Diana Cox, the most amazing advocate and support person ever!

Kimberly B

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
18
I'm new here, but old to the DS. I had it done in 1999 by Dr Robert Rabkin. There was no lap done then, and it was a long time ago...I have been relatively blissfully unaware most of the time that I had had the DS, I got yearly labs done, adjusted the vitamins accordingly, and I was fine. Or so I thought.

Over the last 3-4 years I've gained about 50 pounds back of the 230 I lost. When I buckle down, log my food, and eat high protein very carefully and low carb, I do drop weight. It takes paying attention to myself. a few years back by doing this I lost 20 pounds over 6 months and felt much better.

However, I didn't do that for long. I will not go into the exact stressors, but there have been many, four kids, all with odd and serious medical problems to resolve involving surgery, a divorce, and before that an incredibly conflict laden marriage and home life, and a career of managing my own business led to self neglect. I was able to do that before. But now, I can't.

And then I found the DS board on Facebook. And found Diana Cox.

Diana Cox should be sainted. I first named this thread small bowel intestinal overgrowth, because that's what I have, but I changed it, I'll post that niex. It took four months, GI tests, colonoscopies, two ER visits, barium studies, and pain and a 6 month pregnant bloated belly this whole time to finally come back around to what Diana suspected it was back in October when I posted on the FB board. And it's being treated with Flagyl and Keflex, and Diana personally messaged me the doses, time, etc.

Diana also created a fabulous document of what to tell your PCP that I brought in with me today to my new doctor. She'd never seen a DS patient before, but I gave her my postoperative notes from 15 years ago, all my lab work for that time period, Diana's letter, and she's so excited to treat me, and to learn. :) My new PCP wants to meet with me every week until we figure out how to help me feel good again, not have GI problems, digest food, maintain my normal weight.

Diana is a very very bright woman, and a very qualified attorney. I'm sure she bills out at 500 an hour or something, but she is so amazing about giving back to the DS community, and I have to recognize that here.

And as an aside, Diana and I first got in a HUGE facebook message fight, the biggest one I've ever had. She claimed I was from the "land of the perpetually offended" because I didn't like the harsh tones some of the vets used on me when I first stated my GI problems, rather clumsily, I might add, because like many long term DSers I had no real clue what I had. They didn't even give me any info on how to eat or anything after my surgery, it was just basically "wing It" (not literally, but that was the casual attitude)

I got booted off of the FB board, and still am. And that's a bummer, because I'm not the best at computers, and even remembering places like bariatric facts.org. But Diana invited me to join you guys here. Diana has been the only good source of medical info I've had, and one of my biggest supports when I don't have a lot of friends or doctors and am going through a divorce with full custody of 4 kids. She even helped me drink my bowel prep for the colonoscopy more easily.

Diana, if I am the only one in your life that you have influenced this dramatically, for me, you are a Savior. You give, and yes, you are very upfront and blunt about the actions we should take as DSers as well as the reverence we should have for the surgery. But you are amazing. THANK YOU so much!
 
I have this site bookmarked...not in a folder, but right on the bookmark line so its just a click away. I actually like this site MORE than the fb groups. Easier to keep track of threads and such.

Welcome :) And yeah, the Vets have LOADS to offer but do not expect it to be sugar coated in the lightest lol. They don't do rainbow farts and unicorn kisses lol
 
(1) If this is a eulogy, reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I showered and got dressed and everything today. Bought some pork belly at Whole Paycheck for chicharrones I'm going to attempt to make.

(2) No way did I help Kimberly drink her Suprep - I'm not THAT wonderful or selfless! But I did suggest how to get it down without spewing (hint: rinse your mouth with beef or chicken broth after each chug while holding your nose).

(3) You are a rare bird yourself - someone who quickly stepped back and realized that others (and there were many) were trying to help when they said things she didn't want to hear. And had the grace to apologize as well, although that was not technically necessary. THAT is smarts.

(4) Welcome to the board - your experience and expertise is invaluable here, even if you are still learning (and anyone who isn't still learning is probably dead - or will be soon).
 
I never knew that about rinsing your mouth. Do you just rinse & then spit it out? Does that allow you to drink more or just not barf (I haven't had that problem as I drink very slowly & rest in-between drinks). I've had a couple of studies where I had to drink and barely manage a bottle and a quarter. They've been able to do the study, but I know they'd have liked me to drink more.

I had the pleasure of finally meeting Diana (after reading her posts for 9 years) and it confirmed she was who I thought she was.:smile:
 
Salt, or bouilion, is a natural anti-emetic. In the dental office, we use a pinch of salt on the very back of the tongue on "gaggers" before x-rays or impressions. You can probably imagine the hazard of having someone puke while taking an alginate impression? Choking on the alginate is very dangerous. Lots of children are gaggers during teeth cleanings as well. Pinch of salt, cured.

Chicken bouillion (or however you spell it) in cube form can also be licked during severe bouts of nausea. It's magic. Works for morning sickness, motion sickness, and almost every type of pukity feeling.

And I, too, got in a fight the first time I "met" Diana on line. Had my ass handed to me in a plastic bag, and I deserved it. Thankfully, she doesn't hold a grudge. She's one of the nicest people on these forums. And yes, she probably bills out at more than $500 per hour. So we are eternally thankful for her here.
 
Drink the broth - it washes the nasty off the back of your tongue and esophagus and you have to drink after swallowing the Suprep anyway. I didn't know that salt trick though - great trick!

($575/hr - good guesses! That's my billing rate, not my take-home! And I probably work about 60% more hours than I can bill.)
 
I'm new here, but old to the DS. I had it done in 1999 by Dr Robert Rabkin. There was no lap done then, and it was a long time ago...I have been relatively blissfully unaware most of the time that I had had the DS, I got yearly labs done, adjusted the vitamins accordingly, and I was fine. Or so I thought.

Over the last 3-4 years I've gained about 50 pounds back of the 230 I lost. When I buckle down, log my food, and eat high protein very carefully and low carb, I do drop weight. It takes paying attention to myself. a few years back by doing this I lost 20 pounds over 6 months and felt much better.

However, I didn't do that for long. I will not go into the exact stressors, but there have been many, four kids, all with odd and serious medical problems to resolve involving surgery, a divorce, and before that an incredibly conflict laden marriage and home life, and a career of managing my own business led to self neglect. I was able to do that before. But now, I can't.

And then I found the DS board on Facebook. And found Diana Cox.

Diana Cox should be sainted. I first named this thread small bowel intestinal overgrowth, because that's what I have, but I changed it, I'll post that niex. It took four months, GI tests, colonoscopies, two ER visits, barium studies, and pain and a 6 month pregnant bloated belly this whole time to finally come back around to what Diana suspected it was back in October when I posted on the FB board. And it's being treated with Flagyl and Keflex, and Diana personally messaged me the doses, time, etc.

Diana also created a fabulous document of what to tell your PCP that I brought in with me today to my new doctor. She'd never seen a DS patient before, but I gave her my postoperative notes from 15 years ago, all my lab work for that time period, Diana's letter, and she's so excited to treat me, and to learn. :) My new PCP wants to meet with me every week until we figure out how to help me feel good again, not have GI problems, digest food, maintain my normal weight.

Diana is a very very bright woman, and a very qualified attorney. I'm sure she bills out at 500 an hour or something, but she is so amazing about giving back to the DS community, and I have to recognize that here.

And as an aside, Diana and I first got in a HUGE facebook message fight, the biggest one I've ever had. She claimed I was from the "land of the perpetually offended" because I didn't like the harsh tones some of the vets used on me when I first stated my GI problems, rather clumsily, I might add, because like many long term DSers I had no real clue what I had. They didn't even give me any info on how to eat or anything after my surgery, it was just basically "wing It" (not literally, but that was the casual attitude)

I got booted off of the FB board, and still am. And that's a bummer, because I'm not the best at computers, and even remembering places like bariatric facts.org. But Diana invited me to join you guys here. Diana has been the only good source of medical info I've had, and one of my biggest supports when I don't have a lot of friends or doctors and am going through a divorce with full custody of 4 kids. She even helped me drink my bowel prep for the colonoscopy more easily.

Diana, if I am the only one in your life that you have influenced this dramatically, for me, you are a Savior. You give, and yes, you are very upfront and blunt about the actions we should take as DSers as well as the reverence we should have for the surgery. But you are amazing. THANK YOU so much!

Secrets About Diana:

~Yeah, but...she CAN whine a lot. (I'm better at it, but she's pretty good.)
~And she is burdened by a Don Quixote-like sense of Fairness and Doing What is Right, as opposed to What actually IS.
~So she whines when dealing with the awful side of life, because it isn't fair or right.
~Never ask her to be a witness on your behalf on a "shady deal," as lying is not her strong suit.
~She's often gobsmacked because she cannot IMAGINE that others would lie and try to get away with it.

And here's my favorite:
~She is the girliest of girly-girls you could imagine. Excellent at giggling, eyelash-batting and looking adoringly at her husband. Our valiant gladiator is a girly-girl...go figure.


Counting down to the cranky response I get for this...three...two...one...
 
Yeah, but I EARN the right to whine. :) That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

I never really wanted to be a lawyer, just an arguer. Lawyers have to make business decisions as well, which sometimes means ceding your good arguments when it doesn't make sense to win. I pretty much can't do that.

I have sucked at lying since I was a kid. My parents, my kids AND my husbands have taken advantage of this. With a great deal of painful self-control, I can lie by omission, but just barely. I have more tells than a 4 year old.

I may be a girly-girl, but I fart like a truck driver living on roadhouse chili, thankyouveddymuch.

(And my manly man will always take the blame for it in a crowd.)
 
Yeah, but I EARN the right to whine. :) That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

I never really wanted to be a lawyer, just an arguer. Lawyers have to make business decisions as well, which sometimes means ceding your good arguments when it doesn't make sense to win. I pretty much can't do that.

I have sucked at lying since I was a kid. My parents, my kids AND my husbands have taken advantage of this. With a great deal of painful self-control, I can lie by omission, but just barely. I have more tells than a 4 year old.

I may be a girly-girl, but I fart like a truck driver living on roadhouse chili, thankyouveddymuch.

(And my manly man will always take the blame for it in a crowd.)

My youngest son cannot lie either. I would bet he hasn't told 2 lies in his life and he is 30 now. It's a great way to be, IMNSHO
 
I'm a big fan of @DianaCox as well and was delighted to meet her IRL recently... :) I bet this whole thread has made her blush!
 
WOW. A girly girl? AND she can't lie to save her life? I'm liking her better all the time, and I already thought I loved her.

I can't lie, either. But I can be REALLY sneaky.
 
Can you imagine? They let me into law school without checking my LieQ.

I can't steal either - got caught the second time I tried to shoplift when I was 13 and trying to impress the "cool kids." It was such a horrifying experience, I can barely sample a grape at the grocery store.

Which is what made the public accusations by my stalker that I was a tax cheat even more offensive and upsetting. The IRS instituted audits against us for issues in which we had done NOTHING wrong (the IRS "lost" copies of paperwork substantiating our mortgage interest and 401(k) rollover and then claimed we weren't entitled to deduct the interest and that we had not rolled over the 401(k)) - it took 2 years but we got back every penny that was garnished plus interest.

But I do speed. ALL the time. I'm a Bad Girl after all.
 

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