alive and kicking

Hi all.  

I finally made the weight gain moment of nirvanna and was healthy enough to get the revision surgery.  The old pouch was unsaveable so they took it out and built me a new one plus gave me some more of my bypassed small intestine.  I would have thought a new pouch new weight loss but they made the exit large enough to let most of the food slide through; something about the old pouch being non flexible and holding food thus creating the ulcers.  I kept telling them that I pysically could not eat more than a tablespoon and they thought it was mental.  Anyway, I am much better and still have the tube makings or the opening in my abdomen for the tupe and the plastic port is there but I don't have to use it.  I am amazed at how quick I can gain weight now  HA!  So, I am back to really working hard to maintain.  

I still go see the nutritionists and she weighs me and keeps up with what I am eating and how I feel when I eat.  The ulcers might come back, so I am antiacid producing meds now and probably for ever.  The chances of this ever happening to anyone having wls are so slim that the surgeon called it a freaky thing.  

I am about to be grandma again.  My son's wife is expecting another boy.  My grands are all doing well.  Little Mathew is reading and on his last visit read to me over and over again.  His favorite book is Gerionomo Stilton, a graphic novel about a mouse.  Yeah.  

I rescued another cat and now have three girls.  They keep me entertained; in fact, one is by me, the other by my feet, and another curled up on the back of my chair.  They follow me from room to room.  DH says that I am mama duck and they are the ducklings.  LOL.

Well, just dropped in to let you guys know that I am alive and kicking.  I hardly recognize the faces of the board  It's good, though, to see all my old friends.  

Well, gotta go. I am in the middle of grading papers and they are not going to grade themselves. 

Oh Jeannie, I was just thinking about you the other day. I'm so glad to hear you're doing so much better and that your surgery was successful. How long ago was the surgery? Were you in the hospital long?

I'm on Protonix, and probably will be forever for acid reflux. When I had the barium swallow, the radiologist said there was no evidence of reflux, but let me tell you, it's still there!  Three times I've aspirated acid while sleeping. NOT a good way to wake up, for sure. So, we do what we have to do to keep on keeping on!

I'm afraid Facebook and their fun and games have taken away a lot of our members. We can always use another familiar face around here!  Hope you stay well, and stay here, my friend!

I had the surgery the first of March.  I thought it would be a walk in the park but turned was not so easy.  I was in the hospital a week and came home only to go back with pneumonia. I come and go on the boards.  I read a lot of the post to keep up with old friends.  I am hoping that this summer I will get caught up on everyone and everything that I've missed for the last several months.  One of the hardships of being sick is that isolation is about the only way to exist.  I feared that my friends both in person and online would tire of my illness.  So, like a turtle, I stuck my head and butt in my shell and waited until I had good news.  I think i will be okay.  Now my dread is gaining too much weight so I end up over thinking everything I eat.  While I was sick, my pouch kept holding less and less until I barely got a tablespoon of anything down, now I can eat cup of soup.  I've not eaten a cup of anything in so long that when I did get to eat again and after surgery and that cup of soup went down without pain or dumping or any of the stuff I'd experienced before, I freaked out  I kept thinking, they have opened it up and now I'll get as big a a barn.  So, I am increasing my time in the gym. I hate this.  I really do hate that I can eat but I like that I am not hurting.  I definitely have a double edged sword going on here.  

Wowzers!! You sure have been through it and back.

 Remember, one cup of soup isn't the same as 8 oz of steak, so go easy on yourself. Maintenance is the roughest part of this journey, with the exception of your experience, of course. I'd bet you're going to be fighting these demons for some time when it comes to eating and all. I totally understand the "head" thing with eating.

Hang around here more. We're a hardy bunch and we've missed you!

So glad to hear you are doing and feeling so much better!

thanks

Hey Jeannie, glad to hear from you.  Thanks for bringing us up-to-date on your life and happenings.  Glad you are doing better.

Pat R.

Jeannie,

What an experience. I sure hope you feel better each day. New pouch, another grand, new cat, sounds like good stuff happening ... finally.

Annette

Thanks Annette.  My new cat is having a hard time fitting in with my other two.  I've had her since December but she keeps trying to be the mama cat to the other two and they do not like that one bit.  She was neglected by her previous owner and now she hoards food and what she doesn't eat, she covers with socks. LOL.  The other two girls, though, are very patient and love her but do get a little frustrated with her constant attention and need for attention.   Our vet said, give 'em time.  So, we wait.  I won't ever abandon her but it does get tiring.  She doesn't just sit next to us, she has to have her body leaning on us. So, if we move, she falls.  It is so funny.  

I'm getting my grands this weekend.  I cannot wait.  It's been three weeks since they have been with me for more than a couple of hours.  Talk about withdrawal.  I've certainly had it.  

I hope after school is out, that I am able to immerse myself in the board.

 

oh jeannie i am so happy for you!!! i hope this continues to work for you and the pain and suffering is finished!!!! you have been through so much and now this....like i said i hope this is it for you to be well!!!! keep us posted how you are doing when you can....best of luck to you ;-)