Calling all Nurses.....

pcindy · July 12, 2010

Hi all!

I'm an ICU nurse in California. I remember well, LapGirl, the 'fun' of my tight (and ever-growing tighter) clinical uniforms, the unforgiving polyester straining... and being SO goddamned uncomfortable. (In fact, I remember a bunch of us wanting to burn our student uniforms at the end of the last clinical, but telling my classmates that they would probably just melt and send off toxic fumes!) As far as I'm concerned, you're welcome on this thread!

Being a nurse is incredibly physically demanding (as we all know) with all of the reaching, bending, squatting, lifting, standing, crouching (is there a single hospital architect who has EVER become aquainted with the word, "ergonomics???"). Having to do all of this for 12-13hrs is getting increasingly debilitating. Everything hurts! My angel of a huz stretches me and gives me a massage just so I can sleep after a work day (I swear I come home 2 inches shorter!). I just don't know how many more years I have left at the bedside before my body just can't take it orthopedically.

I'm 40 now, and my body just cannot handle this much weight. It never liked being this heavy, but now it's starting to go on red alert with high cholesterol, high A1C, my feet, knees and hips in agony, and a nice episode of going in and out of ventricular trigeminy (now controlled with a beta blocker). Short of having an actual MI, CVA or official diagnosis of diabetes, my body is screaming at me to get this weight off (oh, and thanks also to my pre-op testing, I now know I have an ulcer and GERD!). To further underscore the urgency of my situation, we want to start a family, and my husband REFUSES to knock me up while I'm this overweight. He's done his research, and he's absolutely right. Frankly, I doubt my own ablility to conceive at this weight. He doesn't want to risk either my health or that of the baby. Frankly, I can barely haul myself around as it is, much less a pregnancy and all of that physical stress on top of it. As I mentioned, I'm 40. The time on my biological clock is about 11:50PM.

So, my sleeve is re-scheduled (first date was cancelled due to a small area of erosion discovered in my EGD- now on Prilosec) for the 3rd week of August. I started at 257lbs, and am now 248. I'm working out intensly with a trainer 3 days a week to get myself in optimal shape before surgery. My goal is 145-150. I can't wait to get the VSG, but also to recover and get back to the gym and lift weights again. I'm sure I'll sag, but I'm going to have crazy muscles underneath! Good luck to all!

Edited July 12, 2010 by pcindy

LapGyrl · July 13, 2010

EmilyGrace, you are the first person I've seen that has the same surgery date as me! I finally have a sleeve sister lol.

pcindy, I can't wait to order scrubs in a smaller size! I'm going to hang on to the ones I have for as long as I can then purchase new ones that will last till graduation. That's the plan anyway.

Best wishes everyone!

LESSFLUFFYZ · July 13, 2010

I'm 39yrs old had a bandin 2007 that almost suffocated me. had it removed and was sleeved June 21st this year I'm an OR nurse in NewOrleans la I return to work on the 19th of this month my highest at was 251 my lowest with the band is 209. In June pre op I was 232 currently I'm 217 my goal is to see parts of my anatomy that fluffy has keep hidden without having to hold up body parts or use a mirror

OneSpoiledRN · July 13, 2010

Hi all....I'm Randa and new to the forum. I am an RN and work nights in Cardiac Intervention. Basically after someone has a heart cath and gets a stent we pull the lines and recover them. I am overweight and ahve been for over 10 years now. I am scheduled to have the sleeve done with Dr. Aceves on August 21st, and can't wait!! I can't go any sooner b/c my hubby works offshore 2 weeks every montha and that is the only date that would work for all of us. I got my passport today (before i had to pay the increased amount...lol), and that just made it feel one step closer!!! I have researched WLS before but never had the means to pay out of pocket, but it's really happening this time and i'm so excited!!

Nice to meet you all,

Randa:thumbup:

chiderah · July 14, 2010

Hello fellow nurses,

My name is Rebecca and I'm currently an Lpn working in geriatrics in Massachusetts. I'm having my VSG in Mexico on 08/09/10 and I'm getting really excited to make changes in my life.

kbl · July 14, 2010

Hi I am Kelly, 43( 44 in august) I have been a RN for the past 21 years. First three years in med-surg and the lost 18 years in ICU with some ED thrown in. I currently work in Tucson AZ in the MICU. I have struggled with my weight for most of my life. About 14 years ago I was able to loose all my weight and keep it off for two years. Then slowly it creep back on.... then one day shocked that I had regained all of my weight. I have tried and tried... can loose 20-30 lbs then gain in back. I have a BMI of 32 ( I am tall so I still need to loose 70-80 lbs) with RA for the past 24 years. So with obesity and RA those 12 hours shifts in the ICU..... it is getting harder.

I am aslo a new mom.... thirteen years of infertility...we had a gestational carrier carry our daughter (9 months one week old) and have a son due to be born in about 5 weeks. Super excited.... therefore many reasons to loose weight. My original plan was for the sleeve in August... now the date is pushed back to late October or November. Sure look forward to joining the looser bench. kelly

val628 · July 17, 2010

hi all. i am from buffalo, ny. i have been a nurse for about 26 years. I have worked in icu, ccu and education. currently i am a manager of an icu. i have always been overweight. i was banded 2 yrs ago and lost 70 lbs with the band. unfortunately i developed a prolapse, had the band removed and got the sleeve on june 28th. ive lost about 12 lbs since getting the sleeve. my highest weight was 254lbs, today i weighed 172 lbs. my goal is 135 lbs..never thought id get there with the band, but i think it really is possible now