Question:
Thanking you for your support.

I wanted to thank all of you who kept in contact with my fiance, Dana, after hearing of the problems that I had. As some of you know, I had an Open RNY on December 1st and contacted pnuemonia on December 3rd. I just got out of the hospital this past Wednesday and I'm finally able to sit up at the computer. Even though this hospital has handled bariatric patients before, someone did slip up and did not get me out of bed after the surgery. For some reason, I was thoroughly drugged up and do not remember the first four days. I also had a floor fan that was put on the snack table beside my bed - this I feel did not help the situation at all. I was very fevered & delerious for almost 4 days. According to this hospital when the anesthetic is coming out of your system, it makes you feel very warm for a few days so I begged to be cooled off so they gave me a fan. This could have contributed to the the pnuemonia. My fiance and my mother who has come out from AZ to help with me and the kids, felt helpless because they knew per LiteLife that I should be walking; however, they couldn't keep me awake from all the drugs I was on - I would fall asleep during a breathing treatment or just talking to them. All flowers delivered to my room had to be taken elsewhere and no-one could wear flowery scented perfume, lotion, etc. - it would set a coughing spasm off. The hospital delivered a breathing machine to my home yesterday and I have treatments every 3 hours. However, if my condition doesn't improve by Monday afternoon, I'll be put back in the hospital. I was weighed 10 days after surgery and had lost 8 lbs - even while laying on my back. To all of you pre-op's... even I moaned & groaned about filling out the medical history forms; however.. YOU MUST and you must do so TRUTHFULLY! I am 40 years old and as a child, I suffered from bronchial asthma. In the past 10 years, I've had just 4 episodes that required breathing treatments. I've also smoked 1 pack a day for 6 years, quitting on Thanksgiving day. I'm sure all this did help contribute to the pnuemonia I'm suffering from now. Anyway... I'm exhausted and it's taken me almost an hour to write this; but, I wanted to especially thank Carolyn, Angel, Irene, Mike, Lois-Ann & Bev who kept in constant contact with Dana and I wanted to thank all of you who thought & prayed for me. Please pray for strength for me to fight this - I want to be with my kids at Christmas and not back in that hospital. My love to all of you... Peri    — Peri B. (posted on December 11, 1999)

December 11, 1999
Hi Peri, I was upset to hear that you had developed pneumonia but, thank g-d that you made it through the surgery. I am so glad that you are out of the hospital and feeling better even though you may not be 100% at the moment. I will pray that you stay out of the hospital and get to spend Christmas at home with your family. Everything will work out in the end. Just get lots of rest and follow the breathing treatments. Before you know it you'll be back on your feet. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
   — Jodie R.

December 12, 1999
Best wishes to you Peri. It should get better. I hope that you are up and about soon. When that does happen, please walk and don't stop. It will help your lungs become stronger too. Hugs!! -Toni
   — Toni K.