one for me next time you see her.
"Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us." Stephen Covey
Don't litter! Spay or neuter your pet
I was completely unaware of her condition. How upsetting for her.
How is her health otherwise? The feeding tube keeping nourished? Poor thing :( NPO definitely sucks. I don't even like doing it for 12 hours!
I truly hope this is able to be solved. I wonder if there are any motility issues in her esophagus or intestines as well. If they are unable to get the stomach sorted out...technically they could do a total gastrectomy. Definitely not an ideal situation, but there are others out there without stomachs still living and able to eat small amounts. So sorry to hear she lost her pylorus. Ugh...how upsetting :(
How is her health otherwise? The feeding tube keeping nourished? Poor thing :( NPO definitely sucks. I don't even like doing it for 12 hours!
I truly hope this is able to be solved. I wonder if there are any motility issues in her esophagus or intestines as well. If they are unable to get the stomach sorted out...technically they could do a total gastrectomy. Definitely not an ideal situation, but there are others out there without stomachs still living and able to eat small amounts. So sorry to hear she lost her pylorus. Ugh...how upsetting :(
5'9.5" | HW: 368 | SW: 353 | CW: 155 +/- 5 lbs | Angel to 
Kayla, I spoke with Martina bout your post. She says he has already done a complete gastrectomy.
I was under the impression she had a pouch. I don't think she even knows what she has at this point after so many procedures.
I do know she said he was not stapling her off, but was removing and discarding the portioned off stomach completely. So, converting back to anything else would never be an option.
I was under the impression she had a pouch. I don't think she even knows what she has at this point after so many procedures.
I do know she said he was not stapling her off, but was removing and discarding the portioned off stomach completely. So, converting back to anything else would never be an option.
**** 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
HW/SW/CW/GW 346/335/183/150 5'4.25"
P. Poster
on 7/13/11 8:58 pm
on 7/13/11 8:58 pm
Reposting the bottom half of your post hun. The size and font made it super tough for me to read, and I have better than perfect vision. I want to make SURE people see this part of your post though, as I think it's important and that there may be people that can help, if they see it. Please send my best to Martina and know my family is praying for her!
"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"
"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"
Most Active
Recent Topics
