GiovannaR.
5-18-2006: Hello to all, my name is Gigi and I am excited to get started on my road to Health!!! I am 24 years old and have been heavy for my entire life it seems. I started to gain weight at a young age and it just seems to want to stay. We have different agendas my weight and I. I say its time to go and it just wants to sit around and eat!
My mom has wanted me to have this surgery for about 5 years now but I have never had a problem with being this fabulous until I could not walk for the pain in my knees. When this weight decided to hinder me I made up my mind to get rid of it. I have done everything to loose the weight. But as usual nothing has worked.
I have a meeting with Dr. Paul Carter today and I hope everything turns out okay! Gigi
5-19-2006: The meeting went well yesterday! I learned a lot about the surgery and am excited to get started the only thing is is that my insurance is going to start over July 1 and I will have to pay $2000.00 up front so I am trying to get everything done before then so my surgery can be scheduled before July 1. Pray for me!
I took off work today to get a lot of my paper work done. I went to every doctor to get my weights for the last five years. that took from 8 this morning until about 1 this afternoon. I went and had lunch with my mom (a special treat for me since I never get to be alone with her often!!!) and then went to work for about 30 mins. I have a great job and my bosses are really working with me Thank the LORD FOR THAT! Well 1 thing down 5 more to go! Gigi
5-22-2006: Hey! I have been BUSY! I have been blessed and blessed and blessed! I got my first consultation date and it is for June 14th I want to have my entire insurance package done so that when I go in there they can just send it off and hopefully I will be in surgery before you know it! Lately this is all I can think about! I told some people in my family and they are for the most part excited. My sister B is a little worried but that is only because she doesn't want me to go under the knife again. I told her not to worry I have had surgery twice this year and I am okay! I kind of like it in a weird twisted way! It is the best sleep you can get! You are so drugged up Jesus could be standing in your room hosting the last supper and you would sleep right through it! I don't mind the Anesthesia. Its the pain pills afterwards that I don't like. They don't take the pain away they just make you sleep. Anyway I was sitting at wrk and I decided to call the psychologist that Dr. Carter had told me to talk to. I prayed before I called because I was just a little nervous that It would take forever to get an appt, I called her and lo and behold the DR. herself picked up the phone! I think her receptionist was out for the day. I proceeded to tell her my predicament about my insurance and she asked me where I worked, I told her and she said "I live 5 minutes from there, why don't I meet you in your office on Thursday and we will just do it there". That WAS NOBODY BUT JESUS! Will update after Psych eval!!! Gigi
5-25-2006: Had my psych eval today and it went great! I felt like I was talking to an old friend! We talked about me for about 30 mins or so then she ended up talking to me about her!! At the end of our session (which lasted about 3 hours!) she said she should have paid me! Maybe I should change professions! Just kidding. Well next week I will go to the sleep center for my consultation. will update then!- Gigi
5-30-2006: Went to the sleep center today and got scheduled for a sleep study for June 12th that is pushing it. There is really no way that those results will be ready by June 14th. But Jesus will work it out for me! I have my Pulmonary function test on June 7th at 130pm so at least that is moving along. All I have left to do is get my stress test and nutritionist after the sleep study and I will be able to send in my package. Pray for me!!
6-5-2006: Today is my sisters b-day we celebrated all weekend. her boyfriend came down and we had a ball. He is such a nice guy! Got great news today! The sleep center called me at work and told me that there was a cancellation for tomorrow night if I wanted it. Of Course I want it! I told yall JESUS would work it out for me! It starts at 7 pm and will be over at 5 am. YES I am moving FORWARD!!!!!! Gigi
6-6-2006: Kind of nervous about tonight. D can't stay with me so that will be weird sleeping by myself but hey you gotta do whatcha gotta do! I am extremely sleepy for some reason but thats a good thing right. will update tomorrow! Gigi
6-7-2006: That sleep study was something that I wouldn't mind not ever having to do again. The staff was great though! Get this the tech that I had, she had wls 3 years ago! You couldn't even tell! She was so small. She said she weighed 300 pounds and now she weighed 160! I didn't think it was possible even surfing this website. Even though you see the pictures its still hard to imagine that the small person was once heavy set! I am more excited now than ever! The sleep study went okay all those tubes were annoying but I got through it. I didn't think that I slept at all but the tech said I did. I am so tired right now. I had planned on staying home but since this is the last week of school I decided to come in. I have my PFT today at 130 so I will take a half day. After that I will go home and sleep!!!! Gigi
6-7-2006: I just got back from the PFT test and it was not so bad. All I had to do was breath really hard and really long into this machine. It was over in about 30 mins. I thought they were going to draw blood but the Tech said that was not ordered so I guess we'll see. I hope this doesn't slow up the process. Well you know who I put my trust in (JESUS) so I am not going to worry about it.
6-9-2006: It is the last day of school!! everything is so hectic here at work but I love it. I got my referral for the stress test it is on June 20th!!! that is not what i had wanted but hopefully I can work around that! Well not to much else going on in that area. Will up-date in a couple of days. Gigi
6-16-2006: Well it has been a minute since I have updated and things have not been going well! Well for starters I was informed that I will have to transfer schools and that really sucks! I have built friendships at that job and put my all into that position so that hurt when they told me that it was just an interim position because the person that they really wanted could not get out of her contract until the end of the school year. Then I missed my appointment with the bariatric doctor and cannot be seen until July so that throws me off with getting this surgery done before July 1 and I have to pay 2500 dollars out of pocket. Then if that is not enough the cysts that I have on my neck are getting worse. The groshong catheter that they placed in my chest is not really helping and I think it is making it worse. But in all things God is good! I am having my issues but I am still here. I am going to continue to praise him in all things so that I can continue to grow as a person and be someone that I can be proud of. On another note I am tired of eating. I am realizing that it is big part of my life and evrytime I turn around I am eating. I do think I am addicted to food. All I do is EAT and I am tired of eating. I just feel fat and sloppy and not well. I am ready for this new life and am going to start living it today!! Thanks for the release!- Gigi
7-6-2006: Hey well as you can see I haven't had GB yet but I have had surgery. I had the cysts on my neck removed. On June 22 I had them removed and I feel so much better. On the front about work I am good with the insurance I am still covered until October 1, 2006. I have completed all my sleep studies. I have mild sleep apnea so yesterday I had to do it again with the c-pap and I will wait to find out the results. Tomorrow I have my stress test and I called today just to double check my appt with Dr. Carter and the dietician. I think that everything is working out for the better because its the way that God sees fit. I feel like I was rushing it and trying to get it done on my time but as usual God shows me that he is still in control of everything and I can't make it happen without him. On a positive note I am down 6 pounds and that made me feel good. When I have surgery I usually loose a little weight because I can't eat anything but jello because my system just refuses to accept anything for about a week after surgery. I calm about things and still excited about the surgery and the prospects of having the surgery but I have calmed down alot. Well I will update when I have some more news. -Gigi
7-13-2006 I had the appointment with Dr. Carter and it was okay. The wait was long though. I got there at 3:45 and didn't leave until 7:45. Needless to say I was exhausted when I got home. I was kind of pissed off because I had all of my testing done but they didn't have any of it. So now I have to go around the city today and retrieve all my paper work. I am really pissed off about that but I will do what it takes. Some advice to any one going through this process is have everything sent to you. What also pissed me off was when the lady that was taking my information overlooked important things. I had brought my weights with me also my letter of recommendation and they told me that while I was waiting that they would go through and take out what they need. Well when they gave it back there was nothing taken out. I asked her if she needed the letter and she goes "is it in there" with an attitude!! I go "yeah it's there" and she kind of snatches it away. My husband was like say something but I didn't because I didn't want to wait an extra hour for pissing someone off. I can't wait for this to be over. On a brighter note the lady giving out dates told me I should have mine for the end of august beginnig of September. When I heard that it made that terrible day worth it !! -Gigi
7-18-2006 Good morning. I have a job interview this morning and I hope all goes well. It is within the school system and although it is not the same position that I had at the other school it is better for me. I will have less responsibility if I get this job. No reports to prepare, not having to do 3 things at one will be a treat so I am happy. I do hope I get this job that way all benefits will continue and there will be no stress. I have gotten all my other labs scheduled. I need to call the sleep center to find out when they are going to review my last study but other than that I am good to go. Everything is falling into place like HE said it would.-Gigi
8-3-2006 Hi, Well I have not heard back from the interview. I am not counting this out but I have to have a job so I am applying at other places like DSS and Cape Fear Valley. I have to work and be able to pay my bills. I am going next tusday and will hopefully be able to turn in my packet to the insurance. My kness are starting to give out I think, it is so hard for me to get up and down. I get ill when I have sat down and realize I forgot something and have to get back up again. Also I am having trouble sleeping I don't know why but I think that I am worrying. Worrying about not getting approved or getting a job or how my bills are going to get paid. I would say "I have my health" but that's slipping too. I know that it could be worse but I don't think that I could handle it. Well I can take comfort in Jesus. He won't put more on me than I can bear. I just have to have faith! Well I am going to go pray and try to rest! Be Blessed-Gigi
8-13-2006 Hey! Well I sent my ins. package off and now the waiting begins. I sent it off last tuesday and they said to call back on wednesday so I think I will call on thursday just so they won't have to tell me to call again. I am nervous but am trying to keep busy. Yesterday the 12th was me and D's 5th anniversary. We had a good time, he surprised me with a package to the Spa. Its good for a year so I am thinking that I will use it after I have the surgery and can enjoy it for real!!!! Well I am excited and anxious but I am going to pray and pray and pray and pray some more. Til next time -Gigi
8-23-2006 Guess what....................I'm approved!!!!!! I am so excited I can't even type!!!!! Gigi
8-29-2006 Well I am approved and surgery is scheduled for 9-14-2006. I am a little nervous but am okay. I have 3 weeks to the day this thursday. this thursday i start my liquid diet i am nervous about that but if I can do it now I know I can do it after surgery. I can't even think straight. no more pain is on the WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gigi
9-17-2006 Home from surgery yesterday. It went well, don't really remember anything but the pain. I did not realize that it would hurt so bad but it does. I am still having some pain now and it is hard for me to take deep breaths but I know that this will pass soon. Still on the liquid diet but am not really hungry. I have to force my self to eat. my husband has been very supportive. He is such a wonderful person. ALso I have got the Runns something terrible. I don't know why. but all in all things are fine!! I am getting ready to go walking. Gigi
10/17/2006 Hello, it has been a while and things are going fine. I have started with soft foods and also I eat protein bars because that shake is just to much. I have lots of energy and have gone down a pants size and a coat size so I feel good. I have to stop shopping because the clothes are already getting loose but I just can't help my self. I am doing exercise with Exercise on demand at my house a lot and I walk in the malls. I can not handle foods no chicken at all!!! I eat fruit particularly strawberries, I see why a lot of WLS patients become vegetarians. well not going to stay long on my way out of the door because of class. will update soon!
-Gigi
11/16/06 Hey, It has been a while. Well I got a job in the school system again. I know I vowed never to go back but I did. I just had another check up with Dr. Carter yesterday and am down to 302. that is 23 more pounds. I was kinda hoping to be in the 200's but in a couple of days I will. I have to go to bed now so will update more later-Gigi
WEIGHT CHART!!!!
6/15/2006 381 TOTAL
7/18/2006 375 -6
8/10/2006 369 -12
9/7/2006 357 -24
9/14/2006 357 -24
9/20/2006 342 -39
10/08/2006 325 -56
11/06/2006 302 -79
11/15/2006 300 -81
