Gastric bypass and my downhill spiral

Gastric bypass.  So many emotions spring to mind here.  5 years ago, I had the gastric bypass.   I cannot believe it has been that long.  At my highest weight I weighed 410 pounds.   I cannot believe that I had gotten myself to that point.  Pre-diabetic and on high blood pressure medication, I made that decision.   It was not an easy way out.  I really feel like that people who think this way, yeah, they are entitled to their own opinions.  However, it was not the easy way out for me.  We all have our journey in life.  Everyone is different.   I went through the motions that Kaiser requires.  They make it kind of easy in that they do not expect you to lose weight.  They just expected you to maintain your original weight.  Weight gain was not acceptable for surgery.  A year of psychological, exercise, and diet classes.  Then, I was accepted for the surgery.

When doing the pre-surgery labs it was determined that I was positive for the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers.  I did the 2 week (or so) stint of  meds and was good to go.  I was not re-tested.  I am a nurse.  I should have said something and requested a follow-up before surgery.

A year after surgery, several pounds lost later, I woke up in the most intense pain I think I have ever had in my entire life.  And, I’ve had two sons.  That included labor.  I asked my husband to take me to the hospital.   His response was “Can’t you just call 911? I have to work today.” Yeah, real stand-up guy.  After a short time, he agreed to take me the hour-drive to he hospital.  He practically dropped me off at the emergency room that morning and I wasn’t even in the ER 45 minutes before I was in emergency life-saving surgery.  While my husband was getting ready for, and going to, work.

I had developed an ulcer in my “pouch” and it broke open.  Essentially, my stomach contents were eating my insides.  I was in surgery for 5.5 hours that morning.  The husband did show up after he got done with work that day.  By that time, I was already in a room in med surge.  He reluctantly lingered for maybe 15 minutes and he was gone.

I cried.  We had been having difficulties.  I already felt like he didn’t care at all anymore.  I could go on about this but not in the mood right now.  He came the next morning before heading on into work.  He pulled up a chair and stated he was not happy anymore and that he was leaving me.  It was a blow.  Very low of him.  He stayed less than 5 minutes that morning.

He did wait until I got out of the hospital.   He would pop his head in every morning before work and ask me if they were going to release me that day.  After 10 days, they finally let me go home but I had a drain tube in my abdomen that had to be there for another week.  I slept in the recliner chair after going home.

I got the tube removed a week later.  And, 10 days before our 25th anniversary, the guy I met in 3rd grade, hung out with in high school, eventually became my husband, took off without looking back.  That is another whole bajillion stories.  Maybe later.

Over 200 pounds lighter, and then some, the surgery is considered successful.   Just have to be watchful of the trading of one addiction for another.  I have not been good with this.  I started with shopping.  Amazon and other sites were my new best friends.  The husband did not allow alcohol in the house.

This brings to mind my tough childhood.  I have always been one of those people that if something is going wrong, drink.  The day I watched him drive down the driveway, with his suitcase and pillow sticking out of the back of his recently purchased used convertible, I immediately gave my neice money and told her to go purchase me some alcohol.

The surgery was successful.   It really was.  I have mixed feelings on whether to reccomend it to others.  It is a huge life-changing thing for some.  I do not regret it.  I would do it again.  I definitely caution anyone who does ask me about it.  I certainly never thought I’d find myself trying to gain weight.

But, here I am.