Back to Square Three & Test Results

The last couple weeks have been kinda rough diet-wise. Have been feeling nauseous most of the time and throwing up every evening. I was feeling really frustrated with everything by the time I went to support group last Thursday. I had appointments with the nurse & dietitian scheduled but the soonest I had been able to get in was December 31st and January 12th!

During the meeting the facilitator mentioned that it was taking up to a week to get in to see the dietician. A week? I couldn't get in for a month! So after the meeting I asked her about it and explained what had been going on. She took me back to her office and within 15 minutes I had an appointment to see the nurse that afternoon and the dietician the next day. Much better! The nurse took some pictures of me drinking stuff to make sure nothing was blocked and my stomach had healed properly. Everything good there so I felt better. The dietician suspected either the bariactric vitamins with iron or something in the protein shakes. Back to the soft foods diet for a few days, change to a no-iron vitamin and back off on the Costco protein shakes. Apparently a lot of people have issues with Splenda after surgery and I need a shake mix with stevia (so Debbie, I'll be needing more powder).  Felt a little better but still pretty nauseous.

Then yesterday I went to see my primary care doctor for my 3-month diabetes check-up and review of my latest batch of blood tests. (I hadn't talked to him since we chatted about the pros and cons of weight loss surgery)  My A1C test was at 5.8 without having used any insulin for 2 months! An optimal result for a diabetic is 7.0; under 6 is considered non- diabetic! Next we reviewed my meds and he noted I had been put back on a lower dose of an oral med, Metformin, by the endocrinologist 2 weeks after surgery. Then he asked why I was still taking it...taking Metformin when you don't need it will cause, you got it, nausea! He told me to "stop it" and I should start feeling better. I also don't need the majority of my other meds anymore. I had stopped most of them right after surgery anyway, but now I have permission not to take them. Amazing how much happier my stomach is feeling. And my meds shelf is lined with vitamin supplements (no iron) and the 2 meds I still need for now. Hoping to get off of 1 more in a few months, the other I'm stuck with for life because of my wacky immune system.

Ready for CHRISTMAS and my son's birthday today. Want to take a moment to again thank my amazing and wonderful family and friends for all your support over the last couple months. I know I wouldn't be successful without your support. Feeling truly blessed this holiday season!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! With lots of love, Karla

Let's Eat Out!

We went to a friend's surprise 50th birthday party last Friday night. At a Pizza & Pasta resturant. I looked up the menu the night before so I would have a plan since pizza & pasta are on the "don't eat" list. I was also very nervous about my first social outing since surgery. It was so great to see everyone and their response was so positive I have no clue why I was worried. We have such an amazing group of friends; I love and appreciate them so much!

So on eating out...for dinner I ordered a side salad with grilled chicken and dressing on the side. I ate most of the chicken and shared the salad, drank water, and had a very small slice of cake. It was the first time I have eaten raw produce and no problem! We also got together for the Seahawks game on Sunday. Just had some tortilla chips and dip, again drinking water. Both outings had a focus other than food which made it so much easier. Going to get together for the game again this weekend!

Change of subject - I've been feeling nauseated for the last few days. I called the surgery center and was again reassured that some people take a while to transition to "normal" foods. I still favor soft foods and my dreaded morning protein shake is a must-have in order to get through the day. I made an appointment to see the dietitian; more than a little frustrated that the soonest I can see her is January12th, especially since I have concerns about where I should be in this process.

Support group is tomorrow. Topic is surviving the holidays...perfect timing since I go straight from group to our department's Holiday Potluck! Not to mention that my garage is full cookies and we're not done baking yet! Also a good opportunity to find out why it's a month lead time to schedule an appointment with center staff.

Down another 3 pounds.  Have a great week!

Well, this isn't quite what I had in mind!

I knew that as I lost weight my appearance would change. The most dramatic change so far has been in my face. Much of my weight gain, and inability to lose weight, stemmed from the medications I used to take - specifically steroids. Now that I am off 80% of my meds I've lost the puffy roundness look and GAINED WRINKLES. Not exactly something I anticipated happening so soon. I was thinking if I moisturized morning and night I could stay ahead of the game. Still not looking my age (thank God) but Clinique counter here I come! Wrinkles are unacceptable! So is gray hair but that's a whole other story.

My daughter took a picture of me when we were at the Pacific Northwest Ballet "Nutcracker" last week. When I looked at it I saw my mother's face looking back at me; I have her nose. I had been told I look like her before but could never see it until now.  I also have cheekbones again but still hanging on to a double-chin (acquired at age 14, think I may be stuck with it).

Couple other revelations:

My necklaces are getting too long
My shoes are too wide and slip off
My wedding rings no longer make my finger turn purple when I wear them
When I look at myself in the mirror I don't see much change
Clothes that haven't fit in 15 years fit again (and I prefer classic styles so they still look good)
Clearing clothes that are too big now out of my closet made me sad, I'll miss some favs
Finding clothes in the office closet that fit again made me happy
Eating sweets has the same effect on weight loss as drinking alcohol
The mask on my CPAP machine is too loose - new one on order
Milk of Magnesia is my new friend
If I put fresh raspberries in my morning protein shake I need to strain out the seeds
I sleep better and wake up easier

Still working on getting in more water and hitting the exercise bike a little more. Lost 2.5 pounds this week so still on track in spite of a few Christmas goodies. The topic for next weeks support group meeting is surviving the holidays - perfect timing!

Thanks so much for all your encouragement each week. Means a lot to me!

Turkey and Yams and Cranberries, OH MY!

Made it through Thanksgiving with only a small bump in the road. Was able to eat turkey with gravy, yams and cranberry sauce without any problems. I thought I waited long enough before having pumpkin pie, but apparently not. I got a little too full and the pie didn't stay down. I suppose it had to happen at least once so I could figure out my "stop now" point.

I am still struggling with eating too fast and not drinking enough water. I really have to be aware of the amount of food I put on my plate so I don't eat too much since I'm not taking a full 20 minutes to eat. I have to be careful not to overeat or I get a very uncomfortable feeling. Sticking to a meal plan is way easier on work days, I had a hard time when I was off for five days! (Especially with two fridges full of leftovers.) I have been feeling dehydrated so my focus for the next week is to drink at least two bottles of water every day...wish me luck!

This week's highlights:

The holiday goodies have started piling up at work and so far I'm not too tempted, although I did succumb to a small Cranberry Bliss bar yesterday.

Went to Macy's and bought new black pants for work - FOUR SIZES SMALLER!

Took my boys to the vet Saturday all by myself. Was able to carry both of them without my back hurting! (Thor weighed in at 18.8 pounds and Loki at 9.9 pounds)

Got back on my exercise bike. Starting slow with a mile at a time, working up to going back to the gym with husband and granddaughter on Tues & Thurs nights.

Lost 2.6 pounds this week, not weighing as often since I've stabilized.

Have a great week! Thanks again for your support.

OMG...1 month done already!

Went for my one month post-op check yesterday and got a "doing great" report from the nurse. I've lost 25 pounds since surgery for a total of 35 pounds gone! Pretty exciting stuff! My goals for the next month are to increase my fluid intake to 40 ounces per day, increase my calorie intake to 800 calories per day and start introducing more solid foods. The nurse feels the reason I'm getting nauseated so much is from eating too fast. Need to eat smaller, more frequent meals through the day. I can now have berries but need to wait a couple more weeks for raw vegetables. I also start vitamin supplements in another week; a special bariactric formula for the first year while losing weight. After that I can switch to a prenatal vitamin supplement.

Highlights of the week:

I went to my first support group meeting and made a new friend. Her surgery was a week after mine so we're at about the same place. It was soo nice bouncing ideas off someone at the same stage as me. We found that we're experiencing many of the same feelings, successes and set-backs.

I put on a pair of slacks that were snug prior surgery and they are now huge through the legs and drag on the floor. My husband offered to take me to Value Village this weekend for new ones.  It's also been fun "shopping" in my closet for clothes. I have a few things that I got great deals on which were too small and now they fit!

I survived my first theater movie without popcorn and soda. We took our granddaughter to see the new Hunger Games movie Sunday. As soon as we walked in the door I was hit with the smell of my favorite, buttered popcorn! They got popcorn and I got vanilla frozen yogurt (they actually have buttered popcorn flavored frozen yogurt - I passed).

We booked a trip to Mexico in February so I now have my exercise incentive! My legs are still weak after back injuries and subsequent surgeries. The kids moved my exercise bike upstairs so I can access it easily; well, after I convince my husband it's not a new clothes rack! I'm going to try and get back to the gym in a couple weeks. Not sure I'm ready for yoga yet, but can start on the treadmill and see where it goes.

One final note: Since the week prior to surgery I have been having trouble sleeping. I'll sleep for a couple hours and then am wide awake for the rest of the night. After a month of this I was feeling pretty wiped out!  Then I remembered my flannel sheets. The first night I slept 11 hours straight and have been sleeping like a rock every night since! My energy level is picking up and I am more productive at work. I feel like tackling some housework too! I LOVE my flannel sheets.

Wish me luck surviving Thanksgiving - your support is much appreciated!

And that didn't go too well..

Apparently soft foods are not my friend, yet anyway. I started out slow with homemade split pea soup and chili and did pretty well. Saturday I made my granddaughter biscuits and chicken gravy which I had the bottom (crusy) part of a biscuit and mostly gravy. It was way too heavy. Sunday morning I tried to eat scrambled eggs and after 2 bites, about 1/2 teaspoon I was done. Ground meat was on my approved food list so I made meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes and green beans for Sunday dinner. I didn't have potatoes, I did have a quarter of a slice of meatloaf and about 6 green beans. Big mistake. I felt like I had eaten cement! I felt really crummy yesterday and today so back to liquids for me! I talked to one of the clinic nurses today and she assured me this is normal. Some people have to take transitioning a little slower and try again in a couple of days.

So, still drinking nasty protein shakes, eating applesauce, jello and pudding. Tonight I made steamed squash (with butter & SALT). It was awesome! I have really been craving salt...to a point where I was sucking on pita chips one night. I did try a new protein shake (thanks, Debbie), still nasty but better than what I have been drinking! It's a powder so I mixed it with juice and it was a tad too sweet - never thought I would say something was too sweet! Tomorrow I'm going to try mixing with 1/2 water and 1/2 juice and see if that tones it down a bit. The nurse says as long as I'm drinking the protein shakes I don't need to worry about getting enough protein.

I've been really tired this week also. A combination of working, not feeling well and fall cleaning.  I was able to pass along some clothes that are getting to loose, that was a good thing. Down another 3 pounds this week which is closer to an average weekly weight loss. I found a free app to track my daily weights called "Happy Scale". It's extremely easy to use and I like watching the line graph go consistently downward. Since my weight loss is stabilizing I may start weighing a couple times a week instead of every day.

Sunday was my first time at church since surgery. It was good to see everyone and I was really touched by all the well wishes and positive comments (and a hug from an old friend). I am blessed to be surrounded by so many caring people in all facets of my life.
Thursday is my first support group meeting. The topic is emotional eating - perfect for me! I'm looking forward to talking with other people who are also on this journey and hearing their stories.

2 weeks post-op = On to Soft Foods!

Made it through the liquid diet phase and ready to move on to something a little more substantial. I actually cooked dinner tonight for the first time in 2 1/2 weeks! Made a pot of Split Pea Soup, perfect for a freezing cold day! Tomorrow I'm going to try runny oatmeal for breakfast. I'm at a point now where I can eat about 1/2 cup of soft food in about 15 minutes instead of 30; still takes me a while to get down a protein shake but they're still important while my stomach is healing. A friend gave me a different brand to try, going to take some to work for my snack tomorrow. I went back to work this week, putting in a 10 hour day on Monday was too much. I got home from work, drank some soup, went to be at 7pm and slept through until 7am. Thank goodness for having Veteran's Day off.  Only put in 8 hours today...

This morning I went to see my Endocrinologist - good news that I can stay off my diabetes meds for now. She said I may need to go back on an oral medication for a bit when I start eating more solid foods but we can take it one step at a time. As I continue to lose weight my blood sugars should go down naturally so if I can stay off of meds through this phase I'll be able to stay off them permanently!

Which reminds me that I haven't said much about my actual weights up to this point...

I started this process at 255 lbs; my official clinic "start weight" when I scheduled surgery was 251 lbs; day of surgery weight was 241 lbs; and today I am at 227 lbs - a total loss of 28 lbs since the first of October. Most people didn't realize how much I weighed and been asking why I chose this drastic of a process. All I can say is that I carry my weight well, but the numbers don't lie...

The last time I weighed 227 lbs was FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. I can't describe how amazing I feel being off of muscle relaxants and pain meds to get my back through the day. For every pound I lose it takes 4-5 pounds of pressure off my spine; IN ONE SHORT MONTH I'VE TAKEN OVER 100 POUNDS OF PRESSURE OFF MY SPINE!!! My goal weight is 140 lbs which will give me a healthy BMI. 

Thank you again for all your support - I couldn't get through this without everyone's positive comments and encouragement!

1 Week Post-op = 1/2 Way Through the Liquid Diet Phase!

Today was "get out of the house" day. Went to Seattle and had my hair cut & colored, stopped at Pier 1 and bought small plates (and matching bowls, oops), picked my husband up at work and went for my 1 week post op check. This was important because one of my incisions was painful, irritated and generally driving me nuts and I had some questions as to what constituted a "liquid" food.

So, for the incisions - I have a total of 5; 4 small (2 stitches each) and 1 large (1 inch). The large one happens to be at the same spot inside my navel as when I had my tubes tied. It had some bleeding issues leaving my navel looking like a black hole about the size of a softball. That is also where I had the most swelling and pain. Now it looks more like an unripe lemon and the skin is super irritated from the tape covering it. You're supposed to leave the tape for 2 weeks but not this girl! My nurse agreed and took off the tape plus all the super sticky tape residue, Bonus! Stuck with the rest of them until the tape falls off on it's own, but they don't hurt and aren't irritated. Well, they don't hurt unless cats walk across them or a 20 lb kitty stands on them. I think my boys have finally figured out not to walk on my stomach unless they want to go flying.

LIQUID FOODS are foods that you can suck through a straw or don't evolve jaw movement to eat. That certainly cleared that up!  Its contradictory...applesauce is okay, but baby food is not. Pudding is okay, but plain yogurt is not. CLEAR AS MUD. So, bottom line, if in doubt don't eat it. My diet right now consists of cream soups or clear broth (no bits of stuff), fruit and vegetable juices, jello, Popsicles, the dreaded protein shakes, applesauce and pudding. It takes me about 1/2 hour to eat a snack pack size container of applesauce or 1/2 cup of cream soup (Note: Safeway Organics has an awesome Sweet Potato Pumpkin Bisque).  I was also confused because it feels like I'm eating all the time! by the time I get down breakfast, liquids and a snack it's time for lunch...and then time for dinner...and you're not supposed to drink while you're eating so that drags everything out even longer! How is this teaching me to eat less at regular meal times?

For starters, I learned today that the "food rules" don't apply yet. My only rule right now is that I need 48 ounces of liquid a day. AND EVERYTHING COUNTS AS A LIQUID! I was thinking I needed to eat my soup, etc. AND have 48 ounces of liquid. It's also okay to be slowing sipping/snacking through out the day. My new stomach doesn't hold much and if I take to big of a sip it feels like a rock is sitting in my stomach. It's better to take small sips every few minutes for the 2-3 months until my stomach heals. After that we'll start working on scheduling and planning meals. I added liquid vitamins once a day and am drinking a dread protein shake every morning so I can get enough nutrition through this phase. One more week of this and then I get to move on to "soft foods".

Other news on the progress front:

1.  I have lost 8 pounds since surgery (the surgical center doesn't really track yet, but I was excited)

2.  I am off all diabetes meds - I haven't used insulin since the day of surgery and no pills since Sunday. My blood sugars are holding steady through out the day at 86-89.

3.  I am off my blood pressure meds - I haven't taken them since Sunday and my blood pressure is a perfect 120/80.

4.  I haven't needed any pain meds since Sunday either - apparently Sunday was stop meds day!

5.  I am riding my excercise bike 1 mile - twice per day (substitute for walking in bad weather).

ALL IN ALL A PRETTY EXCELLENT WEEK!

Surgery DONE!

Sorry for the delayed update, my iPad has been very uncooperative the last few days...

The morning of surgery we got a phone call asking if we could come in early since they had a cancellation. (some gal forgot her CPAP machine at home and lived 3 hours away). Within a 1/2 hour of arriving at the surgical center I was walking back to the OR! I felt a little teary, mostly just nerves. Then it was off to sleepy land.

I woke up groggy but feeling better than I had expected. The worst of the pain was in my diaphram, felt similar to major indigestion. They brought my husband back and had me get up for my first walk. I had to get in 4 10-minute walks and drink 3 bottles of water before I could go home the next morning. Keeping up with drinking was the hardest part because I didn't feel thirsty. The walking was easy, thank goodness!  They kept me loaded up with anti-nausea meds so no throwing up this time. (The nurse remembered me as "the one who threw up on your Birkenstocks")

The rest of the afternoon was pretty uneventful. My husband stayed with me and a friend came to visit. I had to have oxygen on the whole time I was at the surgical center because my levels kept dropping too low (normal for me after surgery) My biggest problem then, and now 3 days later, is that I can't sleep. The night of surgery everyone had to leave around 8 and I put a movie on the iPad thinking I would doze off. No such luck. My excitement of the night came toward the end of movie #2 when I noticed my side felt wet. I looked down and my pajamas, the pillow and the sheets were all covered in blood. My IV had pulled out and was draining all over me. Kindof gross, but added a little adventure to the evening! After getting all cleaned up I watched movie #3. My husband came to get me at 7am, I went for an x-ray to make sure nothing was leaking, everything looked good so they let me escape.

My mother-in-law stayed with me at home the first couple days so my husband could go in to work. It was nice to have the company and have someone in the house when I took a shower, etc. I picked up a nasty cough but my asthma inhaler seems to be getting a handle on that. Last night the kids came over for Halloween, I love seeing them in their costumes every year. My daughter passed out candy while I was lazy on the couch. Today was the first day I actually slept and it felt so good! Our grandaughter is sleeping over tonight and keeping grandpa busy.  

Tomorrow I move on from a clear liquid diet to a full liquid diet, will be nice to have something other than broth, tea and water, something with flavor! I'm stopping pain meds tomorrow also, haven't needed nausea meds since Thursday night. Overall, the surgical part has been way easier than I expected. I feel really good and consider that a sign that I made the right decision.

I survived pre-op prep...

without inflicting bodily harm on anyone. I have been a tad cranky for the last week.

The diet part wasn't as bad as I expected, even after the nausea and headaches went away after merely 10 days. I didn't ever feel really hungry and usually applesause was enough to fend of a munchie attack. I stayed away from the foods I won't be eating anymore and didn't seem to miss them, except for biscuits. I'm going to miss biscuits. According to my scale I'm down 13 pounds so I made the last hurdle!

Spent the last few days getting caught up at work, cleaning the house, and fighting off a cold. I must not be sick! I've been chowing down on vitamin c, throat lozenges, warm tea and Popsicles. Just have to get through the next 24 hours.

Tonight was part two of pre-op preparation: STERILIZATION!  I had to take a shower with "pink soap", use a freshly washed towel to dry off, put on freshly washed clothes, get into a bed with freshly washed sheets...you get the idea. The good news is that I get to do the whole thing over again tomorrow morning, again with freshly washed everything.

Today was "doubt day"; questioning myself about my decision to have this surgery, am I ready for this, am I doing the right thing for the right reasons? The answer is yes! No regrets, no looking back. What am I going to do with a closet full of designer clothes that won't fit anymore; YAY, they won't fit anymore! I already stopped using one type of insulin, YAY, I don't have to poke myself with a needle 5-6 times a day anymore!

So tomorrow is the big day! I check in to the surgery center at 10:15 am, procedure will take a couple hours then I get to stay overnight. Thanks for everyone's prayers and good wishes!

BE BACK AFTER SURGERY...

Today I hit a brick wall...

I've been feeling crappy for a week, am trying not to get caught up in kid drama, have been bombarded at work while trying to prepare for taking time off, my house is a disaster, there's cinnamon rolls at work calling my name (and getting harder to ignore), I hate protein shakes, my husband's been a toad the last couple days...and this morning it hit me like a ton of bricks.

I check work emails when I get up in the morning so I have an idea of what I need to brace myself for. I was totally caught off-guard by the idiocy of an email sent from my boss. After several ranting draft emails, I finally composed a politically correct response and sent it off. I figured it would be a good idea to calm down before driving in, so I rearranged my closet and got all my clothes hung up in the proper order. I was still furious. I emailed in late to work and called my office "partner in crime" to vent. I was a little surprised at how much came spilling out! That email apparently triggered a whole lot of pent up frustration over a whole lot of things!

After I got off the phone, I laid down on the bed with my baby kitty and started to cry. I could not get back out of bed. So I called my husband; luckily he was at his desk. And the tears really started to flow! He asked if I was okay and if he needed to come home. We talked for a bit and I told him I just needed to put my big girl panties on and go to work. Then I cried through my shower.

There was a wonderful surprise on my desk when I walked in to my office. A friend had left me a pumpkin bucket with baby food, sippy cups, and Cheetos! It was simply perfection. I got through the rest of the day without getting fired and actually managed to accomplish a few things. After I got home, my husband walked in with flowers...his status immediately upgraded from toad to prince.

I expect a few bumps in the road on this journey, but I usually navigate them on my own. Today I learned how blessed I am to have so many truly caring people in my life to love and support me. Thank you 💝

One Down, One to Go...

Interesting little fact...as I talk with people about my surgery they share tales of family or friends that have also had weight loss surgery. There is a common theme in everyone's story. The pre-surgery diet is the worst part. I certainly hope so, CUZ THIS STINKS! BTW, I do hate protein shakes.

As I explained before, the goal of the pre-surgery diet is to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks to prepare your body for the procedure. Being a chronic, unsuccessful dieter I really stressed about not making that goal. My prescribed diet plan consists of 3-4 high-protein "shakes"' and a low calorie dinner each day with raw, fresh veggies for snacking. I thought the hard part was going to be feeling hungry, NOT A PROBLEM THERE!  I constantly feel like throwing up. I have no appetite. My head hurts. I'm exhausted. I feel pretty all-over crummy most of the time. If I do actually get hungry a small container of applesauce, grape tomatoes or cucumber slices take off the edge. Anything to avoid the dreaded protein shake. The first day it took me 2 hours to finish one shake, I could barely get 2 in each day.

So, after 5 days of my  2 week day diet I had lost 11 pounds! 5 days? 11 pounds? 9 days to go? 

Guess I need to start loving the protein shakes. The fruit flavored ones make me gag, or shiver. Yes, that is blended with ice; no, it doesn't taste like an Orange Julius. The vanilla ones from Costco are tolerable, only takes me about an hour to choke one down. The plain chocolate ones are flat nasty. I have 2 cases of them (silly me thought chocolate was the way to go). I did discover that adding 1/2 of a small banana, 1/2 cup water and then whipping up in the blender makes the chocolate taste way better. This morning I mixed one with fresh raspberries...not so good, back to bananas tomorrow.  It doesn't help that I'm lactose intolerant and all the high protein shakes contain milk.

Dinner has been easier than I thought. Mainly just meat and fresh veggies. We've had pork chops & spinach salad, macaroni and cheese & cucumbers, spaghetti & green salad, and salmon & asparagus. I've cut out breads, potatoes and rice already...still working on the pasta. Also getting in the habit of cutting food into small pieces, chewing slowly, putting my fork down between bites, no beverage with meals and using a smaller plate.

A big challenge is still all the junk food at work. We have an unending supply of cookies, donuts, pastries, and candy all strategicly placed where you can't avoid them. Used to love it, now not so much. And Halloween, the candy-fest, is next week...

Those Awkward Questions...

Apparently there are questions regarding bariactric surgery that people don't feel are polite to ask but yet they really want to know the "what, where, & why" of it all. I'm certainly not one to keep things to myself...

1.  What is Gastric Sleeve surgery? In a nutshell, about 2/3 of my stomach will be sectioned off and permanently removed. My new stomach will be about the size of a small banana, won't have the elasticity of "normal" stomach, and the glands that produce the hunger hormones will be gone. This is a life-changing procedure. I can NEVER have a carbonated beverage or eat bread, pasta, rice, or white potatoes again, EVER! (Think extreme pain & clogged pipes).

2.  What are the criteria for surgery? To qualify for this procedure you must have a BMI of 40 or higher and at least 2 obesity related health issues. I squeezed in with a BMI of 40.5, BUT I also have 6 health issues - diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea and arthritis. Not to mention a spine that's "a mess" to quote my neurosurgeon! In addition, I had to  have tried, and failed, at traditional weight loss programs, attend a required informational seminar, surgical consult, dietitian consult, sacrifice 9 vials of blood to the vampires for a complete screening for everything, plus undergo a psychiatric evaluation and aforementioned upper endoscopy.

3.  Is it covered by insurance? No, only my blood work and the upper endoscopy are covered. The rest is "self-pay". Yes, it's expensive. My personal cost is $18,600 plus the cost of nutritional supplements during the pre-op and immediate post-op periods. And the specially formulated vitamin supplements for the first year. I was able to take the funds, without penalty, from my deferred comp plan as a medically necessary financial hardship. When I talked to both the surgical center financial rep and my financial advisor they both said it would take 7-10 days for the decision makers to review my paperwork and determine eligibility. I faxed my 14 page packet o'documents over to Nationwide and the money was transferred to my checking account the next afternoon. Guess I made my case :)

4.  What is the pre-surgery diet? I haven't quite got a handle on this part. The goal is different for each individual as determined by their surgeon. Usually the objective is to lose 8-10 pounds in 7-10 days; I was assigned to lose 10 pounds in 14 days. I get the reasoning...following a low calorie, high protein diet and the resulting weight loss allows the liver to shrink and become pliable. This is important because the liver sits on top of the stomach and has to be moved out of the way during surgery. What I don't get is the 14 days, though it may have something to do with my psych eval and not liking to be told what to do. This is my personal commitment test. The doctor will cancel your surgery if you can't get through this part (apparently it happened to someone last week). 

Remember the nasty protein shakes and Healthy Choice frozen dinners?

That's a topic for next time...

Upper Endoscopy

This was my procedure today - mild TMI.

Started out okay, No traffic so we were early, got registered, taken in the back, etc. then the nurse takes me to get changed and she tells me to take everything off including my underwear. So I'm thinking "why, they're looking down my throat?" but I complied. I went back to the pre-op area and next up comes the anesthesiologist (who I swear is 100 years old). After a chat with him and the surgeon they walk me back to the OR. When I get on the table the nurse tells me not to have my gown under me, again, why? Old guy starts my IV, very gently, hardly felt it! Okay, kudos for experience.

Then he asks if I'm ready for a nap, I say sure, and the next thing I know I'm in recovery - coughing, a lot. Remember that part about no underwear and no gown under me? This is why. Every time I cough there is leakage. I tell Nurse it feels damp down south & Nurse tells me it happens all the time...great.

Then it was time to go home. I'm not ready. I tell the nurse I'm not ready. She has other opinions. It takes 2 nurses to walk me to the bathroom to change...the nurse goes to leave and I told her it wouldn't be a good idea to leave me alone. She stayed. Waving alcohol pads in my face to keep me from throwing up...great.

Then all 3 of us walk out to the car. Fresh air in my face felt great, for about 30 seconds. Sat down in the car, leaned out the door, and threw up water all over my shoes. Told her I wasn't ready! Nurse got me a nausea med and a puke bowl for the ride home...great.

Dan put down the car window, fresh air really did help. Spent the remainder of the day sleeping...GREAT!

A New Start

A friend suggested I start a blog so here goes....WARNING - ROOKIE ALERT!

About six weeks ago I made the decision to have weight loss surgery. Today is the official DAY ONE of my new start with a procedure to make sure all is normal with my stomach. Tomorrow I begin the two week pre-op diet to prepare my body for Gastric Sleeve surgery on October 29th.

So far on this journey I have been learning all I can about diet, nutrition, medical jargon, commitment, support, and myself. This decision is "all about me", not a road I go down very often! But I have health issues I can no longer ignore, a spine that needs some relief, a beautiful Granddaughter and new Grandbaby due in April that I want to be around to watch grow.

I am amazed at the amount of caring, positive support from my husband, family, friends, medical providers and co-workers! I appreciate all of you so much. I am fortunate to have a friend who went through the same procedure last year to answer all my stupid questions and be a cheerleader when I need one. 

Enough of the inner reflection...starting tomorrow I'll probably be posting how much I hate protein drinks and Healthy Choice 300 calorie meals!