April
10/3/2005
Surgery date 11/1/05!!! I am 38 yrs old, current weight 263, down from 269 (due to nerves, I think, and maybe giving up Diet Coke/Pepsi) married with a 19 year daughter who moved to Denver in the spring to be closer to her boyfriend and to go to college. I also have two step sons ages 18 and 20, who live with their mother and are (hopefully) busy working.
Currently, it's just myself, my husband and our three shih tzus: Gizmo, Buster and Cozmo.
I work as a mortgage closer and spend most weekends in the summer at our cabin in Gladwin. We enjoy going boating and just hanging out with friends and family. I haven't been up to doing much these days, due to back pain.
Everyone I have told about this surgery has been very supportive, with the exception of the person I need to support me the most... my dad!! He just can't seem to see the benefits.. just the complications.. his glass has always been 1/2 full!! His idea for me to lose weight was to have a contest between him and I to see who could lose the most weight by Thanksgiving.. first of all it would never work and second of all he would purposely let me win anyways.. so I told him. thats no good. I need to do this for ME!!
So now I am within a month of my surgery date, and frankly a bit frightened and hoping I am making the right decision. Everyone at Cori has been great.. I attended a support group meeting last month at the Holiday Inn in warren and hope to go this month before surgery.. (Rachel was great!!) I also went to the Cori picnic, which was very enlightening. I met some very nice people with amazing stories of their weight loss!!
I have nothing to lose, but weight right??
10/7/05
Well, I am officially starting a countdown, 25 days until surgery!! I have started to purchase all of my supplements and foods and lots of water for my recovery time.
My back has been slightly worse, due to the fact that they took me off of Naproxen (anti-inflammatory) they let me take Celebrex, which does nothing, so I have been icing my back in the morning. It has just been so bad the past 2 weeks, 5 bad days a week!! ughhhh!!
Hopefully this surgery will help alleviate it somewhat!!
My dad is still freaking out a bit, in fact he doesnt even want to talk about it. I kind of hope he decides not to come the morning of surgery and just comes later that evening to visit. He is just a stress mess!! It's not that I don't want him there its just that his health is bad and he doesnt need the added stress right now. He has had 2 strokes and is still recovering from the last one and is very emotional (He cried along with us girls at my uncles wedding last weekend.. he said he couldnt control his emotions.. I thought it was cute!!)
Hubby and daughter are very supportive, I havent told the inlaws - actually prefer not to, they will be in Florida anyways, so I figure when we come down there in May next year , I will tell them then, when they notice the weight loss.. I hope it will be a decent amount by then.
10/9/05
Something for those Napoleon Dynamite lovers!!
You are LaFawnduh. Why are you so sweaty?
Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Take the quiz.. its kinda fun!!
10/11/05
Tonight I attended the Cori support group. I am so glad I went , got to meet lots of nice people with lots of good advice. Dr. Wood was there taking questions, and really put me at ease with my choice to have this surgery, I have 19 days to go, I have been busy preparing to be off of work and getting this situated at home.
10/16/05
Busy week, which is good.. keeping my mind off of the surgery..(If thats possible..) Friday night my work had a Casino Party at Lakeland Manor, it was alot of fun. I learned how to play Black Jack.. I have always been intimidated by the table games, but the dealer was very cool and helped all of us Black Jack "virgins" learn how to play, I didn't win anything really.. it was fake money.. but I did end up getting my name drawn from the tickets we were given from our winnings.. and won a XM Radio thing for my car, which was cool.. Its funny all of these people that won like 10x what I did didn't win and I did with only a few chances.. good thing I stayed to see if I won!!
Another cool thing was that the owner of my company's wife , Denise, heard about my surgery and was very supportive, and introduced me to the owner of Lakeland Manor , Sandy, who had the surgery done by Dr Wood and looks fantastic. She sat down with me for about an hour and gave me lots of tips and advice and encouragement. So I left there feeling better than ever about my choice. Sandy is awesome!!
We closed our cabin in Gladwin down today for the winter. I am tired of the drive and hate the cold, so it is a good thing. My poor hubby is exhausted. He got stuck helping re-roof dads place Saturday and then we went to Secord Lake Bar for Sweetest Day.. I had to have one last Chimichanga and Mini Tacos.. yum yum..
Today is my dad and step-monsters anniversary and they are fighting.. as usual. At least its not about me this time..lol
10/23/05
Well, I am only 9 days away, and a little nervous. But deep down I think things will go well. I have been busy at work preparing for the time off and busy at home trying to get my house situated. I went in for Pre-op on Monday, it was better than I thought. I met with the anesthesiologist, he was nice and explained everything to me. They prefer to use a spinal cathetor for pain, which is fine by me, less pain is better.. then they did a chest xray and took two vials of blood. The hospital was in a better area than I thought and parking was only 2.50 per day in a secured garage whcih is always good. They also told me that they have private rooms for the bariatric patients, so that will be nice. Otherwise everything went great.
Dad seems to be coming around a bit.. asking questions and things.. he finally has came to the realization that I need to do this. He has told the stepmonster when the surgery is, and I really didnt want her to come, at least not that morning. I dont need her to add any stress to the situation. She pisses me off most of the time. Dad said she will probably either forget, not want to get up that early, or still be drunk from the night before and not be able to come. Hopefully all three!! I am not trying to be mean, its just that she tries to make everything about her.. and this is my ordeal NOT hers!!!! I only want positive people with me that morning, I will be a wreck as it is.. I will never get to sleep the night before.
10/28/05
Well 4 days left!! I received an email this week from Jackie who is having surgery same day same hospital at 9:30, by Dr Wood, so she and I have been chatting a bit, we are both excited and hope we get to meet at the hospital. Today I have been preparing to be off of work, I have a 1/2 day on Monday and thats it for a month. Everything at work is goin so smooth and everyone has been great. Several of my co-workers want to come and visit me, which is nice.
I took of my wonderful prism nail poish tonight, I didnt realize that I cannot have nail polish on and got a manicure a couple of weeks ago. So I was bummed to have to take it off, but its a small price to pay!!
I went out with the hubby and bought some sugar free jellos tonight and some suger free choc syrup to add to my shakes or milk. I hope it tastes ok.
Well I am just trying to get through the weekend. I Had Arbys tonight. I think we will have pizza tomorrow and then its all liquids for me and boy have I stocked up on them, my cupboards are packed.. I think I bought way too much. But If I dont drink it then my hubby will or my daughter when she somes home for xmas.
My daughter Nicole will be coming home for xmas on Dec 23rd yeah!! I miss her alot, I think she is a little homesick. I feel bad that she can't be here for the surgery, but she has school and thats more important that she continues on with that. I hope to have lost some weight by then, it will be like 7 weeks, so I should lose something. I hope I have enough energy to decorate the house. I just love christmas!!
10/29/05
I need to give a huge hug to my new friend Connie Smith who has been emailing me though this journey. Although we have not met face to face.. I feel as though we are destined to be friends!! She is from Indiana and is looking into the surgery to be done here in the Detroit area by Dr. Wood. I hope that everything works out for her and that she can get it done. I would love to meet her when she is in town and see her through her journey the same as she has so graciously helped me through mine!! She has truly been an "angel" through this journey. And no one truly understands what you are going through except people in the same situation and thats what I love about this site!!
If you read this Connie THANKS!!!!!! XOXOXOXO
I also received an email from Lisa who used to live locally and is now in California who will be my Angel!! Yeah!! now I have 2 Angels, how lucky can one girl get????
I So I want to thank you Lisa for volunteering for that for me!!!!
Well It is now 3 days before, today my dear hubby went out and got me my last sausage egg and cheese Mcgriddle from McDonalds (yummy!!) and I am ready to roll here today, lots of cleaning and organizing, finishing up some laundry, cleaning out the car, that sort of stuff. Anything to keep my mind off of what is to come!!
I work one night a week for a blind & partially deaf man and his wife helping them with their bookkeeping. Ive been doing it about 2 years now..the extra cash is nice!! They are elderly and very very sweet. I Will be heading to their house in the morning tomorrow to handle anything that came in this week. They are very concerned about me, almost like adopted grand parents.. they have no children. I am taking my three doggies over with me for a visit. An just loves dogs.. (she used to have bulldogs..) so she will get a kick out of that. so tomorrow should be busy too!!
I am trying to talk myself out of getting a Sanders Bumpy cake for just one last bite.. of course Id end up eating all but one piece.. I have to leave the hubby something right?? I guess Id better not get one...
I am STILL having a problem with the step monster, now she tells my dad that everytime she tries to "bond"?" with me I push her away, so I have hurt her feelings.. I am telling you this lady is nuts!!! I just dont want a crowd in the morning of my surgery, I need it to be low-key for MY sanity. She can come up later... or not at all, I dont care!!!
I probably should not have told her.. I have not told me real mother who lives in California (whom I havent seen in 24 years) and I have not told my inlaws, because my mother-in-law is Judge Judy's twin and will definitely have something negative to say and pass her own judgement on me.. so NO I am not telling her until she sees how fabulous I look next summer than maybe, and only maybe I will tell her.
... and lastly, I have not told the "Ex".. him and I have been struggling about my weight for years (even though we've been divorced since 1989) he still mentions diet and exercise to me all the time (he also has dissolutions that him and I are going to get back together when Jeff and I break up )Jeff and I are going on 15 years this year!! and are NOT planning on breaking up. I think my ex has taken one too many drugs!!!
Well I am off to enjoy the day.....and it is a beautiful day here in the Detroit area.. supposed to be 60 degrees yipppeee
10/31
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
Well today is the last day of my previous life and my new life will begin tomorrow. I woke up today feeling panic striken and nervous, but after jumping online and reading several emails I got this morning, I felt so reassured that everything will be great.
The whole step-mother thing seems to have resolved itself (thank god..) she ended up going up north to their cabin until Friday. She called me a few hours ago to wish me luck, and of course throw in a couple of negative things about the outcome of the surgery , which I ignored. But overall the conversation went ok. She thought that this was an outpatient surgery and that I would home that night... what was she drinking?? I mean thinking?? lol hahahhaha.. (Im so glad she doesnt go online) So she wished me luck and that was that. No more worries about her being mad at dad or me.
My wonderful cousins also called to wish me luck. So I am feeling pretty good tonight. one of their friends works in pre-post op and recognized my name from her patient list for tomorrow, so she is going to take good care of me.. its a small world and there have been lots of good things that have been happening!!
My back has been horrible all day, I left work at 11:30 to run a couple of errands and do some banking, only to come home and I have my monthly visitor (old aunt flo..) I tried to plan around this and think it must have started because of nerves. Oh well, Ill be sore in the front, sore back and bleeding at the same time. I might has well get it all over with at once. Hopefully they have lots of good drugs!!
I drank that phiso-soda stuff tonight, it wasnt bad, a little nasty going down, but no cramps and not too uncomfortable.. just needed to be right near the bathroom for about 1 1/2 hours. I have been sucking on popsicles tonight and had some chicken noodle-less soup - broth only.. but I am hungry. I just cant wait to not be hungry. I truly hope its true!!
I will post again when I get home!!!!!!!!!!!!
11/4/05
OK, I made it!! I am home at last!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The surgery went went well no complications, however Dr, Kole did remove my gall bladder, I had a large gall stone in it, so he thought it would be best. The first day was a blurr, but I do remember them getting me up and walking that night, The second day was better, but lots of poking and blood pressure checks, not much sleep. I was woken up at 5Am - and lord, I am not a morning person.. I basically talked on the phone, walked and sipped ice chips, the Dr wanted me on a clear liquid, instead of the ice chips, but the nurses said they didnt see those orders, but eh night nurse said it was written there.. so I did get some broth (which was nasty and has given me gas..) and a popsicle, which was nice.
The third day was the worst.. I honestly thought about staying another night, they took out my epidural (which by the way makes you itch like hell - thank god I bought a long pair of tongs to itch myself with!!) and the pain started to set in, they gave me loritab, which is the same liquid stuff that you take at home, but it just didnt cut the pain like I thought it would . Arounf 4:00 I had went to the bathroom a couple of times which helped relieve some of the pressure in my tummy. So then I decided to go home. Jeff came and picked me up at 6:30 to miss rush hour and it wasnt so bad getting home or in the house, just trying to fihgure out where to sleep, I actually ended up sleeping sitting up on a ouch with a pillow behind me. I could breathe better that way. I just didnt want to lay down, I felt suffocated trying to lay down.
I am in desparate need of a shower, hubby will help me with that today, he has been so wonderful helping me, he took today off, so he will be home all weekend to help me. The hardest part right now is getting up from a seated position.
and I am not hungry at all!!!
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11/18/05
I am overdue for an update. It has been a little over 2 weeks and things are progressing very well, to date I have lost 25 lbs!!! The first 2 weeks were rough, but every day is getting better and better. I am tolerating foods very well, no nausea or vomiting, however, my body sure tells me when to stop. Its the weirdest thing, I cant even explain it. I am so glad that I had this procedure done,. My back is even feeling better. Everyone had been great, I received lots of emails and cards and flowers and gifts from my family and friends. I have been keeping busy around the house, cleaning out old clothes, wrapping a few xmas gifts and things like that. I have been trying to walk more often, but I do seem to tire easily. My sleep has been all screwed up from those damn afternoon naps, so this week, I have been working on getting back into my normal sleep habits, I go back to work on dec 1st. At my Dr appt last week they took out the drain tube and the staples, so I have been much much better this week.
12/16/05
Well, it has been a while since my last update. things are going fine, I am down about 40 pounds. I am trying not to be obsessed with weighing myself every day or two, but it is hard. The best judgement off all is that my clothes are baggy , and boy what a great feeling. Nicole comes home on Thursday, I truly miss her, I am hoping that we get along over the holidays. Maybe her being away for 6 months will make her appreciate me a little.
1/4/06
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!! My holidays were wonderful, lots of nice gifts and quality time with my family. Food is getting easier to deal with. I am feeling better and better each day. I have had a few issues with not chewing up my food enough and got those damn foamies and threw up several times, NO FUN!! So I am now being more cautious and trying not to "bite off more than I can chew" literally!!! My favorites right now are water of course and shrimp, with cocktail sauce that I made myself out of low sugar ketchup and horseradish (to taste) they go down well and have lots of protein, I also love chili/cheese and onion omelets, of course I share them with my hubby..and salad!! I actually like the taste of plain lettuce.. weird!! Nicole has made it in and has flown out to Italy for her trip she won from Tony Eanza, lucky girl!! She will be home on Saturday and then leaves for Colorado (home) on Monday. I feel as though I have been living at the airport.
I have found some decent WLS books for anyone who wants good reading material.. one of the best I have found is Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies.. I know it sounds "dumb", but it is just loaded with awesome information and tips, for people who are still researching and people like me who are post op. it even has some good recipes. As far as recipes, I found 2 books, the first is called Before and After, it is written by a woman who had the surgery and gives her details through her WLS journey and the 2nd 1/2 of the book are actually recipes she has came up with,.. I think she was a cook/chef before, so she had modified and came up with some awesome recipes just for us. The 2nd book is called Weight Loss Surgery Recipes (or something like that..) and it is all recipes, it lists all of the nutritional values and breaks down exactly how much to eat for each surgery and also where you are at in your post-op too, It has lots of good receipes too, especially if you need a little variety.
I submitted a newer picture of myself.. I am starting to not mind the camera. Today I weighed in and have lost 49 pounds.. almost broke that 50 pound mark!!
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1/13/06
Well, my weight loss seems so slow lately, I did finally hit the 50 pounds mark, so that is a good thing, I am down 52 pounds, I have been exercising alot more, so I was hoping that would help, but I just need to be patient. It took a while to gain all of the weight and it will take time to lose. I wore a size 18 suit to work today, and felt like I was just strutting my stuff today!!!!! Down from a 26/28. yipeee!!!
Went to the support group this month, I am glad I went it was nice to hear others talk about issues.. I met my new friend Rachel there. She is planning to have WLS in May. She will do great!!
Today we found out that My hubbys ex (we call her "it") got divorced and had to give her hubby the house, so she ended up moving back to the trailer park with the boys .(hehehehehe) She seems to be having some financial problems, (oh, too bad!!) she sure had no mercy on us when my husband wasnt working and FOC was taking over half of his unemployment checks, leaving us with less than 150.00 to live on. Her comment to us was to sell our stuff!! Now we get to see her suffer, this has been a long time coming. I feel bad for the boys, but then again I dont.. they have become a product of their environment.. treating people like crap, always taking and taking and never thanking, expecting everything all of the time,(just like her...) but all of that ended a year ago for us, this gravy train has stopped.. and I have the "case Closed" letter from FOC to prove it!!
Tomorrow we are celebrating my cousin Heather's 30 B-day (oh to be 30 again.. I wish I could go back.. I would have ate alot less..)) I checkod out the menu and was delighted that they have shrimp cocktail.. yummy!!
March 22, 2006
I know, I know, I am in deperate need of an update here, well lots of stuff has been going on.. In February, I came down with a kidney stone, which let me tell you is worse than child birth, I ended up in the emergency room for a day and 1/2.. I did finally pass the damn thing, thank god, but it was a very painful experience. and the hospital bill for that day and 1/2 was Twelve thousand dollar!s!! Its unbelieveable what they charge!! It was almost as much as my WLS. But I am much better now.. my dear hubby has been sick the past 2 weeks with a horrible sinus infection, so to my surprise he went to the dr last week and got some meds. Well, now I am sick, went to the dr yesterday and I have strep throat.. just what I needed.. so I am at work, trying to deal with that.. My Dr didnt even recognize me, he said I looked familiar but couldnt place me, when I told him who I was, and who my dad was.. he was in shock, he said that I look terrific, I felt so good about that. I am down 76 pounds!! Finally under that 200 mark!! and vacation is right around the corner. My inlaws still dont know about the surgery and they are picking us up at the airport that morning, they are just going to shit!!! Now my hubby was supposed to start his diet the date of my surgery has still not gotten on the ball, so his mom will be ragging on him and not me this time!!! He has 6 weeks, he should be able to make a dent at least, maybe 10 pounds or so by then.. I am trying to be supportive, but both he and my dad have not stuck to the deal of them both dieting too. Besides that, I have been selling all of my "old" clothes on ebay to pay for the new ones Ive been ordering and purchasing. Its nice having a whole new wardrobe, and one that even looks good on me!! This surgery is truly a blessing!!!!!!!!
October 8, 2006
OK, it has been a LONG!! time since ive updated.. I am way overdue.. I am down 122 lbs, weighting in at 145, sort of holding there which is fine. Things have gone extremely well the past 6 months or so, I am down into a size 8, I have even been able to get into a junior 7 skirt and have started to buy some 6's for next summer. I am scheduled for tummy tuck and breast lift for next week, October 18th, so I am getting ready for that. A little freaked about the whole recovery thing again, but it will be so worth it. I feel alot thinner, but that skin really bothers me. I hate the look of it and it makes my clothes fit funny. I have no ass, and all of this excess in the front that just hangs there, so I am ready. As far as the boobs, the poor girls are just as flat as pancakes. I dont ever remember being this small, and I was about 135 12 years ago.. In fact I have been hearing alot of comments from people that I am getting too thin and boy is that irritating!! I cant win, either Im too fat and now I am too thin. Oh well, its my decision and my weight that is at stake not theirs. I feel very comfortable right now and if I dont lose another pound I would be ok with it, if I do then thats ok too!! I am sure that this surgery will take 5-10 lbs off the front, That will be nice. I will be off work for 4 weeks recouping, hubby will be my nurse for five of those days.. We are planning a trip to Hawaii in the spring, hopefully I will be fully recovered and feeling fabulous by then!!
My mother in law has a little jealousy thing going, I can barely tell her that Ive lost any more weight or went down another size, and she just sayd oh I hate you, kiddingly, but still... Its funny because I am now smaller than her now hehehehehe.. I know thats mean, but she was a bit mean to me about my weight in the past.. thin people just dont get the struggles of trying to lose..
I will try to be btter and update more often and add some current pics.. I dont even recognize myself..............
