CaNdLeS
Hi Everyone! I entered this world with a bright RED head full of hair, and still blessed with a thick bunch.( PHotos coming soon.. sorry.. Need a new scanner.) My problem with too much weight began at just 5 years old, I remember going in for physicals and after every year, mom would boil all my food and put me on a diet all over again the start of each new school year. My high school and young adulthood climbed to over 200 and when giving birth to my oldest daughter at just age 18 I tipped at just underr 300. I have lost hundreds of pounds over the years,and I love to excercise- love it!!
This married Christian mom of 2 age 37 in couple months 38.. is begining a new life, the gift of life, hoping for new tools, but what ever may come I am blessed to be here PERIOD.
Quit Smoking NOw...
I have had well you could say my share of surgeries in the last couple years, My first about 8 years ago carpal tunnel. went fine doing well on that hand, pains so much better the left is bothering now.
In the last 24 months, I had my first of 3 back surgeries.. The first was May 2005 Second August 8 2006 and the thired August 11th 2006. Complications with the first was a Pulminary embolism, (LUng Blood clot,) ICU for 11 days with Faith and prayer, no permanent lung damage, A huge wake up call for all smokers... It can happen lower the risk... Quit.. with all you have everyday..
The second complication I had tear in my spinal cord and an allergic reaction to predisone a bi-polar induced episode of sort, landed me witth a 36 day hospital stay..
With all the complications and pain, Excercise and positive attitude and the precious Love of the LOrd keeps our house and home going..* me too..
The weight has been there it just has increased since I have had to Majorily reduce my mobility.. It has increased and I'm up to a total in one day of 60 min on eliptical try it backwards if you really want to sweat!
I still can not lose ... I need this WLS tool to help get some of this weight off my spine to hopefully prevent a spinal fusion. I have no idea if My thank heaven for it insurance will cover this or not, and with just one income at this time, waiting for ss disability ... to kick in.. paying for it this year is not an option to even obtain credit, our house is up for sale.. due to loss of income .
I have 2 family members( cousins )that have had Gastric By Pass, they are doing very well. I am interested in the lap band, for many reasons, especially SEE ABOVE the lower risks.. he hee..
I am eager to speak with others e mail me anytime... GoD BleSs
Here goes the begining
June 4 First seminar Augusta Senator INN
June 6 Did a search on line and found this place... AMen wooo woow is this place exciting... Thank YOu Lord.
June 14th Had a physical with my primary physician and she faxed the referal
June 14th 4.30p.m I called to get a surgeon appt.
June 20th recieved the Medical history and tried diets etc. to fill out to take with me to surgeon appt.
June 21 I called to signed up to attend the 1st of min. of 3 support groups
June 26 I will meet with Dr.Huy Trieu
June 28 will attend the bariatric surgery process at the Bariatric center..
My goals are to get back to work full time, to inspire encourage and embrace people and change..
To practice PaTiEnCes...
I miss my scented candle company...
I poured scented candles for years and unable to work now.. prop. of PiNeRiDgE ScEnTs Candle co.
Home of the FRESH-Baked Loaf candle... only clean burning scented refills sold sep...
I love physcial everything I can doo....
Even with a bad back its possible to sweat,
Family Fitness and Wellness center 4 classes a week.. Love it.. Cant wait to go for long walks..
JUNE 26th 2007 I changed my mind today....
I met personally with my surgeon of choice today, and had butterflies all morning, I brought along two pages of questions, as My main concern was BLOOD CLOTS..
and that was why I was opting for Lap Band, after a full week of research and speaking with PA, surgeon I am now Changing to the Gastric By Pass.
You see I have a gene mutation in my blood that causes my blood to clot more then most folks, I know this only because I experienced a very painful near death experience after back surgery a PE!!
Factor Five Leidin Mutation. This is not a normal thing they test for and its farely rare, but the Good Lord BlEsSed me with it, this LUNG Blood Clot , in our language.. came from my leg and long story short, I NO LONGER SMOKE, I like breathing a lot..
So Dr. Trieu explained the way he would handle it as well as my allergy to predisone..
He throughly explained lap band And Gastric By pass, HE also explained very openly how many folks in our area feared the Gastric By Pass and opted for Lap Band, because there had been a death in our area.. He further explained his length of time at the Maine Bariatric Center and his experiences . The LIFE LONG SUPPORT SYSTEM at the Maine Bariatric center is in place, Every month there are meetings, plus you can go and excercise each week for a very low cost.
I asked about everything from insurance to child birth.. I had some concerns about the availability of him or the staff for questions, etc. HE gave me his personal e mail ... That I truly appreciated.. there are just soo many questions , and everyone is so different,
NExT appt.
JULY 27th 2007 Dietician KRISTa~
I also have been refered to the waterville phsych center for the evaluation, I Was told that they will call me for a 3 hour appt. for the evaluation.. They use Augusta as well, but due to all the new patients they distrubute the load for less wait... ( the boards mentioned this in my area)
UPon seeing my surgeon I had to sign a checklist of all the things to be made aware of and one of them was it may be up to 6 months or more form seeing the surgeon before surgery, I thought many of these checklists helped with questions and being realistic.
Since my physical two weeks ago I have lost 7 pounds woow no mention was made, other then that NEW weight needs to be within a 5 pounds or less range or surgery may be rescheduled.. as we all know.
YOu can go on line and download a mini handbook off the maine general web site go to Bariatric center. and get some of the information I recieved today.
I was given a binder with GAStric Bypass Surgery patient handbook. It includes the pre surgery process and the diets, all along the way , to a couple years out of diets and listing of all the support meetings phone numbers and e mail address. Very nice to keep looking back at.. Never enough information..
MY next meeting is thursday
JUNE 28 4.30-5.30
right at the Bariatric Center
The Bariatric Surgery process
with Lori Marchbanks, the staff RN
this counts towards one of your min of 3 support groups prior to surgery , these are monthly the third thursday of everymonth.. I will be there..
Happy 4th everyone, I am closer to freedom the day my thighs no longer rub together, I will no longer need to swift my bathroom 2-3 times a day all the powder from friction on this hot summer days.. I am grateful, I have legs but am looking forward a bit less of them...
Gotta Laugh.. especially at our selves.. he hee..
Good bye goldbond. he hee
I'm off to the family wellness center this morning for the 8.15-9.30 work out class then I do the eliptical and will enjoy the paddle boat this afternoon.. (I physically have to keep getting out to stand up but the peddling does not hurt my back, its such a blessing..)
I love to move it move it...
JULY 4th 2007
What a day today.. We sold our house, finally had to financiallly, The good Lord blessed us with another , they accepted our offer ANd the PSCH Eval office in waterville called JUly 3rd and said they could get me in JULY 6th woooooooowww I am sooo blesssed.. Other gals warned the process would take a long time this stage.. I am soo Blessed .. My Lord s hands guides me everystep of life and he fills your hearts desires ...
Have to praise him... So I have all this month.. July 6 waterville july 27th dietician.
I have been writing all down everything I eat, I also started cutting calories drastically and trying protein shakes for meal replacements, shrinking my stomach preparing my mind and body for this drastic change, am I ready.. I am taking in about 700-800 calories and i'm surviving..
I have energy.. I love to exercise I'm at the family weellness classes 4 times a week, plus all else so a min of 8 HOURS of exercise a week cardio plus weights.
I have lost since the first day of the seminar I have lost about 14 lbs. with all the support and ideas of the Maine Bariatric Center.. I am preparing.. I also heard that the goal for weight loss is 32 pounds pre op so I am a bit competitive.... Come on gals lets do it!! Inspire each other..
together we can..
Dont want to bore ya, I'll write after the eval. friday
Blessings
August 30th 2007
Wow the summer is a flying by..
so much to do.. I have lost about 25 pounds since my first seminar in June on my own, by implimenting the extra chews the eating to live, and lots of protein, and just over all being inspired by others here.
I am very blessed to have more movement back in my spine, I still have tons of pain but I have more endurance to it, and getting stronger everyday by going to the family wellness center thanks maureen our intructor, for years of support.
I have my next appointment at the Bariatric center sept 7 it will be my second dietician appt.
MY big thing is caffeine, and NOT soda coffeee. but I dont mind the decaf flavored coffee, by the way harmony bay is the best, just as good as green mountain and sooooooooo much more affordable.
I love vanilla lowfat yogurt, cant find it sugar free anywhere, cottage cheese is a summer favorite for me and so versitile, I stopped having the shakes as she says and I do agree that I would get sick of them and need to practice eating the protein then drink it if you cant get enough in and since I havent had surgery uet, its a good way to get these after surgery habits in..
I have moved since my last post and its the biggest blessing, the LORD knows your hearts desires everyone of them..
I will re open my candle business form our new home october 13th everybirdies welcomed..
e mail for directions or questions of anykind anytime, I have a new one
[email protected]
I am off to the family wellness for the 8015- 9.30 class blessing will post after appt. with
Krista oh and will need more up dated photos too ,
Enoy today everyone, because today is the day the Lord may .. and I will be glad in it..
hugs and
ScEnTeD BlEsSiNgS
I was sent to insurance for approval, I currently have maine care disability insurance, thank the Lord for his blessing of this insurance ! It took them about 3 weeks and they approved it.. no problems I recieved a letter from them then Lynn called me and told me she had good news ... very smooth comfortable process LYnn took care of all the paperwork I had to do nothing but take care of me and prepare for my new lifes journey..
October 20th
I have had a total of 3 appointments with Krista at the Bariatric center, she is very compassionate and understanding, her knowledge is endless, protein protein is the new way to begin to eat to live not live to eat. I have another appointment nov 8th with KRista need to bring my supplements and vitamins for her to see . I have my physical trainer appointments in place, this is awesome another reason why I love this center they really promote physical fitness, its soooooooooo important, there was a day I hated exercise but once I made it into the gym and had a new world for the last 10 years I have exercised its soo much more then losing weight its fuel for your body and mind.. like eating to live, it just gets rid of stress and helps with pain management and there just is no pill that compare to a good sweat! and theres soo many ways to do it..
My physical trainer dates are second third week of november and I see my last surgeon appointment Nov 20th Dr. Trieu will call hospital to get a surgery date then. I have a blood disorder and have had a blood clot in my lung after back surgery, so he is going to put a screen in my vein in my leg to help reduce the risk as well as blood thinners wich I am on for life anyway.. I had 3 pages of questions as I dont like intensive care been there twice.. and I know the risks and they are very real, I have experienced them first hand.
I have to say I am getting a lot of slack from people saying I am not fat,,
ok what is the definition to the public, If I didnt exercise I would be well over 300 I have been when I was 18 I have to exercise to stay 250 and I work hard too... its a balance for everyone a complete package of work and everyone is different, I havent said much to anyone other then my own close family, friends and public they cant understand why I would want to have another surgery when the last 2 I had put me in intensive care .
For everyone there are different reasons , and for everyone its not an easy way out of anything its a total life style change .
It looks like by the end of the year , the month of December I will be able to have this TOOL
what a Christmas present what a wonderful time of the year to be given ..
I'll let ya know how the Personal training goes, I'm soo excited I do feel better eating more protein, more energy and stay full longer, I have stopped the protein shakes and just all food, trying to get my 89 grams of protein from food is work it self...
Krista said no shakes till pre op as I will get sick of them and she is right, they helped me get a boost and to see what I was getting into .
Theres a great gnc store in the rite aid in winthrop that I am going to visit next week to check out. I also shop online but shipping is ouchy.. our Bariatric center is working on getting supplements for sale there and it will be nice.. I am planning on attending more support groups at the center on MOndays I've been to 3 so far, I was the only one opting for gastric bypass all others are doing lap band, perhaps theres more folks by now.. I"ll see this week
Blessings and if your in the area come visit..
Until November...
