jenihig

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Wow, so many changes have happened in the past few months. I am amazed at myself & my transformation. One of the most amazing things is the fact that my BMI has gone from over 52 to right at 40. That is just crazy.

I haven't been exercising like I should & really I haven't been at all so Robby (my son) has been asking me if we could go for a walk but I haven't really wanted to walk without my hubby.  However, that just never seems to work out SOOOO last night Robby asked me again if we could go for a walk because he wanted to ride his bike. It was around 7:50 so it was already pretty dark. We have a lot of street lights so I decided- what the heck, let's do it. 4 times around our circle is a mile but I wasn't sure if I was up for doing all 4 laps. We walked the dog for the 1st 2 laps and then we put him in the house and did 2 more laps. I even jogged part of them. WHAT??? Did I just say that I jogged part of it??? Oh my goodness, yep I did say that. I couldn't jog far but I did little bits at a time. Ok, I will admit that my top half still bounces quite a bit and I don't see that the girls are getting any smaller so I don't know how much jogging I will be doing during daylight hours where people can see but my goal is to be able to jog 2 miles at least. It felt good to run. I didn't even run in school. I have always hated exercise and that is what got me to the place where I needed this surgery to help save my life.

I am still in search of a full time job. God sees my heart and he sees that we really need it financially. He has a divine plan for me and He is working even though I can't see the results yet.

I had my 3 month check up with Dr. Lord on Friday 6/22. It went just fine. He was very happy with my progress. I have lost 57 lbs, which they told me is 31% of my excess body weight. I am right on target. I actually thought I had lost 60 lbs but there seems to be a difference of about 4 lbs between their scale & mine. But hey, when else can you lose 57 lbs in 3 months- not too often, so I am not complaining at all.

My sizes still don't seem to have changed much. I started in a 26/28 & the pants I am wearing are mostly 24's with some 22's mixed in. The biggest difference is that they aren't all stretch pants. I am able to wear most of the regular jeans and some of them I don't even have to unzip to put on. Very cool.

I have noticed that I actually enjoy wearing sleeveless shirts now. I wouldn't be caught dead in a sleeveless a few months ago but now that is all I want to wear. I feel dumpy in a t-shirt and jeans anymore. The fact that my sense of style has changed so drastically already amazes me. I keep thinking that if it has changed this much at only 3 months out, how is it going to be when I am in regular sized clothing & I can really wear ALL of the cute stuff... I can't wait.

I am still job hunting. The program I work in now is currently a 12 hour a week position but will be 16 hours a week next school year (starting in August). I applied for 5 Teacher Asst. positions but didn't get either of the two I interviewed for and I am still waiting on 3 of them to call for interviews. I also interviewed at a learning supply store for part-time (15-20 hours a week). My plan is, if I don't get offered anything full-time I can work the store and keep the job I have. Quite honestly I love what I do right now so I would be thrilled to keep this job. I even thought that depending on the hours at the store, I could do it as well as one of the full-time positions if I was offered one of those... Hmmm, lots of options, now just to get hired at some of them. We certainly need the help financially. This living paycheck to paycheck thing has to end soon. God wants so much better for us and it is within my reach to do something about it (with God's help of course), so that is exactly what I am going to do.

Well, I am horrible at updating... I need to update my journal too. I went for my 6 week check up with Dr. Lord/ Dr. Friedman on May 1st. According to them I had lost 37 lbs. wow! My first visit (1 wk post op) I had lost 12 lbs. so that is 25 lbs in 5 weeks. They said that I am right on target & they both seemed surprised at how different I look already. Of course, I told them what I have said all along, I don't really see it yet as much. Yes, my clothes fit a little looser- although they are almost all stretch clothes so they don't show it that much... my rings are looser, my feet look smaller, my ankles aren't as swollen, I can walk without stopping because my back or feet hurt, I am sleeping through the night and maybe waking up once to use the bathroom but not 7 or 8 times like I was before with the sleep apnea.... There have been lots of changes just not many visual ones to me. At least everyone else sees it though. That is enough for me for right now. I am not complaining at all & please don't take it that way. I am very grateful for the changes that I am already experiencing and I would do it again a million times.

On another note, we have a new addition to our family. A 6 week old chihuahua. His name is Rico. He was born on March 21st- the day after my surgery. Pretty significant to me. He is so sweet and so cute. We all love him so much.

My surgery was on March 20, 2007. It was scheduled for 10:30 and I had to check in at the hospital at 8:30. After waiting for a short time with my Mom, who came in from Georgia to be here and with my hubby they took me back to pre-op. They had me give a urine sample/ pregnancy test & get into the hospital gown and socks. Then they started the IV (it took 3 tries to get the IV in & that hurt + the 2 additional local shots they give so you supposedly can't feel it. They pumped 2 bags of fluids into me, gave me a Lovenox shot in the tummy- this is a blood thinner & it didn't hurt at all, made me drink some acid reducer stuff that is the same thing you drink prior to an endoscopy, I was introduced to a thousand people it seemed like including 2 people from anesethia (the head honcho & the one that would be taking care of me) and I got to speak with Dr. Lord briefly. Then they sent my family in one at a time- hubby, mom, aunt, sis in law, etc...Then hubby came back for about 10 mins... by this time it was closer to 11:00 so it was evident that my surgery wouldn't start until 11:30 or so which is actually when they took me to the back. I was in OR room 11.

My surgeon has his patients in special beds with hover mattresses on them so they blow up the mattress and move you over easier than actually having to move you. The beds are also somewhat automatic. Well, they wheeled down a long hall and then down another long hall into the OR room and there was country music playing. It was very cold in there which is just the way I like it. I said "wow it is cold in here, it must be 65 degrees, I love it." Someone said that yes it was exactly 65 degrees and that is the way Dr. Lord likes it. I saw a guy carrying the instruments over to a table beside the bed and then they told me they were going to blow up the mattress. I remember them blowing up the mattress just a little and how cool it felt and then I woke up in recovery fighting with the oxygen mask.

The doc found a small hiatal hernia that wasn't detected by the endocsopy and he also removed some scar tissue that was caused by a previous complicated appendectomy. My hubby said the surgery took around 3 hours. They put me in room 295- Zipper was my nickname on the lap board (which was the weight I was before I started eating my last meals and gained 3 lbs to 298, hahaha).

The night of my surgery I walked 5 laps (27= 1 mile). The next 3 days I walked 30 laps each day and about 7 or 8 the day I went home. I was there for 5 days. They put a catheter in after putting me to sleep and it stayed in until the day after surgery. They put a JP drain in, which stands for Jackson Pratt. It is a small bag attached to a long tube that goes into your abdomen. They take it out the day before you go home, in most cases.

The nurses were very attentive. Most of them have had or are having the surgery so they truly know how you feel. The unit is specifically for Bariatric patients and the patient to nurse ratio is very low. It never took more than 3 minutes for someone to help after pressing the call button.

The food issue is kind of cool because it is true that when you wake up you no longer care about food. I just wanted some water. My mouth was very dry when I woke up the day of surgery. However, they do not let you drink anything until the following morning when you have an Upper GI done to be sure there are no leaks. If all goes well with that they start you on ice and water and then clear liquids. The next day I was given the best little medicine cup of scrambled eggs and one of applesauce along with a baby spoon. It was so good. During the next few days I had tuna salad (just a little mayo & mustard), mashed potatoes & gravy, jello (yuk- I don't like jello), yogurt, and more eggs and applesauce.

I had a little more pain than with a simple routine RNY due to the scar tissue but as of today I am a couple of weeks out and that is almost completely gone. I still feel some twinges now and then but I was told that was the nerves healing up.

Today I weighed 277. That is the least I have weighed in right at 2 years. I maintained 275 for about 15 years until April of 2005 when my Grandfather died & I added on 20 lbs. I am excited to see what the future holds for me.

I am still struggling with learning to eat slow enough and I am really battling head hunger. I miss things like chugging my bottled water and hamburgers but it'll all be so worth it.

Less than 12 hours from when I need to be at the hospital for pre-op. I am so excited. I got my nails done today (thanks Melissa). I got butterflies & flowers on my pinkies. They look so pretty. I am working on drinking my 34 ounces of water before midnight. This will be the last large amount of water I drink in a short time. I am so use to gulping my water. I can finish a bottle of water in a matter of a couple of minutes. I feel like this will be a huge adjustment for me but according to what I have seen of Stacey's experience it'll be fairly easy to adjust to. It is a lot of work to get in the amount of fluids needed.

This time tomorrow I will be back in my hospital room and on my journey to a healthier me!

I just finished the last of the 2 doses of Fleet Phospho-Soda. It is nastier the 2nd time around. I followed it with an 8 oz glass of ice cold sprite. Something that helped me was to wipe my tongue off after drinking the Fleet because the taste of it sticks with you. I am really surprised by how much "comes out" even after 4 days of full liquids.

Here is what my liquids have consisted of besides water. Decaf coffee with Splenda & a little powdered non dairy creamer. McDonalds makes awesome coffee with free refills. Welchs grape juice, apple juice, Crystal Light- pink lemonade & sunrise are the only two flavors I really like. Beef, chicken & vegatable broth & the first 3 days I was able to have one protein shake a day. Now that I have done the bowel prep I can't have those anymore until after surgery.

This liquid diet thing has been so much easier than I imagined it would be. I won't say I haven't been hungry at times because I have but I just thought it would be a lot worse. I have even had energy and I attended a birthday party yesterday and played in the jumpy thing with the kids a couple of times.  I have made it a point to stay busy. It is harder when I am at home because I am use to just going and grabbing something out of the cabinet or fridge.

Stacey kept me busy the first day. We went to look at a newer local antique store and ran some errands. It was fun and it really did keep my mind off of it. My Mom has been in town too so I have stayed busy seeing her. Another one of my sister in laws, Melissa is taking me tomorrow to get my nails done as a gift. I have been wanting them and thinking about doing it again but I just haven't really had the money so I am very excited.

I made a pillowcase today out of fabric with butterflies on it. I am taking it to the hospital. I don't know if I have already posted this but all of my gowns, robes, socks, slippers & headbands have butterflies on them so I wanted my pillow case to match the theme. That is just me, I amuse a lot of people, can you tell?

I hope to add another entry prior to leaving for the hospital Tuesday morning. I have to be there at 8:30 am and my surgery is at 10:30 am.

Here I am, only a matter of days before my surgery and it still seems so surreal to me. I had to email Jan at Dr. Lord's office this week because I started getting a pretty bad sinus infection and then I could feel it start to settle into my chest. Naturally, with the surgery being so close I flipped out. They called me in an antibiotic & a decongestant. That is helping so I think things will be all cleared up by Tuesday when I have my Pre-op at the hospital. I can't let anything mess up this surgery.  My Mom is coming in from Georgia on Wednesday so that she can be here next week to help out with Robby during & after the surgery. Eddy is working that week and is taking off the following week since Mom is leaving town the Saturday after my surgery.

I feel a little overwhelmed about how much I still have to do this week but it'll be ok and what doesn't get done will still be here when I get back, I am sure. It won't be the end of the world if everything isn't perfect.

I started my job this past week. I got to work 2 days and now I don't go back until April 10th (Robby's 6th birthday). We are on the school schedule at work (since I work in a school, haha...) and this week is spring break and the next week is my surgery.

I went to eat at King's Buffet tonight with everyone from the office Eddy works in. It was fun and the sushi was good but truthfully, I haven't really craved much of anything. I think I want Captain D's before Thursday but that is it. I haven't really even craved Fuji Sushi. Strange! If you know me at all, you know how true that statement is.

I love King's buffet but I am going there tomorrow (my family is taking me) and then Wednesday when my Mom gets into town she wants to go there since she has never been. I am going to be so sick of food by Thursday that I probably won't miss it at all over the 5 day liquid diet... hahahahahhehehehehahahaha- I DOUBT THAT!!!

It is late... time changed tonight so I have to be up at what will feel like an extra early time to get ready for church so I will say goodnight for now.

I found out on Feb. 9th that I am scheduled for surgery on March 20th. I am very excited. I just keep forgetting to update this blog.

I am thrilled beyond description to be able to post this blog. My information was submitted to insurance for approval late yesterday afternoon. Ruth from Dr. Lord's office called me today to let me know that I was approved. Less than 24 hours later. God works miracles. You can read the entire story about how God has answered prayers for me on my MY SPACE page if you would like to. Feel free to add me as a friend there or here on OH, but on MY SPACE please know that if you post bulletins or comments with bad language in them I would prefer not to have you on my friends list. If you want to blog using bad language that is your option, I don't have to read that BUT I do have to see the bulletins and the comments so please save me the trouble & know that I am not being rude. I am just standing firm on what I believe in.

Love, Jen

***THANKS STACEY FOR THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND THE PRETTY BALLOON. I LOVE YOU!***

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the finalization for the adoption of our son. He has been such a blessing to us. It really seems like he has been with us forever. We went out with some friends & their kids last night, not even realizing that today was the 3rd anniversary. I had a senior moment and it totally slipped my mind. Usually we plan a small "adoption party" for him, similiar to a birthday party. That was part of the promise we made to the judge. We are going to consider what we did last night with our friends our celebration this year. We might make cupcakes or cookies tomorrow. Robby loves to help in the kitchen so he will have fun with that.

Here is what we did: We met at CiCi's and ate, went to Fast Eddies to play games and ride go karts, then we went to McDonalds for ice cream/ milkshakes... their ice cream machine was broken, but the kids did get to play for a few minutes. Then we went to Wendy's and the inside was already closed so we headed to Whataburger and had shakes there. We laugh so much when we are with them and I am so glad that we are hanging out with them a little more often again.

My upper endoscopy is Monday (the 5th). My paperwork was submitted for insurance approval on Friday so I was told to start calling the insurance company this week and start bugging them to see if they received it yet.

Everything else is done and I am ready to get this show on the road.
Jenifer