Kristy2440

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I had my second all day appt. today and got my surgery date!! It is Monday, April 7,2008!!!!!   I will soon be joining the loser's bench!! My surgery date is also a week before my birthday which is, April 17th!! How cool is that???  Also, I have lost 10 pounds since my first all day appt. which was the end of July!

Your weight loss =
1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human’s skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale’s brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant’s heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant’s penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World’s Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she’s 5’11”)
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she’s 5’4”)
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony 

I got the call today!! My second all day appt. is Tuesday, Febuary 26, 2008.  I have to go up to the hospital before tuesday to get a EKG, blood work, chest x-ray and a nasal swab done. I was told to go ahead and start my low carb diet also. I will update again on tuesday when I get back. 

Here are some of the items I have bought that I'm gonna use after surgery. Still gotta get my vitamins and protein.

Well today I found out from my Voc. Rehab. Counselor that everything is a go on my insurance cordinator's end at Georgetown. She has the clearance she needs. My counselor now has to get the final approval on his end. He said he hopes to have everything in hand in 2 weeks. So, I must wait it out just a tad bit longer. The waiting has been hard but it will all be worth it in the end. Till next time...

Understanding Bariatric Surgery

Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y

 According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the current gold standard procedure for weight loss surgery. It is also one of the most frequently performed weight loss procedures in the United States.

Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y reduces the capacity of the stomach by creating a smaller stomach pouch. The small space holds only one ounce of fluid. The procedure also constructs a tiny stomach outlet, which slows the speed food leaves your stomach. So you will feel full after eating a small amount and you will stay satisfied for a long time.

Here's How it Works

• Staples are used to create a small (15 to 20cc) stomach pouch.
  
  
• The rest of the stomach is not removed, but is stapled completely shut and divided from the stomach pouch.
  
  
• The newly formed pouch empties directly into the lower portion of the intestine—bypassing calorie absorption.
  
  
• The small intestine is divided just beyond the duodenum, brought up, and connected to the newly formed stomach pouch.
  
  
• The other end is connected into the side of the pouch limb of the intestine (creating the "Y" shape that gives the technique its name).
  

Advantages of the Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y Procedure

• Average excess weight loss is usually higher than with purely restrictive procedures.
  
  
• One year after surgery, weight loss can average 77% of excess body weight. After 10 to 14 years, some patients have maintained 50-60% of excess body weight loss.
  
  
• 96% of certain associated health conditions (back pain, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes and depression) were improved or resolved according to a 2000 study of 500 patients.

Risks Specific to the Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y Procedure

• "Dumping syndrome." When stomach contents are literally "dumped" rapidly into the small intestine. Sometimes triggered by too much sugar or large amounts of food. Dumping syndrome doesn't pose a health risk, but its symptoms aren't fun: nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness, and diarrhea. Some patients can prevent dumping syndrome by avoiding sweets after surgery.
  
  
• Up to 20% of patients need follow-up operations to correct problems like hernias.
  
  
• Up to 30% of patients develop gallstones after losing weight. You can reduce the risk of gallstones by taking bile salts for 6 months following surgery.
  
  
• Leakage of the connection between the pouch and the intestine. This is very rare, but potentially dangerous.
  
  
• Diminished effectiveness. The success of the procedure can be reduced if the stomach pouch is stretched and/or left larger than 15-30cc (1/2 to one ounce).
  
  
• Poor views of internal organs. The bypassed portion of the stomach, duodenum, and segments of the small intestine are difficult to see using X-ray or endoscopy. This only becomes a problem if the patient develops ulcers, bleeding, or malignancy. Gastric bypass does not cause cancer.
  
  
• Nutrient deficiencies. Almost a third of patients develop nutritional deficiencies because the duodenum is bypassed in this procedure. So the body doesn't absorb iron, calcium and other nutrients efficiently after surgery. Fortunately, these deficiencies can usually be controlled with proper diet and vitamin supplements. Nutrient deficiencies can lead to:
  
  
  • Iron deficiency anemia. Because the duodenum is bypassed in this procedure, the body doesn't absorb iron and calcium very well after surgery, which can lead to iron deficiency anemia. This is a particular concern for patients who experience chronic blood loss during menstruation or from bleeding hemorrhoids.
  • Osteoporosis. Because the body doesn't absorb calcium properly after surgery, there is a greater risk of developing osteoporosis.
  • Metabolic bone disease. Also caused by bypassing the duodenum, some patients experience bone pain, loss of height, humped back and fractures of the ribs and hip bones.
  • Chronic anemia. A type of anemia caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12. Can usually be managed with pills or injections.

Roux-en-Y stomach surgery for weight loss

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure involves creating a stomach pouch out of a small portion of the stomach and attaching it directly to the small intestine, bypassing a large part of the stomach and duodenum. Not only is the stomach pouch too small to hold large amounts of food, but by skipping the duodenum, fat absorption is substantially reduced.

Dumping syndrome

Dumping syndrome occurs when the contents of the stomach empty too quickly into the small intestine. The partially digested food draws excess fluid into the small intestine causing nausea, cramping, diarrhea, sweating, faintness, and palpitations. Dumping usually occurs after the consumption of too much simple or refined sugar in people who have had surgery to modify or remove all or part of the stomach.