🚧 My House Isn’t the Only Thing Under Renovation: A Health Scare

As many of you know (or will soon find out!), my home has been in the thick of major renovations. In late September, it was a full-on construction zone: up and down a six-foot ladder painting walls and trim, plus cleaning and organizing for our Master Bedroom and Living Room carpet install. But while I was painting trim, another, far more serious project was brewing inside me.

That week, I’d been battling a deep, burning sensation in my stomach. I’d blamed it on my one true love: iced coffee. “Too much acid, too much caffeine,” I reasoned, cutting back a bit (you know I love my iced profee!).

💥 Bariatric Surgery: When ‘Burning’ Turns to Breaking Point

Saturday, September 19th, while completely immersed in painting the Master Bedroom and Bathroom crown molding—seriously, why does it look amazing but take a million ladder moves to paint?! All that climbing, stretching, and reaching suddenly intensified the pain in my upper abdomen to an alarming degree. We are talking absolutely doubled over in pain. After lying down didn’t help, and I realized my size XL “comfy” pants felt tight on my size M body from the swelling, I knew this wasn’t just heartburn. I was miserable.

Off to the the Emergency Room I went.

I ended up being admitted and evaluated for a possible bowel obstruction. After two nights, and no real change in my condition, I was discharged on Monday, September 22nd, with a diagnosis of Mesenteric Adenitis (a fancy name for an inflamed abdomen). I left feeling uncomfortable and still in pain after eating a soft diet, with instructions to follow up with my GP and my bariatric surgeon.

🔎 Dr. Google and the Waiting Game

After my own research (hello, Dr. Google!), I convinced myself mesenteric adenitis was “no big deal.” The internet suggested it would resolve in 4–6 weeks and wouldn’t lead to long-term issues. So, I scheduled a follow-up appointment for the slightly over a week away, on September 29th, and decided to stay the course.

That week was brutal. I reverted to a full liquid diet, yet within 30 minutes of anything hitting my stomach, the pain was back, doubling me over for up to an hour. But I kept waiting. Kept pushing past the pain.

👰 A Beautiful Wedding, A Miserable Ride

For weeks, I had been so excited to attend a wedding a couple of hours from home that Saturday. I got myself all dolled up—curled hair, special care with my makeup. I even found an outfit that was comfortable enough, despite the bloating. The wedding was beautiful; the bride was absolutely glowing! To avoid temptation, I brought a protein smoothie and sipped that and water throughout the reception.

My two favorite cakes were there—wedding cake and the rich, luxurious Berry Chantilly cake (that perfect blend of mascarpone, whipped cream, and bright berries—a balm to the soul!). I brought slices home, knowing I couldn’t even risk a single nibble.

After leaving the reception with a mild burning in my upper belly that quickly escalated. Before even crossing the parking lot to my car, I was hunched over. Less than halfway home, the pain was so severe, I had to pull over into a parking lot. Everything touching me—my jewelry, shoes, denim jacket—felt like fire. I was in tears. Hysterics.

🚨 Rerouted to the OR

In agony, I called my bariatric surgeon’s office. He immediately told me to meet him at his clinic. Thank goodness for my mom! She called to check in, heard the panic and pain in my voice, and drove to me. She took the wheel, and we made the 45-minute trip in under 30 minutes. From the passenger seat, I groaned in pure agony the entire way. (I am absolutely not condoning the spee ding, but I cannot overstate how miserable I was.)

When I at the surgical center and hit the buzzer. A nurse calmly told me I was at the wrong door. If you know me, you know I’m a rule-follower, but I snapped, telling her firmly, “I am not moving; you’re going to have to come get me where I stand.” Yikes!

Nurses quickly arrived with a wheelchair and rushed me back. They gave me morphine, and thank goodness, the pain finally became manageable. Within an hour, I was being rushed into surgery for a bowel obstruction.

My Advocacy Message

Fortunately, the obstruction was resolved, and recovery is going well with no long term concerns. I had an internal hernia causing the blockage. The hernia was from prior scar tissue likely from an ectopic pregnancy the year I turned 30.

However, I am left with a bitter frustration with the first hospital that treated me. For the majority of my adult life, I was told to lose weight to feel better. I did that, with the help of bariatric surgery, only to be refused proper care because a general surgeon was uncomfortable treating a bariatric patient. How insane is that?

I’ve written a letter to the first hospital’s patient advocacy department, asking them to revise their plan for bariatric patients, recommending a bariatric specialist be consulted in cases like mine. I will keep you all updated on what I hear back.

My journey is about more than just a home renovation; it’s about renovating my health, advocating for my care, and sharing my story. Stay tuned for my next post as I continue to share more about my life and of course, the renovations!

Have you ever felt dismissed by a healthcare provider? Share your story in the comments below—let’s create a space where we feel heard.

My health journey—like a home renovation—requires constant tending. Don’t miss the updates on my hospital advocacy letter, my full recovery process, and my ongoing commitment to Tending What Matters. Join my monthly Bloom Report community and receive the monthly newsletter right in your inbox.

Keep tending to what matters – YOU matter.