marypenny

Thank you very much, Vonego. It has been difficult. The passing of my mother, a survivor of Pearl Harbor, and the inspiration of my life, has been very difficult. This weekend will be the first Highland Games (Seaside Games, in Ventura, CA) that she's ever missed, since we've been active in our Scottish Clan organization. This is going to be a tough one. My husband's prostate cancer is going to demand an answer to the treatment choices... and I'm not thrilled with any of the choices! But life is what happens to us.... And thank you very much for you kind comments!

Thank you all ! I don't wish people luck, for I learned a long time ago that the harder I work the luckier I get. I believe that Providence had a hand in this; when I was ready to make a decision Dr. Owens was introduced into my life at just that time. Coincidence? I doubt it. I wish all of you the very best success as you make this decision, and then re-make it each day of your journey; that you will do the things necessary for your success. Best of success for all of you! Sincerely, Mary

Good morning friends, I was asked to tell you about my sleeve journey. I am so glad I had it done a year ago. Truly, although, it's not been as easy as I thought, but the complications were not from the sleeve itself. My husband of 40 years was diagnosed with prostate cancer 4 months ago and my mother passed away 3 months ago... both of those terribly emotional events have affected my success. I've lost 70 of the 90 pounds I wanted to lose, although I am now back on my eating program and expect to finish this journey. Physically I feel wonderful. This last Sat. we climbed all over the USS Iowa (one of the 4 large battleships being restored and preserved in ports around the US) and I wasn't tired, I felt great after spending the day climbing many steep ladders and walking what must have been miles through narrow passageways on that marvelous battleship. I never could have done that prior to the surgery! Not in a million years. The knee replacement surgery I was contemplating has been put on indefinite hold with the weight loss. That was worth the price of admission alone! And the nicest compliment was when a close friend, who has been watching me through this last year, has decided to follow my journey, and she is beginning her program with Kaiser in Nov! What a thrilling thought. I don't preach "sleeve" to anyone, but I will talk to folks who ask me about it seriously. I do find it very uncomfortable when casual acquaintances want to know "how did you lose so much weight?" I'm not really comfortable with talking to people who are, I feel, just being nosey! It was an intensely private decision and one I can't speak easily about to just anyone who asks. But I would reccommend the sleeve to anyone who has struggled with their weight and who is ready to make a life-changing decision. Thanks & have a great day! Mary

I must say, I agree with you... I don't care for this new format. I find it very confusing! One week after the sleeve, my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer... so I've been rather absent from the conversations. We've been very involved in options for his treatment. And we are leaving for a week in our RV (going up to the local So. Cal mountains, to our local RV Resort) and will be out of touch for awhile. I'm not losing any weight with this stress. But I hope to get back on track being away with just Garth & our two Dearheart Persians. Lots of quiet walks in the woods and evenings watching old movies. See you all when we get back. Mary

So glad to hear that all went well with you!! And a year of traveling!! WOW. We have been retired now for two and a half years and have taken some extensive trips but nothing like yours. What an incredible experience for you both. I wondered why you had your surgery in Germany (I thought perhaps you were active duty USArmy). Congrats on your outcome. I'm like you, in that I had the drain removed while I was in the 3nd day of the hospital stay, just before Dr. Owens released me. And, like you, I wasn't hungry at all. I think my 'inside' were still in shock! Stood on the scale and was down (including the pre-op two week diet) 23 pounds. I want to encourage you to follow all your dr.'s orders. Very best of luck & planning to you! Sincerely, Mary

Good morning friends! And mine was so different from yours! I got the drain out while I was still in the hospital, so I've been drain free from Day 3, if you consider surgery as Day 1. Have lost 23 pounds since the pre-op began. I have found a whole new wardrobe in my closet. Amazing. Another 80 to go. It's been so good to read what you folks write. All so supportive. There were several days right after the surgery and once I was home when I wasn't sure at all that this was a good idea! It's been quite painful for me to put anything in the sleeve so the surgeon (when I finally confessed that I was only getting down 3 oz of liquid a day) rx'd some Magic Pills for me. One under the tongue. Slows the action of the gut and lets me get down 2-4 oz of protein shake. But I can get enough water down so I'm not in danger of dehydration. Thank you all. Mary

I missed chewing so badly on the pre-op diet that I took to making Jello Wigglers... you know... cut the Water by 75% and you get hard little Jello squares (I mixed two large size Jellos with just 2 c. boiling water then poured it into an 8" sq, pan. Sets very quickly, cut into squares) Gave me something to chew on & I lost 14 pounds on the 3 wk. pre-op. You might try that! The very best wishes to you! I am 6 days post-op and have lost 21 pounds total. Into a blouse I've not worn for at least 5 years. Hang in there, you can do this! Sincerely, Mary

Dear Phyllis, very best wishes! I am now 6 days post-op and want to encourage you to hang in there! This might not seem the best idea (late at night, the day after surgery... when you are thinking that this may have been a massive mistake) but those feelings will change with the light of day, getting more days past surgery (please do remember that this is not minor surgery!), getting your new eating habits grounded, and watching the pounds slide off. Hang in there, nice lady! Very best wishes for your swift and easy recovery. Sincerely, Mary

Hello Betty, Glad to hear you have succeeded in the Options Program with Kaiser. I was told 10-11 mo. by the Options gal at the Downey facility. I believed her & paid for it out-of-pocket in order to have it done before Aug. of 2012. But you know, it's doing what you are supposed to do that makes for success. I wish you the very best! Mary

As a Kaiser member (and the wife of a retired orthodontist and one who dealt with insurance/***'s for 20 years) may I just suggest that Kaiser is doing their level best to bully you. Yes, losing 10 pounds a month for 4 months running is feasible, but it's not very realistic. Everyone, even us sleeved folks, hit plateaus! They can not disqualify you from their program because you failed it once before & have gained/regained weight. They can & do gently mis-represent their guidlelines and they do their best to gently intimidate you into losing weight without surgery. But if you read your plan very carefully, and you speak with Member Services you will find that the Options Program (you see the word Options is plural? That includes their liquid program you see??) is filled to bursting with obese folks. They can't afford to do surgery on them all, quite frankly. That's what an *** is... health Maintenance program...they want you as healthy as they can get you without the expense of surgery. Remember that Kaiser is a business. They are in business... and that means that they have to collect more in monthly premiums from all their patients than they pay out for operating costs...building upkeep, salaries, operating rooms, maintenance, etc. So they have to "push out into the future" any procedures they can. They do it so they can stay in business financially. They must do things legally, of course. And there is the key. That means that you have a legal right to the surgery, too. They have to obey the laws, even if it costs them money. You have to be pro-active about your care. Talk to Member Services. Mention that you feel you are being pushed aside. If you have co-morbidity issues, mention them. They record every single conversation you have with them, so do not ever say anything that you know to be false. You have to "play by" the rules too. Member Services is your advocacy voice and you need to talk with them. You'd be amazed how quickly you can get a needed referral from your PCP if you mention that you are unhappy with the slowness and think you'd better talk with MS. Obviously, I do have Kaiser. I discovered that here in So Cal I could expect a wait of 10-11 months (although I did hear one rumor about someone who got into Fountain Valley for surgery in just 4 months). Believing the 10-11 mo. wait, I chose to go out of network and pay the $15K on my own. With my deductible at $6K that made the surgery $9K extra and I will have lost 100 pounds by the time they would consider me for surgery. Am I glad that I did it out of network, yes! I have it done now and I am 5 days post op. I've lost 20 pounds, including pre-op diet and I'm very happy. I did it on my time schedule and when I was ready for it. But Kaiser will do your surgery if you continue to work with Member Services. Hang in there. Hope these words of encouragement helped! Mary

It is true that the pre-op liquid Protein diet is intended to shrink the size of the liver. Yes, it does interfere with the surgery, the dr. has to 'tuck' it out of the way and there's not much room up against your diaphram. Please do keep to the diet and increase the chances of an easy surgery! And yes, with your low BMI you probably got a shorter pre-op diet and the added salad+dressing. I am home from the hospital (early am surgery last Wed. 10/19, Thurs in a fog, and home on Friday with drain out. Doing well physically, too) and counting the pre-op I am down 20 pounds. Hang in there friend. Thoughts and prayers go with you! Mary

Keeping you in thoughts & prayers!

Thank you for all the good thoughts & prayers. I do feel well, am home with drain removed. Having trouble getting liquids other than water down so will talk with surgeon today about that. But I feel really well and I am certain that this will turn out to have been the 2nd best decision I made in my life! Down 18 pounds, including pre-op. Whohoo!.

I am glad to hear that it gets better as I'm still pretty rocky from the surgery. Home yesterday.

I am home from the hospital also. Sleeved on the 19th, Wed. I encourage myself by stepping on the scale and seeing the 18 pounds lost, since I started pre-op. I'd lost 14 pre-op but I consider that part of this, since I'd never have lived on a total protein-shake diet had I not been determined on the surgery. Really thought that Dr. Owens (Orange County, CA) was a splendid surgeon & a caring and thoughtful man. I'm having trouble getting shakes down, even just an oz. and if that doesn't improve I'll give him a call. I'm celebrating the 18 pounds! Focus on the positive. Best wishes to all of you also. Mary