Urbanlamb

I did a list of everyone who has posted their surgery date. I thought it'd make it easier to see who is your 'surgery twin', and also so that as the month progresses, we can encourage each other and keep track of how we're all doing. *hugs* IF you don't see your name, or if I got a date wrong, please copy/paste and repost. August 1 skylark Coffeebeanz swifty3565 August 2 August 3 August 4 Margaret Sue Boeve SwanRose Orlando NoDramaLlama LisaELasVegas Rhonda Mendola qtpatootie2681 sachsegirl ? Murphy'sMama Ymartell08 MarylandMom August 5 chevygirrrl phatdad bebop812 Tracis weight loss journey HotMessNurrrrrse Alex C jenjenriley Photo925 Sweet Pea STL Sleever enlightened1 aidansmom jennyweber August 6 JennOnHerWay celisa23 agirlnamedfrankie [the balloon girl] jmariez Mangold33 taylorj7 August 7 Miaoreo SleevyD GREATFUL leelee2728 cynk August 8 Tilds38 August 9 August 10 August 11 krissi11 gettingittogether83 Maggs Bobby46 Dawnyell76 kristigo dreamgirl45 ayscott74 August 12 alamergrl amorga Missbaisah ? johnsydney Crippen chasingpolaris321 August 13 HighHeelShoes August 14amazon August 15 jdillon onmyway15 [on her birthday] August 16 August 17 August 18 Urbanlamb CrystalJae Amarie812 kgunchic CaroJoy New nana billw0917 lmscls August 19 TatroBenay KayKayGirl BGLady August 20 tynoodles11 AngelaMoniq southern_sweetie goodgirl5957 August 21 Rainbow1958 BarntruckCutie August 22 August 23 August 24 August 25 mommal mskiesha29 snowkitten Micky71 shellief mhenne97 August 26 5BeautifulDays smallermekerrivsg truthinhiding Luvin_Life125 August 27 papoose humpty August 28 auntmixie Adrianneval August 29 Tinita

I wanted to thank everyone for their input... I'm in a much better frame of mind today....It's just that I've been battling this for so long, I'm almost afraid to hope. Yes, I know I will have to work at it and I'm looking forward to being active again...I miss it. I'm starting to feel hopeful again, and it's been so long since I dared to believe that I have a chance of being a normal, healthy weight. This is my chance and heck yes, I'm going to do everything in my power to make it work! *hugs

I kinda understand where you're coming from. My date is August 18th...but I just can't get excited. I've been waiting two years for approval, and it very nearly didn't happen at all because of my cancer diagnosis midway through the process. Now I'm dealing with hearing loss, and the struggles entailed with that. I'm just going day by day right now. I don't think I will believe it until I wake up and they tell me it's been done. THEN I can move ahead with life and start to actually believe that it is possible for me to be healthy again. *hugs*

Three weeks on Optifast. That's four shakes a day. We're allowed decaf coffee (1/4c skim milk per day), and sugar free, non carbonated, non caloric drinks (think Mio and no sugar iced tea), and decaf teas. Oh...and broth (2 cups per day). One thing that not many have mentioned is no Vitamin C supplements. Reason being is that while the liver is getting smaller from the ketosis, high Vitamin C may cause gallbladder issues. Who knew?

That sounds good kgunchic! We can just keep this thread rolling right along past August?

@butterflybefree...hang in there hun! *hugs*

Girlfriend...you sound so much like me, I can relate. Sometimes, we get caught up in the black and white stuff...the practicalities, the fine details, the schedules, the lists...that we forget to breathe, and to stop and let our emotions evolve. I had a lot of abuse and hard times in my younger years, so to protect myself, I did the ostrich thing. Stuck my head in the sand and refused to really allow myself to feel. It's been a long road, but this past 3 years or so I've really been working on that, and acknowledging my emotions as they happen. Acknowledging them, allowing them to be real, facing them, and lovingly allowing them a safe way to be expressed and felt. It's hard...but so necessary...and I'm so much more at peace these days, NEVER be ashamed of those deep primal emotions...face them...love them...learn where they are coming from. We CAN do this! *hugs*

Hey Skylarkx, I'm in the same boat. Brother is coming down to stay for a week. I'll be on day 3 of Opti when he arrives. The plan is for my Mum to keep him for a couple of days before he crashes at my place. That way I'm not likely to kill him. (or munch/gnaw on his arm while he sleeps)

Me too!!!!! This sh*t just got real, eh?

Oh honey...I'm nutty as a fruitcake, but well medicated. *smug smile* They just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into...that you are realistic about your goals and that you are prepared to put some work into this. Now put that knife away and go play nice.

Awesome! Time for a happy dance!

I just got confirmation from the PAU (Pre-admission Unit) for August 5th. This sh*t is real! *gulp* It's finally happening! Oh Lord...what have I gotten myself into?

The best way is the silicone dressings. CicaCare and Mepiform are the two best ones. Google them and do some research to decide if it's a practical solution. *hugs*

Y'know that saying, "You can't keep a good woman down"? Well I am woman, hear me roar! Only my roar goes sorta like "Grrrr...hic...rrrrrr" I started the process of getting approved for RNY 2.5 years ago and everything was going really well. No sleep apnea? Check!! Crazy as a loon? Check, but well medicated. *smug smile*. Meet all of the requirements? Check!! I'm morbidly obese, but generally pretty healthy. Then I was waiting for the final appointment when all heck broke loose. Last October, I started peeing blood. Tiny amount, but blood nevertheless. I didn't eat asparagus, and it couldn't be a UTI, because I was just finishing antibiotics for a chest cough. Hmmmmmm..... I work in a hospital, so got my lil' butt down to emerg, peed in a cup, and went back to work. The next day, WHAM! ultrasound...then WHAM...cystoscopy (camera to look up into my bladder). Then two weeks later...THUD!!!!! I have aggressive papillary non invasive bladder cancer. Like, what the heck??? I'm only 39 and I don't smoke, and other than being obese, I'm the picture of perfect health!! We had the tumor removed, and I'm on a three year regimen of treatments called BCG and I examine the toilet bowl every single damn time I pee now. I'm like a toddler who looks at her accomplishments in the bathroom with pride. Look ma!! Yellow pee!!! I had to have a follow up appointment with the WLS surgeon. He told me that I need to be cancer free for two years before weight loss surgery. I was devastated...this kind of cancer has 80 percent chance of coming back...the oncologist wants me to lose weight so that he can take out the bladder and make me a new one from my lower intestine called a 'neo-bladder'. So I went running to my oncologist, he had an intense discussion with the WLS doc and the new game plan is not to have an RNY, but to go ahead with a sleeve. That way there will be enough guts for the neo bladder. So now, I'm back on track. Final hurdles have been jumped. Waiting for the call to book me for surgery. It should be sometime soon...before August. I can't wait! It's already been a long road, and it's going to be an even longer road ahead of me But I take it one day at a time, and am grateful for my daily gifts. And for pee. Yellow pee.

August 18th here...yeeeeeah baby! *doing a happy dance* I have to do an Optifast diet for three weeks before, starting July 28th. So doing the food funeral right now. Ice cream is on my grocery list for today and I....don't....care. *evil wicked grin*

I know I'm only pre op, but in a past life, I was quite the gym bunny. Cardio is great, keep it up...but I would throw more weights in there. Keep in mind that muscles burn more calories than fat, and help your metabolism to burn fuel more efficiently. Having a decent amount of muscle mass will be a great help when you hit those plateaus. When you're in a real long one, bump up the weights. I'd alternate cardio and weight days. One day upper body (with a smidge of light cardio), next day long cardio. Next day lower body. Next day long cardio, Next day rest day. That's probably the easiest and most efficient routine. (I used to work out Mon-Thurs, rest Friday, do a fun outdoor cardio Saturday or Sunday, depending on the weekend....something like tennis with a friend or skiing or hiking in the park) Upper body weights are great, but girl...work out that lower bod. That's where all the mega muscle mass is...work out those glutes and calves and thighs. The increased muscle mass will get your metabolism gunning. *hugs* Of note...sometimes it's hard to do a cardio day after a lower body weight day, so if that's the case, just do enough to get those sore muscles loose. I found it helped after doing lower body to follow it up slow cardio and a lovely 20 minutes stretch to cool down completely. Use this time to connect with your body and to provide it with the love, care, and discipline that it needs. Do a schedule that's right for you.

You can do this...you can rock this! Like another poster said, there is a lot of information on the internet. Get a pad of paper and do some serious research. If you're a stay at home Mom, maybe you can find others in your area, and have a walk/run group? Each Mom would take turns watching the kiddies while the others go out and bond and run/walk, Take the bull by the horns, get creative, and above all, get healthy. Bless you for doing this solo. The main reason I decided on my surgery is that my clinic follows you for at least three years, and they are there for you for life if you need extra help. I'd be too scared to do it otherwise. *hugs* You seriously rock.

I promised to let you know when the surgery is scheduled..I got the news this week. August 18th!! OK...now I'm scared. But it's a happy scared. One other bump has happened since I started this thread. I lost my hearing due to a virus. I was always Deaf in one ear, but got along in life quite well. But now the hearing in my good ear is gone, and we're not too sure if it will come back. Currently on a regimin of prednisone and prayers. Seriously, I'm like 'holy crap' how much can one person take? Amazingly, this girl can take a lot. I'm still standing. I'm still roaring. I'm still dancing to my own music and living each day as the gift that it's meant to be. My work has been so supportive and I'm still working. Going on week three with no hearing, but coping amazingly well with reading lips, scribbling notes, and making phone calls through a relay service for the Deaf. I got this....I can do this....what else ya got? Throw it at me. Grrrrrr...hic....rrrrrrr

I agree with Ima Fox hun. *hugs* You are going too fast. It seems almost as if you've been rail roaded into this. Stop. Breathe. Take a year to plan and think. You can always get this surgery next year. A lot of places offer alternatives, such as a certain number of weeks on a liquid diet (Optifast or some such beverage), along with weekly meetings. Why not give that a spin first? I live in Canada, and my procedure is paid for by the government. It means a looooong time of waiting for approval though, and that is sometimes a good thing. It means I have the necessary time to think and to be sure this is the option that I want to choose. Just holler at everyone to put the brakes on, and give yourself some time.

Thank you everyone for your encouragement....I'm so thankful and humbled! Humour is ESSENTIAL!! I have a Mum with bi-polar and learned a long time ago that when things get tough, it's best to find the humour in the situation and to laugh. It's either that or throw her out the window. If I look at the big picture and at all that I have to deal with down the road, I'll drive myself crazy. So....I look at now. Today is what I have, it's a gift, and it's all I have to deal with. Tomorrow is not here yet, so I don't worry about it, and deal with only today. There's a little plaque that I have on my wall, right above my coffee maker. I see it every morning and smile with a grateful heart. It says "Good Morning! This is God! I will be handling your problems today, and I don't need your help...have a good day!! So...like a little child, I trust God to handle things, and live each day with a grateful heart. I'll let y'all know when the surgery is scheduled and I'll be on this board with tons of questions and observations. I hope that during the process, and as time goes by, that I can in turn, support some of you. Life is a wild ride eh? Hang on, have fun, and enjoy the day!!