Bellissima
Reflections of a Butterfly...
Jan 18, 2009
Well, I feel like a butterfly that has finally emerged from it's cocoon! The past year has flown by, and I'm thrilled to say that my life has undergone just as dramatic of a transformation as the metamorphosis of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly...
I had my gastric bypass surgery in July 2007, and I was blessed to reach my goal weight in May 2008 - I was so joyful to lose 100 lbs and to reach my goal of 147 lbs! I dipped down to 135 for a little bit (not on purpose!), but I have maintained a consistent weight of 145-149 lbs (size 6) since that time. As wonderful as the weight loss itself has been, I have felt an even greater blessing in the form of having my health fully restored! I no longer suffer from sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gastric reflux, or edema! In fact, as I sit here writing this, I can no longer even really remember how it felt to live trapped inside such an overweight, unhealthy body!
For me, losing the weight has not only been a physical process of shedding pounds, but an emotional process of shedding an old life and old perspectives that no longer fit the person that I have become. I feel like I have been given an incredible "do-over," or second chance at living a healthy and happy lifestyle, and I'm devoted now to taking care of myself and helping others to do the same however possible!
Ouch!! My "Before" Shot at 247 lbs
Phew! That's Better! My "After" shot at 142 lbs - Size 6 - Hurray!!! (August 2008)
1 comment
I had my gastric bypass surgery in July 2007, and I was blessed to reach my goal weight in May 2008 - I was so joyful to lose 100 lbs and to reach my goal of 147 lbs! I dipped down to 135 for a little bit (not on purpose!), but I have maintained a consistent weight of 145-149 lbs (size 6) since that time. As wonderful as the weight loss itself has been, I have felt an even greater blessing in the form of having my health fully restored! I no longer suffer from sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gastric reflux, or edema! In fact, as I sit here writing this, I can no longer even really remember how it felt to live trapped inside such an overweight, unhealthy body!
For me, losing the weight has not only been a physical process of shedding pounds, but an emotional process of shedding an old life and old perspectives that no longer fit the person that I have become. I feel like I have been given an incredible "do-over," or second chance at living a healthy and happy lifestyle, and I'm devoted now to taking care of myself and helping others to do the same however possible!
Ouch!! My "Before" Shot at 247 lbs
Phew! That's Better! My "After" shot at 142 lbs - Size 6 - Hurray!!! (August 2008)
3 1/2 Months Out and Life is GREAT!!!
Oct 25, 2007
***When I was considering having RNY, I read through countless blogs and profiles on this site, so I'm trying my best to keep my profile updated each month - I hope the things I write I are somehow helpful to another person the way that I've been helped by what I've read!
Well, I made it past the 3-month mark and as of today, and I'm down 78 lbs! My weight is now 171 lbs, and I'm into a size 12 in pants, and size medium in tops! I can hardly believe it! In spite of hitting several plateau's where my weight hardly changes at all for 10-14 days, I'm still managing to lose 22 lbs or so a month, so I can't complain at all! It's so strange to think that by Christmas, I could be down 100 lbs if I continue at this rate!
What I'm loving about this "stage" of the journey is that the progress is clearly visible now, and I feel so much better than I did the first month! Life is beginning to feel "NORMAL," (albeit, a new kind of normal), but it's a new life that I'm growing to truly love! I'm able to do pretty much anything I want physically, and I'm 100% free of sleep apnea, GERD, and edema now. What a massive blessing! I've also settled into a decent eating/drinking/supplement routine that seems to be working well, and most days, I'm able to get everything in finally!
The one down-side of the past 4 weeks is that I started losing hair at about 9 weeks out, and it's still coming out right now. I can definitely tell my hair is thinning out, but I don't think it's super noticeable to others yet. I switched some of my supplements this month (changed to prenatal vitamins, increased Biotin, etc) to see if this helps, but truthfully, I'm not that worried about it. I know it's just a normal part of my body's reaction to all the weight being lost, and I know it will eventually stop falling out and grow back in.
My big "WOW" moment happened last week in church when I had several of my guy friends do a complete "double-take" when I walked in, and one mouthed - "Girl, you look HOT!" It made me laugh, and it also made me feel like a million bucks. My motivation for the doing the surgery was to reverse the serious health issues (sleep apnea, GERD, high cholesterol) and regain my fitness. A side benefit has been that I look tons better. But to be 100% honest, I would go through the surgery again tomorrow just to reverse the sleep apnea even if I didn't lose a single pound in the process. That's how much better my quality of life is now that I'm able to get a full night's sleep every night! Dr. Oz compares living with sleep apnea to "being in a 100 carwrecks every night" because of how badly it disturbs your sleep cycles and physical health. I agree!
I also just hired a personal trainer this week, so I'll be doing weight training and cardio to get "fit." I was shocked when he did my fitness testing and my "real age" turned out to be "64" in terms of my cardio fitness level right now! BUMMER!!! But, this just gives me all the motivation I need to get my body moving and in shape - PRONTO! Wish me well!
Well, I made it past the 3-month mark and as of today, and I'm down 78 lbs! My weight is now 171 lbs, and I'm into a size 12 in pants, and size medium in tops! I can hardly believe it! In spite of hitting several plateau's where my weight hardly changes at all for 10-14 days, I'm still managing to lose 22 lbs or so a month, so I can't complain at all! It's so strange to think that by Christmas, I could be down 100 lbs if I continue at this rate!
What I'm loving about this "stage" of the journey is that the progress is clearly visible now, and I feel so much better than I did the first month! Life is beginning to feel "NORMAL," (albeit, a new kind of normal), but it's a new life that I'm growing to truly love! I'm able to do pretty much anything I want physically, and I'm 100% free of sleep apnea, GERD, and edema now. What a massive blessing! I've also settled into a decent eating/drinking/supplement routine that seems to be working well, and most days, I'm able to get everything in finally!
The one down-side of the past 4 weeks is that I started losing hair at about 9 weeks out, and it's still coming out right now. I can definitely tell my hair is thinning out, but I don't think it's super noticeable to others yet. I switched some of my supplements this month (changed to prenatal vitamins, increased Biotin, etc) to see if this helps, but truthfully, I'm not that worried about it. I know it's just a normal part of my body's reaction to all the weight being lost, and I know it will eventually stop falling out and grow back in.
My big "WOW" moment happened last week in church when I had several of my guy friends do a complete "double-take" when I walked in, and one mouthed - "Girl, you look HOT!" It made me laugh, and it also made me feel like a million bucks. My motivation for the doing the surgery was to reverse the serious health issues (sleep apnea, GERD, high cholesterol) and regain my fitness. A side benefit has been that I look tons better. But to be 100% honest, I would go through the surgery again tomorrow just to reverse the sleep apnea even if I didn't lose a single pound in the process. That's how much better my quality of life is now that I'm able to get a full night's sleep every night! Dr. Oz compares living with sleep apnea to "being in a 100 carwrecks every night" because of how badly it disturbs your sleep cycles and physical health. I agree!
I also just hired a personal trainer this week, so I'll be doing weight training and cardio to get "fit." I was shocked when he did my fitness testing and my "real age" turned out to be "64" in terms of my cardio fitness level right now! BUMMER!!! But, this just gives me all the motivation I need to get my body moving and in shape - PRONTO! Wish me well!
"Next Stop...Onederland!"
Sep 06, 2007
It happened, it happened, it happened! I hopped on the scale this morning and that wonderful little piece of metal told me I weigh 199.2 lbs! I broke 200 after a 10-day plateau at 200.6. Yes, I was doing the "happy dance" in the buff at 7 a.m. this morning! Now, I need to think of a fun way to celebrate! Any good ideas out there?
This means I'm down exactly 50 lbs, and I'm almost half-way to my goal weight - This is a HUGE day for me...HUGE!!!!
This means I'm down exactly 50 lbs, and I'm almost half-way to my goal weight - This is a HUGE day for me...HUGE!!!!
"If Lost, Please Return to Sender..."
Sep 01, 2007
Like so many of you out there, I have recently joined the ranks of devoted parents experiencing both the joy
and trauma of having one of my children leave the
nest...my beautiful Jessica recently entered the new
and wonderful world of college academia...
It's hard when our kids are the virtual center of our
universe, and that center goes away for a time...It
leaves a void - a sense of sadness and emptiness even though it's a happy event that was 18 years in the making...
I awakened this morning in the "countdown"phase, and
it was hard to breathe for a bit...I just wanted to
find the proverbial "hands of time" and STOP them..
for just another year...that's all I'd want - just ONE
more year with this gift from God that's been the
center of MY everything since the moment I knew she
existed...Why isn't there a pause button installed
with life? Maybe one with limited usages - you know,
like we could be told up front - "This pause button is
good for five uses over its lifetime...use it wisely.
There can be no extensions on this product."
I wonder what moments I'd choose to "pause" and linger
over, or switch into "slow motion" so as not to miss a
single momentary frame, or "replay" again and
again...certainly Jessica's departure into her new
life is one of those moments...although I'd probably
be in danger of using all five of my usages on this
one impending event, and I'd delay her progress in
life...and perhaps mine...
It occurs to me just now that this is another kind of
birthing process...one in which she is now a partner
in laboring herself into her new life, her new
environment, and eventually, her new family...one that
will be of her own creation...
I think I'm having kind of a low-grade grief
response...it's flying just under the radar so it's
not interfering with daily life...but I feel
it...tears well up at odd times, like right now...I
just had to break out the Kleenex and now my mascara
is everywhere...would you still love me with
mascara under my eyes? Or if I cried hard enough that
it was no longer a "pretty cry" like Julia Roberts in
Steel Magnolias?...the kind of cry that makes the face
contort with pain and catharsis, and the nose run, and
the eyes swell?
A cry like yesterday in church when she was
sitting in front of me in the pew, and I was staring
at her from behind as though looking through the eyes
of a perfect stranger at this creature, this glorious
being in front of me...and for just one moment
realizing in a detached sort of way that by all
appearances, she's an adult...anyone else looking at
her would never realize she's still my Baby...and I
longed for some way to imprint her with a warning
label of some kind saying "Please handle with extreme
caution, precious contents inside - FRAGILE," or "If
lost, please return to sender!"
...and I looked at her beautiful auburn hair and
realized my days of pulling it into french-braids and
pony-tails are long-gone, and Sundays spent absently
playing with it during insufferably long sacrament
meetings are over, and watching her fixing it every
morning will no longer be part of my daily
landscape...no more scent of Pantene in the bathroom,
nor curling iron cords winding their way around sink
fixtures and cabinetry...
...and I looked at the clothing she was wearing and
realized it will no longer be haphazardly strewn on
her bedroom floor or draped over the foot of her
bed...no longer laying over the balcony to dry...it
won't even be washed in our washer and dryer
anymore...and three days from now, she will no longer
even have a "floor" in our home...and I longed for a
way to create some sort of "historical marker" for her
room that could somehow signify that "Someone truly
great once slept here and lived here and ate here and
laughed here and cried here and prayed here and loved
here..."
...and I looked at her beautiful calves and feet and
realized I will never watch her compete in another
track meet...there will be no more late-night
pedicures done on her bed by nightlight when she
should be sleeping...and there will be no more shoes
to buy...she'll be buying her own shoes from here on
out...without needing a second opinion from me...on
this or so many other things...
A part of me is beyond joyous about it all...it's been
a long road of teaching, loving, and agonizing and her
departure signals success in all of the above...
But a part of me feels crippled...in an emotional
fetal position and not ready to come out of it...
Yes, it's a birthing process...perhaps my own more
than anything...
Thanks for listening...
and trauma of having one of my children leave the
nest...my beautiful Jessica recently entered the new
and wonderful world of college academia...
It's hard when our kids are the virtual center of our
universe, and that center goes away for a time...It
leaves a void - a sense of sadness and emptiness even though it's a happy event that was 18 years in the making...
I awakened this morning in the "countdown"phase, and
it was hard to breathe for a bit...I just wanted to
find the proverbial "hands of time" and STOP them..
for just another year...that's all I'd want - just ONE
more year with this gift from God that's been the
center of MY everything since the moment I knew she
existed...Why isn't there a pause button installed
with life? Maybe one with limited usages - you know,
like we could be told up front - "This pause button is
good for five uses over its lifetime...use it wisely.
There can be no extensions on this product."
I wonder what moments I'd choose to "pause" and linger
over, or switch into "slow motion" so as not to miss a
single momentary frame, or "replay" again and
again...certainly Jessica's departure into her new
life is one of those moments...although I'd probably
be in danger of using all five of my usages on this
one impending event, and I'd delay her progress in
life...and perhaps mine...
It occurs to me just now that this is another kind of
birthing process...one in which she is now a partner
in laboring herself into her new life, her new
environment, and eventually, her new family...one that
will be of her own creation...
I think I'm having kind of a low-grade grief
response...it's flying just under the radar so it's
not interfering with daily life...but I feel
it...tears well up at odd times, like right now...I
just had to break out the Kleenex and now my mascara
is everywhere...would you still love me with
mascara under my eyes? Or if I cried hard enough that
it was no longer a "pretty cry" like Julia Roberts in
Steel Magnolias?...the kind of cry that makes the face
contort with pain and catharsis, and the nose run, and
the eyes swell?
A cry like yesterday in church when she was
sitting in front of me in the pew, and I was staring
at her from behind as though looking through the eyes
of a perfect stranger at this creature, this glorious
being in front of me...and for just one moment
realizing in a detached sort of way that by all
appearances, she's an adult...anyone else looking at
her would never realize she's still my Baby...and I
longed for some way to imprint her with a warning
label of some kind saying "Please handle with extreme
caution, precious contents inside - FRAGILE," or "If
lost, please return to sender!"
...and I looked at her beautiful auburn hair and
realized my days of pulling it into french-braids and
pony-tails are long-gone, and Sundays spent absently
playing with it during insufferably long sacrament
meetings are over, and watching her fixing it every
morning will no longer be part of my daily
landscape...no more scent of Pantene in the bathroom,
nor curling iron cords winding their way around sink
fixtures and cabinetry...
...and I looked at the clothing she was wearing and
realized it will no longer be haphazardly strewn on
her bedroom floor or draped over the foot of her
bed...no longer laying over the balcony to dry...it
won't even be washed in our washer and dryer
anymore...and three days from now, she will no longer
even have a "floor" in our home...and I longed for a
way to create some sort of "historical marker" for her
room that could somehow signify that "Someone truly
great once slept here and lived here and ate here and
laughed here and cried here and prayed here and loved
here..."
...and I looked at her beautiful calves and feet and
realized I will never watch her compete in another
track meet...there will be no more late-night
pedicures done on her bed by nightlight when she
should be sleeping...and there will be no more shoes
to buy...she'll be buying her own shoes from here on
out...without needing a second opinion from me...on
this or so many other things...
A part of me is beyond joyous about it all...it's been
a long road of teaching, loving, and agonizing and her
departure signals success in all of the above...
But a part of me feels crippled...in an emotional
fetal position and not ready to come out of it...
Yes, it's a birthing process...perhaps my own more
than anything...
Thanks for listening...
Six Weeks Out & Down 47 lbs - HURRAY!
Aug 26, 2007
Well, I'm 6 weeks post-surgery now and I've lost 47 lbs - almost half-way there already! I've lost enough to now be wearing a size 14/16 and people around me are really noticing the changes - especially in my face.
I have to be honest and say that the first month after surgery was really rough for me in terms of dealing with some challenges with eating and drinking. But once I made it past the 30 day mark, things started to become much easier.
The good news is that losing 47 lbs has already made a HUGE difference in the quality of my life. First and foremost, my sleep apnea is GONE! I can't believe what a difference it makes to get a good night's sleep every night! And I can cross my legs and paint my toenails easily now! The best part is looking and feeling more and more like "myself" as the pounds melt away, and being able to fit into clothes I haven't worn for quite a while. I would never say having RNY is an "easy" solution for getting excess weight off, but I'm beginning to feel that it's worth it! Now, if I can just get the ladies at church to quit trying to set me up with their brothers, cousins, and co-workers! (smile)...
I have to be honest and say that the first month after surgery was really rough for me in terms of dealing with some challenges with eating and drinking. But once I made it past the 30 day mark, things started to become much easier.
The good news is that losing 47 lbs has already made a HUGE difference in the quality of my life. First and foremost, my sleep apnea is GONE! I can't believe what a difference it makes to get a good night's sleep every night! And I can cross my legs and paint my toenails easily now! The best part is looking and feeling more and more like "myself" as the pounds melt away, and being able to fit into clothes I haven't worn for quite a while. I would never say having RNY is an "easy" solution for getting excess weight off, but I'm beginning to feel that it's worth it! Now, if I can just get the ladies at church to quit trying to set me up with their brothers, cousins, and co-workers! (smile)...
1 Week Post-Op & I'm still ALIVE!
Jul 19, 2007
Well, my "BIG DAY" was Wednesday, July 11, 2006, and the surgery went fairly smoothly, but recovery not-so-much. Due to some bleeding complications that resulted in throwing up blood for three days straight, I remained hospitalized for 6 days. The good news is I survived! The even better news is that I'm at home now! The best news is that every day gets a little better...
Due to being on an I.V. for six days, my "liquids only" portion of the diet has been extended for a few more days, so I won't be doing the puree or soft foods for a while longer. The bleeding and other complications caused severe inflammation in my digestive tract, so I've only been able to "drink" for about 2 days now without having massive pain and the "foamies." It's funny how much your perspective can change in just one week. This morning I felt such tremendous gratitude at being able to sip water without tons of pain! A month ago, I would have never even thought about what a gift it is to just be able to sip water!
There were times right after the surgery when I honestly wondered what in the heck I've done to myself, and was it really going to be worth it? But each day, I feel a little better and can do more things, so I think that this past week will soon fall into the category of "This too shall pass." Reading everyone's profiles on "OH" has helped me to keep the faith and hold onto the fact that my temporary suffering is going to bring massive long-term benefits!
Oh....and did I mention I've lost 28 pounds in just 8 days? I honestly didn't care one iota about the scale when I was going through the worst of the complications, but today, it felt pretty amazing to hop on the scale and see that I'm already down from 249 lbs to 221 lbs...And I can already see a huge difference in my face, my arms, my thighs, my waist, and my ankles...my "Cankles" are finally gone - Hurray!!!
Due to being on an I.V. for six days, my "liquids only" portion of the diet has been extended for a few more days, so I won't be doing the puree or soft foods for a while longer. The bleeding and other complications caused severe inflammation in my digestive tract, so I've only been able to "drink" for about 2 days now without having massive pain and the "foamies." It's funny how much your perspective can change in just one week. This morning I felt such tremendous gratitude at being able to sip water without tons of pain! A month ago, I would have never even thought about what a gift it is to just be able to sip water!
There were times right after the surgery when I honestly wondered what in the heck I've done to myself, and was it really going to be worth it? But each day, I feel a little better and can do more things, so I think that this past week will soon fall into the category of "This too shall pass." Reading everyone's profiles on "OH" has helped me to keep the faith and hold onto the fact that my temporary suffering is going to bring massive long-term benefits!
Oh....and did I mention I've lost 28 pounds in just 8 days? I honestly didn't care one iota about the scale when I was going through the worst of the complications, but today, it felt pretty amazing to hop on the scale and see that I'm already down from 249 lbs to 221 lbs...And I can already see a huge difference in my face, my arms, my thighs, my waist, and my ankles...my "Cankles" are finally gone - Hurray!!!
Countdown Phase...10, 9,8...
Jun 30, 2007
Well, I'm exactly 10 days out now, and counting down to my surgery date of 7-11-07 - I'm excited and anxious, so I'm doing my best to finish my "to do" list of everything I need to organize and get ready for recovery and starting my new life! We're awaiting the final "green light" from Health Net, but my surgeon's office advised they haven't had a denial by my insurer in 7-9 months, so they've scheduled my surgery, and everything appears to be a "GO!" I cleaned out my closet and drawers last night, and I got rid of all my winter "fat" clothes...It's incredible to think I won't need them again! I also pulled out all of my old "skinny clothes" (everything from size 8's to 14's) so I'll have a few things to wear as my size starts going down...It's hard to imagine myself not being fat, but I'm trying to! This is going to be a LONG 10 days...thankfully my sister's wedding is on 7-7-07, so there will be lots of family around and plenty to keep me busy and distracted...Every now and then I feel a little scared about the surgery, but then I remember that it came as an answer to many prayers, and so I know God will be helping me through whatever comes in the days and weeks ahead. "For I can do all things through God which strengtheneth me..." I just need to chant that 50-million times and then maybe I'll feel a little calmer!
ANOTHER STEP CLOSER...
Jun 27, 2007
June 27, 2007: Today was my "one-on-one" surgical consultation Dr. Donald Waldrep and it went even better than I could have hoped! I am officially "on the books" now for my surgery on 7-11-07 (Just 2 weeks away exactly!), and I'm just awaiting the final insurance approval to seal the deal.
I am so impressed with Dr. Waldrep and his amazing staff! Each encounter I've had with his office has been a rare and wonderful blend of extreme efficiency balanced with lots of caring and compassion! When I asked Brandi of his office yesterday how long the appointment would be today, she said "As long as you need - Dr. Waldrep is entirely yours while you're in the room, and the appointment isn't over until you're ready for it to be. You can ask as many questions as you want!" Man, was that a pleasant surprise! I did come armed with my list of questions, and true to Brandi's word, Dr. Waldrep was gracious to sit with me and answer every single one!
So, as I stand back and try to wrap my mind around what's going to happeneI feel so blessed that he will be doing the surgery, and I feel a deep sense of trust and confidence in his abilities. I already knew from surgeon friends of mine that Dr. Waldrep is considered one of the best (if not THE best) laparoscopic surgeon in Northern California, but after today, I know that he's also a genuinely caring physician towards his patients. It's not easy discussing things like your weight with a doctor - especially a male doctor! But he put me right at ease, and I never felt anything but a sense of understanding and compassion from him. Oddly enough, what impressed me most was that in the midst of going through pages of medical charts, doing an exam, and discussing the surgery, he noticed a tiny little fading burn scar on my hand from a recent cooking accident. It's so faded even I can hardly see it, but he noticed it and asked "What happened here??" Somehow, that really caught my attention that he has such great attention to even tiny little details - this is definitely something I like to see in the person who will be cutting me open very soon!
I am so impressed with Dr. Waldrep and his amazing staff! Each encounter I've had with his office has been a rare and wonderful blend of extreme efficiency balanced with lots of caring and compassion! When I asked Brandi of his office yesterday how long the appointment would be today, she said "As long as you need - Dr. Waldrep is entirely yours while you're in the room, and the appointment isn't over until you're ready for it to be. You can ask as many questions as you want!" Man, was that a pleasant surprise! I did come armed with my list of questions, and true to Brandi's word, Dr. Waldrep was gracious to sit with me and answer every single one!
So, as I stand back and try to wrap my mind around what's going to happeneI feel so blessed that he will be doing the surgery, and I feel a deep sense of trust and confidence in his abilities. I already knew from surgeon friends of mine that Dr. Waldrep is considered one of the best (if not THE best) laparoscopic surgeon in Northern California, but after today, I know that he's also a genuinely caring physician towards his patients. It's not easy discussing things like your weight with a doctor - especially a male doctor! But he put me right at ease, and I never felt anything but a sense of understanding and compassion from him. Oddly enough, what impressed me most was that in the midst of going through pages of medical charts, doing an exam, and discussing the surgery, he noticed a tiny little fading burn scar on my hand from a recent cooking accident. It's so faded even I can hardly see it, but he noticed it and asked "What happened here??" Somehow, that really caught my attention that he has such great attention to even tiny little details - this is definitely something I like to see in the person who will be cutting me open very soon!
Drum Roll Please...The BIG DAY is 7-11-07!!!
Jun 26, 2007
As I write this, I'm overwhelmed with both shock and awe at how fast my surgical process is suddenly moving. It's like the gas pedal was suddenly floored and everything is happening all at once - but this is a GOOD thing!
***Friday (6/22): I saw my PCP to receive my "clearance" to have surgery. I was all prepared to "make my case" to him, and it turned out I didn't have to do a thing but show up to my appointment! In fact, he asked "Why are you even here?" and I was at a loss for words! In his mind, I was already "cleared" for surgery or he wouldn't have referred me to Dr. Waldrep's office in May. My PCP also said he can't imagine my health insurance will deny approval of the procedure because they've approved my referral to Dr. Waldrep's office. He said, "Why would they let you go to a bariatric surgeon and then tell you that you can't have the surgery?" That sounds so logical, but too good to be true! Could it really be this EASY after all this time? Changing health insurance in April may be the single best thing I've done in years...
***Monday (6/25): I met with the nutritionist and the psychologist this morning and they faxed their reports to Dr Waldrep the same day. Both saw no problems with my decision for the Gastric Bypass, and the nutritionist said I'm a "perfect candidate" since I already don't eat/drink so many of the things that are "no-no's" after surgery. The psychological test made me laugh - especially the question that read "I have flown across the Atlantic 30 times in the past month" (true or false) and "I have a fascination with surgical instruments. (true or false)...Are there really people out there that are so far gone that they answer "true" to these kinds of things?...I guess there must be...
***Tuesday (6/26): I got "THE CALL" from Brandi of Dr. Waldrep's office letting me know my "1-on-1" with my surgeon is TOMORROW at 11:15 a.m., and (drum roll please!) - they have a surgery date available for 7-11-07!!!!!!!! I could hardly catch my breath - I was both so surprised and so excited! My mind was racing so fast that I hardly caught the blur of instructions Brandi gave me right after telling me the tentative surgery date! It was overwhelming and exciting and scary all at the same time...like being told you're pregnant, and by the way, the baby's due in 10 days! Up until today, I was just hoping for a miracle to happen so I could somehow have surgery by the end of July. And here I was being told it could happen in less than 2 weeks? Oh my HECK!!!
Ironically, I prayed this morning that somehow everything would come together for my surgery to be approved, and that it might happen by the last week of July if at all possible (due to tight time-contraints with work and my kids) - Boy...asked and answered! Isn't God amazing????
Needless to say, this afternoon was spent making tons of arrangements both at work and with family for my job, for my kids, for my church callings (I play the organ and teach on Sundays)...and trying to figure out where to buy Whey protein isolate by tomorrow, and scheduling time for my family to donate blood to bank for my surgery! Phew!
I wonder if this is how the astronauts feel when they finally are strapped into their seats, everything is finally a "GO' and the countdown to launch begins.......too exciting!
***Friday (6/22): I saw my PCP to receive my "clearance" to have surgery. I was all prepared to "make my case" to him, and it turned out I didn't have to do a thing but show up to my appointment! In fact, he asked "Why are you even here?" and I was at a loss for words! In his mind, I was already "cleared" for surgery or he wouldn't have referred me to Dr. Waldrep's office in May. My PCP also said he can't imagine my health insurance will deny approval of the procedure because they've approved my referral to Dr. Waldrep's office. He said, "Why would they let you go to a bariatric surgeon and then tell you that you can't have the surgery?" That sounds so logical, but too good to be true! Could it really be this EASY after all this time? Changing health insurance in April may be the single best thing I've done in years...
***Monday (6/25): I met with the nutritionist and the psychologist this morning and they faxed their reports to Dr Waldrep the same day. Both saw no problems with my decision for the Gastric Bypass, and the nutritionist said I'm a "perfect candidate" since I already don't eat/drink so many of the things that are "no-no's" after surgery. The psychological test made me laugh - especially the question that read "I have flown across the Atlantic 30 times in the past month" (true or false) and "I have a fascination with surgical instruments. (true or false)...Are there really people out there that are so far gone that they answer "true" to these kinds of things?...I guess there must be...
***Tuesday (6/26): I got "THE CALL" from Brandi of Dr. Waldrep's office letting me know my "1-on-1" with my surgeon is TOMORROW at 11:15 a.m., and (drum roll please!) - they have a surgery date available for 7-11-07!!!!!!!! I could hardly catch my breath - I was both so surprised and so excited! My mind was racing so fast that I hardly caught the blur of instructions Brandi gave me right after telling me the tentative surgery date! It was overwhelming and exciting and scary all at the same time...like being told you're pregnant, and by the way, the baby's due in 10 days! Up until today, I was just hoping for a miracle to happen so I could somehow have surgery by the end of July. And here I was being told it could happen in less than 2 weeks? Oh my HECK!!!
Ironically, I prayed this morning that somehow everything would come together for my surgery to be approved, and that it might happen by the last week of July if at all possible (due to tight time-contraints with work and my kids) - Boy...asked and answered! Isn't God amazing????
Needless to say, this afternoon was spent making tons of arrangements both at work and with family for my job, for my kids, for my church callings (I play the organ and teach on Sundays)...and trying to figure out where to buy Whey protein isolate by tomorrow, and scheduling time for my family to donate blood to bank for my surgery! Phew!
I wonder if this is how the astronauts feel when they finally are strapped into their seats, everything is finally a "GO' and the countdown to launch begins.......too exciting!
Six weeks and counting...
Jun 16, 2007
June 16, 2007 - Saturday - 3:30 p.m.
I just discovered this website and I was awed by the transformations of all the beautiful people on here! I'm almost done with my pre-surgical requirements (just need to see the nutritionist and psychologist, and then have my one-on-one with my surgeon), so hopefully I'll be having surgery by the end of July!
I took some time to write "My Story" below, and it was unbelievably cathartic and sad to do so...Getting it all out on paper helped reconfirm how truly ready I am for this unbelievable change soon to come into my life...And I'm hopeful that by being so brutally honest, someone will be benefited or will find comfort that they're not alone in this struggle...Being so honest is also part of my healing - it's part of no longer hiding, denying, or apologizing for my life...
I haven't used the scale in months, so I'm not sure of my exact weight today, but I was 246 at the weigh-in with my doctor's office last week. It's strange, but even after all these years of being overweight, I still don't "recognize" myself at times. While at my daughter's gymnastics class this week, I noticed a very heavy woman in the mirror by the tumbling mat, and it took a few seconds for me to realize that distant reflection was ME! I almost started crying right there on the spot, bu then, I just remembered that this reflection is only ME right now...it will soon change for good!
My hope with the surgery is to someday be down to 145 -150 lbs. I'm not sure if that's even possible with all of the abuse I've put my body through, but seeing so many unbelievable transformations on this website today has renewed my hope that it IS possible to be fit and healthy once again. I'm not going to be hung up about a number, I just want to feel my best with whatever that number ends up being.
I haven't been approved yet by my insurance, and a small part of me is fearful the approval won't go through, but I just try to release that fear as quickly as it manifests and believe that what is meant to be will happen. And, if worse comes to worse, I'll "private pay" the surgery because I'm 100% determined to give this gift to myself this year - I'm not going to live one more year of my life feeling terrible and being unhealthy. Best wishes to all of us with this process!
I just discovered this website and I was awed by the transformations of all the beautiful people on here! I'm almost done with my pre-surgical requirements (just need to see the nutritionist and psychologist, and then have my one-on-one with my surgeon), so hopefully I'll be having surgery by the end of July!
I took some time to write "My Story" below, and it was unbelievably cathartic and sad to do so...Getting it all out on paper helped reconfirm how truly ready I am for this unbelievable change soon to come into my life...And I'm hopeful that by being so brutally honest, someone will be benefited or will find comfort that they're not alone in this struggle...Being so honest is also part of my healing - it's part of no longer hiding, denying, or apologizing for my life...
I haven't used the scale in months, so I'm not sure of my exact weight today, but I was 246 at the weigh-in with my doctor's office last week. It's strange, but even after all these years of being overweight, I still don't "recognize" myself at times. While at my daughter's gymnastics class this week, I noticed a very heavy woman in the mirror by the tumbling mat, and it took a few seconds for me to realize that distant reflection was ME! I almost started crying right there on the spot, bu then, I just remembered that this reflection is only ME right now...it will soon change for good!
My hope with the surgery is to someday be down to 145 -150 lbs. I'm not sure if that's even possible with all of the abuse I've put my body through, but seeing so many unbelievable transformations on this website today has renewed my hope that it IS possible to be fit and healthy once again. I'm not going to be hung up about a number, I just want to feel my best with whatever that number ends up being.
I haven't been approved yet by my insurance, and a small part of me is fearful the approval won't go through, but I just try to release that fear as quickly as it manifests and believe that what is meant to be will happen. And, if worse comes to worse, I'll "private pay" the surgery because I'm 100% determined to give this gift to myself this year - I'm not going to live one more year of my life feeling terrible and being unhealthy. Best wishes to all of us with this process!
About Me
22.9
BMI
Surgery
07/11/2007
Surgery Date
Jun 15, 2007
Member Since
