dragonfly3

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Well, I had my 2 week post-op check up today and it went fantastic!  I weighed in at 292!  That means I lost 16 lbs in 2 weeks!!!  I am just amazed and so thankful that I will never have to see the scale read 300 or higher ever in my life again!!!  My total weight loss since September is 35 lbs.  My clothes still fit the same though. kinda weird.  I mean my pants are getting a little loose but nothing compared to what I thought they would be by now.  My girls say they can see my face has slimmed down.  Other than being tired, I am feeling pretty good!  Dr. Baker did have me get some labwork done to check my electolytes but he doesnt' think it's anything serious.  I told him I have really struggled to get all my fluids in every day.  If I do 3 protein supplements, I can get most of the other fluids in but if I get 4 supplements in, I can't even get close to meeting the rest of the liquids!  He said that is very normal (made me feel better).  I am really not in any pain.  My abdomen sometimes feels "achey" telling me I have overdone it for a while.  but other than that, I am finally sleeping on my side again. woo-hoo! 

Then, I met with the dietician and got my next meal plan.  I am so excited to start on soft foods today!  I mean, the protein stuff isn't bad but after a month....you just need more substance!  Anyway, I tried the greek yogurt, AWESOME!  I love it and so far it loves me!  I am taking it slow but very curious as to how things will sit with me.  Most of the foods on the list have to be mixed with milk or are a dairy product and in the hospital I struggled wiht lactose intolerance.  I am hoping since the yogurt went well today that I am over that part and it will be somewhat smooth sailing. 

The time is just flying on by since Monday!!  My surgery went very well.  Dr Baker is just absolutely fantastic!!  I guess it only lasted about 45 minutes too.  Of course I was in recovery for a little over an hour (which is very much a blur to me....).  I am appreciative to my mom and dad who were there and my girls and my friend Karin (who took the day off from work!!). It was wonderful to see them all in the hall as I was wheeled to my room!!  The staff at Blodgett is wonderful!  Other than having to get up every 4 hrs (yes even in the middle of the night) for labs, B/P's, and walking, I have to say my stay was very nice.  I was amazed at how good I felt even the first time I was up to walk.  They wanted me up by 2pm the first day but I was up at 1:30 to use the restroom and decided, I might as well get the walking out of the way.  I can honestly say, the pain is not bad at all.  My stomach really wasn't and still isn't painful however, my abdomen has been a little uncomfortable.  Nothing terrible though.  I have 6 little pieces of tape covering the areas where the laproscopic tools were used.  it will hardly be noticeable once healed.  

I have felt a little tired and the liquid pain medicine they give you knocks me out for a couple hours.  Probablhy a good thing, as I would probably overdue it otherwise cause I do feel really good.  The only thing that has been frustrating for me is getting my nutrition in.  Once I was able to begin the protein, I was very nauseous.   I hate that feeling!  I guess I am lactose intolerant now, go figure!  So, I have to stick to lactose free protein supplements. The nausea has gotten better but I still struggle with getting all the fluids and protein supplements in everyday.  They said that is normal. Each day I am getting more in so I am sure it's just a matter of time until I am where I should be.  Otherwise I feel as good as can be expected. 

when I got to the hospital on Monday morning and they weighed me, I was down 5 more lbs!!  So, my total pre-surgery weight loss was 17 lbs!!!  I was totally geeked!  I can't wait until my 2 week check to see how I am doing.  My goal is to be under 300 by Christmas!!  As of Monday I was 308.5.  I think that is a pretty realistic goal.  Maybe I will be suprised and it will be better than that!!  I did make sure to get my before pics done just before we left for the hospital.  I now have to get them posted. 

Well, I thought that it was going to feel like forever until my surgery but the time has flown on by so quickly!!  I only have 2 days to go until I am on the other side and starting my new life!  I cannot wait to meet the new me!  I feel like the past week I almost feel like I have been going thru my "nesting" time (like an expectant mother) getting the house ready, cleaning, rearranging, and organizing.  I figure the more I get done now, the less I will feel like overdoing it after I get home.  On the agenda for today is hopfully getting the Christmas tree up and getting tires on the car. Then I think I am ready.

I am tickled that my youngest daughter has embraced the idea of losing some weight too.  Thankfully she doesn't have as much as me to lose.  She is going to be my workout partner once I am able to start exercising after surgery!  This is going to be such a wonderful journey for the both of us.  My older daughter is blessed with her father's "skinny genes" and has always been able to maintain a fairly normal weight, my younger daughter has struggled through her teen years overweight.  although, she hasn't let it keep her down, she still participated in marching band and other activities in school.  My hope is that she will be able to gain a healthier lifestyle and learn how to maintain a healthier weight without surgery.  She is still young (19) and able to focus on herself!! 

As far as the surgery goes, I am getting a little nervous about the "unknown" part.  Not having had this before.  I have had a laproscopic surgery before and it went exceptionally well, even the recovery time wasn't bad so i hope i will have the same or better experience this time as well.  I am concerned about the pain but a friend told me that it isn't too bad.  I just hope I am not a wimp. 

I have so many emotions right now.  ANGER at letting myself get like this.  SADNESS at losing the comfort and protection I have known by being overweight (I know that sounds weird, but being overweight does offer it's own security blanket at times). GRIEF at losing my dear friend food.  ANTICIPATION at meeting the new and improved me!  EXCITEMENT at this journey I am about to begin!!  HAPPINESS at having hope to free myself from this binding life of obesity!  I am looking forward to many opportunities of being able to live my life to the fullest every single day!  Doing amazing activities with my family and friends, letting NOTHING HOLD ME BACK!!!  I have allowed myself to be put on the backburner of life for way too long and I am so ready to jump to the front!  

Here's to all the dancing, running with my granddaughter, riding a bike uphill, swimming, softball, rollerblading thru the park, snowball fights, snowfort building, rollercoaster riding, and all the other great activities that I will be doing soon!!!!

I had my pre-op appt at GHP yesterday and then went to get my pre-op labwork done.  Was very happy I didn't have to fast first.  Of course being on this meal plan, there really isnt' much difference.  hehe.  My appt went great!  I lost (drum roll please....) 6.5 lbs last week!!  I still have 1 week to go so I am hoping to double that.  So far I am down just over 12 lbs since my first appt at GHP in September.  I am amazed and tickled pink! 

A very nice nurse named Jackie called me today to let me know my surgery is scheduled for 7:30am on Monday!  Although I have to arrive 2 hrs early, i am so excited that I am first on the docket!  I just have such a good feeling about the whole process!  Then, out of nowhere today, a co-worker gave me a card and a little plaque that says "If you dream it you can do it!"  What a sweet and thoughtful gesture!  She understands as she has been down this road several years ago.  I am  blessed to have so many positive people in my life right now! 

So, heres to a great rest of my week, an awesome holiday, and a fruitful shopping expedition on Friday!!  I am off and running ...........................

So, I am still plugging away at the pre-op meal plan (day 4 is almost under my belt!!).  So far so good. I haven't "cheated" yet, and surprisingly, I haven't wanted to.  Although food has been on my mind and in my dreams constantly I am not having the cravings or feeling hungry enough to even want to cheat.  I am so proud of myself!!  I did feel a little tired today.  Not sure if it was just the day or if it's because of the lower calories.  I hope tomorrow is better.

I remembered about 1/2 way through my day that my surgeon's office had their monthly support group tonight and so I decided to go.  I am soooo glad I did!  There had to be close to 30 people there and the topic was "The journey to the new you".  How perfect for me.  To get the opportunity to hear so many other's experiences through this journey!!  Everyone was so helpful and gave me some great advice!  It was amazing!  Totally inspirational!! I left with a re-newed sense of how great my decision to have this surgery is and how awesome the journey in front of me is going to be!  I know that I am not on this journey alone and I am so motivated to get the show on the road now and move forward!  I know the next week and a half is going to go by so slowly just waiting........and waiting......

So, yesterday I had my all morning group appt at my surgeons office.  We met with the dietician to go over the meal plan pre-op and post op and place our food orders.  Then we met with the exercise physiologist to talk about starting an exercise plan.  Then we met as a group with the PA who first  walked us through our surgery day and what to expect and then met with us individually to answer any questions or concerns we had.  There were 7 of us.  I met a couple girls that are having surgery the same day as me so that will be nice to see a familiar face when i start "roaming the halls". hehe. 

I was excited to find out I had lost another pound!  I really was worried that I would be up a few since I had struggled so badly with the "last supper" syndrome for a while (that is what my surgeon's office calls it).  So, I am down just over 6 lbs since my first appt at their office.  I really feel like I am on my way to my new life now!  I am very motivated!! I just wish the 30th was tomorrow so I could be to the other side already!! 

So, I started the 2 week pre-op meal plan yesterday.  800 cal per day.  their food only.  The thought is very scary but it's really not that bad.  So far I have only had a couple hungery times and have been able to get through that by chewing gum or drinking water.  I definately think the high concentration of protein makes a difference.  Of course it is only day 2.  My daughter was so thoughtful last night and ate her dinner before i got home from work (I had worked late since I took the morning off for my apt).  She said she knew how important this was to me and didn't want to temp me.  i told her that she was so thoughtful but that she didn't have to do that as I know that I will be faced with being around food these next several weeks and have to learn how to handle that.  I am so blessed to have such a good support system around me!!!

So, it seems like it was just yesterday when I got the call my surgery was approved, it's been 1 1/2 weeks already!  The time seems to be flying by and now I am hit with the dilemma that I may not get everything done before the 30th.  On top of that, I just realized I have my 1/2 day appt on Monday and will start the 2 week pre-op diet.  So, now my mind is racing and thinking of all the foods I have ever eaten and the foods I have never tried (and why would I even care about the foods I have not wanted to try to this point in my life???...exactly)!!  Well, to be honest it has been going on for over a month and I am exhausted!  I was shocked when i went for my surgeon's appt on Oct 14th and i had actually lost 5 lbs!  I thought I was going to have gained!!!  I guess it really is the addiction.  I just feel that if I can get the "taste" taken care of then I will be fine.  I am cool with the possibility of not being able to eat certain things after the surgery (obviously this is how i got myself into this mess to begin with...one bite at a time, over and over...) but I just can't stop thinking about food!  I am proud of myself for not going overboard and eating everything in sight though.  I have made an effort to at least try some of my favorites and it seems to work, after a few bites, I am fine.  I hope after Monday I can be just as strong because I won't be able to eat any of those things.  Goal for this weekend is to go through my pantry, cupboards, and deepfreeze and take out everything my daughter (19y/o) won't eat since after Monday, it will be at least a month or better before I will even be able to think of real food.  Then I am suprising my older daughter with everything!!  I hope she hasn't gone grocery shopping yet!!!  I have heard (and hope it's true for me) that I won't even want to look, see, or think of food afterwards. Will be loving that time!!!  

I am concerned with the fact that I will be going thru this right in the midst of the 2 biggest FOOD HOLIDAYS of the year!  My house tends to be the one where family congregates and I usually make the holiday dinners (call it mother's intuition, but my mom actually called and said she would like to have Thanksgiving at her house this year prior to me telling her of my surgery plans!! I said "works for me!").  I love this time of visiting and celebrating however there tends to be food every where you look!!  I am also a big baker at Christmas so I have already let friends and family know that for this year, not to expect anything from my kitchen and in years to come things may be much different (hopefully healthier) .  I have already been organizing my craft stuff and will use my energy in that direction this holiday season instead of food oriented things. 

Well, will write after my appt on monday!  I pray it goes well.  So far this process has been very smooth.  I tend to think that means I am supposed to be on this journey, that I have made the right choice and the universe is working to help me get to my goal. 

Well, I got a call from my surgeon's office today and I am approved for the gastric Sleeve!!  I am really struggling with alot of emotions right now.  I am excited to be going through this and looking forward to the end result however,  I am also scared of the unknown and how people will view me.  If that makes sense.  I do feel like I will finally have my life back.  I think i was so used to going through the motions all these years that I lost sight of me.  I was so focused on my family and work, that I put myself on a shelf. 

Well, I am so happy that I took myself off the shelf in August and started looking into this process!  I am dusted off and ready for my amazing journey!!