Just Kim
7 Months Post-Op
Jan 13, 2010
Here are my numbers as of today.Height: 5' 2½"
Weight: 217
BMI: 38.4
Pounds lost since the day of surgery: 93 lbs.
Pounds to lose to reach goal: 42 lbs.
Clothing sizes: Tops are 14/16 womens or 18/XL misses. Pants are 18W but I can get into and button up a 16W. It’s a little snug right now but all new purchases going forward will be 16W. Skirts and dresses are a 16W. My shoe size has always been all over the place and it still is. Depending on the type of shoe, I was wearing anything from an 8 to a 10. I don’t think I’ll be in size 10s anymore but right now the size 9s seem to be the safe choice. Also I had to have my wedding rings resized from a 9.5 to 7.
Vitamins, Water, Protein: I had my 6 month follow-up last month and my blood work was good. My vitamin D was deficient at the 3 month mark but it is now within normal ranges. My B-12 was high though so I’m cutting that back but just slightly. I’m still doing good with taking my vitamins daily. I haven’t been as diligent with the protein and water though. I get them in but I’m not keeping track of my intake and I know I haven’t been meeting the minimums on either one.
Food: Some bad habits have returned namely my consumption of junk food.
I don’t eat nearly as much as before but lately I’ve been reaching for it far too often. This happens mostly when I have not planned something to eat in advance or I allow myself to get too hungry. I have to do better. I did not have this surgery to go back to the same old habits and end up with the same results. I am really starting to like what I see in the mirror and I never want to be 300+ lbs. again. On a positive note, I now know what a single size portion of food is and that more than satisfies my hunger. Before WLS I was probably eating 3-4 servings of each food at one setting. Now I can barely finish a serving and I’m full. I really like this aspect of WLS. I’m glad I can no longer eat like a linebacker and I hope it stays that way FOREVER. I hope this will help keep my weight down over the long haul. Overall, I’m pleased with my progress. My weight loss has slowed tremendously but I knew it would and I’m mentally preparing to have to do some real work now.
People are really starting to notice my weight loss and I’m receiving lots of compliments. It’s flattering but a little awkward.
I find myself saying “Thank You” really fast and then trying to make a quick exit so that the next question won’t be “How did you do it?” I did have one co-worker catch me in the ladies room and when she asked, I was truthful. While I don’t plan to share my experience with everyone, I just couldn’t bring myself to lie to her. I have been on my job for almost 20 years and she was here before me and I know that weight has been a struggle for her too. Surprisingly, she had also considered it but had not really explored it as an option. I told her my best advice was to do as much research as you can and then make the best choice for you. I also let her know that if she decided to do it and needed any support/help I would be there to guide her through the process and share what I know. But before I answered her question, I prefaced my statement with “I’m about to share something very personal with you and I would appreciate this conversation staying between us.” Now you know how that could go.
By next week it could be all over the office that “Kim had WLS.”
But guess what????
I don’t give a damn.
People are going to talk about you whether you are doing good or doing bad -- So why even worry about it? I certainly can’t control it. So why waste the energy?Over the holidays I also told my aunt, my stepmother and stepsister that I had WLS. They were all a bit surprised
at my decision but they were all happy for me and kept saying how good I looked. My stepsister had lots of questions and she later told me that she was going to try losing weight again on her own but if she is not successful by the end of the year she is going to look into WLS too. I hope she decides to go for it. She’s only 29 and is also 300+ pounds. I decided to share with these particular ladies in my family because they also struggle with their weight and I couldn’t be untruthful with them. I couldn’t just say eat less and move more. I had to be honest with them about the “HOW.” I’m not ready to shout it from the rooftops but I hope me sharing my experience and decision to get healthy will lead to someone else making the same choice. Not necessarily WLS (unless they want it) but just getting healthy period. I feel so much better. I move easier. I feel more feminine and sexy. I remember when my good girl friend had RNY about 5-6 years ago. She talked me to def about WLS and sent me all kinds of information and I was soooooo NOT interested.
I understand how she felt now.
I just want everybody around me to experience the same joy and excitement that comes with losing the weight after you have struggled soooooo long and tried soooooo many things sooooooo many times. I just want them to feel better because I know what they feel like carrying around so much excess weight. I want them to feel as good as I do. Have I talked yall to def by now?????????
I know............. I’m so long winded but this is where I get it all out. Until next time............Blood Pressure Update
Jan 07, 2010
Thanks for reading and I'll update my overall progress next week. It will be 7 months on Monday. WOW............time has just flown by.
5 Months Post-Op............Life is GOOD!!!
Nov 09, 2009
It was more beautiful and special than I could have ever imagined. We stayed in Oahu for a week and then went to Maui and stayed at the Grand Wailea Resort for a week. Hawaii is the most gorgeous placed I have ever had the pleasure of being and it has the most breathtaking scenery I’ve ever laid eyes on. Be aware that everything is expensive and the plane ride from the east coast is brutal, but it was sooooo worth it. Well enough about that – on to how my weight loss is coming...........
As of today, I have lost 78 lbs.
The two weeks in Hawaii really got me off track, so I’m getting back to basics. I didn’t have any protein drinks the whole time we were away and by the 2nd week my vitamin schedule was out the window. And with all the good food over there, I also picked up an appetite. I actually get hungry now. Sometimes I feel like I’m real real hungry but then I eat about 2-3oz. and realize I can no longer consume large amounts of food, yet I’m just as satisfied as if I had eaten everything on my plate. I am so thankful for this tool!I am going through the motions with clothes right now. I almost wish I wore uniforms because getting dressed is becoming a little frustrating.
A few months ago I was ecstatic that I could now fit almost everything in my closet and I was thinking that I would be able to make it through the winter without buying much. WRONG!!!
All size 22/24s are too big – I can get away with some tops but the pants are falling to the floor and the dresses look like tents. The 18/20s are OK depending on what it is. The tops are fine but the size 20 bottoms are really saggy in the butt - UGH! Big girls with saggy pants are not cute.
I was in Target last week and tried on some dress slacks in a size 18 and a size 16. The 18 was a good fit for work slacks but I tried on the 16 just to see if I could fit and I DID! I ended up not buying either because they were too long. My shoe size has not really changed but my feet are definitely narrower. I have gotten rid of some shoes, not because of size but they are now too wide and flopping off my feet. WOW Moment ----- I have 2 pair of Parasuco stretch jeans (the tag says waist size 36) that I have held on to for 10, yes 10 years! A few weeks before I left for Hawaii I decided to try them on. After lots of pulling and tugging I finally got them on, could barely button them and when I did -- major muffin top.
Well by the time we came back I was able to wear them and they fit like a glove -- still a little muffin top but a loose sweater or tunic will fix that. Ironically, its now 10 years later and skinny jeans are back in style – so glad I kept mine.
Well I signed up for two water aerobics classes that start tomorrow. Each class is 45 minutes twice per week. I used to love water aerobics so I’m hoping this is the thing that puts me on a permanent path to regular exercise. I’m praying for strength and motivation on this exercise thing. I want to do it mentally but physically I just don’t feel like it. And the physical seems to win out when it actually comes to getting it done. Any tips on how to get motivated and stay motivated to exercise would be greatly appreciated OH fam.
My birthday
is two weeks from today and for the first time in a long time, I’m looking forward to celebrating with family and friends.
Thanks for reading. Be blessed and stay safe.The Good News.......The Bad News
Sep 29, 2009
The Good News – I have lost 62 lbs!!!!!!!!! WOW 62lbs. - That’s 12 - 5lb. bags of sugar. I feel really good about my progress so far and seeing the weight come off definitely motivates me to continue doing the right things. My blood and vitamins levels are all within normal ranges except for the Vitamin D. It was slightly below the normal range but the nurse practitioner told me that it is a common deficiency following WLS and can be easily corrected. I will be taking 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D a week for the next 8 weeks to redress the deficiency. It’s just one pill per week so no big deal.
The Bad News - My blood pressure was 159/105. I am so disappointed and frustrated. HBP was my only co-morbidity before WLS and I still have it.
Unfortunately, HBP runs on both sides of my family and I’m starting to get discouraged that it won’t go away.
I knew this was a possibility before surgery but I was really hoping to be off medications for it by now. Instead, I saw my primary care doctor yesterday (reading was 162/102) and he has added another medication for it.
It’s a mild diuretic (Lasix 40mg) that I was taking before surgery but had to stop because the doctors were concerned that it may dehydrate me since we take in so little right after surgery. At this point, I will take anything to get my blood pressure down. It really scares me because I feel fine and I have no clue that it’s elevated until I have a reading done
(The Silent Killer). My PCP also wants me to have my blood pressure taken twice a week for the next 4 weeks and record the numbers. He told me to be patient, that I still have a long way to go and that my blood pressure may return to normal as I continue to lose more weight. I sure do hope so but for now I will just try to be patient, stay the course, and 
that it gets better. I have a feeling that if I increased my physical activity (i.e., get a damn exercise routine you lazy heffa) it might help lower my blood pressure.I'm in countdown mode...............2 more days of work, leaving for Hawaii in 8 days.
3 Months Post-Op
Sep 17, 2009
when I see other people who are/were much further along at the 3 month mark. But then there are others who are losing/have lost at almost the exact same rate and some even slower. 
So I decided to enjoy the journey I’m on and stop worrying about if I should have lost more by now. 
I’m still on point with the protein, vitamins and fluid. I still get most of my protein from drinks since I usually only eat about 4-6oz of meat for lunch and dinner combined -- and that’s on a good day. I drink 2 protein drinks per day with at least 96g of protein combined. My breakfast and snacks are usually fruit, sometimes cheese or nuts. I need to do more research on the protein content in foods and make a plan to get more of it from food instead of the drinks. But for now, as long as I’m getting it in, I’m not worried much that it’s from drinks instead of food. I also need to record my intake for a week to see exactly how much protein I’m getting per day. I might be getting more than required. I’m still not exercising.
I have no excuses. I’m just pure lazy. The weather is changing here in DC so lunch time walks will begin next week.
My size 20W clothing is getting quite loose. I’m snugly fitting into some 18Ws but pants in that size are a little tight on my waist. I have not purchased any new everyday clothing, I’m just trying to get final wears out of all my old stuff that I have been wanting to get back into for years. I have some suits and wear to work separates that I know are at least 7 years old and I plan to wear them at some point this fall and winter. I did purchased a beautiful dress to take to Hawaii with me next month. Now the dress is free flowing anyway and it has an elastic back panel so I’m sure that helped but it was a misses size 18 and it fit - a little tight around the bust but it fit!
I love this dress. I can’t wait to wear it and will definitely post pictures of me in it. I have less than a month to go before I become a Mrs. and I’m so excited. I found a wedding gown about 2 weeks ago and it has arrived at the boutique. I will go in for a fitting tomorrow. I wish I had more time to look because although I love the dress I ordered, I feel like I settled but I knew this would be a challenge on short notice and I could not have possibly brought a dress before now since my body and weight are changing so rapidly. I’m sure everything will work out fine in the end though – no worries.
What I am starting to worry about are those inevitable reactions I’m going to get when people start noticing my weight loss. For instance, my family – I have been ducking and dodging them like crazy because I didn’t tell them about my surgery. Well my Grandmother turned 80 years old yesterday and we all gathered for a small celebration after work. A few folk commented that I looked like I was losing weight but I told them I was dieting to fit into my wedding dress. I plan to tell them sometime after the wedding so it won’t be long before my skeletons are out of the closet.
I’m sure I’ll have stories to post about their reactions. No one has said anything at work yet (except my boss – he was the only one I told at work) and I’m glad for that but I’m going to be away from the office for three weeks next month and I’m sure when I return people are going to start doing double takes
. When I originally had surgery, I was only out for 1 ½ weeks and there was no noticeable difference when I returned but I suspect that this will be a different story. Also, I gained about 60 pounds over a 2 year period before my surgery so the size I am now is the same size most people are used to seeing me at. I believe that’s why it’s not immediately noticeable to most people. Plus I hid when I was at my highest weight – I hid from family and friends and I hid in my clothing. Well, I won’t be hiding this holiday season so I’m getting mentally prepared for all that will come my way. It would be nice if I were pleasantly surprised and receive only words of encouragement and pats on the back for doing a good job. But this is my family we’re talking about and I know them suckas.Well, I had my blood drawn today and I have my 3 month follow-up with the surgeon next Thursday. I hope everything is on point because I have been faithfully taking my vitamins everyday. I will post again soon to record my results.
8 Weeks Post-Op
Aug 06, 2009
It was the WORST and I definitely had buyer’s remorse during those “difficult moments”. But now I take Colace 2x a day and that seems to keep me regular. I sometimes drink a cup of Smooth Move Tea if things seem to be getting a little strained and it flushes everything right out. I don’t like that I have to take something on a daily basis to have regular bowel movements but from what I’ve read constipation is common for us, so I’m dealing with it.Protein - I started with the RTD Zero Carb Isopure and Atkins but by the time the stock pile was gone I was tired of them.
Now my new favorite is Nectar Roadside Lemonade with Wild Strawberry Crystal Light and Nectar Lemon Tea with Lemonade Crystal Light. I am going to get some more Isopure because I like having something RTD on hand in case I don’t have time to mix something up. I ordered and will pick-up today a Magic Bullet. I’m hoping to use this mostly for mixing protein powder with yogurt that I can have for breakfast. I had no success in getting a smooth consistency using a spoon or whisk. I started mixing protein drinks in the blender last weekend. They really blend better (smoother consistency and better taste) but they come out really foamy. I usually have to let them sit in the fridge overnight to allow all the foam to melt. I was told that this occurs because of the air that gets in when mixing it in the blender. They foam up in the shaker cup too but not as much. I’ll keeping testing things until I find something that works well.Fluids - I can no longer drink a glass of ice cold water. Every time I try it hurts my pouch and I get a wave of nausea.....WTH??? Before surgery I would get the biggest cup I could find, fill it with ice water and drink all day. Now I have to use Crystal Light and I have to let the water warm a little before I can drink it. I’M SICK OF SIPPING!!! It is getting better as time passes but I’m waiting for the day when I can just pick up a cup of something and drink it normally. There have been times when I forgot to sip and within a few seconds it feels like somebody kicked me in my stomach.
Food - Honestly, I have tried lots of things and the only thing that made me dump was peanuts and that was my own doing because I tried them to early. My only advice in this area is take small bites and chew everything well. I have had steak, chicken, hamburger, meatloaf, crab cakes, shrimp and scallops. Shrimp was a bit difficult but everything else was fine as long as its moist and/or chewed well before swallowing. Of course I can only eat a few bites at a time but I am truly satisfied and I don’t feel deprived or hungry at all. I have dined out with no problems and this week I finally had the salad I had been craving – no problems with that either. I’m also eating fruit almost daily as a mid-morning snack. I’ve tried fresh watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, apples and pineapples – no problem with any of them.
I have a confession - I have also had Doritos, Cheez-Its and cookies. For the Doritos and Cheez-Its, I only had the single serving bag but I turned 1 serving into 3 servings so it really wasn’t much. As for the cookies, only one at a time and I’m not indulging daily. I think I was just curious as to how I would react to these foods because I certainly don’t crave them.Vitamins - I’m doing very well in this area. I take them everyday and have rarely missed a dose. When I see my PCP to get blood work done for my 3 month follow-up with the surgeon, I’m going to ask about getting off the HBP meds and getting monthly B-12 shots instead of taking the 1000 mg sub-lingual every other day.
Exercise - I have not done any with the exception of an occasional walk around the block. This is definitely my area of weakness. I have a treadmill at home and absolutely no excuses for not using it. At first my energy level was low and I did not feel like exercising. But as of last week, I’m feeling normal again and I should be exercising. I’m vowing to change this. I think I will join one of those daily accountability groups. Maybe that will get me going since I would have to report my progress daily.
Weight - Just like all newbies, I wish I was losing more but I have never lost 38 lbs in 8 weeks so you will not catch me complaining about stalls and how much weight I have NOT lost since the surgery (maybe in the future).
My highest weight was 317 lbs. and I was 310 lbs on the day of surgery. Today I am 272 lbs. and comfortably fitting all my size 20W clothing. I truly enjoy getting up and getting dressed. In the year before deciding to have surgery, I had gained so much weight that almost all my clothes from the previous summers were too small or tight as hell. It feels really good to go to the closet, have a selection and not worry about if it will fit. Although I am looking forward to losing more weight, I am almost positive that I will be sad and depressed about letting go of all my clothes. I hope to cure my depression with shopping for new clothes in a smaller size instead of with a prescription Wellbutrin....LOL.
I’m thinking about photographing outfits and selling them on e-bay. If that doesn’t work out, I will be happy to freely give things away but I want the recipient to wear and take care of the clothing. I have really nice quality clothing (IMO) and if someone else could wear them and be fly like me, its all good.Overall, life is good. I’m preparing for my wedding in Hawaii this October and enjoying this weight loss journey. I have to update this blog more frequently. This is too long. Thanks to all for reading.
Weight Loss Goals
Jun 10, 2009
Many OH members say it's a good idea to make a list of things you are looking forward to after WLS so that you can look back and have a reference to measure how far you have come. So here's my list:
1. Being more active and social. Lately I have been inactive and shying away from social events because of my weight gain. I have made excuses and just straight up lied about why I couldn't attend events and family gatherings. I know my friends and family love me no matter what but I am just ashamed and disappointed that I have let my weight get so out of control. So I'm looking forward to feeling good about myself again and getting back to the people I love and enjoy so much.
2. Being Healthy. My blood pressure was out of control and I walked around everyday not feeling any effects from it. But that's why they call it the "silent killer" and I was soooo scared it was going to kill me. My feet and ankles swell almost daily. My back, knees, legs and feet hurt often. I believe I have poor circulation in my legs too because sometimes when I wake up they are numb.
3. Being able to buy clothing anywhere I want to! But before I do, I have to thank two very special people in my life -- my sisters, Lane Bryant and Ashley Stewart. 
I will miss you both. You guys have been my biggest supporters and my bestest friends. You have always cheered me up when I was down and made me feel loved and accepted.
We have had some great times and I will never forget you! I promise to always stop buy and raid through your accessories. And to my other sister, Macy’s -– girl you might as well up my credit limit because from now on I will be shopping in all your departments, not just the women’s section. I look forward to building on our already rock solid relationship. To Gucci, Fendi and Louis Vuitton -- it will no longer just be handbags, shoes, watches and sunshades. I look forward to growing the partnership we formed back in the 80's. (got my 1st Gucci purse for 8th grade graduation). You guys will now serve as my reward for keeping my exercise and fitness goals - GAME ON!!!! To Diane von Furstenberg , BCBGMaxAzria, and BeBe – I have admired you from afar and I look forward to trying you on and maybe making a purchase 
...........Can you see the transfer addiction happening already?
4. Being able to walk in heels all day and dance in them all night.
I love shoes just as much as, if not more than clothes and I miss my heels. I haven’t been able to wear them since about 60+ lbs ago. They make me feel extra sexy and tall. I can’t wait to get my first pair of STILETTOS!!!!!
5. Being able to cross my legs. That is so sexy!
6. Being able to sit on the Metro, an airplane or any adjoined seat and not spill over into the next one. It will also be cool when I am able to sit in a single seat and put my purse BESIDE me.
7. Being able to buy a bra and matching panty set or some lingerie from Victoria’s Secret. I don’t even know if I will really like their stuff but I want the option.
8. Wearing my seatbelt without it feeling like my whole upper body is in a choke hold.
9. Weighing less than my fiance.
10. Better sex -- I could soooooo elaborate on this one but I’ll just leave it to your own imagination.
11. I want to go to King’s Dominion. I have never been to an amusement park and been embarrassed because I couldn’t fit on the ride but that’s because I have avoided them for the last 5-6 years. I want to go and get on every ride like I use to..........I love roller coasters.
12. I want to swim more than one lap without being completely out of breath. I love the water and plan to use swimming and water aerobics to help get rid of this weight.
13. I want to be able to give myself a pedicure without having to change positions 99 times to get to every part of my foot.
14. I want my fiance to pick me up -- literally!
15. I want to sky drive and bungee jump. I probably would have tried these things already but I would be more comfortable trying them under 200 lbs.
16. I want to RUN on my treadmill.
17. I want to take a spinning class.
18. I want to climb a mountain........I think???
19. I want to go skiing.
20. I want to try surfing.
21. I want to try scuba diving.
22. I want to buy leather knee high boots that zip up my leg – not the synthetic leather ones that stretch on the calf.
23. Having a favorite pair of jeans that won’t eventually wear out in the middle from my thighs rubbing together.........See how this keeps coming back to clothes or shoes?
24. Being able to clean all three floors of my house in one day.
25. The satisfaction that comes with achieving goals. It’s always a great feeling when you plan to do something, work hard at it and reach your goal. YES I CAN!
A Reflection of My Journey to WLS..............
Jun 06, 2009
I’m writing this blog because my surgery date is near and I just wanted to reflect on my journey. It’s a pretty long post but........Like to hear it?............Here it go!................
In 5 days I will be having RNY gastric bypass surgery.......WOW!!!.........Everything happened so fast!!!!
After reading about all the difficulties some people have gone through to get approved for WLS, I feel very fortune. The process wasn’t that long and it wasn’t much of a struggle. I thought about having surgery for awhile but only started the actual process 6 months ago. I decided to have the surgery in September 2008 but my insurance at the time (Kaiser) had an extensive program to go through and getting an approval was not going to be easy. I wasn’t opposed to following a program but I have been overweight all my life. I have tried almost every diet and exercise regimen and taken almost every supplement put on the market for weight loss. I have had great success at some and but failed at most. I just wasn’t feeling having to be monitored by a dietician who wasn’t going to be able to tell me anything I didn’t already know – eat less and exercise more. Really?
.......Is that all you have to do?
.......Whatever! So when open season for health insurance came around in November, I researched every plan that was available. I went to health fairs where representatives from different insurance companies come out and talk to you about benefits, and I even called customer service a number of times to make sure that I understood the criteria I needed to meet to qualify for WLS.
I ended up choosing BCBS because they had Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery and as long as the surgeon determined that WLS was medically necessary the procedure is covered (BMI > than 40 or BMI of at least 35 with failed treatment of co-morbidities). I didn’t even need a pre-approval from the insurance company, only a pre-certification for the hospital stay. No 6-12 month monitored diet programs, no weight loss requirements before surgery, and only a one day liquid diet. Through BCBS I found one of the top surgeons in the field of bariatric surgery, Dr. Michael Schweitzer. He has one of the lowest complication rates in the country and has years of experience in all types of WLS, with thousands of RNYs under is belt. I’m not trying to sound like an infomercial but here’s a portion of his bio:
Michael Schweitzer, M.D., developed the laparoscopic bariatric surgery programs at the Medical College of Virginia (one of the first ten laparoscopic gastric bypass programs in the country), Georgetown University, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and the Johns Hopkins University, where he is currently a full-time faculty member. Dr. Schweitzer was the first surgeon in the mid-Atlantic area to perform laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the first in Maryland to perform laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery and laparoscopic duodenal switch with biliopancreatic diversion.
Currently chair of the membership committee for the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, Dr. Schweitzer also serves as a site inspector for the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Center of Excellence Program. He serves on three editorial boards: the Journal of Laparoendoscopic and Advanced Surgical Techniques, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (the official journal of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons) and Bariatric Times.
Dr. Schweitzer was the first to ever publish a technique for endoscopic stoma reduction using transoral endoscopic suturing. A great deal of attention is focused on the future of transoral surgery to avoid abdominal incisions for routine surgery ("No-Scar Surgery"). Dr. Schweitzer is one of the first to apply this technology to bariatric patients.
To say I was impressed would be an understatement. One of the top surgeons in the country at one of the best hospitals (Johns Hopkins) in the country. 
In January 2009 I completed an online information session. In early February I met with Dr. Schweitzer with all intentions of getting the Lap-Band but found out that my BMI was too high and I would have to lose weight to qualify for it. Dr. Schweitzer suggested RNY because it would give me the best chance of successfully reaching a healthy weight. He told me to think about it, do some research on RNY, attend some support groups and talk to people who had the procedure, let his staff know my choice and we would go from there. I did all those things and by the end of February I had made my decision to go with RNY and completed my nutrition and psychiatric evaluations.
The longest and most frustrating part was waiting to get a surgery date. I damn near had to beg for it but I called
and sent emails faithfully every 2 weeks to see where I was in the process. I know those people were sick of me but I really wanted this and I believe in being proactive (but always pleasant) and going after what you what (while remaining pleasant of course). At the beginning of April I finally got the call and surgery was scheduled for June 11.
I am confident that I am in very capable hands. Talk about being blessed and in God’s favor........Thank you Jesus is I all can say.
There is one thing nagging at me though. As of today I have only told 5 people (none of them family) that I am having surgery. I told my fiancé – we live together so I couldn’t hide it from him. I told my girlfriends, Vernessa and Tremeka, who are always genuinely supportive and my friend Tira who I have known since we were 5 years old. She lives in Atlanta now, had RNY a few years ago and is doing great. And I told my boss who has a daughter that had the Lap Band last year and he has been really supportive too. I have not told my dad, my brothers, my aunt, my grandparents, my stepmother or any of my step sisters and brothers and I feel a little bit guilty. I choose not to tell because most of them have never struggled with weight or only know of some horror story about WLS and I know their first reaction would be you don’t need to do that, all you need to do is blah, blah, blah, blah and I don’t want to hear it.
I don’t want the burden of having to justify and argue my decision at this time. It’s almost like being a baby in Christ and trying to convince a life long atheist that there is a God. I don’t want to be bothered with that right now and I feel my focus should be on me and preparing for the life long changes ahead. I feel like I need to walk the walk, have my own experience, and establish my own testimony before I jump out there as counsel for the defense of WLS. I have worked with lawyers for the past 19 years and can argue an issue as well as they can but the most valuable thing I have learned from them is always do your own research and always be prepared. So until I feel like I can argue my case 
in the court of my family, I’m keeping my mouth shut.
I just pray for God’s continued blessing and favor because I don’t want my fiancé to bear the burden of having to tell my family if something happens to me. I feel guilty about that the most but again I am confident that I am in very capable hands and I have faith that everything will be just fine.
Pre-Op Testing Complete!
Jun 05, 2009
I saw my PCP to go over my lab results, chest x-ray and get my blood pressure re-checked. The lab results and chest x-ray were great! All of my results were within normal ranges.
My Dr. has no concerns going into surgery now, everything is right on point. My BP is still slightly elevated but it was definitely better -- 150/80 today vs. 166/110 when I saw him 2 weeks ago. So the new medication is working. He gave me a new prescription for the same medication at a higher dosage but told me to take the one I have twice a day until it runs out. I hope that after surgery I can get off this medication. I’ll be taking enough vitamins as it is. The Dr. also gave me copy of the write-up from my physical, results of all my labs, EKG and the chest x-ray. He said they were sent over to my surgeon’s office earlier in the week but he gave me a copy just in case I need it which really put me at ease. I’ll probably carry it around like a Bible until they wheel me into the operating room. He also wrote down what my BP was today on a prescription pad and signed it so I could give that to my surgeon’s office in case they want an update. I’m staying close to home this weekend. My new living room furniture is being delivered tomorrow and I plan to spend the day cleaning, washing and wiping down everything in sight. I need to get my hair braided so I won’t have to fuss with it next week but that may have to wait until one day after work. My surgeon’s office will call me on Wednesday to let me know what time I should arrive at the hospital. Until then I’ll just be keeping busy getting prepared for Thursday, June 11.....................and praying that everything will be fine!Pre-Op Testing Almost Done!
May 28, 2009
I told her that my PCP put me on another medication for the HBP and that it was down from when I saw him the previous week for the pre-operative physical. I let her know that I would be seeing my PCP again next week for a BP check and to go over my blood work and chest x-ray. The new medication seems to be working and I hope my BP is even lower at my follow-up appointment. The nurse went over everything that will happen on the day of surgery and throughout my hospital stay. She gave me handouts with general information for bariatric patients and my post-operative care instructions. She told me all the dos and don’ts like -- Do take my BP medication the morning of surgery with a small sip of water, do bring my ID and medical insurance card, do bring shoes that are easy to slip on so you won’t have to bend over, do bring your eyeglasses because you won’t be able to wear your contacts during surgery, don’t wear any nail polish, don’t bring money, credit cards or other valuables, don’t bring lots of stuff cause you won’t need it, etc., etc. I also paid my hospital admission co-pay so I won’t have to worry about that on the day of surgery. My final appointment before surgery is next week with my PCP. Until then I'm just trying to keep the blood pressure and anxiety down. 
