dmaddox1

I got the call today from Dr. Provost's office....I am ready to go! I passed my stress tests, got my psych eval, and all my nutrition classes are done. I am now scheduled for surgery on December 15th, 2014 at 2pm. I start my pre-op diet/class December 1st and have a pre-op appointment on December 10th (Wednesday) to get tests run ahead of time for my surgery. So I'm ready!

You know what the best thing is about having a stress test? They ask you to eat a fatty meal! hehe! So a chemical stress test is not very pleasant, but I made it through it pretty easily. Your chest tightens up a little and you get a little short of breath, but it really wasn't so bad. What was bad...is driving to Lewisville 2 days in a row, and one of the days was rainy and cold. Also, mom & dad had some doctor appointments and she couldn't go with me. It helps having someone with me in the car when I have to go so far. Mom calls it an "Outing" (LMAO), but I call it a pain in the butt! Made it both days and now hopefully I passed. I should know something within 48 hours. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Today is 2 of my cousins birthdays and Halloween and here I am on the road to Lewisville to see a cardiologist for my cardiac clearance. I had the 12 lead EKG and am scheduled for a 2 part stress test on November 10th and 11th. I hope to pass them and I will be off to the races. Hopefully I will get scheduled for surgery in December and will start my New Year with my gastric bypass.

Today Casey from Dr. Provost's office called and said the insurance company has approved me for my surgery! I am so happy...now I need to get my cardiac clearance and then I will be good to go! When she called I asked for a time frame since the holidays were coming up and she said that all of November's surgery spots are taken and the earliest that I could have surgery would probably be December. That's okay...I can enjoy my Thanksgiving and oh yeah...get my back issues cleared up and be ready to start my new year in style...weight loss style. Hey I can even make a New Year's Resolution to lose weight and actually keep it! Woohoo!

OMG...Yesterday I hurt my back even more when I dragged my walker out of the back of my car. No...it is when I put the walker back in is when I felt a strain/pull in my lower back. So now I am worried about getting my back in order so I can have my surgery. I don't want to be struggling with my back when I have the surgery. I sure hope it is just a strain.

Yikes things are moving forward. Today was my last nutrition visit with Sarah. My goals have not changed except for the cardio exercising that I have been doing. I sort of twisted my back and it has been bothering me some. She told me to do toning exercises and stop my cardio. I did lose 1 lb and was surprised at that. She is such a nice lady and I am lucky she will be helping me thru this stuff. I have been using mybariatricpal.com more and watching the forums for advice. It does seem to be the best website that I have found dealing with WLS. http://www.mybariatricpal.com

Haha! Well the good news is the psychologist thinks I am not nuts & that I seem to have my head on straight & that I am ready for my surgery. It was interesting! I filled out forms for almost an hour, asking some of the same questions but in a different way. Many had to do with alcohol & drugs, which I am lucky in that I have never had a problem with those two things. After the paperwork I spent about an hour with the psychologist & then out the door I went! It was a very nice day here & I rolled down my windows & sang a little country music on the way home, & I don't normally do country music! Now I have one more visit with the nutritionist Sarah next week on the 23rd & then I should meet the requirements for my insurance!

My health! My health has really deteriorated over the last few years. Diabetes is affecting my eyes, my feet, my kidneys, my back, and circulation in my legs, and those are just the things I can see. My parents! Mom & Dad are 87 yrs old and they need my help more. They still get around pretty good, but I wish I was able to do more for them. I can see the future where I believe they will need me more and more. So I want to be there for them. They have always been there for me! I wanna get around better. I used to make my bed everyday and it bugs me that I cannot do that. I can do it but it takes me forever and I stumble around and it is really hard to do. Just simple things that I have always done are so difficult to do. I depend on Russell more and more everyday and I don't want to depend on him for simple tasks, that I really want to do myself. I want to be able to go more places and do fun things. Like my cousin Nancy wants to do a genealogy trip and I know as I am now I could never make it. I want to hang out with my SIL (sister-in-law) & brother. They do a lot of fun things...like auctions, garage sales, & taking short trips. She is semi retired and likes to do auctions and antiquing and I want to shop with her. I want to get on an airplane and fly to Orlando and not use a extender seat belt to see my niece Christy and her new house. I wanna be able to drive to Longview and visit my other niece Rachel and be able to get around good enough to check out her apartment and help Mom and Dad get in and out of the car and make it easier for them.

Made my appointment to visit with a psychologist today. Going to see Dr. Rinella in Addison, TX. She has her work cut out for her! LMAO

Oh my this drive to Denton is getting frequent and I do believe it may become even more so soon! The visit with Sarah went well. But instead of losing weight I gained weight. The thought of being on a liquid diet for 4 weeks (2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after) sort of has freaked me out. I went home thinking OMG this is really going to happen and I am changing the way I eat for a lifetime. That friggin' notebook says "Lifelong Manual" and that alone was scary to me. But I just went home thinking crazy thoughts and just could not wrap my head around trying to lose weight for the surgery. I really wanted to lose some, but was obsessed with thinking about being on liquids for so long and then eating such little amounts and not being able to drink with meals. OKAY...I know I am thinking crazy thoughts...but it freaked me out. I have new goals and plan on really working hard on the drinking. My new goals: 1. Continue reduced portions Add more fruit and vegetables. 2. Continue not drinking for 10 minutes before meals. Work toward 15 minutes. 3. Continue chair exercises 3 times a week. 4. Keep looking up information and helpful resources. 5. Try some protein shakes (page 16) Follow up in 1 month. Smile Remember you are awesome!

How you doing on the liquids? I can't seem to find a protein drink that is not icky! They are tolerable, but just have a horrible after taste and they are too thick. This is our 4th day of these drinks and I am already tired of them. How bout you?

OMG! I have never been a big fan of Joan Rivers, but her death hit me like a big huge rock in the face. She goes in for a simple procedure and goes into a coma and dies. Holy crappola! Ya know everyone says, "oh the weight loss surgery is a piece of cake...nothing to it", but I'm like simple my ass! If I have to go under general anesthesia it is not simple and guess what I'm scared! Ok call me a panty waist and sissy...I don't care, I'm SCARED!

Back to Denton! I am going to see the nutritionist Sarah. My first of 3 month visits. We talked about my goals for the next 3 months. For this month she wrote in my "Bariatric Surgery Lifelong Manual" (a notebook with all the information that I need for the whole surgery process). My goals for this month: 1. Reduce portion sizes 2. No drinking 15 minutes before meals. 3. Chair exercises 3 times a week. Follow up in 1 month. Yikes...no drinking 15 minutes before meals. I stay thristy! Because of my diabetes...so this is going to be tough!

Denton, TX! Really! I am driving to Denton to meet with Dr. Provost for the very 1st office visit! Scared...Hell yeah, I'm scared. I'm excited! I'm ready! I'm so many things! They are all going thru my head. The reason I am going to Denton is because my friggin' insurance company only pays if I go see Dr. Provost or another doctor that is in Ft. Worth...so I have decided to see Dr. Provost. Mom is going with me to enjoy the "outing". She loves to get out of the house and she will go anywhere with me. I love my Mom! The appointment went well. Dr. Provost was really nice and his office staff was nice. Sarah the nutritionist was awesome. I have to meet with her every month for 3 months and discuss my goals and attempt to lose some weight. This is a requirement from my insurance company. Also, I need to see a psychiatrist! Oh boy...have they got there work cut out for them. Hehe! I made an appointment to see Sarah next month on September 18th. My journey has started and I am really ready to start a new way of life! But I am still scared!

OMG! You are a hoot! I was reading that and thinking, this is crazy and I am doing this surgery and gonna become a HO with a drinking and binging problem! Got to the end and wanted to slap ya! hehe! Thanks for the laugh today!

Good Luck to you and hope your surgery is a breeze! I know you are nervous...but just keep a positive attitude and it will be over and you will be a new person! My thoughts are with you!

I feel it is ingrained into our society also...everyone has problems with their body image. I feel like it is your personal decision on how to address it. I go back and forth on how I feel. I know that people will comment on my loss, since I have so much to lose. I have told people in my immediate family, because they are all so supportive of my decision and I think that is helpful to my psyche. But I have hesitated to tell the world, other than on here. So many people are so helpful on these forums. I have several people in my family that are overweight...so I am hoping to be an inspiration to them. It is really tough for you being in the beauty industry...but you need to do and say what makes you most comfortable with yourself. I wish you the best!!

I too am scheduled for surgery on December 15th. I go to my Pre-op class at 8am Monday & start my liquid diet tomorrow. I am so excited & scared all at the same time. I have the craziest thoughts running thru my head! I am diabetic & stay thirsty all the time...so I'm thinking the liquid diet won't be so bad, but I remember waking up from knee surgery & the first thing I wanted was a drink! I even had a dream last night that I was in a desert with a pool... & no one would let me have any water! I know I'm nuts...so I just have to get my head in the ballgame!

My surgery is set for 12/15! I am excited, but also very nervous about having the surgery. Jumped thru all the hoops tho' & it is finally going to happen. I start my pre-op diet on December 1st & have been researching different protein drinks & shakes. I keep telling myself I can do anything for a month (liquids), & I think back on all the diets & crazy things (like hypnosis & staples in my ear) to lose weight & realize that this will be the first time that I will make a New Years resolution & actually be able to keep it! I am so ready to change my life!