Well, today is the day.... I am getting ready to start my mag citrate. I have done what I can as far as getting stuff ready.... have my last load of laundry on and am hoping my dad will change it over to the dryer for me.  I cleaned the new rabbit cage and put the 2 dwarf rabbits in it. Still some work to do but I have to have help (putting it up on blocks). 
   I did some clean up around the chicken pen and such and filled up my compost bin. I am hoping my nephews will help me before they start back to school next week because there is some more outside work to do.

  I have put it off as long as I can.... I have my magazines and some Boudreaux's butt paste LOL  (gift bag from one of my friends who came over and helped me organize my kitchen yesterday).


 Blah... I can't make myself go. 

leaving now




or now.


for real,,, I'm leaving



edited at 8pm -   no biggie. Guess when there is nothing in there it is easier.  Tomorrow clear liquids until evening when I have to drink 2 20oz bottles of water and then surgery Tuesday!  I think tomorrow I will go down to the hospital and make sure I can find my way to the registration since I have to go at 530am and will have to enter through the ER>

Well, except complete exhaustion! I have slept more these past 4 days than I have in the last couple of weeks! Food hasn't bothered me at all,  I even treated my nephew to my favorite Mexican restaurant last night and I did fine. I had a bowl of beef broth with some taco seasonings.  Tonight I did have to turn off the TV because of a sandwich though.

  I have so much to do still to get ready, but tomorrow is my bowel prep and I don't think I will accomplish much outside the bathroom!
  Today a couple of friends came over and helped me clean and organize my kitchen.  I didn't realize how close to a "Hoarders" episode it really was !!! LOL
       Of course as soon as they left I took about a 4 hour nap. I nearly panicked when I woke up and the clock said 730 because my first thought was it was Sunday morning and it was time for the bowel prep. 

     I got a new (to me) rabbit cage that I still have to clean and get set up for 2 of my rabbits. Their cage is getting too small and it has to be cleaned constantly, this bigger cage will make it so my dad only has to clean it every other week or so (more wire).  I have 2 more loads of clothes to wash which will give me a TON of clothes I need to sort through and either put away or give away. I have to pack my stuff for the hospital and figure out what I am going to wear since they want a "loose, comfortable button up"  and I only have one and no idea where it is.

Geez  I am hopeless. 

  Monday I will drop my dog,  Rio, at the vet so he can stay on his "strict rest" regimen and get his physical therapy from his knee surgery.  Now I also have to leave one of my cats because she has a "raging" UTI and has to have meds everyday.
Also on Monday the trainer will come to pick up my young horse, Buddy (I call him Baddy) for 4 weeks.  This is Buddy either cooling off or doing a Fabio impression... who knows?




Well, while I am still awake I need to go do another load of laundry.   Just a couple more days til surgery.

 I went to bed early yesterday - like 530 early.  I woke up off and on through the night, had some water and one time a SF popsicle. I woke up early, had  a shake and had to take my cat to the vet for bloody urine.  She has a  "raging bacterial UTI" so I have meds for her for 10 days. So she will be staying at the vet next week as will my "strict rest" dog.  This surgery is going to cost more in prep than the actual procedure!!

    After I dropped the dog back off at home I grabbed a bottle of water and headed out for my pre-op labs.  The nurse went over my meds and medical history and then I had blood drawn.   Somewhere in the last 6 months it didn't get mentioned that at one time I was diagnosed with a tricuspid heart murmur.  I forget about it because about 2 years ago they rechecked and it was completely gone and my valve was functioning 100%.  So now I have to wait for the other hospital to fax over those results to Dr. Friedman. I sure hope it doesn't cause a problem.

   After having blood drawn I went for my pre-surgical consult with Dr. Friedman.  I adore his nurse. She is funny, straight-forward and really builds my confidence in this surgery (she is a few years out).  She said she has already asked Dr. Friedman and the office manager if she can come sit with me in pre-op holding so I won't be alone and to make sure my anxiety is taken care of.   That meant a LOT.
 Especially since it is turning into a bit of a mess as to who will be with me at the hospital.
 My 75yr old SMO mom is wheelchair bound. If she sits in her electric scooter more than an hour or 2 she gets in absolute agony.   I told her for them to just stay until I get taken back where they can't go wtih me, then they can leave.  At that point one of my friends will (hopefully) come up because the OR reports to the waiting room by phone every hour you are in surgery.... I 'd hate for them to call out  my name and nobody be there!   At some point in the evening, my sister will show up and spend the night with me.

   Dr. Friedman gave me a fistful of prescriptions and explained each of them to me, then asked if I had any questions.  I ran through a few and he answered them to my satisfaction.  He shook my hand and said "see ya Tuesday!!".... and it hit me. I am havign major surgery in like 5 days.  Still not particularly nervous... it just became reality.  And made me remember I have not finished all I need to.

  I think I mentioned my friend who is doing the liquid diet with me?  She just called and invited me to her house for a buffet of my choice of broth , I am to provide the protein shakes (since I have flavors LOL ).

So today has been my first day on the liquid diet.   I slept late because I was beyond exhausted!  When I got up I had a protein shake with 8oz of skim milk and then grabbed my gear and went to the gym.  I decided since at that point I was having a standard morning start I'd go ahead and do a full upper body workout, just less intensity. I did fine, and drank my 16oz bottle of water.
  I went to the grocery store and expected a world of trouble, but it was no problem just buying what I went for (SF Jello, milk, yogurt / greek yogurt for post op and cat litter  :)   ).  After I unloaded everything I warmed up a cup of chicken broth and sat in my recliner by the big window to eat it with a spoon.  I just reminded myself it was basically soup and I've had soup fine before.  As a "dessert" I had a SF grape popsicle.  I did my outside chores and after 45minutes had passed I have worked on a 32oz Crystal Light lemonade.

 Since I started my day so late, I will have my other protein shake around 530, then my "supper" shake around 930, then it will be bed time.  If I wake up I plan to spend 15 minutes cleaning then have either jello or water and back to bed.

 Tomorrow I spend from 1230 on at the hospital for pre-op registration, meeting the anesthesia team, the OR nurse, and the nurse manager. Any other tests I need (ultrasound etc) they will get done.  Then I have my consult with Dr. Friedman.
I need to write down my meds and also my questions for Dr Friedman.

   Today I finalized arrangements for my mischievous little thief of a horse to go spend 4weeks at the trainer starting on Monday.  My goal is to lose enough weight to be able to ride him in the spring.   I think I am pretty well (finally) set as far as the care for my animals while I am out. 

  Now to get my hoarder-episode-in training house cleaned!!!

Well, it is now 8/10 for me and that means  liquid diet day 1. I am about to go to bed (245am) so hopefully I will sleep lots! :)

  Tuesday morning I worked out with the trainer. I should have known I was in trouble when she said "we're gonna step it up a notch today"    I wanted to say  " there's another notch???" haha
   We ( read that as "I" ) did my normal start out stuff - elliptical 3 minutes, then 2sets of 12 each of pushups and plank pulls. Did chest press on an incline starting with 15lb dumb bells but she changed it to 20lbs for the 2nd set. Then we did stairs.  As in real stairs.  As in 4 flights of stairs, twice!  Up to the 3rd floor and back, then up and back.  I was sucking wind like a 90yr old racehorse, but I did it.   
   Back in the gym I did "split squats" - basically a lunge with a weighted bar and the front leg bears the weight, so it is the only one doing a "squat".     2x12 each leg, then "sumo kettle ball lift" - squat with a 15lb ball that has a handle,lower it as close to the floor as you can then stand and lift the ball to your chin.   set of 12, then 2x12 again on the split squats, then 12 again sumo.   Then I did the leg curl machine 2x12 and each time on #12 she had me take 5 seconds to release the weight. My legs were screaming!!!!    I got up , got a drink of water and she said (very cheerfully I might  add)  "Ok, we're not done with those stairs, let's go 2 more times!!"

  I thought I was going to fall over right then... but I did it!!!  8 more flights at a decent pace (or so she told me) for a total of 16 flights of stairs!!!!

  After the workout I finally did my stocking up on feed for some of the animals, moved all of it to the shed adn tried to get it organized, Then I showered, had a quick bite to eat and then headed to my pre-op education class. It was 2 hours and a lot of information. I am glad they gave us a binder because I was so exhausted I thought I was going to pass out.  After pre-op I dropped my sister off to get her car and I went to work from 630pm - 130am.   Now I am going to get a sugar free popsicle from my mom's freezer (here to get my dog, he stays while I am at work since his surgery) and go home and go to bed.

  Thursday is all of the the registration hoopla, meeting the anesthesia rep, the OR rep, having whatever last minute tests, adn then a consultation with Dr. Friedman.