Bluedog
6 Month Update
Sep 15, 2008
9-10-08 , This was my 6 month update. Weighed in at 277 which is 133 lbs gone from my all time high. I can tolerate about any food that I care to try. That is the problem, I don't won't to try anything . All blood work came back real good, no problems. I have 57 pounds more to go until I reach my goal of 220 pounds. Hopefully I will be there around Christmas time. Exercising has been going great, I walke 2-3 miles daily and try to lift weights about 3 times a week. I do alot of stretching. This helps out with all my orthopedic problems (Back and Knee's ) . I'm wearing a 2 x shirt down from 5x and my waist size is 38 down from 54. I don't have the energy like I had at around 4 months out. I'm going to up the protein and vitamins to try to offset that some. I will check in again later on. Later, Ken
Journey
Jan 08, 2008
Went to Duke's informational seminar Nov 16, 2007. Found it to be very informative and really got me excited. Found out that i needed to quit smoking. Nov 26 I started my life as a non smoker and as of today Jan 9, 2008 i am still smoke free. I had my first visit to Duke WLS program the 7th of Jan, 2008. I off weighed in at 378.5. Everything went smooth and i'm in what they call dictation, which to me is a holding pattern. I will update when i get the next call.
January 28th, 2008- i'm now in surgical review, nothing else has changed. I stopped soft drinks about three weeks ago so it wouldn't be a big deal later on. I'm trying to eat 3-4 times a day know. That has always been my biggest problem, i wouldn't eat all day then i would eat a good and big supper. I will post again soon.
Feb-4th- Went to insurance today (BCBSNC) and in 5 hours had a answer
Feb 7th- Beth from Duke and I talked and i got a surgery date of March 7, 2008- My new birthday
Feb 20th went for my surgery consult with Dr. Porteiner. Great guy, really had a great talk with him. He ask me could i lose 1 5 poinds in two weeks before surgery and i agreed that i could. Finally found me a treadmill off of Craiglist today. That will help out with the exercise and hopefully will be easier on my knees. Next Friday the 29th of Feb i Have my preop then the next Friday the 7th of March will be my surgery. I will report again before to long. (2-23-08)
Went to preop on the 29th of Feb- What a long day, started out with group meeting with, nut, physch, and then the surgeon. Then had to go and spend the rest of the day at Durham Regional for test. I got to meet some special people that i will be sharing the experience with. As i write this i have three days to surgery. Can't wait. I have reduce myself to fluids from here on out, trying to shrink the liver. Will write again after surgery. Ken
Well showed up for Surgery March 7th at 6:00. They took me back at 6:45 and the last time i knew of was 7:20. My surgery took 3 1/2 hours with no complications. They did a test on my liver, because it looks like it has fatty deposits on it. The Dr. thinks as i lose weight that this will correct itself. Got to my room around 1;30 that same day. My wife was there to greet me. Nice to see her beautiful face. After what seem to be an eternity getting me hooked up to machines and stuff, I settled in around 3 for the evening. The next two hours was catching up on talking with the wife about what the doctor had told her and making sure that i was hitting the land marks that i had sat out for myself along the way. At 6pm i made 4 laps around the whole 4 floor of Durham Regional Hospital. The burping pain was the only bad part about after surgery except for the dry mouth. I didn't get much sleep the first night, partly because the drugs would let you take cat naps and then you couldn't sleep for any lenght and because the nurses was coming in about every hour. Wife went home around 9 Monday night. Sat the 8th started out okay. The Doctor came in and had all the positive stuff for me, i got up and walked alot during the first part of the day. Started fluids ( never thought that drinking 1 once of anything would take so long. Wife and Kid came over around 1pm and that's when i had a slight set back. I hadn't stayed on top of my pain meds and i think i let them run out. I wasn't in so much pain, I think i just didn't keep the pain at a regular level. I started to get angry and didn't have any patience with no one. I wasn't sick or anything i just need to fill a litlle better. This lasted until about 6 Sat evening, and I think i learned that even if i didn't hurt, still take the meds that way i could keep up the level i was trying to. After 6 and on top of the meds and change the nausea medicine to one that will help sleep. I had a great Sat night and really did alot of walking. Sunday came and i was ready to come home. The Doctor came in and saw me walking the halls and notice that i was limbing and ask me why. I told him that i thought i had pulled my calf trying to get out of bed. He freaked a little and sent me to ultra sound to check for clot (Which came up none ). I left the hospital around 12;45 and came back to Roxboro and stopped by my parents house to see them before i returned home. Once home, i started walking right away then came in the house for the rest of the evening. Today is Wed 12th and everything is going great. No weight loss yet. To be expected. Have been doing good with fluids and exercise. Will update later, Ken 3/12/08
4-16-08 ( Well it's been a while. I've been doing great since surgery. I turn 40 April the 11th. And I'm down to 332lbs since surgery March 7th (60 pounds) I have had only a couple of you ate to fast or the wrong stuff and believe me it will lay you down for a few hours. It has happened twice. Overall I'm great, i walk two to three miles everyday. I go thru the stuff like everyone else does. I forget to eat, drink, and etc. I went back to work about two weeks ago. I get tired around 3 pm and it last to about 7 and then I'm fine. I'm not hungry at all and so far haven't had any cravings. When i had the surgery they did a biopsy of my liver and it came back with fatty deposits in it. I went today to a specialist at Duke for liver's and know I'm on a different journey to find out what, how, next to do and so forth. All Doctors agree that as i keep losing weight that it will correct itself. We will see. Play time with the kids are better. I help coach girls soccer and softball. Everything about life is better since surgery and I hope it stays that way. Got to go and I will try to update more oftern. Thanks Kathy into shaming me to update. I do get slack. Later, Ken 4-16-08
4/29/08- Update time- still exercizing like crazy, I have been on a stall for a week know at 324. Can't go up or down. I'm going to change the diet around a bit. I think if i eat more with the exercise that I'm doing will do the trick. I guess i shouldn't complain with the weight loss 68 pounds so far in 53 days. Hate this stall though. I will update later. My new avatar really shows the difference. Ken
5/28/08- Update- I have a pattern, i go about two weeks then drop a big number- i weigh know 304 pounds. That's 20 pounds in the last month. I have slowed alot and i have to get back on track. Overall I'm doing good. Plenty of chicken and suger free pudding. I need to up my protein like everyone else. My father past on the 5th of May. That was a set back. Later, Ken
6-10-08- Update- Still same patten, I know weigh 301, Still working out hard. Spent last weekend with Wife, and Daughter at White Lake- I got to swim (Play) for about 15 hours in the water. Need to get a pool, working out in water is alot better for my knees than the hard ground. Still find it difficult to eat like i should. Just haven't had an appetite. Talk again soon. Ken
January 28th, 2008- i'm now in surgical review, nothing else has changed. I stopped soft drinks about three weeks ago so it wouldn't be a big deal later on. I'm trying to eat 3-4 times a day know. That has always been my biggest problem, i wouldn't eat all day then i would eat a good and big supper. I will post again soon.
Feb-4th- Went to insurance today (BCBSNC) and in 5 hours had a answer
Feb 7th- Beth from Duke and I talked and i got a surgery date of March 7, 2008- My new birthday
Feb 20th went for my surgery consult with Dr. Porteiner. Great guy, really had a great talk with him. He ask me could i lose 1 5 poinds in two weeks before surgery and i agreed that i could. Finally found me a treadmill off of Craiglist today. That will help out with the exercise and hopefully will be easier on my knees. Next Friday the 29th of Feb i Have my preop then the next Friday the 7th of March will be my surgery. I will report again before to long. (2-23-08)
Went to preop on the 29th of Feb- What a long day, started out with group meeting with, nut, physch, and then the surgeon. Then had to go and spend the rest of the day at Durham Regional for test. I got to meet some special people that i will be sharing the experience with. As i write this i have three days to surgery. Can't wait. I have reduce myself to fluids from here on out, trying to shrink the liver. Will write again after surgery. Ken
Well showed up for Surgery March 7th at 6:00. They took me back at 6:45 and the last time i knew of was 7:20. My surgery took 3 1/2 hours with no complications. They did a test on my liver, because it looks like it has fatty deposits on it. The Dr. thinks as i lose weight that this will correct itself. Got to my room around 1;30 that same day. My wife was there to greet me. Nice to see her beautiful face. After what seem to be an eternity getting me hooked up to machines and stuff, I settled in around 3 for the evening. The next two hours was catching up on talking with the wife about what the doctor had told her and making sure that i was hitting the land marks that i had sat out for myself along the way. At 6pm i made 4 laps around the whole 4 floor of Durham Regional Hospital. The burping pain was the only bad part about after surgery except for the dry mouth. I didn't get much sleep the first night, partly because the drugs would let you take cat naps and then you couldn't sleep for any lenght and because the nurses was coming in about every hour. Wife went home around 9 Monday night. Sat the 8th started out okay. The Doctor came in and had all the positive stuff for me, i got up and walked alot during the first part of the day. Started fluids ( never thought that drinking 1 once of anything would take so long. Wife and Kid came over around 1pm and that's when i had a slight set back. I hadn't stayed on top of my pain meds and i think i let them run out. I wasn't in so much pain, I think i just didn't keep the pain at a regular level. I started to get angry and didn't have any patience with no one. I wasn't sick or anything i just need to fill a litlle better. This lasted until about 6 Sat evening, and I think i learned that even if i didn't hurt, still take the meds that way i could keep up the level i was trying to. After 6 and on top of the meds and change the nausea medicine to one that will help sleep. I had a great Sat night and really did alot of walking. Sunday came and i was ready to come home. The Doctor came in and saw me walking the halls and notice that i was limbing and ask me why. I told him that i thought i had pulled my calf trying to get out of bed. He freaked a little and sent me to ultra sound to check for clot (Which came up none ). I left the hospital around 12;45 and came back to Roxboro and stopped by my parents house to see them before i returned home. Once home, i started walking right away then came in the house for the rest of the evening. Today is Wed 12th and everything is going great. No weight loss yet. To be expected. Have been doing good with fluids and exercise. Will update later, Ken 3/12/08
4-16-08 ( Well it's been a while. I've been doing great since surgery. I turn 40 April the 11th. And I'm down to 332lbs since surgery March 7th (60 pounds) I have had only a couple of you ate to fast or the wrong stuff and believe me it will lay you down for a few hours. It has happened twice. Overall I'm great, i walk two to three miles everyday. I go thru the stuff like everyone else does. I forget to eat, drink, and etc. I went back to work about two weeks ago. I get tired around 3 pm and it last to about 7 and then I'm fine. I'm not hungry at all and so far haven't had any cravings. When i had the surgery they did a biopsy of my liver and it came back with fatty deposits in it. I went today to a specialist at Duke for liver's and know I'm on a different journey to find out what, how, next to do and so forth. All Doctors agree that as i keep losing weight that it will correct itself. We will see. Play time with the kids are better. I help coach girls soccer and softball. Everything about life is better since surgery and I hope it stays that way. Got to go and I will try to update more oftern. Thanks Kathy into shaming me to update. I do get slack. Later, Ken 4-16-08
4/29/08- Update time- still exercizing like crazy, I have been on a stall for a week know at 324. Can't go up or down. I'm going to change the diet around a bit. I think if i eat more with the exercise that I'm doing will do the trick. I guess i shouldn't complain with the weight loss 68 pounds so far in 53 days. Hate this stall though. I will update later. My new avatar really shows the difference. Ken
5/28/08- Update- I have a pattern, i go about two weeks then drop a big number- i weigh know 304 pounds. That's 20 pounds in the last month. I have slowed alot and i have to get back on track. Overall I'm doing good. Plenty of chicken and suger free pudding. I need to up my protein like everyone else. My father past on the 5th of May. That was a set back. Later, Ken
6-10-08- Update- Still same patten, I know weigh 301, Still working out hard. Spent last weekend with Wife, and Daughter at White Lake- I got to swim (Play) for about 15 hours in the water. Need to get a pool, working out in water is alot better for my knees than the hard ground. Still find it difficult to eat like i should. Just haven't had an appetite. Talk again soon. Ken
