Thursday marked a 3 week surgiversary.  Yeah!!  No pain whatsoever.  Double Yeah!!  I am getting healthier physically, mentally, spiritually...

Friday I went to the surgeon...OK to return to all normal activities.  He was pleased with my weight loss to date...on target.  See him again at 3 months.  He suggested I get off of the Metformin...then admitted that pcos isn't his area of expertise.  He just thinks the drug is too powerful and worries that my blood sugar may get too low.

I have absolutely NO hunger and no appetite.  I get hungry for certain things I can't have yet (grapes, asparagus, tougher seafoods)  I thought that I was an emotional eater and stressed pre-op about the post-op me grieving for food.  So far that is a non-issue

Yesterday, I dragged myself into my primary care physician's office to discuss medically managing my insulin resistance / pcos.  I told him that the VSG was done.  He didn't require me to have more labs done.  I showed him my labs from before surgery (different hospital).  He fully supported me in all of my decisions!!!  See that is why I have a great respect for my PCP. 

He put me back on metformin.  We both agree that this is medically managing symptoms that will likely resolve once I am closer to a healthier weight.  The dosage will need to be tweaked periodically.  He stressed the importance of fitness.  He was very encouraging!!

I was still in that mindset of doubting my judgement for having this surgery prior to talking to my PCP.  I see how others are so successful so quickly and I was not.  Admittedly the green-eyed monster caused me to belly ache a bit (or a lot).  He thought that I chose just the right surgery.  He reassured me that I would be successful with the surgery, fitness and medication.  I felt so so so much better after talking to him.

After taking the first metformin pill my stomach did get a bit crampy.  No other 'symptoms'.  I ate and drank to as close to my protien and water goals as I could.

This morning, I stepped on my scale and I lost 3 lbs since yesterday!!!  Yesterday!!  SO if you heard a bit of celebration all the way from the Dakotas that was just me finally being UNDER 300 lbs again!

I don't know what I was expecting after weight loss surgery.  Weight loss maybe?  What is my problem?  So a week ago today I got pumped full of fluids and had 90% of my stomach removed.  My body isn't in pain.  My heart is.  I am not hungry.  I don't crave any food.  I've been tracking my calories and I'm getting about 5-700 calories per day.  Everything I eat is balanced with protien being the priority.  
So step on the scale today...whoopdeefriggendooo  I've lost 5 lbs since I stepped on the hospital scale right before surgery.
My "2-week-follow-up" appt is scheduled for a week shy of a month after surgery??  WTF???

The Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy laproscopic surgery went as expected.  I woke up so nautious and gagging.  They gave me every type of anti-nausea medication.  A nurse in the middle of the night figured out I got nautious every time I pushed my pain pump.  Oh and I got itchy from it too.  She was such an aloof no-nonsence nurse but she knew her stuff!! 

It was blizzarding outside the whole time I was in surgery.  My aunt stayed until I woke up and I had to tell her to leave.  She packed an overnight bag and barelymade it home safely.  A patch of interstate within walking distance of my home had a 100-car-pile-up that wasn't cleared for over 12 hours.  Thankfully no one was killed.  No friends or family could visit or send flowers.  No travel advised in the metro area.  All highways in a 300 mile radius were closed.  Stores closed.  The whole town just shut down. 

My blood pressure was really high.  Higher than when I was in labor with any of my kids.  Like 147 over 105.  I asked if I could lay on my left side- usually made my blood pressure decline.  The nurse didn't think it was such a good idea, but couldn't hurt.  Sure enough it dropped to 120/80 and by discharge it was my normal 110/70 numbers.

The night in the hospital with recovery I had quite a few different nurses.  They were rotating sleeps in empty beds - the evening shift and morning shifts couldn't come in and they couldn't leave the hospital.  The morning after surgery Dr. Fabian couldn't do rounds because he was stuck in his home too.  He called and said that I looked like I was doing fine.  I was pretty groggy that early in the morning.  He said that because of the blizzard it would be safer if I stayed.  Even if I just wanted to stay at the hotel acrossed the street if I was worried that insurance wouldn't cover the extended stay.  Again, very kind and considerate.  

Just before 3 pm, Dr. Monroe came in and basically told me to get out.  Not very pleased with his bedside manner at all.  He was matter of fact - we are between 2 blizzards right now and if you don't get out before the second blizzard hits at 3 pm you might not get out of here for a few days.  Umm ok, confusing.

Will have to wait for my 2 week appt to talk to Dr. Fabian about checking my insulin resistance and getting back on metformin.  Dr. Monroe didn't even want to hear about it.  He just said that after my weight is lost I would no longer need that medication so it's pointless.  Again Dr. Fabian=good-kind caring partner in your own care.  He even tolerates my silly hockey references.  Dr. Monroe=bad  cool, succinct, abrubt.

So the first few bites were absolutely agonizing!  For some reason I pictured a Bugs Bunny cartoon where the villian is riddled with bullet holes and water pours out of every one of them.   I could probably count on my fingers the # of calories I've consumed in the last 48 hours.  I am just not that hungry.  The only pain that I feel is a lot of gas trapped...I would give anything in my checking account to pass gas in any way - ladylike or not. 

 

My overnight bag and toiletries are packed and ready to go.the surgical scrub is in my shower ready to go.the pureed foods are in my freezer.chewable vitamins on my cupboard.etc.I AM READY!!

The local weather report is for freezing rain, heavy snow and high winds.  So far it is only a winter storm predicted, but stay tuned it may be updated to a blizzard.  Oh Crap Crap Crap  Not now!!!

The Dr's office assures me if I am there, the team will be there to do surgery.  The only time that hospital has cancelled surgery was when record flood waters came closer to the hospital in spring of 09 and they evacuated the whole building.