"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending"
I'm ready to make MY new ending!

Saturday, July 31, 2010

I ventured out.....had lasagna tonight!

So my husband made lasagna tonight....I figured if it was soupy enough or watery enough I could consider it mushy......so I tried....

He cut me a piece (about a 3 inch square) and it was soupy....and yummy.....

I cut it up into little pieces and ate....

I chewed the dog out of it, and it went down without a hitch.....what was amazing is that I got about 5 bites in and I was full....not sick full, just satisfied!

It is so great to not feel deprived, eat the food I love, and enjoy it without feeling like I have to eat half of the lasagna pan....today I ate about 1/3 of my portion and I was done!

Yay!


A-Chooooooooooooooooooooo I'm full?

So here's a weird nuance, just when I am getting full or think I'm getting full, I sneeze...like full on sneeze.....AAAAAA-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 I read around and asked people about it, and they say it's a way of our body starting to "train" our minds to when we are full, some people get hiccups and some get runny noses.....I sneeze....

I hope this alarm thing keeps working until my brain realizes that 2-4 oz and I am full!!!  LIKE OMG, one more bite and I'll puke full......

So here's to sneezing......

Friday, July 30, 2010

Week 2 - Weigh In - I think I finally felt "restriction"

I woke up this morning and could hardly stand it.....I hate, hate, HATE! scale anxiety......but good or bad, I had to do it....so there I was....hoping to have to pee, or maybe even poo before getting on the scale....want to get rid of all excesses.......

But I did it!  I really did!  and.....


8 lbs!  Yahoooooooooooy!

Also, last night I had mushy beans (lentil and barely soup that I made, put in the blender and ended up with a consistency of refried beans)....boy was it great to have something thicker than soup!!!!  I had maybe 5-6 teaspoons (YES! you heard right, teaspoons - the little ones for dessert or coffee) and I was full....I had one more teaspoon and I was stuffed, probably around 1/2-2/3 cup.....wow it felt good to feel "full"....I don't think I have felt full in years.....or I didn't know what full felt like....I am so glad I had this surgery!!!!!!!!!!

I think I am headed back to my normal cardio next week  - Spin and C25K start-up.....I'll let you know how that goes.  Today I'll get another 30-40 minutes on elliptical, and then a facial and waxing.....my mustache is starting to look more like "Pancho" than "peach fuzz"  ha!






Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Incisions....the good and the bad....

So, I have had zero, nothing, nada.....no pain from my incisions.

Most of the steri-strips are on their way to come off or have fallen off. (steri strips is what the surgeon used to close me up, little tape pieces).
ok, this one is upside down, check out my belly button, but this one is on my left side....also, look at the gross tape residue.....one of these days I'll scrub it off......
this one is the one between my boobs, right above my bra line (check out the random hair in the picture)



But one incision, has lost it's steri strips, they just came off, but my sore looks like a crater....like a tiny puncture wound.  It is the smallest of my incisions, but still a pain in the butt!

This one is on my right side, it looks gross, but it doesn't hurt....awsome stretch marks!



I discovered, after a few days of a bandaid a day, and dealing with changing them and getting sick of them not sticking to my gut, a "new" type of bandaid....they stick to the sore, they are waterproof and have some special ointment or something in them for help with rapid healing and with keeping moisture to the "right" moisture.


Here's a picture of my crater with the Extra Special Bandaid.....

It's hard to see, but you may be able to tell, in the middle it has a darker shade of white, that is the "special" healing solution.....we'll see....but in the meantime, at least it'll stay on for a few days.

Soups, Soups, Soups!!!! Which one should I choose?

Still on liquids so I've discovered the magic of blended soups....

I am in love with my blender and have created a soup buffet in my refrigerator.....

Here are some of the best options so far:

Progresso (ready in can soups) - I always add about 1/2 can to 3/4 can of water or chicken broth to make a little less thick.  Seriously before surgery I would down one of these cans as a snack or "pre-meal".  Now I get about 2 if not 3 servings.....yay!  So much money savings!

Italian Wedding Soup - Seriously, I think this soup tastes better blended than whole.  All of the ingredients get mashed together to form a perfect "wedding" of flavors.  I love love love this soup!

Sirloin burger soup - OMG, this one is awesome, I spiked it with a few drops of tabasco and man o man, this was great.

Tomato: a standy and as usual super delicioso! add a little milk, half and half, whatever you have handy for an extra creamy taste.....

If you have a Randall's/Von's/Fry's nearby...they have a soup section right next to the deli/bread service station.  They have a bunch of delish flavors....

Red Thai Curry with Chicken - WOW! this one is tops!  For me I miss my Thai food and rice, the blenderized version of this one is magic in my mouth.  Like all creamy soups it is higher calorie (240 cal/1 cup) but I usually can't eat a whole cup, also I water it down, so it's 50% soup/50% FF milk or water.....but it hits the spot and the taste buds....

Creamy Tomato Basil - What more can I say, I also water down but it is sooooooooooo great.....


Now I have a ton of containers in the fridge, choice of flavors and soups...variety.....

I can't wait to try more soups....play around with it, really it is amazing how many choices we have on this liquid phase if we really start looking at different soups.....

Next week mushy.....so I can food process chicken, stew, etc....basically pre-chewed food....ha!  I'll let you know what I discover.....

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Restaurant Card...Really?

Ok, I don't know if I will ever use this card, but hey you never know right?  Why not be allowed to order a child size portion instead of an adult.  The real problem is that most children's menu items are really poor choices, high carbs and high fat (which is another story)...

So here's the card info.....maybe you guys can print it out.....thanks OH for having this for us.....

WLS friendly Restaurants:

Golden Corral
Olive Garden
Chili’s
Applebee’s
Red Lobster
Denny’s
Cracker Barrel
Outback Steak House
The Keg

*Many of these establishments are privately owned. Contact your local restaurant in advance to see what they offer.
Cards are not accepted at all restaurants


WLS Card:


1. Print this card on heavy paper.
2. Fill in the blanks.
3. Cut the card out.
4. (Optional) Laminate the card to protect it for future use.

Suggestions for those who would rather not ask:
 · Doggie Bags are a wonderful thing! Take home leftovers and have a great re-heated lunch the next day!
 · Just order soup or an appetizer.
 · Split a meal. Most restaurants will provide a second plate for free or just a buck. Always ask first!

Food Industry Facts:
 According to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Forecast, 2004:
 · On a typical day in 2004, the restaurant industry posted average sales of nearly $1.2 billion dollars.
 · The number of restaurants in the United States totaled 870,000 in 2003.
 · The restaurant industry employs more than 11.7 million people, making it the nation’s largest private-sector employer.

The Rules!

So I was looking around and ran into this "Sleeve Guide" from the Institute for Advanced Bariatric Surgery.  It really makes sense....to think of our new tiny stomachs as "a sink" is really a good analogy.....

Here are the rules.....


THE RULES
The best analogy that we have found to help explain to patients why these rules are important is
the “Sink Analogy”. We compare your Sleeve Gastrectomy operation to a sink. Think of your
new small stomach (pouch) as a very small sink. Imagine pouring liquid into such a sink – if you
pour the liquid too fast it will overflow, but if you pour it slower or wait for a minute the liquid
will eventually drain thru the sink hole. Now imagine putting thick, dense sludge into such a
sink – the sludge may never make it down the sink hole unless we add water and stir.


ALWAYS AVOID DRINKS / LIQUIDS WITH CALORIES
The reason why this is a rule is because it does not matter how small we make your pouch (sink),
liquids will always pass through fairly quickly without giving you any satiety or satisfaction
from that liquid. But every calorie of that liquid will be absorbed. Your pouch will not stay full
on liquids, you can drink a lot of liquids without being full, and you will be hungry very soon
after drinking liquids.


CHOOSE SOLID FOODS OVER LIQUID-SOFT FOODS
The reason why this is a rule is because the denser the food you are able to eat the more it will
plug up the sink (pouch), the longer your pouch will stay full, the less you will eat, and the better
your hunger and cravings will be controlled. The thicker and denser the sludge the longer the
sink stays full. If you were just to eat meat, the sleeve would work very well because meat is the
densest food we have.


DO NOT EAT AND DRINK AT THE SAME TIME
The reason why this is a rule is because we do not want you to liquefy the food as you are eating
it. Do not wash the sludge down the sink hole. We want you to stop drinking about 15 minutes
before your meal – to make sure the sink is empty of water before putting food in it. Once you
start eating, no drinking with your meal – do not liquefy the food you are eating. You will be
able to eat more, and you will be hungry sooner if you are drinking while eating. Never put a
glass of any liquid next to your meal – the habit to eat and drink at the same time is very strong.
You may not realize that you are even doing it until it is too late. We also do not want you to
drink for at least 90 minutes after your meal. Do not help mother nature – your pouch can
liquefy the food on its own without your help. Your pouch will take longer on its own, thus
giving you prolonged satisfaction and hunger control.



Find the entire document here.
http://www.iabsobesitysurgery.com/Media/Forms/SleeveDietGuide.pdf

Monday, July 26, 2010

San Francisco - Overnight and business dinner.....

So yesterday (Sunday) we drove up to San Francisco, no big deal, I got my protein shake in, packed a can of coconut water and a bottle of Sobe 0 calories....and we're off.  We had a business dinner that night and I had already looked at the menu and knew I was going to have the tomato soup for dinner.....Even though I think it was a test of mental toughness, we went to an Italian restaurant, if you know me, you probably also know that you can poison me with pasta, and I'd gladly ask for more....

I'm still on full liquids, so decision for dinner was made up...no probs....

For the drive up I drank my coconut water....and I was pretty satisfied, both in fullness and in calories...I felt good....

Once we got to the hotel though I was hungry!  I knew I needed to eat and find soup or smoothie or something. It was 4:30 most restaurants are closed so I called in room service.  They were offering tomato bisque or lobster bisque.  I ordered the lobster bisque and waited, and paced and waited....Finally it got there.....I was so hungry!

I spooned out the chunks of lobster, and about 1/3 of the crock of soup onto a plate and gave it to my husband so he could eat and dip the delicious sourdough into it.

I slowly started spooning in the bisque.....it was heavenly....I knew it was rich and my stomach was asking all sorts of questions in the fashion of noise and acceptance to some creamy richness.....I was full and I knew I was full but took that one extra spoonfull.....

No I didn't puke, but I had to lay back, my upper lip was developing an awesome sheen of sweat, and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest....I guess I was REALLY full.....

I need to figure out that I need to listen to the "full" signal better, otherwise when I get to mushy or solids, I am going to puke.....and once I start, I don't stop.....

So after about 15 minutes I felt back to normal.  We met our business acquaintances in the lobby and off to dinner.

About 8:30 is when I finally got my tomato soup (tomato and eggplant with a mint creme fraishe (sp))....it was good and I ate about 1/2 of it, before I pushed it back....I didn't want to feel grossed out again.

When everyone ordered their dessert and after dinner drink, I ordered some chamomile tea.....all in all a successful night, contract signed and I managed to eat out without screwing myself up....

This morning we woke up, and started our drive back home.  Stopped by a Jamba Juice and I got a berry/banana protein smoothie.  It feels good on my stomach but heavy.  I think my tummy is still mad at me because of the lobster bisque, or maybe it doesn't like the banana (too heavy) or both.....

I'll slowly sip on my smoothie on my way home.  I have 2 1/2 hours to plow through it.....


I am going to do this...I can even go out to dinner and be ok with it.....who would have thunk?

Friday, July 23, 2010

Bean Soup....yay! Emotional, why?

So I think if I have one more cup of chicken soup, borth or puree of chicken veggies and broth I am going to lay an egg.....

So I made a bean soup.....so yummy, at least something different....

I sauteed in a little Pam, onion, garlic, tomato, a couple of low fat beef franks (I didn't have ham or bacon - but wienies work),and chile (I like spicy), a little Knorr Suiza and into the blender with a large can of Pinto Beans, juice and all.  Blend until smooth, and pour into pan....I added water to the blender to rinse of and put into sauce pan....also this waters down the soup...OMG this was so super delicioso!!!!!

Then this afternoon I went to the gym, elliptical and treadmill, and I got pooped after about 20 minutes, weird yesterday I was able to do 40, but ok...then all of a sudden I just started tearing up, like out of now where, and I didn't even have sad feelings or scared feelings, just all of a sudden started crying.....like bad PMS crying.....

2 things, I'm either starting to release some fat and therefore hormones, or I am starting to seriously PMS, I'm not due for another 10 days, but hey you never know....or it could be both....awesome, there are times when I really don't like being a girl!

Week 1 - Weigh-In......Drum roll please!

So here I am....ready......

10 lbs!!!!!!!  woo-hoo!


I was sort of scared to get on the scale, I had already made up my mind that it would be ok if I didn't lose, that it would be because of the IV fluids, or because I was having chicken, or because I hadn't killed myself at the gym....so I had all of the mental excuses ready.....I closed my eyes, stepped on the scale and Voila!  I can't believe it...I am doing the happy dance.....yay.....

So from 303lbs to 293lbs.......

Yay!





Thursday, July 22, 2010

Ricotta - Can't wait for "mushy" stage....

I bought the ricotta and Parmesan, I can't wait to make it.....I bought a good jared sauce to top with.....I might try the desert too, but am totally sick of sweets so who knows when I'll try it!

RICOTTA BAKE:

1 – 15 oz. Container of low fat Ricotta
1 frozen pkg. of spinach thawed/drained (squeezed) well - you can also use any veggies (e.g., zucchini and/or eggplant and sauté till soft)
1 C Parmesan cheese (split in 1/2) (Use the fresh grated from the grocery store, the stuff in the can is too dry)
1 egg

Mix all together - except for 1/2 C of parmesan -- put in a baking dish – (I used a 1 quart size) add another ½ C of cheese on top and bake @ 350 till golden & bubbly - about 30mins
Add marinara or pesto sauce on top once done.
Reheats quite nicely!

DESSERT:


1 15oz container of low fat Ricotta
1 small tub of Fat Free Cool Whip
½ package of SF Jell-O (instant) cheesecake pudding mix
½ package of SF Jell-O (instant) chocolate pudding mix
Combine all – let set overnight – ENJOY. 

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Where to order protein samples.....

I probably should have ordered before surgery, but in case anyone ever wants them here they are:

Unjury
https://www.unjury.com/ssl/purchasing.php
Samples $1.75 each

Chike
http://www.chikenutrition.com/half-samples.html
Sample all 5 flavors for only $3 shipping

Netrition Protein Sampler Pack
http://www4.netrition.com/netrition_protein_sampler_pack.htm l
Includes samples of 14 different proteins, including a New Whey 42 g protein bullet and Champion Nutrition Pure Whey Stack. 17.99.

Nectar Syntrax
You can get a box of all 11 nectar protein flavors directly from Syntrax for $4.99 plus $5.99 for shipping. Contact Rick Davis Medical Sales Manager nectar@si03.com1-866-333-7403 ext. 803

Vitalady
http://www.vitalady.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&keywords=protsamp&SortK ey=sku&SortOrder=ascending
Tons of samples of lots of different protein products 

Smart Forme Early Phase Bariatric Surgery Nutrition Starter Kithttps://www.smartforme.net/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p =6
One carton each of Chocolate and Vanilla Ready-to-Drink Shakes, Chicken Bouillon Soup, Cream of Tomato Soup, Wildberry Cold Drink, Peach Mango Cold Drink, Orange Cold Drink, Hot Chocolate, Cappuccino, Chocolate Pudding/Shake, Vanilla Pudding/Shake and Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal. $19.99.

Getting used to this new body....tummy, etc....

Yesterday was day 6.  Wow time flies....I am feeling more and more like myself, less tired and really having to hold myself back from just going full blast......

But here's the one deal.....I STINK!  Everything about me smells.....smells differently and "loudly".....my pee smells like a mix of strong Vitamin B and Amonia, my B.O., is also a very different smell.  I've looked around and it looks like I am detoxing, and it may the ketosis, or when your body starts using your stored fat as energy, the waste product or ketone comes out in your urine, sweat and breath....AWESOME!  So hopefully that won't last long...and if I do...oh well....bring on the super strength deodorant!

I went to the gym yesterday, for the first time....yay!  I felt great!  I did about 25 minutes of cardio, not super strength or anything, or anything close to speed and time as before surgery, but it felt good to get back to the gym.  My trainer "L" was awesome, and as he trains "AK", he gave me instructions for 5-7 minutes/machine - 3 machines (elliptical, treadmill, bike).  Yay...every few days I'll increase a minute and should be back to my 45 minutes pretty quickly.....

So dinner last night, I was ready to try something that wasn't clear broth....I took a can of ready made cream of potato soup, added about the same amount of chicken broth and thinned it out and blended....it felt like heaven on my mouth...yummmmmm.....I was able to drink about a 10 oz mug over about 35 minutes...so sip sip sip slowly...I new I got really full and even felt a little heaviness on my chest.....but still...it felt like heaven....

So Wednesday here I come!.....Today I woke up and did my usual, protein shake (I added frozen mango to the vanilla powder today...yum....- I still like the chocolate better - )

I messed around the house a little while, and went of to the stores....COSTCO, and 2 grocery stores....my life never changes....

At COSTCO, they were sampling individual To-Go yogurts, so I thought that would be a great idea to try....man was I wrong...it felt like I swallowed a knife, pointy side down and I could actually feel when it hit my stomach, don't know if it is the yogurt or the lactose, but whatever it is, I don't think I'm ready for yogurt yet.....I'll figure out this new tummy one way or another right?

Then at TJ's they were sampling a marinara sauce....now I can have tomato soup and marinara sauce, and starting next week I'll be able to have ricotta and cream cheese, so I thought....hmmmm, I should try that sauce to see if I like it...that way next week I can have a ricotta cheese and marinara sauce bake for dinner......I took a tiny taste, and it was heavenly...it did hurt a little, not as much as the yogurt, but I got me some of that fo' next week.....wooo!

So I'm back home, eating a little jello and some iced tea, making my tummy feel better, I'll take some Gas-X and take a nap....

It's going to take a while, but I'll figure it out....fo' sho!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Day 4 - Monday after Surgery

Today, I felt like myself again.

I had a protein shake for breakfast (still don't know if it is considered clear, but hey....I can tolerate it so why not).  Went on my rounds of shopping:
Grocery Store, Dry Cleaner, UPS Store, Battery Store and Bed Bath and Beyond!.....phew!  I was in and out of the car and drove no problem.......

Came home, and did feel a bit tired, so I heated some chicken broth and went to lay down for a little bit.

Now I'm watching TV, and eating sugar free jello (orange) with a scoop of unflavored protein powder, I dissolved it while I was making, so it sort of tastes like creamsicle....if you don't think about it....but it's good....

Batch of chicken soup cooking on the stove.....yay, will puree most of it, for full liquids, starting Thursday....and use the broth the next few days....

Yay....starting back to reality....

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Check out my checkerboard belly after surgery....

Ha.....I can't believe I had so many sores..... the dark spots around by belly button and side are bruises from the shots they gave me against clots....

Before Pictures....

The day I traveled, I had my husband take before pictures....I know that it's crazy, but hey, now I can have a visual of body changes.....I'll try to post on a monthly basis....




Hospital Room Pictures


Here are pictures of the hospital room....









Saturday - July 17, I get to go home!

I wake up Saturday morning and I am feeling pretty good, I had slept most of the night, but had a huge headache, my head was thumping and I started feeling a little nauseated, migraine here it comes!

The nurses were immediately on my case, they took my BP and it was super hight, they gave me a medication to bring it down, and kept observing to make sure it got back to normal.  I don't normally have high blood pressure so they knew it was a reaction to anesthesia....in the meantime, I am ready to get the heck out of there....I don't want to be held back because of BP...I mean I feel great!  I can go, right, but oh yeah!  I have a wicked headache and I can barely keep my head up....ok...so maybe I need a little time out....

Thank goodness, my BP normalized, instead of leaving the hospital at 10am, I left at 12:30....there was a little line at the border, like 20 cars, so it took about 45 minutes to get across....as soon as we were across, in traditional Carol style, I asked him to stop at the first McDonald's I was about to pee myself.....

I got to San Diego at about 2pm, and immediately took of on my 6 hour drive home....my head was still killing me....

I drank Gatorade 03 all the way home, the one that has protein in it......

When we got home around 8pm, the ole husband heated up some chicken broth and I downed 2 cups of it....I think part of my headache was hunger.....

I fell asleep at about 10pm...and woke up at about 1am with a huge headache......I broke down, took 2 Excedrin Migraine, obviously, cut up and let them dissolve in my mouth before I swallowed, magically my headache went away.....

Went back to sleep woke up at 10am, had a protein shake and have been chinking around all day....

My incisions don't hurt at all, I slept on my side no problem....I have already gone up and down the stairs a few times, and now I think it's time for a nappy poo......

Yay....I feel good, and will take a shower before I take a nap.....

I'll post pictures of hospital room and checkerboard stomach.....ha!

Surgery.....I made it!

So they took me down to the OR at about 12:00 noon, as they were rolling me down the hall and into the elevator, I started getting super anxious....and emotional, and all crying, scared, etc.....the nurses were awesome, they kept telling me what a hottie I was going to be, that I was brave, they even started singing and dancing, until they got me to crack a smile.....

I got down to the pre-op room, and the anesthesiologist came by to see me, when the nurses told him I was a little nervous, he immediately gave me a tranquilizer shot, and I started feeling a little more relaxed....

They rolled me into the the OR, and there I went...the room was super clean, people were moving around, as soon as I got in, the anesthesiologist, hit the stereo...for a second I thought I was on the set of "scrubs"....the nurses and the Dr's were singing and dancing, as they coordinated me moving from one stretcher to the operating table....

The anesthesiologist was holding an oxygen mask over my nose and mouth, gave the nurse instructions to put something in my IV, and then I was out....the next thing I remember is them waking me up in post-op and me telling them to leave me alone, that I was too tired to wake up.....they all smiled and left me alone...(well not really alone, but with oxygen and laying down and resting.......I must have dosed off and on, and in a little bit, they were wheeling me back to my room......

I was sort of out of it.  The surgery lasted longer than I thought.  I was under "the knife" for a little over 2 hours, and then 2 and a half hours in post op.....

In my room by 5:30.....

That afternoon I was ok, I got help getting up and walking and going to the bathroom.....but that night....

HOLY MOLY....talk about my own private hell...!!!!!

It's not like I was sore or hurting, I felt like I had the worlds worst indigestion.....I kept trying to walk, burp, go to the bathroom, and nothing.....

The nurses came in like clockwork to administer antacid, and pain killers via my IV.  At about 11 at night, they gave me another dose of pain killers, they gave me an ativan sleeping pill sublingual, and then a shot in my arm for pain.....that was it...I was out...I was asleep, I woke up again around 4 in the morning, they gave me more pain medication, went to the bathroom, and went back to sleep.

At 7 am Friday morning I woke up feeling a million times better....I started walking on my own, I started moving around and getting the "air" out.......I was taken downstairs for a barium test, where I had to swallow some nasty tasting liquid, and the Dr.'s watched it through the X-ray machine as it made it's way down....they later showed me, it was kind of neat to see it....pretty cool.....

At about 3 they let me take a shower (or made me take a shower)....with no help, they basically disconnected my IV for a little bit, gave me towels and a new robe and voila....I took a shower and felt a gazillion times better!!!!  Born again!  Our bodies are amazing things.....

By that evening I had made friends with the security guard and a woman whose daughter was having surgery (the same kind I did) at that time.  It made her feel better that 24 hours after surgery I was up and about the hospital....

The doctors came by 3 times a day, so did the nutritionist and psychologist.  I had awesome care, with very caring nurses.

I felt so much better.......yay!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Things I look forward to doing:

So I'm killing time, but these things give me goals or rewards for losing weight....

I can't wait until:  (I'll keep adding, and then maybe even crossing out!)

  • I can cut my toenails and not run out of breath
  • get on an airplane and actually pull my seatbelt tight, instead of hoping I don't have to ask for an extender
  • being able to go to the bathroom in said airplane...I don't ask for #2, but just to pee and wipe without acrobatics, since I can't get my legs open enough to get my hand in for a wipe
  • Speaking of #2, while out and about, not choosing the handicap bathroom so that I can actually wipe
  • being able to shop anywhere on the planet for clothes, and not spend a week in travel clothes because my luggage was lost and there is not a store in the country that caters to the "plus size"
  • going to a restaurant and not worrying if I'll fit in the booth, or if the hostess will try to sit me in a booth just to see me struggle, to finally rest my breasts on the table.
  • looking down while standing up and seeing my toes
  • being able to use my lap as a lap.....not like some weird ill stable table
  • having my boobs no longer be my crumb/drip tray
  • crossing my legs

July 15....Surgery Day....

So...here I am, 5:30 am, the nurses came in to start my IV, and give me some meds......surgery is planned to be closer to noon so 6 hours to go.....Ayyyyy.....

So here's the schedule so far today:  (I'll update as I go)

5:30am - Start IV, put on super elastic anti-clot hose....the IV went in on the first try! and pulling up the hose....well, all I can say is that I'm glad I just laid there and had the nurses sweat to get the super tights over my thunder thighs!

9:30am - The infection control lady came by, made sure I wasn't feeling anything, I guess she's the "head nurse"....the cleaning guy came by, cleaned, changed towels, etc....room smells clean not sterile

I am going to nap now...let's see if that brings anyone else into the room...it's been working so far.....

and guess what!??? it worked!

10:00am - met lead surgeon, and the entire surgery team came by, answered questions, and set me at total peace!~  here I go, a few more hours.....

10:30am - anticoagulant shot, now when the Dr. said I'd get it under the skin, I expected my arm or butt, but no!!!! I got a shot on my belly!!!!! it didn't hurt while it was happening, it stings a little now.....

ok, let's see what happens next....I think it's OR time.....

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

July 14th, 2010....Travel Day....

So the last week, I've been on a high protein, liver shrinking diet.  I struggled with the no carbs, because I missed the sugar.  I could totally tell when I went to work out, I got tired faster....hmmmm I guess my body has to figure out, that it can draw on stored energy instead of eating energy....

So this morning I took off....left home on the 12:30 flight and arrived in San Diego at 5:30.

I was at baggage claim and all of a sudden a man came up to me, and said Carol?  How did he know, I mean I wasn't the only fat person there....but whatever....got my suitcase...and drive south across the border to Tijuana. The driver's name was Rafael, he was very nice, professional and we were at the hospital in no time at all.

I was ushered into reception, they took down my info, made copies of my ID, I guess I got a little jittery when they asked me my religion, in case they need to send a priest down???

Anyway....I was promptly taken to Labs and XRAY, by 7:15 I was in my hospital room and connected to my computer.

The hospital room is beautiful, I keep calling it hotel, because it looks and feels like a hotel room.  Wood Floors, Marble Bathroom, TV, Internet, etc.

The nurses are great and really nice.  I got an EKG done in the room, and was brought up dinner.

I laughed out loud, since I've been on protein pre surgery diet, and my dinner is a ham sandwich on white bread, apples, a yogurt and apple juice....carb heaven.....My first sip of apple juice felt like heaven, and I HATE apple juice!

Anyway...I'll post pictures.  So far so good.....

The Anesthesiologist will be coming to talk to me tonight.  I already talked to the surgery assistant and tomorrow morning I meet the rest of the surgical staff.

So far so good.  I am nervous, but am ready to have my sleeve....


Yay!

Mexican Surgery.....Part 2

So....Yikes....after researching and researching and researching some more.   I completely changed my planned surgery....

Instead of having aVGS, where they cut out your stomach, I am having a "new" procedure called Vertical Gastric Plication.  I thought about this for a long time...so here's the low down....

Basically, it is the same procedure as the "sleeve", but they fold 80% of my stomach onto itself to form a sleeve without cutting.  Instead they suture it up.

It's fairly new so the downside is that there isn't a huge history, the upside is that it has shown to have same results in terms of weight loss as gastric bypass and gastric sleeve.

Here are the study results:
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/lap.2006.0128?journalCode=lap

I am now having surgery on July 15th, with Dr. Corvala at Angeles Hospital in Tijuana.

http://www.angeleshealth.com/procedures/weight-loss/gastric-sleeve-plication.aspx

This Dr. is one of the first few to offer, and he is a proctor of bariatric surgery.  I am now confident in my decision....and ready to go!

Friday, July 02, 2010

Surgery in Mexico? Really?

So......after not wanting to wait another 2 months to start the process, I started researching ALL my surgical options.

I discovered the ObesityHelp.com (OH) website, I was on a Mission. I went to the VSG forum, and started reading people's stories. I started falling across Dr. Alberto Aceves's name numerous times. All of his reviews were positive, and I just really felt compelled to find out more.

I found a blogger that talked about her experience with surgery, but better yet, how to research a Mexican Surgeon. I discovered that Dr. Aceves was one of the best if not the best in Mexico, he is President of the College of Bariatric Sugeons of Mexico, so I started getting some sense of comfort.

A Friday night (honestly I'd had a few drinks so I was brave) I sent Dr. Aceves a "need more info" email. The next morning Saturday, I had a call from Nina (the patient coordinator), I called her back, got comfortable with her on the phone, she gave me all the details I wanted (cost, recovery, post-op care, pre-op tests, etc)...and that was it.

I SCHEDULED SURGERY FOR JULY 14, 20010! YIKES!

I had to go to my PCP, to get some lab results, and told him I had jumped on his suggestion, and that I was scheduled to go on July 14th. I also told him I was going to Mexico (I was so prepared with all of Dr. A's info and qualifications); he gave me a hug and was so excited for me. He thinks it's the best thing I could give myself. He upped my Antidepressant so that I can start loading before surgery and for post op (he knows it'll be hard dealing with the "loss" of food as my frenemy); he thinks that I can go back to a lower dose, to maybe even going without once I lose some weight. He made me promise to come see him 1 month post op so he could supervise, since my surgeon is in Mexico......Yay!

So here I go....it is now less than 2 weeks away and I am nervous, anxious, a little scared.....but I am going to do it and I am going to kick bootie!