PANNI (long)

Hello,

 

To say my world has just been completely turned upside down, well, OK, not upside down but definitely not in the direction I was planning.  I had my 1 year follow up last Thursday.  I planned on telling the surgeon what my plan was.  I wanted to lose another 50 lbs. (I had lost 200 to date) and then I want to go for my knee replacement.  Being as I still have 120 lbs to go to my set goal, I need to exercise and bone on bone knees just is too restrictive to what I can do.  Understand, I am 52 years old and I would love to have the body of a 20 year old, it has never been a big deal.

 

Well, the surgeon started by saying he wants me to go and have a panni, within the next 4 months.  Actually he wanted me to start the procedure immediately but I need to build up some time in work.  His plan and it has been his plan since I was 2 months post-op is too remove the excess belly and mons (sp?) to allow me to move better.  Let me mention that I suffer from lymphedmia in both my left leg and now in my pannis area.    So the hopes of this surgery is that the lymph circulation will improve, allowing me less break outs of cellulits and infections    He is also going to repair a small hernia at the top of the incision point.

 

I don’t know how to feel as this was not the way I thought that it would go.  This is my second panni, I had one several years prior to my GBS (I do some things backwards), so I know what to expect and I am not afraid. 

 

The surgeon, I love this man, feels that if I went for the knees and got one of my infections, it might travel to the new knees and cause me to have them removed.  OK, that one knocked me off the chair.  He says this is a completely medical needed reconstruction and is 100% sure the insurance company will pay for this. 

 

I go to see the PS in late October, back to see surgeon in November and hopefully, by the first week in January 2008, I will no longer be swinging in the wind.

 

Please send good thoughts my way.  I will keep all posted as the time approaches.

 

Jeanne

First of all, let me congratulate you on your weight loss.  It sounds as though you have a dr who truly cares about the needs of his patients.  I'm sure you will feel a lot better when you have the surgery as this definitely sounds reconstructive and not cosmetic.

Best of Luck,

Carla

Thank you so much Carla. Jeanne

hi jeanne sounds like alan has a nice plan for you :) that would really suck to get an infection from having your knees done  do you swim for exercise?? or water aerobics?? my g/f does this with her bad knees and she feels better -- she's overweight too and she just turned 70 in july  just a thought :)  take care roberta  sending happy happy thoughts towards you :)  if i had an address i'd send you an angel too :)

Hi Roberta:

I have been impressed with Alan from the day of surgery when he came in the waiting room to talk with me, personally I was wondering why he wasn't washing up, lol.

I am terrified of pool water.  I will go in the ocean but can't swim to literally save my life.  I did ask about swimming as I wanted to join the gym over in Pennsauken, but the lympho specialist didn't think it was a good idea because of the chance of infections.

I am excited about the whole thing, just wasn't expecting it so quickly.

Hope all is good with you and Ross.

 

Jeanne

hi jeanne all is great with us :) couldn't ask for better!! we are going to wildwood in a couple of weeks for the fireman's convention -- gotta hang out with a bunch of drunks i guess -- i've done that before so i'm sure i'll survive -- ross on the other hand is the only non-drinking irishman i've ever met haha  i don't swim either -- petrified of it!!  i love the ocean :) but only up to my knees -- i feel safer in a pool -- i know that if i stand at point A it's not over my  head -- and i HATE water in my face!! even in the shower!! can't stand it!!  Dr. K impressed me the most when he showed up in my room on thanksgiving morning to see how i was -- i think they really have an amazing team over there :) i'm glad we switched surgeons and started all over again :)  take care roberta