Miss.Kris

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Yesterday, March 3, I celebrated 1 year since I had my RNY. I can't believe how great life has been since my surgery.  I have been very lucky and have had no complications from surgery. I feel great and people can't believe how different I look. I chaperoned a Valentine's Dance for my middle daughter and stood next to a few parents that I've known for years. They had no idea who I was. When they figured it out, they couldn't believe how different I looked. It felt great being noticed for something great, instead of being noticed because you are so heavy you have to stop to catch your breath!!

Since my surgery, my relationship with my family has improved greatly. My kids are happier and I can keep up with them. I can go on their field trips and help out at their schools without feeling embarrassed or shy. My relationship with my husband has changed for the better. He says I'm so much fun now!!! 

Before surgery I was shy and depressed. I wanted to stay in my pj's all day and not go to family functions and not have people over. I wanted to be left alone. That's no way to live!!! I get out now and mingle with family and friends. I have enrolled back in school to finish my degree. Having RNY opened up alot of doors for me that I thought would be closed forever. I am so thankful to Dr. E for giving me my life back!!!!

People ask me all the time if I regret having the surgery. The answer is the same today as it was 1 year ago. NO!!!!!! I don't regret having the surgery. It saved my life and for that I am grateful!!!!!

I had my rny on Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 8 a.m in Carmel. Everything went great!!!!  Before I knew it, the surgery was over and I was in my room. My husband said that my surgery took less than an hour. Dr. Evanson told my husband that I was carrying on a conversation with him in the OR when I was waking up, but I of course don't remember a thing!!

I had no pain at all when I woke up. The only thing that made me uncomfortable was the gas. My husband told me that when they brought me into my room, I was whimpering and making noises because I couldn't breath good, but everything was ok.  I was up walking around by noon, and felt great.  Everyone told me that I may gain weight while I was in the hospital due to all the fluids they were giving me, but I never gained a pound!! I was so happy.

Friday, March 4, went ok while I was at the hospital. I was up walking around and eating my little tiny bowl of custard and yogurt and drinking as much water as they would give me. Dr. E came him to see me that morning, and told me that I could go home whenever I felt up to it. I was thrilled to hear that!!! I walked a few more laps, (60 in two days!!) and then I was ready to go home. I slept the entire way home (2 hours). When I got  home, I felt really sick. My husband went to fill my prescriptions, and I started feeling worse. Around 11:15 p.m. I took 1 TBS. of my pain meds, and I threw them up. Yuck!!!  I vowed right there that I didn't need any meds because throwing up was not worth it. So, basically, the last time I took pain meds was in the hospital before I left for home. I have had very little pain, and now, (almost 1 month out) I have no pain at all. My incisions are completely healed, and I have very tiny scars. It's amazing how little they are!

As of this Thursday, March 31st, I will be out 1 month. I feel great!!! I have alot of energy, and so far (knock on wood) I have not had anything to eat or drink that my pouch hates. I hope I have a (forgiving pouch)..lol..... I go for my 1 month check up on Thursday. I am now officially down 37 pounds. I will make sure to update on Thursday!!

Today is Saturday, and I'm already getting ready for my surgery, which will be on Thursday March 3rd. I'm packing my new toothbrush and toothpaste and mouthwash (extras from the dentist), and my slippers and crocs. I will pack my clothes and things like that the closer it gets to Thursday. I'm pretty calm now, but from time to time, my nervous kick in, and I get butterflies in my belly!!! I'm sure this is normal. Just think, this time next week, I will be on my new journey.
Wow!!!

I went for my all day nutrition class on Thursday, Feb. 24Th. It was a great day. The class was first taught by the dietitian, Dawn, (loved her). She was so sweet and funny!!! It made the time fly by!!  I learned alot of interesting information that I didn't know. Thank goodness for the class!! Then we broke for lunch, and it was back to class to hear from Alice, and post op patient (4 years out). She looked great!!! She had such a great attitude about her surgery and life!! What a great inspiration. Then the chaplain came in to talk to us and pray for us and we did a little meditation. That was so comforting.
Michelle was the LPN who spoke to us next. She was a sweetie. She answered everyone's questions and really informed us on what to expect.

When the class was over, she stayed after to talk one on one with anyone who had questions. I had a couple, and she answered them honestly, and helped ease my mind.  All in all it was a great day. I'm glad they make us go to that class, because I can tell you, in my class, there was one lady, (an older lady), that could only speak very little English, and her main questions during the whole class, was how soon could she start eating donuts and eating pot roast. To me, having this class really makes you decide, if you had any doubts what so every, whether you really want to surgery or not. For me, I'm 100% sure that this is the right decision for me, and I have no doubt that Dr. E is the best to work on me.

To top it all off, my husband and I ran into Dr. Evanson, and he was so sweet and gorgeous as usual, and he told me that he would see me bright and early on Thursday!!! I'm first on the list!!! He's so sweet and kind!!
Not bad on the eyes either!!

I'm a little late posting this, (a week late in fact), but here I am. My pre op testing is OVER...THANK GOD!!!  What a day that was. We arrived at the hospital early 6 am, to be exact. My pre op testing was to start at 6:45, but I didn't get called back until after 7, almost 8.  I finally got called back, and had to give a urine specimen, and drink that lemonade flavored stuff, blow in a bag and wait. In the meantime, they tried to get some blood. GOOD GRIEF!!! That was quite an ordeal!! They stuck me 3 times, and no blood. Then it was time to blow into the other bag....no big deal.  They tried to get blood again, with a different nurse. No luck. By this time, I'm feeling pretty bad, and light headed, so they found a bed outside in the hall, thank goodness, and I laid on it with a ice pack. They wheeled the bed into the blood draw room and stuck me two more times. Finally, a sweet nurse by the name of Sylvia, came in, felt on my arm, and got blood from the side of my right arm. WOOHOO!!! A week later I still have a large bruise!! I want to thank BJ and Sylvia for being so sweet to me. I didn't catch the other nurse's name, but she was cool too!!
 
From there I went to radiology, and waited. I changed into my gown and went to get my pics taken..lol..Just x-rays,,, that was easy. Then came the dreaded part. Drinking that nasty barium that everyone talked about!! For me, that taste was fine. The thickness surprised me. It was like trying to drink glue or something!! YUCK!! But, with three-four big gulps, I managed it. Oh, I forgot the pop rocks type of stuff you take with a little 1 oz cup of water. Easy Peasy!...  So time for more pics as I do a log roll around and around on the table then side to side and stop. More barium, this time through a straw and it was alot thinner. No biggie....

From there I changed back into my shirt, and went to see the respiratory therapist and made friends with my spirometer. A few deep breaths and that was it. I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What a day!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Well, the day has finally come. Tomorrow, I will be doing my pre op testing!!   I'm nervous about giving blood and VERY nervous about drinking the barium.  I hope I don't get sick!!! I'm praying that everything will go just fine, and that the time will pass quickly. Then before I know it, I will be going for my all day class, then surgery March 3rd. The time is flying by!! I'm doing everything that I can to prepare myself and my family for the changes that are coming. 

I'm a little late posting this, but better late than never!! I have my surgery date!! After lots of calls and voice mails to Dr. E's office, I finally took it upon my self to e-mail Colleen, his office manager. Within the hour I had an e-mail promising me that if Heather (the surgery scheduler) didn't call me by Wed. Feb, 9Th, then she would take it upon  herself to see what exactly is taking so long to get a call back.

Well.......on Saturday, Feb 5Th, and 12 noon, Heather called me from her home to apologize and apologize for not getting back with me, and told me that my surgery would be on either Mar. 3 or 4Th. She told me she would call me Monday and give me a definite date. Well, 9:09 a.m. she left me a voice mail telling me that my surgery was FOR SURE going to be on Thursday, March 3rd and 8 a.m. I'm the first one on the list. WOOHOO!!!!    

So, now the waiting starts again, but at least I'm waiting for something that is going to come, instead of waiting for something like a phone call!!!!!

Friday, Feb. 18Th I go for my pre op testing. I've heard that everything is pretty much painless and easy, until it comes time to drink the barium "chalk drink" and swallow the little "pop rocks looking things" without burping.  How in the world will I swallow something and not burp.  The power of suggestion!!!! I'm very nervous about that. Then on Feb. 24Th, I have my all day nutrition class. The next thing I'm dreading will be the lovenox shots we have to have. I'm so terrified of needles!!
You would think that after having given birth to three kids, 3 epidurals, and a tubal, needles would be no big deal!!

I'm so thankful to God for allowing me to have a new life. This journey is going to be long and it may not also be easy, but with His help, I can make it. I'm in for the ride of my life. I better buckle in and hold on tight!!! 

I think I'm about as depressed as you can get. I was scheduled to have my RNY done on 2-15-2010, but now since my husband's insurance changed, I'm in the process of playing the waiting game with them to see if they will give Dr. E's office approval to do the surgery.