Jo F.

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One Week after surgery, I have already lost 17.5 lbs!!!

I went to see Dr. K yesterday afternoon and I was already down 17.5 lbs!  Unbelievable!!  He pulled my drains ~ OWWIE OUCH!  I'm sorry, but I have a very low pain tolerance and it HURT!!!  But, I feel so much better with out them!  (You were all right - as usual!)

DH & I spent the afternoon in Delano after my appointment with Lori D. (she's such a sweetheart!) and her husband, Steve and then had an early dinner with my switch-sister Andrea & our support persons.  (She's from Dr. K's Yahoo group.)  Andrea had her surgery just before me and it is really good to see that I'm not the only one STRUGGLING to eat one scrambled egg!! 

With the drains out, I've graduated to soft foods, such as eggs, mashed potatoes, rice, tuna, etc.  I mentioned my head hunger before.  I want to eat, but just can't.  This is just amazing!!!  I'm feeling much better and so far, I have had no complications or issues. 

My DH is the best!!  I can't thank him enough for being here for me, being so supportive, and for doing everything I need done.  He covers me up when I'm cold, he walks with me, he makes me food and makes me constantly sip on my water.  He is my Angel / Water Natzi and I love him!

Pre-ops, I won't sugar coat it for you.  The first week is HELL!  But, you have pain meds to help get you through.  A good support person is a definite must-have! 

I'm on my way!!!

I finally go in for surgery in the morning.  I've packed a bag of all the things I'll need.  I've done the whole clear liquid diet - didn't have much today.  I just had some green Jell-o, 2 cups of Chicken Broth and some watered down Apple Juice - there were no added sweetners!  I drank my Magnesium Citrate earlier today.  I found some that was Cherry flavored at Walgreens.  They have grape and lemon flavor too.  It was EXTREMELY sweet and EXTREMELY bitter at the same time.  And not the good kind of sweet & bitter.  (Like Sweet-Tarts)  I wouldn't want to drink it every day.  But I was able to choke it down. 

This forum has so many wonderful people on it.  I feel like I have a family here.  And there are too many friends here for me to name! 

It's just after 11 pm and I'm off to bed.  I have to get up at 5 am.  I probably won't be able to sleep.  But, I'm going to try.  Next time I post, I'll be on the Loser's Bench!  I can't wait!!!!!!!

I was on full liquids today. This is what I had to eat.

Breakfast:             Slim Fast Chocolate Shake
Morning Snack:   Snack Size Pudding Cup & Snack Size Jell-O Cup
Lunch:                   Tomato Soup & a Protein Shake
Afternoon Snack: McDonald's Strawberry Shake (It has tiny bits of strawberries in it - is that bad?
Dinner:                  Cheddar Cheese Soup (I only had a couple of sips. YUCK!)
Evening Snacks:   2 Puddings & a Fudgesicle

Tomorrow...Clear Liquids all day. And the Nasty Mag. Citrate. UGH!

I feel very secure and VERY excited. I have all the confidence in the world that Dr. K will take very good care of me. I think my faith in God helps me through the trying times in my life. I have complete faith that I am in the right hands with Dr. K. and I truly believe that God led DH & I to Bakersfield so I would be near Dr. K. and his practice.

I saw him (Dr. K, that is) yesterday for my Pre-op visit. He answered all of my questions, and then told me to "Party all day today and party all day tomorrow because on Saturday you'll eat full liquids, and Sunday on your clear liquid diet." So, I partied! For lunch I had, my favorite Jack in the Box Ultimate Cheeseburger, for dinner I had Pizza, Dessert cookies, some candy... I can't eat that much at a time, but boy if I could! LOL! I think for dinner tonight, we'll have goulash with French Bread. Cheesecake for dessert. YUMMMMM!

Just three more days to go!!!! I have to be at the hospital at 7 am and my Surgery is at 9 am.

I had my first breakdown on Monday evening (2 nights ago). I started crying and told my DH, "I know I'm in really good hands, but things happen. If something happens to me, you'll take me back to Nebraska, right?" He held me and said of course he would. I told him to take good care of my puppy. I need to take time and write my daughter a letter...just in case.   

I keep wondering if I really want to go through with it. I mean, I love my food! I don't want to give it up! But then I remember that I won't have to with the DS.   DH saw a TV commercial with a really skinny woman.  He looked at me and said, "You had better not get that skinny!"  I told him I'd be sure to tell Dr. K that!  LOL!

I went to support group last night, and about 8 of us went to Perko's afterward for a late dinner. It helped me feel more confident again. It's so helpful seeing people who are five years and more out from surgery. My Switch Sister, Andrea, was there. She's from Atlanta and flew all the way here for Dr. K. She will have her surgery first on Monday, and I'm second. I'll see her again tomorrow for our Pre-op visit. We got some good advice from the other ladies ~ like if I eat one bite too much (she said - "And you will!") and have that horrible feeling of rocks in my tummy, to eat a lemon slice. She said it really helps! This lady is 5 1/2 years out and ate just as much food as I did. She then told me she would go home and eat another good portion of food before she went to bed. She said she has to so she doesn't lose weight! WOW!!! So much for me giving up my food!

I only have 5 more days before I go under the knife. (yeay!) I want to clean my house, but I tried to put some books away two days ago and three small boxes later, I was wiped out! I'm going to try to vacuum today. I wouldn't worry so much about it, but I don't want my house to be too nasty when my daughter comes to visit for Christmas. *sigh*

The DS is different than the Gastric Bypass, which is what so many people end up with. I would have NEVER considered surgery for weight loss until I found out about the DS. I’ll eventually eat normally. My stomach is made smaller, but the Pyloric Valve is in tact. This valve releases the food in your stomach into the small intestines as it’s needed for energy & digestion. With the Gastric Bypass, they make a small pouch out of the top portion of your stomach, thus removing use of the pyloric valve. This causes your food to dump from your stomach into your small intestine, and can cause flu like symptoms. This is known as “Dumping Syndrome” ~ something I would not want to deal with! They remove the excess stomach completely. This reduces the hormone created called Ghrelin, which is the hunger hormone. So, not only will I not be able to eat as much, I’ll have a good portion of the hormones reduced. Then, they bypass the majority of the small intestine, having a portion of it going from the stomach and a portion of it going from the Pancreas & Liver – which produce bile and pancreatic juices. They are then connected about 100cms from the Large Intestine – this is known as the common channel. The common channel is where the food is finally digested. This bypass portion of the surgery creates a mal-absorption of fat, protein, etc. This is different than man-nutrition. Eventually, my common channel will create more tiny finger-like projections called Villi. The Villi are what actually absorb the nutrients and fats. This is why a person will generally stop losing weight after about 18 months. However, I expect to lose at least 80% of my excess body fat, leaving me “just” obese, instead of Super Morbidly Obese.   I predict that I’ll be happy when all is said and done.

I am, as of today, approved for surgery!  I found out this afternoon at 1 pm and I have been scheduled for Monday, November 19th at 6 am.  My goal was to have surgery before Dec. 31, 2007 and I've done it!  I will have surgery the Monday before Thanksgiving.  (I will not miss Thanksgiving dinner, since we are new to the area and family is so far away, I wouldn't have prepared it anyway.)  I'll be supping on liquids, most likely in the hospital that day.  Hubby can go out to eat!  LOL!

My current emotion is excitement.  I have been giggly all afternoon!  DH was the first person I called, of course.  He said, (jokingly), "Well ain't that a STUPID day to have a surgery."  Then said, that it was great and to remind him this evening to put in for time off so he can be with me.  Then I called my mom.  She was hesitant, but said she wished she could be here for me, and that she hopes it all goes well.  I reminded her by saying, "Just think, I'll be SKINNY again!"

I met my new primary care physician at 2:15 today.  I explained to him that I was having WLS - the DS - and he hadn't heard of it.  I pulled out my diagram and told him briefly what it's all about, and he was excited for me!!  He said, "I get to see your before and after in person!"  He is a very down to earth Dr. and I felt a connection with him.  Or could it be that I was so elated about my approval? 

I already got my chest x-rays this afternoon.  I'll go back in on Nov. 5th for an EKG and his approval/clearance for surgery.  And I have orders in hand for fasting bloodwork.  I'll do that sometime within the next week or two.  Then I just have my pre-op appointment with Dr. K on Nov. 15th and if all goes well, surgery! 

I think I have the financial stuff worked out, too.  Thank you all for your kind thoughts and chicken swinging!!!  I can't thank you enough!  I believe that God moved me to California for Dr. Keshishian to do my surgery.  I was disappointed when I had to wait, but now I know why I had to wait.  In 34 days, I will start a whole new BOOK in my life, not just a new chapter.

YEAY!!!  YIPPEE!!!  GOD IS SO GOOD! 
(Need I say more?)

As many of you already know, I've been patiently waiting for my information to be sent by Dr. Sudan's office in Omaha, NE to Dr. Keshishian's office in Delano, CA. I was just informed by Dee (Dr. K's Coordinator) at our Support Group this evening that she just "submitted you [me] today!" YIPPEE!!!   Dee said she'll let me know as soon as she hears something. 
At first I was THRILLED!    EXCITED!    JUMPING UP & DOWN!   
Then it hit me... this is it. This is the LAST step before being APPROVED. I'm now starting to get nervous. I have faith that my insurance will approve me. BUT, I'm scared that they WON'T approve me right away.  AND I'm scared that they WILL approve me right away. And I'm scared that I won't have the courage to GO THROUGH WITH IT!    
I know I will when it comes down to it.  I'm just having those "What if?" thoughts. 

Oh my goodness...I just got a call from Dee at Dr. Keshishian's office.  She's asking for me to have Dr. Sudan's office fax over my Dietician's chart for my 6 month insurance required weight management. She said that is all they need to submit to insurance.  I can't call now because they are obviously closed - it's 7:15 pm in Omaha.  So, I will call them first thing in the morning to see if they will fax it right away.  I have a fax machine, so if they need me to sign a release form, I can have it faxed and fax it right back.  Oh, I'm doing cartwheels and back flips inside!  I hope this is really all they still need for insurance.  One step closer...