When things go wrong as they sometimes will.......Update on Me :)

Well my RNY surgery was scheduled for this past Wednesday January 25th at 11am with Dr. Penner at Toronto Western Hospital and here I am on Sunday January 29th still admitted at TWH but hoping that things are on the up now and that I will be going home tomorrow.  I went in for surgery expecting an RNY ay 11:50 am and was wheeled out of the O.R. and into the recovery room a 3:20 pm having had a VSG.  Dr. Penner and his team worked for a really long time trying to figure out what was so perlexing inside of my body and as luck would have it I have a rare condition called Congenital Non-Rotational Intenstines....which in a quick short explanation my intestines never rotated into their proper places when I was a developping fetus and because of that my  malrotation made it impossible for me to have the RNY because my small intestine and large intestine (colon) are on opposite sides of my body.  Dr. Penner felt it was safe enough to go ahead and perform the VSG and when I woke up I kept hearing people around me talking about the vertical sleeve gastrectomy but I kept thinking I was dreaming.  It wasn't until I was being wheeled into my room and when I saw Mike and my mother that I realized that I truly had not had the surgery I went in to have.  

I've had a slow recovery since my surgery.  I have been experiencing a lot of pain that just won't settle down and has been preventing me from being able to drink much water or take much pain medicine.  I have been coughing up some green stomach blech too so because of all of those reasons I am still here but hopefully going home tomorrow.

I haven't decided how I feel about the VSG....I was 345 pounds on the day of my surgery and feel like my hope of some day having a healthy bmi has gone out the window.  I admit to not knowing very much at all about the VSG but my spirits have definitely been down as my BMI was over 50 and I felt the RNY was my best option.

Try and stay positive. You still walked away with a surgery that will improve the quality of your life. A lot of people here are very successful with the VSG. Think of the positives - no dumping, no malabsorbing vitamins. I know you'll do really well with the VSG.

 I was 296lbs before surgery - and I got to a healthy BMI!  22BMI to be exact!!  It surely is possible.  And, if I might say...when you do a bit of research, you might come to find that you love your sleeve and the freedom it affords you!  For one, you'll never have to ask "what cold medications can I take" etc. etc!  There are lots of benefits to the sleeve.

As for the drawbacks - well, you can't count on dumping.  Can't really COUNT on that with Rny either...but with the sleeve you SURELY won't dump.  For me?  That's actually a positive.  I am happy to be able to taste a little treat now and then.  The trick is keeping it at TREATS!

My advice?  Work your sleeve HARD for this first year.  Follow the plan EXACTLY.  For me, that meant NO WHITE CARBS for a year.  I didn't touch bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, crackers, oatmeal, cookies, NOTHING for a year.  Protein first.  Eat 2oz to start, then move to 3-4oz as you can.  IF you have room after that, eat veggies.  Once and awhile, eat a bit of fruit.  But my "fruits and veggies" category was really veggie based for a year.  I used skim milk in my coffee and protein drinks.  And ate a small amount of cheese (measured to 1oz, maybe once a day with my protein).

I lost weight as fast or faster than many of the Rny'ers at the same time as me.  Whether that was my sleeve or my commitment, it's hard to tell.  But you can do it too!

Really listen to what Erica is saying - especially re the white carbs....

It MAY take a little more commitment with the VSG in the first 6 months....but you can do it....Erica is proof of what determination can do..

So work that VSG....and success will be yours

 There are two other ladies in the CCC who had the sleeve at the same time as I did - and they both lost down to a "normal" size as well.  But both had the same commitment I did.

Sometimes I think the Ontario programs allow a bit too many carbs in the early days for VSG'rs...maybe RNY'rs can get away with things like mashed potatos or oatmeal...and I always see/hear talk of things like crackers with cheese.  For me?  Those things are DEATH.  Like, they start a WAVE of craving that I can't resist.  And cheese tastes better without crackers anyway!

I have hypoglycemia - and a bowl of oatmeal or cereal in the morning will send my sugar for a tailspin.  But if I eat 2 eggs with a bit of cheese?  WONDERFUL!  

(((Melissa))), I'm so sorry to hear that this has turned into such an adventure for you, but remember that your health is what's most important here.  Like Simona said, there are positive points to the VSG to remember and I'm sure that you can still have a healthy BMI - that's not out of reach at all! The main thing to remember is that you will be much, much healthier than if you had not had surgery at all. I confess to not knowing a lot about the VSG either but I'm sure that some folks who've had it will chime in to enlighten you. I'm sending positive thoughts out to you that you feel better soon, kiddo!

Deb

Sorry to hear about the rough patch you ar egoing through. I have a friend that had the VSG 15 months ago and she is doing amazing. Once you get over this hump and start thinking clearly you will realize that it is just as good of a surgery to have. You can do this!!!!! denise

Melissa, so happy to hear from you!

I'm sure Dr. Penner did what he felt was best and safest for you.  I know MANY people who have done exceptionally well with the VSG - and with your attitude and committment, you will be one of them too!  Looking forward to your homecoming.  You hang in there, sweetie.  It gets better everyday.

XOXO

I don't think you should worry - you still received an excellent tool to help you conquer your weight and health issues.  Pretty sure that you'll be doing just fine with this.  Don't worry - pick yourself up, shake it off, and carry on working your VSG to your advantage.