ObesityHelp

July 13, 06 Consultation with Surgeon #1
July 15, 06 Met with Dietician.
July 17, 06 Psychiatrist Evaluation „³ Yaaay! I am of sound mind! July 19, 06 Pulmonology consultation -Im cleared.
July 20, 06 Pcp visit for blood work and medical clearance.
July 21, 06 Initial consult with Surgeon #2, Dr. Nusbaum - loved him, his staff, and case manager!
July 25, 06 Cardiology Clearance done!
July 27, 06 Sleep Study! Possibly have apnea, possibly borderline apnea. Must wait for official results.

July 27, 06 I've been approved for WLS! I feel truly blessed, I feel as if God has given me a second chance in life.

July 28, 06 - Venous doppler done! Picked up surgery packet/info!
Aug 25, 06 - I have Hypersomnia Obstructive Sleep Apnea ... takes me 1.5 minutes to fall asleep, when average person falls asleep in 15 to 20 minutes or so. Hence, that's how exhausted I am from my lack of oxygen/sleep ... it's not narcolepsy and now on CPaP.

Aug 27, 06 - Four days away from surgery. My brother flew in yesterday to be with me. I am very nervous and anxious. I do fear for my life. I am contemplating writing my parents a farewell letter just in case something unplanned happens (GOD forbid) and making my peace with God. I am only in my late 20s I never thought I'd be faced with my own mortality and the possibility of death so soon. I accept all that comes, even death, like other rights of passages in life, are determined by Allah (God) ... God knows what is best for me, even if it be me not being in this world anymore. I am just concerned for my parents and family.

Aug 28, 06 -- Three more days to go till my surgery. Very very anxious! Trying to relax, get over a cold.

Aug 30, 06 -- On the clear liquid diet today. I am so hungry. My brother keeps on talking about what he wants to eat, I just want to drop kick him. Now Im thinking of all the things I could have had as my last meal yesterday ... for me it was chinese chicken fried rice and gellato ice cream!

Aug 31, 06 -- SURGERY DAY! Will write as soon as I come back from the hospital.

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I'M BACk, Alhumdolillah (All thanks to Allah (God)).

Here's how it went for those of you interested: My surgery was pushed up from 12:45 to 10 am. I was hauled into the OR and before I even knew it, I was done with the surgery. My first recollection was being the recovery room. I was given a PCA pump for self delivered mornphine and couldn't stop pressing it. It was the worst pain I've experienced, but if I had to do it all over again ... I would do it in a heartbeat. It is only day #3 today -- I was released from the hospital one day early. The pain is well taken care of with the meds they give you -- morphine PCA and dilauded for the break through prain. The nausea, on the other hand, secondary to the anesthesia was unbearable and lasted for two days. They continued to give me anti-emetics however it didn't help me much.

On surgery day --> I had chest pain and got worked up for a MI (heart attack) -- odd thing is I only had pain on the left side of my stomach and chest. Turns out that surprisingly I have a small body frame and my ribs are pretty small per Dr. Nusbaum, which meant the doc had to go under my ribs on the left side.

POD #1 was a little more bearable, but the pain was present. All the other folks on the floor that got gastric bypass on the same day as I, were doing much better with the pain. I was doing better, however, with the bowel movements and ambulating much more. I have a low threshold of pain tolerance, hence I knew it was going to be this way. It seemed like the nausea and pain were taking turns today! Finally, I did break down in tears and ask the nurse, "It is going to get get better"? I felt pretty pathetic.

I have to say the nurses BY FAR are the BEST at Saint Barnabas. They were amazing. My gratitude and thanks for the care they gave me would fall short. I have been in the health care system for quite a while and I know for a fact, nurses like that don't exist everywhere. Saint Barnabas is an extraordinary facility, with superb ancillary staff, and Dr. Nusbaum is an angel. God gave me life, my parents brought me into the world, but Dr. Nusbaum has allowed me to truly 'live'.

POD #2 much better, I ambulated early in the morning. Having a bowel movement has NEVER been a problem and was not a problem after the surgery (not to forget to mention the new addition of gas)! I was let out today, a day early, because I was able to ambulate well. However, I was drugged out for the most of the day due to the dilauded for pain. Oddest thing, I was allergic to the JELLO (we suspect ... residents, nurses, and I) ... it would make me itch (not the meds fortunately). Hence, i was also given Benadryl 25 mg twice today, which knocked me out cold. I was, however, very happy to finally leave the hospital and my mom flew in from California today as well!

POD #3, I feel so much better. I am not taking any prescribed pain meds, only Extra strength tylenol liquid form. I feel much better. Today I feel sore, like somebody kicked/punched me in the stomach. I can't stop going to the bathroom. I am still eating only 1 ounce of clear liquids per hour. Today Im going to attempt the week one diet! I do NOT even know what full feels like, what my stomach's capacity is, and will my stomach stop making these unusual hyperactive noises. I feel quite weak as well -- I went to the drug store across the street and felt really light headed. My weight today morning was 283.2.

Sep 4 (POD 4) -- I must have stepped on the scale at least five times this morning to make sure it wasn't a mistake, but I am now 279.8. I have NOT weighed this much in four years, when I first started medical school. I bursted in tears. This is just a very emotional thing for me ... I remember through every phase of my life how much I weighed and the negativity surrounding that. When I was 9 y/o - 146 lbs, 12 y/o - 118 lbs, 17 y/o - 204 lbs, 23 y/o - 265 lbs, 25 y/o - 245, 27 y/o - 280 lbs, then 320 lbs ... there was so many cycles of weight losses followed by gains. So much time, money, and emotion drained into a losing battle in the past. I try not to think of all the years I have lost to this BS (makes me angry and upset) but I live in the here and now. I don't live in the past nor for the future. Just for now ... Carpe diem!

POD # 6 -- I'm visiting this site on a daily basis since I am limited in activities and off work, this is one of the things I enjoy doing and helps me understand the whole process a little better. Plus, I have encountered such wonderful, supportive, and caring people on this site! Today I'm 274.8 lbs -- Booyah! I know it's not a week yet, but I'm going to go to the gym and walk on the treadmill. I think my body is ready for it! I feel quite hungry still lately, then again all I'm consuming is liquids! I probably will start the protein liquid on Friday after my post-op visit with my surgeon, InshAllah (God willing). Can't wait .. all I've been consuming is chicken broth, water, and jello!

POD # 7 -- I just noticed that today after several years, I was able to cross my legs while sitting down. I was thrilled. I also fit into these chairs they have at Starbucks. Before, I had to struggle to fit into it and today I easily sat in one. Relief! I was filled up by drinking three oz of a Atkins shake. It does work! I was uncomfortably full, so I'm going to downgrade it to 2 oz. I hear that the stomach's nerve endings aren't fully healed so one has a difficult time determining what is full the first few weeks.


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Highest Weight ever --> 320
Weight when inquiring about surgery --> 298
Weight before surgery --> 294
Post-Op Weight --> 288
POD #3, Sep 3 --> 283.2
POD #4, Sep 4 --> 279.8
POD # 6 Sep 6 --> 274.8
POD # 8 Sep 8 --> 272.8
POD # 10 Sep 10 --> 269.2
POD # 12 Sep 12 --> 267.8
POD # 13 Sep 18 --> 266.2
POD # 23 Sep 23 --> 264.4 (My weight is stuck, IM STUCK)
November 2, 2006 --> 248 ( -50 lbs )!!!!!!!!!
December 10, 2006 --> 227 (-71 lbs)

January 23, 2006 --> 210 (-88 lbs)
August 16, 2007 --> 181 lbs (-118 lbs)