A few comparison shots!
February 2010 - at my Birthday Party
Christmas 2011 - at Christmas Party for Unique Knitters
Today - December 1, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
Grateful For What I Have Lost
Today was my 3 month post op visit with my surgeon. I was actually really looking forward to this visit. I knew I had passed the 60 lb loss mark and was excited to tell about my recent blood test results.
I arrived right on time - 8:45 am. There was a lot of traffic driving into Nashville and I was sure I was going to be late. As soon as I checked in and sat down, they called me back to the lab to have blood drawn. I was expecting this too. They check for vitamin and mineral deficiencies every 3 months post op. It doesn't bother me at all to have 6 test tubes of blood taken out of my arm. In fact, I thanked the lab tech for doing it BEFORE I was weighed. I am looking forward to the results of those tests.
Next stop was the nurses station. I hopped up on the scales - crossing my fingers and hoping for minus 66 lbs. I was so excited when she said I was down 68 lbs! I started at 285 lbs and I am now 217 lbs. She did some quick calculations and said that I was at 50% of my excess body weight gone. I asked her what they were figuring as my ideal body weight. I was a little surprised when she said 149 lbs. She further explained that they go off the standard Metropolitan Insurance chart which does not take into consideration body frame size. I told her that if they wanted me to be at 149 lbs, they were going to have to take off a limb - probably a leg!
She said for my height of 5'10", my ideal range would actually be between 149 lbs and 175 lbs. She asked if I had a personal goal and I told her that I was aiming for 160 lbs. She was very happy with that - it is in the middle of the range and would put me at a healthy BMI of 23 which is also in the middle of the range for IDEAL BMI. My BMI is already down from 41 pre-surgery to 31 currently! I am just one point away from being considered overweight rather than obese.
In summary, I have lost 54% of my excess body weight (for my goal weight) and have decreased my BMI 10 points. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself!
Off to see the good Doctor. He told me that I am at a point that he would not normally expect to see until 6 months post op. He was very pleased. Then, I got my normal lecture. I MUST eat 3 meals a day. I MUST get in my protein requirements. I MUST get in my fluid requirements. These are things that I continue to struggle with every day. He explained the necessity for 3 meals a day is mainly for developing a habit. A healthy habit of eating. Something I have never experienced and will really need to work on.
Spent some time with the Dietitian who gave me the same lecture, but followed up with some suggestions for helping me get my protein intake higher.
Waiting for the results of my lab work. I don't have to go back to see the surgeon for 3 months!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my family and friends who have extended such support and encouragement. It means more to me than you can imagine. I know that some would have rather I didn't have the surgery - felt that it was too drastic of a solution for weight loss. Even with the difference of opinion - you continue to cheer me on. Your encouragement is so motivational for me.
I arrived right on time - 8:45 am. There was a lot of traffic driving into Nashville and I was sure I was going to be late. As soon as I checked in and sat down, they called me back to the lab to have blood drawn. I was expecting this too. They check for vitamin and mineral deficiencies every 3 months post op. It doesn't bother me at all to have 6 test tubes of blood taken out of my arm. In fact, I thanked the lab tech for doing it BEFORE I was weighed. I am looking forward to the results of those tests.
Next stop was the nurses station. I hopped up on the scales - crossing my fingers and hoping for minus 66 lbs. I was so excited when she said I was down 68 lbs! I started at 285 lbs and I am now 217 lbs. She did some quick calculations and said that I was at 50% of my excess body weight gone. I asked her what they were figuring as my ideal body weight. I was a little surprised when she said 149 lbs. She further explained that they go off the standard Metropolitan Insurance chart which does not take into consideration body frame size. I told her that if they wanted me to be at 149 lbs, they were going to have to take off a limb - probably a leg!
She said for my height of 5'10", my ideal range would actually be between 149 lbs and 175 lbs. She asked if I had a personal goal and I told her that I was aiming for 160 lbs. She was very happy with that - it is in the middle of the range and would put me at a healthy BMI of 23 which is also in the middle of the range for IDEAL BMI. My BMI is already down from 41 pre-surgery to 31 currently! I am just one point away from being considered overweight rather than obese.
In summary, I have lost 54% of my excess body weight (for my goal weight) and have decreased my BMI 10 points. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself!
Off to see the good Doctor. He told me that I am at a point that he would not normally expect to see until 6 months post op. He was very pleased. Then, I got my normal lecture. I MUST eat 3 meals a day. I MUST get in my protein requirements. I MUST get in my fluid requirements. These are things that I continue to struggle with every day. He explained the necessity for 3 meals a day is mainly for developing a habit. A healthy habit of eating. Something I have never experienced and will really need to work on.
Spent some time with the Dietitian who gave me the same lecture, but followed up with some suggestions for helping me get my protein intake higher.
Waiting for the results of my lab work. I don't have to go back to see the surgeon for 3 months!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my family and friends who have extended such support and encouragement. It means more to me than you can imagine. I know that some would have rather I didn't have the surgery - felt that it was too drastic of a solution for weight loss. Even with the difference of opinion - you continue to cheer me on. Your encouragement is so motivational for me.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank YOU!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Best.Doctor.Appointment.Evah.
This morning I saw my Primary Care doctor for a routine visit. I have not seen him since 1 month prior to my surgery. (Surgery was 12 weeks ago today.)
Results:
I am down 60 lbs!
My A1C (blood glucose) is down from 12.4 to 6.0! That puts me out of Diabetic status and into PRE-Diabetic status.
My good and bad Cholesterol are both completely normal.
My Vitamin D level is normal.
My blood pressure was 117/72.
He has cut my Metformin dosage in half. (Diabetes)
He has taken me off of the expensive - no generic available yet - Crestor for my Cholesterol.
He has taken me off my blood pressure medication.
He is scheduling me for another sleep test in 6 months to determine if my sleep apnea is cured.
He wants to see me in a month to check on whether anything else needs to change.
He printed out my lab results for me to put on the refrigerator. I love my Primary Care doctor! He spent 1 hour with me today just going over lab work and making changes to my medications. I never feel rushed or like he doesn't care.
Every time he said "Normal", his smile got bigger and bigger. He would always add - "for the first time" at the end!
Every second of regret is forgotten.
Every minute of doubt has been erased.
Every bad day is history.
I CAN do this.
And I WILL.
Results:
I am down 60 lbs!
My A1C (blood glucose) is down from 12.4 to 6.0! That puts me out of Diabetic status and into PRE-Diabetic status.
My good and bad Cholesterol are both completely normal.
My Vitamin D level is normal.
My blood pressure was 117/72.
He has cut my Metformin dosage in half. (Diabetes)
He has taken me off of the expensive - no generic available yet - Crestor for my Cholesterol.
He has taken me off my blood pressure medication.
He is scheduling me for another sleep test in 6 months to determine if my sleep apnea is cured.
He wants to see me in a month to check on whether anything else needs to change.
He printed out my lab results for me to put on the refrigerator. I love my Primary Care doctor! He spent 1 hour with me today just going over lab work and making changes to my medications. I never feel rushed or like he doesn't care.
Every time he said "Normal", his smile got bigger and bigger. He would always add - "for the first time" at the end!
Every second of regret is forgotten.
Every minute of doubt has been erased.
Every bad day is history.
I CAN do this.
And I WILL.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
My New Life: Dry Heaves and Constipation
I realize it has been forever since I updated this blog. It wasn't that I didn't have anything to say. Or that I didn't have time. I think it was because I felt like most of what I would say would be complaining.
I can't believe that my surgery was over two months ago. It has been a rough two months. I won't lie and say I haven't regretted my decision more than once. I have.
Eating has become more of a chore than ever before. I actually dread it. And I very rarely enjoy it.
That being said - would I do it again? Absolutely. I know this will get easier - I am just not a very patient person.
The details:
Surgery date was August 21, 2012. That was 11 weeks ago today. I am currently 100 lbs lighter than I was at my highest lifetime weight. That doesn't mean I have lost 100 lbs since my surgery. At my 2 month checkup - my official weight loss was 49 lbs. I had lost 36% of my excess body weight. I was disappointed, but my surgeon was thrilled. He explained that he wouldn't have expected me to be at the 36% mark until my third month. He said since my BMI was ONLY 41, my weight loss would be much slower than someone who weighed considerably more than I did.
Before Surgery:
Pant size: 26 Tall
Shirt size: 3x to 5x
Bra size: 48D
Glucose level: 225ish
Currently:
Pant size: 18 Tall
Shirt size: Large to 1x
Bra size: 42C
Glucose level: 90 to 110
I honestly don't miss my Diet Coke as much as I thought I would. I have not had one piece of candy, cookie or pastry since my surgery. No ice cream either. I don't even crave these things.
I do crave carbs. More than anything. I want potato chips, bread and potatoes. Pasta! I am learning to live without these things.
My new mantra: I need to drink more fluids. Eat more protein.
More to come. Soon.
I can't believe that my surgery was over two months ago. It has been a rough two months. I won't lie and say I haven't regretted my decision more than once. I have.
Eating has become more of a chore than ever before. I actually dread it. And I very rarely enjoy it.
That being said - would I do it again? Absolutely. I know this will get easier - I am just not a very patient person.
The details:
Surgery date was August 21, 2012. That was 11 weeks ago today. I am currently 100 lbs lighter than I was at my highest lifetime weight. That doesn't mean I have lost 100 lbs since my surgery. At my 2 month checkup - my official weight loss was 49 lbs. I had lost 36% of my excess body weight. I was disappointed, but my surgeon was thrilled. He explained that he wouldn't have expected me to be at the 36% mark until my third month. He said since my BMI was ONLY 41, my weight loss would be much slower than someone who weighed considerably more than I did.
Before Surgery:
Pant size: 26 Tall
Shirt size: 3x to 5x
Bra size: 48D
Glucose level: 225ish
Currently:
Pant size: 18 Tall
Shirt size: Large to 1x
Bra size: 42C
Glucose level: 90 to 110
I honestly don't miss my Diet Coke as much as I thought I would. I have not had one piece of candy, cookie or pastry since my surgery. No ice cream either. I don't even crave these things.
I do crave carbs. More than anything. I want potato chips, bread and potatoes. Pasta! I am learning to live without these things.
My new mantra: I need to drink more fluids. Eat more protein.
More to come. Soon.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Penny McEntee/February 23, 1960
I know I was long overdue for a posting here. I have really wanted to document the surgical procedure but haven't had the patience to sit still long enough to put together a post.
On Tuesday, August 21, 2012, Ed and I arrived at the Woman's Hospital at Centennial right on time as requested by the surgeon's office. 5:30 a.m. We went straight to the 2nd floor Outpatient Surgical Unit to collect our Brownie points for being prompt. Surgery isn't Outpatient, but apparently they send everyone there. Of course, I question the logic of that. I will forever refer to it as the Surgical Unit from this point on. No Brownie points either. Instead, we were handed a restaurant style pager and told to have a seat. We were to return to the desk when the pager flashed red. I was super excited then. I sat with that thing in my hand waiting for it to go off so I could order a Bloomin' Onion. Again - more early morning disappointment. We were among the first to arrive. Many people came and joined us. We saw pagers flash red and surgical patients head back to the Secret Domain with a nurse leading the way. Many of them. Almost a steady stream. Sign in. Sit down. Pager lights up. Away they go.
After an hour, I started shaking my pager to see if perhaps the batteries were loose. Nope. After two hours, I started to question if I had the date correct. Yep. I set a mental limit for 8:30 am. If I was still sitting there at that time, I was going to the desk to see how many names were ahead of mine on the list. Shortly before then - a nurse came out and my pager lit up like a Christmas tree. I was told to give the pager to Ed for safe keeping and to follow the nurse back into the Secret Domain. I was escorted into a room with a bed and a chair. As we were strolling through the double doors, the nurse asked my name and birth date. I have to say hospital folks could save themselves a lot of time if they wrote that kind of information down in a safe place. Everyone I ran into asked me the same two questions. At any rate, we made it to my first holding room. The room was 11 x 12. I know this because I counted the floor tiles. I am weird like that.
I was given a wrist band and a paper gown and told to disrobe and put it on. This was the coolest paper gown I have ever seen. It was part of the Bair Hugger system and the gown is called Bair Paws. The gown was insulated and had little holes like the ones in the top of a vacuum cleaner bag. Remember those? Before bag less vacuum cleaners? Anyway - they have a warming machine that has hoses that can be attached at those holes and then warm air is filtered through the gown. Pretty neat, eh? They didn't hook up my hoses before knocking me out, so I am not sure if they utilized the machine. I put on my Bair Paw gown and sat there for quite a while. Just when I thought for sure I had been forgotten again - Ed comes into the room and sits in the chair. More waiting.
Another nurse pops in and asks me my name and birth date. Once I told her, she immediately pops the brake on my bed and says "okay Precious, let's go!" I barely had a chance to lay down and she whisks me out the door - bumping every wall and doorway she went through. Ed was following along and she waved him off and told him this was the end of the line for him - he was to return to the waiting room with his little pager. She didn't stop long enough for me to even say see ya later. I waved at Ed and grimaced as she hit the final door way before taking me into yet another Holding Area. As soon as she parked me in my little slot, she asked if I was cold. I am NEVER cold. I told her I was fine. She told me she would get me a warm blanket and rushed off.
While she was gone, two more nurses dropped by to introduce themselves and ask my name and birth date. What scared me most came next. They asked me who my surgeon was and what kind of surgery was I having. Seriously? I know all about the "Green Movement", but a little slip of paper with that kind of information written on it doesn't seem to be too extreme. They also asked who was with me. I told them all about Ed and they asked if he had the 4 digit code number. I told them I wasn't sure. They shrugged and said if I didn't know the code, then he probably didn't either. Then they flitted off.
The bumper car nurse returns with not one, but two very nice and toasty warm blankets. She proceeded to cover me from chin to foot and tuck the blankets into my sides. I felt a little mummy-ish.
This is how the next hour passed:
Person approaches my bed.
Good morning, my name is (John, Sue, Nancy, Frank) and I am going to be (starting your IV, taking care of you, putting you to sleep, checking to see if you have any questions) this morning. Can I have your name and birth date?
My surgeon drops by with his huge smile and asks me if I am ready. I know that he has already completed one surgery that morning and he is already redressed in his street clothes and white jacket. Just as well, I didn't need to see any blood splattered scrubs at that point. He says we will get started in around 45 minutes. I have completely lost track of time at this point.
More waiting while I listen to John, Sue, Nancy and Frank approach all the other patients lined up in the Holding Area and recite the same litany over and over. At one point, my surgeon's nurse came and introduced herself. She explained that Dr. Olsen's team operated like a well oiled machine. They all knew what they were supposed to do and they did it well. I really liked her. She was calming yet energetic. She quickly scampers off. Seems like it was only a few minutes later and she comes back with a swoosh of the drape around my bed and exclaims "Okay Ladybug, let's get this show on the road!" She pops the brake on the gurney and immediately my bed is surrounded by people. I start moving and I don't remember a thing until I woke up and was being moved into my room on the 3rd floor of the hospital.
I don't remember the recovery room, although I apparently spent some time there. My first semi-conscious moment was seeing Ed following my bed into my room with a vase of flowers in one hand and a big smile on his face. I wasn't in any pain, but I certainly wasn't very awake either. The nurses positioned my bed and monitors and then handed me "The Happy Juice" button. I forced myself as awake as possible as they explained that whenever I felt pain, I could push the magic button and pain medication would automatically be injected into my iv and all would be right with the world again.
The rest of that day is a complete blur. When I woke up, I felt as if 7 knives were being stabbed into various parts of my abdomen. One push of the button, and I would be asleep again. At some point, I apparently left my body and went to the other side of the room and took the following picture of myself and then posted in on my facebook page. I know this only because Ed vehemently denies doing such a thing.
By the next day, I was pretty good friends with my pain management button. They were getting me up to walk to the bathroom and move around. Each little venture earned me a push of the button. That would promptly knock me out. Sleeping came in 10 to 15 minute increments and usually resulted in me jerking awake thereby prompting the 7 knives of pain.
Every time a nurse came in to take my blood pressure, give me medications, test my blood glucose, withdraw some blood, or take my temperature - they all asked my name and birth date.
I started receiving my "food" trays. For my entire 4 day stay in the hospital, every food tray was exactly the same. It consisted of a container of sugar free jello, a cup of chicken broth, a cup of plain water, a cup of sugar free drink and a package of protein mix that I could mix in the plain water or sugar free drink or both. The flavor of the protein powder changed with each tray. Ed would mix the protein powder in my cup of water and I would sip it until the next tray came. Once I ate a few bites of the jello and once I sipped the chicken broth.
At some point, they took my magic button from me and told me I would receive liquid pain medication from then on out and only when I requested it. I requested it very sparingly - usually only after they got me up to walk down the hall or after my much appreciated shower on day 3. Someone turned the television on for me and I figured out how to turn the channels and control the volume. I never did learn how to turn the thing off. Every time I tried, I called the nurses station instead. I finally just turned it all the way down and left it at that.
I believe it was the second evening that Jana and Winnie came to see me - with little Addison. I am not really one for visitors in the hospital, but I was happy they made the trip up to Nashville to see me. As I have later learned, I obviously don't remember much of the visit.
Dr. Olsen came in every morning like clockwork. I have to say I was really impressed by that. He checked my 7 incisions and repeatedly explained to me that everything is progressive. As long as I was feeling progressively better - that was a good thing. If something was wrong and it was getting progressively worse - that was a bad thing. It is definitely his mantra.
On Friday, he told me I was ready to go home. I really wanted to be home in my bed with a tv remote that I knew how to use. But, I must admit - I was pretty nervous about leaving the hospital and the nurses who were there to make sure all my needs were met. And that mechanical bed that helped me get up when it was too painful to use my abdominal muscles. But, it was time to move forward on this Journey.
I am really looking forward to February. I am expecting more birthday cards than ever before!!
Much more to come...
On Tuesday, August 21, 2012, Ed and I arrived at the Woman's Hospital at Centennial right on time as requested by the surgeon's office. 5:30 a.m. We went straight to the 2nd floor Outpatient Surgical Unit to collect our Brownie points for being prompt. Surgery isn't Outpatient, but apparently they send everyone there. Of course, I question the logic of that. I will forever refer to it as the Surgical Unit from this point on. No Brownie points either. Instead, we were handed a restaurant style pager and told to have a seat. We were to return to the desk when the pager flashed red. I was super excited then. I sat with that thing in my hand waiting for it to go off so I could order a Bloomin' Onion. Again - more early morning disappointment. We were among the first to arrive. Many people came and joined us. We saw pagers flash red and surgical patients head back to the Secret Domain with a nurse leading the way. Many of them. Almost a steady stream. Sign in. Sit down. Pager lights up. Away they go.
After an hour, I started shaking my pager to see if perhaps the batteries were loose. Nope. After two hours, I started to question if I had the date correct. Yep. I set a mental limit for 8:30 am. If I was still sitting there at that time, I was going to the desk to see how many names were ahead of mine on the list. Shortly before then - a nurse came out and my pager lit up like a Christmas tree. I was told to give the pager to Ed for safe keeping and to follow the nurse back into the Secret Domain. I was escorted into a room with a bed and a chair. As we were strolling through the double doors, the nurse asked my name and birth date. I have to say hospital folks could save themselves a lot of time if they wrote that kind of information down in a safe place. Everyone I ran into asked me the same two questions. At any rate, we made it to my first holding room. The room was 11 x 12. I know this because I counted the floor tiles. I am weird like that.
I was given a wrist band and a paper gown and told to disrobe and put it on. This was the coolest paper gown I have ever seen. It was part of the Bair Hugger system and the gown is called Bair Paws. The gown was insulated and had little holes like the ones in the top of a vacuum cleaner bag. Remember those? Before bag less vacuum cleaners? Anyway - they have a warming machine that has hoses that can be attached at those holes and then warm air is filtered through the gown. Pretty neat, eh? They didn't hook up my hoses before knocking me out, so I am not sure if they utilized the machine. I put on my Bair Paw gown and sat there for quite a while. Just when I thought for sure I had been forgotten again - Ed comes into the room and sits in the chair. More waiting.
Another nurse pops in and asks me my name and birth date. Once I told her, she immediately pops the brake on my bed and says "okay Precious, let's go!" I barely had a chance to lay down and she whisks me out the door - bumping every wall and doorway she went through. Ed was following along and she waved him off and told him this was the end of the line for him - he was to return to the waiting room with his little pager. She didn't stop long enough for me to even say see ya later. I waved at Ed and grimaced as she hit the final door way before taking me into yet another Holding Area. As soon as she parked me in my little slot, she asked if I was cold. I am NEVER cold. I told her I was fine. She told me she would get me a warm blanket and rushed off.
While she was gone, two more nurses dropped by to introduce themselves and ask my name and birth date. What scared me most came next. They asked me who my surgeon was and what kind of surgery was I having. Seriously? I know all about the "Green Movement", but a little slip of paper with that kind of information written on it doesn't seem to be too extreme. They also asked who was with me. I told them all about Ed and they asked if he had the 4 digit code number. I told them I wasn't sure. They shrugged and said if I didn't know the code, then he probably didn't either. Then they flitted off.
The bumper car nurse returns with not one, but two very nice and toasty warm blankets. She proceeded to cover me from chin to foot and tuck the blankets into my sides. I felt a little mummy-ish.
This is how the next hour passed:
Person approaches my bed.
Good morning, my name is (John, Sue, Nancy, Frank) and I am going to be (starting your IV, taking care of you, putting you to sleep, checking to see if you have any questions) this morning. Can I have your name and birth date?
My surgeon drops by with his huge smile and asks me if I am ready. I know that he has already completed one surgery that morning and he is already redressed in his street clothes and white jacket. Just as well, I didn't need to see any blood splattered scrubs at that point. He says we will get started in around 45 minutes. I have completely lost track of time at this point.
More waiting while I listen to John, Sue, Nancy and Frank approach all the other patients lined up in the Holding Area and recite the same litany over and over. At one point, my surgeon's nurse came and introduced herself. She explained that Dr. Olsen's team operated like a well oiled machine. They all knew what they were supposed to do and they did it well. I really liked her. She was calming yet energetic. She quickly scampers off. Seems like it was only a few minutes later and she comes back with a swoosh of the drape around my bed and exclaims "Okay Ladybug, let's get this show on the road!" She pops the brake on the gurney and immediately my bed is surrounded by people. I start moving and I don't remember a thing until I woke up and was being moved into my room on the 3rd floor of the hospital.
I don't remember the recovery room, although I apparently spent some time there. My first semi-conscious moment was seeing Ed following my bed into my room with a vase of flowers in one hand and a big smile on his face. I wasn't in any pain, but I certainly wasn't very awake either. The nurses positioned my bed and monitors and then handed me "The Happy Juice" button. I forced myself as awake as possible as they explained that whenever I felt pain, I could push the magic button and pain medication would automatically be injected into my iv and all would be right with the world again.
The rest of that day is a complete blur. When I woke up, I felt as if 7 knives were being stabbed into various parts of my abdomen. One push of the button, and I would be asleep again. At some point, I apparently left my body and went to the other side of the room and took the following picture of myself and then posted in on my facebook page. I know this only because Ed vehemently denies doing such a thing.
By the next day, I was pretty good friends with my pain management button. They were getting me up to walk to the bathroom and move around. Each little venture earned me a push of the button. That would promptly knock me out. Sleeping came in 10 to 15 minute increments and usually resulted in me jerking awake thereby prompting the 7 knives of pain.
Every time a nurse came in to take my blood pressure, give me medications, test my blood glucose, withdraw some blood, or take my temperature - they all asked my name and birth date.
I started receiving my "food" trays. For my entire 4 day stay in the hospital, every food tray was exactly the same. It consisted of a container of sugar free jello, a cup of chicken broth, a cup of plain water, a cup of sugar free drink and a package of protein mix that I could mix in the plain water or sugar free drink or both. The flavor of the protein powder changed with each tray. Ed would mix the protein powder in my cup of water and I would sip it until the next tray came. Once I ate a few bites of the jello and once I sipped the chicken broth.
At some point, they took my magic button from me and told me I would receive liquid pain medication from then on out and only when I requested it. I requested it very sparingly - usually only after they got me up to walk down the hall or after my much appreciated shower on day 3. Someone turned the television on for me and I figured out how to turn the channels and control the volume. I never did learn how to turn the thing off. Every time I tried, I called the nurses station instead. I finally just turned it all the way down and left it at that.
I believe it was the second evening that Jana and Winnie came to see me - with little Addison. I am not really one for visitors in the hospital, but I was happy they made the trip up to Nashville to see me. As I have later learned, I obviously don't remember much of the visit.
Dr. Olsen came in every morning like clockwork. I have to say I was really impressed by that. He checked my 7 incisions and repeatedly explained to me that everything is progressive. As long as I was feeling progressively better - that was a good thing. If something was wrong and it was getting progressively worse - that was a bad thing. It is definitely his mantra.
On Friday, he told me I was ready to go home. I really wanted to be home in my bed with a tv remote that I knew how to use. But, I must admit - I was pretty nervous about leaving the hospital and the nurses who were there to make sure all my needs were met. And that mechanical bed that helped me get up when it was too painful to use my abdominal muscles. But, it was time to move forward on this Journey.
I am really looking forward to February. I am expecting more birthday cards than ever before!!
Much more to come...
Monday, August 20, 2012
Fate and Faithful.
On this date in 1949(?), my Paternal Grandfather passed away. I never met him as he died before I was born.
On this date in 1969(?), exactly 20 years later, my Uncle Harlan was killed. I did not know him very well, although I met him a couple times.
18 years ago tomorrow - I lost my Mom to cancer. When I was given choices for the dates of my surgery, I was aware of these anniversary dates. I didn't say anything because I didn't want it to come into play when deciding the most convenient date.
On this date in 1969(?), exactly 20 years later, my Uncle Harlan was killed. I did not know him very well, although I met him a couple times.
18 years ago tomorrow - I lost my Mom to cancer. When I was given choices for the dates of my surgery, I was aware of these anniversary dates. I didn't say anything because I didn't want it to come into play when deciding the most convenient date.
I would like to think that this date was chosen for me. My Mom died a horrible death - suffering from cancer that had ravaged her body, her brain, her mind and stole her from us way too early. I can not look at any of my Grandchildren and not picture how thrilled she would have been with each and every one of them. All of them would have benefited from having her in their lives. But, God had other plans.
He took her home and when He did - He cured her cancer. He removed the addiction to alcohol and cigarettes. He took away the years of suffering from intense agoraphobia, anxiety and panic. He made her whole again. She was truly born again into a healthy body with a sound mind. What a wonderful Journey she started on that day!
I would like to think that having my surgery on this date is celebrating HER Journey with one of my own. I hope she would be proud.
Let's get this show on the road!
Philippians 4:13
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Cottage Cheese.
The last days of my liquid pre-op diet are here. I am so excited to soon be finished with this stage of my Journey. My diet for the last 11 days has consisted of water - flavored or not, protein shakes, low fat yogurt, wonton soup sans wontons, the dreaded low fat cottage cheese, sugar free popsicles, no sugar added fudgesicles, a disgusting cup of beef broth, an occasional Diet Coke and one cheat. (I got so weak and felt so worn down that I went to Zaxby's and had a grilled chicken salad about half way through.)
This stage was much harder than I thought it would be. I have felt hungry all the time - my stomach rumbling and growling almost constantly. I confirmed that I am truly a carb addict. I surprised myself by not craving sweets - yet wanting salty things. I spent a whole day craving pork rinds. I haven't had pork rinds in YEARS, yet I would have gladly eaten a whole bag if I was given one. One day, I wanted Taco Bell tacos in mass quantities. Another day - sour cream and chive potato chips. I am happy to say that I didn't cave for any of those cravings. I saved my cheat for a healthy meal and I really enjoyed it.
I know I have been cranky for the past two weeks. Starving will do that to a person. Every time I turned on the television, there was a commercial advertising something I really felt like I needed to eat RIGHT THEN. Every magazine you open has pictures of delicious looking food jumping off the page. I have blocked all the restaurants that I LIKED on facebook. When my friends posted yummy looking foods and recipes, I hid the stories so I didn't see them on my feed.
I have been embarrassed in public when my stomach growls or rumbles. Maybe I am the only one that can hear it, but it sounds deafening to me. I am so glad that this surgery will do away with the hormone that causes that horrible feeling.
My greatest victory over the past 11 days is that I have already lost 16 pounds! I weigh myself every morning before I do anything else. I started at 285 lbs and this morning, I stepped on the scales and saw 269 glowing bright! It is a great feeling!
With that weight loss comes the realization that I could easily go out in the next couple days and eat it all right back on again. I know this because I have done it so many times before. I can already hear the little voice in my head - "C'mon - you deserve it! Let's run over to McDonald's and get us a Big Mac and large fries!" In the past, I would have grabbed my keys and been out the door. Not this time.
I have two more days until my surgery. I am convinced I can do this. The first few weeks after the surgery will be very difficult. I have to deal with the pain from the surgery and still try to keep myself hydrated and moving. My diet will be protein drinks, water and those sugar free popsicles. The difference this time is that I won't have that overwhelming feeling of hunger.
I have to be at Centennial Woman's Hospital at 5:30 am on Tuesday. It will be an early morning for us - the hospital is an hour away. I don't know the actual time of my surgery, but it is supposed to take 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I have not heard whether the surgeon is going to need to repair my hiatal hernia during the surgery. If so, that will add some time to the procedure. Standard move to the recovery room and then off to my room. I am still not clear on how long I will be in the hospital. So much is determined by how I do post-operatively. I have heard one night (insurance company) to 3 nights (surgeon's office) and anything in between.
Thank you to all my family and friends who are actively supporting me. It means so much to me. My silent supporters who keep me in their thoughts and prayers are also such a blessing.
I am so ready for the next steps on my Journey.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
This stage was much harder than I thought it would be. I have felt hungry all the time - my stomach rumbling and growling almost constantly. I confirmed that I am truly a carb addict. I surprised myself by not craving sweets - yet wanting salty things. I spent a whole day craving pork rinds. I haven't had pork rinds in YEARS, yet I would have gladly eaten a whole bag if I was given one. One day, I wanted Taco Bell tacos in mass quantities. Another day - sour cream and chive potato chips. I am happy to say that I didn't cave for any of those cravings. I saved my cheat for a healthy meal and I really enjoyed it.
I know I have been cranky for the past two weeks. Starving will do that to a person. Every time I turned on the television, there was a commercial advertising something I really felt like I needed to eat RIGHT THEN. Every magazine you open has pictures of delicious looking food jumping off the page. I have blocked all the restaurants that I LIKED on facebook. When my friends posted yummy looking foods and recipes, I hid the stories so I didn't see them on my feed.
I have been embarrassed in public when my stomach growls or rumbles. Maybe I am the only one that can hear it, but it sounds deafening to me. I am so glad that this surgery will do away with the hormone that causes that horrible feeling.
My greatest victory over the past 11 days is that I have already lost 16 pounds! I weigh myself every morning before I do anything else. I started at 285 lbs and this morning, I stepped on the scales and saw 269 glowing bright! It is a great feeling!
With that weight loss comes the realization that I could easily go out in the next couple days and eat it all right back on again. I know this because I have done it so many times before. I can already hear the little voice in my head - "C'mon - you deserve it! Let's run over to McDonald's and get us a Big Mac and large fries!" In the past, I would have grabbed my keys and been out the door. Not this time.
I have two more days until my surgery. I am convinced I can do this. The first few weeks after the surgery will be very difficult. I have to deal with the pain from the surgery and still try to keep myself hydrated and moving. My diet will be protein drinks, water and those sugar free popsicles. The difference this time is that I won't have that overwhelming feeling of hunger.
I have to be at Centennial Woman's Hospital at 5:30 am on Tuesday. It will be an early morning for us - the hospital is an hour away. I don't know the actual time of my surgery, but it is supposed to take 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I have not heard whether the surgeon is going to need to repair my hiatal hernia during the surgery. If so, that will add some time to the procedure. Standard move to the recovery room and then off to my room. I am still not clear on how long I will be in the hospital. So much is determined by how I do post-operatively. I have heard one night (insurance company) to 3 nights (surgeon's office) and anything in between.
Thank you to all my family and friends who are actively supporting me. It means so much to me. My silent supporters who keep me in their thoughts and prayers are also such a blessing.
I am so ready for the next steps on my Journey.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Hold the Pickles & the Chalk
Yesterday I was booked for a full day in Nashville at
various Centennial establishments. It
all started at midnight as I was instructed not to eat or drink anything beyond
that critical hour. No problem, I was
sure they had plenty of good food and drinks prepared for me.
First stop of the day was at the TACE building which houses
the Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity and my surgeon’s
office. At the surgeon’s office I had to
pay the good doctor what the insurance company has deemed my financial
responsibility for his part in the surgery.
$241.00. I have been informed
that amount is completely refundable should I chicken out change my mind
prior to surgery.
I am going to rudely interrupt my own thoughts here to
explain the funding for this surgery.
Financially, this is probably not the best time to add yet another medical
expense to our coffers. Ed’s little
cardiac stunt has stretched our limits a little bit. In fact, when I first approached Ed about me
having the surgery, his initial response was that perhaps this year wasn’t good timing. I agreed and immediately
shelved the idea. Before too much dust
accumulated on the shelf, I received a large package of information from Centennial. Included were the costs for the various
procedures.
I knew we had awesome insurance coverage with a maximum out of
pocket expense of $1,000 each per year (not including co-pays and medications). I did some quick math – really quick math –
and realized that I was going to need that entire $1,000 to pay for the
surgery. It was definitely too much
money for us right now. Oh well, maybe
next year.
Unfortunately, my mind never stops working. I just keep thinking of the benefits of the
surgery and the eventual savings on just medications and food. Then I remembered a little 401k that I had
from one of the jobs I had in New Jersey.
I knew it wasn’t a lot of money and we never really did anything with
it. It sits there and loses or gains a
few dollars every quarter. Most of the
time, I don’t even bother to open the statements that come. I started wondering how much money was left
in that little savings account. The very
next day – the statement arrived. The
total amount minus the penalty for early withdrawal was just about exactly what
I needed to pay for the surgery, co-pays, and my supplements for the first 3
months.
Back to Nashville. Okay,
so now I have paid my surgeon and I am directed into the classroom to wait for
the start of my pre-op class. I already
have my insurance approval, so I am no longer afraid them sneaking some algebra
into this class. I was correct. Instead it was a lot of going over what I
have already been told, read or heard. A
dietitian came in and told us all about eating before and after surgery. A pharmacist came in and told us about the
vitamins and supplements we would be taking for the rest of our lives. She then took each of us individually to
discuss our current medications. I will
no longer be able to swallow a whole pill – they will all need to be either
crushed or chewed. She took the list of
my meds and offered suggestions to the surgeon for post-surgical
replacements. The class started at 9:00
am and went on for just over 2 hours. My
stomach was growling something fierce. People
kept looking outside at the sky – I am sure they thought it was
thundering. In fact, I am fairly certain
that I am responsible for at least one severe weather alert.
It is now 11 am and I have a 1:00 appointment at the main
Centennial Hospital for an upper GI series.
I didn’t want to give up my awesome parking spot, so I walked to the
Hospital. It is just down the
street. Of course, with the heat and
humidity and my lack of food or water – it seemed much further. I had to go to registration before heading to
the Imaging Department. Not sure why
this is a necessary step – especially since I had to pre-register (over the
phone) for my registration.
Whatever. I knew I was early and
was hoping that perhaps I would get called back early. No such luck.
I sat and read my book on my tablet and watch with intense jealousy as
my seat partner was given two bottles of some sort of liquid and told to drink
them. I almost offered to help him, but
he seemed to be enjoying them. My
stomach continued to rumble. I continued
to look around as if I had no idea where the noise was coming from.
My name (or some attempt at pronouncing it) was finally
called and I headed back – excited at the prospect of finally receiving the
milkshake I was promised. They gave me a
gown to put on over my clothes – therefore increasing my body temperature
another 20 degrees. I did inquire as to why
this was necessary and the technician told me they didn’t want me to get any
milkshake on my clothes. She obviously
hasn’t seen the majority of clothes in MY closet. She escorted me to the x-ray room where I was
to receive my goodies and enough radiation to glow in the dark for a month. She
explains they are going to give me some sort of crystals in a little bit of
water and they are going to foam up and I have to swallow it really fast. Afterwards, I will feel like I must burp, but
I am to resist such an urge at all costs.
Then, I will get my Chocolate milkshakes. Then, another tech comes in and tells me
exactly the same thing. I got to sit for 20 minutes waiting for the
radiologist while longingly looking at my *2* milkshakes waiting for me. Dr. arrives and describes what was going to
happen. It sounded exactly like what the
techs told me except “chocolate” milkshake was starting to sound a little bit
like “chalky” milkshake.
I did manage to swallow the cup of the fuzzy stuff and proceed
without burping. I drank one whole
milkshake and most of the second. It
didn’t do anything for my rumbling, growling stomach. The tech did tell me that if I have to have a
swallow test after my surgery to check for leaks – the stuff I would have to
drink then tastes “absolutely disgusting.”
I am still pondering why she felt the need to impart that little tidbit
of information. I guess it is just something
else to look forward to.
I then went back down the street to the Woman’s Hospital for
pre-admission testing. First, I had to
make a stop at the Registration desk and register again. They cut off my wrist band and give me
another one. I head upstairs and wait a
half hour for someone to call my name. The
anesthesiologist came took me into a little room and
asked all the normal medical questions.
She then took me across the hall to another little room where a nurse
asked me the same medical questions and more.
She typed into her computer for a long time. I think she was playing Farmville, but she
wouldn’t let me see the screen so I have no actual proof. By this time, I was feeling pretty weak and
sick to my stomach. I wondered if I
passed out how long it would take a team of professionals to come to my
aid. After feeding her cows and
harvesting her crops – she took me across the hall again.
This time I was seated in yet another waiting
room. She rang a bell on the desk,
handed me some papers and told me to come get her if someone didn’t answer the
bell within 5 to 7 minutes. I was
frantically searching for a stopwatch app for my phone when the door opened and
a friendly tech invited me back to her little domain. Her name tag said her name was Melinda and
she was a phlebotomist. She gave me an EKG
and then took a gallon of blood from my arm.
She then told me I was free to go.
She mentioned she heard there was a thunderstorm very close and to drive
carefully.
Weak, suffering from extreme
malnutrition and a wicked headache – I shuffled down the hall and out the door
to the parking lot. I drove two miles
and scored a large Diet Coke and a Whopper.
The irony of it all.
Today, I started my
pre-surgical liquid diet. Yay.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Hang On. This Train Moves Fast.
I received a call from Angela (the Insurance Specialist at Centennial) on Wednesday, July 25th saying she had faxed all my information to our insurance company the day before. She had already received a fax reply with approval for my weight loss surgery. I was stunned. I knew they had received everything they needed in order to proceed with the approval, but I was told it would probably take 2 or 3 weeks to receive word back with either a yea or nay. Even Angela was a bit surprised.
I asked her what the next step would be and she said it was to pick a date for surgery. When I inquired about the time frame we were looking at - she transferred me straight to the surgeon's office to discuss that. I spoke with Kendra who told me they had August 21st, August 28th or the whole month of September except the 3rd. She said that Dr. Olsen does his surgeries on either Monday or Tuesday. I told her I needed to discuss it with my family and would call her back. I wasn't expecting an August surgery date. I expected them to call back with approval and then offer me a date sometime in September. At that point, I was going to try to schedule the surgery during Fall Break.
It has always been my intent to disrupt the lives of all concerned in the least possible way with my surgery and recovery. School starts here at the beginning of August. That means Jana needs me to care for Addison. If I am not available, then she has to find someone else. I know her first choice is Jen. I talked with Jen to make sure that she was going to be available to care for Addison while I was recovering. I knew she was looking for a job and that would throw a wrench into the very vague plan that was rolling around in my head. She assured me that she would be available at least through the end of August.
Jana and I then got together and discussed the merits of a date in August, September or waiting for Fall Break. I was surprised when she decided that the August 21st date was the best choice. Her reasoning is sound and that is why I went with it. Todd cares for Addison on his days off - every other Monday and Tuesday. August 21 is a Tueday and is also Todd's day off. If I have surgery that day, she would only need to find daycare for Addison the remaining 3 days of that week and all of the following week. Then, Todd has another Monday and Tuesday off. That puts us at Labor Day weekend. I could easily go back to caring for Addi on Sept. 5th and have a 3 day week to get back in the swing of things. I called the surgeon's office and told Kendra to book me for August 21, 2012. I am so excited and scared at the same time.
On Tuedsay, August 7th, I have to go up to Centennial for an UGI (Upper GI series), my pre-admission testing, and another consult with both the Dietitian and the Surgeon. At this time, I will start my 2 week preop liquid diet. More about that later.
One of the benefits of Bariatric Weight Loss surgery at Centennial is access to their many support groups. Each surgeon in the group expects all their patients to attend meetings of their choice of support group for the first year after surgery. While they can hardly make them mandatory (what are they going to do if you don't go, force feed you chocolate and pastries?) they certainly make it clear that it is strongly encouraged. They do mandate that you attend at least one meeting prior to your surgery. Even before I found out that my surgery was approved and the date was set, I had plans to attend a psychologist led support group on Thursday at noon.
I am so glad I went. Besides Dr. Ihrig and his student assistant, there were 6 of us in attendance at this meeting. He holds a meeting right at the Center for the Treatment of Obesity in their classroom several times a week. I found out that this particular meeting is usually the smallest. I was very comfortable with the small group setting. As each person introduced themselves and explained where they were in the surgical process: date of surgery, weight lost, etc., I discovered I was the only one who was PRE op. All of the others had already had their surgery. One was celebrating her 1 year "surgiversity" and another was just 5 weeks post op. I would estimate that the weight loss for the 5 people who were there was close to my entire weight. One of them was 4 months out and already off her blood pressure medications. Another was 7 months out and no longer taking medication for her previously out of control Type II Diabetes.
I listened as they exchanged recipes and hints for making their protein intake more tasty. I took notes as they talked about how to best take their medications that have to be crushed before consuming them. I nodded as they spoke of how they all explained the main reason for taking control of their weight with this drastic measure was their desire to live longer and stronger for their families. I laughed when one of the women said she was on to "bigger and better things" and the Dr. corrected her with "smaller and better things".
I will definitely continue to seek out and attend support meetings. They have the potential to provide a lot of helpful information - especially from those whom have gone before me. Even 5 weeks after his surgery, one man was able to enlighten me and calm some of my nagging fears just by being there and speaking honestly. I feel if I can come away with 10 new bits of knowledge from each meeting - it is well worth the trip.
Here - in no particular order - are 10 things I learned from my first support meeting:
I asked her what the next step would be and she said it was to pick a date for surgery. When I inquired about the time frame we were looking at - she transferred me straight to the surgeon's office to discuss that. I spoke with Kendra who told me they had August 21st, August 28th or the whole month of September except the 3rd. She said that Dr. Olsen does his surgeries on either Monday or Tuesday. I told her I needed to discuss it with my family and would call her back. I wasn't expecting an August surgery date. I expected them to call back with approval and then offer me a date sometime in September. At that point, I was going to try to schedule the surgery during Fall Break.
It has always been my intent to disrupt the lives of all concerned in the least possible way with my surgery and recovery. School starts here at the beginning of August. That means Jana needs me to care for Addison. If I am not available, then she has to find someone else. I know her first choice is Jen. I talked with Jen to make sure that she was going to be available to care for Addison while I was recovering. I knew she was looking for a job and that would throw a wrench into the very vague plan that was rolling around in my head. She assured me that she would be available at least through the end of August.
Jana and I then got together and discussed the merits of a date in August, September or waiting for Fall Break. I was surprised when she decided that the August 21st date was the best choice. Her reasoning is sound and that is why I went with it. Todd cares for Addison on his days off - every other Monday and Tuesday. August 21 is a Tueday and is also Todd's day off. If I have surgery that day, she would only need to find daycare for Addison the remaining 3 days of that week and all of the following week. Then, Todd has another Monday and Tuesday off. That puts us at Labor Day weekend. I could easily go back to caring for Addi on Sept. 5th and have a 3 day week to get back in the swing of things. I called the surgeon's office and told Kendra to book me for August 21, 2012. I am so excited and scared at the same time.
On Tuedsay, August 7th, I have to go up to Centennial for an UGI (Upper GI series), my pre-admission testing, and another consult with both the Dietitian and the Surgeon. At this time, I will start my 2 week preop liquid diet. More about that later.
One of the benefits of Bariatric Weight Loss surgery at Centennial is access to their many support groups. Each surgeon in the group expects all their patients to attend meetings of their choice of support group for the first year after surgery. While they can hardly make them mandatory (what are they going to do if you don't go, force feed you chocolate and pastries?) they certainly make it clear that it is strongly encouraged. They do mandate that you attend at least one meeting prior to your surgery. Even before I found out that my surgery was approved and the date was set, I had plans to attend a psychologist led support group on Thursday at noon.
I am so glad I went. Besides Dr. Ihrig and his student assistant, there were 6 of us in attendance at this meeting. He holds a meeting right at the Center for the Treatment of Obesity in their classroom several times a week. I found out that this particular meeting is usually the smallest. I was very comfortable with the small group setting. As each person introduced themselves and explained where they were in the surgical process: date of surgery, weight lost, etc., I discovered I was the only one who was PRE op. All of the others had already had their surgery. One was celebrating her 1 year "surgiversity" and another was just 5 weeks post op. I would estimate that the weight loss for the 5 people who were there was close to my entire weight. One of them was 4 months out and already off her blood pressure medications. Another was 7 months out and no longer taking medication for her previously out of control Type II Diabetes.
I listened as they exchanged recipes and hints for making their protein intake more tasty. I took notes as they talked about how to best take their medications that have to be crushed before consuming them. I nodded as they spoke of how they all explained the main reason for taking control of their weight with this drastic measure was their desire to live longer and stronger for their families. I laughed when one of the women said she was on to "bigger and better things" and the Dr. corrected her with "smaller and better things".
I will definitely continue to seek out and attend support meetings. They have the potential to provide a lot of helpful information - especially from those whom have gone before me. Even 5 weeks after his surgery, one man was able to enlighten me and calm some of my nagging fears just by being there and speaking honestly. I feel if I can come away with 10 new bits of knowledge from each meeting - it is well worth the trip.
Here - in no particular order - are 10 things I learned from my first support meeting:
- 1. Kroger sugar free banana popsicles are the BOMB!
- 2. After surgery, I will no longer be able to swallow a pill or capsule whole. They have to be crushed or pierced. If I put the crushed pill on a slip of paper, I can position the medication at the back of my tongue (past my taste buds), quickly take a swig of water and not taste a thing.
- 3. Not every program for weight loss after surgery is the same.
- 4. No matter where I attend support meetings - I have to take what I can use and leave the rest behind.
- 5. Sugar free bar-be-que sauce is found at Kroger in the pharmacy department - not the condiment aisle.
- 6. Walmart only has sugar free banana popsicles in a variety pack.
- 7. myfitnesspal.com is an awesome free app for keeping track of calories, protein, carbs, sugar, etc. I can even put my recipes in and it will tell me just how healthy (or not) it is.
- 8. Fat free Greek yogurt mixed with some dry ranch dressing mix makes a tasty alternative to low fat mayo, a nice dip or a super flavoring for my protein source.
- 9. I can mix my crushed pills with sugar free chocolate syrup to mask the taste of the medication. (And quite possibly make me NEVER EVER crave the taste of chocolate again!)
- 10. No matter what I weigh - there is always someone who weighs more than me or less than me.
I can share my Journey with others - but it will always be MY Journey.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The Journey of a Thousand Miles...
Last Friday, July 13th - I made another trek into Nashville for the consult with my surgeon. It was pouring rain for the entire trip so the level of my nervousness was even more heightened. I left with plenty of time accounting for the weather and traffic. I had a 10am appointment and I was there about 45 minutes early. The surgeon's office is in the Tace Building at the Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity. It is across the street from both the Centennial Women's and Children's Hospital and the Medical Arts Building were we attended the seminar. I am getting to know this area fairly well already! I scored a parking spot fairly close to the front door and sat in the car for a bit waiting for the rain to let up a little.
They had mailed me a package of information and a stack of paperwork that needed to be filled out. I did that prior to going, so it saved some time once I got there. I simply checked in and waited to be called back. I was the only person in the waiting room when I went in, but was joined shortly by a woman who was a month out of her surgery. She said she lost 23 lbs for her first weigh in. Very impressive.
When I was called back, the nurse weighed me (285.2 lbs), took my blood pressure (132/81) and heart rate (76). She then took a picture of me for my file. She explained they would take another picture 12 months post surgery. At that time, I could decide to either allow or disallow them to use the pictures on their website. As she escorted me to the room to await the surgeon, I could hear a woman screaming in pain. The nurse seemed unfazed, but I was looking for the nearest emergency exit. I don't know which bothered me more - the wailing lady or the fact the nurse appeared to be immune to the noise.
I was shown into the exam room and told to have a seat and the Dr. would be there shortly. I sat down and took some deep breaths to calm my nerves. When I am anxious, I have learned a couple different ways to stave off a full blown panic attack. I do a lot of self talking. I spend some time talking to myself (with the little voices in my head) about just about anything other than what is making me anxious. The other thing I do is pray. This was a praying day. I asked for guidance - some kind of direction as to which procedure I should have if my insurance company approved this weight loss surgery. I asked that God provide me with the questions I needed to ask the surgeon in order to make an informed decision. Very shortly, I could no longer hear the screaming lady and I was feeling pretty calm.
I looked around the exam room and spent some time wondering who picks the colors and decorations that are found in rooms such as this. While it was clean and organized, it certainly wasn't cold and sterile looking. Very comfortable and inviting. No obvious signs of torture devices. I looked up on the wall and noticed this piece of artwork:
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I looked at the picture and immediately saw it. My answer. I decided that if the surgeon was in agreement, I would pursue the gastric bypass procedure. The medical techie name of that surgery is Roux en-Y.
Dr. Olsen breezed in shortly after I had snapped the picture with my phone. He had a big smile on his face and asked if I heard the screams. He almost seemed a little too proud of the torture he had obviously just witnessed. When I responded that I had indeed heard it and that the last time I heard such a commotion, I was in labor and the screams were NOT coming from me - he just laughed. He explained that it wasn't his patient, but he was assisting another doctor with a patient who had a small infection in their incision area and they needed to open it. How exciting.
He spent a great deal of time with me. I never felt rushed. He basically covered everything he discussed during his seminar. I explained that I had narrowed down my choices to either the gastric bypass or the sleeve. He agreed that the lap band procedure was not the way to go. He admitted that he had only performed one lap band procedure thus far in 2012. His partners are even considering discontinuing it altogether, but he feels it is still an appropriate surgical option for some people. We discussed my history - health, eating habits, and previous weight loss attempts. He reiterated the pros and cons of weight loss surgery. He explained in detail the risks and successes. In the end, he told me that my choice between the gastric bypass or the sleeve was a simple "coin toss" for me. He explained that either surgery would be equally appropriate for me.
I told him I wanted to proceed with the gastric bypass. He was in complete agreement. Since I have a hiatal hernia, he wants me to have an upper GI series before surgery. If it is large, there is a chance he will need to repair it during surgery. Apparently that requires a couple stitches.
There is only one more requirement to be met before submitting my file to the insurance company for approval. I need to see my primary care physician for a 2012 documented visit and I need a letter of support from him. My appointment with Dr. Cole is tomorrow at 2pm. We have previously discussed weight loss surgery and he has always been very supportive. I don't expect any complications there.
Another step forward in The Journey.
As a side note, there are apparently several different "versions" of gastric bypass surgery. Snatched from Wikipedia, this is the method that Dr. Olsen uses:
This variant is the most commonly employed gastric bypass technique, and is by far the most commonly performed bariatric procedure in the United States. The small intestine is divided approximately 45 cm (18 in) below the lower stomach outlet and is re-arranged into a Y-configuration, enabling outflow of food from the small upper stomach pouch via a "Roux limb". In the proximal version, the Y-intersection is formed near the upper (proximal) end of the small intestine. The Roux limb is constructed using 80–150 cm (31–59 in) of the small intestine, preserving the rest (and the majority) of it for absorbing nutrients. The patient will experience very rapid onset of the stomach feeling full, followed by a growing satiety (or "indifference" to food) shortly after the start of a meal.
They had mailed me a package of information and a stack of paperwork that needed to be filled out. I did that prior to going, so it saved some time once I got there. I simply checked in and waited to be called back. I was the only person in the waiting room when I went in, but was joined shortly by a woman who was a month out of her surgery. She said she lost 23 lbs for her first weigh in. Very impressive.
When I was called back, the nurse weighed me (285.2 lbs), took my blood pressure (132/81) and heart rate (76). She then took a picture of me for my file. She explained they would take another picture 12 months post surgery. At that time, I could decide to either allow or disallow them to use the pictures on their website. As she escorted me to the room to await the surgeon, I could hear a woman screaming in pain. The nurse seemed unfazed, but I was looking for the nearest emergency exit. I don't know which bothered me more - the wailing lady or the fact the nurse appeared to be immune to the noise.
I was shown into the exam room and told to have a seat and the Dr. would be there shortly. I sat down and took some deep breaths to calm my nerves. When I am anxious, I have learned a couple different ways to stave off a full blown panic attack. I do a lot of self talking. I spend some time talking to myself (with the little voices in my head) about just about anything other than what is making me anxious. The other thing I do is pray. This was a praying day. I asked for guidance - some kind of direction as to which procedure I should have if my insurance company approved this weight loss surgery. I asked that God provide me with the questions I needed to ask the surgeon in order to make an informed decision. Very shortly, I could no longer hear the screaming lady and I was feeling pretty calm.
I looked around the exam room and spent some time wondering who picks the colors and decorations that are found in rooms such as this. While it was clean and organized, it certainly wasn't cold and sterile looking. Very comfortable and inviting. No obvious signs of torture devices. I looked up on the wall and noticed this piece of artwork:
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I looked at the picture and immediately saw it. My answer. I decided that if the surgeon was in agreement, I would pursue the gastric bypass procedure. The medical techie name of that surgery is Roux en-Y.
Dr. Olsen breezed in shortly after I had snapped the picture with my phone. He had a big smile on his face and asked if I heard the screams. He almost seemed a little too proud of the torture he had obviously just witnessed. When I responded that I had indeed heard it and that the last time I heard such a commotion, I was in labor and the screams were NOT coming from me - he just laughed. He explained that it wasn't his patient, but he was assisting another doctor with a patient who had a small infection in their incision area and they needed to open it. How exciting.
He spent a great deal of time with me. I never felt rushed. He basically covered everything he discussed during his seminar. I explained that I had narrowed down my choices to either the gastric bypass or the sleeve. He agreed that the lap band procedure was not the way to go. He admitted that he had only performed one lap band procedure thus far in 2012. His partners are even considering discontinuing it altogether, but he feels it is still an appropriate surgical option for some people. We discussed my history - health, eating habits, and previous weight loss attempts. He reiterated the pros and cons of weight loss surgery. He explained in detail the risks and successes. In the end, he told me that my choice between the gastric bypass or the sleeve was a simple "coin toss" for me. He explained that either surgery would be equally appropriate for me.
I told him I wanted to proceed with the gastric bypass. He was in complete agreement. Since I have a hiatal hernia, he wants me to have an upper GI series before surgery. If it is large, there is a chance he will need to repair it during surgery. Apparently that requires a couple stitches.
There is only one more requirement to be met before submitting my file to the insurance company for approval. I need to see my primary care physician for a 2012 documented visit and I need a letter of support from him. My appointment with Dr. Cole is tomorrow at 2pm. We have previously discussed weight loss surgery and he has always been very supportive. I don't expect any complications there.
Another step forward in The Journey.
*********************************************
As a side note, there are apparently several different "versions" of gastric bypass surgery. Snatched from Wikipedia, this is the method that Dr. Olsen uses:
Gastric bypass, Roux en-Y (proximal)
This variant is the most commonly employed gastric bypass technique, and is by far the most commonly performed bariatric procedure in the United States. The small intestine is divided approximately 45 cm (18 in) below the lower stomach outlet and is re-arranged into a Y-configuration, enabling outflow of food from the small upper stomach pouch via a "Roux limb". In the proximal version, the Y-intersection is formed near the upper (proximal) end of the small intestine. The Roux limb is constructed using 80–150 cm (31–59 in) of the small intestine, preserving the rest (and the majority) of it for absorbing nutrients. The patient will experience very rapid onset of the stomach feeling full, followed by a growing satiety (or "indifference" to food) shortly after the start of a meal.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Cheese Stick Anyone?
Last Saturday - Ed, Jana and I attended a weight loss seminar at the Centennial Medical Arts building in Nashville. The seminar was hosted by Dr. Olsen - the surgeon I have chosen to perform my surgery. Although I had watched their online seminar, I am really glad we went to one in person also. It was very informative and answered quite a few of my questions. It also quelled some concerns that all of us had. At least I hope it did. I don't like speaking for Ed and Jana.
Dr. Olsen went in depth regarding each form of weight loss surgery - including the statistics on the successes of each. He discussed food addictions and unhealthy eating habits. He went into great detail about the benefits - such as the large percentage of patients who find complete resolution of Type II Diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. He also provided a comprehensive listing of possible risks and complications. No sugar coating at this seminar! (They even provided healthy snacks and repeatedly encouraged us to all partake.)
From the beginning of my research - I was torn between having the lap band procedure or the gastric bypass. (I won't go into a lot of detail on the procedures - they are outlined on the previous post.)
By the middle of the seminar, I had completely ruled out the lap band procedure. I was surprised that Ed and Jana were both in agreement with me. This procedure is the least risky and is completely reversible. But it involves a mechanical device to be implanted - a foreign body. This is one of the newest weight loss procedures. As the data is being collected, it shows that there is a large percentage of people who eventually need to have the lap band removed because of simple mechanical failure over time. It has the slowest weight loss of all the procedures. There is not sufficient data to determine the sustainability of that weight loss over a number of years. In summary, the surgery to place the lap band makes it the least risky but the future uncertainties make it the most risky.
I had not considered the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy until the seminar. This procedure has been around for many years, but in the past it was normally performed on SEVERELY obese patients (BMI 60+) as the first step in a two step process to lose weight. They have recently started using this method on patients as a stand alone procedure. The main difference between the Sleeve and the Gastric Bypass is that the Sleeve is strictly a restrictive procedure and the Bypass is both restrictive and causes malabsorption.
Dr. Olsen went in depth regarding each form of weight loss surgery - including the statistics on the successes of each. He discussed food addictions and unhealthy eating habits. He went into great detail about the benefits - such as the large percentage of patients who find complete resolution of Type II Diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. He also provided a comprehensive listing of possible risks and complications. No sugar coating at this seminar! (They even provided healthy snacks and repeatedly encouraged us to all partake.)
From the beginning of my research - I was torn between having the lap band procedure or the gastric bypass. (I won't go into a lot of detail on the procedures - they are outlined on the previous post.)
By the middle of the seminar, I had completely ruled out the lap band procedure. I was surprised that Ed and Jana were both in agreement with me. This procedure is the least risky and is completely reversible. But it involves a mechanical device to be implanted - a foreign body. This is one of the newest weight loss procedures. As the data is being collected, it shows that there is a large percentage of people who eventually need to have the lap band removed because of simple mechanical failure over time. It has the slowest weight loss of all the procedures. There is not sufficient data to determine the sustainability of that weight loss over a number of years. In summary, the surgery to place the lap band makes it the least risky but the future uncertainties make it the most risky.
I had not considered the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy until the seminar. This procedure has been around for many years, but in the past it was normally performed on SEVERELY obese patients (BMI 60+) as the first step in a two step process to lose weight. They have recently started using this method on patients as a stand alone procedure. The main difference between the Sleeve and the Gastric Bypass is that the Sleeve is strictly a restrictive procedure and the Bypass is both restrictive and causes malabsorption.
I left the seminar with a lot of information and a decision to make: Sleeve or Gastric Bypass. I decided to discuss the two procedures with my surgeon during my private consult before making a final decision.
*****************************************
On Monday, I traveled back up to Nashville. This time to the Women's & Children's Hospital at Centennial for my Nutritional Consult. I met with a dietitian who interviewed me on my various attempts at weight loss, my eating habits as well as food likes and dislikes. She provided me with my "Owner's Manual" for Gastric Bypass Surgery. (She told me that should my final decision be the Sleeve, I could trade in my manual.)
She went over step by step what my food intake would be like for the first several weeks post surgery. I use the term "food" very loosely here. There is a whole lot of liquid and not much else. And none of it involves Diet Coke. Fortunately, it is just a couple weeks while the stomach and intestines heal from the surgery.
She then explained what makes weight loss surgery successful. It is simply a tool. One that requires other tools in order to provide life long success. It means a tremendous change in diet. One that is centered around protein. One that does not include almost all of the items in my current diet. That is a good thing. Obviously my present eating regimen is not a healthy one.
I left that meeting feeling very positive, encouraged and filled with great resolve. I CAN do this. It will not be easy. In fact, it will be extremely hard. A very formidable task. But one that I will embrace with the knowledge I am using an awesome tool to change my life into a more healthy one.
Bariatric weight loss surgery at Centennial comes with a lifetime support from psychologists, dietitians and exercise professionals. All free of charge. While it might be an hour from my home - what is 60 minutes? I spend that much time every day struggling to decide where and what to eat!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Informed Consent.
Types of weight loss surgeries that are available. My insurance will only cover the first three on this illustration. I have not decided which one is for me yet. I am waiting to get more information at the seminar tomorrow and at my consult with the surgeon on July 13th.
 |
Thursday, July 5, 2012
I Would Like To Be A Florist.
I had to be in Nashville early yesterday morning. My appointment was at 9:00am for my
psychological evaluation. They asked me
to be there 10 minutes early to fill out paperwork. (I don’t understand why doctors do that. Why not just give me an 8:50 appointment?) Google maps told me I had a 59 minute
drive. With the required stop at
McDonald’s for my 99 cent any size Diet Coke and accounting for traffic and a
few minutes of “I am lost and have no idea where I am”, I figured I should be
leaving my house no later than 7:30am. My
scheduling was perfect. I arrived at my
destination right on time after driving past it once and going around the
block.
I thought I would be anxious about this visit. I was nervous, but I felt that was a normal
feeling. Being alone and going to a
strange place can cause me anxiety and a panicky feeling. I didn’t get that at all. Just the butterflies and uneasiness that can
be typical in a situation like that.
I walked into the Athena office at exactly 8:50am. I hope I scored some points for being
prompt. I filled out the required
paperwork and settled in to wait for the psychologist who was going to evaluate
me. The waiting area was small and cozy complete
with a nice aquarium with beautiful fish swimming about. I watched a big orange fish slowly making a
hole in the gravel by systematically picking up a few pieces in his mouth and
swimming a few inches away and spitting it out.
I resisted the urge to reach in and smooth that dip in the gravel just
so he would have to start over. I didn’t
think getting caught with my arm in the water would make a good
impression. It would have probably
erased all the good points I got for being prompt.
About 9:10, a man walked out into the waiting room,
shook my hand and told me his name. I
didn’t catch the name, but since he was carrying a file folder, I assumed he
was the Dr. It was a good guess. He led me down the hall, walked into a
small office and invited me to sit on his couch. Phew. I
could breathe easier. I was on home
territory now. I have done this before. He made a little small talk but I was on to
his game. He was looking for crazy and I
was there to be normal. I think. I didn’t mention the neurotic goldfish
because I didn’t want him to feel insulted.
I was polite and sincere.
Finally down to the business at hand. He explained that he was going to ask me a
few questions – some of which would require more in depth answers and others that
would be more of a checklist type and required only a yes or no answer. After that, he would give me a stack of written
tests, explain each of them to me and then take me to the “testing room” where
I could complete the tests at my leisure.
By this point, I was getting a little more nervous. I absolutely stink at Algebra. Okay, I admit I have not been able to pass
college level Algebra. Despite several
attempts. I know in my heart that this
is the end of road for me and weight loss surgery. He is going to ask me to explain why 3x + 2y
= 72. I was doomed.
Trying not to express my complete disappointment, I
just smile and nod. He then explained
that everything discussed in that little office was completely
confidential. Unless it involved child
abuse or any mention of me indicating that I was going to harm myself or
someone else upon leaving that office, he would not divulge anything I said to
him. If so much wasn’t riding on this
evaluation, I could have had a blast with this guy. Quickly remembering I needed to score points
to make up for the upcoming Algebra exam, I decided not to mess with him too
much.
He started out by asking me questions about the surgery
– what did I know about the procedure, the recovery and how it was going to
affect the rest of my life. I have done
my research and made sure he knew that.
The next questions were typical doctor type questions – but in no
particular order. “Have you ever had
cancer?” “How would you describe your
home life?” “Have you ever wanted to
kill or harm someone?” “Have you been
diagnosed with tuberculosis?” His last
question was my absolute favorite. “Have
you ever been involved in a homicide?”
Missing my opportunity to have some fun, I responded truthfully – no. He said, “Well, it’s not like I could tell
anyone if you had.” I am sure he was
egging me on. I didn’t fall for it. Sneaky little shrink.
Next, he pulled out an impressive stack of papers. My tests.
He went through the entire stack and explained each one to me. NO Algebra!
I was home free! I resisted the
urge to stand up and dance a jig. (It
was easy to resist such an itch because I have no clue how to dance a
jig.) He asked if I had any questions
and then escorted me to the “testing room”.
He told me to pick a table, have a seat and complete the tests – taking as
much time as I needed – and then to drop the completed exams at the front desk
on my way out. He shook my hand and
wished me well.
Trying not to read too much into the “pick a table” command, I
confidently plopped down at the closest one.
I picked one of the two pencils out of the cup on the table and started
with the top test. My first exam
required me to draw a clock with all 12 numbers. Then, I was to draw the hands on the clock to
indicate the time 11:10. I understand
the purpose of the tests. They are
trying to determine if you are able to follow directions, make sensible
decisions and are mentally stable enough to undergo this life changing surgery. For that reason, I followed instructions and
drew the clock with all 12 numbers rather than the digital one that I really
wanted to draw. End of art class.
There were several pages of tests that were the
standard “rate this on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being totally agree and 5 being
totally disagree”. Easy peasy
stuff.
My favorite tests were the ones that required thought
and were more of the intelligence type exams.
For example, what comes next?
A B C D _
82 235 1324 19 61_
Z A Y B X C _
The last test was the famous MMPI-2. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is just what the title indicates – a personality test. Not sure what Minnesota has to do with this
test. I assume they just wanted
something to be known for. This test
contains 567 statements that are as odd and random as anything I have ever
seen. They are all typed out in a
booklet form. I was advised that I was not to write in the booklet - as he opened it and indicated where those who had gone before me had ignored the admonition. I was also given an answer
sheet and instructed to indicate my response with either true or false by
filling in the appropriate circle on the answer sheet with a pencil. #2 lead, of course.
I only had to answer the first 370
questions/statements. By this time, I
had worn down the lead on both of the pencils in my cup and was trying to
decide if I should snitch a pencil out of a cup on another desk. Since random people were coming into the “testing
room” at indiscriminate times (I am sure they were spying on me!), I opted to
plod along with my dull pencil. It was
tedious and seemingly never ending. I
would love to see how I scored on this test.
I have found some of the statements online and have listed them here for
your enjoyment.
1. I like mechanics magazines.
2. I have a good appetite.
3. I wake up fresh & rested most mornings.
4. I think I would like the work of a librarian.
5. I am easily awakened by noise.
6. I like to read newspaper articles on crime.
7. My hands and feet are usually warm enough.
8. My daily life is full of things that keep me interested.
9. I am about as able to work as I ever was.
10. There seems to be a lump in my throat much of the time.
11. A person should try to understand his dreams and be guided by or take warning from them.
12. I enjoy detective or mystery stories.
13. I work under a great deal of tension.
14. I have diarrhea once a month or more.
15. Once in a while I think of things too bad to talk about.
16. I am sure I get a raw deal from life.
17. My father was a good man.
18. I am very seldom troubled by constipation.
2. I have a good appetite.
3. I wake up fresh & rested most mornings.
4. I think I would like the work of a librarian.
5. I am easily awakened by noise.
6. I like to read newspaper articles on crime.
7. My hands and feet are usually warm enough.
8. My daily life is full of things that keep me interested.
9. I am about as able to work as I ever was.
10. There seems to be a lump in my throat much of the time.
11. A person should try to understand his dreams and be guided by or take warning from them.
12. I enjoy detective or mystery stories.
13. I work under a great deal of tension.
14. I have diarrhea once a month or more.
15. Once in a while I think of things too bad to talk about.
16. I am sure I get a raw deal from life.
17. My father was a good man.
18. I am very seldom troubled by constipation.
My favorite question/statement on the MMPI-2 was: I sometimes enjoy teasing animals.
I was never so glad I didn’t mess with that darn
goldfish and his gravel!
Results to the Surgeon by Friday. I hope I passed.
Once again, I am reassured that there is no real need
to understand Algebra.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Do This and We Will Do That.
If one wants insurance to cover the costs of weight loss surgery, the approval process is quite daunting. In fact, it is the main reason I have delayed this decision for so long. Now, I feel I have reached the do or die stage of this process. I have enough health issues to put myself in the category of high risk of having a heart attack or stroke. This isn't my anxiety speaking - this is fact. The way it is. If I don't do something drastic to change it, my life is in danger. I know that. I feel it. It terrifies me more than I can admit out loud.
I am blessed to have great medical benefits. In fact, our insurance - Anthem BC/BS - actually is one of the very few insurance companies that "fast tracks" weight loss surgery approvals.
I still have to meet certain criteria in order to qualify. I must have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of at least 40. Or, I can have a BMI of 35 in addition to other health issues that put me at high risk of premature death. Those include conditions such as Type II Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, and several others.
At 285 lbs and 5'10" my BMI is 41. I am considered Morbidly Obese. That makes me a suitable candidate for weight loss surgery. Add the fact that I have: Type II Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure, and High Cholesterol and *ding, ding, ding* Jackpot! I just became an ideal candidate. Lucky me.
I have begun the approval process with Centennial Bariatrics via the Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity in Nashville. There is a wonderful Insurance Coordinator who is walking me step by step through what I need to do in order to gain the approval of the insurance company.
They require that I attend an informational seminar. I am scheduled to attend such an event on Saturday, July 7th. I have already watched their online seminar, but feel attending one in person will be beneficial. Especially since I want some family members to attend also. I want them to be as informed as I am.
Another requirement is to provide medical records for the last 5 years. I provided the signed release forms and was notified today that they have received the records already from my primary care physician.
I must have a nutritional consultation. Scheduled for July 9th at Women's Hospital in Nashville. For this, I am just hoping I can find a shirt to wear without chocolate stains. No, those are not Oreo crumbs stuck between my teeth!
I am scheduled for a surgical consult with the surgeon of my choice on July 13th. It's a Friday. I am not superstitious. The Center has three very qualified surgeons who perform weight loss surgeries. I have studied their credentials and read their patient reviews. I have chosen Dr. Douglas O. Olsen. His patients say he is tough and straight forward. No beating around the bush and hand holding. That is exactly what I want. If nothing else, he has great initials: Dr. D.O.O.
The last requirement is a psychological evaluation. Whoa Nellie! I should have zero anxiety over this one. I have lots of practice, it seems. Mine is scheduled for tomorrow - July 3rd. They say it is going to last *4* hours and I should dress comfortably and bring along a book to read. I am assuming one of my grease stained shirts and my well loved copy of 'Desserts, Desserts & More Desserts' are appropriate accompaniment's? Almost all kidding aside, I am nervous about this appointment tomorrow. I don't know what to expect and I don't know what THEY expect. I guess I will just go and be myself. Most would probably consider that a bad idea - but I am hoping that is enough to gain their approval.
I will follow up with details about the visit.
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