LuvNSummer
6/2007--attended a WLS seminar today with my best friend ( 
). It was really informative, I'm so excited about setting out on the journey.
6/2007--spoke with my husband about the surgery and wanting to have it... he is very supportive 
! As I expected he would be 
. I'm apprehensive about telling my daughter, 15, and any others until the insurance is approved and I know that everything is a "GO".
7/2007--attended a support group meeting 
... there are some really fantastic people in the group . I got a good feeling from a lot of what was said regarding the RNY procedure. And, I was able to see the results up close. That really makes an impact on anyone contemplating this journey.
9/10/07--I joined OH today 
. I am looking forward to making some new friends. 
9/28/07--Spoke to my daughter about the surgery. She's so excited! I am too! 
10/10/07--Today I finally sent my packet of information off to the surgeons co-ordinator. She will submit it to my insurance 
. I'm praying for a postive quick response! 
11/2/07--Donna, at my surgeon's office, sent my packet off to BCBS today.
11/12/07--Today I received a phone call from Donna , when I heard her voice I sorta tensed up... I hadn't expected to hear from her unless I called her for an update. Well, I'm happy to say, "I was wrong!". Donna said she'd heard from BCBS and I've got my approval. I cannot believe it. I was sorta numb at first but now I'm dancing down the hall! 
So, here's to my approved surgery. 
I can't wait for Wednesday the 21st. I have SO much to do.
11/13/07--7 days to go....there's so much to do. I'm trying to get some things organized 
around the house before my surgery. I'm a list maker 
which sometimes is not the best thing because sometimes that list just turns into a list of the things you didn't get done. I don't want that to happen. With the holidays coming I really want to be "one up" on everything I need to do. I guess I'll pass some time writing out my Christmas cards when I return home from the hospital. At least that will allow me to feel like I'm getting something done then. I know my husband will be taking good care of me (as he has always done). I will leave tonight to go and stay the night with my "partner in crime"...a bonus to having an appointment tomorrow. I'll get to see my other family and be closer to the doctor's office in the morning for my appointment. Once the appointment is over we'll go back to EC for a swim meet that my daughter will be swimming in, that's always fun too!
11/14/07--6 days to go-- Today is the 14th of November (...and one month until my birthday 
).
I had my review and release paperwork taken care of today. There were a lot of papers to read and sign/initial and a class of sorts led by John and Missy from Dr. Moore's office. They explained everything about how the surgery day and the two days that follow should play out. I like having an agenda of sorts (remember, I'm a list maker); eventhough, nothing is written in stone, as they say.
The swim meet was great and my waterbug did an excellent job 
! It was nice having everyone together for an event, to laugh, talk, and enjoy each others company.
11/15/07--5 days to go! Today was sooooooo slow. I slept a good bit of the morning to catch up on what I missed for getting in so late last night. I basically accomplished nothing but rest... for me that was much needed. Tomorrow is Friday, weekends tend to fly for me, we'll see how this one goes. My waterbug has another swimmeet tomorrow. That's always a good time. I'm looking forward to the meet.
11/16/07--4 days to go! Today ugh! My mother called me today and essentially fussed 
me out about having the surgery. She went so far as to say she thinks I intentionally gained weight 
to have the surgery... I cannot believe her. My sister and my mother are both of the ilk that this is purely a "vanity" thing. Okay
, like that makes sense. If I should come out of this looking better that is merely an extra benefit. Shoot, my blood sugar has been up in the low 300's and let's not discuss my blood pressure, especially after the conversation. I'm just really ticked off. I hope journalling this event will make it easier for me to put it behind me. For the most part, baring my husband and my friend, I'm pretty alone in this. I'm not sure what I was expecting from my extended family. Quite honestly I thought I was trying to expect very little of them just merely to not get hurt when they didn't come through for me. I don't know......... More later... everything should look better in the morning.
11/17/07--3 days and a wake up (as the military folk say). It's Saturday Hurray! for that. I slept 
in until 1 pm this afternoon...of course I didn't go to bed until like 4 am. Anyhow, it is a cool, windy day out...not much going on at home which is good. Just hanging out with the husband and kids. Time is moving really slowly at the moment; but, I'm sure Wednesday will be here before I know it. More later.
11/18/07--2 days and a wake up to go!! I didn't go to until 6 am this morning. My daughter and I stayed up late, late watching movies. She even made brownies. So, needless to say, I slept until 5:30 pm this afternoon. That is in spite of my husband trying to wake me up several times during the day.
11/19/07--1 more day and one wake up! I cannot believe it's almost here/time to do this. I just received the nicest message from another OH member which included a prayer for the hands of the surgeon. It makes me feel good to know that prayers are going out for his guidance as well. It's something I certainly pray about. I mean, the hardest thing I'll have to do, during the surgery, is lay there....Dr. Moore, let's just say he'll have his hands full. I know all will go well, uneventful, and smooth as silk. To those of you I've received messages 
of encouragement from, I thank you. Your kind words are very appreciated and heartful 
.
11/20/07--Oh my gosh, today is really the 
DAY BEFORE MY SURGERY. I didn't sleep at all last night. Goodness knows I probably won't sleep tonight either. UGG!! I do feel tired but too excited to rest. **The anesthesia department representative just called... wow, prepare to know your entire medical history including the last time you cleared your throat... just kidding, it's good that they are so thorough. So now I just need to wait for the call this afternoon with my surgery time so I'll know what time I have to be at the hospital. It's a little over a two hour drive to the hospital... even acrossed a state line! It's important to seek out the best and that's how I feel about this medical team. Shoot, I'll even have two surgeons for the price of one (as Lo put it)...luck me, eh?
**I knew a surely as I got in the shower the phone would ring, and low and behold, it did just that...good thing I took the phones with me! My surgery is scheduled for 1:15pm tomorrow afternoon.
Well, that's it for now... wish I could get some sleep but I'm a last minute packer and need to get a bag ready for tomorrow. More Later, L
NOVEMBER 21, 2007---->>>> As they say "....today is the first day of the rest of my life"... surgery is roughly 12 hours away. I sill haven't slept I'm so keyed up. .....tic toc... I'll go take a nice warm 
shower with my antibacterial soap (to get the pre-op cooties off)... that should help wind me down.
**2:01 am (11/21/07) I have the most absolute wonder friend 
anyone could ever hope and pray to have. Even when I'm a pain in the butt she can still say something to make me feel uplifted, positive, and motivated. Here lately I've had some of those gloomy~doomy kinda thoughts and she just knows how to handle me (ha, like I'm three!!! ~~let's not go there)... I'm so grateful. And now, I'm going to go put some pillows under my swollen feet, lay down and say my prayers... then get some rest because morning will be here before I know it... and, I can't wait!
11-22-07 -->> need to update
11/30/07--Hi there, today was my Post Op appt. with Dr. Moore. I feel great today! Dr. Moore is so happy with the results of my surgery so far. I guess I don't exactly need to say how utterly exstatic I am. All the water I've been walking around with trapped in my body seems to have evaporated.... I can't believe the way my lower legs look..... I used have fantastic legs (according to my sources)! ....maybe one day again!!! Maybe not what they were in my youth... but I'm am certainly happy with unswollen legs... no doubt whatsoever.
DIABETES--Can you say "perfect blood sugar"?.... Well, lemme tell ya, I can! I'm so happy!!! I was having readings in the high 200's and low 300's just days before surgery...my last reading was 94, can I said it again "94"! Pulse is great, blood pressure couldn't ask for better. However, there was one wrinkle in the ribbon (but it can fix itself with the right diet and exercise, getting fit and healthy)... I'm not sure I can reiterate it just as Dr. Moore told me but here's what I got from the conversation... He did a liver biopsy during my surgery (apparently a common undertaking) anyhow, I have the beginnings/middles of a 'fatty liver', of course that would go hand in hand with everything else I have had up until the surgery. Anyhow, the fatty liver can lead to Hepatitas (NOT GOOD) and other problems, but as mentioned before.... all mostly correctable with proper lifestyle/fitness. So I feel great and am headed in the right direction....."follow the yellow brick road".... I do feel like skipping 
.
THE ICING ON THE WLS CAKE--once I got back to town from my doctor's appointment. I hopped in my truck (I can finally drive)...and went straight to my daughter's swim meet (already in progress). I felt pretty good going in, had my RRHS swimming T-shirt on and some jeans and a denim jacket (was actually cold-go figure)...my daughter ran up to me and hugged me and said how great I looked. You know how teenagers can be with their parents but today I hit the jackpot. She was beaming and so was I. So, I got to the meet in time to see her swim the 100 yard Butterfly (yeah, that one) and then she swam the 500 Freestyle . She did a great job, as always... I was a swimmer in school and was so tickled when she decided she'd swim. That's my girl!
12/2/07--Today while I was in Tidewater I stopped by my sister's house to give her her birthday present (we have back to back birthdays in December, I'm the 14th and she's the 15th--we're five years apart)...anyhow, she was really pleased to see that I've come through it all so well... and look and feel better already! It was good to see her in such good spirits. She loved her birthday gift... I gave it to her early simply because I wanted to give it to her in person and I probably won't have a chance to get into Tidewater again for a while).
12/7/07--my scale has not budged in the last three days, I know there's no problem with it (the weight loss) I'm just frustrated 
because I suppose, like everyone else, I just want to see the continuous downward movement of those digits.
12/11/07--Tomorrow is three (3) weeks since my RNY surgery. I feel pretty good for the most part. However, it just dawned on my two days ago that the meds I was taking for depression much be out of my system as I am so easy to set into "rage mode" and I hate it. I've been waiting on my mail order pharmacy to send my refills only to find out that they have no record of the scripts being sent......tic toc, so I'm waiting to start them again. I sorta don't want to take them at all, be done with them, but I can see by the raging that I am not ready to go without.
12/14/07--It's my birthday! Go Me! I'm 41 today and all I can keep remembering me telling myself last year when my 40th came around was that "OMG, next year I will not be this heavy when my birthday come"....and for a change... I'm not!!! Woo Hoo....
12/20/07--4 weeks po-op today... and I feel great! I feel like I look pretty okay too! I'm already getting clothing up to GET RID OF... something people who gain weight and loose weight rarely do. You know, we gain, and we tell ourselves that we'll loose to get back in them but we don't get rid of the clothes we've gained into. NO MORE.... they go and they go fast!
12/23/07--Hi all, today is the eve of Christmas eve and here I am finally wrapping gifts, 
ugh. I shop all year to be ready early but wrapping always eludes me for some reason. Once again, I've over-done all things Christmas. More spoiling of the children who I've already spoiled beyond any undoing. I'm glad we're able to spoil them, but, well... they are only kids once.
I'm down 40 pounds.... YEAH! I'm so pleased and grateful to feel so good! Thank you all for your wisdom and support! Merry Christmas!
12/24/07-- Happy Christmas Eve to all.... I made it through my first holiday group-meal gathering. It was great! I had a bit or a bite of nearly everything I wanted (stopped when I had to, no problem), right down to the fudge, yes I said fudge. I only pinched off a piece the size of a pencil eraser and had that in two separate bites. It tasted very good. After that little smidge I didn't want for anymore. Yeah Me! It was a great afternoon with family and friends (and so much food, but I didn't even really care about all the food that was there... what a relief!)... another big day tomorrow... Santa comes tonight!
12/25/07--Merry Christmas all! Christmas was wonderful...I have an amazing Santa, come Christmas time I can never think of anything for my list because he takes such good care of me all year long. The kids on the other hand, spoiled spoiled spoiled... but they deserve it! Everyone was happy. Including Santa!
12/31/07--New Year's Eve 
. It's going to be nice not waking up in the morning and telling myself that this year I'm gonna lose the weight! I already am! This year my resolutions will be different! YEAH!
January 1, 2008--HAPPY NEW YEAR... It's gonna be a great year! I can feel it 
.
more later...
