ObesityHelp

I am 30yrs old and have three beautiful children, Two Boys ages 5 and 7 and a daughter also 5. I have a wonderful husband, who has been so supportive of this. We have been married just over 10 years but been together for about 14 years. I don't really remember a time when I was ever thin. I have never been under a size 14. From the time we started dating I started gaining.
I don't know who to tell! I have told my Mother and two sisters but I haven't told my Dad or the rest of my family and friends.
My Mom is having a very hard time with this, she'll get over it in time.
My youngest sister is so supportive, which surprises me now and then because she is like 125 and 5ft7 long blonde hair etc...
But she is great about it...very encouraging.
My oldest sister is very happy for me, she jokes about getting the surgery, but she doesn't need it.
I think I am afraid that the friends I do have would never understand me doing something so drastic.
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Well I decided it was easier to tell my friends and Dad the truth. Family that I don't see all the time will just have to wait till the surgery is over.
Every time I call a friend and tell them I have something to tell them, the first thing they say is You're pregnant...LOL
It was silly to be afraid, most everyone who now knows has been very supportive and concerned.

*The night before*
The night before surgery we ate rather early and then you have to take this cocktail called magnesium citrate...what a kick in the pants that is LOL literally. I arrived at the hospital at 6am and was still having to go and go and go.
Before each of the kids went to bed I sat and talked with them one by one and told them how much Mommy loved them and that while I was in the hospital I would miss them, they also needed to be very good for Daddy and help around the house (uh yeah right). The hardest part was when my daughter started crying and asked me not to go to the hospital. But I told her I was going to see her in a couple of days.

*Day of surgery*

We got up early cause we had to get the kids ready for school, and I sat and cried a little after they left because, I'm sure with most people, you go thru the "what if I die" feelings, which I did.
I was already preregistered so all we had to do was sign in go to the second floor and get admitted into my room. I got the standard gear, a cap, a gown and some booties. Then a rush of busy nurses, phlebotomists, iv tech and the ABG man all started floating in and out each with their own agenda. The rooms weren't private so my neighbor in bed 1 had the same flurry of activity. First came the nurses to do the medical charts and consent forms...next came the iv tech who put my iv in with no problem, except she put it in my forearm, I didn't like it there and had another nurse come in about an hour later and switch it to the back of my left hand. Here is a great hint for anyone ever needing an iv don't let them put in the arm you write with, you always you that arm the most so it will get very sore, which mine did.
Not long after that the phlebotomist came in, they needed another pregnancy test, and I told them I could safely let them no I was NOT because I got my friend as I arrived to the hospital....Just to be sure they said. They also did a PTT test which is a prothrombin time test, and that is to basically tell you how long it takes for your blot to clot. They held off the blood thinner(levonox) until the results were back. When the test came back they told me they had to wait a while longer and do another one because my blood isn't clotting fast enough. In the end, after three tests my bloodwork finally came out close to normal and they gave me blood thinners.
The dreaded moment when they needed to take the arterial blood gas came, well after hearing my neighbor cry, I was terrified, but I had a great guy and he didn't hit a nerve at all, and it was painless! Thank God!!!
They did have a very sweet nun that comes in and asks you if you want to pray...so she stays and talks a few minutes and blesses you. It was very nice.

Once my neighbor left for her surgery it was very lonely, my husband left to get me something from home. I just chilled out a while and made a few phone calls, to my sister and one of my friends. Sometime after that the pshyc came in and asked if I wanted to do some relaxation exercises for the mind and body...what the hell I have some time on my hands..so she started talking in a soft tone and told me to get comfortable and think of a nice place I like to be in...so I did (you didn't actually think I was gonna tell you the place ...did you? LOL)
So she started to tell me to relax my feet..yadda yadda yadda all the way to my lips...weird yes, I felt so bad cause it worked so well I was so close to falling asleep. After she left I slept for maybe 15 min and they came in to get me and just as we were leaving my husband arrived and went with me to the holding area, we stayed there for about an hour and then a bunch of people all came in to talk to me, the nurse who would stay with me till surgery, then the surgical nurse who wanted to come and look over my paperwork to make sure everything was all there.
My surgeon came in and he was so adorable, at first my husband didn't recognize him, I did. He told us that he was going to get washed up and asked if I had any more questions. I said no, and He told George that after the surgery he would come in and talk to him in the waiting room.
After I talked to the anesthesiologist and begged him to talk to me until I woke up, they gave me a drug similar to valium...the nurse said I will be aware of what is happening but I won't care, that was true. I kissed my husband and told him how much I loved him and tell the kids that I love them as well.
Then they wheeled me into the operating room and i got on the table and then the anesthesiologist put the mask over my nose and and mouth and said Diana take a nice deep breath, and I did, he told me to do it again and count backwards from 10, I took a deep breath and was out before I could start counting. It is some amazing stuff they give you. The next thing I remember was the anesthesiologist saying "Diana" softly over and over until I realized that if I talked back he would stop calling me. LOL
After that it was pretty much a blur...I do remember the recovery nurse asking me on a scale of 1-10 what did the pain feel like...I said an 8, and she showed me how to push the pca pump. The next time I awoke they were wheeling me thru these big doors and when the doors opened My husband was standing there, he told me he had been waiting a while, I was so glad to see him and I think I told him I was happy to be alive but it felt like a truck was sitting on my chest.

I got a room and was so doped up that I don't remember too much about the first night except that I told my husband to go ahead and go home, and I remember being nervous about not walking...they drill into you the importance of walking.
I stayed for 5 days and was so happy to go home.
The first few nights were terrible, I was sore and I cried ALOT!!! if you had asked me in the first week home if I would do it over again I would have said no freaking way I would rather be a fat chick. I drove seven days post op, I only drove 3 blocks, but it wasn't bad. I didn't use alot of pain med but I did use the sleeping pills, because it was hard to sleep on my back for so long.
If you ask me now about doing it all over again...I would say yes. I do think it is a great tool for people as heavy or heavier than I was.

Dec 29,2001

I am 11 days post-op and I have had my tube removed and lost 25lbs to boot woo hoo. I sure didn't know the pain was going to be as bad as it was. I had a c-section and man that seemed like a breeze compared to this. Of course I had the wealth of doting over twins with my c-section, the only thing I dote over know is my few tablespoons of yummy protein LOL. I still hurt but try to only take pain meds when necessary. I did find that the narcotics gave me a sense that I could do more than I should...and I felt it once the meds wore off.


Jan 30,2002

I am five weeks post op and have lost (depending on the scale) between 45-48 pounds. I occasionally throw up a meal...then again there are some days I forget and totally skip a meal( which is BAD...very BAD) don't do it. Your new stomach doesn't say Hey it's time to eat...it just isn't hungry. I am getting more water down than in the beginning. I am about up to 50+ oz. which is good cause there were some days I would maybe get in 20 if that.

Feb 21,2002

I am now 8weeks post and have lost 59lbs.
I don't walk as much as I should but today I have vowed to walk more and drink more. I woke up today and walked for 30+ mins. and tonight I will walk again.
The throwing up thing is a bit irritating. Most of the time I don't know what is going to cause it. Other than that it seems I have made the best choice for myself.

June 2002,

Due to my husband finding a new job, we needed to move. We have ended up in a little place in Tennessee. We live in Murfreesboro which is huge but we live very close to a plce called Smyrna.
The move has been rough and very trying at times but this place will have to do for a while :)

July 1,2002

I am now just over 6 months post-op, I have lost 103 lbs
I have almost lost a person, I have gained so much other than weight!!! I can play outside with my kids and run around with them and do things in the yard instead of just watching. I can tell you the wildest things are, wearing a seat belt and having so much extra room, going to a store and buying a medium/large shirt, getting in a picture for a change and not minding looking at how I look.
I still have a while to go but over all I feel good...still have rough days but the good ones out weigh all the bad ones.

August 30,2002

I am down 115lbs....I have lost a skinny person LOL
The rough days are by far very few.
Some of the coolest things have happened since I got here to TN.
I won tickets to a live taping of Toby Keith's Live, Uncut and Unleashed. Thanks Becca from WKDF103FM. We got to sit right behind him. WOW what a view.
Then I won an opportunity to meet him the following morning, along with the morning crew, and man the first thing I thought when I saw him was wow he is a massive man...and the next thought was wow am I glad to have lost that 100+ lbs before I met him!


November 8,2002

I am 10 1/2 months post op...I am down 128lbs...WOW that is a huge amount!!!! Days are so much better. I rarely throw up now, and when I do it is usually because I deserve it LOL.

November 24,2002

I am 11 months post op and found out a couple of weeks ago that I am pregnant.
As of now I am 30 away from MY goal weight not my doctors weight...They would like me at 130...that is too skinny for me LOL :)
Right now I am working on halting the weight loss due to the pregnancy. I normally eat 3 or 4 2-3oz meals a day...now the nutritionist would like me to add a snack in between every meal...talk about eating when your already still full. I am not complaining However, it is easier said than done.
I also have changed my vitamin intake. I now take One multi...one prenatal...3 calcium and 1 folic acid.
Well I will update more as time goes by.

January 28,2003

Well a little bit of time has gone by LOL.
I am now just over 13 1/2 months post op Even with being pregnant I am down 146lbs. I am still continuing to loose weight at about the same rate as prior to pregnancy. My doctor is not thrilled to say the least. She told me she doesn't want me to loose anymore weight, but I am. From what I have read and learned from a nutrionist,I will probably keep loosing weight(even though they would like me to get the weight loss to stop and stabilize) until the middle to end of the 2cnd trimester. I should begin to gain weight in the 3rd trimester.
I am at high risk, due to complications in my previous pregnancies.
The first three months were very hard. nothing like the other times I have been pregnant. Miserable is an understatement LOL

March 19,2003

I am now 1yr and 3 months post op and 6 months pregnant. Most of the nausea has gone, but I still have a hard time eating sometimes. I have lost a total of 22lbs since I became pregnant. I am finally stabablizing the weight and hopefully will be able to start gaining now. That seems weird to say.
We had an ultrasound and found out it's a girl, so we're hoping it stays that way.
Will update as time goes on.


May 9,2003

Still pregnant LOL...I have started gaining weight. Yahooo! kind of funny really....being happy about weight gain. Hmmm that's something to get use to. I am due 7-23(my birthday) and as exciting as that it was to think I could have a baby on my special day...it just won't happen. I have to be scheduled for a repeat c-section earlier. Not really looking forward to surgery, but guess I wouldn't really be looking forward to a labor and delivery either LOL.



July 7,2003

I am now 38 weeks pregnant. I was continuing to gain weight until last week. I had lost over 20+ lbs since i became pregnant and now that I am so close to delivery, I have stopped gaining again. It is normal to stop or even loose a couple of pounds before the baby arrives.
I have been extremely tired....growing a baby is hard work LOL
I am however looking forward to meeting this little person who has been residing in my personal space.
We are excited and anxious, and counting down the days.
I am also a little curious to see how the weight loss picks back up once the baby arrives.
Will probably update sometime after the baby arrives.

July 28,2003

our Baby has arrived. She was born via c-section on 7-10-03 at 12:25pm weighing a whopping 7lb1.2oz and 20 inches long. She was 2 weeks early.
What a wonderful birth experience!!!!
I am loosing the baby weight and then some LOL
The first week we nursed the wrong way and she lost weight so now we are nursing the right way and added one formula bottle for 3 days and she is now at 7lbs 11oz.
She is a blessing