The Incredible Shrinking Feet

Until returning to work this week, I pretty much wore flip flops when shoes were needed, basically b/c they were easier to get on and off with limited mobility. To my surprise, yesterday I put on a pair of Clarks that I often wear to work, and there's at least a 1/2 inch of room in them that wasn't there prior to surgery. In high school, I wore a size 5 to 5 1/2 and when I got pregnant/fat, my foot grew to about a size 7. I just assumed it was hormones.

I guess Bertha Butt + Fat Tummy + Thunder Thighs = Big Chubby Foot

To my surprise, co-workers are already noticing the weight loss. I can see it most in my face, I feel it in my shoes obviously, and a little in my clothes. My double chin is just a week or two away from being non-existent. That's a great, great, great feeling! I'm enjoying the few pounds per day loss now, because I know it will slow to a pound or two per week as soon as I can have something other than liquid. Right now, I'm only 35 pounds away from my first goal and have experienced no difficulties...other than mentally having a tough time watching family and friends pig out on good food while I sip soup. But, I've had 10 years of pigging out...now it's time to get healthy!

Starting Weight: 252 lbs
Pre-Op Weight: 250 lbs
Today's Weight: 235 lbs
Total Loss: 17 lbs

One Week After Surgery

I've enjoyed a full week off work for Spring Break, which I spent recovering from the surgery and adjusting to a full liquid diet. The pain in my left side is almost gone, and I've felt a little better each day. Compared to where I was a week ago, I feel like a whole new woman! I can't imagine how great I'll feel next month...or better yet, this time next year.

I had my one week checkup with the surgeon yesterday. He removed a little stitch and ordered one more week on soups, protein shakes, etc. "Yummo", as Rachel Ray would say. It hasn't been that bad really. And, I'm down a few more pounds, so I'll take another week of liquids! I do miss chewing, and larger portions although I physically can't consume more than about 1/4 cup of soup right now. I literally feel like I've eaten Thanksgiving dinner after just that small amount. But, to go from filling a bowl with food to just a few tablespoons at the bottom of the bowl, that plays a mind game on you. I have to say, it has been difficult seeing others pack it in while I'm sip, sip, sipping!

I still struggle with getting everything in that I should be in a day's time. Because I'm not hungry, and I do get full very quickly, it's hard to fit in the 40-64 oz of liquid and 50+ grams of protein. I returned to work today, my first day back since surgery. My fellow lap-banders/friends at work scolded me a little, because as of 11 am, I'd only had a few ounces of water the whole day. They are part of my really great support system and made some suggestions on how I can get all of this in. I really do need to make an effort to do better...I like my hair and don't want it to fall out, and I don't want to dehydrate. My hubby is a little thin on top and it's a good look on him....me,probably not so much.

Starting Weight: 252 lbs
Pre-Op Weight: 250 lbs
Today's Weight: 237 lbs
Total Loss: 15 lbs

Post-Op Update

As mentioned in the previous posting, I had surgery on Tuesday of this week and came home Wednesday morning. My friends at work who had this surgery experienced very little pain, but I haven't been quite as lucky. The pain hasn't been horrible, but I have had to take advantage of the liquid hydrocodone a few times. I'm walking and resting well. The incisions are healing well and swelling is starting to subside. When I stand from a sitting position, or if I bend over even slightly, I have a very sharp pain in my left side. If I brace my side with my hand when standing or bending, the pain isn't so bad. I have my follow-up appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday.

My sister and husband have been great caregivers, and my friends have been wonderful. One brought the most delicious soup my first day home, and many have called, emailed, and sent text messages checking on me daily. My parents are taking care of my girls for 2 weeks so that I can focus on recovery. I can't say enough about my support system. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family!

All together, today was the best day physically since surgery. Today was my first day out of the house other than to stroll around the block. The husband took me to Walmart, Lowes and we drove around house-looking. We got home and received a call from a potential buyer for our home. We're keeping our fingers crossed and saying lots of prayers that these people will make an offer. For the first time since we've been married, my husband folded a load of laundry and started another by himself/without being asked, he cooked homemade soup for me tonight and loaded the dishwasher. I don't know if he was doing it b/c he knew I'd have a hard time doing it myself or if watching Firestorm earlier in the week resulted in a few random acts of kindness. Either way...I'll take it!

It's crazy how effective the lapband is. From the time I came out of surgery until the next afternoon, all I even wanted was a few ice chips here and there. While at the hospital, my sister poured Crystal Light in a cup for me, and I felt like I sipped it for hours. I really felt like I'd had alot of it, and when saw the bottle on check-out day, I realized I may have had 2 tablespoons tops. The soup my friend brought my first night home was so good and such a treat. I took little bitty tiny bites b/c I knew I'd fill up fast. That's probably been the hardest part of this process. I'm never very hungry, and as soon as I eat the smallest amount, I'm so full I feel like I've just eaten Thanksgiving dinner! That's the point of the lapband...small portions, full faster than normal, etc. During these initial stages, they recommend 40-64 ounces of liquid per day and something like 60 grams of protein. That's just been impossible these first few days. The feeling of fullness is a blessing, but adjusting to not being able to consume more than a few tablespoons of anything has been hard. At best, I can eat 1/4 cup of soup. My mouth wants more but my tummy says....FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO MORE!!!

When I started the blog on Feb 24, my weight was 252.
Today, my weight is 241.

~4 Days Post-Surgery~

Mission Completed

Thank you for your prayers, words of encouragement, calls and emails. The lapband surgery went as planned. To tell you the truth, I don't even remember being wheeled to the operating room. I've had more pain than expected, but nothing that a little morphine and liquid loritab haven't been able to handle. My two friends at work who had the lapband surgery within the last year experienced very little pain. I did have an abdominal/reconstructive surgery three years ago to repair damage caused by 2 c-sections, so maybe I had more scar tissue....or maybe I'm just a whimp!

I have 4 small incisions and 1 larger incision. They seem to be healing well. I did run a fever last night and my sat levels were low, but using a breathing device to expand my lungs corrected that problem. For this surgery, the stomach is filled with gas so the doctor has the space he needs to maneuver the tools. Because of this, I've had some gas pains and swelling. All of this is normal, and walking will help the gas to absorb and swelling to subside.

I was discharged at 7:45 this morning. I'm home and resting comfortably. Day before yesterday was a clear liquid diet, and since surgery, all I've had is ice chips and about 2 ounces of Crystal Light. I've got a Dannon Light and Fit yogurt smoothie I'm going to sip on, and I'm looking forward to a little soup later today.

Your prayers are much appreciated as I continue to recover and adjust to a new lifestyle.

The Big Day

Today has been nine months in the making...the first day of the rest of my life. I wouldn't have had the courage to make this decision without the support of my family and friends. I've decided to have weight loss surgery out of love for my family and the desire to live a long healthy life.

I can't thank my followers, friends and family enough for your support and prayers. The support I've received from my friends at work has been invaluable. To my parents, sister, husband and babies, thank you for holding my hand while I take the journey to a healthier me. And, to my best friend of 15+ years, thank you for inspiring me. I love you all.

~2 Hours Pre-Lapband~

IVC Filter Update

The IVC filter placement wasn't as bad as I'd expected. I arrived at 7 am and wasn't taken to the procedure table until 2 1/2 hours later. Until then, I was in a hospital bed behind a mostly closed curtain listening to the intake nurses ask the same list of questions to the patient in the space next to mine and on the other side of him. One man's platelet count was so low they were making him wait for his procdure, then the little man next to me had to be physically lifted by a team of nurses from his wheelchair onto the hospital bed. The intake nurse had to ask him each question at least 3 times to get an answer, so I laughed a little to myself when she got to the question, "Do you wear a hearing aid device?" When he finally answered her after she repeated the question a few times, his answer was "No, but I should!"

My husband was in the waiting room this entire time chatting it up with the low platelet man's wife. He's still taking about this little elderly woman, who he recipe swapped with for hours. Her husband had suffered from bone cancer and recently had a blood transfusion. He felt so good after the transfusion, he'd been working in the yard, which he'd not done in years. It's amazing what you learn about people you've never met and how conversations in hospital waiting rooms can touch your heart. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to see a loved one suffer from such a horrible illness. It's times like these that force us to see how truly blessed we are.

With that said, I feel guilty for whining about the IVC filter on the last posting. As I said, it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. It was very uncomfortable, the sedation wasn't nearly enough b/c I knew exactly where I was and what was happening, but the numbing shots hurt more than the procedure itself. I could feel the catheter moving up my vein, but it wasn't terribly painful. I didn't know I'd have to lay flat in an outpatient room for 3 hours after the procedure, but it was a good opportunity to sneak in a nap.

~34 Hours Pre-Lapband~

FREAKED beyond belief!!!

Ok, so I met the weight loss doc face-to-face for the first time today. He asked if I had questions, and I told him my only concern was the bloodclots I had from the big-time surgery 3 years ago. Immediately, doc scheduled me for a bonus procedure in the morning. I have to be at the hospital at 7 am so some type of radiologist can run a IVC filter up through a vein in my groin! Oh, the best part is they'll offer me MILD SEDATION! I mean, knock a girl out all the way!!!

So, as if I weren't freaked out enough already, I got home and started googling while my kids played in the bath. Um....IVC filters can "migrate" to your heart or lungs if they break loose and can cause death.....which is what we're trying to prevent in the first place....death by bloodclots. I'm a nervous wreck. I went googling to find out about the procedure...mostly if I'd feel anything while MILDLY sedated...and now until it's removed (from my freaking jugular vein by the way)...I'll be thinking about this MF-er "migrating."

Don't know what an IVC Filter is? Neither did I - this is what I found: http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=VenaCavaFilter

Please keep me in your prayers Friday morning (Oh God, it's Friday the 13th!), as I go have this procedure done. I'm scared out of my mind!!!

~4 Days Pre-Lapband~

If I wasn't freaked out before...

I don't know if YouTubing before surgery is a good idea or not, but that's exactly what I've done. You'd think I would have searched out the weight loss surgery videos when I started this process 9 months ago, but I didn't even look before today. Although I'm a little freaked out after watching the surgery video, I still wish I was having it tomorrow!

As I mentioned in a previous posting, the visits to my blog have been more than I ever could have anticipated. Strangers are finding me by googling, they're coming to my blog via Crazy Texas Mommy, and from social networking pages. My googlers found me because they were looking for lapband blogs, while my friends and family coming from Facebook or MySpace have no idea what the lapband is or does. So, I thought I'd share the surgery video here for those who are interested in learning about the band. Warning: not for those with weak stomachs!

I've also found a really great video blog where a woman, Becca, shares her lapband journey.
Episode 1 - a few weeks after surgery
Episode 2 - 3 months after surgery
Episode 3 - Becca gets a fill
Episode 4 - Non-scale victories
Episode 5 - 60 pounds lost
Episode 6 - Becca experiences a setback

I've had the benefit of witnessing two friends' lapband journeys. They both have done wonderfully....they look amazing, you can tell they feel great, and have had no complications. One had the surgery 5 months ago and has lost 75 pounds. These ladies have been very supportive of my journey, and I'm inspired by them everyday.


~12 Days Pre-Lapband~

Multitudes of Butterflies

I'm 14 days away from life changing surgery, and I must admit, the butterflies have arrived. And, I don't mean just a few....I mean hundreds or more!!

In March 2006, I had a surgery that resulted in 4 bloodclots, 2 which went through my heart and into my lungs. All the doctors said I should have died. After a rough week long ICU visit, hooked up to oxygen and monitors, and doctors skirting around my question, "Am I out of the woods - will I live?", I was released from the hospital and spent the next 6 months on blood thinner and weekly checkups. I swore I'd never have another elective surgery, and here I'm about to do it. I told this to my GYN doctor last week and he said, "Well I don't think this is elective...I think it's life saving!" I agree, but I'm still a little scared b/c this is my first surgery since the near death experience.

I had my farewell to "really good but bad for me food" yesterday. I spent the weekend eating spaghetti, garlic bread, apple crisp with cream cheese icing and vanilla ice cream, knowing that I may not be able to tolerate these foods again, even after weight loss. For lunch yesterday, my husband and I ate at Logans, chosen for the delicious yeast rolls. Last night, we had dinner with our children at Olive Garden. From what I've read, lapband patients have trouble tolerating steak, bread, and pasta and a few other foods even in small amounts, so I've spent the last few days enjoying those things. Now it's time to get serious.

In preparation for surgery, I've decided to do very low carb/high protein for the next week then clear liquids for the last week leading up to the surgery. I thought I was doing good today by bringing turkey, mustard and 1/4 cup shredded cheese in a wheat/flax/oat pita that was only 4 carbs. I got to work and consulted with a friend who had lapband in September and learned that I even need to avoid the low carb pita b/c of the liver shrinking that needs to take place before surgery. It will be hard avoding the carbs this week and doing clear liquids next week, but I'll do whatever it takes to get ready for the surgery. And, I think doing this ahead of time will better prepare me for the change after surgery. Maybe then the lifestyle change won't be such a shock. I sure don't want to see the doctor on March 12 and him tell me there's more liver shrinking to be done before surgery the following Tuesday. No setbacks allowed!! I've come way too far.

~14 Days Pre-Lapband~

Vampires!!!

I went for pre-op labs today and could not believe they took 18 tubes of blood! What on earth could they need that much blood for?!? My best friend in the widest of worlds had bypass last June and didn't have that much blood taken for pre-op labs. I had a super huge big time surgery in 2006 and didn't have that much taken. WTF!

What's worse than the amount of blood they took is how long it took the lab tech to find a juicy vien. Because my sister is a nurse, I really try to exercise patience when nurses or lab techs go diving for blood. I mean, they don't intentionally miss...and dig...and miss...and dig... That is, unless the phlebotomist is also a sadist.

~15 Days Pre-Lapband~

Welcome Friends

I started this blog less than a week ago, and I am overwhelmed by the support I've received so far. I feel honored to have received each comment made on the blog, 65 visits in a matter of days, several followers and many emails. I'm so thankful for the support and kind words.

On her blog, my aunt talks about my use of "unfiltered honesty". We've all heard that the first step to recovery is admitting you've got a problem, and I'm willling to try anything at this point! My hope is that by laying it all out there, telling my story and sharing my progress and pitfalls, that I'll be more accountable. I'm over hiding behind the scale.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for visiting my blog, making comments, for your prayers and for forcing me to be accountable.



~16 Days Pre-Lapband~