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Cindy L. Ozark, MO, USA Post Op - BMI: 26.0 Surgery Type: RNY - distal Member ID: A1102294022 Web Site: http://groups.msn.com/Cindysupdatedpics Surgeon: Uretz J. Oliphant, M.D. |
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I have tried a very long time to lose weight, only to have it come back on with a vengeance! Now I am ready to be back to the old me, except to make it a "new and improved" me. I know I will never look like I did when I was 20 years old because gravity and gray hairs take over, BUT, I am ready to be the best that I can be and to be happy with myself for the first time in my life. When I weighed 128 lbs, I was always thinking I was still heavy because my mother told me so and made me think I was fat since I was more voluptuous than the rest of my friends. I look back and think that I was just right and didn't get to appreciate it. I wore a size 9/10 and was a 34C bra size at 5'5 1/2". Since I have seen the other side now - what it really looks like to be morbidly obese - I think I will appreciate my size more when I lose. I want to be able to fit comfortably into a restaurant booth again and I want to be able to get rid of all the chins under my original chin!!! UGH! I can't stand to look in the mirror and it takes double the foundation makeup to cover my face now! The only "up side" to being overweight is the wrinkles are filled and it makes me look younger. I will have to use ALL of my Avon products to make sure the wrinkles don't show! I can't wait to be able to walk around an amusement park again and not have my feet and knees give up on me in the first 15 minutes. I used to walk faster than the rest of my family and now they have to wait on me. Also, my kids have never seen me in anything but "plus size" clothes. I want them to be proud of me and I want to be able to walk around the mall with them too. I have been approved by my insurance company, Health Alliance, on January 18, 2005 and have been scheduled to see a dietician and the surgeon on February 28, 2005. I can't wait!!!!!  2/2/05 Ain't I a dope! I was told that when I got approval from my PCP that it was just a "first" approval to go to the surgeon, but I just talked to the insurance company and they said - it is Approval to have the surgery!!! WOOHOO!!! I can't believe it! My mom called me last night and wants me to read the Dr. Phil book, "The Ultimate Weight Solution". She wanted me to "promise" to do it! I will read it, but I know it will be like all of the others! I am still going forward with my surgery - she is just afraid for me to do it. I have faith in my God that if he wants me to, he will make the path clear to do it and so far, he certainly has! 2/10/05 - Okay, so I am one of those impatient ones you see on here that the doctors and staff dread to see and hear from. I called the surgeon's office on Tuesday on my lunch hour to see if I could get in any sooner than 2/28/05 and they put me in a week earlier on 2/21/05 for the consultation. I was soooo excited that I totally forgot that my husband had asked off for that day so that he could go with me to see the surgeon. I told him I would call them back and change it, but he wouldn't let me. I am still going to their office on 2/28/05 to see his dietician though, and my husband will go with me then and hopefully, I will be able to introduce him to the surgeon that day as well. I feel so bad, but at the same time, my husband is a worrier and I have heard that my surgeon is VERY frank about ALL the possible risks involved and that might upset my husband. Well, anyway, I have a week and a half until my surgeon consult and it makes my heart race, just thinking about it! I am not scared at all, just excited! I'm not looking forward to all the drains and nasal tubes and such, but I have had 3 c-sections, lap gallbladder removal, bi-lateral breast reduction, panendoscopy, knee scope - so surgery doesn't really scare me, although I do have sleep apnea now and a lower oxygen level. I know I will have trouble keeping things down after anesthetic from so many past experiences, but if they know ahead of time that it will happen, maybe they can prevent it this time somehow. I just have to say - I LOVE THIS WEB SITE!! I am on here every single day and I pour over every single little thing I can look at. I just wish I could go into the chat room while I am at work during my breaks. You guys don't realize how uplifting your articles, pictures and profiles are to those of us that feel like they are living in a dream - one day being half the person I am now! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 2/17/05 I promised Roma in Dr. Oliphant's office that I would mention her on here and tell you how great and sweet she was. And she was. BUT, if she can get the psych appointment moved up to sometime in March - I would be ever so grateful!!!! 2/21/05 Here I am, 4 hours away from my consult with the surgeon!!! I am REALLY getting excited!!! I have been over the closet at least 10 times trying to find something to wear. I have gone over my paperwork a dozen times, trying to make sure I haven't forgotten anything! Good thing it's President's Day and I didn't have to work - I don't know if I could contain my excitement! I will update more after my appointment! Future Update 2/25/05 - I did go see the surgeon for the first time on 2/21/05. I was SO excited that I think I was a little let down after I left. I had hoped to have a date before I left, but he told me I wouldn't get that until after my meeting with his dietician. He said it would be anywhere from 1-3 months away. I was REALLY disappointed that he wouldn't let me have a Lap RNY UNTIL he said that if I did, I would have to wait for at least a year for the next opening for that kind. I would rather take the scar and extra healing time than wait any longer - I could die before then or get diabetes even! Another "good" thing about my surgeon is that he doesn't do staples in my incision - he does stitches. I have had staples with all three C-Sections - didn't care for them much! Especially when one got left in and got infected. OUCH! Linda, Bonnie, Rachel, and Ann were as nice as could be. Linda was super friendly and inroduced me to the dietician I would be seeing on Monday. The surgeon's office is in the hospital, so I got to see it for the first time. He also got "beeped" 3 times while we were having out consult, but I understand that he is a VERY busy man. He is also a Trauma Surgeon, which is why I wanted him - should be able to handle anything that might come up. He said that after this surgery - I am HIS for life. I kind of like that. I will at least know who and where to go to if I have questions - "nobody else but him". He said I have to do 3 pre-op tests for him: blood gases, pulmonary function, and ECG. He said the pcp would tell me if there was any other tests that they would require. I didn't know I would see my pcp again for awhile. I want to say again, how much all of the encouragement means to me on this site. Hugs and Prayers! :O) 2/28/05 Okay, so the moment that I have been waiting for came and went. I did go see the surgeon's dietician and she was great. Martha tells it like it is, but I would rather have someone that will hold me accountable than someone that doesn't care. I was supposed to find out my date today, but Dr. O's nurse, Ann, is out all week this week and she is the ONLY one that schedules his surgeries. Not even him, because he came back in the office while I was there and I had one of his staff ask him. Darn! Another week and then I will be ringing that phone off the wall! Have a beary nice day! 3/14/05 I have been a very bad girl! Not updating my profile sooner! Sorry, but I am usually very upbeat and optimistic and I don't like to complain - BUT, doggone it! I just called the surgeon's nurse and she told me last Monday that she would send for my approval from my secondary insurance and I just called her - she still hasn't sent it! I faxed a copy of my panendoscopy 2 weeks ago and now she is saying she doesn't have it in my chart. I know I am not the most organized person in the world, but when I worked as an Office Coordinator for an OB/GYN, we kept up on all that stuff. If I said I would do something to a patient, I stayed at work until I got it done. Okay, my little snit is over for now, probably to be resumed when I get home and am not at work so I can "sound off". Have a great day and hopefully I will hear something soon...otherwise I will call them every other day until I do. Future Update 3-16-05 Okay, all of you that see my pic down below - I was "looking for love" at the time of the picture - 2001. Now I am just looking. "Whatever Will Be, Will Be" as Doris Day says. My mom used to sing that to me when I was "just a little girl". :o) 3/26/05 Okay, it's time for me to have a fit! Watch out boys and girls - it's PMS time! I just want to know, why it is that I can't get a call back from the surgeon's nurse that everyone on here says is SOOOOO great?!?! Yes, I know she was out sick one day this past week, but she hasn't submitted a request for approval from my secondary insurance and my primary insurance approved me on 1/12/05. Now, after 3/31/05, my primary insurance changes from 90/10 to 80/20 which totally screws me over if the secondary doesn't approve me. I faxed med records to the surgeon's office on 3/1/05 and called to confirm they received them and when I called on 3/18/05, they said they didn't have them, so I faxed them again after waiting on the phone for 10 minutes for them to look and in the middle of my faxing.....lo and behold.....they found my fax from 3/1/05 - on the SURGEON's desk...duh! Then I have called and don't get called back.... Luckily, I had emailed my secondary insurance about some questions I had back in February and a lady responded to that email from there so I have emailed her a few more times and she said that they had sent a SECOND request to the surgeon's office for my psych eval (which was faxed to the surgeon's office on 3/7/05 - I called and confirmed that day also) and that copy of the med records that I faxed on 3/1/05 and 3/18/05 they had lost. Sooooo, to make a long story even LONGER...:o)......I wrote the lady and said I WOULD fax her those reports myself since - thank goodness - I had copies sent to me! She said she would accept them, so that was done on Friday, 3/25/05. Hopefully, I will hear from them this week and may have to talk to the surgeon himself about setting a surgery date, since I can't get help from his nurse. Okay - I'm done complaining for now! Carry on....carry over....Cary Grant...Harry Carry....you can even Carry Me Back To Old Virginia.... hehehe - I loved that line from Hawkeye on M*A*S*H! TTFN - I have to go watch the NCAA Tournement and see if I will make any money...I'm in 7 pools at work-WOO HOO! One of them is in 2nd Place! Go Illini or NC Tarheels or KY Wildcats - hehehe I wanted to cover all the bases - yes, I know this is basketball and not baseball! I wanted to cover all the baskets then! Shew! Hugs to you all! 4/8/05 - First of all - YEAH! I tied for 3rd place in 1 of my pools - I won a whole whopping $12.00. Better than nothing though! It was lots of fun! So nothing new happening with my surgery except that the secondary insurance is wanting a more comprehensive psych eval and my LCSW says he doesn't have time to do it. Well - good thing I didn't take Ann's advice and cancel my psychologist appointment that they had made me, because they are booking appts. at the end of June now. I go on April 22nd to go through all that again. I was hoping not to miss anymore time at work so I can save my personal, sick and vacation time for my surgery. Okay - now for the good stuff! I got a new puppy - his name is Dash and he turned 9 weeks old yesterday. Debby G and Dawn Pyles got to see him already BECAUSE I met with them and Brooke, Cathy, Michelle, Michelle's boyfriend - Roger, and Lisa. We had a blast in Collinsville this past weekend! It was our infamous, "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" weekend!!! YEEHAW! Can't wait for the next one! Take care Everyone! Hey, I did go to my very first support group meeting in Champaign on 4/14/05. That was a lot of fun and I have a new respect for the surgeon's nurse, Ann. She was there and spoke to me quite a bit afterwards, even though there were around 45 people there. By the way, I have carpal tunnel in my right hand REALLY bad and I had asked the surgeon if we could do it at the same time as my WLS. LOL - you should have seen the look I got! As it stands now, I hope to schedule the hand surgery one week after the WLS so I don't miss so much work. TTFN! SRC="http://images.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/mempix/abner_cindy/bar.gif"> 5/16/05 Okay, I have been a very bad girl! No...not that! That's tonight! hehehe I haven't updated my profile in so long! I have been approved and my dates have been set!!! WOOHOO!!! My whole month of June will be spent going to the doctor's office, hospital, or having tests ran. I will be having carpal tunnel surgery on June 16th and my gastric bypass surgery on June 28th - Andrew's birthday. (My oldest son) Yes, I did ask him if it was okay and he said he was glad for me and he wasn't worried about it at all. Whew! That will be his 20th birthday and my rebirth! TTFN! Future Update 6/5/05 - AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!! Where has the time gone???!!! You know that girl just a few paragraphs ago that wasn't nervous at all and just ready to get things done and over with to start her new life???!!! WELL....I think she just "flipped her lid"; "flew the coop"; "went off the deep end"; you get my drift! In a week and a half, they are gonna "SLIT MY WRIST"!!! YEA! The one I write with, comb my hair with, apply makeup with, (wipe my....@#%$...hehe "mouth") with, and THEEEENNN: in 3 weeks and 2 days I will be having Open Gastric Bypass! Then how will I wipe my - uuhhhmmm - mouth!? Okay...breathe.....in...out...in...out...! PMS is a b#$%(pain)! I really should have updated this profile before now, but I have had bronchitis for 2 weeks and a sinus infection before that and I have been trying to rest as much as possible so that this Thursday - June 9th - when I see my pcp, he doesn't pull the plug on both of my surgeries. If my bronchial tubes and infection aren't better....he will! I need all the prayers I can get that they will be better. It is too stressful to get this close and then not go through with it. I have to tell you - I am so excited! I got a new desk chair today!!! I lmow! I know! It's the little things in life that really excite me - right?! It is a leather executive chair with a high back and I don't have to use that awful folding chair anymore (since I through away my task chair). It's very comfy - which is bad in a way because that means - I can sit here on the pc for hours! Well...better run! Gotta see what is going on in my favorite forums! 6/20/05 - Well, it only took me two weeks to update, but that is good considering I had to get over bronchitis and I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand last week. Today was my first day out of the house and boy, was I dizzy. Note to self- Vicodin makes me itch like crazy and nauseated. Darvocet at least doesn't make me itch, so that's what I am on now. I am trying to only take 5 a day. Two in the morning with breakfast. One at lunch. Two at bedtime. It's 6:30pm right now and my wrist is stinging pretty bad, but I don't like the way my head feels when I take the pain meds. I had my education class with Ann on the 14th of June and that went well. The only thing I worry about is that she hasn't told Dr. Oliphant about my carpal tunnel surgery and I don't want him to cancel my WLS when he finds out. I will be getting my blood gases test and pulmonary function test in 2 days (June 22nd). MiriLou, at work, said it really hurts when they stick the artery for blood. Well, hopefully it won't hurt as much as the 3 IV needles in the back of my right hand the day of the carpal tunnel surgery-that stung pretty bad because my vein kept rolling. I have my stitches taken out of my hand on Thursday, the 23rd of June and then I see Dr. Oliphant on Friday, the 24th. (Along with pre-admissions, a nurse, another dr for another physical, anesthesiologist too.) Did I mention that I have to do a McDonald's Mystery shop before and after those appts.? No kidding! $50 is $50! 6-22-05 Did you HEAR the GREAT NEWS!!!! I have an ANGEL!!! She is a very lovely lady from Round Rock, Texas and her name is Ann. She is the most positive, upbeat, encouraging person I know and I love her to death already! Everyone should be so lucky to have someone like her to be a support system and an uplifting spirit for them. Thank you God for her and all of my friends on this wonderful web site! They are all a tremendous blessing! 7/3/05 I finally made it home from the hospital this afternoon and let's just say, I was a bit surprised. First, my surgery date happened so fast that I think all the time that I had waiting for it, I took that time for granted and procrastinated getting everything ready. I can only tell you what happened to me through what others have told me because, for the most part, I can't remember anything but bits and pieces of my time there. I have differing views of my four hours in the recovery room. Some said I was waiting for a room and my parents said I was on a respirator and couldn't leave recovery until they got my breathing under control. No one knows what happened to my left shoulder, but they ended up deciding that it was a shoulder sprain. No one knows how it happened. I think it was probably when they were moving me because on my other arm (just above my elbow) I have a huge bruise the size of lemon. I have another bruise the size of a large olive on the left inner arm. As for the rest of the bruises on my arms, I can't even count because there was only 1 time that they hit a vein the first time. I will be back to tell more - just pooped out right now and need to rest. 8/7/05 I know, I know. Where have I been? Under the influence is where! Pain killers and muscle relaxers and I am STILL not back to work yet! I am still not able to think clearly because of all of the meds that I am on. These are my morning ones: 1-Flintstones Complete, 2-Tums EX, 1-Prozac, 1-Pepcid, 1-Atenolol (Blood Pressure), 1-Flexeril (muscle relaxer), 1-Celebrex (anti-inflammatory), 1-B12 (2500 mg). And that's just in the mornings. In the afternoon I have to take 2-Tums EX and 1-Flexeril. At night I take: 1-Flintstones Complete, 2-Tums EX, 1-Darvocet, 1-Flexeril, 1-Mirapex (Restless leg syndrome), 1-Neurontin (Restless Leg Syndrome). I was on Ativan too before I got the Flexeril last week. Whenever, if ever, I get to go back to work, I will have to take Provigil again twice a day - to help me stay awake during the day. Plus, I am on a CPAP machine at 14 pressure whenever I sleep. I am 5 weeks and 5 days post op and I have lost 46.5 lbs. I didn't start measuring myself until the day I got home from the hospital, so I don't really know to what extent I have lost in inches, but from 7/3/05 I have lost: Neck: 1 1/2 inches Right Bicep: 1 1/2 inches Right Forearm: 1 3/4 inches Right Wrist: 1 1/2 inches Left Bicep: 2 1/2 inches Left Forearm: 1 1/2 inches Left Wrist: 1 1/4 inches Chest: 5 inches Under Chest: 5 1/2 inches Waist: 7 inches Hips: 8 inches Right Upper Thigh: 3 1/4 inches Left Upper Thigh: 3 1/2 inches Right Knee: 2 3/4 inches Left Knee: 2 1/2 inches Right Calf: 1 3/4 inches Left Calf: 1 1/2 inches Right Ankle: 1 inch Left Ankle: 1 inch Overall Total Loss: 54 1/4 inches!!!!!!! in 5 weeks exactly - I measure every Sunday morning. Now, for the bad news....I am still not back to work because of the injury to my neck/shoulder while I was having this surgery. All I know is that I was fine when I got on the operating table and when I woke up out of anesthetic, I was in SEVERE PAIN! Not from my incision in the abdomen, but in my left shoulder. It took me almost 45 minutes to get from my bed to the door of my hospital room for my first walk because the pain was so intense I couldn't get off the bed. Dr. Oliphant ordered x-rays of my left shoulder the next morning after my surgery and didn't see any break so he assumed it was a sprain from moving me from the OR table to the bed. He prescribed Ativan for that pain and since it has an amnesiac in it, I don't remember a lot from the next few days - just bits and pieces. My parents went home on the 2nd day after my surgery. My mom was upset at the Nurse Tech because she brought me the water, soap and cloth for a sponge bath and just left it there for me to do. I wasn't even aware that it was there. My mom said that she had to bathe me and put my hair up because it would pull every time I tried to move on the bed. With my shoulder in so much pain, I couldn't do it myself. I was supposed to be able to go home on Friday since the surgery was on Tuesday, but I didnt get to because my oxygen level was too low. Then, on Saturday I was going to go home, but the Respiratory Tech came in and turned off the CPAP machine, thinkiing I was going home. I then fell asleep for a nap and the next thing I knew, I was having severe chest pains. They came in and did chest x-rays, an EKG, and blood work. Michael McGrath was a resident that was with Dr. Oliphant the whole time I was in the hospital and he said that if Dr. Oliphant knew that they had taken me off the CPAP, someone would be fired. I can't remember if it was Friday or Saturday, but since my IV had already been pulled, they had to try to get one back in. I can't tell you how many puncture wounds I had already, but this time, they decided to go ahead and call a couple of guys from the Lifeflight Helicopter to try to get one in. There was a guy on each arm, trying to get a vein and what do I do??? I love the smell of men's cologne, but their's was so strong that it made me start coughing - not a good thing when they are trying to stick me! Anyway, the cute guy on my left arm was the winner and got the IV in the middle of my forearm on the first try. Sorry to say, it blew out my vein in less than 24 hours, but it was in for a while. On Sunday, July 3rd, I finally got to go home that afternoon. I even got to take a shower before I came home and that felt SOOOO good! I was totally rundown after that though. My favorite nurses were Lori (short, spikey blonde hair in her mid 30s and Grace (originally from Nigeria). The last Nurse tech I had was Dawn. She had to be in her late 40s or early 50s. She didn't seem to like her job very well. She forgot to pick up my prescriptions as she was pushing me to the front of the hospital to be picked up and we didn't realize that until we were already 15 minutes gone. We had to turn around and come back to the hospital to get them. One of the things they had me on was Lovenox shots. I had to give them to myself once a day in the stomach. Just a little sting for a couple of minutes and then it was over. I was on full liquids for the first week. Then I went to pureed for 4 weeks. 1 week out: -17.5 lbs 2 weeks out: -29.0 lbs 3 weeks out: -29.5 lbs (What's up with that?!) 4 weeks out: -37.5 lbs 5 weeks out: -43.0 lbs This is all without exercising, unless you count the numerous visits to the doctors that I have taken. 7/6/05 - I got my jp drain taken out or my side - that was really weird feeling! Dr. Oliphant told Ann that if my shoulder didn't get better, we would have to schedule me for an MRI. 7/12/05 - I got permission from Ann to travel to go to my parents' house in Springfield, MO because I thought that I wouldn't be seeing them for a while after I went back to work. On Friday, 7/15, I started having the same horrible pain in my left shoulder from about 9:30pm throughout the night. I slept with a heating pad on it.I had the pain all day on Saturday, shooting up the left side of my neck and having muscle spasms in my left lower back. I managed to get out of the house long enough to meet up with Julie Greer at the mall. I had met her on this website in the Singles Forum and we found out that we shared a good friend in common - JJ Bowman! I couldn't believe it! I used to babysit Lexie, her youngest and Sydney would come with JJ (Jennifer) to pick the baby up when she was off from work in the Cardiac Cath Lab at St. John's Hospital. Sydney called my son, Collin - "Big Brother". Well, it seems that Julie works in the Cardiac Cath Lab now too and is good friends with JJ. I did introduce Julie to the "wonders" of Diet Lemonade from Chick-Fil-A. You can't tell it's diet! She agreed too. I also had 3 small nuggets - I took an hour and a half to eat them! That's what you call REALLY chewing! Anyway, the next day, Sunday, 7/17, we were going to leave to go back to Bloomington/Normal but the pain was so intense, I didn't think I could even ride in the car. It hurt with every breath I took. I had an appointment to see Dr. Oliphant at 3:40pm on the 18th, but I didn't make it. I couldn't hardly stand to ride in the car all the way home. I couldn't cry because when I did, it hurt worse to breathe, but I was hurting so bad that I was having trouble breathing. When we got to Bloomington, Kent took me to the Bromenn Hospital Emergency Room. "Dr." Thomas Lang saw me and acted like he was in a HUGE hurry. He said I was having muscle spasms and there wasn't anything I could do. I told him that the Ativan helped in the hospital so he gave me a sling to wear for my arm and 12 Ativan. He didn't do any tests or anything. He felt of my shoulder and moved it a little until I started crying. I hope I never have to go back there! I got in to see Pat Furnace, the Nurse Practitioner for Dr. Belgrave on Wednesday, July 20th, and she said that I would just have to stay on the Ativan. In the meantime, I had spoken with Ann at Dr. Oliphant's office several times and they scheduled me for an MRI on 7/21/05. They had me take a Valium before the MRI so I wouldn't get claustrophobic. Thank goodness the Valium worked. I also had to have a Cat Scan since I was having trouble breathing. The Cat Scan machine broke and I had to be wheeled to the ER so they could take it on that CT machine. We were at the hospital for 7 hours that day. Iwas told I would get my results that day, but after waiting, Dr. Oliphant told Ann to tell me that Dr. Seidl would give me the results the next day. Dr. Oliphant had called and made me an appt with Dr Seidl about my shoulder that morning. So, I go to Dr. Seidl's office, which, luckily, was in Bloomington/Normal. Dr. Seidl is my Orthopedic doctor that did my Carpal Tunnel surgery.He didn't know for sure what was wrong with me, but decided to give me a steroid shot in the muscle of my shoulder (7/22/05). For the next two days it had a numbing effect to my shoulder but it made it feel like it weighed 200lbs! The diagnosis he gave was Rotator Cuff Tendonitis. He said he was just guessing since the shot seemed to help my shoulder. WELL, that didn't last long! Two days later and I am STILL in pain! Most of the pain has always been in my trapezious muscle and up the left side of my neck. I have had constant headaches since I had the gastric bypass surgery but I just thought I must be getting dehydrated. Even the back of my neck hurts and my eyes - oh my gosh! I can't even roll my eyes or turn my head quickly or even nod my head or shake it in answer to someone's question. The pain is so bad and I am SOOO dizzy! I went back to Urbana to Dr. Oliphant's office for my one month Post Op appt on 7/27/05. My bp was 128/86 and I had lost 38 pounds. I was told to increase my fluids and fiber and to see Dr. Belgrave for my headaches and eye problems-blurry vision sometimes. Today, 7/28/05, is my one month anniversary from Gastric Bypass. I have lost 40lbs. exactly as of today. I went to see Dr. Belgrave this morning. There couldn't be a better Dr. than him! He takes all the time you need and explains everything in detail to you. He thinks I have Cervical Radiculopathy - in my neck and radiates down into my shoulder. He said that they probably had my head in a bad angle in the OR and that's why I have been in pain ever since. He recommended I start with Flexeril (muscle relaxer) every 8 hours or 3 times a day. Then he ordered Physical Therapy on my neck for the following week. I thought, since I am going to be out of work, I will just go back to Springfield. So, I left Friday afternoon, 7/29/05 and got there about 10:10pm. Julie Greer came and got me at my parents' house and we went to see "The Perfect Man" (Heather Locklear and Hillary Duff) at The Palace. Tickets are only $2.50 each there. The next day, I went and got my hair cut - over 4 inches taken off. I had to hold onto my neck while it was being dried. That night I took Collin and met Julie again at the Palace Theater. We saw "The Pacifier" with Vinn Diesel. It was great and we all liked it. We went back to my parents' and then went swimming down at the pool in my parents' apartment complex. He had a BLAST! Then we both got in the hot tub there too. That felt REALLY good! I wish I could have stayed there all night - physical therapy on my neck and shoulder! The next day I went to church with Mom and Dad and Collin begged to get to go to Youth Camp. I thought he was too young, but everyone said he wasn't. Thinking back when I was his age, I knew he wasn't too young too but - he's momma's baby! Monday, 8/1/05, I came back to Bloomington/Normal. I found out that even though my lease is up at the end of this month, I am going to have to move anyway since I haven't had any income to pay the rent the last 2 months anyway. I went to Physical Therapy on Tuesday morning and I was crying in the middle of it - it hurt so bad! Don was trying to be careful too, but it hurt to even lay down on the table. I called and got in to see Dr. Belgrave on Thursday, 8/4, and he doesn't want me to go back to PT until after he sees me again on Monday morning, 8/8/05. I have to see Dr. Seidl that afternoon for my Post Op Carpal Tunnel and for my shoulder. I asked Dr. Belgrave when I would be able to go back to work and he said it could be one week or 3 weeks, depending on my neck. I am SOOO broke and now it looks like I will HAVE to move to Missouri since I won't have a place to live here after the end of the month. I will write more after my doctor's visits tomorrow. Future Update http://www.musicvideocodes.com/?song=293 9-16-05 I really MEANT to update sooner! I just got so busy moving and my parent's internet was messed up. Well, I should be ashamed! I haven't been monitoring my protein and water like I should this past month and you can sure tell it in the weight loss difference!! I am 11 weeks and 3 days out and have only lost 67.5 pounds. Which, I have to say, is better than I ever did on a diet in that amount of time BUT I sure would like to see the scale move more. I have lost 10 inches on my waist and 9 on my hips so far. My clothes are literally falling off of me after only being able to wear them a week or two. I am still living in one tiny bedroom in my parent's house which is not optimal arrangements to say the least! I am not sure what I am going to do for work yet. I was hired at one place, as a Member Services Rep, but I just didn't have a good feeling about it. Too stiff there. I have had several opportunities come up and maybe I am just being too picky, but at this stage in my life, I feel like I deserve to be picky a little. I have just started working as an Independent Contractor for a CEO as an Executive Assistant and if it works out, I should be earning a pretty penny finally. WOOHOO! Now, I just have to decide where I want to live: in Springfield or in a Suburb. I found a really cute 3BR 2 1/2 BA townhouse that is in Ozark that I am considering. It is only 15 miles from my parents house. I will look at a house tomorrow at 1pm that is here in Springfield. I don't know whether to go ahead and get a house or go for an apartment for another year and buy a house next year. Well, time to go and fix my supper. I am having some fajita chicken in a tortilla with some cheese on top. Yummy! Future Update 10/25/05 - I almost missed October altogether. I have been so busy trying to find another job and moving. My CEO ran out of money somehow while I was in Chicago with my OH friends, and I didn't get any more pay from him so I have his work and books until I get paid. I tried to call him but just got his voice mail. So, now I am looking again. I have just moved into a 3BR 2BA 2 car garage duplex that's brand new. I love it and the neighbors are really nice. Oh, in case you are wondering, I have lost 83 pounds so far. In 3 more days I will be 4 months out from my surgery. I sure would like to hit the 100 lb. mark by Thanksgiving. That's my goal anyway. My goal used for that used to be by Christmas, but that will be too easy to attain and I want to push myself. I have lost over 93 inches overall. I just laugh when I try on clothes that I think I don't have a shot at getting my big toe in and then they fit - easily. Of course, the fact that I am missing a big portion of my behind now and almost 7 inches off of my thighs is probably the biggest reason. YEAH! I have gone down 3-4 clothing sizes already. Well, back to unpacking boxes. Until next time.... Future Update 11/9/05 - Good morning friends! This is just a quick update to let you know that I am still working it! I have lost 89 pounds now and am still shooting for the 100lb. loss by Thanksgiving. As far as the inches go - 99.5 inches gone! Neck - 3.5 R. Bicep - 4 R. Forearm - 2.75 R. Wrist - 2 L. Bicep - 4.75 L. Forearm - 3 L. Wrist - 1.75 Boobs - 11.25 Under Boobs - 9.75 Waist - 13.75 Hips - 11.5 R. Thigh - 7 R. Knee - 3.75 R. Calf - 2.75 R. Ankle - 2 L. Thigh - 7.5 L. Knee - 4.25 L. Calf - 2.75 L. Ankle - 1.5 Total - 99.5 YEEAAAA!!!! Future Update12/16/05 - WOW - where does the time go?! I didn't realize it had been so long since I update this profile. I just barely missed my Thanksgiving goal of a "100 lb." loss, but I did get there. I am actually down 104 pounds and the pants that I bought a month ago that were tight and had to be zipped by laying on my back on the bed - they are practically falling off of me! Anyone have any cute brown suspenders? I am down 111 inches overall. I started a new job two days before Thanksgiving. Even though I am technically a "temp" - I am working at Blue Cross Blue Shield of MO on the suspended claims team as an analyst. I really like the people that I work with and my trainer, William, is totally awesome! The sad thing is, today on break - he got a phone call on his cell phone...he has been in the Navy for 20 years this past September and he is being mobilized to go to Iraq. It just makes me so sad! He and his wife had a baby boy in August, 2005 - but the baby wasn't due until late November. He is just now 7lbs. 11oz. William's wife has been on FMLA since giving birth, but she has to go back to work the 2nd week of January. That's when William planned to take 12 weeks of FMLA to take care of Jessie, the baby. Now, William won't even be here then. He thinks he will be gone for at least a year. I am just really sad about that - he is such a nice, good guy. Pray for him and his family please. They also have a 4 year old daughter. I was supposed to go back to Dr. Oliphant for my 6 mth check up and to see the Nutritionist and for labs on December 28th, but I can't leave work then. I am trying to reschedule for February 1st. That date has already been approved by my supervisor. Well - only 9 days until Christmas and this year will be pretty difficult. I am so behind now on bills from being out of work for 2 months, that things are WAY beyond "tight"! Thank goodness my older kids understand, but my little boy won't. I have always gone OVERBOARD on Christmas before, so it will be quite different this time. I did buy all of my Christmas cards already and just got the stamps two days ago - now for the TIME to prepare them and mail them! If I am a slacker and again, forget to post for awhile - Everyone have a VERY MERRY Christmas! 2/26/06 Okay, so officially, it's really 2/2706 because it's 12:42am, but I felt so guilty for not updating this...it's because I have been so bad. Not enough protein and too many carbs and salt. Worst of all....no exercise! I pulled the muscles in my neck and back in the beginning of January and that put me out of commission for a while and then I broke my thumb on 2/23/06...don't even ask how! UGH! When I wake up it will be Monday and I plan on getting back to being a good girl...pray for me!!!! Also pray for my honey...he is off on an "exercise" and even though it's not supposed to be dangerous...it is in Europe and you never know. Future Update 3/4/06 I can't believe it! The first Saturday in a month that I am not working at 7am and I wake up at 7:15am! Gosh darn, I thought sure I could at least sleep until 9am...especially since I didn't get to bed until midnight and my sweetie called me at 1am and woke me up....which I loved! He was on a train and we talked until they went into a tunnel and it went dead....but he called me back like a good boy and "made my night!" I don't think June will EVER get here!!! That's when he will be back in the States for a little while. WOOHOO!! Okay, this sounds a little weird, but how's a girl supposed to know what size she wears??!!! I have to try on all of my clothes every other day to see if they still fit. Most don't! They are usually bagging or sagging somewhere with excess material...nice problem to have I'm sure, but not very attractive. I know I am only 8 months out, but I can't WAIT to get that plastic surgery!!! Future Update C | Courageous | I | Intense | N | Normal | D | Dysfunctional | Y | Young | |
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In case you didn't know...I'm still alive and kicking! WOOHOO!!! Something else you may not have known - the WLS Singles Forum ROCKS! They are such an awesome group of people!! Some days I don't think I could have done this without them, and I bet they don't even realize that.
I am not doing as great as I thought I would about eating the right things, but as soon as I get back to work, I hope to be able to afford the right things to eat. Also, I need to find a friend that would like to exercise with me. Maybe if I got a bicycle, I could just go bike riding with my 11 year old son - I bet he would love that!
You will notice that I am not saying anything about the man in my life right now...that's because someone finally got through to me today and made me realize what he has been saying to me for the past 5 months...he's not ready yet...he's still confused, hurt, and broken. How can I expect him to give me his heart when it is not even whole right now? He's gone through SOOO much and I just want to love him and help him through it, but he has to do this on his own because he will only think that I have a "motive" since he still has problems trusting women. It's so hard for me to step back away from him, but I am only doing it for his own good. I just hope that he doesn't take it as a rejection of him, but this is gonna be the hardest thing that I have ever done!
So much for not talking about him...now, about my other news that I haven't mentioned heretofore...my daughter got married in May (too young, but she doesn't listen). Three weeks later, she got pregnant! What was she thinking?!?! Did she not even CONSIDER me when she was making a baby...thinking, "I can't do this! My mom is WAY too young to be a grandma!" Of course not!!! I was hoping that I would have a "grandpa" before the baby was born - Due March 8th, 2007, but it doesn't look like it at all now. Maybe by the time it starts talking...
10/22/08 - I can't believe I am even writing in here because I am not a good testament to this surgery right now. I lost 172 pounds at one point (last summer) and was in a size 6. Then, I got a hernia...I actually have 4 hernias now, and because they denied my tummy tuck, I put off the surgery. Now I don't have insurance so I can't have the surgery anyway and the abdominal hernia just keeps getting bigger. I've also gained some weight and with that, depression. I wear a 10-12 now and I can't even talk about the depression right now. I know that I need support and friends and to get my tush walking and to start eating right again. I hope to have good news to put in here soon....even if it's just that I am still alive...which was questionable 3 days ago.
Member Interests: Click here to see interests of other ObesityHelp members. Surgeon Info: Surgeon: Uretz J. Oliphant, M.D. Insurer Info: Health Alliance, Cynthia D. Abner First, my co-workers think I'm crazy! They are also concerned about how much time off from work I will have to take and if I will still have a job! |
