notoriousgrannyD

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Started out shaky, they had originally had me first, then third, then first and after we show up at 6:30 am, they settled on second - which meant an extra 2 hour wait.  grrrrr (actually it more like tears from being so emotional, how embarassing)

after admission, i was taken into the prep area, was weighed (15 lbs off on the liquid diet, immediately felt better lol) was shown to my cubicle where I changed into my gown, put my clothes into the bag provided and settled in.  IV was started, Heparin given in my arm, vitals done and hubby was allowed into sit and wait.  this proved annoying so i sent him to go eat, poor fellow.  after a 4 hour wait in which I read and listened to my Ipod, they came for me.

we walked to the operating room, was introduced to the team, laid on the table, joked around a little, breathed a little into a mask ......... and woke up feeling muzzy and a little nauseated.  they immediately took care of that and the pain  It was done!.  Next thing I remember we are going to my room and YAY - I got a private, not sure why, I did sign for a semiprivate with my MB blue cross and ended up with 218 - super room!  

I went to the OR at 11:00 am and was wheeled into my room at 2:30.  I had a student nurse named Liz who was in with my surgery and then was assigned to me the next day so I peppered her with questions about the surgery (size of stomach and whether it was made of steel, which I was pretty sure of due my inability to give up any food which i have consumed) She was great, very helpful and considerate and will make a great nurse when she is finished. 

I started sipping water within the first couple of hours and got some torodol in my IV every 6 hours, morphine if I was hurtin in between, so I was pretty comfty the whole time.  I was up walking in the evening, walked twice and that was enough.  I did have to pee alot, every two hours, all night but other than that, I slept well - no nausea or vomiting (that was one of my big fears) 

The next morning I was on crushed meds (as we were already planning my discharge and I needed to prove I could tolerate them and 90 mls of fluid an hour while awake- I think.......a little blurry here)   My liquid of choice was apple juice and water mixed together.  We put my crushed tylenol (so gross!!) into jello so it didn't bottom out in my med cup.  This worked pretty good but nothing can disguise the taste ...... ugh.  Also had their version of vanilla protein shake with a packet of beneprotein mixed in, got it down but really, does everything have to be so yucky???  It's like "let's pick the grossest tasting stuff and get that for the patients" - then need to work on that for sure.

Had visits from the Bariatric dietician, the nurse practioner from the program, physio and one visit from Dr. Denis (who is a "fellow" to the program and of course, Dr. Andrew.

I got my walking papers, sick note, prescription for pain meds and instructions for an alternate 2 week visit (doing it by phone with the nurse prac. and having my incisions inspected by my regular doctor, cuz I am not driving 14 hours round trip just for that! haha)  and Dr. Andrew agreed.

I was ready to go with shoes on by 2:30, exactly 24 hours after arriving in the room.  I asked what the timeline post op usually was and they said most are gone 24 - 36 hours post op, if they are ready.  The hotel is comfty but boring, thank god for the computer and TV.  I walk a little but probably should being doing more. 

but bascially that's my whole story ..........kinda boring...... but that's good.

in my hotel room, waiting for the big event..... it's T minus 9 hours and counting!   Feeling really good right now, went for coffee with 3 of the OH ladies ... thanks again Sondra, Barb and Lori..... it really helped to talk to honest to goodness success stories.  I have no reservations about this being the right thing for me and I just want to go to the hospital and get it over with...... I've been waiting for a LOOOONG time.

Well Loser's bench, ready or not, here I come !

I didn't think I would miss food this much!  Am I ready for this?  Shouldn't this be easy cuz I want it so bad? Dam.   The shakes are going down fine, a little cheat with a pickle or two and still at the gym almost everyday.

My surgery time was changed from first thing in the morning to 1:15 in the afternoon so I think my chances of only spending one night in hospital are slimmer to noner now.  Oh well, hubby will have to be alone in the hotel for two nights (hopefully that will be all, fingers crossed)  

I am really hoping to get together with my OH girls on Monday night but don't have a solid plan in place yet, I'll try and organize this weekend.  I have lost about 10 lbs so far so I'd like to do a couple more but it that's it, I'm happy with that.

I just wish it was over.... nerves are getting me!  lol

So I'm home and full of perogies and beer and I can't wait to get started on my liquid diet.  Don't get me wrong, I'm scared and nervous that I will be a basket case (bitchy, whiney and spaced out lol)  My family has been forwarned so I am sure they will scatter like rats when the ships looks to be in peril......

I just got home a few hours ago and am going to sit down wth my optifast and start checking it out, it came while i was gone and go over some suggestions from you ladies for "doctoring them up"

by the way, I only gained about 5 lbs on my food binge across Europe.   I did find a new drink that I won't be able to enjoy for awhile.  it is called a Radler (beer and lemonade) sounds weird but is so good.  think "Bud light lime" but with lemon and way less frizzy - so good.

we are having our Thanksgiving supper today so I don't have to cook next weekend and it will be my last food binge.  I have to be honest, I will miss eating great gobs of food but the plane was (and always is) the perfect reminder of how big I am, how uncomfortable and how much I don't want to be that person (on the outside) anymore.

so I think I am all packed and ready to go (still have 4 more sleeps)  As excited as I am to see all the cool things in Europe, I can't wait for the perogys!  real, made-in-the-old-country perogys with all kinds of toppings - yummmmm.  My friend (who is originally from Poland) has regaled us with stories of the great perogy houses..... the castles will be nice too.  lol

I am going to eat and drink my way across Germany, Czech, and Poland and be damned with the scale!  Actually I have been working hard at both the gym and with food and  have lost about 18 lbs since the beginning of Aug (the gym really does make all the difference girls!)   It's almost a shame to see that weight loss garbaged by a 14 day food binge....... I might try to control myself a bit, plus there are fitness centers in all our hotels so I  should hit those as well.  Wouldn't it be something if I could just maintain??

I will be home for 2 days and then start my 14 day opitfast diet, I think I will be ready to "dry out" food wise.  Can't wait for my pre op, it's on the morning we fly away (thursday) so it will be a big day all the way around.........love it!

further to my "splits" ambition - I have started working on them as I am doing some awesome stretching at the end of my workouts - I LOVE STRETCHING!!  Anyway, I can get all the way down now (in one direction, but not both - yet) but I still can't raise my hands over my head yet, something to work on.   just thought I'd share - maybe an NSV?

okay, I've been hitting this gym alot lately and I also work there part time on the weekends (pays for my hot holidays) and I generally don't pay attention to how others work out but since I am anticipating being able to do more, I thought I would make a list of the things that others do that I can't, but will....

- climb the "rock wall treadmill", it has a max weight of 225
- chin myself, at least once, instead of hanging there until my shoulders dislocate
- do "the prowler" - it's a thingy that you push along the gym floor, like you see football players do
- skip
- run on the track instead of just walking but that might be held of until i'm not so floppy and baggy
- not feel self concious when doing the splits in my stretching (I don't do them in the gym anymore, too self concious)

Thats all I can think of for now.

So, finally a date....... and now I'm nervous.  WTH??  I didn't think there would be any second guessing but I think (hope) it is normal to wonder if this is the right thing.  I know in my heart it is, especially when I think of all the great ladies I have gotten to know on this site - if they can do it, I can do it!!!  This wait has been long, and I am man enough to admit that it has been partly my fault (going on trips instead of having appts), but the good thing about a long wait is that I get to drive you guys crazy with my whiney azz ness - Ha - joking as usual.  seriously, the time for reflection has be a good thiing.  I find myself really noticing myself, my parameters (physical) and I am bigger than I thought.  I have been really studying myself in pics, which is something I never used to do and realize how far I have let myself go.  sad.   BUT it is ending soon so watch out world!!!

There are things that I am really looking forward to and all of  you can probably relate to at least some of them

- finding my collarbones
- crossing my legs for longer than 3 minutes
- fitting in booths
- not filling a chair with arms (uncomfortably sqeezing in - boo)
- filling the bathtub with more water and less of me
- being good at yoga
- looking good in clothes cuz I LOVE them!

There are many more of course and I will post them  as I remember them lol.

I am really looking forward to my food funeral.  I was lucky enough to fluke into a trip to Europe from Sept 12 to 29th and I am going to terrorize the perogy houses!   It is my fave food and I will struggle with them forever!  I wonder if I could stuff a perogy with beneprotein? haha - ewwww.

I know I will be looking forward to the optifast diet when I get home - you know that "I'm so full of goodies I want to throw up" feeling?  I'm sure it will be like that, almost post christmas holidays when you can't wait to get on that diet.

This surgery better work for me....... or else!  lol

NGD

that's for the physical, the pre op forms and the psych evaluation!  Just waiting on Laura for my appt. in July.  I have really revved up my engines for the gym though.  I have been going to the gym at 6:00 am with a bunch of friends and am liking it (as long as I have my bag packed by the door with work clothes, shower bag, etc - last week I forgot my towels for the shower!! lol)  but I am feeling so much healthier already.  I am kinda manic with my exercise ....... I go like hell for weeks/months and then bam!  just don't go anymore for weeks/months......... WTH?   The I start back at square one. d'oh!

  I am very excited to exercise post surgery, all I can remember is exercising as a fat person, although a fit fat person (oxymoron for sure)  I have a chance to go on a trip in Sept.  but am kinda waiting for surgery dates, etc.  I am pretty sure I won't be booked by then but I can't commit to my friends until I know more.   I WILL NOT LET ANYTHING GET BETWEEN ME AND MY SURGICAL DATE AGAIN!!  I would have been done already if I could have taken the dates Andrea gave me instead of going to stupid Cuba for 2 weeks!!!  Totally screwed myself over there!!

now just waiting.  .....  as usual.....

All done, it wasn't bad at all (but I so needed the cup of coffee I am enjoying right now).  I am going to se Dr. Mabin (our radiologist) and she said she would show me the films so I can look at myself - ha!  should be interesting (I wonder how I will look - fat? lol)