Great Day!

Today is a great day! I woke up without that familiar feeling of nausea! That in itself was fabulous. Then discovered that I could drink water! Ye Ha! Had two crackers with cheese for snack around 10 am and because that went down so well, I actually had chicken soup for lunch! At 3 pm I had 12 almonds and that went down without a hitch!. I feel great. I am warm (for a change) and have lots of energy. All I want is for this to happen every day. I'm now off to eat a little dinner. Wish me luck for tomorrow

Scope Results

Since I spent most of last weekend in the emergency room, Dr. Hagen decided to move up my scope from Oct. 24 to Oct 17. So here are the results. Dr. Hagen found that the junction between the pouch and the small intestine had indeed become a stricture and had closed up to a "tight fit". (I think Dr. Hagen didn't want to tell me how much it closed up because I was extremely nervous about the whole procedure.) He was able to dilate the stricture to 12mm. This, I was happy about.

However, I was unhappy about the process. I guess my gag reflexes had become so sensitive that, even after I had been sedated, I kept trying to throw up the tubes that were in my throat during the procedure. I woke up several times gagging and keenly aware of a reddish/brown pool of liquid coming out of my mouth and collecting on the cloth under my face. It was not pleasant. After the procedure, I discovered that my throat had been scraped up quite badly and I have been having a really difficult time swallowing.

In regards to the success of the dilatation though, you will be happy to know that food (and water) are now staying down. Since I haven't eaten is so long I am having a bit to trouble with the sensation of solid food in my stomach. It feels really heavy and is uncomfortable.

As for the future, there is a possibility that the junction could tighten up again. If I begin to feel pain or begin throwing up again, I am to call Dr. Hagen and arrange to meet him at the hospital for a second dilation. Let's just hope that this does not happen. I would really like things to go a bit more smoothly from now on.

Rings

Because I have lost so much weight, I have not been able to wear my wedding ring for about 8 weeks now. I started going through my old jewelry looking for rings to fill the empty space on my finger. I happened across several during the last couple of weeks that have easily slipped back into place. However, today I came across something that I never thought that I would be ever be able to wear again. It is the silver and black onyx ring my parents gave to me upon my graduation from university. A simple and beautiful ring that holds a special place in my heart.

Mom, Dad, thanks for the memories.

The Emergency Room

I have been throwing up now for 8 days straight. Yes, I have been to the doctor's and I do have a scope scheduled. So there is not a damn thing I can do. In the meantime, ever time I put something in my mouth I start throwing up. And not just once or twice. I throw up about every 20 minutes for 6 - 8 hours.

Last night it started again. I just could not face another night of agony and sleeplessness so I asked Chris to take me to the emergency room. I knew that they were not going to find anything, but I just really wanted them to make the vomiting stop. Eight hours later I got to go home. My blood pressure was fine and the black substance I was vomiting was not blood but acid from my gut. I didn't have any blockages in either my stomach or bowels. They gave me something to stop the vomiting and pumped 4 liters of fluids into me. They also gave me a prescriptions to stop the nausea at home while I am waiting for the scope. Not the best time in my life but at least today I can drink water and keep it down. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

New Photos

June 19 2007

October 11, 2007

Total weight loss so far is 86lbs. And yes, I can finally see that I am loosing weight!

Unfortunately, the throwing up has not stopped and, in fact, has become worse. During the past week, I spent 5 days in a row throwing up. I was not even able to keep water down, let alone food.

I am scheduled for a gastroscopy procedure on Wednesday, October 24. Dr. Hagen will put a scope down my throat and take a look inside the pouch and just below it. He will be looking for any strictures or ulcers. If he finds a stricture he will attempt to widen it so that food will pass more easily from the pouch to the small intestine. There is a risk of perforation, but I really don't have a choice.

Wish me luck!

By the way, the pants that I am wearing in the most recent picture are a pair of jeans that have been sitting in my closet for the last ten years. I know that I promised that I would not buy any clothes until I finished losing weight, but these pants were the last pair of "too tight" clothes that I had put aside years ago. Chris has finally convinced me to drop into our local Value Village and Good Will to pick up some cheap clothes to tide me over until I decide to splurge on a new wardrobe. You should see what I look like in my winter coats!! I swim in them! Happy Days!