Tammy_Jo

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We made the move to Okinawa,Japan.  Life has been on the crazy side with the long flights to come to the island and all the to do's once we got here such as:  getting the kids in school, getting housing,  my husband getting checked in to work, paperwork and more paperwork.

I am hoping to start going to school while I am here.  Hopefully, to obtain my degree before we leave or at least close to finishing.  Also my goals for weight loss and health have not changed.

So far I have lost 49lbs.  I feel a lot better already even though I still have 82 lbs to go to reach my goal.  I have started going to the gym on base which has been nice to feel like I am doing something to better myself. 

There is still a long journey ahead and there is always hope.

At 1 month, lost 25lbs.  Not really noticing a difference in my clothes or body.  Eating is not enjoyable.  Started on solids have had multiple problems with getting food down.  Soups are Great!!!  Granola bars seem to work really well, cheese, yogurt, jello, pudding, anything baby food is fine.  It just seems meat is difficult.  We shall see it is just the beginning.

I did not weigh myself waiting for the 2-week appoinment.  I did really well following my liquid only diet which consisted of broth and ensure.  The appointment went well.  I scheduled it at Nash Hospital.  All my insisions look good and I lost 20 lbs.  Pretty amazed.  Hopefully the weeks to come I will do just as well.

I received a call on Thurs, July 3, from Christine at Nash Hospital stating that my insurance approved the surgery and my pre-op would be next Tues and my surgery the 10th.  It was one of those momments since it happened before "I'll believe it when I see it".  Sure enough.  I had my surgery July 10th. 

I could not eat or drink after mid-night the night before.  I got to the hospital and they prep me for surgery.  They ran an ivy, took blood, gave me a shot of blood thinner in my stomach (WHICH DOESN'T HURT).  Then they told me they were goint to give me some medicine to relax me but it more than relaxed me I went to sleep and woke up after the surgery.  It felt horrible.  To go to sleep feeling good and to wake up so uncomforatable.   The gave me a button to push for pain.  I had no idea what was on the other end of the button but every time I could I would push it and sure enough I would go to sleep.  (later to find out it was Morphine).  Later the first night I felt sore but it was bearable.  Most of the discomfort from after surgery until today wihich is 1 week later has all been tolerable.

The most difficutl thing is life can not stop just because you had bariatric surgery.  To see your family eating all these yummy foods and I am on a liquid diet has been mentally and emotionally challenging.  I don't really feel hungry.  But, I feel that empty feeling because I can not fill myself with all that yummy food.  I am so emotionally attached to the feeling of taste and fullness.  My prayer is that my love for life will override the other

My two-week follow-up is next Wednesday so I will know more about weightloss and my diet should change to the puree'd food.  That will be nice.  Soft food.  At least it will be food. 

I had my pre-op on June 12, 2008.  Everything looks good they are going to submit my packet to Tricare.  I am praying that my surgery will be done by the second week in July.  This has been a long stressful road.  

My husband is in the military and we got orders to Okinawa so I switched from Lap Band to Gastric. Now we are not sure if we are going because we are lacking consent from two of the children's biological Mother.  I keep pushing forward so who knows what is going to happen.  With Life, Surgery, etc....

June 12th pre-op appointment with Dr. Nazziri.  It went well.  I have decided to go with gastric because of us moving to Japan.  I won't be able to get the care there as far as fills go and I can't live my life like this.  Now it is a matter of getting the insurance approval and the surgery date.  Hopefully it will be the beginning of July since we are possibly leaving August 5-15 to go to Japan.  We shall see. 

I had my endoscopy on the 15th of April.  I don't know what the problem is but I have not heard anything from Nash Hospital or the surgeon's coordinator so about a week ago I called and lost it a little on the surgeon's coordinator's v-mail.  Just explaining how frustrated I am.  I know not everyone is going through this wait period and I think that is what is so frustrating.  I asked at one of the support meetings.  "After you have your endoscopy how long is the wait for the surgery?"  I was told by one of the other patients "2 weeks".  It is very frustrating.  I have gained about 12 to 15 lbs since I got my initial referral in November and it is frustrating because all this time is passing that I could be losing.  I have been working out but my eating is bad.  I am hungry.  For the most part I make good choices.  I have my good days and bad days.  I just want to be healthy.  Weighing 260 on a 5'3 small frame is very discouraging when I was running 3 miles a day just about 2 years ago.  I know I am responsible for where I am at but to see the help that I needs so desperately right in front of me and never really getting it is so frustrating.  Oh well, that is where I am at today.

Trying to not get discouraged but who am I kidding.  I go from Mad to discouraged to mad.  Up and down like a roller coaster.  No surgery date!!!!  No Endoscopy.  Waiting.  Not sure if they are pushing others ahead or what is going on.  It feels like high school all over again.  At least that is the way it feels.  I started this in November and my insurance approved it.  Here I am with all the testing done except what I have to wait on the surgeon for and still no surgery.  I have no choice but each and every day just do the best I can.

You are Superman

Superman 80% Wonder Woman 72% Spider-Man 65% Robin 65% Hulk 50% Supergirl 42% Batman 40% The Flash 35% Catwoman 30% Green Lantern 25% Iron Man 25% You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

It is fun to take this survey.  I know the real truth though.  I am nothing like Superman.  At times I am ready to quit this whole process because it is so stressful.  The waiting.  Dealing with the you have an appointment oh no we had to cancel.....  Now my original referral is expired because it has been so long.  This is crazy, stressful and frustrating.