Here we go!

The date of this blog says it's January 10, but it's actually January 16. My surgery was scheduled for 1/9/13. I had to be at the hospital by 7am. I got there, checked in, and gave a urine sample. I was surprisingly calm but a little nervous. After the urine sample they sent me to a grounded room where I changed into a gown and got comfortable. They finally came and got me at around 9:45am to go get ready for surgery. I didn't have my cantact lenses or glasses so that was difficult since I am SO blind!

I got to the main pre-op room and felt kind of alone even though lots of people were walking about. This was probably because I couldn't see anything! About 3 or 4 anesthesiologists came by to ask questions, then a few nurses asked the same questions. They started my IV and supposedly gave me relaxing medicine. I didn't feel a thing so the nurse gave me a second dose. I still didn't feel a thing so I just hung out until it was time. The surgeon came by and said he'd see me in the operating room in 45 minutes. This whole process took way longer than I thought it would. They finally wheeled me into the operating room, I scooted over to the operating table, joked with the nurses, then they put an oxygen mask over my face and next thing I knew I was waking up with a really sore stomach. The recovery nurse was making me mad but I was good and didn't yell at her like I wanted to. I kept telling her it really hurt and she kept saying "yeah what'd you expect?" and things like that. They finally got me comfortable and I was taken to my room. I don't want to talk much about my hospital experience because it was quite terrifying. I believe I suffered from "hospital psychosis". You can google it. Severe confusion, dementia, hallucinations, etc. It was quite possibly the most terrifying thing of my life. I believe they over medicated me. So they took me off of the medicine I was on, I got a little better but I didn't fully come back to reality until I got home from the hospital. The pain is not bad at all. Mostly just a sore feeling! :) so far no complications at all. No nausea, not even a tiny bit. It's hard to get all my fluids in at this point. I'm not even focusing on protein, just hydration. I have my 1 week post-op visit tomorrow. I'm taking all my vitamins. I HATE the chewable vitamins!!! :)

So far so good. I don't regret my decision at all! I am so glad I finally did something. Realistically I know I would of kept ordering pizzas and pastas and cupcakes until I worked my way up to 300 pounds or so.

As of this morning I am down 13.4 pounds. :)

Pre-Op Clear Liquid Diet

Day 1 done of clear liquids. My head hurts, I'm tired, and I'm grumpy!! :) one day left!

"Last Meal"

I definitely fell into the trap of pigging out before surgery. I'm scared to see how much weight I have gained! It's all over now. I'm starting my pre-op diet tomorrow (a day early). I've been putting off taking "before" pictures. I'm reeeeaaaaalllyyyyy dreading it!!!!!!!! But I'm told I will be happy I did it later on. Lets hope so! I am taking them tomorrow. I don't really have much else to report. I'm ready to have the surgery behind me and really hoping for an easy recovery and no complications!

T minus 9 Days!

I will be having my gastric sleeve surgery performed on January 9, 2013 at 8am with Dr. Hugh Houston at Centennial Women's Hospital. I'm terrified (but only about the recovery) and excited. I've officially reached over 200 pounds. I am only 5'2". This is a lot of weight to be carrying around on a petite frame. When I first started researching this surgery, I think it was initially for mostly vain reasons. I wanted to be thin again and look good. Now, as my weight has gone up and up, it is no longer about simply looking good. I don't plan on weighing myself until the morning of surgery, because right now it is too depressing to see the number. Last I checked, I was 202 pounds. I have had back pain for a while now that I believe is definitely caused by my weight. But not only that, I now have severe hip pain when standing for more than a few minutes or walking around. It's excruciating and so depressing to feel like I need to sit down for relief. My ankles also hurt, which I'm sure is weight related as well. These three things scare me. I am only 28, and if I am being realistic with myself, I know I cannot lose the weight on my own and KEEP IT OFF. Therefore these problems will only get worse with time, and new problems will be added along the way like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. I view this surgery as a tool. I have done extensive research. I literally have nothing else to read it seems. I know that this is not going to be a magic fix, but I expect it to be a helpful tool to get me to where I need to be.

A lot of surgeons require a two week pre-op diet of only liquids. This is to shrink the size of the liver so that the surgeon has more room. My surgeon only requires a two day pre-op liquid diet. This consists of things like chicken/beef/vegetable broth, sugar free jello, water of course, sugar free popsicles, crystal light, decaf coffee, decaf tea, sugar free kool-aid. My surgeon says the post-op liquid diet after surgery is torture enough, so therefore he does not require the long pre-op diet. So for two weeks (14 days) after surgery I will only be allowed clear liquids while my new stomach heals. After this, Stage 2 begins. Protein drinks are introduced during this stage, and it lasts two weeks. Stage 3 is the blended diet. It also lasts for two weeks. I will eat three meals per day, and I will need to mechanically blend some foods to a finely chopped consistency.

Stage 4 is the last stage and it is the High Protein Low Carbohydrate Diet. This stage lasts until 75% or more of excess weight is lost.

Protein and staying hydrated are going to be my biggest goals. This isn't going to be easy. I don't expect it to be, but I'm ready for a new beginning.