Tale of a Big-Boned Gal

Story of a woman undergoing gastric bypass surgery.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

South of Round Rock, Texas

Well, I'm almost recovered from the Thanksgiving Iowa-to-Texas Goodwill Tour. I was in alot of airports that week... As it turned out I had a lovely time. I have the best friends in all the whole entire universe. They are just always right there for me - even if they don't know what to do next.

Eric and I flew down on Wednesday and ended up catching an earlier flight from Houston to Austin. That was cool. Mitch, Greg, and Mitch's girlfriend Laura arrived at about the same time so all worked out pretty well. We went out to Papasito's Wednesday night (my very favorita Mexican restaurant).

A festive holiday all around. We had a lovely dinner on Thursday with turkey and all the trimmings including WHOLE BERRY cranberry sauce! It was sort of in the shape of a can, but kind of lumpy. I still can't figure out how Kenny gets that stuff to look like a can every year...

That day I did have another fainting episode, but Mitch and Greg (and the rest) were right there to help. Greg even sat on the floor with me for a while while I recovered. And Jill took my blood pressure, which was kind of normal. I'm going to have to revisit that little problem with the Doctor sometime.

The rest of the time I spent there was absolutley wonderful and stress-free. We went to Ikea (a marvelous landscape), caught the new Bond flick (yummy!), and had a picnic near the Round Rock. Greg took photos which he was nice enough to share with me. Visit his blog An Analog Man in a Digital World.

There’s something goin’ down in the little town
South of Round Rock Texas
They greet you with a smile like its goin’ out of style
South of Round Rock Texas
They do the two-step to every song that’s played
You can keep your new step they like it their own way
The music is alive and kickin’ every night
South of Round Rock Texas



Now nothing can compare to the ladies you find there
South of Round Rock Texas
They’re sweet as you please, got loads of hospitality
South of Round Rock Texas


If you ever go there you’re gonna wanna stay
If you’re ever leavin you’ll be back again one day
There’s something ‘bout these parts, man they live inside your heart.
South of Round Rock Texas


They do the two-step to every song that’s played
You can keep your new step they like it their own way
The music is alive, it’s kickin’ every night
South of Round Rock,
South of Round Rock,
Just south of Round Rock Texas
~ Dale Watson, Cheatin' Heart Attack




Thank you again to my gracious hosts, Kenny and Jill. And thank you to my old friends Greg and Mitch and my new friend, Laura.

More news - I have a job interview tomorrow in Des Moines at a place called "The Iowa League of Cities." Does that sound like a Superman-comic-booky-type of thing? Jill says maybe I'll get to wear a cape! "The LEAGUE OF CITIES commands you!" I can't wait. I will let you know how it goes.

I wanted to start putting up Christmas decorations today, but didn't quite get things cleaned up the way I wanted yet. This has to be the earliest I have actually even wanted to start decorating. I even have a "craft" project that I think I'm going to do. Well, all this depends on the whole job situation of course.

I didn't make any profound discoveries except for one. Airports are really big and you have to walk alot. But it's worth it to get to spend time with your best buddies and then you get to come home to your kitties. Both of whom will love you unconditionally and occasionally lick your face.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Stage Fright

"See the man with the stage fright
Just standin' up there to give it all his might.
And he got caught in the spotlight,
But when we get to the end
He wants to start all over again."
- Bob Dylan (1974)


So it's Monday night and I'm getting ready to board several airplanes and fly to Austin Texas to spend Thanksgiving with my wonderful friends Kenny and Jill. My friends Mitch and Laura and Greg are also coming from Denver. I'm guessing that Lynn and Dan will be there too. So what's the problem? What's bugging you, Annette you ask?

Well, it's almost like getting stage fright.

I've been planning this and playing it over in my head ever since I had the initial surgery in May. I'll get off the plane and come down the escalator and they will all be so surprised to see me! I look different now. What will I wear? What will I say? What will my friends say? Will they treat me differently? Will I act different? How have I changed?

I know I'm just worried about nothing because my friends are 100% supportive. They have given me great feedback on this blog and in my life. I know nothing will change and they will always be there for me as I am for them.

I have alot to be thankful for this year.

Monday, November 06, 2006

"If it's not one thing, it's another..."

As Rosanne Rosannadanna put it so succincly, "It's always something."

I was released from the hospital yesterday (and for the third time this calendar year). Friday night I started having what I can only describe as excrutiating pains in my groin and side. I mean this was bad. So Anita drove me all the way to Grinnell (so's not to have to deal with the Marshalltown idiots). The ER doc examined me, in between my dry heaves, and decided I should have some x-rays.

Then another doctor came in and examined me and proceeded to press very hard on every place that hurt. EVERY place including my pubis, and no, I didn't enjoy it (even though he was a cute little asian doctor - probably a resident). So he decided I should have a CAT scan.

They gave me what I can only guess was LOADS of morphine and then took me to a room and admitted me. Later after a drug-induced nap of some sort, I was told to "drink this within the next 20 minutes." The liquid was room temperature and white and chalky. The girl with the cool glasses told me it was for contrast on the CAT scan. Okie Dokie...

After 45 minutes and a giant dose of toredal (another pain medicine), she came back and whisked me to a room with a giant doughnut in it. The machine told me when to breathe and when to hold my breath. Cool.

I was wheeled back to my room at lightning speed (I don't know why those girls walk so fast!) and put back into bed where I slipped off into a dream-like state while Eric had to sit with me and watch Food Porn on Foodnetwork. I told him to go home - "you can't do any more good back there, Wedge!"

So the verdict was that I had (or have) a kidney stone. Now, I find out that gastric bypass patients are PRONE to getting kidney stones, but I don't remember reading that in any of the literature or brochures. Anyway, I stayed overnight there (Saturday) and this morning I had more x-rays (something called a "KUB" which I'm guessing is "Kidney, Ureter, Bladder"). So then later this morning, Dr. Bandstra, the urologist, called me and told me that he was sure he had seen a stone, but in today's pictures, he didn't see it. He thinks I may have passed it, but it didn't show up in my urine (yes, they were straining my urine, kind of like panning for gold - only different).

So he called later and decided I should just go home since I wasn't having any more pain and hadn't thrown up my Rice Krispies. I do have to go back and see him on Tuesday and I guess we will go from there.

Anyway, I wanted to let you all know that I'm doing all right and I'm back
home again. I'm still planning on coming to Texas for Thanksgiving. And I have alot to be thankful for.

A special shout-out to my sister Anita for holding my head up while I puked. I love you without limits.

Some housekeeping business:

1. Don't forget to vote on Tuesday! So we can get those f*cking republican bastards out of there! Oh, sorry, that was meant to be a non-partisan message.

2. Don't forget to watch LOST on Wednesday on ABC at 8:00 PM Central time. It's the last one before the winter break and I hear it's a doozy.