Mary C.

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Karen B. 21 years, 7 months ago

Thank you for sharing how hard it is for nurses working right now with the current nursing shortage. You gave some great advice. PEACE

Mary C. 21 years, 8 months ago

Hi Everyone! I haven't posted in about 2 months, so I wanted to say Hello and give you all an update. I have lost another 20 lbs in the last two months, for a total of 90 lbs in just over 5 months. I am very pleased with this result. 10 more pounds to the century club... I can't believe it, what a miracle. My family and I went to Massachusetts (where we are from) for a visit with family and friends. No one there had seen me since before the surgery. They were very pleasantly surprised. They thought I looked great. That was wonderful. I decided, since we ate out every night while we were away, that I would eat what I wanted, and if I gained a pound or two on vacation, so what?? Well, it backfired. I ate small amounts of what I wanted, but the richness of the food gave me diarrhea and I ended up LOSING 7 lbs on vacation! I am happy to be home and back to salad, cottage cheese, lowfat milk, and plain meats.... my bowels may never be the same again! I am seeing my surgeon next week, and will tell him I will not be a bad girl again! On a sad note, I have had a cardiac workup since I took the diet drugs Phen-Fen back in 1996, the drugs that turned out to cause heart damage. All the valves in my heart leak, and I have a mild to moderate Pulmonary Hypertension. The pressures in the artery that takes blood from my heart to my lungs is well above normal. The doctor said it was as if I had smoked two packs a day for 15 years. I've never smoked... good thing, I guess. I'll be part of the class action lawsuit, for sure. If any of you took these drugs, PLEASE go to your doctor for a full work-up, including an Echocardiogram. This is a sonogram of your heart and provides a lot of information. The doctor said it is good I have lost so much weight, it is just a strain on my heart. Well, love you all, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Please continue to do well along your journeys. God bless.... Love, Mary :o)

Mary C. 21 years, 10 months ago

Hi Everyone! I haven't posted about myself in a while, but I had a post-op visit with my doctor yesterday and I wanted to let you know how things are going. I am 15 weeks post-op today and have lost 70 lbs. The nurse measured me and I have lost 1 inch from my arms, 6 inches from my waist, and 8 inches from my hips. I said "Is that all?" and the nurse laughed at me. She said that was great. I am not "dropping sizes" like so many people I read about here. My clothes are definitely looser but smaller ones are too tight. I did have an incident in the office supply store the other day, when I was reaching up to a top shelf for the ink cartridge I wanted for my computer.... my pants fell down! To my knees! My kids were SO embarrassed! My 12 year old says he will NEVER shop with me again... or even be seen in public with me again. I told him that was better than bending over and blasting the seat out of my pants.... He is not sure he agrees, thinking both are totally humiliating! I feel good most days, and some days I eat well and other days I don't... and I am OK with that. I wish it would all drop at once, and some days I think my weight loss and inch loss is too slow. But then I ask myself, "When did you ever lose 70 lbs in 15 weeks before?" The answer is NEVER. So this is a good thing, and I am going to be happy with my success. Now, once I lose another 100... well, that will be cause for real celebration! I ate lunch at Red Lobster yesterday. I split one entree with my son, (He ate his half, the salad, the baked potato, and a whole basket of cheese/garlic biscuits... he is 5'7" and 102 lbs. If he wasn't my son I'd hate him! LOL!) and I had some broiled lobster, steamed crab legs, and shrimp scampi. It was wonderful, and didn't bother me a bit! I am so glad I had this done! Life is better every day, and I hope and pray it continues to be for each one of you! Have a great day, and God bless you all!!

Mary C. 21 years, 12 months ago

Hello Everyone! I haven't posted about myself in a while. I am now nine weeks and three days post op open RNY and I am finally feeling really good. I have lost 58 lbs. My clothes are looser (boy were they tight before!) and I have more energy. I still have trouble on the stairs because of my knees and ankles, but I am praying to keep losing so that will get better too. Eating... what can I say. I miss "grazing" all day. I do eat some Light Microwave Popcorn when I just have to snack. I am working on the water and fluids. Often my stomach cramps when I try to get in the amounts I am supposed to be having. I cannot do the protein shake thing. Not so much the taste, although that is bad enough, but the lead-like feeling in my stomach when it lands there that lasts for hours. I don't seem to dump. I haven't really tested that theory, except I can eat fruit and yogurt and... drink Slim Fast! I get extra protein, it is filling (it never was before) and it doesn't bother my stomach. I cannot eat bread of any kind. I have been at 58 lbs for several days now... I hate these plateaus! But I am so grateful for this surgery. I am thrilled to be under 300 lbs for the first time in many years, and while I miss eating, this is by far a greater reward. I have two lovely angels on this site who I am supporting, Julie Gregg (surgery today, people, as we speak!!) and Cathy Bennett-Murdick, who has 19 days to go. They are wonderful people who e-mailed me and called me and supported me through my surgery. I only hope I can live up to their example and do great by them! My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced complications of this surgery. For me, it was complications from surgery or complications from obesity? Either one could harm me. This was the only way to go for me. Dr. Roll, you are my HERO! Good luck, good losing, and God bless you all!!!

Mary C. 22 years ago

Hello, it's me! I have been really busy keeping track of my two Angelettes, Julie Gregg (surgery 4/29/02) and Cathy Murdick (surgery 5/17/2002) and I appreciate all the lovely postings you wonderful people have sent them both. Please keep us "Three Musketeers" in your prayers! I thought I should update on Me! I am now 7 weeks post op and down 46 lbs. I don't feel very different. The people I work with say they see a big difference. I am wearing the same clothes, perhaps they are looser... My husband says I look thinner, and my son says "When I hug you now, I can reach all the way around you!" Stairs are still tough, but I do seem to have more energy for housework and the kids. Eating is getting easier, some days I can't swallow anything and other days...everything! My new favorite food is low fat cottage cheese with pineapple chunks (fro the can, packed in juice not syrup) and I eat that at least once a day. I have also found that chicken cooked in aluminum foil packets stays so moist that it never gets stuck, unlike chicken cooked any other way. I feel bad sometimes, because I would like to eat more, I would like to enjoy what I eat. Eating is now a chore. My head wants to eat the way I used to. My body says "No way!" Sugar free popsicles are a lifesaver. A few people have posted about how thirsty they are all the time... have a popsicle 2 or 3 times a day in addition to the other stuff you are drinking. It really quenches your thirst. I am glad I had the surgery. I want to lose all this weight that weighs down my body and my soul. I am grateful to my surgeon and his staff, and to my family and friends (I have the BEST husband in the world! Not every man can wipe your butt one day and want some lovin' the next!!!) and to all of you here at AMOS, whose unconditional love and support gets me through my days. God bless all of you, especially Wanda and Jack Smart, who are always in my thoughts and prayers, all of you having doubts or complications, my two special Angelettes, and all of you successful losers! Love you!!! MMC

Ellen H. 22 years, 1 month ago

Hi Mary,just saw your post about your plateau. Click on my name on your surgery page and read about my plateau. Perhaps it will help you. Take Care.

Mary C. 22 years, 1 month ago

Hello Everyone! I want to thank everyone for their love and concern and prayers, especially my angel Julie (God bless you!) and Alicia V, my cohort in crime. I am feeling almost human. I am eating more, which scares me. I dumped 22 lbs the first week and it has only been 9 lbs in the two weeks since. I seem stuck at 31 lbs for a few days now. These early plateaus scare me! I know I need to eat more protein and drink more water, and I am trying. The shakes and liquids and protein stuff is a nightmare! It makes me sick, it makes my stomach hurt.... It is very tough. I am doing better with pills though. I am scared of getting a stricture, I hear that is more likely around a month out. I haven't stuck totally to my pureed diet. It has some exceptions, like saltines and hard cheese and the like.... and I am definitely eating too fast. The problem is, it is going down faster without a problem.... I really need to behave myself! The only thing I can't seem to tolerate is fish, which bugs me because all the protein and fatty acids in it are good for me, and because I LIKE IT! But the only times I have thrown up have involved fish. I mash it, I chop it, I chew the heck out of it.... oh well. I do feel better though. I keep thinking even though I have been through all this it still won't work for me... I'll end up plateauing at 300 lbs and be totally miserable! Obviously I still have food issues... I want to eat and I do crave some things. My doctor has a great attitude. He says "You are not on a diet, you are on a menu. Eat what your family eats, just in your small amounts." I just don't know. I feel like I will weigh 300 lbs forever. Keep happy everyone, and keep up the good wishes and the prayers. Love you for all of your support!!!! Mary

Alicia V. 22 years, 1 month ago

Hey Mary, Everyone here at work is thinking of you. Andrea, Cindy and Carol send you a shout out and hope all is well! Talk to ya soon!

Lisa B. 22 years, 2 months ago

Mary - you made my afternoon! I'm having a "pukey" day today. They seem to come and go. My surgery was Jan. 16. I'm back at work and feeling better but some of those folks that post how they feel fabulous and have had no problems eating anything make me jealous. You know, my surgeon wasn't brave enough to pat me on the head. I'll have to ask him about that! Best of luck and hope you're feeling better soon!

MnShadows 22 years, 2 months ago

Hi Mary, you gave me some of my best laughs of the day. You sound just like me about the easy way out, patting on the head and the pill going down. I know that you feel rough right now, but I just know with your attitude and sense of humor you will make it trhough the rough time in not time at all. Take it easy and give it time. Wishing you all my best for a very speedy recovery. Hugs and smiles,