After getting out of the hospital the second time things were going pretty good I was in very little pain and was only on two pills a day and the infection was going away. And the daily vomiting was gone also. On Christmas Eve when my family was here I had my first scary experience with food. I was eating a boiled egg white and hadn't chewed it well enough and it got stuck going down. I am not sure who was freaked more my family or me. But after about a half hour it finally went all the way down. I was really enjoying myself with being out of the hospital and stuff especially after I finished my antibiotics but unfortunately that didn't last long as I ended up back in the hospital on January 17, 2003. You see about a week after I finished the augmentin the cellulites flared up again and so I went to my PCP who put me on bactrim but after a week on those the cellulites hadn't gotten better, in fact it doubled in size. And so mom made me call there emergency room and they told me to come and so we went out to my grandparents because my mom was supposed to drive them to Rochester to see uncle Jack who was in the hospital that was a couple of
miles from the hospital that I had to go to. We told them that I had to go to St. Mary's and so grandma decided that she would follow us over and she would go in with me and mom would take grandpa to see uncle Jack because when we were at the ER. They decided to do some testing that was taking a long long time. They started an IV and drew blood and also sent me down for an ultrasound and also did a couple of exams of the effected area. And it was decided that I be placed back in the hospital to be on IV antibiotics again. At first they had me on this one kind and a couple of days later they switched me to something else. I must admit that I kind of really enjoyed myself this time while I was in the hospital. I know it sounds stupid but I did, I had really fun nurses most of whom were close to my age and also loved to joke around. I also enjoyed that I wasn't in pain and could get up and around a lot easier. I would take off and go exploring. One day I was so bored and restless that I took off with my headphones and went walking over to another part of the hospital and visited the nurses that I had during previous visits. I was gone for about an hour and when I got back I
got yelled at by the nurse that was in charge of me for the evening shift, it turned out that she had tried to page me because my doctors had come up to see me (oooops) and also I had had a visitor. But oh well. This time in the hospital was also interesting as I kind of became like a sideshow as a doctor from the medical school came into my room and asked if he could bring up some students the next day to see me and take a look at the mass and cellulites because they don't often see stuff like mine. And so being the nice person I am said sure. So the next day he showed up with two students and talked to them about me and asked them questions and I also let them ask me questions and they also touched the area and examined it, then left. That afternoon as I had just finished my shower and was doing my hair another doctor showed up and told me that she had heard that I had allowed a doctor to bring his students in that morning and was wondering if I would let her do the same as she had a couple of students in the hall and so again I said sure. I swear that was one busy day for me as I had doctors and etc in and out all day. Besides the medical school docs I also had two
dermatologists, a physical therapist, my regular docs and an infections doc in. I told my one nurse that I felt like I was on display or something and she just laughed and said "Well we could sell tickets and make a little extra money." and I just laughed at her. The day before I got out of the hospital the dermatologist decided that she wanted me to do this hydrotherapy thing where I would be put into a hubbard tank that was filled with warm medicated purple water. It was to help with my skin problems, it was kind of cool because the jets felt good but I didn't like how my body ended up being turned poo-poo brown, it even stained my toenails. I had to continue the treatments three times a week for two week after I got out on January 24, 2003. One thing that also sucked was that I gained 35 pounds while in there because of all the stuff they pumped into me. So finally I got out of there for good. During the time since then though I have had to go through many doctors appointments for checkups and because I was found to have MRSA which is a kind of staph infection and have been on a ton of different antibiotics. But I must say that through everything that has
happened since surgery I am happy that I had it done because I feel wonderful now even though I am only four months post-op my life has changed big time. I have gone from weighing 588 pounds down to 460 pounds and gone from being able to only stand for fine to ten minutes before was in a lot of pain to being able to go shopping and walk for a couple of hours without being in any pain. My clothes are fitting better now also. Two pairs of my shorts have even gotten to where they fall off of me. Life is good again and fun. I just went to add to anyone who is thinking of going through with this surgery that it will change your life both mentally and physically and I highly recommend researching it quite a bit and also joining a local support group because you will need it. This is not the easy way out; it is work and a lifetime commitment but very worth it. I don't know where I would be right now if it wasn't for the support of friends and family and of those people of both my on-line and local support groups and the love of my Lord and Savior. Thank you all and much love to you.
