firefly2000

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 Well, here it is three months out from surgery and 54 lbs lost!!! I am so thankful to have had VSG! It literally gave me back my life!! I wake every morning excited to start the day, and go to sleep each night feeling like I am winning this battle against obesity!! People have really started to notice that I look different. They say things like, "wow! you look great!", "have you changed your hair?", "have you whitened your teeth?" I just laugh to myself! I have highlighted my hair, but have not whitened my teeth! Not yet anyways!! I have only shared with some of my closest friends and family about my surgery. Not that I am at all ashamed to admit that I have had WLS, it's just that I don't feel like I have to explain my life story over and over again, and why I chose to do what I did! 
In-fact, I was at our town swim club last week, and an acquaintance came over to me and said, "wow, you really lost a lot of weight! How did you do it?" It may seem silly, but I had not prepared myself for what I would say! I kind of hesitated, and the person answered before I could. She said, "I find that if I eat a large amount of protein, and lower my carb intake that I lose weight" I said, "that's exactly what I have been doing!" After some more small talk I walked away and said to myself "that was a close one!" I now know what to say, and guess what? I am not lying, that is the truth! I am eating mostly protein, and very little carbs!!
I have a Dr. appointment this month, and I am curious to see all my blood work. I do suffer from reflux, and I always find out the hard way that I need to slow down with both chewing, and drinking! This is where I have my love/hate relationship with my sleeve! On one hand, I am so happy to have a smaller stomach and a built in alarm, which painfully reminds me to slow things down! However, I hate that I can't eat and drink at the same time, and that just when I think that I have found a food that agrees with me, the next time I eat it it doesn't feel too good! But don't get me wrong, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!!! 
For those of you deciding if WLS is the way to go.....I say YES!! It is LIFE changing!!!

 May 20th- So I have lost 40lbs in two months!! I am so happy with my decision to have had WLS!! My clothes are getting really loose, and people are starting to notice! I am actually looking forward to this summer, which in the past was always a source of stress for me! 
I am now eating full solids. I am finding out what I can and can not tolerate. My reflux is bothering me more since trying more foods. One really crazy thing that has changed since surgery is that right before my period I get really nauseous. Anything I eat makes me feel sick to my stomach! It's really strange. After I finish my period I am right back to my old self! Anyway, things are going really well and I am looking forward to getting closer to goal!

 April 20th-I am a month out from surgery, and I have lost 23 lbs. Although I am happy...I feel that I should have lost more! I know it must sound crazy..but it's true!! I feel like I had this major surgery, and have drasticly changed my eating habits...so why is my body not responding like I thought it would?

Also, I feel like the people that I have told about my WLS are watching and waiting to see results. A few of my friends did voice to me before my surgery that they thought that having this surgery was quite extreme. So now I feel like I must prove to them that surgery was well worth it! Now I know you must be thinking that if they were my true friends that I shouldn't have to prove anything to anyone but....I am letting my insecurity get the best of me! (and I might be a little paranoid!)

I also think that as I am slowly losing this weight that I am dealing with some old feelings from the past. I have always been a yo-yo dieter. I must have lost and gained the same 50 lbs over and over again! I think I am feeling exposed. I feel like everyone is just waiting for me to lose the weight, then to just turn around and gain it right back! I am scared! Scared to disapoint myself and others!

Did you ever feel this way? Or am I focusing on the negative instead of the positive?

 
March 20th - I think the scariest part for me was getting the IV put in, (I have awful veins, so it's hard to find a good one!) The anesthesiology team was so kind to me. They knew I was scared, so to calm me down they put a warm blanket on my back, while another nurse gave me a back massage!! (what great service!) It was so thoughtful, and it worked! 

Before they put the IV in, they gave me a shot of lidocane (spelling?) which numbs the area,( mine was my hand) It stings for a quick second, not bad...and then they hook up the IV with no pain!

I had mentioned to the anesthesiologist  that I get sick from anesthesia, so they made a cocktail with anti nausea meds mixed in. BTW...it worked! I didn't get sick after surgery at all!

A nurse also gave me a shot in my side before surgery, to prevent blood clots in my legs. I was then wheeled into the surgery room....and  before I knew it, I heard the nurses and my husband saying that surgery was finished, and that all had gone well! Thank you Jesus!

When I woke up....I didn't feel pain, but pressure around my chest. I felt like I had to burp, which I kept doing! After awhile, (I lost track of time) I was wheeled into my hospital room, and they switched me into my bed. They started IV fluids, and a morphine pump that I could push every 6 minutes if I needed it. They also put pressure cuffs around my calfs that would inflate/deflate to prevent blood clots.

 At some point a respitory nurse came in and asked me to take a deep breath into a breathing thing (not sure of name) so that my lungs would stay clear. I had to repeat this every 1/2 hour.
Another nurse came and took some blood........and then I slept, and slept! Until I woke up to yet another nurse who took my temp, and blood pressure. I was released the next day. Now the real journey begins!.....

 
March 28th -  I just came back from my 1st post op appointment, and I am happy to announce that I have lost 12 lbs!!

I was so scared when I stepped on that scale!! I had been waiting to weigh myself all week, but chose not to in case I was still retaining water weight from IV fluids. Needless to say I was so happy, and so was my surgeon!

After I was weighed the Dr. checked my incisions, which are still covered with steri strips. He said that if they didn't fall off by Saturday, that I can remove them while in the shower.

We then spoke about how I was doing with my protein shakes, and water. I told him that I have no problem getting in 2 1/2 shakes a day, which total 70 grams protein. Water on the other hand has not been so easy. I manage to get in about 30 oz a day. 

Next, we talked about the the next phase, pureed foods. He told me that I can start as early as Monday! I was shocked! I thought I had to be on full fluids for at least another 10 days!! Nope, Dr. said I was good to go!!

Oh! I forgot to mention, my sleeve sister Susan, that I met in the hospital, (she was my room mate, she too had WLS, and the same surgeon as me!) We made our 1st post op appointment together so that we could see each other!! It was great to see her, and she lost 14 lbs!!

So my new goals are: to drink more water, keep up the 70 grams of protein, and start going to the gym. My Dr. told me that I could take cardio classes!!

I'm sending a big shout out to all my sleeve sisters and brothers!! "Can you hear me? We got this!!!"

Lesley

 March 22- Today is my 2nd day post-op and I am feeling a little bloated, a little sore, still sleepy, and still have a dull headache. I had my first bm this morning (sorry to be so graphic!) and the noises coming from my tummy are quite loud! I still can only manage about 2oz of fluids an hour. I had a difficult time yesterday taking my meds. I cut the pills into smaller little pieces and tried to swallow with water. My mouth immediately started watering, and I began to dry heave. I have not started my vitamins, or my Prevacid for fear that the same thing will happen. Hopefully today I will be better.

Overall, I am happy that I made the decision to have WLS. As I have learned from the vets, the begining is hard, and it should get a little easier over time. However, I knew going into this process that by no means was it taking the easy way out! Everyday I will face new challenges....but the rewards will be so worth it!

In the hospital I had one moment while I was being prepared for surgery that I said to my husband, "what am I doing to myself?" He looked me dead in the eyes and said, "you are saving your life!" Boom! that was all I needed to hear! I was taking control of my life that quite frankly,  was out of control!

One of the highlights of having this surgery was making a new friend! Her name is Susan, and she was my hospital roomate. She too had WLS, and it was so nice to have someone to share the good, bad, and ugly with! I was dicharged one day before her, and I miss her already! But we exchanged numbers, and I told her about OH, so we will most definitely stay in contact! Oh, another cool thing is that before I went under anesthesia, I apparently asked them if they could take a picture of what my belly looked like inside? (I don't remember asking at all!) But when I was in my hosp room my husband showed me the picture! I asked him how he got it, and he told me that I had asked them to take a picture! So now I have a cool souvenir!

I will be making my first post-op appointment this week, for next week. My white blood count was a little high shortly after surgery. They were going to keep me in the hosp an additional day, but after taking another blood test yesterday, the numbers had gone down, so I was released. I have not weighed myself yet since I am still retaining water weight from all the IV fluid.

 March 19, 2010 - Well, after researching WLS on and off for 2 years, fighting with insurance, and having no choice than to self-pay.... the time has finally come! Tomorrow is the day of new beginings!  I feel at peace with my decision. I found a great surgeon, I have surrounded myself with strong supportive friends and family, and most of all, I have allowed myself to put ME first! I am worth it!! 

Thank you OH family for all your kind words and well wishes! I look forward to joining you all on the loser's bench!!
Lesley

 Sunday March 18th - Ok, BIG reality check! I just asked my daughter to take some pictures of me so that I could look back and remember what I looked like before WLS. WOW! I didn't even recognize myself!! How did I get here? Why did I let myself get this big? What have I done to myself? Why is this just hitting me now? I know that I have been obese for quite some time and that I haven't really taken a long hard look at myself in the mirror, or pictures, but wow! I guess I just wasn't being ready to face the truth!

Tuesday, March 20th will be the day that I take charge of my life! It is the day that I start taking the path to lead me back to me- the REAL me, not this person that stands in front of the mirror, in a huge fat suit!! I know it will be a long hard journey but I am willing to put myself first and work hard......because I am worth it! We all are!!

Lesley