Cooking for my family through weight loss surgery

Don't be surprised that my husband does 89% of the cooking. I usually get home late and John has dinner at the table waiting. No, he is not a stay at home dad. He works a stressful high security job dealing with government stuff. When I met my husband he was raising 2 special needs girls.. alone. Lauren is his daughter.. Lauren's half sister is Maddie. Maddie's father is unknown.. If you ask my husband he says she belongs to him. He cooked, shopped, did laundry and manage the girls appointments and worked.  His family is so supportive but, out of state.  Yes, I married an amazing man. 

So, one of my oldest friends called to check on me the other day. She has celiacs disease. (A disease in which chronic failure to digest food is triggered by hypersensitivity of the small intestine to gluten.) My friend (Sy) she said a lot of really sweet things but, she told me this: You will learn to eat differently while your family eats what you prepared for them out of love. You will find enjoyment in cooking for your family. My therapist says this was good advice.. This keeps you healthy and a chance to live a long healthy life by eating healthy. 

So-- I've done just that. Cooking for my family all while I am feeling full from my 1/8 of cup of food. Thanks Sy for speaking truth to me.

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!  

The ups and downs of this journey..

Sigh..

Here is the deal. Evenings overall is super challenging for me during this phase. I am tired, my body is in shock and my brain is dead. I am nauseated a lot right now. I carry a pepto bottle with me (and 2 whole wheat reduce fat crackers <cheating) and I had to adjust my acid reflux medication. By night time, I hate shakes and just want to crawl into bed. Several friends suggest PB2. I ordered it last night. Powdered Peanut Butter sounds yuck but, I trust my friends.. 

Also, traveling is really hard. Even to my own families house. And I didn't have a bad time- it's just easier being home. Exercise is challenging- It drains me completely. Must figure out how to balance it. Drained Rhonda can created snappy-mean Rhonda or crying Rhonda. 

But, then I wake up in the mornings and I remember the goal and the reward. The reward of LIFE! I feel renewed and refreshed. Today's inspiration from Jesus Calling is spot on again. "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him" Psalms 34:8

Numbers...  
Weight lost since June 20th  13.6 lbs   (WHAT! This is crazy!)
Calorie intake 1000-1200  (No wonder body is in shock!!!)

Lots are asking how you can help... That post is coming soon. My sweet husband is going to cook me some soup from scratch this weekend. I am getting together with my friend A who had weight loss surgery years ago (our surgery dates will be the same). To those who did this with  out support. You are much stronger than me. 

I can't thank you for your continued support and prayer enough.

Let's do it!  

This time in between..

So, this week has been busy! I am working as much as I can this week so I can "tie up" loose ends while Lauren is at Camp Aldersgate next week. I love the support I am receiving! Friends, family, professional friends, my fellow "surgery" friends- I feel so blessed. Comments and private messages mean so much. 

To everyone taking time to read this blog THANK YOU!

My dear husband, John, started weight watchers this week. He is also blogging as he goes on this journey with me.  It's easy to feel inspired around him. By the way, he is down three pounds this week. 

My baby brother, Kyle, decided he was not going to be left behind when I confided in him this winter about my surgery. He has lost 56 pounds since January. He also started P90 x and he jogs a lot. What a real rockstar! 

Lauren and Mama Rho at Daddy's Band Concert

I am also spending my time figuring our the pre opt process. My friend Kate- encouraged me to take time to trust in God and lean on him during this time. So, she bought me a book to read and to encourage me along the way. Again my friends inspiring me during this journey of me becoming healthy!

The title of this blog is the special family.. My family is just that.. Lauren, our nine year old, has autism. She is a bright, happy and smart little girl. We met with her Developmental Pediatrician this week- who was blown away by Lauren's progress in the past 2 years. Some big achievements for her include totally potty trained, ability to ride in the car without a harness (and uses seat belt), follow through directions on cue, ability to communicate, express happy emotion, social skills and ability to connect with others and we could go on.. At Dennis Developmental her doctor says the improvement is astonishing. We have come along way. Oh and according to test she went from 18 months to preschool level.  

Maddie is ten! She lives at Arkansas Pediatric Facility in North Little Rock with a group of people who is like extended family.. Maddie has Sotos Plus along with a series of another crazy problems. Maddie has had a very rough year. Not sure exactly why - but, we are thankful for improvement. Again we have a great medical team who we work alongside every day. We nearly lost Maddie in February.. Thankful for every extra day God gives us with Maddie..

So, on the surgery side of life- I learn all this info this week. If all goes well- I will spend 2 nights in the hospital. After I am off pain meds- I can start driving.. I should be able to take daily walks every evening.. 

Together team- we will do this!!! xoxo

Educating your friends and family about bariatric surgery

Lots of people advise you to keep your weight loss surgery hush hush. Now, I have over 100+ pounds to lose. (Don't worry photos and actual weight # will be revealed later) I am not going to fool you folks into thinking that I just woke up one day and "lost all this weight". According to my research it will happen quickly. My friends and family are way smarter than that. So, I want to help educate others about my surgery. So, education about my journey begins now. 

What type of surgery will I have??  

We have not had our final decision appointment but, with the information I know- I plan to have Gastric Sleeve (also called sleeve gastrectomy) procedure. A sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive surgical weight loss procedure that limits the amount of food you can eat and helps you feel full sooner. In this procedure, a thin, vertical sleeve of stomach is created and the rest of the stomach is removed. The sleeve or stomach will be about the size of a banana. You can read some good information here. The majority of weight loss sleeve gastrectomies performed today use a laparoscopic technique, which is considered minimally invasive.  As far as weight loss goes, most people who have gastric sleeve surgery lose 50 to 80 percent of their excess body weight over the first six months to one year after surgery. There is lots of information out there

When is my surgery?  

That is the magic question. Everything moves quickly once certain decisions are made and my team knows I am ready. We are hoping that it will happen in the next 3 weeks so, I am recovered when school starts. 

After much reading they say to help those who are "worried" for me- that I need to take time to educate you specifically about this: 

How did you make this decision? 

I encourage you to read my blog. I have been blogging along the way. But, I went to Baptist Health for my seminar. It was so helpful. The information was very helpful and honestly- if you want to learn more about weight loss surgery- you should go. But, don't delay- go now. It actually changed my whole opinion on weight loss surgery. It's free. Check out the website here. You might ask- what exactly changed your opinion: The doctor was very upfront- he took questions- For example: I assumed I would have the lap-band  Come to find out- in order to be successful - the lap-band isn't my best option. For women who need to lose over 80 lbs studies show that it's not as successful. Also, I learned that attending a support group is part of the success. The information was plentiful. 

Have I prepared for this? I feel so overwhelmed with this question. Get Ready:

• I started with the seminar. 

• Then I had 8 monthly appointments with my PCP and we created a weight loss plan. This included medication.

•  I also met with my chiropractor.

• Made an appointment with my OB/GYN. Lots of women end up pregnant in the middle of this journey. While it's not immediate failure- It's not healthy. We decided a long term birth control so, I could spend the next 3 years on being healthy and ready to have a baby if I choose. (Don't worry- they are aware of my age- my weight is more of an issue than my age). Plus while motherhood is a dream of mine- I never dreamed I was pregnant. So, I feel good about this decision. 

• Meet with a nutritionist. She was awesome. We did a couples appointment. She told me the reality- what to expect during the liquid phase. We also discuss what the transition would be like. My husband is such a rockstar. 

• Therapy. At first this was just to say "I am okay for surgery". But, turns out- I needed it for more. Part of behavior modification is finding out your food issues.. they also work on your problem areas. Caffeine was my biggest challenge. My staff will tell you- I was on edge, mean and hateful for the first month. If I knew my husband would let me - I would have started smoking. It was rough. Come to find out- I wasn't honest about my addiction. I will do a whole post on saying good bye to caffeine. Sonic was one of my problem areas. Also, learning to drink a glass of water before every meal. Also, avoid using straws- can't have them with surgery anyhow-  I also had to figure out how to keep my friendships alive without going to lunch. I was already working on this before- Dave Ramsey helped me saving money. My free friend Sarah is my favorite lunch friend and I know we are going to be okay. She is super supportive and our friendship is going to only get stronger. My cousin had weight loss surgery and she warned me about how she really "missed eating out". I am so glad I talked with her because I had not realize that could be an issue.  I have come a long ways on all this. This is somewhat personal and I am happy to share more with you.

• Had a sleep study and met with a Pulmonary doctor.  I do have sleep apnena. I hate my sleep machine. I am not following what the doctor says on this. I struggle with it. But, I also learn something else-

• Meet with ENT. I was over the whole 2 strep throats plus I was having issues in the middle of the night. Yeah, I have early symptoms of GERD. They looks like middle of the night panic attacks where I take off my sleep mask and nearly throw up from choking. We are working on this and we hope surgery will change this.

I also have 3 other doctors on my team. But, I am prepared for weight loss surgery. 

Will your insurance pay for this?

Insurance is a red tape process that is very slow when working with a doctor's office. Getting approval took around 2 weeks. My weight loss nurse actually knows her stuff. She knows exactly what they want and need. It takes her probably 4-6 to put together your information. 

Then we work on financial stuff. (This is where we are right now). I have already spoke with insurance but, they get this in writing and then the doctor's office and I work out a plan. Insurance says if you used a "Center for Excellence" and they are in network they pay 90%. Due to Maddie's hospitalization we have met our deductible  So, insurance has told me that me they will pay 100%. 

Another concern: Have I thought about the lifelong lifestyle changes you have to make and how will you maintain weight-loss?

My biggest challenge will being able to eat the right amount of protein and drink water each day. I need 60 to 80 grams of quality protein per day.  They say it will take me weeks to be able to meet this goal. More about the protein below. 

Numerous websites and experts have told me this about protein:

What is insufficient protein? 

The first sign of lack of protein is often fatigue or weakness. Not just the feeling that I didn't get enough sleep last night, but deep fatigue….or weakness you know where it’s hard to get through the day. 

A second sign is weight loss plateau. When we don’t get enough protein, there is increasing evidence that the body tries to store calories rather than burning them.  I have heard those who focus on protein intake are successful in reaching their weight loss goal. 

A third sign is hair loss, which is preventable - they say. While one cause of hair loss following the surgery is the “shock” of the surgery to the body, another reason of hair loss in weight loss surgery patients is insufficient intake of protein. 

My nutritionist also said  after the surgery, if your protein status is low, your body will heal more slowly, sometimes very slowly. 

Another challenge- keeping this loose skin under control. Chances are I will need a breast reduction after the weight loss. A lot of unknowns.. But, as soon as I am cleared I plan to be very focused on working out and being proactive. This is one reason why I am a fan of Rodan and Fields. I am wanting my face to stay firm and healthy. Check out my R+F. The exercise will be very intense for 6-8 months- so my results will be optimal. Also, I am learning to eat my veggies FIRST at every meal. I also will meet with a nutritionist and my therapist often in helping coach me through my next phase of life. It's not a diet- it's a lifestyle change. 

Thanks for reading about my weight loss journey. I am happy  to allow others to reuse or share my content, as long as link it to my blog and give me credit. -Mama Rho 

Weight loss seminar day

I am so thankful my husband is so supportive and loves me. We went to Dr. Fuller’s weight loss seminar- it’s the first step to weight loss surgery.  Have to say- it makes me feel better about myself after going there. I am not the only morbid obese person in Little Rock.  After some reflection from the previous blog.. I realized that all the work the insurance is making me do – is to make sure I am actually mentally prepared for this journey.  I learned a lot about the different types of surgeries. I will be honest I thought the lap band was right for me. But, after the consultation I realized I probably wouldn't be as successful with the band. According to research women who have more than 80 pounds to lose need to not do the band.  If I lost half of my body weight I would be what medical doctors consider healthy. 

 I think the gastric sleeve would be my best option. You can read more about gastric sleeve here. The final decision will be made with Dr. Fuller closer to surgery.