Cam L.

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November 2, 2005: 43 days until my surgery.  I don't have a whole lot to say but I figured I might want to have at least a few entries before my surgery.  I do want to say how funny it is that people either totally support you in having the surgery or they want to question whether or not you really tried to loose weight the old fashioned way.  So don't be discouraged by other people's issues with WLS.  It is your life and your decision.  :)  That is all for now, have a wonderful day!

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November 15, 2005: 30 days until my surgery.  I had my pre-op class today with the dietician and the bariatric coordinator Lynn Edwards.  She is awesome.  The class was great, though nothing I didn't already know having been through this process before.  I am so excited I can't hardly wait...

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November 18, 2005: 27 days until my surgery.  I have to give props to BlueChoice of SC.  I got a letter about my annual eye exam.  I had appealed them only paying the minimum because the visit was supposed to be free due to my diabetic status (even though I am not on insulin and control it with diet.)  They had denied it even though they provided me with the name of the doctor to go to because this doctor doesn't participate in their wellness program.  Well since I had called them and done what I could do, they went ahead and paid it at 100%.  Most insurance companies, as we all know, are looking for any excuse to not pay something.  BlueChoice seems to be concerned with doing the right thing! Yeh!!!

Today was a rough day at work.  I have a pretty stressful job anyway.  Trust me, if you are ever changing careers don't do Import/Export, lol.  I found out today that every department in our division is getting reevaluated for a raise except for mine.  Apparently the Customs House Brokerage agents are dropping like flies.  What sucks is that it is a technicality.  I do almost the exact same thing, in fact I do more.  The only difference is that my documents come from UPS offices overseas, and thiers come from other carriers.  Now apparently UPS thinks that means my job is easier because my contacts are other UPS employees.  Not the case at all, you always get better customer service from another company!

Ok, I hate complaining so thank you for listening.  Just to close with something good I am getting so much support from everyone about my surgery.  Even my boss called me in the office yesterday and asked me for the name of my surgeon so she could have a consult! I am totally feeling the love from my co-workes. 

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December 7, 2005: Today was my ultrasounds (carotic and DTV) and the preop bloodwork.  Unlike when I had my gall bladder ultrasounded (sp?) this time it didn't hurt.  It might have had to do with the super hot, very gay Ultrasound tech.  Lord I would have done just about anything he asked me to do... lol.

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December 9, 2005: Ok so today was my filter that they put in to make sure no blood clots pass through during surgery.  It is perminant and wasn't terrible like I thought it was.  FYI my surgeon puts them in through the groin... Yuck! The worst part is definately since I am bigger they have to tape back your stomach and your legs to give them a nice flat surface to work with.  After the surgery the whole area was totally inflamed.  Ouch.  Anyway no worries I am just glad the surgery is just around the corner.

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December 10, 2005: Today progressively my lower back has been hurting.  I don't know if it is because I slept so much yesterday, because I sat on a bench for two hours without back support working on my laptop this morning, or if I am getting a kidney infection.  I PRAY it is not the last.  I almost never ever get them and this is terrible timing! Yikes!!! Please don't let me miss my darn surgery over something this trivial.  Suz is out right now buying me gallons of cranberry juice.

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December 18, 2005: Wow, what a difference a week makes.  So much to tell. So let's see.  FYI the lower back pain was because they popped open my filter in that region and probably dinged my kidney.  It is common.  I did have my surgery.  It was postponed till about 11:30 am on the 15th.  I had it lap with no complications at all.  The next morning though my upper GI revealed that I could not pass the Barium.  This was scary because even though they said it happens it meant I couldn't have any liquids until the GI went well.  I was so upset.  My throught was swollen due to the breathing stuff from the surgery which made it hard to breath, then the oxygen wasn't hydrated so that made things even rougher.  Plus your mouth and throught are dry as a bone after surgery.  This was definately the worst part.  When I got back to my room my surgeon was there and explained they were going to insert a tube in my nose and drain my pouch, leave the tube, and try the barium swallow again the next day.  Needless to say this wasn't ideal.  So when I came back downstairs to have the tube put in I asked the guy if he could look again to see if the barium was still there.  He did and it was gone.  THough he said my pouch could have absorbed it.  So I suggested before we do the nose tube, why not try another swallow.  Worst case is that they have to put the nose tube in and drain it, they can just "test" the tube and make sure it works.  After the 2nd barium swallow it passed fine, no problems at all.  So the GI guy called my surgeon who approved NOT putting the tube in.  YES! I said, "Call the nurses on the 5th floor, I need apple juice waiting on me when I get back to my room."  After that it was a breeze.  I drank juice, ate jello, and sipped on broth and protien shakes.  The next day I was discharged after doing all of my walking and breathing.  I am in very little pain.  It is a bit difficult getting out of bed but I think that is me being overly cautious.   On a scale of 1 to 10 my pain is maybe a 2.5 or 3.  Also I am not using pain meds except at night.  I probably don't even need them then but I figured it would be tramatic for my best friend and roommate to wake up to me screaming in pain.  I stopped using the moraphine drip in the hospital on Friday during the day, took one hit before I went to bed, and that was all I ever needed.  Honestly the filter was more painful than the surgery! That is my update, thanks to everyone for reading.

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January 1, 2005: Well let's see.  I was 334 and I am now down to 315.  Not bad for 17 days or so.  I am eating some soft/solid foods now also.  I was doing really, really well and hadn't been sick even once.  But two days ago (Dec. 30th - also my 30th birthday) I got sick for the first time, then again later that evening.  I have discovered I can't tolerate cold milk on an empty stomach.  It has to be room temp.  Also I have to be really, really careful with flat breads and tougher foods.  But a month from now all of that could change.  Overall I am still estatic about the whole process.  It was, for the most part, painless.  And even some of the speed bumps aren't really that big a deal.  I am supposed to go back to work either January 17th or January 24th, depending on my level of fatigue.  I do have to say I tire VERY easily.  My prayer/goal is to be under 300# (299 would be fine) by the time I go back to work.  Everyone is already telling me they can see the weight loss.  I figure being under 300 would put me in all of my clothes that I have in the closet! :) Tomorrow I am going to get up and actually start walking.  I have been conciously walking a lot, being the one to return videos, go to the grocery store, etc.  But I think it is time to take it up a notch! Wish me luck and thanks for reading!

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January 17, 2005: I am now down 32lbs.  A good solid number for 32 days post op.  I have had some difficulty lately with my allergies and a cold.  The post nasal drip keeps me from being able to eat a normal sized (well gastric bypass normal sized) meal.  I went down to Tallahassee FL to spend some time with my grandmother and the allergies/cold flaired up.  I went three days and I couldn't really eat.  It was scarey.  My mother had driven down with me so she had to drive me home, stopping along I-95 at the Florida/Georgia boarder so I could be sick.  All the construction guys working on the road were not impressed.  I think they thought I was hung over.  I now know that the side of the road is WAY more embarassing than a public restroom... :) You live you learn.  But this was just a milestone I guess.  We all have to get through them.  WLS affects your life in little ways you don't really think about until you have to tackle them.  I still think it was well worth it and can't wait to lookse more weight!

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March 21, 2006: Well it has been a while since I updated but I am doing fantastic. I have lost 64lbs so far and we are at the three month mark.  My surgeon actually said I needed to "slow down" a bit.  I don't know how in the world he expects me to do that, but I have been trying to eat more though it is a trial.  I am doing pretty well with my protien and water intake.  Thankfully there is this god given stuff call Muscle Milk - the only shake I have been able to stomach! The Banana Creme and Vanilla Creme are decent, I haven't tried any of the chocolate stuff yet because I hate all things chocolate since surgery... Weird huh.  But they also have a coffee flavored one, that might be ok.  No other news to report but I am doing well.  My new goal is to work out more regularly.  I haven't been going to the gym like I should! I lack motivation.  

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July 8, 2008: Long time since I posted here.  I am at 230 lbs now, down from a high of 375 (336 at surgery).   I really still need to loose at least 30 lbs.  I also need to have some skin removed.  Over all I could not be happier.  I still need to get motivated and go to the gym.  My job moved me to Charlotte so I have been enjoying the city a little too much.'

Since last October I have been having a small issues.  Well not so small.  I had a bowel obstruction that was very painful and my own fault! I had been going to the gym regularly and feeling all thin, getting fitter, and indistructable.  I ate something I shouldn't have b/c I was so hungry after a workout.  Chicken Buscuit's are the devil! I don't know what I was thinking.  I ate too much of it and I shouldn't have been eating any of it at all anyway! It was very painful and hurt for about six weeks.  Two months after that it came back and hurt for another six weeks.  Then in March of 2008 I had the lower abdominal burning (like heartburn in my intestines) and lower back pain like a kidney infection or kidney stone.  I have been to my surgeon and to a gastric specialist and they are not sure what it is.  An upper and lower GI revealed nothing.  I am wondering if I am having the problem where my old stomach is now producing stomach acid and digestive fluids but they aren't going into my intestines when they should.  It seems to be a common "uncommon" problem.  If anyone has a thought, please share!