Jamie86
Almost!
Jan 26, 2015
Ok so Let me start from the Beginning.....I put in my referral with Dr. Boisvert in spring of 2013. I got the call from to start the procedure in June of 2014. Filled out all the paperwork and was given a huge packet of info including what the diets leading up to and after and how long they would be etc. They told me to take it all home read it thoroughly and quit smoking. Dr. Boisvert will not do a surgery for any smokers and you have to be 6 months quit. The receptionist told me that from this point it was up to me how far away the surgery was she said "you could be 6 months from tomorrow if you quit today" and she made it clear that cheating here or there was not an option for this Doctor. I will be honest I went home and cried because I didn't think I could quit. I began cutting back right away and decided that if i wanted this then I needed to quit, I friend suggested I try Vaping for the transition and WOW! It worked, Vaping is so much better I moved to vaping and just kept telling myself its the same thing the same thing... and it tastes so much better... over time I find I'm using it less and less but still dependent on it. I know its not as good as quitting and please keep your negative comments to your self if you not a Doctor... I have heard them all. I'm not inhaling tar and 3-4,000 chemicals. Just 4, 2 of which are in asthma inhalers, nicotine and food grade flavoring. I watch the local guy make it I know whats in it. I dont know how other do but this is what I know. My aunt is a respiratory therapist as she said its about 80% better then smoking. As you can see I am a little defensive about it because I have been raked over the coal by many many people.
So anyway back on track, I wanted to take the time to be sure that I was not going to pick up smoking again and just keep delaying myself. So after a full week of vaping I broke and smokes a few cigarettes and it was good, But I didn't find that all that different. Except my flavorings like watermelon, chocolate cheesecake, apple jolly rancher... taste really really good and I still feel like I'm fill my urge and I'm not add extra pounds like I normally do when I try to quit. The last time I smoked was August 2nd ......79 days ago! Well then I was worried that maybe the Doctor wouldn't consider it as Quit all together. So I didn't call back tell last week, that was when I found out for sure that it was ok.
So here is why I'm freaking out..... I have blood work this week and see the dietitian next week, I spoke with her on the phone today and she wants me to begin the food journal this week and bring it next week. I'm so nervous about seeing her that I could puke. I am an honest person except when it comes to food... I can justify anything I eat but when i have to be honest with someone I have a really hard time. I know I need to make some big changes and I'm ready to but I'm nervous about all the unknowns.
Tomorrow I am seeing my surgeon for the second time, I have been booked to be sleeved on February 19th, 2015! OMG I'm so excited.
What I have done since this last post...
I met with the dietitian twice, I feel like I have the knowledge to be successful after seeing her. There were so many things that I was doing that I could have easily been doing better with very little change (in some areas), after seeing her I have dropped 15 Lbs! Now I think because I have a hard time avoiding salt (hence the high blood pressure) I have been going up and down 6 pounds. Catherine the dietitian felt it was salt in my diet. Catherine is amazing, she tells it like it is. She told me pretty much instantly not to tell her what I think she wants to hear. she said she cant help people that are "already doing all the right things"
So after that I had to complete a full fluid diet, everything had to pour like milk no chunks/lumps/seeds etc. I had to do this diet for 7 full days and track it all. Before I could meet with the doctor the first time. I did that the week before Christmas. I didn't want to wait because I knew the longer I waited to start the longer I would be stalling myself. So I jumped right on it.
The first 3 days were the worst 3 days of my life! Well maybe not that bad but almost! After that I had fallen into a great routine and it was awesome. The reason you have to do it is because you cant slip the week before surgery, you don't have the option of pushing back the surgery because you decided to eat a jar of peanut butter or go out to dinner with friends on the weekend. (I was temped don't get me wrong) I just kept telling myself that you already made it though 3 days if you slip now you just wasted 3 days for nothing. So if you cant get through these 7 days you wont be able to the week before surgery. One of the girls that I work with did it with me, It was nice and helped keep me going.
I met with the Doctor finally after the holidays, he went over everything the procedure, the diet, the different types of surgery (although I'm not sure why he only does VSG) pros and cons, the risks and he was detailed. I told him he didn't tell me anything I didn't already know or anything I had not already researched. So I asked about when I could book my date? He did want to book me at all he wanted me to go home and think about it more. Be 110% sure this is right for me and my family. And I have spent the last week doing a bigger dive into research and YES I am ready!
I did get my date at that appointment but it took some persuasion ;-) and he says the appointment is only "held" for me till I come back, which is tomorrow!
I am so ready for this!
