baron speaketh Re:Dumpsville

[Guest guest]

Greetings Friends:

As most you know I have been recovering from complications that set in after

my recent abdominoplasty. I have been battling a pretty intense infection,

my belly button is sort of sunken into my abdomen and what I have is pretty

much an open slit, I am draining continuously from an opening in the suture

line and the latest thing is that my legs are swelling to painful

proportions. Last week I spent an entire day between 2 doctors offices.

Regarding the legs....I was told to do my best to keep them elevated above my

head. That means I sleep with my legs on 4 pillows, and even now I am

fashioning a chair with cushions to elevate my legs.

Sometimes....when it rains it pours!! Well.....just like a boxer in a fight,

I must admit once again that these occurences have kind of hit me like an

uppercut the fighter just did not see coming. You all are my " corner

persons " . By NO MEANS am I throwing in the towel......but I have to tell you

folks.......The Baron is Hurting.......spiritually and emotionally mostly.

Oh yes....on top of all that I just mentioned, my " significant other " broke

up with me.

When you put all your eggs in one basket the slightest jostle can mean

disaster. In my case, I find myself feeling alone, alienated, and simply

starting to slip into a place that is all to familiar from Super Obese days

in particular. Last week I got into all the wrong foods BIG TIME!! So much

for my being under 200 pounds.......lol. I just have to laugh at

myself....otherwise I will cry; which is essentially what I am doing with

you all right now. You have all been there for me in SO many ways.......you

are more of a link than anything / anyone I have right now; especially in

these matters.

I am doing my best to not get into the food guilts and major diet mentality

but I have to admit that it is a battle!! My body is so full of water weight

that it seems I have gained weight while actually eating less. I WANT WHAT I

WANT WHEN I WANT IT!!! Isn't that how we all got to where we got in the

first place??

So......I just picked up the phone and called a psychologist that I have seen

from time to time and will be going to his office in a few hours. The

conversation sure can't hurt me. As for this letter.....I just felt the need

to share and write down my feelings......and I am just not all that good in

journaling......I have to feel that I am addressing someone.

So.....please No Pity......just understanding and your comradery. I hope I

have been there for many of you. I know that I have started personal

correspondence with more and more of you out there and have been reaping the

rewards of getting to know people more intimately and having them get to know

me.

Now.......if only the stock market rebounds a bit......rofl.

Take care my friends....and today I am NOT going to apologize for any

rambling.......rather I thank you all for being there.

With love........baron

RnY..........4/29/98 (soon my 2 year bd)......535lbs.

Current weight........UGH.................................210lbs

PS...I appreciate all the website info....and I have sent b4 and after pics

on an individual basis. I just have not had the patience nor concentration

to sit here and do it just yet. I wish there was an easy way to just attach

pics.......not to feed my ego, but to share with you all the hope and

possibilities that exist. For if I could change...and hopefully continue

changing......anyone reading this letter can as well.

Thanks again

[Guest guest]

Baron,

I know what you are going through. When I had my WLs in October 98 I ruptured an

artery and was on life support for nearly 3 weeks and was not expected to live.

I then spent another 3 weeks in a nursing home learning how to walk again. And

then I had my Tummy Tuck and hernia repair in November 99 and again I had

serious blood related complications. I bled out in my doctors office and had to

be ambulanced to the ER and spent a few more days in ICU with numerous

transfusions. I've had a total of more than 55 units of blood and fresh frozen

plasma. My doc has said no more surgery so I'm stuck with the gorgle under my

chin and the Sharpea-like rear end! Thats ok 'cause I'm 56 and my wife loves me

wrinkles and all.

After the TT my wife was pulling huge baseball size blood clots out of the open

wounds in my stomach (sound familiar?). I just wouldn't stop bleeding. It

finally slowed down after the surgeon sucked (with a machine) a 2 pound hematoma

out my gut.

I've been going to s Hopkins hematology clinic to find out why I had the

bleeding problems. After about 25 vials of blood tests they cams to teh

conclusion that they don't really know what happened. They think it was

something called DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Cooagulation) caused by the

massive infection that developed after the TT. DIC is normally fatal so maybe

I'm dead and no one has had the guts (pardon the pun) to tell me! Anyway I

lived. I lived because I have a positive mental attitude about life and I'm too

damn stubborn to die. I also had the support of people like you, even though we

have never met. The support of the Net groups and my own local support group,

the skill of my surgeon and my PCP, and the love of a very dear and loyal

(literally through think and now thin) wife pulled me through.

You are doing the right thing seeing a psychologist. He/she will be able to help

you get over these bumps that you are facing right now. You will heal and you

will feel better. Your friends are all pulling for you. Don't ever lose your

sense of humor about this. That will probably help more than anything.

My question to you is this: How can I help you? I can't fly there and smack you

upside the head when you get into the stinkin thinkin mode, but I can offer you

my support and concern and my desire to see you get healthy again. I have been

through what you are going through. I still often wallow in self pity and turn

to my old friend food for comfort so I know what that is like too. I don't calim

to be " healed " in my head. Unfortunately Dr. Marcus didn't operate on my brain,

just my stomach and intestine. Thank god for malabsorbtion!

Anyway, I've been rambling. Bottom line: GET BETTER AND FEEL BETTER. Each day

should be better than the previous. Email me at raltman813@... to talk off

the the list. Send me your phone number and I will call you and we can chat.

BobA

A Very Distal BPD

220 pounds gone but not forgotten!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/17/00 10:02:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

TendrMrcy@... writes:

<< I find myself feeling alone, alienated, and simply starting to slip into a

place that is all to familiar from Super Obese days in particular. Last week

I got into all the wrong foods BIG TIME!! >>

Baron,

Just a few words of advice: " THIS TOO SHALL PASS! "

When my husband was diagnosed as diabetic about 2.5 yrs ago, his doctor told

him that he would control it by diet alone: eliminate sugar and cut back on

fats. The Dr. also said, Do NOT deprive yourself. If you would like a piece

of cake, a REAL ice cream cone, etc., have it, but in moderation. Then go

back onto the sugar-free, low-fat regimen.

Well, you have not deprived yourself; maybe, a little more than you should

have had, a little more than moderation. So, now, get back on your regimen.

AND GUILT IS NOT PERMITTED!!! ;^)

You have taken other steps to help yourself out of where you are at. You're

doing GREAT!

Regards,

In Charlottesville, VA

[Guest guest]

Wow Baron....sorry to hear you are going through some sadness. It has been

quite some time since I have been out here but it was difficult not having a

computer at home but all that has changed and now I can one again keep up

with all of you.

I wish you the best of recovery and will be thinking about you. I just had

a panniculectomy and my belly button is not up to par but everything else is

so I am fortunate and although I am healing fine, I will try not to take

things for granted.....

My prayers are with you ...take care and keep those legs elevated...above

your head?????????????????

Horvath

On Mon, 17 Apr 2000 10:01:49 EDT, Graduate-OSSGegroups wrote:

> Greetings Friends:

> As most you know I have been recovering from complications that set in

after

> my recent abdominoplasty. I have been battling a pretty intense

infection,

> my belly button is sort of sunken into my abdomen and what I have is

pretty

> much an open slit, I am draining continuously from an opening in the

suture

> line and the latest thing is that my legs are swelling to painful

> proportions. Last week I spent an entire day between 2 doctors offices.

> Regarding the legs....I was told to do my best to keep them elevated

above my

> head. That means I sleep with my legs on 4 pillows, and even now I am

> fashioning a chair with cushions to elevate my legs.

>

> Sometimes....when it rains it pours!! Well.....just like a boxer in a

fight,

> I must admit once again that these occurences have kind of hit me like an

> uppercut the fighter just did not see coming. You all are my " corner

> persons " . By NO MEANS am I throwing in the towel......but I have to tell

you

> folks.......The Baron is Hurting.......spiritually and emotionally

mostly.

> Oh yes....on top of all that I just mentioned, my " significant other "

broke

> up with me.

> When you put all your eggs in one basket the slightest jostle can mean

> disaster. In my case, I find myself feeling alone, alienated, and simply

> starting to slip into a place that is all to familiar from Super Obese

days

> in particular. Last week I got into all the wrong foods BIG TIME!! So

much

> for my being under 200 pounds.......lol. I just have to laugh at

> myself....otherwise I will cry; which is essentially what I am doing

with

> you all right now. You have all been there for me in SO many

ways.......you

> are more of a link than anything / anyone I have right now; especially

in

> these matters.

> I am doing my best to not get into the food guilts and major diet

mentality

> but I have to admit that it is a battle!! My body is so full of water

weight

> that it seems I have gained weight while actually eating less. I WANT

WHAT I

> WANT WHEN I WANT IT!!! Isn't that how we all got to where we got in the

> first place??

>

> So......I just picked up the phone and called a psychologist that I have

seen

> from time to time and will be going to his office in a few hours. The

> conversation sure can't hurt me. As for this letter.....I just felt the

need

> to share and write down my feelings......and I am just not all that good

in

> journaling......I have to feel that I am addressing someone.

>

> So.....please No Pity......just understanding and your comradery. I hope

I

> have been there for many of you. I know that I have started personal

> correspondence with more and more of you out there and have been reaping

the

> rewards of getting to know people more intimately and having them get to

know

> me.

>

> Now.......if only the stock market rebounds a bit......rofl.

>

> Take care my friends....and today I am NOT going to apologize for any

> rambling.......rather I thank you all for being there.

>

> With love........baron

> RnY..........4/29/98 (soon my 2 year bd)......535lbs.

> Current weight........UGH.................................210lbs

>

> PS...I appreciate all the website info....and I have sent b4 and after

pics

> on an individual basis. I just have not had the patience nor

concentration

> to sit here and do it just yet. I wish there was an easy way to just

attach

> pics.......not to feed my ego, but to share with you all the hope and

> possibilities that exist. For if I could change...and hopefully continue

> changing......anyone reading this letter can as well.

>

> Thanks again

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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> of sites in The PointClick Network--like Disney.com, eCost.com,

> FogDog.com and many more. You get paid as you shop and an additional

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>

>

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[Guest guest]

What is a " BPD? "

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/00 8:14:07 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Bradskm@...

writes:

<< What is a " BPD? "

>>

BPD is a biliopancreatic Diversion, a very distal form of gastric bypass

surgery where the unused portion of the stomach is removed and most of the

small intestine is bypassed. There is much more malabsorbtion than with other

forms of bypass surgery.

BobA

Biliopancreatic Diversion (A Very Distal RNY) on 10/8/98

220 Pounds Gone Forever, But Not Forgotten!

[Guest guest]

R u pleased with this very distal rny and could u have achieved almost the

same if you have only had the proximal rny?

[Guest guest]

I am pleased with the distal. The malabsorbtion works to maintain the initial

weight loss. I have lost 220 pounds in less than 18 mos and I feel great. I

also can eat a little more because our surgeon only removes about 85-90% of

the stomach leaving a little larger pouch than most surgeons. Our group has a

good record of losing to goal and keeping it off.

BobA