Hi everyone,

I will try to make sense, although not sure if I can.

I have diverticular disease, an ileostomy, and a couple of large hernias (belly button and peristomal). I met with my bowel surgeon yesterday, who told me last year he wouldn't touch me until I had lost 100 pounds. Well now that is done and he wants to operate. I went into the appointment thinking about having a bowel resection (take the diseased part of my bowel out) with the thought of a second surgery down the line to reverse my ileostomy and repair the hernias. Plastic surgery was only a very distant thought (dream).

Anyways, he says to me, if all went extremely well with the bowel resction (he needs to take out about a foot of bowel and then reattach the pieces), he would like to try to reverse my ileostomy and repair the hernias at the same time (YEAH!!!!). Then he goes on to say, with my excess skin and fat in my belly, there is a very large risk of infection and other complications because of the bowel surgery (which has to be open surgery, not laproscopic), which he would like a consult with a plastic surgeon to consider doing a panni.....(sp?) or tummy tuck at the same time as well. At this time, I am not likely looking at surgery before August at the very earliest.

OMG - all of a sudden I have gone from one serious surgery to a 3 for 1 :frown:. Of course nothing can really be determined about plastics until I have my consult. Although I am incredibly excited (and petrified), I have some concerns/questions:

1. Won't know if can do 2nd and 3rd procedure until the middle of the actual surgery - will a plastic surgeon agree to be "on hold" for a day for something that may never happen?

2. PS for massive weight loss is a new and relatively untried field in my city and province in Calgary, Canada. WLS surgery (and only lapband - NOT gastric bypass) has only been offered in my community for the last 1 and 1/2 years and to my knowledge only performed on about 100-150 people in total. My bowel surgeon has admitted that the ps he will be referring me to will not have done many (if any) plastics on massive weight loss patients. What can I ask/ say to the ps to make sure he is competent to do my surgery? Obviously I am not going to be able to rely on his vast experience as a recommendation. From what I can tell about politics, and hospital priviledges etc, I also will not have a real choice about my ps. The good news is that I wouldn't have to pay for it either.

Any advice or support you all could give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the positive comments Luu - with the exception of the drains, I think I am doing as well as could be expected. I never know whether I should be posting the pictures or not since I get very little feedback.

Jacquie

I see a big difference. and I know you must feel alot better without the hanging pannus there. I was told monday I will be having 4 drains with my Fleur-de-Lis tummy tuck next week.

Sending healing thoughts your way

Edited October 15, 200817 yr by Shalee04
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Thanks Shalee,

Good luck with your surgery - I know I complain about the drains, but they really are there to help you and aren't actually that big a deal to take care of. They are more annoying than difficult.

I am sure you are going to have a fantastic result with the fleur-de-lis incision. I really think that anyone who has lost a great deal of weight would be best off with the two incisions (as long as you can handle the scars). My thinking is - who cares about the scars if you feel and look better and can wear clothes that fit your body rather than your excess skin and fat.

Jacquie

You look great! Such a big difference. Congratulations!

JJsmiles, you are a great inspiration to us all. You have definately had your trials and tribulations to contend with and you made it through with such a great outlook.

What a difference in your body! You must feel fabulous. Gosh, just tying your shoe must be so much easier. Clothes shopping is going to be great fun. I think you are definately on the road to a bright future. Thanks for sharing with us!!!!

Thanks Foofy and Karen :wink2: I truly appreciate the comments. I can see that quite a few people visit the thread, but not many make comments and in my self conscious moments I feel like a bit of a freak. Then I think to myself that posting is more about my journey of self awareness and self acceptance, than about the comments from others (although they make me feel much better about myself :eek:).

I debated about sharing the pictures, because I don't have the terrific body that some have who post here. But then I thought - there are lots of us who were/are superly morbidly obese and our reality is that a simple pannicultectomy or tummy tuck isn't going to be the be all and end all - I still have the wrinkly (I call them shar pei) thighs that comes with massive weight loss. Don't even get me started on the bat wings :laugh: that are my arms (the pictures didn't subject you to those thank goodness). I think I can likely live with my thighs and butt (we will see), but I am definitely going to want to work on my arms, since they are on public view.

I am pretty square through the body, and my waist is still bigger after surgery than pre-surgery (I think you were mentioning this as well in your thread Karen). That being said - I am extremely pleased with the results and how I look when I wear clothes.

Since the surgery, I am feeling more like a "normal" sized person than before. I know it shouldn't be this way, but getting rid of the extra belly apron makes a huge difference pyschologically. I haven't really excersised yet, so I don't know the difference there, but I am sure it will be significant.

I went for my first therapeutic massage yesterday and wasn't too ashamed of my body, for the first time in my life- wrinkly saggy skin, drains and all. A year and a half ago I would have never gone to a spa - I was too self conscious and ashamed of myself to put myself on display. The massage was a giant piece of heaven (although I hurt today) and I am an addicted convert after just one session :w00t:.

Losing this weight is proving to be a very long term, expensive project :laugh:. Who woulda thunk it?

Jacquie

girls when you are looking at these surgeries dont go shopping like you are clothes shopping getting bargains 3 and 4 in 1, look at the surgeons credentials and your risk factors. you dont want to have these big gapping infected wounds with necrotic tissue and months of recovery, just for the sake of saving a few pennies, obese ppl already increase there risk of complication, because of all the adipose tissue, and poor circuation to the areas involved, really look into it. because at the end of the day, your health is the main priority.

JJ,, your post was impressive and interesting. I applaud you on how strong you have been through all of this, it is quite amazing. I have diverticulosis and feared I would someday have to go through the same thing, but hopefully by getting the lap band I will avoid it. I have my worst spells when my reflux is at its worse, it seems to bring on the diverticulitis infections. I will be having the hiatal hernia repaired with the lap band and hope to never have to deal with that pain again.

How are you doing now?? Have you healed some more?

Hope all is well

Thanks Wicked!!

Most of this journey has seemed to be thrust upon me, so good for you for being as proactive as possible. Having the band has really cured my reflux (I stopped taking Nexium almost immediately after surgery), so hopefully it will work for you as well. Good Luck!!

Went to the ps today and HOORAAHHHHHH I am finally drain free after 6 weeks. Of course he also pulled out 60 cc's from two different places, and I have to see him again next week, but hopefully tomorrow I will get to take a shower :biggrin:

I had a horrible swelling incident yesterday - my mid section swelled up like a balloon and I went up about 5 pounds. By this morning it had decreased by about 70% and seems to be getting better over the day. PS has no explanation, but says I will have ongoing swelling in my hips and genitals for a long time to come (which I already knew, but they never touched my mid section, so I don't know what that was about).

I started back at the Gym (twice last week, none yet this week). I am not cleared to do any weights or ab work yet, but can do cardio. I was very impressed with myself on Sunday when I did 25 minutes on the eliptical (2.25 miles) and 50 minutes (3.25 miles) on the treadmill. Nowhere near as fast as I could go in the past, and I was pretty tired, but it is good to know that I still have some endurance. Now I just need to find the motivation to go back regularly.

I am back to having a wide open band - can eat anything and everything and it seems in any amount. I do fine in the day, but am struggling with evening head hunger. I will likely call to set up a small fill in the next month - I think I need the extra incentive of external portion control.

Jacquie

Wow Jacquie! I just caught up on the thread and saw your pictures! What a change....thank you for being so brave! I am so amazed at how much they can "take" off! I hope your healing is better everyday!

I know my pannis will cover my privates too! I'll just deal with that someday too!

Congrats! Keep it up!

Yea for No more drains!!!!

Yay!!! Jacquie is finally drain free. I bet it feels wonderful!!

Hi Jacquie,

I don't know how I have missed this amazing thread for so long!

I am in awe of all you've been through. This thread is, and will continue to be, an invaluable help to many.

Congratulations and I'm glad to hear that you're doing so well.

:smile::thumbup:

Thanks everyone!!!

I am delighted to say that I had my first shower this am and it was HEAVEN!!!!! :sad_smile: You all know (or will know soon) how great it feels to get "all over" wet with really hot Water.

I went for a massage today and my massage therapist says that one of the best things you can do for your scars (once they are really healed) is to massage them and stretch them gently (to break up the clumps and scar tissue underneath). She also says rub them with plain old castor oil, cover with saran wrap and tape before bed and leave on over night. Works as well if not better than all the expensive product out there at a fraction of the cost.

I have another panic situation today. I belong to a local ladies gym and a couple of months ago they asked me if I would submit my story. They have a "wall of success" that they put up every year with stories and before and after pics. I got a phone call yesterday asking if I could be there today at 7 pm to get my picture taken.

OMG - I need to head for my second shower of the day, hope my hair works out for once, learn how to apply some makeup and find something to wear that makes me look as thin as possible. As I write I have 3 and 1/2 hours til I have to be there. Do you think I have time to make a miracle happen? :rolleyes2:

Jacquie

How did the gym photos go? I am sure your photo on the Wall of Success will be an inspiration to many.

I was just scrolling through the before and after thread and came across your lovely, smiling face. Your before and after is really quite a remarkable transformation. I think you should add those pictures to this thread so people can see the "whole JJ" - not just the stomach close ups.

Great work!!!!