Hi I am a 65 year old mother, grandmother and wife. I have been heavy all my life and it has really showed on the two things I have wrong with me. which are high blood pressure and joint pain.
I love to garden, and walk and for the past 2 years I have been unable to do much of the gardening and none of the walking,I feel young inside just wish my ablity to do things was as young.
January 18th.
All my paper work was sent into the Dr. Hodges in Springfield yesterday. Also took the notice to pcp Dr. Rachelle Bridges for her to write a letter to Medicare. Hope I hear something soon .Im really excited about finally being able to do something for me. I have always done everything for everyone else and now I feel like if I dont get this done I wont be around much longer and dont really care if I am or not at this weight. I use to be so active and the yo-yo dieting and the weight gains over the years has really played havoc on my joints. I have not ever gone to the doctor for my weight especially since I always thought that would be money wasted. Especially on me , why should I do that?
Maybe if I had been more caring about me I wouldnt be in this place . After my husband had a severe car accident in 99 it really started piling on , lot of it was stress and that I couldnt do much because of having to take care of him. He is was in St Johns hospital for almost a month in neuro trauma icu and then in rehab for almost a month and then for the next 2 years . So all of my time was spent in sitting with him and that doesnt help much on weight when you overeat too. Well enough about me for the time being. will update when I hear something. .Jan
January 21,2005
Well it seems like time is moving thru syrup. I feel like it has been at least 2 weeks since I sent in my papers to Dr. Hodges and then I look at the dates and realize it has only be less than a week. I can barely wait untill they call me with something lol. I dont know what is suppose to happen next but I am ready and waiting.
January 25 :
Found out from Mary , Dr. Hodges nurse that medicare wasnt accepting any more wls patients right now they are trying to get it as an unacceptable surgery. will know for sure by the middle of Feb. I am so mad , so upset. I found this out on the 23rd I cried for 2 days. Poor pitiful me. Then I decided to see what else I could find. My poor sweet husband said well we will just go borrow the money to do this with . He is always 100% behind me in anything. He know what pain I am in all the time and how depressed I get when I cant do things. Anyway I am now checking out the Doctors in Mexico lots of them have very impressive credentials. and there is even a web site on here called south-of-the-border that has lots and lots of people on there that have went to Mex. to have their surgery done and have not had any problems at all. Prices are way way below what they are here in the states and include airfare, all test, surgery and hotel stay for a few days too. Even include a nurse that comes by your hotel roon each morning that helps you in anyway you need and takes vitals signs and all. Sounds like they pretty well pamper you a lot.
When we get back from our trip toward the end of the month I am going to check into it more and may be on my way south .
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply, Speak kindly. Leave the rest to
God.
My wish list:
1. to be able to do my own house work
2. dance again
3. to be able to walk more than 50 feet without getting out of breath
4. to be able to make love to my husband again ,like we use to do
5. garden, to get on my knees and dig in the dirt.
6. yardwork
7. might even go back to work as a nurse
8. cross my legs
9. take care of my hygiene the way i should
10.get out of the plus size clothing section
11.play with the great grandson who is only 5 mos old
January 28 2006
well dont know if this will happen or not(wls) I just hate to borrow that much money we are on a fixed income and it is hard to add anything else to it. Will find out when we get back in town in the middle of Feb. if that law passed or not with medicare. Will pray that God will intervene for me. All things are possible thru him. If it doesnt work out I will just go ahead and get my knee surgery and possible hip surgery and then maybe will be able to exercise or at least walk to get some of this weight off. Dont care if i become a glamor girl just would like to be able to walk and do things.
Feb.23,2006
We got back from vacation, very relaxing, I put in a call to Mary at Dr. Hodges office to see if Medicare has or has not passed that law to not accept anymore 65 or older patients for wls. I thnk it should be on a case by case deal. If they are too sick with serious illnesses then maybe not but they shouldnt just block all 65s and older. I still havent heard back from Mary but Im sure she will call me in a day or two anyway, untill I hear from her I am in limbo. I have been trying to stay on a high protein diet and keeping the carbs at bay. I am drinking lots and lots of water ,I want to be use to eating this way in case I do get to have surgery. I dont think I have lost any weight but I am feeling a little better.I also started taking a good multi vit. and extra calcium so i would be in the habit of taking those daily too. I am trying really hard to lose weight but mainly just being more aware of what I am eating and if it is good for me or not. I would love to be able to diet and lose all of this weight and not ever gain it back but I know it isnt going to happen. Once I lost over a hundred pounds and though I wont ever gain it back and I did keep it off for about 2 years but I got really sick and it was the start of a down hill slide and wound up gaining back even more than I lost. Once I quit power walking because of the illness ,it didnt take long to start back. I feel like I could get a lot of this off right now if I could walk and exercise but I can walk maybe 50 ft and both of my hips are hurting so bad that I cant move, then the knees kick in there too.
I also have an appointment with an orthopedic doctor in March.If I cant find a way to have the weight loss surgery maybe if I get my hips and/or knees fixed I can start walking again and lose the weight like that. Will give it all to God and let Him choose what he wants for me.
February 24,2006
Oh happy day, Medicare just approved wls for the elderly so that means that I can get my surgery done afterall. I gave Dr. Hodges Nurse cordinator , Mary a call and ask her to call me back and let me know what I need to do next. I plan on going to the support meeting on March 13th and maybe can get some answers there. I am so excited that maybe this will really happen now. The only thing that may slow it down is if they want proof that I have tried other diets and failed. I have never tried going thu a doctor to diet. I never had that sort of extra money and only went to the Doctor when I couldnt cure myself of something. lol That is the way a lot of nurses are. Think they can cure themselves ..But if i have to have some sort of documentation i guess i do. I do meet the other stuff they have outlined since I have high blood pressure and have a BMI that is high enough....Hope Mary calls today dont know if i can take waiting too long.
Feb. 25,2006
Well wouldnt you know it Mary called me yesterday and I was outside when she called. So I had to call her back and all I got was her voice mail . You can never never get thru to her . I dont know what you would do if there was a big problem but I guess she isnt who you would call. I just realized that I will have to go to a pre op information meeting before I can probably get an appointment with the Dr. anyway. So am trying to find out when the next one is so I can get the ball rolling. Hopefully it is soon.
Feb. 25,2006
I just got my profile updated by Ruth Ann at Obesityhelp.com and I love it. It is so pretty. Thanks Ruth Ann. You did a great job. It is Sunday morning 6a.m. and I dont know why I woke up so early but Im excited about maybe having a life in a few months. I just want to feel like a human again instead of a lump of fat. It is suppose to be another beautiful day today. Wish I could go dig in the dirt. Lol
THE ARROWMarch 1,2006
I cant believe the weather yesterday and today. I spent most of the day outside yesterday trying to pull weeds out of my garden,just so hard to reach the ground. Cant bend over , cant squat, cant kneel. being fat is horrible. I got a little bit of a sunburn it was so sunny and warm yesterday. got up to 79 degrees and today they are saying at least 80..Im sure winter isnt over with us yet but then again who knows. I did start some seeds in flats in the green house yesterday and got the grow lights and heat lamps all set up in case i need them. I can plant things in pots because I can put them up on the patio table and sit in a chair and work on them. Wish there was some way to get to the ground as easy.
I am still checking to see if there is a hospital that does the weight loss surgery close that has already gotten their certificate of Excellency but the only one in Mo is Depaul in St. Louis and the doctors there dont do surgery on people over 64. so that is no help at all. Oh well Im sure some of the others here in Missouri will get their certification . Is just a matter of time. Meanwhile I am staying on my high protein diet , low carbs, lots of water. and going to see the doctor each week for them to weigh me and supervise the diet so i will have that documented. I have lost about 7 pounds so far. But I know it isnt gone forever it is lurking around the corner waiting for me to slip up just once and it will be right back.
March 4,2006
Well here we sit waiting and waiting for the hospitals to get certified...I have written to all of my senators and congressment about giving the Hospitals a waiver since they were blindsided by this. Medicare should have given them a grandfather clause or a certain amount of time to be certified not just cut them off immediatly. That wasnt right but what do you expect from our goverment anymore. It certainly isnt one (Of the people ,for the People) anymore. Well enought of my rampaging. I am staying on my diet and have an appointment with my doctor for tuesday,to have her to start keeping progress of my weight loss or gain or whatever so we will be that much closer when and if the hospitals do get their certification. So far for some reason it hasnt been hard to stay on my diet. If I do cheat it is in a small amount and only a bite instead of a whole plate full. and not everyday. I did make me some sugar free peanute butter cookies that only have 4 carbs in one cookie and if I just cant stand it any more and need something sweet I eat one of them. Well on we go in our quest for wls. I have a list of hospitals that so far are certified and of all the ones that I have contacted they either dont take medicare or if they take medicare wont operate on anyone past 60 or 64 So is a complete bummer. Now dont tell me that Medicare didnt do this on purpose because I know better . I didnt fall of the tater wagon yesterday.
March 8,2006
On Monday I had a colonoscopy done. Something my doctor wanted me to have done. Not nearly as unpleasant as I thought it would be. The worst thing about it at all was the prep work the night before the test and then after the test from all the air they pumped into me. Sounded like i was exploding every once in a while . At least there was no odor just sound. lol.
Today I am as sore as a boil all over by body , not from the test on monday but from yesterday I worked in the yard all day long ,weeding. Trying to get my flower beds in shape for the spring.
I was really surprised to see that my snapdragons that i had last year are coming back up and that my larkspurs are really thick too. Colombine are coming back up and the bachlor buttons stayed green all winter . I am going to have to thin a lot of this stuff out .
We are suppose to start getting some rain starting tonight. I certainly hope so . Some peoples wells are starting to get really low. We are on a small community well and they said that so far it is alright but if we dont start getting rain soon it might not be. We live in a subdivision that is mostly summer and week end people with just a few of us that live here year round. So in the summer time the wells get used a lot more than in the winter.
I found a Doctor in Dallas that accepts medicare and will operate on people over 65 and his hospital has a certificate of excellence. I called his nurse cordinator ,Judy, yesterday morning. I am waiting to hear back from her. I hope soon so i can ask all the questions I want to ask of her and see if she thinks the Doctor will take me.
I do know that he requires all co-payments be paid up front before surgery so with that being said I couldnt have the surgery before August anyway since I wouldnt have the extra money till then. Also it would require we stay in Dallas for at least a week so will need the extra money for that too. Maybe they have rooms for out of town patients dont know. I am calling my pcp today to sit up and appointment to have her monitor a weight loss diet for me so I will have that to turn in to Medicare too. Hopefully this will work out ok. Im tired of chasing the elusive rainbow really. I have been on this diet for about a month now and I dont know what I have lost but i know i have lost some. But also know that I wont be able to keep dieting like this forever either. Unless i have the wls and cant eat any different than this then I know I can do it. I did cheat the other day but not in a really bad way. I had two small girl scout cookies, the butter ones they arent that bad in carbs. Oh I made some peanut butter cookies the other day with Splenda and they are great. I only eat one once in a while . they have more protein than carbs and are sugar free so when i eat one of those i figure it into the amount of carbs i can have and that is it.
March 13,2006
Well I have been in contact with Dr. Hornbostel in Sedalia and his nurse called me back after I called them. She says that they had started the proceedure to be given a certificte of Excellence a month or so before the medicare law came down. So hopefully they will be certified soon. They want me to come to the meeting on April 5th and then be scheduled for a meeting with the doctor. I know that if they require the money up front for the amount that medicare doesnt pay I will have to wait untill August , when we get my hubbys big insurance payment. But that is ok that is better than nothing. so I will probably go to the meeting and see what happens from there.
This morning I got a phone call from Dr. Rodriquezs nurse in Dallas Tex. They said they were so backed up that it would be July before I could even come there for a meeting and then to meet with the doctor. She was also very pleasant and said she would put me on her list. There I would also have to have the co-payment paid before surgery plus she said I would need to stay in Dallas for several weeks after surgery. Dont understand that because people go to Mexico and only stay for a week or less . Anyway I think their main problem with seeing anyone from out of the Dallas area is that if they have severe problems having someone that will know what to do and how to care for them in a Hospital close by. Since Springfield does the surgery Im sure I could go to the E. R. room and make sure they knew I had had surgery for weight loss and they could take care of me. but dont know.
I have resigned myself to the fact that it will at least be August before I have the surgery now. But that is better than not having any options at all.
I have been on my hight protein ,low carb weight loss diet for about a month now and seem to be doing good. I dont know how much weight I have lost exactly but I feel like I have lost some. I can do more in my flowers beds than I have been able to do in a long long time. I can get down on my knees and weed and then get back up with out practially rolling around like a hog.
Well after the horrible night of tornados and high winds everywhere it is a beautiful day out but chilly. Sunny and 55. Yesterday was sunny and 80 such changes in the weather weird.
March 18,2006
I dont know if i have lost much or not but I sure am feeling better. I have been drinking a protein shake in the morning and then watching the carbs the rest of the day. I measured today and have lost an inch off breast, waist and hips each. WOW! So I have maybe lost 10 or 15 pounds but what ever it is I will take it. I am also drinking at least 64 oz of water a day. That takes a lot of effort I dont know how post op patients can get that much in. I started trying to walk yesterday . made it half way around the block walking very slow. did the same amount this morning but seemed to be a lot quicker. My hips were burning like crazy when I quit. I use to love to walk. Use to walk 5 miles every day in about 50minutes. so was picking them up and putting them down. If I can ever get back there I will think I have done a great job. I wonder if I lose too much will they accept me for wls. I doubt it. I am going to go to Sedalia in April to check with Dr. Hornbostel and see what they think and how well I like them. So far on the phone I really like his nurse. She seems really sweet. They have a web site that you can send your paper work into them on that. Which I have done. Now to find out what else I need to do.
April the 4th is my husbands birthday so we will drive up to the Lake of the Ozarks on the 4th and go to the Happy Fisherman and eat Rock Shrimp and stay overnight there. Then on the 5th go on over to Sedalia and may stay the night after the meeting , dont know. While in Sedalia we may go by and see our old bosses at Bristol Care Inc. We use to be managers in some of their assisted living homes. Was a really good job. Maybe if i get the surgery and lose a lot of weight we might think about taking another job with them. It just got so hard on me that I couldnt do much .
March 24,2006
Saw on the over 50 forum board from Colette that she had been to Dr. Hornbostels office yesterday for her check up and he told her that Monday they were having their walk thru for their Medicare certification. wonderful news. That makes the trip up on the 5th even more wonderful and exciting. I'm starting to wonder where I can come up with the extra money faster than August now. I would love to have this done sooner but dont know how I would save that much before then ....We could probably borrow it from the bank but I hate to do that ...Anyway I am jumping the gun again as usual. will just wait and see what they say on the 5th.
I am doing really good on my exercising and dieting , of course I have never had much trouble when I really set my mind to it to lose weight but the hard part is keeping it off. I have been like a yo-yo most of my life. I am beginning to worry about now that if I lose too much will they still do surgery or should I quit trying or what. I am feeling so much better already that I can just imagine what i will feel like at 120 pounds and wont gain it back. That must be such a great great feeling. I cant wait. but I guess i will .
March 28, 2006
My sister called yesterday , she is the only other one in the family that is obese like me. She contacted her insurance company yesterday and they do cover the weight loss surgery . So she is excited about getting it done too. She is a lot taller than me. Im the midget of the family. She ask me about the doctor I am trying to get to go to . Maybe we will go to the meeting together I dont know. Anyway I am excited for her too now. She was skinny when she was young. couldnt put on any weight but doesnt have that problem now. Our other sister is thin and has always been .
I weighed at the doctors office yesterday, I have been on this diet for about 2 months and my clothes are so loose, my wedding ring fell off the other day and I am feeling so much better. I had only lost 2 pounds and I cant believe that such a little amount. I dont know why it is only 2 pounds. weird. Guess I will stick with it tho because I really do feel better.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b78/mimicook/meandpalm.jpg
pre-surgery 254 pounds at 5foot 3 inches.
April 5,2006
I am getting ready to go drive up to my sisters house in a little while . We are both going to Sedalia to Dr. Hornbostels seminar tonight. I am excited to think this might be the time. My sister wants to have the surgery too . Me and her are the only ones in our family that are obese. Dont know why none of the other 6 are .
Anyway since neither of us can see to drive at night too well and it is suppose to be raining tonight we are going to stay overnight in Sedalia and drive home in the morning. I am trying to stay calm so that when or if I find out that the hospital hasnt gotten certified yet I will be able to handle it and not get too upset about it. Will write more when I get back from there .
April 6,2006
Got back home this afternoon from Sedalia. The seminar by Dr. Hornbostel was very good and interesting and informative. My sister,Sugar and I are both sending our papers into him. The hospital there had their final walk throu on Monday the 3rd and they expect to have their COE by May hopefully. I hope so too so I can get this done and over with so I can start losing some of this fat. It was amazing to see the people that were there last night.
I am excited that this may happen soon.
April 9,2006
There is a lot of interest in Doctor Hornbostel in Missouri right now since the hospital there is about to recieve their COE .It will be the only one in Missouri that has a doctor there too. The word is spreading thru out the Medicare comunity. lol. He may have to increase the size of his service soon. I think at present he only does one surgery a day. He may have to get another surgeon to help him so they can do two a day.There is a great need for him here. I at least have my name already in the pot for a consult and hopefully can get this done soon. I am getting excited again about it and I dont want to . Untill I have a surgery date I dont dare hope that it can really happen. I am just so tired of always being short of breath, not being able to squat, bend, walk,kneel or stand for very long. This is the only long lasting answer that I can see.
Please Dear Jesus let this happen soon. Jan
April 10,2006
Well Dr. Hornbostels office should recieve my paper work today. Now to wait until they call me for an appointment. Im crossing everything. lol
Dont know what is wrong with my husband, he is really being very very quite lately. I have tried talking to him about what is wrong. I have ask him over and over again if it is me having sugery that is upsetting him and he says no, that he knows that I have checked into it enough that I should know whether I want to go thru with it or not. He has a problem with depression ever since his accident in 99 so dont know if that is it or not. I guess time will tell . We are both seeing our pcp today. More later
April 20,2006
Well got a letter from Dena , Dr. Horbostels nurse cordinator a few days ago, saying i need to have a psych eval and then to make an appointment with Dr. for consult. So finally got hold of Dr. Sanders the psych doctor , have an appointment for the first of May, with an appointment with Dr. Hornbostel on the 10th. When I called the office in Sedalia for Dr. H. they wanted the name and phone number of my pcp and said they would take care of all records and paper from her.Wow it is moving along now. After consult with Dr. H. they will put me on the list of Medicare patients and when the hospital there gets their Coe they will start doing the medicare patients. Yeah!!! Dont know how many there will be before me but at least I will be on the list. Now I already have butterflies. I guess that is normal. Im excited, happy, a little scared, expectant and very much looking forward to a different life of being able to do more and move better.
May 2,2006
Yesterday I went to have my psych eval done. Wasnt too bad lol or maybe it was and I dont know it. Anyway he wants me to come back next Tuesday to talk about his evaluation of me I guess. and then will Fax the results into Dr. Hornbostel. I think I will see if I can get a copy to take with me too just incase it gets lost or something. Dont want to have to go thru all of that again. We talked about some things that I have had issue with in my life but have resolved and got valadation from him that I had handled it right.I rreally feel like I am in a good place at this time in my life mentally ,it is just physcally that I am needing lots of help and hope that the WLS will take care of that with a lot of work.
May 4,2006
Well Great News....The hospital that Dr. H. uses in Sedalia has finally been given their certificate of Excellence. So when I go visit with Dr. H. on the 10th he hopefully will give me a surgery date. Whoooooo eyeeeeeeeeee....
May 11,2006
Saw Dr. Hornbostel yesterday. He accepted me as a patient and gave me the white binder of all the stuff you have to do and eat and stuff. Told me that he would send the file to medicare and it was usually approved from them in about a week. and then they will call me to tell me when I need to go to Bothwell hosp for pre op stuff and to give me a date for surgery. He said it will be probably the last of June or the first of July before they can get to me. That seems like a long way off right now but hopefully it will hurry by. Had to call my Psych doc this morning to find out why they hadnt sent my papers to Dr. Hornbostel yet. He promised me he would send them Tuesday on the 9th but he didnt.
I wasnt able to talk to him but left him a message. Hope he calls me back and lets me know what happened.
So the wait is on.
May 15,2006
Yesterday was mothers day. the best good news that I have heard was that one of my friends, Craig, got a call from Dena yesterday telling him his surgery date so I wont be too far behind. He saw Dr. H. one week before I saw him so hopefully I will hear something soon. If it goes as it has been then my surgery will probably be around the first week of August. That seems like a long way off but it really isnt. Will be happy when I hear if I have been approved and when my date is. Hopefully medicare will approved it soon.
Are You Normal?
Your Normalcy Quotient is: 36 out of 100.
Your quiz results make you a Marvelous Maverick
Giddy-up partner. You're a maverick and don't know what the definition of normal is. That's a-okay because you're now part of a fascinating group of desperadoes. Wherever you ride, it's sure to be off the beaten path because it's way more fun to find the path least traveled.
http://community.webshots.com/album/550446298hACCVU
This is a web site of some of my flowers I have had to bloom so far this year. Will be adding more as things progress. Also may make another album of older pictures like of last year and before .
I cant wait to have surgery so I can work longer and more in my flowers. This is my passion and obbession I guess you would say.
Gives me so much satisfaction.
May 24,2006
Whoooopppppppppppeeeeeeeee Got a call from Marge at Dr. Hornbostels office and she said I was cleared for surgery and my date is August 14,2006 Pre-op date is August 7th. I am so excited i can barely stand it. I also am Scared? No not really but I am something other than excited. What it is Im not real sure. All my Hubby said or did was gave me the thumbs up sign and grin from ear to ear.
Have emailed everyone with the news Hope they see it soon.
April 25,2006
Had to take Hubby to pain center in Branson today to start his series of 3 steriod epidural shots in his back. If this works for him i may have my doctor refer me to there so i can see about getting something done for my hip and knees before I have RNY. Would be nice to have no pain so i could walk and get really healthy after surgery. . Not much else to write about. Bought a few more flowers on the way home need to get them in the ground either tonight or early in the am. Probably do it around 6 am.
May 28,2006
11 weeks and 1 day till surgery. I have been looking for one of the countdown clocks that you can put on your computer. Havent found one yet to download. Weather is really hot again today. Havent heard a word from the company we were suppose to have come in this week end. Very inconsiderate of them i think. Oh well we are enjoying working in the flower beds and spreading preen.
For some reason i am wanting to snack on sweets a lot. Im not even that crazy about sweets and right now i am having a huge craveing for them. Is it because i know that after surgery I cant eat them? Weird. Brain is stupid sometimes.
Had to put the Tens unit on this morning. My sciatic nerve in my right leg is going nuts.all the way down into my foot. Kept me awake all night last night.
June 13,2006 as of tomorrow it will be 60 days till surgery. It is going by seems like fairly fast in a way. Last night I went to my first support meeting in Springfield. Met several people who I have met on the Missouri message board. It was lots of fun. I loved it.
Still working in the flowers and battleing the weeds and heat.
I have started making a list of stuff that I will do next year when I have this weight off and can do more. It is getting pretty long. My husband says that I will be running circles around him twice. I can almost keep up with him now. Just have to rest more. lol.
actually the countdown clock i have right now says 61 days, 11hours,57 minutes, and 38 seconds. Jan
June 25,2006
Not a lot of new something. Just that i am now 49 days away from surgery. I still feel like something will happen to stop it. The Doctor getting sick , or Medicare will say no way, or i will get sick. Please God let me get this over and done with so i can lose this weight and feel better and be able to do the things that i would like to do again.
I have bought my protein powder and chewable vits and calcium to use after surgery. Have lots of special liquids to be able to eat and drink too. all sugar free and clear. lol
have tried some other things put in blender to see what i have to do to them to make them eatable.
Like i said not a lot of new stuff to report just feeling a little weird , dont sleep well, but never have ,especially since i gained weight. Hope that will change some when i have surgery.
July 4th,2006
Wow it has been a while since i posted. Have been really busy with keeping my flowers alive in all this heat. Next year i dont think i will plant anything in pots. it is too hard to keep them watered. as of yesterday it is six weeks untill my surgery date. I am still afraid to get too excited for fear something will happen and i wont be able to have the surgery. Like the hospital burning down, the doctor dying, me getting sick , Medicare starting to ask for something else. I have always been like that tho i dont let myself get excited about much for fear that i will be dissapointed. Dont know why i am like that but have been as long as i can remember. Wonder if that has anything to do with being fat? Im sure it does have ,you know stuffing feelings and all of that. Hopefully i will learn to not do that at sometime in my life and Learn to really love myself enough to care about me. I think i have started that journey but have a long ways to go. I have been reading several self help books on the subject. I like Dr. Phil probably the best. His is plain ole comman sense really. I think i have a lot of that but never have applied most of it to myself. It is easy to see how others ought to do but for ourselves it isnt. Anyway am working on it. will continue.
July 14,2006 Not a lot that is new. Heat is about to get to me. I will be so glad when the next two months are over with and i can breath again, Maybe after surgery the humidity wont bother me like this. Four weeks and 2 days till surgery time. Sometimes it seems like it is gong so slow and other times it seems fast.
Had my eyes checked the other day and he said i have really good eyes. He had to use the laser on them to break up the haze that gets on the back of the lens implant that they put in when you have cataracts. I was glad to hear that i dont have anything really wrong with them. I dont know if i could stand it without eyes. But i guess others have .I can sure see a lot better now that he used the laser on them. that is great . I hope i am ready for surgery. I have everything i think that i will need to take with me and have everything at home that i could possible want to have after surgery. At least for the first week . ......
JUly 21,2006
Well a week closer to surgery 23 days it is starting to go by really fast now it seems. A friend of mine is having his surgery Monday then two weeks from that monday i will go for pre ops and then the next i will be in surgery It cant come fast enough for me. Someimes i think about what if i die while having this done but if so I know where I will go so no problems . Dont know if i am going to get everything done that i wanted done before my surgery or not but oh well if it dont get done it dont get done. House stays pretty clean all the time. It is just the 2 of us and we try to clean up after ourselves. lol
Have my list of people for Joe to call when i get out of surgery. so everyone will know.
July 24,2006 Well my friend Craig had his surgery today and came thru really well. I think i was being nervous and sort of thought that if he can do it so can I. He has a lot more things wrong with him than i do . Altho i havent been feeling so very good for a few weeks. Have had some problems with getting dizzy and vomiting. I never get sick like that. I have maybe had 3 or 4 times in my life of vomiting not something that i do easily. My back was really hurting this morning when i got up so i called the doctor and went in to see her . Took a urine sample and i have a bad bad kidney infection. Sure hope it will clear up by surgery time. Wouldnt that be awful to have waited this long and not be able to have surgery after all because of a stupid kidney infection. Will drink lots of water and take my antibotics and hopefully it will be gone soon.
August 2,2006 : only 11 more days. wow. till surgery. Had my daughter take before pictures of me front,back and sideways. so i will have them to compare to afterward. I cant believe at how i look . I dont take pictures often and i always hide behind people or things when i do have them taken. but this time i am out there for all to see. yuck!!!!
My hubby says well i dont think you look that bad. HA! he is just too nice to tell me what he really sees. I hope i can get these posted on here for later when i have lost all my weight i can have more taken at the same place and distance and see the difference.
Well I have pre-ops this coming monday in just 4 days .I take my last antibotics today for the kidney infection hope it is all gone. I am taking a specium to my pcp on friday to see if it is gone before i drive all the way to Sedalia.
August 5th. today has been a total bummed out day. I dont know what i have done to my right leg but i can hardly walk on it. Monday after i get back from pre ops if it is earlier enough i am going to call the physical massage therapist and see if she can get me in Tuesday to work on it. It really hurts I think the only think that i can think of i was doing was laying in bed an lifting my legs up and down trying to get a little exercise of some kind and my rt leg gave me a big twinge so i quit and the next morning i could barely walk. and it keeps getting worse every day. Darn what else is going to go wrong with me. The Devil is sure trying to get to me right now for some reason. Not going to let him. This surgery is going to go on . Tomorrow afternoon we are going up to Springfield to watch my youngest granddaughter be baptised.
August 8,2006 Pre ops all done told them i had a urinary track infection or have had. Dr. Hornbostel said that as long as i didnt have a fever i would be ok to have surgery. Great. so now everything is like a go. The physical therapist worked on my leg that was hurting so badly and it is so much better. The pain is almost all gone. Had to stop taking my antiflamatory as of today so controlling my pain in the knees with Tramadol. They told me to take my blood pressure pills the morning of surgery with a sip of water. Im not nervous just getting excited. like you would for your wedding or something. No that isnt right either because when my dh and i got married i was a nervous wreck and im not nearly that nervous. Im anxious i guess you could say. More about afterwards than the surgery itself. I trust Dr. Hornbostel completly. and the staff at the hospital all seemed to be likeable and able bodied in mind and spririt.
I feel like i am as right with God as can be and he holds my future in the palm of his hands so nothing i can do about that. If he decides it is my time to call me home while on the table then it is my time. I have been talking to my husband and my kids about this and told them that if something did happen to know that i knew where i was going and that i knew all the risks before i went to have the surgery . That I love them all beyound anything and that they should have a remerance party .
so now i have 6 more days left. I am trying to get everything cleaned and laundried and packed and all sit up for when i get home. i cant decide what to wear home from the hospital. I think i will wear my jammies and robe . taking a step stool so i can get up in the truck without pulling myself up . and lots of pillows. Im ready.
August 11,2006.
wow 3 more days . I am excited like you get when you have a long awaited trip and it is finally here. We had about 1 1/2 inches of rain last night so i dont have to worry about my flowers for the next few day. So i can concentrate on getting everything done that i want done. Made arrangements for someone to come down and feed our dog yesterday. Have everything packed and ready to go.
All the laundry is taken care of. The house is clean, Bed linens will be changed Sunday morning. So i will have clean sheets to come home too. House is dusted ,cabinets cleaned off, bathroom cleaned, Hopefully we are going to be able to take our great niece back to school shopping Sat. They start back on the 16 and I wont be home from the hospital till the 16th. So everything is about taken care of. This post is just a big long ramble but that is how my mind feels right now. Will get off and get busy doing something.
August 13,2005 well this is the last time i will be posting until after my surgery. We will be leaving here to go to Sedalia in a little while to stay over night so we can be there at 6:15 on Monday morning. Wow that is early. I feel like a Kid on Christmas eve. like i am going to get the best gift i have every wanted handed to me. I know it is going to be work to get this weight off but i will have the tools to do it with now and wont be beating my head against a brick wall. Will post more after surgery so i am out of here.
 
August 17,2006 Yea!! i made it . I am now on the other side, no pain feeling wonderful. altho i couldnt sleep in my bed last night . couldnt lay flat like that i kept coughing . slept on the couch proped up almost in a sitting postion. Will work on making sure i have enough pillows behind me tonight so i can sleep in my good bed.
Surgery went on with out a hitch. I think Dr Hormbostel told Joe that they were all surprised that it went so very well. I know it was the power of prayer that did that. I went into surgery that monring August 14th at 6:35 into a small little holding room. Where i underessed and got into this huge enormous gown. That think i could have made me at least 3 gowns out of it. booties and the cute little paper cap. My hubby says well dont you look cute. we talked awhile and told each other that we loved the otherone, kisses and one last kiss and they took my back to the o.r. holding room. where they administered somthing into my iv. and that was all she wrote. When i woke up in pain i knew i wasnt it heaven and i kept hearing somone say come on Janice you need to breath, take some deep breaths. i remember thinging well that is stupid. I know how to breath already why do they keep telling me to breath. anyway then they took me to my room and told me it was all over and that all i had to do now was rest. lol sure every hour they were in taking vital signs. but I will say this about that little hospital. It might not be the biggest or fanciest but a lot of people need to learn the healing touch that some of those people in there have. There was a little aide there from the UrKaine named Yulia. So sweet and kind. A very professional R. N that still wore her cap and white uniforms. Named Brenda. several others but those two were my main ones while there. I have very little pain now 3 days after surgery. My tummy feels heavy that is about all i can say about it. I went for a short walk this morning. around the flower beds. Looking at all that has to be done before long. Cant wait to get back in the groove of digging in the beds. Have a lot of weeds that need to come out and lot of pernieals that need to be moved somewhere else. Roses need to be weeded and musched later this year. As you can see im reeling pretty good if i am thinking about gardening. post more later. Jan
August 19,2006: Feeling better every day. Am getting in more liquids daily. Everyone that doesnt know this surgery are worried about the fact that I am not eating. You are going to get sick. I tell them look i am taking my vits. and calcium and drinking what i can and having broth too so it isnt like i am starving. I smushed 2 small pieces of water mellon and strained it thru a coffee filter , yummy it was delicious. May try that again later today. 2 small pieces made just an ounce. I also have some fruits in the cabinet canned that have theri own juices.. i just didnt want to buy a carton of juice because i didnt like it in the hospital so didnt want to waste the money. Still having diarrhea. So not venturing out too far from the house. We needed bread, milk and a few things for Joe to eat so had him to go to the store and while there to get me some claritin redi tabs. My allergies for some reason have decided to act up. Dr. H. told me i could use these. and s.f. cough syrup if i needed a cough med. So i think i am getting the hang of this stuff.
Will just be so glad when i go back for 1st week check up and he realeases me to eat pureed foods. then have to learn that routine.
I am walking some but not as much as i had hoped by now. I was able to make it a fourth way around the block but had to come back needed to use the bathroom. lol. oh well some say i am trying to push it.
August 25,2006
Had my first Dr. Appointment yesterday. Great eveything is fantastic . He says one more week of not picking up anything over 10 pounds and then i am freeeeeeee. I had lost 13 pounds. My husband guessed 20 but i didnt think i had lost that much. but i will take what i can get. That isnt bad anyway. Or i dont think so.
Tomorrow i am gonig to go buy one of those little pools that you blow the top ring up so i can exercise in that. and at least i can get to walking for 30 minutes in that i can get my muscles built up and feel better. I got a B=12 shot yesterday . Hoping that will make me feel lots better. Got realeased to start all pureed food till Sept 14 and then can go to soft diet. Yea!!!
August 30,2006
Weighed and measured today. am now at 238.pounds. have lost 20.4 pounds since surgery. measurements are getting great too
Have lost a total of 251/2 inches i am so happy. I am really feeling better every day and am getting all sorts of energy now. I am drinking or trying to drink 3 protein shakes a day. and as soon as the water in my pool warms up some i will be in it at least 2 times a day exercising. I am determined to be at least 190 by my birthday. that would be so neat.
Sept 2,2006 Still waiting for pool water to warm up since the day we finally got the pool set right the temp have dropped lol. nights down it high 50s days sometimes not even 80 but am enjoying the beautiful weather too. Without all the humidity my knees and hips arent hurting as badly. So am getting in a little longer walk daily. Still not what it should be but is better than it was. Still cant get in all my water for the day . Still trying to get in the three protein shakes . Im down to 135.2 pounds now. the 6th is my actual weigh and measure day so will wait to post all of that. This is very exciting losing this weight and i still cant believe that it is real. I keep expecting to get on the scale and it to say 258 again. I am really having a hard time getting my head around the fact that i am really losing it for good this time.
Sept 6,2006
Today was weight and measurment day. Wt 233. loss of 5 pounds this week. continue to lose inches also. Have lost a total 33 inches now. neck 15 1/4 inches now 14 3/4
upper arms Left was17 now16 right 17 1/2 now 16
wrist lt 73/4 now 7 1/2 rt was 8 now 71/2
breast was 58 now48
waist was 47 1/2 now43
hips were 52 1/2 now 50
abdomen was 57 now 53
thighs was left 28 now26 rt.was 28 now26 1/4
calf was lt. 17 1/2 now16 1/2 rt was 18 now 16 1/4
ankles was lt. 10 1/4 now 9 3/4 rt was 10 1/4 now 9 1/2
Walking at least a block daily now. getting in most of the water i need daily plus getting in 3 protein shakes . I did have a soft scrambled egg this morning with some cheese on it. about an hour after my first protein shake. I found that if i dont get in enough water i really feel tired and can barely move but i still want to take naps in the afternoon. and if i dont then i am ready for bed by 8: 30 or 9 pm. but then awake by 1 am so it is better if i can possible take a nap in the early afternoon to do so.
it still hurts to drink water sometimes. and not becasue i take too big of a swallow. dont know why. I can drink water that is mixed with crystal lite but not plain. you tell me why that makes a difference. i am hoping by the time i go see Dr. H. on the 21st that i will have lost at least 30 pounds. I thnik that is probably possible.
that is my first goal i guess and if i reach it will treat myself to something like a manicure or something. no more treating with meals out or with something special to eat.
Sept 13,2006
Weight now 228
amazing how much better you feel each and every day. I cant believe it. Went for my walk around the block this morning and wasnt hurting the whole time. my muscles seem to be developing a little in my legs again. wonderful!!!
I feel lighter and can breath better am not so hot and uncomfortable all the time now. I have a couple of older bras from years ago that i got out this morning and one is a 42 c and it fits. wow. it has been about 8 years since i was that small. i guess that tells you what a pack rat i am too. lol.
Have a big bag in my bedroom and when i try on somethiing that is way too big for me i put it in the bag. I am not going to hang onto to those things anymore. With Gods help i will never be here again. I have so many thought running thru my head about things i would love to be able to do later but dont know if i will do any of them.lol. I hope to do some since God gave me back my life i should do some to fhe things i want to do to show him how much I appreciate it.
Sept 21,2006
Weighted 2 pounds more at Drs office than i do at home but everything else is great. He said i could start trying fish and chicken and soft vegs but to chew a lot. I am ready for this i tell you that pureed diet is horrible. lol. after awhile you can only eat so much stuff pureed and then i just say shucks will just stick with the protein shakes and leave the other stuff alone.
Still have to use the protein shakes to be able to get all of the protein in in a day that i need but can maybe have a decent supper with Joe now. Tonight i am having a piece of whiting with asparagus . sounds wonderful to have it look like real food on my plate too . yea!!
According to my scales i weight 226 that was yesterday morning at Drs office i weighted 228 so i told him his scales were wrong. lol.
I have an appointment with my pcp on Monday to discuss getting injections into my knees for the arthrites in them. Hopefully it will work and wont have to worry about surgery for awhile on them. I would prefer to not have the down time right now. while i have this window of oppertunity to lose the weight well. or the honey moon phase as they call it.
Will post what pcp says when i go in Monday.
got a garden work to do is sort of like spring cleaning in the garden in the fall.
September 25,2006
My brothers dog died yesterday and he was so upset about it and wanted to know what he should do with him. He said he didnt want to bury him in his yard since he didnt want to look at him every day. I told him to bring him down here and we could bury him out in the shade garden under one of the big trees. This little dog was everything to him. He was tiny little mutt but so sweet and loveable he died of kidney failure. I am goning to plant some pretty plants around him so that it wil be pretty for him to look as when he wants too.
Went to my pcp this morning and she is calling in a referal to Dr. Mcclain ,the ortho guy in Springfield for me. Hope he can do something with my knees that dont involve surgery right now.
Also got a pneumonia shot and will have to go to the health clinic to get flu shots.
The weather has been beautiful today. the highest temp today is 73 , sunny and breezy . This morning was realy really foggy.
Oh at the Dr. office i weighted 225 today.
Oct 4,2006 Went Monday and got the first of a series of 3 injections into my knees. The Orthopod doctor is very hopeful that this will help. He said my knees altho very bad werent ready to have surgery on them. So we are hoping that this will take care of it for several years. At least. Today is weigh and measure day. I hope i have lost some . Monday i bought two new blouses both size 16s so that is some improvement anyway. Will weigh and measure both later this morning . I am having some problems with constipation . Fiber doesnt help me , mainly because i cant drink enough water to make it work. Have now learned to put pictures into the body of my profile. Thanks to a good friend of mine. Thanks Shirley.
Oct 4,2006 weight now 222. going down down down. may be slow but what ever it is it isnt going up. Thank God. I still cant believe this is really happening. By this time in most diets you are getting tired of not having food so you blow it off and then the weight starts coming back. I still am not getting down enough water and i know it. I keep working on it but it just isnt happening. and i think that is why i am not losing more weight than i am. darn i dont know why i cant get the water down. I can get everything else down just fine it takes about an hour to get down just 16 oz.
Oct 9th, 2005 go today to get second injection into knees. I will sure be glad when they start helping.I have had to cut back on my walking just a little since my knees are really hurting.
weighted today 221 not much a week but hopefully when the knees quit hurting i can up my walking to more and exercising to more and will get more off. Also have finally increased water intake to a full 64 oz a day. also am getting in more protein and a few more calories. I think part of the reason i havent lost a lot is becasue i havent been gettig in but about 300 calories a day. Have got it increased to almost 600 a day now. That ought go give my body something to work on lol.
also going to support meeting tonight in Springfield. Hope a lot of my friends show up.
Well need to go get ready to leave in a little while .
Oct. 10,2006,
Got my second set of shots in my knees yesterday and they are feeling better i think. dont have that horible burning pain in them like yesterday. Right after getting the shots they are so stiff that you can bare walk on them. but that wears off in about 2 or 3 hours. We had a good support meeting in Springfield . Joe and I went to eat at Olive Garden . I had an appetiser of shrimp scampi was 6 shrimp but Joe ate two of them for me , I had four of them . they were very good but were all i could eat. I have found that most of the time the appetiser menu is plenty and most of the time is more than enough.Just that a lot of places thing appetisers are fryed foods lol. anyway my wow moment was that we left home at noon yesterday was gone till 9 pm last night. did all sorts of things. walked around in Lowes for an hour, went to doctor. got the shots, went to eat, went to food for less and got new protein powder. was in there for an hour. went to meeting. and when we got home i wasnt hurting like i use to be from just riding for an hour. amazing. i am sort of looking forward to some trips now. If i can get Joe as pain free as i am.
Today am going to get hair colored and cut. also going to go pick up the white mums i bought yesterday.
I promised Joe that i wouldnt stay in town long today.
Oct 25th.2006 Been awhile since i posted. My weight today is 215 and wearing size 18s well now. Have finished with my shots to my knees and they are feeling better. Im walking so much better now.
I have had pains in my back all over the last few days , dont know what is causing it but if it doesnt stop soon i will have to go see about it. I have do so much more now than i use to that i dont know what i did or when. But my spine and ever muscle in my back is hurting. Last night Joe rubbed me down with bio-freeze and then i put the heating pad on and that seemed help a lot. it isnt nearly as painful this morning.
My green house is almost complete. I am so excited about it.
Dont guess we will go on vacation this year since we spent all the extra money on that. but maybe will go on an Alaska cruise next summer. We both want to do that . And i figure we will be so busy playing with the green house that this winter we will be having to much fun with that to leave .
write more later.
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