My surgery is just two weeks from today. Next Thursday I have an endoscopy and chest x-ray, and I will have done everything that needs doing preop. I had my ultrasound of my liver yesterday, and they found a gallstone. Ick. It won't impact this surgery, but it does mean I will have to have another surgery afterward to remove it. Not very happy about it, but at least we are moving forward with surgery.
In the last 5 weeks I have lost 15 pounds. I was so proud of myself. But when I saw the doc he looked at my liver and said it was very fatty but that he would "probably" be able to do the surgery laproscopically. That was a bummer - didnt feel so great about my weight loss after that!
We watched the Biggest Loser last night and the largest female contestant weighed 26lbs less than my starting weight. It was just crusing to see that I was BIGGER than the biggest contestants they dared to cast. Ugh!
Two weeks....just two weeks
Friday, September 19, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
I'm tired....again
I feel like instead of a weight loss blog this has become a blog about me complaining about my lack of sleep!!!! The good(?) news is that I am not losing sleep due to stress - I am losing sleep due to hunger. I lay awake in bed all night with my stomach driving me crazy. Two and a half weeks of this though, and I get my surgery.
I had been down 10lbs, then my birthday and my period both came and I shot back up three. I am pleased to report that I am back on the way down - a total of 11lbs lost. As I struggle through this, its no wonder that people take weight off and put it right back on. This is a miserable feeling. Who wants to be hungry literally ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT? Its uncomfortable, its frustrating, its distracting. Blech.
This week I have two preop appointments. Tomorrow I have to go get an echocardiogram which is essentially an ultrasound of my heart and on Friday I will meet with my actual surgeon and sign the paperwork. On Friday the really hard diet starts - I will need to cut out like another 400-500 calories a day to comply to the preop diet rules. Ack!! I just have to keep telling myself that these struggles are worth it. Not only will my body be healthier for surgery, this weight is unlikely to come back once I have surgery. Onward to a better day!
I had been down 10lbs, then my birthday and my period both came and I shot back up three. I am pleased to report that I am back on the way down - a total of 11lbs lost. As I struggle through this, its no wonder that people take weight off and put it right back on. This is a miserable feeling. Who wants to be hungry literally ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT? Its uncomfortable, its frustrating, its distracting. Blech.
This week I have two preop appointments. Tomorrow I have to go get an echocardiogram which is essentially an ultrasound of my heart and on Friday I will meet with my actual surgeon and sign the paperwork. On Friday the really hard diet starts - I will need to cut out like another 400-500 calories a day to comply to the preop diet rules. Ack!! I just have to keep telling myself that these struggles are worth it. Not only will my body be healthier for surgery, this weight is unlikely to come back once I have surgery. Onward to a better day!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Happy Birthday to me!
I turn 34 today. I had originally hoped this would also be my band day, but knowing that day is only three and a half weeks away is a darn good present! My fantastic hubby bought what is probably the first typical/romantic gift he has gotten me for my Bday. (In the past, Ive gotten things like ionic breeze air purifiers, Photoshop, and a graphics tablet). I am proudly sporting my very first piece (and likely to be my only) of Tiffany jewelry. I have never been a flashy girl - in fact between the time I stopped wearing my high school right and when I got engaged, I jewelry was something I wore only when I dressed up. Its a silver starfish necklace that I have been wanting since before our wedding which was a year and a half ago - I'm pretty darn pleased!
Tonight we will go to our favorite "fancy" restaurant. The food is fantastic. And PLENTIFUL. Because of that, given its not really the kind of place you order one meal and share, we may well never go there again. So, I will have exactly what I want for a change and just say goodbye to the place.
I was doing fantastic trying to take weight off pre surgery. In three weeks, I got myself down 10 pounds. And yesterday I just broke down and was sick of being hungry and I ate pancakes!!!! So then I had chicken parm for dinner. But I am being good so far today, will be bad for dinner, and then the plan is to get right back on the horse. I am truly sick of feeling hungry all the time, but I want my body to be as healthy as possible for this surgery. The fact that I am really unlikely to regain whatever I lose preop because of the surgery and its post op diet is a REALLY big motivator for me. So many times I have pushed myself to get weight off only to have it come back. Of Course I don't have the motivation to push myself to diet anymore! But, the carrot of keeping off whatever I take off preop is definitely a tempting one!
Tonight we will go to our favorite "fancy" restaurant. The food is fantastic. And PLENTIFUL. Because of that, given its not really the kind of place you order one meal and share, we may well never go there again. So, I will have exactly what I want for a change and just say goodbye to the place.
I was doing fantastic trying to take weight off pre surgery. In three weeks, I got myself down 10 pounds. And yesterday I just broke down and was sick of being hungry and I ate pancakes!!!! So then I had chicken parm for dinner. But I am being good so far today, will be bad for dinner, and then the plan is to get right back on the horse. I am truly sick of feeling hungry all the time, but I want my body to be as healthy as possible for this surgery. The fact that I am really unlikely to regain whatever I lose preop because of the surgery and its post op diet is a REALLY big motivator for me. So many times I have pushed myself to get weight off only to have it come back. Of Course I don't have the motivation to push myself to diet anymore! But, the carrot of keeping off whatever I take off preop is definitely a tempting one!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Approved!
I just got the call - Oxford approved me, and my surgery is scheduled for October 3. For those curious about how long it took to get an approval, I do not know exactly when I was submitted, but I know that I called at 1ish two days ago and Oxford had not gotten any request. I got the call today about 2pm. So....less than two days from the time I was submitted to approval. WooHoo!!!!!!
Laser Hair Removal
Still no news on the authorization tip, which is frustrating to say the least! I did go do something positive for me this week though - I had my second appointment for laser hair removal.
What I did not expect is that they turn the power up, and it hurt more than the first time. Ouch! Still, it was pretty much "tolerable" which is how they put it, and I only had to have them pause once to let me deal with the pain. Now the waiting part - it takes 1-2 weeks for the dead hair to start shedding.
The crummy part of laser hair removal is you can not tweeze anymore. Shaving only. Im so sick of shaving my chin - this is NOT normal!
In hindsight, if I knew I would be working on having this surgery and possibly needing plastic surgery to put my body back in order, I probably would not have done it. But since the money is spent, I am hopeful. I believed I saw results after the first treatment, so fingers crossed things will only get better!
What I did not expect is that they turn the power up, and it hurt more than the first time. Ouch! Still, it was pretty much "tolerable" which is how they put it, and I only had to have them pause once to let me deal with the pain. Now the waiting part - it takes 1-2 weeks for the dead hair to start shedding.
The crummy part of laser hair removal is you can not tweeze anymore. Shaving only. Im so sick of shaving my chin - this is NOT normal!
In hindsight, if I knew I would be working on having this surgery and possibly needing plastic surgery to put my body back in order, I probably would not have done it. But since the money is spent, I am hopeful. I believed I saw results after the first treatment, so fingers crossed things will only get better!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Frustration
I had my last required appointment last monday (8 days ago), and my dr's office says they don't know if I was submitted to insurance. And they will probably submit me this week, maybe. Grrr.....don't they know I am losing sleep over this? I feel lousy and just want to know so I can move on to the next step.
In the meantime, I am trying to diet. I technically lost 9lbs on the torture diet, but within 48 hours 7 of those were back. I pretty much expected that as the torture diet wasnt the healthiest weight loss ever. But at this point I am down a total of 6. 6 pounds in two weeks....Ill definitely take that. I am hoping to have my surgery 10/3 (if they ever get around to submitting me!), so I am hopeful I can get 10 or 12 pounds off before preop diet even. If I can get myself down 16lbs that will be 10% of what I have to lose - should make a difference in my liver and help in recovery.
In the meantime, I am trying to diet. I technically lost 9lbs on the torture diet, but within 48 hours 7 of those were back. I pretty much expected that as the torture diet wasnt the healthiest weight loss ever. But at this point I am down a total of 6. 6 pounds in two weeks....Ill definitely take that. I am hoping to have my surgery 10/3 (if they ever get around to submitting me!), so I am hopeful I can get 10 or 12 pounds off before preop diet even. If I can get myself down 16lbs that will be 10% of what I have to lose - should make a difference in my liver and help in recovery.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Making Progress
I finished with the five days of torture and passed with flying colors. Day three was the worst - I wasn't getting any sleep because my hunger was keeping me awake. A night on sleeping pills made things MUCH better.
Last night my husband and I went to the 2 hour class my surgeon requires. Most of what was included I already knew (my doctor is great about providing lots and lost of reading material), but it was a good meeting. Now all that is left to do is wait for insurance approval. No way of knowing really how long that process will take, but I hope it happens soon. I will feel so much better when I can set a date and have that to look forward to.
In the meantime, I'm trying to track my food on thedailyplate.com and make smart choices. Of course last night my hubby talked me into Outback's Aussie Cheese Fries last night - calories galore! Today is another day, all I can do is try to be better.
Last night my husband and I went to the 2 hour class my surgeon requires. Most of what was included I already knew (my doctor is great about providing lots and lost of reading material), but it was a good meeting. Now all that is left to do is wait for insurance approval. No way of knowing really how long that process will take, but I hope it happens soon. I will feel so much better when I can set a date and have that to look forward to.
In the meantime, I'm trying to track my food on thedailyplate.com and make smart choices. Of course last night my hubby talked me into Outback's Aussie Cheese Fries last night - calories galore! Today is another day, all I can do is try to be better.
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