Ann R.
Almost four months out
Apr 05, 2011
Well, I can't believe that I am almost 4 months out from surgery. What a 4 four months it's been. I am now down 78 lbs. For the first time in years I weigh under 300 lbs. I am almost half way to my surgeons goal. (Although not half way to my goal.) I am starting to feel great. I have more energy. Protein and I are starting to be friends again. The biggest thing (besides my clothes being too big and falling off me), is that I am finally starting to see a difference in places other than my face. Hubby can put his arms around me and give me a proper hug. 
One of these days I will get some before and after pictures up, now I that I don't mind having my picture taken.
I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to have the surgery. I know that without it I more than like wouldn't be alive to see my kids get married and to see my grand babies being born. December 18Th. 2010 was the first day of the rest of my NEW life.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has given me encouragement along my journey. There were times that I was ready to quit but I am SO glad that everyone talked me out of it.
There are so many things out there that I can't wait to try. I am hoping to start running. It is something that I have never done before . It is going to be one of many "first" for me. I will let you know how I make out with it!
I finally have a date!!!
Nov 11, 2010
Before my appointment I meet with a great bunch of ladies, onehotmom, restlessmom and Riceroni. It was wonderful meeting you all. As it turns out Kim and I will be having surgery the same day. I will be following her into surgery so she can get Dr.Reed warmed up and ready for me...lol
I am looking so forward to having surgery. I know that it isn't an overnight cure but a tool in helping me lose the weight. It has taken me a long time to get this way and I know that it going to take me a while to lose it. But when I finally get to me goal weight or what a sweet day that will be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Ups And The Downs And The Feelings That Go With It!
Sep 03, 2010
Well the call finally came to meet the surgeon. Linda from Guelph called me around the beginning of August with a date to meet Dr. Reed. So I will be meeting him on September 14th. It's hard to believe that is only 10 more sleeps away. Here I am counting down like a little kid. I have been so excited and so scared about this stage of the process. It means that my time is finally here.
But what if when I meet with him he tells me that I am not ready to have surgery. Or that he doesn't think that I am prepared enough for it. All these things scare me. If that happens I am going to feel like such a failure. What will my family think. I can hear it not. "Just something else that she failed at". What if I have the surgery and it doesn't work for me? What are the failure rates?
I know that I am not the only person to have these worries before surgery.
The saying "walk a mile in my shoes before you discriminate against me " has never been more true. Only people who have been where we are can understand the feelings that we go through each and everyday. I read an article today that was written in the Toronto Sun about weight loss surgery. It was so upsetting, but not near as upsetting as the rude and nasty comments that were posted in reply to it. In this day and age it's hard to fathom that people can still be so mean and cruel to people who suffer from weight issues. Reading it took me back to my childhood and the things that were said to me and about me behind my back when they thought that I couldn't hear them. I actually sat and cried while reading it.
Like everyone else I want to have to surgery to live longer and be healthy. I want to be there when my children come home and tell me that they have found the love of their lives and are getting married. Or when they phone and say "Mum we are going to have a baby". If I continued on the road that I was on, I know in my heart that I wouldn't be there for those things. That's not only unfair to me but also to them. They deserve to have their Mum around, and I deserve to be around for it all too!
I am sorry that this is long and goes all over the place, but this is really the only place that I can put these feelings down. I welcome any comments about what I have written.
Ann
CPAP Machine
Mar 04, 2010
So it turns out that I have mild sleep apnea. Does that surprise me? No not really. What did surprise me was the cost of the machine! $2500 WOW! I am so glad that the government is going to pick up the majority of it. I am so hoping that my husbands health insurance picks up the balance. What happens to those people that don't have any extra insurance? How can they afford it? I just wonder how many people there are out there that need it and once the free trial is over return it for just that reason?
So now that I have had a bit of a rant, I think that I am going to head to bed and try to see how long I can actually stand to have it on for. I hope that I will be able to tolerate it. I don't want this to be a reason not to have the surgery.
Wish me luck!
Rant about test bookings
Feb 24, 2010
So I finally have my Upper GI and my Ultrasound booked. What a process that was. My family doctor tried to book it at Strathroy hospital only for them to say that I was too large. That is a load of s***. I have had both of the test done there in the past. So from there my doctor tried to book it at Guelph General Hospital. They told me that I would have to call to find out when my appointment would be. So that I did today only for them to tell me at first that I didn't have an appointment booked and then they turned around and said oh here you are someone must have booked it yesterday. So they give me the times, on TWO different days. When I told them that I was coming a fair distance (2hours) and I would prefer to have them both on one day they got pretty snotty and told me that there was no way that they would be able to do that and I would have to take the 2 different days or take neither. So I called Linda in Guelph and she was able to give me two other options. 1- call St.Marys hospital in Kitchener or 2- call Victoria hospital in London. So I tried Kitchener first. They were great about things and were able to book them both together but, I wouldn't be able to have them done until after my next appointment in Guelph. So onto option 2 calling London. I called them and they told me to fax through the requisition and they would see if they were able to help me. At this point I was thinking "God how hard is it to get this done". At this point I was ready to pull out my hair and then I thought I should call Karen and find out where she had hers done. So once again I was back on the phone, (at this point I was sick of the phone today...lol). So Karen tells me that she had hers done in Exeter (this only 15 minutes from my house). I called them and they were great. I finally have an appointment to have both the test done, before I have my next appointment and on the same day and I even have enough time between them to get the blood work done that I need to! Whoever says small town hospitals are good for nothing haven't gone through what I have today.
So that is the end of my rant today. I am so glad that I have a place to rant about things like this. If anyone else has had a similar problem please let me know about your experience.
Hope everyone has a great day!
My First Appointment
Feb 21, 2010
Well I finally had my first appointment in Guelph. What an adventure. I was so scared and nervous going in, but I had my husband with me and he is a great support. Linda at the front desk is great. She has a smile for everyone which made me feel more at ease.
My first appointment of the morning was with Audrey, who is the nurse. She explained everything and then answered any questions that both my husband and myself had. When we first walked in her office I noticed that she had play dough sitting on a shelf and wondered just what she was doing with it. Well I got the answer to that a little while into the meeting. She used it to demonstrate how the surgery works and what my stomach will look like inside. Isn't it great that as adults we can still get away with playing with play dough as long as we are using it to demonstrate something...lol
My second meeting was with the dietitian. There was a new girl was starting and they asked if it would be all right if she sat in on the meeting. We had no problem with that. Out where we live we are used to having students (doctors,nurses etc). This was a fairly quick meeting. She was being strict but she has to be. I was given a bit of homework to do for my next appointment. I want this to work so I am going to have to change a few things in my life style.
My last appointment was with the social worker. I really wasn't sure what was going to happen with this meeting. I walked in thinking that this was going to be nothing but a hassle, but it really wasn't that bad. We came up with a few different was for me to counter act my stress so that I wouldn't be turning to chocolate (I have a BIG BIG chocolate problem when I am stressed). She is someone that I feel I can talk to and not be judged. I am actually looking forward to speaking with her again.
So my overall experience was pretty good. For the most part I felt comfortable with everyone. I have to now go for more blood work and have an upper GI and an ultrasound done. My next appointment is April 15th. I hope that the time just flies by and all my tests come back with the proper results so that I can be on the shorter waiting list for surgery.
I now have the biggest part of this journey to do. I have to tell my family. Some of them are going to be alright with it and I know that others are not going to understand why I am doing this. I know that I am doing this for myself and if they can't understand that it's okay. This is something that I need to do. I want to be around to see all my kids getting married and to be here when it is time to have grandchildren. Being and staying the way that I am right now is not going to let me do those things. I need to change how I live my life and the style of life that I am living.
Today is the first day of the rest of my life!
