MissVirgo GoddessTN

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I know that there is no mention of the actual surgery on here and I promised myself that I wouldn't have one of those pages with entries up until the surgery and then it just tapers off. Updates are coming, now that I have this free time!!!


Valencia

I am getting ready to leave work for the day but I just wanted to check in and let everyone know that my birthday is this weekend!! Sunday, September 10, I will be 24 years old. I will be going to ATL to party with my friend Letia and go to my favorite restaurant Cheesecake Factory before surgery. I hope I get to meet my angel Vanessa (Trini~Peach) too! I am so happy that I am getting my health together at a young age so I will have more time to enjoy it. The road has been rough, but I am enduring til the end. Thank you Lord for this opportunity. To all my supporters and new found friends, I love you all. I know the hard work is still ahead of me and juggling my new eating habits with grad school and work/finding a new job will be stressful so I need all the support I can get. Much love.

A lifestyle change is definately upon me and with me being at such a young age I am especially considering that I have more "post op years" than my older counterparts. Thinking about it too much (serious overanalyzer) makes me queasy. Every profile I read affirms that this is not a simple feat but if it brings me out of the complete BONDAGE that super morbid obesity brings... then I am all for it. I can't find many people that have regrets after WLS even though they aren't able to "shovel food" down their "pie hole" anymore...but on the contrary, that isn't really normal in the first place. I am still needing to work with my therapist to find the reasons why I love food so damn much. Well I finally decided to work on my "goals" from having WLS, so that I can see what I am actually gaining from altering my digestive tract (other than losing weight), instead of focusing on the negative.........Here goes!

P.S. Everyone keeps asking me what is my goal weight..I don't like to place that kind of pressure on myself for fear of failure but I will say that I would love to just make it to onederland..onederful..199.. at that point I will reassess the situation and alter my goals accordingly.

Now to the goals!!!!

What do I hope to accomplish from having WLS?
(Not in any particular order / Non-exhaustive list

1. Weigh under 400. DONE!! (10-16-06)
2. Weigh under 300.
3. Weigh under 200.
4. Wear a 22/24
5. Wear a 18/20
6. Wear a 14/16
7. Better Sex (although this has never been a big problem but it could only get better!! Amazing how flexible a person can get given the inspiration. :o)
8. Just an added wish that my feet would shrink. (Currently wearing 13WW)
9a. I would love to see my knees.
9b.---------------------------ankles.
9c.---------------------------collarbone.
9d.---------------------------elbows.
9e.---------------------------neckbones.
9f.---------------------------YOU GET THE IDEA.
10. Wear stilettos. Without worryin about breakin a heel. Or trying to balance 400+lbs on a pointy heel.
11. Wear knee high boots. or even thigh high (Just kidding)
12. Wear those cute shoes and stand for a while without my lower back killing me.
13. Learn to ballroom dance. (Loved the movie Shall We Dance)
14. Learn other dances too!! Salsa, Belly Dancing, Pole dancing just kidding..okay maybe not LOL
15. Use a regular restroom stall instead of handicapped. I used to feel claustrophobic in those until I realized it was me crowding myself out.
16. Feel comfortable in a sports car. Ok I can say that I am comfy in my best friends new Charger but I think its just big in there. I mean like a Mazda Miata LOL.
17. Gain positive attitudes about regular exercise. How do you people turn into Jane Fonda overnight?? Go jogging?? Can't fathom it. Spinning class? WHEW!! Kickboxing? I think I'm gonna faint. This is coming from a person who sweated profusely at a yoga class. Lord I need help in this department. I think I am just lazy......Pray for me. I am told that this gets better as you get smaller.
18. Go white water rafting in the Tennessee Smokies.
19. Ride amusement park rides instead of walking around or should I say walk/sit..eat funnel cake.. walk/sit..eat turkey leg..repeat
20. Go hiking / on nature trails/ camping..you know, all that "white folk stuff" no offense :)
21. Get a Total Body Lift from Dr. Dennis Hurwitz cause I'm gonna need it!!!
22. Grow professionally and embrace new opportunities as they come.
23. Be smaller for my 12/2006 graduation from grad school than i was at my 8/2005 graduation from undergrad.
24. Become the social butterfly that I used to be!
25. Fly without a seatbelt extender.
26. Paint my own toenails and shave my legs without having to be a contortionist about it.
27. Walk up a couple flights of stairs without feeling like I am getting ready to die.
28. Walk without my thighs rubbing together about to start a fire.
29. Not be embarrassed at the doctors office with two gowns on; one in front and one in the back.
30. I hope that my journey/testament/struggle/will inspire someone else to change their lives. A good friend of mine inspired me to change mines and he knows who he is. *luv ya Johnny


**BY THE WAY.. DOES ANYONE READ THIS?? DROP ME A LINE!! ** I love to hear from people!!!!

Today is a bittersweet day. It is my mother's birthday. She would have been 61 today. Everyday as I go through this journey I wish I had her to talk to about this whole thing. Even though 5 years have passed since she left us, it definately hasn't been easier. I try to hold my emotions in until I get to a breaking point and then I'm crying for no reason at all (or so I think)..I miss you mommy and I know you are in a much better place so my heart is at ease. You did live a full life so its all good. I am getting my health together so that I can live a full life as well. Save a spot for me later on ( much later on!!)

On a lighter note, I went to my final consult and I GOT A DATE!! Its not as soon as I would have liked it to be, but this MONTH is gonna go by SO fast. My date is SEPTEMBER 26, 2006!!! I will check into Methodist Germantown bright and early at 7AM. I am so excited. I talked to my lovely angel Vanessa and she gave me some great tips to ensure a speedy recovery. I am starting my vitamins as soon as I get them today as well as protein drinks.

I was so excited about my office visit that I got there 45 mins early and still had to wait because they weren't even open yet and didn't open up the doors til the time of my appointment!! So I just sat there and read over my "questions for the surgeon". Most of the questions I had were already answered by my office visit with his nurse so that by the time I got to him, he just examined (looked) my abdomen and we chit chatted for a few minutes and I was on my way. He said he was pleased that I had taken the inititive to start trying to lose on my own and that I should keep that up so it will make it easier on my recovery as well as on him for doing it laproscopic. From what I understand, the liver shrinks first when you lose weight so if its lighter, it is easier to lift up and work around. The only question that I had was about pouch size and how many centimeters of intestines would be bypassed to which he explained that with my high BMI he would do the max allowed by the hospital which is 150cm.  The doctor wants me to lose 10 more pounds and I think that is reasonable.

I was in GNC today and I got some Isopure drinks so I am going to try them soon. I am up late packing to go to Memphis tomorrow night after work and school....I am going to be tired as hell but I will make it. I see Dr. Woodman Thursday morning bright and early at 7:30!! I'll keep you posted...

I have completed all Pre-Op testing and it was a breeze. Not like all the stories I heard about it online. The barium was nasty but it wasn't THAT nasty. I had a EKG, Ultrasound, and X-rays done on August 8 and the blood labs on August 9. The staff at Methodist Germantown were very great people and they kept things moving along in a timely manner and they were all so very nice. Standing on the vertical table and having them flip u to horizontal was like some kind of amusement ride.. but then again how would I know because I haven't been on one in years!! The blood labs were painless (i'm scared of needles) .. didn't feel a thing. They took like 8-10 tubes of blood but it was very quick. The ladies at the blood lab kept commenting on how "BAD" i'm going to look and how I ain't gon be "nothin nice" when I lose the weight cause I was so cute now! They had me blushing for sure. Now, my final consultation is scheduled for August 24 and I cannot wait!! Just a few more days until I find out the date that will change my life! I am starting to prepare myself for surgery by walking and drinking lots of water and doing protein shakes. I ordered a protein samplers pack from bariatriceating.com so that should arrive soon. I gotta see what this Nectar that everybody keeps raving about tastes like. And the Profects and IDS New Whey I am excited. I want to get the best possible outcome from this surgery. Because we all know that gaining back is possible. So I want to lose as much as I can in the beginning. Who knows I may become a fitness buff.. u know the gym types that never miss a day.. now I hate pulling myself out of bed in the mornings. AND this too shall pass... a new day is upon me.

I have been calling the insurance company everyday since my doctor submitted the info and I called this morning and guess what!! I'm Approved!!! THATS RIGHT U GUESSED IT!!

I am so excited but it is coming down to the wire. I am beginning to let my family know so I can make the proper arrangements because I am having surgery out of town. I am nervous!! So many things to do. I will have a date pretty soon. I will keep ya posted as events begin to transpire!

Day 4 of the protein train and my body should be in ketosis by now! I feel like I am losing! I recieved a scale (high capacity) as a gift yesterday from my chubby chaser (LOL) and got a correct weight on myself. It seems that I have lost 40 lbs. since April. I am very excited about that but I want to lose more and keep it moving to make this surgery easier on myself. That puts me below the doctor's expectation of a 25lb loss so I am good on the surgery front. I figured I had been losing since my pants had been very loose but had no way of finding out! That brings my BMI down 8.2 points! I'll take that. Well thats my news for today!

I had been stressing all day about the surgeons office not being able to find my nutritional and psychological assessments ....calling the nutritonist and psychologist's office to get them to resend just in case.. and then at the end of the day when i got home, Ann called and said maybe it was divine intervention but they found  both of the reports and she would be faxing everything over the insurance co. I was so happy I jumped up and down and my bad mood instantly changed. Now comes the wait... in the meanwhile I have to seriously lose some weight. This is day two of the protein train with BAF and I am doing well except a few tired spells from lack of carbs but I'm pushing on!! Thanks to those who have been tolerant of my mood swings.. u are appreciated!!!

The doc did get back with me and mailed out some info for me to complete. After 4-5-6 days of calling my psychologists office and asking wheres my mail.. they agreed to fax it to me at work. I completed it within the hour and faxed it back last Thursday. Called to confirm they recieved it Friday and I was assured that the new report would be going out on Monday. Lets keep our fingers crossed that they take care of this in a timely manner. Red tape is a mutha.....until then.. peace