Valerie M.
Getting close
Apr 22, 2008
I had my second, and final appointment with the Bariatric program's nurse practitioner & nutritionist. I have officially completed ALL necessary requirements for surgery. I was sweating the 15lb weight loss, as my scale bobbled up and down for a week... Turns out I've lost 17... I now have one appointment left...with the surgeon and I got a date of JUNE 16..... Which is in 2 months.... SO -- looks like surgery will be in July sometime (I hope!!!!) Staying optimistic, I haven't had time off in the summer in ages... so, I'll enjoy recovery in the warm weather...maybe I'll hit a friend up that lives by an ocean and do an oceanside recovery... anyway, it's nice to have a "next" step.....
ENDURANCE
Feb 07, 2008
I wanted to tell you all I think you have great stamina & endurance. Mine is being tested....
I started my process in April 2007... then got real serious in August. I went to my intro seminar August 3. Of course, one of the most frequently asked questions was "how long will this entire process take?" Their answer was "this is a patient run program, and timing depends on you"... With that... I was zooming out the door & on the phone the same day to make psych appts, Dr. visits for labs, etc... and within 48 hours, I had officially signed up for the program ($250) and took my first of three seminars online... I was off to a good start. I handed my completed paperwork in on November 5. WHoohoo... I'm on my way.....
I quit smoking December 7th.... it's been brutal. They told me I had to quit 6 weeks before surgery, and at this time, I'm really thinking it was late Feb/early March that I'll be going "IN". I don't know why this time, In my previous attempts when I "wanted" to -- it was much easier.... now that I had to, it challenged me, though, I hate the darn things & I'm glad they're out of my life.... FOREVER!
My first appointment with the hospital was January 8. At that point, they suggested I do the inevitable sleep study (which I URGED my PCP to refer me to, but she didn't think I had sleep apnea...) and was told to get my vitamin levels & blood pressure checked again... No problem, I thought. I did within a few days. I called to make the sleep study appt and couldn't get an EVALUATION appointment until Feb. 5th... it's OK, I'm still highly motivated!
So, I go for my sleep study evaluation... and indeed, they say I should do the overnight... OK, better safe than sorry. So, I go meet with the appointment woman... She hands me a calendar and says pick a day - the week of March 17-21? WHAT? That's almost 6 weeks away!?!?!? OK, March 19th, suck it up. SO, in the meantime, I had another appointment with my PCP today, and I have to go on blood pressure medication... hoewever, even WITH quitting those wretched cigarrettes, I have still lost 6 more lbs... which is music to my ears because I've been scared to death about it (and not checking at home because my scale only weights to 330 lbs..go figure!)
So... sorry for rambling, thanks for reading... I feel so "Whoa is me" and like a WHINER.... and I'm far from a whiner in life, usually..... I'm a tough broad!!! Then again, no one said this was going to be easy. I still read your posts daily (I'm a bit of an OH addict)... I feel like I know many of you personally... I read your daily menus faithfully to know what I have to look forward to...
I do feel like my hospital is testing my endurance...and makes you jump through all these hoops just to make sure you really are in it for the long haul. Did anyone else feel like this??
Onward & Upward... I'm done whining & I'm getting my head back to pure motivation.... my day will come, I just have to be PATIENT ( a word that was NEVER in my vocabulary until August 2007!!)
I started my process in April 2007... then got real serious in August. I went to my intro seminar August 3. Of course, one of the most frequently asked questions was "how long will this entire process take?" Their answer was "this is a patient run program, and timing depends on you"... With that... I was zooming out the door & on the phone the same day to make psych appts, Dr. visits for labs, etc... and within 48 hours, I had officially signed up for the program ($250) and took my first of three seminars online... I was off to a good start. I handed my completed paperwork in on November 5. WHoohoo... I'm on my way.....
I quit smoking December 7th.... it's been brutal. They told me I had to quit 6 weeks before surgery, and at this time, I'm really thinking it was late Feb/early March that I'll be going "IN". I don't know why this time, In my previous attempts when I "wanted" to -- it was much easier.... now that I had to, it challenged me, though, I hate the darn things & I'm glad they're out of my life.... FOREVER!
My first appointment with the hospital was January 8. At that point, they suggested I do the inevitable sleep study (which I URGED my PCP to refer me to, but she didn't think I had sleep apnea...) and was told to get my vitamin levels & blood pressure checked again... No problem, I thought. I did within a few days. I called to make the sleep study appt and couldn't get an EVALUATION appointment until Feb. 5th... it's OK, I'm still highly motivated!
So, I go for my sleep study evaluation... and indeed, they say I should do the overnight... OK, better safe than sorry. So, I go meet with the appointment woman... She hands me a calendar and says pick a day - the week of March 17-21? WHAT? That's almost 6 weeks away!?!?!? OK, March 19th, suck it up. SO, in the meantime, I had another appointment with my PCP today, and I have to go on blood pressure medication... hoewever, even WITH quitting those wretched cigarrettes, I have still lost 6 more lbs... which is music to my ears because I've been scared to death about it (and not checking at home because my scale only weights to 330 lbs..go figure!)
So... sorry for rambling, thanks for reading... I feel so "Whoa is me" and like a WHINER.... and I'm far from a whiner in life, usually..... I'm a tough broad!!! Then again, no one said this was going to be easy. I still read your posts daily (I'm a bit of an OH addict)... I feel like I know many of you personally... I read your daily menus faithfully to know what I have to look forward to...
I do feel like my hospital is testing my endurance...and makes you jump through all these hoops just to make sure you really are in it for the long haul. Did anyone else feel like this??
Onward & Upward... I'm done whining & I'm getting my head back to pure motivation.... my day will come, I just have to be PATIENT ( a word that was NEVER in my vocabulary until August 2007!!)
First appointment - movin and shaking!
Jan 15, 2008
I had my first appointment at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center on January 8. Met with the dietitian first, then the program's nurse practitioner... I left feeling very excited, like this is now real! I did learn I have low Vitamin B-12 and D deficiency's and... I will have to do the sleep study to determine if I have sleep apnea...better safe than sorry, but man, oh man is it hard to wait! But I'm more than hopeful!!!
And so it begins...
Nov 09, 2007
I submitted all of my paperwork to the hospital this week. Man, what a feat...and it's only just begun!! It took me from August until now for labs, ultrasound, PFT, annual, physical, psych evals, classes, etc... However, only now does it feel "real" -- like, this really is going to happen. I feel like a prisoner who's trying to be paroled... (some analogy, huh??) In all honesty though, going through the motions of my "WLS checklist" was just that... going through the motions.... and emotions!!!
It has been a God send that I found this board!!! I have read your posts for months now, the good, the bad and the ugly. I've been inspired. I've looked at some of your pictures and couldn't help but have tears running down my face. I've cracked up at times!!! When my husband asks me "are you sure you want to do this" -- I say yes with confidence.
It's a real emotional roller coaster, this process... Most of you know that already... The fact that there is a reality to NOT living in my 350 lb body anymore brings tears to my eyes & a spring in my step!! It was extremely difficult to review my "packet" prior to sending and to read how many times it said "morbidly obese" - just makes me want this surgery even more. I have so much to live for! I'm only 33 -- how dare they call me morbidly obese!!!
Now I have 4 more appointments -- 1 with a dietician, 1 with the nurse practitioner, 1 with the surgeons... then Pre-Op class. The most important step I have to take is to quit cigarettes! Damn things!! But I'm on my way... and I can't wait to sit beside you guys on the losers bench!!!! You are all my heroes!!! Thank you.
It has been a God send that I found this board!!! I have read your posts for months now, the good, the bad and the ugly. I've been inspired. I've looked at some of your pictures and couldn't help but have tears running down my face. I've cracked up at times!!! When my husband asks me "are you sure you want to do this" -- I say yes with confidence.
It's a real emotional roller coaster, this process... Most of you know that already... The fact that there is a reality to NOT living in my 350 lb body anymore brings tears to my eyes & a spring in my step!! It was extremely difficult to review my "packet" prior to sending and to read how many times it said "morbidly obese" - just makes me want this surgery even more. I have so much to live for! I'm only 33 -- how dare they call me morbidly obese!!!
Now I have 4 more appointments -- 1 with a dietician, 1 with the nurse practitioner, 1 with the surgeons... then Pre-Op class. The most important step I have to take is to quit cigarettes! Damn things!! But I'm on my way... and I can't wait to sit beside you guys on the losers bench!!!! You are all my heroes!!! Thank you.
