I'm not sure why I am off work to be honest. I mean, I know I'm not well, there's something wrong, but the doctor is not 100 % sure as to what is going on. He didn't say that to me, but I wasn't born last night and I have worked in a hospital long enough to know that he is "going down the checklist" to determine what is happening and I am in tune with my body well enough to know when it isn't right, even if I'm slightly off. Hell I was able to pinpoint (to the amazement of an ER doc, Radiologist, US tech and a Specialist) where my DVT was in my leg.
Last weekend was spent feeling nauseous and feeling like I'd been run over by a herd of stampeding buffalo. I essentially spent my entire weekend sleeping very disappointing and frustrating. When monday morning's 7:30 am alarm went off I was sure I was going to vomit everywhere, except I knew that there was nothing to throw up, but that certainly didn't make me feel any better. I stayed in bed for another hour not feeling any better, then got up and headed over to my GP's. I am to really, really aim towards 800 calories a day (80 grams of which is to be protein), 8 glasses of water/liquids, start taking my multi-vitamins and find a protein powder that I like. I'm trying - it's hard. I was given a medication that helps with the nausea as well as with intestinal movement (ie: bowel movements). He said bowel movements every 2-3 days is not healthy and ideally, bowel movements should be occurring on a daily basis. The lack of bowel movements, ie: constipation, could be contributing to my crappy feeling (no pun intended). This is something that I've been having problems with. When I take Bene-Fiber it is producing a "bowel emptying/cleanse" effect, which is overkill. If I don't take anything, I only have BM's once every 2-3 days and they are painful. These pills are helping me to have 1-2 small bowel movements a day which is so much more healthier than either of what I had been having. I have started to keep a "BM Journal" so I can report how often and when I am BM'ing. **Note: Thank you to the makers of the iphone and all of the wonderful apps.**
Then he sent me over to have blood drawn, an ECG and a urine sample done. The ECG was relatively simple, a few minutes. The blood drawing took a little bit longer, but nothing like when I landed in the ER here. The urine sample, was a different story. I sat, had some juice, waited an hour....nothing. I ended up taking the cup home. I have noticed I pee twice a day - once in the morning when I get up and once at night, usually before bed. That is not good. : / I've since really, really been working on my water/liquid intake and have managed to be able to go three times a day, but overall, this is not good.
I went back on tuesday to see him so we could go over my test results and to my surprise, and disappointment, everything was normal, except my potassium was low. I'm not dehydrated (even with 13 hours of fasting), my electrolytes are normal, no infections are hiding....WTF?!?! Of course, I feel like a total loser since the results say I'm "normal" even though I don't feel normal at all and I wanted answers dammit!!! Thankfully my doc has enough experience with gastric-type surgeries that he makes me feel at ease. He tells me just because the paper says everything is normal, I must realize that my metabolism is experiencing a complete shift which affects my body, my anatomy has changed (and takes anywhere from 6-12 months to be 100% healed) and is still healing and even my potassium being a few points off can wreak havoc on my system, in addition to being constipated and only getting the bare minimum amount of water/liquids each day. He says go home, eat, drink, rest and see you on friday. I am doing as he has instructed but deep down I *am* worried that there is something going on. It just sucks big time to feel this gross and it come down to seemingly small things. Off I go to get my prescription for liquid potassium filled. I'm instructed to take 15 mls of it with orange juice or tomato juice. Hmmmm, ok. That should have been an indication of how much it was going to taste like donkey balls. I could not even swallow it, as soon as it was in my mouth, I gagged and puked up a little. I didn't even bother trying again. I guess that will be another injection that I will be getting. Back to the doctor's on thursday to talk to him about it.
How am I feeling now? Better. I've been coming within 100 calories of my daily goal, drinking about five to six 8 oz cups of liquids and taking a multi-vitamin (children's chewables, mmmmm so good) which is very good. I do feel better, but the energy levels are quite low and as I have said a zillion times, it's so very frustrating. Since I haven't started taking a potassium supplement as of yet, I'm hoping that it is something that works quite quickly especially if I am getting injections of it. I want to go to the gym and exercise and I just don't have the energy, it's not there. It is some sort of sick irony. Not exercising makes me feel anxious. I say this as I am worried about excess skin. Not just on my tummy but my upper arms. Hubby took some pics of me a few weeks back in just an exercise bra and underwear and I was flabbergasted at how large my upper arms have gotten compared to how small they were when I first met him. Needless to say, I am very eager to get to the gym and start doing cardio and lifting weights.
Despite all of the sucky-ness the past several days, I did enjoy a long-awaited treat....I had my first bath!!!!! OMGosh it was heaven. I forgot just how goooooood a scalding hot bath can feel. This is how I do my baths:
1. As your bath water is running, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, then apply a deep-cleaning mask. I use "Mask of Magnaminty" from LUSH.
2. Select a bath bomb, bubble bar, salts or other nice smelly addition. I chose to use a bath bomb from LUSH (can you tell I love them?!).
3. After you have applied your mask and your bath is ready, drop in your bath bomb (or other pampering item) just before you get in or just after you get in your bath.
4. While your face mask is drying and you are soaking in your selected luxury, lay back with a good "smut-mag" (book, cup of tea, etc.) and relax. I chose "Como" as my read of the night. I love reading the his and hers confessions section - hysterical, good laughs. The "Flatten Your Abs" this month is a really great article, can't wait to start trying the moves out. : )
5. After your bath, gently rinse off your mask and apply toner, moisturizer and under-eye cream - yes, it's all from LUSH. ; )
6. Proceed to moisturize the rest of your body. Next, treat your feet to some individualized pampering. I used a foot mask called "Volcano" and spread it all over my feet and in between my toes (yup, it's from LUSH) and left it on for 10 minutes. After you wash it off with warm/hot water.
7. Smile sweetly and ask your significant other to give you a foot massage with a deep moisturizing foot cream, my favorite - "Fair Trade Foot Lotion" from......you got it, LUSH. : ) Big thanks to my wonderful hubby for the 20 minute foot rub; he's the best! <3
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