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I haven't written in forever!   Its no wonder, though.   I had a bleeding ulcer in November, followed by gall bladder removal the first week of December followed by complications of a liver leaking bile followed by emerergency exploratory surgery (giant incision up my belly!!)  Now its February and I am dealing with pain in my entire body!!   I don't know where its coming from.   My family doc has gone back in the military and so I'm seeing someone new - its like starting over...   She says I am beginning menopause.   Well doesn't that beat all!!!   She's also checking for vitamin deficiencies before deciding that I have fibromyalgia (the aches and pains).

OK now that all the complaining is done, I have great news!   I am below 200!   I haven't been there in many years.   I am wearing 16/18 clothes and am just as pleased as I can be with the way the weight loss has proceeded.  Despite the dificulties I have had I am still convinced that this was a good decision.    I love having a lap again.   I love being able to cross my legs.   I love being able to by Large and XLarge clothes off the rack.    I am so happy that even though I am still overweight, I am no longer morbidly obese.

God has been with me through all of this and I am convinced now more than ever that He is watching over me and I am in His hands.   My thanks be to Him.

I took my oldest daughter to the University of Kentucky today and left her there.   I miss her sooo much already!    I also learned something about myself.   When I got home I was all alone and I just really wanted to eat.   I ate a chicken tenderloin.   Usually that will fill me up without even eating the whole thing.   Well, I felt full but I still wanted to eat.   I caught myself about 30 minutes later going for another one!!   Then I ate a plum!!!   I didn't feel like I was trying to eat my pain, but I know now that it must have been what it was.   While I was finishing the plum, I looked through the mail and found a note from a really sweet lady from church.   Vicki was writing to encourage me and let me know that she was praying for me.   What a blessing!!!    I was able to regroup and gain control over myself and made it through the rest of the day.   I even went  and sat down and just cried for a while (which is what I really needed in the first place - not food!)   Praise the Lord for good friends and people's prayers.

I'll be greatly encouraged now when the scale starts moving again.   

I've discovered that I have not been drinking enough.   I never really measured out 64 ounces to see how much that is..... I've probably been getting about 48, but not 64!!!    I'm expecting to see a little faster weight loss now that I'm upping my water intake.
Also, I've discovered that Isopure ready to drink is fantastic!!    I wish it was cheaper, but this stuff is soooo easy.     I'm not having any trouble getting in the protein I need, and I'm going to work really hard on the water.

Well, this morning I got on the scale and am down 35 pounds!!!   Woo Hoo!!   Then I showered and got dressed for church.   I slipped my feet into my favorite Clarks and my feet felt like they wanted to slip right on through!    I didn't expect it this soon, but it appears my feet have gone down a size already.   

I am feeling so much better and my activity level is finally starting to return to normal.    I still get very tired, but I am encouraged that I can do so much more now.    I do like my naps though....

Tomorrow, i am getting back on the treadmill.   My goal is 20 minutes a day this week and increasing to 25 next week.  Seems like such a short amount of time to make such a big difference!  

Hoooooray!!!   Its been one month since surgery and the G tube came out today.   Feels better already!   I plan on being healed up in a couple of days and be able to do all those things that have caused me pain lately.   We'll see...

I am so glad I did this!   I am going to try to up my calories from 600 to 700-800.   Maybe I'll have more energy and lose more weight.   The weight is coming off a bit slower than I had planned, but it is still Great!   I haven't lost this much weight in a month since I was 21!!

People are seeing a difference and that is encouraging.   As soon as I regain some energy, I'll really be encouraged.

I am continuing to heal and feeling better every day except for one incision.   This booger just won't stop misbehaving!!   The biggest incision on my lower left side doesn't even have a scab on it anymore.   I am amazed at how quickly it healed.   This one with the tube in it however is just a pain!   Now it has started to tear and bleed and revealing "I-don't-know-what" underneath the skin.   It has sent me back to my chair it hurts so bad.   I can't move around much at all.   It feels like someone is cutting me with a knife every time I move.   I put some butterfly bandages over the part that is tearing in an effort to stop any more, but I don't know if it is hellping or not.    I couldn't even stay in church this morning because it started hurting so bad....  Okay, enough of the complaining already!!!

I have lost 25 pounds since I started this!!!   20 of those just since the surgery!!   I am so excited.   I can't wait until I am able to take my measurements and see the differences there.   I am limiting myself to weighing only on Sunday mornings unless I have Dr. appointment.   Hopefully that way I won't become OCD about the weight!   

My protein intake is good and I have found that the Nectar Fuzzy Naval is the easiest for me to tolerate daily.   I have another favorite, but it is much higherr in calories so I only do it occasionally or if I am around people who are having dessert and I want something.   I take a 1/2 cup of skim milk, 1/2 cup of low carb -no sugar added ice cream, and a heaping scoop of vanilla Chike.   I use my hand mixer and blend it all up nice and thick.   It is really like a dessert.   I can't finish the whole thing.  I think this would be good with any of the Chike flavors....

I saw my PCP this week for the first time since surgery.   I fully expected to have to educate him a little on what I was going through and about some of my new requirements.  NOT the case!   He has studied up on this WLS stuff and knew it all.   I was impressed with him.  

My family and friends have been sooooo supportive.   I am truly blessed.   Before the surgery I held off on telling any of my friends at church because I didn't really want a lot of opinions and anticipated that some might not view this as a good option for weight  loss.    Well, after the surgery I have told anyone who asks how I am.   Everyone has been helpful and many people tell me that they are praying for me and a quick recovery.   I just love being a part of my church!!

My husband and 17 year old daughter have been fantastic at keeping the household running.  My youngest two children have been so great through all this.   They often ask me if I'm feeling OK and help me ALL the time.   It was really funny when the 35 pound 4 year old offered to help me get up out of the chair when I got home from the hospital.   It was also funny when she actually did help me!!!   I suppose the little bit of counter-weight really did assist..  She and the six year old both pick up things off of the floor for me.   When their dad and older sister and brother are not around, they help me with the dishes, laundry, just everything.   

I am so happy I had this surgery.   It will be great when I am healed up and can play with them the way I want to.


 

Well...  my surgery went great!   Dr. Sonnanstine said he was very pleased with how it went.   He said he had to spend over an hour just getting rid of scar tissue, but that didn't hinder him at all.   He said everything went just wonderfully.    So far I have had NO complications.   We fully expected a few little things to happen because I was a revision and they usually do.   So far so good!!

I only had to stay in ICU for one night.   ICU there was great however so I was sad to be leaving.   The good thing about it was that in a regular room my youngest daughters could come and visit and my husband could spend the night.   The bariatric rooms at Gtown are just wonderful, too.   The nurses were attentive and very personable.   Just fun to be around.   They met my every need and were just great!

I left the hospital on Thursday evening.   It was a very pleasant stay.   I would definitely recommend it to anyone!  

Dr.  Sonnanstine checked on me every day.   He was encouraging and listened to my questions and concerns.   He is so genuine and REAL.   I love it.   He knows what he is doing and made me feel as calm as could be before the surgery and was really encouraging and uplifting afterwards.   He had to go out of town one of the mornings I was in the hospital and made sure I knew he was going and when he was coming back.   The nurses told me that he called to check on me several times while he was gone and as soon as he got back he came to see me and check on me.   Honestly, If hadn't told me, I never would have guessed he'd been gone.  

Today, (Saturday) I had a question about the precautionary feeding tube that I have.   I tried to answer my questions myself looking on the internet.   But I couldn't find any answers there or in the literature to my unique situation.   I decided to call the hospital.   Dr. S called me back within 10 minutes!   He didn't seem bothered at all by my calling and as seems to be true to his character, he answered my questions, explained exactly what was happening and told me what to do and what to watch out for.   After speaking with him, I felt better and didn't worry any more.

As for the healing body itself....   It hurts!  No, it HURTS!!!   I suppose removal of all that scar tissue caused quite a bit more pain than usual.   Today is Saturday.   My surgery was Monday.   I am still taking 2 percosets at 4 hour intervals that are probabaly more like 3.75 hour intervals.   The pain is incredible when I move after the meds have started wearing off.   The On-Q pump emptied this morning so I removed it.   I hadn't believed it was doing anything until about 4 hours after removing it and I had a whole new set of pains that were more internal!!  Ouch!!!   I am starting to get worried that I'll be out of pain meds before my pain is resolved.....I sure hope not.   I hate to call and say I need more drugs.  

My hubby has been wonderful.   I'll say more later.

June 8th is coming fast!!   I have the protein powders I like (at least for the moment).   I have most o f the vitamins I need.   btw I tried some liquid B vitamins with iron - HORRIBLE!!!   A dose is 2 tbls.   I put the first one in my mouth... it tasted like  vitamins crushed into honey with a little wet dog in it.   I cannot express in words how horrible it was.   I hated to waste the money, but it went right in the trash....   I'll try again for the b's and iron.....   I have to quit my pain meds for my joints now.   I hope I'll be able to sleep with my hips aching...  I may opt for some tylenol pm.  Also I've been taking black cohash for my "mid-life" hot flashes.   Now I had to quit that, too.   All day I've been getting a "hot head".   It's weird - so far coming off the herbs only my head gets the flashes...  I look kind of funny cause I turn red, too  :)  

OK.   I have a surgery date!   June 8th @6:30 am.   My insurance is cooperating.   The staff at Georgetown seem great.   I met with Dr. Sonnanstine again and am even more reassured that he's the ONE I want doing this surgery.   He was so upbeat and encouraging.   He answered all my questions and just really made me feel good about this.   I'm still trying not to worry about not surviving this.   It's all in God's hands anyway.

Well, things do seem to be moving.    I haven't posted in over a month, but that is only because I have had absolutely nothing to post (except that I may have gained back some of the weight I lost.... No surprise there)

Yesterday I talked to Steve at Dr. S's office.   He is really a nice guy.   He said things were a go ahead with my insurance and I just need to get in to see Dr. Conklin for a Endoscopic "thing".   I am terrible but I can't remember what he called it.   Anyway, after they get in there and look around, maybe I can get a surgery date?   I hope.   I have been on such an emotional roller coaster with this I'm afraid to get too optimistic...   I think I'm learning patience...again....   I am just happy the Lord is in control.   I can always look back and see where he has worked in my life.   It is just hard for me to see it in the present sometimes.   

I'm not getting all crazy excited this time.   I'm just going to be hopeful and try to be patient.   Next Thursday I'll go for this procedure and see what happens from there.