Thursday, December 31st, 2009: Erica Has a New Hip!

After a minor delay yesterday due to another patient's surgery taking longer than expected, Erica was wheeled into the operating room at about 11:45 a.m. I went over to the surgical waiting room across the hall and set up shop: Kindle, iPod, and phone, and settled down to wait.

The surgery didn't take as long as I thought it would, only about two hours. The doctor came out and told me that everything had gone well, and that they were putting a pain block in her hip, I think, and something new: a scopolamine patch behind her ear to help her deal with the nausea she always gets from the pain medication.

After a little more time, my phone rang. It was Erica! She was decidedly groggy, but told me her room number. I took her stuff up and got her organized. Yes, she was stoned, but somehow able to talk on the phone. She's an incredible person.

I left there at about 4 and came home to take care of the animals. She called me a couple more times at home and then we hung up last night at about 7:30. Haven't heard from her yet today, but will be going back to see her shortly.

Happy New Year!!

Sunday, December 27th, 2009: All Systems Go!

Just thought you'd like to know that Erica's gotten the "all clear" from both her doctor and the great pre-op check-in staff at Huntington Hospital. We went yesterday for the pre-op stuff at the new Huntington Pavilion and it is so neat! She just sat in a big easy chair and all the necessary testers (blood, EKG, etc.) all came to her; no more going from cramped room to cramped room and waiting forever. Very very cool.

So the big day is fast approaching and we are so happy that she will be out of pain soon!

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009: It's Getting Closer

Today at 4:40 we will go see Dr. Laster, who is doing Erica's hip replacement, for a pre-op conference. Then on Saturday, the 26th, it's on to Huntington Hospital for their pre-op conference, and then the following Wednesday, the 30th, is the BIG DAY. I must tell you that I am loooking forward to all of it, because it means that Erica will have a new hip and hopefully no more pain!!

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009: Cranking up the Old Blog Again

To those of you who faithfully followed this blog for Erica's weight loss, I thank you so much. I apologize for not posting more often, but her weight loss now is very small and hardly noticeable.

What has been noticeable, for those of you who interact with her, is her intense hip pain. It's bad and has been getting steadily worse for the past few months. I am thankful that Erica did lose the weight she did otherwise the pain would have been worse than unbearable. It was clear that Erica needed a hip replacement and those of you who read this blog were aware that it was tentatively scheduled for February of 2010. As time wore on and the pain got worse, it became clear that February was not an option, it had to be sooner.

The good news is I nagged and badgered until Erica went to Dr. Laster to see about scheduling an earlier surgery, which has now been scheduled for Wednesday, December 30th, at 10:30 a.m.

I promise I will keep you all up to date with the latest on her progress. I am just overjoyed that she'll soon be able to walk without pain.

Happy Holidays to all of you!!

Friday, November 6th, 2009: One Year and 151 Pounds Later . . .

Yes, it has been a year - today - that Erica underwent gastric bypass surgery. This morning's scale reading shows that she's lost 151 pounds. It is incredible and we are so thankful that everything has been relatively smooth. Although there are some things that are off-limits to her now, like coffee, broccoli, and carbonated drinks, she is much healthier, and is looking forward to a hip replacement sometime in early 2010. She no longer needs the airplane seat belt extender or her walker, and has more energy.

Here are pix side-by-side of her a year ago today, and today. What a difference!!!

Thursday, October 1st, 2009: Erica's Back!

Well, she actually got back "stateside" on Sunday, but I haven't had a chance to write until now.

She had a wonderful time in Asia, and the good news is that she survived the entire trip without any stomach issues! And she ate just about everything she wanted, except in smaller portions, although she has unfortunately found out that she cannot drink coffee, it's what sets her stomach off.

It looks like she's lost more weight, but hasn't had a chance to weigh herself yet. I promise we'll do it this weekend and I'll post pictures.

We are so happy to have her back! She brought back all kinds of stuff: chopsticks, little Chinese wine jackets, t-shirts (40? 50?) for everybody and their mother, "Cutie Wife Cakes" from China that are the bomb, lots and lots of moon cakes, and other Chinese delicacies that look for all the world like Rice Krispie treats and taste about the same. She said one of her favorite parts of the trip was touring the Chinese Olympic site. She was particularly taken with the Water Cube, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

She's already thinking about her next Asia trip!

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009: Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong Done: On to Beijing!

Erica is having a blast in Asia. She has had no stomach issues and has eaten just about anything she wanted. The only little issue was coffee, and she now knows she can't drink it any more. Other than that, she's had crab, ginormous shrimp, and all kinds of particular Asian delicacies. Anthony Bourdain has nothing on her.

She's also had a chance to reconnect with the Asia office staff and attorneys and has enjoyed it immensely. If you know anything about Erica, it's that she's one of the most friendly people on the face of the earth, and when she couldn't travel it really brought her down.

She will be travelling on to Beijing tonight, which is her last stop before coming home. She is looking forward to, other than seeing everyone in the Beijing office, Peking duck. She's been talking about that for ages.

She will be home this Sunday, the 27th, at 1 or so in the afternoon. Knowing her, she will probably come home, open her suitcases, and crash for a few hours. I'll let you know.

Friday, September 11th, 2009: Six More Pounds and Going to Asia!

Erica's now down 142 pounds, and is doing great! Her stomach issues have been solved by Prevacid (thank you Dr. Powell), and she is really looking forward to going to Asia tomorrow. She's been packing since last week! She'll be gone two weeks,to Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Beijing. Although I confess I'm worried about her stamina for such a trip, she's assured me that she's ordered wheelchairs for the airports and I know the staff at the offices will ensure that she'll be fine.

Another piece of news: she went to Dr. Laster, the orthopod, and has tentatively scheduled her hip replacement surgery for February of next year. Although she probably won't be at goal weight by then, we believe she'll be sufficiently "skinny" to have the operation done.

Things are really moving along!

Thursday, August 27, 2009: Three More Pounds!

The weight loss continues, slow but steady. Erica had a wardrobe malfunction last Friday, when her jeans succumbed to the laws of gravity. We're going back into the clothes storage hamper to get some smaller ones.

Her stomach issues still continue, although on a less frequent scale, even though she's eating more slowly and following the "scope doctor's" advice. She has an appointment with the doc who did the surgery next week to see what's going on.

She's also busy getting ready for her Asia trip, which is two weeks from this coming Saturday. She is so excited to be going to visit the Asia offices again, and they are so excited that she's coming back!

I will post pictures next week - I promise!

Saturday, August 15th, 2009: Scope Results: No Ulcers!

Erica's been having problems again with keeping food down and we thought it was because her ulcers had returned. We went to see Dr. Patel again this morning for a second scope procedure.

After the procedure, Dr. Patel came in with pictures of what he'd found: nothing. Apparently all is well physically, but he believes that Erica's problem is caused by eating too fast. He cautioned her to eat more slowly and take her time and see if that helps. He also said that if she keeps eating too fast the opening to her new stomach will enlarge and she will begin gaining weight. Oops. That's not what we wanted to hear.

We got home and had some homemade tamales, which she ate slowly and really enjoyed, and kept down with no problem. She had another tamale around 7 or so and ate it slowly and enjoyed it as well. We finished off with some incredible homemade flan.

This procedure was rougher on her for some reason; she went to bed early and is sleeping soundly.

Thursday, July 30th, 2009: One More Pound!

The weight loss is continuing, slowly but surely; another pound down. And in spite of a week's vacation in Honolulu!

However, Erica is having issues with keeping food down again. She spoke with her doctor, who recommended that she call the doctor who did the scope procedure a few weeks ago. Apparently this stuff happens more than once, which, while comforting, doesn't do much for one's well-being. She's calling the "scope doctor" today for an appointment; I'll keep you posted.

No pix today, with only the pound lost, there's no dramatic difference.

Thursday, July 9th, 2009: 130 Pounds Lost!

It's been a while and I apologize. We went to New York a couple of weeks ago for Erica's niece Kim's wedding in Long Island, and Erica fit some Milbank business in as well. Aside from her hip really bothering her, she was much more comfortable on the flights over and back, and it won't be long until she'll get rid of the seat belt extension for good. We are also getting ready for the imminent arrival (tomorrow) of Kim's twin, Bonnie, who will be living with us and attending Pasadena City College. So you can understand why I haven't written. I hope.

Aside from the normal front-and-side pictures today, I wanted to show you the difference between now and November 6th, when Erica had her surgery. The pictures are phenomenal; they speak for themselves. Just amazing.

Thursday, June 18th, 2009: One More Pound

I'm pleased to tell you that Erica's lost one more pound! I haven't attached any pictures because the weight loss has slowed down and you really can't tell that much of a difference. I will, however, post pictures when the cumulative loss is down about 10 or so pounds. So far, we have three or four pounds lost, so we have six more to go. That'll hopefully happen within the next few weeks.

We are also getting ready to go to New York next week, for Erica's niece's wedding. She leaves on Sunday and I will follow her a few days later. The reason for her earlier departure is meetings at her law firm's headquarters in New York. It'll be nice to get back to NY and look around - haven't been there for a while.

Saturday, June 13th, 2009: No More Ulcers!

Today was Erica's second endoscopy appointment. If you remember, she'd been having some really bad episodes of not being able to keep food down, and one endoscopy was performed about six weeks ago. The doctor said then that it would be a "series" of endoscopies, to keep the opening to her stomach open, and to cure the ulcers that had developed.

I'm happy to tell you that today was the last endoscopy! The doctor said (and had pictures to prove it) that her ulcers are cured and she's doing just fine. That's really good news, so to celebrate we are going out to dinner at our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant, Sahara.

Yay!

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009: Doc is Pleased!!

So yesterday was Erica's follow-up appointment with Dr. Powell, who performed her gastric bypass surgery last November. He was very pleased with her progress, even when she complained to him that she's not losing as much weight as fast as before. He told her that the slower weight loss is better for her system and she'll reach her goal weight, it just won't be as fast as she thought. But with 124 pounds down, hey - it can only get better!

She is also scheduled to undergo another "scope" procedure this Saturday, June 13th, at 7 or so in the morning (see the April 25th, 2009 posting for how the procedure is done). She's not worried; in fact, we have a dinner date at our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant, Sahara, that night!

Thursday, June 4th, 2009: It's Been a While - But Two More Pounds Lost!

I hope that those of you who follow this blog are still following it, even though there hasn't been a post since last month. Now we're back, with the good news that Erica has lost two more pounds!

She is doing excellently on her food - no real incidents to speak of, except for, well, last week when she overindulged on some Sun Chips, and that was the problem - overindulgence. Other than that, she is managing her food intake really well, and is just ecstatic because now she can have her coffee in the mornings again!!

I must tell you that we had a great time in Honolulu, despite the circumstances. We arrived in the early afternoon on Friday, May 23rd, and made it to the Ilikai with no problem. For those of you who were wondering, Erica did still need the seat belt extension, but it was still a great improvement on the way things used to be.

We were able to relax a little and then go out to Hee Hing Chinese Restaurant for dinner with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece, and also my cousin and his wife who were there for their respective high schools' 60th reunion. We had fun catching up and listening to their travels around the world, especially about the huge "rogue wave" that raised hell with their ship, the Crystal Serenity, tossing it over to one side and then the other. The kitchen, we understand, had a lot of stuff to clean up.

The next day was the funeral and we arrived early, as we were in charge of the guest book. My sister also asked me to be the Master of Ceremonies; that meant, at this Buddhist service, to call upon certain people to come and offer incense while the priest chanted. I had my little list and I did okay, other than overlooking my brother-in-law's sister, but I recovered and called her when I realized that I'd screwed up. She was fine with it and we had a little laugh about it.

After the service there was "local-style" food, as in macaroni-potato salad, fried chicken, rice, gon lo mein noodles, and lots of sushi. Yum.

We then went back to the hotel and relaxed until it was time to go out to dinner at Chai's Island Bistro, where we were meeting my family again (this time my nephew and his girlfriend were also coming), and see our friend Bobby and Maunalua play for the dinner hour. We had a blast. We were also joined by Bobby's wife Colleen, who danced hula. Everyone had a blast.

We landed back in reality on Sunday afternoon - we were exhausted but happy that we had gone and helped my brother-in-law with the very difficult task of putting his dad to rest.

Thursday, May 21, 2009: One More Pound

So now Erica is down 121 pounds. The weight is coming off more slowly, obviously, but at least it's coming off. We've heard a lot of stories about people having gastric bypass surgery and then gaining all the lost weight back, and she's determined that that will not happen to her.

I think the scope procedure that she had done a few weeks ago had a lot to do with the slower weight loss, as she is able to keep food down now and does not have the issues she used to.

She is also doing really well about knowing when she's full and pushing the plate away when she is. And guess what? She's drinking coffee again! She started small but is now up to a little more than half a cup. She just loves it, and it's great to have the aroma of coffee in the house in the morning.

We will be leaving tomorrow for Honolulu. This is the first time that Erica has been on a plane since her surgery and, although we are taking the seat belt extension with us, we are thinking that we won't need it. I'll let you know.

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009: Another Pound

Erica's lost one more pound, which brings the grand total to 120. She's doing much better, no real stomach issues since the scope procedure, which makes us both very happy.

We are preparing to go to Honolulu next Friday, the 22nd, to attend my brother-in-law's Dad's funeral. This will be a great test for how Erica's travel routine has changed. She's just going to be travelling with her cane, no walker, but has requested a wheelchair, seeing as how the airport will be a mob scene because of the Memorial Day holiday. We'll only be there for a couple of nights, so it's kind of a "drive-by" visit, but we'll see how it all works out.

She's also gone through a stack of business shirts that were once too tight, and pulled out a bunch to be cleaned and pressed. It's like she's got a whole new wardrobe!!

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009: No Weight Loss This Week

Forgive me for not blogging before now but I've gotten a new laptop and getting used to it, plus getting ready for a trip to Honolulu, have taken up a lot of time.

Sorry about that.

Erica did not lose any weight this week and we're thinking that the pounds will come off slower now that she's lost so much. It's hard for her to exercise because of her hip, and her hectic schedule. The good news is, though, that there are no more stomach issues. The medication seems to be working and she's already got an appointment for another procedure in a few weeks.

Progress, albeit a little slower. But still in the right direction.

Saturday, April 25th, 2009: So the Problem is . . .

We now know what's causing Erica's stomach issues. Ulcers. Do you believe it? Ulcers.

We went in this morning for a scope procedure, where the doctor puts a scope down your throat to see what's going on (Erica was out cold, just so you know). After the procedure and when she was relatively coherent, the doctor showed us photos of what he found.

Apparently she has ulcers around the opening of her new stomach and they are getting in the way of her swallowing food. The doctor was able to stretch the opening a little and has given Erica pills to help heal the ulcers and calm her stomach. He said that this type of stuff happens in about four to six percent of gastric bypass patients and is really nothing to worry about. She will have to go back in about six to eight weeks to have this procedure done again, as when the ulcers heal the opening gets smaller again. This procedure will have to be redone until the ulcers heal up and are not constricting the opening any more.

He also told her to be careful, not only of what she eats, but how she eats: little bites, chew slowly, and also eat slowly.

She's kind of out of it today due to the anesthetic, but should be fine tomorrow.

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009: 119 Pounds!

We're getting closer to the magic 200-pounds-lost mark! It's amazing.

Erica continues to do pretty well. She knows the things that upset her stomach (like chicken, eating too fast, or drinking something while eating) and has managed to avoid any unpleasant episodes. We're also hoping that the "scope" procedure which will be happening on Saturday will make life a lot easier for her.

She's walking with just the help of her cane, doing very well without the walker, and is very happy about not having to lug the walker around with her any more. Her hip continues to give her some problems, though, and unfortunately that can't be fixed until she gets down to her goal weight, but she is taking it all in stride (pun intended).

I'll be back on Saturday, after we get back from the scope appointment, to let you know how it went. Erica is kind of nervous about it but is looking forward to the "good drugs".

Sunday, April 19th, 2009: Scope Appointment Update

Hi, Happy Sunday Evening!

Forgot to add in the regular entry that Erica's got an appointment for the "scope" procedure this coming Saturday, the 25th. It'll be early in the morning, and it'll take about an hour altogether. Erica also assures me that she'll be getting some good drugs to help things go more smoothly.

I'll blog afterwards to let you know how it went.

Have a great week!

Friday, April 17th, 2009: A Pound is a Pound is a Pound . . .

Just one pound lost this week, but it's still a pound lost. The better news is that Erica is ditching her walker, for at least some of the time. She's just using a cane now to go to work, and is doing great at it. Last night, (and I almost had a heart attack when I saw it) she walked UNAIDED (as in no walker, no cane, no NOTHING) from her chair in the family room to the staircase, a distance of at least 15 feet. Wow.

She's practicing being more mobile so that she can help our friend take care of the kids when I leave for Honolulu in a couple of weeks (just for a few days), and also when we travel to New York/New Jersey in June for her niece Kim's wedding.

We have also gone through the stuff that used to not fit her, and have pulled out a few pair of slacks and shirts that fit her better, thus avoiding any "wardrobe malfunctions".

So things are moving right along. It's getting better all the time, to quote an old Beatles' song. And for those of you who did not grow up in the Sixties, it's Paul McCartney's old group, before he formed "Wings".

Friday, April 10th, 2009: W00T!! 113 Pounds!!

People are really beginning to see the changes in Erica, now that she's lost more than a whole person. It is amazing in terms of better mobility, more energy, and the ability to just do more stuff.

She has, however, called the doctor for an appointment for a "scope" procedure, which will enlarge the stomach opening and alleviate the remaining issues. That should take care of things, hopefully.

To all our friends, Christian, Jewish, and non-committal: Happy Easter, Happy Passover, and Happy Weekend!

Friday, April 3rd, 2009: 109 Pounds!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday; computer problems.

Erica has now lost 109 pounds and is doing much better as far as her stomach issues are concerned. As we've decided, it's a matter of adjusting to the new stomach and it will get better as time goes by. The doctor said that the esophagus will stretch over time, and so will the pouch, and so as long as she eats slowly things should be okay.

Her new favorite food is Cheerios, which go down great are very nutritious, and are also very portable. She has a bowl with them and milk in the morning and then takes a baggie for a snack.

Exercise is an issue, though, because of her hip. We're going to explore the stationary bike this weekend to see if she can indeed do a little of that.

Thursday, March 26th, 2009: Erica's "New" Wardrobe

So today the scale showed about the same, but the BIG news is that Erica was able to put on a shirt that she hadn't been able to wear in years. And, the shirt was a little loose! That's the best news in a long time. This weekend we are going to weed out the stuff that doesn't fit her any more because it's TOO BIG, and put it aside for donation.

She's also doing great in the food department, with hardly any issues. The main thing is to eat slowly and chew everything well. The diabetes is indeed gone, with the highest reading somewhere around 100, which is excellent. She's still on cholesterol medication, though, but will probably go off it when she sees the doctor in a month or so.

Yay!!

Thursday, March 19th, 2009: Ladies and Gentlemen: ERICA HAS LOST 103 POUNDS!!

Yes, you read right. Erica has passed the magic "100". We are so jazzed we can't stand it. Just 97 more to go . . .

She's doing just great, still adjusting to what she can and can't eat, but that's an adjustment that'll take a while and is to be expected.

Meantime, she's been embarrassed a couple of times by her pants just falling down; thank God it's happened in places where no one saw. Yes, I know, we REALLY need to find those skinnier pants and get them out to the cleaners!

Friday, March 13th, 2009: Not Much to Report

Erica is kind of in a holding pattern (plateau) and so there isn't any "HOORAY!" stuff to post. She's doing really well, though. She's got a new favorite food, Cheerios with Lactaid 1% milk, and is enjoying that for breakfast now. She's also rediscovered sourdough toast with cheese.

So no new pictures this week (sorry), but I think we'll have some news by next Thursday.

Have a great weekend!!

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009: Yesterday's Follow-Up with Dr. Powell

So Erica had her follow-up appointment with Dr. Powell yesterday and things went great. He is very satisfied with her progress and answered her questions regarding the issues she's been having keeping some food down (the pouch needs to become more elastic and will do so with time), and the screwy little pain she has in the middle of her chest (it's the pouch and nothing to worry about).

He also told her that a lot of the issues she's having come from the body's adjusting to the drastic weight loss, that hormones are going nuts because of the shock but it's all working itself out. That was a relief.

Anyhow, she'll go back in another three months. And we REALLY have to dig up those smaller pants!!

Thursday, March 5th, 2009: 97 Pounds!!

Well, it's not quite the 100 we'd hoped for, but this will do quite well. Erica's next-size-down pants were too big, do you believe it? Now we need to go digging for the NEXT size down. She's doing great, feeling wonderful, and this Saturday will finally get on the exercise bike for a light workout.

More news: she doesn't use the shower chair in the shower any more. Just amazing. Absolutely amazing!!

We go back to Dr. Powell next week and we know he will be so pleased. Us? We're so jazzed we can't stand it!

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009: Sorry About That

I know, I know, I promised pictures and all kinds of stuff LAST week. Suffice to say every time we thought about the scale or the pictures it was too late, i.e., Erica was eating or the camera battery was dead.

Mea culpa.

Tomorrow for sure. I promise. I really do. Really. I do. Honest.

Friday, February 27th, 2009: A Minor Hitch in the Get-Along

Nothing serious, honest. We just forgot the weigh-in for two days in a row. I promise we'll update tomorrow.

Erica is continuing to do well, though. When I was away in Honolulu for a few days, she was able to shower and get dressed by herself, which is a major accomplishment. She was even able to tie her running shoes without help, and that's saying something.

Thursday, February 19th, 2009: 91 Pounds Lost!

I am so happy to tell you that Erica is just nine pounds shy of losing 100 pounds! It's almost unbelievable how much she's lost just since last November. It's getting easier for her to walk (some folks have commented that she's now standing straighter), and we've had the lifts removed from all her Birkenstocks.

She's still learning about how much food is enough (we've found it varies according to type and texture) and misses her coffee, but that'll all come soon. She's also found Viactiv vitamins and calcium chews and is taking them to supplement her food intake.

Yow! 100 pounds on the horizon!! Maybe next week??

Friday, February 13th, 2009: 85 Pounds Down!

Good morning, and happy Friday the 13th! Erica is only 15 pounds shy of 100 pounds lost, and that should be soon. And no, we haven't unearthed the skinnier slacks yet, but we really need to get busy before we get embarrassed. We'll probably do that over this long weekend.

I've gotten the stationary bike out and she should be starting on that sometime this weekend as well, which will accelerate the weight loss. We'll need to start slowly and make allowances for that arthritic left hip, but things should work out fine.

We also go back to Todd the orthotics guy today. I forgot to blog that we went to him this past Tuesday, and, although we hate to admit it, he was right; Erica doesn't need that one-inch lift any more! He took out the instep from her New Balance running shoe, traced it, and made an orthotic from it. We'll go pick it up today. And the good news is that the device will fit in her Birkenstocks as well. Speaking of them, I took them back to Milano Shoe Repair on Wednesday and asked them to remove the lift. I'll pick them up this coming Wednesday.

The interesting part about not needing the lift any more is that Erica is now free of the shoulder pain that happened when she was leaning on her walker. I guess her whole body was out of balance and is now, with the weight loss, slowly realigning itself. It's just an amazing process, with new things revealed almost every day.

Thursday, February 5th, 2009: 80 Pounds!

Erica, pound-wise, has lost a small child. We continue to be amazed at the changes going on and can only imagine the next few months.

Meanwhile, we are still struggling with the shoe issue. She did buy a great pair of running shoes the other day, and is doing pretty well with them, but we had to scramble for a pair of Birkenstocks that didn't have a lift on them for her to wear to work. She is going to call Dr. Laster and speak to him about whether Todd the orthotics guy is right about her not needing any lifts or whether he should have worked with what the doctor told him (i.e., a five-eighths-inch lift, not an inch lift). We weren't very impressed with him and will see him next Tuesday about this whole thing.

Saturday, January 31st, 2009: 79 Pounds Lost!

Sorry this is late, but we've had company (Erica's niece Bonnie is here from New Jersey), and we've been showing her the sights of Pasadena.

Anyhow, Erica has now lost 79 pounds and it's really beginning to show. It's so much easier for her to get around and her clothes are fitting so much better, and no, we haven't dug out the "skinnier" clothes yet. But we will.

We went to a shoe store in Pasadena yesterday and got her some new New Balance running shoes. It seems that Todd the orthotics guy might be right about her not needing any lifts at all. She's really comfortable with her new shoes and is walking just fine. Go figure!

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009: "You Don't Need a Lift in Your Shoe. Go Back to Regular Shoes!"

Aargh. I hate it when miscommunications happen. Last week Dr. Laster (the Georgetown doctor) had Erica make an appointment with "Todd the orthotics guy" to see about lowering the lifts on her shoes from one inch to five-eighths of an inch.

Well.

Not only was Todd cranky, he didn't seem to know why we were there and come to think of it we didn't either. He told Erica that he thought that she didn't need a lift and and all it was doing was making things worse. He had her stand up without her shoes and said that she looked "even", i.e., it didn't seem like one leg was much shorter than the other.

So now she has to go back to wearing shoes that don't have lifts. I don't get it. Todd was at cross-purposes with the doctor, and we need to go back next week with a pair of running/walking shoes to see if orthotics will make a difference.

It's one of those things that make you say "WTF"??

Friday, January 23rd, 2009: Epidural Day

Erica got her epidural shot today. We got to Oaktree Medical at 7:30 this morning and filled out all the paperwork, and Erica went in shortly thereafter.

About an hour later, the nurse came out and told me I could go in and keep her company, because she had to lie in bed for a half hour. She was fine, talking, but a little sleepy because of the sedative.

She told me the doctor told her that she had degenerative spinal disease, but also said that the nerve damage was on the side of the spinal column, not in the middle. They placed her in a small CAT scan machine, and gave her two injections with steroids, antibiotics and iodine (the iodine was to make sure that the steroids/antibiotics were going into the right place. He also told her that it could take up to two weeks for the shots to actually work, and that she might feel worse before she feels better.

She's home now, alternately snoozing and talking to some folks at work, and getting ready for her niece Bonnie's arrival tomorrow.

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009: Two More Pounds

So the weight loss isn't spectacular today, but Erica's still losing weight. It's gotten to be so much easier for both of us; and we REALLY have to go find those skinnier pants!

I mentioned in an earlier entry that, because of the enormous weight loss, Erica's having the groin pain again. Her back doctor (Pradhan) referred her to another doctor in the group, Dr. Laster, for a leg length assessment. Dr. Laster is great. No-nonsense, but a wicked sense of humor, as well as a fellow Georgetown alum (Erica went to Georgetown, if you didn't know). After using a state-of-the-art method for measuring her leg length (actually, it's boards cut to certain heights that she stood on), it was determined that she doesn't need the inch-high lifts she now has, that she now needs only five-eighths of an inch. Amazing. She's going back next Tuesday to see one of their techs who will help with the adjustment. She's also going to get an epidural tomorrow morning for some relief from the pain.

He also took some x-rays of her hips to see what was going on there, and - guess what - she's got arthritis in her left hip (the x-ray showed pretty-much bone-on-bone, no cartilage left), and will need a hip replacement soon. We're planning that for when she's hit her target weight.

Never a dull moment.

Thursday, January 15th, 2009: 73 Pounds!

Lost, that is. We're really going to need to go through the closets and pull out the "skinnier" pants, before Erica gets embarrassed, as she can now take off her pants without unbuttoning them. I continue to be amazed; it seems like just the other day we were having such problems trying to get them buttoned!

We went to Dr. Pradhan yesterday. He's the one who operated on Erica's back in March of last year. We went back yesterday because Erica was having a return of the groin pain that was the cause of the operation. He looked at the x-rays and told her that the pain was probably her body adjusting to its new "lightness", and should improve. He did, however, give her a prescription for some prednisone which should make things better in the interim. She'll need to call Dr. Powell (the bypass guy) to see if she can indeed take the prednisone, though.

She also made an appointment for next Wednesday (21st) with another doctor in the office, this time to do a leg-length assessment to ascertain how her legs are adjusting to the weight loss.

It's just incredible how well she's doing, all told. She's getting up from her chair with a lot less pain, which is just fantastic. Last Saturday we took a day trip to Torrance (thank you, Juli!), to the King's Hawaiian Bakery/Coffee Shop for our "local food" fix. She LOVED the fried rice and teriyaki chicken sticks. Then it was on to Penzey's Spices to restock our spice cabinet, as well as pick up some for our friends, and she did just wonderfully. She was really tired, but that's to be expected - but there was no pain. No pain. NO PAIN. And it can only get better.

Thursday, January 8th, 2009: 65 Pounds Down!

Aside from some nagging groin pain (for which she will see Dr. Pradhan next Wednesday, the 14th, at 4:30), Erica is doing great! She's eating more and feeling much better. Next week she will probably start doing some exercises on her stationary bike, and that will hasten even more weight loss.

This means that we will have to dig up her old slacks because the ones she's wearing now are getting too big! It's just unbelievable. Just before the election (two short months ago), she was having so many health issues and now she's doing fantastic! The only real issue is that she is still adjusting to is learning to figure out when she's had enough, but that's coming along pretty well, too. It's just a matter of her tuning in to her body's signals.

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009: Doc is Pleased

Yesterday was Erica's follow-up appointment with Dr. Powell, who performed her gastric bypass surgery. He was very pleased with her weight loss and also with how the incisions are healing; they don't need bandages any more, thank God. I was getting ready to buy stock in CVS.

She asked him about the intestinal challenges as well as the stomach upset and he told her that it was pretty normal and would go away as she started eating more and varied foods. He also told her that she could have regular coffee (NOT decaf!) and she was so thrilled she almost kissed him. He said that she should experiment with more and more foods, but always in moderation. She is slowly learning how much she can eat at one sitting and I think that, as she gets used to the portions, she'll get better.

She also asked him about her back problems and he noted that sometimes it happens because, with the weight loss, folks need to learn how to walk differently and that could be what's going on with her. He did, however, tell her to call Dr. Pradham (who did the back surgery in March) to touch base with him.

As she was getting dressed this morning, she commented that the pair of slacks she was putting on was getting too big. I almost cried.

Thursday, January 1st, 2009: Happy New Year! 58 Pounds!!

Happy New Year to all!!

Erica has lost 58 pounds and is now eating about a half-cup of food at one sitting. She loves orzo, grits, and had two slices of King's Hawaiian sweetbread for breakfast this morning. She's now eating small portions of ham and chicken. She's also snuck in a small (demitasse) cup of decaf coffee and enjoyed the heck out of it.

However, there are some issues which are beginning to crop up because of her big weight loss; the groin pain (for which she had the back surgery in March) has come back to a small degree, and it looks like the 1-1/2 inch lifts on her shoes need to be pared down. We think her body is adjusting to its new "lightness". We'll ask the doctor about it at our Monday appointment, and I'll let you know.