Jerilynk75

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(Sorry for the delay in posting - data below is as of 9/7/2011, my two-week 'surgiversary').

HW - 248
SW - 233.7
CW - 218.7

Total Weight Loss - 29.3lbs

Not too shabby for just under one month (including pre-op).

At this point, I have shed 28.4% of my excess weight and am a happy camper!

I take back EVERY bad thing I ever said about my skin.  Every complaint about every blemish, wrinkle or spot.

Because this? THIS SUCKS.

I was NOT prepared for the acne.  And, we're not talking one or two or three little places.  My face has erupted like Vesuvius.  And it is painful!  I am trying to be extremely careful - antibacterial soap, blemish-fighting toner, acne spot treatment.....and nothing is working.  It looks horrid!  If I wasn't laughing so hard, I would cry!

I am starting to supplement with zinc - - in the form of lozenges - and I am going to see the surgeon on Monday for a follow-up and nutrition class.  I am going to broach the subject during class and see what suggestions I get to address it. 

If the zinc doesn't help - and I don't get any good suggestions - I am going straight to the dermatologist!!!

Egads - I am afraid this sleeve is going to cost me a pretty penny for skincare! 

I think this is the first day (since coming home from the hospital) that I can say that I feel horrible.

And, no - it isn't due to surgery.  Gotta love TOM issues -- the cramps that grab you by the midsection and cause you to double over in agony.  It's always been like this - - and PCOS doesn't make it any better....neither do the big, ugly fibroids. 
However, I can no longer take the prescription 800mg motrin to battle it. 

The vitamins alone this morning almost had me heaving - -but sipping on ice cold water has definitely kept me from getting ill.  If I had a day like this in the past, I would call in, curl up with a heating pad...medicate and try to sleep it off.

Too bad that today is payroll day - - and I have to run the payroll for my company!  Don't get me wrong - I love my job.  But, sometimes I wish there was at least one person who could back me up! 

I weighed in this morning - and my weight was exactly the same as it was yesterday.  I don't know why - - but it really doesn't bother me.  I was all gung-ho to be the star pupil in my surgeon's practice...following instructions to the letter...and I am still doing so.  But, I know my body is difficult and contrary - and I have a feeling that this is related to the TOM stuff.  I am getting my protein in, all my liquids - and have been on the treadmill, too.  (Granted, it is slow going - - and not far yet!)

It's too early to call it a stall - and heaven forbid it is a stall -- I am only about two weeks out! :) 

Still feeling blessed and lucky to be sleeved and to have this tool!

I was released to progress from clear liquids to full liquids on Wednesday, August 31st. 

...and I was too scared to try it.  Why?

Because I had taken the 'clear liquid' thing seriously and stuck to it strictly.  I had my Zero Carb Isopure drinks, water, water with Mio drops and sugar free popsicles.  No shakes, nothing else. 

And...the thought of adding a shake?  Well, it turned my tiny little tummy, big time.  My aunt - who had a gastric bypass in 2008, suggested that I go to a Chinese food place near her home and pick up some egg drop soup.  I did so on Friday...and on Saturday I felt brave enough to try it.  I put about four ounces in a Magic Bullet until it was nothing but liquid.  Then I added half a scoop of protein powder.  I ate it slowly, using a demitasse spoon.  I think four ounces took me a good half-hour to finish.  And, then I didn't feel so hot.
That day, the egg drop and protein powder mix was the only protein I ingested all day.  I was lucky if I got in 15g.  I did get the rest of my liquid in  - - though it was a struggle.

And that lack of protein showed the next morning when I weighed in.  The scales registered only half a pound.  I was determined to do better on Sunday.  I got up early, got my vitamins in  - and made a Chocolate Advocare Muscle Gain shake.  This one was closer to 8 ounces, and I cannot tell you how many times I gagged on it.  But, I finished the darn thing.  I also polished off two 16 oz bottles of water by 2pm...and then popped open my standby - the Isopure Zero Carb (in Grape Frost).  I managed to polish that off by about 7pm and sipped on water the rest of the evening.  I went to bed rather early because I was exhausted...but happy that I had managed to fit in 65g of protein for the first time since surgery.

When I got up this morning, the scales showed a loss of 1.1 lbs.   Whether I gag or not, I am going to force myself to get that much in every day....but I am praying for the day I can go on mushy foods!

August 31st - one week post-op

HW 248
SW 233.7
CW 225.8

Total 22.2lbs

In three weeks - I have managed to shed almost 10% of my highest weight.  I'm going to have to go dwell on that for a while.  I love the fact that I am losing - - - but it's hard to wrap one's mind around it.
 

I am sorry I haven't posted my surgical experience - - but I wanted to let some time pass and get some perspective before I shared the good, the bad and the ugly.

Surgery was one week ago today.  My dear, sweet boyfriend and I arrived at the surgical center at 7:30am, even though we did not have to arrive until 7:45.  I'm just a stickler for being early for important things.  Once we signed in, they handed us a digital beeper and told us to follow the instructions when we were beeped. Let me tell you - that place is SWANKY! 

We accessed the wireless internet - and he went to work playing ...and I went to work..well, working. 
At about 7:55, our beeper went off and the screen told us to proceed to Room 5 behind reception.  There we met an admitting rep who was extremely energetic and perky and a wealth of information.  I had to sign a couple of additional pieces of information - and she had me hand the beeper over to my boyfriend.  She explained that the beeper would be his way of keeping track of me throughout the entire process, from the moment I walked through the doors to pre-op....to the minute they rolled me into my room.  She also indicated that there was a large LCD screen in the back of the (swanky) lobby that constantly scrolled through patient status updates.  My beeper number was 21....and I showed up on the screen as 21-JF....and it showed I was in admitting.  Pretty cool, huh?

We settled back in on the comfy furniture in the lobby...and I popped the Zofran pill I was supposed to take before surgery.  At about 9:15, a very sweet tech named Mykeya came to the lobby and called for me.  We headed back to the pre-op area, where I had to give a urine sample and then strip and put on a huge hospital gown and some super funky pneumatic compression sleeves on my legs.  A nurse came in to go over medical history and medication...and then they placed my IV.

Wait..did I say 'place'?  I mean they ATTEMPTED to place my IV.  THREE times, different nurses...no go.  They finally had to call the anesthesiologist OUT of the OR so that he could do it.   And, oh...he did.  He did a fantastic job.  I wanted to hug him, I was so relieved.  Mike is awesome.  Best anesthesiologist EVER.

At that point, they let my boyfriend come and gather up my clothing and possessions and gave us a moment to visit.  My surgeon came in for a last minute talk....then the anesthesiologist pushed what they jokingly call "I don't care medicine" into my IV....and immediately, I felt like I was enveloped in a really warm cocoon.  I told everyone it was like someone put a warm sheet of glass over me (WTH?  Did that stuff addle my brain, too?)

They wheeled me to the OR...and the moment I crossed that threshhold, I had changed my mind.  I did NOT want that surgery any longer.  No way, no how..take me back, do not pass go, do NOT collect two hundred dollars..

Only one problem with that.  i couldn't talk.  I could think it out loud - - a scream in my mind...but I couldn't make my mouth form any words. 

I was awake for about 5 minutes while everyone buzzed around me....then Mike pushed something else...and I was out.

And, then, I was awake....groggy...and in a horrible amount of pain.  Excruciating.  Worst pain in my life (and I usually have a very high pain tolerance.)  They were actually wheeling me to my room...so, obviously, I had the surgery, it went well...and I did fine in the recovery room.  But, I didn't feel fine.  

I KNEW it had to be gas pain...logically.  But it wasn't in my stomach.  Not at all.  It was in my chest - - specifically....I was afraid I was having a heart attack.  I couldn't breathe at all...and I felt actual pain every time my heart beat.  It was a vise.  All I could think was, "I can't breathe, chest hurts, heart hurts."  And I knew that there was only one thing to help it...walking.  

Yes - as the orderlies are wheeling my bed from recovery to my private room....I am slurring, "I want to walk.  It hurts, Chest.  I want to walk.  Lemme walk!"  They were trying so hard not to laugh at me - which made me even MORE mad.  I insisted over and over again, "I have to walk.  Hurts.  Heart.  Breathe."  No dice.

When they settled me in my room, I was actually at the point of tears.  Why couldn't my gas pain have been in my tummy?  Because this chest thing was killing me!  I told the nurse and charge nurse I wanted to walk.  They refused, telling me I had to be in my room for two hours before walking was allowed - to give me time to regain my senses and come completely out from under anesthesia.  Needless to say, I was NOT happy.  They finally gave me a shot of dilaudid...and it knocked me out for another hour.  When I woke up - you guessed it - I wanted to walk.  I was still 45 minutes away from being allowed to do so.  So, I took advantage of the nurse call button.  Actually, I abused it.  Every few minutes, I would hit it..and disembodied voice from the nurse's station would ask, "How can I help you?"  I would respond, "I WANT TO WALK."  Then the little voice would answer, "Not, yet, ma'am."

But, my persistence paid off - - as they finally gave in and let me walk about 15 minutes early.  Except, I didn't get to walk.  I made it four steps out of the bed - and the nausea overcame me.  Thank you baby Jesus for the sickness bags they give you...because I made good use of it.  And, what I saw scared the living daylights out of me.  The nurse tried to reassure both me and my boyfriend by saying, "It's just old blood and bile and some blood clotting."   Sure, reassuring..and that explanation was enough to cause a second round of heaving!

They bundled me back into bed - and the nurses came to hang a protonix bag alongside my liquids, and they pushed some phenergan through the IV, also.  I slept for about 20 minutes...and when I woke, I immediately hit the call button and announced, "I WANNA WALK!"  

So, I was (slowly) walking the halls within about 2 1/2 hours of surgery...feeling like my insides were jostling and jockeying to get out of my belly.  I spent the rest of that day looking longingly at my boyfriend's cup of ice and Dr. Pepper...an vomiting over and over again.  They came in to draw blood at about 6:30pm...and at shift change (7:00pm) they drew more blood.  Seems that the little nurse who did the 6:30 draw did it so that they could run cardiac enzymes to ensure I wasn't truly having heart issues  - - and she just wasn't thinking....she should have also pulled blood for an H&H. 

Wednesday night - - same story.....except I walked longer distances, and was using the incentive spirometer.  They set it for 1500 - - and I was hitting 2500 consistently. 

But, I tell you - - my night nurse?  He was FANTASTIC.  Funny, irreverent..and always there when I needed him.  I tell you, if you are sleeved at Forest Park Medical Center with Dr. Davidson....demand that Michael (Mike) be your anesthesiologist...and absolutely insist that Tim be your nurse, if at all possible.  He was the best part of being stuck in the hospital.  The day nurses?  Meh....the first day, I wasn't really coherent enough to get to know my nurse...but I don't have any complaints.  The second day?  Oh, MY, That one stunk.  She had no clue what she was doing...couldn't operate my IV machine correctly, and when I was in pain (about 7 or 8) she came into the room with a tiny patch and announced it was a "pain patch" and stuck it to my arm.  Turns out...it WASN'T a pain patch.  It was Scopolamine - for NAUSEA.   I figured that out within a couple of hours.  My pain was still pretty intense...but my nausea had subsided.  (I would hope so...they were still pushing phenergan, zofran and protonix!) 

On Thursday morning, I had to have the swallow test - and gastrografin is NAAASTY.  Tastes like citrus-y, carbonated Dawn dishwashing liquid.  I mananged to keep it down long enough to finish the test and make it back to my room...and then it came up again.  I was cleared for clear liquids - and they brought me Isopure, Crystal Light, decaf tea and apple juice.  I hit the Isopure first....and only managed to down 4 ounces over the course of the day.

Thurs afternoon, I told them that my pain still hadn't abated and I wanted dilaudid again. (Remember, this was less than 24 hours after surgery...and I attribute a LOT of my pain to the constant vomiting I was doing.) The nurse returned with the needle..and I got my shot.  (Yeah, my doc is old school - - no morphine pump.  If you want pain meds, you ask for 'em...and they give you a shot in the keister.) 

So, I got that pain shot at about 5:30pm...and within 30 minutes, was vomiting again.  Then, it clicked.  I had no pain meds during the DAY on Thurs...and while I had pain and nausea....it didn't result in hour after hour of heaving.  So......I decided all of the puking was because of the pain shots.  No matter WHAT kind of anti-nausea meds they were pushing....the pain meds overwhelmed them.  So, I refused all further pain medication.

They removed the protonix that night and we cut down on the phenergan, too.  

Friday morning, I vomited at 6:30am...felt nauseated for about 2 hours.  That day nurse (Shanty) was pretty awesome, too.  She came back in with some phenergan and we both felt that I wouldn't need it much longer.  Unfortunately, within the hour, my IV infiltrated and they determined that they needed to place a new one.  I refused.  I absolutely refused.  Both arms were covered from back hands to elbows in bruises.  I told her I was refusinig all IV liquids and medications.  She didn't like that, but respected my wishes.  

And, oh...that was heaven.  I was able to get out of bed without dragging my IV pole around.  I walked more....sipped a LOT more.  I took a shower.  I got my first good look at my Frankentummy incisions and all of their staples.  

I curled up in a chair by the windows and sipped and napped.  My surgeon came in at about noon and we agreed that it was time for me to go home.  I was off IV fluids, sipping and keeping fluids down by mouth and was walking well.  

But, I had to wait for the floor doc to release me, too.  She didn't even make an appearance until 3:00pm.  And,when she did, she informed me that they were keeping me an additional night due to 'unresolved nausea'.  

"HELL, NO."  I said.  I explained that *I* had resolved the nausea by refusing additional pain meds..and I wanted to go home to my own bed.    She was upset with me....but I explained that my surgeon and I agreed.

It was an hour and a half before she even started my discharge paperwork, even though I had been one of the last patients she saw on rounds.  She handed my prescriptions to my boyfriend...and had the nurse go over my discharge forms.....and I was free.

However, I could still wring her scrawny little neck -- because my boyfriend went to drop off my prescriptions - and they ran into some issues.....the dosage information was indecipherable, so they had to call the floor doc.  Not only that...the floor doc sent me home wtih Lortab....which is just tylenol with hydrocodone.  That raised a red flag at my pharmacy, because they know I can't take codeine nor hydrocodone.  And there was a big red hospital bracelet on my arm that indicated that both were a no-no.  And, in HUGE, RED, LETTERS all over my chart --- NO HYDROCODONE, NO CODEINE.  

My boyfriend and I joked that the floor doc was mad at me because I insisted on leaving that she was going to slip me something she KNEW would land me back in the hospital for uncontrollable vomiting.  

So - Surgery was Wednesday 8/24.....my last dose of pain medication was the afternoon of 8/25.  I was home on 8/26...went grocery shopping on 8/27 (picking up food for family members in town).  On 8/28 I even went to the movies.  

And...on Monday, 8/29, I returned to work.  

Between my Pre-op consult and today - a total of three weeks) I have dropped 22.2lbs.  

Is it worth it?  Had you asked me Tuesday or Wednesday, I would have said "NO" and begged you not to do that to yourself.  But, now?  Totally worth it. 

 

 

Surely my surgeon will be happy with a 14.3lb loss in two weeks, right? 
I think it was the magnesium citrate that put it over the top...blech.

Anyway - I am nervous, nervous, nervous and woke up at 3:30 this morning and was unable to go back to sleep for the LONGEST time.  Not only that, but when I DID get back to sleep, I had the funkiest dream!  I dreamt that my mother worked for the surgeon, so she was there through the whole surgery...and that one of my closest friends (who has had a bypass) was on his nursing staff.  (Disclaimer, neither one of those individuals has a background in hands-on medical care...although both are involved in the industry - mom's a Dietary Director for a Facility and my friend works for BCBS in an administrative capacity.) 

If this is any indication of how crazy today is going to be....bring it!

Of course, I am going to beg for some good drugs!

It's done.  Pre-Op's over.  I kinda feel let down.  I thought it was going to be a bigger deal than it was.

A few dozen forms, a swipe of the credit card, a dozen vials of blood....and I was cheerfully booted out the door and told to return tomorrow at 7:45am for my 9:45am surgery.

I do have a couple of pretty bracelets - one blue, one red.  They do NOT match my nails (OPI's "Guy meets Gal-veston"), but that doesn't matter because I have to remove my nail polish, too. 
Luckily, I won a reprieve on my toenail polish - - they're going to allow me to keep that!

Now, I am in a serious 'nesting' phase.  I am doing laundry and cleaning house - because I cannot stand returning home to a messy, unorganized home when I am feeling less than great. 
Plus, my mother and sister are coming to stay this weekend (under the guise of 'taking care of' me)...so I am making the beds with clean linens, vacuuming, dusting, mopping and will have to hit up the grocery store.  While I may subsist on liquids alone - they won't enjoy that for themselves!

There is a place on earth that I call my 'second home'.  It's the only other place on this planet where I have ever visited where I feel a connection to the land and the people.  My soul is at peace and I can truly relax and enjoy nature and culture (and the occasional fruity drink with a paper umbrella).

My 'home away from home' is Hawaii.  O'ahu, to be exact.  My best friend from college was born and raised in Kaneohe.  When she got married, I was honored to be one of her bridesmaids - and dutifully made the trip from Dallas, Texas to help her celebrate her wedding.

Something happened when I stepped off that plane and onto Hawaiian soil.  I was hooked.  And, not on the touristy, in-your-face stuff you would expect. 

I fell in love with the culture, the people, the beauty from Kim's porch - looking straight at the mountains every morning....the ironwood trees at Bellows, the food, the friendship....I found a piece of me in Hawaii that I never knew I was missing. 

My first trip was 5 days - not long enough to soak up everything I needed.

Ten months later, I was back - dragging along my best Dallas friend for a 9 day, 8 night adventure.  I don't think we stopped moving unless our butts were seated in a bar. 

Five months after that - - I arrived in Hawaii for my third trip - - carting along my super-excited mother...and less-than-enthused boyfriend.  (Yeah, for our 1-yr anniversary in June of 2009, I surprised him with round trip tickets .  He wasn't happy about it.  I almost had to go find a new boyfriend!)  That trip, we stayed 6 days, 5 nights. 

And, yes...I am about to do it again.  But, this time, I booked airfare for myself, my mother, my little sister and my aunt.  A bit of a bonding trip, I'd say.  And, we're going on October 19th.  Less than two months after I am sleeved.  I'd better be an optimum healer....because this girl is going to hike up Diamondhead again -- this time, without feeling like I am going to die by the time I get back down to the bottom!

 

..or did anyone else obsess over little, inconsequential things prior to surgery.
(and, I mean TRIVIAL stuff!)

I'm trying so hard to get my work to a point where I will feel comfortable walking away from the office for surgery, and that alone is stressful!  Surgery is scheduled for 8/24, and I have pre-op on 8/23...so I know that my last true day in the office will be 8/22.  Not only doing I have a new employee starting - I am going to have to get payroll done on Monday!  (I usually have through Tuesday afternoon to finalize payroll.)

I have to head west this weekend to celebrate my mother's birthday..and am crossing my fingers that her presents actually arrive on time.  (I am about ready to sacrifice a chicken to the Amazon.com gods to ensure her stuff gets here before I leave). 

And, last night, while doing some work stuff at home, I noticed my fingernails look a fright.

Yes - I went there.  I am worried about my fingernails.  Oh, and my toenails.  I haven't had a mani-pedi since July 14th...and it shows.  Heaven forbid I end up unconscious on an operating table with nasty-looking nails. 

So - yeah, lemme try to schedule a mani-pedi in there, too!  Oh, oh...and an eyebrow wax...because those caterpillars are out of control, too!

Maybe I am just keeping myself busy so that I don't get super nervous or stressed out.  Usually, I would pour myself a glass (or eleven) of wine and chill...but, since that is out of the question, I guess I am going to have to pamper myself with a massage and a mani-pedi!