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My jew journey

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Hard journey, murphys law I suppose, infection

OK here goes. I have been using my cell to piddle around on here I figured it is time to get on a computer. I have had an extremely rough journey. So I figure it best to give you folks a timeline.   January 16th Wednesday   Surgery day, everything went well took a little less than an hour and about an hour in recovery to wake up. Once awake they transport you to your room. Its like a blur because you are still groggy.   January 17th Thursday   Released from hospital wishing they would keep me another day. But that is the way they do it get you in and get you out.   That night I was in so much pain I attempted to lay in the bed but it caused so much pain I ended up sitting up on the couch to sleep. I could not get up or down on my own due to the pain in my abdomen. Mainly one incision. It turned out this is the incision they pull the stomach through. I didn't sleep this whole week. Regretting what I have done to myself. I had a few breakdowns this week due to lack of sleep. I would sleep about 2 hours at a time. I have no answer as to why but I would just wake up as if startled. Also I was having trouble getting down my pain meds. Hydrocodone, it was so gross I would at times throw it up. But eventually found they would flavor it. Grape bubblegum is a fav I find that because it is like 2 flavors its way better. Plus now I chase it with a drink lol. My diet is consisting of soup soup and soup with some yogurt and Popsicles..     January 19th   Abdominal binder! YAY!!!. An abdominal binder basically keeps everything for moving and promotes circulation and healing.       January 24th Thursday   First follow up visit. I explain to my surgeon the extreme pain I am in. I can barely get up or down on my own and I am basically in tears in her office. She explained to be that my belly looked fine and all my incisions were healing well. I was told "Well Nicole you know your young you have never had major surgery or kids and this is a lot for you to adjust too." At this point im thinking well im never having kids lol.   She then made me get up from the table on my own trying to teach me how to roll and then sit up. I felt as I had ripped my belly open. By later that evening I was throbbing.   January 25th   I noticed I am a bit more swollen and believe it is due to the drs appt. I start wearing my abdominal binder again. Also I rotated heating packs and ice packs in hopes of reducing swelling.   January 27th   I am now red and swollen. I was still using the ice packs in hopes of reducing the pain. I had emailed the RN in her office over the weekend because I was having low grade fevers constantly about 99.9   January 28th   My surgeon calls trying to get me to come in and is quite disappointed with me when I tell her I have no one to bring me in when she is available due to her timing I would have to wait til my follow up January 31st That morning I go to get in the shower before my fiancee leaves for work. Keep in mind at this point I couldn't even put my own pants on due to pain. I get in the shower look down and puss and blood is shooting out of my incision. I then do what anyone in my position would naturally do...scream for my fiancee lol   I go to the drs office and they let me know I have an infection and that they need to clean it out. ME not knowing whats going to happen next goes oh ok. She took a tool and ripped my incision open without numbing me. Then she squeezed everything out. I at this point am yelling. and being told to calm down. And just so everyone knows this is common for drs to do! They feel like by the time they numb it which it doesn't totally work they would be done. I have been told this by quit a few nurses.   I am sent home to do my own packing when I went back to the dr my skin had started coming off and I had some necrotic bits. I was immediately sent to the hospital and there I stayed til February 6th. I was nauseous the whole time and didn't eat for almost the whole time I was there.   January 31st-February 6th   Hospital   February 6th   Home, they wanted to me to stay another day but I said nope. I was tired of being sick.   February 8th   Finally no longer nausea's and eating food. Tuna, Salmon, Real crab, Hard time with protein shakes, threw that up a lot in the hospital.   Nurses now come to the house repacking every day twice a day.   February 13th   Changed to silver packing. Only needs to be changed every 3-5 days. Less nurses less money lol.
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

9
 

Surgery tomorrow

Well surgery is tomorrow! Im not nervous at all, but i'm sure something may hit me tomorrow. I report to Maryview hospital (portsmouth, VA) at 7 a.m. for check in and surgery will be at 9.   I have been on a liquid diet for 7 days now and lost about 7 lbs. Alot of people on here say their DRs are not requiring them to have one. But after the research i've done I do recommend it. It helps shrink the liver. Considering that is in the way of the stomach it prevents injury from them moving it around. Plus it kick starts weightloss and prevents the last meal syndrome. I hated it at first but my calorie intake went from around 3000 to 900 a day. After a few days the hunger isnt as bad.   Overall im excited for this next step!
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

7
 

Progress, found a new way to get protein in (for me that is)

Ok so as of 3/6 according to my nutrionist I am on track with everything. I dont feel that way but she was happy. She wants me to be 218 by my 3 month mark which is 4-14.I am currently 233 was 270. Thats a ways away and only 15 lbs but with the way I get stuck on a weight for over a week at a time kills me. I need to start exercising more but I still have a hole in my side. That prevents alot.   I am absolutely horrible at getting my protein in! But I found that the french vanilla protein works well as a cooffe creamer. Plus the coffee masks the protein taste. Oh and I do it in room temp coffee mix it and then add ice. I loooovvveee cold coffee. And caffeine free of course. I was quite pleased. I may try chocolate next week. Make like a mocha.   Anywho...Happy losing!
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

7
 

The Beginning

Ok here I sit counting down. And I tell you the wait is almost painful !! I go in 11-14 and do all my appointments. Labs, ekg, chest x-ray, ultrasound, barium swallow, nutritionist and psychiatric.I will expect to hear from the surgery scheduler 11-28. I am currently 5'5 267 and my surgeons goal for me is 155-165.   I have told some friends and co workers my plans and I almost always get the same reaction. "Are you sure. Your not that big." I chuckle a bit and ask them have you ever been this weight and most responses are uhm no. I have been big since I was younger and was actually extremely confident 30 lbs ago. Now that confidence is gone and back pain has settled in! I am excited for my journey ahead.
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

5
 

myfitness pal app--awesome for tracking food intake.

For those of yolu worried about getting protein in and calories and even basic vitamins YOU WANT THIS APP!!!!. You can make your daily calories what your dr sets. You can scan the barcodes on all foods or just search for them. Makes life easy. I am supposed to be between 500-600 daily. come to find out I was only getting 400! which can cause a stall. It will track your weight and even measurements.   Oh and add friends ---asifitsthelast.
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

4
 

BACK TO WORK! Down 25 lbs

SOOOOOO, I will be going back to work 2-20. My Dr told me it is perfectly fine to go back to work with my wound as long as I cover it properly. Typical packing gauze and bandage. Also to wear my abdominal binder for extra coverage. Home depot has this dust that gets on everything.   In other news I am 241 today and according to my nutritionist I am right on track. They expect at this point for me to have lost 25% of my excess weight. The weigh in they first counted was 266 (I started this at 270). And that is a gastric bypass guideline!! She said that with sleeves normally its a little less so that makes me happy. (Sleeved 1/16)   I see a lot of people on here worry about how much they are loosing. I find that the larger you are you will loose a lot more the first few months then a smaller sleever. Patience is a virtue. Soooo cliche but true I have obsessed over my weight this month and with being in and out of the hospital. All to find out I am doing good. I have even been taking in more than I should solid wise due to my gag reaction to protein. The dietitian told me that she understood why and was glad I was trying to stay healthy but try to find one protein shake a day so I can cut back to the 3 ounces of solid. In 2 weeks I can add raw veggies/fruits back in my diet. I cant add exercise back in til this wound heals I am sure that would make a huge difference but I may still be 3 weeks out from that.     If I can keep up 25 lbs a month I would be ecstatic!!! My goal weight is 165. Honestly I still cant believe I am sleeved.     -Nicole-
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

4
 

Picked a site for my wedding

We picked where we are getting married yesterday I am so excited. Hopefully I am at goal in 6 months so I can get a dress early enough. A gorgous farm (no animals lol) 33 acres awesome barn for reception and its a bed and breakfast. You rent it for the whole weekend. Im excited takes some of the stress away.     April 12th 2014 here we come
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

4
 

stuck

Stuck at 207 was 270. Goal is 165. If only I could break 200! Almost 5 months out. Soo frustrating!
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

2
 

Long day!

Well a trip to the naval exchange and the mall whooped my butt. I havent been up for that long since surgery 1-16. I was up for 4 hours straight walking around. I know it doesnt sound like a lot but omg do I hurt. With still having this hole I walk funny a bit. So my back and belly was angry. But I have to press through. I go back to work 2-20 and I have to get used to being up and standing on concrete again.   Hopefully only another month of this!
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

2
 

Back at work...

Well I am not that far out from surgery and still healing from my infection. I have hit a stall. I figure its because I cant workout. Surgery was 1/16. I am stuck at 235. I am back at work walking around though. Hopefully by next week I will loose a couple more lbs. I want to hit goal by 6 months. I only have 70 lbs to go.
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

0
 

January 2Nd!

I was given my date today. January 2nd. The surgical scheduler says she hasnt heard from my insurance yet which I find odd. But she says I meet all their requirements. So here goes!!!
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

0
 

7 months out

Ok soooo im 7 months out. was 270 and now I am 187. I have totally slacked on protein bad bad me. I am sure i would probably weigh a bit less. But every since I was in the hospital my brain says omg throw it up now apparently. Very few of them I can stomach. Once I actually take pictures I will post some. I have to get too 160 we will see how this goes. Lets see loose skin..check! chicken wings and all. Its not too bad though. The belly skin is what bothers me. Thin hair with the protein. It seems to fall out everyday but i am not going bald or anything. Happy journey folks!
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

0
 

Odd Support Group/suffolk Va

So I went to the mandatory support group meeting and it was interesting. Out of the 50 or so pre/post op there all of them were gastric bypass. Not only was I the youngest one there (Im 26) I mentioned sleeve and everyone was like no do gastric, gastric this that or the other. And then the nurse proceeded to tell everyone how there is no long term research (which is true) but made the sleeve sound not so good. The few other people in the room considering sleeve were looking scared after her spiel. With a surgery like this it makes you nervous and double guess your decision I guess. The research is there. I feel there are less issues with the sleeve.   Oh anyone in Virginia??? Im doing all my stuff with Bon secours in Harborview. Looking to meet people in the area having this done or who have had it done.   Any who! Back to work I guess.
asifitsthelast

asifitsthelast

0
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