Losing Weight and On the Road

I continue to lose weight at a very rapid pace but truthfully, I don't feel any different. My clothes are much larger and the scales say that I have lost around 30lbs but I don't feel like it. Also, I weigh around 235 lbs right now and started out at around 268. I am concerned that I am going to continue to lose weight and get below what I am trying to get too. It is coming off rapidly.

Today was really rough, I have felt extremely weak all day. It has been a strange day. I am thinking that my sleep apnea is starting up again. I have not been wearing the CPAP mask, so that could be it.

Meals continue to be a real challenge. I am able to eat most foods now but you have to eat really slow. If the texture of the food is wrong or you eat too fast, up it comes. It is a gut wrenching pain and it does not let up. I can't really describe it. Kinda like getting punched from the inside. You can also feel the food when it gets stuck. That hurts too. The bottom line is, eat slow. If you go out to eat, order soup. That is the easiest thing to eat. At least through the first 4 weeks.

I am coming to terms with the whole thing and feel better about the surgery. I had some challenges with that early on in the process. You need to prepare for those psychological issues, it will come. This is not reversible and that hits home in the first few weeks.

Had to travel on the road for my job last week. I got in Thursday night and was completely exhausted. I had horrible stomach problems during my trip. I didn't eat a lot, mostly just soup. I wasn't physically ready to go on this trip but my company needed me to go. So I went.

I am not due to see Dr Clements for another few weeks.

Meal Challenges and Vitamins

I had a good day today but still cannot eat very much at one sitting and end up eating all day. I eat a little bit and then go back an hour later and eat some more. It is a constant process. I am taking the chewable vitamins and am really getting tired of those. They are chewable and like horse pills. You have to eat 2 multi's and 3 calciums a day and it just seems to consume the day. I am also taking a protein supplement called Matrix and it is a chocolate shake. Between that and the vitamins, it just stinks. But, it will work out in time.

Dr. Clements mentioned to me that the liver stores 5 months of B12. I assume sometime later in the spring I will have to start taking those injections. I am not looking forward to it.

I do not know how much weight I have lost, since I do not have a scale. I assume its a lot but not sure.

2 Week Follow Up

I had my two week follow up last Friday, the gout is more or less clear. I weigh 248 lbs and have lost about 20 lbs.

My appointment was for 8am. I got there and didn't have to wait very long. Early appointments are the best for getting in and out. Anyways, I am ushered back and in comes the interns. They ask me a bunch of questions and in the middle of the discussion in walks Dr Clements. He basically asked me the same questions and gave me the same advice. This whole process is very scripted and intended to herd everyone in and out like cattle.

He tells me that I can resume a normal diet.

I asked him about B12 and he confirms that I may need to take shots forever. That stinks.

I leave there and am given labs to go draw. So, I go to the lab and have my blood drawn. Then I am out.

Well, I can eat a normal diet but I can't eat a normal diet. A bite or two of anything fills me up immediately. Plus, the process of eating is not a pleasant experience. I hope that it gets better.

My first normal meal was at KFC. A piece of chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. I ate two or three bites of everything and was full to the point of being sick. It was not a good experience. I threw most of the food away.

Trip to the ER and a Week at Mom's House

The gout got so bad that I had to go back in to the ER. Of course, Dr Clements was no help at all and I really felt that he left me hanging. I went to the ER at UAB and waited for 8 hours in the waiting area. Finally, they sent me to the back and I was able to see a useless ER doc. It was not helpful at all. They wanted to give me a pain shot and send me home for the gout. This was a severe attack of gout and a pain shot and then going home was not going to suffice. Anyways, argued with the ER doc and then got the attending. He called the rheumatology on call and they told me that they would call me the next day. I got a shot of steroid and a pain shot, then was sent home. After 14 hours in the ER!!! A horrible experience in a horrible ER. UAB should be ashamed.

Anyways, the next day the rheumatology oncall doc never called. Fought with the Kirklin Clinic for several hours. Still in horrible pain, called Dr Clements and no help. Finally, that night Dr Chandler calls me and tells me that I can have the priviledge of seeing him the next day.

I go see Dr Chandler and he draws a fluid sample off of my knee and then injects my knee with steroids.

So, finally, after several days in pain I am finally treated.

I was very disappointed with the whole experience and left feeling like I was treated like a number with no regard for the extreme pain and discomfort. Not to mention that I am still very much in pain from the surgery.

I was still on a soft diet with soups/mashed potato/grits as my primary diet. It was a horrible time. I also make my 2 week appointment with Clements office and try to spend time recovering from the gout.

Due to my problems post surgery, I also decide to stay at Mom's because it is closer to UAB.

Here is a pic of the abdomen, after surgery.

3rd Day After Surgery and Going Home

On the second day, they fed me jello. On the 3rd day, I got scambled eggs. Keep in mind, I had an absolutely horrible taste in my mouth and then these eggs. It was horrible. I ate a few bites and then had this egg taste in my mouth. This taste lasted a few days.

The Dr. Clements came in that morning and told me I could go home. Gave me my discharge instructions, etc and I was released mid-afternoon.

I felt like crap. I was still hurting, couldn't eat, and was generally scattered from the anesthesia.

I got home and the gout attack re-surfaced but much, much worse. So, I am now hurting from the surgery and the gout is a 1o on the pain scale, I am sick at my stomach can't eat, etc. I was generally miserable and was seriously doubting my decision to do the surgery.

I could eat only soft foods, like mashed potatoes or grits. But, I really didn't have a desire to eat.

Dr Clements really disappointed me on the gout since I had warned him that I felt it would be a problem. I didn't feel that he ever really addressed it as an issue.

2nd Day After Surgery

Jan 1, Happy New Year!!!

It is a Thursday and I woke up on the second day with a visit from Dr Clements. I was still in a lot of pain, nausea, and feeling like I had the flu. I also had a pulling sensation on my left side when I moved. Anyways, he sent me for a Fluoro scan and a CT scan. The nurse came in and started yelling at me to get into the wheel chair and that I had to go to radiology. I don't respond well to people yelling at me. Needless to say, we didn't hit it off from that point forward. I ended up down in radiology for several hours without my morphine and in a lot of pain. It was absolutely miserable. Anyways, the test all came back ok with no leakage.

Got back to the room and started yelling for my morphine. Got it and slipped back off into magic land for several hours.

I do remember the fever was around 100 degrees for most of this day. A low grade fever makes for a generally miserable time anyways.

They have me on a liquid diet only. Of course, I have no interest in eating anything. They are all pushing me to get out of bed. And, the oxygen thing runs through water and bubbles constantly. At first I did not notice it, but it eventually started to really get on my nerves.

Also, the anesthesia just wasn't wearing off. I have a rough time with that anyways. So, I am generally scattered.

Above all, I want everyone to understand the absolute misery involved in day 2. Everything hurts and you will be very sick at your stomach.

Surgery and the First Day

I had to be at the hospital at 5am that morning. The intake process went really smooth and before long I was in a bed in the pre-surgery area. They assigned me a nurse and he proceeded to try and start an IV. It took him 5 times before he gave up and called another nurse. They finally called my wife back and the wait began for the trip to the OR.

I was nervous and still highly doubtful on whether I should even do this surgery.

Anyways, before long they called me and I was wheeled into an OR and moved to a small table. They gave me some drugs for anxiety. I was joking with the people in the room and then I was out.

Then, I woke up in the recovery room. Surgery was done. The moment that I came back to reality was the absolute most pain that I have ever felt. I thought that I was going to die. It was excruciating and overwhelming. They gave me morphine, it didn't really help. I was in the recovery room for over 9 hours and it still feels like 15 minutes. It was definitely beyond what I was prepared for.

The regrets then came in on my like torrents. I kept saying over and over "Oh my god, what have I done."

They finally moved me to a room and the hours began to creep by slowly. It was essentially measured by the number of minutes before the next morphine injection.

I have a lot to write on this first few days, so I will break it into several post.