Susan55720

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Hello All,

Well, it's been seven days since my 'big day'.  I feel fine.  My surgeon said that the procedure went "perfectly" and that my pouch is the perfect size.  I guess you got to be glad about that, eh?  Some other good things...I didn't have any allergies to the meds used, I didn't have any problems with leakage, I left the hospital on day 2 rather than day 3, I'm not struggling through the liquids, I haven't been nauseated once, I've been able to get my liquids and proteins in.  These are all answers to many prayers sent up on my behalf by my friends and family in the Lord Jesus Christ.  God has been very good to me throughout this whole process and I am thankful to Him.

Today, my scale said 293.5.  From the beginning, I'm down 17 pounds already.  That's really quite spectacular.

I guess that's it for now.  I'll sign off, but will be back in a week or so for another update. 

Take care!

Hello,

I'm going in for the surgery on Monday.  I've been going through some nervousness and fear, but have been keeping busy.  Now I'm just eager to get it done.

Well, we are getting closer to lift off.  This will be my last weekend of bliss before things start descending into wt loss surgery chaos. I have a feeling it's going to go really fast at times and really slow at times.  Work will keep me busy during those first two weeks so that is good! 

I'm looking forward to the liquid diet and honestly, I'm looking forward to the surgery as well.  Since starting this journey, I've had some epiphanies.  The biggest was discovering that food no longer holds a power over me.  I no longer get excited about what I'm going to eat or spend all day thinking about it.  I no longer plan my day around my next meal or think about what I can have for dinner at 8 am.  When I think about what I should eat for a particular meal, nothing gets me going like it used to.  It's just ho-hum now.  I think that's the way skinny people react to food.

Another was hiring a personal trainer.  THAT got me excited.  Underneath this veil of fat, lies a person who really does enjoy working out.  It doesn't cater to my immediate results ideal, but it does produce results that you can see over time and I really dig that!  Plus, it feels good.  I've done it before.  And now I'll have an MP3 player that I can use.  I'll have to turn Purple Rain on though...it gets my blood pumping!  That and the 52's!  Anyway, I digress...

I still wonder if I can do it on my own, but I expect that thought is just my mind working through the process.  It's getting close to the point of no return.  If I think I can do it on my own, I'm either fooling myself or I better get busy!  Since I haven't gotten busy, I'm sure I'm fooling myself.  It's my MO to not move off course at this late in the game.  So surgery it is!

Have a lovely day!

Hello!  Today, I started a mostly liquids diet.  I don't have to start the full-blown liquids until March 30th but I wanted to get a head start.  Mostly, because I am sick and tired of this and I want it to end now!  I feel like Kay Corleone!  I need the change and the liquid diet is the beginning of that change.  Yesterday, I visited my surgeon to ask him some questions.  He said if I lose 15 pounds prior to the surgery that would be great, but anything over 10 is fine.  How do you lose 15 pounds in two weeks?!  So I started a bit early.  Boy did I go out with a bang!  I had the greatest supper of my life last night cooked by a real chef!  Well, not really...he's my Pastor; but the man is gifted!  Grilled steak to perfection with a sweet potato (not yam), and corn!  Yuuuuumy!!  Sorry!

Have a pleasant day!

Today I actually started to think that I'm going to be able to keep the weight off after the surgery.  I finally felt that I've made peace with my emotional eating and that food has no power over me anymore.  I had the thought that on March 30th I will be starting the rest of my life.  I am so ready!  And I can't hardly wait!

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I'm just two weeks out from the start of my liquid diet now.  The closer I get, the more I wish it were already here.  I know that I'll drop some weight during that two weeks and I just can't hardly wait!  Once that starts, my fat life will be over.  I think I'm going to cry now.

My doctor appointments have all been scheduled.  I meet with my primary in Cloquet on April 3rd for my pre-op physical.  My dietitian appointment to go over my liquid diet is on Mar 25th.  I meet one last time with my surgeon on Mar 17th.  I opted for that appointment because it seemed odd that my life would be in this man's hands and I had only one appointment with him.

I've heard that people who have the surgery end up not liking the foods they used to eat before the surgery.  Isn't that a wonderful thought!  I sure hope it's true.  I am noticing that there are certain things I just have no appetite for anymore.  Burger King does nothing for me anymore.  Today, I ate my LAST Burger King meal.  Hopefully, for good!  There's a Mexican restaurant in my hometown that I used to just love going to.  Lately, I just can't seem to get excited about going there.  The only thing I think that I will mourn is ice cream.  My dietitian assures me that there will be a day when I can have ice cream again.  It just won't be for quite a while!

My biggest fear, losing my hair, seems to be taken care of as well.  I think it might be a good thing to lose a little bit of hair.  Hopefully, it will be just a little bit!  It's just so thick right now that I can barely get a brush through it at times.  I'm sure I'll need to cut it shorter for a while, but it will grow back.

Last night, I dreamt that I could barely fit into my blue jeans anymore.  I remember that I contemplated getting a new pair but that I couldn't justify the expense because I would be starting my liquid diet in just a couple of weeks.  Isn't that funny!

Signing off.

I just realized today that I have five weeks until my surgery day.  It seems like things are happening so fast.  Sometimes I get nervous and think "what exactly are you doing?" and other times I get so excited.  I guess that is normal.  I wish it were already done.  I've been looking at before and after pictures on this website.  That is such an encouragement.  I have to say that the thing I am most worried about is the excess skin.  I read a blog of a gal who worked out and she looked great.  I am thinking about hiring a personal trainer at the local gym. 

I have one more group left before the surgery.  I'm hoping to get there and get more information before having the surgery.  I'm also wondering if I'm supposed to get something from the hospital telling me what I need to do before the day of.  I thought I would need to have some tests done, but nobody has said anything to me.  I find that strange.  I'll call my doctor tomorrow and ask him if I should schedule an appointment.  I know he is the one who will do the physical.  Hopefully, he knows what tests need to be run before surgery.  He's been through this before.

I'm glad to have so much support.  I've told several people including my church group.  It helps!  I believe that anything that must be done in the dark brings feelings of shame.  I didn't want that. 

I currently weigh around 310 pounds.  That is the highest I've ever weighed.  I hope that in a few weeks, that number will be less.  I start my two week liquid diet on Mar 30.

Well, that's it for now.  Thanks for listening!

Well, my surgery date is scheduled for April 13, 2009.  I'm not sure if I'm normal, but I've not been all that excited about this.  I've been frightened and nervous.  When I think about the surgery, I think about not having it.  When I think about my life after the surgery, then I'm alright.  I feel very well prepared for it.  I've been attending as many of the group meetings that I can and have been going to the dietitian every month since March 08.  I know what it will take to keep that weight off, but there is still the fear of not being able to.  I guess we'll see, eh?  I've found myself eating without consequence because I know that in less than 2 month, I won't be able to eat that way anymore.  I wonder if I'm the only one who's done that.  And if not, were they successful with the surgery weight loss maintenance?  Anyway, I'm not backing down from having the surgery.  It would take an act of God for that to happen.  I'm starting the process of getting physically prepared for the surgery.  I can't find that list on this website that tells you all the things you want to buy beforehand and what to bring to the hospital.  That was very helpful.  I'll keep looking for it.  Have a great day!

Obviously, this is my first post.  I wanted to wait until I was at least approved by the hospital surgery team before I started my online diary.  November 4 was the day that they did that.  So now it is on to the insurance company.  Stay tuned!