Get set

The visit to the Dr.’s office seemed long. Only because I was anxious about if I had gained or not. After I filled out and signed more paperwork and paid the co-pay for the surgery Isaac called me out to be weighed. Well I was 287 neither a gain nor a loss since the last time. That was only since last week though.

I then went back out to wait with DH for the DR. I was relieved but I didn’t know what to expect.

When Dr. Pilcher finally called us in to his office there really wasn’t anything to it . He talked about the my stats.He said I had done well on the diet portion. He had to schedule another surgery at my time so my surgery would be at 11:30. I think that’s what he said J. knows for sure as he has to get me to the hospital. Dr Pilcher said that J’s job would be to shoo visitors out so I could rest.

I mentioned that my creatine levels were wonky during the drug study and I had to have more testing done. He re-checked, but he looked of the blood work they had done at the hospital pre-op visit and said that the creatine level was right on target now. Everything was good, but the iron levels were lower than he would like so I should take a supplement. He said that he wanted to let me know that he was asked to speak out of town on Friday but that one of his associates would cover. I would most likely be released on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.

I then asked him all the questions I had for him.

Can I stop the Niaspan ER ? Since I could not take the baby aspirin it was giving me the itchiness and rashes. I can stop taking the Niaspan now. He said he would face the wrath of Dr. Shimotsu.

DD wants me to take her Nestle Healthcare productAdvanced Recovery. This is a protien supplement that is to aid healing. Funny thing their dietitian is named the same as our DD, the dietitian. Dr. Pilcher said that would be fine to take the product before surgery; to replace my protein drinks with one of these but since it was not a clear liquid not to use it until I was on the stage two: Soft Protein Foods and to only take 2 oz. It is high in calories

Which medications/vitamins do I take the morning of the surgery? He told me to take my regular morning med on the day of surgery and bring the Copaxone just in case. i don't need to bring any drugs as they have a last of my medications and will supply all that I need.

Was my MS going to make recovery or surgery any more difficult? Dr. Pilcher has had four other patients who have had MS and there were not any problems I fact the decreased body mass probably contributed to an alleviation of some symptoms. I told him that one of my goals was to have less body mass to move around and hopefully not have to use the wheelchair so much.

I expected my period to start on Tuesday. Dr. Pilcher said that that would not be a problem for him or the nursing staff they were used to that kind of thing. The surgery may cause me to start postpone or even stop my periods completely since I had already be heading that way.

That was it. Dr Pilcher then took me to the front office where I had make my next four appointments and I bought some iron and chewable calcium.

That night J and J and I went out to the Mexican Restaurant for dinner. My “last meal” so to speak.
It is all set now and I’m all set for the surgery too.