Chronicles of the last year

I recently heard a lady speak at a Bariatric support group who was 10 years post-op (she had her gastric bypass 10 years ago) and she had this journal with weekly thoughts, observations and pictures. It was then that I realized how much I regret not creating a blog or journal...I didn't even take pictures monthly, let alone weekly! So, if any of my readers have some of those "early days" pictures, I would love a copy.

Before I move to the present, I want to recount the past without going into too much detail (much more to come later).

I remember when they wheeled me into the operating room and put me on the bed, I thought "Darla, what have you done?" but that was the last thought I had before I woke up a few hours later in my hospital bed with a tiny stomach and new digestive system.

I lost my weight very fast, by the end of February (5 months after surgery) I had already lost 90 pounds...that's when I started having complications. At that time, I began having severe back pain, right below my scapula on both sides. So excruciating that I couldn't sit for more than 20 minutes at a time, I spent the majority of my time lying on the sofa with a heating pad...which only took the "edge off". I was in my drs office and/or urgent care at least on a weekly basis because all of the shots and medication they gave me wasn't working. I was so drugged up that I could barely function, it made me sick-I couldn't keep any of my food down. This went on for months, in May they removed my gallbladder as that may cause back pain and many Bariatric patients have problems with their gallbladder. I was then hospitalized in June and July for an obstruction which is just when something is in your digestive track is blocking the food you eat from continuing down the digestive track. Usually for bariatric patients, it's scar tissue (called a stricture). They stick a camera down your throat (while you're asleep of course) and use a balloon to open up the track. All the while, I still couldn't keep any food and very little fluid down. My back was still in horrible pain and by then I had found a Chinese dr who was doing acupuncture twice a week to relieve my pain. He insisted that it was my stomach causing my pain. By this time I had lost a total of 165 pounds.

On August 10, 2011 I was having symptoms AGAIN (throwing up all of my food) and with a Labor Day trip to Vegas booked, I scheduled another scope with dilation to open my digestive track. I couldn't be sick for Vegas! The GI dr woke me up from the procedure and told me that my gastric outlet had torn and that I had to have emergency surgery to repair it. Later that evening, I was told that I did indeed have an obstruction-- a surgical staple had worked its way into my gastric outlet and that's what was causing all of my vomiting issues. Six days later, I walked out of the hospital with a huge surgical wound across my stomach but able to eat, and drink. The most amazing part was that my back pain was also gone! The Chinese Dr had been right! For those who haven't already guessed, Vegas had to wait for me to recover.

Today, as I write this I have to say this is the best I have felt in so long that I can't remember the last time.

I didn't write this to scare anyone, although I know my story has already scared those close to me that have lived it with me. I wrote it down to tell my story, everyone is different and everyone has a different experience and I encourage everyone even half-way considering it to continue. I would do it again without a second thought.