jeff N.

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 Well, I guess it is has been quite awhile since I posted an update.  So, I had my surgery on October 21, 2009.  Everything has been going great in regards to the surgery and I couldn't be happier that I made the choice to have this surgery.   Well I started my journey for the DS in July of 2009, at a high weight of 495 pounds, wearing a 5X/6X shirt and a size 58 pants.  Well 15 months later, I am at 255 pounds, a 240 pound weight loss, an XL shirt, and depending on the pants, 36 or 38 waist.  

I had a great summer, doing a lot of golfing, which I hadn't done for about 13 years.  I golfed in 2 leagues, one of which me and my teammate tied for 2nd place overall.  I also won the low net club championship at the golf course that I played.  It was nice to be back golfing again, even the my game was extremely inconsistent.  I had both of my brothers visit, whom I hadn't seen since before I had my surgery.  And I had my oldest nephew here for a month this summer. We did many things that I know I wouldn't have been able to do had I not gotten rid of a lot of the weight.  I also spent 3 weeks out east visiting my brother and family (while returning his son) and also went camping on the beach while I was out there.  I also got my hockey skates back on this winter for the first time in probably 13 years as well, I guess once you learn something, you never really forget how to do it..

I was hospitalized for about 8 days in the middle of November, but it had nothing to do with having DS or weight loss surgery.   It is not really certain as to what caused it, but to the best that they could figure out, I had some form of viral hepatitis (not  the common A,B,C or even D-F).  There are many different strains that there just isn't a test for, which means there is also no cure or to what causes them.  The result of this was acute liver and kidney failure.  The liver was pretty close to normal by the time I left the hospital, but my kidneys were not working and had to be put on dialysis, with the hope that at some point they will start working again.  Well after I left the hospital, I had outpatient dialysis 3 times a week for 4 hours a day, until the middle of December, when my kidney function started to return.  After  a week and a half of tests, they were normal enough to remove the catheter that was needed for dialysis, the Monday before Christmas, so I guess it was a good christmas present for myself.  Everything has seemed to be normal since then.  Hopefully I do not have to deal with that again.

I am looking forward to the cruise I am going on next month with a group of about 50 and about 30 of them being people that have had the DS.  

I know I still have a ways to go, but from where I have come from and to where I am at now, I could not be happier.  If I were to not lose anymore weight, I would be fine with that, but would like to lose another 30 pounds, and ultimately another 60 to get below 200 pounds.  I guess we will see where it goes from here.

Jeff

 It is hard to believe it has already been 6 months since I had my DS.  I finally feel like I am starting to take my life back, even though I know I still have a long ways to go.  So I guess numbers wise I am down 165 pounds from 495 to 330.  My pant size has dropped from a size 58 to a size range of 40, 42, or 44 depending on brand.  Shirt size I am on the verge of getting in to a XXL from a 5X/6X.  I just need to get a few of my vitamins straightened out (Vit. A, Vit. D, Iron), but that is a work in progress.

I am finally able to do things without becoming tired.  I no longer am afraid of my back acting up, even though there are still days where it is sore (the damage is already done).  I go golfing 3-5 times a week and am playing for the first time in 12 years.  And am looking forward to league starting in less than 2 weeks and upcoming tournaments throughout the summer.  Well that is unless the construction industry picks up and I can get back to work.  
I am also looking forward to my 2 brothers coming to visit this summer, who I haven't seen since last summer when I was at my highest weight.  And then to go back out to the East coast camping with one of them with his family in the middle of July.  Road trip here I come. 

Maybe one of these days my fear of a camera ( LOL ) will pass and I will update some photos.  Thats enough for now.

I would also like to thank everyone for there support and great knowledge that they have given me, even though I do not post a lot, I do read a lot of the posts though.

Jeff

 I just realized I have not written on here since 1 week post-op.  So I decided a 4 month update is in order.  I guess I will start with the numbers, I am down 70 pounds since surgery and 140 pounds since I re-started my journey at the U of M in the middle of July (about 7 months).  I currently weigh 355 pounds , and yes that is still a lot, but I am feeling 100 times better, my energy is greater than what it was, and hope to be off my cholesterol medication after my 6 month appointment.  I  am currently exercising and lifting weights at least 5 times per week and that is also helping with my energy.  I have had no complications so far (knock on wood) and so far this has been pretty easy.  I am hoping this continues.

If anything this has been a lot tougher mentally than I thought it would be.  People that I see regularly are constantly complimenting me on how I am doing and looking.  The problem is, is that I don't see it.  I can look in the mirror and very little change, if any, except for in my face a little and legs.  I know it is working because i just had to go buy some new clothes and I have gone down about 12 pant sizes and 2 shirt sizes.  I just need to get that in my head.  

The other mental issue I am having is that the recovery time that I have had since my surgery has got me thinking a lot, mainly about my mother.  That is mainly why I am writing this today.  My mother died 2 years ago today and over the last 4 months is really the first time i have really begun to think about it in great deal.  The first 1 year and 8 months since her passing I had other things on my mind which helped me block it out.  Mainly taking care of all her affairs and then taking control of my health that I had really let go while I was trying to take care of and/or help her out.  I also know she is in a much better place than what she was in here her last 6 months.  I love you MOM!!.   

I am looking forward to the winter to being over so I can get back to golfing regularly.  I have already been hitting golf balls at a nearby golf dome.  I also just got a new puppy and it is really a handful.  Hopefully it will start to learn.  I have a lot of plans for this summer, with my brothers coming here this summer and then me turning around and going out east (for a couple weeks) to visit and go camping on near the beach/ Chesapeake Bay.  And oh yeah go golfing.

I would post some new pictures, but I don't have any.  I still hate camera's, but i'm sure some will be posted sometime.

 I figured today would be a good day to to tell everyone how my day of surgery went, hospital stay and the 2 days have been since my surgery.
10/21/09-  My surgery was scheduled for 12:10 p.m. and they wanted me there at 10:00.  I arrived at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and within 10 minutes had all of my paperwork done and was back getting prepped for surgery, Blood pressure, IV, weight (which was 425, lost 70 pounds in 3 months).  All of the people (nurses, anesthesiologist, etc...) all stopped by and were very nice.  Then my doctor, Dr. Ikramuddin, stopped in and we talked for about 5 minutes about why he decided to change the surgery to an open duodenal switch, instead of laproscopic.  It had to do with scarring from when my gall bladder was removed 3 years earlier.  I got wheeled into surgery at about 11:30, and the next thing I remember I was in recovery and it was about 7:00.  It took me quite awhile to come out of the anesthesia because they had trouble keeping my oxygen levels up.  When I woke up I had tube coming out of both nostrils, and the breathing tube down my throat.  My throat hurt, was dry, and I had a hard time breathing with everything in there, it also sucked not being able to communicate with the people, they then took out the breathing tube, which made it a little better.  They then took out the other tube out of my nose (not sure what it was for) leaving just the ng tube.  By about 8:30 I was in my room.  At about 4:00 a.m. they got me in a far more comfortable bed, and at about 9:00 a.m. I changed rooms, into a private room.

10/22/09-  This was a pretty non-eventful day managed by my pca pump (gotta love the morphine) every 10 minutes, if i remembered to hit the button.  The team of doctors stopped by twice and my doctor stopped by once to see how I was doing and to see the incision.  I was starting to feel a little better and they started getting me up walking.

10/23/09-  Another boring day, being asked constantly if I have had a bowel movement or was passing gas (when that happened the ng tube could come out and I could start drinking fluids.  That was unsuccessful for the day.  And more walking.

10/24/09-  Still no bm and not passing gas, thats when they decided to use some assistance, not a fan of it.  In about an hour and a half there was success and the ng tube was removed.  Much better, but still had to wait 8 hours before I could have a drink of water.  So at dinner time I finally got to have some fluids, not a lot though, the stomach was rumbling and filled quickly.  Finally had a little more freedom, was still sore (mainly in abdomen) but spent a good part of the day sitting in the chair.  I also had by laptop brought to me (wireless throughout whole hospital) and used that since i could sit in a chair.

10/25/09-  Drinking fluids and walking.  I noticed the biggest change so far in how I was feeling.  My IV started leaking so they decided just to remove it, and get me off the pca pump and onto liquid pain meds.  My team of doctors stopped by this morning saw I was doing well and said there was a chance I could go home that evening.  Well that didn't happen because when they stopped by that afternoon they said they wanted to see how I was doing with fluids another day.

10/26/09-  Feeling even better, very few pain meds for the day and I got to go home.  I left the hospital at about 12:30 p.m. and arrived home about 1:15-1:30.  Some of the city streets on the U of M campus are not the smoothest, so that hurt a little and I wish I would have taken some meds before I left.  Once I was home I pretty much took it easy the rest of the day.  The stairs at home didn't prove to be a problem.

10/27/09-  My sister-in-law left and flew back home this morning, I was feeling good.  I spent time on all three floors of my house (a lot of stairs), had a few visitors and also spent about an hour and a half outside standing talking with neighbors.

When I was in the hospital I gained about 12 pounds (437 at about day 3), fluid weight, but am now at 422 (-3 lbs from surgery day).  I am amazed at how I feel 1 week after surgery and hope thing keep going in a positive way moving forward.  I have my first post-op appointment on friday and being i'm taking very few pain meds I am able to drive to it and won't be in pain doing it.  

Talk to you all later,
Jeff

 I just got home from the hospital today after my surgery last wednesday.  Will post more later.

 I just got home from my pre-op physical and EKG.  Everything thing looked good and received approval from my PCP for the go ahead with surgery next week.  I also had some more blood drawn for labs, wow was that fun.  My veins didn't want to cooperate, they ended up going into my hand.  I am getting a little nervous now, for the first time, but I am really looking forward for surgery and to get my life back on track.

I am new to this site and would just like to say hello to everyone.