I made it - I am officially in "One"derland

Jul 08, 2009

Ok, for weeks I was unable to get my scale to move - oh my, my first stall!  Like everyone else that hits their first stall, I was completely frustrated.  I continued to go to the gym, eat my required protein, drink my required water, etc.  But nothing.

Then I went away for a long weekend at Lake Winnipesaukee for the July 4th holiday.  I don't know how or when it happened, but it did - I slipped into Onederland.  Maybe it was because I wasn't eating according to schedule - I didn't miss any meals, they just weren't spaced out right;  or maybe it was because I was eating different foods than usual;  or maybe it was just the rain and the air in the mountains.  Who knows?  I know I don't.

I weighed myself as soon as I got home home New Hampshire - not the best time weigh in, late in the afternoon with sneakers on, but I just needed to know if I did any damage over the weekend.  Lo and behold, my scale shows me at 198.5 lbs!  This can't be right.  I have been stuck at 207/208 for about 4 weeks.  I could be seeing things as I'm tired from the drive, so I'll wait until tomorrow to check my weight again.  I go to bed happy thinking "Thank goodness - I didn't gain anything."

It's Tuesday, July 8th - the first thing I do is go weigh myself.  It reads "198.5" - I jump off the scale and go grab my camera.  I need to document this momentous occasion!  My husband is still sleeping and I have no one to share my happy news :(
It's ok, I'll get over it.

I weighed myself again this morning (Wednesday, July 9) and I'm now down to 196 -wooo hooo!  I am a very happy women right now.
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6 Week Follow-up with Surgeon

Jun 08, 2009


June 8, 2009
Today was my 6 week follow-up appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Brams.  It went great!  His nurse took my blood pressure and it was in the normal range - makes me happy - maybe my PCP will take me off of my blood pressure meds when I see her Thursday (I can only hope).  We chatted a little bit about how I was feeling and if I had any problems (which I do not).  He checked my incisions and every thing is healing perfectly.

Dr. Brams gave me what he called "a reachable goal weight" for someone of my height (5'6")  of 130 lbs.  I don't think I'll ever make it that low - I don't think I ever weighed 130 (I actually think I skipped right over it).  Right now that goal is just too far out to even think about.  I think I'll just stay with my mini goals for now and see where they take me.

I can't even fathom weighting 130 - right now I'll be happy to hit "Onederland".  I'm very close, but I will be doing a lot of happy dancing when I actually make it!  Keep your fingers crossed for me.
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Mini-goals...

Jun 04, 2009


May 29, 2009

I just received my 2 week post-op labs and my cholesterol results are astounding - my cholesterol has gone from 252 pre-op down to 166 post-op!  I am in shock - I am thrilled!  This is one of my major reasons for having RNY Gastric Bypass surgery - so that I become healthy!   

June 5, 2009
Another mini goal reached today!  I have lost 50.5 lbs - 22 lbs while on a 3 week, liquid pre-op diet and 28.5 lbs in 5 weeks post-op!  Yahoo for me!

You know, now that I think about, I've actually hit a number of other mini goals, even though I didn't realize it at the time:
1.  I quit smoking on January 2, 2009 (so didn't my husband )!  One of the best things I could have done - even though I knew I needed to quit as it was unhealthy, I just didn't realize how much better I would feel after quiting - My husband, Steve and I feel absolutely wonderful - no smoker's cough, don't get short winded as easily, circulation is better, etc.  If nothing else, I am so proud  that we quit after so many, many years of smoking.

2.  I began exercising - I don't mean walking to the car or up and down the stairs in my house - but I actually started using the gym at work 2-3 times a week, until I could build up some stamina.  I started with a couple of classes like zumba - it was fun but way too advanced for me (a non-exerciser) - so what if they were advanced, I tried the moves at my own pace and if I couldn't do them, I just marched in place!  Hey, at least I was moving.  Much more than I was doing before. 

I began using the treadmill - couldn't get very far in the beginning, but I kept at it and I'm still adding to my time & distance a little each time I get on the treadmill at work or walk around my neighborhood.  I also began using the machines and some weights to help build some muscle.  All of this really helped and I was that much stronger when I had my surgery. 

And now after surgery, I truly look forward to an hours workout in the gym or a nice walk around the neighborhood - I would never have even thought about that pre-surgery - good for me!
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First week (1/2 week) back to work!

May 27, 2009


Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Today was my first day back to work since my surgery 26 days ago!  I'm happy to be back - I was beginning to get restless at home.  

I came in and found a very nice "Welcome Back" surprise in my office - a small bunch of balloons, a number of cards and a lovely gift from my co-workers and my manager.  It was a really nice surprise and started my day off wonderfully!  I'm very lucky to have such a supportive group to work with.  I even received a beautiful "Parade Rose" plant that is just gorgeous from two of the women in the HR department that I am friendly with - another nice surprise.

I came back to a gazillion emails and it took me most of the morning to go through them all, but I finally made it !  The day actually flew by. 

Now that I'm back to work I'll be able to use the gym here and today I will use the treadmill to get my walking in.  I have to wait until my June 8 Doctor appointment to see if he'll allow me to begin a more intensive exercise routine.
It was a great day although I am feeling extremely tired

Thursday, May 29, 2009
Okie dokie, I went to bed at 7:40 p.m. last night - I could not keep my eyes open and I slept straight through to morning.

Thursday was a much better day - I actually went to the gym after work and used the treadmill for an hour.  It felt good to exercise a little more as I played with the elevations, the speed, etc.   Tomorrow I have a follow-up at Lahey Clinic with Corinne Vigilante, Nurse Practitioner and Karen Palmer, Registered Dietitian so I'll be leaving work at about 1:00 p.m.

Friday, May 30, 2009
I left work at 1:10pm for my appointments at Lahey.  I met with Corinne (Nurse Practitioner) and she said everything looks good (incisions are healing nicely, I'm on target for amount of weight loss .  However, most of my labs look good, except for my Vitamin D which is low.  So she prescribed Vitamin D for me.  She also prescribed a gallstone medicine to prevent gallstones from forming - which is ok by me!  I'll have to work on a chart to help me with my med schedule.

I met with Karen (Dietitian) and she said that it looks like I'm doing well with my meals, but that I should try harder to not drink so close after my meal -  - I have been pushing it - I keep shortening that 1 hour after - I'll have to work on that.

I have my 3 month appointments scheduled for July.  I see my surgeon, Dr. Brams on June 8th - I hope he gives me the go ahead to begin additional exercising in the gym - I miss using the equipment and the machines.
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Week 3 - Feeling Good!

May 17, 2009

The weather has been much nicer this week, so I've been able to get outside and walk - it feels great!  I'm slowly adding more distance to each walk. 

Sunday, May 17, 2009
Today it's raining, so I think I'll stay in and try doing some low profile exercises such as leg lifts, arm exercises using a band and such.  Nothing too strenuous as I haven't been told yet that I can increase my exercise routine yet. 

I broke out the crockpot this morning, threw some rotisserie chicken into it along with some salsa, taco seasoning and a can of refried beans with a little chicken broth - we'll see how it comes out.

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Week 2 after surgery

May 14, 2009

Sunday, May 10, 2009
I had a very uncomfortable night sleeping - I couldn't get comfortable at all.  I'm a side sleeper and my stomach just wasn't comfortable being on it's side.  So I moved from the bedroom to the living room and tried to sleep in my husband's recliner - I fell asleep for a couple more hours and then I just decided to get up.

I placed my hand on my stomach and realized that one of my incisions felt raised and warm, so I removed the band-aid and it was a little pinkish.  I put a warm cloth on it for awhile and a little while later it started to leak - well, it actually popped.  It was infected.  I called the Dr's office and they had me come in for a quick look-see.  They won't prescribe anything without seeing you first - doesn't bother me, so I go.

I meet the Dr. at the Emergency Room (it's Sunday) and he takes a look - it does have all the signs of being infected.  He removes the steri-strips to get a better look.  To help it drain, he opens the incision and wipes the inside of it with a large Q-tip type swab - it's a little uncomfortable and stings a little, but I get through it (with a little sweat on my brow!)  Apparently I had a pocket that had collected and the Dr. cleaned it out and put a small gauze drain/wick in it to help it drain and stay open.  He prescribed an antibiotic and told me to change the dressing and wick twice a day - not a problem if I could only see it!?

I'm using a small table top mirror placed on my bathroom sink so I can see the incision and make the dressing changes - It's working out pretty good and my incision is looking great.  It doesn't hurt any more and the redness is almost completely gone!  Thank goodness!  I believe I'll be completely infection free by the time I finish the antibiotics.

Friday, May 15
Today I see my Nutritionist and have my first labs done - my appointment is at 10:00am.  I'll update this when I get back....

My visit went very well - I have been given the green light to begin adding "very well" cooked vegetables to my diet.  Nothing raw yet, but that is ok with me!  I will also begin taking multi-vitamins, calcium citrate and vitamin b-12 (sublingual).
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Week 1 after Surgery

May 11, 2009

OK, I was discharged on Sunday, May 3rd and I stayed at my sister's house because she is much closer to the hospital than I am.  It was more convenient for both of us - I needed assistance and my sister & husband were there to help.  My sister was going to her nephews graduation in a few days (out of state) and needed someone to feed her two cats while they were gone - so it was good for all of us.

So it wasn't an eventful week, just sleep, choke down some protein (boy, some of that stuff is down right nasty!), have broth and/or sugar free Jello.  And as much water as possible - at least 64oz per day - which can be tough as my "pouch" can only hold 1 oz right now.  Prior to surgery, I ordered a number of different proteins and a couple of sugar-free syrups to try.  Thank goodness I tried a bunch of sample packs because at least I had some other choices if I couldn't tolerate any one of them.  Our mantra for the first week is:  Walk, walk walk - Sip, sip sip!

The first few days after surgery, I found that my senses of smell and taste was either heightened or skewed - everything started to smell awful - I couldn't stand the smell of anything - and it was driving me nuts - and making it even harder to get my protein drinks in because they smelled awful too!  The chicken broth that I was able to sip in the hospital, was now the most fowl smelling yuckie stuff, that I couldn't sip it if you paid me - the only thing I could get down was the sugar free jello and water.

I tried to get a couple of sips of protein each day, even though I was no where near the 60 grams a day that I was supposed to be working towards.  What can I say, but I tried.

Thursday, May 7, 2009
I had my first follow-up appointment with the Nurse Practitioner, Corinne Vigilante - I like her - she knows her stuff and she is very sweet.  We talked about how my first week went and I told her my experiences with trying to choke down the protein.  I still feel really, really, good - not weak, like I thought I would due to lack of sustenance.  I'm walking a little bit inside the house (it's been raining) - doing my laps around the kitchen, through the dining room, into the living room down the hall and back, a couple of times a day.  This is a good thing - but don't over do it - pace myself.  I can do this!

I came off of my pain medication with in a couple of days of being home - I can't remember exactly when I stopped, but I know it was just 2 or 3 days after I left the hospital - feeling really good!

My blood pressure is perfect!  I haven't had regular BP for I don't know how long and today it's not only regular, but perfect!  I am still in shock - thrilled, but in shock!  I don't have a fever, my pulse is good too! 

Corinne gives me the green light to go onto soft foods beginning on Friday - yahoo!  This should make it much easier to incorporate the protein powders into some of my soft foods.  Soft foods are foods that do not require very much chewing, like loosely scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, string cheese, etc.  I can't wait to start this phase - who ever thought that I would be this excited about having 1 scrambled egg!  This will be a feast (lol)!

Next, Corinne checks out all of my incisions (six) - she removes the band-aids (leaving the steri-strips) and all look good.  The only one to remain covered with gauze, is the incision in my belly button because it is still weeping just a bit.  She says to leave it covered for a few more days and then remove the gauze so that the air can get to it.  We wrap up the visit and next week I'll see the nutritionist and get my first set of labs done.

I am so excited to be able to move on to soft foods, that my husband and I stop at the supermarket to pick up a few things, like eggs, Eggbeaters, skim milk, cottage cheese, greek yogurt - these foods are high in protein - again, I have to work up to 60 grams of protein a day.  I won't be able to reach 60 grams without adding my protein powders to some of the these foods - but that's OK, I'm still experimenting and figure I'll eventually find something that I can make or that I like enough to keep adding the protein powders to.  It's a challenge, but I'm up to it.
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Discharge Day - I'm going home!

May 09, 2009

Sunday, May 2, 2009
I'm feeling good this morning - a little better each day!   The Dr.'s visit and check me over and said my fever has been gone since late yesterday and that my blood pressure is doing great - I just love to hear good news!  The Dr. said that he would do my discharge paperwork - very  !

I get cleaned up and the nurse removes my drain, covers it and then gives me my discharge papers - now I just need Steve to pick me up!

He's here!  If I could, I would be  , so I'll just have to jump up & down on the inside!

A short, little bit uncomfortable ride later and we are home!  I immediately change out of my clothes and into my nightgown - and I'm already feeling better!
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Day after surgery & my hospital stay

May 08, 2009

Friday, May 1, 2009
I'm not doing too badly this morning - I am swollen and a little sore but the button for the IV morphine is working just fine!

I got up to take my walk and realized my legs and feet were numb - like they were asleep.  I asked my sister to massage them to get the feeling back, but it's only working a little bit.  Inside, I begin to worry, but I let the Dr's know and they quiz me and check me out.  I can walk and I have control over my legs, I just can't get rid of that pins & needles feeling.

The Dr.'s believe it was from a compression in my lower back from the operating table and from lying in the hospital bed - let's hope they're right!

The more I get out of bed and walk, the pins & needles feeling gets a little better.  The Dr.'s believe it was from a compression point in my back from the operating table and from lying in bed.  They are still watching it and it is slowly getting better - thank goodness!

My husband, Steve, and my sister, Diane visit with me which is really nice.  I'm still kind of out of it so I'm having a pretty uneventful day - you know, sleep, drink, take a stroll, pee and do it again a little while later.  I sent Steve and Diane home as I'm still dozing on and off and not the best of company.



Saturday, May 2, 2009
I'm feeling pretty good, but I've been running a little fever and my blood pressure is really low, so they are adding bolus' of potassium and sodium to my regular IV fluids - yeah, I'm becoming a very large water balloon.  I was supposed to go home today, but they are keeping for another night just to keep an eye on me.

My husband Steve, my sister Diane and her wife Allison visit for awhile - I enjoy spending time with all of them - they always make me laugh!  Allison's parents sent a get well gift and card - they are so sweet.  I have to make sure I remember to thank them for thinking of me.  I know they would have visited if they weren't taking care of Allison's grandmother.

A little while after Steve, Diane and Allison left, I get a phone call from my friend Paul "Boa" asking what room I'm in -  I tell him my room number, thinking he wants to send me a card, but before I can tell him I'm leaving tomorrow, he says "Good, I'll be right up!"  That was a surprise!

It was an even bigger surprise when my friend Michelle walks in followed by her husband Jim and then Boa - it really brought a smile to my face even though I looked like hell in my designer johnny.  I still can't believe that they drove all the way up here - very nice - we laughed a lot!

While they were visiting, I receive a picture message on my cellphone and I break out laughing!  It's my husband and Allison holding up a couple of beers with big smiles!  Paul, Michelle and Jimmy start laughing too!  Within a couple of seconds I get another picture message and this time it's my husband and my sister standing next to each other holding beers!  This one is really funny as my husband is 6' 5" tall and my sister is 5' 2" short - I think it's a riot!

It was a good day and I thank my family and friends for it!

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Day of Surgery - April 30, 2009

May 08, 2009

5:00 a.m. - Well, I am up!  I couldn't sleep - a combination of reasons, I wasn't in my own bed, anxious about today, etc.  I was going to make coffee and then Bam - it hits me - I can't have any this morning, just water up until 2 hours before my surgery.

O.k., I drink 32 oz of water before 8:15 a.m. - now what to do?  I'm all set, ready to go, I don't need to pack anything except my cPAP machine.  So I checkout OH and my email and then I call my husband Steve and we chat for a bit.  He wishes he could be here, with me, but I really don't think he needs to be here today - but tomorrow is another story!

I take my shower, blow dry my hair, get dressed and I'm ready to go! I feel really, really good about my decision to have the Roux-en Y Gastric Bypass surgery.  I know everything is going to go smoothly - It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining and I'm in a really great frame of mind!  This is one of the biggest steps to a healthier me!

9:50 a.m. - My little sister, Diane is driving me to Lahey Clinic in  Burlington, MA and she will stay until she is satisfied with how I am doing after the surgery.  Diane and I are very, very close - I don't know what I would do without her - she is such a sweetie!

10:30 a.m. - We arrive at the Hospital, we park the car, make a pit stop at the Ladies Room and we head over to Admissions.  It takes us less than a minute to get checked in.  I make one last call to my husband before I have to go to Ambulatory Surgery (no use of cellphones).  I sign into Ambulatory Surgery and we wait - my surgery is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

It's time - I'm called in to change in to the lovely "designer" johnnies, one that opens in the back and the other as robe that opens in the front - very attractive.  I'm brought to my waiting area where I lie on a bed and everyone comes in to read my charts, confirm who I am and get me prepped for surgery (anesthesiologist, IV's, shot of heparin in my belly to help prevent blood clots, inflatable compression booties that cover my lower legs to also help prevent blood clots, etc., etc.

Okie dokie - I have no idea what time it is, but surgery is over and it took longer than planned - over 4 hours.  In recovery, My Dr. (Dr. Brams) said that he had to repair my hernia, as it was in the way (I'm sure he said it more technically, but this is what I got) and it was also a good thing that I had lost the pre-surgery weight because, as he put it, I have "big parts" (lol) like my liver, which bled a little bit, and he wouldn't have been able to do the surgery if I hadn't lost the weight.

I'm not sure what time it is, but I am finally in my room (a private room at that-lucky me!).  Diane and I rehash the info that I can't remember due to the anesthesia and pain meds and she decides that I'm doing pretty good, so she will be leaving soon.  She finally left at about 10:00 p.m.  She is a trooper!  I immediately fall asleep - zzzzzzzzzzzz


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About Me
North Attleboro, MA
Location
30.0
BMI
RNY
Surgery
04/30/2009
Surgery Date
Mar 16, 2009
Member Since

Friends 45

Latest Blog 13

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