iggychic

Salvation Army has a program in Anchorage. It was one of my favorite volunteer activities ever. They cry a lot, but so did my little guy so I'm good with sick babies. I used to do it once a week. I suppose you could call a local hospital if you live in a larger city and see if they have a program. I learned about it from another volunteer. There was a background check, etc., but it was well worth the hassle! I never knew anything about the babies except that they were coming off of the drugs and didn't have family able to be with them. You are trained not to ask questions!

Call your surgeon. Anything to do with circulation can be dangerous and blue extremities is a symptom of a circulation issue. If your oxygen is that low you should also be extremely concerned. A fever coming and going is also not a good thing. You really need to see this as more serious than kids seeing blue lips. Fever after surgery is indication of an infection...it does not need to stay to be important (mine came and went for the first couple of weeks). If your surgeon isn't answering go to a quick care or an er. PS...vacuuming is not something you should be doing this early out. The vacuum is too heavy and it requires abdomen twisting movement.

LMAO oh honey can you imagine! But maybe in the next four years I can hide all of the skeletons in my attic...I have a big attic

Do you have a fever? Any pain on the left side? Getting weak after surgery isn't uncommon as you are in a very low cal diet, but it's also a possible sign of complications. I believe you've been eating some higher texture foods if I remember right...which your doc may be on board with, but many are not because they can stress a new suture line, leaving you open to worries about leaks. If you are having severe weakness you should get back to your doc or an er right away. Especially if you have other concerns, like issues with circulation (those freezing lips). Better safe than sorry. And if you are that weak and nothing is actually physically wrong...you should consider taking a few more days off. Yes I know that's hard, but if you don't your body won't recover and you'll end up taking more time off later as you fall apart! This was a major surgery and your body needs time to heal

BTB wrote what I would have, but I would add that I had mixed feelings about telling initially. When I first decided to have surgery I wasn't going to tell anyone but my husband, mother and our nanny because they all would have to know as they're part of our network of support. But then as time went on, and friends were inviting us to dinner, making plans with us etc, it occurred to me that I had to tell my closest friends. To not do so would be in essence lying to them IMO. How do you decline dinner plans made a month prior to the puree stage without lying LOL So I took my dear friends to the beach we like to walk on and told them. They were all shocked, because they've always known me overweight and don't know that ten years ago I was slim and healthy and some of them were worried to tears. I assured them that it was safe, risk free basically and that I'd be back on the beach the next week. Then I nearly died.... So their fears for me were quite valid, and their assistance to me and my family, from delivering home made broth, taking my son out with their kids while I was in hospital, and even painting me a picture of the spot where we normally had wine and cheese on the beach and delivering that to the hospital so I had a happy memory to look at, was invaluable in all of my family making it through. How would they have reacted if I'd lied? They would have been hurt, shocked, and heck probably angry that I kept such a big thing from them. One of them is my son's future mother if my husband and I were to die....that I wouldn't tell her when I was risking my life??? Bad me! My perspective on telling is so different than most other people's because of the experience I had. I thank god that I had the courage to tell my friends and family, and enough love in my heart to share my journey with them. I also tell people who are not so close. I didn't have much choice as I disappeared from society for 60 days while suffering from the complications. We live in a small town...I was lucky it wasn't front page news LOL And while traveling this week I also mentioned it to my husband's family when it made sense. I feel much more comfortable being honest....100% honest Do I knock people down in the street and sing WLS praises? No, I actually regret the surgery, so I guess that wouldn't make sense LOL But if I'm asked I would be happy to answer the questions people have. This has happened to me twice at my son's school and I have no problem with it. Rumors die if you put them to bed What's there to gossip about if you yourself start the gossip I'm not ashamed, though I do regret that I took this road. And that's what I share with others who ask. Much like I do here. Funny story though...I was pregnant with triplets several years ago. Anyone who has experienced this would understand that early on in that kind of pregnancy most people just look fat LOL and I tend to carry a pregnancy all over anyhoo....no basketball tummy for me! Anyhoo, I started the pregnancy about 15lbs over weight and gained rapidly from the beginning until I lost them. One day while at the store a gal approached me and said (while in line checking out) that she had struggled with her weight all of her life and wanted to suggest I see her doctor (who had given her phen phen). She did probably feel like a butthead when I told her I was five months pregnant...at least I hope so! So I also don't approach strangers to sing a WLS song! Some of us are happy as we are. Some are pregnant. Some are sick and some...well they might want to hear the WLS story, but I'd let them ask first LOL

At six months your weight loss is going to slow significantly for most. This isn't a horrible thing, it's just a natural flow of your body. You can't aggressively lose weight for ever This allows skin tissue to reduce in size, so it's not all bad. The hair loss stops, etc. But if you stay on program you'll still lose, just slower than in the first six months. This is why the stats show that most people lose 60% of their excess weight during this period.

I gotta step in for rootman here. There is something to his issues with the current work environment. If a man told me I was beautiful in the course of a work day and I worked with him, I'd probably be concerned about that if it wasn't somehow directly related to a comment I'd made. You just can't say that stuff anymore. I can't tell a man he's handsome at work either, but I can see myself saying something like "Did you use that gorgeous smile to get your way into the grumps door?" over a beer and I wouldn't have to worry about it being a sexual harassment issue. OP, you do have a beautiful face actually if I were complimenting you I'd say you have a smile that lights up a room, because from your pic it appears you do. I don't mean to be discussing the size of your bumm or anything else, you just have a very infectious smile from what I can see. I do get that sometimes there are sideways compliments. Really I do But I put it in the context of the person who is giving them. I don't surround myself with people who do that (yes I know you can't pick your coworkers unfortunately) but I think some of the things you are worried about aren't negative...you are reading too much into them. "Did he talk to you" could mean...umm did he talk to you? I have had a crush on him for weeks...dang! Or the red head thing....I get and have always gotten (even as a size 2) compliments about my red hair. It is long, full, always styled cuz I'm a hair freak, and frankly it's beautiful I have good red head family genes fortunately. I hear my 7 year old son get the same compliments so, given he's skinny as a rail, I'm assuming the compliments aren't an insult about the size of his or my bumm And yes, I did used to get a lot of "is it real" heh heh But now my son's hair backs up my story (and ummm truth? it's gotten duller since moving to alaska so it's somewhat artificially inseminated with henna LOL but it's "real" hair). I'd never say to someone that they had a pretty face mind you. I get the concern that you feel there. I'd stick to the gorgeous smile compliment...but would that offend???? Maybe, though I'd never say it as a back handed insult.

Just because you make a bad choice that does not make it right. She's married to the man and claims she plans on continuing to be. Would you want to be married to someone who would have major surgery and keep it a secret? That's not a relationship. If that's all you have don't complain because you are basically giving what you are getting back. I feel sad for everyone involved here.

The fact that you and he are so focused on your weight tells me it's not a relationship worth hanging onto. He wouldn't be sure if he'd be attracted at 250? That's just not something a man who "loves you" says. And if he's loved you so much for the last two years...where's he been? You broke up for numerous reasons. Write them down and remember them. They don't get better the second time around and distance is NOT a reason for a break up. When I met my husband I lived in Alaska and he lived in Texas. We didn't live in the same state, even within driving distance for heck...three no maybe it was five years almost. If you were actually in love you'd make it work, you'd make the effort. We are married now, 12 years later, with a 7 year old child. He fell in love with me when I was a size 2 and he's never been out of love with me, even when I was an 18. In this, size does not matter! The fact that the douch would even say that he might not be attracted to you at 250 screams slimeball...sorry but it does. It's not love honey, it's a bad break up romance that will fail and hurt you more later. You got out once, stay out and focus on yourself.

What if you die? Or have complications from the surgery? Sheesh this is no way to go into this at all. If you care for your family at all you should tell them you are going in for a life threatening surgery for gads sake! If they don't support you now, why on earth would they if you do this?

Being someone who nearly died having this surgery, I read this with a little bit of shock and horror....you want to gain a significant amount of weight to have it covered? Honestly, that's just so wrong. It's hard on your body to gain weight quickly and it's not going to help you long term with your weight issues. I know you want it, but the reason insurance companies don't cover it is because it should be a last resort. I think you'd be better off trying with serious commitment something that will enhance your life, not hurt it, as trying to get up to a 40 bmi will. In addition, most insurance companies want a documented history at that BMI to cover, not just one good fat day on the scale. Your medical history will clearly cover that you gained weight to have the insurance coverage. So if they then deny....where on earth will you be? Even heavier with no prospects It's just not sound thinking dear.

Let's say 135 for me I'm 145 now and want to hit 130 for New Years so that falls nicely in the middle. Mind you I've just returned from vacation and could find that I'm no longer 145 LOL but we'll see tomorrow morning! I'll just have to work harder if I've seen any negative changes.

You know, I've only experienced one issue with food. I ate a Protein Bar and whatever was in it made me both vomit and then slime later. I will never eat that stupid thing again. I asked my doc why I haven't experienced this otherwise and he said it was because I was being so careful about my intake. Given my complications, I took the rules seriously and haven't strayed when it comes to volume. I eat half a cup at a time, never breaking that rule or pushing it at all and I've never experienced either issue aside from that one time with the bar (I think it had something that puffed up in my tummy). I'm not saying that you aren't following the rules...but some docs say "see what you can handle" and some give you an amount you aren't supposed to push. I personally like the idea of sticking to a specific amount because I don't much enjoy getting sick. I was told to avoid vomiting because it might hurt my claw, which scared me enough to really stick to the half cup. I suppose some day I'll have that amount raised and might experience these problems...but I am very comfortable with the amount I can have so I don't feel the need to push it too far

They were delicious as was the duck I love fancified french food

Heh heh, and if I soak the toast points in butter and garlic long enough they'll be sort of protein right? LOL

Are you sure there are no leaks? You're a ways out and still sick...that's concerning! Are you on a PPO? They are typically prescribed but some docs still make you ask for them. They make a big difference in nausea issues. Without them, even at almost three months out from my first surgery I still find some things bother me. My saving grace was oveltine in 0% fat milk. Warm, hot or ice cold it works and isn't as thick as the shakes (which were a challenge for me early out as well). The milk gives you about a gram per ounce (a little more actually) so you get in some protein. There is also a protein called necter that people like here. I haven't tried it but I know that it comes in fruit flavors. unjury protein, unflavored is also easy to add to broth that isn't too hot.

I'm on the same schedule. Which sucks because I love salad LOL I dream about cesear with chicken breast on it while others are dreaming about cookies! Tonight we're eating at a fancy french restaurant in Minneapolis (I think...could be Saint Paul...I'm not from here). I haven't been told when I can eat snails, but FYI...today's the day LOL We'll see how it goes.

If you are doing fine with the capsules than continue with them. That's a whole lot easier than adding it to food (though you can open the capsule and add it to yogurt or applesauce). It's better taken on an empty stomach though, so maybe consider putting it by your bed and taking it just as you get up in the morning (that's when I have it). It does come in a dissolvable form (probably another brand, but still a PPO) but is normally only prescribed to babies or the elderly in that form as it's not as effective as the capsule is. It's also freaking expensive that way as the insurance companies don't like it. As long as you take it the same time daily (ish) you'll be fine. Switching from night to morning won't hurt you...just skip one dose (they build up in your body so this will have no effect on you). Or take it before lunch, at a break...your job makes that challenging I'm guessing...but whatever time you have a consistent routine is best.

There is a rare disorder that happens to people who have WLS where their body does not self regulate and they eventually lose too much weight and die. It's incredibly rare and incurable. I read about it when I was thinking of having the surgery. Do I worry I have this? Even the queen of rare complications thinks she's probably ok There are healthy ways to increase weight. My son has a feeding disorder and we've had to supplement his calories since birth. It's not hard to do. So I have no fear of that issue. I'm five foot tall exactly and expect I'll hit 110 and level off as I was at that weight for ten years, ten years ago. I have been smaller, down to 95 as an adult, which is still a healthy weight for someone of my height, but I found it hard to maintain, hence wanting the higher, and yet still healthy weight goal. I do see a lot of people who have set goals exceed those, which might make people think that losing too much weight is possible and even easy, but the one thing I think most of those folks have in common is that they have been heavy all of their life. To those folks, setting a goal is somewhat subjective on their inability to picture themselves at a number they think is just impossible...and that they consider "unhealthy" because they've never been healthy. 140 for instance for a woman of my height, is too heavy. No one is that "big boned" but I get why someone might shoot for that...because in their eyes, they are "thin". My hope for these folks is that after living at their new goal they then realize that they could be healthier within a normal BMI for height ratio. My sister is the same height as me, but unlike me, she's struggled with her weight for her entire life. She has been as high as 350 and currently is at around 200. She feels great, yet I know she would be surprised how much better she'd feel at 120 or less Even 20lbs lower and she'd find her knees would bother her less...but she can't imagine it. She thinks my weight goal is going to be skeletal...yet I've been that weight and she didn't think I was too thin then Growing up with her mind set agains mine...it gave me some perspective as to where people come from when setting goals I've never been a huge eater, I just ate the wrong stuff (loved sugar and carbs) so for me, volume increase won't be my foe....desire will LOL I plan on living my life as I did ten years ago, which means I ate in general what I wanted, but didn't eat a lot of candy and white carbs. I also used to weigh myself daily and if I gained 3lbs I paid attention to what I was putting in my mouth until those were gone. Not a huge sacrifice, and not a yoyo diet, but just having a salad verses a sandwich and skipping desert if I'm eating out. And for me...cutting down my wine consumption

The only thing you don't want to mix is Calcium with Iron. Leave a couple of hours out between that and the rest. I take everything in the morning and then just throw six Bariatric calcium chews into my pocket. They're better off taken a little bit (two chews) throughout the day than all at once as your body can't assimilate that much calcium at once anyhoo.