moving forward...

Just one day at a time...

The paperwork came in the mail today.  More information about what the steps are before I can schedule a date.

It sounds like the psych eval slows things down...takes weeks to get an appointment and then they say allow 3 weeks for the notes to get back to them...I have to meet with the trainer twice and the support group 3 times...Its a process for sure.

The personal health history asks me to circle all that apply for food preferences...so basically I'm leaving out seafood.  Everything else sounds pretty damn good.  I don't drink a lot of soda so that's good.
My abs are sore from exercising.

A lot of people seem to have never heard of the sleeve...

so, see that big part? yeah, that's what gets removed.  Then they staple vertically down the small banana shaped section creating a "sleeve".  Neat, huh?  It keeps the digestive track the way it should be though.  Before the surgery your stomach is about the size of a football...after...a bit smaller than a banana.

Did I mention my abs hurt?  That's a good thing, right?? ;)

It will take 6 weeks post surgery to know what foods I'm able to tolerate.  By a year I should be able to eat any where from a half cup to almost a whole cup total.

They recommend 3 meals a day with this surgery.  If you need to snack then you can have a fruit or starch but you have to get your protein in at your meals.  65g for women and 80g for men a day.  When you can only eat a few ounces you can see why they tell you to eat the protein first.

I don't know how many of these details are of interest to anyone but me, but of course right now I am in mega research mode.  So I hope you're willing to bear with me as I spend the next few weeks spilling what I learn! ;)

Have your drank your water today?? Even if you don't need to lose a pound you should! So lets get hydrating.

Thanks for reading!

~Mikki

Heart of the Matter...

I got the call today...

Yep! I have my consult date with Dr. Trieu.  Only have to wait two weeks to get this shindig started!

Everyone seems surprised that I am so excited.  I can't help myself.  It's not even  the thought of losing weight so much as the hope of not being hungry!  I've heard that there are these people out there that don't get hungry...that actually forget to eat...I don't think I've ever met one...but I've heard about them.  It's a mystical thing!

So, I did well this morning -  got up and spent twenty minutes on exercise and I've taken in more than 70 oz of water so far today.  I am not counting calories, or carbs right now.  I have two weeks before I officially start.  I'm not planning on splurging during that time either, just being moderate and working on the things that I need to really get into a good habit of....like the exercise and water.

The bariatric center sent me an email to do a digital update on my information.  They wanted me to list the diets I've done.  wow.  I stopped at 5 or 6 because I couldn't remember the names of all the ones I've tried.  Now I can say I'm done dieting. How could you not be excited about that?  Yes! Yes! I know that there will still be work.  That I will still need to keep track of what goes in my mouth, but to be able to do that without fighting how hungry I feel? That will be awesome.

So when my will gets weak, my tummy will keep me strong.  And as long as I keep exercising, when I slip my body will forgive me.

I will keep you posted as things happen.  Thanks for sticking with me.

~Mikki

Queen of DeNial...

    It happened to me again today...I wonder if it has happened to you? You catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror or glass door and you have to do a double take... there is no possible way that is you. But it is.

     I have this picture in my head of myself.  I have added weight to it over time (I'm not completely delusional) ;)  but it has certainly not kept up with the real thing.  Come to think of it, age really has been good to this mental image too...

   What's that saying? I wish I were as fat as I was when I first thought I was fat.  yeah.  I always look back at pictures that, at the time, I thought were awful and now I'm like, wow, I wasn't half bad! *grin*

     My doctor asked me on Friday, "Are you getting exercise?" I said quickly "well, it was an aerobic workout getting lotion on my feet and legs today after the shower..."  ahem...maybe you had to be there...

     It's really hard to exercise when you're FAT plump.  You have no energy. You're tired all the time.  Get up early? ...it takes so much less energy to hit this here snooze button...oh yes...that's much more comfy...
After work? Are  you kidding?  Its all I can do to lift this here wine glass...

     So, they say small steps, right?  Today I started drinking water. I usually have some at work, but today I focused on drinking water.

     Tomorrow...

    I start with this bad boy.  Isn't it a beautiful blue color?  My old one was silver. (not as fun) It popped. Awhile ago now...ahem...we won't discuss just how much of awhile ago.  I used to do 50 crunches every morning.  I'm really not sure when that stopped...I'm pretty sure it was before it popped.  :)

     So tomorrow I have a date with big blue.  What are you doing tomorrow?  Are  you getting your water in?  Do you know how much protein you've had for the day?  No? Do you need to?  Maybe you don't, but if you see me, ask me if my belly hurts...I'm sure it will!!

Thank you for reading.

~Mikki

Waiting for the call...

Wow!! Feeling completely blessed by all the support. I am very lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life.

So now its all about waiting...

My doctor faxed the records to bariatric center yesterday.  I am now waiting for the call to meet with the surgeon.  Hopefully this week! :)

Then the real process begins and so does more waiting!
1. consult with dietician...oh low Carb I'm your bitch yet again!

2. consult for psychological eval (hope they stay on subject or that could be fun!)

3. attend 3 support groups

4. (AND the BIGGY) receive insurance approval... I say this is big not just because of the coverage but because this can be the most time consuming.  I am told it could take 3-6 months depending on the insurance.  Its not so much that they have a problem with the procedure, I already know my company covers this, its how many handlers they have processing this type of claim. If they only have one I guess it can take awhile...I hope they have 12...just kidding...well, maybe not.

5. meet my trainer (if you're expecting them to teach me to sit up and behave think again), they get to teach me an exercise program that will work right for me.  Poor smuck doesn't know what they're in for.

6. OH! Did I mention I can't gain any weight during this process? Yeah for some silly reason they expect you to be serious about this and pay attention to what you eat. YIKES! keep me on track people!

7. Have the final consult with the surgeon. This is where he would do a nicotine test if I were a smoker to make sure I'd quit smoking. Smoking is a huge no-no for gastric surgery.  Think of everything trying to heal in there and then think about smoking choking off your capillary arteries that send the blood to heal the tissue...yeah, its not a good combination.  SSSSOooooooo glad I don't have that hurdle too.

8. Meet with the bariatric center's coordinator to get my date!!! woot!

So, right now I'm waiting. I'm trying to be patient. And I'm being very, very grateful that I have all of you in my life to make the waiting a little easier.

Thanks for staying with me.
~Mikki

And so it starts...

     It began last night.  Not that I hadn't started researching...not that the thought hadn't crossed my mind many times...but, officially, it began last night when I went to the bariatric surgery seminar.    I signed up to go and hear about Lap-Band, but as I sat and listened I changed my mind.

Let me say this blog will reveal  a lot of very person information.  Many sights advise against letting anyone know you are considering any type of  surgery to help with your weight.  They say that many people will try to sabotage your journey...that they will be negative and wreck your resolve.  Well, those that know me know that I am pretty open and don't care a lot if someone disagrees with me.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion and while it may be wonderful and important to someone, it is not important enough to change mine most times. :)  And I need all the support I can get from the wonderful people who will support me.  Plus, if I can help someone then that's worth a little ridicule to get it out there. ;)

  Today as I was waiting before my primary care doctor visit I was thinking about all the posts I had seen about not sharing the news that you're doing WLS with anyone.  And I thought about how I love looking for things I can relate to online.  It made me wondered if there was anyone who had blogged about having their Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy?  So I googled it...and I found one...it was a couple years old but that wasn't a problem...the problem, as I read, was that it was written by an unhappy person.

  Of course I didn't realize that she was unhappy at first.  I just thought "well, she's depressed about being over weight". But the more it went on the more it became clear that although she was a proponent of the sleeve (she reached her goal), she was basically using the blog to vent.  This was so not what I was looking for.

      So I asked my husband, Jay, "do you think it would help anyone if I blogged about going through this?".  His answer, as always, was supportive.  "You are one of the happiest people ever.  You never stay grumpy about stuff.  I think it would be a good idea.  And you're still allowed to have a grumpy day in the process....once in awhile."

    So, it began last night.  Jay and I went to the seminar that the bariatric center said was the first step when I called...

  Here we are...not last night but you get the idea...we are not serious people... ;) 

I was expecting there to be about 5 or 6 people there. Nope, there must have been at least 15 or twenty (with their +1s) there to learn about Weight Loss Surgery.  They showed us the slides that show obesity as the pandemic that it is...the data over the last 20 years is scary.

Basically there were 3 options being discussed.  1. Lap-Band 2. Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy and 3. Gastric Bypass.

Through my research online I had already ruled out bypass surgery for myself.  It is a very valuable surgery but it is a significant change in your digestive track and malnutrition is part of the process.  Since I am obese but currently do not have significant health issues (yet) I wanted a less drastic choice.  As I said, I thought that was lap-band, but as I learned about the sleeve I began to listen more closely...it removes most of your stomach (OUCH) but does NOT mess with your digestive track.  And most importantly to me (insert the sound of harps here...) it has the same magic affect as the bypass about taking away your appetite!!! 

WHAT???!!  How had I not read this somewhere already??

Did they not realize I am sitting here starving as I'm listening?? I am always hungry.  I can eat until I'm full (which is about enough to fill up a very large man which I am not) and then 10 minutes later be hungry again!

Ok, you have my attention...what is the criteria?  Do I qualify?

For this center, you need to have a BMI (body mass index) of 40 or 35 with complications due to weight.  Well sadly, I believe I actually do qualify but will find out for sure when I see my PCP tomorrow. 

Back to today...

I was a bit nervous to see my PCP... I love her! She is very down to earth and honest and I knew she would tell me what she thought.  ...but, I knew she would tell me what she thought!  would she judge? would she tell me that I should be able to do this by myself without surgery? would she tell me I didn't have the need since I don't have any major issues?

Well as it turns out...No she didn't.  In fact it was a bit a slap how happy she seemed that I was pursuing this option.  Apparently there was some absurd little thought in the back of my brain that kept me from seeing  how f.a.t.  plump I actually am...ahem...moving right along...so, guess she was on board...yay!

So here we go...I am inviting you to come with me on this trek...I have no idea how long it will take...or what turns will happen, but I promise I will try to realize what a wonderful opportunity this is and keep some humor and be honest and happy and maybe occasionally grumpy along the way... wanna join?  Keep Reading...

Thanks! ~Mikki