Charlottekay
I've got my life back
Aug 06, 2007
Hello all! I hope everyone is doing well. Sorry I have not posted since May, but I got my life back. I stay so busy with life now. We just got back from Kings Island in Cincinnati Ohio. And yes I rode every ride and some twice. And I fit in all the sit, they didn't have to get two attendents to try and shove me in a seat and buckle it. I was so much fun. I've enjoyed going fishing in the boat with my husband. And taking my kids to the pool. And get this I've had to buy two bathing suits this summer. The one I bought at the start of the summer break was falling off me. So I had no choice, but to get another smaller one. I love shrinking. Some days I feel skinny and some days I still feel really big. My hair is finally starting to grow back. It is still falling out a little, but not as bad as it was. I was at 6 months on Saturday August 5th. I don't eat a whole lot, but I get enough in. My protein could be improved, but I try. I just turned 37 on July 20th and I felt younger than I ever have. This surgery has given me my life, my kids, and my husband back. I love myself again. I'll try to upload new pictures.
Charlotte
Charlotte
5-2-07 3 Months
May 02, 2007
Well it's been three months now and from my highest weight I've lost 61 pounds. Since the surgery I've only lost 48 pounds. I was starting to feel a little good about myself and then I went to my check-up appt. and seen my nut. They just have a way of not making you feel great. I got the well your in the percentage where you are suppose to be, but......there's always a but. I don't think I'll ever go there and walk out being told I'm doing everything right. No matter how much protein you get in'.......yeah that's good but we need you to get in more. I can only eat and drink so much. I got in the shape I was because I was not big on exercise. Now they tell me I'm not exercising enough. I'm doing way more than I ever did before. I have just got to where I really hate going for my check-ups anymore. Well I have 100 pounds to go till I reach my goal now. I'm a little discouraged and disappointed after todays visit, but I'll be ok. I did see two wonderful ladies who I meant on this site today at the doctor's office. And they both looked great. So it's always nice to connect with the people we get to chat with. My new motto is "I live to lose weight another day". Yeah I know corny isn't it! Next appointment isn't till August, so I won't have to go through this torcher for another 3 months. Hopefully by then I will have lost 100 pounds. Till Next Time!!!!!!
Charlotte
Charlotte
April 11th, 2007
Apr 11, 2007
It's been a while since I have posted anything. I am just a little past my two month mark. I was doing really good, then I got sick. A week and a half ago sitting at work my nose just started running and I started coughing. I thought maybe it was allergys and tried to self medicate. But I only got worse. I ended up with a rash all over my lips top and bottom inside and out. No it's not herpes simplex. I got sick after eating some lemon pepper chicken last Thursday night and threw up for the first time since the surgery. It was not pleasant. Anyway the next day I feel like I have a really bad case of chapped lips. Over the weekend it just got worse. Woke up Easter morning with little blister all over the top and bottom lips with a rash spreading toward the chin and under the nose. So I went to the doctors office Monday morning. I just figured this sick headcold thing I got going on had manifested itself as a rash on my lips. Well come to find out I have a bad ear infection in not one but both ears. And they just are not sure what is going on with my lips. So to make sure that it's not herpes they give me Valtrex and a antibiotic for the ears. I take all my meds ok on Monday. Come Tuesday all I got down was the Valtrex. That thing was a horse pill and it got stuck in the pouch some where. I hurt all day and stayied sick to my stomach even if I drank water. I got up this morning the pill had finally passed, but my lips where 3 times thier normal size, So back to the doctors I go. He doesn't know what it is. But he does know it's not herpes. So he sends me to a dermatoglogist. He in turn tells me it's an allergic reaction. Proably to the lemon pepper that I threw up. It's been going on for a week now, so my lips are pretty bad, it's going to take a while to get them back to normal. He put me on steroids and an oniment to numb my lips because the itch and burn so bad, So anyway I haven't had good water, food, or protein in proably a week and a half. And that makes me so mad, because I was just starting to get going good on getting in some protein and drinking my water. Like I always say one step forward and two steps back. So now I'm gonna call my WLS doc's tomorrow, cause I'm a little worried about taking the steroid. So I really hope things start getting better for me. Til next time.
Charlotte
Charlotte
2-21-2007 Update
Feb 21, 2007
Well I was suppose to go back to work today. But I didn't. I did not feel like I was ready. I still am having problems going to the bathroom. I haven't went since I got out of the hospital for the last constipation 6 days ago. My stomach still hurts really bad on the left lower side. I have a lot of burning close to where the insicions are. I stay nauseaed most of the time. I cried alot yesterday and today. I guess just feeling sorry for myself. Then my mom says but before the surgery you were telling me to stay postive about everything. Cause it was all going to be alright. I got so mad. I told her well after feeling like shit for three weeks it's hard to stay positve. Then I said Good Bye. At least my husband is still supportive of me. He agreed with me this morning about not going back to work till Monday. I really how I feel better by then. If I could get my plumbing to work I would be fine. I have pleanty of gas, just nothing moves. I can't seem to sleep at night. I just want my life to return to something of the normal. At this point I do not feel like it's going to happen anytime soon.
Charlotte
Charlotte
2-17-2007 Update
Feb 17, 2007
Well here's the update. I went for my post-op visit on 2-15-2007. I've lost a total of 22 pounds since my first vist with them on 12-8-07. I was told not to pick up more than 10 pounds and not to pick that up over my head. I start back to work on 2-21-2007 for 4 hours a day for one week. Then I go back to 8 hours a day. They told me they were worried about my energy level. I'm having a hard time with the food and the pills. I'm not that hungry to begin with and after I have all these pills to take I;m too full for food. Even know I stretch them out over the day. I'm not getting my protein in. Everything is to sweet. I can't stand chocholate at least right now. I loved it before, so I never thought those words would come out of my mouth. But everything is so sweet. I'm trying to deal with it. On another note all my plumping got screwed up. I hadn't went to the bathroom since the day before my surgery. I tried to take care of it myself. I called the help 1-800 number, talked to my physician about it, I evern talked to them about the day of my post-op appt, and then that night called the 1-800 number back. Anyway long story short I couldn't fix it here at home ended up in a whole lot of pain and ended up in the ER. Who ended up admitting me to the hospital here in Madisonville. Who had no ideal of how to take care of a gastric by-pass patient. It's a good thing my husband paid attention to a few things. If it hadn't been for him they might have killed me. They couldn't find anything for me to eat but sugar free pudding and they kept bring me some every hour. I think I had two spoons full and that was only with meds. I looked at my husband and said how much do they think I need to eat? Anyway it's been a rough couple of days. I got to come home Friday night. I was up till 4:00 am because it felt like someone had beat the crap out of me. My husband finally got up and made me take some pain med and I went to bed. So I'm trying to get back on track and get things going, so I can return to work next week. I still have not been able to return to being a real mother to my kids. They are kinda just lost. I'm ready to get over this hump. Maybe when I get back to work it will be better.
Till next time.
Charlotte
Till next time.
Charlotte
WOW moment 2-13-2007
Feb 13, 2007
I went to my family PH today and the last time I saw him was January 3rd. I weighed 303 today I weighed 287. I've lost 17 pounds since I have seen him. I've lost 10 pounds since the day of my sugery. God that felt so good when the nurse put the scale on the 300 mark and then had to move it to the 250. It's been a while since that has happened. I think I might start loving scales now. And as of right now I am down to three meds from eight. This is the best thing that has happened to me in a long while. Oh I also asked him to take out my staples because they were hurting me so bad and he did. All but 5, it was kinda funny. I didn't think he would do it but it was worth a try. Now it feels a lot better when I get up and down. I just had to share. Until my next WOW moment.
Charlotte
Charlotte
7 days post-op 2-11-2007
Feb 11, 2007
Well I'm finally home after 5 days in the hospital. I didn't think they were ever going to let me go. I had a fever of unknown origin and I had swelling. So it was Thursday before I turned the corner or got over the hump. I had a lot of nausa and everytime they gave me something for it I would pass out. And sleep for hours. Then the doctor got mad cause I couldn't walk. Well he didn't get mad, but he was upset. Then they gave me the wonder drug, it keeps me awake and keeps the nausa away. I love it. I'm still taking. Still having a lot of problems in that department. But I kinda knew I would I've always had a weak stomach. I ended up allergic to the morphine. It broke me out in hives and I about itched my face off. But it kept the pain away. The next medicine they gave me still made me itch but it was easier to take. I had to have a bag of anti-itching meds. Didn't work to well. I couldn't pass my water trials tried three days in a row before I got all the water down. My esophagus was to swollen to let anything in. I would drink it and it felt like food stuck in my esophagus. Then I would get sick and dry hive. Sometimes a little water would come back up. Lets see the worst part was probable the blood thinning shots. Those things hurt so bad and let such bruises and holes in me. I looked like a junkie. After Friday they couldn't find a spot on my arms or legs to inject another one. On a good note Monday and Tuesday I had the greatest nurses. I filled out wow cards for them. The rest of the week just got worse and worse. My third shift nurses we (my husband and I) nicknamed them tweddle dee and tweddle dumb. They couldn't do anything. I would call for my pain shot dumb would come in and say she would go tell dee. Then dee would come in empty handed and my husband would say were is her pain meds? She'd go oh yea let me go get that. I hurt really bad those two nights. I finally got the water trials done and moved on to broth (nasty hospitals) jello(not much better), and delicous cranberry juice. Friday they came in and said that I might get to go home that day. My team of doctors (that's what I liked to call them) made me feel rich. They came in and out for the next couple hours asking questions and doing this and that. Then the nurse comes in and says I'm going home she's just waiting on my meds. They pharmacy fills them and I sign all my relase papers, YEAH I'M GOING HOME. She sends for transport. My husband takes the bags to the van. One fo my doctors comes in and says I can't go home, he doesn't know what the nurse is doing. I wanted to cry. Anyway he saw my face and I guess felt bad. Then said to give a few more hours to check out some labs and stuff and he'd see about me going home. Ok been here 5 days whats a few more hours? It was about an hour and a half and he came back and said I could go. And then asked if I understood why he kept me. I guess he wanted to make sure I wasn't mad. I wasn't I just didn't want to stay the weekend there. And I knew if I did not get out Friday it would be Monday before they let me go. By then I would have gone MAD I TELL YOU MAD!!!!! Anyway I am home now with my two beautiful children who missed me madley and I missed them. I'm having a few problems but hanging in there. Each day is a little better. Nights seem to be easier. Oh did I mention I have 6 holes and 19 staples. I hate the staples they feel like they are riping my skin on my stomach everytime I move. I can't wait to get them out. Anyway I tired at the moment and I need some liquid pain meds. So I'll be signing off till next time.
Charlotte
Charlotte
1-17-2007 Pre-op & Surgeon Visit
Jan 18, 2007
Well of the three visit that I have had to Vanderbilt the was by far the best one. No problems arose and there were no rude people. I have lost 5 pounds since I was there on 12-8-06. They were proud of me for that. The first thing I did was to met two interns who did most of the talking and explainsing. They wanted to know if I had any questions. They did an exam and explained some things to me and my husband. Then Dr. Richards walked in. He didn't stay long, but the way he held his self and presented himself told us he was confident. I really think I picked the right surgeon. He did and exam and told me I have a small hernia, but it's not going to be a problem. He told me I was a good canidate for this surgery. And he said that he did not see why there would be any problems with doing it laproscopic. Which was great news, because I was scared the hernia would cause it to be an open procedure. He's going to do just fine it's just some of his staff that need a little work. After he left the room his nurse came in to go over some things with my husband and me. This day was Wednesday and she told me that I was scheduled to come back in on Friday to see the nutritionist. I live two hours away and told her there was no way I could come back this week again. Then I proceeded to tell her that I had been trying to reach someone in that office since last Wednesday to try and set something up for today with the nutritionist. But no one would answer the phone, return and messages that I was leaving, or the office manager Jennifer that I was e-mailing wouldn't work with me either. She said she was so sorry that I had to go through all of that. She also stated that there was no reason for any of that to have happened to me. She left the room for about 10 min. came back with appointments for the same day. She accomplished in 10 min. what I had been trying to get done all week. I filled out one of the 'You did a great Job' cards for her. So we finished up with her and headed to pre-op which was a breeze. Gave blood and urine, they hooked me up to an EKG, and I talked to a NP anesthesiologist. She was really nice and I think they are really going to take care of me. Or at least I hope so. After this I went to see the nutritionist to learn how to eat and what to eat and what not to eat. Man there sure is a lot to learn. I have to go on a liquid diet 8 days before my surgery. So now I'm suppose to start practicing watching my sugars and counting my proteins, making sure I eat three times a day. I have to train myself to stop drinking 30 min. before eating and not drink during food then wait 45 min after. It was a very long day I was so tired by the time we got back home. And then there was the kids waiting to tell me about their day and do homework with them. A mom's job is never done. Oh well they are why I am doing this, partly. So now I done with Nashville till Feb. 5th. Yeah!!!!!!!!
1-15-2007 Good News
Jan 15, 2007
I talked to my insurance carrier today because I was worried I was not going to be able to afford my surgery. The good Lord is looking out for me. The hospital and the surgeon are in my network. Everything at the hospital including the surgeon will cost me $150.00 co-payment then everything is 100 percent covered. All office visits are $25.00 co-payment. The nutritionist is $25.00 co-payment with only 3 visits a year. That was the best news I heard all day. I was so happy. Because at my last visit the Doctor's office told me when I came back I had to have $180.00 to see the nutrtionist, well not according to my insurance. This is great!!!!!!!! I got to keep thinking positive.
Charlotte
Charlotte
1-10-2007 Todays drama
Jan 10, 2007
Todays drama. I guess I wasn't expecting things to go so quickly because I got a phone call today which I was waiting for but. I still needed an appointment to see my surgeon because I have not met him yet. Well they not only gave me an appointment to see the surgeon they also gave me a pre-op appointment and a surgery date, February 5th. That's only 3 weeks away. I was sent in a tail spin, because I have not seen the surgeon or the nutritionist yet. I'm not even scheduled to see the nutritionist till Feb. 6th, which will be the day after the surgery. Now this surgery is something I want. But I would like a little more information on the food deal from the nutritionist. I was thinking it would be schduled around March. Then I'd be able to build up a little more PTO time. Now I'll have to take leave with no pay. Because I only have 2 hours of Paid Time Off , oh well. Good thing I have a cool supervisor. She says it must be God's will for everything to go so smoothly and so fast. I'm still processing today's events.
About Me
Nebo, KY
Location
28.1
BMI
Surgery
02/05/2007
Surgery Date
Jan 08, 2007
Member Since
