Christina C.

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March 29, 2006

My story hasn't changed much since my last update. I'm still losing weight slowly but quite steady, 34 pounds to be exact!!! I'm still having problems with my blood pressure. My doctor had cut my Blood Presure meds in half but my arithymia has gotten way worse (actually it has gotten worse since my surgery, don't know why). Okay wait, let me back track. The reason she cut my meds down was because my bp was consistenly very low. Since my meds were cut in half the meds stopped controlling my crazy heart rythem which they were supposed to do. My doctor had said "oh it's just like a flutter in your chest, right?" Uh, no it's more like galloping horses in my chest that keep me up throughout the night and also presure in my cest and pain off and on. I asked her about seeing a heart specialist and/or getting a stress test done but she said that I'm not experiencing pain so there is no need. I guess she hasn't listened when I mentioned the pain before but she will when I go back next week. She did write up a requisition for me to wear another holter monitor which I did for 2 days. So I'm back on my meds full force which helps (doesn't get rid of) my ayrithmia or PVC"s but does lower my BP to 90/60 which makes me want to sleep a lot and I feel cold almost all the time and my head feels fuzzy. Besides that I'm just GREAT!

Eating is still a struggle at times. Some days I can eat all my meals with no problemsn and other days I can't keep anything down. Shrimp cocktail is still my favourite. With trial and error I've learned it takes me a good 30 minutes to eat a meal. When I eat with my family I always end up puking or just quitting cause I'm in pain. I think it is because I always feel rushed with the kids there and I think I take in too much air from talking. Now I eat my meat before or after their supper time and I eat by myself. I've had some popcorn which I was nervous to try since I've heard so many different reaosn why I should and shouldn't eat it. It was so good and I've had no problems with it. I've also been eating salads and they taste wonderful but if I eat too much lettuce it wreaks havoc on my bowels. I guess I typed enough for now. Bye!

March 15, 2006

Yeah I know I said I would be updating my profile sooner rather than later but I've been busy and all the other excuses. I had my 6 week check-up and everything is good. I mentioned the low BP and my surgeon thinks I'll probably have to go off those meds altogether. I'm in the 20% range for weight loss. They said at Barix that at this stage they expect people to be at 10% to 15% so I'm doing great! I've lost 25 pounds so far and I'm starting to feel better physcially. Of course I still have a way to go but it is a great beginning.

I'm on regular foods now but I'm very careful what I put in my mouth since I'm so sick of puking! I've been sticking to what I know is okay. I know all soft foods except for pasta and eggs go down well. I've come to terms with the fact that Pasta is a thing of the past for now. Maybe a few months from now I'll try it again. Eggs I can take or leave them so I'm not heart broken but I did love my pasta.

I'd love to say to all that are considering this surgery that this has been easy but it hasn't. But it is the best decsion I've ever made . It has been a battle but it does get easier and better every day. There were times when I thought I wasn't going to be able to deal with all these changes and I did miss my best friend food but that gets easier with time also. Just remember that it really does take 6 weeks for your insides to heal so don't rush things and stay connected with others that have had the surgery so you know your not alone and/or losing your mind! TTFN

March 03, 2006

I apologize for not updating my profile very often but I've been so exhausted lately. I decided to see my doctor and she wants me to get a lot of blood work done. She took my blood presure 3 times and it is 90/60, very low, normal is 130/80. She couldn't take me off of my meds because it also controls my heart rythem (sp?) so instead she cut my dose in half for two weeks and I have to monitor my pressure daily then go back. All I want to do is sleep but being back to work has taken away my naps. I just want to feel like I have some engery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my problem is something easily fixed. Well I'm waiting for Derek to get home so I can rest for 20 minutes than I'm off to work. I'll update sooner!

February 26, 2006

Hello. I go back to work tomorrow and of course I'm happy about that. Yesterday I went to a show with my momma and we stopped at a restaurant before the show. This was my first eating out experience so I was a bit nervous. I ordered a cajun/garlic shrimp appetizer (light on the seasoning) and all went well. It was hard not to have some popcorn but that will come with time. Today I had some mashed potatoes with some gravy and about 4 cubes of a pork roast and that went down well also and so far has stayed down. I'm doing okay with getting the water in but the protein is so hard to drink!!!

I have really cut down on my tylenol. I've probably taken 5 in the last 2 weeks which is so unbelievable. My back and my knees are still an issue but not as bad as they used to be. I've been losing weight very slowly. I know some people are losing slower than me and it is so frustrating. Don't get me wrong I'm very grateful to have been given a second chance on my life but I just can't wait to feel my clothes hanging off of me. That will be an exciting experience! My mom asked me last night if I had any regrets about having the surgery. I responded with a "No" but I also explained it has not been easy and of course when I first had the surgery I was thinking " What the hell did I do to myself " but I'm passed that now. I'll try and talk about my mindset before and after the surgery in the future but right now I'm too tired. Night, night....

February 18, 2006

Hi all! I'm having a rough time right now with the "head hunger" but I've heard from many sources that it will be easier and maybe even go away all together. If only I didn't have to crave my sweet and salty stuff. I'm looking forward to going back to work. Being at home everyday with both children is driving me out of my mind. Oh yes I love my little ankle biters but I've never claimed to be a "stay at home mom" kind of personality! Give me adult interaction, a car to drive somewhere everyday and some time away from the children. I'm sure I'll be bitching about work in a couple of months so I'll have to look back on this and remind myself about this period in my life, lol.

I've been cheating on the stages since I couldn't take anymore liquids! So I decided to take a chance on soft foods. Yes I've skipped the purered stage. No thank you, I'll just do that in my mouth. I had to blend everything when I had my jaw surgery when I was a kid and to this day the thought of it will make me vomit. So I've had a 1/4 of a fajita shell with some cheese and sour cream and it was good! I also tried chicken breast last night but after 2 bites I started to feel sick so I skipped supper but later made myself a scrambled egg with some cheese. Gotta get that protien in. Eating is such a huge challenge. I've always been a race against time eater especially once my children arrived and I hardly chewed my food but now everything is different. You know that feeling you get when your eating and you swallow and it feels like you ate a knife? Well that's what it feels like if I eat too fast, if I don't liquify my food in my mouth and if I take more than a baby spoon full of the food. It's all about adapting to a new way of life.

I've also been really lost since I don't snack anymore. I've been taking a lot baths and I've been reading a lot books. I feel lost right now. The comfort I used to have with food is gone and I'm trying to fill that void. It's hard for me since snacking and using food for comfort has been a way of life for me since I can remember but I'm up to the challenge. I'm actually looking forward to breaking this hold that food has had on me. We've all got issues and I'm no different and I'll have no choice but to work on them. Especially in the "I'm not worthy" of anything department. Well Derek will be home soon and I'm exhausted so I might take a nap. Bye, bye!!

February 13, 2006

Well I'm still here, just a little slow on updating my profile. Today is my son Zachery's B-day and he is now 6 years old. Wow, it seems like yesterday he was born (2 months early) and we were trying to figure out what to do with this little creature. We survived though and got past all the struggles and now we have moved on to new ones, lol.

Every day I feel better. I'm down approx. 17 pounds. I notice a little in my face but that is where it stops. My mom says she notices it most under my boobs and Derek said my boobs look bigger so it must be because of the roll of fat disappearing! I'm so sick of liquids and can't wait to start of the puree stage Thursday! My biggest complaint right now is the gas I've been suffering with. I also have diarreha (sp?) off and on which I'm not impressed with and I hope it passes but the gas from my lower end is unbelivable. I hate to go out anywhere. We had a B-day party for Zach at McDonalds on Saturday and I loaded up on Gas-X which helped but I wonder if I will be on that the rest of my life?

I've been trying my best to get out for walks but it is hard. I have the most energy in the morning but I can't go anywhere because it is just me and the kids and I'm not healthy enough to take them with me, yet. By the time Derek gets home from work I'm so tired but I'm sure that will change with time and more weight loss. It's been less than 3 weeks since the surgery so I know I have to relax.

Sleeping is good now except I can't sleep on my stomach which I like to do now and then. I'm not sure when it will be okay to do that. I'll ask Dr. Schram when I see him next. My check up went good. Dr. Schram said my incisions were healing nicely and I was doing well. I can't wait until I'm all healed. It takes 6 weeks from the time of surgery for the insides to heal and the swelling to go down.

I'm going to rest now, maybe read a book.

February 6, 2006

Okay so it still hasn't been a walk in the park and I didn't think it would be but I ended up with the flu/chest cold and I'm just getting over that and my damn period has started and it is a bad one. I'm getting depressed now. I can't take anything for the period pain except for tylenol and that is not working. I just want to feel better. Okay enough of that, I'll get off my pity pot now.

So I'm still on the "full liquids" stage and of course it sucks but I knew that right. Knowing that it will not last forever gets me by. I'm at the point now where I would rather not eat but I know I have to. There is only so much variety in liquids.

My parents and my husband have been amazing. I am truly blessed. I know I could not have done this without them. I've been miserable for quite a few days there and they were so patient. I know they were probably thinking "better her than me" I know that's what I would have been thinking, lol. I've been walking, even though I'm sick. I've forced myself, too many other things could go wrong if I didn't.

I'm still napping but only once a day and I can finally sleep on my side again!!!!!! Let me tell you that is Big Deal. Having to sleep on your back with 4 pillows propping you up is not fun. Especially when your heavy and your wait makes it hard to breath, so that's why many pillows are involved. I go for my first post-op appointment on Wed. (this being Mon.) so I'll probably report back then. Bye!

February 01, 2006

Well I made it! The surgery was a success. I had it done laproscoply (sp?). I'll give you all a run down of things and try and make it short and sweet cause I'm not feeling hot but I'll explain that later. The only thing that I was upset/disturbed by right after my surgery when they where waking me and I still had the tube down my throat. Before I had been knocked out for surgery I had told my nurse my experience with a breathing tube still being in me when I had woke from surgery and how I've been terrified of that ever since and what do you know it happened again. So besides that everything went well.

Don't ever think about getting any rest while your in the hospital it is not going to happen. There is one person right after another trying to get you to breath or get your vitals or whatever. It's all good though that's what there supposed to do and they did a very good job of it.

I had an allergic reaction to the morphine so that was taken away Friday morning which sucked because it was helping the pain. So I had to settle for injections in my legs and a liquid pain killer called Lortab (nasty, nasty) I also started fevering Friday morning but they were not concerned. They said that if it reached 101 then they would be concerned. No one could really tell me why I had a fever and I still do!!!

Dr. Schram came in early Saturday morning and told me I could go home and I didn't have to go home with my drain in. Yes I had a drain. Usually it doesn't happen when you have the surgery done lap but I needed one. So I was like wildfire after that. I made sure I had something to help me poop, I buzzed the nurse to get the drain out ASAP (not fun by the way) and was all set to go, nothing holding me back.

If your driving for more than 30 minutes to get home make sure you have drugs in you. It was a hellish ride for me since it had been hours since my last dose of pain meds and of course we had to stop and get my Lortab filled in the states since in Canada they don't fill american perscriptions and don't carry Lortab.
So I've been home and sick. I've been with a fever everyday since Friday and a sore throat, feeling like puking off and on, and a general feeling of crappiness.

Now don't be discouraged by my report. Everyone is different and I know it will get better. All in due time. I will try my best to add stuff everyday but for now I have to sleep.

8:50 pm January 25th-2006

I think I'll make this short since I'm hungry, tired and hungry. Opps I already mentioned that didn't I! I'm just about ready. I have to throw some things in my suitcase in the morning and we'll be off. Oh my goodness I can't believe the big day is almost here. Someone on a WLS yahoo group I'm on said it was like being pregnant and making all the preparations, being excited, and impatient and waiting for the new life our new life or should I say a second chance at life and living. It is so true and I just want it over with. Well I'm signing off now. I'll report in once I'm back from the states. Fingers and toes crossed and lots of prayers please!!!!!!!!

Oh man oh man am I hungry!!! I never thought I would feel this way today. The last couple days I've actually lost interest in food and was hardly eating but today my mind is playing some tricks on me for sure!! I've had some visitors wishing me luck for the surgery but the one that surprised me the most was my brother. He came over today and stayed for about an hour. This is very unusual for my brother. Before he left he gave me a hug, kissed me and told me he loved me. I was in shock! My brother has never told me he loves me and I guess I've never told him. I'm not from a huggy, kissy family. It brought tears to my eyes. I told him I loved him too and said goodbye. He'll never know how much that meant to me.

Since I don't know what to do with myself and I don't want to take a nap (being up all night hungry would not be fun) I think I'll take a bath and add one last post this evening. Bye!