I am so excited. I love my job. Earlier today I saw our first surgery patient. She has lost 20 pounds (that is the two week diet before surgery plus post surgery weight loss!) She was so cute! I know this patient outside the clinic- she is a sweetheart but many people don't see that. She doesn't smile a lot. It is hard to know if she is joking or not due to that. But rest assured she is a kind hearted woman! She came in today and was such a different person! She is smiling. She had rosey red cheerful cheeks. Her attitude was so different- awake- alive- excited! It brings tears to my eyes to see this change in her! It is so wonderful!
I am so happy and proud to be a part of a program that will bring about these kinds of changes for someone. This patient was SOOOO Ready for this surgical tool! She is going to be a success! She is beautiful inside and out! I think this is going to be my favorite success story! She is going to do great!
I wonder if I changed so much so quickly like she has. How fun for me to see this transformation in her! I look at my before pics and how I look now- I can see some of that in me as well. It isn't about the looks for me- that was just a bonus! It was about my health- being alive for grandkids, being able to take care of my son with special needs, feeling better.... but to be honest- I am enjoying the looking better part as well. It is so nice not to cringe when looking in the mirror. I think I have said it before but I actually take some time in the mirror!!! do a little posing- and many time: I EVEN SMILE!!!!
I cannot even begin to express how much this program means to me. How great it is to offer this tool to others. How great it is to be a small part of their journey. And how honored I am that I was chosen to be a part of the clinic. The clinic- your loss, your gain..... my loss was my gain.... in more ways than I ever thought possible!
until I blog again......
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Life
The first 2 surgeries for the hospital went well! My port revision surgery went well too! I went home that same afternoon. BUT before I left I was hurting so I had the dr give me a nerve blocker. It took care of most of the pain but not all of it. I went home and took a nap.
When I woke up I was in so much pain! That same pain that put me in the hospital in January and Febuary- I went to the emergency room for a shot. The dr ordered a cat scan with an IV contrast. I am so tired of the iv's!
They were going to send me home after the test but the pain shot made me pretty sick. I was nauseated and dizzy. So instead of wheeling me out to the car- they wheeled me into a hospital room! UGH I slept most of the night. Had another shot around 3 or 6 or something.... not sure. I slept most of the day - the ob/gyn dr came in and talked to me. He said that the endometriosis they found when they removed the ovaries had probably created an implant - I guess where it breaks off and embeds itselt in the tissue walls. Then once a month there is bleeding into the walls and that all causes pain. So the solution is to kill of my estrogen. So I have two injections of Lupron. One now and one in three months. This all makes sense since the worst of the pain has been once a month about the same time of month.
So the pain is under control. I have not taken anything for it for a week. I got the lupron injection Thursday. It should kill of the estrogen and that will kill off the endometriosis- if I am understanding everything correctly! So it is a faster progression into full menopause. The dr told my husband that I would be kind of grouchy for a while but I would be back to my old self soon. That would be nice!!
I was so totally worn out this past week. I was thinking I will never be my old self again. In addition to everything else- I have a lump on the palm of my hand. There was some concern that it might be cancerous. So Thursday morning I went to the hand specialist. He said the chances of cancer is lower then the basement of the building. He said he can remove the lump if it I wanted it removed- the fact that it is growing and painful is why I should have it removed. They will still send the lump to pathology to have it tested to see what it is. The surgery is outpatient, they put my arm to sleep not my whole body! I will have a big bandage like a boxing glove he said. Then after a week just regular bandaids. The surgery will be done out of town - the dr is also going to remove a cyst on my index finger of the same hand. This is my left hand- my writing hand!!! so if they are going to work on it they might as well take care of all of it. I can still do my hospital work. I can type one handed!! The writing part will slow me down!! guess I will practice using my right hand! =)
Ty talked to me into taking the whole day off Thursday to rest. I was so tired- so I did. I came home and spent the rest of the day in bed. I spent most of yesterday in bed as well. I am feeling better and have more energy. I hope I am reaching the end of all of this!!! Some days I feel like it is about over and other days I feel like there is so much more to come! So I am just trying to stay as healthy as I can otherwise and regain all the strength I can so I can face the next day.
Until I blog again....
When I woke up I was in so much pain! That same pain that put me in the hospital in January and Febuary- I went to the emergency room for a shot. The dr ordered a cat scan with an IV contrast. I am so tired of the iv's!
They were going to send me home after the test but the pain shot made me pretty sick. I was nauseated and dizzy. So instead of wheeling me out to the car- they wheeled me into a hospital room! UGH I slept most of the night. Had another shot around 3 or 6 or something.... not sure. I slept most of the day - the ob/gyn dr came in and talked to me. He said that the endometriosis they found when they removed the ovaries had probably created an implant - I guess where it breaks off and embeds itselt in the tissue walls. Then once a month there is bleeding into the walls and that all causes pain. So the solution is to kill of my estrogen. So I have two injections of Lupron. One now and one in three months. This all makes sense since the worst of the pain has been once a month about the same time of month.
So the pain is under control. I have not taken anything for it for a week. I got the lupron injection Thursday. It should kill of the estrogen and that will kill off the endometriosis- if I am understanding everything correctly! So it is a faster progression into full menopause. The dr told my husband that I would be kind of grouchy for a while but I would be back to my old self soon. That would be nice!!
I was so totally worn out this past week. I was thinking I will never be my old self again. In addition to everything else- I have a lump on the palm of my hand. There was some concern that it might be cancerous. So Thursday morning I went to the hand specialist. He said the chances of cancer is lower then the basement of the building. He said he can remove the lump if it I wanted it removed- the fact that it is growing and painful is why I should have it removed. They will still send the lump to pathology to have it tested to see what it is. The surgery is outpatient, they put my arm to sleep not my whole body! I will have a big bandage like a boxing glove he said. Then after a week just regular bandaids. The surgery will be done out of town - the dr is also going to remove a cyst on my index finger of the same hand. This is my left hand- my writing hand!!! so if they are going to work on it they might as well take care of all of it. I can still do my hospital work. I can type one handed!! The writing part will slow me down!! guess I will practice using my right hand! =)
Ty talked to me into taking the whole day off Thursday to rest. I was so tired- so I did. I came home and spent the rest of the day in bed. I spent most of yesterday in bed as well. I am feeling better and have more energy. I hope I am reaching the end of all of this!!! Some days I feel like it is about over and other days I feel like there is so much more to come! So I am just trying to stay as healthy as I can otherwise and regain all the strength I can so I can face the next day.
Until I blog again....
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
update
Life is improving for me- finally- knock on wood. The surgeon decided that it was possibly a nerve issue. So he tried a nerve blocking injection. IT WORKED- I was pain free for a bit. I had another one the next day and that lasted about 5 days. I had another one 4 days after that one wore off (he was out of town- finally tracked down someone who could administer the same injection). I was concerned because the next day I was pretty miserable again- so at that point I decided I was never going to be pain free again so I might as well live with it and not let it stop me. SO off to the gym I went with my husband. I got on the elliptical thinking I would just move slowly- that hurt! The faster I moved -the less pain I had. The cool down was the most painful part of it!! I was hurting pretty good when I went to work that day (thank goodness it was Saturday and I don't have to work 8 hours nor do I have to move a lot). That was March 7- Sunday morning I woke up feeling pretty good! We went to a baby blessing for my great niece and then to her house for lunch. I was able to enjoy the whole event and then go home and enjoy time with my kids and hubby. It was probably one of the best days I have had since this whole ordeal started January 14. Yesterday was a pretty good day as well! I am so happy to feel so good! I just worry it won't last!!
Yesterday was a busy busy day trying to get ready for this Friday! Those first lapband surgeries!!! I am so excited. We have just about all the supplies we need- have the last item on its way from another hospital per courier. I need to work on my radio ad, get the dr to sign off on his radio ad, get the bill board worked out with our public relations department, and about a hundred other things! Thank goodness I am feeling better! My port revision is still going to happen- thank goodness. And if the pain continues after this week- I am going to see a pain specialist. She can inject the nerve with something to kill it so there is no more problems. I can live with that. I can't wait to have my band filled again as well. I have gained some weight since January.
Until I blog again....
Yesterday was a busy busy day trying to get ready for this Friday! Those first lapband surgeries!!! I am so excited. We have just about all the supplies we need- have the last item on its way from another hospital per courier. I need to work on my radio ad, get the dr to sign off on his radio ad, get the bill board worked out with our public relations department, and about a hundred other things! Thank goodness I am feeling better! My port revision is still going to happen- thank goodness. And if the pain continues after this week- I am going to see a pain specialist. She can inject the nerve with something to kill it so there is no more problems. I can live with that. I can't wait to have my band filled again as well. I have gained some weight since January.
Until I blog again....
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