hiltonqueen
I wanted to have the surgery a year ago, but found out that I was pregnant (big surprise!) So, needless to say, my WLS was put on hold for good reasons. Now I have a beautiful 8 month old baby girl :O) Born February 2nd, 2003. I'm ready to move forward & my first appointment is on October 6th, 2003. If anyone has some advise... please email me.
I had my consult & it was very quick! All of that anticipation for my 6 month wait, only to show up to an empty waiting room! They told me that they get busy later... ok. I paid my $106 & was on my way back home 1/2 an hour later. Now was another set of anxieties!! The insurance approval *sigh*, I was on a time constraint because my husband is seeking a job in another state & I needed this to happen before all of that happened.
Lucky for me, my insurance came though in just over 2 weeks, I feel so lucky & I'm so grateful that this is happening fast for me... like I need it to.
So now I have a surgery date of November 21st!! I can't wait!!
It's Monday & my surgery in scheduled for 5:15am Friday morning... I'm making a list of the things that I'll need for after the surgery & it's really not that extensive. If you needed something that you forgot to get, send me an email & let me know, in case I'll need it too :O)
Remember when I said my husband was seeking other work? Well, his employer found out & got "miffed", & let him go before he even had a job!!! So we are sitting scared & that's an understatemnet! I have insurance untill the end of the month so I'm no way, no way, no way... giving up my surgery! And I'm just going to think possitive & assume that I will have a problem free pre-op future. My husband was flown to Chicago for a job interview & we hope to god he gets the job... so eveyone send your good wishes.
My husband got the job!!! Whoo Hoo! Now he just waits for an offer... and of course he's going to take it because this is the job he'll retire with. I'm so happy for him & our family, finally a really good job to brag about.
My husbands old boss can kiss my big fat butt! LOL
THE BIG DAY 11/21/03
The surgery: We all had to get up at 4 am, so I could be there by 5:30, I was the first patient. I never at any time had any anxiety or worries, I was more excited than anything. The nurse checked me in, got undressed, & waited for them to wheel me into the pre-op area. Everybody was very nice, they asked me the typical health questions, set me up with an IV, & put those weird blow up hose things on my legs. The doctor gave me something to relax me, and started to wheel me to the surgery room. That's the last thing I remember... then I woke up in recovery & I was groggy of course, but not feeling all that awful. They kept an eye on me in recovery & then took me to my room. The first thing that I wanted them to do was take the damn catheter out & the nurse said that they usually wait till the next day to do that, & warned me that I'd have to get up to pee.... I didn't care, I was ready & feeling remarkable well. I think that since surgery I was walking about 6 hour later... slowly, but hey, at least I was walking! I was milking the pain meds cause liquid Lortab make me feel great (TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, IT DEFIANTLY HELPS WITH PAIN) & I swear at times, it didn't feel that bad except for the cut areas. The woman next to me had surgery on the same day as me, but wasn't doing as well. She had to have a drain tube & she was in a lot of pain. I only know this because her husband introduced himself to me because he wanted to know If I had the WLS too... he couldn't believe that I was sitting up in bed sewing away looking healthy & not sick or tired. I felt bad for his wife, but I felt good for me, honestly, I was feeling so good that I had wondered if the Doctor did in fact do the WLS on me... lol. I walked the halls as soon as the nurse would let me & that's pretty much when I was reminded of the surgery because it's easy to get a little lightheaded, so take it slow, don't over do it. There was a scale next to my room & you can believe I was on that damn thing everyday & by the time I got home I'd lost 20 lbs... but those lbs fluctuated over 2 weeks.
02/29/04
It's a new year & a new me :O) I haven't updated in a while because I'm lazy... sorry. It's pretty much a little over 3 months since surgery. We moved to TN from AL the week before Christmas & money was tight... it's going to be better here though, I can tell. I've been pretty lazy & have not been exercising & I guess that's why I've been slow to loose... although, I'm not complaining too much because it's my own damn fault. I started at 237 & as of today I weighed 188. We finally were able to buy into a monthly fitness club for me & I started 3 days ago. I defiantly have lost a bunch of inches, but unfortunately I cannot tell you how many... I took pre-op pictures & took measurements... but since the move, I can't find them... I'm so sad. I started in a size 24 & I'm fitting into a Lane Bryant 16 or a regular 18. My skin is defiantly going to be a hanging... my boobs look like tubes. None of my bras, underwear, or even my wedding ring fit, lol, no complaints here :O) My husbands 20 year High School reunion is in June & I hope to look really good by then so I'm going to work on it very hard.... wish me luck.
I want to point out that this surgery is more that just eating smaller portions, It's a big mental thing. There is more to work out with your brain than you think & once you are able to come to grips that you cannot eat what you used to, you'll do fine.
I've had a few "dumping" moments, I think. But not throwing up or anything, just feeling nauseous & having a diarrhea moment. I firmly believe that I have lost all my weight because I gave up bread & sugar... so all of you pre-ops, give that a try before you have this life altering surgery... it's worth a shot.
I have no, nada, non, nein, n�o regrets what-so-ever!
3/25/04
Just a small update... I said earlier that I had started to work out & it has been in my favor! As of today I weigh 179.. not a huge difference, but I can really tell my body is changing.
I was thrilled to go shopping & be able to fit comfortably into a size 14/16 ~ it's weird too though..... I have such a poor image of myself that when I saw the picture my husband took of me in my new clothes, I thought that there is no way that I look like a size 14! I look at other women who say they are in a 10, & I'm like, there's no way she's a 10! BIGGER BIGGER is stuck in my head. I even kept grabbing the sweaters that were sizes 18 & 22 because the size 14's looked like they would be too small... but they weren't. And I'm sure that I'd fit into a 12 if it wasn't for my 5 pregnancies flabbin out my belly. I officially cannot buy bras from Lane Bryant, I'm about a 35 now & the smallest they carry is a 38... woohoo!
I'm mad at myself for slipping into carb junk land. I love ranch flavored Doritos, & I seek out sugar free stuff.. but I think that I'm consuming too many "sugar free" items, and consuming less healthier choices. We are always tight at the end of the month & my cupboard is slim Pickens... it's hard to feed my husband, 2 growing boys & my daughter "their food", & my food is entirely different from theirs, i.e., fresh stuff that cost more. Healthy foods is a four letter word to them & it's hard to get them to change. I'm sure that I'll figure it out sooner or later..
I've emailed kricket to have my picture added, hopefully it's up soon :)
Have a wonderful day!!!!!!!!!
01/01/05
It's the first day of the new year & it's been way too long since I updated... sorry about that. I know that I was like a hound pre gastric surgery, searching for websites & pictures, sorry to disappoint some on my lack of updating.
Well, I recently found out that I'm pregnant! This is a shock, we use birth control & the doctor told me that it just isn't that great of birth control & recommended to me that we find an alternative birth control, lol, my husband had a vasectomy 2 weeks ago !that should do it! I'm happy & at peace, but I do worry about gaining weight. Suddenly though, after a several months of a plateau, I started to drop a few lbs. I've been waiting for 159 for months & last week I got on the scale & I weighed 158! Then I lost a lb a day for the next three days. I east several small meals a day & try to eat veggies & fruit the most, but I can just about eat anything I want with the exception of a few things. Sugared cereals like Honey Nut Cheerios make me dump. I haven't dumped much at all since the surgery, so it's weird to start doing that now... but I don't like it & don't need to be told twice NOT TO DO THAT! I'm having episodes of hypoglycemia, where my BS will drop very low... sometimes my machine will say just "LOW"... a little scary & I eat right most of the time, so it's weird. I developed gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my now 2 year old, but I came out of it after the pregnancy. This past August my 8 year old son was diagnosed with type 1, so I check my sugars if I feel weird. I'm due July 24th & I just hope that since I've lost all of my weight, I won't develop diabetes again, but I'm at risk... so send your best wishes. I just got approved for TennCare so I will finally have some insurance again. We've been uninsured since the last day of November 2003 (my surgery was on the 21st)... I've really been a poster child for gastric bypass... I haven't had any problems at all (besides the hypoglycemia). My next plan was a breast reconstruction & a tummy tuck, thank-goodness I got pregnant before I had any of that done!!!!
Well, I think I'm done updating for a while, maybe I'll make it back soon!
Have a great New Year!
Jan 25th, 2005
Well, I lost the baby :(... I had a miscarriage on 1/18/05, I'm doing ok but I lost a lost of blood, so I'm weak & I'm having pounding headaches. I've been doing good emotionally, but I think deep down I'm sad when I see babies & stuff. I think that I might be a little depressed, but still, I'm feeling better than some women would handle the situation. I did drop a little, I went from 156 to 153, so my BMI dropped 5 points... that's cool! I did talk to my doctor & asked him if we could start the tummy tuck bandwagon... I only have insurance for a couple of months, so I'm going to do whatever I have to do to get that tummy tuck & breast reconstruction. I'm fitting into a 12/14 & if I didn't have my flabby tummy, I swear I'd be in at least a 5/6. I actually wore some jeans the other day that I got a compliment in, my sister-in-law said, "You look good in those jeans!" Wow, what a compliment... secretly, I thought that I looked pretty good myself, but to have someone say it was great. And my Father-in Law was talking on the phone to someone & said to them "I'm looking at the skinniest mini there ever was", lol... that was cute.
I'm feeling good about this surgery & I'm glad that it was there for me... I've never been "skinny"... and what a feeling it is!
More later...
January 31st, 2005
91 POUNDS DOWN!! I about died when I jumped on the scale this morning & it said 151! I've lost 12 lbs in a month, it's weird, I guess because I've been sick (whatever it takes!) but It makes me tear up just thinking about it. I only have 16 lbs left to go to get to my goal weight of 135! Normal BMI.... WHAT'S THAT? LOL. Right now my BMI range says that I do not weigh enough to qualify for bariatric surgery... I'm happy to see that :) I hope that everyone who is waiting for approval or wanting this surgery can get it done & have their life saved, like I did.... good luck to you all, I think about it all the time.
As if we need any more drama in our life, my husband got laid off from his job last Wednesday... were convinced that they waited to tell us because of my miscarriage, but who knows. Not only did he loose his job, he lost his company car... our only car! Fortunately, my Father-in-law is helping us buy a car... there is no bus system here, without a car, we are in trouble. My husband has ideas & knows a ton of people in the industry he works in so I have no doubt he can find something else, but it may take some time, so I'm going to go work while he's figuring things out... wish me luck!
I'll talk more later :)
Feb 16th, 2003
Just a quick update. I got a job at Red Lobster serving tables. I've finished with my training & now I'm bringing home some money! My husband has unemployment & also has a potential job lined up. My father-in-law financed a 2001 Ford Explorer for us.... this happens to be the nicest car we've driven, so it feels good, even though the cost of gas hurts. I'm still dropping a few lbs at a time, this morning I weighed 146... which means I'm only 11 lbs away from my goal!
I hope to get an updated picture of myself up soon, because I look so different, it's really weird.
Oh and it's really nice to finally be a skinny waitress, I've always been the fattest server in the restaurant, I love it.
That's about it for now...
February 28th, 2003
I'm down to 143, my semi tight jeans are loose now, it's so great... I hope that everyone that is wanting to have this surgery is able to get it done, it's changed my life & I'd do it over 1000 times.
I have been having some medical issues lately. I mentioned earlier that I had a miscarriage last month & I lost a lot of blood, so I've been anemic. Along with that, I've started having some pretty severe cramping in my abdominal area. It was so bad that I went to the ER, but they couldn't find anything. They told me that my blood levels were too low (I already knew that), gave me some hydrocodone & sent me home. Well, that was Saturday night & I've been suffering ever since because the pain meds didn't even help. So this morning I went to the Dr. & he took some blood work & sent me for a c scan, I hope that it isn't anything serious, but at the same time, I hope they find something because the pain is really bad. I'll update more when I find out what's wrong.
More later :)
March 15th, 2005
I'm in the century club! 100 lbs gone!!!
The doctor gave me something to help the pain, apparently it relaxes the intestines & it works most of the time, but sometimes it doesn't. The good news is that the pain has subsided some, I don't have it everyday, just sometimes. I have a test scheduled for a scope up my butt (can't remember the name of it) but it isn't until late April, so I have a while to deal with this.... but like I said, it's not as bad as it was.
I'm still sitting at 142 & I'm very happy sitting there, but secretly, I'd love to hit 139 so my BMI can read normal weight... ya know what I mean? My goal is 135, so I don't have far to go :)
I'm suffering with the lovely flu at the moment & ohh, all I want to do is crawl in bed & disappear from family obligations. It's so tough to keep moving & getting a simple bowl of cereal for my 2 year old, when I don't want to move. I have to play catch up on the laundry too, it's at least a weeks worth of 5 people "sigh".
Hope your all having a nice day!
Pic isn't showing below for some reason, you can go here to see the most recent. It's the one with me holding my daughter dated 2/5/05 http://photobucket.com/albums/v48/hiltonqueen/
April 18th, 2005
105 lbs gone!
Well, my husband got a full time job *phew*, he starts on the 1st of May. That means that I'll be quitting my job to stay home with the kids. I kind-of like the idea of not working, but I'm going to miss the adult conversation... I don't know anyone here because I never get out & we are not rich enough to go a lot of places. I got on the scale & I weigh 137! WOW, I've lost 22 lbs since January & I'm only 2 lbs away from my goal :)
I have a consult with a plastic surgeon on the 22nd & I'm hoping that I can get a tummy tuck, breast reconstruction, inner thigh, & butt lift done... covered by insurance. I cannot believe that I've gotten this far, I'm wearing a size 8 & the idea of wearing a smaller size than that is inconceivable.
Today I'm drinking golightly (mispelled?) it's my prep for my colonoscopy for tomorrow morning, so it's only liquids for me today, I really don't like a just liquid diet, in fact, the worse part of the GS surgery was after the fact when I was on the liquid diet.... but you do what you have to do, right?
More later :)
June 10th, 2005
I forgot to update after I visited the Plastic Surgeon. It wasn't what I wanted to hear, I'll say that! He told me that possibly the only thing I could get done with my insurance was a tummy tuck... the rest of the procedures are considered cosmetic. My poor boobs & butt... there is no way that I could pay for the $16,000 that I was quoted, I'll learn to embrace them. But a tummy tuck would make me very happy none the less :) I do have to wait to proceed because we are between insurances right now, so I wait.....
Have a great day!
Devember 12th, 2006
Hi there! I haven't updated in a while & I recently had my 3 year WLS Anniversary! I'm so proud of myself to have maintained my weight & I'm still loosing for crying out loud! My appetite has gone down because I'm dealing with Arthritis in my spine, so my pouch has shrunk again... yes, it can happen. I eat very little in a setting & I've actually gotten to my goal weight of 125!!! That is so damn exciting, I cannot even tell you. But I've even gone further, I weighed myself this morning & I weigh 123... it's such a shocker & still weird to even mutter out of my mouth... it's unbelievable. People tell me now they never would have known that I weighed "that" much.
Like I've said before, I do it again & again, the WLS saved my life, I thank GOD for it... and I'm not a religious person :)
I want to say for those of you considering the surgery, I think that the lap band is a wonderful choice... I had the bypass & my stomach is gone, the lap band is less invasive on your body & it's reversible should you change your mind. My surgery was a breeze for me, but there are many who have a rough time with recovery... so you may just want to try the Lap band :)
*I also went back home to visit friends & family after five years of being away from them. I can honestly tell you that it was the best time I've ever had, the reaction from people was very consuming, I loved it. You see... everyone in my life has known me as fat, & they were all in total shock, it was really good medicine :) It was really strange to see my always skinny friends so heavy... we all switched rolls, lol. I can't wait to get back again, to show my new person off again.
Have a great day, hopefully I can be a bit of inspiration for someone out there considering this BIG change of life, it's been wonderful for me:)
