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Weight: 186.5 lbs.
My bloodwork is over and it was successful!! In fact so much so, that she got me her first try, and I was only in such a brief thime that the friend who brought me was actually chagrined enough to comment that: “I didn’t even get to finish my magazine article.” Sorry Rose…I couldn’t be more thrilled! Maybe drinking gallons of water beforehand, drugging myself into a trance, having lost some arm weight and newfound hope are some successful ingredients!
The other thing that now officially feels “over” is Christmas. Because after Rose dropped me off in the afternoon, I spent the rest of the day taking everything down. Ugh - what a chore! But, it feels great to be back to everyday clutter and ornamentation, rather than looking at Santa faces and wreaths and the like.
I wish I could say that my overeating is also over, but this would unfortunately be stretching the truth. We went to a Greek restaurant after my bloodwork yesterday, and I was so starved from not having eaten and stress and drugs that I got a huge meal off souvlaki meat, eggs, homefries and toast. I ate a substantial amount, but the girls had a go at most of my toast, and I still managed to take a big box ‘o leftovers home. Now I have Greek, Mexican AND Chinese leftovers in the fridge. It is like the international institue of eating over here. And I need it all gone so I can stock us up on better thought out and less caloric foods. Like water.
Speaking of which…I don’t think that I’ve peed it all back out yet. I am somewhat pragmatic about this weeks weight gain because of this, as I contnued drinking like a banshee yesterday…first to stay hydrated for the 10:00 am draw, and later as I was catching up on lost coffee consumption. Hopefully some of the excess weight will drop back, although I realize that all the rest remains up to me and doing what I have been lately is going to keep me heading only in the wrong direction. And looking at the margin here where weights are tallied, I only see gains now for some months, and even if one week may be an abberation, the trend is truly sobering and I must take stock.
Where have you heard this before…?! Blah, blah, blah.
Weight: No fair
I have to get my blood drawn in a few hours and have been drinking like a drunken sailor all evening and morning to “plump up my veins.” According to the phlebotomist, proper hydration is a key factor in their success in sticking me. And I am willing to drink a peninsula if I have to and it increases the likilihood that they don’t have to puncture me any more than once.
But, between this and the Mexican food that we ate yesterday when out with Barb and Rick, I am sure to have bloated up like a warthog, and can’t bear to see an actual number this morning. I am traumatized enough at the moment!
My friend Rose is taking me today, as she remains off work and we thought that a “playdate” afterwards would be nice for both of us. I hope to call Janet afterwards too as she is also off, and see if she can join in for breakfast in her neck of the woods. Rose and I have chosen a Greek restaurant in Cheektowaga, as we also plan to stop by my work as I am going to tour her around some.
Making this another social weekend that has stretched into the week. Interestingly, and just as I predicted, Tom was in “better” form with our mixed company last night, and besides, in that Rick continues to recover from major hip surgery, this trumps Tom’s ankle issues, and he didn’t say a peep, conspicuosly put his leg up, ask for ice, or limp. I know that it still hurts him, but he has shown that he is able to keep it under wraps when it serves no purpose to complain. As I doubt that he would have gotten the same degree of attention and sympathy from Barb and Rick as he knows he is able to from some others. Although now that this has brought to light more, maybe not! And, more importantly, he will hopefully reach his orthopedist today and set something up to resolve the problem soon anyway.
And that he and I will both get good news and resolution about our internal workings because his cyst is shrinking and my vitamin and mineral levels are growing.
Wouldn’t all that be nice!
The real verdicts will be out soon….
Weight: 185.1 lbs.
Its Friday and compared to Tuesday I guess that this is a good thing. However, I still have an onerous workday to get through today, and rather dread it. I have meetings, supervision and clients scheduled, and I am feeling very weary and burnt out before I have even had my breakfast yet.
Speaking of which, I am continuing with attempts to eat somewhat better, although admittedly New Year’s rsolutions seem to have been made more to ameliorate anxiety BEFORE it became 2011, rather than a testiment to how I am actually living in this new year. Unfortunately.
I have still not even begun exercising again, and continue to take some liberties with my diet that I didn’t used to in the beginning. I am lucky that I have not gained more, although at this rate, I am unlikely to lose anymore either. Including back down to my previous low of about 182. I need to find things to motivate me more, as occassionally imagining myself in the 170’s or 160’s or so, with a wistful grin, just isn’t apparently enough for me.
In other news, the dinnertime gathering we had scheduled with friends Barb and Rick tonight was moved up to Sunday afternoon, due to technical difficulties. I imagine that I will eat my leftover chicken livers in front of the boob tube instead tonight, and given how exhuasted I feel, this may not be a bad thing. Hopefully I will be fresh aa a lily for Sunday’s visit! And tomorrow’s visits with Debbie and Janet who are coming over to “hang” and catch up. Making a total of two social/eating events that I have to find my way with and try and be “good” on all fronts. Barb and I talked on the phone last night and decided that using our basement exercise equipment together while she is over might be actually both fun and fulfill both of our goals and hopes to fit at least ten minutes of this in a day. It will be interesting to see if for the first time ever I actually exercise with a guest!
And speaking of such matters, Tom has a slew of doctor appointments and tests today as he has been complaining for some time about swelling and pain in his left ankle. The one he injured in a motorcycle accident years ago, but is toed out and somewhat deformed as a result.
Yesterday he saw his primary about it, and he has been sent for doppler testing and X-rays today, along with bloodwork to rule out gout. There is some concern that it might be a blood clot or even a fracture…and hopefully he will get the results soon as these sound more serious than the arthiritis we had both been speculating it was.
Also yesterday he had to go to the dentist on an emergency basis as his face swelled up and his teeth were hurting. It turned out that he had an infection (that I don’t quite understand) related to a cap or something, and this was fixed after x-rays there revealed the problem. He is also now on antibiotics for this.
I would be lying if I didn’t say that in addition to being worried about Tom, that I could hear “caching, caching” in my head as he was rattling off all of these procedures. Just as I am as I face my own starting Monday and going through eternity. Major kudos to our sweet dentist who recognized that just a week ago we lost all dental coverage, and he charged Tom a cash amount of just “$15 to cover the X-ray.”
As to everything else, especially given that we are in a new year and neither has met any of our deductibles yet, we’ll see. I can hear the sound of water pouring down the drain as I write this!
But, more importantly, our issues are being addressed, and for Tom especially, hopefully resolved without further concern. He should know soon what the verdict is, and although I am a little apprehensive, I am trying to be optimistic that it is something minor and will benefit from typical actions.
And, on this note, and with a somewhat artificial smile plastered on my skeptical face, I am off to greet the day and try and make the best of it all before I collapse when it is all finally over.
Weight: 184.9 lbs.
Although I worked until 7 pm last night, I have found myself further behind on everything already than I even was before I went in. As a result, I dread today and have twice as much work to do to be able to leave in better shape this afternoon. Ack - and it’s only Wednesday!
The better news is that I was so busy from start to finish, that I didn’t have time to eat too much, and when I did, it was a relatively healthy meal or snack. I stuck to eggs, cheese sticks, some nuts, an orange and turkey hotdogs on whole wheat. Not all at once, of course! I now see that I actually lost a little weight, perhaps as a result. Will wonders never cease!
But, I think that I am PMSing and feel hungrier and grouchier and more stressed than usual, and will have to work harder today to not gnaw through whatever crosses my path out of hunger and nervousness.
Next Monday I have to go for bloodwork to test the usual panel of things, as well as my iron and vitamin “D” levels. Although I dread the whole ordeal, I am eager to see how I am holding up internally. We know that I haven’t been too hot externally, having eaten more poorly over the last several weeks, and falling off the wagon with my exercise regimen. Which by the way, I still have not resumed despite my every intention to do so starting Monday.
Anyway, I have lined up my off work friend, Rose, to accompany me in Tom’s place to give him a break from the torment I typically put him through when either loopy on valium, or during the actual draw itself when I squeeze his nuts off if he stands too closely during it. I have already forwarned Rose, but she has chosen to take Tom’s place nonetheless. I have promised a breakfast out afterwards, and then if I’m not still out of my mind from the valium, we may treat ourselves with a movie later. This is also my way of rewarding myself after such a traumatic ordeal.
It will be interesting to see how my iron and “D” levels are now compared to last bloodwork-up, as I have doubled up on my Celebrate iron supplemants and the “D”’s they gave me plus some “D” drops. All told I should be supplementing with enough of everything that I shouldn’t be deficient anymore. And at least I now am able to get a copy of my own blood results BEFORE I go to my primary (on 1/31), so I should know sooner rather than later, and not have to rely on my doctor to tell me. I remain grateful that I switched from the previous doctor who was militant and unreasonable about such matters, to such a more user friendly one. Plus, I am no longer anxious that I won’t have enough valium to adequately sedate me, and am already less anxious as a result.
Now I just have to get through the next few very busy and stressful work days and my period….so I can look forward to Monday. Yeesh…I need Christmas to return!
Weight: Who wants to know?!
It is a bad sign when I start skipping the morning weigh in. Again. I just can’t bring myself to know today…I am already depressed enough without being fat too!
Yesterday was Tom’s and my last free weekend day until the new year, plus he is off today for teacher’s conference, or something. For those who know us, you know what this likely means that we went and did.
And we lost. We went to both Fallsview in Canada (where American money is now worth only 97% of Canadian- the first time I ever remember this being so!!), and then Seneca on our side of the border. We ate the buffet (free) at Fallsview, and then stayed so long afterwards at Seneca, that we then ended up eating there too. Tom wanted to do their buffet, but this is the only place I drew the line. We ate at the diner instead…which was not much better than eating the buffet. I tried to order decent by getting an oriental chicken salad dish, but when it came, I realized that the chicken was fried and the dressing was sweet. I didn’t end up eating much anyway though, as I was having chest or upper stomach or something pains that made eating and even breathing difficult.
Which brings me to a subject I haven’t written about yet, but have been dealing with on and off for a bit now.
I seem to be having intermittent chest type pains…radiating pain that bores through from the center of my chest to my back, and effects my breathing when it kicks up bad. It can last for just minutes, but sometimes for hours or a day. I have been having episodes more frequently lately, but can remember as far back as years ago when I had them too. In fact, about 4 or 5 years ago I had a particularily crushing episode while in Las Vegas, and then another less severe when back home afterwards…and did tell my doctor. He sent me to a cardiologist, but as I was so heavy, they couldn’t scan my chest, nor could they get the IV in to do a stress test with contrast. They tried for like and hour, and we were all hysterical by the time I insisted that they stop trying to stick me any more. So…we never did get a good look at things.
But, the episodes subsided through the years since, and I forgot all about them. Until a few weeks ago…and now they are happening quite frequently. I am stymied as to whether it is my upper tummy kicking up in protest, my heart, gerd, or maybe a hernia or an ulcer. I guess that I won’t know until I look into it. I do see the doctor at the end of January and will mention this then, and hope that there is a less invasive way to look inside me than to shoot me up/get a needle in me. And unless I am dying of heart trouble, I can’t be sure that I would even consider this one, as I remain traumatized from their last attempts still!
Whatever the case, today is a sobering day of being fat, playing too hard yesterday, losing, and inexplicable pain.
On the other hand, Tom and I are both off, the bad weather finally hit our neck of the woods and it is trashed outside, and I am gonna recover indoors all day from as much of what ails me as I can!
Weight: not til tomorrow!
Thank God it’s Monday. I am exhausted from everything weekend and holiday, and actually look forward to catching up on the laundry etc. in solitude today. There is much fussing that needs to get done here, but nothing extraverted, I hope. I may have to bind and gag extraverted Tom, though!
Yesterday was a blur from the get go, and included the brunch here, cat show, dinner out with Rose afterwards, and then she lingered here over pie and such, until late. And then, her sister called just after she left, compelling me to call Rose back to fill her in on the day we chose for our Christmas gathering. And ended up talking to Rose like another 3 hours on the phone! Who does that?! (Me, apparently!)
Anyway, I didn’t get to bed until 11:00 which is very late for now sleep deprived me, and this morning am exhausted as a result.
I have to grapple with my doctors office in a phone call when they open, and dread this. I hope that they don’t argue with me about the $42 more they added to my already paid $150 for my recent physical. I am gearing up for a fight about this and so hope that they just erred. Because who adds more money onto an already agreed upon price paid in cash during the visit? And, who charges $192 for a physical in the first place? I thought $150 was high…and they were clear that they offer no discounts for cash pay when one lacks insurance coverage as I do (for preventative care). I desperately hope to not have this contaminate my good feelings about this new doctor and her office, as if you follow me here, you know that I was otherwise pleased and glad to have even found a doctor at all after quite a search for one and bad past experiences.
And I am almost too weary to handle much of such stress well today.
But at least it’s not the weekend! (Try not to lynch me, please!) Ha Ha!
Weight: 186.6 lbs.
Agh…I ate both (leftover) Mexican food and Chinese food yesterday! My appetite and poor choices lately know no bounds…and even my stomach hurts today probably as a result.
Debbie came over last night, weary and spent from her long day. We too were drained, and between us all, we struggled to decide how to share dinner. No one felt like going to a restaurant, fussing, or even moving. So…we ended up ordering take out Chinese food from a newly opened spot down the street. And, like Debbie and Tom, I ordered a soup entree (hot and sour) and a combo platter (chicken and garlic). In other words, sweet and salty and greasy…and unfortunately, tasty too!
I am really struggling here…. And, now I’ve got leftovers to last a lifetime, meaning more temptations for days to come. I’d like to say that I can just ditch them and get on with things, but let’s be real. When have I ever thrown out otherwise perfectly good anything, or not eaten like the natives?!
Sigh….
At least today I am slated to exert myself some when we go detecting later. Hopefully we’ll get a lot of “hits” that will necessitate much stooping and digging and movement. (And “treasure!”)
But, then tonight, we are supposed to attend a benefit for the ill brother of a co-worker. For the $25 admission price, it includes both dinner and snacks and wine/beer/pop all night. Again, not good for will powerless me! I’m no fortune teller, but I can see that I’m in for a rough few days here and that back to the 186’s may not look so bad soon if I keep this up.
Which segues me into my yesterday doctor stories. The punch line of which was that she asked me if I felt that I had gotten down where I had hoped to, which of course I answered “oh, no.” She asked what my goal weight was, and when I said that 130 would be nice, she scoffed and immediately said:”You’ll never get to 130! You’re too short for that!” What??! I asked her what she meant, and she said that the big losses are for taller people who have a significant advantage, and that being short I shouldn’t expect to do as well. I joked that she sounded like Garfield (”I’m not fat, I’m vertically challenged”), and she said “exactly.”
Now I’m not sure whether to love her, or scorn her…this seemed like a strange liberty to take with someone who is trying to look for a mentor in the weight loss process. Although perhaps realistic, as she is the 2nd medical professional to say so recently (see my post when I went to the bariatric center recently).
In any event, here was the overall scoop from this new doctor experience. The place was gloriously casual (even messy!) and comfortable and full of posters and visual stimuli, which I love. The staff was largely approachable and friendly, and between the paperwork and the two people (RN and someone else) that tested me before I met the doctor, incredibly thorough. This is the opposite extreme from where I came, and one of the staff said that other past patients of Dr. “T”’s have also said so (that he “didn’t do ANYTHING). Here, I got an eye and an ear and a breast exam, as well asall the usual vitals, AND an EKG. We discussed everything from past history to my surgery, and there were no judgements added which I always appreciate.
On the down side, they had several office emergencies while I was there, making my total time in the office nearly 3 1/2 hours long! Often I was left alone in my paper gown to nod off while sitting between “tests” on the table thing. Once I must have nodded off completely, because I woke up with a start in a completely dark room, as the light which is motion sensitive, had gone off! Talk about wierd and disorienting!
Anyway, the most heartening thing of all is when THEY LISTENED TO ME!!! When I told of my needle phobia and need for valium, no one batted an eye, and she simply asked “how much” while writing me a script. I got the impression that I could have asked for enough to sedate me for weeks, because when I conservatively asked for just a few, she actually said: “Is that all?” I didn’t have to fight or arm wrestle or beg or plead or state my case as a phobic or anything!!
Then, when I asked to be written in on the bloodwork order, the doctor simply said “ok” and asked that the receptionist do so. I almost cried with relief and gratitude! I was all prepared to make a fuss if I had to, and felt strangely deflated when I didn’t have to.
So, I think this place and these people are keepers, and I am so glad to have finally found someone I hope that I can trust and work well with. She (Dr. “B”) did chastise me a little however for not having seen my primary before for a year and a half, although she like her staff were appalled that he dropped me without even telling me so. She did state her expectation that I may be asked to come in on a more frequent basis to her, although she got my point about how our insurance doesn’t cover, and unless I had a reason, it was hard for me to justify. She has asked me to recheck certain blood values (good old ferritin, in particular, which I too am eager to do) for a January follow up, and I am actually glad for this as I agree with the Celebrate nutritionalist who said I shouldn’t wait a whole year to recheck as this level has steadily dropped and now is near the level for iron defieciency. I joked with the doc that I had purchased some liver and it was now sitting in the car (for nearly 4 hours) due to this marathon visit, and she complimented me for my use of food and vitamins to try and keep my levels up. But, the true test as to whether heme eating and doubling my dose of chewable Celebrate iron supplements, will be in January. My “d” vitamin level too.
So, there you have it…I am finally in good with a doctor, and HAPPY about it!!
See…maybe it wasn’t all me after all!
Weight: 187.4
Well now I know why I was pmsing all week. I’m not sure if the before or during is worse. And I had to have my boobs compressed into pancakes yesterday to boot! But at least I was told that I have “happy breasts” when it was all over!
I do love looking with the technician at the images when they review these with you at the end. Mine looked so much smaller since last years test. Still big mind you, but on their way down. Hopefully like the rest of me.
Speaking of which, I ended my day yesterday with some air popped popcorn and a glass of white wine. Not the snack of champions, but it did make me feel better on most accounts. Except for some nagging guilt about what a bad snack I had chosen.
And Spice continues to cheer me and make me laugh, including as I attempt to write this. She is so persistent in her desire for attention that it is both comical and annoying. In fact, she is like sucking my face as I write this, and making it very hard to get the words out. She squacks like a wounded pigeon, crawls all over me and the keyboard, and is in constant motion. I tried to take some good shots of her so I could post some here, but got a piece of her tail, a whisker, a paw, the carpet and a smudge…as she moves so fast and so constantly, I can’t focus. Plus, she screams like a banshee if left for even a second so I can try and get up to get a better shot. Unfortunately, despite requests on the phone and behind the scenes for a picture, this may have to wait a few days or until she is sufficiently drugged or unconscious so I can have her be still for 2 consecutive seconds.
No wonder she is so skinny…and maybe I can learn a thing or two from her!
Weight: 188.6 lbs.
Ok, so the topsoil that we ordered came, and looks like a tiny mound of nothing. A size “A” bra cup full, not like the humongous size I used to wear and that we expected. We ordered a yard of it, the equivalent of which was said to be 60 50lb. bags or 6 wheelbarrows full. Are they kidding, or does it shrink down like cooked bacon and distribute itself in such a way that it becomes nothing when delivered?
So, now Tom has placed a call to the company that sent it, and will have to follow-up with a “dispute” on Monday. Or, we may simply be told that we have no ability to visualize what a yard should have looked like.
Sigh….
Then, as I recently discovered that I am doctorless, I had Tom call and see if his doctor would take me. And he was told “no”, as he is not accepting new patients. So, I called a doctor that a friend highly recommended, and was told that they too weren’t accepting new patients. (Or they have read my file, like on Seinfeld with Elaine, and won’t touch me with a ten foot pole!)
I was given another name to try, and will follow-up on Monday, but am getting a complex and feeling paranoid that no one wants anything to do with Tom or I. Like the chimney man who never came back or called and has left our chimney in its original state of disrepair, and us in the lurch. Should we be taking any of this personally?
Logically I know not, but it is hard not to feel a little wounded by the bad karma of it all lately.
But, then, while out garage saling yesterday, I asked a vendor if she happened to work at a doctors office, because she had the same distinctive, raspy voice of the woman I had just spoken to. She said no, but that her sister tending the table next to her did. And when I asked, sure enough it was her! (Aren’t my voice recognition skills amazing! LOL!) Anyway, she was very nice, and we discussed my doctor dilemna, and the tides turned when she not only thought of another doctor I might try who she highly recommended, but when she said that I could call her back on Monday if I failed, and she’d see what she could do.
Now isn’t that an amazing example of coincidence and karma rolled into one?!
Now tomorrow I have a mammogram scheduled, which is terrible timing as I am PMSing and the thought of it all is already making my teeth tingle. But, at least they are typically very nice there and treat me well and respectfully too…and right now, I’d let any body part be squeezed unmercifully just for the continued pleasure of encountering a competent, responsible, and caring professional! I need to be on a roll here to conquer the forces of “evil”!
And there is even more wonderful and happy news, and this is all about GOOD karma. And I’ve saved the best for last!
While still out yesterday, we ended up nearby the SPCA, and I asked Tom if we could just begin the search for another cat. Although Gingerbread is queen diva and will proably never speak to us again, we are both starting to heal and feel as if it is approaching time to give a new kitty a home.
So….even before we got past the front door, there was karma everywhere. It started with the sign saying that they have recently started waiving the adoption fees for cats over 1 year old, and that Fall apparently has brought new need for placements.
And then there she was! A scrawny, tiny, two year old stray calico with an annoying siamese type voice and small delicate oriental features. Demanding attention and as comical as any cat could be. She made us laugh and melt, and after visiting with her for nearly an hour (while our groceries rotted in the car!) in the special cat visiting room, Tom agreed that she was ours. The whole time we were in the room with her, she wouldn’t leave our sides even to explore or play or walk around on the catwalk that circumvented the whole room. We tried to place her near and on certain objects, stimulate her play response with a feather, and peel her off of us. To no avail! All she wanted was to scream for attention, cuddle, purr and walk all over us. She’s so incredibly annoying and needy and cloying, we both fell in love and had to have her!
Which could be the death of us both. I usually hate high maintainence anything so I am somewhat surprised by my maternal insticts here, but you can’t argue with predetermination!
We pick her up Monday as she must be spayed first, and the rest, I’m sure, will be history! It just feels right, I guess. My only real question now (besides, “are we crazy?!”) is whether to call her Spice, Amaretto or Tahini. Ideas, anyone?
And, lets hope that the goodness of positive karma outweighs the bad forces here, and our new little one brings us the joy and wonder that she already seems that shes going to. Regardless of whether people come through, or not!
Ah, and isn’t this the incredible gift of animals in the first place!
Weight: 188.0 lbs.
I happened to be trolling obesityhelp yesterday, when there was a posting by someone named “Y”, who I noticed had surgery where I did. What was especially interesting was not her post or any answers that she got, but what I found out when I clicked on her name to read more about her behind the scenes. And the only reason that I did this at all was because I wanted to see if she wrote anything about her experiences with the center that we both used.
What I saw, was that she lives just across the border in Canada, and posted her May, 2010 blood results for all to see. Clearly she had these drawn in Canada, as they were in different units than in the States. AND, most inportantly, they offered information on values, that I’ve never seen in any of my reports. Specifically, for ferritin, this is what it said: under 12 = iron defiecient; 12-30 = depleted iron stores, 31-79, reduced iron stores, and 80-300 = normal iron stores. “Y”’s were 29. I wonder if anyone told her what I am now learning! I hope that she has read my diatribe either here or on obesityhelp and sees herself and seeks further guidance, if she hasn’t already.
I had the great fortunate to talk directly with a highly regarded nutritionalist yesterday, and discuss at length this whole ferritin issue. And, just as I was suspecting and had read, my level of 14 is most certainly a harbinger of impending anemia, and that the fact that my other iron values increased, is actually further proof of this and NOT a good thing. She explained that they have to work harder to compensate (or something), and that this is further indication that I am heading towards trouble. Which she also said is not uncommon post gastric bypass, but that it should be tended to early on, if possible. And that no way should I do nothing or wait another year to retest, as was proposed by my center. She recommended that I have this lab drawn in 3 or 6 months instead.
I hung up with a 6 step action plan to try and raise my levels myself and to stay on top of things. This includes: 1) Doubling up on my Celebrate iron pills. 2) Ensuring that I am not taking these within two hours of anything calcium (not just calcium pills, like I had thought). She suggested that I take them just before bed for this reason, AND, that I also not take them within two hours of consuming any products with tannin (ie: coffee, tea, red wine). The later, I never knew or heard of before, and the former, I had been inadvertently lax about. Although I knew not to take them with a calcium PILL, I never thought about this being a problem with calcium rich foods, like cheese.
Also, she suggested that I try and raise my vitamin D level, as just as I also had read, my 33 is quite low (despite what reassurance I was again given by the center). So, I will add another D supplement. And, I will try and incorporate more iron rich foods (although she indicated that it is quite common for us to have trouble absorbing nutrients from these). I will also check back to celebrate.com for research based data that she will be writing and posting there as to blood values and other critical and cutting edge information that she agreed that many surgeons and bariatric centers aren’t even informed of.
So, today I finally feel as if I have developed an action plan that makes sense, empowers, and hopefully, helps keep me well and staves off the otherwise inevitable anemia. I shudder to think that had I not been “a pain in the ass”/difficult patient/nudge, that like possibly many, I would have gone home with no specific reports to reference, and a proud smile as to how well I was told that I was doing. This is one time when I don’t want to hear “you’re fine, don’t worry about it!”, then be treated like I’m difficult when I “question authority” or standard policy or practice regarding dissemination of blood work etc.
And, I truly hope that others who read here take similar heed, despite how ingrained it probably is in all of us to want to bow down to our doctors, believe good news, and roll with things so as to appear compliant and grateful.
The only real “oh, crap!” in all of this for me now though is, that now I know that I must have my blood drawn sooner than I hoped for! Valium, anyone?!
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January 11th, 2011 | 
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