My surgery was a success now I have to recover. It was easier in most ways from the last one. Again, I feel much better, so I believe that my body is just better able to handle something like recovery from a surgery. My only exception is the nemesis that is my belly button. That wound still gave me the most trouble. Luckily the port is no longer there. My new port was placed much higher on my abdomen and on the opposite side and that incision seems perfect; thanks Dr. Jessee! The couple side incisions used for the arthroscopic tools, were a bit itchy and seemed to develop a bit of a rash. The rash was very red and started in the area around those incisions. Later that was explained as a probable allergic reaction to the dermabond used to seal the wounds. On my subsequent post-op visit, Dr. Ache removed the remaining dermabond and suggested some benadryl cream. That seemed to help, but it still took a couple weeks or more before the rash completely disappeared. The bigger issue was the belly button incision where they took out the old port. It was leaking again, luckily no where near like previously with my earlier seromas, but it was still very concerning after what I had already gone through in that area. For fear of an infection developing we moved my post-op appointment earlier and Dr. Ache was able to see me. She is fantastic by the way. She is very good at what she does and is very patient with her patients. She cleaned out the area and said it was infection free. I was pretty close to completing my antibiotic regimen, but she was confident that I wouldn't need any more. Instead she treated the wound with silver nitrate I believe it was called. It was pretty much some medicine on a stick. She fished it around inside my belly button wound to make sure she treated all the affected tissue. It wasn't horrible, but it burned, probably something like putting alcohol on a wound only the burning didn't go away for quite a while. I believe these issues were mainly a result of the scar tissue and previous problems I had in that area. It took a while for it to heal up, but that stuff did the trick. And I'm happy to say that I no longer have any more issues in that area; thanks Dr. Ache! A warning about this silver nitrate stuff besides the burning feeling that lasts most of a day, it isn't pretty. The wound will kind of ooze black for a while until it completely closes. It's perfectly normal and I believe it's just a sign of healing. It's great stuff and am glad I had it, because I think it's what finally did the trick to get that area healed up; it's just not pretty while it's doing it's thing. In fact it worked so well, that I have hardly any noticeable scarring after two surgeries in the area! On a subsequent follow up I also had an adjustment done using my brand new port and it was a breeze. What a difference it makes to have it secure. The needle went in with no problem. It was so not a big deal, that I nearly forgot to mention it here.
Now that I've recovered from my second surgery and I've hit a year from when my banded life began, I almost feel like I'm starting a new. I'm emerging from halftime ready to dig in for the rest of my journey as I still have a long way to go to reach all of my goals, but I know armed with my Lap Band, it's just a matter of time. It's true the start of my Lap Band journey had some more complications, that are certainly not typical, but if asked would I do it all again? The answer would certainly be HELL YEAH!!! Before surgery my body was run down succumbing to diabetes; I couldn't sleep, hardly walk, and barely breath. Let's face it I was on a collision course to an early grave. Now after a year banded, what do I have? I've lost 60 pounds! I can sleep through the night; I'm able to move and exercise including completing two 5K races! Recently, I even had my yearly physical and instead of getting the usual lecture about my weight and health, the doctor was very impressed with my progress, especially by the numbers. My glucose levels were cut in half to under 100 and my A1C is down to 5.7. Has the Lap Band conquered my diabetes? My doctor felt I was doing well enough to at least temporarily take me off my medication and re-evaluate later this year. And best of all I feel so much better about myself. I'd go through a lot more complications than I even went through to get this kind of reward, my life back; hands down one of the best decisions I've ever made. Goes up there with moving to Florida, marrying my wonderful wife, and having my beautiful daughter. Now with the help of the Lap Band, I will be here for them; I will be around to watch my daughter grow up; I can participate in this wonderful life.
Thank you so much to Dr. Jessee, Dr Ache, Susan Kay, Allergan(for supplying the Lap Band itself) and the wonderful staffs at both Suncoast Bariatrics and the Palms of Pasadena Hospital for this wonderful gift called the Lap Band and giving me my life back. Thanks again to all of my friends and family for their incredible support without which I couldn't have done this, especially to my wife Heather and my friend and inspiration Paul. You guys are the best!
God bless! :-)
Before Today
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