cathimajig

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First things first: I've lost 9.5 lbs!! Woohoo!

I met for the last time with my surgon today...well, the last time until until the day of my surgery. My mom came with me, and I think she's feeling a lot more comfortable with my surgery. She seems to really like my surgeon, which is good. We went over my diet for the next week. No change until 2 days prior to surgery. So, high protein and less than 30g carbs. Easy peasy. Then, I'm on a clear liquid diet for 2 days before the surgery...not so easy peasy. LOL

The whole point is to shrink my liver as much as possible. Dr Cywes showed us some pictures of a fatty liver vs regular. Definitely a big difference. And he also showed us pics of the damage that can happen when trying to lift a fatty liver during surgery. Suffice it to say, I'll definitely be following my preop diet to the letter. Scary things can happen if you don't, and I'm just not that into taking chances.

My surgery is a week away, and I'm just so impatient. If I could check myself into the hospital right now to have it done, I'd do it in a second. But at the same time, each day I get a little more nervous. Not scared really, just a little anxious. I keep having dreams related to the surgery...not nightmares, but I'm not getting good rest either. I don't know how to explain it. I've never had surgery of any type before, and I think it's the unknown that's giving me trouble.

So that's where I'm at today: 9.5 lbs lighter, a whole lot excited and a little bit nervous.

I had my pre-op visit at the hopsital yesterday. I filled out my registration paperwork and got my instructions for the night before surgery. They gave me a special soap to wash with to help prevent infection. I didn't pay anything, but I might still have to the day of surgery. They want me to pay $500 - $250 for my deductible and $250 for my copay. The problem is that I've already met my deductible and with my insurance plan, the copay is waived if I have bariatric surgery at a Center of Excellence, which Memorial Hospital is. I've explained that to several different people, but nobody seems to know what to do about it. So they put notes into the computer and send me on my way. I've got the money set aside just in case, but it would be nice not to have to shell out the $500 up front.

I also met with the anesthesiologist. This isn't required for everyone, just those with really high BMI's like myself (my BMI is 63). We went over my labs and he listened to my lungs. Everything was great except for my blood sugar on the day that I had my labs done. My labs are showing a fasting blood sugar of 337! WTH??? My A1C is 5.9 (which is pretty darn good in my opinion), so that fasting blood sugar number just doesn't seem right. I've never even been above 200! He said if my blood sugar is over 300, they won't do the surgery. So I'll be checking 12 hour fasting numbers every morning until surgery just to make sure I'm not having any problems. This morning my number was 96, which is right where it's been in the past. We'll see.

Tomorrow is my final visit with the surgeon at his office. I'll get weighed again tomorrow as well. I think I've lost a few pounds...keeping my fingers crossed on that. I can't wait to find out, and to get all my final pre-op instructions. My mom will be going with me...I want her to feel comfortable with my surgery and know all about my post-op care. I think she's more nervous about the surgery than I am!

My brother had to put his dog, Maggie, to sleep today. He's a wreck...with good reason. He had Maggie for over 10 years, and she was a wonderful friend and companion. And it made me think back to when I lost my cat a few years ago. I was devastated, and as a result, I ate and ate and ate. My big comfort food at that time was Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and I'd eat 2 or 3 pints of it at a time. It was really, really bad.

I've done a lot of self reflection, and I no longer binge like that when I'm [fill in the negative emotion here]. But I've always been an emotional eater. I eat when I'm happy, to celebrate, when I'm stressed and when I need comfort. I've worked really hard on this problem, and for the most part, I'm better about it. But I'm worried...

My mom is very sick...she probably only has a couple years left to live (if that). She's my best friend, and I know that her death will be catastrophic for me. She's my biggest supporter to lose weight and is so excited about my upcoming surgery, so I know that if I turn to food during mourning, it would really dishonor her memory.

So in the mean time, I need to find something else to fill the role that food has always held. And the clock is ticking...

 

I've added a couple links in the "Links" section of the group...one for MrsClaus09's blog and one that has a bunch of really good recipes. I'll add more as I find them, but please feel free to do the same.

~Cathi (cathimajig)

Make sure to click on the "Discussion" section of this group. I think that's where we're really going to get this group going. I'd love it if everyone would use this area to add tips, product reviews, recipes and questions. I'm a big fan of sharing information...knowledge is power!

Tracy has created a wonderful list of everyone's surgery dates in the Discussion session. So if you're new, please make sure you reply in that thread with your date so that we can add you to the list.

So I thought today I'd post my current measurements...that way, I'll be able to look back and have inches to compare when that scale isn't showing what I want it to (which we all know will happen). So here goes, from the top down:

bicep - 21
neck - 19
waist - 63
hips - 70
thigh - 34
calf - 30

You know, this is the first time I've ever measured myself. I think I about died of shock when I read "70" for my hips! But rather than dwell on these outrageous numbers, I'm going to give myself a pep talk....there's no place to go from here but down!

Hello everyone! My name is Cathi and my surgery date is March 3, 2011. Please take a little time to post and let us know a little about yourself and your surgery date. I'd like this to be a place where we can get together and discuss our trials and tribulations, but most especially our accomplishments. While there's lots of room to learn from those who came before us, I think it's just as important to learn from others who are going through the same things at the same time. This is going to be a long journey for me, since I have SO MUCH to lose. My main hope is that I can gain inspiration from my fellow sleevers, and perhaps one day, provide inspiration for someone else.

I think the hardest part of this process so far is the low (almost no) carb diet I'm on. I never realized how addicted I am to carbs until I couldn't have them anymore. All of my favorite foods are carbs: bread, pasta, potatoes...not to mention sweets. And man, I miss the crunch. It seems like nothing I'm allowed to eat is crunchy. I thought it would be easier than it is. I thought I'd want them, but not this badly. I think about carbs all day long...I see them everywhere. I'm being good, but man it's so freaking hard! They're all around me. Yesterday, everyone at work had boxes and boxes of Girl Scout cookies. I didn't order any, and I didn't eat any (even though I was offered). But I felt like an alcoholic working in a bar. What I wouldn't give for a jelly donut! But I know what I wouldn't give...my chance to have this surgery and save my life. Every time I look at that cookie or plate of fettucine, I try to remind myself of all that I'm gaining. It's a sacrifice...a big sacrifice for me. But to me, it's a worthy sacrifice.

I'm two weeks away from my surgery, and everyone in my life is so amazed at how quickly everything is going! I thought I'd share my timeline from 1st appointment through my future surgery date.

1/5/11 - 1st appointment with Dr. Cywes
1/6/11 - Nutrition and fitness consult
1/17/11 - Labs, chest x-ray and EKG
1/18/11 - Psych evaluation
1/26/11 - 2nd appointment with Dr. Cywes
1/27/11 - Pre-approval request submitted to insurance company
2/7/11 - Approval letter received from insurance company
2/21/11 - Pre-op visit with hospital and anesthesiologist
2/23/11 - Pre-op visit with Dr. Cywes
3/3/11 - Surgery @ 10:15 am

So I got everything done and approved in less than 2 months!