weight loss surgery Archives ~ My Gastric Bypass Story

November 25, 2017

Carnie Wilson undergoes Lap-band Surgery after RNY Gastric Bypass

Have you read the news? Carnie Wilson goes under the knife again after regaining weight after RNY Gastric Bypass and goes for Lap-band Surgery.

Why are people making such a big deal about this? Carnie Wilson had RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery back in 1999 when she weighed in at over 300 pounds. She had lost over 150 pounds after surgery, but unfortunately gained a lot of it back over 12 years. If you struggle with your weight and have had or not had Gastric Bypass you know all to well it is a daily fight.

I think people forget to realize Gastric Bypass Surgery is not a fix all. It is not a magic surgery that once you have it you will be skinny forever. It is just a tool to assist those of us who need it.

Many people who have Gastric Bypass Surgery run the risk of gaining the weight back over time – those old habits creep back up on us and your stomach stretches back out. This is not uncommon at all. I pray that I am not one of those who regain the weight back, but you never know – it is hard with or without surgery.

The only difference between Carnie’s story and ours is that she is in the news because she is a celebrity. Personally I would hate to have all my business all over the news etc.. That in itself would make me eat. Can you imagine what it is like to have your image picked apart every time you go in public and cameras flashing as pictures are taken of you from every angle? Ok sometimes I do dream I have my own paparazzi following me, but you know what I am saying. That has to be pressure to the MAX !!

I feel for Carnie and can relate – why? because I am just like her without all the fame and fortune of course. I do not think she should be criticized for her decisions to undergo another Weight Loss Surgery. I give her props for making the choice to be healthy again and hope she will do great with the surgery and not make the same mistakes as she did the first time around. Food is EVIL.

There have been many celebrities who have undergone Gastric Bypass Surgery and other Weight Loss Surgeries who have also struggled, but their hardships are just plastered all over the place.

Here are some of the other Celebrities that have had Weight Loss Surgery:

Star Jones – Gastric Bypass in 2003
Roseanne Barr – Gastric Bypass Surgery in 1998
Anna Rice – Gastric Bypass in 2003
Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein – Gastric Bypass in 2003
Al Roker – Gastric Bypass in 2002
Sharron Osbourne – Lap-band in 1999
Randy Jackson – Gastric Bypass in 2008

Drew Carey and Aretha Franklin still deny having undergone any Weight Loss Surgery, but it is just suspicious with their quick weight losses. Maybe they just do not want to admit to it yet or they really did it without – hmmmm????

Good Luck Carnie on your new journey !! You can do it !!

Let me know what you think – leave a comment below…

November 24, 2017

Be careful of Information Overload it can really make your head spin

There is nothing wrong with doing a little research online about your Gastric Bypass Surgery, BUT be careful because you may get Information Overload. That is about the time confusion sets in and you start to question a lot of things.

Now you all know I have had my surgery already and prior to which I did a lot of reading to educate myself on my decision. I spent countless hours reading others blogs (like mine) and watching videos blogs etc… I also wrote a post recently on Gastric Bypass Horror Stories because I looked into all of those as well.

Even though I am living my journey now I still follow others and continue to read. It is comforting to have the support of others who are going through the same thing you are. I also started this blog to help others who may be contemplating the decision or have started the journey too. My goal is to help others just like those who helped me with documenting the ride.

Recently I have joined a couple forums called The ThinnerTimesForum and ObiesityHelpForum which are full of others who have been through or will be going through Gastric Bypass Surgery, Lap-Bad Surgery, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy etc.. It is a great community of people at all stages of their Weight Loss Surgery. I find it full or information, BUT after being there and reading I find I now have Information Overload and a bit of confusion.

I find it crazy when I read there or pretty much any where how every Weight Loss Surgery Surgeon has a completely different list of guidelines and diet plans coming out of surgery. I mean they can really differ BIG time from each other. The other thing is the guidelines to what Vitamins we should all be taking after surgery. This is where I have been the most confused.

I have read that the Flintstones Gummy Vitamins I am taking (per my Surgeon) are not enough and some of the others I take are also lacking. Why would my Surgeon steer me wrong? I am not sure he has, but it is now in my head that I am not taking enough or the proper vitamins. I will talk to my Surgeon about that, but that is just one of the subjects that is making me say “hmmmm???”.

I am starting to think at some of these forums it is like there are too many cooks in the kitchen sorta speak. While I will still go to them to read and help others I have to tell myself that I have to stick to what my surgeon has given me, BUT I can bring up some questions this reading has told me. I think it is so important to follow the guidelines of your own doctors and if you read something that has you questioning them – then talk to them. That is what I do.

While I love the fact that if you have a question you can go to a forum and ask it and get answers from so many who have been there – just when it comes to the real medical stuff use caution because they are not doctors. I stopped reading about the Vitamins because I was getting a real headache about it and will continue taking what I have, but I definitely will bring it up at my next appointment.

And as I always say – everybody’s story and journey will be different, similar, but different. Always keep that in the back of your mind. That is why my blog is titled MY Gastric Bypass Story. I can only share what I am going through and I NEVER try to give any medical advice, just sayin’

November 23, 2017

Depression after Gastric Bypass Surgery – it happens

If you have had or are thinking of getting Gastric Bypass Surgery make sure you know the signs of depression. Depression following Gastric Bypass is very common and I have already had a bout of it myself.

Just let me start by saying I am no doctor, but I do know a lot about depression and I have also done my research on the subject. I have suffered from depression most of my life and have been treated for it via medication for years along with seeing a psychologist from time to time. It is not a fun feeling at all. It truly sucks to be quite honest and you feel like crappola !!

I have been on 40 mg of Celexa for years now after trying many different medications to find what works for me. I also have anxiety as well. I know a true mess I am right? The medication does a great job of keeping me in check, but it is NOT a cure all either.

Here are some of the Symptoms of Depression:

Emotional Symptoms

constant sadness
irritability
hopelessness
feeling worthless or guilty for no reason
loss of interest in favorite activities

Physical Symptoms

trouble sleeping
low energy or fatigue
significant weight change
difficulty concentrating

Well I have had my depression under control for the most part, but after I had my Gastric Bypass Surgery I had those horrible feelings come back and hit me hard. It hit me about week 2 post op and lasted a couple weeks. I felt miserable and just laid around the house, in bed and had no energy or motivation to do anything. I was confused thinking why am I feeling this way, I should feel great I was losing weight and having no complications with the surgery or anything. No matter how hard I tried to shake it, it just would not let go.

So I started doing some research online to see if this was something that occurred after Gastric Bypass Surgery. Well guess what? YES it is and it is not uncommon at all. Here are some of the things I had read:

Research has shown that low calorie diets may cause depression, and a low-calorie diet can increase the symptoms in already diagnosed depressive people (that’s me !!). The diet following gastric bypass surgery is so low in calories that depression often follows the procedure – but patients rarely recognize the cause. Depression can be caused by inadequate levels of mood stabilizing chemicals such as serotonin, nor-epinephrine, and dopamine. These brain chemicals can be altered by nutritional deficiencies and the physical stress of recovering from a major surgery.

Another reason is if you are a comfort eater like myself – well that goes out the window. Food can no longer comfort you like it did prior to the surgery. It is like you are breaking up with your best friend. Your vice is now gone. For me I had also given up smoking so now I had nothing to fall back on. I was losing my mind for a bit there – literally !!

When I had my first post op appointment with my surgeon I talked to him about it. He said Gastric Bypass causes so many changes in one’s life and it is hard to grasp it all at once. Everything changes – your self image, eating habits, relationships and even the way your body absorbs medication. Which was funny because I was feeling like I stopped taking my medication all together even though I did not.

Depression is serious and should not be overlooked – people even commit suicide from it. I am glad to say that I have never gotten that bad, but many do. Everyone should know the warning signs and not ignore it. Research also shows that people who suffer from depression after Gastric Bypass will replace one compulsive habit, such as overeating with another bad habit such as drinking or gambling. They call it “Addiction Transfer”. That can also be very scary and deadly depending on what habit one chooses. I also read that experts agree that gastric bypass does not cause addiction, rather if someone has an addiction prior to the surgery that it is likely they will have one after, although a different one. I read that and think to myself – Oh Great just what I need.

If some people think that having Gastric Bypass is a Quick Fix – It is not at all. It is a rollercoaster of ups and downs and I just started the ride myself. I say to just be educated on every aspect going in and you should do just fine. Know what may occur and be prepared. Depression is so common and trust me is sucks big time !! If you feel you have symptoms of depression don’t wait – talk to your doctor there is help.

So how am I coping? Well I will tell ya that I am feeling much better. At about week 4ish post op I started feeling more like myself again almost overnite. BUT I do have a horrible confession to make and I am not happy about it at all. My family when they read this is gonna have my head on a chopping board, but I told myself when writing this blog that I was going to be honest about everything. So here it goes…. I have picked up cigarettes again.

I am so stupid and now I will have to quit all over again, but I fell into the “Addiction Transfer” as I spoke about above. I do not think that the cigarettes made the depression go away, but it definitely helped with some of my sanity. BUT by doing so I have put myself in risk for other issues such as ulcers if I continue. Smoking after Gastric Bypass is not a good thing to do at all and I know that. I started taking Omeprazole which is a generic Prilosec to help coat my stomach and help prevent any issues. Bottom line is that I have to quit yet again. I know it does not matter, but I am only have a few a day just to take the edge off. Yes I will stand up and say it “I am Nicole and I am an ASS”.

I do know that the depression can come back at anytime and if it does I will see my doctor about changing my meds or even see a psychologist. At this time I feel it is under control, well besides my addiction transfer, but I will work on that too and keep you updated on my progress. I am not perfect by any means and this road is not easy, but I am on it and that is all that matters right? even if I hit some road blocks along the way.

November 23, 2017

My first Nutrition Appt since my Surgery

Here I am at the start of week 6 and I finally got to see my Nutritionist. I was very excited for this visit and had my food diary in hand along with my list of questions. I was hopeful she could shed some light on why I did not lose at my 5 week weigh in.

I was really hoping that when I stepped on the scale in the office I would have at least lost 1 pound or even a 1/2 pound, but NOPE-NADA. Even their scale showed no loss since last week – URGH – really???

So there I am in with my Nutritionist Amanda – she is so pretty right? Anyway I was excited to get down to business and see if she had any insight or if I was missing something. So of course that was my first question – Why? She told me it is not abnormal for this to happen even this early on. My body is in shock and adjusting. I did just lose 19 pounds in a month which is pretty good even if I was expecting more.

She also said there will be many stalls and plateaus on my journey – it is just what happens. I have accepted it and will move on and not stress over it. I will hope to see some changes next Monday on my weigh in day and if I do not then I will panic like a crazy lady and maybe stalk my surgeon (lol).

I had her skim through my food diary to see if there may be any red flags and she said it looked good. She told me at this point in time I should be eating about 3/4 Cup of food at a sitting. I should also not be taking in more than 800 calories and about 250 per meal (I know I am under that at this point). Sugar content in a food should be less than 10 grams per serving and more than 15 is bad (I have not had anything really with much Sugar content – scares me).

I had a bunch of other questions about foods and if I was able to eat them now and if it was OK. I was excited that she told me I could have fruit – I knew I could have canned fruit in natural juices, but eating the real thing like an Apple, Peach or Nectarine was very exciting. I LOVE fruit and with summer not to far off I am excited for all the summer fruits which are my favs. So on the way home I picked up a couple nectarines at the store – I hope they taste good even though they are not in season.

I also asked about Peanut Butter and Jelly – I like myself a good PB&J every now and then. I can have Peanut Butter, but not too much of course and she said to look for the Sugar Free Jelly. I did stop at the store on my way home and I picked up a Natural Jelly that has no High Fructose Corn Syrup and only natural sugars.

We also talked about breads and being I am a starch baby and miss my bagels she suggested the Thins. OK so its not my New York Bagel, but if I had a craving that would work for me if I needed it. I did pick up some Sandwich Thins to try out – they are very thin and I thought they would be great for a PB&J or my Chicken Sandwiches to change things up.

I did touch base with her on her thoughts about Artificial Sugars and them causing you not to lose weight as I talk about in my recent post HERE. She did say that she had known that they can cause you to crave sweets and that is what can cause weight gain, BUT she was not very aware of the things I had read about them. Regardless I have cut out the Light 4C Ice Tea and switched to plain water – it can’t hurt right?

OH and I cannot forget that I had told her that after I eat sometimes I will get very cold. So cold I need to go under blankets and I shiver. I was surprised that she said this was a form of “Dumping”. So here I thought I had escaped the wrath of Dumping Syndrome and even though I have not gotten the severe dumping where I feel like I am gonna die, I do seem to get another form. When I think back to when this happened to me each time I had a bit too much to eat at one sitting. I am happy to have not gotten the “I wanna Die Dumping” because the feeling of being cold is easily helped with blankets. I hope that is the only dumping I will ever have, but again time will tell and I may not have had a food yet that has truly disagreed with me – like sugars. Fingers, Eye, Toes and Legs are crossed that I can escape it.

So I got my list of questions answered and was excited for some of the new foods she told me to try out and add in. She also assured me again that my stall was not abnormal and not to dwell on it. So I will continue doing what I am doing and I should see the weight loss pick up again. If it does not I am to contact the office and as my hubby said I may need to go in for service (lol). So here is to hoping for a good loss come my next weigh in day !!

I will meet with Amanda again at my 3 month anniversary and of course she is always available for me if I need her sooner.

I am so lucky to have such a great medical staff behind me !!!

Thanks Amanda for making me feel a bit better about my weight loss stall – I will not stress out about it – for now.

November 23, 2017

My fifth week after Gastric Bypass

Week 5 seemed so much better for me and I had a bit more normalcy being able to eat regular food this week. We also had a few warm days so I was able to get outside and feel the sun rays – hopefully winter will be over soon.

The things that I enjoyed the most this week was being able to sit down to dinner with hubby and the kids and actually eat what they were having. The kids really liked that as well.

I am also happy to report that those feelings of depression that were so bad seem to have lifted up quite a bit this week. Almost overnite I started to feel a bit better. Maybe it was the sun coming out more and knowing Spring is right around the corner – who the heck knows, but I am happy to be feeling happier !!

Here is what I ate so you can see each day for the fifth week:

(I am not gonna add the times on – just the order in which I ate)

February 21st

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
Piece of Yogurt Cheese
A Slice of Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion Quiche
Handful of Goldfish Crackers (stole from daughter)
A Slice of Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion Quiche
SF Ice Pop

Today I chilled with my daughter and caught up on some of the Twilight Movies. She was not feeling well all weekend running a fever and stuff. I got her favorite snack to make her feel better – Goldfish Crackers and I was jealous so I took a handful and let me tell ya they were so good. The salt left on my lips afterwards was priceless. Yes I like salt. I also cooked up a Quiche today and you can find the recipe here: Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion Quiche. It is yummy and as you can see I ate it twice today.

February 21st

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins
3/4 cupish Sir Fry with LoMein Noodles, Shrimps and Veggies
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins

Today was the day that I had my first Post Op Appointment with my surgeon. I was officially released to unrestricted food with caution of course. The Wheat Thins were a craving after seeing the nurse in my surgeons office eating them. Then the one things I was dying to have was a sandwich on a piece of bread – so missed bread !! So I made one using Deli Sliced Dietz & Watson Chicken (so yummy) and I had that on 1 slice of Whole Wheat Bread – now I did not cheese out on the Mayo – I used the real deal. Sometimes some things are not worth cheesing on and for me Mayo is one of them. Now don’t get me wrong I do have Low Fat Mayo in the house that I use with other things, but I my little sandwich I wanted the real stuff for flavor. I added some Salt & Pepper and my tiny sandwich was dreamy !! And yes I had lots of Wheat Thins this day – I was addicted and if you read my post HERE you will understand why.

February 22nd

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1 Whole Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper (Rut Roh)
A Slice of Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion Quiche
Ham Steak, Broccoli & Pasta Roni (small side of Natural Applesauce for dipping)
SF Ice Pop
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins

OK lets start by talking about that whole sandwich I consumed. Yesterday I had a 1/2 sandwich and felt like I wanted more because it was so good – so today I made myself a whole one. NOT a good idea – this was the first time I really pushed myself and ate more than I should. After I ate it I got really cold and went under 2 blankets – laid down and fell asleep for 2 hours. Form what I know now that cold feeling I had is a form of dumping. I did not have any other symptoms just the cold and I think the reason is that I ate too much.

I also went outside today because it was sunny and kinda warm. I helped stack wood and clean the garage a bit. It felt so good to be outside and what a mood changer it was. The sun can do marvelous things ya know !!

Tonight I had dinner with the family and decided to eat what they were having which was Ham Steak, Broccoli and Pasta Roni. I plated my small portion on a dessert plate vs a regular plate. I cut up my ham in tiny pieces and started with that first. Protein first is important. I also used Natural Applesauce for dipping (I am a dipper). The I had some Broccoli and after that I had a few bites of Pasta Roni. By the time I got to the Pasta Roni I was almost full and after a couple bites I could feel it not wanted to go down – so at that point as much as my brain was telling me to finish what was on my plate – I did not. It was a proud moment for me to walk away – just sayin’

February 23rd

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
A Slice of Crustless Spinach, Feta and Onion Quiche
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
Handful of Low Fat Cheese Its
Small piece of Flounder with Tarter Sauce

Had me another Chicken Sandwich – I am hooked, but notice I only had 1/2 today !! I was also excited to have some fish – I love fish, but I still had to have a small amount of Tarter Sauce on the side for dipping. As I have stated above – I am a dipper !!

February 24th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
3/4 cupish Low Fat Corned Beef Hash
SF Ice Pop
1 Sugar Free Tastycake Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcake
3/4 Burritto – Ground Turkey, Refried Beans, Low Fat Sour Cream, Guacamole & Salsa in a Tortilla
1/2 Slice Muenster Cheese

Today I had a headache and my back was hurting probably from over doing it the other day outside. So I took a Tylenol 3 and took it easy. IT was also really rainy and gross out today which was a bummer after such a nice couple of days – what a tease that was. It was Taco Night for dinner and I was happy to join in. Usually I eat the crunchy Taco Shells, but we left those out beacuse I was not sure they would be a good idea for me – so we just used the Soft Tortilla Shells. So I made mine with a small amount of what I listed above and peeled off any excess shell. I was able to eat about 3/4 of it and was full. It was so good and so very hard to not finish it I must say, but I listened to my body and stopped. Taco night is a favorite in my house and to think that I used to easily down 6 Crunchy Tacos to just 3/4 of a Burrito amazes me.

February 25th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
Bite of my son’s omelet
1/2 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge
Handful of Low Fat Cheese Its
Salad – Lettuce, Tomato, Feta Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
3/4 cupish Shrimp with Lobster Sauce over White Rice
2 SF Ice Pops

Today was very exciting for me – I had my 1st Salad in months. I LOVE Salad. We had some left over lettuce and tomato already cut up from Taco Night so I could not help but eat some. I topped it with a bunch of Feta Cheese for protein and it was amazing. It was Iceburg lettuce, but that is ok for now – next time I will have more nutritious greens. I just craved a salad and it was there ready to go. For dinner hubby and my son ordered Chinese Food and I wanted some too. So instead of my usual Garlic Chicken I decided to order Shrimp with Lobster Sauce. I did not think the Garlic Chicken would be a good idea at this point. I was nervous about the White Rice, but I said what the heck. So I took a small portion and placed it into a bowl so I would not over eat and it was sooo good. I did not have any reaction to the rice. I was however thirsty later as I always am after Chinese Food (next time I will ask for no MSG) so I had 2 SF Ice Pops to cure that while I watched TV.

February 26th (my dad’s 75th Birthday ♥ !!)

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
Handful of Low Fat Cheese Its
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
2 Pieces of Popcorn Chicken (stole from daughter)
Handful of Peanuts
1 Small Chicken Cutlet, Peas Scalloped 3 Cheese Potatoes and Light Honey Mustard for dipping
Salad – Lettuce, Tomato, Feta Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
SF Ice Pop

So while shopping at Walmart today my daughter got a cup of Popcorn Chicken. I stole 2 pieces !! For dinner hubby made Chicken Cutlets (Breaded & Fried). I had 1 small Chicken Cutlet which I dipped into Light Honey Mustard (that is me the dipper), some Peas (canned) and a few bites of Scalloped 3 Cheese Potatoes. I handled it very well, thank godness. Later that night while watching TV I craved a Salad again and I still had some lettuce and tomato left so I made another one and enjoyed it while watching TV. Later I followed it up with a SF Ice Pop.

So this was a good week I must say. My depression seemed much better and being unrestricted with my food may have helped as well. I did eat a lot of Chicken Sandwiches this week, but I go in spurts with everything. One week I may be in love with a certain food and eat it everyday and then the following week I am over it.

I was so excited to have a couple salads – I really missed that so much. I cannot wait until Spring when all our local Veggie Stands get filled up – I am so there. I love home grown produce, but have failed at my own veggie gardens over the years – a bit of laziness I guess. I will do my Topsy Turvys again though – those are pretty easy.

I look forward to adding in more new foods and hopefully I will continue to avoid the harsh “Dumping” so many experience with certain things.

So I had my Week 5 weigh in and I was shocked – you can read my post all about it here:

5 Week weigh in and no weight loss – WTF?

As you can read in the title I had 0 weight loss – how crazy is that? You just read what I ate the whole week. Read the post and learn why I think it may have happened.

Stay Tuned for my post about meeting with my Nutritionist…

November 22, 2017November 22, 2017

My third week after Gastric Bypass

Boy the time is going by fast – can you believe I am 3 weeks post op now? It is just crazy to think about. Well everything is going good and I am going to share with you what I ate all week.

Nothing really eventful took place this week that I can think of. I am still on the pureed foods although I have tried some not pureed foods this week. I am getting daring with trying some things and even though I am not suppose to until after the I see my surgeon on the 21st – I see no harm. I am such a rebel – lol

Don’t be alarmed I am not eating Potato Chips, French Fries and Cheeseburgers – everything I have tried is within the guidelines. It is just not pureed is all – so no need to panic. Every doctor has different requirements and some let their Gastric Bypass patients go to regular foods after 1 week. I am not going that far just yet, but I am trying some soft foods early.

Here is what I ate so you can see each day for the third week:

(I am not gonna add the times on – just the order in which I ate)

February 6th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
Egg Salad
1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge
1/2 Cup Mashed Potatoes with Low Fat Chicken Gravy
1/2 Cup Refried Beans with Low Fat Sour Cream
2 SF Ice Pops
1/2 Cup Refried Beans with Low Fat Sour Cream

So as you can see I eat a lot of Refried Beans – I love them and they are great protein. I was feeling pretty crappy this day and also had some back pain (this is something I had prior to surgery). I took some pain meds to help – all was good !!!

February 7th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1/2 Cup Refried Beans wit Low Fat Sour Cream
Coffee with SF Hazelnut Creamer
1/4 Cup Chicken Salad
1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge
1/2 Cup Refried Beans wit Low Fat Sour Cream
1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge
1 SF Ice Pop

Geez I felt like I ate a lot today, but when you see it written down it is not much at all. The Chicken Salad I made from the canned Chicken and mixed in some Low Fat Mayo and a dash of salt and pepper. It was the first time I had any chicken since surgery and it was yummy !!!

February 8th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1/2 Cupish Corned Beef Hash
1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge
1/2 + Cupish Mashed Potatoes (Bob Evans)
Light n Fit Strawberry Cheesecake Yogurt
1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge

The Corned Beef Hash I had is the kind from the can. I pushed myself a bit past the 1/2 Cup beacuse it was sooo good. Nothing happened just got full and a little gas. The Mashed Potatoes I had were Bob Evans brand and not homemade. I have been having those occasionally just for a different taste.

February 9th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1/2 Cup Corned Beef Hash
Egg Salad
1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge
1/4 SF Chocolate Pudding (yucky did not finish)
Lit n Fit Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 + Cupish Mashed Potatoes (Bob Evans)

I had Corned Beef Hash left over – love that stuff. Yes I treated myself to more yummy mashed potatoes too – I love them. They are about 210 Calories and have 4 grams of protein in the serving size I eat – I don’t think that is too bad.

February 10th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1/2 Cup Corned Beef Hash
1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge
1/4 Cup Chicken Salad
1/2 Cup Broccoli (pureed with I cannot believe it is not Butter & Salt)
Ate a few pieces of roasted chicken
1/2 Cup Refried Beans wit Low Fat Sour Cream
1 SF Fudge Pop

Ok I finished the Corned Beef Hash. Today I also picked and ate a few pieces of chicken off of a Roasted Chicken my family was having for dinner. These chickens are the one you buy at the store already cooked and ours are always very moist. I chewed it really good and the only issues I had after was some growling and gas in my belly, but nothing unusual. It was delish !!

February 11th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1 Scrambled Egg
Bites of Chicken & Rice (daughter’s lunch)
1/2 Cup Refried Beans wit Low Fat Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Broccoli (pureed with I cannot believe it is not Butter & Salt)
Bites of Chicken & Dumplings (families dinner)
Frozen Protein Shake Pop

Ok so today I was very daring – first I had a Scrambled Egg. I really should be waiting until the 21st to start on these, but I did not see the harm and I made it moist. I loved it !! I made my daughter some of the chicken left over from dinner the previous night with some rice and I took a few bites of it For dinner I made my family Chicken and Dumplings and I took a few bites of that as well. I am happy to report I had no issues from a any of it – Thank Goodness. Oh and if you are wondering what a Frozen Protein Shake Pop is – look HERE.

This was also a crazy evening – my hubby went to the ER for chest pain. He had fallen on my front steps from ice we had and landed on his back earlier in the day. He was at his mothers all day and when he came home he complained of chest pain and having a hard time breathing. So off t the ER he went – to make a long story short he has a bruised rib and plourisee. Not fun at all and now I get to play nurse (I think he likes that though – lol !!

February 12th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
1/2 Cup Broccoli (pureed with I cannot believe it is not Butter & Salt)
Am’s Bean Soup
1 Crab Cake
Frozen Protein Shake Pop

I did not eat much today – I slept late due to being up from the events of last night. I did have 2 new things today. My sister Am made me a delicious Tomato Bean Soup (will share recipe soon) – it was so flavorful compared to what I have been eating – I loved it. I also had a Crab Cake at dinner. I was making them for the family and I wanted a taste cause they smelled so good – well I ended up eating a whole one – they were small though – not the average Crab Cake size. ! Crab Cake had 87 Calories, 3.5 grams fat and 3 grams protein. I was nervous about the breading and was waiting for punishment, but I did not have any – lucky again.

I truly cannot believe that 3 weeks have pasted already. I posted earlier this week about having the Blahs and I still have them, but I think they may be getting a bit better. I feel good and can see and feel the weight loss, but one would think it would be a lot more by now. I only think that because I am hardly eating anything, but I also have to remember it is only 3 weeks and my body is still in shock and adjusting.

I am down 16 pounds in 3 weeks and I will take it !!! The greatest thing is that the scale just keeps going down so that is a happy thing. I also think that maybe if I lose it slower my skin will have time to adjust back and not hang – wishful thinking right?

As far as having any reactions to food – I have again had no Dumping, Nausea or much of anything else. The only thing I get if I eat too fast or anything is my belly growling and feeling gassy and that is not anything I cannot deal with. It is like it is yelling am me and I listen.

Another thing I will mention to my doctor is that after I eat sometimes I get really cold – does this happen to anyone else?

I have also felt backed up (poop – sorry – had to say it) – so I started taking my Dulcolax daily in hopes that will help.

So there you have it week 3 !!! Week 4 here I come and I think I may get daring even more this week – Rut Roh !!! Stay Tuned….

November 21, 2017November 28, 2017

The days in the hospital after my Gastric Bypass Surgery

My stay in the hospital after my Gastric Bypass Surgery was not very long at all. I went in on a Monday and went home on a Wednesday. I did make the best of my stay and made sure I felt good enough to go home.

So the night after my surgery I slept on and off. I think the nurses coming in so much to take vitals and give me my pains meds woke me up a bit. At this time they were alternating the Dilaudid and Toradol pain meds. I can remember being up and ready to go walking at about 5:00am and asking the nurse to come help me. I just had to get out of the bed. The nurses kept telling me how good I was doing and looked – that made me happy.

When I got back into my room I was able to brush my teeth and get a glimse of myself in the mirror – not a pretty site at all. But I quickly got over that since I was not in the running for a tiara or anything. I brushed my hair and washed up – it felt good.

At about 8:00am my surgeon came in to see how I was doing. I had a list of questions I typed up in my phone for him and he was happy to answer each and every one of them. He also told me there was no need for any additional testing since I was doing so well and that he would order me breakfast. Breakfast I thought – OMG I was so excited !! He also told me that if I felt well enough I could go home early that evening. I decided to stay one more night just to be sure I was good to go. Plus it was much quieter in the hospital vs going home with the kids and the pets etc…

A little while later the nurses took out the catheter – I was free to pee on my own. Yippee !! Yes it was nice to not have to worry, but it was one less thing I had to drag around on my walks. Good thing was is that I was able to go right away – not a lot, but I did it. That is also very important to do after surgery. They also measure how much you go (u gotta pee in a cup that attached to the toilet) and then they scan your belly to see if you are emptying your bladder all the way. I only needed 2 scans over my stay. I must add in it was still a pain in the ass to pull all the equipment to the bathroom and even worse when you had to pee. I had a heart monitor hooked up to me that connected to a box that was a real pain to juggle and then an 02 sensor taped on my finger. Then there was the IV and the stand and the drain coming out of your belly with the container hanging. Just crazy, but you manage and say quite a number of curse words at the same time when you get all tangled.

At about 9:30pm my breakfast arrived – My very first meal after my Gastric Bypass. I was starving !! So on my tray I got a bowl of Chicken Broth, a Sugar Free Jell-O and a cup of Decaf Tea and some fakin’ sugar packets on the side. I could not wait to eat my soup and I dug right in. It tasted like heaven !!! I ate it very slowly which kinda stunk because it got cold by the time I was 1/2 way through it.

I was able to finish the whole bowl, but then I was a bit full and that is all I had at the moment. I ended up eating my Jell-O later and that too tasted delish. The Tea I ditched.

Later in the day I had some visitors – my Mother in Law came and so did my good friend Vicki. I felt a bit bad cause my mother in law got their first and I was passing out mid conversation – I was sleepy. Must have been my big lunch (which was the same as above) – lol. It was nice that they came to see me even if I was not the most coherent company. I also got a headache and was thinking maybe it was from the Jell-O – sometimes the aspartame will do that to me.

My Mother in law and friend was also there to witness me having to take a liquid medicine. It was not pretty – or should I say I was not pretty with all the faces I was making. I HATE liquid medicine. My mother ruined me as a child with Triaminic cough syrup – hated taking it. But if I wanted to keep my soreness to a minimum I had to take it cause they were weaning me off the Dilaudid and switching me to liquid Vicodin since that is what I would be taking at home (oh joy). I was still going to be getting the Toradol until they took the IV out tomorrow.

My hubby came up later in the day with my kids cause they wanted to see me too. My daughter was so excited to walk around the hospital floor with me and we did a whole bunch of laps. It was funny cause I farted while I was walking and was like Oh Yeah – she says “Is that a good thing?” – Yes!! passing gas whether it be burping or farting is a good thing after Gastric Bypass (FYI). I also wonder if any of the other patients heard it – ha ha. While they were there my dinner showed up – this time I got Beef Broth and all the other same items – Jell-O and Tea. I tried the Beef Broth and it was soooo salty. I asked them to bring me Chicken Broth instead. So now I had to wait to eat. No Biggy.

So my family stayed for a couple hours and had to go so they could have their dinner, do homework etc.. A long while later my Chicken Broth finally arrived, but it was gross. Something tasted icky – it was like dirty chicken water. They must have thrown something together last minute. So I did not eat.

I was able to get up on my own now – I was a pro at dragging all the hospital stuff behind me now. So to pass time I did a lot of walking. 99% of the nurses on my floor were young so I had a lot of fun chatting with them all. Even the 1% older ones were just as awesome. They came and hung out with me in my room which was nice. Later that night one of the nurses brought me a Sugar Free Lemon Italian Ice – can I say O.M.G – that was truly the best.

Wednesday came and I was going home to start my new life. Now I had to wait for my surgeon to come in and release me. My hubby got the kids off to school and was on his way to the hospital to get me. My hubby arrived to the hospital before the surgeon came which seemed like it took FOREVER. He ended up coming in at about 10:00am and was happy to answer yet another list of questions I had for him and some my hubby had.

Next he had to remove the drain from my belly. First he cut the stitches holding it on. Then I was asking how long the thing was and if it was gonna hurt coming out – I was freakin’ a bit. He said it would not hurt, but just feel weird. What did that mean – weird???? So he started to talk to me to try and distract me and then he said are you ready 3…2…1… And there is me OMG – WTF !!! It took a couple seconds, but it was the weirdest feeling I have ever felt in my life and DO NOT want to experience it again. It did not hurt he was right, but it felt like there was a worm inside my belly crawling out. Totally the craziest feeling ever and I was glad it was over. Now I just had a gauze.

He told me the steri strips on my other incisions can just fall off on their own (which some had already) and I could shower. OH yeah – could not wait to shower. So he released me and now I just had to wait for the nurses to come un hook me.

So the nurse came in and gave me one more dose of Toradol in my IV so I had time until I could fill my pain meds. They unhooked me from the haeart monitor and pulled off all 1,000 sticky things one me – ok there was not 1,000, but it sure felt like there were. I was happy t have them off and now all that was left was the sticky stuff that is a pain to get off – oh well – I was FREE from equipment !!

While I waited for my papers I got dressed into some fresh clean clothes I packed along with some comfy pants. Hubby went to get the car and meet me at the getaway door. Finally I got my papers and my limo arrived at my room – ok it was a wheelchair. They wheeled me out and that was it. Bye Hospital – I’m Homeward Bound !!

First thing on my list when I get home – SHOWER !!!

Stay Tuned for my next post – My First week after Gastric Bypass

I would also like to send a BIG shout out Thank You to all the nurses at the Reading Hospital on the 3rd floor who rocked !! I could not have asked for a better crew to get me through this and the support and companionship they offered while I was there was top notch. Thanks ladies !!!

November 20, 2017

My Gastric Bypass Surgery

So it was time for my Gastric Bypass Surgery – I was being wheeled down to the operation room. No turning back now, but that was ok because I was ready. Now let me walk you through how the day went from there.

A bit of a warning before you continue on with this post. I promised to share The good, The bad and The ugly here on my site and some of what you may see below is in the UGLY category. I will be sharing some photos of after the surgery and hospital things – so if you are easily creeped out then stop here. If you are considering having the surgery yourself – get over it cause you will going through it too. It is really not that bad at all. Ok I have said my warning, now I will continue on….

I gave my hubby a kiss and off I went to the operation room. Was I nervous? Nope not at all actually. You may find this very strange, but I enjoy the whole operation room experience. I have been in there 3 times before for 2 C-Sections and a Hysterectomy. I just love looking up at the white light and hearing all the nurses and assistants in the room getting ready and the attention is all on “Me”. I also love when they place the warm blankets on you because the room is always so cold. Everyone introduced themselves to me and one of the guys in the room was named “Angel” – I said that is cool I have an Angel in the room watching out for me. When you are in the room it almost feels fake – I dunno I just like it. Told ya I was strange.

I remember the anesthesiologist telling me he was going to put some meds in my IV and I will feel a little burning, but not to worry it was just the meds. It was nothing to me since I was taking in my surroundings and listening to the action in the room. Then came the mask – the anesthesiologist never told me to count backwards (I was waiting for that too) – he placed the mask on my face and said I am going to relax you now. I was ready for my countdown now, but instead LIGHTS OUT for me.

Next thing I can remember was waking up in recovery. My stomach was in sooo much pain and I was very groggy. I looked around and could see the line up of others just out of surgery recovering as well. I had oxygen in my nose and my throat was so dry. The nurses came over to ask how I was doing and to take my vitals. They asked my pain level – in our hospital we have a pain scale that is 1-10 with 10 being the highest. I told them it was 10 for sure – so I got some more pain meds. The time I was in recovery I began to question what I had just done because the pain was horrible. What did I do to myself – was this pain worth it? My time in recovery seemed short lived to me because I was in and out of consciousness.

I ended up getting to my room at about 12:00pm. So I had been gone from 8am – 12pm between the Surgery and the Recovery. I later found out the surgery was only about 1 1/2 hours long so the rest of the time I was in recovery. I remember being set up in my room and meeting the floor nurse who again took my vitals and accessed my pain – which was still horrible. My hubby finally got to the room about 1:00pm and I was so happy to see him. Having him there made me feel a little better. At this time the pain meds they had me on was Dilaudid and even with that the pain was still felt. I drifted in and out for a while from it all (as you can see in the picture up top to your left).

At about 2:00pm I was still in horrible pain – a little better but still pain. My hubby had to run to the car to get my bags and while he was gone I asked the nurse if I could get up and walk. I just felt that I needed to get up and maybe it was gas pain from what they pump in you. So the nurse helped me out of bed dragging along my IV, Heart Monitor, Drain (tell ya bout that in a minute) and Catheter – so much for losing weight huh? Anyway – I did a couple laps around the nurses station and believe it or not it felt good to be up, I was surprised.

When I got back in my bed they hit me up with another pain med called Toradol. Well guess what? That horrible pain went away and then I just had what felt like soreness (I did just have major surgery) and cramping which I was able to handle. I honestly think the horrible pain I was feeling was the gas in there – so if you are having this surgery make sure to walk as soon as you can.

NOTE: I just have to add that my belongings including my glasses that were taken prior to me going in for surgery were MIA. For some reason they did not make it to my room. They were later found around 4:00pm. So not being able to see was no fun either. Just sayin’ – lol

The picture above shows my belly the same day I had my surgery. My Gastric Bypass Surgery was Laparoscopic obviously and they went in 5 places as you can see in the picture above. They were small openings which look worse in the photo from the dried blood. On them was just steri strips – there were no stitches at all. The drain was weird to me and kinda gross. This was a tube that went into your belly to drain out the extra fluid and blood around your stomach. That had some stiches to hold it in place and at the end of the tube on the outside was this container that would hold the fluid (yup this freaked me out too). It did not hurt – just felt weird.

One thing I hated was the dryness in my mouth and throat from the anesthesia – I sounded like I was a frog and it was hard to talk. I was not allowed to have anything to drink, BUT I was allowed to have a swab that can be dipped into ice water and rubbed around my mouth. It was like a little scrubber sponge on a stick, but at that time it was heaven. The nurse also gave me a cup with mouthwash in it I could use with another swab – loved that since my mouth was so gacky.

Me and my swabs became best friends for the rest of the night – I scrubbed my teeth with it, sucked on it, rubbed it on my tongue – it was great. If you are gonna have this surgery you will understand my swab obsession for yourself – trust me – Swabs Rule !! I went through many swabs – I liked them fresh and I also had my nurse re fresh my ice water often too – it was so much better ice cold.

At around 6:30pm I kicked my hubby out, my poor baby was so tired and I felt so bad. Even though I had the nurse track down one of those reclining chairs for him (which was so much more comfy than the others) he had to go home to rest up. I was fine and well taken care of and really – how much can you sit and watch someone sleep. So he left to go home to relieve my sister from kid duty and I was just gonna chill – what else was I gonna do? Of course right before he was out the door the nurse came to give me my first shot of Lovenox in my belly (that is to prevent blood clots) so he had to stay to hold my hand for that. Guess what? it was not a big deal at all – did not even feel it.

Later that evening I asked the nurse to take me for another walk, which I did and again it felt great. The only thing that I hated was bringing half the hospital equipment with me. I did more rounds this time and I cannot stress more to those going for surgery to do the same thing – walking not only will help you recover quicker, but it moves any of that operation gas out.

For the rest of the evening I watched some TV on and off . Oh and ya know what I was feeling hungry too. Yuppers I was hungry. I started to think – why am I hungry ??? I thought I should not feel hungry after my surgery and it was not even a full day out. How weird huh? OH and let me tell you that commercials do not make any of it easier. I so missed my DVR that night so I could just skip them. Maybe it was just a mind game, but I swear I was hungry. OH well nothing I could do – it was just me and my swabs.

So overall my Gastric Bypass Surgery went very well if you ask me. I only had horrible pain for about 2 hours and the rest of my day was smooth sailing and I felt pretty darn good. By this time any regrets I may have had in recovery were far gone – I was ready for my new life. The next morning I would get to see my surgeon and hopefully get my first meal which I could not wait for.

Stay Tuned for my next post on the rest of my hospital stay…

Just a shout out Hug and Kiss to my hubby who is truly the bestest ever. I took a pic of him from my hospital bed with my phone – he was catching a couple zzzz’s in that recliner I had them find late in the day. I am one lucky girl to have such a great guy and I cannot say it enough.

November 19, 2017July 22, 2021

The Months leading up to my Gastric Bypass Surgery

It seemed like forever for my Gastric Bypass Surgery date to get here. Actually it kinda was forever – how about over 1 year of going through the motions. What a crazy year it was, that is for sure… Sorry this post is gonna be a long one – well it was a year ya know !!!

So as I have stated in my previous posts I started my journey by going to the Weight Loss Surgery Seminar in December 2010. That is what is required by my surgeon before you can go any further. The seminar was a combination of videos and people speaking about the different kinds of surgeries they performed. They also answered any questions we may have had. It was kinda like a live infomercial of sorts – horrible to say, but true.

From there if I was interested in continuing I signed up and gave them my name and number and filled out a couple other forms. From that point I had to wait to get a call with a date that I would get to meet with the surgeon. Of course I filled it all out and I was so anxious for that call.

Well I got that call about 1 1/2 weeks later and met with my surgeon on January 20th 2011 almost a year to the date of my surgery. When I met my surgeon I was shocked at how young he was – I mean he is no Doogie Houser, but younger than me and making me feel old. My hubby says we have to get use to it since we are getting old – whateva !! So my surgeon explained all the different types of weight loss surgeries he does. I was debating between the Lap Band and Gastric Bypass leaning toward the bypass. There were things about the Lap Band that did not sit well with me such as the constant adjustments and the fact you can feel it inside you – that would freak me out.

My surgeon thought I was a much better candidate for the Gastric Bypass as did my hubby and I. So that was it – I was going for Gastric Bypass !!! But not so quick… my insurance required me to go to 6 nutritional classes (1 per month), a psychological evaluation and get cleared by my cardiologist and a respiratory doctor. Holy overload !!! I had to wait 6 months? Are you kidding me? I am not one to have patience and wait for anything, but what could I do. Every insurance company has different requirements – some may only require 3 months of nutritional counseling – mine just sucks and of course would require the most. But on the upside I should have just been glad they covered the surgery at all – so many insurance companies still do not cover it. ( I am sorry if yours is one of those)

So I went through the motions did the classes and each month weighed in. I had my psychological evaluation – that was fun, they just want to make sure you are mentally prepared for what the surgery entails and that you are not crazy. I knew all about the surgery which was good but I am a bit crazy – I was surprised to hear I got a thumbs up from that – lol. I went and got my release from my Cardiologist – I have Tachycardia so they wanted me cleared. Then I had my Respiratory Doctor visit who added on a Sleep Study and a Pulmonary Function Test to make sure my lungs were good. My Sleep Study showed I have mild Sleep Apnea (not a surprise when you are overweight – I now get to sport a lovely mask while I sleep, oh joy). My Pulmonary Function was great even considering I smoked for years and still was at the time. I did not do so well with the weigh ins at my nutrition counseling sessions – surprise surprise. My very first weigh in I was up, next one down, then up, then down – this happened all 6 months. I was not happy with that, but did not give it a ton of thought at the time – stupid me.

So the months passed – very slowly of course. I had also missed a couple of my nutrition classes which set me back – so now I had to wait even longer until I could have the surgery. Well the time came in September when I finished my last class and I was scheduled to meet with my surgeon for my pre op visit and surgery date. I was soooo wicked excited. So we met and I was given a surgery date of October 12th 2011.Yahoo I was done with the weigh ins – or so I thought. My surgeon wanted me to do one more since my weigh ins were not that good over the time I was doing the classes. URGH !! He wanted me back in 3 days for another weigh in before he submitted it to insurance. He told me to do a liquid diet, exercise and add in a laxative too. I know not very healthy, but it was just a quick thing.

So I did that – it was sooooo hard because at the same time I was quitting smoking. I literally locked myself in my room for those days and slept and watched TV – either that or I would have ended up on the news for murder. Oh and food commercials seem to be on even more when you cannot eat -just sayin’ !! I think I ended up losing 6-7 lbs. So now it was a waiting game and the ball was in the insurance companies court. Did I mention I hated waiting?

So I tried to keep myself busy preparing for my upcoming surgery by cleaning my house and getting things in order. I was mentally preparing myself and I was ready to go. It took the insurance company about 1 1/2 weeks to make a decision and guess what? DENIED. What? When the call came from my surgeons office with the news it was like waking up as a child on Christmas to find no presents under the tree. I was completely devastated.

I was told that the insurance company thought I did not follow the diet restrictions during the 6 months and my weight fluctuated too much. (oh crap I thought – I did this to myself). They did say, which was unusual, that if I did 3 more months of nutrition counseling they would reconsider, but I was not able to send the paperwork in until January 3rd 2012. At the time I was not at all happy, but I ended up coming to terms with it after a full fledged depression.

I had the holidays to get through and maybe that would help the time pass. Well during that time I started to smoke once again – after I worked so hard on quitting not long prior. Damn Cigarettes and Food – both were killing me. I knew I would have to quit all over again because I had to sign a paper with my surgeon stating I would quit 6 weeks prior to surgery – it is important to do that.

So here I went all over again – 3 more weigh ins to go. I tried to eat well and I did watch my intake which was hard during the holidays. What I also did each time before weigh in was that Liquid/Laxative 3-4 day diet. I know I know once again so not healthy, BUT I was not gonna get denied again. It was torture I am not gonna lie, but I did what had to be done. One time the night before weigh in I put on layers and layers of clothes and went on the treadmill for about an hour or so and sweat like bullets.

So I got to have yet another pre-op appointment with my surgeon on December 22nd which I thought would be my very last weigh in and then I would be home free till my new surgery date in January. WRONG again !!! My surgeon scheduled me in for a new surgery date of January 23rd, but he wanted me to come back for one more weigh in on January 3rd. Are you kidding me I thought. Not only do I have to get through Christmas, but I have to weigh in right after New Years. For the first time I was having a party and planned to make some yummy food and snacks.

So my head was spinning of course thinking about all the food I would have to give up to do another weigh in – DUH what is wrong with me – isn’t this why I was going through this??? Food has a hold on me. So I got over myself and did what I had to do. Oh and on January 1st it was right back to liquid. On January 3rd I weighed in for my very last time and in the 3 months I had dropped a total of 11 pounds. Not too bad and I was happy with that. I had a weight loss at each weigh in.

So after I left they submitted my paper work to my insurance company and the waiting game began yet again. I did not stress this time – I had a feeling they were going to take a while before I heard anything. I also told myself what ever happens happens – if I am denied again then it was just meant to be so.

On January 5th my phone rang and I saw it was my surgeon’s office calling (gotta love caller ID). I thought it is way too soon and I must have been denied again. So I pick it up and say “Hello” – the voice on the other end “Is this Nicole?”, “yes it is” (I am thinking just say it already !!!). She then went on to tell me they approved me. Shock set in. I hung up the phone and screamed. Hubby did not appreciate that since he was sitting right next to me – oh well. I got up and did my happy dance.

Next I was like – urgh I have to wait almost 3 weeks. Then I thought OMG I can eat !! No More weigh ins. See how my sick food addicted mind worked. So over those weeks I did not go crazy eating like a pig every day, BUT I did make sure to enjoy those foods I knew I would not be able to eat for a long time if ever again. The doctor’s say not to binge eat prior to the surgery, but are they stupid??- of course we will.

Some of the things I ate:

Steak – I know steak is so hard for bariatric patients after surgery

Entenmann’s Chocolate Donuts – Bought a few boxes

Hard Sourdough Pretzels and Cheddar Cheese Slices eaten together – my guilty pleasure

Gryo and Greek Salad

and a trip to the Chinese Buffet where I filled up on lots of Sushi and everything else – lol

So 4 days prior to my surgery date I had to be on a Liquid Diet. Every surgeon is different with what they require. I got to have Protein Shakes, Cream based Soups (strained), Yogurt, Broths, Jell-O. Decaf Tea & Coffee etc…

Ok so Decaf Coffee – I am a big coffee drinker so I had to give that up too. So now I was breaking up with food, I had already broke up with cigarettes (still struggle), I stopped biting my nails (forgot to mention) and now coffee. I am out of vices so now what? I guess we will see and I can only hope for the best. Maybe a new hobby or two huh?

And so the big days approaches – January 23rd, 2012 – the day that will change my life for the better. My 2nd Chance, my New start. Am I ready?

I had waited just over a year to get to this day.

My Story Continues in the next post with My Surgery Day, stay tuned…..

Check out Make Tiny Changes if you would like to donate to a worthy charity in support of mental health.

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