Misce

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Hello People of the Page,

So....I has surgery and it went well!!  I was up and walking willing with no complications!  I was and quite honestly still am amazed with how painless the procedure was.  So, this is just a very quick post about how things are progressing.  Water was hard to get down at first.  I think my stomach was just in shock.  Then hospital foods they fed me where thicker and more than I had been eating the entire time I was on my 2 week post-op diet.  I was getting cream of chicken soup in the hospital.  WOW!!  I also fell in love with hot tea while in the hospital (with equal). 

What everyone wants to know:

• 1st week -- 7 lbs lost
• 2nd week-- 11 lbs lost
• 3rd week -- 5 lbs lost
• 4th week -- 1 lb lost (ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!)  
• Total:  24 lbs in 4 weeks. 

Amazing, but who I am kidding I am pissed off about only losing 1 measly pound this last week.   I get to see my doc, Robert Kelly, Jr. (out of Memorial Bariatric in Savannah, GA ) https://www.memorialhealth.com  To be honest with myself and the general public (or at least those of you reading this) I did not exercise, but 3 days last week.  I know that I have not been overeating, and I don't think that I should have hit a plateau so early on in my weight loss.  I just don't know!! 

Feeling confused and a bit disgusted with myself,

Misce. 

Okay.  Where are we at and what have I done.  I have at this point completed everything needed to have my surgery.  And, my surgery date is in 2 days!  I will actually be getting my call on tomorrow to tell me what time I need to arrive at the hospital on Tuesday.    My big day is November 19, 2013.  I have been a member of this site for so long.  I have always wondered if this was just a pipe dream or if I would make this a reality.  I stuck with it and made it a REALITY!!  Thank you God. 

In order for me to have surgery; I have done a great many things. 

1. Quit smoking July 14, 2013 (before the doctor's told me too).  This is one of the best things that I have ever done!!  I am over 125 days a non-smoker. 
2. Met with Heart doc.
3. Had a stress test done on my heart (with injections).
4. Sleep study (x1) Found out needed a sleep machine (CPAP).
5. Sleep study (x2) Got hooked up to machine and it was calibrated for me.  Push 14.  (WOW!  I found out that I quit breathing over 600 times a night more than 100 times an hour.)
6. Met with sleep doctor and he made me have a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) and a blood gas completed.  Easy stuff done in one day.
7. Psych appointment.  $350.00/hour and it was mandatory and my insurance did not cover it. 
8. Nutritional consultation $75.00/hour and it was all a repeat of information. Insurance did not cover this either.
9. Successful Habits Workshop.  $175.00 for the class; I liked the class.  I got a lot of helpful information and met others who were on this same journey with me. (Another out of pocket expense)
10. Had to review online workshops about my surgery (my doc's requirement).
11. Had an EGD done.  Assessed my esophagus and stomach to make sure that they were in good condition.  @ this point we found out that I also had a hiatal hernia; which, will be fixed during my Sleeve surgery.
12. Attended an exercise class (another of my doc's requirements).
13. Quit sugars, carbonated drinks, caffeinated drinks, coffee (both caffeinated and decaf), etc...  Honestly, everything but water and crystal light.

Everything above was required by my doctor, Dr. Kelly out of Memorial Bariatric in Savannah, GA,  I quite smoking and started #13 before they even asked.  I did both before my consult with my Dr. Kelly.  I also decided to start drinking at least 1 gallon of water daily.  There are so many benefits to drinking water it is amazing.  And, I have noticed some.  My feet and legs no longer swell so much and so large.  My knees hurt less (a lot less), my skin looks better, and I just feel better.  It also helps with my hunger control.  Not to mention, my pee is now colorless--lol. ( I just thought I would throw that in). 

Now that the update and bragging is completed.  And, yes the above is bragging.  I am proud of myself for being able to say that I did all those things!  Let's talk about my last two weeks.  THE LIQUID DIET!!  I thought OMG how am I going to survive.  I thought what am I going to do?  How am I going to feel.  To be honest, I was more okay with quitting smoking that quitting eating.  Sad, huh?  My liquid diet is simple to follow, not to many rules.  To be honest, you can have more on the diet than what i have listed below (you can have unlimited sugar/fat free popsicles, an 8oz glass of skim milk a day, and many different types of 0 calorie waters; I did not bother with these).

Liquid Diet Rules

1. NO SOLID FOODS.
2. 3 (MAX 4) ATKINS PROTEIN/LOW-CARB SHAKES A DAY
3. NOTHING TO DRINK OTHER THAN (IN UNLIMITED AMOUNTS)

• WATER
• CRYSTAL LIGHT
• LOW SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH
• LOW SODIUM BEEF BROTH
• SUGAR/FAT FREE JELL-O

3. 1/2 CUP FAT FREE PUDDING A DAY
4. 1 CARBMASTER YOGURT PER DAY (KROGER IS THE ONLY PLACE I COULD FIND THAT SELL THESE)

I started my liquid diet on Nov. 5th, 2013.  On the night of the 3rd and the 4th I ate like a queen.  Steak, both nights, mashed potatoes with gravy, mushrooms and onions sauteed up together.  It was awesome!  The first couple of days was mentally horrible.  Physically, I have never been hungry on this diet.  I have honestly been stuffed to the gills with my 4 cups of broth.  However, mentally I have felt like I could eat the house down (and my neighbors to boot).  But I have not CHEATED!!  (Huge victory for me.)  This diet is no joke, but you just have to stay in control of yourself.

 I have learned so much about my eating habits.  I have learned more in these 2 weeks about myself and eating habits that I have my entire life.  I never thought that it was really the way I ate.  I knew I ate to much, but I never knew how badly this was my problem.  And, mostly it is all mentally.  I have learned to recognize full vs. "WANT" .  The "want" was worse in the beginning; I "wanted" everything when I saw it.  Moreover, my mouth would water and drip at the smell of foods and even the thought of food.  That is honestly how badly I wanted the food.  However, after that first week and my first weight in all that self-control was WORTH IT!  I lost 8 lbs in that first week.  I have never lost 8lbs in a week.  On my second visit to Dr. Kelly's office I weighted in at 440lbs even!  My heaviest and very shocking to ME.  I left feeling the size of a bloated King Kong, and now I was down to 416.  I was on cloud nine!  I don't know the amount of my weight loss this second week.  I will request to be weighted in before surgery (if they don't weight me themselves). 

So.  people of the page, you are up to date on everything.  I hope to be blogging more.  Please don't hesitate to ask my questions.  I am a open-book.  I hope to keep everyone updated.  277lbs to go!!  I know that I am one of the heaviest people to receive this surgery, but I will be a success story!!  I promise to myself, for myself!!

...in a little community located in the deep South, there was ME. 

I am happy to announce that I am starting my WL journey. 

August 2nd, I am to meet with my surgeon and have my first consultation.  We are to pick out which surgery I am to have and my surgery date.  I have completed the sleep study, echo heart test, quit smoking (2 weeks ago), attended the nutrition program, and a life habits workshop.  The only steps left are the consultation and my psychology appointment. (which is scheduled for Aug, 6th) and then a group session with my surgery team. 

Here we go...I will up be posting again after my meeting with my surgeon, Dr. Whipple (and Dr. Kelly) who work out of Memorial Bariatric located in Savannah, GA.

Talk to you again on the 2nd.