angela_in_sd

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Yes, I have a confession to make. It brings tears to my eyes to fully realize that I let myself sink to that level. Why would I allow this to happen? How did it happen? When did it even start?

As I look back, it started innocently enough, as most things do. Most of us give into temptation of some form, from time to time. I really did it big!  My love, my temptation, my knight in shining armor was my biggest enemy if truth be known. How said it is to realize this after so much damage has been done.  I let my infatuation rule my life and now I'm trying to undo the damage this affair has done.

What enticed me to this point? What was so luring I couldn't refuse? Hostess, anything Hostess. My love for cupcakes, Twinkies, Snow Balls, and all other sweets became my love. Always there when I needed comfort, it made me feel secure during lonely times. When I was stressed, you would find me with my love in one form or another. 

Now, I have begun a new healthier life and left those things behind that led to my obesity and health problems. I look at those items now as poison. They robbed me of so much. I allowed myself to use these foods just like drugs. I Angela, (raising right hand) am a food junky.

I am determined to have better health. To be more energetic, feel better, look better. That is the biggest gift I can give myself and my journey has already begun. I had lap RNY just 3 1/2 weeks ago and have lost a total (including pre-op) of 33 pounds. For me, that is great! I am very happy with my progress and so happy that I had the courage to have this surgery.

I will be having my gallbladder removed on March 8th. I had a gallbladder attack this week and spent several hours in the ER. I'm lucky it wasn't infected, but it needs to come out. Fortunately, it can be scheduled instead of done as emergency surgery. Hopefully, after this I'll be feeling much better.

Life is good. I feel encouraged, motivated, and thankful. I feel very blessed to have been given this tool of WLS. I know there are people that are unable to get surgery and that makes me really sad. So I will use my tool to the best of my ability and be appreciative of this gift.

I hope life is treating you good too.

In spite of Dr McDreamy's attempt to elimate us old blue hairs, I survived! Woooo Whooooo! I am now 1 week and 1 day past lap RNY. 

In case I haven't mentioned how wonderful my surgeon Dr Bertucci and his nurse practitioner Annelise as well as dietician Lt Mora are, this is their time to shine. I am his creation and their trained seal. I am feeling a bit emotional just now, realizing how very luck I am to have them. After reading so many stories some good and some bad, I believe I have some of the best! 

Dr Bertucci saw me twice a day while in the hospital. He is kind, gentle, but firm when need be. Above all, I feel he knows his stuff. Our Navy hospital is very fortunate to have him. He makes you feel like you matter! You aren't just another body passing through. I believe he has a real interest in the patients and their success. 

I had a leaking pouch and I must say, although I was concerned about it because of his thoroughness and involvement I never felt in danger. I knew he would do whatever was best-even if I protested. Thank God for great Dr's like that. I avoided a blood transfusion and I was relieved but would have gone along with his recommendations.

Now, about that leaking pouch.....You saw Titanic right? Where the water was just rising, rising, rising, taking over everywhere? Well, I felt more like the movie Carrie-where the blood (sorry) was everywhere. It was an unfortunate turn of events, but it's gonna take a whole lot more than that to kill us old geezers off! Overall, more annoying than anything. Not that bad!

The nurse practioner is such an invaluable part of this program. I don't know what I would do without her. I am one of those old nosey people. I want to know why? how? I am never one to sit back and be told just do a, b, and c. I want to know why that's important, how it works, and what if I do d instead of b? Ya know how us oldies are, without our glasses it's easy to confuse the two. 

Lt Terri Moraca the registered dietician that I've seen is great too. She helped me prepare for the food changes in my future. She is also someone I wouldn't want to do without. I'll be visiting her again when real food time comes to pick her brain again. Oh, and she has all that rubber food in her office that I can't resist playing with-too cool.

The one person that I don't thank nearly enough and has been so great throughout this journey is my husband, Scot. He is great! He has changed bandages, sit by my hospital bed, avoided eating around me (even though I don't want him to). He is very supportive and not so bad to look at either. lol I know how to pick em, huh? I love you honey, and thank you for taking such good care of me.

My "southern sister" Barb is always one phone call away. She had the same surgery in November and has giving me things to try, been helpful with information, and is my support. I love her like a sis! I met her through an online support group when looking for people using the same military hospital. We went through some of the classes together and she's my bud!

I am sip, sip, sipping as directed. I have all the usual thoughts. Am I sipping too much? Not enough? Too fast? Not fast enough? Whatever! I finally decided that since I've had no vomiting, nausea, or pain it must be A-OK! So, I'm establishing my routine and it's not so bad.

Hunger? What's that? If Dr Bertucci could have made me where I never felt hunger again I would have been so happy. However, part of my "seal" training was to learn that I have to establish healthy eating and exercise habits now for the future. 

For anyone looking for chicken broth for a clear liquid diet I highly recommend the Unjury chicken broth. It has 21 g protein in 8 oz and has a good taste. I have been using the Isopure in the glass bottle with Crystal Light and that's not so bad either. I am going to try the unflavored that can be used in just about anything next.

Thank you to my family as they have given me the desire to have a healthier future. I love them very much.

As Maxine would say.....There's no place like home. Go there! lol

I've made it through the waiting, all pre-op requirements and now the dreaded bowel prep. I read posts by some smart members on OH that mixing it with Diet 7up and drinking through a straw placed far back into your mouth, makes it go right down. It worked like a charm. So now, 5 hours later it's like waiting for a nuclear explosion that you know is coming you just aren't sure of the arrival time.

I am on the second day of a required clear liquid diet. My surgeon doesn't allow anything red or purple which of course include my favorite flavors of popcicles and Jello. I tried some Herb Ox chicken broth. It comes in a green box with packets you mix with water. I took a little sip and whoopsie, did that accidentally get spilled in the sink? Oh my. How did that happen? Next, on to Campbell's chicken broth recommended by my good friend Barb. I made the mistake of taking a whif  and just about gagged. But you are supposed to dilute with a can of water. I did, and it smelled just fine. I heated in the microwave and hey, not so bad at all! I drank about a cup. That will be my broth of choice post-op. 

I am battling a sore scratchy throat and dry cough. It is actually worse since Friday night. I picked this up during the Christmas holidays and it comes and goes. I have been to the Dr over it to be sure I was doing what I could to get well quickly and not interfere with my surgery. At that time they felt it was a viral thing that is going around. I haven't had fever or anything showing signs of infection. My surgeons nurse said I would still be good to go unless a productive cough that showed signs of infection (i.e. green stuff). So, I should be ok. I'm miserable and I'm worried about coughing and my dry scratchy throat after surgery. I know the coughing is gonna hurt. I will survive!

I have nested and feathered the nest and made the hubby nest along with me. lol I am happy the house is in order and also that it has taken up time organizing and getting things just so, to take my mind off of the surgery.

So far, I don't have the jitters or nerves. I feel slightly on edge. I don't know if it's from not eating or what. That is what it feels like to me. I'm honestly not hungry though, or not much. I know I will be very nervous tomorrow morning. I have faith it will all be ok. I have a good surgeon, Dr Bertucci. He is a Navy Dr here in San Diego at Balboa-Navy Medical Center San Diego. He did a fellowship on laprascopic surgery at UCLA and I believe he is very well qualified. He has operated on others I know including my good friend Barb in Nov. 2006. He is affectionately referred to as Dr McDreamy and yes, there is a McSteamy too. lol

I have my priorities straight heading into this surgery, that is the most important thing. I have freshly painted toenails. I know, I know, you're not supposed to wear nail polish. Well, a lady has to have her standards and I won't budge on this. It's already bad enough that I'm expected to go without makeup or jewelry. I have had 2 children and a hysterectomy in full makeup. But this hospital seems very insistent about this. I have a feeling they would march me right into the restroom to remove it, so I won't push my luck with them on this point. So the score? 1-1 They said no jewelry even wedding rings...They are really starting to bug me. A lady has certain rights, makeup and jewelry are some of those! So I'll probably try to slide through will my jewelry on. New score 2-1 Well, now that I think of it, light makeup can't really hurt right? I mean I wasn't planning to go in with bright blue eyeshadow and red lipstick in a 70's flashback or anything! So, update the score 3-0 Next, they'll tell me I can't wear my straw hat with the lovely plastic flowers all over it either. hmmmpfff! 

Awwww these last few hours. What to do? What to do? I've kept busy no time to sit and worry about food, or what if, or I wonder.... Boredom and I don't get along very well. So, I'll wax my brows and if I run out of something to do I'll hold hubby down and wax the center of his uni-brow too. He hates that! lol 

I am so priviledged that Haven offered to by my "angel". She has been so much fun and extremely helpful since I began talking to her just a short time ago. She has a huge heart and wonderful talents. She underestimates herself sometimes I think. She created this profile and I am so proud of it! She understands my sense of humor and puts up with me anyway. I am so blessed to know her and I look forward to getting to know her better. She is an angel!

Another special person I am getting to know is Becky, anewbecboo. I actually got to meet her and we had lunch recently. She is such a loving person, with a big heart and always there to give someone a boost. She is a true blessing too. Becky deserves so much from life. I'm hoping that soon things will turn around and the future will be bright for her and her family! 

There are many kind and caring people here at OH and I'm so glad to have found this site. It is the best site I have found.I have learned more from this site that I ever thought possible. I will be asking alot of questions and as always, I'll look to those that have gone down this road before to guide my way.

OK losers, keep the bench warm. I'll be joining you soon!
I have about 14 hours until I'll leave for the hospital. I plan to keep these hands and/or feet moving until bedtime so the time will go by with as little stress as possible.

I have completed all the required pre-op testing, classes, nutrition counseling, surgeon's appts. and lost 15 lbs. I am counting down the days until surgery.

I'm getting excited but nervous now. It is all becoming a reality and no longer seems to be something in the future. I was ready to have surgery at the end of November and very motivated, but due to my husband's schedule the surgeon wanted me to wait. I had to agree that it was probably the best although I admit I was a little disappointed and felt a let down. 

Now that the date is quickly approaching I'm gearing up for it again and seem to be "nesting" right now. Getting the house clean, everything in order, shopping done. Not only will it help me feel better prepared, but it's a great way to keep busy before surgery. My husband is in the Navy and left this morning and won't return until just before my surgery. So the house is quiet and keeping busy is good. This also gives me some quiet time to read and review some of my notes and information prior to the big day.

Just before I begin the 2 day liquid diet I'm going to get a manicure and pedicure and pamper myself a little. 

My surgeon is very nice and we call him and one of the other Dr's McDreamy and McSteamy. Wouldn't ya know it the dietician told them but they thought it was funny, thank goodness. My motto is, if you have to a Dr, he might as well be good looking, ya know?