I almost Died....

Hey Guys/Gals, I'm going to repost this on the main board; but I wanted my VA folks to hear it first. About a month after my WLS I was diagnosed with Gastritis. This is a bacteria that embeds itself in the mucus lining of your pouch. I was told to take Prilosec for a few months and it should go away and I did. Well, I didn't have anymore problems with it after a few months so I stoped taking it. Come to find out, this weekend, it hadn't gone away and with all the stressors in my life it turned into a bleeding ulcer. So here's the story. I woke up Saturday feeling kind of blah. No energy and kept taking cat naps all day. I went over to the soon to be ex's house because the kids were decorating eggs for easter the next day. The whole time I was there I told her that I just wasn't feeling right; but I managed to stay until the kids finished decorating the eggs and even did one of my own. I finally told her that I just had to go home because I wasn't feeling well at all. I got home around 8:30pm, and crashed on the couch until about 9:30. I got up and went to use the bathroom and discovered that I had a pretty good bit of blood in my stool. Now, as some of you know, I've just been put on Lexapro for my depression and thought, "Maybe this was one of the side effects?", and I'd need to check into it on Monday. I laid back down on the couch until my Mom called @ 10:30. I told her I wasn't feeling good and I was going to bed. Well, I got up and went to the bathroom again and this time it was a significant amount of blood pouring out. The curtain started closing in on me and everything started going black. All the while I started dry heaving in the middle of my body trying to pass out. I some how managed to catch myself with one hand on the tub and the other grasping hold of the sink; when the thought occured to me, "You're here by yourself and there's no one that can help you. You have to get to the phone!" I started making a conscience effort to take deep breaths in order to get as much oxygen back into my brain to stop me passing out on the floor. By this time I KNEW that something just wasn't right. I managed to get to the phone and dial 911. When the rescue squad got there my bp was 90/70. They took me to the ER and almost immediately started two transfusions, one in each arm, after scoping me and seeing I had a upper GI bleeding ulcer. They cauderized (sp?) it and off to ICU I went. Later, Sunday afternoon, the doctor who had done the cauderizing came in and gave me an update. I asked him if I'd be able to go home that evening. He kind of looked at me as though I had lost my mind and said, "Mr. Barron, we almost lost you last night. You lost over 1/3 of your blood supply....No. You'll be staying here for 3-4 days!" Apparently, the combination of stress with the gastritus, the soon to be ex, the girlfriend, finances, taking classes towards my Masters degree, work, and alcohol really triggered my ulcer to take off like a bat out of hell! It still seems surreal that I "almost died" and would've left SO MANY loved ones behind, not to mention my 5 yr old boy and 2 yr old girl, and I didn't even realize what was happening to me all day Saturday. I'm also on several different antibiotics to try and kill the bacteria and heal the ulcer. Its some VERY SCARY STUFF and I'm glad to be back at work, although I'm not certain how long I'll be able to stay. Still feeling very weak; but I guess that's to be expected when you loose over 1/3 of your blood supply. I just wanted to let you guys know and be warned that if you have gastritus, its NOTHING TO PLAY WITH! That being said, I do not regret having made the decision to have my WLS. The chances of someone developing this type of ulcer, as a result of gastritus, is @ 1-600; but that one may not be as fortunate as I. There is NO DOUBT, that had I not caught myself from hitting the bathroom floor and made a considerible effort not to pass out. I would've been found dead on Easter Sunday in a pool of my own blood. Good luck to everyone and I sit here VERY, VERY, VERY, thankful that my life's journey was allowed to continue. Keith

So happy you got to that phone. Glad you are feeling better. Hope you are better than normal soon. I am having stomach issues and pain no one can figure out as of yet. Hope they do soon. Shannon

Hope they figure it out and your pouch stops giving you issues soon! Keith

OMG ... I am sitting here crying Keith .... the thought of me or any of us loosing you or anyone here tears me apart . Do you need anything ? You know I am only minutes from you . I am so so sorry this happend to you . I am so very glad you pulled through.. and you are going to be ok right ?? Please keep all of us posted on your condition and again .. I am here for you if you need me . Love , Natalie

Nat, Hey Darlin! Don't cry! I'm still a little weak; but I'll be alright. You know all the crap I've been having to put up with and I decided to just let it all go and simply concentrate on the Kidos and getting better. I have one last final to take next week and I'll be done with my classes then. Thank you and I appreciate your support more than you know. Keith

I am so sorry to hear about your awful experience but am glad that you are back on the road to recovery! Someone was definitely looking out for you!! Hope you are back to new soon! Christine

Thanks Christine! I'm sure I'll be back to normal soon! Keith

Keith, I'm so sorry for all that you have gone through. I pray for God's healing for you physically and emotionally for the ordeal you have incurred. This is a lesson to us all about LISTENING to our bodies and seeking help sooner rather than later. Thank God for placing angels around you for protection. Thanks for sharing your story as a wake up call to us all. Take Good Care! Jean

Wow Keith. What a way to spend the weekend. I am glad that you were able to stay strong and get the help you needed. I hope you start feeling better soon and find a way to control some of those stressors & keep it under control. Courtney

Thanks Courtney. I've basicly just thrown my hands up and let everything go except my kids, my job, and one more final to get through. It's pretty wild how those things that seemed to weigh so heavily on your mind don't really amount to a whole lot after you've almost met your maker. Thanks again. Keith