Anna Is HOME!

We have been following the story of Anna Doubblestein, our community member who three years post-op suffered some life-threatening complications due to the way her body healed from the gastric bypass surgery. Today I received word from her loving husband, Tim, that she is home from the hospital. Their Christmas prayer has been answered. Tim wrote,

"Anna was sent home yesterday (Tues. 12/20). She is doing much better but will have to be on tube feedings for a while. Her body lost so much in the way of nutrition over the course of three weeks that it is simply not possible to make up for it with what she can receive in her WLS stomach. So she gets something akin to baby formula every 4-6 hours and also whatever she can eat. The doctor hopes to be able to remove the tube in a couple of weeks.

"The latest challenge is going to be her emotional state. The surgeon finally revealed the extent of what she went through to her yesterday. Some of it I hadn't even heard. Apparently she had only been given a 1 in 3 chance of surviving following the surgery. Obviously this has left Anna feeling very vulnerable. She cries a lot. Sometimes it's over the joy of being alive, sometimes out of fear for what the future holds.

"I know God preserved her life for a purpose. The deck was definitely stacked against her. But today I have my wife at home and my children have their mother. I had not let the children know that she was coming home for fear that it may not happen. When my 7 year old walked in the door last night she burst into tears at seeing her mom. Anna and Grace had a good cry together while Grace kept saying, "I've got my mommy home. We're a family again." It nearly broke my heart. Hope, our 4 year old, just smiled from ear to ear and started straightening up (she's my helper girl)."

Anna has a long road ahead of her. She is in the hands of a devoted and caring family and a skilled surgeon and health care community.

The outpouring of interest and support from the LivingAfterWLS community has touched me deeply and I know Anna will appreciate the cards you have sent. If you would like to send her a card please EMAIL me privately and I will forward her address to you.

Please keep a prayer in your heart for her full return to health.