Stacy H.

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I am 3 months post op today. Not much new to report since I posted after Thanksgiving but wanted to make an update. I had my 3 month check with Dr and dieticians on Monday and they think I am doing great.  The dietician confirmed what I already believed to be true but wanted to hear directly from them. Foods like yogurt or soup it IS ok to eat 6-8oz or so because of it being a liquidy food. She also said I will be able to eat a lot of salad. I was glad to hear that because I had ordered a small taco salad last week from a place here in town and I could eat about 2/3 of it which seemed like a lot. But the dietician said once lettuce is broken down there is not much left and it is mostly water and that it is fine to eat the qty.  We also discussed bread and she said I can try some bread products and see how I tolerate them they just advise us to avoid the real yeasty breads like white sandwhich bread or rolls.  I am on the next food plan now so I can have most things including rice and pasta now but I have not tried them yet. I am also moved up to 4oz per meal. Dr and I discussed goal weight and she said she is setting my goal at 150.  She said she would consider me a success at that weight and if I lose more it would just be icing on the cake (LOL) but that I might not be able to get lower than that without having skin removed. I am setting my personal goal at 140 but I know I would be happy at 150 too so we'll just see what happens when the time comes. That only leaves 62 more pounds which is strange.  I am down 53lbs now to 212 from 265!  I am still feeling great and not had any problems thankfully.  I am hoping by my next monthly update I will be under 200, that will be so exciting.  That's about it for now, take care!

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I can't believe how much different this year was for me than past years and I can honestly say it really was not hard!  I was not tempted by any of the desserts because there was nothing I really even liked before the only thing I wanted to eat was some of my g'mas potatoes that she makes. I ate some with my meal and I put some on a plate to bring home with me.  Once I got  home I told Lance to eat them, I decided there was no point in tempting myself with them. Even though they are not a bad choice they are not protein and I would want to eat that first so I just got rid of them! Yay me!  I even lost this morning so I guess I did do ok! I have lost 48.5lbs now and I made it into a size 18 two days ago! I was so excited, that is 4 sizes now. I think I will be in them for a while, I can fit in some 18's and then not others because of how pants are just made different but it feels great.  That is a size you can sometimes find in the regular sized clothing section.  That is a long way from a very tight 26.  I am also able to wear shirts in XL where as I was in a 3x beofre :)  I am noticing I am really getting used to myself now and understanding my body and how it all works better each day.  I still do not feel any sensation of "hunger" or "fullness" as before but when it is time that I would/should be hungry I've noticed I will feel a little nauseous. It will go away once I eat.  I have also started to learn to distinguish the new full feeling BEFORE I take that one bite too much, before I did not know myself well enough to see it coming but I know I can. I feel like this is the life I was meant to live. I am so happy with everything and have this feeling of peace and serenity like this is just how things are supposed to be.  I wish sometimes I was losing faster as I know it is slower than some people lose but it is WAY more than I could have done otherwise. People who diet and do really good on a diet would take a good 6 months to lose this much probably so I try to keep it in perspective but it is hard sometimes. I just can't wait to be under 200.  I was hoping to make it by the end of this year, that is 17lbs so I will probably be pretty close but I'm not going to get my hopes way up.  I should definately be there before the end of January though and that is great.  I find myself thinking all of the time about when I reach this goal or that how good I am going to feel and I am just so excited to start on the next goal each time I make the last one. I love being able to finally reach my goals.  Mom has said the fact that I have not lost the weight even faster with the surgery kind of shows her that my body really doesn't lose weight easily and that I really was trying so hard all of those times and truly could not have lost it on my own.  I wish people could have believed that before but I know for people that do not have this problem, they really can't comprehend that you are doing everything possible and it doesn't work.  Anyway I'm glad it can kind of help people to finally get it. Well I am babbling so I'll go but I'll be back in 2wks for my 3 month update!

Sorry I am a few days late getting on here to update. Plus I've waited until time for me to go to bed so hopefully I will be able to make sense.  I am two months post op now!  I can't believe how fast the time is going and how quickly my life is changing yet in some ways it seems like this has been my life for a long time. All of this has come so easy and so naturally to me. I feel so blessed I don't think I could ever begin to really describe it.  I know I may not be the typical case, I feel like sometimes people think I'm splenda coating it but I'm not! For me this entire journey (although short so far in comparison to what's ahead) has been complete smooth sailing.  I am so happy!!  As of today I am down 42lbs to 223.  I am hoping to be under 200 by early January or so and it is strange for that to finally seem attainable. I have lost a total of 28 inches now and gone down 3 jean sizes! It is so amazing.  I started going to Curves the last week of October and I really like it a lot.  I have been going 4 days a week and still walking on the other days right now since the weather has not gotten really bad yet.  I actually enjoy and look forward to Curves, that is hard for me to believe.  I have not had problems with tolerating any foods and still not having any problem with cravings or anything like that. I just eat what I'm supposed to and go on, I am not a prison to food anymore :)  Not much else going on really, just living my life and enjoying it more every day.  I am even happy to say I have started getting my bills and already know that I am going to pay LESS than half of what I expected this surgery to cost me. It was so worth it on every level. It just proves to me over and over that this was in God's plan for me and now He is working all of it out. Well talk to you next month! Happy loosing!!

It's me again, tomorrow I will be 1 month post op already! It is so hard to believe how fast the time has gone.  I am still doing wonderful and I couldn't be happier, it is so amazing.  I am still walking 2 miles daily 1 at lunch and 1 after work since the weather is holding out and staying nice so far this year.  I have a friend at work who has been walking with me which makes it even better. Yesterday I progressed to the next "yellow sheet" and I am allowed a lot more variety of foods now including eggs, some veggies, some fruits and some meats.  I will admit I started on the next yellow sheet about 4 days ahead.  So far I have done great with everything and not had any problems with nausea or keeping anything down.  I am also allowed to progress to 3oz but I have pretty much been keeping it at 2oz since I am not hungry anyway. I figure I will just lose faster the longer I keep the oz low so I may as well for now.  I'm still doing good getting all my fluids and protein in and nothing has really changed except that I'm shrinking! As of this morning I've lost 22.5lbs from 265 down to 242.5.  Tomorrow I will get my official one month weigh in.  I am still weighing myself every day but it does not bother me so I'll do it if I want to :)  There were 2 days last week (pre-menstrual) that I did not lose anything and I made it through just fine.  I measured myself tonight and I have lost 13 inches so far the biggest losses being 4 inches in my waist and 2.5 inches in my hips!!!! No wonder my jeans (well all my pants and shorts) are getting so big.  It is very exciting and I can even see the differences myself too. I just can't wait to reach my goal, I know it is going to be quite a while from now but it is so nice knowing I can actually get there this time and be healthy.  Well that's about it and I need to get some sleep so I'll be back and update within the next month at least.

Just a quick update.  I am now 17 days post op, I have lost 16.5 pounds.  I am bad I have still been weighing myself every day which I need to stop doing!  I am feeling soooo wonderful.  I am walking 2 miles pretty much every day.  I am back at work now so I try to do 1 mile at lunch and 1 after work to get in my 2 total.  I have more energy, I sleep better and I even feel better about my body already.  I can actually see physical changes already, it is so great.  The jeans I was wearing before surgery were too tight.  I had to leave them unzipped/unbuttoned and use a rubber band to loop around the button and through the hold.  Now they are loose, I bet there are 2-3 inches extra room in the waist now!  The thighs and butt even have some extra room.  I have seen 250 on the scale for the last time, I am at 248.5 as of this morning.  This is the best thing I've ever done for myself.  I am never hungry and right now still not craving things or bothered by other people eating.  Just had to share how things are going so far.  I will be back soon.

I know I am bad for not updating this sooner, sorry!  I have been online but I knew updating would take some time and I never have a lot of time but I am making time now before I forget all the details.  My surgery was scheduled for Sept 7 at 1pm.  Lance, Hannah, my parents and I left town and headed up to St.V around 8:30 and arrived about 10am.  I got signed in and then taken to the preop area while everyone else waited in the waiting area.  I changed into my lovely gown, they took my BP, temp, etc and then went to get everyone.  They told me Dr. Cacucci was running ahead of schedule and I might get to move up my surgery time which was great because I was getting hungry.  I had not eaten anything of substance since the day before at lunch since dinner had to be clear liquids.  I never did get nervous any time before surgery or even the day of.  Anyway the anesthesiologist and Dr. C came in and talked to us and then they escorted me down a hallway where I said goodbye to everyone.  I felt confident and not scared I just gave everyone a hug and went on, I walked into the OR at 11:55am.  I layed down on the operating table and a few minutes later they started my IV then they put the oxygen mask on and said they were going to give me some sleepy drugs in my IV. The next thing I remember is waking up in recovery.  It was very hard to keep my eyes open, I felt sooooo sleepy.  I struggled off and on to keep them open and they told me not to fight it just rest.  After a while I went up to my room on the bariatric unit.  I guess my actual surgery only took about 1hr from what everyone told me, pretty fast.  They had me up for my first walk at 4:30pm. I just did one lap but I guess some people don't even do a full lap so that was good.  I stayed pretty groggy the rest of the day and had a hard time staying awake.  Lance had to work that night so he left and Mom, Dad and Hannah stayed for a while then they left around 6:30 I think (they stayed up there in a hotel).  Around 11pm they told me if I did not pee by midnight they would have to cathe me and that is what ended up happening.  I have never tried so hard in my life to pee but nothing would come out even though I could tell I needed to go.  It was not bad though and once I got cathed that time I was able to go on my own after that.  The second day on Thursday I still felt kind of crummy in the morning but as the day progressed I got much better.  Mom, Dad and Hannah came to see me in the morning before going back home. My friends Wendy, April, LisaMc, and Lisa D from WLSIndy.com came to see me too, it was great to meet them in person and they brought me some gifts.  Protein powders, cookbook, etc which was so nice.  Mom and Dad were really impressed that these "strangers" came to see me but they are like family to me practically.  After Mom and Dad left I relaxed and walked some laps and decided to take a shower so I was feeling much better by then.  Lance came back to see me and I got my shower and we walked some more.  He had to work that night too so he left around dinner time.  That evening another friend Lynette from WLSIndy came to see me too and she brought me some protein drinks too and walked some laps with me too which so great.  I loved meeting my online friends.  That day I ate for the first time in a day and a half and had my 1oz of jello and 1oz of apple juice for breakfast.  At lunch I progressed to "full liquids" which is what I am still on now.  I got out of the hospital on Friday.  That morning I was having horrible pain on my right side, I mean really really bad.  Turned out to be my drain!!  It was flipped down or something on the inside and poking something it shouldn't be so Dr.C went ahead and removed it, instant relief! Ever since I've been home I have felt WONDERFUL!!!  I have not taken pain meds, not needed my binder, not needed any naps, not nauseous or vommitting, getting in lots of walks, plenty of fluids and all my protein.  I am so happy.  I am getting close to 2 miles in a day now that I can do.  I go back to work next week and I know it will be harder to get my walks in but I will find a way.  I'm not having any problems with my foods or keeping them down, I am not hungry and I actually feel full a lot from the fluids I am drinking all day long.  I had my first Dr. appt today, I am 9 days out and I have lost 10 pounds so far (12 according to Dr. scales!!)  That is just amazing.  The only problem I have had is diarrhea and we figured out it is lactose intolerance so I am going to try the lactaid tablets and see if that helps.  I can eat cheese and stuff it is just all the milk in my protein drink must be too much for my body now.  Anyway, sorry this is so long I knew it would be.  I just wanted to update on everything.  So far I have nothing to say but good things, I know my story may not be typical but it's the truth and hopefully it will stay this way.  I'll be back with an update as I progress!!

I can hardly believe it but now my surgery is only 4 days away. It all feels like a dream. Every day I keep thinking today will be the day I will start really freaking out but it still has not happened yet. I don't know if I am just so at peace with my decision or if it hasn't hit me yet or what but it's not what I expected. Not that I want to freak out but from what I see most people do.  It just still kind of seems like it's not really happening which is crazy sounding I know because it is definately happening, it reminds me a lot of when I was pregnant really. You just can only prepare so much but you don't really know what you're in for until it actually happens to you.  Anyway I had my nutrition class last week. G'ma went with me and I had to drive up to St.V's for the first time. I am not good on the big interstates and everything but I think I did great considering.  It was a long class, we had to be there at 8:15 and it was about 9:30 by the time class actually started because everyone had to be weighed and photographed for the "before" picture which is kind of neat.  We had a 15 min break around 11am and did not get done until 1:30, needless to say myself and all the other MO people in the group were starving to death, even g'ma was hungry and she is skinny. That is just a long time to go but we made it.  The class was good but I have done SO much research and asked Jennie so many questions I think I knew just about all of it already.  I got my "yellow sheets" that I always hear about on WLSIndy.com they are like our Bible of what to eat and at what stage.  It really does not sound that bad, especially knowing I will not be hungry.  I think I can live with the choices I have at each stage except I know no bread for a year could be very hard.  Not looking forward to drinking 32oz of protein shake every day but I will because I know it is important for my health and for my weight loss.  I feel really prepared for what is ahead. By this time next week I will be post op and back home by now, that is so strange.  I get a little scared from time to time. I keep thinking I should write letters to everyone like people have mentioned to me.  But you know I'm not planning on dying and I kind of feel like writing that kind of letter is saying that I think that will happen.  I have every intention of being here to explain to Hannah myself why I had this surgery when she is older, I don't need to try to explain in a letter why I am willing to take this risk. If anything did happen I truly believe my family understand enough of what it means to me that they could explain it to her. I could never put into words on paper how much I love her or the rest of my family, how great they are and what they mean to me, etc so I don't know that I want to put myself through that mentally to try to write those letters.  I believe with all my heart that God has brought me to this point in my life, given me this answer so I can help myself lose this weight and be healthy, and he will sustain me and watch over me in the surgery and recovery.  Anyway I am rambling, I do have a lot on my mind and my messy house is really starting to get to me so while I am not freaking out I am not exactly myself either, a little high strung I guess would be a good description.  So if anyone reads this before Sept 7 please say a prayer for me, but I know all will work out just fine and I will be back here updating this in a week or so to tell everyone I am a loser :)  I can't wait to start my life over again, my rebirthday is so close and I am so happy.  I will try to get some pictures to post soon too.  See you all on the losing side!!! :)

I am back with an update. I had my pre op testing this past Thursday and it was no big deal at all.  Lance and I did go up and stay the night before, we found a motel 6 that was only 10 minutes from the hospital and cheap to stay at.  My testing itself only took about 2hrs.  They took blood and urine first, then did a gall bladder ultrasound, then chest x-ray and upper GI, then there was an EKG and some pulmonary function tests. Last thing was meeting with a nurse who went over what to expect the day of surgery and measured me for support hose I will have to wear in the hospital.  My nutrition class is scheduled for August 30, I think Grandma Schuler is going to go to that with me. Brooke wanted to go but she has to work so I figured g'ma was a good choice with her nutrition background. Anyway, I think after this week is done the rest of the time is probably going to fly by. I hope so anyway, I am so excited.  Only 16 more days after today and it is almsot over! While I was at St.V's I went up to the bariatric floor to visit someone I don't know LOL. I knew someone from WLSIndy.com was having surgery on Tuesday so I figured she might still be there and she was. I think she was surprised and happy to see me so that was nice. She was in the tiniest hospital room ever though, most of the other rooms were much bigger so I hope I don't get one like that. I mean TINY!!  Lance and I went to the State Fair afterwards and I would like to have died from trying to walk around there.  My legs and feet hurt so bad I didn't think I could take each step and I was so hot, tired, and out of breath it was just horrible.  I can't wait until I can go back and do laps around that place.  My life will be so different this time next year and I am so happy about making this decision and taking this step in my life. Well that's about it for now, I'll be back for another update after my nutrition class then my surgery is just a week after that! WOW!

Nothing too exciting, just wanted to say I got my date today for my pre op testing. I got on Aug 18, only 10 days away! I have to be there at 7:15am to register so I think Lance and I will go up and stay the night before, Hannah is going to spend the night with my brother and his family.  I have not got the date for my nutrition class yet.  I figured up how many days I have left of vacation to use and if I use one day for pre op testing and one for nutrition class that still leaves me enough to cover 2 weeks of being off except for 2 days.  I am allowed to borrow days from next year too!  So I will probably borrow 1 day and then just let my paycheck be one day short.  I am so happy everything has worked out so well.  I kept the faith that this would happen and saved my PTO just in case and it paid off!  I'll be back when I know more.

I am back so soon again, everything seems to be moving pretty quickly now and I am so excited.  So on Friday the 29th when the insurance called me, I called Dr. Cacucci's office and left a message for the scheduler to let her know the insurance would be calling.  I asked her to make my date after Aug. 31 because my Mom had a hysterectomy and can't lift Hannah until then and I will be needing help because I won't be able to lift her. On Monday I was patient but on Tuesday I called Dr. Cacucci's office back and left another message, I know bad me!  Anyway Amanda from Dr. Cacucci's office called me on Wednesday and said that she called the insurance and gave them a date but it is not the real surgery date.  She said she has to have a copy of my approval letter faxed to her and once she gets it Heather will set a real surgery date and call and insurance and let them know it changed. So I waited until Friday and I know I was being impatient but I was just dying for my date so I called the insurance people back and asked if they could fax me a copy of the letter, I am glad I called because they had not even mailed it out yet.  So I got it at 10am and faxed it to Heather.  Just as luck would have it she called back when I was on the phone at work and it went straight to my voice mail but she did give me a surgery date!!  It will be September 7 at 1pm, that is one month from tomorrow!!! WOWEE! She said to call her back to schedule my nutrition class and pre op testing and I called back and left her a voice mail but never got to talk to her again so I guess that will probably get scheduled on Monday but at least I have the most important part scheduled.  I am so excited. So last night I bit the bullet and sent out a mass email telling all of my family and friends.  I tried to explain as much as I could without getting really lengthy in the email.  And I told them flat out "if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all" because I do not need or want to hear any negative feedback.  I have done my research, I have made my decision and that is that.  It is not up for discussion or debate and I don't want to hear about so and so who gained all their weight back or who got sick, died, etc.  So far I have had about 6-7 responses and everyone has been supportive so I hope that will be the overall concensus but if anyone does not like it they can kiss my soon to be shrinking behind :) So that's it for now but once I get my other stuff scheduled and everything I will be back and before I know it I am going to be posting here post op!!! YIPPEE!