all over the place

11-1-2007

Wow. I cannot believe it's been over a month since
my last entry. In that time, I've been all over the
place.

Dallas (Michael McDonald concert), Kansas City
(Kansas City Chiefs game plus Elton John concert),
Grand Lake (because I can), Stillwater (OSU football
games), and out to Los Angeles (see below).

Time flies. Things change. Yet, some remain the same.

Seems the bleeding problems I was having have gone away.
Now they have linked it to the 81mg chewable aspirin I was
taking. I've quit them, and the bleeding has quit. Hopefully
that was indeed the cause, and not coincidence. Supposedly
I should have been told after the gastric bypass not to take
aspirin. However, it was not listed on the paperwork I had.
I also had been in to that Doc's office several times since the
surgery, and I always list medications I am taking, for
their paperwork update. I am quite sure I would have listed
aspirin, but apparently it went without notice. Of course, the
trade-off is, that now I get a headache easier, as well as
more aches and pains, and I will be more prone to a heart
attack. But hey, I'm not bleeding internally. So that's a good
thing.

Next chapter. I'm getting seriously close to considering
possibly scheduling a "body lift". Then again, I may not.
This is a process where they cut out the flabby hanging
loose skin on the stomach (so often present after an
extreme weight loss, such as gastric bypass surgery).
Basically, they slice you open, cut out a wide swatch of
skin all around the front, and narrowing as it goes on
around to the backside. They then tighten up muscles, etc.,
inside the body, do liposuction if needed. They then "lower
the curtain", basically connecting two continents that were
worlds apart, reforming a new belly button, and putting the
scar down below the bikini line. (As if I'm going to ever
wear a Speedo).

I flew out to LA this past Sunday, and had Consultations
with 2 Doctors out there, one Monday morning, and one
Monday afternoon. The afternoon appointment impressed
me more, in regards to the facility, the Doctors, professionalism,
etc. However, I learned a lot from both in"getting my feet wet"
about such surgery. Why Los Angeles ? My regular Doc here
had been rather insistent about having it done in LA, as they
have the latest techniques, and of course, do such procedures
much more often. Seems most of the plastic surgeons here
in Tulsa (and surrounding areas) do face lifts, etc., but not the
body lift. I tried finding a local one on my own, and just finally
yesterday found one that claims to do a body lift, for about
1/3 the price of the one in California. Perhaps his price is
just for him, and does not include the hospital costs (the
one in California included everything). Perhaps it's just
cheaper here. Perhaps it's just not as high quality here either.
I am going to schedule a Consultation with the local Doctor,
just so I know I've checked it out.

That's the latest on me.