Well, hey there stranger....or strange person?

That is what my blog spot told me when I logged on..."Well, hey there stranger....or strange person?"

Time to add to my blog, what has gone on in my life. Do you get very depressed when you are ill or just feeling poorly? I do! If I am not feeling well, my mental stays on the same plain as my physical. I don't like it but it is me. I hate feeling bad and since my gastric bypass, I have felt bad, most recently the last 4 weeks.

I assumed I was feeling bad and not able to eat or drink without pain, and it was a condition of the surgery. It was just how it was gonna be. Well, I was wrong. It is very much NOT normal to have pain while eating and drinking 4-8 weeks after surgery. The first 3 weeks were good but limited in eating. I was very frustrated and often double over in pain, would have chills go up my spine and have times of nausea and vomiting. Was not fun, so I just stopped eating and drinking. Not such a good choice.

When I did go in the doctors were very alarmed. They thought I had a leak, a blockage or an incision ulcer. They ordered a CAT scan with oral contrast (and the nastiest tasting clear liquid ever to pass my lips, but the upside was that a 'normal' person would have 2 full cups of that to drink but since I was a sleeve/bypass patient, I only drank 4 tablespoons, 2 tablespoons every 30 minutes)  and IV contrast. Now the IV contrast was a trip! The nurse told me that I might get hot and feel like I wet my pants. SERIOUSLY! She was so right! I didn't get hot but felt like I wet my pants, although they were dry when I got out of the machine. HAHA! Wild stuff there! The CAT was to check for leaks outside the digestive system. Finished that one around 4 pm and had another Endoscopy scheduled the next morning at 7 am so we decided to spend the night in Dallas.

Luckily, my honey was able to make a phone call and Brayden was picked up from school and cared for by someone that we both think the world of. Brayden had a BLAST! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this person because he has been there and had very wise words to share and I have absorbed each and every one. I love that Brayden thinks he is a pretty fun and crazy 'young' fellow. (I get in trouble if I call him old). I know Brayden is 'old enough' to stay by himself but he is not a loner person especially at night. This was an inconvenience for everyone and I didn't want him alone.

Now as for our night in Dallas. We stayed at the Embassy Suites Galleria. Beautiful hotel and they have live swans swimming in their lobby pond. And fresh fruit infused water; orange and strawberry/blueberry. And you might go, 'what is so special about that?', considering how dehydrated I was, a tad flavored water tastes like a specialty drink. It was as beautiful in it's glass cauldron as it was tasty. (Although a blueberry got in the output and made the process a slow one!) Our room was exactly set up like the room we spent our wedding night in before flying away to the Last Frontier...Alaska! The only difference was the bathroom. I remember the bathroom very well because I had so much birdseed in my dress from my honey's uncles grabbing and dumping it down my dress. Once the dress was off, I looked like I had the measles, tons of birdseed indentions!  Not that I believe anyone cared that night. The room was comfy and beautiful and very private and it made for a nice conclusion to a stinky test filled day!

Now for dinner, I couldn't eat anything, still and because of the EGD in the morning, only water, so we went to Pappadeaux Seafood. I know I love Pappadeaux gator tail and shrimp on a bed of asparagus with dirty rice but, I figured if I can't eat anything, he might as well be happy, right? So he gets the Craw fish Platter, with craw fish ettoufee and fried craw fish with dirty rice. He was one happy boy! Then he (we) finished off dinner with banana pudding, I know but I needed a taste! It was heavenly! My life was complete, a taste in my mouth other than stale spit and water. I was obsessed with brushing my teeth when I wasn't eating because it made me feel good, or my mouth at least. If your breath is fresh and clean, you can accomplish anything, right? Well, yeah, sorta!

Speaking of clean teeth, when we left Pappadeaux, we stopped at CVS for some toothbrushes and tooth paste. I figured I could wash items of clothing that needed washing in the sink. The plan was to shop after dinner but I just wanted to relax some. Very rarely do I get a 'nobody needs mom/Stacy to be doing things and running things' break. Phone was quiet and it was just me and my honey. A short trip turned into a longer than expected trip, for some lady decided to run in CVS to get a prescription for her baby, and leave the baby in the car with the doors unlocked. Now, what does not make sense to me is that this CVS had a drive thru! REALLY! Baby could have slept while mom DROVE THRU! She got nothing other than a prescription. But she chooses to leave baby boy in the car seat strapped in and leave the doors unlocked, go all the way to the back of the store and not even be able to hear the lady at the front of the store yelling "Who left their baby in their car outside?!?!" I think everyone in the store heard the call but her. When she finally emerged from the store, smug and thinking she was 'cute', the police were already in route, 3 of them! Yes, must've been a quiet night. She tried to get in her car and back out, but my honey stood behind her car. (I am thinking, great, there goes our nice, quiet, time together night. Spend money on this hotel and now we will get to pay for an emergency room visit!) She spoke limited English and a younger man was translating for her, but my honey told her that if she backed in to him, he would guarantee she would see the wrong side of the bars, and she put the car in park and turned it off. She really thought we were all crazy. The first lady to call 911 was an African American lady and she had her sick sleepy baby on her hip in his jammies and she was giving her the once over. YOU NEVER LEAVE YOUR BABY IN A CAR! Her little guy was beautiful also and just hung on. I was always so aware of my surroundings but I wouldn't even use a gas station without a pay at the pump with my kids in the car if I was alone. I did pay more but when they were asleep, I thought it worth it to not get them out to go in to pay. I got out to pump the gas, locked my car, paid and pumped, unlocked and got back in. Mind you, I also had day care children. Long story short, she was arrested and beautiful baby boy was taken by CPS. Made me sad for baby and mom, but glad he was not injured or kidnapped.

The rest of the night went on as intended and we both slept OK considering we didn't have our cpap machines. No night is a good night without them.

In the morning I had my EGD and it lasted a lot longer than anticipated and I just took that day off. I don't like asking my back up to work just a couple hours, as I think it is a waste of time.After I awoke from the EGD, the doctor ordered blood work and 2 liters of fluid, because I was so severely dehydrated that he was afraid my potassium and sodium were dangerously low, but they had a lot of trouble getting blood because of the dehydration. I have numerous nasty bruises from too many attempts. I wanted my mommy to come draw my blood or my bubs! The verdict was that my esophagus was extremely raw and causing all my pain and discomfort. I was started on Nexium, a pro-biotic, and Carafate a liquid that I was terrified would gag me and thus make my esophagus more raw. Once the EGD was done we headed back to Greenville. It was nice to see Brayden and hear about all his wonderful time the night before.

Some of the adventure was not needed but the rest was totally needed. I had my pain diagnosed and got to spend some quiet time with my honey. What more could you ask for? Yeah, I know, another day!!!!