So, I guess I've lived on Facebook too long lately. There's been a bunch of stuff going on, but I thought I had at least updated after the surgery!
The surgery itself went great! LIMARP was amazing, and my mom (the overprotective nurse haha) was more than impressed. The hospital was clean and immaculate. And I was talking with nurses and doctors constantly - the ratio of professionals to patients was phenomenal!
The initial recovery went well too... I went back to school no problem... until I actually went to school.
Why, oh why, did I forget that I need a superhuman immune system for teaching in elementary schools? Yup, I caught a cold right away (probably within minutes of teaching again... because what respectful kid USES kleenex when the hand/sleeve combo works so well... then to touch my stuff...)
Although a cold wouldn't be a horrible thing, for someone - who at that point was only digesting liquids - who is learning dealing with a sleeve of a stomach that is full of mucous (sorry for the visual), I couldn't get enough liquids in. That turned into a "wonderful" kidney infection. I had those in grade 12, so I knew what was happening, so I went to the doctor pretty quick. And got antibiotics.
Except... those antibiotics decided to mess me up. BIG TIME. As in, the first round made me nauseated and throwing up. Went back, got another scrip... and within 2 hours of taking the new meds, I was dizzy. As in, couldn't stand up without holding something, leaning on walls to walk... and too scared to drive. I couldn't focus my eyes because my eyeballs were actually bouncing (nerves reaction). Not to mention my short-term memory was completely shot - I barely remembered anything for more than a few minutes. I had alarms set for everything from eating to switching classes, and what I had taught. Apparently it has been documented with this antibiotic, but not for years. When I went back to my doc for those symptoms, things got scary.
I was sent immediately to the ER, and had a neurologist look at me, because I had enough symptoms that also mimic MS. I had MRIs, exrays, insane amounts of blood drawn and analyzed, and various interns and specialists dealing with me. I saw a few neurologists (including a few residents), an opthamologist, regular doctors, and heard almost as many reasons why I had issues. It went from a vitamin B deficiency to a reaction to the antibiotics. In the end, the primary neurological resident I worked with blames a combination of all the above.
Eventually, things have calmed down, but it took over a month. I was NOT a good teacher then (I literally would have to write EVERYTHING down, and have students remind me "You already told us"). Thankfully, I have amazing students who just understood I was sick from a medicine, and they were very cooperative. (I also had staff tell me I wasn't too bad... including being told they hadn't noticed a change... which could be a compliment OR and insult lol). At 30, I had to move back home for a few months, and really stopped my already minimal social life.
Now, I have very few residual effects... if I'm tired, and looking at the extreme sides of my eyes, they will bounce (but barely, when before I had several doctors video how drastic I was 'jumping'). But I'm back to normal VSG eating, and my students made me aware right after Christmas "the old Ms. Peters is back" ;)
Do I regret my decision to do this? Absolutely NOT. I strongly believe that my issues had very little to do with my actual surgery, but student germs. Like being a new teacher or sub - that first year you're always sick - but I was just compromised enough my immune system just gave up. I was extremely lucky to work with some really supportive people, amazing students who didn't know why I was sick, but helped me, and my immediate family, who have never questioned my decision or made me feel like an idiot (well, at least not about that... we are still talking about my family lol)
The HUGE bright side? I'm over halfway to my goal! The surgery really has helped me... I feel full, and even though I do enjoy a treat here or there, I feel cues telling me to stop! If you have always had it, that's hard to imagine never having that signal... I also got told yesterday by a student to "stop disappearing your body already" (a younger student I had before, but not this year).
Am I back to "normal" yet? No (I've never been normal)... but I'm also still adjusting and figuring out what my body can handle. But I am lucky to know some of the most amazing people in the world, and I'm happy to know I'm not alone in my continuing fight! I also got some news yesterday that reminded me of my journey. I'm not sharing that news quite yet (pretty excited though!!), but I will soon - I promise :)
Happy break all education/student types (if you get one... if not, sorry!)
Source: http://instagram.com/ali254
The surgery itself went great! LIMARP was amazing, and my mom (the overprotective nurse haha) was more than impressed. The hospital was clean and immaculate. And I was talking with nurses and doctors constantly - the ratio of professionals to patients was phenomenal!
The initial recovery went well too... I went back to school no problem... until I actually went to school.
Why, oh why, did I forget that I need a superhuman immune system for teaching in elementary schools? Yup, I caught a cold right away (probably within minutes of teaching again... because what respectful kid USES kleenex when the hand/sleeve combo works so well... then to touch my stuff...)
Although a cold wouldn't be a horrible thing, for someone - who at that point was only digesting liquids - who is learning dealing with a sleeve of a stomach that is full of mucous (sorry for the visual), I couldn't get enough liquids in. That turned into a "wonderful" kidney infection. I had those in grade 12, so I knew what was happening, so I went to the doctor pretty quick. And got antibiotics.
Except... those antibiotics decided to mess me up. BIG TIME. As in, the first round made me nauseated and throwing up. Went back, got another scrip... and within 2 hours of taking the new meds, I was dizzy. As in, couldn't stand up without holding something, leaning on walls to walk... and too scared to drive. I couldn't focus my eyes because my eyeballs were actually bouncing (nerves reaction). Not to mention my short-term memory was completely shot - I barely remembered anything for more than a few minutes. I had alarms set for everything from eating to switching classes, and what I had taught. Apparently it has been documented with this antibiotic, but not for years. When I went back to my doc for those symptoms, things got scary.
I was sent immediately to the ER, and had a neurologist look at me, because I had enough symptoms that also mimic MS. I had MRIs, exrays, insane amounts of blood drawn and analyzed, and various interns and specialists dealing with me. I saw a few neurologists (including a few residents), an opthamologist, regular doctors, and heard almost as many reasons why I had issues. It went from a vitamin B deficiency to a reaction to the antibiotics. In the end, the primary neurological resident I worked with blames a combination of all the above.
Eventually, things have calmed down, but it took over a month. I was NOT a good teacher then (I literally would have to write EVERYTHING down, and have students remind me "You already told us"). Thankfully, I have amazing students who just understood I was sick from a medicine, and they were very cooperative. (I also had staff tell me I wasn't too bad... including being told they hadn't noticed a change... which could be a compliment OR and insult lol). At 30, I had to move back home for a few months, and really stopped my already minimal social life.
Now, I have very few residual effects... if I'm tired, and looking at the extreme sides of my eyes, they will bounce (but barely, when before I had several doctors video how drastic I was 'jumping'). But I'm back to normal VSG eating, and my students made me aware right after Christmas "the old Ms. Peters is back" ;)
Do I regret my decision to do this? Absolutely NOT. I strongly believe that my issues had very little to do with my actual surgery, but student germs. Like being a new teacher or sub - that first year you're always sick - but I was just compromised enough my immune system just gave up. I was extremely lucky to work with some really supportive people, amazing students who didn't know why I was sick, but helped me, and my immediate family, who have never questioned my decision or made me feel like an idiot (well, at least not about that... we are still talking about my family lol)
The HUGE bright side? I'm over halfway to my goal! The surgery really has helped me... I feel full, and even though I do enjoy a treat here or there, I feel cues telling me to stop! If you have always had it, that's hard to imagine never having that signal... I also got told yesterday by a student to "stop disappearing your body already" (a younger student I had before, but not this year).
Am I back to "normal" yet? No (I've never been normal)... but I'm also still adjusting and figuring out what my body can handle. But I am lucky to know some of the most amazing people in the world, and I'm happy to know I'm not alone in my continuing fight! I also got some news yesterday that reminded me of my journey. I'm not sharing that news quite yet (pretty excited though!!), but I will soon - I promise :)
Happy break all education/student types (if you get one... if not, sorry!)
Source: http://instagram.com/ali254
No comments:
Post a Comment