Nicole G.

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I remember one year ago this week, thinking that it was going to be 'sooooo long' before I saw results or got to my goal in the WL journey...

Here we are...one year later! 

I have lost 125 pounds, went from a 20/22W to a 10/12 and dropped my cholesterol 120+ points!!

Thank you Dr. Drew!

I still feel like I am walking around looking like the 'me' that I have know for the last 30+ years, but then catch a glimpse in the mirror and jump back and take a second look, and I am still amazed at what this last year has brought to my health! 

I will post some current pics and surgery day pics!

Thank you to all of my friends and of course my family for being such a source of strength and support!  I love you all!

I really need to keep this blog more updated!! Here's my attempt....

Life is good, plain and simple. I couldn't ask for anything better!  I still LOVE my RNY everyday!!  I have lost 111 pounds as of today and would like to lose another 30, but we will see what my body has to say about that!!  I have been doing pilates and actually ran 2 miles the other day!! Life in the summer is always so busy, so having an exercise routine is difficult, but I know I must make it a part of my day.  I would like the flabby skin I have to tighten up and it won't do it on it's own!!

I am seriously considering have my brachioplasty when my weight loss is over ... I don't care about the boobs..no one sees them unless I want them too...but my arms are OUT THERE! lol  We'll see if I ever do it! But I have plenty of other things on my plate until then!!

Troy has been a constant source of support and guidance and is a priceless part of my life! :) I have to toot his horn for a minute... he completed his first MARATHON!!! 4:07:27 Grandma's Marathon in Duluth!! I am so proud of him!! He will also be running the Twin Cities Marathon as a Charity Runner for the American Cancer Society!!  I am so excited for him!!

Everyone in my life has continued to be so supportive and happy for me.  :)

I have enjoyed nurturing and forming new OH friendships and look forward to continuing :) 

I LOVE MY RNY !! 

Well, I was having blog issues for a long time and had tech support involved, just turned out that there was one "infected" blog that was causing my issues... now let's get on with this..!!

My journey so far has been pretty easy - I have only thrown up twice, both times I didn't chew well enough and both times I was only about 2 mo. out.  I can eat anything, I don't dump (unfortunately) but I also don't test it.  I have problems eating in the morning, I am very nauseous right away in the morning, but goes away after a couple of hours (this doesn't scare me, only because I was kind of like this before surgery too), I either drink my breakfast or wait a little bit before eating. 

I have lost 102 pounds to date!!! I feel great but my head hasn't caught up with my body, I still feel like people see the old me, but that will change with time.  I still haven't gone shopping, my sister has cleaned out her closet a couple time and I have be the recipient of that cleaning which has been great!!

Everyone in my life has been sooo supportive, I am so blessed to have all of them in my life!!!

Troy has been amazing, to say the least!! He loved me before surgery and loves me after surgery... I couldn't ask for anything more!! :) 

Oh, I joined the Sweatshop in St Paul - a pilates membership!! I love pilates!! I would have never done this before surgery, so happy I have found some exercise that I actually like!! :) 

This has been the best decision I have ever made for myself!! I am so glad that I didn't wait any longer, waste anymore time, and do something for me!! :)  I love my RNY!! :)

Blog posting from Oct/Nov 2008

So I was admitted back to St Joe's on Sat afternoon, I saw Dr. Drew very soon after I was settled in... he told me that we would keep me NPO (no food or water) until Monday, then I would try again to sip.  He thought that my pouch and anastamosis were inflammed from surgery and giving it a couple days to settle down was the best thing to do. I was hooked up to IV fluids and had really bad weekend TV to watch, so I was set... My mom was there with me and we agreed that weekend TV sucks!! 
I really wasn't in any pain, just uncomfortable. 

On Sunday, my cousin drove down from Duluth and hung out with me. She had gone to the caf' and gotten this huge salad (the only thing she ever eats!) lol I wasn't hungry at all, but at this point, I missed chewing food, but still had 2 weeks of LD to go...

On Monday afternoon, I was given that protein tomato soup, it is GROSS!!!! So I sipped chicken broth and diluted apple juice instead.

Well, it didn't stay down, I was pretty much spitting it up right away.  Dr Drew saw me early in the evening and said that we needed to do Upper GI series, which I knew meant BARIUM.... :(  We scheduled it for Tue morning.  I have had to drink barium, twice before, and it is so disgusting. He also told me that he had watched the video of my surgery and could't see a problem, but part of the surgery is done blindly, so a problem could be lurking behind my stomach somewhere. 

On Tue morning, I was brought to radiology and given ICE COLD barium.... I told her that my pouch would most likely spasm if I drank it, so she gave me some that was warm.  The radiologist stood right next to me during the test. I had to sip the barium, about 3 sips and that was it!  He said that it looked like inflammation to him. There was a very tiny stream of barium that was leaving my stomach to my duodenum, which was alot smaller than it should have been.  So I spent the rest of the day spitting up barium, it was real pleasant! 

Dr Drew saw me on Tues evening and said that he wanted to do CT to have the complete picture, so on Wed morning that would happen. 

On Wed. morning, the nurse brought me 900ML of contrast media to drink...I just laughed at her. I drank about 1.5 ml of the 900 ml that they wanted me to drink... I was like 'do you people understand what my problem is...I can't keep anything down and you keep wanting me to drink all of this!!'  I was wheeled to CT and 5 min later I was finished. 

Dr Drew saw me later that afternoon and had some answers!! There was a complete twist to my small bowel very close to my anastomosis of my new pouch.  So he explained how he was going to fix it and I was fit into the schedule for the next day, Nov 6th.  I called the fam and told them the news and everyone was able to get off of work to be there with me, including Troy (who stayed with me every min. that he wasn't at work)!  

Dr Drew told me that this has only happened to him 3 times in his 1500 RNY GB surgeries, lucky me!! He also  had thanked me numerous times for being so patient in the mean time! 

So, on Thur morning, I was all ready to head back to the OR, the entire fam was there with me and I was ready to start this journey...for real this time!! :)

They wheeled me in and THREE hours later, I came out.  Turned out there were 2 twists of small bowel, in two different areas. 

The first area was just about at my anastamosis, so he had to undo the connection, cut off the part of the small bowel that was stapled to my pouch, untwisted it, and reconnect it to the stomach, and being the amazing surgeon he is, he wanted to make sure it was secure, instead of using the staple tool, he sutured the anastamosis with the lap tools, so that's why the surgery took so long, longer than the original surgery. 

The second area was down lower and don't even remember what he told me about that because I couldn't believe that I basically had by RYN  redone! lol

Dr. Drew was awesome and even though I ran into a little glitch, I never regretted my decision.

I was taken such good care of by the nurses and other staff as well as having Troy and my family by my side the entire time,  I was golden!!

:) Let's get on with this journey !!

I can't believe that I am almost 4 months post op already! Time flies!!  So, let me rewind and let you in on my surgery, my second surgery and recovery... :) Let's rewind 3+ months!

So I arrived at St. Joe's at 5:30 am on the day of surgery. I was so happy to be the first surgery of the day! Better for my nerves and my family's!  Troy brought me and we took some before pics, since I realized that I hadn't taken any for just that purpose.

I was brought to the pre-op waiting room and barely sat down when my name was called... They brought me back and I got changed, weighed (I lost 30 pounds the month before surgery), and hopped into bed.  My family (minus one sister who had to drop off my precious niece at daycare before she could come to the hosp.) arrived and they were nervous, but I think my happy mood and good attitude helped them.  The nurse had a hard time finding a good vein for an IV, so a Nurse Anesthest was called and he got one started.  I took some pics with my family (check out my profile pics) and I think we were ready to role. I remember getting the happy juice as I was being wheeled in and that's all she wrote. 

I don't remember post-op AT ALL! I woke up in my room with my family surrounding me... I was groggy, groggy, groggy, but felt ok otherwise!  They got me up to the bathroom and to take a couple sips of water.  I guess I was saying really funny things and my family still teases me about how "drunken" I was!

I took my first sip and it went down ok, but I had to burp everytime I sipped and it went down a little funny, but at this time, I didn't know quite what was normal yet.  I sipped as I was supposed to and slept on and off through the night. In the late morning I had some tomato protein soup which was awful and diluted apple juice.

I went home to my mom's house for Friday night... I slept ok but was having some trouple still with swallowing.  In the middle of Friday night, I started spitting up foamy white stuff... and on Sat morning, I threw up lots of foamy white stuff.   So I called Dr. Drew and he said that my pouch and anastamosis was probably inflammed and that I needed to come back in to be admitted so I could continue to get fluids while the swelling went down. 

So back to St. Joe's I went... check out the next blog :)

I can't believe that tomorrow is my day!  It seemed at times that it never would get here!! 

Back on Sept 24th, when I was told that my surgery was going to be pushed back until Oct 30th, I thought it was the end of the world...

I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt...that it was the best thing that ever happened to me for many reasons!!

I have learned so much more about myself and this tool that I don't think I would have figured out with an Oct 9th surgery date.

Also a very special man has come into my life and I am so excited about my journey and where life will lead!! 

I want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement and can't wait to walk this journey with you all!!! 

Love and Hugs!!!

Well...we are 10 days away from surgery. I have been on the liquid diet for 4 days...I am hungry today for the first time. I had been on the strict calorie controlled diet for 3 weeks before this.  At the beginning of the LD, I had lost 19 pounds in 3 weeks. 

I am just so excited about getting the surgery part of the journey underway!!

I have had sooooo much amazing support from numerous people...
LindaAnne, Troy, Barb, Kellee and Megan just to name a few!!

I wouldn't be where I am now without them!!

My family is preparing as well. They are nervous but can see how much I want this and have been so supportive, I couldn't ask for a better family!!

I will post before surgery! 

Cheers!!

I have been on my calorie controlled diet for 9 days and it consists of:

1/2 cup cream of wheat for breakfast ( I add splenda, SF French Vanilla syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg)
15 g protein drink - Click brand

Lean Cuisine for lunch (restricted as to which LC, no pasta, rice, etc)
sugar free Jello-pudding cup
15 g protein drink

Lean Cuisine for dinner (same restrictions as above)
protein drink of some kind - 15-20g

I have also been eating sugar free popsicles...

I have to go in every Wed. to weigh in, in order to start the liquid diet on Oct 16th.

I went to weigh in on Wed, Oct 2nd...  I was down 13 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....
Again, I was DOWN 13 POUNDS!!!

Take That Dr. Drew!!! 

I have continued to stay on the caloried restricted diet and will weigh in again on Wed. 

I have really gotten used to this plan, I haven't cheated AT ALL!!  I have had to adjust a bit, I went to the Twins game on Sept 28th and brought my Lean Cuisine all heated up..lol... and ate my Lean Cuisine for dinner that same night while my family had pizza for my mom's bday!   Plus a couple of other things I have had to adjust, but it is just getting me ready for RNY!!

I will post my new weigh in results on Wed!!

Thanks for the continued support!!!

Sprint....Hurdle....Sprint....Hurdle....Sprint...Hurdle...

I thought the Olympics were over... guess not!

On Wednesday I attended my pre-op meeting...the one where they give you all the details of the 2 week liquid diet and post op stuff...

I arrived at the clinic to see a familiar smiling face, Megan.  I met Megan at the St Joe's support group in Aug.  She is such a sweetheart..!! I sat down next to Megan to catch up and come to find out, she is having surgery 2 days before me.

I was called in by Amy, one of the bariatric nurses to be weighed.... 

I was up 12 pounds from my last weigh in ... in Aug... OMG!!!  WTF??

She said that she would have to call Dr Drew and tell him that I gained weight...

I have been dealing with an ankle injury and some significant swelling of my ankles... so I do have some water weight on board...but 12 pounds, I wish...

So a group of 8 women, including myself went over to the 4th floor at St Joe's for the meeting. 

About 2 hours into the meeting, the office manager came over and called me out of the meeting. She told me that Dr. Drew cancelled my surgery for Oct 9th because of the weight gain.... OMG... I started bawling of course... she rescheduled me for Oct 23rd to give me time to lose the weight to be back at my original weigh-in day in June!!!!!  2 weeks to lose 12 pounds!!!!!!!! 
I had to compose myself and go back into the room of 10 people and finish the class...

After the class was over I walked to the parking ramp with Megan and told her that it was postponed... I was humiliated to have to tell someone why it was postponed.

I started the liquid diet right then and there...no last meal... no last glass of wine...  oh well...

So I called my family and had to tell them that the date had changed to Oct 23rd and to switch their work schedules...

Yesterday when I left work, I had a voicemail (don't get reception in the dungeon they call the lab) and it was the office manager again... saying that Dr. Drew changed my date to Oct 30th to give me enough time to lose the weight.... OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I had to call my family and have them switch their work schedules AGAIN... I told her that they can't keep doing this to me.. I have a job to work around and so does my family. She said that as long as I lose the weight that it won't change. 

So I am on a very calorie restricted diet... I have to weigh in once a week for 3 weeks and then hopefully I can start my 2 week liquid diet that I was intending to start 2 days ago.  :(

I am embarrassed and disappointed in myself... but the only thing that I can do is follow the plan and keep prayin' that I make it through and have surgery on Oct 30th. 

I really can't believe it... one month until surgery! I know this month will go quickly. I leave on Sunday for a work trip for a week... I come back to work to chaos for 3 days and then I have my pre-op class and on Sept 25th, I begin my liquid diet!!

I wanted to give an overview of how aware I am of all the crappy things that are going on in my body so I remember how I was feeling before srugery because I know, some day, I might wonder...lol

Where do I start... the top or the bottom? lol

I have headaches all the time because I am sure that my blood pressure is high ... or just increases with any slight physical activity.

My heart pounds with very slight activity and sometimes I feel like it is going to come out of my chest because it is having to work so hard... I am afraid of a heart attack or stroke when it feel like this..

My fingers are chubby and swollen a lot of the time...

My stomach is so big that I can't bend over anymore, I can't get up off the couch without great effort and getting up off the ground from a sitting position is just ridiculous to watch, I'm sure...  I can hardly get my socks and shoes on because I can't get my legs/feet up in the right position.

My low back hurts just standing or walking... that never used to be the case.. I could walk, walk, walk, and walk forever, but now, my back hurts just walking. 

My knees are cracking/grinding with every step... I can hear and feel it...

My ankles are swelling everyday... I had left achilles tendonitis and not sure if that is why the left swelling is worse than the right... but they have never swelled like this before.

My feet hurt worse than they ever have before.  If I sit for awhile and then get up and walk, my feet hurt so bad that I have to limp for a bit until I either get used to the pain or the pain decreases...

I am going to Cali for work on Sunday... I am not looking forward to it very much, because it will be alot of work to carry luggage and get in and out of cabs/buses etc... but I am going with a close friend and her husband and I am really looking forward to spending time with them and old classmates from grad school... I will just keep in mind that when I get home, it will only be 18 days until surgery...!!! 

I am SOOOOOO ready for this!!