3 Month Follow-up

Friday the 3rd of February was my 3 month follow-up. It went okay, though I didn't lose as much as I should have. The goal they have set is about 10 lbs a month but I lost that in two months. It's still a loss, which is still a good thing. But we all know what a perfectionist I am and how hard I am on myself. So it was disappointing. But I have to be honest with myself too. I haven't been exercising and I have a million excuses why not. What it really comes down to is that I hate exercising and it makes me hurt. I could find time if I wanted but I just hate it. But, if it means that it will help me lose faster and more, then I am going to have to bite the bullet and just do it. So, I have a plan and we will see how that plan works out. Will expound more on that based on how it works. I always tell my clients that you have to find something that works for you  or you won't do it. Gonna take my own advice.

So, my weight loss for 3 months post-op was 288.8 for a loss of 10.6lbs and a total loss of about 60lbs. Not terrible for a year but I have to get with the program!

0

1 month post-op

Had my one month post op appointment yesterday. I was initially disappointed with how little I had lost until the doctor reminded me that I have lost 18lbs in the last month and that's not too shabby! So I just have to focus on getting my movement in and eating healthy as normal.

Tired today but hanging in there by a thread!

0

1 week post-op

I am a bit late getting this posted but better late than never. I went to my one week appointment on Nov 14th and had lost almost 10lbs since surgery. Whew, ten pounds in a week! Since then it hasn't really been moving much but I am trying to stay with the diet and not get too far ahead of myself and worry about it. It will have to start moving eventually.

0

Surgery!

I finally had surgery on Nov 8th (election day)! It went really well and really fast. I had to be there at 6am and was in the operating room by 8:15am. My husband came with me and my pastor came up that morning to prayer for me before the surgery. Unfortunately, my pain wasn't well controlled most of the time until I started the oral pain meds. I am not sure my IV was quite in my arm right. My arm is still tender and bruised but getting better. I am trying to make it on tylonel instead of the pain meds because of the problems narcotics cause. Overall though, it wasn't terrible pain-wise following the surgery though getting all the fluids down was difficult. I was able to go home on Wednesday which was good for both me and my husband. I learned some things through this process including:

1. Sneezing sucks - big time
2. It's really hard me to sleep on my back
3. My husband is amazing
4. Projectile vomiting sucks (specially when it is milk)

More to be added as I think about it....

0

Liquid Diet

Yesterday I began the 2 week liquid/pureed diet that leads up to surgery. It's hard to believe that I am almost finally there! This has been quite a year getting all this figured out. Yesterday was a rough day and I spent most of it grossed out by the pureed food and hungry too. I have to alternate between 1200 and 800 calories each day so I anticipate hunger being a pretty common theme the next two weeks. I know my body will also start to detox from sugar which I know is unpleasant (from what I have read anyways). I am doing a decent job of getting in plenty of water, evidenced by having to get up twice last night to go to the bathroom. Bringing my own ice to work helps since the ice machine is broken. My water has to be ice cold or I don't like to drink it as much.

My main hope is that I can stick with this and that it will do the job it is supposed to - shrink my liver and help me lose more weight before surgery.

I attended my pre-op appointment on October 20th which consisted of getting labs run, weighing-in, meeting with the nurse, a dietary group, meeting with the nurse practitioner, and meeting with the surgeon. After I did all that, I met with anesthesiology to get cleared by them for surgery as well. I was up there from 9am til about 2pm. Thankfully I had taken some breakfast muffins I had baked that are both filling and healthy. The ARNP was proud of me because I hadn't gained any weight and had actually lost weight before the pre-op. Apparently, many people gain back a little before pre-op because they are "saying goodbye" to all their favorite foods. I would have been mortified and too anxious to have risked gaining weight right before surgery!

So, I just have to get through the next 14 days and surgery day will be there. I could have waited until today to get started but I thought that it would be better to start on a Monday officially. I have done a good job so far of prepping everything the night before. I usually have trouble on weekends so I will have to work extra hard to stay on track. I know I can do it though!

preparation

0

Surgery is set!

The surgeon called me last Thursday (you read that right, the actual surgeon who will be operating on me!) to set up an operation date. So his first available date was Nov 8th which I took as he only does surgeries on Tuesdays apparently. My pre-op appointment is October 21st so I will find out more about what I have to do pre-surgery and post-surgery and all that jazz. I was initially really nervous but am now getting excited and looking forward to the changes that will be happening with my body. Looking forward to less pain!

surgery

0

Approved!

I had an appointment in Iowa City on Friday, September 9th to meet with the dietitian and the doctor/PA/nurse. I also had some blood work done though this is just the beginning I believe of all the bodily fluids I will give them.

Met with the dietitian first and she cleared me for surgery for her part. I know I need to exercise more but they also need to understand how much pain that causes me if I over-do it. It's a very fine balance that I am still working out. Diet-wise I have been doing okay and the weight loss proves it I think.

Met with the PA and with the doc briefly. They have no concerns except they have to get the rest of the records from my doc so the insurance will clear me for surgery.

Nurse asked me questions about anesthesiology and then took some blood.

I called the doctor's office after I left and they re-sent the records. Called today and they were received. Paperwork person said she would probably have the information sent to the insurance tomorrow and then the insurance has 15 days to reply. After that they will call me to set up a surgery date and then it really gets real! I will have a pre-op appointment where I will do more lab work, meet with the doctors, and all that good stuff. Looking forward to taking this step in my life!

0