Wednesday, February 4, 2009

...and then I was stabbed repeatedly.

Yesterday was my first adjustment (fill) for my lap band, I had been looking forward to this for weeks because I haven't been having any of the benefits of lap band since the swelling went down after surgery (and by benefits I mean the full feeling after drinking 1/2 cup of water).


I haven't lost any weight in weeks, I haven't gained any either so I was trying to look at it as the glass half full but it was starting to wear on me. I lost 15 pounds, I didn't have surgery to lose 15 pounds! So, adjustment day was really exciting....until it happened.


The way it works is you go to fluoroscopy and the doctor uses the image to help guide the needle into your access port that it just under the skin. For some reason though he would go in straight and the needle would hit the hard plastic edge of my port, then he'd try again. After a few attempts he decided to forget the fluoroscope and just feel for the port, he did this by pressing on my port ...very, very hard! He still couldn't get it. Finally, after about 15 tries he hit the sweet spot and my poor belly was bleeding everywhere.


When he finally hit it he added more fluid and then they check to see if you can drink some barium and it will go down. Of course, mine did not go down and they had to lay me back down and access my port again (this time it only took 3 tries) and take some fluid back out. My stomach is so sore, not my actual stomach but the area around my port. I took a picture yesterday to show J so I'll just post it and you guys can see my mutilated belly (ignore the stretch marks, I've had 2 kids). It looks worse today because it's all bruised now and the funny thing is that the bruise is a perfect circle, the exact size of my port.


All those tiny dots are where they shoved a 14 gauge needle into me (the line at the bottom is just my scar though).


So, anyway now that I've had my horrific fill hopefully I will start losing weight again and this whole surgery will be worth it. Otherwise I put my life at risk for 15 pounds and that is just stupid.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

You will start losing more!! Stay positive!! I know it's hard being somewhere without friends.. and Oklahoma in the winter sucks ass... But you can do this!! If I can make friends here in Germany where I barely speak the same language as everyone... You can totally do this... but don't beat yourself up when you have a bad day either... There is nothing wrong with that... Believe me! Embrace it if you have to to get over it faster! All of this? All of what you are doing for yourself and your family? You have the strength to accomplish it all within you! Never doubt it!! XXOX!! Want to make pageant friends there?? I probably know some who live there..... LOL... Just lemme know! *Kisses*

ZDub said...

Yikes, I hate needles! I bet you start losing weight like crazy. Don't worry.

ZDub said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jennifer said...

wow. that sucks. i'm not a huge fan of needles and i'm sure that getting them in your stomach must be a really sensitive area to get them.

i hope you are feeling better soon. and also feeling full. i'm sure you will loose more weight. this is your first fill... just think of how great you are going to do. can't wait to hear about more of your results!!

xoxoxo hugs!

Tricia said...

Needles don't scare me so much, but DUDE even that made my stomach turn! OUCH! You are a brave woman.

Mrs. Booms said...

Holy crap... that had to hurt! You look like a pin cushion, you poor thing.

Tara R. said...

Ouch! I hope you don't have to go through that again.

Jennifer said...

hey. just stopped in to see how you are feeling. hopefully better than the other day.

thinking of you.
xoxoxo

That Chick Over There said...

Oh bless your heart.