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swangirl 18 years, 1 month ago
Wishing you all the best on your weightloss surgery journey! Linda/Bactrac/swangirl Name/CB handle/me post op
piperkc 18 years, 4 months ago
"It's never too late to be who you might have been." ~George Eliot “The Greatest healing therapy is friendship and Love.” ~ Hubert Humphrey "Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, any one can start from now and make a brand new ending" " The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, but in what direction we are moving." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes "There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow." ~ O. S. Marden "Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil." ~ James Allen "I asked God to give me happiness. God said, "No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you." ~ Author Unknown "Goals give you more than a reason to get up in the morning; they are an incentive to keep you going all day. Goals tend to tap the deeper resources and draw the best out of life. "Put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, 'Here is an opportunity for me to celebrate like never before, my own power, my own ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary." ~ Anthony Robbins " ~ Harvey Mackay "Life is a challenge, but if you don't stand and risk you will never know if you were able to win or lose. Challenges are not a thing of winning or losing; they are a way of learning from them to become a better person every day! ~ Alexsander Rodriguez, P.R "Don't ask for it to be easy, ask for it to be worth it." Dan Kuschell "The most important question to ask is not 'What am I getting?' The most important question to ask on the job is 'What am I becoming?'"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however." - Richard Bach "In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins; not through strength, but through persistence." ~ Jackson Brown "I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning." ~ J.B. Priestly "Each of us has an inner dream that we can unfold if we will just have the courage to admit what it is. And the faith to trust our own admission. The admitting is often very difficult." ~ Julia Cameron "The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong. That block of granite is often nothing more than a decision." ~ Thomas Carlyle "Being yourself is not remaining what you were, or being satisfied with what you are. It is the point of departure." ~ Sydney Harris "Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinion of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth." ~ Katherine Mansfield "Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. Scared of what people might think if we tried. We let fears stand in the way of our hopes. We say no when we want to say yes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. And we shout with the others, when we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all, we do only go around once. There's really no time to be afraid. JUST DO IT." ~ Nike advertising campaign "I am convinced that attitude is the key to success or failure in almost any of life's endeavors. Your attitude - your perspective, your outlook, how you feel about yourself, how you feel about other people - determines your priorities, your actions, your values. Your attitude determines how you interact with other people and how you interact with yourself." ~ Carolyn Warner "Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives." ~ Author Unknown "It's never too late to be what you might have been." ~ George Eliot "For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." ~ Author Unknown "Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to the end, requires some of the same courage which a soldier needs." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson A wish changes NOTHING; A decision, changes EVERYTHING "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will,they soon become inevitable." Christopher Reeves "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:2-3 Everyone has beauty but not everyone sees it. "If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they may have planned for you? Not much." ~ Jim Rohn May you always have an Angel by your side. Watching out for you in all the things you do. Reminding you to keep believing in brighter days. Have a speedy recovery Angela in Corpus Christi 291lbs BMI 45.60 -234lbs Dr Michael Grace Open RNY Life began May 16, 2002 I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Surely..I will heal you." 2 Kings 20:5
Black Beauti 18 years, 5 months ago
I wish you a journey that is safe, and uneventful. I commend you on having the courage to take your own health and happiness into your own hands. Be Blessed!! Stay Strong in teh struggle, and remember you never walk alone *smile* You'll be in my prayers!! *smoochies* ~T~ NEVER SURRENDER
Teana F. 18 years, 6 months ago
My advice for pre-op patients: I am both a nurse and a bariatric surgery patient. I have been an RN for almost 40 years, and had my Lap RNY in September, 2005 (and I’m doing GREAT!). Here is my advice: 1. Maintain a POSITIVE attitude. Do not underestimate the power of the mind. Using a technique called ‘Positive Intentionality” you can influence the outcome of your surgery. Starting weeks before your surgery, think about what you want to happen post-op. Make a list, and then tell yourself that they WILL happen. For example, you might say: “My surgery WILL have a good outcome. I WILL do well post-op. There WILL be NO complications. I WILL resist infection. I will have VERY LITTLE post-op pain. I WILL feel good after surgery. I WILL be able to get up and walk as soon as they want me to.” Each night, before you go to sleep, recite your list several times. When you wake up, recite it again. BELIEVE in your list, and it will happen. You can also try it before your surgery. Pick something that you want to happen and visualize it happening. Tell yourself it WILL happen according to your list. For more information you can Google the term “positive intentionality.” 2. Be an advocate for yourself: Remember, this surgery is FOR YOU so that YOU can have a better life. Don’t let others make decisions for you that you don’t like. If you have to wait a long time for an appointment with your doctor/dietitian, etc. then call several times before your appointment to see if they have a cancellation. If your insurance rejects your request for surgery, fight back. Write up an appeal letter. There’s information on this web site on how to appeal. Get someone else to help you write the letter if you need to – just DO IT! 3. Improve your overall nutrition BEFORE surgery. Get yourself as healthy as you can pre-op. If you’re not taking a good multi-vitamin every day - start. If you’re not exercising as much as you can, then begin. Are you getting enough calcium? Protein is important for wound healing – are you getting enough? Are you taking ALL of your medications the way you are supposed to? Exercise - even a little exercise is better than none. Start walking. If you can’t walk, use your arms – try lifting books, cans of vegetables, or anything handy. This will improve your circulation and force you to breathe more deeply – which is important. It will also give you a greater sense of control over yourself – which when paired with #1 can be powerful! 4. Practice getting out of bed properly. You’ve been getting in and out of bed all of your life, but how you do it post-op will make a difference in your pain. The best way is to roll totally onto your side. Roll as close to the edge of the bed as you can. Then, stick your legs out over the edge of the bed. Next, using BOTH of your arms, PUSH yourself up off the mattress while lowering your feet to the floor. It’s important that you PUSH yourself up. If you pull, you will be using your abdominal muscles – and they’re the ones that will be sore! This is especially important for those who have open procedures rather than laparoscopic. It’s OK to use the siderail, or a chair placed next to your bed to help. Just make sure you’re pushing, not pulling. Practice this at home and be good at it before your surgery. 5. Talk to your surgeon AND anesthesiologist about PREEMPTIVE ANALGESIA. The theory behind preemptive analgesia is that the presence of analgesia (pain reducing medications) immediately prior to the surgery prevents the sensitization of the pain nerves. With preemptive analgesia there can be a reduction in the NEED for postoperative pain medications. http://www.lighterforlife.com/PDF/SOARD_1(2005)_12-16.pdf 6. Cough, deep breathe and walk, walk, walk. The sedation and anesthesia will make you breathe more shallowly. By not fully inflating your lungs, you increase the possibility of developing a post-op pneumonia (a totally avoidable complication). If you are given a device to help you deep breathe – use it. If not, remind yourself to do it frequently. You will also need to cough. Not just a little throat clearing, but good SOLID coughs! If you have an open procedure this may hurt more to do. Use a pillow, a folded up soft blanket, a teddy bear, or anything that works to brace your abdomen before you cough. Put the pillow over your operative area, pull your elbows in, next to your body, and hug the pillow. While you’re hugging, take a deep breath and cough. If it’s too uncomfortable, then make sure you do it SEVERAL TIMES shortly after you get your pain med. You also need to move your feet and legs while you’re in bed. Prolonged bedrest can promote blood clots in the legs. Bend your knees up, then straighten them out. Do one leg, then the other. Do this several times. Repeat several times a day. Move your feet up and down, as if you were stepping on the gas pedal. Get those leg muscles moving and keep that blood circulating! Most importantly – GET OUT OF BED! As soon as you can, start getting up. Take a walk up and down the corridor. This is good for your breathing, for your circulation, and for your sense of control over your situation. Walk several times a day. If you’re severely obese and have limited mobility, at least get up to a chair. While in the chair your lungs will function more properly, and you will find it easier to cough and deep breathe. 7. Remember that the effects of anesthesia can last for several days. If you’re discharged in 48 hours (as I was) you may find yourself needing naps. Take naps, just DO NOT STAY IN BED! Try to wean yourself off of your pain medication as soon as possible. If you are given a narcotic, ask yourself if you truly need it. If not, try Tylenol instead (you can always take the narcotic later). 8. Organize yourself at home. List the medications you will need to take every day. Make a chart so that you can write down how much protein you take in, and how much fluid you drink. After the first week you may not need this any more, but to get started it can be helpful. 9. Before surgery, make sure you have the following items on hand: • Thermometer • Pill crusher • Protein drinks • Shaker jar for protein drinks made from powder • Flavored drinks and refillable bottle (crystal light, etc.) • Pen & paper to write down all of the questions for your surgeon & nutritionist. • Phone number of your surgeon and primary physician. 10. Know when to call your doctor. You should take your temperature at least twice a day. As long as it’s below 100.1 (or whatever your doctor says) it’s OK. If it goes higher, call your physician. Write your temperature on your protein chart. Inspect your incision or lap sites daily. Make note of any discharge, drainage or odor. Check for redness of the site. If redness or drainage increases, or if an odor develops – call your doctor. If you had a urinary catheter while in the hospital, it’s possible to get a urinary infection. If you experience burning, urgency, frequency or “hot urine,” you should let your doctor know right away. If you have any of these, pee into a clean jar and look at your urine. It should be clear. If it’s at all cloudy there’s a chance you have an infection. If you have a productive cough, look at what you cough up. It should be clear to white. If you see greenish or brownish colors, call your doctor. If you’re inactive after your surgery and develop blood clots in your legs, you will feel some new pain in your leg (usually one leg, but could be both). That leg will become slightly swollen. Call your doctor. 11. Remind yourself of why you had the surgery. Losing weight is only part of the reason. Getting healthy, staying healthy and taking control of your life are the main reasons. Being obese and unhealthy wasn’t easy. It won’t be easy getting better – at least not for awhile. However, it will get easier, and you will feel better. You deserve it! Good Luck! Teana
Cyndi M. 18 years, 7 months ago
~~~~CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR UPCOMING SURGERY. ~~~~ May God give you courage, strength and guidance throughout your new journey. Your big day is almost here, this is the day, your new life will begin, I cant promise it will be easy, cant say it will be hard, I can say that with all the complications and everything I had to go through, It was well worth it. I have never felt better in yearsss, I’m off all medications, have sooooo much more energy. So if you hit a bump in the road, hang in there and remember it will alll be worth it in the long run. Prayers that the Lord will guide your surgeon’s hands and you have a speedy recovery. . Remember your not alone in this journey, many of us have been down this road, we are here to offer love and support. Looking forward to hearing from you on the loosing side. Huggs and Prayers Link to my profile http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=M1087435160 8-19-04 surgery date 297.5 5f 2 -107.5 weight losss