detroitredhead

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Yikes it has been awhile since I updated this blog.  I feel like a new person or at least the person I was just over a year ago.  My health is getting better, I have more energy and I am looking better every day.  The weight loss has been a little slower than I expected but I am not complaining.  Eventually it will all come off.  I have been getting in all my protein, water and exercising daily most of the time.  This is not any easy feat but doable.  I found that I love to swim, ride my bike and take walks at dawn with my precious son.  I just can't wait to see where this ride takes me next.  I had a great compliment today at work.  I have worked with this girl for about 6 years and she told me today that I looked smaller than she has ever remembered.  NICE!!!

I still have to have surgery on my ankle and a minor procedure on the ticker but overall I feel great.  I will tackle those things next year, hopefully along with a little reconstructive surgery.

Peace Out!

Surgery went great, no complications, not much pain at all and I had the best nursing staff at Barix that I could possibly have.  Those ladies and gents deserve ten times what they are paid.  The attention that they gave me and the friendly smiles made me want to stay longer!

Recovery is going well and I am just trying to work the gas out of my belly.  It's unbelievable how much gets in there during surgery.  I don't think it will ever come out.

Well I survived my last day at work today.  I have only told a few close friends at work about my surgery because I do not  need people scrutinizing everything I put in my mouth.  I know people tend to do this because I have heard this from many others who had WLS.  I think they will figure it out eventually but until then I would prefer not to be a "side show".  
I am going to get up at 5am on Saturday to take my son on a charter fishing boat in Saginaw Bay to catch Walleye.  My son's greatest love is fishing and I cannot wait to take pictures.  This will give us some quality time together before I go in for surgery on Tuesday.

I received another call from Barix and they had a cancellation for July 3rd so I am taking it!  Hooray!!  Here is hoping things will go smoother this time.

I called Barix today and my new date is July 10.  I really thought they would get me in sooner but I was told that I will be on the top of the cancellation list  so maybe a cancellation will come through.  Hurry up and wait again!

After the sixth visit within two weeks to my cardiologist, I am finally out of A-Fib and stable.  Dr. Savas has given me clearance for surgery and will be faxing a letter to Dr. Schram's office in the morning.  Now I just need a new surgery date.  Dr. Schram had promised that he will reschedule me  on the soonest possible date.  So I will play the waiting game once more.

From the time I woke up this morning I knew things were just not going my way.  I got out of bed, took a shower and went to the laundry room to pack some necessities.  There was water all over the entire floor.  My sewer had backed up.  Just about the same time I was trying to get my son off to school and he was very angry about getting up and gave me a hard time.  I succeeded in getting him on the bus but by then I was completely stressed out.  However, I managed to call the plumber, have my father come out to my house and wait for him and had my mother drive me to surgery.  

I arrived on time, got my blood drawn, got dressed (or undressed) for surgery and hooked up to the machines and various apparatus.   Next thing I know, they are wheeling in the EKG machine.  It struck me as odd as I had just had an EKG at PAT and it was normal.  The anesthesiologist came in my room and I knew immediately by the look on his face that I wouldn't be having surgery today.  I have Atrial Fibrillation a/k/a A-FIB.  A-Fib means the upper part of the heart beats (quivers) faster than the rest of the heart.  I had thought I was having an anxiety attack.  I was given the name of a cardiologist and told to get this under control and then I could have surgery.  On the way home, I called her office and she was kind enough to get me in at 3:00.  She was absolutely fantastic!  She gave me medicine to slow down my heart rate, scheduled me for a stress test in the morning and said that it should only take a couple of days to get my heartbeat regulated and then she will call Dr. Schram and beg him to put me up for surgery ASAP.

In researching A-Fib, I found that it is rare that it passed on genetically but I find it odd that both of my brothers are on medication for A-Fib as well.  I also found that it can be caused by extreme fatigue and emotional stress.  I had a very restless sleep last night and obviously was under emotional stress as anyone having a life changing surgery will be.  My inhaler could have caused it as well or it could have been a combination of all of the above.

Disappointed?  Yes, of course but just a little.  I was mentally ready to have that surgery today and it is going to stink re-arranging the FMLA at work and  going through those pre-surgery emotions again but I am a single mom so I am used to "doing what I have to do" to get it done.  I believe in divine intervention.  I was not meant to have the surgery today but it was meant for the doctors and nurses to find my heart condition so that I can get it treated.  I like to call it a blessing in disguise and I believe the "Big Guy" was looking out for me.  I will make it to the loser's bench but you all will have to wait for me a little while longer.  C'est  la vie!

 

I got the call yesterday from Barix to report to surgery at 9:30 am.  I have to do a clear liquid diet on Tuesday and then nothing to eat or drink after midnight.  It is getting so close I can barely stand it!

I had my PAT today and it went a lot quicker than I thought.  I got to skip the gall bladder ultrasound since I am minus one gall bladder and I got to skip the chest xray since I recently had one that was ordered by my PCP.  I got the thumbs up from the doc and was in and out within 3 hrs.  I decided to go to GNC and stock up on some protein and get prepared for the full liquid stage.  It made me feel so good when the lady at GNC told me that I didn't look like I was heavy enough to have WLS.   Boy would she be shocked if I told her how much I needed to lose.  One week from tomorrow, I will start my new life.  I wish I could fast forward six months.