MickATL

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Today is my 3rd day post surgery.  I woke up from surgery and felt pretty good.  I was up and walking a few hours after surgery and really wasn't in much pain.  My surgery was at 7:30am and I had to be at the hospital by 6am.  

By 10pm, my abdomen was pretty sore.  I think the medications from surgery were wearing off by then.  Although the nurses were giving me various pain killers, they weren't very consistent.  My night in the hospital wasn't very good.  My back was sore, the bed was uncomfortable and I couldn't really sleep well.  But I was through the surgery!

One of the surgeon's saw me at 6am and he prescribed a pain killer (liquid based) that has been much more effective at controlling the pain.  I had an x-ray done while drinking a barium type liquid to check placement of the band and ensure there were no leaks/problems.  Then they cut me loose.

I was home by 10am on Tuesday.  Yesterday I spent most of the day in bed.  I slept on and off thru the day and tried to monitor my fluid intake.

Slept pretty good last night and started my full liquids today.  I had a small bowl (1/2 cup) of cream of wheat and a 1/2 cup of cherry juice.  I can't believe how full I was.  For lunch, I'm having 1/2 cup of cream of chicken soup, 1/4 cup of lemon pudding and a 1/4 cup of juice.

Although I am more sore than I anticipated, I am excited about the upcoming weeks.  Today I weighed 290.  I was 292 before surgery.  It's nice to see the scale move.

I need to get out and walk a bit but my stomach is pretty sore.  Maybe later tonight.  I took a shower earlier and it really helped me feel better.  Simple things are sometimes have the most powerful effect on you.

Today was my last session before my surgery.  I have been going 2x a week for 2 weeks.  These ladies are very nice.  I've been invited to a step-aerobics class at the local church's rec center.  Hopefully my incicions will heal quick and I can get back in the water.  

Today I weighed 292 down from 322 when I started this.  It's wierd to think I've lost 30lbs already.  I keep typing 3xx since I have been over 300 for so long.  I am excited to see the scale move post-surgery.  Can you imagine I am going to have lost 50lbs pretty soon!  Holy cow!!!

So the surgeon's office called today and said I have to be at the hospital at 6am for a 7:30am surgery time.  Now that I know what time it is, I feel different.  Sort of nervous, scared and excited at the same time.  

I have been dieting and even exercising (3x and counting).  Can I really do this for the rest of my life?  It going to take quite a while for the bandster way of eating to become routine for me.  There's alot of scheduled eating and drinking the first week or two.  How am I going to remember to do all this stuff?  There's drinking, protein, exercise, vitamin pill, measuring, cooking and shopping.  I'm sure I'm missing a few things.  

Today I had to go to a doctor's appointment.  The doctor is 108 miles away and I decided to take my motorcycle.  After a quick shower, I accidentally used the Icey Hot Stick as deodorant.  I washed it off but my underarm was still on fire.  That should have been a sign.  I packed rain gear but wore jeans & a t-shirt.  My appointment was at 3:30p so I left at 12:30.  It was a nice day and a nice ride.  Very scenic.  I get to within 15 miles of the doctor's office when it starts rainng.  I stop, put on my raincoat and kept going.  By the time I got to the doctor's office, my chins were soaked.  At least I was early.  3pm.  It rained for an hour or so.  I hate sitting somewhere thinking I have to get on a wet bike.  The doctor didn't see me until 5:30.  I dont' know why I got there early just to sit for 2 1/2 hours.  Anyway, I put on the rest of my raingear and headed back home.  It didn't rain another drop but I was prepared!  My butt was really sore after sitting in the saddle for 2 1/2 hours each way.  I was thinking today how maybe, as I lose weight, I won't get saddlesore as quick.  A side benefit... my rainpants didn't seem as tight as the last time I wore them!  

Even though reaching my weight goal is a huge challenge, I really feel optimistic that I am on the right path to a healthier me.  

Today marks my first day on a full liquid diet.  Supposedly, it helps your liver shrink a little and makes the laproscopic surgery easier for the surgeon.  I will be on this diet for 2 weeks.  I can't believe my surgery is just under 2 weeks away.  So far, I've lost 20lbs on my 1,500 calorie a day diet.  I'm sure this liquid diet will push that number even higher.  

I went to the community pool today and took a water aerobics class.  It's the first real exercise I've done in quite a while.  So I was the only guy with 9 women.  Who cares?  It was fun and they were all nice.  They meet at noon on Tuesdays and Fridays.  Hopefully this will become a regular thing for me.

I've been reading the material I got from the dietician.  I'm dreading the puree diet.  I guess that is week 2 post surgery.  Anybody have any tips on making that more bearable?

I met with my surgeon on Wednesday.  It just happened to be my 41st birthday.  After the nutrition class a few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I started the 1,500 calorie a day diet.  Today I weighed 306 down from 320 in just under 2 weeks.  Not bad.  

We reviewed all the tests I took which came out fine and selected June 18th as my surgery date.  I am excited & nervous at the same time.  I am supposed to start a liquid diet on Jne 4th and be on it for 2 weeks.  I imagine I'll lose alot of weight during that timefrom.

I saw a lady from my nutrition class who was also waiting to see the surgeon.  I asked how she's been and if she started the diet and she said she's fine but no, she hasn't.  I am really please that I started counting calories and dieting now.  It will only make reaching my goals that much easier & faster.

Well I had my endoscopy today.  They gave me an IV and brought me into the procedure room pretty qucikly.  Overall everyone very nice nice and things were moving along swimingly.

My only complaint, I don't think I was asleep when they started the procedure.  They had me put a bite block in my mouth that had a hole in it for the endoscope to pass through.  They gave me medicines through my IV but I was awake when the scope was being inserted.  I remember trying to yell out but was muffled by the scope.  At some point I went under.

I wish they had ensured I was completely asleep when the procedure began.  Now I have real concerns about my surgery.  There is NO WAY I am going to have anything done and be partially awake during the procedure.

My throat is still sore this evening but I had a bowl of soup, some orange juice and later a cup of hot chocolate.  Thank god that is over with!

Well my endoscopy is tomorrow at 8am. I know I should be asleep but I can't sleep.  I am thinking about the actual procedure, the IV and whether I will actually be asleep during the procedure or not.

It seems the surgeon's office is all over the details now.  They've scheduled my dietary class and medical tests for next Monday and then the final review with the surgeon on May 23rd.  Is it strange that it's scheduled on my birthday?

Supposedly we pick a date for the surgery at that appointment if all tests go well.  

Right now I am focussed on the first hurdle.... the endoscopy.  I'm hoping I don't stress out too much.  Wish me luck!

Well I got back from San Francisco last Wednesday.  I ate like a total pig in San Francisco.  It wasn't as gratifying as I thought it would be.  I think because I know it's counter-productive. 

This week I have an appointment with my surgeon to have a endoscopy of my stomach.  It is sort of freaky to think about but they say I'm going to be asleep.  I'd have to be!

I think that appointment's on Thursday. 

It has been over a month.  The insurance company sent another questionaire to my surgeon (as a stall tactic).  Every question they asked was answered in the packet of information submitted previously.  That said, my surgeon required me to come in and meet with him again before he would submit the new questionaire.

I received a call from Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield on Monday saying, "We have approved your bariatric surgery as medically necessary."  So that's GREAT news!  Of course, I got a call from the doctor's office the next day asking when we could schedule the round of testing, 1/2 day dietician class and endoscopy.  

I am excited and nervous as I progress through the process.  I am currently in San Francisco visiting family and am getting mixed responses related to my Lap Band.  Some people think it sounds promising and wish me well.  Others cannot believe I would subject myself to surgical intervention as a means to lose weight.  I try to remind them that I have lost weight many times in the past.  I can lose weight.  It's KEEPING IT OFF that is really hard for me.  

At the end of the day, I have to make this decision based on all the information I have gained and the research I've read on long term effectiveness of WLS.  I know this isn't a panacea but it is a tool to help me control the quantity of food I eat and hopefully establish life long changes.

That said, sometimes I worry about what I can and cannot eat post surgery.  I find out about that when I return to Atlanta and take the Lap Band Dietary class.  I can see myself trying to eat a cookie and not being able to or eating a small amount of something and not feeling satiatied by it.  I try to remind myself, I am not doing this to be able to eat alot or satiate my desire for sweets.  I'm doing it to save my life and be able to participate in the game of life.

Here I am at the wedding at approximately 320 - 322 lbs.


More to come.

So I called Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield to ask for a status.  They said my case is being reviewed and that they received additional information yesterday from my surgeon's office.  Not sure what that information was but... at least it's progressing.

I am hoping to hear a positive response by next week.    Let's keep our fingers crossed.