Shandanni
IN The Beginning ,273 lbs
Where to begin...well my journey is just beginning but started 2 yrs ago in 2009 when i inquired about weightloss surgery.I went to a few moduals required by the Wieghtwise clinic here in the city of Edmonton.In November of 2010 i had my first appointment with a dietician which lead to sleep apnea testing ,phyciatric and psycological consultation ,physiotherapy group ,conselling and more moduals.i was thinking "Holy Crap",i just want to be average weight!! But i guess these are the steps involved so i just follow suit and make sure i get to these appointments or if i miss them im removed from any chances of surgery.Once the appointments were done and i was confirmed to be a canidate i was asked to lose some weight to show i am committed and to make recovery that much easier.Although i was only a social smoker and only had in approx 3 cigarettes a month i was told i would have to terminate any smoking activity or surgery was not possible.So i pity those who have to quit smoking and try to lose some weight on top of everything else...I now track my step and log my food intake on a daily basis as requested.I also have to try a walk 10,000 steps per day.this has been proven to be impossible with my job...but i do what i can..hell im lucky to get 2500 steps on a good day!!.I joined this site because although i was leaning to have to lap band i now have changing my mind to have the Sleeve done instead.This has caused anxiety amounst my family because in our family unit we know of 3 cases where the individuals have died as a result of infection or leaks of toxins into the body.All women ages 27,30,45.and two of them are mothers of young children.I ave come to realize there is a huge risk that is attached to this but i dont feel alive anyways and have no self esteem which in turn, deters me from wearing shorts,a dress,a swim suit,having a relationship,having confidence,or loving myself in anyway.Al my photos ,al my life are head and shoulder shots and this one on profile is probably the fourth one ever taken nthat has me with a smile...pretty bad hey??
As of now this is as far as i have come...and its just a matter of time but it cant come fast enough!!!
Feb 17 2012,
Seen the surgeon today and he said i was good to go and signed off.He told me to expect the 2 weeks pre op call in a few weeks ...the minute its book they will notify me...Im so very excited and the wiat has been a long one...i cant wait for this to happen .Although it seems extreme to my family and friends ,they will never understand how happy i will be to rid myself of this prison.
April 5 2012 ,265 lbs
Everything happened so fast after i seen the surgeon.As luck would have it a bed came available and i was called exactly 2 weeks before mt surgery and i was placed on my 2 week liquid diet which consisted of Ensure ,Milk ,water and a maximum of 2 c per day of broth.I mixed the Ensure with milk and drank it on ice....Was quite yummy actually and i found it easy to do for the 2 weeks.The purpose to this i was told was to shrink the liver and stomache to make surgery easier and to reduce the risk if clipping anther organ....worked for me!!!
Surgery was preformed 9 am on march 21 2012, i was alone and kind of scared going in but i didnt want to burden anyone so i took it like a champ...lol.No sure exactly how long i was under but it seemed like seconds.Coming out of surgery was slightly painful but in comparison labor pains are worse if youve ever experienced them.Once on Morphine it was bearable.The first day after surgery i was not allowed any fluid but was able o use sponge sticks to wet my lips and mouth.Bacause of that make sure you are well hydrated in the days before surgery.
On the second day i was allowed fluids and the full fluids by that late after noon.It was painful around the top incision area and i kept thinking it was my lungs...lol....had no idea your stomach was higher up. I had some pain whenever i swallowed something a was a bit worried ,but that went away after a few days.after 2 nights in the hospital i was able to go home once the doctors ensured the pluming worked .:0)
Recovery was nice and easy but learing how to eat was the tough part .t was hard to tell my pre trained brain that it could no longer consume a plate of food.Right now i am consuming less then a three year old child and have lost 15 ilbs in 2 weeks since surgery.If you dont chew your food properly or your bite sizes are to large you will know it quite quickly...lol..therefore you must retrain yourself or suffer the small discomforts. Just for an example my meal will consist of 1 tbls soft peas 1 tbls cottage cheese and a 2 x 1 peice of chicken breast at best.and most time i can not even finish that.Im sure this may change down the line but i dont know.Also make sure you are taking your vitamins your body needs these .
After my 2 weeks at home i have returned to work as my job is seditary and allows me to work.
Jeans in my wardrobe right now isnt a comfortable option as it is somewhat irritating..
The rest of my clothes are gradually getting to big and really are stating to look funny. but i refuse to spend money on new stuff until i absolutely have to....So far this has been my experience and will continue with the updates..Best of luck to everyone joining the bariatric journey :0)
May 10 2012, 244 lbs
Seen Dr Davies today .He is happy with my progress and ive asked my question .I still cannot eat more then approximately 4 to 5 bites of anything without feeling uncomfortable .It still takes about a half hour to do so as well.But thats par for the course and i still have a struggle with my water intake.I really have to get better at that.
weight is falling off and people i know are really complimenting me on the success but if they knew that i am doing this effortlessly .Ive starting walking more and enjoying it now summer is here and it helps with the weightloss.I look so forward to my yr post op date .I t like waiting to open a gift ...the gift of a new me.I have since encouraged my sister to take this jounrney and she has ..i am so excited for her i can barely contain myself....This by far is the best decision ive made for my self.
July 9 2012,
Well things are still going nice and slow .I encourage those who have surgery to walk as soon as you can in comfortable amounts.Start slow then work up to a pace where you are working yourself but not to the point of passing out...dont wann see anyone laying all over the street ..lol...i myself have to get better at this ..ive started drinking more water and need to find time to walk more which will assist in the weight coming of faster...i just want it gone and it cant be soon enough but i know realistically its still going to take effort and will power.
Eating is still a challenge and am still uncomfortable after the 4th or 5th swallow.I always have to remind myself to chew more before swallowing.If i dont i sure know it within minutes...i get very uncomfortable and just stop eating.I still believe i have now succumbed to a life of taste tests rather then eating a mean.It is somewhat embarrassing to go to a resturant and have the whole meal boxed up cause you cant make it passed the forth little bite...the question always come without fail..."was there something wrong with it??''...I find wet soggy foods allow me to get in about 7 bites...I have not weighed myself since My last appointment with Dr D .so i am curious as to what i weigh but i am actually scarred to step on the scale cause i know it wont be enough down.Am i being to hard on myself ...hell ya!!...i just dont want to lose prespective of why i had this dont in the first place ...then i see people who have had it and are still large or have now become deceased because they didnt listen to the signal their body was giving them...LISTEN TO YOUR BODY >>>IT IS THE ONLY VESSEL YOU WILL EVER HAVE :0)....If something feels wrong then it probably is and it doesnt hurt to ask your doctor or weightloss professional.
As for what i can and cant eat ...Eggs for somereason make me nauseated...odd i used to eat them like nothing before..but other then that i can eat anything ...just very little of it...still my best decision to date and cannot wait for the real me to emerge from this prison...SHES ON HER WAY.
Aug 24,2012
Well holy !!Stepped on a scale first time in almost three months ...down to 223lbs and dont really notice it the same way other people do ...i notice the size difference in clothing but because i see myself everyday i dont see the shrinkage .Long ways to go then im back under the knife asap to rid my self the last of whats been my prison...plastic surgery on a few different places on the body ...tummy ,arms ,boobs ,legs and face ...looks like the whole damn thing is going to get a overhaul...KEEP SMILING EVERYONE.....oh and guess what???i have knuckles...ive never seen them before...ever funny
