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As I have mentioned before I am very lax (I mean I'm a low down dirty non profile updater!) about updating this profile/ blog.  Today Sunday Nov. 5, 2006 I spent a large part of my afternoon converting my "old school" OH profile into the new "blog" format.
My dear OH CA. Message Board  sister Lynn suggested I update my profile so here goes.

I had my first year surgery anniversary on Wednesday Nov. 1.  Boy oh boy time really does fly!  I had my one year follow up with my surgeon Dr. Ali last Friday 11/3.  My family Dr. had done my labs and everything looked good.  The Dr. said I'm doing well.  I was down 125 pounds.  It's kind of mind blowing to look at that number and try to mentally digest that I have lost a whole lot of weight.  The weird and kinda greedy me, wishes it was even more!  It's that comparison thing, you know, the thing your not supposed to do?  LOL  I asked my surgeon how much more weight could I realistically expect to lose.  He said I might get down to 180-190 pounds.  Of course I told him I was hoping for a weight of 165-175 (or less, but I'm trying to be realistic here).  But what I really wanted was to be a size 12 or 14.  He said he thought that was realistic.  Currently the size 18's are too big and I'm downsizing to 16's.  Over the weekend I went into Steinmart.  I tried on a pair of DKNY stretch denim jeans in a SIZE 14!!!  I couldn't believe it.  That they would go on, up over my hips, fit my thighs AND button and zip with ease!  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!  My pre-surgery britches were 28's (getting snug with an all elastic waist) and the last pair of pants I bought as a pre-op were elastic waist on the sides with a zipper and button front in get this, a SIZE 30.
I truly do feel grateful to have gotten a second chance to live life without all that extra weight.
I have a turkey waddle of a neck now (ala Ronald Reagan) and my arms, boobs, tummy and thighs aren't so pretty, but I can deal with those things. 
The surgeons assistant took my picture to compare with the pre-op one they had taken and I can honestly say I didn't see my self that big then.  Dr. said he would almost not have recgnized me from the before pic.  Talk about your body dysmorphia.  I know I had it then, and think I still do to some degree.  It takes a while for the head to catch up with the changes.  It's like I know I'm smaller, but I almost can't believe it's me.
Eating is still challenging/a learning experience/different for me.
I get hungy, but I'm never starving.  Nothing ever sounds REALLY good.  Or if it does, it sounds better in my mind than it would be actually eating it.
I think I still may eat too fast.  Sheesh, I really have tried to slow down (I swear I NEVER ate like a Tazmanian Devil before), but if I don't go snales pace slow, I don't feel good.
I still try and get one 20g protein drink (usually Unjury, my favorite mixed with my coffee) everyday and I try and keep mindful of all my vitamins.  This is challenging at times.

Ok in this part of my profile is where I will share my hospital exerience and try and bring you, the reader up to date on my progress so far.

Going back to Halloween Oct. 31, 2005
This was the day before my surgery and I was on clear liquids all day. Black coffee, Hot Tea, Jello, Broth. 
I was feeling very peaceful at this point and this was an answer to prayer, as I had mentioned before I had already been through the "what ifs" re: things going wrong with surgery or complications.
Got my 7 year old daughter ready to trick or treat and headed over to my non WLS sisters house. My BIL's and adult niece took the kiddos out to trick or treat while I relaxed with my mom and sister.

November 1, 2005 ~~~ Day of Surgery
Up at 3:30 a.m. Had to be at Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center for check in at 5:15 a.m. with a scheduled surgery time of 9:45 a.m.
My dear WLS sister Sheli was here a 0:00 dark thirty to pick me up and take me to the hospital as the DH works nights and was not off work yet. He would meet us at the hospital later.
So we get down to the hospital, go right down to the surgical floor, since most of the paperwork had been done by pre-admission.
And I get into a comfy supersized bariatric gown sans my panties (TMI) and wait.
I feel blessed that I was in really good spitits and ready to move on with my new life.
Finally around 8:30 ish give or take, they wheeled me down to the pre-op area. My sister Sheli went with me. Still no sign of the DH.
We waited awhile in the pre-op area and a nice nursing veteran (her name escapes me) started my IV.
A very large (MO) anesthesiologist started a conversaton with my sister and I. He was young, in his 30's and a handsome fellow. I really felt for him. I noticed his girth, his swollen ankles and the fact he was perspiring. I must admit I thought to myself I wonder why he doesn't have WLS? He must be in on oodles of WLS cases every week. I wonder if he is just not ready to make that kind of decision about his weight and life, or if he has some kind of health issue that would prohibit it? I don't know what his personal story was, but I found it ironic that here I was all gowned and I.V.'d in the pre-op area of the hospital and there was this really big anesthesiologist there talking, laughing and making jokes with my siter and I.
I guess I was struck because you just don't see many SMO physcians. Alot of big nurses , but not many Dr.'s for some reason.
Anyway, a very nice East Indian Dr. comes and introduces himself as my anesthesiologist. My DH has just made it in the nick of time to spend maybe 15 minutes with me prior to surgery.
The time comes and this nice Dr. and O.R. nurse wheel me out of the pre-op holding area into the hall, kisses are exchanged between my DH and my sister and I. They say they will be praying for me.
That anesthesiologist and an operating room nurse wheel me down to the operating room suite and I slide over onto the table. They have some rock and roll on the stereo. So far I like it. I am still suprisingly relaxed, but the nerves start a little. I start to pray and ask the Lord to keep me. Dr. Feel Good say's he'll take good care of me and he has a good sense of humor! I like him. His warmth and sense of humor are reassuring to me. A young cute OR nurse is asking me to put my arms out to my sides. I tell her I know this is weird, but I feel like Jesus (on the cross). She say's alot of people say that, so I'm not that weird....LOL I had seen two people through the window scrubing up, preparing to come into the OR. I didn't recognize him if it was Dr. Ali, I know the other person was female. They later told me that Dr.'s P.A. "Grace" had assisted. So it was probably them I saw. We were all wearing our stylish paper caps, so I guess that threw me...LOL
Next thing I know, I ask Dr.Feel Good if he is messing with my I.V., as I KNOW I'm starting to feel DIFFERENT! He say's "well what do you think I'm doing back here" and laughs! Cute nurse places mask over my face and that's all she wrote folks.
Now, the next thing I know I'm already back in my room on the surgical floor. My sister is still with me, hubby had stayed to see me through surgery then headed home to sleep as he was working again that night.
Since I was so well medicated and out of it, I sent Sheli home for some needed rest.
I must have slept through the entire day, because my next memory is not untill that night. I got up and walked and I was really impressed how straight and tall I could stand after just having had a MAJOR abdominal surgery that morning. The difference between lap and open are day and night folks. Wow, I was/am impressed!
My hospital stay at Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center was so-so. Not too bad, but not great either. As with most hospitals now a day's there are never enough nurses or aides to go around.
I didn't have the luxery of having a family member with me for most of the stay due to their work schedules. My one piece of advice for anyone going to the hospital these days for anything is to have somebody with you most of the time if you possibly can.
In retrospect I was a bit upset that none of my nurses seemed to notice that I was WAY over medicated. My girlfriend, my sister and husband caught on to that fact really fast and reported it to my nurse. I was so out of it and drugged, I felt I could not communicate my needs to the nurses effectively. I also felt that after the first night post op, the nurses didn't encourage walking as much as they should have or even using the incentive spirometer. About the second night my IV infiltrated (slipped out of the vein) and my hand swelled up really large. That night there was a nurse, not even assigned to me that did more to care for me than most of my other nurses put together. She just had alot of common sense, knew how to give excellant patient care and provide good old fashioned comfort measures. She discontinued my IV (it was time for pain meds by mouth anyway), wrapped my hand in warm towels, straightened my bed, gave me extra pillows to elevate my swollen hand on, gave me an ice pack, (because I was having hellish drug induced hot flashes), made sure my call bell, phone and things were within reach. I mean simple good BASIC nursing care. I felt she took care of me the best!
I forgot to mention late the night of surgery I had not been able to potty, so in with a foley cathater they came. I was so drugged, I didn't give a darn. So I think (remember the morphine was kicking my a$$ here) they left it in for about 24*, then removed it. The only thing bad about it was it was one more tube coming out of me or off me, so it was annoying. I mean urinary cathater, IV in hand, oxygen in nose and compression booties on feet. I was hooked up and not in a good way LOL!
While in the hospital the Dr.'s Physician's Assistant Richard came to check on me. He was good.
I will say that it was soooooo very good to finally get a drink on the 3rd post op day. I followed the protocol and sipped one ounce every 15 minutes. The next day it was increased. I was doing better except for some REALLY uncomfortable back pain. My surgical sites never really bothered me at all. Thank God! I was discharged on the 4th post op day and glad to be going home to my own bed!

Hi there, I know I'm not a good profile updater. I will attempt to flashback and bring the reader up to date on my journey.
The end of last year we lost our PPO coverage, due to my husbands job loss. I was really getting no where fast with them anyway (see above for details). In June I applied for Medi-cal and was approved for coverage due to our families low income. On August Friday August 12 I attended the Patient Education Class at Smart/Lite Dimensions Dr.Peter LePort's surgical group. The next Wed. they submitted the request to the insurance co. and by the following Sat. I had a denial letter in the mail. On the 29th of August I filed an online appeal. I know I made several calls to the Cal optima care coordination department to find out the status of my appeal. Every single nurse in that department seemed to go out of her way to help me. I really felt they were on my side and pulling for me. On about the 26th of September I found out that I had been approved for the surgery. I was very happy and kind of numb, with a lot of mixed emotions. It had taken so long to get to this point (having started pursuing this in March of 2004).