~Joy~ .

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Hi everyone!  Yes I know I suck at keeping a blog up. lol
I went and saw Dr Allen yesterday (Jan. 24th)  He is so nice and caring.  
He was excited for me, said I was doing wonderful.  I have now lost nearly 50 lbs.  Well depending on the day & scale. lol  Water weight sucks!  I prefer the non-period, first thing in the morning weigh in dangit! lol  I should add in a reminder here that I did not count any of the pre/op weight loss, so when I give weigh loss totals it is totals since surgery.
He did tell me I NEEDED to start eating more each day.  I should be getting 800-1200 calories per day and most days I am lucky to even get 400.
He also looked at my stomach and said the incissions healed perfectly and we dont expect any trouble out of them.  I won't see him for 3 more months unless needed.
I still get tired often, but other times I feel a burst of energy and get rather hyper.  I love when that happens!  Feels wonderful!
I am still not taking either diabetes medicines and doing great.  My pcp did have blood drawn to have the A1c test done but I havent gotten the results yet.  I am still on my cholesterol medicine for now, my prevacid, my antidepressant, and my kidney medicine along with all my vitamins.  Vitamins and kidney med. is for life though.
I need to measure my waist and lower abs again.  Since those were my biggest problem areas, those are the only ones I am measuring for inches lost.  Everything is smaller though, including my face.  It is so exciting!  I still think my prune belly is so sexy! lmao  My extra skin and the fat hangin on the hips and pannus are causin back issues though.  Honestly, my back is hurting worse now then before losing it.  Guess the fat supported it? lol
Since I know some pre/ops will read this in time, I will add that NO!  This has not been easy or a walk in the park.  I am honest and don't sugar coat things.  I have thrown up a lot since surgery and some days I was so exhausted I didnt know what end was up.  I have more trouble going to the bathroom now and that is really weird for me cause I had IBS with chronic diarrhea for so MANY years..  
Eating IS a chore most of the time.  I know it will get better.  On the plus side, kinda anyway. lol  I do experience dumping syndrome. Here is a link about "dumping."
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dumping-syndrome/DS00715
 So in many ways that is a plus and keeps me from slipping.  First time I dumped though was on no sugar added choc. milk.  It was hell though.  Second time was on cake at Christmas so it served me well!  One of those I wanna try this homemade cake just one last time.  
And it was the last time! lol
So far my favorite if there has to be one. lol  Protein drink is called Amplify, I got it from GNC.  Soem do not carry it and it is pricey.
 
It tastes ok but everything seems to be too sweet to me.  Atleast it didnt have the funky smell and aftertaste that Unjury did.  My favorite protein bars are some of the Atkins ones.  You gotta watch the carbs and sugars in some of those.  
I also like ISS Oh Yeah! protein wafers.  Those are good too.  I like the peanutbutter cup and vanilla peanutbutter creme ones the best from them.  
  
They are great to cause they are low in carbs and sugar.  Some GNC's carry them but most likely you will be better off ordering them from www.vitaminshoppe.com .
Well I hope I've updated well enough.  If not someone let me know.
Hope everyone is doing well!

 

 

 

I went and saw Dr Allen this afternoon.  He is great.  He was proud of me.  I am almost 3 1/2 weeks out and lost 23 lbs and 9 inches off my upper abs and lower waist.  Not too bad!  I know I won't lose as fast as some because I don't have as much to lose as so many.  
I also got a B12 shot today too. 
  Hoping it will help with the exhaustion some.  I go back to see him in 6 weeks.  I will start getting my B12 shots monthy at my PCP office since its so close to where I live.
I am doing mushy food still.  Most things close to soilds sit too hard so I am taking it slow.  I have learned I love cottage cheese and fried/runny eggs.  I am also one one of the lucky ones that can handle milk.  I boiled a whole chicken and pulled it off the bone to make a chicken salad so I will try that tomorrow.
I am feeling better day by day.  I will admit this surgery acctually kicked my butt.  I felt so bad too cause I've always been the strong one with a high tolerance for pain.  Then suddenly I felt myself feeling so weak and helpless. I did however keep over doing it but what can a single Mom do?!
My parents have been great throughout all of this.  They are amazed and proud as they watch me melt and stand beside me through it all.
Well I guess I better go before I start to babble.  I hope everyone is doing well!

                             

I will write more later.  Too tired right now, but I am home.  I spent 4 days in the hosp and then a few days with my parents.
I did have breathing issues after surgery, other then that surgery went great.
More to come...

Hi everyone!  I had my pre op appt today.  It went really well.  First we went upstairs and had "class" while the nurse and nut. talked to us about surgery day and more about diet etc.  After that I went back downstairs to the pre op area to wait to have my labs, ekg and chest xray done.  It didnt take long at all.  Good news is that Dr Allen tries to take all JP drains out before discharge ofcourse unless you really still need one.  The nurse did say that it could be 3 to 5 days being in the hosp.  I was hopin not that long. lol  Ofcourse I wanna stay til I am safe to go home though.
I do have to have my urine checked before my surgery date to be totally cleared.  They couldnt do a urine today because I have been ill with a UTI and they need a sample after I am off the antibiotics.  So within 2 days of coming off of them she said I need to get into my pcp asap and they can have it tested and sent to Dr Allen's office.  She notated on my file that it was still needed.
I had been quite sick recently.  I hadnt been feeling well for over a month acctually.  I figured it was just stress which is commin in my life so I figured I was just wearing down.  Well it got worse to the point that the end of this past week I kept feeling like I would faint on top of being so sick to my stomach and a severe headache.  Well after putting it all together I checked my sugar...  It was 336.  But?  My diet hadnt changed!!!  My sugar had never been that high before to my knowledge.  Anyway, I got to thinkin about it and realized it was around the time that I started on another med for my kidney disease that I started feelin bad.  So I looked up the med.  Sure enough.  Was common for diabetics to lose control of their surgar on this med!!
So Monday morning I was in to see my pcp.  He also suspected an infection with my symptoms so he looked at urine first.  UTI...  So on top of the med reaction I had infection in my body which explained why my sugar went nuts.
I also went back on the med I was taking before for my kidney disease.  Found there was no real reason to change it in the first place.
One very odd thing.  I got weighed today ofcourse but I also got weighed Monday.  Today I showed 14lbs lighter then on Monday.  Which tells me my pcp's scale must really be crap. lol
Now you may be thinkin.  Why in the hell hadnt u been checkin ur sugar until you finally fell over??!!!  Yes, dumb, I know.  I stopped checkin it months ago when it was always at a wonderful level.  Yes I slacked.  Just got tired of stickin myself daily for what seems like nothing at times.
I am feeling a bit better now though.  Just really tired still.  I am also trying to get alot done around here before the 20th.
This may be my last blog until after surgery sometime.  Keep me in your prayers!  I hope you all are doing great!!

Yep, I have a surgery date finally.  November 20th is the offical "Date."  You know...  It's really weird.  I didn't cry, jump up and down excited, scream from the roof tops or nothin.  I calmly called my Mom (my bestfriend) when I got off the phone with Reta (Dr. Allen's Nurse and Surgery Scheduler) to let her know of my surgery date so she could request off a few days around that time.  She is going to be taking care of my daughter while I'm not able to.
I still battle with the shame of getting this way and NEEDING this surgery to live.  Maybe that is why I was so calm.  I am hoping the excitement will start soon.  I mean hell yes I wanna be thin, that is an added bonus to losing to be healthy, but you must remember.  I haven't been thin since I was about 3 or 4.  So it is a bit intemidating.
There is NO doubt in my mind that I can do this.  I mean hell, I have lived on a diet basicly all of my life, so the diet change part I am fine with.  All the dieting did was maintain my high weight instead of losing it before though. Now I will have a "tool" a weapon, in my battle.  
THIS IS WAR!!!  
 I am still trying hard to condition myself to eat 3 meals a day.  That is hard.  I have eaten 1 meal a day for years.  
I have noticed that I still do snack alot again at times (usually at night) when my depression kicks me.  I had gotten really good at not doin the emotional eating thing.  
Just a work in progress is all.  Then again too, I am a perfectionist and as they say, we are our own worst critics.  I do know my life long obesity is behind alot of my depressive issues, but not all.  So like I said, work in progress...  
This time in my biggest battle of all over my weight, I have hope...  That makes alot of differance.
I hope everyone is doing well.

About time huh?  Since I blogged last I have finished all of my testing.  I had been worried about my blood work coming back bad since I knew I hadn't been eating right but it wasn't bad acctually.
I have to say out of any medical test I have ever had done the Nuclear Pet Scan Stress Test thing was the worst.  It was very terrifying to say the least.  I would prefer all of the MANYYY hours of natural childbirth all over again as to go through that test again.  I was sickly and a nervous wreck for a couple days after.  Anywayyyy.  I won't go into all of it.
I really like my surgeon.  But I must say, one of the pre/cert specialist that we must deal with just to get up to the point of being scheduled for surgery SUCKS!!!  And that is saying is nicely.  She doesn't return calls and if you get lucky enough to get ahold of her she gives all wrong info and demands tests and paperwork that's NOT needed!!!  I finally got ahold of someone else in the office just today and she all in a matter of a few minutes went through my chart while she talked to me on the phone and told me she didn;t understand the hold up on my chart bein passed to the surgery scheduler because EVERYTHING and then some was in there.  She said all that was needed was to call my secondary and confirm coverage.  She got off the phone with me to do that and in a matter of minutes she called back and left a message that she had made the call.  I had left to run errands after I got off the phone with her but not only was that message on my machine when I got home but another from her a few hours later letting me know my secondary insurance company called her back already and she was able to put the confirmation in the chart and pass it on to the scheduler.  SOOOO!!!  Next week sometime I should be getting a call with my "DATE!"

Hi all.  Thought I would update with my appt schedule so far.  Yesterday, August 28th I went for my Venous Doppler.  I will know more when they get the results to my pcp but the tech did tell me that I have "Superfical Venous Reflux."  I will copy and paste this since it's easier and says it better. lol 
"What is superficial venous reflux?
Superficial venous reflux is a condition that develops when the valves that usually keep blood flowing out of your legs become damaged or diseased. This causes blood to pool in your legs. Common symptoms of superficial venous reflux include pain, swelling, leg heaviness and fatigue, as well as varicose veins in your legs." 
I will find out my pcp's views on it and what's next.  It doesn't look like anything serious but all those symptoms do explain alot.
My next appt. is tomorrow, August 30th with my pcp for a rechec on my meds and stuff.   He isn't gonna be very happy with my weight gain  and I bet my labs are gonna suck. 
 I will also be having my PFT- Pulmonary Function Test then.
September 5th I will be seeing the Cardiologist for a PET Scan for cardiac clearence.  Keeping my fingers crossed! 
After I am done with all that and the results get passed around and finally faxed to Dr Allen, I should get my date.
I do need to find out who I ask about getting the Venna Cava Filter put in. 
Hope everyone is doing well! 

I went to my consult with Dr. Allen yesterday.  The wait was long just as I heard it would be but he is wonderful!  I felt very comfortable with him and he didn't try rushing out the door when he was seeing me.
I had also heard ppl saying his office staff were rude.  I don't think they are at all at this point.  They were very friendly to me and we even laughed and cut up a lil.
I did found out that in the last 4 months I have gained 26lbs.  Damn the stopping smokin did a number on me startin up binge eating again.  
Dr. Allen seemed ok with it, after all, I was there cause of my weight thats killin me after all.  He was just really happy that I have quit smokin.
I have to see a cardiologist, pulm. and vasular doc now.  After all of that is done and I have the clearances I will get a date.  They are saying it looks like November, he is rather popular!  Once I get all of the tests done I know the "date" will be here fast!
I guess that's all for now.  Hope everyone is doing well!

Ladonna from Dr Allen's office called me rather fast earlier this month to schedule my consult.  They got me in for August 31st at first.  Then just the other day Ladonna called me again and asked if it was ok that I be moved up to August 24th.  She said Dr Allen was moving ppl from the 31st to the 24th.  I was like WELL YEAH! lol
I hope and pray that they got ALL my paperwork including the packet so I don't have to redo it all.  I don't like paperwork! lol
I will get to find out then what all tests Dr Allen will want me to do also.  Atleast I have my sleep study out of the way.
I am also VERY proud to say I am now 4 months smoke free.  It wasnt easy and at times I thought I would break but I DID IT!
I did go into a severe state of depression (I suffer from depression anyway) and I did gain some weight outta this.  That weight gain does sadden me. 
It also woke up a fear that I am still very prone to wanna binge eat when things get too hard for me.  I thought my binge eating days were behind me...  Maybe I was dumb to think I could battle this beast alone...  But the way I look at it is food is an addiction also and so was the smoking.  Battle one addiction at a time huh.

Lets see...  I believe it was January 23, 2007 when I went to my seminar with Dr Shina.  
Less then a month later I went and had my evaluations with the Dietician  and Psych.   All of that went great.
NOW, here we are SEVERAL months later and I call to check on the center of excellence status since I hadn't heard anything so I started calling monthly to check.  Guess what I was told!!!  Suburban failed!!  All of this time all I have been waiting for was the center of excellence to go through so I could finish up and get that DATE!    Ok, sniff, sniff, snot, blow...

I start askin and calling around.  I had heard of Dr Allen and heard all good things acctually.  Well other then about his staff being rude etc.  But as long as they aren't the ones doin my surgery, I'm alright.  Correct?  Anyway.
I called down at Norton's downtown and explained what had happened and that I had been waiting for several months for nothing.  The woman on the phone was really nice.  She said, well you have waited long enough.  We need to get this really going for you.  Hell, I agree.  Anyway.  She said there happened to be an opening in the seminar that night (7-24-07) and asked if I wanted to attend.  I was like well sure!  SO!  The seminar part is done.  I had also asked her if I would have to repeat ALL of that paperwork that had already been done since they were all connected to the Norton's network.  She said as long as they could get all of it that she didn't believe I would have to.  As soon as I hung up with her I called Dr Shina's office and asked them about faxing them all over to Norton's.  I was told it wouldn't be a problem at all so I am keeping everything I have crossed.

Now I am waiting to make sure all the paperwork is recieved and see about getting into an appt. with Dr Allen for a consult.

FFS someone pleaseeee pass the valium!