19 days post op- Rough week!!!

 Well, my week started out on Monday waking up to intense nausea and fatigue. I started feeling better toward the end of the day so I went to work and powered through it. Tuesday wasn't much better. I almost went home early but I somehow managed to make it through my 10 hr. shift. I had the next 4 days off and Wednesday my husband wanted to go get a few things so we went to Target and within minutes I was trying everything I could not to pass out. I was lightheaded, nauseated, I was having heart palpitations and shortness of breath. It was awful. Thursday was thanks giving and I started feeling a little better but I was still sick to my stomach. I took my blood pressure a few times at home and it was REALLY low. Like, the lowest its ever been for me. I got up and tried making breakfast but I thought I was going to pass out again so I decided enough was enough and had my husband take me to the ER.


After blood tests, urine tests and an EKG they discovered I was really dehydrated. Everything else came back looking good, no anemia, which I had originally thought, So I was relieved to hear that. They pumped me full of fluids and within an hour I was up and walking around! I do feel better but my stomach has been all jacked since that episode. Nothing sounds good. Everything makes me gag-even popsicles. I was able to drink a tiny glass of milk this evening but I can't say that completely agreed with me.


My tastes are changing. I can tell. Things that I used to like before, I don't like anymore. I used to love the flavor of cherry and now I just can't stand it. Its both frustrating and weird.


Its days like these that I can't help but pray that this is all worth it and I made the right choice.

10 days post-op- feeling great!!

I cannot believe its been almost 2 weeks since my surgery! I have one week left until I can start pureed foods. I am really feeling great- I'm finally able to drink without getting crazy bubbles in my stomach. Now I am trying to push my protein shakes and water. Todays goal is to drink an entire Isopure drink, a vitamin water and a bottle of water. That would be huge for me. I have really struggled with getting in my protein and water. I just cant seem to do it. I have to take a sip every minute or so to get them in and before I realize it, it's been two hours since my last sip. I also can't believe how fast this weight is coming off. Last time I was on the scale I was down just under 30#'s since starting my pre op diet Oct. 23rd. So that's 4 weeks! I wont weight myself again until Monday.


I need to start walking. But I wont start that until Sunday when I get back to work. I am counting down the days until I can start pureed foods. I simply cannot wait!!!!

1 week post op!

Hello world! I am feeling great and excited to say I am down a total of 27 pounds! 18 was lost during my 2.5 week pre-op liquid diet and 9 pounds in the first week post op. I am really feeling like a new person is beginning to emerge. I spent an hour this morning organizing my closet and going to through clothes that I am happy to say no longer fit me. And some of my clothes that were snug on me I can now wear. So YAY! I can't wait to go shopping although I am at least going to wait another month, if I can. My incisions are itchy and I must have had a reaction to the adhesive they used because my belly has a rash where they stuck the bandages during my surgery. I got out of the house most of the weekend and did some Christmas shopping with my husband and I think that has really helped me. I have one more week off work. I probably didn't need to take as much time off but I wanted to have it off just in case.


Life is good!

4 days post op

I'm starting to feel somewhat normal again. The pain is nothing like I had imagined. I've had zero nausea, and the only pain I've had is around my largest incision. Every time I drink anything I get trapped air and that hurts like a mother. Hiccups are very uncomfortable but manageable. I just cannot wait till I can move on to pureed food; applesauce, cottage cheese, eggs! My mouth waters just thinking about it. 2 weeks to go...the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to appear. I cannot wait to be able to eat normal foods. Right now I can eat about 1/2 a jello cup and I'm stuffed. My sleeve holds about 2 oz right now. As the swelling goes down I'm sure it will hold a little more than that. I had a drain tube that left a gaping hole on the side of my stomach and that's gross to see. Its been covered with a bandage but I just changed it and it looks so gross. My muscles are very sore and it feels much like after I had my c-section. I remember everyday I felt better and better and just like this surgery every day I feel like I can do a little more than the day before. I weighed myself 2 days after surgery and I was up 4 pounds but I know that was from all the IV's. I weighed again this morning and I am back down 3. I wont weigh myself again until Monday which will be exactly one week post op. I can't believe a week has almost gone by. It's crazy!


It seems the weeks leading up to surgery went by at a snails pace and now the days fly by! My post op apt with my surgeon is in 2 weeks. so we'll see what the scale officially says.

Surgery was a sucess!!

Finally, my day came. Surgery day!! The one I've been waiting for, for 7 years. So yesterday I checked into the hospital at 10- filled out some paperwork and waited in the lobby until I was called back. I was nervous, I will admit it! I got on my gown and waited.....and waited. My husband needed to go get our son at daycare so he couldn't stay but my mom stayed with me. They tried to put an IV in my left hand and ended up blowing out 2 veins, bruised my hand and had to call someone else to do it. So they also couldn't get a good vein in my other hand so they had to use my fore arm. After I filled out a few more consent forms the nurse asked me if I was read for some "happy juice". I had no idea what she was referring to but I gladly accepted the invitation because my nerves were going crazy.


Within a couple minutes of adding the "happy juice" to my IV I felt like I had just drank 2 bottles of wine. After that I don't remember much....I remember my mom leaving the room and getting wheeled back into the OR with those huge and bright lights. They scooted me onto the operating table. The anesthesiologist asked me a few questions about my kids, I felt them strap my arms down and place a mask on my face...and thats IT!


I started to wake up in recovery and everyone saying my name out loud and it took me hours before I was no longer groggy. I did have some pain and my lungs felt like they were on fire but it subsided within a few hours. The most painful part was my throat from the breathing tube. The night of the surgery I didn't get any sleep. The nurses kept coming in every half hour giving me pain meds and suppositories (hated that so much). On top of that every time my heart rate would drop under 50 from being asleep the machine would start beeping, which was every time I dosed off. UGH! I just wanted to sleep!!! I discovered I had a drainage tube running from my stomach out of my skin with a bulb syringe. That was gross.


So this morning was more meds and more walking around. My parents came to visit and I ended up being discharged while they were there. They brought me a shake for breakfast and another for lunch. They were disgusting! So I hardly drank any of them. My Dr. said everything went great, no complications. My starting weight after surgery is 237. Now, that is according to the hospitals scale which I have never weighed on before. My scale at home said 235.4. So I am going to use that one since that's the one I will use for my pre-op loss. It was 17.4 lbs total.


I am so ready to start this journey, FINALLY!

Pre-op diet day 15- Is it EVER going to get here??

Seriously, the last month has been the longest month of my life. I am convinced Monday is never going to come. It's all I can think about. I just want to do this already! I only have 3 more days of work and surgery day will be here. Until then I'll keep chugging along. My mom wants to be there, which makes me feel good. It will be nice to have her there. I took 13 days off work to recover, my husband will be home with me the first 3 days and after that I am hoping to feel somewhat human. Hunger makes me so frustrated. I've always been able to give in to my hunger and cravings and now all the sudden I am not able to do that and its so irritating. Finding ways to tell myself I can't eat is difficult to say the least but it's temporary....3 days to go!!

Pre-op diet day 13

I'm officially down 13 pounds! I couldn't be happier with that number. A pound a day! I'll take it! The countdown has officially begun till surgery-a week from today. Wow, I cannot believe the day is finally approaching. I am excited, nervous, a bit scared but mostly anxious to get it done and out of the way. My mom gave me an Origami Owl charm necklace for starting my journey. I love it!! If you haven't seen them they are basically a clear locket that you put tiny charms in. She got me a birth stone for each of my kids, the year 2014 for the year of my surgery, the word "strength", an hourglass because time will pass, sooner or later, and the last charm says "follow your dreams". It really signifies my journey through this entire process and I hope to add a charm every year on my "surg-iversary" date.


Now I need to figure out what to pack for the hospital...

Pre-op Appointment with surgeon=DONE!

I met with my surgeon this morning. We went over my Biopsy results from my endoscopy. I do have a stomach infection so he is putting me on antibiotics but he said the infection wont hinder my surgery. So that was a relief. I'm starting to feel excited and upbeat- I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! I was telling him how much the pre-op diet really shows you how much we depend on food for everything; emotions, functionality, feelings, socialization. Its all connected and somehow we have to re-direct all of those things away from food and channel it into something different. It's hard. Especially when food is what you've relied on for so long.


6 days to go! I don't have to do clear liquids 2 days before, so yay, I guess....

Pre-op Diet Day 11

The days are going by, but very slowly. I am so over this liquid diet but I know I still have a very long way to go since for 2 weeks after surgery I will be on all liquids again. UGH! I am just so ready to get this over with. I meet with my surgeon in 2 days for my final pre-op appt. I weighed myself and I am down 9 pounds since starting. I would be lying if I said I haven't cheated, because I have. I am a hypocrite, I know, but I feel if I can't come clean on my own blog, then why have it? This has been the hardest thing I have ever done-mentally and emotionally.


I started thinking the other day that I really think there is more to this pre-op diet than just dropping weight and shrinking your liver. I think the main purpose of this diet is to identify your triggers and recognize your weak moments before you go through the surgery. Its an opportunity to give you a taste of what it will be like after surgery and give an opportunity to change your mind. Otherwise you wouldn't know how hard it really is until after your surgery and then its too late.


I only have 5 more days of work until surgery day....someone find the fast forward button!