MrsIsh

What a journey it has been. Getting to final approval was emotional in terms, of wondering about approvals. Even before starting the formal journey, I was able to go down from 278 pounds to 250. Once the "real medical" journey began, I was able to go down past the goal weight for surgery which was 241. On the morning of my surgery, I weighed 207. I do not remember being lower than 235 in my life. 

The surgery went as expected with a couple of hernias taken care of by my amazing surgeon and his team. After surgery, I was very dizzy and nauseous but by the end of the day, I was able to walk without pain around the nurses' desk. Since there weren't any issues with keeping water, I was released the next day.  

All rainbows and unicorns? Not really. The hardest part of the pre-op and post-op, without a doubt, was the liquid diet. Pre-op, it was fine until a week before the surgery. My body couldn't digest the nutritional plan that the weight loss program made us (all their patients) buy. After trying and trying, I was given the okay to intake Fairlife Protein Shakes 26G. Surviving on those was okay but at times hard. That week before surgery, I had no energy, and I kept feeling weak. Post-op did not get any better. Forcing myself to intake the protein shakes was not fun, but then days before hitting the week 2 post-op, you know what hit the fan. 

Suddenly, I couldn't walk to the bathroom without feeling like I was going to pass out. It quickly evolved into feeling that way just from standing up, just from changing positions. After about 3 or 4 days like that, it escalated. Two days before that second-week post-op, I had to be rushed to the ER. Fainted! 

My heart was beating so fast that I could not breathe. I could not feel my hands or feet, it was just numbness. My body could not even keep water. After several tests, scans for blood clots in my lungs, sonograms, and lab work nothing seemed to be a big problem. The things they could find were my blood pressure was almost gone and that my potassium was very low urgent care low. After multiple saline IVs and potassium IV. I was prescribed potassium pills as well as accommodating to my diet, 2 bananas a day. 

The ER visit was yesterday, and today marked week 2. The post-op check-up went well considering the latest news. In a week my potassium will be rechecked. My work leave had to be updated. The dietitian approved me to start pureed foods. She also checked my Barimelts vitamins which were recommended by them as I cannot intake vitamins with iron. Two multivitamins a day and work towards six calcium tablets a day over the next 2 weeks. 

Before visiting the ER and having all the IVs and whatnot. I had lost 7 pounds. To my amazement, I was at 201. 

Today, I feel better but still feel out of breath and with my heart pacing fast at times. Still working towards one small banana, not sure how I will be able to do two. Emotionally, I also feel much better. After fainting, I could not feel but guilt that my choice to have surgery had my husband and son worried and almost in tears; I was in tears myself. 

I have chosen to keep my journey from pretty much everyone. Only my sister who lives on the other side of the country knows in addition to my husband and son. Why? I did not want to become the person who people looked wondering about their success or failure. It has made it a lonelier journey but I'm already used to being alone. Might be something I regret later, we should see. For now, I need a new haircut.