The mouth of a loosed woman is a deep pit

Before & After 17 wks Post OP

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Oct 2005 12:08:00 -0700

Here is a sample of the new before and after photos I just uploaded, 17 weeks Post OP. To view my other Before & After photos click on the "Photo" link above then click to enlarge.

The Gap Of All Gaps

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 13:15:00 -0700

Greetings from One-derland! (The magical land that hover just below 200lbs.)

I would apologize for my absence, but I have been enjoying my new more active life. And I refuse to apologize for that.But I will briefly catch you up on how I feel and my progress.First off, I have had two scheduled doctors’ visits since last time we visited. Both were good and had no issues. I have lost a total of 60 lbs. as of two weeks ago. I have seemed to have fallen into a pattern of weight loss. I lose about 2-4 pounds per week, for two weeks then nothing for a week before my cycle. But right after my period I drop 7-10 pounds that week. I guess I retain allot of water just before my period.

My body has not had time to adjust to the lack of (insulation). I am often cold. And I tolerate the heat so much better now. I recently went to Florida. I was lucky enough to spend three days at Disney World. Each day was about 8-9 hours of walking in the heat. I think I did very well. I would love to go back again. The Magic Kingdom is the happiest place on earth. Particularly when I could keep up with my daughter and fit on all the rides.Emotionally I am adjusting pretty well to the physical changes. I don’t feel like I have changed very much. Don’t get me wrong, I know I have lost 4 dress sizes, but I tend to forget all that. So I am still stunned when I see my reflection. Only now, I am stunned to see the reflection matches my self-image. I will put up some new photos tonight, so you can see for yourself. I'm not finished losing weight; I still have about 45-55 lbs. left to go. Hope to reach my goal weight by New Year's Eve. I want to wear a tiny perfect ”little black dress".

So I have been working, vacationing, tanning, getting new living room furniture and redecorating. The holiday season is just around the corner and I see no end to plans or a lack of energy to keep up with everyone. This surgery was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself.

I will go for now. Thank you for your concern and support. I will write again soon, with more details of how life is with the pouch.

Ciao Bella

Before & After

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 3 Aug 2005 15:40:00 -0700

The first set of after pictures (post op 7 weeks) where taken lastnight, you can check them out by clicking the photo link above.

Tuesdays with Pouchy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 22:22:00 -0700

So last week I had a bit of trouble. I had become very dehydrated. I really had no idea that a person could feel so rotten just from lack of fluids. But it's true. I was seeing stars. The room spun outta control everytime I stood up. I even got exhausted from simply shampooing my hair. But after four days of this I got a bottle of GatorAid. It took me all night but I drank the whole thing. And the next morning I felt 100x better.

The bad news is that in that 4-5 days of feeling so weak, I did NO exercise at all. And after I began to feel my strength come back, I never went back to the workouts. I feel so guilty about it. Like I let myself down. It's a lazy trap, and I fell for it. Well, I paid the price for it. I had prepared myself for a smaller weight loss this week, because of the lack of working out. So when I went in to weigh at the doctor's office, imagine how horrible I felt when I saw that I had not lost a single pound. I was ready for a smaller loss than the previous week, but I was not ready for NO LOSS.

I cant believe that six days of no activity made my losing stall. But a lot of people will stall every 30-40 pounds. Its the bodies way of adjusting to the rapid weight loss. So maybe my body is just taking a little breather. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Victor was so kind last week. When I was starting to feel better and drinking more fluids. He made a wonderful meal for me when I got off work. Steak, asparagus and roasted potatoes. It all tasted so good. But The Pouchy was not ready for steak. I ate very small bites and chewed it to death, but I could tell after just four bites, "Somethings not right, here" So I pushed the plate away. I went to the other room hoping to distract myself, but it didn't work. About three minutes later I knew it was coming back up. Now, not to be too graphic here. But vomiting after surgery is a whole different thing all together. The pouch produces no bile, so digestion takes place in the the pouch. So basically what goes down, is just what comes up. No gagging or heaving on that nasty tasting bile and acid. The food literally just slid right up and out. And that was the end of it. I instantly felt normal again. I was not hungry again, but I sure felt better.

I came out of the restroom and told Victor, "Don't take it personally." It really did taste great. I just was not ready for such dense food, yet.

I have been working a lot this week. That's getting better everyday. So I will just try to keep my nose to the workout grind and hopefully we will see that scale start to move again. I am also going to keep better track of the calories I take in. I eat so little, that it's been hard to calculate them. But I have a new plan for that, we will see how it works. Wish me luck, I could use it. I feel pretty blue about this stall. By the way all of my incisions have healed up, quite nicely. See ya next week.

Ciao Bella

I'm A Loser, Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 15:50:00 -0700

Well, over the last few days I have been very worried about how much weight I have lost. Or NOT lost I should say.

I can't see any difference in my body. My husband say's he can see some changes in my face. But I see nothing. I was starting to think my body would hold on to this fat until the very last minute. So I decided to go to the doctor's office to hop on the scale. I should tell you that I do not own a scale of my own. I would drive myself nuts if I had one in my house. No, it's much better for me to just use the one at the office and only weigh-in once a week. This will hopefully keep my obsession to a minimum. Like this blog doesn't lend to my obsession, right?

Anyway, today was the day. I went in to the office and got on the scale. I didn't believe what I saw. I got off the scale and then got back on. I really thought I must have done something wrong. But there it was again. 229.4lbs. Wow. A total loss of 21lbs.

I walked out of that office on a cloud. I can’t remember ever feeling that way about myself. Really. I have been happy for myself. After I had given birth, after I signed my divorce papers or when I made a giant career change. But this is a pride and joy I have not had for myself, ever. Again I am so thankful for this gift. I hope I don’t plateau anytime soon. I know I will eventually, but right now this feels too f***ing good!

By the way work went great. The first night back on the job was really good for me. It was a little hard. But I think I held up pretty damn well, considering I had just had major surgery just 12 days before. It was a good night to go back. It was a little busy, but not too bad. I was very tired when I got home. But I felt such a great improvement in my stomach muscles the next morning.

So I have been walking a mile or doing a 20 minute Pilates workout each day, on days that I don't work. The nights I work, well, that’s enough of a workout. Thats all to report for now. I will see you all soon though.

Ciao Bella

No More Rumbly Tumbly

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 13:03:00 -0700

I just had to come by to tell you all. I found something to eat. It doesn't make me sick and it keeps me feeling full for more than one hour! It was Cream of Broccoli soup. I opened a can and took out about two tablespoons of soup. Mixed it in a bowl with one teaspoon of soft cheese, nuked it and then crumbled one saltine cracker into it. I let it set to cool down and to let the cracker bits get real soft. Oh my Gawd, this was soo good. You have no idea. And now, over an hour later I am still full.

This fullness issue has been a problem for me, recently. See the new stomach pouch is more like a tiny little funnel. It can easily be filled up, but quickly empties out. So it stands to reason that the more solid the food is, the longer it will remain in the pouch. This makes that full feeling last longer. Up until now I have been mostly on liquids. So I have been very hungry lately and very moody.

My dietician would not think that the addition of the cracker was a wise choice. But I was beginning to find it difficult to focus on anything other than the fact that I was so damn hungry. So, I think I made the best choice for me. I will try not to let it develop into a smack habit, Kathy. Besides it was still only 2oz. of food total and I stretched it out over 30 minutes. And most importantly I stopped when I was full, no over eating.

Anyway, I just wanted to share something that made me smile today. I'll tell you all how my first night back to work goes, tomorrow.

Ciao Bella

A Dump In The Road

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 12:07:00 -0700

So I have to take supplements for the rest of my life. This is one of the small trade offs in this journey. I have been taking my Kid Chewables twice daily and I had to take a calcium supplement too. My doctor suggested starting with TUMS ( four per day). So the other day I took one in the afternoon. After I had all my other pills for the day and lunch. I had waited about one hour after lunch (a cup of warm broth).

Well, I chewed it to death then swallowed it. I was just getting ready to go for a walk when I started feeling woozy and kinda dizzy. Then I got felt sick to my stomach. I decided to lay down for a few minutes, thinking maybe I was just moving too fast. While I was laying there I had to fight the urge to vomit. I had my husband bring me a cool cloth, he put it on my forehead and waited for the illness to pass. I ended up falling asleep for three and half hours.

When I woke up I felt better but very weak. I started to sip on broth and I slowly started to feel better. I then went on-line to ask some friends on a post-op message board "What just happened to me?" They all agreed that if it was the first time trying the TUMS, it was most likely the culprit. Now, for those of you who don't know alot about the side effects of this type of surgery, beyond just the weight loss. Let me explain for you what the TUMS did to "me" (each person is different).

After this surgery (RNY Gastric Bypass), your anatomy is changed for ever. Not to be reversed. In the new state, the digestive track is no longer able to "deal" with sugar. It is no longer digested in the way a normal stomach digestes sugar. So when you consume sugar you may experience what is called "Dumping syndrome". Dumping, as it has been nicknamed, can include any combination or all of the following side effects. Lightheaded, dizzy, sweating , heart racing or palipitations, vomiting, diarrhea and sleepiness/fainting. Sounds yucky I know. But it can also be a helpful tool. Keeping you from making poor food choices. i.e. If you just have to have something smooth creamy and sweet opt for a couple of spoonfuls of sugarfree vanilla pudding, instead of the Flan.

"Anna, don't eat the flan"!!

Well, it appears this is infact what happened to me. I dumped. I asked my doctor about it and he agreed. So, I am an easy dumper. I will have to be very careful in the future with every new thing I add back to my normal diet. Most people can handle about 3-6 grams of sugar (per serving) post-op. The TUMS only had 2 gm. of sugar. I was also warned not to try fruit for a very long time, as the natural sugars in fruit would most likely make me very ill.

But other than that one day, I am truly thankful for this gift. I feel better every day. I start back to work tomorrow night. I work in a busy restaurant kitchen. I am still a little slow moving around, so I hope I can keep up. Or at least stay out of everyone's way. It's only been ten days since my surgery and I worry just a little that it may be too soon. But, "Mamma needs the coins". So off to work I go. I will tell you all how it goes in a day or two, if I'm not too whipped out by it.

Ciao Bella

An Amazing Week

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Jun 2005 19:19:00 -0700

So as you have all read, I am indeed home and doing well.

Thank you so much "Z", for all the help updating the blog until I felt comfortable at the desk again. You did a bang-up job. Also, thank you to my family for all your support, emotional and otherwise.

Let me tell you about what I remember from the day of surgery, isn't much though. I got there very early and was shuffled through admitting pretty slowly. It was like, they just let me sit there staring at the floor for hours. Then all of a sudden somebody behind the desk noticed my surgery was set for 8 am. So, at 7 am they grabbed me and rushed me through everything. I literally was signing my Medical Power of Attorney, as I was changing into my hospital gown. Then they wheeled me down to Prep. It took them six tries to get an IV in my arm (I have very bad veins). They gave me a shot next. Told me I would feel a little dizzy and I sure did. I don't remember anything after that.

They tell me I woke up and was talking around noontime. But I didn't have my first conscious memory until around 1:30 pm. This was a memory of being handed a cup of water by my husband. God, my mouth was dry. Then I asked for my chap stick. Then I went back to sleep.
I got up to take my first walk, with the help of a nurse at 3 pm. I was having a lot of trouble getting the nurses to respond via their "call button". And quickly learned how to unhook and re-hook all my monitors on my own. So I could get outta bed to go to the bathroom and walk by myself. The nurses were very kind and helpful, when they showed up. I think it was a problem with the reception desk not telling the nurses that they had been called. Lazy bastards!

Everyday I woke up feeling better than the day before. I kept walking and sipping. Walking and sipping. I dosed a lot too. But I got off the Morphine pump on day 2. Over all it was not bad. I was never in pain, only discomfort. The only set back at the hospital was the 4 pounds I gained from surgery. They fill the body cavity with fluid. To "float" the organs. This makes it easier for the surgeon to move what he needs to move, as a result the fluids remains in the body for a few days. But by the time I was releaseded to go home, I had returned to my check-in weight of 250 lbs.

I have had a few tiny bumps in the road, since coming home. Nothing to be alarmed about. Just tiny bumps. I will share those stories with you tomorrow. They seem kinda funny to me ,now. Only because they are in the past now.

Ciao Bella

Status Update

noreply@blogger.com (Zackie O) — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 15:18:00 -0700

Lysa has been home since Sunday June 19th, which is a day later than expected due to a nursing error, which she will tell you about once she is able to get back to daily routine and/or once she is able to sit in a chair with out putting any strain on her tender stomach or abdominal muscles. At the moment she is only able to sit on surfaces that are a bit higher than the standard level of seating (example below). She has not stressed this as a major problem, I myself have just noticed this as being a minor inconvenience for her, besides at the moment it is mostly bed rest.

Example: instead of sitting on the sofa, she sits or leans up against the arm rest of the sofa or high back chair, those few inches seem to make more of a difference than one would think.

Lysa’s recovery is going very well. She still has a bit of abdominal pain from the surgery but she was advised of that before hand from her doctor and is on a medication for pain management. By looking at her
one would not think she is having any abdominal pains until she makes a face that looks as if she getting ready to do the breathing exercises they have you do to prepare for giving birth. I actually expected to see her do it, however she did not. I mentioned what it looked like and she said that was a good analogy of her waves of stomach pain comparing it to labor pains. I do not know the true extent of her pain (like her nurse stated “your pain is not my pain”) so she will give better details on that in a later post.

Lysa has been told that she needs to get up every so often and take a 10 min walk which she has been doing, which is impressive considering the fact that she is out walking in this Texas heat and humidity just days after surgery. She gets a gold star for that in “my book”.

I asked her yesterday if she would do it all over again and she stated that yes she would. It is a little early in the game for me to ask but I am that kind of person, I will ask again in a few months to see if the answer changes or has any exceptions added to it but in all truth I already know what her answer will be.

We have added a weight loss ticker above to help track her weight loss. She has a follow up visit to her doctor tomorrow, if they weigh her in tomorrow I will update it otherwise it will be updated once she weighs herself. Most women would not want to display thier weight to the world, so I have to give her another star for that.

– Note to self – When did I start this star giving thing?

Todays Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Zackie O) — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 08:30:00 -0700

I just got the call form Lysa’s husband Victor, it came in at 10:08 am CST.

As expected, the first surgery of the day was canceled due to doctor’s orders which moved Lysa to the front of the line.

The Doctor said surgery was a success, he also said she had very minimal bleeding and that she has reacted very well to the anesthesia. She will be in “recovery” for the next few hours, so no visitors until then (not even Victor). Due to the surgery and the morphine drip I do not know if she will want visitors, if so Victor will call. If I am able to speak to her today, I will update this post with a few of her own words otherwise I will post another entry when I have updates to report.

Seven Hours & Counting

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Jun 2005 21:17:00 -0700

Well, my lovely pets. This is it, just seven hours from surgery. I would like to thank all of you who have visited my blog. Your comments and well wishes have been appreciated. I am still scared, but I think a little fear now is normal and healthy.

I will be back to the site soon. In the mean time I will have my blog updated daily by my dear friend "Z".

I will give as much info as I can, as soon as I can. Please have a great weekend and send me your positive energy, whenever I cross your mind.

Thanks again and I will see you soon.

Ciao Bella

The Ledge

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Jun 2005 23:46:00 -0700

I say "the ledge" Because I feel like I'm standing on one. And I don't think it would take much to talk me down at this point. I'm still a little scared. I'm actually not afraid of dying. I'm afraid of running out of time. If that makes sense to you. I do have a lot of faith in my doctor, though. Each time I talk to him I feel a little safer. Problem is I just saw him for the last time, until we meet again in the "OR". Only three more days.

I was a little nervous about my last appointment. See, a lot of people are asked to loose a few pounds before surgery. My doctor said that in my case that was not required. But he did ask that I be real carefull not to gain any weight before my surgery date. That was nine weeks ago. I had a little panic attack about four weeks ago. Thought I would say goodbye to a few thousand calories. Well thank God I got control of my self pretty quickly. I have been very good about watching what I eat and drink for the last two weeks. But I was more than sure I had gained, like, five pounds. Glory be. I heard harps and angels singing when I got on the scale. I had only gained one pound. Dr. Pilcher was not pleased, but he said it was understandable and he was not concerned. Just more evidence to prove I have little to no self control. I pray this tool gives me some control back. I know it's not the total answer. I still have a lot of work ahead of me. This is not about just consuming too much food. More like allowing my true self to be reborn. I think that is the best way to describe it when you have spent years (15 or more, in my case) with your inside not matching your outside. It's like I became two people.

I can't tell you how many times I have been someplace fun, with friends or family. Laughing and carrying-on with no concern of what people thought of me. No feelings of judgment coming from anyone. Then outta nowhere, BLAM! A mirror. The sight of that reflection floors me every time.
I don't feel like that woman in the mirror. I don't know who she is. What I do know is that she and all the baggage she come with is living on borrowed time, baby. I'm sick of her whispering in my ear all the time. She has stolen too much of my time. My time has value and it's time to pay the tab.

This is an incredibly selfish act, I know that. The burden on my family and friends is great. But I believe this will be the best gift I could give them and myself in the long run. I am blessed to have such a supportive network of loved ones. None of you hear it enough from me but I love you.

That's it, no more gushing. I have to save my strength for tomorrow. I will be taking the dreaded "Before " picture. That will be a test in fortitude. I need to measure all my doll parts, too. So I can share with you in pounds and in inches. Thanks for listening, from the bottom of my burning nauseous pit.

Ciao Bella

Back From the Coast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 9 Jun 2005 12:48:00 -0700

Hi everyone,

Well, I have been home for a few days. It was divine. The hotel was so perfect. The sun was bright and the water was warm. There were nice breezes and breathtaking sunsets and the company was the best part.

We didn't go to the Aquarium or the USS Lexington because the weather was too humid that afternoon. We did go on the Texas Treasures Casino Cruise, that was so fun. I had never been to a casino or on a cruise ship, this was a fun introduction to both. After we had played for awhile we went up on deck to get some air. It was kinda smoky in the casino. While we were out watching the waves, we saw a large pod of dolphins. They were dark grey, some with white spots. There was even a baby with them. It saw a total of thirteen dolphins. They were chasing each other and racing. Just playing in the waves. It was so fun for me to watch them. I could have done that all night. But then they moved on, so I did to.

We spent the second day at the beach. It was a park beach. We had to pay to enter but it was so worth it. The sand was clean, no seaweed at all. There were restrooms and vending machines and lots of parking within walking distance to the sand. The sun was so bright with no hint of over cast. I got sunburned on my back, though. The only place I forgot to put sunblock. It is now peeling and itching like crazy.

After we left the beach we found a fish market by the docks. We bought three pounds of shrimp, fresh off the boat. Then Victor took a nap in the room while I went to the store to get the other stuff to prepare with the shrimp. I made a huge Boiling Pot that evening. With sausage, new potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, the shrimp and lots of butter and fresh chives. We stuffed ourselves.

Later we went down to the pool. Sat in the hot tub for a bit. And took a walk on the pier. We had a long talk there. It was so relaxing with the tide coming in and the wind blowing. I can't thank Victor enough for that trip to the coast, it was just what I needed. We both agreed to return there just as soon as we can. Maybe a little trip with the kids before the summer ends. I highly recommend Rockport to anyone looking for a Texas Coastal Town, that's not over run with drunk, twenty-something-ers.

Now, it's just seven days until surgery. Not very scared anymore. It feels kinda like the last day of school. I plan on working every night until surgery just to stay busy and tired. That way I wont get myself all worked up and nervous. I have my final office visit with Dr.Pilcher on Friday morning. So I will come back to update you then.

See ya tomorrow

Ciao

Pre-Trip Mind Dump

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 May 2005 13:18:00 -0700

Well, my trip to the coast is only two days away now. I still have so much to do. I have made a list for myself, of things I want to get done before surgery. It seems like I'm running outta time, though. I wanted to save enough money to pay all my pressing bills. That is what I was worried most about. Well, turns out that was the easiest part. Now I'm left with all these "physical" chores to do. Like, ALL the laundry, fix the vacuum cleaner, make a lot of home made chicken stock and freeze tiny little portions (for when I get home from the hospital), color my hair, get a pedicure and do all the hard to reach dusting. I know I will feel better after all this is done, but I just can't find the inspiration to do it. I also have about ten "Love Letters" to write. Oh well, it will come along.

So I have been thinking of some things I can’t wait to do. Stuff that I have not been able to do in a long time or ever, because of my size or health. Here are a few of the things I have come up with:

1. Cross my legs, not just my ankles.
2. Play kick ball in the back yard with my daughter (for more than 5-10 minutes)
3. Get a Piggy Back ride.
4. Not have to sit "sideways" in the seats at the theater (playhouse, not movies)
5. Buy pretty lingere
6. Not to "pose" for pictures (big girls know what that means)
7. Take the stairs
8. Give away all my fat clothes (and not need to replace them in 6 months)
9. Take my kids roller-skating!!! Or try ICE-skating.
10. Sit in my husbands lap for more than two minutes.
11. Not have to hear "Oh, but you have such a pretty face".
12. No more heat rash!
13. Wear an ankle bracelet or even bracelet’s for that matter.
14. No more "blind shaving" Believe me, that can be dangerous.
15. No more fighting with nightclub bathroom stalls. Really, who do they think we are, Hobbits?
16. Never shopping at Lane Bryant’s AGAIN.
17. Apply for the job I really want. And know that I can safely do the job.
18. Be in a Race For The Cure, in memory of both my Grandmothers.
19. Let my husband show me New York City at his pace and on foot.
**20. Buy a pair of Jimmy Choo's. AND WEAR THEM ALL NIGHT LONG!

Looks like a good list to me. Maybe I should get off my ass now and get some of those chores done, huh? Okay Okay. I also need to get my "before pictures" done. Another thing on the list. I will post again when I get back from the coast. Have a great week, ya'll.

Doll Has A Date

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 May 2005 23:38:00 -0700

Okay folks, I have been given my surgery date. It's gonna be June 16th. Wow, that seems real soon. I was very scared at first. I think I was overwhelmed by many emotions. But it is all settling down nicely. I feel very good about my choice of surgeon. I have been given a few UN solicited referrals about him. That makes me feel comfortable. Anyone looking into this surgery should really check out the surgeon’s history as well as the hospital.

So I'm trying to keep my mind off of bad thoughts. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t question my choice or my judgment, I just have a good knowledge of the possible complications. So sometimes if I think too long on it, I will spook myself. This is all very normal emotional, pre-surgical crap that everyone goes through.

I know, How about I tell you about my mini-vacation? Okay. Victor and I are going to the Gulf Coast for a few days, at the beginning of the month. I found this gorgeous little resort Inn. Four stars, room service, ocean view and even bathrobes. We got a two room suite. I think we will also go to the Texas State Aquarium while we are down there. The first night we will be taking a six hour Gambling Cruise. I really am looking forward to this trip. Can't wait to relax with my husband. It's been almost seven years since we took a trip together-without the kids.

When I get back home I will be starting my pre-surgery diet (phase one). I have my final appointment with my surgeon on June 10th. Then, I start phase two of my diet. The first phase is just very very low-carb, but the second phase is a liquid diet. That part will SUCK! I request your forgiveness from anyone that I offend during this time. My Blog entries may not be very, shall we say polite. I have always been a rather moody dieter. Either way, if I were you I would check back here soon. I will post an entry as soon as I get back from my sex trip, eer, um I mean the Coast. Who knows maybe the diet entries will be fun.

Take note of my Surgery date countdown above the posting section to see how many days are left, once it reaches ?? that means I am in surgery. I may add another count down to my one year mark, not sure yet tho. What do you think?

Ciao Bella

A trip to the clinic

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 May 2005 12:18:00 -0700

CPAP Nap Crap Rap

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 May 2005 12:21:00 -0700

So this is how the sleep study went.

I arrived at the designated time and place. I was the first person to be called. I was happy because I had been told that it would take about 40 minutes to hook up all the electrodes. Then I was free to do what ever I like to pass the time till "lights out". Well I had brought with me a book, one that in fact I had been waiting to read. Well, with it being around 7:30 that would leave about three hours to read my new book. I couldn’t wait to have that kind of time to myself, to read, without disruptions.

They started hooking me up to all the wires and everything was going just fine. Then they bring in the new guy, who needs to "practice". He started hooking up the wires to my head. Then un-hooking and re-hooking. All I know is that I was getting sleepy and I knew my reading time was ticking away. Once he was all done they had me lay down and test all the wires. "Look to the left. Look to the right. Hold your breath, exhale. Clinch your teeth. Flex your toes. Count to ten out loud." "Okay your all ready to go, we will come in to tell you when it is lights out." Great. I roll over and get my book. I checked the time while I was at it. ~Oh Crap~ 10:35!!!! I thought, "Well, if I start now I can at least get through the first chapter." I knew that lights out would be around 11:00.

My hand to god, I read two pages and the door opened. In came two techs. They started pulling out wires and reattaching them into this little converter box. To test the wires, they said. Seems there was a short in some of the wires but they didn't know which ones. At this point I knew I would not be reading anymore, so I just put the book away. After all was working right, again. They turned out the lights.

It was not so bad, surprisingly. But every time I moved in my sleep, I was very aware of the wires. I did manage to sleep a little though. At the end off the test. They let me sleep past the designated time. They said wake up would be at 5:30a.m. They let me sleep till 6:20. I was told that they aren’t supposed to wake you up in the middle of a REM cycle. And at 5:20 I went into a REM cycle. They figured they would just wake up the others first, and let me finish my REM cycle. But everyone else was up, unhooked and already left the building. And there I am still dreaming away. They decided, screw it! Get her up. Boy, I could not wait to get home. Just so I could take a little nap before the kids woke up. Which is exactly what I did.

Now, for those of you looking for some advice on the subject of sleep studies. This would be my bit of wisdom to you. Don't plan on being seen the morning or afternoon after a sleep study. The reason being? They glue the wires to your scalp with a combination of fluids that, when combined, become an acrylic material. They will tell you at the time that all this crap comes out. That they have stuff to use before you leave, to dissolve it. Lies, all lies. What they do is rub some "no rinse shampoo" into your scalp and send you on your way. I asked "How do I get the gunk outta my hair?" Their response was “Just shampoo as normal, it will all come out. If you do seem to have some residue, then just rub in a little baby oil. That’s all." I'll just say that I had to saturate my whole head in baby oil, all day. But when I washed my hair again that night, it did all come out. So, don’t plan on being seen by anyone the next day, unless you are going to a Hippie Commune for some strange reason, I'm sure they won’t notice the slicked-down, greaser look.

The following week I was contacted for the results. I need to get on a CPAP machine. ~Darn~ I went in to get the machine fitted. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Kinda like that mask they use in the Operating Room. You know, "Now, breathe deeply and count backwards. Starting with 100." They have different types of masks, but mine covers the nose only, some cover nose and mouth as others are just little air pillows that fit just inside your nose. It took about two weeks, I guess, to get used to it. I sleep the whole night with it on, now. It's not horrible, but I hope I won’t need it after all this weight loss. Well Princess. That, as they say, is that.

Happy Fiesta !!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Apr 2005 12:02:00 -0700

Happy Fiesta, Y'all

Not too much has been going on in the last two weeks or so. Work has been slowing down on the river walk. Not good for me money-wise. I may be outta work for a couple of weeks after my surgery, so I kinda need to earn as much as possible right now. Don’t look like that is going my way. Oh well, I'll try to find a project to keep my mind off of that.

I canceled my appointment with the shrink. After surgery my hormones will be outta control anyway. So, it's my belief that my medication dosages will have to change; I'll just wait a month or so. Besides I have a stockpile of Xanax (for emergencies of course!)

Totally off topic. We have decided to sell our house and look for another. Not a better house. Just a little bigger and in an area of town that won’t kill us with school taxes. This school tax issue is a VERY HOT button with me. I won’t even allow myself to get pissed off today, about that anyway. We are checking out some parts of town I don’t think I ever would have thought about living in. But, I was the one who pushed for this plan so I think I should be a big girl. Look at ALL the options. Not that I'm spoiled. I just have not really ever ventured too far from the "good side of town". Now I'm looking at an area that’s not scary, but it's not good. It does look like allot of progress is happening over there, so we will see.

I'm trying to plan a little weekend getaway for my husband, Victor, and myself. Nothing too great. Just a couple of days with a totally different view. Maybe to Port Aransas. He likes the idea of Austin though. He just wants to go get lit on 6th Street. I can get drunk right here in my house. I want to go put my feet in the sand, go fishing and smell salt air. I don’t have anything against Austin. It's just that, unless we go see a UT Ball game, there isn’t a whole lot to do. Except get drunk. If we go to Austin, we better stay someplace VERY DAMN nice. We both really need to feel like we went away for three days. Not just partied for two days and then slept it off in a hotel room. It will be a chance to get a little relaxation before all the surgery stuff starts to get real REAL.

Well, on that note I'm off to go to work. Hope to see you soon. I'll eat some great Fiesta Street Food for ya! While I still can. Mmmmm...Gorditas, Helotes, Maria's Tortillas and Churros.

Love to you all

Five Months Gone

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Apr 2005 12:22:00 -0700

Well, let me start from the beginning.

I sometimes would see those medical shows on TV. Some dealing with plastic surgery, others with gastric bypass. Either surgery could elicit the same response from me. "Not me! No way! Never!” Never say never. I am eating those words now.

I began by contacting a Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) Clinic. I was asked to register to attend a seminar. I registered for the November 19th seminar. I was also told to fill out the papers that would be arriving in the mail. I would be asked to turn them in at the seminar. So, I waited for my paperwork. Got that about three weeks before the seminar. It was allot of papers. The instruction sheet asked that I answer all questions quickly and honestly. It also suggested that this could take an average of two and half hours to complete." Good God, I don’t think I'm retarded. It's only 35 questions. How many hours?" So what did I do with it? Dropped it on the counter with a curse.

Fast forward to November 18th. It's about ten o'clock P.M. Husband is asleep, kids are asleep. Where do you think I am? Searching through about three weeks on junk mail, coupons, misplaced notes, receipts and candy wrappers. Finally I find it! AHAH! My blank questionnaire. I sat down to fill it out. I was impressed by most of the questions. They really made me dig for some tough little nuggets of truth. Mostly about eating habits and lifestyle. I think it was designed to separate people who make bad choices and have developed bad habits, from those who truly have emotional and mental issues. But being the clever neurotic that I am, I overanalyzed the damn thing until the very end. Guess what? It took me a little over three hours to complete it. So off I go to the seminar with my little folder of papers. The Seminar was very long. Seven hours. Dr.Reis gave the class portion. Slide show was a little repetitive, but the point is that if you walk out of there not knowing what’s going to happen, it's not their fault. After the class and slide show we got to meet two post-op patients. One was three years out and the other was about eleven months out. It was very impressive to SEE the results of the WLS. More impressive, to me, was to hear from these two people how this event had changed so much of their lives which is much more than just how much they now eat. (I hope I will be able to tell you about all the changes in my life soon.) After the formal question and answer session with the two guests, the staff begun calling us one by one to get weighed and collect all the paperwork to begin filing letters of approval with the insurance companies. That was when I first learned that my doctor was out of network, and I was likely to have to pay the surgeons fees (six thousand dollars) upfront, they could not bill my insurance company because they did not have a contract with them. Quite discouraged, I filled out all my paper work with the thought of coming up with six thousand dollars. A night working mother of two, six thousand dollars was about what I brought in for this past year of 2004. My plan was to just send out the letter of approval and just see what happens. By this time Thanksgiving was rolling around and we all know what this time of year is like. Thanksgiving plans, Christmas plans and don't forget New years. We, my husband and I decided to go to California for Christmas to visit my mother and stepfather. I called the 800 # about a week after the letter was sent out; just to make sure they got it in the mail. (The more you call the more they keep on track) They told me they received it on Dec. 23, 2004 so I decided to just let them do what they do and I would go on my trip and not worry too much about it. Before arriving I brought up the surgery to my mother in hopes of help with the six thousand dollars. No luck there instead, I got a bow flex that I am to out of breath to use till after my surgery. The Bow Flex is a dust collector at the moment but after the surgery I plan on putting that thing to good use. When I got back home I decided to give them a call back to see if there was a verdict. Get this, now they said “They have no record of my case yet and asked what department the letter was sent to." I checked then told them it was sent to the pre-determination department, which turns out to be the wrong place to send it to. So, they sat on the letter for THIRTY days before forwarding to the correct department.

It is January 2005 by this time, the letter is in the right place but now they are swamped and I was basically told it could take another thirty days for a human to get to it. So, I wait but my mind is cranking like clockwork. An idea, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. With that idea ticking in my head I call them every Monday to remind them I am still waiting. At one point, I did get someone on the phone who gave me allot of info about my policy (Note: write down names, dates and take notes when talking for back up references) she said that she saw no reason that it would be denied, and advised me to just be patient. Another call - I called again and I mentioned that my surgeon was out of network. The guy told me about a GAP, which is more paperwork but could get the surgeon approved at In network rates. I thought that meant that my doctor’s office would then bill my insurance company directly. Anyone want to take a venture at how long the Gap paperwork would take? Yeah! Another thirty days! After three weeks, I got tired of waiting so I decided to call them 2-3 times a week until I started calling them every other day. My approvals started coming in pretty fast after that. After all this I contacted my doctor’s office to see if they had received the approval letters from the insurance company. Here is where my pathetic true nature rears its ugly knappy head. I was told all my paperwork was in and in order, but since they still aren't under contract with my insurance company I would still have to pay the six thousand up front. But I got the GAP approval !?! Turns out that dose not matter till I get reimbursed by my insurance company. We set up an appointment anyway, just in case I could come up with the money.

~Wow~ Crushed dose not even come close to describing what I was feeling at this point. I wrote down the appointment time and date, then slide down to the kitchen floor. It was a scene straight out of a soap opera, four months of worry and stress invested into this ordeal. I was asking myself how I could be so stupid as to think I could do this for myself, and how the cosmos would find me worthy of anything that would help me be the person I felt I was on the inside. It is now about ten Am that morning and I was feeling pretty low so despite the early morning hour I started drinking to drown my sorrows. At least I knew I could be successful at that (since I rarely drink anymore I knew I would be smashed in no time) and I was. I was a raging drunk (in full make up and hair) by one thirty pm, passed out by three. After I hit bottom, it was time for me to find my way back to the surface. I needed air. Victor, my husband was my air that night. When I awoke later that evening he helped me plan a way to come up with the money needed and also bought me some really good Chinese food while I was sleeping.

I finally made it to my appointment, March 23 2005. I was so anxious I hardly slept a wink the night before. The entire day was meeting nurses, more paperwork, meeting the dietician and finally meeting my surgeon. I can not describe how much I like my surgeon, even though at first glance I thought him to look like Jeffery Dahmer. Later I rectified that mental image by decided that he looked like Niles Crane, but better looking. He got my jokes to, that is important to me for I have an offbeat type of humor which some can misconstrue.

Now I am given a pre-surgery checklist which is normal for this type of surgery. The check list consisted of a Gallbladder ultrasound (done that say), a Psych evaluation (done on the first- Totally sane- boy, is that test easy to fool), a Pap smear (done on the fourth – results pending- to be faxed to doctors office), a Pulmonary Evaluation (done today- got the go ahead – waiting to be faxed also). The only thing left for me is to meet the new Shrink to get my Med’s updated for my anxiety disorders and I also need to have the Sleep Study which should be on the twenty sixth. By the end of April, all of my office visits should be complete and then I will be awaiting my surgery date.

Allot can happen between now and then so I will keep you posted.

Ciao