![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Whistling in the Dark
There is Only One Thing That I Blog...
Ah good. Medical problems. *Now* we're on familiar ground
Posted on 2005.02.15 at 21:03
Went to Darmouth Hitchcock today, for a checkup.
And thing's aren't all that great, I'm afraid. My blood pressure has skyrocketed. I'm a little surprised my heart hasn't exploded. I also seem to be suffering from Dumping Syndrome without knowing it -- which is probably where the problem was coming from. So, no processed sugars, no avoidable salts at all, and a very different diet, plus possibly big changes in medications.
I'm also supposed to go have a sleep study as soon as possible. I'm told the CPAP is probably set too high for me now that I've lost all this weight.
Oh, and I have multiple infections in folds of skin, which I need to treat by applying powders one normally uses on jock itch to them.
...you know, any possibility any women reading this might have had some interest in having sex with me, sometime in the future, just went right out the window....
On the plus side, I might be getting certain breads.
And thing's aren't all that great, I'm afraid. My blood pressure has skyrocketed. I'm a little surprised my heart hasn't exploded. I also seem to be suffering from Dumping Syndrome without knowing it -- which is probably where the problem was coming from. So, no processed sugars, no avoidable salts at all, and a very different diet, plus possibly big changes in medications.
I'm also supposed to go have a sleep study as soon as possible. I'm told the CPAP is probably set too high for me now that I've lost all this weight.
Oh, and I have multiple infections in folds of skin, which I need to treat by applying powders one normally uses on jock itch to them.
...you know, any possibility any women reading this might have had some interest in having sex with me, sometime in the future, just went right out the window....
On the plus side, I might be getting certain breads.
Oh! Forgot the best part!
Posted on 2005.02.15 at 21:32
There's a "second stage" of surgery for certain Gastric Bypass patients that's indicated. It's a plastic surgery procedure.
The reason for it is simple. Picture, if you will, Bouncing Boy of the Legion of Super Heroes. Picture him inflated into a nice sphere, bouncing and grinning and raising the morale of his super hero buddies.
Now, picture him punctured, causing the air to slurp out of him. However, his skin proves not to be elastic, so instead it just deflates and hangs, folds of skin on folds of skin.
This is not good. And not just because it makes you look like a Sharpie. See, those folds end up being sweaty, and the sweat becomes a haven for bacteria. There are significant hygiene issues in keeping clean when you're like this. And even when you do keep clean, it's easy for fungal or yeast infections (stop laughing) to develop, which isn't good.
Well, I keep clean, but I'm already enjoying the benefits of my fungal friends.
The surgical alternative, after you pass 18 months after the Gastric Bypass, is a tummy tuck. This removes large amounts of excess skin, restores a human appearance, and makes the infection and hygiene issues go away.
This is clearly indicated for me, but they told me today that Cigna is clamping down hard on paying for them. And unlike when we fought Cigna for the bypass, this isn't life threatening, so it's a lot less likely we can force them.
Well, maybe we'll switch to Anthem again between now and then. If not... I'm probably going to have to save up some twelve grand to do this. On the plus side, I can take a few years of looking like a Sharpie to do this, if need be. But it's one more thing that I didn't want to have to think about on a day when I'm already apparently one step away from a massive coronary.
(At least, from when they listened and checked, it didn't sound like my cardiomyopathy was coming back.)
The reason for it is simple. Picture, if you will, Bouncing Boy of the Legion of Super Heroes. Picture him inflated into a nice sphere, bouncing and grinning and raising the morale of his super hero buddies.
Now, picture him punctured, causing the air to slurp out of him. However, his skin proves not to be elastic, so instead it just deflates and hangs, folds of skin on folds of skin.
This is not good. And not just because it makes you look like a Sharpie. See, those folds end up being sweaty, and the sweat becomes a haven for bacteria. There are significant hygiene issues in keeping clean when you're like this. And even when you do keep clean, it's easy for fungal or yeast infections (stop laughing) to develop, which isn't good.
Well, I keep clean, but I'm already enjoying the benefits of my fungal friends.
The surgical alternative, after you pass 18 months after the Gastric Bypass, is a tummy tuck. This removes large amounts of excess skin, restores a human appearance, and makes the infection and hygiene issues go away.
This is clearly indicated for me, but they told me today that Cigna is clamping down hard on paying for them. And unlike when we fought Cigna for the bypass, this isn't life threatening, so it's a lot less likely we can force them.
Well, maybe we'll switch to Anthem again between now and then. If not... I'm probably going to have to save up some twelve grand to do this. On the plus side, I can take a few years of looking like a Sharpie to do this, if need be. But it's one more thing that I didn't want to have to think about on a day when I'm already apparently one step away from a massive coronary.
(At least, from when they listened and checked, it didn't sound like my cardiomyopathy was coming back.)