ObesityHelp

This is a lot of rambling but it is my thoughts and feelings. I intend to edit it and fix it up later.

I am older than most of the people on this board. I am 57 going on 58. I have been overweight since my last child was born in 1967. I have gained weight and lost weight. Of course I always added more weight after a diet.

I checked into surgery 2 years ago and made the decision to do it and the surgeon moved to a bigger town. Now there is a surgeon about 50 miles from me that I have contacted and I am in the process of doing the paper work for the insurance. What a hassle.

My husband and I are avid fishermen. We go to the lake almost every weekend. I am also a huge St Louis Cardinals Fan. I also work for a circus. I work in the office. It is a very interesting job and I have worked for Tarzan for over 16 years. Yes, Tarzan is my boss's name. He used to perform with the cats and elephants.
Now he is a circus producer of shrine circuses.

I have 2 children a son, 39, and a daughter, 37, and I have been married to my current husband, David, for 28 years.

My son and his wife have just adopted 3 children and I am so very glad about this. I always wanted grandchildren so now I have 3.

I hope to have this surgery so that I will be around to see the grandchildren grow up. I want to take the whole family to Disney World next year.

9/14/2005

Just got a call from the dr's office. I am approved. We thought my age might hinder this but apparently not. I had to loose 18 pounds and today I stepped on the scales and I have lost 18 pounds. 2 wow moments in one day.

Hopefully I will find out when surgery will be sometime next week.

I will go to the doctor and weigh Monday, Sept 19th. If I am at the magic number of 18 pounds lost I will fax the information to Mary, Dr Hodges, assistant. Looking for a date within the next 3 weeks. Now I am told that I will be on a liquid diet for 2 weeks. I can handle this. Others have done it. I keep telling myself.

Well, my scales were off. I have 2 pounds to lose. I will keep trying.

9/30/05

These 2 pounds are sticking to me like glue. I have talked to my doctors nurse and she has given me some ideas on how to lose this. I won't give up but it sure is disgusting. I wanted my surgery in October before my boss came back from being on the road for the season. I don't want to tell him about this surgery and when he leaves out in January of 06 he won't be back until November of 06. What a surprize he will have when he sees me. That is if I can lose these 2 pounds.

10/04/05

Well I went to my pcp doctor today to get weighed and I have lost 1/2 pound. I called Mary at Dr Hodges office and told her. She has been a great help. Now I am going on the liquid diet to see if I can lose this last 1 & 1/2 pound. Let's hope this works. As soon as I have the liquid diet for 2 weeks and my weight is where it is susposed to be I will be given a date. Maybe 3 weeks. I sure hope so.

10/07/05

Went to see Dr Hodges and I have lost 6 more pounds. He told me next Thursday 10/13/05. I was stunned. Happy but worried also. I had a lot of questions and he sat and answered everyone to my satisfaction. I have always felt like I was the employer of my doctors and if I didn't like them I could always fire them. I get my money's worth. If a doctor doesn't answer your questions or speaks in doctor look out. They may not be what you want.

10/21/05

Surgery went ok. I had a little problem with my heart nothing serious. I went home in 2 days and I am feeling pretty good. I have had quite a bit of pain but I don't like the way the pain medicine makes me feel so I don't take. My drain tube started to leak so the doctor removed it early and told me to take the pain medicine. So I am taking it at night so that I can get some sleep. I usually have a high tolerance for pain but I guess this is just a different kind and I can't seem to shake it. I wanted to go back to work this Monday but I guess I won't be able to.

I have been on a liquid diet since before surgery and I have 1 more week before I can go to puree. This has not been too hard. Today is the first time that I got in 60 grams of protein. I went to the Healthy Super Market and bought boullion, jello, pudding and hot chocolate all with protein in them. I drink a shake but I really don't care for it. My fluid intake is low and everyday I try to increase it. My husband is the protein and fluid police. He made me out a paper and I have to check off everything I drink then he figures it out and tells me what I need to do.

One good thing about this surgery is that I have not had to take any diabetes medicine since 1 day before my surgery. My blood sugar is staying between 97 and 110. I sure can't complain about that. I don't think that I have lost any weight but I know it will come. I am still swollen. My nerves are pretty bad as I am not a very patient person. I am not used to just laying around and doing nothing. I am usually on the go all of the time and this is a big change. I can't wait till I can start exercising. My friend will exercise with me and I am looking forward to the time I will be able to spend with her. She is the best.


12/11/05

It's been awhile since I have posted. I have had some medical problems not related to wls. My dr has been running all kinds of tests. I should find out something next week.

My weight loss has been very slow. I wasn't too concerned because of the other issues I am having. I started tracking on fitday.com and found out that I am not eating enough. I get most of my protein from shakes and high protein mixes. I have never been a meat eater and the dr wants me to eat more animal protein. I guess I will just have to learn to like the stuff. Just the thought of eating an egg disgusts me. Of course I have never liked them either. Today I have to increase my calories. I don't know how I will do this but I am really going to try. I want this weight off.

I have only been sick 3 times since surgery. I hate to be sick so I am extra careful. I got sick on turkey, deer summer sausage and mahi mahi fish. I won't be trying these for awhile again. I am finding that the longer I go without anything white I don't crave them.

I am exercising but not as much as I should be doing. I increase it everyday. So by the first of the year I should be able to join a fitness group. I would really like to aquasize but I don't want to wear a bathing suit. I'll have to wait a few more months for this.

1/11/06

I have been very busy and have not updated so here goes. I am still not losing weight very fast. I have upped my protein and calories. I am going to see Dr. Hodges on Tuesday about this. He wants to see me. I am very happy with the weight that I have lost but want more off. I am also going to see the nutritionist.

My daughter hired me a personal trainer and I am exercising. Twice a week with the trainer and the rest of the week I do cardio. My flexability is really bad so we are working on it. I really enjoy this and I plan to continue with this.

Yesterday my boss came into the office and said "Connie you are really losing the weight" Needless to say that made my day. He is going to take me fishing this winter after the circus season ends. He has a yacht in Florida so I am looking forward to it. I could fish 24/7.

Oh I guess I should say that I weigh 205 lbs. My goal was to at least break 200 before the first of the year. Maybe I will make it by February.

1/17/06

Worked out with the trainer tonight. I am doing so much better that she is impressed. So am I. She told me that she can see an improvement in me everyday. This made me feel good. After she told me this she decided to up my cardio. I have to walk 30 minutes and keep my heart rate up to 140. Don't laugh remember I am a beginner. I have to walk on a 7% grade at 2.2 mph and swing my arms. Wish me luck I will do this tomorrow.

I don't really like to exercise yet but it is getting easier. If I didn't have a trainer I probably wouldn't do it. Sad isn't it.

I went to the dr today. I have not lost much weight since surgery. DON'T GET ME WRONG. I AM NOT DISAPPOINTED. I KNOW IT WILL EVENTUALLY COME OFF. I TOOK MY FITDAY DIARY AND LET HIM LOOK AT IT. He thinks I might be eating too much fat. I will cut down. He couldn't believe my exercise routine. He just kept saying how great it was.

Oh! I guess I should say how much I have lost. I started out at 260 in July, 2005. On October 13, 2005 the day of surgery I weighed 237. I now officially weight 200 even. He did say something today that I thought was funny. He was trying to be nice and say that my age might be some of my problems. I looked at him and said "Are you telling me I am old?" You should have saw his face. I laughed it was too funny. He is even younger than my son.

1/27/2006

Well I did break the 200lb mark. I now officially weigh 195. Yeah!! I am feeling so good it is scary. I never slow down. It has been several years since I have felt this good. My weight loss is still slow but it will get there eventually. I have cut down on my fat intake and that seems to help some. My appetite is too good so I have to watch what I eat. I still will not eat anything white. My sugar levels are in the 80's. I couldn't be happier. I had some testing done this week and my dr is so happy for me. Everything is down and in the good numbers. All of this without medicine.

I am already thinking about this summer. I can't wait to go see the St Louis Cardinals in their new ball park. My dh doesn't want to go so I will leave him at home and take my daughter. I'll probably have more fun with her anyway. Just think I will be able to climb the steps and not feel tired.

3/2/06

I have still been working out. My flexibility is getting better and better. My weight is still slow and I am getting a little nervous about it. I tell myself it will come off. I now weigh 189. I feel so much better that I am continually amazed. My dr has never told me what I should weigh. I know that as short as I am it won't be much. I would like to shoot for 125. I weighed 127 when my first child was born I would like to see this again.

I can't take my grandkids to Disney World this summer so I am going to save like mad to be able to take them next year. They will be older and enjoy it more.