Wow, I can't believe I finally have a surgery day...May 02. I've been researching this surgery for 5 years and I finally became financially able in January 2006. Since then, I've been poked and prodded to the nth degree, only to be told I'm healthy enough to have the surgery. I have several co-morbidities and I'm doing this to get my health back...I'm tired of being a slave to my health concerns. Wish me luck!

04/16/06...Easter Sunday. I'm at work and would rather be anywhere else...but somebody's gotta be here and since I'm taking some time off for my surgery, I figure it oughta be me.

I started my pre-op 1,000 calorie/day diet on 04/02 and I'm down like 16 lbs. since then. The first week was a breeze and now, it's verrry hard. I'm sick of eating the same things, and I've hit that first stall, but I'm determined to get through this. I'm working out at Changes 3X/week and that really helps. Unfortunately, I'm dealing with some pain issues lately and it's really depressing. I've got arthritis in my hip so bad that I had to take a Hydrocodone to make it to work today. Tylenol doesn't touch it. It just aches and makes for little or no sleep. Moreover, I've developed this pain in my abdominal area...it feels like a stich in my side, but it's close to the surface of my skin. Initially, I just thought I had bruised myself from an insulin injection, but it's been over a month and it's still there. It comes and goes and feels better with some pressure. I hope it's not a hernia. I plan to discuss it with my surgeon.

Also, I'm entering my second month on the CPAP and it keeps me awake. How ironic that something that is supposed to help you sleep actually keeps you awake all night!

Anyway, I'm 16 days from surgery and I'm just holding on to make it there. I've got nutritional counseling on Thursday the 20th and meet with my surgeon on the 24th. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

418 high weight
414 weight at 04/02/06
397.8 current weight

April 25, 2006

Okay, I'm only one week from surgery...it seems like it's taking forever to get here! I've lost 24 lbs. since April 02 and I've had my nutritional counseling and my final meeting with my surgeon yesterday. I'm having an IVC filter put in tomorrow, and that's my last test/proceedure until surgery. I did find out yesterday that I have to be on clear liquids 72 hours prior to surgery...oh goody. I thought this 1,000 calorie/day diet was tough, but this clear liquid diet through the coming weekend is gonna be a toughie. Piece o' cake, right? I'm determined to make it...nothing will deter me from joining the losing side.

I've read several profiles where people make a list of things they are looking forward to after surgery and I thought I'd make my own list and see how long it takes to check them off...

Taking one B12 shot once a month instead of insulin injections 4x/day. DONE

Crossing my legs. DONE

Throwing away my car seat belt extension.  DONE

Walking up a flight of stairs without breathing hard.  DONE

Comfortably fitting into a restaurant booth.  DONE

Not worrying if the furniture is going to support me.  I'M NOT AS WORRIED, BUT I'M STILL THINKING LIKE A FAT GIRL!

Getting in and out of a sand chair at the beach.

Doing 15 minutes on an eliptical trainer.

Sitting in a chair with arms.  DONE

Putting on socks and shoes without having to sit on my bed or a bench and propping up my leg.  DONE

Being able to put my own foot in the pedal strap of the exercise bike.  DONE

Giving myself a foot treatment---including nail polish!  DONE

Not having to "set up my meds" once a week...just vitamins!

Walking more than a 1/2 block without back, hip or knee pain.  DONE

Wearing sexy shoes!

Taking a shower without having to turn sideways.  DONE

Taking a hot bubble bath in my own tub. (I can't remember the last time I took a bubble bath)  DONE

Fitting comfortably in my chair at work.  DONE

Help my fiance' bring up the groceries. DONE

Not feeling like such an outsider at any public place.

No disgusted looks from people

Smiling without my eyes disappearing behind the chubby cheeks.

Fitting in theater seats.  DONE

Going to an amusement park and riding all the rides!

No more rashes under my rings cause they're too tight.  THEY FALL OFF NOW

Being able to clean my whole house by myself in a few hours...without stopping.  DONE

Getting down on the floor.  DONE

Yoga.

Kayaking and other water sports.

Sitting in a lawn chair again.

Playing with my neices and nephews.

Going to a water park and try every ride.

Buying a t-shirt in Walmart.  DONE

Buying clothes in a regular store.  DONE

Trading clothes with my mom/sister.  USING MY MOM'S WINTER COAT NOW

Sleeping in my fiance's shirt.

Attend my niece's wedding in October 100 lbs. lighter...my first goal!  DID IT -120!

I know there are a million more things to discover along my WLS journey...these are just a few of them.

Wish me luck!

Highest weight 418
Current weight 390

August 18, 2006

Yeah, I know...it's been ages. I'm lousy at this updating stuff.

Surgery was uneventful. Other than being cold in pre-op, I remember being given a "cocktail" prior to the anastesia, but everything is a blur after that. Chesapeake General had a brand new Laproscopic Surgery room and I remember looking up at it and it I woulda swore I was in a sports bar. I woke up in recovery with that horrible anastesia taste in my mouth. I literally begged the recovery nurse to allow me to rinse my mouth and she reluctantly agreed after I swore I wouldn't swallow.

Since I had had my gallbladder out, I knew that it could be pretty painful to move myself from the gurney to the bed in my room. I was braced for the difficult transition, but compared to the pain from my 3 hour gall bladder surgery, it was nothing. Kinda like I'd been doing situps for a while. Mom, sister Karen and fiancee' Glenn were there waiting for me along with balloons and flowers from friends and family. How cheerful! It's nice to know someone cares! I was still groggy and was in and out most of the day. I remember being terribly thirsty, but I was NPO until my barium swallow. I used the morphine button regularly, just to keep me relaxed and comfy. I really didn't feel that much pain. I did a couple of laps up and down the hall that afternoon and dozed the rest of the day and night away.

The next day, I was primed for the barium swallow--I just wanted something to drink! They wheeled me down and asked me to scoot over onto the x-ray table. Had I known what was going to happen, I would have insisted that I be allowed to stand and put myself on the table. As soon as I was comfortably prone, the table started to rotate--my feet were being lowered to the ground. I started sliding down the table and I started to panic. The tech said "Just relax and put your feet on the plate at the bottom." My feet hit the plate and I continued to rotate until I was completely vertical. I took the nasty barium stuff and swallowed while listening to the tech say "beautiful!" That was nice to hear! NO LEAKS! I rolled back on the gurney and they took me to my room and I got to have some ice chips. Ice never tasted so good. That night, I had a delicous bowl of chicken stock and felt pretty good.

The next morning I ate some more stock and walked a bit before Dr. Boustany came in to say I could go home. They even removed my drainage tube--its job was done. Yipee! I put on a comfortable loose fitting dress and my sister drove me home. It felt good to get in my own chair and watch TiVo. My fiancee', God Bless him, had gone to the store and stocked up on soup. Here it is 4 months later and I still have a TON of canned soups. The first week I ate clear broths, yogurt, and protein shakes. The second week, I started getting nauseaous anytime I ate anything. The protein shakes were the worst. I bought some of that unflavored protein powder, but even that made me barf. Eating and drinking became a real struggle--I couldn't even drink water without being nauseous.

Fianlly, after 8 weeks of struggle, I was hospitalzed for dehydration. They did another barium swallow and a CT scan. I was physically fine--there was no reason for me to be so sick all the time. I had Gastro consults, kidney consults, everything. After 3 days of IV fluids and eating clear broths, I was bugging to go home. However, Dr. Boustany wouldn't let me leave until I ate solid foods. I met with the nutritionist and ordered some cottage cheese, mashed potatoes and yogurt. I had a little of everything and it stayed down. No nausea! Hooray--Dr. B. let me go home. I had gained 15 pounds in the hospital--all liquid!

I had a light dinner that evening and the next morning I woke up and ate some cottage cheese and fruit. Immediately, I was nauseous again. How depressing! After a good cry, I decided that this was something I was going to have to fix for myself. I came to obesityhelp.com and started asking everybody about post op nausea. I finally found a post op RN who said she had had the same problem. She explained that some post ops' pouches fill with some sort of mucus overnight and that if you eat first thing in the morning, it can make you sick. It helps if you drink a hot liquid before eating to flush your pouch. Well, the next day, I tried some hot tea before eating and it worked. I still experienced some nausea, but it wasn't as bad as before. I'm now 14 weeks post op and while I still can't stomach the protein shakes, I am eating better and I'm getting my fluids in most days. I still dump occassionally, but it's not n every day occurance any more. Tonight, I'm going to try a protein drink, just to see if I can stomach it. I'm not getting enough protein and as a result, I'm horribly weak and get tired often. I haven't been able to work full time yet, but I am trying and I actually did a circuit at Changes the other day. I know I need to work out, but it's tough to exercise when you feel like King Kong has used you for a doormat.

On a brighter note, I'm down 96 lbs. I've hit a stall for the last two weeks, but I know my body will adjust and I'll start losing again. I'm trying to do more protein every day and I know I'll be stronger in no time.

Every day has been a struggle and sometimes I ask myself it it's worth it, and even in the midst of the worst nausea, the answer is always a resounding "Yes!" I'm no longer on insulin, I've stopped 2 of my 3 BP meds, no cholesterol meds and I'm only on 2 oral meds for my diabetes...my blood glucose hasn't been this good in 10 years. All in all, I'm a lucky woman!

 I wish everybody good luck with their own WLS journey.

 

January 3, 2007

Well it's a new year, and I'm finally updating my profile.  I'm down just shy of a 150 pounds, but the nausea and sickness have slowed dramatically.  I'm staying hydrated and I've even started exercising again.  I avoid the sugar and high fat things, otherwise, I eat pretty normally, except my portions are pretty small.  The weight loss has almost disappeared, but I'm still going down a few pounds a month and I'll take it!  It's been the hardest thing I've ever done, but it is by far the best thing I've ever done.  I'm down to 1/2 a blood pressure pill a day and my BP was 98/51 this morning.  I think they'll be taking me off of the BP pill soon.  I still take 3 doses of Glucophage a day, but my blood sugars are better than ever.  My fasting sugars are just over 100.  I've lost a lot of hair, but I'm taking biotin and zinc everyday in hopes of slowing it down.  I don't get enough protein in my diet as I still can't stomach the protein shakes.  I take 2 multi vitamins a day and a chewable calcium thingy.  I have a ton more energy and I can get around sooooo much easier.  I started crossing my legs at Christmas...I haven't done that since high school.  If I don't lose another pound, I'm so glad I did this...it's changed my life dramatically.

Take care an I promise to post again soon!

Weight this morning--267lbs. (-147 lbs)

 

About Me
Kill Devil Hills, NC
Location
40.2
BMI
RNY
Surgery
05/02/2006
Surgery Date
Nov 21, 2005
Member Since

Friends 4

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