Bonni
WooooHooooo
May 15, 2007
Got approved!!!
Still waiting...
Mar 19, 2007
That's all...still waiting.
Bonnie's WLS Journey
Oct 23, 2006
02/05/07 - I've pretty much immersed myself in the WLS stuff. I met with the 'Behavioralist' who takes the place of the shrink. She was a little strange, I thought, though nice. There were a lot of uncomfortable pauses in the conversation. I swear I think they do that so you'll feel compelled to fill the air with words and spill something incriminating. LOL.
I've spent a lot of time going through that damn calorie guide book they gave me at my assessment. that in itself can become somewhat compulsive.
I got an ultrasound done of my gallbladder. I was hoping it would be sludgy because I'd just as soon have it taken out at the time of the surgery as opposed to later.
Saturday (02/10) I have my holistic surgery class and then on the 15th a nutrition class. After that, other than the support group meetings, I'm done with all the required before surgery classes and tests.
My thoughts and best wishes to Dawn, who is having her surgery February 15th. She started after me and gets her surgery way ahead of me. Good luck, girlie! ~Bonnie~
01/18/07 - Well, I'm back in the swing of things GBP wise. I met with my case manager from New Beginnings, Chris Arroliga, for my Health Assesment. She is very support and a wealth of information. She took my official weight, which is 218, took some measurements and took a photo of me. She went over extensively, my medical history. She also introduced me to another member of New Beginnings that was waiting out in the waiting room. Hopefully, I'll see her at support group meetings. If you're a member here, hi Zoe!
I received all my materials relevant to pre and post-surgery and made most of my appointments for the remainder of the tests and clearances that I need pre-surgery. I have to get an ultrasound of my gallbladder, have a fitness assessment, Behavior Therapy Assessment, attend a Pre-Operative Nutrition Class, support group meetings, and a Holistic Preparation for Surgery class. Other than some necessary bloodwork immediately prior to surgery, I think (and hope) that's it! All of those things, with the exception of the gallbladder ultrasound and bloodwork are covered by the $1,750 fee I paid to New Beginnings.
Chris said she's fax my file to Dr. Boynton on April 17th, but I think I'd like it done sooner (thanks Dawn, for the info). Timing of the surgery is critical for me and I don't want to have my timeline screwed up because the approval process took too long.
On another note, I joined a gym, Active Fitness in Medford on December 1st and have been going fairly regularly. I met with the trainer twice. I will never like going to the gym, but it's about as pleasant an experience one can have at a gym. It's large and clean and bright. They have 7-8 TVs in the cardio room, so I can usually watch whatever show I like while I'm doing my cardio.
I reread my lost post of 11/10/06. Sadly my conviction that this surgery is the right thing for me is not what it was on that day. Hopefully, I'll get back there again, but I think I'll become more apprehensive as the time gets closer. I hate doing anything that is not reversible! ~Bonnie~
11/10/06 - Off for Teacher's Convention! Wooohoooo!!! Gorgeous Fall day, 61 warm & sunny degrees, a perfect day to be on the beach. However, I am not so inclined this day. My husband is at work, my kids both have college classes today, so it's just me and my furbabies at home. Quiet and peaceful. One ability I've always had is to recognize and appreciate the little things in life like the change of the leaves in the fall, the sound of one of my furbabies purring in my ear, a wobbly, half-dead dandelion proudly presented to me by one of my babies when they were young. Today just seems like the perfect day to appreciate being home and enjoy watching the cats bask in the warmth of the sunlight streaming in through the windows.
Yesterday, I was also off for Teacher's Convention so I visited several of my favorite Christmas shoppes and just took in all the sights, smells and sounds of Christmas. Okay, okay, I bought a few things as well! LOL. That always gets me in the mood.
TODAY I AM AT PEACE with all things. This is good, my spirit is in sync with the universe. For today, at least, I am at peace with my decision to have gastric bypass surgery. This is quite comforting for me considering how ambivalent I've been feeling about it. I put great value in GUT FEELINGS. My gut has served me well through my life, rarely letting me down. It is at peace with my decision to have surgery. I take that as a positive sign.
I find myself wishing I could have the surgery sooner than June, but that just isn't practical. I have never had a lot of patience. Waiting will be good for me. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and happens in its own time, when it is appropriate for it to occur. Additionally, I have to get my affairs in order before I have the surgery. I have to make a will, show my husband where life insurance documents and such are located, let my kids know who gets what when I die (so there won't be any fighting over things), etc. I'm not anticipating dying, of course, just tying up loose ends before the surgery.
I have been reading others' blogs and find their stories positive and encouraging. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, THANK YOU for taking the time to maintain your blogs. I'm sure there are many like me out here, reading, searching, and benefitting greatly from your stories.
On the medical front, I've fallen again! I cannot believe it. That makes three times in a couple of months. I guess I will need a knee replacement sooner than later, but I can't focus on that right now. I have to get through this surgery first. I had hoped by having gastric bypass and losing weight, I could buy time for my knee, regretfully, I think it's too late for that. Nothing happening this month as far as getting approval for surgery. My intake with New Beginnings isn't until December 18th. I will try and schedule as many of their required visits during the week between Christmas and New Year's if I can, when I am off from work. Unfortunately, a lot of doctors are closed that week as well, so I'll have to see how that goes.
I'm thinking that by the end of January I'll have completed all the New Beginnings requirements, so am thinking I should have an approval or denial from the insurance company by the end of February. That will still leave me waiting 3-1/2 months until I can have surgery. Now I'm wondering if once Aetna gives approval, is there a time frame in which the approval expires? Guess I should have considered that before, huh? Well, if that's the case, I will just draw things out even more before we get to the approval application stage.
STOP and take the time to enjoy this day, it'll never come this way again! ~Bonnie~
11/02/06 - Well, lots has happened since my last post. I had the chemical cardio stress test (no results in yet), then met with Dr. Trudo (the Pulmonologist) who went over all the test results with me and diagnosed me with mild sleep apnea. He cleared me for surgery from his end (providing the results of the stress test are good)! Yippeeee!
I toured and am joining a gym. God save us all! Bonnie going to the gym. Of course, now my family and co-workers feel I should just do the gym and not have the surgery. HELLO!!! You people don't get it. But, I've given up. I just nod my head and tell them I'll take it under advisement. My boss (who is a Ph.D. in child psychology) told me I'm the most addictive personality he's ever seen. While I admit to having an addictive personality, I seriously doubt, knowing the scope of clients he sees, that I'm the most addictive he's run across. I do, however, have a multitude of food 'issues'. Like M&M's for instance. When I eat them, I group them by color and eat them by fours (two on each side of my mouth). If I don't have four of one color, I'll pair them up with a complementary color. Hey, I never said I didn't have issues!
Nothing more going on for me until December 18th when I go to New Beginnings intake. ~Bonnie~
10/23/06 - Friday (10/20/06) I had my sleep study. They try to make you as comfortable as possible, but with the straps, glue, 30 or so wires, plus sleeping in a strange place, it's a difficult test at best. I'm just glad it's done. Haven't gotten the results yet. They said results can take 2-3 weeks.
Today I had my echo, ekg and cardio consult. The echo and ekg were both normal, but the cardiologist (Dr. O'Neill) wants me to have an Intravenous Persantine Myoview Stress Test. One test leads to another. The test is five hours long! I scheduled it for Tuesday, October 31st. That's another day missing from work.
I truly don't mind the tests if they're legitimately needed, but, cynic that I am, I feel like the doctors see me coming and order tests as a way to make money. Like I said, I'm a cynic! Till next time. ~Bonnie~
10/12/06 - Made my appointments for my Echo and cardio consult. Had to make them for two different dates. I'm trying to schedule everything without taking time off from work, so scheduling for late in the afternoon when possible. I've been pretty fortunate with getting appointments in a timely fashion.
I found out my chest x-ray is normal, so that's two things done (lung function test & chest x-ray).
Finally made it to the beach, and wouldn't you know, I fell into a sink hole! Left leg again, same one that was injured the worst when I fell down the porch stairs. This is the knee I injured years ago during a skiing accident and had to have surgery. I now have arthritis in that knee. Talk about the fates conspiring against me! The damn sink hole was invisible. It looked like all the other sand, except when I stepped there, my leg sunk up to my knee in wet, mushy sand (at the water's edge), much like quicksand. Of course, my forward momentum pulled me down and pulled ALL kinds of freaking muscles I never even knew I had. Back in the knee brace and on muscle relaxants and pain killers yet again. It's inevitable I'll need a knee replacement at some point, especially the way I keep racking up injuries on that knee. My husband is now treating me like he treats his 88 year old mother, telling me to take the stairs one by one. BLECH!
I'll update again when I have something significant. ~Bonnie~
10/09/06 - HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY! I've been a busy little beaver on the WLS front. I have my overnight sleep study scheduled for October 20th. I went for my bloodwork last Monday (10/02/06), and also had my breathing/lungs tested last Monday (10/02/06).
I just called the Pulmonologist's office and his receptionist told me that all my lung tests came out NORMAL!! One worry down, many more to go. I also got the results of my blood work in the mail. Overall it looks okay, with a few highs and lows. WBC is high, EOS is high, Basic Metabolic Panel is high (no surprise there), Lipid Panel is high (no surprise there, either), Monocytes are low. I have no idea what EOS and Monocytes are, so I looked them up on the internet and they do not seem to be anything I need to worry about. So, I'm hoping with the lung function good, I'll be cleared for surgery. Sleep Apnea won't preclude me from having the surgery, but I don't want to wear the mask, so I'm hoping I don't have sleep apnea. I guess I'll know by the end of the month.
I still have to have an Echo/Cardio Consult, but 'm not anticipating any problems with that, as I used to work for a heart hospital during the time I took Phen/Fen and had two Echos done to check for damage and they both came out normal.
After the sleep study and the Echo, I return to the Pulmonologist to discuss all the findings, and hopefully get cleared for WLS. After that things will stay static until mid-December when I have my In-Take interview with New Beginnings and begin to jump through THEIR hoops.
Nobody's said anything about an EKG yet, or seeing an Endocrinologist, so I guess those two things are somewhere in my future.
I'm real glad I don't want to have the surgery until June because that allows me to space out all the tests and consultations required of me. I don't know how people get all of this accomplished in the matter of a few weeks to get cleared for surgery in a few months, and still have any type of life.
I look forward to having the month of November and half of December to relax and enjoy the holidays. After the New Beginnings In-Take on December 18th, I probably won't do anything more WLS related until after the new year, at which time, I'll still have five months to get all my ducks in a row.
I have spent hours on this web site, reading profiles that relate to me (age wise, weight wise, comorbidity wise), trying to figure out what makes some outcomes successful and others not so.
I understand the importance of exercise and maintaining dietary integrity, but really, a lot of the outcomes seem to be a crap shoot. 'Roll yer dice an' takes yer chances' kind of thing. That scares the hell outta me. I'd feel a lot better if I felt I had more control over the outcome.
Will I dump?
Will I require B injections?
Will I feel tired all the time or have boundless energy?
How bad will my skin hang?
Will I look like a wrinkled hag after I lose weight?
Will my diabetes go away and stay away?
Will I be able to discontinue blood pressure meds?
Will my cholesterol go down?
Will my depression improve?
Will something go wrong and ultimately kill me?
The possibility of dying during this process seems so foreign to me that I just can't wrap my head around it. Though, intellectually, I know it's a very real possibility. Like most everyone else, I'm sure, I don't feel that will happen to me, yet I know it can and does happen. But, I remind myself, I could have a stroke or a heart attack at any time due to my high blood pressure, high cholesterol or morbid obesity. And, though I'm at the beginning stages of diabetes, if the other things don't get me first, the diabetes eventually will. It's just a matter of time. ~Bonnie~
09/29/06 - Well, I met with the Pulmonologist/Sleep Study doctor, Dr. Frank Trudo, yesterday. I can't help feeling I had a giant, green $ over my head, because he prescribed every possible test he could for me. I have to do the overnight sleep study (yuck), get blood work, a chest x-ray, an echo/cardio evaluation, some pulmonary stress test (?), so the tedium begins. I have to do the dance if I want to go to the party, so I will. I realize now, I was expecting him to give me a clean bill of health and send me on my way. That was unrealistic of me, I suppose.
I scheduled the pulmonary stress test (?) and the chest x-ray for Monday, October 2nd, as I'm off work that day. I had hoped to go to the beach, but I guess I have to take care of business first. One test is in the A.M. and the other in the late afternoon, so it's possible I may be able to sneak down to the beach for a few hours in between. We'll see. Summer is waning, the tourists are gone, and this is my favorite time to spend quietly on the beach. It rejuvenates me and feeds my soul. I get 'twitchy' if I'm away from the water for too long.
I almost fell down the front steps AGAIN the other day. My poor left knee does not seem able to hold my weight anymore when I'm going up stairs, especially if I'm carrying anything. If I hadn't been successful in grabbing the door handle, I would have gone down again. I'm feeling pathetic. ~Bonnie~
09/27/06 - Tomorrow is my first test in my WLS journey. I'm meeting with the pulmonologist for a sleep evaluation. I have no idea if I have sleep apnea or not, but I do snore loudly and often. My husband has never seen signs of me not breathing during sleep, but like he said, he's a little busy sleeping himself at those times! ~Bonnie~
09/19/06 - I'm glad I found this site. It seems well balanced, not pro or con, just presenting information provided by members, positive & negative.
I am very ambivalent about having this surgery, but it seems like once I turned 50, my body started to deteriorate at an alarming rate, and I need to do something. I am noticing a marked decline in my energy levels (could be due to the diabetes meds or menopause), I am having memory issues (could be due to the depression meds or menopause), and just a lot of unexplained aches and pains.
Overall, I am alarmed. I fell down the cement stairs on the front of our house a month or so ago because my knee can no longer support my weight as I climb stairs. My recovery from those injuries has been very slow.
I have been researching this surgery for a number of years now, on and off. Reading extensively on the internet, talking to people I know that have had the surgery. I am trying to be as informed as I possibly can. I don't know what else I can do.
Next week, I have an appointment with the pulmonologist to see if I have sleep apnea. The pulmonologist is the first requirement I'm meeting, then nothing happens for me until mid-December when I go for my 'New Beginnings' assessment. 'New Beginnings' will oversee all my testing and assure that I meet all the requirements for the surgery.
So, that's where I am at this point. I'm just going to dig around and learn as much from this site as I can until I have my 'New Beginnings' assessment in December. I have already viewed many profiles and photos, and read all the Memorials ~ that was an eye opener. ~Bonnie~
09/15/06 - My name is Bonnie. I found this site a few weeks ago and have spent many hours since then reading profiles and message boards. I feel like I know some of you because your profiles are so detailed! I want to thank you all for taking the time to post about your weight loss journey. It is so helpful to those of us who aren't 'there' yet. I also read all the Memorials on the Memorial page. They were quite eye opening. I am most impressed with the support and caring I see offered on these pages.
I am 50 years old, am 5'3", 224 lbs., and was diagnosed a year ago August with diabetes. I just began oral meds this past August. I also have hypertension (take meds), high cholesterol (take meds), chronic depression (take meds), and suffer from migraines. Yes, I am the co-morbidity queen!
I have been researching gastric bypass surgery for 3-4 years now, but would read horror stories and back away. However, I have found something that scares me more then WLS, diabetes! THAT scares the hell outta me. I want it to go away. I fully admit that I have abused my body for most of my life and now I'm paying the piper, only I never realized the interest rate would be this high.
I was never fat as a child, wearing a size 5/6 into my very early 20's. I'm not sure exactly what happened in my early 20's to cause me to gain weight so rapidly. By 26, when I got pregnant with my son, I was around 170. Since then, I've steadily gained until I find myself at my all-time high of 224. I, like everyone else here, have tried various diets over the years and lost some weight, only to gain it back, plus some. You know the drill.
In 1994, I started taking Phen/Fen. Dang, I loved that stuff. I stopped obsessing about food, didn't even think about it anymore, and the weight fell off me. I was also exercising every single day. I got down to 159 and kinda bottomed out, but I was satisfied with that. I was wearing size 10's, and even some 8's. Because of that experience, I'm kinda expecting to bottom out at around the same weight with WLS. I'm thinking that must be my 'set point'. I would love to get down to 135, but don't expect it. For me, this is all about ditching the diabetes. Losing the blood pressure meds will be a bonus, for sure.
So, my journey begins. Thanks to all of you and your diligence in posting your experiences and answering questions, I feel I have a realistic view on what to expect.
I have met with my surgeon, Dr. Chris Boynton, once, I went to the orientation of the "New Beginnings" program, which he mandates his patients participate in. I just had my first appointment with the Pulmonologist/Sleep Study doctor, and he is requiring me to do everything under the sun, including a sleep study. I am documenting everything as it occurs so I can post my journey for those who come behind me. I can already see that the approval process is tedious and exhausting.
My goal date for surgery is June 18, 2007, so I have lots of time. I choose this date because I work for a school district and work wise this is the best time for me to be out of work for an extended period of time. I am fortunate in that I have excellent health insurance through my employer, and generous time off to recover.
Incidentials about me: I have been married for 31 years to a man who still makes my heart go pitter-pat. We have two adult children, a 23 year old son, who just graduated from college and is looking for work as a high school history teacher, and a 19 year old daughter, who just started college for graphic design. Though they try to be supportive of my decision, none of them agree with it. They are concerned about the surgery, and feel I could lose the weight without it. It ain't happening. Also, the co-workers I've told, who are also trying to be supportive, are not in favor of my having the surgery. I am a 'light-weight' (what a hoot that term is, huh?), and they all feel I don't weigh enough to make it worth the risk. But, for me, it's all about the diabetes. And the aching joints. And the high blood pressure. And the lack of energy. And the shortness of breath when climbing any stairs. I feel my life slipping away from me daily. My decline is obvious to me and happening rapidly.
So, here I am, with you all. I look forward to participating and hope I can lend support to others, as I've already benefitted so much just from reading this board. ~Bonnie~
I've spent a lot of time going through that damn calorie guide book they gave me at my assessment. that in itself can become somewhat compulsive.
I got an ultrasound done of my gallbladder. I was hoping it would be sludgy because I'd just as soon have it taken out at the time of the surgery as opposed to later.
Saturday (02/10) I have my holistic surgery class and then on the 15th a nutrition class. After that, other than the support group meetings, I'm done with all the required before surgery classes and tests.
My thoughts and best wishes to Dawn, who is having her surgery February 15th. She started after me and gets her surgery way ahead of me. Good luck, girlie! ~Bonnie~
01/18/07 - Well, I'm back in the swing of things GBP wise. I met with my case manager from New Beginnings, Chris Arroliga, for my Health Assesment. She is very support and a wealth of information. She took my official weight, which is 218, took some measurements and took a photo of me. She went over extensively, my medical history. She also introduced me to another member of New Beginnings that was waiting out in the waiting room. Hopefully, I'll see her at support group meetings. If you're a member here, hi Zoe!
I received all my materials relevant to pre and post-surgery and made most of my appointments for the remainder of the tests and clearances that I need pre-surgery. I have to get an ultrasound of my gallbladder, have a fitness assessment, Behavior Therapy Assessment, attend a Pre-Operative Nutrition Class, support group meetings, and a Holistic Preparation for Surgery class. Other than some necessary bloodwork immediately prior to surgery, I think (and hope) that's it! All of those things, with the exception of the gallbladder ultrasound and bloodwork are covered by the $1,750 fee I paid to New Beginnings.
Chris said she's fax my file to Dr. Boynton on April 17th, but I think I'd like it done sooner (thanks Dawn, for the info). Timing of the surgery is critical for me and I don't want to have my timeline screwed up because the approval process took too long.
On another note, I joined a gym, Active Fitness in Medford on December 1st and have been going fairly regularly. I met with the trainer twice. I will never like going to the gym, but it's about as pleasant an experience one can have at a gym. It's large and clean and bright. They have 7-8 TVs in the cardio room, so I can usually watch whatever show I like while I'm doing my cardio.
I reread my lost post of 11/10/06. Sadly my conviction that this surgery is the right thing for me is not what it was on that day. Hopefully, I'll get back there again, but I think I'll become more apprehensive as the time gets closer. I hate doing anything that is not reversible! ~Bonnie~
11/10/06 - Off for Teacher's Convention! Wooohoooo!!! Gorgeous Fall day, 61 warm & sunny degrees, a perfect day to be on the beach. However, I am not so inclined this day. My husband is at work, my kids both have college classes today, so it's just me and my furbabies at home. Quiet and peaceful. One ability I've always had is to recognize and appreciate the little things in life like the change of the leaves in the fall, the sound of one of my furbabies purring in my ear, a wobbly, half-dead dandelion proudly presented to me by one of my babies when they were young. Today just seems like the perfect day to appreciate being home and enjoy watching the cats bask in the warmth of the sunlight streaming in through the windows.
Yesterday, I was also off for Teacher's Convention so I visited several of my favorite Christmas shoppes and just took in all the sights, smells and sounds of Christmas. Okay, okay, I bought a few things as well! LOL. That always gets me in the mood.
TODAY I AM AT PEACE with all things. This is good, my spirit is in sync with the universe. For today, at least, I am at peace with my decision to have gastric bypass surgery. This is quite comforting for me considering how ambivalent I've been feeling about it. I put great value in GUT FEELINGS. My gut has served me well through my life, rarely letting me down. It is at peace with my decision to have surgery. I take that as a positive sign.
I find myself wishing I could have the surgery sooner than June, but that just isn't practical. I have never had a lot of patience. Waiting will be good for me. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and happens in its own time, when it is appropriate for it to occur. Additionally, I have to get my affairs in order before I have the surgery. I have to make a will, show my husband where life insurance documents and such are located, let my kids know who gets what when I die (so there won't be any fighting over things), etc. I'm not anticipating dying, of course, just tying up loose ends before the surgery.
I have been reading others' blogs and find their stories positive and encouraging. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, THANK YOU for taking the time to maintain your blogs. I'm sure there are many like me out here, reading, searching, and benefitting greatly from your stories.
On the medical front, I've fallen again! I cannot believe it. That makes three times in a couple of months. I guess I will need a knee replacement sooner than later, but I can't focus on that right now. I have to get through this surgery first. I had hoped by having gastric bypass and losing weight, I could buy time for my knee, regretfully, I think it's too late for that. Nothing happening this month as far as getting approval for surgery. My intake with New Beginnings isn't until December 18th. I will try and schedule as many of their required visits during the week between Christmas and New Year's if I can, when I am off from work. Unfortunately, a lot of doctors are closed that week as well, so I'll have to see how that goes.
I'm thinking that by the end of January I'll have completed all the New Beginnings requirements, so am thinking I should have an approval or denial from the insurance company by the end of February. That will still leave me waiting 3-1/2 months until I can have surgery. Now I'm wondering if once Aetna gives approval, is there a time frame in which the approval expires? Guess I should have considered that before, huh? Well, if that's the case, I will just draw things out even more before we get to the approval application stage.
STOP and take the time to enjoy this day, it'll never come this way again! ~Bonnie~
11/02/06 - Well, lots has happened since my last post. I had the chemical cardio stress test (no results in yet), then met with Dr. Trudo (the Pulmonologist) who went over all the test results with me and diagnosed me with mild sleep apnea. He cleared me for surgery from his end (providing the results of the stress test are good)! Yippeeee!
I toured and am joining a gym. God save us all! Bonnie going to the gym. Of course, now my family and co-workers feel I should just do the gym and not have the surgery. HELLO!!! You people don't get it. But, I've given up. I just nod my head and tell them I'll take it under advisement. My boss (who is a Ph.D. in child psychology) told me I'm the most addictive personality he's ever seen. While I admit to having an addictive personality, I seriously doubt, knowing the scope of clients he sees, that I'm the most addictive he's run across. I do, however, have a multitude of food 'issues'. Like M&M's for instance. When I eat them, I group them by color and eat them by fours (two on each side of my mouth). If I don't have four of one color, I'll pair them up with a complementary color. Hey, I never said I didn't have issues!
Nothing more going on for me until December 18th when I go to New Beginnings intake. ~Bonnie~
10/23/06 - Friday (10/20/06) I had my sleep study. They try to make you as comfortable as possible, but with the straps, glue, 30 or so wires, plus sleeping in a strange place, it's a difficult test at best. I'm just glad it's done. Haven't gotten the results yet. They said results can take 2-3 weeks.
Today I had my echo, ekg and cardio consult. The echo and ekg were both normal, but the cardiologist (Dr. O'Neill) wants me to have an Intravenous Persantine Myoview Stress Test. One test leads to another. The test is five hours long! I scheduled it for Tuesday, October 31st. That's another day missing from work.
I truly don't mind the tests if they're legitimately needed, but, cynic that I am, I feel like the doctors see me coming and order tests as a way to make money. Like I said, I'm a cynic! Till next time. ~Bonnie~
10/12/06 - Made my appointments for my Echo and cardio consult. Had to make them for two different dates. I'm trying to schedule everything without taking time off from work, so scheduling for late in the afternoon when possible. I've been pretty fortunate with getting appointments in a timely fashion.
I found out my chest x-ray is normal, so that's two things done (lung function test & chest x-ray).
Finally made it to the beach, and wouldn't you know, I fell into a sink hole! Left leg again, same one that was injured the worst when I fell down the porch stairs. This is the knee I injured years ago during a skiing accident and had to have surgery. I now have arthritis in that knee. Talk about the fates conspiring against me! The damn sink hole was invisible. It looked like all the other sand, except when I stepped there, my leg sunk up to my knee in wet, mushy sand (at the water's edge), much like quicksand. Of course, my forward momentum pulled me down and pulled ALL kinds of freaking muscles I never even knew I had. Back in the knee brace and on muscle relaxants and pain killers yet again. It's inevitable I'll need a knee replacement at some point, especially the way I keep racking up injuries on that knee. My husband is now treating me like he treats his 88 year old mother, telling me to take the stairs one by one. BLECH!
I'll update again when I have something significant. ~Bonnie~
10/09/06 - HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY! I've been a busy little beaver on the WLS front. I have my overnight sleep study scheduled for October 20th. I went for my bloodwork last Monday (10/02/06), and also had my breathing/lungs tested last Monday (10/02/06).
I just called the Pulmonologist's office and his receptionist told me that all my lung tests came out NORMAL!! One worry down, many more to go. I also got the results of my blood work in the mail. Overall it looks okay, with a few highs and lows. WBC is high, EOS is high, Basic Metabolic Panel is high (no surprise there), Lipid Panel is high (no surprise there, either), Monocytes are low. I have no idea what EOS and Monocytes are, so I looked them up on the internet and they do not seem to be anything I need to worry about. So, I'm hoping with the lung function good, I'll be cleared for surgery. Sleep Apnea won't preclude me from having the surgery, but I don't want to wear the mask, so I'm hoping I don't have sleep apnea. I guess I'll know by the end of the month.
I still have to have an Echo/Cardio Consult, but 'm not anticipating any problems with that, as I used to work for a heart hospital during the time I took Phen/Fen and had two Echos done to check for damage and they both came out normal.
After the sleep study and the Echo, I return to the Pulmonologist to discuss all the findings, and hopefully get cleared for WLS. After that things will stay static until mid-December when I have my In-Take interview with New Beginnings and begin to jump through THEIR hoops.
Nobody's said anything about an EKG yet, or seeing an Endocrinologist, so I guess those two things are somewhere in my future.
I'm real glad I don't want to have the surgery until June because that allows me to space out all the tests and consultations required of me. I don't know how people get all of this accomplished in the matter of a few weeks to get cleared for surgery in a few months, and still have any type of life.
I look forward to having the month of November and half of December to relax and enjoy the holidays. After the New Beginnings In-Take on December 18th, I probably won't do anything more WLS related until after the new year, at which time, I'll still have five months to get all my ducks in a row.
I have spent hours on this web site, reading profiles that relate to me (age wise, weight wise, comorbidity wise), trying to figure out what makes some outcomes successful and others not so.
I understand the importance of exercise and maintaining dietary integrity, but really, a lot of the outcomes seem to be a crap shoot. 'Roll yer dice an' takes yer chances' kind of thing. That scares the hell outta me. I'd feel a lot better if I felt I had more control over the outcome.
Will I dump?
Will I require B injections?
Will I feel tired all the time or have boundless energy?
How bad will my skin hang?
Will I look like a wrinkled hag after I lose weight?
Will my diabetes go away and stay away?
Will I be able to discontinue blood pressure meds?
Will my cholesterol go down?
Will my depression improve?
Will something go wrong and ultimately kill me?
The possibility of dying during this process seems so foreign to me that I just can't wrap my head around it. Though, intellectually, I know it's a very real possibility. Like most everyone else, I'm sure, I don't feel that will happen to me, yet I know it can and does happen. But, I remind myself, I could have a stroke or a heart attack at any time due to my high blood pressure, high cholesterol or morbid obesity. And, though I'm at the beginning stages of diabetes, if the other things don't get me first, the diabetes eventually will. It's just a matter of time. ~Bonnie~
09/29/06 - Well, I met with the Pulmonologist/Sleep Study doctor, Dr. Frank Trudo, yesterday. I can't help feeling I had a giant, green $ over my head, because he prescribed every possible test he could for me. I have to do the overnight sleep study (yuck), get blood work, a chest x-ray, an echo/cardio evaluation, some pulmonary stress test (?), so the tedium begins. I have to do the dance if I want to go to the party, so I will. I realize now, I was expecting him to give me a clean bill of health and send me on my way. That was unrealistic of me, I suppose.
I scheduled the pulmonary stress test (?) and the chest x-ray for Monday, October 2nd, as I'm off work that day. I had hoped to go to the beach, but I guess I have to take care of business first. One test is in the A.M. and the other in the late afternoon, so it's possible I may be able to sneak down to the beach for a few hours in between. We'll see. Summer is waning, the tourists are gone, and this is my favorite time to spend quietly on the beach. It rejuvenates me and feeds my soul. I get 'twitchy' if I'm away from the water for too long.
I almost fell down the front steps AGAIN the other day. My poor left knee does not seem able to hold my weight anymore when I'm going up stairs, especially if I'm carrying anything. If I hadn't been successful in grabbing the door handle, I would have gone down again. I'm feeling pathetic. ~Bonnie~
09/27/06 - Tomorrow is my first test in my WLS journey. I'm meeting with the pulmonologist for a sleep evaluation. I have no idea if I have sleep apnea or not, but I do snore loudly and often. My husband has never seen signs of me not breathing during sleep, but like he said, he's a little busy sleeping himself at those times! ~Bonnie~
09/19/06 - I'm glad I found this site. It seems well balanced, not pro or con, just presenting information provided by members, positive & negative.
I am very ambivalent about having this surgery, but it seems like once I turned 50, my body started to deteriorate at an alarming rate, and I need to do something. I am noticing a marked decline in my energy levels (could be due to the diabetes meds or menopause), I am having memory issues (could be due to the depression meds or menopause), and just a lot of unexplained aches and pains.
Overall, I am alarmed. I fell down the cement stairs on the front of our house a month or so ago because my knee can no longer support my weight as I climb stairs. My recovery from those injuries has been very slow.
I have been researching this surgery for a number of years now, on and off. Reading extensively on the internet, talking to people I know that have had the surgery. I am trying to be as informed as I possibly can. I don't know what else I can do.
Next week, I have an appointment with the pulmonologist to see if I have sleep apnea. The pulmonologist is the first requirement I'm meeting, then nothing happens for me until mid-December when I go for my 'New Beginnings' assessment. 'New Beginnings' will oversee all my testing and assure that I meet all the requirements for the surgery.
So, that's where I am at this point. I'm just going to dig around and learn as much from this site as I can until I have my 'New Beginnings' assessment in December. I have already viewed many profiles and photos, and read all the Memorials ~ that was an eye opener. ~Bonnie~
09/15/06 - My name is Bonnie. I found this site a few weeks ago and have spent many hours since then reading profiles and message boards. I feel like I know some of you because your profiles are so detailed! I want to thank you all for taking the time to post about your weight loss journey. It is so helpful to those of us who aren't 'there' yet. I also read all the Memorials on the Memorial page. They were quite eye opening. I am most impressed with the support and caring I see offered on these pages.
I am 50 years old, am 5'3", 224 lbs., and was diagnosed a year ago August with diabetes. I just began oral meds this past August. I also have hypertension (take meds), high cholesterol (take meds), chronic depression (take meds), and suffer from migraines. Yes, I am the co-morbidity queen!
I have been researching gastric bypass surgery for 3-4 years now, but would read horror stories and back away. However, I have found something that scares me more then WLS, diabetes! THAT scares the hell outta me. I want it to go away. I fully admit that I have abused my body for most of my life and now I'm paying the piper, only I never realized the interest rate would be this high.
I was never fat as a child, wearing a size 5/6 into my very early 20's. I'm not sure exactly what happened in my early 20's to cause me to gain weight so rapidly. By 26, when I got pregnant with my son, I was around 170. Since then, I've steadily gained until I find myself at my all-time high of 224. I, like everyone else here, have tried various diets over the years and lost some weight, only to gain it back, plus some. You know the drill.
In 1994, I started taking Phen/Fen. Dang, I loved that stuff. I stopped obsessing about food, didn't even think about it anymore, and the weight fell off me. I was also exercising every single day. I got down to 159 and kinda bottomed out, but I was satisfied with that. I was wearing size 10's, and even some 8's. Because of that experience, I'm kinda expecting to bottom out at around the same weight with WLS. I'm thinking that must be my 'set point'. I would love to get down to 135, but don't expect it. For me, this is all about ditching the diabetes. Losing the blood pressure meds will be a bonus, for sure.
So, my journey begins. Thanks to all of you and your diligence in posting your experiences and answering questions, I feel I have a realistic view on what to expect.
I have met with my surgeon, Dr. Chris Boynton, once, I went to the orientation of the "New Beginnings" program, which he mandates his patients participate in. I just had my first appointment with the Pulmonologist/Sleep Study doctor, and he is requiring me to do everything under the sun, including a sleep study. I am documenting everything as it occurs so I can post my journey for those who come behind me. I can already see that the approval process is tedious and exhausting.
My goal date for surgery is June 18, 2007, so I have lots of time. I choose this date because I work for a school district and work wise this is the best time for me to be out of work for an extended period of time. I am fortunate in that I have excellent health insurance through my employer, and generous time off to recover.
Incidentials about me: I have been married for 31 years to a man who still makes my heart go pitter-pat. We have two adult children, a 23 year old son, who just graduated from college and is looking for work as a high school history teacher, and a 19 year old daughter, who just started college for graphic design. Though they try to be supportive of my decision, none of them agree with it. They are concerned about the surgery, and feel I could lose the weight without it. It ain't happening. Also, the co-workers I've told, who are also trying to be supportive, are not in favor of my having the surgery. I am a 'light-weight' (what a hoot that term is, huh?), and they all feel I don't weigh enough to make it worth the risk. But, for me, it's all about the diabetes. And the aching joints. And the high blood pressure. And the lack of energy. And the shortness of breath when climbing any stairs. I feel my life slipping away from me daily. My decline is obvious to me and happening rapidly.
So, here I am, with you all. I look forward to participating and hope I can lend support to others, as I've already benefitted so much just from reading this board. ~Bonnie~
