Lisa's Story - ThinnerTimes

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 06:54 PM

So after 3 weeks post-op I decided to start my story here.

I am going back on posts to enter them here to see my journey, so the date posted won't be correct until I get up to date.....any you may see some duplicates as I wrote about my experiences from the start....here goes..

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 06:55 PM

Over the past few months I have complained about my wait time here in Canada....well today with much persistence on my part.....drum roll please...I got my date moved up from Sept 16, 2008 to February 28, 2006!!!! Thats 2 1/2 years earlier....yipppeee for me.......I was so happy on the phone today, that I told a total stranger that I loved her. My husband is so happy for me as is the people that I work with. They know how much and how long I have been waiting....

Thanks to all of you for your support, without you I may not have been as persistant with my doctors!

Luv ya.

Lisa

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:01 PM

Well, its been an exciting few days. I am back from my consult and 15-18 hrs travel each way (3 hrs drive, airports - 3 different planes - 3 seat belt extenders...the list goes on).

I have been approved for surgery. I have opted for OPEN RNY and my surgery date is September 18, 2006..

I learned at my consult

1) that my BMI is a little higher than I thought
2) that my doctor believes in 4-6 weeks of liquid after surgery
3) that I will wake up from surgery with an NG tube and G-tube (one in the nose, the other out of my belly)
4) that I can have all the pain meds I want
5) that I will have surgery on the Monday and be released from the hospital on the Saturday
6) that I should stay in the city I am having the surgery in for an additional week so I can be close by
7) that I will have the G-tube and staples out of my belly in 2 weeks following surgery
8) that I am only to eat 3 small meals a day. drink water between meals
9) that by avoiding milk in the first year, I can loose an additional 15 lbs.
10) that my ideal body weight will be decided by me and my body. That I will know how well I do and that my body will give me the sign that its happy at a certain weight
11) that I have to accept that I may never be out of the overweight and maybe obese category..but I won't be morbid obese. Its possible to be "normal" weight, but most loose 50-75% of what they need to.
12) that he suggests water loading after 3 months
13) that ideally I will be =/- 100lbs weight loss within a year
14) that I am on a cancellation list if someone cancel in the next 9 months.
15) that if I develop compications, like a stricture, I will need to travel to see him for correction, nobody locally can deal with it

That I can be normal again, and do things like normal people....I am so happy and excited!!

Thanks to all of you and your support. I know you will guide me through the surgery. And a special thanks to Dr. C for providing this board for us.

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:04 PM

Just wanted to share that I had a crappy week. Work problems, our skating club crapola and the list goes on. I finally told someone off at the meeting for skating last night as they have been backstabbing others and I finally had the gumph to say it infront of everyone. I felt much better. I didn't sleep much last night and just kept thinking that I am such a better place in my life, now that I feel there is hope for me with surgery. Its something I have wanted for so long and although my date is still a ways away, I know its coming. I am so thankful and blessed.

My slogan for the day is: "Don't surround yourself with people that bring the worst out in you."

So no more useless skating meetings. No more wasting my time. I have much better things to do with my family and for myself.

On a side note.....I call into the docs office on Tues...and hope for a cancellation!

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:06 PM

For me this time before surgery, I analyze my thoughts and emotions to prepare myself for this change in my life. I had a revelation that I wanted to share with you.

Last night my family was sitting at the supper table and we were having taco's. My 8 year old noticed that we all make our taco's differently and we chatted about this for a few minutes.

From out of nowhere, I said, well when I was about 12 years old or so, my mom would leave me alone at home and I remember a time when I ate a 1/2 of a head of lettuce. I was in so much trouble for doing that. But I remember being hungry and having to make my own meals all the time, and thats all I could find in the house.

My husband was so mad that I had to go through this. I was thinking about this last night in bed and realized the impact of living like this as a chlld. We were not poor, yet my mother and boyfriend would go out to eat every night and leave me to fend for myself. I ate what I could find and make. The light bulb went on and I think that this really set me up for failure with weight loss. I had to eat (and probably binged) when I could get food, consoled myself with food when I couldn't get the attention I needed.

Funny in all these years, I didn't think about this time in my life and it took sitting around the table with my family for me to see and remember it.

Moral of the story - I need to provide a good example for my child, so that she doesn't grow up following in my footsteps in regards to food.

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:07 PM

For those of you who have supported me over the last months will realize how much this means to me.

January 30, 2006---------------IT'S my TURN.....OPEN RNY this day !!!

I called the office this morning to let them know that I will STILL take a cancelation date, and they didn't have any....BUT

at 5:10pm today, they called my office ( I am usually gone by then - so my angels are watching over me) and had a cancelation in 10 days!!!

So, now I get blood work done, do all the things I thought I had 8 months to do and get in the van (with hubby, daughter and dog) next Friday and take the 2 day trip to the hospital - check in on Monday Morning and viola - I will be on the other side!!

Yipeeeeeeeeee I can't contain myself!!

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:09 PM

So last night I decided to take a few pre-op pics of myself in my bathing suit and then only in panties. We used a digital camera, so I could see the pics right after. I am STUNNED!!! I know this sound silly, but I can't believe that my stomach is so large - that my legs have fat in places I didn't know - that I looked that awful in my bathing suit.

Funny thing is...not 3 hours before this, I was teaching a swimming instructor course at our pool. I wore the same bathing suit, walked around the pool deck for over 4 hours in it, and for some reason I felt slimmer - good about myself. I am pretty comfortable with my body, thus I think the reason I let myself get so obese.

Has anyone else experienced this? Why can I not see this every day in the mirror - why did it take taking a few pictures for me to see the real outside of me? The naked pics of me were easier to look at than those where I was wearing clothes.....any thoughts?

T-minus 9 days.....

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:10 PM

Hello all. Thanks to eveyone for your well wishes. I am sitting in the hotel a few blocks from the hospital - awaiting a call to find out what time I have surgery in the morning. (Update: It's 9:15am our time)

Didn't really have the final last meal...didn't much feel like it. Had an omelette for breakfast this morning and maybe a little something in a few hours.

My friend warned me about the 3 things you don't want to do after open surgery - laugh, sneeze and poop!

Family all settled in at the hotel - dog included.

Bag is packed. All ready to go. Calm about the NG tube. Going to do a little grocery shopping tonight for the family.

My podmate is another Lisa from Edmonton, Alberta - she arrives later today. Nice to have someone else here with me (that I know from internet).

Anyway, see you on the other side....will check in as soon as I can - I'm trying to teach the hubby how to ge on line...but that could be a little challenging...we will see.

Take Care...........................up,up and away......................

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:16 PM

Ok, so its 7 days post op - I know we are all different. Outside the fact that I am super tired, have a 15+ inch scar down my chest and a tube hanging out. I feel pretty good.

I haven't had any trouble with eating the foods I have or drinking fluids. I can gulp water, drink hot and cold.

So my question is.....why is this?

I haven't felt the full feeling yet. I stop eating when I think I should. I drink water and other things all day long.

I guess I shouldn't complain...my pode mate is having trouble getting in water and not enough room for food. I haven't felt hungry or full yet. I start more mushy foods next Monday (potatoes, mashed veggies and soft protein).

I have a bowl of soup for lunch and supper every day, jello, pudding, popsicles, applesauce, yogurt smoothies and of course lots of water, tea and propel (love the stuff).

So any thoughts from post-opers...is this normal?
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LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:17 PM

I am just 2 weeks post op, just arrived home yesterday and all of a sudden I feel really down and unsettled. I don't know if its from a lack of calories or if our life is getting back to normal. Its a really weird feeling. Tomorrow my husband goes back to work and the daughter goes to school. I drop the daughter off at school, pick her up 5 1/2 hrs later and take her to skating. I feel like I don't have a day at all. I guess the focus has been on me for the past 2 weeks and now its back to the grindstone.

I am eating. Not much protein at this point. Will start adding in tomorrow as per doctors orders. Living on liquids and puree for 2 weeks really takes the steam out of me. I would guess maybe only 500 calories a day. I work hard at getting in lots of fluids and started taking vitamin today. I am going to have fish tomorrow which has good nutrients in it for me and hoping maybe it will help me too.

The hubby is getting a little testy too...but maybe its really me thats feeling down. I really should be happy to be home, sleeping in my own bed and finally being able to have a hot bath...showers just don't cut it.

I should be swinging from the chandalier...I had my surgery 4 years earlier than I expected, I am home - complication free, a good family and nice home, but something is missing. Am I loosing it?

Anyone else experience this or have any suggestions?