First Fill, One Month About Gone

So, I'm hovering around my initial weight loss and am very frustrated that the scale isn't moving anymore. I spoke with my surgeon at my post-op follow-up and he stressed to me not to stress! "Give yourself a little time, " he says. "Don't worry yet," he tells me. So, I am trying not to stress and worry.

Today, then, was my first "fill" appointment. You go in, they insert a very small needle and poke through your belly to the port, they look around via some sort of x-ray machine to make sure everything looks good, then they fill the band with fluid. (How much depends on each person. They started off less than half with me.)

It was much less uncomfortable than I'd imagined and that's a good thing! Just a little stick and burn and less than 2 minutes later, we were done. After that, I had to drink two glasses of water just to make sure it could pass through without difficulty and that the band was not now too tight. No problem, except my drive home is 35 minutes long and I was seriously needing a restroom the last 10 minutes of my drive.

In a month, I'll do it all again and they'll adjust me some more. After that, we'll see. It can sometimes take several adjustments to find your optimal fill level. Again, I am practicing patience and not stressing! (Yes, I keep saying it. If I say it often enough, perhaps I truly will be able to not stress about it all!)

All in all, a pretty good day. I am still very happy with my decision and can't wait to see the new me as she emerges!

6 days post-surgery and I'm 8 pounds down!

5 Days Out

So, I am about 5 days post-op and feeling pretty good. I have just a little muscle soreness on the left side (where the port is anchored) but other than that, I'm feeling great. The "sleepies" from all the narcotic pain meds have gone away too. I haven't taken any in about 36 hours now and am much better for it! I'm moving much easier, normally, now as well, which is great since I'm scheduled to work tomorrow!

It has been a learning experience, seeing how little food is three to four ounces and you can definitely tell if you eaten too quickly &/or too much! It feels like you can't breathe and that a ton of weight is sitting on you!

I weighed in this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see I was finally rid of the post op water-weight gain and 3 pounds under pre-op weigh in!

48 hours and Counting

Well, it's been just over 48 hours since my surgery. I must say I am pleased with how far I've come in my recovery. Evening one I couldn't even lay myself down in the bed, but now I'm up and down as much as I want. It was very difficult to walk at first and now I'm taking 4 short walks a day and am able to walk with a straight back most of the time.

The air the surgeon used to inflate the belly has almost all dissipated. However, what little is left is choosing to be very difficult to deal with because it's lodged in my left shoulder. (That is, of course, the most painful place for it to situate itself)

I really don't understand how people can go back to work after 48 hours of having this procedure. There is no way I could do it. I am just too stiff and sore to do much of anything.

Let's get Started!

Surgery was yesterday and I came through beautifully. I have a couple of bruises: one from the heparin shot (that looks dreadful!) and another from the vein blowing out in my arm. So far, not much bruising anywhere else but I am pretty swollen in my abdominal area. I'm quite sore at the port site, but that was expected!

I have 6 incisions including my bellybutton; these are held together with steri-strips, underneath the bandaging. I'll get to look at them later when I shower. I look, right now with all the bandages, like I fought with a porcupine and lost.

Yesterday was restricted to clear liquids only-water, gatorade, clear soup broth. Today and for the next 6 days, I can have protein shakes, pudding, yogurt, thicker soups without chunks of anything, plus the clear liquids from before.

Surgeon & all reading materials said I wouldn't feel hungry and I really didn't yesterday. My tummy did not growl or tell me to feed it. My brain however, wanted me to eat! When I started to feel antsy about not eating, I drank something and that seemed to help.

Here's to hoping for a brand new life!

Surgery!!!

My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2009. I am extremely excited and just a little bit nervous. I've been pretty good at following the pre-op diet plan as laid out for me. My best friend hadn't seen me in 10 days and said, "I think you're losing a little weight!" That must be a good thing, right?

I have prayed and feel confident that this truly is the path I should be taking. I am secure in the fact that I've read the materials, studied the procedure and made the promise to myself to take care of me and do this right, so I can be around for my kiddo. I am ready; I feel great about my decision and am so excited to move forward!

I'll try to post a before picture, but it may be Wednesday before I get back!

New Beginning

I decided a few months ago that to be truly happy and free I had to finally take care of me. This discovery has included treating myself better, not beating myself up over every decision or stumble and finally biting the bullet and deciding on weight loss surgery to enable me to be healthier. My surgery is in two weeks and I couldn't be more thrilled.

I hope people reading this blog will be inspired to better themselves in whatever way works best for them, but it is my bigger hope that by sharing my struggles, the journey will be made all that much sweeter when my goals are reached and milestones passed. It is with this hope that I start down the road to my new life.

So, sit back, relax, laugh and cry with me as I begin a journey in which the destination is unknown, but during which the ride promises to be full of ups, downs, twists and turns, hopefully with a big fat pile of elation waiting every few miles and pot of proverbial gold at the end.