Katcloudshepherd

Recycled, So happy for you!!!!!! Congratulations on your success. Hope it is just the beginning of more great things to come. Kathleen

Hello everyone, My husband, Lewis, is scheduled for his surgery on Monday, January 12, 2015 at 10:15 am. He is a very high risk patient and the surgery will not be laproscopic. The surgeon has to go in via an incision due to other health issues. Those who are so inclined--PLEASE say a prayer for him to be able to undergo the vertical sleeve gastrectomy AND recover well from it. Those are the remaining hurdles for him. As I've said before, I would very much like to be a couple who can dance again, travel again and enjoy things we used to enjoy. Keep warm everyone in the states, I know it's colder than a well digger's a$$ in Alaska as my father used to say. Kathleen

LIpstickLady, True. Some may not need counseling. I know I needed it to deal with issues related to becoming morbidly obese. I've been working on transforming my negative thought patterns for over ten years. I tried everything short of surgery during that time. Kathleen

Congratulations!!!!

I know it had been mentioned to me that some exchange overeating with under eating and develop anorexia. Counseling is a MUST throughout this process. You have to work on the mental aspect of this NOT just the physical one. The mental part of this was more difficult for me than the physical part. I went through a dark period after surgery because I had lost my BESTEST friend---food. Food was ALWAYS there for me, comforting me, consoling me and NEVER turning away from me. I started at 338 before surgery. I hit my goal in about a year. My surgeon was not adamant about setting a specific number for me, for which I am grateful. I'm happy where I'm at. I don't count calories. I make sure I get my Water in, get my Protein in, eat vegetables after protein and eat carbs last. I exercise 3 times a week by going to a pool. I have severe joint issues--so I can't work out on land without causing pain. I try my best to get enough sleep at night. I do supplement my food with unflavored Protein powder and Quest bars. I feel better if I go OVER the 60 grams of protein a day recommended by my surgeon. I feel better at 70 or even 80 grams a day. The only way I can get that much protein in is to supplement my food. Since it's cold, I eat low sugar oatmeal or cream of wheat for Breakfast with protein powder. I make the oatmeal or cream of wheat, add Chia seeds, nuts, coconut manna and make sure I add a little milk to it before I add the unflavored protein powder. I am VERY careful to measure my water and oatmeal or cream of wheat. I can only eat a little, especially with the milk and other things added. When it's warmer I substitute a colder breakfast with protein powder. For me it's difficult to eat hot food when it's warmer outside. I often have a Quest bar mid morning so I can eat my lunch later in the day. I work out after work so I like to eat a late lunch to hold me over. I have the luxury of being able to do that. I know many people are not able to do that on the job. Remember immediately after your surgery, you need to sip, sip, sip your water once they clear you to drink. You need to walk as much as you can to prevent blood clots and pneumonia. I wish you the best. Kathleen

I'm very grateful that my husband has always been supportive. I agree with your friends. I think your husband is a jerk for doing that. How incredibly selfish of him to attempt to damage your efforts. He needs to get his head on straight. I know that sounds harsh but I can't help it. Going through this surgery and recovery is difficult enough WITH support. I hope you can keep your eye on the prize with a saboteur in your midst. I think he needs to get over himself and support you in your efforts. You may have to be the adult in this situation and BE STRONG and DRIVE ON. I wish you well and pray you have strength. Blessings, Kathleen

Kathy, Thank you. I'm so grateful for this site. Thank you Alex Brecher. Coming here and posting and getting feedback from people who have been there, done that and bought the T-shirt ---is PRICELESS. I'll keep y'all updated on Lewis's status after his surgery Monday. Imagine someone singing this sweetly, (admittedly, that would be someone other than myself) : "Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Kathy, happy birthday to you!" I wish you a very happy, wonderful birthday. Kathleen

Sleeves too long is still a NSV! Congratulations on your loss. It just struck me that this is one of the few places you will ever hear those words in the same sentence: "Congratulations on your loss". Most of the time it is: "So sorry for your loss". As a dear friend often says: "but I digress". I'm happy for your success. Wishing you continued NSV's and even more "losing" . I hope to NEVER find the weight I've lost Blessings, Kathleen

soon2besleeved, I wish you the best with your upcoming appointment and I hope your surgery is scheduled quickly. My husband has his pre-op appointment today and his surgery is scheduled for Monday, 1/12/15. I can sympathize with you. I know when I was where you are now, I just wanted to get on with it and get it done. Blessings, Kathleen

Hello everyone, I had to look up the word, you know in that archaic item on the shelf, (book they call a dictionary). That is not a complaint. Thank you to the person who originally posted the word "flounce" and in doing so, added it to my vocabulary. I actually am one of those people who are thankful when people use a word I'm not familiar with and I have to look it up. I know, I could easily have used the internet but I'm "old-school" and like to look the word up so I can remember it. flounce\'flaun(t)s\ vi. flounced; floun cing [perh. of Scand origin; akin to Norw flunsa to hurry] (1542) 1 a: to move with exaggerated Jerky or bouncy motions <flounced about the room, jerking her shoulders, gesticulating -- Agatha Christie>; also : to move so as to draw attention to oneself <flounced into the lobby> b : to go with sudden determination <flounced out of the room in a huff> 2 : FLOUNDER, STRUGGLE. Thanks again for a new word in my vocabulary. Hope y'all have a good one, wherever you may be : ) . Blessings, Kathleen

Hello everyone, My husband has been approved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank God. He actually got his approval more quickly than I did. It took two weeks last year for me to be approved. He will start his pre-op diet on 1/5/15, have his final pre-op appointment on 1/8/15 and the surgery on 1/12/15. I'm excited and anxious at the same time. It will be a more complicated surgery than mine. Mine was laproscopic and his will be an open incision. Those of you who are so inclined, PLEASE say a prayer that everything will go well and his surgeon will be able to complete the surgery. His surgeon has said--if he gets in there and thinks it will kill him to do the surgery he'll close him up and won't do it. He said he won't know for sure until he actually does the surgery. 1st hurdle down---next is actual procedure. Blessings, Kathleen

I'll bet there will come a day when they'll be able to synthesize the "skinny" gut bacteria. Since my tastes have changed so much since VSG---I think there is something there. Sweet foods just don't appeal to me like they did before surgery. I want savory---meat, cheese, olives. I'm so grateful my tastes have changed and I hope to God they never go back! Thanks for the laughs y'all---too funny. Yes, you too can get be that thin person!!!! with a little help from someone else's poo. (brings a WHOLE new meaning to "with a little help from my friends")---you too can be that svelte, thin person you ALWAYS wanted to be . If it were only that simple . Morbid obesity is a multifaceted, pernicious, cunning and eventually deadly--disease. I'm so thankful that mine is being treated now with the technology available. Kathleen

Babbs, So sorry for your loss. Havanese are happy, clownish dogs. Zsa-Zsa is a happy little girl. I've had to start giving her pills for her arthritis. I can always tell when she's hurting because she doesn't move much and just lays on her pillow. She has one specific type of toy and that is the ONLY one she will play with. She's my cuddle bunny and Shadow is just that--my husband's shadow. He was named Benny when we adopted him but since we're good friends with our next door neighbors and his name is Ben and his son's name is Ben--we changed his name to Shadow. Shadow was a natural fit because he is always very near my husband. When I have been home and my hubby, (Lewis) is away, you would think I'm a piece of furniture. Shadow and Zsa-Zsa both are apprehensive until Lewis is home. When my husband has VSG on Monday, January 12th, I won't be getting much sleep that night because the dogs will run outside at every noise. We have a "doggy" door for them and Lewis has a wheelchair ramp for his power chair. They don't settle down until he's home and then they sleep very deeply. I sometimes think that pets can be more devoted to someone than a human can. They provide such unconditional love and they don't care what you look like, how much money you make or what kind of car you drive. Kathleen