LollyOlly

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

No regrets

I’m sure that I’m more fortunate than many about the support I’ve received regarding my decision to have weight loss surgery.   Much I’m sure is due to the fact that many, but not all saw me struggle day to day to adapt to a diabetic, hypertension, cholesterol friendly diet and included exercise into my lifestyle.  I had some decent results, but the diseases did not always reflect the results my changes to the small amount of weight I lost.

Therefore, I have an “Eff it” attitude with those who might have a negative WLS prejudgment.  Want to debate, you better come prepared…TO LOSE!  My directness about having VSG has thrown some for a loop.  I try not to give them a chance to challenge me face to face. 

Them: You lost a lot of weight.  Are you okay?

Me: Yes, 100 % better now.   I had weight loss surgery and now my health is so much better and guess what?  My hypertension was gone the day I left the hospital.  My cholesterol is improved and my diabetes is now diet managed.  No meds!!  Isn’t that great??!! 

The reactions vary from supportive agreement to puzzlement.  The puzzled faces I think are a mixture of questioning how to react to “how do I say something negative after she had an instant improvement to a disease?”.

This tactic will not work on a-holes, so I’m mentally preparing for that time, but the benefit is that those who know I’m open about the reason for my success share with others and they either have questions for me or choose not to confront me.  Win, win.

Highest weight: 297

Weight in 2007: 277

1^st Preop weight: 258 (Jul 2011)

Last preop appt.: 253 (Sept 2011)

Day of surgery: 247.7 (Oct 20, 2011)

As of this post: 218.4 (Dec 3, 2011)

So I start fluid infusion on Friday. I just can't seem to get enough intake, so now my skin peaks like frosting...not cute.  Neither is the weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath and falling if I don't get to sit in time. 

Good news is that I lost more weight, but I would really be dissapointed if I find out its all water loss and not fat loss.  We'll see.

Progress:
Highest: 297
1st Surgeon appt.: 258
3rd Surgeon appt.: 253 (-5)
Day of Surgery: 247.7 (-5.3)
Week 1: 237.7 fully clothed (-10)
Week 2: 232 fully clothed (-5)
Week 3: 226.4 fully clothed (-5.6)

A quick summary of my days...

On Thursday (10/20) I checked into the Short Stay pre-op area to get prepped.  I didn't have to be there until 8:30 AM as my surgery was scheduled at 11 AM. PreOp consisted of blood work, urine sample, blood sugar test, IV lines, dressing and weigh-in.  My official pre-op weight was 247.7.  Not bad for someone that once weighed 298.

The surgical team came one by one to introduce themselves and share their part in the procedure, which was nice.  They were all calming and quite charming, except the anesthesiologist. With him I felt like "next in line".  No big deal, but he made quite the announcement about needing me to be awake in recovery to remove the tube from my throat.  Well if I was, I don't remember it.  I don't remember opening my eyes until being wheeled out of recovery past the family wait area where the doctor spoke to my mother.  I think I remember an elevator ride, but that's it! I was in my bed and in agony until the next shot of morphine. I slept alot and need a great deal of help to do anything. 

At some point I walked a little, but every attempt I made walking then and after made me nauseous and was painful.  Then came the dry heaves.  I could've live my whole life without experiencing that. The heaving was so violent, it bought me an extra night in the hospital. On top of that, I had major trouble swallowing when that time came for two reasons...

Let's talk gas. Oh! My! Lord! I prayed for relief. So many people write about this, but the feeling was excruciating when trying to swallow.  I couldn't pass it no matter how many bags of liquid equivalent of Previcid they hooked to my IV.  And just to make matters worse, I hadn't known that my surgeon needed to repair a hiatal hernia.  Every swallow was battling two enemies.  Then when I got it down, it triggered nausea and dry heaving.  I barely swallowed enough to pass the contrast test, which had one reliveing side effect, I belched and threw up some of the contrast. Victory for my esophogus.  Good work little buddy, because I was beginging to believe I couldn't do that anymore.

After lots of sleep, some walking, lots of drugs and being able to hold down 8 plastic spoonfuls of liquid, I was cleared to go home...after I sat for 4 and a 1/2 hours to fulfill my doctors last request, which was to bring my potassium levels up via IV and some to swallow.

WARNING: Do not drink the potassium. I tried to take two swallows and finally told the nurse that I was compliant with everything else, but not that. EVER! She giggled and agreed. She said I got more than that little cup could offer by sitting with the IV potassium for those hours. She wasn't sure why he even asked for it. Oh well, just one more test on how well my tummy would handle nasty meds.  It didn't.

I've neither journaled, posted, blogged or introduced myself here at OH.  Sooooo hello if you're reading me and sorry for being such a lurker.  I'm no ordinary lurker either.  Back in 2000 or so, I was addicted to reading everything and viewing every picture of members progress certain that I would have bariatric surgery then, but I managed to convince myself for the thousandth time that I could lose this all by myself and drifted away from OH lurking.  I actually gained weight instead.  By 2004 my weight was 297 and I was my heaviest ever. 

Because I had a "threshold", my mental don't cross that line which was 300 lbs., I lost a few pounds. A very few, but I started adding some good behaviors  that I hoped would become habit over time.  Some more weight came off, but what also happened were the beginnings of diabetes.  I explained away the signs, maybe out of denial, but the pains around my kidneys would not be ignored and my doctors office called me in a panic to go to the hospital if the pain returned.  My A1C was horrible (16.5) and they were concerned about kidney failure.  Not to mention heart attack, stroke or coma.

So over the past year, I've lost a little more weight and down in the low 250s, but now I am sick and tired of the diabetes.  I did a little online video viewing of dieters and an add for a bariatric hospital center appeared.  I clicked, filled out a form and a day later the doctors called.  I just followed their program and three months later, my surgery  for VSG is scheduled three days from now.

As the time gets closer, my anxiety rises about the surgery, the preparations and the post surgical care and program.  Probably just being normal, huh?

~L~