Back to the Operating Table-- Phase Two, maybe
Back on 07/22/2018, I mentioned that I was going to get my lap band removed and a hiatal hernia repaired. I had the surgery in August of 2018, and was doing okay.
Then, came problems. The kinds doctors label "unfortunate" but most don't consider a serious issue. Yeah bud, you try living with acid reflux that goes into your lungs and makes you cough like you have a permanent case of pneumonia. It took a pulmonologist from the USN Hospital to finally figure it out. So, now I sleep on a wedge pillow. I stopped coughing almost immediately. Problem #1 solved.
Problem #2 was my doctor himself. I did not want to have the second surgery until I'd cleared my lungs and the holidays had passed. I've had surgery at holiday time before, and it sucks big green donkey balls to miss out on the holiday fun. So I waited, gained a few pounds during the holidays (who doesn't?) and presented myself to the doc in January. Not surprisingly, he wanted me to lose the 8 pounds I'd gained. It took me a couple of months, but I lost the 8 pounds. I had to do some things I'm not proud of to lose those pounds including bulimia, prescriptions of phentermine, drinking shakes only, and a case of the flu, but I'd done it. I waited for the doc to smile and say, "See my office manager to plan your surgery." No, he didn't say that. He said, "Good. Now continue to lose another 20 pounds." I was so angry, I couldn't speak. It was now April, 2019. My head screamed, "You're fired!" I walked out without scheduling my next appointment, went home and dialed up Tricare (aka Humana Military.)
I found a new surgeon. I'll call him Dr. M. Tricare helped me find him, because he was also closer to my home. Bonus! He has an office in both Riverside and in Middleburg, near the new St. Vincent's. Since Middleburg has great parking, I go there. The online class was the best ever! First thing the "host" doctor (one of Dr. M's many partners) said was, "After the 40 BMI mark, it is nearly impossible to simply diet and lose weight." I almost fainted with relief. That explained why it had taken such extraordinary measures for me to lose that measly 8 pounds in 3 friggin' long months of trying. I began to have faith again. Meeting Dr. M gave me more. I was handed a packet of information, scheduling, diet instructions, and a simple list of criteria that had to be met before surgery could be scheduled. After this coming Wednesday August 21, 2019, I will have met all the criteria plus one or two that were added because of the next disaster.
Problem #3-- May 25, 2019 I went to the Naval Hospital ER, telling them I was pretty sure I had a DVT in my lower right leg near the tibia. The arrogant asshat in the ER ordered a scan for only the area between the hip and knee. The tech didn't go near the tibia. When I questioned it with the ER doc, he said arrogantly that most DVTs happen between the hip and knee. He didn't listen to me or take into account my previous DVT in my left lower leg. I left puzzled, but trusting.
Problem #3, take two-- On June 13, 2019 I went to the St. Vincent's acute care on 103rd, saying I couldn't breathe. I'd had a cold, so I thought it was a mild pneumonia. I thought I'd get a pat on the head and stronger cough syrup than what I could get at the grocery store. I'm so glad the doc there was smarter than me. I was in an ambulance and on my way to St. Vincent's Hospital Riverside with a bilateral pulmonary embolism with two DVTs in the tibial region of each leg. (English- both my lungs had a very large blood clot in them from the FOUR DVTs in my legs. Two to each leg.) I was dying, and didn't have a clue. I would end up spending two days in PICU, and one day in a "normal" room with a heparin IV drip. Remember, I felt fine other than a minor breathing issue. The fact that any of those blood clots in my leg could break away, go to my brain and kill me was a "silent but deadly" killer that had plagued my family for at least a century.
The biggest result of having a bilateral PE is that doctors freak out very easily over DVTs and PE's. Insurance companies tend to make you wait 3-6 months before you're allowed surgery. Sooo, as we stand now the pulmonologist has performed her tests and cleared me. Now I wait for this coming Wednesday August 21 for the visit with the hematologist and his clearance. (sigh)
Patience is a virtue, and I'm not known for being virtuous.
Then, came problems. The kinds doctors label "unfortunate" but most don't consider a serious issue. Yeah bud, you try living with acid reflux that goes into your lungs and makes you cough like you have a permanent case of pneumonia. It took a pulmonologist from the USN Hospital to finally figure it out. So, now I sleep on a wedge pillow. I stopped coughing almost immediately. Problem #1 solved.
Problem #2 was my doctor himself. I did not want to have the second surgery until I'd cleared my lungs and the holidays had passed. I've had surgery at holiday time before, and it sucks big green donkey balls to miss out on the holiday fun. So I waited, gained a few pounds during the holidays (who doesn't?) and presented myself to the doc in January. Not surprisingly, he wanted me to lose the 8 pounds I'd gained. It took me a couple of months, but I lost the 8 pounds. I had to do some things I'm not proud of to lose those pounds including bulimia, prescriptions of phentermine, drinking shakes only, and a case of the flu, but I'd done it. I waited for the doc to smile and say, "See my office manager to plan your surgery." No, he didn't say that. He said, "Good. Now continue to lose another 20 pounds." I was so angry, I couldn't speak. It was now April, 2019. My head screamed, "You're fired!" I walked out without scheduling my next appointment, went home and dialed up Tricare (aka Humana Military.)
I found a new surgeon. I'll call him Dr. M. Tricare helped me find him, because he was also closer to my home. Bonus! He has an office in both Riverside and in Middleburg, near the new St. Vincent's. Since Middleburg has great parking, I go there. The online class was the best ever! First thing the "host" doctor (one of Dr. M's many partners) said was, "After the 40 BMI mark, it is nearly impossible to simply diet and lose weight." I almost fainted with relief. That explained why it had taken such extraordinary measures for me to lose that measly 8 pounds in 3 friggin' long months of trying. I began to have faith again. Meeting Dr. M gave me more. I was handed a packet of information, scheduling, diet instructions, and a simple list of criteria that had to be met before surgery could be scheduled. After this coming Wednesday August 21, 2019, I will have met all the criteria plus one or two that were added because of the next disaster.
Problem #3-- May 25, 2019 I went to the Naval Hospital ER, telling them I was pretty sure I had a DVT in my lower right leg near the tibia. The arrogant asshat in the ER ordered a scan for only the area between the hip and knee. The tech didn't go near the tibia. When I questioned it with the ER doc, he said arrogantly that most DVTs happen between the hip and knee. He didn't listen to me or take into account my previous DVT in my left lower leg. I left puzzled, but trusting.
Problem #3, take two-- On June 13, 2019 I went to the St. Vincent's acute care on 103rd, saying I couldn't breathe. I'd had a cold, so I thought it was a mild pneumonia. I thought I'd get a pat on the head and stronger cough syrup than what I could get at the grocery store. I'm so glad the doc there was smarter than me. I was in an ambulance and on my way to St. Vincent's Hospital Riverside with a bilateral pulmonary embolism with two DVTs in the tibial region of each leg. (English- both my lungs had a very large blood clot in them from the FOUR DVTs in my legs. Two to each leg.) I was dying, and didn't have a clue. I would end up spending two days in PICU, and one day in a "normal" room with a heparin IV drip. Remember, I felt fine other than a minor breathing issue. The fact that any of those blood clots in my leg could break away, go to my brain and kill me was a "silent but deadly" killer that had plagued my family for at least a century.
The biggest result of having a bilateral PE is that doctors freak out very easily over DVTs and PE's. Insurance companies tend to make you wait 3-6 months before you're allowed surgery. Sooo, as we stand now the pulmonologist has performed her tests and cleared me. Now I wait for this coming Wednesday August 21 for the visit with the hematologist and his clearance. (sigh)
Patience is a virtue, and I'm not known for being virtuous.
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