Carol C.
1 year ago today!
Sep 29, 2009
Hugs to all!
6 Month Surgeversary, 200 pounds!
Mar 31, 2009
Ok, so my 6 month anniversary was actually on march 29th. I figured with the weight hitting exactly 200 pounds today, I could fudge a little. Lots of stuff been going on so haven't had time to follow the OH Website like usual.
First, I decided to join the 3 Day walk for Breast Cancer. It's national, but I plan to attend the one in San Francisco. http://www.the3day.org/sit
Third, my mother is having surgery next Monday. With the way my schedule is, no way I can be there. Could be part of why I am hating my job so much right now I suppose.
And last, there is no gym where I am, no equipment to workout, and no place to really walk. I have decided to celebrate my new weight with a trip downtown and lots of walking there. I am gonna take the Caltrain to get there. But have to be back in time for work tonight. Ah well, catch ya all later.
Carol
Why WLS?
Jan 21, 2009
Yeah, I have given up a lot, and no its not always easy. I have not had a drop of diet coke since my surgery, nor have I had any sweets. I struggle somedays to eat enough so that I am not in "starvation" mode. I still need to excercise and follow strict diet rules. Oh, and lets not forget the pain in my stomach if I eat even one bite to much of something. I am luckier then some in that I never get some of the side effects they do. I don't "dump", I don't throw up or get "foamies", and best of all, I have never had food get stuck.
So, why did I choose WLS, and why the VSG?
Well, first of all I have tried many diets, most of which worked for a short time, only to gain all my weight lost and then some. The last diet (Jenny Craig) I had lost a lot only to be gaining it all back. I was within 10 pounds of my start weight one year later. I had met several coworkers who had gotten the lapband and were successful. I decided that I was going to get one myself and stop the yoyo dieting.
I started doing research on the net, and found a wonderful site that offered support and information. Obesityhelp.com also hosts seminars across the US for pre-ops, post-ops and those looking for reconstructive surgery after their weight loss. I went to my first seminar a week later and never looked back. I had a free consult with a bariatric surgeon while I was there and he recommended an open DS to me. He stated that the lapband would not work for me. The idea of cutting me wide open for surgery horrified me. I knew enough about medicine to know the recovery time and pain would be greater if they did the open. So I went back to the web and did more research.
At this point I was thinking I would get the DS, but wanted to do more research. As I looked into the procedure I found that it could be done in 2 parts, or all at the same time. The first part, the VSG could also be a stand alone procedure. I looked more and more into the VSG and liked what I found. It is a restrictive procedure that also removes most of the grehlin from your stomach. My biggest problem was hunger and never feeling satisfied when I ate. VSG addressed both of these issues. My next step was to pick a surgeon.
I knew my insurance would not pay for my WLS, so I would have to pay for it myself. With this in mind, I started looking into surgeons in AZ. The cost was prohibitive. I would have to cash out my 401K and was still not sure I would have enough. I then checked into Mexico. Ah, much better prices, but would the care be up to standard? After reading testimonials, I decided to go for it. I contacted several Dr's there, talked to them online and on the phone, and finally went with the cheapest in Tijauna.
Yeah, I know I was taking a risk, but I felt it was worth it. I was constantly in pain in my knees, back and shoulder. I had trouble walking up 1 flight of stairs, and I was depressed cause I just couldn't lose weight. In healthcare you always have to weigh the benefits agains the risks. And for me there was no contest. I am happier, healthier, and currently at my lowest weight since I graduated Nursing School. Soon I will be under 200#. I think the last time I was that low was in the 80's.
So, I say to those who say WLS is not necessary, or is the easy way out. Who cares? Its my life not yours, and as long as I am happy, why can't you just be happy for me?
Concentrating on the positive
Dec 25, 2008
) But I wanted to refect on the positive for once. And not put any exceptions in.1) I am alive and healthy
2) I have lost a total of 43 pounds since my surgery
3) I have many friends, both online and in real life. And I will see many of them this year at cons and such.
4) I have a job I love, and that lets me travel and see new places, and meet new friends.
5) I helped one of my new friends plan a Christmas skit for a party, and she sent me the link to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8uqHBhxFoo
6) My cats love me
7) My mother and sister live close, and I will see them again in January sometime.
I am going shopping tomorrow before work!There are other things to be positive about I am sure, but that is a good start
My Aunt
Dec 22, 2008
Everyone has aunts, growing up I was blessed with many of them. On my dad's side, I had his sister, and his brother's wife. On my mother's side, their were a plethora of them. She had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. I also had their childhood friends whom I grew up thinking of aunts and uncles. A lot of them have passed away now, all of them on my dad's side, and a few on my mother's. Now today, at 7am, I lost another "aunt". One who I loved dearly, even though she was not related to me by blood.
My Aunt Regina grew up with my mother and they were best friends even until today. Her husband passed away when I was young, leaving her with 3 girls to raise. They were my cousins, and I grew up fighting and caring for all of them. I even lived with them for one semester in High School. She was a nurse, who had many medical problems of her own. Dealing with cancer, diabetes, and a host of other problems. This last fall, my mother went to visit her for the last time. I myself haven't seen her in years.
Saturday my mother got the call that she was dying, but there was no way we could join her and her family. I woke up this morning to an email with the news. All I can say now is I hope you are at peace, and that I wish I had seen you one more time to say goodbye.
Not Home For the Holidays
Dec 21, 2008
It's funny, When I left for LA I thought I would have no problem not being home for Xmas. After all, I had lived on my own for years in Cleveland. No family there. But one thing I had there was friends. I had parties to go to, people I could visit. And I always worked, so that those who had families could be with them. And we had a good time on all the holidays when we worked. (The view of fireworks on the 10th floor was fanastic). But here I am in LA, no friends nearby, closest family 7 hours away. I am also not working the 24th or 25th, though I am working the days before and after.
Anyway, I am sitting here feeling sorry for myself and wondering if I can make the trip home in time, or if I should just write it off as a bad idea. The weight loss is going great (down 40 pounds now), but doesn't seem worth it atm. Right now I want to pig out or something, but I can't cause my tummy won't let me. A good thing I suppose. I tried on a dress that I woulda thought was to small earlier today, and it fit! Woulda thought I would be happier about it longer. Ah well, just whining here I guess. I'll post again when I am happier. 
California Here I Come
Nov 24, 2008
One more year gone
Nov 06, 2008
I am going to Garcia's with my WLS support group tonight. But that is a group thing, and I doubt they even know it's my birthday. The support group is great. A bunch of nice people with a lot of insight in what I am going through.
Went to the OH LA Event last weekend. Had a blast. Only disappointing part is that so much of it was focused on Plastic Surgery. I have a year or more before I even consider it, if even then. But among the highlights was Hearing some very informative speakers. I found Jeremy's (From OH) talk on exercise and how it effects the Bariatric patient the most interesting. More fun was The actor, Ron Lester, and Bette Sue. Who both brought humor to their speech as well as giving a positive message. And even more fun, at the time, was the Zumba class. Took me 2 days after to recover from the pain it caused.
Lets see, I am down from 273 to 249. I'm having none of the bad side effects I hear other post ops talk about. Unless you count the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach after I eat a bite to much. The incisions are healing nicely. I am still not working. Looks like I might be heading into Cali for my next assignment.
Overall, yes another year of my life has passed, but towards the end I have finally taken control and decided that I am going to spend the next year getting healthier and happier. The changes have already started, I just need to carry them through.
So Happy Birthday to Me, and many more to come.
Almost 2 weeks Post Op
Oct 09, 2008
As to how I am doing post op... Well drinking full liquids now. I find that the Campbell's Healthy Choice Soups blend really well in the Vita-mix. They are not bad for Protein, though not as good as a protein drink. I do find that it take me an hour to drink the whole thing though, since I still can't tolerate much at a time. Still not hungry either, so even now I am sitting here typing, been up for 2 hours and just realized I need to get something to drink. Chat again later, off to drink my breakfast.
