| WELCOME TO MY JOURNEY08/09/04 Went to my initial consult at Dr. Freeman's office. Dr. Freeman was able breeze in for a few minutes and talk/pray with us. He is a super nice man. I also had my psychiatrist appointment with Mr. Bodin. He also was a super nice fellow and talked/prayed with me. I am very impressed with this office. 08/12/04 Was curious to see if BCBS had received my information from the doctor's office. Oddly enough they had and I am already approved. Woohoo!!! I can't believe it. I'm so excited that I can't stand it. 08/13/04 I actually received my letter of approval from BCBS today. 08/23/04 Went in for my consult with Dr. Snow for the sleep study. I'm going to do my study on 09/03 & 09/04. Dr. Snow pretty much seems to think that I will be going on a cpap. I wish I could go ahead and get the machine right now. It would help so much with my ability to sleep. 08/27/04 I'VE GOT A DATE!!! I talked to Sarah today at Dr. Freeman's office and I'm scheduled for my pre-op on November 11th and my surgery is November 19th. I've had to schedule it out so far because I'm having to assume additional duties at work until we hire an HR professional. But, that's okay with me. All of this has been so fast. I had expected to fight with the insurance company but I was approved in three days!!! WOW!! 09/05/04 Talk about looking FREAKISH! I should have taken my camera with me when I went for my sleep study. I couldn't believe the stuff they put on my head and body. And then they want you to SLEEP! I am officially on a cpap now. This thing is really hard to get used to! How do the doctor's expect you to sleep with this Darth Vaderish thing on your face all night! Oh well, guess I'll just have to try and get used to it. 09/10/04 I'm still trying to get used to this blasted cpap. I'm taking it off in the middle of the night and not aware that I'm doing it. The nose thingy is bothering me. I've got a doctor's appointment today and I'll see if they can tell me if I'm wearing it right. 09/11/04 The doctor changed my nose thingy from a petite to a small. It still doesn't feel right, but I'm going to keep on trying. 09/14/04 I'm still pulling this thing off my face during the middle of the night. I think I'm going to put a chin strap on it to choke myself when I try taking it off!!! 10/20/04 Wow! What a difference a month makes on the cpap. If I don't put it on before I go to sleep I can't sleep! I just realized yesterday that it's three weeks until my pre-op appointment and four weeks before surgery! The time has flown by. We hired an HR professional a month ago, but I kept my November date so I could keep some of my sick/vacation time. I jumped on the scale today and I've put on 8 pounds since my weigh in at Dr. Freeman's office in August. I've been eating basically anything I want before the surgery. I know I shouldn't be doing that, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do! My husband, parents and sisters have been very supportive of my decision to have this surgery. Not at first, though. Had to show them alot of research about this. I'm really not nervous about the surgery. I've had 18 major operations on my vocal cords since I was 8 for pappilloma. The stuff keeps on growing back. It's time for another operation, but I want to wait until after the WLS. I had thought about asking Dr. Freeman if he could do both at the same time! But it takes an ENT to do it. I use Dr. Ossoff at the Vanderbilt Voice Clinic. He's one of the best in the world. Literally! His clients include bunches of country singers. The last time I was there the receptionist stopped me as I was leaving and told me that if I waited for about thirty minutes I could meet Larry Gatlin from the Gatlin Brothers. We left anyway. To me that's old country music. As you can tell by my spruced up profile page I am a Creed fan. I love Scott Stapp's voice. SOOOO sexy! 10/28/04 Well, I woke up this morning and could hardly speak at all. I knew it was time to call Dr. Benoit about my throat. I went for a check up and sure enough, there was regrowth on my left vocal cord. I'm scheduled for surgery on Nov 3. I did call Dr. Freeman's office to find out if it would be a conflict with my wls and was told that it would not be, just bring a doctors note when I came for pre-op. 11/04/04 I was in and out of the hospital yesterday. No complications. Dr. Benoit did find more pappilloma on my right vocal cord too. We'll just have to wait to get that one done! I'm feeling pretty out of it right now so I'll write some more later. 11/11/04 I'm through with pre-op. I am so excited about having this done. I'm still not nervous yet. The time has flown by! Seems like it was just August when this was scheduled. 11/15/04 4 more days!!!!! My life will begin anew!!! 12/09/04 I just realized that I had not updated anything on my profile since the surgery. Let me tell you---having this surgery has been a blessing. I've lost 21#'s and feel wonderful. I've got more energy, I can walk up stairs without thinking I'm going to faint, just all sorts of things!!! I've not had any problems whatsoever. I'm walking all the time. Just feel great in general. Dr. Freeman is a wonderful man and doctor. I just love him dearly!!! 12/21/04 Well, as of today I've lost 30 pounds. This is so exciting for me. I've lost 4 inches in my hips and 3 inches in the bust area. My clothing is starting to SAGGGGG!!! I've taken all of my spring and summer "fat" clothes to the Salvation Army. My husband and I always donate at the end of the year. I've had very few problems. The main one being eating too fast. Oh yeah, I did swallow a piece of gum a couple of weeks ago and thought I was going to die!!! I tried to bring it back up, called the doctor's office and they told me to try again. Still couldn't bring it up! They told me as long as I could drink and eat that I would be fine. Well, I can still do both so I guess I'm fine. Boy, what a scare!! I won't chew anymore gum!!! 02/06/05 I can't believe that it's been over a month since my last update. I have lost, drum roll please.....50.5 pounds!!! Yeah! I feel incredible! I've not exercised in the last three weeks (bad me!!) Gotta get back in the groove! I'm back into a size 18/20W. Mostly 18!!! Down from a busting out 24! I am clothes poor right now. I've been wearing the same things for the past 2 weeks. I know they are getting tired of it at work, but, oh well!!! I'm not wasting money on something I'll undergrow in a month. (New word "undergrow" I'm sure everyone here knows this word and love it!) Jessie and I went to a surprise b'day party Friday night and had a blast. Everyone there was so wonderful! Compliment after compliment! My head was bigger than the balloons there! I hated to leave! I must say that I do not have any regrets at all about having this surgery. It has been a life saver in more ways than one. Medically and mentally! I love Dr. Freeman and his staff. They are always there if a question arises! More on this journey later!! Love ya!! S March 23, 2005 Drum roll please!!! 67 pounds lost!!! Once again, I cannot express the gratitude I have for Dr. Freeman and his staff. They have given me my life back!! April 25, 2005 I've lost 75 pounds and have been been on a plateau for the last THREE WEEKS!!! Up and down, up and down! Driving me crazy. I guess now is the time to start exercising more! UGH! I hate exercising! Not really, though. It is nice if you have someone to exercise with. My sister goes in the morning time, something I'm not able to do. Oh well, gotta do what it takes! This surgery is a TOOL only! I've got about 70 more pounds to go. This is going to be tough! September 10, 2005 Wow it's been a while since I updated! I've lost 102 pounds! Hard to believe that a year ago I was 280 pounds! I'm down to 178 and have about 35/40 pounds to go for my personal goal. It's really gotten slow. I have to admit that I am still a carb addict! It's not as bad as it was last year, but I still have to have my couple of crackers everyday. I still don't exercise and I really need to. My tummy is getting a little (well, alot) flabby. I'm wearing mostly 14's in pants and medium/large in shirts. Depends on how they are made! I still highly recommend wls to anyone that needs it. It's been a great journey so far! Freemanandco.com Page Spruced up by Kari. Completed 10/04/04 If you'd like your profile spruced up write to one of the HTML Volunteer's, click on picture below: |
