10/14/05
I have a date of November 28th at 1pm.
It feels like a dream! I can't wait.
10/15/05
Well, let me tell you alittle about myself, I live in Wisconsin, I am married to a wonderful man,
his name is Adam, he's been a huge support, he's never once told me I should not have
this done, he says all he wants is for me to be happy with myself.
I've been overweight since I was in the 7th grade, I remember
being in a special class for gym - it was the "fat girl class"
Well anyways, I am 29 yr old, I have no kids, but I have a
special little girl whose name is Sabby - she's my 2 yr old
Siberian Husky.
Right now my health issues are type 2 diabetes, asthma,
GERD (acid reflux) I've had to have knee surgery,
I have PCOS (poly cycstic ovarian syndrome)
Adam and I have tried for many years to try to have a baby,
but I can't lose the weight. Currently I am 248 lbs - why is
that so hard to admit?
I've tried to get approved for the surgery 2 yrs ago and
my health insurance wouldn't cover it. My husband got
insurance from his new job and his policy allows the surgery.
It was like an angel let this happen for me.
I am so grateful that I am able to have this surgery.
I just want to be happy and healthy. I know if I didn't
do something about it I will die very young.
I have alot of living to do.
10/28/05
1 month to go! I am getting alot of paperwork from
Medical Management from BCBS - they do a good job
of keep you informed of everything they are getting prepared.
Yesterday I got a letter in the mail telling me I've been approved
for 3 days in the hospital.
I can't believe how people have been supportive of this surgery.
The other day at work I had a lady come up to me that I had not
told about it (its slowly working itself around the company I work for)
and she said "so I hear you are having surgery" and I said yes I am,
she touched my arm and said "I think that is fantastic!
Everything will be fine for you!"
And my boss has said that I hide my weight well, she
couldn't believe when I told her how much I weighed and
how much I wanted to lose. Amazing!
11/20/05
Well 1 week to go. I am not excited anymore, just plain scared.
My sister has really been my rock with this. I've been attempting
the liquid diet my surgeon wants me on, however, by the time
dinnertime rolls around water, crystal light, and jello are not
cutting it. So I end up having chicken or turkey for dinner,
I have been good about getting in my protein requirements so far.
Last Friday I had an emotional meltdown, I think my husband is
scared and so is my family, aside from my sister, and nobody
has really been calling or giving me alot of support.
It seems everyone has questions about the surgery, or they
are proud of me, but everyone talks amongst themselves and
I hear all of the questions and comments thru the grapevine,
which bugs me, but what can I do about it.
So dealing with that and then being so freaking hungry has
put me on edge, so all I could do was cry. And I felt better afterwards.
I had an experience 2 weeks ago that really made me glad that
I am having this done. I went to California on a business trip.
I had to fly alot and on different airlines, all of the planes had 3
seats across and I was either in the middle seat or the isle,
whenever someone saw me coming I could see "that look" in
their eyes of "please don't be sitting next to me"
It was completely embarrassing. For the first time I really had
my eyes open and saw peoples reactions.
And I must've been eating well out there - come Wednesday
when I was flying again, first time ever I had to ask for a seat
belt extender. I really wanted to cry. (I seem to be doing that
more and more as the weeks go by.)
I also got a lung infection and a double ear infection from flying,
which I certainly didn't need - I went to my PCP and he had me
on drugs for it, I am feeling better, however I still have alittle bit
of wheezing in my chest so I go back to him tomorrow and I
may ask for somemore pills since I am all out. I'd rather be
safe then sorry.
Anyways, I am sure I'll write somemore before the surgery.
Goodnight!
Nov 27, 2005
Well, its the night before surgery. I have been trying to keep busy,
and this morning I woke up with a screaming headache, and I
can't take anything for it, so I am just trying to tough it out.
I am in the middle of the bowel prep, which hasn't been that bad.
(The stuff was nasty to drink however!) My phone hasn't stopped
ringing all day, it really gives me the support I need, I feel blessed
to have so many people in my life that love me.
I am nervous, and sometimes I find myself getting excited.
I told my husband last night that I am putting all of my faith in
God, I will let him completely take control of this.
My husband and I did have the death talk though, and I told
him what I wanted done 'just in case' - he really hates talking
about it, but I feel relieved to tell him what I want done...just in case.
I hope to write in tomorrow before I leave for the hospital at 10am -
surgery is scheduled for 1pm.
In case I don't I will write back once I am home...I really can't
believe its my time. Everyone please keep me in your prayers.
God bless everyone whose having the surgery tomorrow!
Nicole
12/06/05
Well I am finally home. I begged my dr to let me go home last night.
I spent a week at the hospital.
I had a few complications (nothing life threatening).
So I know how it bugs me that people don't type in what exactly
what happened minute by minute while at the hospital, so I will
go thru everything I remember.
We got to the hospital and I registered, we sat in a waiting area
and they put me in the pre-op room, nurse came in and took all
info, she started the IV, and gave me a shot of Heprain (sp?)
in my stomach - it didn't hurt to bad, but the meds stung going in.
So I asked for a valium, I really didn't want to remember going
into the OR. They came to get me, my sister started to cry so I
told her to leave. I was holding on by a thread.
They took me to the holding area, my drug dr came in and talked
to me, and shortly after they brought me into the OR.
(Valium calmed my nerves but I remember everything)
I switched tables, they put a warm blanket on me, I joked
with the nurses while we were waiting for Dr Prewitt to come in.
Dr Prewitt came in and I asked him if his hands were clean
(haha) we all laughed.
I was laying there and I remember feeling the drugs being put
in my IV, and I remember them telling me to take deep breaths.
I woke up and was having a hell of a time breathing, they gave
me a breathing treatment, I had the gas bubble pain in my
shoulder from the lap procedure and quite honestly, my head
kept screaming "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THIS FOR???"
I was in terrible pain. My surgery was scheduled at 1:30, and
I woke up in recovery at 7:30pm. So it was a long surgery.
I made it up to my room at 8:00pm - the next day they took
me for the leak test, one dr thought he saw a leak and they
got a 2nd opinion, and the other dr said he saw none.
But they were just playing it on the safe side and decided
to keep me in the hospital. So the IV had to stay in, and
they ran an IV just above my elbow so they could start me
on a feeding tube. My blood sugars were all over the place
so they were giving me insulin shots every 3 hours.
12/05/05 rolls around and they give me my leak test again,
and I passed, so out came the JP drains, and I was allowed
liquids for lunch, and then pureed food for dinner, at which
point I begged my suregon to let me go home, and he agreed.
12/29/05
Well I am one month post op, I am not losing alot I seem to be
stuck at 225. I really need to start exercising more.
I didn't have a scale before going into surgery, when I went in
for my pre-op appt with my surgeon I was 251, when I went into
surgery I was 246, so I've lost 21 pounds so far. I notice that I can
feel my ribs, I seem to be losing everything on the upper torso I've
lost 4 inches in my boobs :(
On the up side of things my sugars are normal now and I
don't have to take ANY diabetes medication. I test 2 times a day.
I've thrown up on numerous occasions, I still eat to fast. I can
pretty much have anything, except red meats, and they don't
bother me. I go back to work on Jan 3rd, so maybe getting out
of the house will help me with start losing weight again.
I hope everyone has a great New Years!!
2/19/06
It has been awhile. I am down 46 pounds, so 1 more pound
before I am off of the 200 mark! It has been almost 3 months now,
and I can have pretty much everything I want, bread doesn't work
to well for me, and my love for pizza is no longer.
The crust is horrible, so now when I think of pizza I want to gag.
My blood sugars have been fanastic. They range from 105
fasting to 150 after eating. Before surgery my sugars were
past 250.
People at work are starting to notice my change, I've had a
few people come up and ask 'what my secret' is. While its
nice to be noticed like that, I still hestiate to tell the truth,
BUT I do tell them. No need in hiding it!
I still have a few issues with throwing up, but its gotten
better now that my tummy has the "full" sensation back. About
4 bites of something and that's it for me. Before I was eating to
much or not enough because of tummy wasn't telling me if I was
full or not.
4/20/06
Hello there,
Wow, it has been awhile since I've updated. I have lost 62 pounds
so far. I have hit a plateau now for the past 3 weeks. Very frustrating!
I am feeling better and better everyday, I went for a walk the other
day and walked a mile in 25 minutes. Not to shabby!
I get alot of compliments from people almost daily at work.
I also went 3 weeks ago and had the Lasik eye procedure done.
My sugars are totally normal now, and all of my labs are normal.
It feels great to be healthy!!
6/1/06
Well I am down 77 pounds now, I checked my BMI and I am
considered only moderately overweight, no more being obese.
I have hit alot of plateau's in the past 2 months, I seem to lose
about 10 pounds a month now, but that's ok.
I have had some serious tailbone pain now, after sitting all day
work, by the time I get home, I want to cry. There just isn't alot of
cushion left!!
Some funny things have happened, some people at work don't
recognize me anymore! A co-worker calls me the incrediable
shrinking woman, and another one refers to me as a "new employee"
Almost everyday some stops me to say how small I am getting.
I don't feel like I am, but its great to hear the compliments.
I am also in a size 12 pants now. Before the surgery I was
a size 24. It feels great to buy petite pants, that fit!
One more thing I have noticed about friends and family
who I thought would be a huge support no longer talk to me,
or want to hear about my success, and people who I didn't think
would be any support has been the biggest supporters.
It is what is it!
6/11/06 **ALERT**
On Friday I ended up having yet another surgery....
Thursday night I was having some stomach pains - which
I have had before.
I didn't sleep well Thursday night because the pain had gotten
so bad. Friday I went to work and it was still bothering me,
so I called my surgeon and he told me to go to the ER at
Community Memorial. So I went up there at 10:30 Friday morning.
They did blood work and a CT scan to see if they could find
something. Both blood work and CT scan came up normal.
But my surgeon admitted me for observation overnight.
So around 3:30pm he came up to my room and told me that
he was worried that I might have a bowel obstruction or a
hernia that the CT might have not caught and he wanted to
do exploratory surgery. (I was still having pains)
I went in at 6:30 at night for the surgery - they did the camera
down my throat and then opened me up.
He didn't find anything. Luckily!
I think I might've had some food stuck - my dr thinks I also might've
had a stomach virus.
I have all the faith I'll ever need in Dr. Prewitt, he didn't wait or
hestiate on making a decision. I know I've said it a few times,
but if you are in the Milwaukee area, and are looking for a surgeon
- PLEASE TALK TO DR PREWITT. He's the only surgeon that I have
felt like a "person" not a patient when talking to him.
8/8/06
Hello all,
I am down to 155 now, the weight is slow to come off, I have been
exercising lots, I walk about a hour a day (once on my lunch and
once at night) so I'm walking 2-3 miles a day. I am wearing a loose
size 10, almost time for me to buy some new clothes. I've found
that in the past month or so my appetite has come back and its
taking alot of willpower for me not to snack. I've found that sucking
on mints (sugar free of course) and the crystal light hard candies
help when I feel like being naughty.
My back has been hurting ALOT the past few months, I have alot of
saggy skin, and I really feel like that it what is causing the pain.
I have been going to the chiropractor for adjustments but they aren't
helping as much as I hoped they would. So I'm going to make sure
my dr's document how bad its been.
This surgery has changed so many things in my life,
I'm so glad I went through with this. As I've heard a million times
before from other people, I'd do it all over again.
**HUGS**
9/6/2006
Well I have offically lost 100 pounds! WOW! I stepped on the
scale and I couldn't believe it, so I called my husband into the
bathroom and asked him if I was actually reading it right.
I now weigh 146 lbs!! I could seriously cry. I don't remember
every being that light.
Anyways, I have a myspace.com website.
My webpage is:
http://www.myspace.com/coleee76.
Enjoy!
10/03/06
I weigh now 140!! I can't believe it. I went to see Dr Prewitt
last week and he was so impressed with how I am doing,
he said I am alittle ahead of where I need to be. My labs are
looking good, my B vitamins were alittle on the low end so I
have been taking the B-complex liquid.
11/23/06
It is almost a year now since my surgery. I took some time to stop
today and reflect on my life has changed. I remember how I felt one
year ago today and how my life is so much more different.
I wear a size 8-10 I wear a medium in shirts, today Sabby and I went
on a 3 mile walk, most of the walk was uphill!! I see a future ahead
of me, and not a black hole of uncertain.
I am happier, I feel like a woman, and I feel like I matter now.
I couldn't have done this without such a wonder support system in
my life. Most of all I feel such gratitude for Dr Prewitt. I just adore the
man. I see him in 2 weeks and I bought a gift for him as my thanks
to him.
I know after coming out of surgery I thought this was the stupidest
thing I could have ever done, but now, I'd do it a million times over.
I've been jumping between 135-140 for the last month. My husband
seems to be happy with that, he doesn't want me to lose anymore.
I'd like to go down to 125-130 - since I am short, but if I stop now, I'd
be ok with it.
