Kim S.
10-21-2006 - Well, I guess it's time to start my journey on paper! I signed up on this web-site a year ago because I was interested in the possiblity of WLS. I have a friend and co-worker that had the surgery done and I have had the good fortune of watching her go through her journey to healthy living. Her name is Teresa Wallace from Houston and you should check out her site on here. She is a true inspiration! So, anyway....here I am, 1 year later and after tons of reading and talking to friends and my pcp, I have taken the first step! I have my first appointment on the 25th of this month with one of the dr's at NeWeigh! Today I received the information packet with all of the paperwork to fill out and bring in. I am so excited, but terrified at the same time~ I finally quit smoking after 20 plus years last January. I went cold turkey and it was the best thing that I have done for myself so far! I say so far, because this will be the next thing I do! I am a 46 year old mother of 5 ( 2 are steps children, but I count them as my own) and grandmother of 8! I am blessed to have a wonderful husband that supports me no matter what it is that I choose to do and who I know will be there with me through this journey as well. The last Dr visit at my PCP showed my weight at 267.... Stay tuned!
10-25-06 - - - - Well, I made it through the intake visit. It was basically uneventful but I did find out that I lost 14 pounds since my last dr visit! woo-hoo! I think that was mainly because I stopped drinking cokes and eating so much fast food. So my official starting weight is 253...YUK!! That's ok - it is no where but downhill from here. Anyway, they took my picture, got my measurements (we won't go there!), took my BP which was 166/99!! That's no good! and asked me about a thousand questions. So now I wait until the 31st for my 1st Dr. visit. Stay Tuned!!......
10-31-06 Happy Halloween!.....Today was my 2nd visit and what a whirlwind of information to take in! There were 4 of us there for the first part of the day one of them I found out is a co-worker in another department. At least there is someone at work doing pretty much exactly what I am doing at around the same time! We have the same insurance plans too so she goes through pretty much what I do, well except for the mammogram! She is much younger than I am. So we go into a room and watch about an hour or so of videos about the 2 types of surgery that they do. then the president of NeWeigh came in to speak with us. Her name is Diane and she was so helpful and I know that she put me more at ease about the process than I was before. She was in for about 30 minutes and then Dr Kodali came in and spoke for about 15 minutes. then we were all escorted to our individual rooms to await the dr visit. I was lucky and was the first one to see the doctor. We visited for about 30 minutes and he has ordered what seems like a ton of tests. Wanna know?? Ok I will tell you....A mammogram, Endoscopy, Cardialogist visit, blood work, sleep study, gallbladder ultrasound, psych visit, nutrition session and to lose 20 pounds in the next 90 days! WHEW!!! I already got my sleep study and lab work scheduled while I was there courtesy of Keith who is just the nicest of people! My sleep study is the 21st of November and Keith arranged to have the lab come there to the place I have to stay overnight at and do my blood work! I am going to start calling tomorrow and see what I can schedule between now and then. The more I get done now, the less I have to do in December when we have tons of birthdays and then Christmas followed quickly buy the new year which then leaves only 30 more days to complete my prep program! I think that I can put enough energy into doing all of this in the next 30 days or so...hopefully! Oh by the way...I lost a pound since my visit last week so I only have 19 more to make the doc happy!!!!
11-1-06......It has been a busy morning. I got my Sleep Study and blood work scheduled last night with Keith and this morning I scheduled my Gallbladder ultrasound for the 21st of November at 8:30am - followed right behind is the mammogram at 9:30, then that night it is off to the sleep study and getting my labs. Then the next morning I have to be at the cardiologists office at 8:30am for the tests that the doc wants there. I called Keith at NeWeigh this morning to update him on all of my appointments. He is going to get in touch with his Gastroenterologist and have them call me to schedule the endoscopy. Also I am waiting on a call back from the Pshyc office to schedule that visit. That leaves the nutritionist to get scheduled and I think that is it!!!
11-16-06......Well it has been a couple of weeks so I thought I should post to update what is going on. I have gotten all of my tests scheduled, with 5 of them being done next week and the other 3 will be completed by the 8th of Dec. I have my NUT appt on the 29th so I have basically been doing my own dieting since I went to NeWeigh back on 10-31. So today I had to go for my first weigh in and I lost 10lbs!!! The lady at NewWeigh asked me if I was eating and I told her yes. She questioned me again as if I was not being honest. I told her that I was basically staying under 1200 calories a day and no cokes, breads, pasta, rice. My diet the last 2 weeks has mainly consisted of Fish, Chicken, Veggies, Fruit, protein shakes and TONS of water! I am very proud of myself for what I have done so far! I feel better than I have in a couple of years. My blood pressure is down and I even have more energy! Amazing what just 10 pounds or so will do for you! Wait till it all comes off!!!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned..........
11-24-06...Happy Turkey day!!! I have been so busy that I have not had time to update since I had all my testing. I did 5 of the 8 tests that I have to get done. Sleep study went well...they never woke me up to put the CPAP on me, so I am not sure if that is good or bad!. Had labs done then the ultrasound and mammogram and finally the psych visit! All within 19 hours! Then my daughter came in from Ark. with her family and we had all of the family at my house for Thanksgiving. Probably about 30 or so people! And then of course my daughter and I HAD to go shopping today. I got to spoil her and the grandkids some and also bought the majority of my x-mas. So it has been a really busy week!! Tomorrow I am taking my daughter and her family to the zoo. I was pretty good for thanks giving and only had a little bite of what I really wanted. But I did have a slice of the pie that my sister made! Yes, I felt guilty, but not that guilty!! It was great!!!
11-29-06...I went to see the Nutritionist today and she said that I seem to be on track with the food choices that I am making and gave me some handouts to read about eating after the surgery. Then I called NeWeigh and they said that I have to go back to have another sleep study! YUK! The doc said that I do have sleep apnea. Blood work came back with my cholestoral high, but I expected that. So all in all I think that things are going ok. Kim at NewWeigh said that I could have my surgery as early as late Feb. Stay tuned.........
12-2-06... Guess what!!!!! Last night at my husbands company christmas party, we won a treadmill!!!! I am so excited because I have been wanting to buy one but did not want to spend the money for a good one, This one is great! Even has the ski poles on it and inclines! No excuses now for not walking. I am going to start walking on it every morning!
12-7-06.....Today I went to the Cardiologist and had my stress test done. It was not as bad as I expected. They took some pictures, put some dye in me, put me on the treadmill until they got my hear rate to 158 beats per minute which only took 4 and a half minutes. They also did an ultrasound of my heart. My BP was realy good today.. it was 122/70 NeuWeigh should have my information by Monday. I did weigh while I was there and the scale shows 240 which means 4 more pounds gone! Still sticking to my diet of Chicken, Fish, Veggies, Weight Watchers meals, protein shakes, fruit, salads and tons of water! So technically I only have 7 more pounds to lose to make the doctor happy. I know it probably will slow down but I just have to increase my excercise! I still have not heard back from the office on whether or not I do have to go have another sleep test. I thought they would have called by now since Dr K looked at my stuff on Tuesday according to Keith.
12-12-06...Well, I had my Endoscopy done on 12-8 and was pretty much out of it for the rest of the day. No results yet. I went to NeWeigh today for my monthly weigh-in and I am now at 239. so just a few more to make the doc happy. I found out that Dr. K did not look at my results last week due to emergency surgery so he should be looking at them today. So I am still waiting on that dreaded call to say that I have to do another sleep study. I do know that my Cardiologist cleared me, so that is a big one out of the way. Basically all of my tests are done and all have been cleared except the sleep study and endoscopy. So other than another possible sleep study and 2 more nutrition visits, I think it is just a waiting game until the end of Jan.
12-13-06...Ok, so I got the dreaded call today that I have to go for a second sleep study. I have to go to a different place this time because evidently the prior place and NeWeigh are not doing business together anymore. But the new place is a lot closer to home so that makes me happy. It still sucks though! So that is scheduled for the 26th of this month! Great thing to have to do the day after Christmas, but it has got to be done! I did find out that everything is cleared except the Endoscopy (still waiting on the biopsy results) and getting the sleep study done. The of course the other 2 nutrition visits, but I do not consider those tests. I learn something by going there that I did not know before so that is a good thing. I spent a few hours in the ER last night with a kidney stone. I need to get over this so that I can get back on the treadmill. I have not really walked in 3 days. I just have not felt well...guess now I know why! But I am not sure that taking pain meds and walking on a treadmill is a good thing! But I gotta "keep on keepin on" as they say! I do have to say that having the message board here on OH has been a life saver. It is not that my family does not support me, but more so that they do not understand the things that happen as you go through this journey..not only physically, but emotionally as well. For the first time in 28 years, I have really worked to give myself more focus and do things to make myself better. I am not trying to be selfish but I know that if I do not do that then I won't be around to see this beautiful family I have continue to grow. Plus I really love the man I am married to and want to be with him for a long long time! I don't ever want to give him a reason to look somewhere else! Well, I have rambled on enough tonight. Someday I will go back and read this and think "What was my deal that night?" .... Goodnight!
12-16-06...I went to my second support group meeting today and while I was there I weighed and have lost yet another pound so I am down to 238! I think I will probably cry when I get to the 220's... The sucky news is that yesterday, Terry from NeWeigh called and said that some of the results had come back from the endoscopy and that I have a Hiatal Hernia. Normally would not be too big of an issue, unless you want to be banded!!! If I want to do the band instead of RNY, then I will have to have surgery to repair the hernia first!! They can fix it at the same time as the RNY if I decide to go that route! So now, I really need to think about what I want!
12-26-06.....Merry Christmas! Mine was great! Spent time with the family, then hubby and I were off to Delta Downs because there was a slot machine calling my name! We had a blast and when we came home yesterday, we had doubled our money! But alas, back to the grind today. I did cheat over the weekend by eating 3 dinners that were not so great, Trust me...I won't even tell you! Only hubby knows! But hopefully I did not gain anything or if so, very little. Going for my second sleep study in about an hour and boy am I looking forward to that! NOT............ then it is back home early in the morning to shower and get to my second visit with the nutritionist in the morning at 7:30am, then off to work again! Gonna get back on the treadmill heavy starting in the morning when I get home! The family all seemed to have a good Christmas. I love watching the grandkids open their gifts! Well, any kid for that matter! I am looking forward to 2007 because it will be the year that I change my life and get more healthy and active! I feel that I have already begun to make those changes. Baby steps.............but I will get there!!!! Stay tuned.............................
1-3-07...I mean't to write in here last week but have lost track of time. I went for my second sleep study and just could not do it! I could not handle that thing on my head so I ended up leaving. Well needless to say I have worried all week about what the surgeon was going to say about it. Today I got the call from Terry at Neuweigh and she said that Dr K. was ok with it and that he would just have a pulmonologist there when he does my surgery. WHEW!!! What a relief. I thought for sure he was either going to make me go back or tell me I could not have my surgery unless I did it. Terry said all that is left is my final weigh in next Tuesday the 9th and then my last visit with the nutritionist on the 24th. She said everything is cleared and that shortly after the 31st, they will send in my appeal and she see's no reason why I should not get my approval sometime in Feb.!! I am so excited that this is happening so fast! The past 2 months have flown by and I know that this one will too! I am so looking forward to my trip to Long Island on Feb 4th to see my daughter and grandaughter. My husband and I are taking our 2 oldest grandaughters with us. They are 9 and 7. I think that this will be a great learning experience for them since we are going to take them into NY City. The oldest is really excited about seeing the Empire State Building and Ground Zero. So, basically now I guess I play the waiting game!!! I am sticking to my diet and really have not cheated, so hopefully I will see more weight loss when I go back next week! Stay tuned..............
1-24-07....It has been a while since I have posted so I thought I should give an update. I went to my weigh in on Jan 9th and I was at 232!!! So they tell me that I need to just maintain my weight from then until my surgery. MAINTAIN!!! I don't know how to do that! I am trying though and I do have to go back for one more weigh in on Feb. 2nd which is next Friday. The following week they will submit to the insurance. I had my last cisit with the nutritionist this morning and she said she was going to fax a letter today to the dr to clear me for the surgery. So after my weigh in next week, that is it! Since I am already in appeal I am hoping that my approval happens quickly but I am not going to get my hopes up and still expect that I will either be denied for some reason or that my approval will take the entire 4 weeks that they are allowed to take. I just do not want to be disappointed, so I do not set my expectations too high! I am so excited about my NY trip a week from Sunday! Stay tuned.................
2-2-07....Well, today I went for my last "official" weigh in!! 6 more pounds gone so officially the loss is 41 pounds! So much for maintaining! So now I play the waiting game! Jo at NeWeigh said that I have done better than 95% of the folks that come through the door!!...I am off to NY on Sunday morning to play with my grandaughter for a few days!!!!!!! LIFE IS GOOD RIGHT NOW!!!
2-15-07....Thought I should jot some things down today. The trip to NY was great! The kids had a wonderful time and I got to spend time with my daughter and grandaughter. It was so cold while we were there though. The warmest day was 24 degrees!! We got back on the 8th and I called NeWeigh on the 12th and they had faxed my paperwork to Aetna that day for the appeal. I pray every day that they will not deny me! I want this so bad and have really tried to follow everything that they wanted me to do to a tee! NeWeigh says that Aetna does sometimes take the full 30 days to respond, so I just wait now and keep praying! Hopefully the next time I post, I will be to say that I am approved! I cannot wait to hear those words and be able to say them myself! stay tuned....................
3-7-06........Well, last time I said that hopefully the next time I post, I will be posting to say that I am approved!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Surgery date is Friday March 23rd. I am so excited, scared, and all those feelings that now I know how everyone else feels when they finally hear the news. I am so happy that I can really start this journey to better health! I can't even think straight right now to put anything down in here~ Life is good!!!!!
3-13-07....I am going to see Dr. Kodali today for my last visit before my surgery. I made a list of questions to ask so that I do not forget anything. I am on day 2 of my liquid diet and oh my Lord this is hard. I have a headache all the time. They say that it gets better after day 3 so I am counting on that~! I had some broth for lunch today yippy! Tomorrow morning I have to be at the Hospital at 8:00am for my pre-op. My husband said that he was going to go with me, which surprised me cause he does not do hospitals! It is nice to have the support. I feel kinda bad though because he called me this morning and said that he had tickets for Toby Keith at the rodeo tonight and wanted to take me, but I told him that I did not want to go. I am trying not to be selfish, but I cannot go there and smell all those different foods right now! I just have to keep myself away from all temptations for the next 9 days. I think he was upset but I have worked too hard to get where I am and I do not want to put myself in a position that I might blow it~ I am going to ask them to measure me again today when I go so that I can record the original ones when I went back on Oct. 25th and then todays. I know I have lost inches, just dont know how many! I am keeping my eye on the prize!!!!!!!!!
3-15-07 My visit with Dr Kodali was GREAT~ He was very happy with the amount of weight that I had lost.....so happy that he said that I did not have to continue the liquid diet! He said that I had probably shrunk my liver as much as it could be and just to do clear liquids for 2 days before along with the bowel prep for 2 days. Needless to say, I wont be at work next Wed and Thursday...he said I would probably prefer to be near my own toilet!!! I went for my pre-op at the hospital yesterday and got the EKG, X-Ray and blood work done so now I just wait for surgery. I don't really feel too nervous about it, except that they said that I will spend the night. Evidently a stay of 24 hours is considered outpatient. But, better safe than sorry I suppose! But you know you cannot get any rest in there! I am sure that I will update before surgery! Stay tuned...............
3-22-07.....Well....in 24 hours it will be done! I am not sure what my feelings are at this point. Excited, nervous, but not scared. I have faith in our God that he will bring me through this and that I will be successful. I am blessed to have a great support system with my family and friends. I owe so much to my friend Teresa who continues to inspire me. I have so many things to look forward to after this. One thing I do know is that I love my family so much...my husband is one of the most awesome people I know. My children are incredible human beings with strong morales and my grandchildren are the light of my life. I am so blessed and I know that if I were not here tomorrow that I have been blessed in such wonderful ways and have no regrets. I look forward to doing so many things that I have not been able to do for a very long time~God Bless each of you that reads this.......
3-28-07....Sorry I have not updated sooner. I have been recuperating and amd going to try to go back to work tomorrow. The surgery went well and I had no problems afterwards other than WOW, THE GAS PAINS!!! It is much better today. I do know that getting up and moving around helps so much. I am so lucky that I have my girls here. They have been such a help to me. They have done all my running around for me, grocery shopping, and basically anything I need, they are there for me. Sleeping has been the hardest thing, but gets better each night. I cannot sleep at all on my left side and that is how I usually sleep, so it has been a struggle. The place where they placed the port is still very sore, but everyone says that the port area is the last to heal. So, far, no hunger...staying on liquids and hoping I am getting enough nutrition, but I am taking all my vitamins. Not getting on the scale just yet! Thanks to my hubby, my kids and Teresa for all you have done! I love you all and am very grateful for everything!
4-17-07....It has been a while so I thought I should update. Got on the scales this morning to find my weight at 218! One pound from the 50lb mark! I have a goal to get to 200 by July 1st. Hopefully I will have had a fill and be on my way to that here in the next couple of weeks. I am pretty much healed with just occasional pain in my port area, but for the most part I am back to 100%. Even though it is early on, I can say that this is the best thing that I could have ever done. I am at the stage now where I can basically eat whatever I want and have no restriction but I have been a good girl and am still staying away from those nasty carbs as much as possible! I know that I feel better when I stay away from them so I really try to do that. We are in the process of trying to buy another home and it really has me stressed out so I am trying not to stress eat! My 2 youngest girls and their kids are coming home on May 12th and I am hoping to drop another 5lbs or so before they come. They will be home for a week so I am taking vacation to spend time with my youngest grandsons and my Gabby. I miss them all sooooo much and treasure every minute that I ever get to spend with them. I am going to go and get a fill the week after they leave and am very curious to see how that effects me. Stay tuned........
6-22-07 It has been a while since I updated....been really busy..my husband and I bought a second home to move to that is closer than the one we currently own, so we leased it out to our oldest daughter and moved about 3 weeks ago. I got my first fill on May 8th and had some restriction, but went back yesterday and got another fill. My current weight is 212 so I dont know if I will make my first goal to hit 200 by July 1st, but I am sure gonna try. I feel a lot more restriction with the 2nd fill. I am now at 2cc's in my 4cc band. Time will tell, but it is continuing to come off slowly....6 pounds since the first fill. That is what I wanted...slow, steady loss. Life is better for me than it has been in a very long time as far as my health goes. I wake up in the morning and do not feel tired. I am not exhausted every night like I use to be. I sleep better and just overall feel better! I know it will continue to get better with each pound I lose. I did find out that powdered donuts are the devil!!!!! I ate just 1 small donut and it got stuck..horrible pain and eventually I had to throw it up. Hopefully that was the first and last time for that! My hope is that anyone reading this is inspired to become a healthier person in whatever way they feel they need to, and to feel good about themselves every day!! Always keep your eye on the prize~~~stay tuned...........................
