Stacy H.

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It is so hard to believe that my life changing surgery was a little over a month ago. I am fortunate that I never really had those "Why did I do this?" thoughts and I hope they don't come. I think the longer hospital stay (routine for my surgeon) may have had a role in that. Most others on here seem to have that feeling just a few days after surgery and I was in the hospital for four days so maybe I will never have regrets.

I have really adjusted to the changes I have had to make regarding the food. The weather has been difficult to get much walking in though. I live in a very small town and there are no gyms or work out places. I don't have a treadmill at home either. I do have a Leslie Sansone walk DVD and I have done that some but I hate to have an audience when I exercise and since my daughter has been out on holiday break and here with me every waking moment, I haven't done it much more than four times since my surgery. I go back to the doctor on Monday and will get released to go back to work the following day. I am looking forward to getting back into some type of routine.

As far as my weight loss progress, I started this process in February at 271. In August i reached my insurance requirement weight of 257. My weight on surgery morning was 246. My weight today is 228. That is a 43 pound loss since February. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself!

Honestly... the liquid diet thing hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I figured out what works best for me early on so that helps. I enjoy a banana and milk for breakfast, a protein shake later in the morning, another fruit and milk for lunch, another shake for an afternoon snack then both cups of vegetables for dinner. This helps me feel like I have a "full" stomach when I go to bed. I drink lots of water, iced tea, and crystal light throughout the day. 

So surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. I did the pre-op physical and testing yesterday so all I am waiting on is the phone call on Monday to tell me what time to arrive at the hospital. I hope I get the first surgery. (Dr. O only does two a day and I don't want to wait for the second one...)  I think I have everything I need.. just have to get it organized. I have a few things in the pantry for the return home. (thanks to all the suggestions from fellow OH members)

Well... it is time for that apple and milk for lunch. This afternoon my husband and I are closing on our house. We have been renting it for two years and when the owners asked if we would be interested in purchasing, we jumped on the opportunity. Our payments will be lower than our rent and we will have the freedom to do some of the updating we would like to do. Nothing like lots of changes all at once huh? At least they are all positive and exciting changes.

Oh.. the liquid diet has helped jump start the weight loss. I was 251 yesterday at the pre-op appointment with my jeans, sweatshirt and shoes on.... it was a great feeling. Haven't seen that number for a couple of years.

So surgery  is scheduled for December 8 and I have the fortune of starting the liquid pre-op diet on the day before Thanksgiving. I have really been trying to think of it as a good thing. I know that if it weren't for the restricted diet, I most likely would have continued with the old eating habits and justified it as my "last" Thanksgiving to eat everything that I like. I have also tried not to let these last few days prior to the liquid diet be my excuse to go NUTS and eat anything and everything. I know there will be a few things I will not EVER be able to eat and I really do know that it will be okay because those are the very things that made me weigh 271 pounds at my highest weight. I am chosing to eat flavorful foods and enjoy my family. I think I have a pretty good grip on this ... at least for today anyway. I will post how that goes as we are further into the process. I know I can do this.... I know I can. I want this so bad. Just like so many others who have been in this situation before me.

So I turned 40 on Monday. (October 19, 2009) I really don't mind. I am so excited about what the future holds for me that I don't really care what the number is. I know I am going to feel younger and be able to do more of the things I used to do when I was younger. I am so ready for that!

I went to Dr. Oliphant's office with my husband during his initial consult on Monday. (He is having WLS too!) While there I asked if the dietitian had any cancellations in her schedule. I had an appointment for November 2 but it was the last "hoop" I had to jump through before I could get a surgery date scheduled. Well Happy Birthday to me! The 2:30 person didn't show up and since I was there- kaboom- I got in to see the dietitian! What a wonderful gift!

Dr. Oliphant's surgery scheduler called me on Tuesday and we set my surgery date for DECEMBER 8, 2009 as well as all of the pre-op appointments. This truly has been the best birthday gift ever! A wonderful tool to help me change my life for the better. I cannot begin to type the excitement and elation I am feeling inside.

I am so excited that I don't even mind that I will be on the 2 week liquid diet on Thanksgiving. I will try to be thankful that this very difficult and restrictive diet is to prepare my body for the major surgery I will be having. I also think we will be going to a horse show that runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving. That is a good thing. What a wonderful way to keep my  mind off of the meal and leftovers!

My sister (who had RNY on June 10, 2009) continues to lose and is looking fabulous. Her biggest problem is finding clothes to wear. She hates to spend money on them, knowing that she won't be wearing them for long. I am such a nice sister that I went shopping for size L tops and size 14 jeans and bought a few things I liked, gave them to her to wear for now, on the condition that I get them back. She was thankful to have something new and not have to spend the money and I was able to pick out some cute things knowing I would be getting to wear them in the future.

What an exciting journey!

May, June, July came and went. Our family was busy riding and showing horses. I continued to follow my diet program and was very active. Not always exercising but not much sitting on my rear end... except for the office chair at work. Not much I can do about that.

August was exciting. the 18th was my doctor's appointment for the completion of the diet. I was so relieved when the scales said the "magic number" of 257. That was my 5% weight that my insurance company required for approval. Within one week, my PCP sent my information in to Health Alliance and they responded within 6 hours! I had been approved! I was so glad I was stopped at a train crossing when the nurse from my doctor's office called to tell me!  

Then the panic struck! Did I hear right? Is this approval for surgery? Or is it just approval for the referral to the surgeon? Dang it! I wish I could replay that phone call! I was so excited about what I thought I heard that I was afraid I could be wrong!  So I called my insurance company just to double check. They confirmed that the approval was for the surgery but that didn't guarantee that the surgeon would accept me. I did however get the packet of information the surgeon's office sent and I have to send it back before getting my consultation. Now I am completing the information and desperately seeking the support groups in my area. I must attend three before they will schedule my surgery. This is a great idea but the packet had the dates of the support groups for the next few months and there is only one in September, one in October, and one in November... so... it could be a while. I hope not! I will let you know.. If you know of any support groups in the middle part of the state of Illinois or the western part of Indiana, PLEASE let me know...

Today is April 21, 2009 and when I stepped on the scales this morning I wanted to scream for joy. I have lost 11 pounds since my initial consultation with my PCP. I am down to 260. I have really been trying to increase my activity level by doing a walking dvd at home in the mornings before anyone else gets up. My daughter got up one day and just stood and stared at me. I told her she either had to come join me or finish getting ready for school. She opted for getting ready for school. There is something about having others in the room when I exercise. I hate it! Maybe as I get more weight off and I feel like I have more control over my body instead of having all my fat flop all over the place with every move...... well.. maybe.

My sister had me fax her medical documents to her surgical center this week. I am excited for her to be getting that much closer to getting a surgery date set. I am excited about getting there myself some day.

My husband has been doing a great job with his diet and has lost about 16 pounds so far. I already warned him that when I get really ticked off- it isn't because I am upset with him... I just want the same success for myself. He understands and loves me anyway.  

Hopefully the weather will warm back up soon and we can start walking outside more. I enjoy our walks together. It is good quality time and we don't get interupted by phones and family.  Horse show season is just around the corner and I am excited about that. Even though I won't be riding and showing this year, my daughter and mother will be and I am excited to help them out knowing that - hopefully- I will be joining them next year! I have been looking on the web for that new horse for myself. It will be my "treat" for losing the 5% and getting approved for surgery. I figure that is better than a cake and ice cream party and a whole lot more fun!

 

I have been continuing the supervised diet and spending a lot of time researching surgeons. I have heard from Dr. Oliphant's office and my insurance won't allow me to have a consultation with him until I have completed my 6 month supervised diet and met my 5% weight goal. I am very frustrated with this because I was hoping to meet with them to gather more information about which type of surgery would be my best option. I suppose that is going to have to wait until I meet with them after my August 17 completion of the supervised diet.

I called my insurance and there are no surgeons who operate in center's of excellence. I find it interesting that the insurance company does not want their customers to receive treatment in facilities who have proven their experience and skill at conducting bariatric surgeries. (I really do know it isn't about me as the patient they are most worried about but more about the almighty dollar.)

I have been successful at watching my intake and increasing my activity level. My husband has even met with our PCP to start the process of the supervised diet. I am so proud of him and it is exciting to think that we could be experiencing this life changing process together.

I called my insurance company to see if there was any coverage for WLS and thankfully there is. I talked to one of the two representatives who work with Bariatrics and she was very informative. She guided me to the website so that I could review and print the policy regarding Bariatrics and gave me some ideas of what my first steps need to be and the timeline of how things would go.

I met with my PCP and, just like my sister's situation, I was shocked to find her supportive of me exploring WLS. She shared some generals about some individuals she knew of that had both lapband and RNY and agreed to support me in my journey.

February 17, 2009 was my "first" visit documented for my 6 month doctor supervised program required by my health insurance. I weighed in at 271 pounds. I am 5'7". My BMI was 42.5.  I also suffer from hypertension. She had to increase my medication for my blood pressure.

Update** My PCP completed the checklist from my insurance company and returned it same day. My insurance company called me to let me know they received it and gave me my 5% weight of 257. I also asked some questions regarding common mistakes people make when going through the process and what do I need to look for in a surgeon. (My PCP was going to do some research too.) Oddly enough, I have to call with surgeons I would like to consider and then my insurance tells me if they are covered. I am amazed that there is no "list" of sugreons/centers that she could share with me. Centers of Excellence is not a requirement for my insurance. (It was for my sister.) I do have a nearby hospital that shows up and Dr. Oliphant is one of the surgeons listed but the hospital website hasn't been updated since 2007 with support groups/meetings information.  Should that concern me? It does. I know it isn't an indicator on the surgeon but rather the hospital and I don't want to compromise my care and treatement for convenience and location. Any ideas out there? I am in East Central Illinois.

Okay, so I know people say there are defining moments in our lives that have a profound impact and can permanently change who we are, how we think, etc... Mine happened on January 18, 2009!
Some quick background- I grew up riding and showing horses. I have always been active and have been told I am strong as an ox! (I think that was a compliment!) I was always one of the larger girls in my class, wearing a size 12-14 in high school. I have always "carried my weight well" and the number on the scale never matches how I feel or what I do. (So I avoid the scale!) Riding and showing horses is what my family does. You know how some families play sports... ours rides and shows horses. (I was really a tough competitor in my teenage years.) We still ride and show horses. But it has changed a little bit. I own a horse and my daughter has been showing him the past three years. That is okay with me however it also gave me the "excuse" not to ride as much and I spent many days sitting in the lawn chair "coaching" instead of doing. I purchased a new horse for my daughter in December of 2007 and he has been with a trainer on and off to help him progress and improve his skills. My mother purchased a new show horse for herself in November and is needing some help with him so we went to the trainer's barn for lessons on January 18, 2009. It was a good day. The horses were responsive and my daughter and mother both executed some new drills and learned a few things as well. It was a good day.
Then, as we were getting ready to leave, the trainer made a comment that has forever changed my life. (She doesn't know that yet!) She jokingly said to my daughter, "Now we have to get your mom to ride." She meant nothing negative by the comment. She was commenting on the three generations doing this horse "thing" together. Well.... I was floored. The fact is that I do- or I did- ride! AND... I am-or I was- good at it.... but I have let my weight be my excuse not to do it for several years.... That is the TRUTH!   However, I had allowed myself to accept and use the excuse that "I am just supporting my daughter and it is my mom's turn" to do this because she was on the sidelines all those years when I was growing up. WOW!!! BUT the real TRUTH is that I don't ride now because I am so fat that I hurt my horse's back and legs when I ride him. My saddle is heavier to accomodate the seat size I need and my fat body is just too much for him! He does suffer from some hip issues on his own and is getting older (11) but the hard and fast truth is that I am too FAT!!! 
I used to ride, I can ride, I am good rider, and soon- I will ride again! I have found my true motivator! I am energized!

I got married the 27th of December to a wonderful man. He too is very overweight. We had a wonderful small family wedding. I am excited and yet scared to see the pictures of the wedding. It was a glorious day but... I don't like to look at pictures of myself. (I know.. DENIAL!) I don't like mirrors either!
Once I get the photo cd, I will post a few.