willabelle

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  Well here it is, 1 yr post op and as Nov 1, 2010 I have lost 109 lbs. Since this journey began, in Sept of 08 I have lost a total of 153 lbs!  SO AWESOME!!!!   I feel so much better and can now do the basic things that most take for granted.  When it gets to the point that you cant take care of your personal needs, that's sad.  Obesity has brought with it some serious health issues; diabetes, neuropathy, atrial fibrillation, arthritis and though I have family history of cancer, my Gynecologist  couldn't say for certain that my uterine cancer wasn't  also brought on by the hormonal changes in my body due to being obese.  I found out I had uterine cancer in June of 09 and then went to see a Gynecologist Oncologist.  Scary time. I went in thinking that I would take nothing less than a complete hysterectomy ASAP....like I could demand such a thing lol.  My Doctor  said he could do the surgery, that he had performed surgery on a woman larger than me, but that  he had to do it in two separate surgery's because he couldn't get to everything he needed to due to the excess fat.  So, since my cancer was in the first stages, we opted to put me on a very high dose of progesterone to keep the cancer from spreading. That  was in June, and Sept. 29th,  I had my gastric bypass.  Every three months for 13 months I had a biopsy to make sure the meds were working..and they were.  Just this past August, I had lost enough weight to have a complete hysterectomy and am now cancer free.  Unfortunately, which isn't uncommon, two weeks later I ended up in the hospital again as I had developed an infection.  So 4 days and masses of antibiotics later, I am pretty much recovered.  I look at pics of myself at my highest weight of 467 and I can't believe that was me!  I still have more to lose but if I never get to my goal of 200 lbs, 467 lbs is a long way away and that's what is important.  I hope that anyone considering weight loss surgery looks at all their options to make an informed decision, but whichever surgery you choose, DON'T WAIT!  A lot comes with being obese......death being the end result.   And one last thing....if anyone is experiencing abnormal HEAVY bleeding or lengthily periods, see your Gynecologist just to make certain everything is ok.  I thought I was going through menopause and if I had continued to think that, my cancer would have continued to spread.  Not every obese woman gets cancer, but  just make sure you take care of anything that isn't normal to you.  Ok.....that's all for now.   I applaud you all who have had surgery and have lost or are losing weight,   and I encourage and wish the best of luck to all of you who are about to have surgery or those who are considering it.  It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!  Peace....

Forgot to say.....I've lost 37lbs since surgery, Sept. 29th, and a total of 81lbs since last Sept. when I started this journey. 

  Well, I went to the doc last week, Nov. 11th, and usually at my primary care doc, I don't get weighed because they didn't have a scale that went over 400, though I thought it would only go to 350.  Anyhow, my sister told me she thought the scale went to 400 so when I went in, sure enough it did.  Sooo....I said heck yeah I wanna get weighed. lol  I got on the scale and when she stopped at 386, I thought I was gonna pass out.  I couldn't believe that I was finally under 400 lbs, way under.  Woooo hoooo.  I go tomorrow to see the doc again, so I'll see if I've lost anymore.  I'm so happy I finally did this!  I've had a really good experience all the way around and I am so happy about that.  Anyhow, I'll keep you all updated.  Hope everyone is happy and healthy.  Take care.

Sandi

     Ok, I guess it's been forever since I last posted.  I had gastric bypass on the 29th of Oct , and it went great!  I had an amazing Doc, Dr. William Strodel at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA.  He did such a nice job, I have the prettiest lil scar....so smooth, I'm very pleased. 
  Well, since then I have lost a total of 17 lbs.  Nine my first post op appt, and then eight this last appt.  I've done really good food wise, no dumping, or throwing up...a bit of naseau though with the protein shakes , I just think I'm getting totally sick of them.  But, when you can't get enough protein in a day, they're great.  Just wish they tasted like Sour Cream and Onion Chips. lol
  I have had a couple times, I guess when I didn't chew well enough or maybe I ate a bit too much, I don't know cause I'm never hungry so I don't know when I'm full until maybe I'm a bit too full.  Anyhow, it kinda felt like it got stuck in my esophogus and though I didn't throw up, I did have a lot of mucus come up. No food though, strange.  So, lesson learned....CHEW, CHEW, CHEW!
  I go back to the Doc on Nov 17th, and can't wait to finally be under 400 lbs!!!!  It's been a long time since I've seen 300 and anything. lol  Things are going awesome ( I feel like dancin ) and I should have done this so long ago, but oh well, it's done now and that's what's important.  I can't wait to be able to wear a pair of jeans again someday!  Levis, here I come!
  Anyhow, I'll keep updating as I go.  I hope everyone is happy and healthy.  Take care.

Wow, it's been since June that I've posted anything.  Lots of things going on since then.  I recently found out that I have uterin cancer, early stages thank God.  But, I can't have a hysterectomy until I have the gastric bypass....too much stomach to go through to get what they need. lol  Oh I guess you have to laugh when you can't do anything about what's going on in life.  I do have good news though...I have my gastric bypass on Sept. 29th. I'm nervous and excited. Doing the liquid diet now, and have done surprisingly well, though i have cheated a couple times, you know a small bite here, a small bit there.  For the most part, I've been really good, though I can tell you I'm gettin sick of soup. lol   So, after I lose about 120 lbs or so, I can have the other surgery.  In the meantime, I get to take a mega dose of progesterone daily to hopefully keep the cancer at bay.  So, wish me luck.  I hope I have as much success as you all have with my surgery and recovery.  Going to do whatever the doc wants me to do....I want this to go as smooth as possible. Anyhow,  I hope everyone is happy and healthy.  I'll talk to you again soon.  

  Hello there....well, I have my first appointment with my surgeon on June 26th!  Wooohooo.  I don't know exactly what to expect, but I was told that we'd set  a date for my surgery!  I  am sooo excited and not so much nervous at this point...well ok, just a bit, but I'm sure that on the 26th I'll be more nervous.   This is now more of a reality that it has been.  Up until now, it has seemed as though it were happening to someone else and I was just a bystander.  Now, the closer it gets, the more it feels that it is happening to me.  I hope it happens soon and I can begin the next phase of life.  I can't imagine what it will be like to have a life other than the one I've been living for so long.  I hope that I don't have any issues, and that I can just live a normal life....well as normal as it can be. lol  Anyhow, I'll keep everyone informed as to what happens on the 26th.  Wish me luck.  I hope everyone is happy and healthy.  Take care and I'll talk to you all soon.

Sandi

   Ok.....went to the doc on the 28th and since I have done everything required before surgery, my doc went ahead and sent the letter to my insurance co.   When she told me she was going to send the letter I could have kissed her.... I was so excited .  I couldn't stop smiling  and I got flushed and turned all sorts of shades of red.... and was kinda like..... OMG...this is really gonna happen........then I was like....OMG this is really gonna happenI was happy, scared, excited, anxious.....one emotion right after the other.   I still have about 20lbs to lose to be at my 10% weight loss, but since I've done so well, my doc says they may go ahead and approve me now.  If not then we'll just re-submit the letter after I've lost the 20lbs.  So, in about two weeks,  I should get a call to make an appt. to see the surgeon.   It could be as early as July!!!! Yep.....that's how I must of looked when she told me that.  I know it could be later than that but I don't care......it's more real to me now than it ever has been and I know it'll get a lot more real the closer it gets.   So, that's what's goin on in my world at the moment.  I hope everyone is well and I'm sure to be talking to you again soon.  Bye for now....

Ok....  I went to the doc today to check my weight etc., and I went from weighing 432 when I was in the hospital on the 21st, (435 when I left 2 days later), and at the doctors yesterday, the 24th  I weighed in at 441!!!????  OMG how much water can a body actually retain!  Because I KNOW I couldn't have gained 9 lbs of fat in 96 hrs!  My feet look like blown up surgical gloves....my toes look like little sausages.    I'm not going to change my weight on here  as it's H2O and not fat!     So, I've taken some water pills and I'm confined to my bedroom,  cause it's near the bathroom, lol.....laying down with my feet elevated, losing weight.    .    Crazy stuff....I can't wait to have normal feet again! 

Anyhow, that's all for today....I hope everyone is happy and healthy.  Talk to you all soon.... Bye for now....


Sandi

Well, I just got out of the hospital today, April 23.  Went in Tuesday for Atrial Fibrillation.  Wasn't as bad as it was last time, but bad enough to keep me in ICU for two days.  Seems my ole ticker has some electrical issues...sending too many signals at once. Second time this year...Geez! 

My Doc wants me to see a Cardiologist and they may have to do a procedure called Catherter Ablation, which uses thin, flexible wires called electrode catherters to find and destroy problems cells in my heart.  Hopefully, whatever they need to do, they will fix the problem as I can't have Gastric Bypass surgery until the issues with my heart are taken care of. 

So, fingers crossed!   The only AWESOME thing about the whole trip to the ER was that I found out I've lost 20 lbs!!!!    They had a bariatric bed in the ICU and cool thing is that they can weigh you while you're lying in bed.    So, I'm only 14 lbs away from the weight they want me to be before surgery!   It's getting closer and closer and sometimes it seems like a reality, other times it seems like it's happening to someone else.  

Anyhow, that's my news for now.  Hope everyone is doing well.  I'll keep updating as it happens.  
Bye for now.