Up, down and all around

The past few days have been rather interesting.  I'll start with Sunday.

I attended a friend's barbecue, my first since the surgery.  I brought a couple of bottles of Glucerna shakes and a bottle of water.  My hostess had thoughtfully bought some sugar free Jell-O cups for me.  I felt like I could handle anything.  There was a lot of food and it all looked wonderful.  I had my Jell-O as I chatted with old friends and made new friends.  I did get a cup of ice from the sno-cone machine (no flavoring).  I found that I really enjoyed the company and could be satisfied with what I had and did not feel like I was missing out on anything.  I had a wonderful time.

And then there was Monday.  In the morning, I had another episode of the pill getting stuck.  I had used my pill splitter to make smaller pieces but it didn't work for me.  After a couple of bouts with chuck, (you know, UP-chuck)  I tried laying down as I had done on Saturday.   When I got up a couple of hours later I took one sip of V8 juice and knew I was in trouble.  I had pain in my stomach and that one sip did not go anywhere.  A few more rounds with chuck and I did not feel any better.  I called Dr. Choi and she told me to go to the ER.

I managed to get to the ER without any episodes of you-know-what in the car.  I felt a little better when I got there but still had some pain.  Well, the ER, the one I work at, was really hopping.  Just before we arrived there was a Trauma Alert.  There were two head-on crashes with a total of seven victims.  To the untrained eye it probably appeared out of control.  To me, it looked like a typical, crazy summer evening.

Anyway, I ended up with an IV, blood tests and a CT scan.  I was given some medication for the vomiting.  When you get a CT scan of the abdomen oral contrast is given and then there is a wait time for the fluid to percolate through your body.  It was near midnight when I had my scan.  On my way back to my curtained cubicle I heard some yelling about a bat.  Sure enough, a poor misguided bat was circling around the nurses station.  Naturally this did not add any serenity to the already chaotic atmosphere.  Somehow the bat was herded away while I waited for my results.  As it turned out my scan was fine, I felt better and went home.  I'd had a liter of fluid in the IV.  I had been feeling pretty dry.  My friends at the ER took good care of me and it was good to see everyone.

Tuesday was the day of my long-anticipated follow-up visit with Dr. Choi and consult with the dietitian.  I was weighed and found to have lost a total of 29 pounds.  (the scale in the ER had a better reading.  According to that one I've lost 34 pounds but Dr. Choi says that only her scale counts, darn)  Anyway, she told me that the problem with the pills was not because of their size or jagged edges but dehydration.  It has been very hot here and she says if you are not getting enough fluid your esophagus becomes less flexible.   So I have to be a good girl and drink, drink, drink.  She says I'm doing fine otherwise.  I can start going to the gym in another week. 

She also told me that when I felt so bloated after the surgery I was experiencing a normal condition called third-spacing.   The fluid I was given in my IV was not going  in one end and out the other as usual but was soaked up by my tissues thus making me look and feel like the Michelin Man.  After doing a gazillion of these surgeries she has seen this effect over and over. 

After Dr. Choi, I met with the dietitian.  This was exciting because I get to have pureed food now!  I'm so excited.  Tonight I had some garlic hummus!  Later I had some low-fat cheese and some sugar free pudding.  I'm in heaven.

I'm also starting a medication which will, hopefully, prevent me from getting gallstones during the next few months.  (Rapid weight loss causes a greater risk for gall-bladder problems).  The medication comes in a big, huge horse pill.  I know Dr. Choi told me I shouldn't worry about pills getting stuck if I keep hydrated but just in case I bought a pill CRUSHER!  Its merely a little insurance.

Love to all my friends,

Marlena of Mohegan