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1 Attachment(s)
My girl
Attachment 26498
Many of you have read about my daughter and all the hell she has gone through since her surgery a little more than a year ago. Here is a recap for those that don't know: Surgery on 11/9/15. Spent four days in the hosital the week before Christmas with relentless vomiting. On Christmas Eve they said they would release her if she could eat one Saltine cracker even though she was no better. Our Brooke died on Christmas night, so our family was in a living nightmare and Meg's sickness was kind of pushed to the back burner for a while. By January 27th she couldn't get out of bed. I rushed her to the hospital. For the 27th-30th she vomited relentlessly, complained of blurred and persistently worsening vision, and headache. I was told she was faking. On the 31st, her 20th birthday, she woke up totally blind. I got a new doctor. He knew immediately she was not faking and apologized about the other doctor. MRI showed bleeding all in her brain. They said multiple strokes. Later that night she was being transferred to a hospital 4 hours away from home. Twenty minutes out she suffered her first seizure. Rerouted to another hospital to be stabilized. UAB sent their jet for her. She had another seizure, became unresponsive, put on life support, remained in ICU for two months. She was eventually given a J-tube and a tracheostomy. She was diagnosed with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and Wernickes-Korsakoff. This is all from vitamin B1 deficiency from all of the vomiting caused by having gastric sleeve surgery. I almost lost my daughter.
Today she nearing her 21st birthday. We are thrilled that she fought to stay with us. Her life is a struggle. She did get her vision back which is a huge huge blessing as they said she wouldn't. She can use a walker to get around the house although it isn't safe. She has fallen three times in the past couple of weeks. She has to use a wheelchair for anything more than a few feet. She can barely eat, and has wasted away to barely 100 lbs at 5'5". But she's here, and I am thankful, so very thankful.
VSG wasn't worth it.
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Re: My girl
Thank goodness she survived. She's young and through good PT and rehab hopefully they expect her to be walking again (?)
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Re: My girl
Wernickes typically leaves permanent damage. She had no improvement from physical therapy for several months so she quit it. I began my own PT last week and it turns out my therapist knows Meg's story, has connections to a neurologist doing some studies, and wants to help. She asked my permission to talk to him about Meg and I readily agreed. We'll see what happens with all that, but I'm excited that we at least have someone wanting to help.
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Re: My girl
I'm so sorry to hear this. Seems like a lot of negligence on the doctors who dismissed her symptoms as well. I had to do some research as I'd never heard of this disease. Definitely heartbreaking. Prayers for you all.
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Re: My girl
How heartbreaking, a true nightmare. I'm so sorry you are all going through this. I hope with some help she improves.
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Re: My girl
I pray you find a solution!
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Re: My girl
I am sorry that you and your daughter have to go through this. I can't even begin to understand what you are dealing with. I hope that she gets the care she needs and that her life bounces back.
I wish I had better things to say. Thinking about you.