u/Emotional_Fox9270

I’m 12 days post-op and dealing with complications (blood clots are the most serious) that required ER admission and imaging. I’m now trying to figure out recovery and nutrition in real time.
They prescribed Eliquis (blood thinner) for 3 to 6 months.
The bariatric provider visited me here in hospital and shared that I can start puréed foods this week and just be really mindful of slow intake and just listening to my body. That has me excited and I feel empowered.

If you’ve been through anything similar:
How did your recovery go?
What helped you tolerate food again?
How long did it take to stabilize?
What did you do to manage the abdominal pain?

Just looking for real experiences from people who’ve been through it.

On day 2 post-op, I shared that I was experiencing what felt like severe esophageal spasms. Some people responded with kindness and encouragement. Others told me to “suck it up” or to push through.

Fast forward to today.

I reached a point where I couldn’t sleep comfortably in any position and had barely been able to get enough nutrition or fluids. My instincts told me something wasn’t right, so I went to the emergency department.

After a CT scan with contrast and X-rays, I was diagnosed with mesenteric vein thrombosis (blood clots in the veins that drain the intestines), inflammation of my colon, and severe malnutrition. I’m now hooked up to a blood thinner via IV 24 seven around the clock, antibiotics and other medications as needed.

I followed my discharge instructions to the best of my ability. Sometimes complications happen despite doing everything you’re supposed to do.

I’m sharing this because every recovery is different. If I had continued to ignore my symptoms or simply “pushed through,” my outcome could have been much worse.

Please don’t let anyone convince you to dismiss persistent or worsening symptoms. Listen to your body, communicate with your surgical team, and seek medical attention when something doesn’t feel right. It’s always better to be evaluated than to wonder if you waited too long.

To those who offered compassion and encouragement, thank you. Your kindness matters more than you know.

Prayers that my treatment continues to help the clot resolve, my nutrition improves, and I’m able to recover without further complications so I can be here with my family & friends. May we all experience a steady and uneventful healing.

I have a major custody and contempt hearing this Monday. I am the mother, and I am fighting to protect my daughters. They have documented trauma from an incident with their father, and one of my daughters is receiving intensive mental health tx.
Back in April, I paid my private attorney a retainer and sent her over 700 pages of text message logs to prove the father’s inconsistency and the children's medical/emotional distress. I have absolute proof of delivery showing she has had these files since April.
She may have read them until yesterday afternoon 4 days before court. Because she only did a surface-level review at the last minute, she completely took my messages out of context. She sent me a harsh message accusing me of lying - committing perjury and threatening to withdraw as my counsel immediately after Monday's hearing.
Her accusations are completely wrong based on the actual facts:

Inconsistent vs. Nonexistent: She claims I lied about him not having the kids from March to August 2025 because text exchanges happened in March and April. But I have always maintained that his parenting time was highly inconsistent and unpredictable, not completely nonexistent. She is mischaracterizing my position.

The Text Block: She is panicking because a text shows I blocked him in January 2026. She left out the context that he was later unblocked, and that I had incredibly valid, documented safety reasons to temporarily block his number to stop high-conflict harassment and protect the children's emotional well-being.

I am not trying to lie to anyone. My lawyer failed to review my file for months, and now she is misinterpreting the evidence and abandoning me right at the finish line because of her own lack of preparation. The firm has insisted on a continuance due to my post-recovery but I am cleared by my medical provider and don’t need that. In addition, my retainer balance is at their minimum which is 1500 however if it goes below 1500 then they require $2000 replenishment.
On Wednesday, she sent me all 106 questions to help me prepare for Monday then the next day sends me an email that was just so left field and left me speechless with a bunch of accusations that aren’t even true.

I need advice on two things:

How do I handle the judge on Monday? If my attorney tries to withdraw or refuses to defend me properly because she misread the evidence, what exactly do I say to the judge to expose her lack of preparation and secure a continuance (postponement) which I really didn’t want to do to hire a new lawyer?

What legal or disciplinary actions can I take against her? Can I file a bar grievance for professional negligence since she waited months to read critical evidence and then took it completely out of context? How do I demand a refund of my retainer?

Day 2 post-op and the gas in my sternum/chest ,can’t tell anymore, is excruciating throughout the day. It worsens and improves by walking. I’ve taken gasx, kaeopectate gas, Prilosec and still nothing. Any tips on this experience.