LeaAnne

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I had my revision from lap band to rny on Tuesday morning 4/27. I felt pretty crappy for the first 48 but every day gets better.  The surgeon said my port had traveled to my liver which made it a little more time consuming but he still finished ahead of schedule.  Everything looks good, according to him and his associates!  The Cleveland Clinic was great.  The nursing staff was amazing and took very good care of me.  I came home yesterday evening 4/30, around 7pm. I have five wounds from the acutal surgery and two for the JP drains.  I was sent home with the drains.  My two year old son asked why I have juice on my tum tum.  (They look like small bottles of tropical punch!)  I empty them every few hours and collect data on them.

Lesson #1 came yesterday.... Never trust a fart.  Oh my gosh, how embarassing!  I awoke at 7am in my hospital bed and I had to go to the bathroom.  They had the leg compressors on my lower calves and I was restrained to the bed.  I hit the call button for assistance but thought I could at least relieve a little pressure by releasing some gas.  I was so wrong.  By the time the nurse got to me, I had kicked the compressors off and was cleaning up in the bathroom. I struggled to get myself clean but managed.  The nurse stripped the bed and assured me it happens more than once a week and it's not unusual. I sat in the chair and waited on my broth and jello in pain from the clean up and fighting to keep the tears at bay with some "laugh and the world laughs with you" mantra.

So far, the pain has been tolerable.  It feels like someone punched me in the gut 1000 times.  When I twist or otherwise use my abdomen, it feels like someone is stabbing me in a few places.  It is getting better, though.  So, now I've gotta have a shake and do some homework...
More later.
Lea

I found out on Monday, 4/19 that I was approved for surgery and would be scheduled for May 14.  This would give me time for the two week preop liquid diet and all clearances.  Half an hour later, I lost my job.  My benefits are still good through the end of the month which gives me time to get on my husband's insurance.  I called my insurance coordinator, Anita, at Dr. Szomstein's office and she got my date moved up to 4/27!!!  I'm doing the protein shakes now and getting everything in order.  I fly down to Florida on Monday and will have my final consult w/ anasthesia and Dr. Szomstein.  I have my lap rny w/ band removal Tuesday morning!

Right after that last post in June, I was offered a job in Atlanta.  Before I moved, I continued therapy and at the advisement of my psychologist and my surgeon's team psychologist, I postponed my surgery until the move and transition was complete.  I moved to Atlanta at the end of August and finally have a handle on the new job and new routine.  I also go new insurance... which means that I have new stipulations I must meet before approval.  I have Aetna POS II Open Access and they require either a 6 month medically supervised diet or a 3 month participation with a multidisciplinary team (face to face).  So, I'll be travelling to Florida for a few months to meet that requirement.  I have a new psychologist here and will continue to work with her before and after surgery to assist me in my emotional eating habits and making good choices. I also have to redo all the preop testing I had completed in June.  I'll be doing those while I'm in Florida for my nutritional consults.  So here we are... back at square one.  I think it's for the best that it's happening this way.

Helloooo out there....
Ugh... I'm failing both of my classes in school right now.  It seems that with my ridiculous work schedule, I just can't get everything done.  If I do my homework, the housework suffers.  If I do the housework, I may have to go to bed without a shower... etc.  I'm trying to get a time management plan together but something's gotta give.  My husband is trying to help but he's pretty lazy and it's a stretch for him to even pick up his own socks without a healthy dose of nagging.  I'll have a plan together soon.  My mother in law is keeping the baby tonight so I'll have at least two hours alone.  Maybe instead of cooking, I'll pick up some premade something from the grocery store and get my plan together.  At any rate, I'm wasting time on here when I should be on my way out the door and heading to the store. Peace...
Lea

Last night I got online and bought WLS for Dummies and Dr. Alexander's book The Emotional First Aid Kit.  I went to Barnes and Noble and picked up a few inspirational reads and two new journals (one for feelings, one for food and activity). If I have 8 weeks to get in the best shape possible before surgery, I'm going to use them. 
I found out today that one of my employees is having gbp in October. It'll be nice having someone to experience this with me.  Work isn't too bad today, but I've spent most of my day in meetings and haven't gotten alot done.  I'm on lunch now.  I had a Zoic shake for breakfast.  I've been drinking all day.  I've had about 30oz of water so far.  I'm going to head to Miami Subs and pick up a grilled chicken salad.  I may go to Quick Weight Loss Center after work and get back on plan for these few weeks.  I paid for a year, I may as well use them. The smaller I am, the easier it will be for the doctor to do his job.

Hanging in...
Lea

Only a week after my last post and I gotta say, I'm bummed.   I have had all preop testing, except the endoscopy which was scheduled for next week.  I had my pysch eval today and Dr. Alexander won't clear me yet.  She said she wants to hold on to my paperwork for 8 weeks and she will talk to my therapist in the meantime.  She wants me to work on my emotional eating more before I go under the knife.  I understand where she's coming from and I'm thankful that she wants me to be successful, but damn.  I have been getting all my ducks in a row, my daughter is in Missouri so childcare wouldn't be an issue and now it's postponed? She's concerned that I haven't made a full plan to support me in succesffully dieting and exercising through the stress.  She said "You've got alot going on."  Well, yeah, I've got alot going on.  Who doesn't?  I'm a mother of two, married, I work and attend school full time and I volunteer. 
So... here I go.  I'll continue my therapy and start working on losing a little weight before surgery. Damn, I'm bummed.

Hi Gang,
I had a great profile on here a few years ago that got deleted when OH did their website update.  Oh well.  My life is totally different now anyhow, so here's an update.

My name is Lea Anne... I know, my username isn't that creative, but it works I guess.  I am 29 years old, crazy happy married to my loving husband Daniel.  I have two children, Gracie-8 and Cyan 14 months. I am originally from Southeast Missouri, but I live in South Florida near Ft. Lauderdale now.  I work for Comcast as the  Customer Operations Supervisor for Broward county.  I am also a full time student online working toward a degree in Human Resources Management.  I love to sing karaoke, play video games, read, attend seminars, and play with my children. 

I've been heavy as long as I can remember.  I was the fat kid in school.  I was the fat friend in my group of friends. In 2003, I weighed 250lbs at 5'3".  I had been diagnosed with sleep apnea and lymphedema. I decided to have gastric bypass surgery.  I attended a seminar, saw a doctor in St. Louis, Missouri and then my mom begged me not to go through with it.  Because she would not support the surgery (and she was the one in the doctor's office with me) the doctor refused to perform the surgery.  He said I would need a strong support system and would need assistance when I returned home.  Without that support system, he wouldn't do it. 

About a year later, my mom saw my weight increasing though I was dieting and working out. I had also experienced two hospitalizations due to cellulitis and lymphedema.  She came with me to my primary doctor and he suggested a gastric bypass.  My mom finally agreed to support me and I found another (closer) surgeon.  I attended the orientation, met the doctor and nutrionist, and went through insurance denial, appeal, and final denial.  They required 12months medically supervised diet.  My insurance at the time was BCBS of IL. I began my medically supervised diet but moved to Nashville, TN only 5 months into the diet.  I also lost my insurance when I left my job to move.  I couldn't afford insurance being unemployed.

In 2005, I moved to Florida and in March of 2007 I weighed 306lbs. I had another hospital stay for cellulitis.  I still wanted the bypass though I had no insurance.  I asked a friend for a personal cash loan to pay for the surgery.  He didn't have enough money to fund it but did have the $10,000 for lapband surgery in Tijuana Mexico.  I borrowed the money and had the surgery thinking that the lapband was better than nothing.  My weight was going to kill me if I did nothing. By this time, I was experiencing embarassing stress incontinence and joint pain.  I had no love life to speak of.  I focused on my daughter, my volunteer work and studies so I could pretend I wasn't lonely. 

Two months after surgery, I met the man that is now my husband.  I had lost no weight, and he still found me beautiful and we fell in love. I had my first fill and experienced restriction for about two weeks.  I lost about 3lbs and never lost anything else.  I got pregnant and started my new, very stressful job, in July.  My brother committed suicide in August and I just couldn't deal. Between the pregnancy and the emotional stress, I gained 20lbs.  In April 08 I had my son, Cyan.  I had major complications with the c-section due to my obesity.  I was home bound for 3 months and I packed on the weight.  I got another fill in July 08.  I didn't feel any restriction and lost no weight.  None. My doctor prescribed Phentermine 37.5mg to help me lose weight and Pristiq to help me with the depression.  I gained another 10lbs during the holidays.  I reached 335lbs.  I went to Quick Weight Loss Center and started their diet.  I lost about 20lbs and then my body just stopped.  I did every trick they told me to do.  Upped my water intake, upped my protien, cut salt down to only 1/4 teaspoon of "lite" salt a day... no luck.  I gave up after 5 months of struggle.  All the weight came back and brought a few lbs with it.

I went to the Renfrew Center in Coconut Creek, FL this past Monday.  I thought I might have an eating disorder.  What else could explain my consistant failure?  They advised me that I probably don't have an eating disorder but they'd be happy to have me attend day treatment or evening outpatient treatment just to gain a healthier relationship with food. My therapist and my doctor both advised me to consider gastric bypass.  I thought that because I had the lapband already, my insurance would never cover the revision.  I reached out to an OH member that suggested I contact the Cleveland Clinic.  (Thanks Candy!!)  I did, and here we are.  My insurance does cover revisions (Independence BC PPO) and doesn't require a 12 month dr. supervised diet.  I'm having the testing done and taking care of paperwork now. 

I'm looking forward to getting down on the floor to play with the kids and getting back up with ease.  I'm looking forward to dancing again without taking a break before the end of the song.  I'm looking forward to sleeping without my cpap.  I'm looking forward to cute clothes instead of whatever I can find in my size.

Here's to a new perspective on health!
Love,
Lea