Here we are past my 5 month surgery anniversary mark.  It's hard to believe the transformation my body has endured in these 5 months.  Both on the inside and outside.  The little things I notice more like sitting in hard chairs I can actually feel my butt bones touching the chairs surface, it is no longer surrounded by padding.  Weird I know but it's things like that that make me take notice that wow I am actually losing weight!  I consider myself fortunate and my surgeon says the same thing that I haven't had a stall yet in my weight loss.  It doesn't come off as quick as I think it should or would like to but I have lost something each and every week!!  I am down about 89 lbs so I am very happy with that but still have a ways to go.  Not sure my "goal weight" yet, right now I am just tredging along. 

 

Clothes fit much better now and I can look at normal sizes which is new to me.  It is a great feeling overall.  I feel that with the weight coming off I am more sure of myself, although I still find "compliments" hard to take sometimes.  I look in the mirror and I see a fat person staring back, the world, it seems sees the weight that I have actually lost.  I wish I could see that all the time too, so if you give me a compliment and I don't respond like you think I should, this is why.  I am working on that, I promise.  I think it is an ongoing process. 

 

My eating and getting sick or not getting sick has improved considerably.  There are still some things I try that make me hurl and then I know to stay far far away from them.  I have a bad habit of eating really fast when I am hungry and that usually backfires on me too, but this is a learning process and I have learned so much already!!

 

On August 25th, my sister Marilyn took me and my mom to Indy for my 4 month checkup.  Dr Evanson joked with my mom as she was wearing her IU Grandma t shirt and he said that he didnt give her permission to wear such nonsense and she should have a Purdue shirt on the next time he sees her...and you know what, she is thinking of buying one and wearing it to my next appointment just for him.  Awww.  I told him I wouldnt sink to that level.  LOL.  I do like him a lot otherwise!!  :)  Hence the pix.  He said I was doing great, told him about the problems I have had since I last saw him, he checked my blood tests from my cardiologist and said everything was right on target said the only thing is since I was a "kidney stoner" before the surgery I would be one now too so I MUST drink lots of extra fluids.  Says I am losing like I should be, right on target and looked good.  The appointment with my NUT went well too, she gave me some suggestions on protein and other things.  I was honest with her and Dr E about the protein issue, neither were too concerned, both said I should be getting enough from the foods I eat.  Overall, a great report and I see him again in December.

 

Walking in the Race for the Cure for the first time, and looking forward to it!  I need to get moving as we are doing the 3 mile walk.  I hope the weather is cool and breezy and not 90 degrees.  Oh Lord hear my prayer!

 

I still to this day have NO regrets having the surgery done.  I am much healthier because of it, love the support group I attend once per month where we bounce ideas off of each other, share our experiences, etc.  I am looking forward to losing that 100 lbs it seems like it will never get here but I have to be patient and in time, it will come off.  I have accomplished so much already and you know what?  I AM proud of myself thus far!! 

 

Again, I want to thank those that have supported me from day one, and have stuck by me now--I appreciate it!  I don't know where I would be on this journey if it weren't for my friends...in high and low places LOL.  Love you all, til next time....keep reaching for those celery sticks (they are better for you then that Reese cup!) 

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Going another round with pain...

by Carmen M. Dill on Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 1:35pm  

 

As I stated before, I am the type of person that when I read about someone being sick all of the time, I am like "enough already."  This unfortunately keeps happening to me and I will just say this --if you don't want to read my trials, block me or delete me NOW.  No harm no foul...

 

On Thursday, August 19th (my sister's birthday) I was working a short day and when I got off of work I had planned on doing some last minute errands for Brittanee since she was moving back to IU on Friday.  Life doesn't always turn out the way we plan...so I am learning.  I worked 8-1:30 and I remember telling someone how excited I was about seeing Britt's new apartment, just going to Bloomington in general, driving Terry's van, etc.  A few minutes before noon I started having this excruiciating pain in my lower left side (does this sound familiar from last month's trip to the ER), and it kept getting more and more intense.  From noon til the time I left I kept making periodic trips to the bathroom thinking I had to use the bathroom but nothing happened (sorry TMI).  By the time I left work at 130 I was near tears.  When I got to the car I immediately called my doctor to see if I could be seen.  By the time I drove home I was crying I mean really crying because the pain was so intense.  I passed out when I got home, my mom called an ambulance to come and get me.

 

A nice, old man (EMT) took care of me in the ambulance.  He tried 4 times to start an IV but guess what he was unable to.  I must say there is road work all around my neighborhood being done and when they took me down the street and through a bunch of gravel while this man had a needle jamming into my hand was not cool.  Other than that the ride was uneventful and I was coherent.  I had two very nice nurses --Lisa and Heather.  The doctor, Dr Nunge, was first rate as well!  At first they kept saying they thought I had diverticulitis...then when they did blood tests, urine test, and a CAT scan.  Dr told me he then thought I had passed a kidney stone and now am experiencing bad kidney infection.  I have 3 meds to take and so far I am still in pain.  Not quite as nauseous right now--thank God. 

 

I didn't get to help Brittanee move in after all, my mom helped her.  They did take several pix for me, but just wasn't the same.  :(  Hopefully will get to see it soon with my own two/four eyes!

 

Now here goes the part where I rant--first of all, I had the same pain in July and it was dismissed as "female issues" and I can't get an appointment for the OB doc til Nov!  Secondly, the cardiologist did tons of bloodwork on me--a lot involving kidney function and the like--would this not have shown on the results?  I think this is truly kidney related but I am thinking I still (possibly) have a stone--the reason I say this is because I have had several before and this pain feels eerily similar.  I am supposed to follow up with my family doctor this week, won't be able to do that til Thursday. 

 

~~~~~~~~~DISCLAIMER:  THIS IS NOT SURGERY RELATED~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

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Not all fun and games

by Carmen M. Dill on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 1:02pm   Painting the gastric bypass picture is not all fun and games, smiley faces, bright colors, etc...sometimes there is a dark side. People don't like to talk about that part--it's like it's taboo. Well here I am 'exposing' the other side of gastric bypass.

Before I go any further --I still stand behind my decision to have it done--best decision I've ever made for me!! 84 lbs down since April and still losing!

Think back to your past about what you felt like when you pulled an all nighter and that night involved LOTS of alcohol ...now think about hugging the toilet and thinking it was your best friend. Sometimes after gastric bypass something similar happens and it makes you feel absolutely horrible !! Whether you eat too fast, eat something that doesn't quite agree with you, or ... Or...you get a funny feeling and pain in your chest that usually indicates it is going to be coming out one end or the other and FAST. This is called 'the dumping syndrome.' Though I hate this I usually feel 100% better once this happens.

Usually the foods that bring on such misery to me I avoid at all costs!! I've since come to the conclusion if I go out to a restaurant I'm never going to eat something the next day...me and leftovers cause dumping big time !! Not sure why but I've decided not to tempt fate.

Yesterday I got spuds for dinner --it all went well last night. Of course I can only have a few bites so I wrapped up the rest for today. I heated it this morning and the first 3 bites were yummy and then the dumping monster reared it's ugly head and Priscilla let me know real quick that not only was I going to be sick but downright miserable. Hence reason for this blog ...

In life we have to learn to take the good with the bad--and same goes for life after gastric bypass.

For those considering gastric bypass I would highly recommend it but be prepared to spend some quality time in the bathroom with the porcelain potty you may remember from one upon a time....