Wow…I was just SHOCKED to see all of the wonderful comments from my post yesterday!  Thank you all SO much for the encouragement!

Well, I went to my nutrition class yesterday and my first post-op appt.  The nutrition class went as I’d expected and I really didn’t learn a lot of new info…but it was really good to see some of the ladies that I’d met while in the hospital!

I was the last person to be seen at the doctor’s office, which is OK because the appt’s went VERY quickly as they were mainly just removing drains for people.  They removed my drain, but confirmed that the pain on my left side is indeed a senoma (a pocket of fluid around the incision area).  Nothing to be majorly concerned about, but something I will need to pay attention to and make sure it doesn’t get larger because that could indicate infection and we don’t want that.  It’s a bit painful but I deal with it ok.  The doctor said that it will take a couple of months or so to go away…darn…but nothing I can do about it.  I just ice it from time to time and that seems to help keep the swelling at bay.

The best news about my visit yesterday is that I’ve lost a total of 13 lbs since surgery (in 9 days) and a total of 21 lbs since I went on the liquid diet 2 days prior to surgery!  Isn’t that just astounding?? LOL

I kept expecting the scale to read some strange number and be disappointed as always…but it didn’t and I wasn’t and it was…overwhelming.  The doctor said that I’m doing just great and to keep doing what I’ve been doing and I will be just wonderful!

I’ve been biking on my recumbant bike for 30 min. a day for the past few days along with walking more.  I even went grocery shopping w/ Jason last night.  The senoma hurts when I walk too much so the doctor said that biking is a great alternative because it’s less evasive.  It does help a bit and I enjoy it…so it’s good.

I go back in to the doctor on Aug. 11th for my 3 week follow-up…although I’ll be almost four weeks out by that point.  So…we’ll see where I am then, but for now I’m just going to enjoy watching myself shrink.  Which btw, is the weirdest experience I’ve ever had let me tell you…it’s great, don’t get me wrong…but so strange.

Again…thank you all for your lovely comments and thoughts.

Hi everyone!

I’m sorry that it’s taken SO long for me to update you all on my condition.  The surgery was a success!  When I’d checked into the hospital they weighed me and I’d lost 8 lbs. in two days due to the liquid diet I’d been on. LOL…that was a good start eh?

The doctor said that I only lost 1 ounce of blood during the whole thing and it only took about 1.5 hrs long..which is pretty quick!  I did have some issues with my blood pressure (it was quite high) afterward and was in IMCU for a couple of days…but then was moved to a regular room (on the wrong floor as the regular floor was full…wasn’t happy about that…but that’s a whole other post) late in my second day there.  I’ve had a couple of skin issues from the procedure…excess swelling…blistering and such…but nothing major.  However I do think that I may have some excess fluid around one incision that I’m going to discuss with my doctor today when I go in for my first follow-up appointment. 

I was in the hospital for 4 days total (the extra day due to the blood pressure issue) but everyone told me how well I was doing and let me go pretty quickly on the 4th day.  Things didn’t quite go exactly the way I had anticipated…but it’s done and that’s the most important thing.  Things have been slow going while I’ve been home up until yesterday.  I’d not been able to get up and move around the way I’d hoped to because of the pain and swelling, but yesterday I was up and about quite a bit and am feeling better today as well.

I go in this afternoon for my post-op nutrition class and then over to the doctor’s office to remove a drain from my abdomen.  Jason has the day off and is driving me as I’m not able to drive on my own yet…I’m not off my painkillers yet and can’t drive until I am.  Hopefully, by this weekend I will be able to be a bit more independent.

Okay…well that’s about all the update I can give right now.  I have to get ready to leave for my appointments.

Thank you all for praying and thinking of me during this whole time…you’re the BEST!

I went in yesterday for my pre-op testing and appointment.  It all went very well and quite smoothly…to my relief.

Jason came with me and we met with Dr. Snyder, my surgeon, who was very optimistic about my results from surgery.  He has not only set long term goals for me, but short term ones as well.  He even went so far as to say that I will be quite the little hotty once I’m at my goal weight.  He cracks me up!

Anyway, I started my clear liquid diet today.  All I have to say is that I have drank more fluids today than I thought possible!  I’m on my 10th bottle of water and I’ve had 2 glasses of iced tea, 3 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of Jell-O, and 2 popsicles (all sugar free of course).  My stomach will not quit growling!  It’s driving me insane!!

I have one more day of this and I also have to scrub my body down with betadine tomorrow night and then again Monday morning before the surgery. 

People are a bit nervous in my household, especially my daughters.  My sons don’t really understand all of this, but my girls certainly do and are just a tad bit concerned.  Dora wants to be with me at all times while at the hospital…but that’s not possible, even though she will be with me most of the time.  Corin is going to her grandmother’s along w/ her brother Jonah…and Caleb will stay with my ex-husband on and off over the next week.  It is his last week of school so he can’t stay there the entire time…but will be there all day Monday and in the evenings with the exception of Thursday, which Jason has off of work and will be home.

That’s pretty much my update right now.  The next time that I post anything will not be until after I’m home next week. 

Thanks again for all of the well wishes and support!

Well…after much stress, blood, sweat, and quite a few tears…and a LOT of determination on my part…

SURGERY IS 7/17/06 @ 1:30pm!!!

Yes…I finally got people to do what they were supposed to and got my surgery scheduled.  In fact, in about 20 minutes this morning my status went from almost having surgery rescheduled to having coverage verified and surgery confirmed!  It was total chaos!  However, it’s done now…I’m registered at the hospital and have my pre-op appointments tomorrow and I check-in at the hospital Monday morning at 10:30am.

Maybe now…my emotions won’t be on such a rollercoaster?  I hope so…because the past few months have been BEYOND anything I’ve dealt with before.

Thank you all for all of you support and kind words throughout this entire approval process.  My journey to get to this point has been long and tiring…however, my journey in my new life will begin on Monday…and I can’t wait!

Benefits won’t be reinstated until next week Wednesday…which means my hands are tied until then. 

Been on the phone entirely too much discussing pay and benefits…I hate this.  Was told that I won’t be paid for my “unused” vacation time…only “accrued” vacation time…which is not what was stated (in writing) to me at time of separation.  So now I have to fight that…this is just exhausting.

Oh well…I WILL be the winner in the end though…I can promise you that.  I’m done being nice…now I’ll do whatever it takes to get what they owe me and what was promised to me.  WHATEVER it takes.

I rec’d a call from D at the surgeon’s office first thing this morning telling me that she’d been informed from my insurance that my coverage has been “terminated” as of 6/30/06.  So much for my old company keeping their word.

I spoke w/ many people this morning…and have been told that my COBRA benefits will be effective either later this week or next week.  That, unfortunately doesn’t do me much good right now.  I was told that my surgery “would not be effected” by all of this…that was a lie.

I’m so done with all of this.  I just can’t take this anymore.  I’m tired…I’m beyond stressed and I’ve had it.

Well…today I turn 31 years of age.  I don’t feel any older…but I didn’t expect to see myself where I am at this point in my life today.  I’ve been through a LOT in my 31 years.  Don’t worry, I won’t go into all of that now because well…it would take a great deal of time to cover.  Just look for the book someday okay.