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Can't believe but it's already been two years since I had my DS surgery.

I've lost 204 pounds and got to the BMI of 24.9, i.e. i'm in the normal range. Well, it's post plastics, but who cares, right?

My tummy finally healed after TT and only a little bump under my belly button reminds about a huge seroma I had there. Boy, it was messy... more than two months with drains and gauze pads and constantly wet and bloody underwear, lol. And the smell!!! - when the "hole" became infected... I had to wash it with disinfecting solution just to get rid of the stench. Thanks goodness, it's over.

My abdomen looks quite nice and though it's not really flat, it looks very natural. Can't wait for the scars to lose their color - it usually takes about two years for my skin to even out. I'm planning to have a boobs-n-arms combined surgery in April, hope this one won't cause that much hustle.

I'm 182 pounds down, and sitting currently at 169. I've gained 1.5 inch in height and my current BMI is 28. It's a weird feeling not to be obese anymore. Though I realize that BMI below 25 is probably unachievable, I don't want it so badly any more. I'm 40 and look better than ever in my life, healthier than I was at 30, XL clothing is a bit loose and I guess, that after my plastic surgery on May 20th my size will be medium-large. Fine with me. Losing the last few pounds will add more wrinkles to my rapidly aging face and won't make me any healthier or better looking... so why bother?

Oh yea, I'm having my tummy tuck and hernia repair on May the 20th. Dr. Silverman in Ottawa. No OHIP involved (didn't waste time applying for the panni) - going large for the F-d-L tummy tuck, the most extensive and expensive procedure. But hey, it's my body - why would I be cheap with it?
Next step will be arms+boobs, hopefully in the same operation.

And after all this cutting I hope to have BMI of 25-26. Then I'll be totally happy and consider myself at goal.

Life is GOOD!

Well, it's been 5 months since my DS.

113 lbs down from my highest weight and almost 100 since the surgery. No longer diabetic, sleep apnea has improved, but I still snore.
Yesterday I saw collar bones. MINE. Feels really weird.

I joined a gym and take some personal trainer sessions (it all is free for me, as it's a part of my work benefits. Surprisingly I loved cardio - I do the elliptic. Started with10 minutes, but very soon felt it was too easy and increased both duration and resistance. Also I  do some weights, but this part has always been easy.

my liver is doing poorly as it was quite bad before the surgery and seems to take the weight loss a bit hard.

Now a little whining - I am losing weight slower than expected. Have experienced some very long stalls and my overall progress is below average (for my bmi range).

I'm beginning to doubt my ability to achieve the goal... Actually I don't remember myself less than 150lbs... - that was the skinny me.

 

Yep, I did it - I survived the surgery, and even the horrible, dreadful post-op stay in Crittenton.
Don't get it - Lutrzhykowski is a superior surgeon, why does he deal with this crappy hole? Nurses were the worst. I was hospitalized twice before, at Civic hosp in Ottawa. It's just day and night (Civic's the day). Maybe Americans just didn't like my European accent, lol?

Anyway, pretty soon I was in Drury with my family. This place I really loved. Nice, clean , staff are very friendly and helpful. Met Greg and Barb and their families. Very nice ppl, very supportive. This part of the journey was pure joy.

The pain. It was bad in the first 3-4 days, but totally manageable with drugs. A week after surgery I almost didn't feel any pain, except for this strange sensation of your internals moving inside of you, when lying down or turning in bed. Kinda gross...

My butt really surprised me. I expected stinky oily explosions, like I had on xenical. Instead, I've got practically normal stool, maybe just a bit more  loose than before DS. No foul smell that early out and, surprisingly, almost no gas.

No vomiting in the first three weeks and later only twice - popping out the last bite, not the  entire meal, with no pain or discomfort. Just ate one bite too much and felt it "asking to go out", so I went to a washroom and let it go.

Dr. L allowed me to eat chicken and fish starting day 12. On my 10th and 11th day I drove my family back to Ottawa. We stayed overnight at my SIL place in Rochester NY. Driving was easy, I didn't feel a thing. All pain was gone by then.

So here I am - 6 weeks out, 60 libs lighter, bmi under 50, no insulin, practically normal sugar, sitting in my size 22 pants (before DS I couldn't fit into 32 and Pennington didn't carry any bigger). Yesterday a co-worker said "Hey, you are melting". And the day before, another one said that I should buy new clothes, these look too baggy. And I was wearing my size 24 pants with 4x top. - way smaller than I was wearing this summer.

Whoo Hoo! I love my DS!

Well, today I've got my tests, and the only "remarkable"  thing was my liver, it's fatty, enlarged and some enzymes are quite elevated. I hope it's just the fat affecting my organ, but my doc wants me to follow up with it after the surgery. And I think it's a good thing to do.

To the much surprise my lungs were clear. NEVER, never, never smoking again. I'm almost four years smoke free and so proud of myself!
And of course proud of my DH, who quit with me, for me and our baby.

And as of this morning, I've lost .... 12 libs!!!! Doing nothing special, really. Eating a bit healthier, less carbs, no night time snacking with cakes, pies, smoked meets and everything eatable I can find in my fridge.

Today my sweet little princess is 2.5 years old. She is not a toddler (officially!) any more.

In 20 days I will be on a table, if every thing is OK with my tests.

Unlike so many nice people here on OH I don't have depression , anxiety, or phobias or any other mental issues.

Then  why am I being so paranoid about my tests?

Well, I used to smoke. A lot. For like... 17 years. I've been obese for at least  35 years - I count it from age 3, when a little boy refused to dance with "Fat Nata". I have diabetes for 6 years- just the time for complications to begin. 

I'm just afraid to find that something irreversible had happened. Something that I see on TV as inevitable consequence of a lifestyle like mine...

So far lost only 5 pounds out of 20, requested by Dr. Lu. Gotta start liquid diet - otherwise there is no way I make these 20 libs to go away. 

He-he, that's my daughter's favorite phrase nowadays.
She shouts "go away" if I try to help her with anything. Very independent young lady ( she is almost two and a half). And rude. takes after mommy.

La-La-La! (singing)

I've got my DS with Dr. Lu approval and Julie called today with a surgery date - October 30 it is.

For those who don't remember or know me, a little prehistory (warning - long):
I'm a Renegade from the RNY camp of Dr. Graber. I was originally approved for an RNY in Utica and even had a consult with Dr. G. Yet I had serious doubts about my surgery choice. Then due to an accident I had to cancel my surgery .
 
While recovering, I decided to get a  "second opinion" from a DS surgeon, started with O'Maley in Rochester - it was my worse experience with medical institution.  His receptionist was the most disrespectful and rude person I met in my life. And he does not accept self paying CANADIAN patients. ops, I was going to self pay for a consult, since I already used my approved consult fees to see Graber.

Well, the DS virus already infected my blood stream and I would never be happy with RNY - it's a mental thing, they denied me a toy - so I must have it!.
And since the well known path to success in DS world for Ontarians goes through clinic of Doctor Lu, I went to see The Man. Matka Boska! (Mother of God in polish) I just hope my surgery goes as well as my consult.
Sorry Dr. Graber, it's not you, it's me. I love Dr. Lu and the DS.

Well, I reapplied to OHIP and this time I collected letters from GP and Endocrinologist and blood /EKG/sleep tests as well as wrote a totally out of my character personal letter, literally begging for approval, with phrases like "It's my best chance to become a normal healthy person, get rid of diabetes, sleep apnea, ..... please help me". Ok. It probably was too much, but it worked! I got approval for ... a consult! Now I am going to apply for reimbursement for my self paid $500 . Who knows, maybe I still can get it covered!

WARNING! 

I DO NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE TO GO FOR A CONSULT PRIOR TO APPROVAL. OHIP HATED IT AND THEY CALLED ME, ASKING NOT TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.

 

I finally got the approval and scheduled my surgery on July 25. 

Now I start feeling scared...but there is no other way I can take my big D under control, and if I don't - my little Naomi might not remember mommy when she's grown up. That scares me more.

I spent two hours, mostly waiting for a nurse and later for Dr. Graber. The actual meeting with the Doc was less than 10 minutes, and he just gave me a short lecture, repeating the same info they sent me in the prep. package. His promisses "You are going to be a star !" were so fake, even I didn't buy it. 
However, from the info I have on him - he is good with his hands, and that's what matters eventually. 

I've got a consultation appointment for April 29. 
Don't have the OHIP approval yet, but doc's office said it can wait - just get the approval before my surgery.