Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

This is the surgery that I plan to get at the begining of the year. As obese as I've become this would help me eliminate some of the comorbidities that I've developed.

Bariatrics

I've been contemplating the idea of having bariatric surgery for some time. At first I was totally against it and swore up and down that I'd be able to do it on my own. I went to see the bariatric specialist and was convinced that this is the only way for me to lose the weight. The doctor was excellent and advised me that as long as I had doubts in my mind and felt that I had a chance of doing it on my own he would not operate on me. When I left his office I was pretty much convinced that the lap band was the way for me to go. I did more and more research, I knew I didn't want the gastric bypass and perhaps health issues would have not allow me to be able to get it. Finally, after a conversation with another Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) patient (I won't say her name, but she's lost lots and lots of weight and she looks absolutely beautiful!!! and feels great too!!! Hint... Hint.. she's not only my prima but she is also my long time friend and classmate!!) I was guided to the website of Dr. Guillermo Alvarez, he specializes on both lap band and vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I've thought this over and over and this is what I'm getting. Now I only pray that my doctor will not go against it, since this is and old surgery revised from the 1980's. In my heart i do believe that this is the one for me. I post again later with more detailed information as far as procedure!

My birthday! (45)

Mom and myself at Mi Tierra!

Mom and Lee!

These were taken on September 11, 2008, a day after my 45th birthday. Mom, Lee and I had dinner at Mi Tierra in San Antonio while I was attending a Probate School. Mom and Lee got sick that evening. I didn't get sick until the following day and was sick throughout the weekend. My doctor said it was a stomach virus and that we should NOT be eating Mexican food away from home!!! What a way to celebrate a birthday!


Lee and me!

Mike couldn't join us, he had to take my MIL to the funeral of a family friend. I could not attend due to my job committment.

POSTHERPETIC NEURALGIA

I've had a headache (neuralgia) since the middle of August. This is what I was finally disgnosed with. My mom and I both suffer from the same ailment. She's had it for approximately 10 years. Our local nurse practitioner put me on Gabapentin, what a blessing, it's been the only thing that has given me some relief. Mom on the other had has had no relief whatsoever.

I took this info from Wikipedia...

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a neuralgia caused by the varicella zoster virus. Typically, the neuralgia is confined to a dermatomic area of the skin and follows an outbreak of herpes zoster (HZ, commonly known as shingles) in that same dermatomic area. The neuralgia typically begins when the HZ vesicles have crusted over and begun to heal, but it can begin in the absence of HZ, in which case zoster sine herpete is presumed (see Herpes zoster).

Treatment options for PHN include antidepressants, anticonvulsants (such as gabapentin or pregabalin) and topical agents such as lidocaine patches or capsaicin lotion. Opioid analgesics may also be appropriate in many situations. There are some sporadically successful experimental treatments, such as rhizotomy (severing or damaging the affected nerve to relieve pain), and TENS (a type of electrical pulse therapy).

Postherpetic neuralgia is thought to be nerve damage caused by herpes zoster. The damage causes nerves in the affected dermatomic area of the skin to send abnormal electrical signals to the brain. These signals may convey excruciating pain, and may persist or recur for months or even years.

In the United States each year approximately 1,000,000 individuals develop herpes zoster. Of those individuals approximately 20%, or 200,000 individuals, develop postherpetic neuralgia.
Less than 10 percent of people younger than 60 develop postherpetic neuralgia after a bout of HZ, while about 40 percent of people older than 60 do.

It may influence susceptibility to herpes zoster. African Americans are one fourth as likely as Caucasians to develop this condition.

Bad bad week!

I started off with a cold last Sunday and ended up at the doctor's office on Tuesday. I had a close call with pneumonia and now have a bad ear and sinus infection. I've had a headache from hell, all on the right side of my head, behind my eye, my ear, my cheek, jaw, just a heavy feeling. The meds don't seem to be doing much and if I don't feel better soon I'll be going to the clinic either tonight or tomorrow.
In the middle of everything, we had heavy rains for the last couple of weeks due to hurricanes in the area. Mike told me that Roxzee wasn't eating much and was vomiting, we don't have a regular vet here. Our vet moved and now comes only during the beginning of the month. Consequently, and due to me not feeling too good, I couldn't give my poor puppy health care and she died sometime during the night. I was under the impression that she had all her shots when we got her, however it seems like she may have come in contact with Parvo. My heart is broken. I'm going to miss her so much.

Roxzee

Here she is my new love, Roxzee... she's Rowdy's baby sister. Isn't she beautiful??? We gave her a bath as soon as she came home, she seems to love the water. She's my little flea bag, so she's getting a flea collar tomorrow. She doesn't seem to be as crazy as Rowdy, a lot calmer. Hopefully, she won't want to chase cars. My dilema is that on the 29th we leave to an election seminar and I have no clue who will look after her and Rowdy! Do I have any volunteers?

We will miss him!

It's been a long time since I really posted anything. I guess work and life keep me way to busy.

I was gone for almost a month, the middle of June I had a week long conference and after that we went to visit my inlaws, MIL (age 85) underwent knee replacement surgery. Our visit was supposedly going to be an overnight visit (over 200 miles away and a 4 hour drive). She suffered a case of Sundowner's Syndrome, and my FIL (age 90) spent two nights at the hospital with her because she pullled off everything and anything that was connected to and in her body. Then on the day we were to come home FIL suffered a fall which resulted in brain damage, we were told that he would live, but would not be able to care for himself and would not be able to go back home. Imagine, we had him at at one hospital, while she was across town in another one. Then having to tell her that he was ill and would not be coming home was one heck of a task for my husband. We finally brought her home on Saturday, we let her rest that night and the following day, as we were getting ready to go visit him, we got a call from the doctor advising us that he had been moved because he had suffered a heart attack. When we got there, the doctor was waiting and MIL understood what the doctor was explaing to us, she opted for the DNR / DNI and he peacefully passed away on June 29th, while we stood by his side.

He was cremated and his cremates were put to rest at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, TX. He retired from the Army after over 20 years of service in the early 1960's and fought in two wars (WWII and Korean). The received full military honors, we was wonderful, kind, and loving person... we will miss him!

A little more on Sleeping Pills and Muscle Relaxants

OOps, I guess I didn't finish last nights blog...

I've been insomic for many, many years... hence the sleeping pills. For years, and years I suffered severe headaches and one day while taking to my doctor about the headaches, he suggested that perhaps I had a low serotonine level. He prescribed Lunesta and I did great, no more headaches. Last November my prescription was changed to Ambien because my "new" insurance would not cover the Lunesta, now as evidenced by last nights blog... I fight the pills and eat part of the night. All the weight I had lost last year is back on my belly!! As for the muscle relaxants, I have two herniated discs and my prescription reads to take two pill three times per day, imagine that I'd be a zombie... I take one sleeping pill and one muscle relaxant per night... and I turn myself off!!! (After I eat of course!!!)

Sleeping pills and Muscle Relaxants

I'm logging off, these pill are driving me nuts.... My speech is slurred and I can't think straight... I wonder how my spelling is??? I'm going to talk to my doctor about lowering the dosage next month. In combination they wokr great.....

Last day at the Conference

Mike took this picture of me on the last day at the conference. if you look at my eyes you can tell they've taken a beating with my allergies.
The conference was hosted by the Hilton, as you can see it's very nice and elegant. We had to stay at the Hyatt (which was also very nice) since the rooms sold out rather quickly.
Thanks for looking!
MJ

Home Sweet Home

Despite severely bad weather and eye allergies, we made it home safely. God Bless my husband for chauffeuring me around on these long, but necessary trips! He usually doesn't accompany me unless it’s a very long trip and I really insist on him taking me, however most of the time someone from my staff will join me instead. There are changes to our department every year and we need to be able to implement the changes according to State law. Additionally, I need to complete 20 continuing education credit hours per year. This particular seminar was very educational, we learned how to do redactions for the safety of our community. We also learned how to “spot” a fraudulent driver’s license. There was also a session on Commissioners’ Court Minutes among other things.

College Station

I made it safe and sound to College Station for my clerk's seminar. Now I just hope I get back home the same way. I'm starting to get an anxiety attack just thinking that I have travel another 8 hours to get back home! I hate these trips... so far from home and so much traffic!!! Hate it, hate it, hate it!!! I'd rather go to the valley or San Antonio... anything farther than Austin is not good for my nerves!

Nikon-DSLR (Old Challenge)

I participated in the "Old" Challenge with the Nikon-DSLR Yahoo Group and these were the two best pictures I took.

The "Old House" is the house that came from Old Zapata in '53 right before the flood. It's now falling apart and will soon be demolished. This is the house where my mom grew up in and I was seven years old myself when we moved out of there to live in the house that mom lives in today.

The "Old Buddy L" truck was a gift from my dad when I was about four. There was a time when we thought we had lost it. Imagine the joy when I found it. It's very dear to me and it's one of the few childhood toys that I cherish. I won't have any one to pass it down to, nonetheless it's a wonderful memory.