Barbara C.

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First, the important stuff! I've lost 20 lbs! Yeah! Woohoo! What a great start to a new life!

Second, I spoke with Dr. DeMaria. I'm comfortable with the time he took to answer all of my questions. We discussed the perforation of the bowel and ramificantions. I'm off two of my diabetic medications ... No more Byetta or Glimperide and my Metformin has been cut in half, from 1000 mg daily, to 500 mg. daily. He indicated that he feels I'm progressing well and my request for a "script" allowing me to go back to the gym was an excellent indicator of my ability to make this surgery work for me. He said that whether I decide to exercise or not will not really make a huge ifference on if I lose weight, he said if you have the RNY you will lose. He also said that statistically those who make a lifestyle shift that includes exercise are much more likely to maintain the weight loss. So as I return to the gyn, he'd like me to use light weights with more repetitions in addition to my aerobic exercise. I plan to maintain the hard-earned losses, so off to the gym I'll go.

I've also started on "soft foods" basically this means that I can eat again. I need go slowly only introducing one food at a time. This way I'll know what I can tolerate and what I can't. If I can't tolerate something, then I'll put it aside and try it again later.

I know that the crock pot is going to become my friend since meats and vegi's will need to be cooked until they are "fork tender."

So here are the rules:

1. Consume about 900 calories a day. Too few will interfere with the weight loss process.

2. Make sure to get 40 to 60 grams a protien in a day.

3. Drink at least 64 ounces a day.

4. Limit volume of any meal to 1/2 cup or 4 ounces.

5. Protien FIRST! A minimum of 2 ounces of protien at each meal. CHEW. CHEW. CHEW.

6. Nothing to drink 30 before or after eating. This is to allow the food that I do eat to stay in the pouch, giving me that sense of fullness.

7. Eat every 3 to 4 hours. This means I'll be eating 5 to 6 times a day.

8. Eat slowly. Take 20 to 30 minutes to consume each meal. This means chew completely and slowly.

9. Stop eating when full. Learn to feel full, not stuffed, just full. Stop when full.

10. Start w/high protien soft foods like, eggs, light/low-fat yogurt, flakey fish, crab, shrimp, tuna, fork tender meats/poultry, ground meats, beans and lentils, low-fat deliy meats thinly sliced, low-fat cottage cheese, shredded or soft skim cheeses, tofu. Other foods include oatmeal, chream of wheat, soft cooked vegi's that can be fork mashed, soft fruits w/o skins, crackers/toast (chewed well), low-fat strained soups, and soft lettuce like green, red leaf or bib (no iceberg).

11. AVOID Sticky foods - like bread, sticky rice, pasta, mac'n'cheese, melted stringy cheeses, and peanut butter ... Crunchy Foods -  like raw vegi's, skins, nuts, seeds, popcorn, chips, cocnut and iceberg lettuce... Tough & Rubbery foods - like tough meats, steak, pork, ham, hot dogs and High Fats - like butter, salad dressings, full fat sour cream, cream cheese, mayo, & gravy, bacon, sausages, whole milk, whole milk cheeses, fried foods, processed meats (balogna, salami), chips and desserts.

My weight was dropping like a rock for the first 10 days, then IT STOPPED. I'm only 2-1/2 weeks into this process and I haven't lost anything in a week. I'm still making sure I get in the protein and water. I'm also walking. I don't know what else to do.

It's kind of frustrating. I'm not sure what's happening. A part of me worries that I did this extreme surgery "to myself" instead of "for myself." I'm afraid that I might be one of those people it doesn't work for ... I sure hope not.

I'm 10 days out from my surgery. I'm down to 220, so I've lost more than 14 lbs since my surgery last week. I'm already seeing some physical changes ... the inches are showing as well as the number on the scale. :-)

DukeWLS requires nearly a full fast. You have 2 ounces of a high protien supplement such as Boost or Ensure aat the top of the hour and 3 ounces of no calorie clear (see through) fluids during the next 45 minutes. Of course, there are vitamin supplements and my reg. meds I take for conditions not related or yet corrected by the WLS.

I can definately say I know the true meaning of hunger. I will be delighted when my 3 week post op fast is over and I'm able to begin the process of re-introducing the soft foods.

My surgery was performed June 5, 2007 through the Duke University Weight Loss Surgery Center  by Dr. Eric DeMaria at Durham Regional Hospital in Durham NC.  First , and most important of all. I'm okay!   I had my RNY laproscopically, but it was almost an open procedure.  

My surgery took about 4 hours. Dr. DeMaria accidentally perforated my colon with the first incision. While an uncommon complication when you have a surgeon who is very experienced with laparoscopic procedures (.04% or 4 in 1000), it is a known complication. Apparently, after some discussion, Dr. DeMaria and Dr. Roller decided to "resect" the bowel laproscopically (cutting out a slice of the colon to remove the damage and sewing the two pieces together), sparing me the complications and painful recovery of an open procedure. I am very grateful.  

·     Dr. Eric DeMaria was my primary surgeon and Dr. Roller was the secondary surgeon. Dr. Roller is a fully qualified surgeon in his own right that is obtaining a fellowship in in bariatric surgery. Dr Roller, has nearly completed his fellowship at Duke, under the guidance and tutalige of Dr. DeMaria.   

·      DeMaria came in to see me as they were starting the IV and asked me if I was sure I wanted the surgery ... That seemed kind of odd to me, but I told him yes and why I felt it was the best decision for me. He said good and he'd see me in the operating room in a few miniutes. 

·     Dr. DeMaria met with my husband and my mother to let them know what happened and that I had come through the surgery well and was now in recovery. For that, I thank him. Of course, they were worried when the surgery was taking so long; about 4 hours, instead of the more typical 1.5 - 2 hours of a "normal" laproscopic RNY.  

·     I never saw my primary surgeon, Dr. DeMaria post-op. He has not talked to me about the surgery at all. I never saw him after surgery while I was in the hospital and have not talked with him since my discharge Friday, June 8th and still find that disconcerting. I'm sure he is very competent, even with the perforation of the colon, but I find his lack of personal care and communication absolutely unacceptable. I feel like I'm a condition to him, not a person with a problem that requires his skill and expertise.

My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning 11am. I'm supposed to be at the hospital at 9am. They said to bring a book ... are they kidding? I can't believe that I'll be able to focus and concentrate on a book. LOL.  The good news is that my husband and mother are coming to the hospital with me and they will be good company. 
Don't you think that it was nice.  I'm both scared and looking forward to getting past this phase of my journey to a healthier me. I've had a couple of surgeries ... one to remove my gallbladder laproscopically about 12 yrs ago and the other was to reconstruct my leg after being hit by a truck.

I keep telling myself that I know that I'm doing the right thing, but I have that little nagging voice in my head that says "what if you don't make it or make things worse?" I keep telling the nag that "I've done the research, I have an extremely competent medical/surgical team, that I'll have a pump to help control the pain ..., I have to trust God."

I'll just be glad when I'm a week to 10 days post-op. 

As my friend Diane said, it's a big step and like with other big steps in your life, you tend to get nervous, but that's normal. Thanks Diane!

I've gotten the stuff I need to pack my bag, I am getting ready to "cleanse my system." (Yuck!) I need to re-assure my 13 yr old daughter ... last night she told me she was "scared for" me.