Before Pics and Stats

Highest weight: 296
Weight before preop diet: 290
Weight after preop diet: 277
(weight in before pics: 286)

Home and healing

So the surgery went well. I had it 8 am on the 24th and they finished around 10:30am. The hospital had crazy high census so it was around 6 pm  before I ever got put into a room. *i did not mind b/c I had a pain pump and amazing nurses in PACU that loved on me. 
I had a lot of visitors and well wishes on here and facebook, thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
I'll go into detail of what all happened later, but for now I must get off of here. I'm starting to get pretty sore in my belly (i've got 6 small incisions and a drainage tube)

Love you all

Tomorrow is the big day!!

So the grand total of weight lost on the preop diet was 9 lbs!! (yippee!)
Around 12 pm today i must start my bowel prep which consists of the following:
-1 bottle Mag citrate
-4 dulcolax with 8 oz water
-1 bottle of Miralax in 32 oz of gatorade
-Another bottle Mag citrate *if poo isn't clear*
**No red/purple/blue jello/gatorade**

Of course it's clear liquids until midnight, then NPO. I'm thinking I'll set my alarm for 3 am so I can hop in the shower (using my dial soap bodywash as instructed by surgery)
Have to check in at 5 am, I think surgery is around 7 or 8 am.
Wow...I still need to pack my bag...lol  I'm trying not to get overwhelmed...b/c let's face it....this is major surgery and nothing I've experienced before. I guess the unknown is always a little scary.
Anyhow, I thank you for all of the support over the past year. This is been a long journey to this point...but now it's time for the next chapter.
Please keep me in your prayers and I will definitely update as soon as I can get to a computer.

Oh yeah, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!!

Preop diet day # 5

So far on this preop diet I've lost a total of 7 lbs! *no doubt due to the very small amount of calories I've been taking in the past 5 days*
On the nights I work, I make a protein shake with skim milk before I go to work. I pack with me 2-snack size low fat cottage cheese, 1-sugar free jello (lime/orange), 1-low fat yogurt, 1-sugar free jello pudding and some type of broth. As far as fluids are concerned, I've been drinking unsweetened tea, water and coffee with skim milk and a splenda.
The first few days were rough, I mean...I had a bad headache, random muscles were twitching all over my body...not to mention fatigue.
As of right now, however, I feel great! I've been researching some different protein shake recipes and have found a bunch of delicious recipes! Over the past few months, I've been stocking up on different sugar free syrups, protein powders and just recently purchased some chewable vitamins specifically for post bariatric surgery. (calcium citrate, B-12, Multi vitamin etc)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Also, I'm going to try a ready made protein shake:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm trying the assorted pack which consists of: Soothing Chai, Italian Cappuccino and Mocha Latte.

 

SURGERY COUNTDOWN: 1-WEEK!!

Day # 2 Preop diet

 God is good (as always) and has blessed me to get to day #2 with this preop diet successfully.

Aside from having limited options and a pretty large headache, I think it's going well!

One thing that has helped me is working (keeping busy)...not having time to think about it.

Only 8 more days of this!

SURGERY COUNTDOWN:  1 Week and 3 days!!

I am now pre-admitted!

This morning I arrived at the hospital for my pre-admission tests around 8-ish. Let's see....first I had to give a urine sample *which was hard after being NPO after midnight* but thank God I still had some in me lol

Then I had ELEVEN vials of blood taken *yes...eleven*and a nasal swab. BTW the girl that took my blood did fabulously! Not even a bruise on my hand!

Next I had an EKG, which was all happy and normal. I then had a chest x-ray.

Last but not least, I saw the pre-admission nurse. We talked about my medical history, the many medicines I take and what to expect the morning of surgery. I also signed a few papers for emergency contact info etc.

I must say that God truly blessed me with some awesome Christian 'kindred spirits' to talk with today at the hospital. I just love how God puts people in your path that share the same love and awe for Him.

Surgery Countdown: 2 WEEKS!!

Excited because.....

surgery in 2 weeks and 1 day!


I can't believe how quickly it's approaching!

I'm NPO after midnight for my tests tomorrow @ 8:30am

*squeals*

Will update more tomorrow

Got my packet in the mail yesterday

So yesterday was a little crazy, thus why I am just now updating.

Anyhow, so I finally received my WLS packet from the surgeon's office. The packet contains the following:

-Prescription for Emend (must take pill 48 hours before surgery) supposedly taking this one pill will keep me from being nauseated for 48 hours.


-Orders for pre-admit which will be next Tuesday, Nov 10th.
EKG & Chest X-ray *to make sure my heart and lungs are okay*


Labs (like around 8 or 9 different labs) *test blood levels for iron/calcium etc*

-Instructions for the 10 day (not 11 day) preop diet (Full liquid diet) **see post below**

-Instructions for the bowel prep the day before surgery
(let's just say that Miralax, Dulcolax and Mag Citrate will be my dearest friends for the whole day.....as well as the toilet)


**SURGERY COUNT DOWN: 2 -Weeks and 5 -Days!!***

Also, I received some crappy news that my awesome primary care doctor has left her group....so now I get to look for another doctor...AGAIN. Sheesh...2 doctors in one year...that's too much. I will miss Dr M so very much.
Although I enjoyed seeing the nurse practitioner *back when I thought I was having gallbladder attack*, the problem is that my insurance does not cover her for a care provider. (prayers please that I find a new and awesome doctor)

Anyhow, I must stay awake for a few more hours...working 4 nights in a row starting this evening.

Update

This is gonna be a quickie update.

Called the surgeon's office today to speak with whoever is in charge of filling out the FMLA paperwork. As it turns out, the surgeon's nurse is the one who fills out the paperwork. The catch is that she only fills them out on Friday's. She offered to fax the paperwork to my H.R. department at work, so I would not have to drive 30 minutes to pick up the paperwork. Well, knowing my bad fortune with paperwork...I think I will risk driving the 30 minutes to pick up the paperwork. (that's just me)

So tomorrow, I will be driving to J.C. to drop off my FMLA paperwork at the surgeon's office.

I don't go back to work until Thursday night. I then work Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights as well.

WOW, only 3 weeks and 1 day until surgery!

Can't sleep (thanks night shift!)

I woke up about 30-ish minutes ago and for some reason cannot go back to sleep. My guess is that it's due to working 4-night shifts at work last week.
Don't get me wrong, i LOVE night shift...it's just that I may have to work days for the next few weeks and I hate getting my sleep schedule off.


Anyhow, I officially have my surgery date which is Tue, Nov 24th...it will either be 5 am or 7 am surgery. The surgery scheduler called and informed me that I will be recieving a packet full of information concerning surgery. There is a lot of pre-op things I must get finished before the 24th (i.e. chest x-ray, blood work, ekg etc)
Starting the 12th of this month, I will be on a mostly liquid diet for 11 days prior to surgery. The reason for the preop diet is to help shrink the liver so the Dr can maneuver with the laparoscope better, as well as deplete glycogen storage to aid in better weight loss. The following are the guidelines for the preop diet:

Pre-op Diet
Here are examples of liquids you can have during this time period. The
nutritional guidelines are as follows:

Consume these liquids in moderation, they contain larger amounts of sugar.
1. 100% Juice, Gatorade®, or Powerade® - limit to 2 cups or less each day. (Try
to choose juices lower in sugar such as apple, orange, or grapefruit)

2. Regular Jello®, popsicles, or no-sugar-added fudgesicles – 3 or less each day.

3. 1 cup of milk (skim, 1%, Lactaid®, or 2%) or 8 oz. Light Yogurt (Dannon
Light®, Yoplait Light®, or Colombo Light®) or _ cup cottage cheese – 3
servings or less each day.

4. High protein supplement that is low-sugar, low-carb, high protein. 1-2 a day.
(See list in Diet Section of the Weight Loss Surgery Booklet provided by your
surgeon’s office). DO NOT BUY: Slim Fast®, Ensure®, Boost® etc.

These liquids can be taken in any amount since they do not contain sugar.
1. Sugar-free beverages such as Crystal Light®, Wyler’s Light®, Sugar-free Kool-
Aid® or Sugar-free Tang®, Diet Snapple®, Fruit2-0®, Propel®, coffee or tea
with sugar substitute or water.

2. Broth soups (all varieties)

3. Sugar-free popsicles and sugar-free Jello®

(They also have special guidelines for diabetics as well)


So yeah...until I get my packet all I can do is wait, pray and stay busy! As of now surgery is in T-minus 3 weeks and 2 days.