Fire in the hole

Not really. Because if that were true I'd be one happy camper.

For the most part, there hasn't been anything to report. I've been holding at the same weight. Still hungry. Probably eating more than I should be, but really trying to watch it. I get my second fill next Monday. I'm still a little nervous because I still have this pain in my left side. It's the same pain, in the same spot that landed me in the emergency room. I can only assume it's gas. (Now you get the fire in the hole reference, don't you?)

It comes and goes as does the intensity. Friday evening I was in a lot of pain again. Not as bad as the ER visit, but that may have been because I knew what it was this time? 
At any rate, it's not as bad as it was, but it's still there...nagging...every time I take a deep breath, every time I have to sneeze....

I don't know what's causing it...I can't pin it on a specific food.
Normally I would have no problem just hitting up my GP and asking for an xray or some advice, but it's a new year, which means a new insurance deductible has to be met. My deductible is $800. I suppose, maybe it would make sense for me to just do it and get the deductible portion over with. Then any future issues I won't have so much concern. I know! Maybe I'll just move to Europe until this is all over. Because clearly that would cost me less money? Smart idea, genius.

In other news, we have a crap load of snow here in Milwaukee. It blows. 

MIA

It appears my humor is MIA. I've looked everywhere for it, but I can't seem to find it. Although, my house is a pigsty, so it could be hiding under a pile of dirty dishes. It's hard to say.

It's been a rough week or so.
I will admit part of me is regretting the decision to do this. Wednesday I had another gas episode. Then I was pretty good until Christmas. Christmas evening I had another one, which seemed to pass quickly (pun intended). Then yesterday afternoon and evening I was in bed all day again feeling miserable. It appears to be food related--shellfish and eggs, but I'm not taking the chance again to find out for sure.

Today is much better. However, I do feel sore inside. It's kind of odd. It feels like I pulled a muscle, but I think it's still some trapped gas.

It leaves me asking questions like, am I going to deal with this all my life? Because if so, I'm tapping out. Spitting out my mouth guard, wiping down the sweat, and tapping out. It leaves me questioning myself and my doctor. I thought I was a VERY thorough patient the 6 months leading up to this. I asked alot of questions, did alot of research, and talked to alot of people. But, clearly, because I'm not an expert in this field, I expected my doctor to have a bit of knowledge to give me...the things that I couldn't possibly know to ask. And yet, I didn't find out about the gas pains in my shoulder that would occur until a few days before surgery. Nor did I know that eating certain foods afterwards may cause a Hiroshima like incident in my stomach leading me to the ER.

I'm feeling alot less confident in my doctor these days. I don't really trust him anymore which isn't the best relationship to have with the person who is sticking a needle in you.
I'm hoping I will slowly but surely return to normal this week. I weighed in this morning at 259. The good thing is it doesn't seem so overwhelming anymore. I don't have SO much more to lose and if I take it in stages I really only have two stages left before I get to my first goal....so that's something....

By the way...if anyone finds my humor and happiness, please send it back. It's microchipped.

Decision made

So, we ended up going to the ER last night. The pain was getting unbearable again, plus I was starting to panic. You know how you automatically think the worst? I was convinced I was having a heart attack, stroke, and a baby all at the same time.

We went to the new Columbia St. Mary's, which is where I had the surgery done. I'll tell you, if you have to go to the hospital, that's the place to be. It's like a hotel. And while we were still in the ER for three hours, I didn't have to wait in the waiting room. I was literally taken back right away and seen almost immediately by a nurse.

They thought at first the pain might be a kidney stone. Thank goodness it wasn't. They did an Xray and they said it was real bad gas plus a UTI. Which I kind of thought it was, but I'm glad I went and figured out it wasn't something more serious. It gave me the peace I needed. They gave me IV tramadol I think it was and it worked great.
Today it seems to be much better. It's getting better as the day goes on and I hope tomorrow it will be completely gone.

In other news, the RN for my Dr's office called this morning. I ignored the call because I was still pissed from the experience yesterday. They ended up calling my mom because she is listed as the emergency contact.
Mom gave them an earful and I was glad because then I didn't have to do the dirty work myself. She told them she was not pleased with how I was treated yesterday.

And of course, the RN was very apologetic when I got on the phone and said the Dr was very worried and didn't mean to make it sound like he was being dissmissive. I wanted to say "If that's the case then the little bitch should be calling me himself" but I didn't.
She also said that after I left they were discussing it and he thought maybe I had a kidney stone....ummm....you didn't think that warranted a call back to me just as a head's up and a maybe you should go to the ER after all?

I see him again on the 3rd so it will be interesting to see his interactions with me.

Full of hot air

Or just air in general. I'm still doing ok. Still generally not in a lot of pain from the actual incisions. Yesterday I over did it a little. Was feeling good so I went to Target with my mom. My alter ego apparantly is NOT SuperWoman because that was a little much.
Since I started really moving around more the gas pains are really getting to me. When they do the surgery, the doctor pumps air into you so he can see better.

I mean really, couldn't he just have put some glasses on or something? I feel like Violet from Willy Wonka, except I'm not filled with blueberry juice.

The gas pains have been getting worse. I had been eating Gas X pills like they were candy, but they weren't really doing much. I sent Nils to the store for the Gas X strips and within 5 seconds of taking those I felt relief. Don't know why the difference, seems random, but I don't care, it worked!!!! 
Some of you have asked a little more about the surgery. Here's a good and simple website. Doesn't give a TON of detail, but it describes it pretty well.

http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/tecmain.html

In non WLS news, one of the cats is peeing outside the litterbox again.

Hey, Cats, I get it. I wouldn't want to pee in a box either, but the other option is for you to learn how to use the toilet. Which I don't see happening.
Two of the cats have histories of bladder infections, but the vet has no openings today so I can't take them in to get checked. I'm not sure if one of them is protesting or if something is wrong. Although, I am unsure what they would be protesting? Their wonderful food? Their abundance of furry cat beds? The fact that they get treated better than most humans I encounter?

I hate that I have to wait until Tuesday morning now. But at least I'll be able to take both of them in and get it over with.