Cathrine J.

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Okay, so here I am at 5 days out and it's the first day where I've felt my energy drag a bit.  Obviously my pre-WLS eating was pretty bad since I actually felt sort of rejuvenated after surgery.  I think it was all the IV fluids.  I had some pain meds while in hospital but only the first one was morphine or something similar.

No, I didn't get up and walk around in the hospital ward until they untethered me from the catheter.  I didn't have one of those IV poles that you could clip your catheter bag to and didn't particularly feel like carrying it around like a purse.  Oh, the embarrassment!  Silly, I know.  So maybe it was the extra rest I took just laying around until the evening of the second day that helped me recover a bit.  Don't know and wouldn't advise it but the nurses were pleased with my energy level and stuff so...  There were only two of us in the Surgical Short-Stay Unit having had WLS.  I think we had it the same day but have different surgeons.  I'm not sure what the others were in for but some came and went fairly quickly. 

Today, Feb. 6th, is the first day I've felt more confident and getting into a rhythm with my 'meals' and sipping water.  Probably has a lot to do with my appointment with the dietician yesterday and using an egg timer.  There is an awful lot to remember and schedule!  Mine looks something like this:  don't drink at least 15 min. before a meal or at least 60 min. afterwards; take at least 15-20 min. to consume your meal, sip your liquids, follow this food schedule, get in your vitamins and be sure to keep the calcium and iron intake separated by a couple of hours, get in your crushed meds and walk.

Today was my first day going for a walk outside.  I was on my little schedule and felt pretty good so figured I'd head outside.  It was sunny and breezy and mild.  I had only walked about four houses down the street before I realized I had been walking regular speed and was getting a bit tired.  I slowed up a bit and ended up walking to the first cross street and then back.  I had to stop for 1/2 min. on the way back to rest.  It took me all of 10 minutes but felt like such an accomplishment.  

(repost of message to Feb 2012 surgery dates)

I had my surgery Feb. 1st and was picked up to go home today this morning.  My surgeon said everything went well and I'm recovering fine.  He expects me to do better each day and told me to come to see him this weekend, on call at the other hospital locally, if I don't.  Karen, one of the great nurses who looked after me and others in the Short Stay Surgical Ward, told me if I felt any leg pain or shortness or breath to phone 911.  Before I was released one of the dieticians came to see me and gave me lots of dietary info and I have an appointment with the dietician who specializes in this this Monday.

As much as I felt I prepared information-wise, reading these boards and others, buying protein and special vitamins and stuff nothing can compare to waking up with numerous taped up openings in your belly and that little bit of pain. Thank God for this surgery though and I'm sure as I begin feeling better each day and, naturally, as the weight comes off I'll begin to perk up again.

Thanks for listening.

I've been spending more time on the RNY surgical forum taking in whatever info I can before my surgery.  I've been on a liquid diet (mostly Ensure and Glucerna meal replacements) since the 2nd but when my surgery was rescheduled on 19th I relaxed a bit and had some regular food again.  I've back on liquids again and tomorrow and Tuesday will be clear liquids only.  The dreaded bowel prep starts at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday.  My surgery is scheduled for 8:50 on Feb. 1st and I need to arrive at the hospital two hours in advance of that.

My appointment with the endocrinologist went fine.  I'd say well except she had a helluva time taking my blood pressure and finding a cuff large enough.  By the time she had some reading it was already 15 points higher than usual so I wasn't surprised it was still higher than usual when she found the large cuff and a machine that would work.  The surprising thing I learned during that appointment was that I'd be taught how to give myself blood thinner injections and would do that for 2-4 weeks post-op.  I'm being referred to a specific pharmacist to learn how to do that but haven't heard anything yet.  I don't really expect this to be a problem as my boyfriend is Type 1 diabetic and I've given him his insulin shot a few times. 

I had my upper 'scope done on the 17th and it all went well.  I tend to fool myself into believing I'm not nervous until the actual time comes and then whoa I get a bit panicky.  I was more nervous about the 'scope than I am about the surgery.  I didn't want to feel the tube going down my throat or be aware of what was happening during the procedure.  I calmed myself while waiting to go in with reassuring self-talk and trying to stay in the moment.  They had already prepped me for the IV so really there wasn't much to do but turn on my side once they rolled me into the procedure room.  Turned out my surgeon would be doing the procedure and he was running a bit late with a lower 'scope scheduled just before mine.  I let the nurse and anaesthesiologist know I was nervous about feeling anything and that helped.  Got to get them on your side, I figure.  My surgeon sprayed my throat twice with lots of local anaesthetic and that helped to calm me more.  In the end the last thing I remembered was the nurse saying they were going to insert the mouth block.  What a relief!

I had my final weigh in on the 19th and because I had weighed heavy on their scale at my last visit it looked like I had lost another 16 lbs.  A total of 36 lbs since my initial consult.  That was a major relief as well because I remember him saying that if I hadn't lost more by this time he'd cancel the surgery.

Of course the other thing I needed to do pre-op was write my will.  I did it based on a book from the public library and had a couple of my co-worker friends witness it for me.  It's all very straight forward as I don't have much.  Now in the next couple of days - which I'm taking as vacation for my clear liquid phase - I'll write a few letters that will go along with the will.  One to my boyfriend and one to my sister who will be the executrix.  Yup, I'm a bit nervous about writing the one to my boyfriend but will do so early tomorrow morning so I'll be all cried out before he wakes up.  Of course I don't want to die but I believe it will be harder for those I leave behind than me.  I'm not done with my life yet though so I'm preparing in this way in the hope that by doing so it won't happen.  Does that make sense? 

The endocrinologist appointment has been rescheduled to tomorrow, I see my GP for the pre-op exam on the 9th, the gastroscopy/esophagoscopy is on the 17th, a final weigh in with the surgeon on the 19th and the anaesthetic consult on the 20th.  I started the liquid diet on the 30th and did two out of three meals on that for three days.  On the 2nd I started the full liquid diet and late yesterday rediscovered a problem with soy.  I switched from Ensure/Glucerna meal replacements to Boost (high protein) and hope those will be fine. I've found the higher protein version, and especially just sipping them throughout the work day, has helped a lot with the empty stomach feeling.  The surgeon advises 900-1200 calories a day for this and four individual containers total to 1060.

It still feels a bit unreal that I'll be having surgery later this month but I think the appointment with the endo tomorrow should help.  :)  I haven't see one before so it should be interesting.

I'm sooo excited!  Got a call from my surgeon's assistant early this evening and she offered me a date in January.  Said I was the best prepared of Dr. Malik's patients.     So my friend Debbie and I had McDonald's tonight as my last meal and tomorrow I start the liquid diet.  Just 3 or 4 Glucerna or Ensure meal replacements a day plus water until surgery.  Sherri, the surgeon's assistant, will get my endocrinologist appointment rescheduled and I've got some blood tests and an ECG to do as soon as possible, too!

This week I received a letter from the endocrinologist with an appointment in late January and a couple of lab reqs (bloodwork and an ECG) as well as a call from Sherri, Dr. Malik's assistant, giving me a Jan. 17th date for the 'scope.  She said that if everything goes well that I'll probably be booked for surgery in February or March!  Wahoo!  This is just what I needed to hear to keep me on track through the Christmas season of potential food excess though I haven't done badly the last couple of years given my body's reactions to various foods I used to love (chocolate = heartburn, fatty, rich foods = gastric distress, milk products = psoriasis flare ups). 

If I get the surgery done in the Spring I hope to have lost enough weight to make a difference to how I tolerate the Summer heat.  At this point I don't tolerate it.  I overheat quite easily and though we have a mild climate here when the temps reach more than about 22 degrees Celsius I get uncomfortable.  What a joy it would be to be comfortable on days like that.  I would feel "normal" again.

I decided since a month had passed since my appointment with the surgeon that I'd phone to get on their radar again.  I left a message with his assistant, Sherry, and mentioned he said their office would help with the booking of the 'scopes I needed.  She phoned me back the next business day and I was pleased to learn I hadn't fallen off the radar.  Referral letters have gone out to the dietician and endocrinologist they use so I should hear from them for appointments.  The surgeon said I only need the 'top down' scope and Sherry said they hope I'll be booked to get that done in January or February.  I don't need the 'bottom up' scope done likely because I've never had a problem with that end.  :)  Lastly she said that she'd received the 2012 schedule but hasn't had a chance to put it into her computer yet.  I imagine she's talking about the surgery schedule I don't know.  Since she assists more than one surgeon in that office she is probably pretty busy. 

What a difference it makes when you do what they want you to do!  Visited my surgeon this morning and, according to their scales/records, I've lost just under 20 pounds.  "I'm very pleased to offer you surgery."  Not half as pleased as I am!!  I told him I still needed to get the two 'scopes done and he said his office would  help with booking those.  He said I was an excellent candidate for surgery and suggested the RNY over the sleeve.    He went over the procedure and its risks.

Now it's a waiting game.  There may still be some time before I get both scopes done due to waitlists.  Once those are both out of the way I'll start wondering when the surgery itself will get booked.  Funding is limited for it and he only gets operating time to do one of them a month. 

In the meantime I need to work on losing more weight, exercising and drinking more water. 

On Thursday Dr. Malik's office phoned and asked if I'd like to move my appointment to October 27th instead.  You betcha!  Really looking forward to seeing him in 2 1/2 weeks. Now I'm going to get walking every day.  :)

Well, I bit the bullet and scheduled an appointment to see Dr. Malik on November 21st.  That will be about four months after my last (second) appointment with him.  As of yesterday I've lost just slightly more than 10% of my weight and I've been regularly charting my food intake.  Still challenged to do regular exercise but at least I'm still using the stairs at work. 

My psoriasis has really flared up recently and not sure why that is.  Perhaps some underlying stress I haven't acknowledged yet.  Will have to give it some thought.  I've decided to try to lessen the wheat and dairy foods I eat as I know dairy seemed to cause it in the first place though my dermatologist told me it has no connection.

I've withdrawn from the conference in Vancouver I was going to attend at the end of October/early November.  I'll have better control over my food intake if I'm at home.