Do Something Different....

At lunch on Friday with my friend Sarah we discussed how people like to talk about change but most people are not interested in the hard work required to get the results they want.. This quote sums it up pretty well...

My friend Sarah shared with me some of her goals to being healthy and asked me if I had considered a 5k. Immediately-- I went negative in my brain.. Before I could finish my thought - she says you know you will be capable since you are training and working out. Then it hit me. She is right.. Attainable goals are good.. So, if you are not meeting your goals then step it up a notch..  

So, thanks Sarah for encouraging me! Maybe the fitness bug is hitting me afterall.   

Question and Answer from the patient!

My brother and his wife stopped by last night and stayed over. My family is heading to the beach.  They played with Lauren this morning on the trampoline. I probably won't do that for a

while.. 

Lots of folks have been asking questions about the procedure. Here is my point of view. This is not from my doctor and it's not medical approved. It's my opinion. Every patient is very different and ALL the doctors have a different methods.

Are you hungry? No. Not one bit. They say during the first seven days after surgery your goal is to consume 64 ounces of fluids per day. Hahaha. That is not happening. You are also suppose to have 75(+/-) grams of protein. Not happening either. I hope to make improvement over the weekend. Monday I move to a pureed soft diet (that includes eggs and soft fruits!!!!) Stoked about that!

What can you eat?
Once I finish the 8 week recovery process I can eat whatever my heart desires; just not in big proportions. Unlike the Lap Band the stomach isn't restricted so there’s nothing for food to get caught on. But, right now I can't eat anything solid- I will spend six weeks developing new habits.  They say I will make changes to the food I want- There is a chance I will not enjoy what I used too. 

Do you get sick?Not yet. However, I am getting about 2-3 ounces per meal. I also feel like Thanksgiving over and over. You know where you eat too much and lay around moaning...  Dumping/vomiting doesn't always happen with the sleeve. My stomach muscles would cry if I vomited. 

How fast have you lost the weight? 
From my highest weight I have lost 33 pounds. I am averaging about a pound a day. This will slow down.. 


What do you find most different since the surgery?
My bloated belly.. I dread to eat. I want to eat ice chips and be done. 

I have been overweight all my life and am seriously considering having a gastric sleeve. Any advice?
Today: Contact your insurance and see what they can pay. (this could change as time goes on)
This weekend: Look online at the doctors who do the surgery. If they are local- go to every doctor's seminar and learn their method. They are not the same!!!  I only went to one seminar- a big regret of mine. I like my doctor but, each doctor has a very different method. Several folks I know used doctors in Mexico or Canada.. There are several in the state. My insurance led me to my doctor.  

What is your biggest fear? 
Other than it not working??  My skin being in bad shape. Though that fear has left. I have Rodan and Field products that will help me out. I will share more soon. 

How did you feel immediately after surgery?
Dry mouth, regretful, groggy, tired, excited

How long did you stay in the hospital? 
Surgery was Monday. Recovery took almost 8 hours (very rough). Tuesday= Ice chips were my new love. Wednesday jello and chicken broth  was the most delish thing ever!

How long until you feel fine? (everyone has a different answer). I hope soon! 

Does it feel tight or like anything is left in your stomach??
I feel like I had major tummy surgery. No desire to eat.  I also think gas is making me feel bloated/full. 

Cheers to each day improving! 

Day 3 of Post op and first day "home"

Type of surgery I had..

First off, I should never doubt my friends support for our family. You guys made the hospital stay bearable.

Overall, I feel good for just having major surgery. Slow, very sore and still groggy. 

I am still on my liquid diet till Monday. We have that covered. It's very challenging for me to drink what I have. I have no hunger and no desire to eat. I just have cottonmouth and some gas.

On top of all this I hurt my knee- very minor scrape but, using my knees to position myself make it very painful. I also stub my pinky toe in the hospital on my IV cart. Bruised and bleed a lot.  So, if I could quit

My minor knee injury

injuring myself maybe I could start focusing on my stomach healing!!   Above in the picture in the incisions. (See I am keeping this real!). 

If you want to bring food for us- just bring enough for John and Lauren (2 servings max). Next week while I will be eating soft/mushy foods- I will be limited and I need to make good food choices..  Each meal I get 1/8 of a cup of two different things. So my portion sizes are way small. My first goal over the week is to work on getting plenty of protein and drinking plenty of water.. 

I am hoping I can quit pain meds tomorrow and once I am off of them then I can drive. I know that will not be today or tomorrow. So, perhaps driving Monday will be more realistic.  I am walking like an elderly person still yet.

NO REGRETS! Thankful to be on the flip side!

The Nesting...

So, I have been cleaning out closets, sorting through clothes and getting rid of junk. While I like to pretend this is me... I have never been on a roll like this.... My friends say I am nesting. Tonight, I finished with our closet and bathroom. It was awful- I have been moving baskets of lotions/makeup/hair stuff from one house to another for 10 years. Threw a whole bunch of stuff out. I am proud of myself. I am wondering is this a new part of my personality coming out??? Haha. 

Day 11. Not as easy as Day 1 but, it went pretty well. I am thankful! I also realized my husband has been so good at not eating in front of me. I went out and bought some of his favorite foods for next week while I am away. I finally made some crystal light and that was deli-sh. 

Tomorrow, we have an appointment for Maddie. Then I am going to get a pedicure with my free friend Sarah.. If I am going to be wearing hideous gowns - I should have pretty toes. 

I saw two articles in the USA Today. One was about Obamacare requires most insurers to tackle obesity. Americans have got to wake up. We need to start being more responsible for our bodies. I know lots of people are angry about Obamacare but, what it will do for specials needs kids (my family espeically) is life changing.  I know people don't want to hear about how the insurance we have doesn't believe in treating Autism. It comes from out our pockets or we have a secondary insurance called Tefra. Yes, our family is depending on medicaid for Maddie and Lauren.

I saw another article that was discussing how hard it is for Americans to keep weight off. It's a viscous circle!  It's not easy. I know- been on this journey of being overweight for 21 years. My life is about to change for the good. I hope I can share with others what I am learning. 

So thankful that I get to have this surgery. 

THREE DAYS LEFT!  And Happy Birthday, America!  

Pre op Day 2.. We did it!

I am sipping on my shake.. Realizing that I probably should blog early today because I am too tired at night!I had a 2 hour nap today.  

Today was more challenging. Not sure why.. Harder to drink and easy to fill up..  It's so weird how your body reacts to all this. I am sure I was tired from the lack of food.. They warn you about this. Maybe walking will help tonight! 

I am peeing a lot. I had to stop between home and Conway today. They had a subway in the gas station.. ahh the bread smelled so good. :) 

I went to smoothie king to talk with them about a protein powder they sell called Gladiator. They made me 2 shakes to try.. One was coffee. Um yeah, I will be making that every morning! Gladiator is low carb and high protein . (this is challenging to find!) It has 22 grams per scoop (and you can make a shake with 2 scoops). But, your body can only handle 20 grams of protein an hour they say. (I need to find the research on this) So, I bought the vanilla kind in hopes to use flavoring agents to make my own.. I will post recipes.. 

Emotionally I feel very vulnerable. I am not a sort of person who feels this way often. Anyways, the support from friends means a lot. I hope you guys all now that. Even typing Dora's "We did it" makes me miss Lauren and be sad for a short minute. Lauren is having more fun than anyone. :) 

My friend Sarah shared with me about "Jesus Calling". Today's verse is so important for me today. I hope it helps you too.. 

"I am continually at work in your life, even when you can see nothing happening. It’s easy for you to feel stuck in a situation you’d like to change because you can see only the present moment. But I look at the big picture—all the moments of your life—and I am doing more than you can imagine." -Jesus Today by Sarah Young,

Water 32 ounces (see not good)
Oatmeal for breakfast
1/2 cup of decaf tea
1/2 cup of coffee
1 EAS shake 
2 kid size shakes at Smoothie King
1/2 cup of chicken broth 

So, I have some work to do. 

Tomorrow I start pre op testing at the hospital. I start at 8 am meeting with nutrition. Then I have "tests". Then I meet with my Dr. All before noon!!!  

Lessons Learned:
Pack your lunch bag of sweet and non sweet items. 
Carbmaster Yogurts come in Carrot Cake, key lime pie, banana cream pie, Black forest cake

We are also traveling to Mena for my dad's Retirement Reception. 

Seriously your prayers and good thoughts mean a lot.  

Thanks for reading. 

You are taking the easy way out..

According to the CDC  did you know that 70% of america's adults are considered overweight?

I don't go around telling people I am weeks maybe days away from my first surgery. I am not telling everyone that I am preparing to say good bye to my fat. But, I want to. I have not shared my blog with Facebook  I feel like I am keeping a secret. But, I am not. It comes down to this. I like to have a solid plan. When I don't have a plan and it's not set in stone- I over think it. I BELIEVE this is going to happen.  Am I really going to post a blog about this? If I am going to post on Facebook  I need to address something before I tell Facebook  (My friends and supporters- I love you and thank you for your continued support). 

Believe it or not- this is my LEAST favorite thing to hear:  "You are taking the easy way out by having surgery." (I have heard it 3 times). And this is when I say this "I have been considered overweight since 1992. That is 21 years. Way over half of my life. I have tried dieting- I have exercised- I have taken supplements- I have taken pills- My last 50 pounds was gained while on birth control. 

Choosing to change my life is not most people's business and I assure you that nothing about being unhealthy is easy. This decision is right for me and my family. We welcome your support and prayers. While your approval is nice- it's not necessary. 

My therapist says if the disapproving folks mean something to me then you have to educate them. Tell them your journey- Share with them how they have improved complication rates and mortality rates when bariatric surgery is performed at a Center of Excellence. 

Pam Davis says this: We have to remember there are many environmental, societal, hormonal, physiological and genetic factors that come together to impact our weight. We as a society cannot be so naïve as to think behavior change alone will be a successful treatment. We have to be ready, willing and able to educate the naysayers regarding obesity prevention and treatment. We have to be willing to stand-up for ourselves and others. We have to be willing to educate those who think any treatment for obesity, including surgery, is an easy way out.

After being a “fat” kid, teen and adult, my physician and I determined that bariatric surgery is the best course of treatment for me. I am having bariatric surgery to treat a chronic, lifelong disease and I am not taking the easy way out. I assure you. Thanks Pam Davis for reminding me of this. 

Insurance

Paperwork check. Signed up for a weight loss seminar check. Called Insurance and wow- it's like reading a foreign language. 

If you are so interested here is a sample where you can Click here to read it. 

This journey- quickly became a weight loss surgery marathon. I will spend months preparing for this surgery. I will have lots of doctor’s appointments. I feel over whelmed. What if all this work for nothing. 

Fat. Overweight. Morbid Obese. Fleshy. Portly. Stout. Pudgy. Rotund. Plump. Chubby. Big Boned. Voluptuous. Curvy. Full Figured Woman

Being Fat. Overweight. Morbid Obesity. Those are all phrases I am used to hearing. My weight hasn't really kept me from living life. I have lived a great life all while being fat.  Most of my family is overweight. It’s part of who I am. The term “morbid obesity” is what doctors call my condition. That’s right- insurance and all doctor’s office’s code me with those words. Ouch!!!!  Over the summer of 2012- I injured my back/neck for the second time since meeting John. I could hardly walk without excruciating pain. I went to see several doctors and it was determine that since I was blessed with a large chest- I was suffering from degeneration of the bones or joints of the cervical spine, causing disc herniation or bone spurs to form on my neck vertebrae. I was asked- why haven’t you had breast reduction surgery. I said well because I am somewhat proportionate with them. He said he could help me physical therapy but, it was time for a change or pain could get worse. That lead me to talk with John about our options to help me lose weight. We checked out a number of ideas (shakes, weight watchers, working out, fad diets and weight lose surgery). I finally went to my PCP to ask for help. She asked if I was planning on having kids. I told her that weren't stopping it from happen. And then before my eyes- I saw a look of terror. And she said in her most pleasant doctor’s voice: “Rhonda, I support you growing your family. But, you must lose weight first!” We talked about our options and she supported weight lose surgery. In my mind I thought Okay, maybe over Christmas break- I will do this.  

So, the journey began. 

Wow, I had no idea what I just decided to do.