I'm shrinking!

I am amazed how quickly I have seen results with my surgery. It is so great! I have been feeling pretty great lately.
The 1st month was BRUTAL. It was a lot of trying to get to get used to all the changes. My pouch is smaller. A LOT smaller. I only holds about 4 oz total. If you put 2 medicine cups together (the ones you get on the top of your cough medicine) opening to opening, that is how much I eat. Vastly different than what I have been used to the span of my life so far. For a while I didn't get the feeling of "hunger" or being full. So if I ate too much--even one bite too many--it will come right back up. Not the heaving that most people have when they are throwing up, more like when a baby spits up. Just comes back up. Not the most fun after eating. I really have to be careful when eating. The other thing I have to get used to is texture of food. I wasn't usually one for having texture issues with food, BUT I AM NOW! No eggs, dry chicken, ground meats, deli meats.... things like that. So I am still quite limited on what I can eat. It will get better as time goes on. I don't drink for about 20 minutes before or after eating. Have to have room in my tummy for what I am eating.  Just really watching what I am eating. :)
About 2 weeks ago, I was finally able to eat fresh veggies. I cannot tell you how amazing that day was. You try eating cooked mushy vegetables for 3 months. Then tell me how much you miss tomatoes and cucumbers.

But after all that.... I have lost--as of today--56 lbs. What!? so crazy. But I am absolutely thrilled!! I will buy pants to fit into, and they will be too big in 3 weeks. Thankfully, tops are okay to wear big. Even my shoes are getting too big. Not in length, but my feet must have been wider. I am wearing rings and bracelets that have been too small for years. It is just really an amazing feeling.

I know what you are thinking--desserts. That is when you find out that the Cheesecake Factory has a low carb sugar free Cheesecake. And this is when you realize that everything is right in the word and that the no sugar thing might just be okay.

and it's done

Well, I'm 1 week out. I can't believe how fast it all went!

My brother Clayton brought me to the hospital and I had to check in by 7:45 am. Needless to say, it was a sleepless night. I had the most anxiety about the IV. My mom had bad veins and I had a feeling I would inherit them. Sure enough, I did. They stuck me 4 times before settling on the crook of my arm. Not very convenient, but whatever. Clayton was such a champ on keeping my mind off what was going to happen. He was a huge blessing.

I didn't go in until after 11. They wheeled me back and I then sat in the OR hall way for another 20 min. It was brutal. They wheeled me into the OR and asked me to move over to the operating table. And that's all I remember until waking up.

I woke up as Clayton was leaving for class. Lots of pain. Phew. I thought I prepared myself but I wasn't even close. I had excellent nurses and was doped up in no time.
I remember my friend Heidi coming and sister in law Anna. Don't remember what we talked about :) but they were there. Heidi helped me get up and walking the first time. Not too bad 4 hours post surgery!

Over the next 24 hours I just slipped in and out of sleeping. And Anna came back to drive me home. Having my staples and drain removed was NOT pleasant. Came home and went to bed.
The next morning I checked into a hotel and waited for my friend Hayley to come up to stay with me. The next few days were pretty rough. Vomiting and severe nausea.  Nit good.
Came home Sunday night. I discovered I could start sleeping in my side and that has made all the difference!

Slowly but surely I'm getting stronger and feeling more like myself.

Oh! I've lost 22 lbs so far :)

6 days

Tomorrow I go in for lab work & my surgery class.  I get a very large book (I'll post a photo later) with what I can and cannot do after surgery. I also have to get an ultrasound on my g gallbladder to see if they will need to remove that while in the ER.

I'm feeling really nervous and anxious. But still feeling good about it.  More to come...

less than a month...

So...October 16th is the day! It's less than 1 month away.
I'm scared, nervous, excited and every emotion in between.  Of course I'll kerp everyone in the loop!
I've feel so blessed with all of the support I've received from all of you. ♥

2 months

Here we are! Took forever to get here.

October 16th. Time to get thin....

officially

Well....it's official: I'm approved. The irony is I had to use my surgery stash to buy a new car. So....I've got to save up again. I'm shooting for October. Unless someone I know wants to give me their winning lottery ticket :)

Good news though!!

it's....july.....

Check your calendar....IT'S JULY!!

6 Months is....OVER!! 17th--let it begin...

am I there yet?

I'm pretty sure that sums up my life right now. I often hear the phrase, "you're so close!  So soon...!" Sadly, it's taking forever from my shoes.
Friday I go in to meet with a psychologist and the 28th I see the dietitian for visit #4. 2 more to go.
I have to say, I've had a bad attitude about the dietitian.  First visit she said, "you're overweight...". DUH!! It's why I'm here! *sigh*
July cannot get here fast enough.

what it is

I have had a lot of people ask me what the procedure actually is. So I thought I would do a post with a diagram with what the surgery actually does to the anatomy.
I am having Gastric Bypass surgery. That is where they cut away most of your stomach leaving a 2 oz "pouch". (If you take two of the clear cups that come with cough medicine, and put them together, that is how big my stomach will be at the very first.) They do the surgery microscopically so there should be about 6 1 inch incisions in my abdomen.

You can only eat liquid for the first 4 days or so, then you move up to something that is "mushy"... mashed squash, refried beans, things that are mashed. Then I can move to soft foods. I start adding carbs into my diet about a year after surgery.
There is no sugar for a year either. If you have anything high in fat or sugar, you will develop something called "dumping syndrome". It gives you severe flu like symptoms until the food has passed.
There will be many changes, but for me-- completely worth it!

snag

Thank you to those that have been keeping tabs on my journey via this blog. I've come upon a speed bump. The qualifications that my employer requires changed with the new 2013 plan year.
I have to complete a 6 month supervised diet before the
 insurance company will sign off. It was a huge disappointment. But in the end....what's 6 more months? Right...? So this puts me in July to resubmit everything again. Surgery in August.  Happy Birthday to me!
So, stick with me for a few more months!  I'll get there....

waiting

I did it! My surgeon says I'm the perfect candidate. So, now the paperwork is submitted to UHC, and I wait. I should hear from the scheduler within the next 2 weeks. Then I have an education class, pre-op registration at LDS hospital and.... I'm on my way!
I feel very calm and at peace. I'm sure I'll have some anxiety leading up to it. But I'm feeling great.

close...

I'm so close! I go in on Tuesday morning. I'm guessing my surgery will be about 6 weeks from there! So close ♥

ten

I'm 10 days out from my consultation. So many feelings swirling around in my head...

Fear
Anxious
Excited
Happy
Concern

It's always on my mind & plays a part in most of my decisions.

10 MORE DAYS

consult

Today I got a call from the surgeon's office... 

" You meet the requirements, please come in to meet with Dr. McKinley and discuss your surgery options. well discuss your surgery date and what to expect in the coming weeks. See you February 12..."

I'm excited and really nervous :) its starting to get very real!!

ready.....set.....

GO!!

Tomorrow I turn in my paperwork! Ill find out in a week when they'll pass it on to the insurance company.
In my mind, I keep hearing, "let it begin....LET IT BEGIN!!"