April 2006 Bandits

[picardy3 0]

I got the time for my surgery today. 8:30 am is when I am supposed to be there. I was originally supposed to be there at 5:30 am but after a few minutes of looking at the schedule the pre-op nurse changed the time. My mother will be thrilled!!!!! Now we don't have to get up at 3:30 am in order to get our acts together. We can sleep in until 6:30 am!!!!!!!:notagree

Monday is only 3 1/2 days away and I can't believe it's getting here so fast. It began to hit me this morning. On the way to pre-op, my radio station previewed a new song off Rasqual Flats new album and it was so sad and touching that I almost lost it on the way to my pre-op. Then actually walking into the hospital and going to admitting was HARD! It meant that this was really about to happen.

I didn't begin to calm down until I made it back to the pre-op nurse. Everyone who ran tests was so nice and explained everything to me. I'm one who always asks questions, mostly because the machines fascinate me and I want to know what they are doing and how they work.

Turns out that I'm not their typical pre-op patient. I actually knew some of the things they were going to run tests for. They couldn't believe that I knew what an hA1c is, that I test my glucose 5 times a day, and take my blood pressure reading every morning. Everytime someone came in to do something or ask me questions, Susan, the nurse, bragged on me. :confused: That really helped calm the fear a lot. Just knowing that things were looking good and that there was nothing else going on with me was a relief.

The only thing that I wasn't happy about was the weigh-in. I've been on this diet for two weeks now and even though I'm retaining a bit of Water since my period starts next week, their scale was 6 pounds HIGHER than mine at home. I just have to remind myself that scales LIE and that all scales are DIFFERENT. :frusty: I do better when I put on clothes and can see that they are fitting differently, not when I step on a scale.

I think I now have everything that I could possibly need for after surgery. If not, I'll take stock when mom gets here and then we'll make one last run to the store.

:wow2: Somebody pinch me! This is really gonna happen! :faint:

Audra

Oh, and Dana, I'm no longer a hungry raving lunatic. I just hate it when my brain knows that I can't have something so it decides to torture me with hunger pains because it knows I can't do a @#$%$# thing about it.

[danaclark2 0]

Audra,

I'm so happy for you. Please come back (when you feel up to it) and let us know how everything went.

I have my pre-op tests on April 5--by the way, what is an hA1c? I feel dumb. :confused:

Good luck!!!

[picardy3 0]

Audra,

I have my pre-op tests on April 5--by the way, what is an hA1c? I feel dumb. :confused:

Good luck!!!

Dana,

Don't feel dumb about the hA1c, most people don't unless they're a diabetic. It's a test that measures the three month average of the glucose in your bloodstream. Diabetics should have this test every three months to make sure that they are on track with their treatment. If I remember correctly an hA1c for someone without diabetes is between 4.0 - 5.5 (it's been awhile since I looked at the numbers). Most doctors like for a person with diabetes to be at or below 6.5 (or pretty close to it) My doctor prefers this number for me, so will everything that's been happening in the past two months, mine should be lower than 6.5 (if I'm lucky). I have members in my diabetes support group who had an hA1c over 12.0 when they were diagnosed.

Now let's just hope I sleep over the next three days and not stay up with excitement.

Audra

[danaclark2 0]

Audra,

Oh--you learn something new everyday. :confused: My brother has Type I Diabetes, and I didn't know that--

You sound like me, though--but my knowledge is with my thyroid. I have hypothyroidism, and I'm always asking what my T3 and T4 levels were--and what my TSH level was. Many people will take, "Your levels were in the normal range," and leave it at that. Me? I want to know the exact number. I think many people don't know enough about their own health, etc. Doctors are not perfect. They make mistakes. We need to always be on our guard and know what's going on...

Anyway--Monday's the big day, huh? How are you going to get through this weekend??!!??? Are you doing well with your pre-op diet?

***I guess I could have PM'd you all of this.

[picardy3 0]

Dana,

I'm hypothyroid too and I keep up with what those levels should be as well. :biggrin1: I'm always asking about numbers for everything and my doctor really doesn't mind. At least if he does, he doesn't show it. I'm also lucky in that my doctor doesn't mind letting me ask questions and make suggestions about things that I would like to try or where I would like my levels to be. If he's really against something I suggest, he gives me his reasons why he wants something else rather than what I'm asking, which is fine with me since it shows me that he has researched as well and it's just an option I had not explored completely. I really think he likes having an informed patient because we can really discuss what's going on with my body, and who should know better about what's going on but me. :confused:

My mom is coming in Saturday so that will help alot with the stress level. We'll get caught up on lots of stuff, watch movies, hang out, clear a path from the sofa to the bed to the bathroom (don't ask, I have school stuff, grad school stuff, and odds and ends stashed in places so that I can do things when I'm out).

Pre-op diet is fine but I did sniff the bread aisle at Super Target this afternoon. Boy did it smell good!

Audra

[Miper70 0]

I'm having mine April 14. I'm 35, live in Florida and am a SAHM of two girls. I'm going to Mexico to have mine and will be home the 16th.

[omamoon 0]

Put me on the April list! I'm being banded by Dr. Ortiz in TJ on the 20th.

[amourette 5]

Well all of us April bandsters, April is here, can you believe it, well it is here on this side of the world and you aren't all far behind! Wow, 18 days to my surgery, I am having mixed thoughts, a few downs and highs:confused:

I just wondered since most of you are ahead of me, will you post your thoughts and experiences on this site or elsewhere, just so we know where to find you! I have 4 days until pre-op diet aka AARRGHHH!!!!!

Best of luck to you all, in this April, our month!!! Yipeeee!!!:clap2: :eek:

[disneynut 0]

Amourette - April did come very quickly for me. I have only 5 days until my surgery and I am getting excited (not like going to Disneyworld, my favorite place excited but you know what I mean), nervous, scared... I will post my experience afterwards. I had my final meeting with my doc on Wednesday and thank goodness, he doesn't require a liquid diet preop. This week is going to fly by and before I know it, it will be Thursday. My surgery isn't scheduled until 2:30 and they are not sure if I am going to be staying overnight or coming home later that evening. I've never had major surgery before so I don't know which I would prefer.:gluck: to all the April bandits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[K@t 38]

LOL Hint: weight loss is the square root of 64 times 2.

I'm surprised no one answered this....square root of 64 = 8 and 8*2=16 so you have lost 16lbs, thats great!

I read through all the posts and every one sounds great. I'm worried about that GB thinggie because my doc said I would need to have that done as well. I don't know if they put me to sleep or just numb me. I have a follow up appt on the 12th of April and an appt. with he nutritionist on the 17th of April. And surgery is supposed to be on the 26th.

I can't wait to hear how all of you are doing from the beginning of the month, I'm already stock piling stuff to prepare for the surgery as well. I need to find something for Fiber though, that was one thing I didn't think about.

I'll check in later have a great day guys!

A few photos of me as well.

Me at our engagment party....hubby bought me flowers.

Me before the christmas party.

[Jen RN 0]

okay everyone i am signing off.

i am going to get ready to go to topeka for surgery. :cheer2: (surgery is mon at 8 am). i am wrought with nerves but they are the excited kind. i have survived the diet and have lost 5 pds and it seems like it has all came from the tummy area so hopefully my doc will be pleased. :eek:

i will check in when we get home, probably tues or wens and let you all know how it went.

wish me well!! i will talk to everyone soon.

Jen :eek:

[K@t 38]

Good luck Jen, we will be thinking of you.

[shackdog 1]

It all sounds grt, I know the preop diet is yuk, but look at the other side of the coin, I dont want this anymore. Can hardly wait to get this done on the 17th because it is one more tool to help with the weight issue I have had all my life. And diets are just that Die.............ts.

I also am still on the preop diet and doing alot better than I thought I would. I have been two weeks now and have not fuged once............and for me this is a miracle. Just got home from the gym and only thin on the tube is food shows.............this makes it hard but if I weather these then with the help of you all I know that I to am making the right decision I am self pay.

Everyone have a grt day today

[Ceparano 0]

I'm surprised no one answered this....square root of 64 = 8 and 8*2=16 so you have lost 16lbs, thats great!

I read through all the posts and every one sounds great. I'm worried about that GB thinggie because my doc said I would need to have that done as well. I don't know if they put me to sleep or just numb me. I have a follow up appt on the 12th of April and an appt. with he nutritionist on the 17th of April. And surgery is supposed to be on the 26th.

I can't wait to hear how all of you are doing from the beginning of the month, I'm already stock piling stuff to prepare for the surgery as well. I need to find something for Fiber though, that was one thing I didn't think about.

I'll check in later have a great day gu

A few photos of me as well.

[ATTACH]4042[/ATTACH]

Me at our engagment party....hubby bought me flowers.

[ATTACH]4044[/ATTACH]

Me before the christmas party.

Benefiber is the way to go. It dissolves completely in drinks and soft food.

Roberta

[Ceparano 0]

Well all of us April bandsters, April is here, can you believe it, well it is here on this side of the world and you aren't all far behind! Wow, 18 days to my surgery, I am having mixed thoughts, a few downs and highs:confused:

I just wondered since most of you are ahead of me, will you post your thoughts and experiences on this site or elsewhere, just so we know where to find you! I have 4 days until pre-op diet aka AARRGHHH!!!!!

Best of luck to you all, in this April, our month!!! Yipeeee!!!:clap2: :eek:

Thanks Amourette, I'm getting nervous too.They changed my date so I'm not going to be with the April 17th group. They pushed me back a week to the 24th( my dr's going on vacation, how dare he!!!! LOL) I know it's only a week but GGRRRRRRRRRR.

My best to all in our merry group!

Roberta