What's on your Monday Menu?

Good morning JB and menu friends! I was having computer issues last week, we do not have an onsite It team and it was a nightmare. My new laptop is now up and fully functional!

Congrats on the interview! I work 1.5 miles from home, we will have to compare travel time! LOL I do not have to deal with any traffic. I have very quiet commute.

Good weekend for us, Friday night Joddie went to a Christmas Craft thingy ( Painted a Christmas Bear on a Maple Sap bucket) and Ryley and I went to a college Hockey game and Saturday we attended a Turkey raffle. Our spend exceeded our winnings, but for a good cause and I was handed an application to Join the Lions club, though am going to politely decline the offer.

I have organized a Thanksgiving basket giveaway at work for the last few years and this year we are doing 3 Baskets( Turkey and all fixins) Hannaford had Shady Grove Turkeys on sale for .49 a lb!!! People in entry level positions are eligible for the drawing.

QOTD - I spend too much time on FB....LOL....I am known for responding that I am "going" to most events I see....LOL......

B - 2 good yogurt

L - egg Salad and chicken salad ala carte

S - cukes and ranch

D - tacos on net zero carb tortillas

Stay healthy my friends, Mike

Hello OH Friends

well after 31 days in the hospital I was discharged home on Wednesday. I was hoping to go to intensive rehab to regain strength and hopefully recover the drop foot. Apparently I was too high functioning to be accepted to rehab. I am happy to be home though.

Here is a recap:

So I had my RNY in 3/21. Then an internal hernia sometime a year later. The internal hernia was sutured with silk sutures to prevent it from reoccurring. On 10/7 I had intractable 10/10 abdominal pain, went to the ER and had a volvulus with extensive involvement with the small bowel and colon. The silk sutures had dissolved which is very rare. I then underwent a 3 stage surgery 1. To untwist the internal hernia and remove dead bowel. 2. Reassess the bowel for viability, resection of more bowel 3. Again Doppler for bowel blood flow and closure of abdominal incision. I was sedated during this whole episode so don't remember anything. I continued with having a NGT for another 10 days for decompression. I was doing good then on 10/19 )I was still in the hospital) I developed abdominal pain again. CT scan revealed a bowel leak so back to surgery for repair. After this my RNY was reversed, remanent stomach and duodenum reattached. They reinserted the NGT in the same nare causing an arterial bleed from the nose which sent me back to surgery for cautery and nasal packing. I then earned myself a g-tube since ENT said no to any more NGTs. A final surgery was to reanastomsis of all gi parts. I am left with sigmoid colon (thankfully I had a redundant sigmoid), no ileum, shortened Jejuneum, duodenum and stomach. I also developed foot drop during the last 3 surgeries (was done on consecutive days). My right foot has improved but left is still floppy. Due to short bowel syndrome I have been sent home on TPN while I try to get my calories and protein intake improved and absorbing nutrients. I still have the g-tube and PICC plus a wound vac. I finally was discharged home on Wednesday after 31 days in the hospital. I guess there were a few touch and go instances where the providers weren't sure I would live but thanks to DH's advocacy I am still here. I am slowly improving, weak as a new born baby, using a walker. That is how I have been. It has been a real **** show.

Today I need to get some labs drawn to check different levels. I was discharged anemic after 18 units of blood products I am also iron deficient DH is diligent in making sure I get a variety of vitamins but the question is how much am I actually absorbing. I entered the hospital weighing 135, today I weighed 119.6 . Lots of muscle loss. Looking scrawny but hey I am alive.

QOTD: probably just playing games

My diet has gone through a dramatic change. I am currently trying to maximize protein intake and calories to help with healing. Once healed my diet will continue to be different due to the short bowel syndrome. A new learning experience. Dang just when I had the RNY diet dialed in.

Very glad to hear that you are home. The battle continues. You started this awful part of your journey strong from all your yoga and weights. That is a good place to start if you have to enter a **** show. I hope you feel stronger everyday and manage to find foods that support your recovery. What a mess. Sorry you have been through the wringer!

That's tough when you feel you could use the support of a rehab facility but they think you are too well for it. Glad you had a good advocate in your hubby

OMG I am so so sorry that you've been through this! I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy! Much love and healing your way

Wow, what a terrible way to get too skinny! I am so so so so sorry that you went through all of this. I hope your family takes great care of you and dotes on your every wish!

I really appreciate you taking the time to share all the details with us so that everyone knows how to advocate for themselves if something doesn't feel right.

I'm so glad you are home and hoping the rest of the recovery is smooth. I've been thinking about you and am glad you're able to post.

Thanks so much for the update. I'm very sorry this has all landed on you. What a horrible ordeal.

Take care of yourself. Please keep checking in if you feel up to it. Biggest hugs.

It's good to see you, Lana. We have been thinking about you.

Oh Lana, what an ordeal. I am so sorry you went through this and glad your husband is there for you. You were doing so well in September at the conference. Use the walker as long as you need it and heal quickly.