dzknee

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While I've not done a very good job of keeping things updated on this site, I have continued my journal during my journey.  I am now at the one year mark and am pleased to report that I am 135 lbs. lighter, as well as more active, happier, and truly enjoying life like I never have before!

Last weekend I flew to TN and it was my first flight since surgery...
I was not only able to buckle my seatbelt, but I also had plenty of room in the airline seat...YEAH!!! No more rubbing upper thighs with the person seated next to me.
It was a comfortable flight--where shall I go next?

Well surgery was almost 4 months ago and I can't say it's been easy for the first couple of months. You see I had my surgery on May 24, 2010 and on the 25th when it was time to have my pouch checked for leaks...they found it was leaking and I faced a second surgery on the 25th to repair the pouch. My initial hospital stay which should have been for three days turned into eleven days -- partly because Memorial Day weekend was in the mix.

I came home in early June with 3 drains and a food tube that would be the last thing removed about 6 weeks after release. Visiting nurses came in everyday and changed my dressings for a week and slowly one by one the drains were removed until finally the food tube was taken out as well. After 5 weeks post-op, I returned to work for 1/2 days every other 3days per week. By week seven I was back to work full-time.

Trust me it took until 3 months before I was really feeling back to normal and had learned a few lessons about dehydration, sipping slowly, chewing well, and avoiding other people who inhale their during meals. Even though everyone said drink water in small sips constantly, chew, chew, chew, and it's okay to eat in quiet solitude, these are all things that became very clear to me following this surgery!

Now looking back at the past four months since surgery and the four months leading up to surgery, I don't think I'd change any of my experiences. I'm proud to say that I've lost 81 lbs. and dropped from a 26W size to an 18W and feel like a new person.  I'm only dreaming of the next four months and what I can accomplish then also.

Have selected CMC in Manchester, NH as my WLS hospital. I've been to orientation, met with the nurse, scheduled my  psych evals, my nutrition appt, my physical, labs and EKG. Also have scheduled to attend two support groups Feb/Mar. If all goes well, I'll be meeting with the surgeon sometime late March or early April and have surgery about six weeks later.

I'm enjoying reading everyone's posts and have found this site a great resource. Thank you everyone for all your help--you'll never know how you've helped me.

I'm a week out  from meeting with the nurse and have already lost 4lbs of my mandatory pre-op weight.