After a frighteningly long operation and three days in the hospital my wife Cat and I have returned to our cozy and safe home. From the bottom of my heart let me again thank you for the prayers and love so many of you sent our way.

Cat’s well. She’s so well it’s almost bizarre. I’m actually jealous of how much energy she has. We returned home Thanksgiving night, and yesterday she spent hours in the kitchen cooking, took two long walks, accompanied me to Trader Joe’s and Staples, began decorating for Christmas, and did a bunch of other stuff I get exhausted just trying to remember.

Cat had to stay in the hospital an extra night because the doctors were concerned that she hadn’t yet shot around the room like a released balloon from all the gas passing out of her.

Hey. No one said being beautiful was pretty.

When they do major abdominal-area surgery on you, they fill you with carbon dioxide gas, which helps keeps your organs nice and fresh while they operate, or something. I dunno. But when they’re done playing the Organ Requiem on you, the doctors leave a bunch of that gas trapped inside your body. If you’re not a politician and so used to it, so much gas inside of you presents serious problems. It floats up to cause pain in your shoulders; it inhibits your breathing by pressing up hard against your lungs. Now you know why politicians always seem to be panting and shrugging.

Cat recycles; she takes reusable bags with her shopping. This is someone who cares about the environment.

“But what about my carbon footprint?” she said between gritted teeth. “What about the glaciers?”

“Just let ‘er rip, baby,” said the nurses. “Seriously. Or we’ll start putting a bunch of tubes in you.”

“But my husband’s right here in the room with me,” said Cat.

“I don’t mind!” I said. “I wanna see you shoot around the room!”

Finally Cat gave in. I believe several coastal communities along the Eastern Seaboard were flooded later that night.

As I peeled Cat off the ceiling, I said, “See? That wasn’t so bad.”

Ha, ha, ha.

Oh, but what a glorious sound it is, when the angels trump their tribute to the designs of God.

Now Cat’s home and healing. I only hope I can keep up with her while she convalesces.

(Photo of angel trumpeting God’s victory over death snagged off the completely interesting-looking site Curios Expeditions.)

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Meet the Surgical Team of Bariatric Support Group

Medical Tourism Solutions is excited to announce a partnership with Bariatric Support Group (BSG) in Cartagena.  With this association, North American patients now have increased access to one of the most experienced bariatric surgery groups in the world.

Bariatric Support Group is a fully inclusive organization designed to assist patients in the treatment of obesity.  Experts in gastric bypass surgery, with over 3,600 successful procedures performed, BSG also includes dietary counseling and psychological assistance in their pre and post-surgical program.

When it comes to surgery, one of the biggest factors that differentiate the quality of care across the board is the experience of the surgeon.  The surgical team at Bariatric Support Group consists of Doctor Felipe Chaux, senior bariatric surgeon, member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (ASBS), and member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).  Dr. Chaux specializes in bariatric surgery, performing up to 35 procedures per week.

Overseeing the whole process is Doctor Francisco Holguin, general surgeon and medical director of MediHelp Services in Cartagena.  Dr. Holguin is an experienced trauma surgeon with years of experience and training in the U.S.  He is also a member of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) as well as the International Society of Surgery (ISS).

Assisting with all procedures is Doctor Abraham Ganem, bariatric surgeon.  Performing a gastric bypass operation requires three surgeons, as well as an anesthesiologist.  Dr. Ganem has years of experience working with Dr. Chaux in bariatric procedures.
In addition, he is a member of the American Society of Gastroenterology (ASG) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).

Important to emphasize when considering a surgical procedure is the quality of the facility where the work will be performed.  MediHelp Services is a full-service private hospital in Cartagena, built to cater to the needs of the international medical tourist.  With fully equipped operating rooms and a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, MediHelp Services is designed for the comfort of the international healthcare patient.  In addition, it is accredited by ICONTEC, and the ISO 9000:2001 certification of quality standards.

Medical Tourism Solutions is proud to offer our services in compliment to this professional organization.  For more information on Bariatric Support Group please go to their new website:

Bariatric Support Group

Yeah, the endometrial biopsy was not pleasant, but at least it was quick.  And now I’m cramping up which will probably hurt like a Bi*ch for the rest of the day.

On the brighter side, the gynedoc has taken pity on me and given me some good news.  She is still going to schedule the MRI to determine if I have endo, and if I do she will proceed with the Laproscopic surgery to get rid of it (as much as possible).  The good news is that she is going to refer me to a fertility clinic because a) I’ve been trying to get pregnant for over a year and 2) since I don’t have the typical symptoms of a person with endo she thinks a fertility specialist will likely proceed with treatment in spite of the endo since it appears to be such a mild case (if any at all).  Matter of fact, it appears to be on my bowel?!?(wtf!) and perhaps a little on my left ovary (ultrasound was inconclusive – thus, the MRI)

Huzzah! goin to a feriladoc!

Of course it will be weeks before the MRI comes up and weeks before the fertility clinic gets me in for an appointment, but at least my ttc plans are  not all shot to hell.

(I so didn’t get any actual work done today)

MUDGE’s Musings

Encountered this at lunch last week; it became a formidable challenge to finish (the story / the lunch: pick one!). Consider yourself warned, faithful reader, should you be snacking on some luscious sweet or casserole while perusing this nanocorner of the ‘Sphere©.

And remember, this comes not from some fringe or undocumented source, and also remember, April Fool’s day was some time ago.

Surgery Without the Slicing

Going in through existing orifices is good for patients and device makers, less so for doctors and hospitals

by Catherine Arnst | Business Week Sci Tech April 3, 2008, 5:00PM EST

On Mar. 11 Jeff Scholz, a 42-year-old former U.S. Marine, developed severe abdominal pain. It wasn’t as bad as the gunshot wound to the leg he suffered while in the service, but it kept him doubled over for most of the night. At the insistence of his fiancée, he went to the emergency room at the University of California at San Diego med center the next morning, where he learned his appendix was inflamed and had to come out. That’s how Scholz, the owner of a wholesale clothing company, ended up making medical history. He’s the first patient in the U.S. to have his appendix removed through his mouth.

Perhaps yr (justifiably) humble svt is more sensitive to this topic, as surgery is possible/probable sometime within the next few months for that pesky partially torn, incompletely healed Achilles tendon which he has been favoring via the awkward, weather exposing “fracture walker” mentioned occasionally in this space.

But, removing organic bits through one’s mouth, or perhaps, gender permitting, through one’s vagina sounds just wrong. And as BW points out, surgeons and their hospitals aren’t thrilled either, since saving patients healing and recovery time and minimizing scars is quite low on their priority lists.

[Please click the link below for the complete article -- but then please come on back!]

Surgery Without the Slicing

The health insurance providers of the nation will have the final say on this of course. It will be an interesting tug of war: surgery that might take double the time at the surgeon’s, anesthesiologist’s, surgical nurses’s aggregated hourly rates of half-a-$zillion/hour, versus hospital stays that are half or less the time at their rates of three-quarters of a $zillion/day, or even eliminating overnight stays altogether as scarless surgery procedures are performed on outpatients.

But, while we watch the game we have two observations.

Thankfully, there will be no vagina involved, nor will my mouth be a suitable access orifice, for Achilles tendon surgery.

And, ewwwwwww!

It’s it for now. Thanks,

–MUDGE

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