- Name: Heather M.
- Username: Heather_M
- Location: Modesto, CA, USA
- Member Since: 12/10/2006
- BMI: 44.4
- Post Op
- Surgery Type: RNY (12/12/06)
- Surgeon: Patrick Coates, M.D.
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Goals
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Surgeon TestimonialPatrick Coates, M.D.Dr. Coates is pretty straight to the point, has been doing WLS for many years now. I met him about 6 years ago when I did a consult for WLS, that had to be put on hold because my mother had terminal cancer. At that time, I was impressed with his knowledge and effort he put in to reviewing my health history and eating habits to find out if the surgery would be the best thing for me.
I've seen him several times during my 3 days hospital stay for RNY. He visited with me shortly before surgery, and then twice after. On the day of my discharge he actually came and climbed up on my bed (while I was packing) and sat and talked with me for about 10 minutes about what I should and shouldn't be doing when I get home.
His staff is wonderful. If they can't assist you right when you call, they get back to you promptly. Most of your aftercare is handled by the PAs, who are extremely capable, as Dr. Coates is doing surgeries. You are reminded, advised, and encouraged to attend the monthly WLS support group held by Sutter/Memorial, and Dr. Coirin, Dr. Coates partner, comes and answers medically related issues/questions there.
Oh, and Dr. Coates is shy. He's quick to smile, but you won't hear much out of him until he's been around you a little bit. |
After years of infertility and more advances in treating Polycystic Ovary, last year my OB/GYN and PCP finally admitted that I needed some type of serious "tool" to help get the weight off, if I ever hoped to conceive. This is why I chose to have WLS, after debating for 5 years. That and a long family history of diabetes, heart problems and early deaths.
Add in the support of my wonderful husband, Ray. He's never said I'm overweight, or that I should lose weight. He's always made me feel I was perfect the way I was.
WalkAmerica on April 9, 2007 5:15 pm
April 28, 2007 - Graceada Park, Modesto, CA
I'm doing my first walk, since I was in elementary school, and I'm so excited, I can't hardly stand myself. I'm busily emailing all my relatives, working on raising donations for this cause. The March of Dimes is like St. Jude's to me, how can you NOT give to this charity?
If anyone is interested, my personal webpage, where you can donate to March of Dimes, for my blood (I'm sure there will be some), sweat (well, I can hope) and tears (from the blisters!).
http://www.walkamerica/HeatherMcDaniel
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Happy Birthday to MEeeeEEE!! on April 4, 2007 9:53 pm
I hit 199 today, for my 34th birthday!!
Okay, coronary over. But I've very excited. I haven't weighed 199 since I was 20. My brother also updated my pictures for me, so I got to post my 4 month post-op pics, as well.
So, Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to me!
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Some Things I've Learned: on March 18, 2007 3:18 pm
Lessons I've learned so far, at just over 14 weeks:
1. Measure everything
2. Only eat what you feel like out of your MEASURED portion
3. Protein first, last, and always (veggies and fruit are nice, but protein will help you keep your energy level and your HAIR!)
4. Do NOT miss your vitamins
5. If you can't tolerate your vitamins in solid form, get them in liquids ASAP, and stick to them (I had to do this for calcium). Liquid vitamins are also absorbed MUCH better.
6. If something makes you sick one time, it will not make you sick a second time.. but it might a third time. It's just the nature of WLS.
7. Read ALL your food labels (check for protein, sugar, fat content)
8. Go to your support group meetings
9. Go to your nutrition classes
10. Call your doctor for concerns (the boards are great for general information, but they are not meant for MEDICAL advice)
11. Exercise as you can tolerate it, but don't beat yourself up if you miss days, or can't do 3 miles a day/ 3 hours a day (like some do)
12. Expect to lose less rapidly than what you "imagined" was going to happen.. then be pleasantly surprised if you lose faster!
13. Do not expect your experience with weight loss to be like all the ones where they lost 70-100 pounds in 3-5 months (that's setting yourself up for disappointment)
14. Expect people to make comments (either good or bad) and learn to be gracious, and resist the urge to shin kick others when they aren't nice
15. Remember, you did this for YOU and your HEALTH.. forget the rest of the world's opinions on it!
16. Drink as much of your liquids as you can, but don't cry over not meeting goal every day (it's not gonna happen for most until they are several months out, anyways!)
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Why the scale isn't my friend... on February 23, 2007 5:11 pm
I'd love to say the scale lies.. but it doesn't. It just refuses to say anything at all. Most mornings, I resist the temptation to step on and see if any weight has come off. But on the rare mornings, I can't overlook it lurking in the corner of the bathroom, I realize it's not my friend. It may in fact, be my worse enemy!
After showering and drying off, I step from the shower, to dubiously eye the black and white monster that lurks near my ankles, just waiting to take a bite out of my cheery balloon.
Sighing, I drop the towel, pull the scale away from the wall some, eye the needle (yes, I need to get a new fangled digital some year), yup, it's on ZERO. *takes a deep breath and steps on the scale*
At this point, if anyone was asleep in the house, they are normally awakened by the earsplitting scream of, "Oh for Pete's Sake! You've got to be kidding me!" As you might have guessed, the scale didn't budge from the weight of 5 days ago.
Now, the funny thing is.. I know I lose in increments of 5lbs, and that is usually every 7 to 10 days, but I just CAN'T go that long between weighing myself (yes, my husband STILL hasn't hidden the scale from me).
So to sum it up. The scale isn't my friend, because:
1) I don't have the common sense (or apparently, the willpower) to NOT step on it, when I hear it's "Siren's Call of BS"
2) I can't drop kick it across the room, because it would most likely break my toe(s) and/or foot
3) It raises my blood pressure and just plain PISSES me off!
4) Like your worse enemy, it knows your weakness =)
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What My Day Looks Like for Eating & Drinking on February 17, 2007 2:25 pm
So many ask how we get all our liquids and protein in.. I got to thinking, maybe I should post what my day looks like. Maybe it will help someone else figure out a plan that works for them. This is my day, at 10 weeks, post-op.
7AM - Orange Crystal Light w/ liquid calcium (cause I just can't get the other down) - 20 oz, finish this by 8:30am (my goal). I've also noticed if I start my morning out, with my B12, and water first thing, I don't get dry mouthed, and I have more energy.
9:30AM (my break time) - 8oz glass of milk (wait 15 minutes to eat breakfast, per my nut) - take my morning multi-vitamin, CoQ10, Biotin, etc.
9:45AM (back at my desk) - 2oz of protein (usually cottage cheese) and my fruit (finish by 10AM)
11AM - another 12-20 oz of water, finish by 11:45AM
12PM - Lunch (another 2oz of protein w/ veggie or fruit) - finish by 12:30PM
1:30PM - More water (10-15oz).. finish by 2:15PM
2:30PM (break time again) - Afternoon snack of 6oz of yogurt + protein powder
3:30PM - More water (10-15oz), sometimes it's more, since I drink up until 15 minutes before dinner time
5PM - Dinner (another 2oz of protein w/ veggie)
6PM - Water to sip until bedtime
10PM - Evening vitamins, multi-vitamin, B1, birth control, etc. (Then I don't drink anything else, giving the tummy time to absorb what it can while I sleep)
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Archive
My Story I've always felt that I was heavier than my peers, all through grade school and high school. When I look back now, I realize I wasn't that much heavier than most of the girls my age, I just chose to wear comfortable clothing, instead of cutting off circulation! It was when I graduated high school and the years after, that I really started to put on the weight. In increments of 10, 20, 40lbs.
I'd lose the weight, then gain it back, and more. Doctor would just tell me to diet and excerise. Um, what did he think I'd been doing for years? *sighs* About five years ago, my best friend finally had RYN bypass, and was very happy with her results. My mom was going through the end stages of terminal kidney cancer, so I put everything on hold to take care of her at home, where she wanted to be. Then a year after she passed away, I got married to the most wonderful man. He's never said a thing about my weight, which I think was the final deciding factor when I was told at the beginning of this year, after many years of infertility, that the only way I'd most likely conceive was a massive weight loss. But then with the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, my stupid body refuses to let anything go! So, that's when I broached the subject with him again, about having gastric bypass.
And that is where we are today. Post RYN gastric bypass, and slowly working my way towards a more active lifestyle!
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