Zenker
8-27-06
I just read a few of Dr. Glucks patient profiles, and found out that they schedule surgery as far as two months out! I was really excited last week when I found out that I am just waiting for a surgery date. I am kind of let down to know that it will probably be another two months if not more. I have been staying away from fat and sweets, thinking that the surgery would be really soon, oh well at lwast I get to have the surgery, I have read some of the profiles and some people never get approved, so I try to say a prayer for all of those people. I will probably call the Dr's office tomorrow to ask how far out the surgery's are being scheduled.
8-30-06
I called the office on Monday, and talked to the person that schedules the surgery. She had my file on her desk, and said that she would be getting me a date soon!!!! All I want is a date so I can start counting the daysuntil I can begin my journey. I guess I am just very impataint and want my surgery date. I will probably call again tomorrow, I don't want to bug her so much that she won't even want to talk to me anymore. Ok, that is it for today, I will be back tomorrow if I find out anything.
9-2-06
Yes!!!!!! I finally got a surgery date, I figured that I wouldn't hear any thing until Tuesday at the earliest, since it is Labor Day weekend, and it's Saturday. They have got to have great people at Dr. Glucks office if they are working on a Saturday, also during a holiday weekend. My surgery is going to be on October 9th, 06, just four days from my birthday, what a great gift. I am just so excited, I am sure I will beginto get nervous the closer it gets. I go to see the Dietician on Sept 20th, and then on the 21st I go in to see Dr. Gluck for one last time before the surgery I guess. I was surprised that it was that soon. I will update during my two week fast, I am sure that won't go fast.
9-11-06
Well, I only have 27 days to go, that is not that long considering I will be on the liquid fast for the last two weeks before surgery. I spend slot of time on this website, reading profiles of people who have had the surgery and someof the story's really scare me, when I see that some people don't have a very smooth time of it after the surgery.But then I read one that everything went great, and they are down 100lbs in 8 to 12 months and then I think man I can't wait to be there. I look at cloths at the store, and can't wait to be able to buy cute clothes and wear a pair of jeans again. Not that they don't have them in my size, but I don't think it would be comfortable wearing something that don't stretch. I am getting close!!!! Bye now.
9-17-06
Well only three more weeks!!!!!!! I have spent time on OH website, reading profiles, chatting with people in the chat room. I think I know all there is to know about having this surgery without actually going through it yet. Three weeks from tomorrow, one week from tomorrow I start my liquid fast, looking forward to that. NOT. I don't think that I won't have a problem though, I have tried to survive on the protein drinks for a few days in the past month, it won't be easy, but I want to start loosing weight. I read profiles of people that are close to their goal and It just makes me so excited to know that it will be me soon, my family is going to be there 100% which is really great to know My husband is coming home the week after my surgery, I will be at my parents house for the first week. My husband is now at Ft. Campbell, KY, finishing up his 20 years so he can retire May 31, 2007. He was in Iraq last year, and boy was that a long year to get through, but he is almost done now. I have appointments on Wednesday with the diatition, and then on Thursday an appointment at Dr. Glucks. I am really getting excited, I wake up early everyday, and cross off another day so until next time. SEE YA!
9-21-06
I was just typing a bunch of stuff and my internet connection was lost, and so was everything that I had just typed. Anyway, yesterday I wentto see the Dietition, and met all the people that are having surgery the same week that I am. We all start out fast on Monday. Then two weeks later, Susan is the first scheduled for surgery on Monday the 9th, and then me. We are hoping to be roommates, that would be nice. We are all going to be seeing each other at our pre op appointment today with Dr. Gluck, and then after our surgery we will see the dietition together for all of our post op appointments. I am so excited I can hardly think of anything else. I can't wait to be on the losing side. I tried to put my picture on my profile, but I don't know if it worked or not. I will be back I am sure a few times before the big day. One thing I want to say is obesityhelp.com is a really great website, and the chatroom is a great place to meet people and get answers to your questions. Alot of people there have already had the surgery, in fast some are up to 5 years out and still come to the chat room. I will update in a few days.
9-22-06
Wow I went to my pre op appt. at Dr. Glucks office yesterday, my daughter Nicki went with me, talk about information overload, I really have to give Dr. Gluck and his staff a big thank you for making sure that you know what to do to make this a success. If you do exactly what they tell you to do then you should have no problems, and beleive me they cover EVERYTHING! Three days and I go on my liquid fast, I want to have something really good, but havent' made up my mind what my last favorite thing to eat will be. I have lost 6 lbs, that is why I really don't want to over do it this weekend. I actually feel better not eating alot of junk, and from what they say, you taste for food after the surgery may be completly different. I hope I hate sweets, and bread those are my down falls. I will be back next week to let you know how hungry I am, my Dad asked me yesterday, "you mean you can't have anything to eat for two weeks?" And my answer was, "Oh, it will be more than two weeks after the surgery!"
10-2-06
Wow its been awhile, only one week to go, and I am scared and excited at the same time. I hope this is the right thing to do, I think about that all the time. What if somthing bad happens, what if what if what if, I don't like all the what if's. I just want the worst if it to be over and to get on with the losing weight. I am a very impatiant person. So after the surgery you won't be able to keep me down. The liquid fast is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and more liquid after the surgery. I make some sugar free jello, and I am excited to get to eat some. I don't really eat jello but I have no choice. Well I will update you as the time gets closer. I must say that I love the chat room here on OH, it is a really nice place to meet other wls patients. SEE YA!
October 4th, 06
Well only 4 more days, and man am I sick of protein shakes, and I feel weak sometimes. I gurss I need to remember those vitimins. I got chewable ones at the Dr's office and they are not very tasty. I can make it 4 days though, so wish me luck and say a prayer for me on Monday. I will be back on Monday, before I go to the hospital, so until then.
October 7,06
I am so upset, the Dr's office called at 4pm yesterday, and told me that there was a little glitch with my Insurance Co. Tricare. I guess the hospital called them and asked them if they were sure that they didn't need prior approval for my surgery on Monday. So they called Tricare for the 5th! time and they said the same thing, she was getting ready to hang up and they asked if they had filled out some form, and they said "What form???" Now I have also called Tricare twice and was toldthat no prior auth was needed. They got the form and filled it out and faxed it to Tricare and Tricare said they would get somethingto them by the close of business on Friday. Well I guess a 25 page fax was coming in at around4:30 or 4:45 and if Tricare was trying to fax it would have been busy. So they just pushed my surgery to 12:30 instead of 10:00 am so hopfully we can get it fixed by then. I still have to do the bowel prep tomorrow, so I will be praying that everything goes smooth. I have been on this liquid fast for along time now and just want this so much. I won't be sleeping much this weekend, so I will be whipped my Monday. Well I will be back for sure Monday morning, and hopfully only to say I'm off to the hospital.
Oct 8, 06
Well Dr. Gluck called me yesterday, to let me know that they moved my surgery to Wednesday the 11th of Oct at 12:30pm I know its only two more days, but I sat and cried, and then got over it, what else can I do. I have to call the Tricare Office first thing tomorrow morning, to find out why they did this to me. I am still upset, because I have been living on these protein shakes for what seems like forever now. I guess I can live with it one more day. I don't like the chat room on the weekends, no one in there to talk to. I will be ok, I just have to get throughthe next few days. Thank God I didn'thave to do the bowl prep twice. I will be back when I get some new news about my surgery, and that it is definatly on Wednesday.
Oct 10, 06
Well I was on the phone with Tricare all morning on Monday, and it just seems that almost everyone I talked to said you don't need prior auth for that!!!! Most of them were very nice, but didn't know anything about this form. Well the hospital called and told me to be there at 5:30 tomorrow, so I will be the Dr's first surgery of the day. I am now very excited and don't know how much sleep I will get tonight, but I will try. I can't wait to get this over with and start my new life. I will be back on Friday, I gurss as long as I get to go home that day. Friday the 13th is my birthday, I almost had my rebirthday on my real birthday.Well I will be back as soon as I am able to get on here. Say a prayer for me.
Oct 13, 06
Well here it is my birthday and I just got home from the hospitall I can't say that the surgery was easy, but the recuperation was very fast. I was miseralbe the day of the surgery and I was in alot of pain, but by Thursday afternoon, the pain was subsiding and I really started to feel great. I am going to lay down and take a nap, the trip from the hospital was very tiring and I need to take some pain meds and go to sleep for awhile, so I will return, thanks for all your prayers.
October 13th, (same day)
Well, I got a little nap in, boy just a trip to walgreens wiped me out. I was so tired I could not type. Everything is going smooth so far, I just can't get rid of all this gas in my intestines, its rumbling around but not going anywhere as of yet. I met Karmen at the hospital, she had surgery the same day as I did, so we got to visit quite a bit and share our stories. I go in on Monday to see Dr. Gluck, and hope he takes out this drain, it just gets in the way. I have been working on my sipping and so far doing pretty good. My whole family was there for me, except my sisters and brother. Oh well, what can I do about that. Well I am going to go for now, I will update wometime before my appt. with Dr. Gluck. See Ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oct 14, 2006
Well I am four days post op, and not doing too bad, pain in the middle of the night wakes me up, then I can't sleep anymore until its light outside. So far my drinking out of the little cups is going quite well, I am over 15cc now, not much over, but working my way up to a whole oz. That just sounds strange to say I only drink 1/2 oz every 15 min. I am not going to weigh myself until I go to the Dr. on Monday, my appt. is at 6 pm, then I am not sure when they schedule the next appointment. i got 2 and 1/2 cans of slim fast today, that is half of what I need to be getting down. I was copying this from my first profile, and the last line, was I better go I am falling out of this chair, must of been the pain pills talking, because i don't remember typing that.Bye, Mary
October 18, 2006
Well I wanted to update my profile, but I am having a hard time getting what I have written up to this point to my new profile page.
Anyway, tomorrow I am 1 week post op, so I will be on here to tell what my weight is now, or how much I have lost so far. I can tell you that I am having a hard time getting in all the protein I need, I just dont' like anything like slim fast or protein pudding, but I make my self eat it to get some protein in. Everyone who has been through this tells me the same thing, it will get better, I really hope so, and I can actually eat more then a spoon full. I am sure it will be awhile before that happenes, but it will be nice when it does.
Be back tomorrow, to weigh in. SSSEEEE YYYYAAAAAA
October 24, 2006
Well its been more then one day, my husband was here so we were busy until he left to go back to FT. Campbell, KY, on Sunday.
Went to the Dr. today, and I am down to 254, wow it is coming off so fast, I just can't beleive it. I was going to visit with Karmen after her appt, but I started feeling sick and had to leave. I will email her tomorrow to let her know what happened. I will also see her at the meeting next week with the diatition, I can't wait just because we get to add new food to our diet. I am sick of pudding, and slim fast.
Well gotta go, I will update in a week to give you my new weight, I will be getting rid of lot of clothes soon, but I need to find out how to get them to people who need them.
Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mary
October 30, 2006
Well I am almost 3 weeks out now, and I have been feeling sick in the morning, and I just don't care for anything. It is a chore to eat or drink the protein shakes.
I have been drinking slimfast, and this weekend I tried to drink a protein drink made with milk, and boy was I feeling sick the rest of the day. I also tried some refried beans with low fat cheese, and it went down ok and I felt fine but I could only get a few spoonsfuls down and I just don't want anymore. I go tomorrow to the next nutrition class, so I can ask her about what to do. I also get to meet with the excerise professional, and we will find out what we can start doing as far as working out at the Heart Center which we have full use of for the next year which I think is a great thing.
I will be back when I have some more good news, I think I am down about 40 to 45 lbs now, and I am walking about a mile a day so far.
BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 9th, 2006
Well I am over 4 weeks out and really starting to feel great, I still feel sick at times, but those are getting fewer and fewer. So far I have lost 43 lbs, probably more since it has been almost a week since I weighed myself, so its hopfully closer to 48. I just set a goal for myself, I would like to be under the 200 mark by the first of Jan. That is about 8 or so weeks, so I want to jump start my excerising and get to the Heart Center everyday starting on Monday. I am still eating the same things, jello, cottage cheese, and eggs(egg beaters) I want to try new things but I feel safe eating things I know won't make me sick. I still get most of my protein from my shakes, but thats kind of good because I can take them with me anywhere I go. Well I will be back to update in the next two weeks.
November 16, 2006
Well as of Tuesday, I have lost 43lbs, my Dr. appt. was that day, and all my labs were good to so I must be doing things right. I still get sick sometimes, some morning I wake up sick, and I am sick for at least 1/2 the day. I am still on the blenderized diet, for at least the next 3 or 4 weeks, then I can start adding alot of different foods, I can actually have a peice of toast, that sounds exciting to me. Very strange, feeling that a peice of toast is exciting. I stay in touch with two of the women that had surgery the same week I did. If fact when I went to my appt. I say all but one that had surgery the same week. I have a support meeting at the Dr. office with all of them in a few weeks.
Most of them are back at work, I could probably get a job, but I want to wait until my husband retires from the Army in May 07 because we want to go on a second honeymoon when he retires. Go some where really nice.
Well, got to go get busy on my redorating, it has to be done by Christmas. Plus, I haven't even started my shopping yet. yikes!
Mary
November 30, 2006
I forgot to update my profile, it has been awhile. I made it through Thanksgiving with out going crazy with all the food that everyone around me was eating. I just ate my cottage cheese, and was happy with that. Christmas is going to be tough, with all the candy and cookies that are everywhere you look. I never thought I would enjoy jello this much, but that is my candy and cookies for the holidays.
I have found recipes for cookies and breads and different things, but they all call for ingredients that you have to get at a health food store, but I am going to try some of them. There is a bunch of cookbooks by a Mary Glenda, she is a critical care nurse and nutrition enthusiiast, so I am either going to buy her cookbooks offline, or at Barnes and Nobel if they have them there.
I am down 55 lbs, and am really feeling great, my energy level is really going through the roof. I think of how i felt last year at this time, and I hated doing anything, if it took me getting off the couch I just wasen't up for it.
This year will be different I am sure. I will try and get back here before Christmas,
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 19, 06
Wow, its been awhile since I have updated this, I am now down 65 lbs, it doesn't seem like that much more then on the last time I updated on the 30th of Nov, but 10 lbs is 10 lbs. I can tell you that I had hit a plataue, (sorry can't spell it) I was the same weight for a whole week, so it is slowing down. I am going to start working out at the Heart Center when Bill get home, so I can get a start on it during the time he is home. I had wanted to get down under 200 before I started weight training, but I am close enough. Redecorating three rooms of the house is more than enough of a workout, painting, wallpapering, moving furniture ect. I wake up in pain everyday, my back is the worst so I have to take it easy for a day at least. Bill and Willie will be home tomorrow, they havent' seen me since a week after the surgery. I know they will both be surprised, the only people that see me on a regular basis, is my parents, my daughters Nicki, Samantha and Sarah, and my son Kenny. So when we go to my parents and Bill's sisters for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I hope everyone will be surprised, because i have worked so hard to get where I am today, only 96 lbs to go. Well, i will update in a few days after Bill and Willie get settled in. The darn Tv in the bedroom is out, so now we have to get a new one, wasn't expecting to spend that kind of money this close to Christmas, I have quite a bit more shopping to do, ooooppppps, Bill will be surprised how much we have left to do. I can shop for longer periods of time now so it should be no problem.
Jan 17, 07
Wow, I can't beleive its been almost a month since I have posted. Well I am almost 80 lbs lost now, and am really feeling great!!!!! I can do things that I would have struggled with before this surgery, it has truly given me my life back. My knee has really been giving me pain, we are moving to a new house, so I have been on my feet for longer periods of time. I wake up at 3:30-4:00am every day, and just in so much pain that I have to get up and take all my pills for the morning. It is so cold outside, with the weight loss, I feel so cold, a feeling that I just can't get used to. Its better than sweating all the time just walking from the living room to the bedroom. The PA at Dr. Glucks office told me my goal weight should be 169, and I would like to get to 140 or lower. I just think that 169 is too heavy for a person that is 5 4, and she says that I need to be eating protein not just drinking protein shakes, well if she got as sick as i get when I try to eat some things then she would be afraid to eat too. I just think some of the Dr.'s and PA's that haven't had a weight problem and had this surgery don't have any idea what its like to be FAT, and how your treated by other people when your FAT, some people think that you are stupid because your FAT.
Ok enough of that, its just like when someone won't talk to you before your surgery, and now when the same person see's you and now want's to talk to you, I just feel like treating them the way they treated me when I was heavy. I know I may look thinner on the outside, but inside I still feel the same at times. I get scared that the surgery will quit working and I will end up fatter like all the other diets I have been on in the past. It will be in my mind for a long time, and it is going to take awhile to get used to the new me.
Well, I will try and update more than I have been, I am going to start going to the gym to work out after we get all moved into the new place. I need to do more than the walking I know, its just getting started that is so hard. Thank you to all of you in the chatroom for giving me someone to talk to when I am up at 4 in the morning. I can always count on you all to be there for me. See Ya!!!!!!!!!
