April 16, 2005
I got a packet from the Bariatric Center yesterday with papers to fill out so I can hand it in when I go to the seminar on June 8. I hope I don't have too many obstacles in the way and the Insurance will approve the surgery right away. I hope I'm doing this correctly...I couldn't find out how to add more things to the journal..well lets see if this works, if it does , YAY I'll be adding more things as I have more info to type ! I hope I have the surgery soon so I can feel healthy again, I'm so heavy, at times I feel it is doomsday right around the corner :(
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April 26, 2005
Rhonda from Memorial Hospital called this morning and told me that they have opened up another seminar for May 20 and asked if I was interested...and I eagerly said "YESSSSSS"!!! so she scheduled me for May 20 instead of June 8 and will send me new information. This just made my day !!! knowing after May 20 things will start happening to get me closer to my surgery date, I can't wait ! I am so anxious to start losing weight and getting rid of all these co-morbidities. I'm so concerned about those deep red spots on my left shin, my skin there is super dry and I'm forever putting lotion or baby oil on, and it itches and sometimes feels like it stings ! I'll update more later :)
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May 18, 2005
I finally got my pictures posted here. In 2 days I finally get to attend the seminar and hopefully from there on, will be a quick road to the surgery date. I pray everything goes smoothly with little or no complications !
I'll update when I have something to add :) take care everyone!
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May 26, 2005
I went to the seminar on May 20 and I'm less nervous about the surgery now since I listened to Dr. Coirin explain things and how they do everything regarding the surgery and hospital stay. So I'm really glad I went, my husband Rey was with me, and we both feel alot better about the whole thing now. Dr. Coates office called a few days ago and scheduled me to come in for my first consultation on June 9, 2005. I've filled out the packet for the office and I called my PCP's office to get 2 yrs of my medical records ready and wow they were fast..I got it after 2 days and have it with me now..ready to give to the office of Dr. Coates. They are also in the process of getting my insurance auth. to see the surgeon...I hope everything goes as smooth as it has been. I can't wait to be post op, my breathing is getting more labored, I can't wait to do things and not suffer from shortness of breath !!!
Well people..till next posting, have a great day :)
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June 9, 2005
My first consultation at the Doctors office:
I arrived at Dr Coates office and I gave them..the packet all filled out, my 2 yrs medical history and the Ins. auth. Then they handed me a few more papers to fill out with a little test in the last pages...it asked about WLS to see how much I knew about it ...I missed just one question and the Dr.'s PA - a lady named Ledema, who was the one that saw me (I have not talked to the DR yet) said I did good in the little test. Ledema then explained more of what I already heard but this time I could ask more questions and get better explanations since it was just me and my husband there. I asked if I had
to lose any more weight before the surgery and she said no since my BMI was below 53 it was 51...phew) she said that when it is over 53 they ask the patient to lose some weight before the surgery, she said it helps the liver get smaller so it won't get in the way during surgery. The only other things I have to get done are: The psych evaluation, they will call me to tell me which Dr. I should see since we want to see one approved by Pacificare, there are others but I would have to pay their fee's. I also have to attend this pre-op nutrition education meeting...I got a call from them when I got home and they have me scheduled on June 15 from 12:30pm - 4pm (3 hours or so)...they won't do anyone's surgery without attending this meeting they said. I also have to have a cardiac clearance from the cardiologist and I called them and they are checking if he will clear me since he saw me last year...but if he needs to see me for it..no problem..I'll make the appointment (it was the cardiologist who actually first mentioned to me about the weight loss surgery, but I wasn't interested in it then..I was scared..so hopefully he'll remember and give his ok ) ...and last....I have to have an abdominal ultrasound to check the liver I guess (on the orders it said ultrasound abdominal/gallbladder - but I had my gallbladder removed in 1986 so no problem there)....so I called the medical group and they will get back with me on this one. and thats it for now... will keep you posted !
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June 10, 2005
A nice lady named Loretta emailed me from seeing my profile and she lives nearby. we have been emailing each other and she is also starting out on her journey and we plan to meet next week. It's nice to be able to share with someone who is going thru what you are too, understanding you and feeling all you feel. We even have the same insurance :) so we can compare notes too ! I'm sure I'll be meeting alot of other nice people at the nutrition education meeting I will be going to this June 15. I'll let you know how this goes in my next posting ! well so far so good :) till next posting , take care all !

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June 15, 2005
Hi everyone...I went to my nutrition education meeting and it was a nice one, the one who lectured was a really nice RN named "Adina" and she was also the one who lectured at the first seminar. I really like her , and she explains things so well. Adina also gave us some free samples of chewable vitamins. chewable calcium, a small packet of benefiber, lots of pamphlets and our bariatric surgery bible (a thick binder with a lot of information in it about what we need to know before, during and after surgery) she also gave us a sugar free orbit gum so we could feel how it is to chew more than 20 times when we eat after surgery and she said "enjoy it coz this is the last gum you'll have" and we all laughed..but she meant it coz she said if you chew gum after surgery, you'll bring in lots of air into your pouch and you don't want to do that. We also go to hear from the physical therapist on some things you need to do after surgery, they gave us all a long stretchy band for exercising (it feels like how the material of a balloon feels like), and we also heard a small lecture by someone from the respiratory dept. to show us the device we will use after surgery to help with our breathing) we actually have to suck in the air when we use it...it helps our lungs.....aren't I great at explaining things ? hehe so sorry bout that ! Anyway that was basically it for the meeting. till next posting !
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June 17, 2005
Went to my psychiatric evaluation today. Saw Dr. Fields in Sacramento ! Long drive but he was the only one covered by pacificare. He was nice and asked me a bunch of questions relating to my family, my work history, my past or any problems I may be having. He then gave me a scantron with about 150
questions (I forget the exact number but it was over 100), and it was a true or false questionaire. When I was done with that..he thanked me and I was free to go. He said if he had any questions, he would call me. - update - he never called so hopefully no news is good news !
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June 18, 2005
Met Loretta (the one who emailed me to give encouragement) and we had lunch at Perko's. She was very nice and we had a great time. It's nice coz she also has the same medical group and insurance..so we can compare notes. I'm a little ahead in the journey so I share all my notes with her..we plan to meet again soon !
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June 20, 2005
Went to see Dr. Tsai today for my cardiac clearance. He scheduled me for a test before he could clear me and this is what the test is all about (for those..like me, who just heard of it)
Dobutamine Echocardiogram
A test which helps to evaluate the blood supply and function of the heart muscle. Dobutamine is a drug that increases your heart rate and the force of contraction of your heart. Cardiac Ultrasonography (Echocardiography) will be used to evaluate how your heart responds to this drug. The technician will inquire about your medical history and hook you up to an EKG and blood pressure machine. An intravenous line (IV) will be started in one of your arms so that the drug Dobutamine can be administered. As you are lying on a bed, an echocardiography technician will take an initial set of baseline ultrasound pictures of your heart. These ultrasound pictures are obtained by the technician using a pencil like probe lightly held on your chest in several places. This does not cause any significant discomfort and is not harmful. The physician monitoring the test will then look at the baseline information, and the drug (Dobutamine)will be started in the IV. Pictures, EKGs, and blood pressures will be taken and monitored during the administration of the drug. Another drug, Atropine, may also be administered to add to the effectiveness of the Dobutamine. The medication will cause your heart to react as if you were exercising: your heart rate will rise and you may feel it beating more strongly. It may cause a warm, flushing feeling, and in some cases, a mild headache. At regular intervals, the lab personnel will ask how you are feeling. tell them if you feel chest, arm or jaw pain or discomfort, short of breath, dizzy, lightheaded, or any other unusual symptoms. The lab personnel will watch for any changes that suggest the test should be stopped. The IV will be removed from your arm once the test is completed. Your heart rate should return to normal in about 5 to 10 minutes. Sounds scary huh? Well I am scheduled to have this done on July 18(so far away but I'm sure it will come fast enough).
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June 23, 2005
Today I had my abdominal ultrasound. They just did the ultrasound in the xray dept. and they wouldn't tell me if my liver was big (I asked :) hehe) but she said they don't give results...so I have to wait to hear back from the Dr's office! ~~~ Oh... I also had a mammorgram done last week... and it was clear of any signs of cancer! yay ~just thought I'd mention it!
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June 27, 2005
A dear friend of mine, Geri, that I have known for more than 10 yrs called me today. She called to tell me that her son Sean (my godson) just left for bootcamp for the marines...she was so sad about it but it was his choice...his dream was to be in the military since he was a young boy...he turns 18 this August. So
I'm asking all of you to include him in your prayers for his safety and to come home safe too ! I hope this war ends soon. Please Lord, bless Sean in all he does and keep him safe always!
Till next update....
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July 14, 2005
I called the DR's office to find out if they got the insurance authorization yet, and they didn't have it yet...so I called the insurance and they told me that it had been approved since July 7 and they said I should get my copy in the mail soon, so I called the DR's office back to tell them what I learned, and they said once they get their letter...we can schedule a date and so far it looks like Aug. 4 might be it :) so we'll see, plus this July 18 , I still have to have that cardiac test done. Will keep you all posted :) getting close, I'm all nervous yet excited about it. I can't wait to start losing and getting rid mainly of this water weight from my fluid retention that is causing my legs so much pain and swelling. So till next update...soon as something happens and there is something to report ! Have a great day everyone !
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July 16, 2005
WOOHOO I got my letter in the mail from Sutter Medical Foundation stating that my insurance has given me authorization for the surgery and it is good until Sept. 21, 2005. It is Saturday today so I'll call the DR's office on Monday before my cardiac test, and see if I can still have that Aug. 4 date... wow excitement...who ever thought one could get excited over surgery?? hehe :) OH ! I'd also like to thank all you lovely people who sign my surgery page, I really appreciate all the messages you post and all the encouraging things you write for me. It really touches me how sweet and caring people are, Thank you from the bottom of my heart :) The first 2 messages are from my close friends ... Cristina and me go all the way back from elementary school...she's so funny...we're really super close... Cris..you're message made me chuckle at the same time..brought tears of happiness to my eyes :) talk to you soon ok :) and to everyone else...I'll update again after my cardiac test and my call to the DR's office about my surgery date.....YAY getting near :) Till next posting !!! Be good :)
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July 18, 2005
PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE !
I went to have my cardiac test done today. They put an IV in my arm and started the dextrose drip. Then they took baseline readings of my blood pressure and echocardiogram. Once the cardiologist (DR Tsai) was in the room, they started adding the Dobutamine into my IV. At first I started feeling my heart flutter, then it started beating hard, and it increased in strength every few minutes ...meanwhile they kept checking my blood pressure and echocardiogram while this went on. Pretty soon I told them I could hear my heart beating in my ears, then I could feel it beating in my throat and finally, it felt like my throat was closing up on me and I couldn't breathe, I sounded like someone with asthma trying their best to breathe in and there was this horrible croupy wheezing sound coming out of me and I couldn't speak anymore, I kept trying to say "I can't breathe, I can't breathe" but they would tell me, you're doing fine...breathe slowly !!! OH MY GOSH, I tried my best to calm myself so I could take in some air to fill my lungs, I felt like I was running so fast but couldn't stop to catch my breath ..it was awful and I felt a panic come over me, I started feeling afraid of this wierd feeling that I was experiencing and I couldn't wait for it to end ! Well I guess I reached the point that they were waiting to observe and they stopped the Dobutamine and slowly I was able to start taking air in ...but you could still hear that wheezing sound.. like a struggle to breathe still..but not as intense. Finally it was over and I was shakey, my knee's were weak, my head felt light and dizzy..just like I had ran a thousand miles straight it seemed. DR said I did well and he is clearing me for surgery. I was glad it was over and I made it. I still felt awful and I just hope I never ever EVER have to go thru that again ! It was not my intention to scare anyone who will be having this test too...they said everyone reacts to it differently, so you may have a different experience. I am only telling my tale since I want to tell my journey exactly as I have gone thru it. So I apologize to anyone who didn't want to know. ANYWAY...I called Dr. Coates office and they still haven't received the letter of authorization from Pacificare. So I dropped by their office since it was in the area from where I had the test done, and gave them a copy of mine. They still couldn't give me my date since they need the letter for my cardiac clearance from Dr. Tsai. So hopefully tomorrow they will have it. They asked me to call tomorrow and if they do have it...I'll get my date !!! so till next posting ! I'll go rest now, I still feel tired ! take care all !
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July 20, 2005
I HAVE MY SURGERY DATE :) Hillary at Dr. Coates office called me to tell me the cardiac test results finally got faxed to them so she was ready to schedule me for surgery. My Aug. 4th date was taken already by another patient.. so the next available date is Aug. 12 , I said "I'll take it" so now I am scheduled for 12noon and it will be Friday. She said I will come to my pre-op with the PA on Aug. 9 at 10:50am and they will do a physical and give me my bowel prep...oh yay...sounds like fun...not !!! hehe anyway, then she said around 7 days before the surgery date...the hospital will call me and give me info on my pre-op lab work and I guess sign my pre-admit papers and such, then they will tell me exactly what time to be there for my 12noon surgery. So folks, it's all set, I hope they don't call to change it or anything...I'm just going to make sure I have all the vitamins I need that I'm supposed to take after surgery, I already have my "Any Whey Powdered Protein" it's supposed to be tasteless, so I'm going to try it out. I'll update everytime I have something to write down...so till next update, you all have a great week ! Take care all !
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July 25, 2005
Sad news :( my surgery date might have to be moved to a later date. I'm so upset about what has happened. On July 23, my husband Rey and I got home at about 11pm and I was going to change into shorts since it was very hot that day and as soon as I took my pants off, my left calf started itching really bad so I began to scratch it and when I looked at my leg..it was red...there was this rash all over my left inner calf and it was HOT to the touch, I put a cold wet wash cloth over it to cool it down and the wash cloth got warm ! It hurt to touch it so I worried about what it might be and Rey thought maybe it was an insect bite..but it just didnt feel like an insect bite. My thoughts were "oh no..I might have a blood clot" coz I went online and thats what everything I looked at to describe what was going on led to..blood clots ! so I was very worried , I got a fever later that evening and it was up to 103.5 and I also got the shivers too, I felt awful so I asked Rey to call my Dr. and speak to the Dr. on call, he told Rey to give me tylenol and if it didn't get any better in the morning to take me to the day clinic (like urgent care). It wasn't any better so we went to the day clinic and once the triage nurse saw my leg, she said "oh you have cellulitis" ! Well I used to work in a hospital in admitting for 10 yrs and I remember we would put patients with cellulitis in isolation ! so they drew my blood and did a blood culture to see what kind of bacteria I had, then they started an IV in my arm and hooked me up to a little bag of antibiotics called Rocephin (aka ceftriaxone) it took about 20 minutes. They left the IV needle in my arm (heplock) so they could just attach the antibiotic to it tomorrow instead of sticking me again, and they covered it with gauze pads, taped it up and then secured it with a nice netting that slipped over my hand. The DR there told me they would do this 2 more times and will evaluate it again after the 3rd time. On the 2nd day (today), they hooked me up to the antibiotic and I guess the needle inside my arm moved coz the antibiotic was dripping very slow and would stop at times..I had to keep repositioning my hand, and after it was all done, they removed the IV from my arm and said they would just put another one in tomorrow. The nurses said there didn't seem to be any improvement and another lady there in the room who was also getting antibiotics (we were all in recliners, 3 of us) she mentioned she also has cellulitis in her leg and she told us about how her father passed away from cellulitis he had in his finger, he didnt get enough antibiotics and it spread in his bloodstream and lymph nodes and she said he got sepsis she said it was blood poisoning and died from it. So of course that has me worried now, and the other old man there got worried too coz we found out he too had cellulitis in his hand but it wasn't red just swollen. But the lady said at least we are all getting treated for it. But now my concern is, will it clear up in time for me to have my surgery ?? But being realistic, I'm sure it will be postponed till a later date...so I guess I have to call Dr. Coates office tomorrow and reschedule. Makes me so sad, but better safe than sorry. One nice thing .. I met a nurse there that told me her husband just had Gastric Bypass surgery a month ago and already lost 50 lbs and they all said he looks great ! and his DR is DR Coates...so that made me feel good. The Dr sent me home with a prescription for Keflex and said they would change the antibiotic tomorrow to Vancomycin (which should take about an hour to get in me) so hopefully it will work better and get rid of this hot painful rash. I'll go elevate my leg now. I hope it gets better soon. I'll keep you all posted, meanwhile, have a great evening everyone !
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July 28, 2005
Hillary from Dr. Coates office gave me a new surgery date of Aug. 29 at 12noon to replace my original date. We want to give it alot of time for this cellulitis to clear up, then I have to have the clearance in writing from my PCP to give to Dr. Coates office. This is my 6th day of going to the "same day clinic" for IV fluids, they also changed my antibiotic to Vancomycin. Tomorrow will be my last day unless they think I should have more, but I will continue with oral antibiotics till it clears. They removed the needle from my hand and will put a new one in tomorrow, when they took it out my hand was so puffy on top and it took a long time for it to subside. The color of my leg seems to be slowly returning to its normal color, I'm so glad ! It still gets hot and hurts at times. Tylenol takes care of that. So I'll just be patient and hope for this to clear in time for Aug. 29. That day is a good day coz as Hillary pointed out, it's a Monday, and the Dr. has only one surgery that day...ME :) so he'll be well rested and not tired from other surgeries, so I'm hoping the surgery will go very well. Will post again when I have more news... till then, you all enjoy your weekend !
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Aug. 5, 2005
Hi again...my left leg seems to be getting better. The redness isn't there anymore, I still feel a little tenderness when I touch my calf. I finished 10 days of IV antibiotics.. funny, I seem to miss going there and seeing the same familiar nurses that cared for me, they were all so nice. They want to see me after surgery so I will definately pay them a visit. They all wished me well and they're really so nice ..I can't say that enough huh? hehe anyway, I am now taking oral antibiotics. First the DR had me on Keflex, then they changed it to Clindomycin which they said is stronger, so in a few days I'll go to see my PCP Dr. Sangco, and he'll either clear me for surgery or give me more antibiotics. I'll keep you all posted ..but for now, have a great evening and will post again soon !
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Aug. 22, 2005
Haven't posted in awhile, I was just waiting for my leg to get all better. I'm so happy to tell you all that it is back to normal now ...finally....no more tenderness or redness, I am still taking my oral antibiotics, I did go back a few weeks ago to the same day clinic and the DR there gave me a new prescription of the clindomycin. Then on Aug. 18 I saw my PCP Dr. Sangco and he said it looked all better and gave me a note for my clearance to have surgery. So I'm all set, getting excited that I'm about to join the "losing" side and get rid of all this water weight so my feet can get back to their normal size and lose weight so I can get back to a good healthy state. I'm also a little nervous and hope that all goes well without any complications. On Aug. 25 I have my pre-op appt. with Dr. Coates (my surgeon) and after seeing him I go directly to the hospital admitting dept. to sign my papers and maybe do some lab work.
Then on the 29th -----> SURGERY DAY !
Boy the days are going by fast now. I'll post again after my pre-op visits. so till then, take care all.
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Aug. 25, 2005
Today I went for my pre-op appointment with Dr.Coates and I was seen by Don, his physician asst. who was very nice and answered all my questions and he told me that he would be there also during surgery so that was nice to know. They also took some "before" pictures of me and gave me some instructions about the bowel prep. I have to drink 10 oz of Magnesium Citrate, I got the lemon flavored one and I drink this the day before surgery followed by 2 glasses of water. Then I stay near a bathroom I'm sure :) I'm just glad it wasn't an enema I have to give myself !!! After that I went to the same day surgery dept. at the hospital and signed my admitting papers for the 29th (Monday), I had my labs drawn and they did an EKG and they gave me a cup for the UA. I got my instructions for the day of surgery and I have to be there at 10:15am for surgery at 12:20pm. Ok this is feeling real close now so I'm starting to get excited, nervous, anxious...all those feelings you get when you're about to have surgery ! so just 4 more days to go. I can't believe how fast it gets towards the date. But I am so happy to know that soon I won't have these puffy feet and legs to deal with and I'll start losing the water weight and the FAT !!!
I'll update more if I get around to it before surgery. I might be busy coz I have relatives coming over and a dear friend coming over from Seattle (Susie) and they'll all be here for moral support. I hope they let Susie stay with me at the hospital overnight coz she will be leaving back for Seattle the day after surgery. Her vacation just happened to coincide with my surgery since it was moved due to my cellulitis episode. So she was really glad she would be here to keep me company in the hospital since my husband works the night shift from midnight till 8:30am and my mom will be staying with my children. If I don't post anything before surgery...I will teach my oldest son Matthew how to post in the surgery support page so he can let you all know how I am doing after surgery :) then I will continue when I get home ! So till then all my family and friends... pls keep me in your prayers for an easy surgery and quick recovery :) Thanks so much for all your support ~~~ You all take care now !!!!
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Aug. 29, 2005
I think I'm doing this correctly o.o; This is Matthew trying to update this thing, According to the doctor the surgery went as planned, she's in recovery right now and we're just waiting now to be able to visit her ^^ so everyone here, keep on her and make sure she takes good care of herself, I suspect its gonna be a brand new start for her and I hope she enjoys it like she deserves
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Sept. 4, 2005 (Saturday)
I had my surgery on Aug. 29, 2005, Monday. Went to the hospital at 10am and checked in at 10:15am, they took me in after a few minutes and started getting me all ready for surgery. Got my IV put in, met the anesthesiologist, Dr. Ng, and he was very nice and promised to take care of me and I asked if he could make sure my head was elevated in recovery since I have sleep apnea and I have a harder time breathing when I am on my back. He said he'd make sure my head was elevated. Then I finally met Dr. Coates. He was as nice as everyone said he was. He seemed so caring and concerned about me and my feelings and told me there was a cancellation so they were moving me up. So my surgery would be sooner than we thought. As soon as they moved me to the operating room I remember having to move onto another narrower table and I can't remember much but I was getting woozy already, maybe they put something in my IV. I remember my legs being strapped so I wouldn't fall off the table and they put the oxygen mask over my nose and mouth and I was out of it. The next thing I can remember is being in recovery with bad upper tummy pain, the nurses gave me something for it and said it was gas pain, but it kept hurting and I kept moaning and asking for help (they probably got so tired of me coz I kept crying "help me please, help me" "it hurrrrrtttts" and they just said they gave me what I could have for now) well, I must've dozed off again coz I can't remember anything more till they started taking me to my room. I didn't open my eyes but I could hear them talking.
How lucky could I get...I got a private room !!! That was really nice, no one to fight over the tv with hehe :) My very dear friend Susie stayed with me the first night as she was visiting and would be going home to Seattle the next day after my surgery, she was a Godsend, she helped me so much that first night, massaging my legs, tending to me everytime I felt nauseated and had dry heaves, she stayed awake most the night when she heard me kinda choke at different times during the night, felt like acid reflux. She was just wonderful and took such good care of me not to mention the company (which I wasn't much of since I was groggy all day). The nurses were wonderful, they were very caring and patient with me, very attentive and always asked if they could do anything more for me, I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of nurses. I'd like to give special mention to the RN's Candy (Floor Mgr) ~ loved her, Carroll ~ loved her too, Maureen, Leora & Jamie ~ and to the CNA's Helen (super nice), Thelma, Araceli ~ very sweet, Yani, Olga and Irene.
I had real bad gas pain for the first 2 or 3 days, then the Lortab helped alot, I had to sleep with oxygen coz my rate would go down when I laid down. I saw Don (the PA, he also assisted in my surgery) and he told me I was doing fine and he also informed me that my liver was big..but it would get smaller as I start to lose weight. My IV was stopped on the 4th day there. I finally passed gas about the 3rd day and did "#2" on the 4th day ~ that really helped with the gas pain. I was discharged on Friday Sept. 2 so I was there 4 nights. Dr. Coates came to see me to discharge me and give me discharge instructions. My staples were removed the day I went home. The nurse that put the steri strips over the little incisions (I had 7) didn't read my red wristband with my allergies (I'm allergic to plastic tape) and so the 2nd day home (Sept.3) at the ends of some of the steri strips, I developed water blisters from the allergies I have to the tape...so I asked my husband to get me some paper tape from the grocery and I carefully replaced the steri strips with paper tape and I took care of my blisters and now my incisions aren't itching anymore.
Meals at the hospital were all the same, sugar free jello, sugar free popsicle, broth, hot water for tea....thats it...the broth was kinda salty so I hardly had any...I diluted it but just had a few teaspoons of it. I found the ice chips made my gas pain worst and the hot water they had for the tea, felt better in my tummy so I took sips of that to soothe the pain. (I didn't use the tea bags..I took them home) I loved the banana popsicles (my mom found some at the grocery near home so I have the same kind in my freezer now), here at home I'm having more of the same sugar free jello, sugar free popsicles bottled water and my mom made homemade chicken broth for me....so much better than the other stuff ! I get just clear liquids for the first week, on day 8 for the 2nd week I get pureed food. My mom has been wonderful, helping me here at home, taking care of my kids & my husband Rey. I am so blessed to have her with me.
OH the first night I couldn't sleep on my bed, I have wedges and other pillows to prop me up but I was so uncomfortable and I tried sleeping on my left side as I've always have...but it felt like everything in my stomach shifted down to my left side so I was very uncomfortable. I ended up on my chaise chair by my bed with cushions from the couch in the living room under my legs to elevate them. I had a headache most of the night (I think from lack of oxygen as I noticed I had shallow breathing) I seemed to have bloated out more in my abdominal area, I guess from the surgery, must be all bruised up inside. Rey will be going to JCPenney's tomorrow to get a recliner for me so I can be more comfortable. I haven't lost any weight according to my scale here at home..my feet are still swollen so I guess I just have to wait till things start happening. I have to go to the Dr's office 5 days after I left the hospital but this Monday is Labor day so I will call on Tuesday to make the appointment. wow I sure wrote alot huh? sorry for just updating now but I was too sore to sit at the computer for too long till today. I hope your eyes aren't red and sore from all this reading :) I will update again later when there is new news, till then you all take care now.
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Sept. 6, 2005
Hi everyone...I've been having problems with the skin around each incision. I'm still blistering up where the steri strips were placed so I ended up removing them myself since the wounds all looked closed and strong enough to stay closed. The blisters are still there and my tummy looks just awful since some of the blisters popped. I can't stand the itch too.... I will be calling the DRs office tomorrow to make an appointment so he can see them and help get them better. I started on pureed foods today, I'm not able to drink as much water as Dr wants but I eat as much sugarfree popsicles and SF jello as I can. I had thinned out malt-o-meal today and it went down ok. Towards the evening tho I started having a little pain around my left side under the ribs, so I'll ask about that tomorrow too. Before I forget, let me put down my weight history :

275 lbs - when I began this journey to WLS
286 lbs - what I weighed day of surgery
298 lbs - my weight after surgery on day of surgery
282 lbs - my current weight after 9 days ~ still have to get down past the 275 before I start going "yay"

I'll try and figure how to make those weight charts here.
Hey Loretta :) if you are reading this, thanks for coming to see me in the hospital, that was so sweet of you, but sorry I was so out of it ..still groggy I guess from anesthesia :) but I remember you were there. I'll call you soon and you keep me posted too ok ...don't forget..I'll be your angel !!!
Bedtime people, will update soon again, have a good evening everyone !
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Sept. 27, 2005
Hi again :) I was waiting till I went to my 1st month post op visit to post so I can give my official weight and the Dr's office (I saw Diana the PA) has my beginning weight as 286 and today they weighed me and I am 257 !!!! YAYYYYY I've lost 29 lbs so far. They said I'm doing very good and my labs were ok, just that my potassium is low and so is my chloride so I have to add another potassium pill to my daily pill regimen. My daily protein intake is supposed to be 75 grams daily, the dietician Arun told me this. He said so far we calculated that I get 70 grams a day so he said not bad..just 5 grams off. I measure my food for 1.5 oz protein and 1 oz vegetable, then in between I have Dannon low carb yogurt or a slice of turkey (from the deli) and I roll some string cheese in it and it's pretty good :) I'm eating the foods from the list in the bariatric binder that they gave us and I just chew real good till it gets mushy.. so far I haven't gotten sick or had any dumping and I've just been feeling great :) the only thing to complain about is the gas pain I had right after surgery...it lasted 2 days after I got home and after that...I've felt fine ever since. I've been going to the lymphedema clinic so Lisa the therapist can work on my legs and she massages them to get the lymphatic system flowing. I'll soon get bandaged up to compress my legs from the knee and below. Then later I'll get fitted for some ted hose stockings to help bring down the edema in my ankles and feet. My calves however have been getting slimmer thanks to the loss of all this water weight I had ~ my thighs are still the same tho, but I am really happy about my calves and my breathing has gotten alot better ~ no more huffing and puffing when I do things ~ it's even easier to turn around in bed now ~ it's not a struggle for me anymore. Thats one of the biggest improvement I've noticed. I also don't use my bi-pap machine anymore and so far so good..I seem to be able to sleep good and I am not sleepy during the day anymore ! I have 2 friends having surgery soon, Loretta is having it tomorrow and Tink will have hers on Monday ! I'll be visiting them on the 2nd day after their surgery coz I remember I was so groggy on my first day and was in la la land :) So whoever reads this please say some prayers for their safe surgery and speedy recovery ! Thanks and I'll post again as soon as I have more news !!! Take care everyone
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Oct. 2, 2005
Hi everyone...just a little update on whats new with me. My husband, Rey, and I went to a little restaurant and we usually sit at a table since I really didnt feel good squeezed into the booths. Well today I had a nice surprise, they sat us at a booth and YAYYY I fit and was able to slide into the seat easily, not like before where I'd have a hard time breathing as I tried to fit in !!! I just had a chicken breast that I think was broiled with garlic and mushrooms over it, I told them to hold the rice and I gave the mushrooms to Rey. I had about 4 zuccini slices and ate half the chicken and took all the rest home for tomorrow. The chicken was butterflied so it as on the thin side and I just chewed and chewed till it was all grinded up. I was even fine watching Rey eat his burger and french fries...they sure looked good...but I was good and didn't want any. I weighed today and my weight is down to 248 on my scale but the DR's scale is about 5 lbs higher so I must be 253 now...so lost another 4 lbs. --> 33 lbs gone now woohoo !
Till next update...take care all !
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Oct. 09, 2005
My current weight is now 242 on my scale and 247 Dr's scale. Makes that a total of 6 lbs lost (39 in all). I feel like a slow loser but I feel good coz I got complimented on by my family yesterday ! We had our yearly family reunion yesterday and they all were happy to see results already (I still cannot see it in the mirror at all and I can't tell by my pants since I wear stretchy pants with elastic waist). Anyway, they said I have a neck now :) and my eyes are standing out now where as before my eyes were dull and sick looking :( but now, they look brighter and bigger, not drowning in puffiness and looking small. They said I look more alive and alert. They even commented that I am lighter on my feet now and move around more too :) so I was so glad they were able to see some improvements and it just made my day !!!
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Oct. 22, 2005 (about 7 weeks out)
I finally got some time in between all my kids taking turns on my computer ! So it's time for a little update :) I'm so happy to say that I no longer am on my diabetic medication and my blood pressure pills. I haven't taken any diabetic medication since my surgery and my endocrinologist said my sugars are within normal ranges so she told me to stay off of them since I will be losing weight and I may not need them at all anymore (unless they go high again) but I've been checking my blood every day and so far they are all around 115 to 125. She said that is very good :) so no more diabetic meds !! yay :) as for my high blood pressure pill... I felt dizzy one night so I took my pressure and WOW it was 87/54 so I thought that was too low (compared to my usual 140/89 when I was on medication) so I decided to experiment and stopped my lisinopril and I take my blood pressure readings 3 or 4 times a day and I've kept a diary of my readings so the DR can see when I go for a visit...and since that time and while I am "OFF" my medication, my readings have been 110/75 to 139/87 and they are all normal WITHOUT the medicine !!! so YAYYY 2 medicines gone from my list of meds so far :) Dr. Coates said I'd still need my thyroid medication for life...but its ok...its a tiny pill :) My feet are looking normal now...almost back to normal..just a tad puffy but its so slight...I'm so happy ...no more big swollen minnie mouse feet ! (my co worker once exclaimed...OH look..you have feet like minnie mouse, since my puffy feet looked squeezed in my flat shoes) It hurt but I just laughed :( but no more..they are normal looking now !!! and on my scale I am 232 lbs (from 286) so total of 54 lbs gone as of today :) feels so good !!! I think I dumped 2 times already...but it was because I just finished taking my vitamins and drank water with some of my pills...then I ate...and I was already stuffed with the water and forgot to wait...so I ended up throwing up .... didn't feel too good but once I threw up...I felt fine. Same reason for the 2nd dump... so I finally learned...no eating after drinking (hehe which we aren't supposed to anyway right ? no drinking 60 minutes before and after eating ?) I'll surely remember now ;) ok people...time for my daughter to take her turn on the computer. So till next update...take care all ! and have a safe and fun HALLOWEEN !!!
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Nov. 12, 2005 (10 weeks out)
Hi people ! Today I have good news, I saw my endocrinologist & my PCP Dr. Sangco, and I am officially off of my diabetic medication and my high blood pressure pill ! YAY :) I have lost a total of 64 lbs and feeling great ! (original weight 286, now 223). I guess I should put down what I usually eat , I have 2 oz of an apple with some mild cheddar cheese (for snacks), and I love my low carb Dannon yogurt, especially the strawberry flavor. I also boil one chicken breast and then cut it up into little pieces, and add it to one can of cream of chicken soup, then I keep it in a container in the fridge and I just scoop out about 1/4 cup to heat up for a meal, and I really like it alot and it goes down well for me. I also have sardines or make salmon patties (using just a few crushed crackers for the whole batch and I only have 1 or 2 small patties). I made beef stew once for the family and stewed it till the meat was super tender and I had about 4 or 5 chunks of beef and some of the carrots, it was good. I always have bottled water in my little fridge in my room so I try to drink my water as much as I can. Once in awhile I do have 1 taco from Jack-in-the-box, but with "no lettuce or sauce" and I break off the outer hard edges of the shell and just eat the meat part..the remaining taco shell is not much. ok enough about food :)
I also made my own bracelet for my medical ID tag, I got some beads and the clasps and everything to make it and my daughter and I had fun making bracelets and necklaces. OHHH and one great thing too is...my tummy seems to be melting (hehe) I don't look 9 months pregnant anymore, just 5 months now !! and for sure I'll need plastic surgery later, I hope I won't have a hard time getting approved for it later. I finally got my bill from the hospital and it was exactly as the insurance lady told me it would be, $200.00 for my co-pay. I saw the total bill was $55,000+ so thank God for insurance !!! PHEW !!! ok, I'll let your eyes rest now.. will update again later when I have news to post :) Have a great day everyone !
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Nov. 20, 2005 (11 weeks post op)
Hi and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone !!! I'll probably be busy this coming week as relatives will be visiting for 5 days for Thanksgiving so I may not get to post till afterwards...I hope we all do well during the holidays...this will be my first big feast laid out on a table since surgery ! Well...I've lost a little more since my last post, I did have a plateau for a while but the weight started moving again and as of today I weigh 217 lbs !! from 286 :) so 69 lbs total loss since surgery day ! My 3rd month post op visit with Dr. Coates is coming up 1st week of Dec. so I'll be able to post more news after that. I have to get my labs drawn end of Nov. so I hope everything is normal with the results..I've been doing exactly as instructed with my vitamins and trying hard with the water, I get about 45oz of water a day, sometimes a little more, I keep trying to drink more. So I hope my labs are good :) Ok people.. Have a great Thanksgiving with your family and God bless you all~~~~till next posting !
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Dec. 22, 2005 (4 months post op this Dec. 29)
Hi everyone and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all !!! Wow I've been real busy with the holidays so I haven't been able to post but let me try and update you all since Thanksgiving day. I did very well during Thanksgiving, I was bad and had a little of everything, a teaspoon of this, teaspoon of that...but I made sure I didn't overstuff myself and I didn't get sick or anything. I even had a no no..a bit of pumpkin pie yummm bad girl I know...but that was enough to satisfy me and I didn't get sick on that either, I even had a bite of yams and did fine.
I went to my 3rd month post op DR visit and Diane (the PA - physicians assistant) said I was doing really good and she was real happy with my weight loss, I was just low in my potassium. But my protein was good, my calcium was good and I also confessed that my snack when I wanted something crunchy..are cashew nuts ! She said normally they don't want us eating that since it is in the "fats" group...but since I don't have mayonnaise hardly anymore or butter coz I put that on bread or potatoes..and I don't eat those either...then she said since I was doing so well , that could be considered my fat intake for the day :) so she just told me to keep it up what ever I was doing ! So I had a very good Dr's visit. As of today my weight is now 210 from 286 so a total loss of 76 lbs...gone forever :) yayyyyy and my BMI is no longer in the 40's...today my BMI is 39.7 , I LOVE IT !! well, Christmas is almost here and I will do like I did on thanksgiving :) so hopefully all will be fine. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and hoping your New Year will be the best one yet !!! Take care everyone, will post again I guess in the new year !!! Happy 2006 to all !
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Dec. 31, 2005 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!!
(4 months post op)
I hope you all have been enjoying the holidays ! I'm sure alot of you got a lot of nice presents from loved ones...like new smaller clothing :) yay.... my weight loss slowed down a little this Xmas, since I sampled a bit of everything, thankfully I didn't gain anything...but didn't lose any big numbers also because of it :) I am back to my regular eating schedule now...so I hope I see the scale numbers get lower and lower...I can't wait to get under the 200 lb mark ! once I get to 199 ...I'll be so thrilled ! I look much better in pictures now so I'm excited to have my picture taken !
I have been having problems in the potassium department tho. It hovers around 3.5 to as low as 2.9, right now my last labs shows me to be at 3.9 and the DR said he wants me to be around the 3.5 to 5.0 range. On Dec. 23 however, my endocrinologist had me tested and she called at 6:30pm to say my potassium level was down to 2.9 so she told me to rush to the ER and that I was in a life threatening situation..not to exert any energy or it could trigger a heart attack !!! scared me so bad...I got palpitations !! I was perfectly fine before that. I was in the middle of making a tuna casserole for my family....so I asked my mother to finish making it for me...my husband took me to ER and they obviously didn't think it was that bad since they made me wait for 7 hours... SEVEN HOURS !!!!!!! sheeeeesh...that ruined that night...I was hungry, cold, tired, my feet started swelling from sitting in the ER that long... they triaged me when I got there at first...drew my blood and had me sit & wait. At 1030pm, I made my husband go home since he had to get ready for his graveyard shift. He wanted to stay but he was going to miss on holiday pay...so I told him to go since I was feeling fine anyway and since we've been there for so long and ER didn't think I was dying...I didn't think I was in danger too...I just asked him to have my mom and brother come to stay with me. So he left and my mom & brother arrived soon after. Then at midnight...I finally got called into a room ! The RN started an IV in my arm and drew more blood. I asked, what did my other lab work show ? the one they drew at triage ?, he answered...you mean they already drew blood at triage ?? I said..uhh YESSSS ???? (GOSH didn't he read my chart at all???) Seems no one even looked at the lab results at all...what if it had bad news..I could've keeled over sometime while waiting huh? well luckily for me...the second labs drawn showed my potassium level to be normal at 3.5 !!! After all that time waiting..it was normal !!! HOLY MOLEY !!!! scared me for nothing...worried my family for nothing...wasted the whole evening. That really upset me and my family like anything. We were glad the results were normal.... but it was pretty upsetting how this DR that rushed me into ER even wanted me to go in an ambulance !! and I asked her if she would call orders in so they would expect me and she wouldn't. Then when I told her yesterday what I went thru..she responded "oh its really a long wait in ER" my gosh, what if I was really dangerously low and actually in a life threatening situation?? I wouldn't be here now !!! kinda scary to think about huh? But please don't let me scare anyone about the safety of the ER and the hospital, They were super busy that night ..in all fairness...I just think this should've been handled in a different manner !!! Oh well its done..and I just wanted to share it with you all and get it off my chest...PHEWWWW ...there..I feel better now :) I finally got released from the ER at about 2:15am. HEY its NEW YEARS !!!! Get out your little trumpets and horns...bring on the sugar free tang and crystal lights :) I hope you have a great entrance into the new year...HAPPY 2006 to you all !!!!
As of today, I weigh 208, lost 78 lbs so far and hoping to lose a whole lot more soon :) So I'll definately post next year (hehe) in a few days lol....so take care all !!!
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Feb. 5, 2006 (Jan. 29 marked 5 months post op)
Hi everyone ! Looks like I've been so busy that I haven't posted in awhile huh? Well I'm back and will try and remember all that has happened since my last posting. The biggest of course is my present weight of 196 !!!!! yayyyy I made it under the 200's so I'm joining you all who are in "ONEderland" hehe...it feels so great !!! so from 286 to 196, I've lost a total of 90 lbs woohoo! My last BMI before this update was 38.5, now it is 37, oh well, one point is better than none :)
I just love how easy it is to move around now, bring down all the groceries from the car and not have to call anyone to help. I've also been walking around the malls now, something I'd never even want to think about before since I had a hard time breathing with each step..now it's a breeze !!! I have to confess I haven't really been doing much of my treadmill, I get too busy then I forget or am just tired already. But I know if I want to reach my goal weight of 130 (and hopefully sqeeze down to 125 if I can) then I'll have to up my walking on the treadmill. My hair is definately coming out *sigh*, but I've read from other profiles that it will grow back so I am counting on that for sure !!! My potassium level is good so far, and I have been good taking all my vitamins and getting in all the protein I need. I still have my Dannon low carb yogurt (strawberry) alot..I just love it...I make that my desert coz its like a parfait (to me anyway...I've read how others don't like it...but I love it !) My family and friends notice the weight loss and give me lots of nice compliments and its so encouraging. Feeling healthy again is the best tho, I'm so glad I had the surgery...it really saved my life ! OHHH and another great thing is...I bought a new pair of sneakers that is a size down from my old ones, and it fits so nicely. I also am wearing a pair of blue jeans (but still has elastic waist) that I couldn't fit in 5 yrs ago...they would never go up past my thighs, but now they go all the way up and fit comfortably !!! Now here's the yucky part...my skin is starting to sag , on my tummy, my thighs and my upper arms...and I think my chin area too... so I hope so much that I'll be approved when it comes time for plastic surgery. I haven't had any more dumping for a long while, so I'm glad maybe I've learned to stop eating in time before I get too full, and to not sneak sips of water after eating, but I get so thirsty :( I'm bad, but I'm the one that suffers too if I do sip after eating...so I'm trying my best to NOT take a sip. I hope you are are all doing well, take care and will post very soon :) till next time then ...bye for now !
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March 19, 2006
Hi everyone...it's been quite awhile since I've last updated...so I'll try and remember the things I've been wanting to post here.

On Feb. 26, 2006
I lost my beloved beagle "Joey" to lymphoma. He was only 3 yrs old. The vet diagnosed him in early January, and I felt the enlarged lymph nodes, but he appeared so healthy so I didn't want to believe he had it. The vet offered chemo (prednisone is what he gave) but after all the things I've heard it could do, I didn't give him the prednisone. I decided to give him things to help his body get healthier in hopes of fighting the cancer. I read up on things online and got things I thought would help like K9 immunity and transfer factors, even fish oil capsules, and gave him that everyday. He was doing so well but the lymph nodes weren't getting any smaller. Well, on Feb. 26, it was a Sunday, and he woke me up as he cried in pain. I tried to find out where he was hurting, tried to help him outside to relieve himself in case he had to go (since he was having a hard time moving around), my husband and son had to bring him outside on his bed....he managed to get of his bed once we were outside but he started crying again and moving in circles in one spot and he looked like his neck was stiff ! Boy that hurt so much for me to watch...so we got him back in his bed and they brought him back in our room, I tried to give him water and he wouldn't drink, so I put some drops with my fingers on his tongue and he swallowed then cried in pain again. I felt so helpless that I couldn't help him. (I'm crying again as I re-live this...it was so painful...I love that little boy so much). Anyway, we made the painful decision to take him to the vet to help him out of this pain he was in....the most painful decision I've ever had to make in my life. This little fellow that loved me no matter what, and followed me everywhere just to be near me, wether I was sitting at the computer, or in the bathroom, or sitting/standing in the kitchen chopping veggies or washing dishes, he was always there in betwen my feet, curled up and resting. No matter where I went, he'd follow me and get in that same position.... I still feel guilty about it... like did I have it done too soon? did I have to do it at all ? what if he could've gotten better?? but I loved him so much, I felt it was the right thing to do...I had to let go of this little guy that gave me so much joy and I had just as much joy loving him. I posted a picture of me (down at the bottom of this page) with Joey in it. Anyway, we took him to the vet and I held him in my arms with his head resting in the crook of my elbow....and kept telling him I loved him and petting him.. I wanted to be sure he didn't feel scared , I wanted him to feel as loved as I could, even the one who gave his shot was tearing up ...coz I was crying non stop. He fell asleep peacefully in my arms, my husband told me later that he looked contented and relaxed in my arms. He was always content to be with me. After it was done, I carried my sweetie in my arms, to our van and we buried him in our back yard. We're going to plant lots of pretty flowers over him. We placed him in a big rubbermaid container in blankets with his squeak toys in his paws (as he loved chewing on his squeak toys) , I took his collar off to keep with me, and I covered him with the blanket. I made a picture page of him and put down who he was then sealed the box with silver tape to secure it. Hoperfully years from now if we are not here on earth anymore and someone renovates the yard and finds him..at least they'll know who Joey was...and hopefully they'll take care of him and put him in a nice place. I still cry till this day, I'm better now and don't cry as much, but every so often, I'll think of my Joey and get sad again and shed more tears. I guess time will heal the wound. I have 2 more dogs at home, one is a female beagle (Suwie) and we got her to mate with Joey but we didn't know he was sick yet. He never did mate with her, I guess he never felt like it, plus she wasn't in heat yet. But she is such a comfort to me, no one can ever replace Joey, he was one of a kind...but it helps that she is here...Joey must've taught her some things, she likes her squeak toys and makes them squeak alot, like Joey did :) and she loves to hop on the couch to look outside when we leave...looks like a cat in the window, Joey did that alot, he was so cute. She's kind of a lap dog so always wants attention, so it helps keep my mind off of him but I do have his picture up in my room , and in the middle of my screen on my computer too, so I can see his loving face always. I better stop so I can see better, my tears are making everything blurry. Thanks for listening....I'm sure all you pet lovers will understand my grief.
Now on to weight loss...

On March 9, 2006
I went for my 6th month post op visit (March 1 was 6 months from my surgery date), and I was 192 lbs (94 lbs lost) from 286. Diane the PA, told me she was very pleased with my weight loss and that I was doing well with my vitamins. Even my potassium level was normal again...yay. She said to keep doing what ever I was doing and to come back in 3 months for my 9 month visit ( no lab work needed for that visit). I've been feeling fine so far (aside from losing Joey). I've been munching on cashew nuts when I get hungry for crunchy things. I've been having a little salad with chicken sometimes. I still have my strawberry low carb dannon yogurt, and I put it in the freezer for a little while so it hardens a little then I mix it up and it's like icecream ! I just love it ! I have been having fish as much as I can, fried salmon in olive oil, or I make salmon patties. I still stay away from rice, noodles, potatoes (when the kids have french fries tho..I have to admit I sneak one or two into my mouth...yum....but thats all), and bread (altho once in awhile, I'll take a croissant and put some turkey and cheese in it with a little mayo, then cut it in half and wrap it in paper towels and stick them in a zip lock bag. then eat just that half at one sitting...but I can't finish it so the last 3 bites or so, I give to my dog) once in a great while (like once every 2 weeks) I'll have one half of a bagel, with cream cheese on it ( I toast the bagel). I still snack on my apples and cheese, I keep a container of cut up apples and mild cheddar cheese chunks in my fridge for a quick snack. I also keep a bag of frozen peaches and thaw about 4 chunks at a time when I feel like fruit. When we have banana's, I can eat 1/2 of one...not too often tho. I'll have about 4 oz of orange juice once in awhile too (for potassium...plus it tastes so good and refreshing). well enough of food :)

March 19, 2006 (today as I post this)
I now weigh 189 !!! that would be 97 lbs lost ! wow just 3 more lbs and I'll have lost 100 lbs already !!!! I better go to the message boards to find out how to get my little card posted so I can join the "century club" ! how exciting. I'm going to start lifting weights to try and help tone up the flabby skin on my upper arms ! but its so nice coz I can see the shape of my arm ...its getting small again , just need to get rid of the skin ! And I'm back on my treadmill, I haven't been walking for awhile, but I'm back on it so maybe it will help me out on my inner thighs , skin getting loose there too ! I feel like a chinese sharpei dog (we had one for 10 yrs long ago..his name was Snorky) he was so wrinkled...I feel like that hehe...
Well , I think I've posted most of what I can remember, so till next time...pls say a prayer for my little Joey. I'm sure he's happy now and out of pain. I'll love him forever !

Take care everyone and for those that had surgery, I hope everything is going good for you too :) and for those that are contemplating having surgery .... if you asked me, would I do it again ? my answer is...."A thousand times YES !!!" good luck and God bless you all !

About Me
CA
Location
37.8
BMI
RNY
Surgery
08/29/2005
Surgery Date
Apr 05, 2005
Member Since

Friends 3

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