Schedule of events:
Sometime during November 2006-- Called Adirondack Medical Center and made appointment for informational meeting.
November 28, 2006--Went to Meeting at Adirondack Medical Center. Learned A LOT of information. Signed up for my first Dr.'s appointement.
12/01/06---Called insurance company and all I need is Pre-determination in writing and my Dr is 100% participating---WOOOHOOO!!
12/04/06--Visited my Primary Care Dr and she was very positive about me getting the surgery. She took the time to go over a few things and signed my up for a sonogram and blood work of my Thyroid. (Had the tests done and everything was A-O-K.)
12/11 - 12/21/06-- Filled out paperwork, had medical records faxed from primary care doctor, went to get on some good form of BC (which required more tests---yucky ones too) and did some calling around to make sure everything was taken care of.
12/22/06--Went to my first office visit at The Baratric Center. I spoke with Karen Hixon, RNHNP and Dr Hixon. (Dr. Hill is the one who preforms the surgery and sometimes Dr. Hixon assists). They took my weight and height and blood pressure and went over my paperwork. Spoke about the surgery itself and took time to listen to any questions. They took a lot of time with me and were very helpful. They told me that I needed to attempt to lose weight. They told me to excersize for 30 mins everyday and eat a low-carb, low-fat, high protein diet--basically the South Beach diet. (WOW--gonna be hard right before christmas! Maybe I will start after christmas). They gave me a bunch of paperwork to get tests done. But, I can get the tests done locally at the hospital in town.
12/26/06--Tests done at Alice Hyde Medical Center---OPPS had to reschedule because I didnt realize I was suppost to eat a NO fat diet 24 hrs prior!! I read my paperwork and had to call and cancel. Christmas was yesterday and it would have been really hard eatting only NO FAT foods! I called at 10 am and scheduled my appointment for tommorrow at 9:30. I havn't eatten anything since then so I will be ok. It is hard finding things with no fat in them! Today I ate Rice Krispies with skim milk, tomato soup, and baked potatoes with katshup (yucky--but, I didn't have any no fat butter of no fat cream cheese) and dried pineapple. I think I will lose weight today and make up for christmas!
12/27/06--9:15 Bloodwork, 9:30 Ultrasound of Gallbladder and chest x-ray after that. Went well. The Gallbladder ultrasound was a little ticklish. I kept giggleing because she was pushing hard on my stomach and I just couldn't help it.
1/8/07--I visit with the mental health provider at 12:30.
1/18/07--Appointment to have EKG and Pulmonary Function Screening.
1/25/07--2nd Dr.s appt., will do Physical Therapy assessment (no caffeine or alcohol 24 hrs prior and no food or drink 4 hours prior) and I will visit the dietician. And then back to see the Dr. Lost 1 pound! Not much but it is something!
End of February--Lost 11 lbs! I've been sick with the stomach flu. Don't know if its a good thing or bad thing. Says he will submit to insurance company Next month!!
End of March--Gained 5 lbs! I have to wait another month to try to get weight down. I had a hard time not eatting girl scout cookies! I ate a few too many I guess! But, I think a lot of my weight was water weight because I weighted myself 2 days later and lost 5 lbs!!
4/3/07--Looks like my date isn't going to be for another month. I gained 5 lbs at my past appointment. It is really frustrating because I was sick with the stomach bug at the appointment before that and lost 11 lbs that month. And I gained 5 lbs this time UGHHH! I find it very frustrating that I have to wait even longer. I don't understand why some hospitals let you get the surgery right away and Adirondack Medical makes us wait. They have told me the reason is because of insurance companies and because of their success rate after surgery for the long term. I was bummed after my appt. I made a promise to myself that I would lose weight for my next appt. So far this week I have lost 3 lbs. I have been weighing myself daily. Now I feel obsessed with the scales. And I'm eatting 1700 calories a day. I'm keeping a food journal and watching the calories, fat and sugar and eatting high protein foods--- lots of fish and chicken. And I'm doing physical activity every day. Wish me luck!!
End of April---I lost 11 lbs! Next appt I will get my date for surgery!
May 31, 2007 -- I GOT MY DATE!! WOOOHOOO My surgery date is July 10, 2007! I am very excited! I meet with Dr Hill for the first time the end of June.
July 9, 2007---Today is the day before surgery. I have been taking prep medicine. So, who knows how long I will be sitting at the computer! Hehe! Actually it isn't funny. I feel a bit on the nervous side. I think I'm going to try to take a nap in a bit to get my mind off things. My hubby and I just bought a new house and it has been a busy week. It has been a good thing in the way it has kept my mind off surgery. But, today it is really on my mind. All will be ok---I know. WISH ME LUCK!!!
July 14, 2007-- I came home from the hospital yesterday. All went well. It is funny how the meds they gave me made me have time warps. Somethings blended into other things. I was very sleepy the first day and very sick to my stomach from the morphine. I was afraid to vomit and they gave me some different meds to help with that. But, It took me a day to realize it was the morphine making me so sick and I asked for another kind of medicine and the gave me tylenol 3 with codine which really took the edge off. I got up walking the next morning after surgery I think. I know I was walking by myself soon after and had to use the bathroom on my own. Which was challenging to get out of bed. And when I coughed it hurt. But, It wasn't that painful overall. I was pretty surprised. I guess I expected it to be worse that it was. I think the prep the day before was horriable. I was throwing up and everything and so dizzy. I have no regrets at all! Today I have been taking my vitamins and my protein. I sip my protein shakes all day long. I have already taken 70 grams of protein before noon. I really like the taste of them. I hate the taste of the ones you buy premade and the protein water is horriable. But, the protein powder is yummy! My bathroom is upstairs and it is such a chore climbing the stairs. I get out of breath real quick. I weighed myself the morning of surgery and I was 272 and this morning I was 259! Thats 13 lbs!! I can't remember when I weighed 259! It has been a boost for me to see results. But, I know that sometimes people have a lot of fluid retention and I didn't have that. Well, I need to rest. I am very happy!
August 16, 2007--- Today I weigh 232 and I squeezed into a size 16!! I recently bought some cloths on sale in a size 16 and I thought I would be into them in the fall. But, I can button them now! Its weird because I just tried them on 3 or 4 days ago and I still had a ways to go! I was 272 b/4 surgery and 232 now! Thats 40 lbs in 5 weeks and 63 lbs since the begining.
September 12, 2007 -- Weighed myself today and I am now 223. 9lbs gone since last month. 49 lbs since surgery 72 lbs since begining. I am starting to notice weird relationships with close friends. I have friends who have never commented on my weight loss. Some of the same people that I have praised when they lost weight. I guess we all know who our true friends are.
September 26, 2007-- Today I had a Dr's appt with Dr Hill and I am down to 219! He said I was doing great. This is the last time I will visit him and I will go back to Dr Hixson's office in 3 months and follow up with him from now on. He said I was looking good and that no one at Dr Hixson's office was going to recognize me with my new hair and weight loss. It feels good and people really notice the
weight loss now.
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October 16, 2007 -- Today I stepped on the scale and it said 206 lbs! One more lb and I will have lost 90 lbs! I am 3 months post op. And am now considered Overweight and not obese anymore. I will have to get down to 170 lbs to be considered a "normal" weight. I can't imagine weighing 170 lbs. I can't wait to get below 200 lbs. The weight is coming off very rapidly. I never expected it to come off so fast. Clothing is hard to buy because I just have to buy something new after I have only worn some things a few times! I bought a nice columbia coat that might make it through half the winter. I bought it dirt cheap. and also a leather coat that I love and hope I can wear that through the winter too. I buy my clothing at consignment shops and when on sales. When I am down to a size I am going to stay at then I will get some nice things. I have no butt now and no boobs. they have gone flat! I wish my hips and tummy would have come off and not the butt and boobs. But, ohhh well! I feel great!
October 23, 2007---OMG I just looked at my old photos of myself and I could have cried. It shocked me. I loved myself then as I do now. It was mixed feelings looking at them. I still feel like that same girl. I still feel big. I look down and I still feel like I am almost 300 lbs. Why is that? I can tell I lost weight when I put on my cloths. And I notice my face looking skinnier. And I really like it when someone notices that I have lost weight. It is all soooo strange to me. I am happy. I was happy then too. I just feel more confident in my skin now. I dont know how to explain my emotions.
Novemeber 3, 2007--I am below 200 Lbs! I am officially 199 lbs and OMG it feels SOOOO GOOOOOD!!! I looked at old charts from my Dr's office and I weighed 221 at 17 years old! I weigh less than that now. It is CRAZY!! I wear a size 14 and I think I could wear a 12 pretty soon. My butt is soooo flat. I am trying to sit here in a wooden chair and it kills my booty---I can feel BONES! Something I have never felt. People have commented ( a lot) on the fact that I have no booty. I am going to need booty implants! Lol Just kiddin! If I think my boney booty hurts, implants would kill! I am going to a Tragically Hip concert tonight and I can't wait!! I think I need a new pair of jeans. My other pairs are getting too big. It is exciting, 4 more lbs to go and I will have lost a total of 100 lbs!
November 4, 2007---I went to see The tragically Hip concert last night and it was AWESOME!! Afterward my hubby and I went out to a local bar. I saw some people who hadn't seen me since prior to my surgery. Everyone is shocked. The weight has come off VERY fast. I dont have far to go till goal and I am not even 4 months post op yet. I have worked hard. I have been using all the extra energy I have. I am usually exhausted by the end of the day. I take a water aerobics class that I really enjoy. I also go to open swim at the local high school. I met women at water areobics that is looking into having RNY surgery. I had never met her before and she came out and told me she was getting surgery. It was neat. I hope I was helpful to her. She is going to the same surgeon as I had and should be getting surgery soon. I feel like telling people I had surgery keeps them informed and could help someone someday. My hubby asks me why I dtell people I had surgery. I'm not ashamed, I have worked hard. I made a HUGE decision. and I am trying daily to make huge changes in my life for the better. I think some people see it as the easy way out. Is surgery ever the easy way out of anything? Didnt I take charge of my own desitiny and health? If someone is sick, do they get surgery or suffer? It has been the best choice for me. Without DS I would have soon had diabetes and High blood pressure. Hopefully I have prevented this. I am proud of myself.
11/22/07--I HAVE OFFICIALLY LOST 100lbs!!!! And today is Thanksgiving! WOOOHHHOOOO
11/28/07---I am down to 192lbs and into a size 11/12 pants! I NEVER remember wearing an 11/12! I just bought a pair of dress pants and a pair of jeans in that size. I have a hard time fitting jeans over my calves because my calves have always been large. I went to maurices and found a nice pair that fit great after shopping at old navy and aeropostale. It is sooooo nice shopping at regular size stores. Skinny people take this for granted. I thought I would shop in lane bryant forever. Or the plus size section forever!
Tonight on Oprah there is a show on weight loss and someone who lost 480 lbs. I have to watch it. Shows like that make me cry. And feel so happy for people who have struggled like me.
My hubby loves my new body. He says he would be fine and love it if I never lost another pound (so would I). He really likes thicker women. He worries that I will get too skinny. I cant imagine getting too skinny. He is always complimenting me. I feel attractive now and I am soooo loving my new body. I love the out look I have on life. I know I was attractive before. But, I feel like a new woman on the outside. Still the same ol' girl on the inside except with a bit more happiness in my appearance. This is all very AWESOME!
December 21, 2007--Went to the dr's today for my 6 month post op, even though I am really 5 months post op. I weighed in at 193! The Dr was very happy with me. I saw Karen Hixson. She told me about the possibility of having a tummy tuck in the future. Have have some belly button issues. My skin hangs over my belly button and I get yucky smelly wetness in my button and the said it is a yeast infection---ewww. And I have to document it and take pictures of it. She also wants me to see my regular primary care physician too. She said I am doing better than some people are that are 12 months out. She said it would be ook to get down to 165lbs but, no more than that. She wwants me at a heathy weight. And is very proud of me now.
January 7, 2008---Today I am 188 lbs. I go between that and 190 lbs, I like seeing the 180's! In 3 more days I will be 6 months post op. 107 lbs gone forever!!! It feels soo unbelieveably good! It is weird the people who notice my weight loss who I never thought even noticed what I looked like before. People who are almost strangers to me. I think I have inspired others too and that is a great feeling to know I could have helped someone else who feels the way I use to feel.
February 5, 2008---Today I am 178 lbs. I can't believe I have lost another 10 lbs in a month. I wonder what I will be at a year post op. I really only want to lose 13 more pounds. I seldom come on here any more. Beore surgery I wanted to research everything to do with my surgery. Now, that I have had the surgery I should come back on here to keep myself informed. But, I don't. Hope everyone of my friends is doing good too!
October 18, 2008---So much has happened in the last 2 months. I have been to the hospital more times than I would like. During late August and early September I starting having some major cramping pains after a 1/2 hour- 1 hr after I would eat. The cramps in my abdomen were strong and would last for a while and usually pass. But, then the pains became more consistant. On 9/01/08--I called my bariatric unit and explained my pains and they told me that I might have a stomach bug going around. On 9/4/08 I visited the Alice Hyde Hospital Clinic in my home town--Not my bariatric center--1st mistake. But, I let them know that I had had DS last year and they did blood work on me. The Dr. there told me that it was the flu or a stomach bug. But, I wasn't vomiting or having diarreah, Didn't have any other symtoms. So, she put me on the BRATS diet and I followed that. BRATS diet didn't work. I still had the pains but, assumed I had the stomach bug. By 9/6/08 I was still having pain but more intense. It was a Saturday night and I had to go to the ER so I went to my local ER again and explained my symptoms again and that the clinic had blood work. They pulled up the clinic's bloodwork and gave me an x-ray to make sure nothing was obstructed. And they told me that I had GAS PAIN!!! Yup, how embarrassing----GAS PAIN! I was thinking It was the most severe double-me-over gas pain ever! My hubby teased me. I almost cried. and we went home. Monday morning 9/8 I called my bariatric center and explain what had happened. They said if I was still in pain I could go to the emergency room at the bariatric hospital in Saranac Lake--1 hr away. So, I was tiered of messing around and still in pain after eatting so I had my dad bring me up to Saranac Lake and had my mom watch the daycare kids. When I arrived they did all the fun stuff, CAT scans, blood work, gave me an IV. By 6pm (I arrived at noon) I had an answer. Dr hill said he looked at the CAT scan and I had an internal hernia/ partial bowel obstruction and adhesions. He admitted me to the floor and told me he would do surgery the following day. Surgery was suppost to happen in the afternoon and then it didnt and then it was supoost to happen at 7 pm---can you imagine---7 pm!! and that didn't happen and it ended up gettin done at 7 or 8 am the following day--the 10th. he performed laproscopic surgery and I felt ok after surgery and was able to leave the hospital that evening.
About 2 weeks later. 10/1/08, the pain is BACK!! I called the DR's office and he makes me an appt to come to see him the following day. When he sees me he doesn't tell me much but to wait it out. At this point I am frustrated and clueless. He makes another follow-up appt for the 8th of october which I skip b/c I'm not in pain anymore. On 10/11/08 I go for a hike during the day with the kids and have a wonderful day overall and then go out to eat with my parents in the evening and the pain is BACK and worse than ever! It was so bad I thought I was going to have to go to the Er by ambulance. My dad ended up taking me to the saranac Lake hospital with his flashers on the whole way. We got there about 11 pm and they gave me a CAT scan and did blood work and gave me some great pain meds. The pain meds made me so loopy I almost feel asleep in the wheel chair on my way to get a CAT scan. by 5 am they told me that they did not see anything on the CAT scan and would call the DR in the morning and he could do any follow up with me. So, we drove home. About 5 mins from home, the pain comes abck. We finish our route home and call the Dr. She says to take some Vicadin. But, then calls right back and says to come back to the ER. So we drove an hr back up there and wait till Dr hill shows up at 8 am and he tells me that he is going to go back in to my stomach and explore and see what is going on. He tells me that he is going to do open surgery this time. And that my surgery would be that morning at 10 am on 10/12/08. I was hesitant to have open surgery. I wanted the pain gone but open surgery SUCKS! Anyway, he went in and found the same thing again. This time in a different spot. I guess open was better for him to get in there and see better. I went home from the hospital on 10/15/08 and I am now trying to recover and hoping nothing else goes wrong! If anyone else has severe abdominal pain, go to your baratric center and let them know. It could have been worse. I am hoping to get back to normal soon. But, it seems like it is taking a while.
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