I'm SO Ready

[meghuffman 4]

After my initial consultation, I was scheduling everything I needed to do on the way home from the surgeon's office. I got 3 appointments scheduled for the same day and have had a couple of other appointments scheduled pretty quickly. All of that has come and gone. I'm waiting for my sleep study, which isn't scheduled until July 25. I'll have to wear CPAP for 2 weeks after that and then attend a Nutritional class and Pre-op appointment with surgeon (hopefully I can do both the same day since they're out of town) then go on Pre-op diet for another 2 weeks.

When I first decided to have this done and went to my initial consultation, I was thinking that I'd have this done at the end of July (I'm private pay, so I didn't have to go for months trying to meet insurance criteria). Since I found out about the sleep study, I've been assuming my surgery would be the end of August, but now the excitement is going away, giving me too much time to think.

I got my loan from the bank and picked up that check last Saturday. Now, I'm waiting on July 25. I'm trying to take this time to eat anything that I know I'll miss- not eating more than usual, but eating at different places that won't be possible for a LONG time after the surgery and won't be healthy EVER after the surgery.

I'm going to Memphis this weekend (yes, I'm an Elvis fan). When I get back, I'm going to start changing my eating habits. Having this long of time to do that may be easier to do a little at a time rather than giving up everything at one time. I'm also trying to take this time to think about things I'm going to change after my surgery. This is certainly more of an emotional thing than anything else for me. I know this is not going to solve all my problems. But I know that this is a tool and I need to learn how to use it. Right?

I guess I'm just rambling here. Just trying to come up with a way to not lose the excitement I have had about the surgery. Is anybody else out there going through anything similar?

[Khy 16]

Of course... I too am sooo ready to get this done. I don't like all this time to second guess myself. I don't like the... what if insurance doesn't approve... Husband said we could look into self pay but now he is backing off of that... I don't deal with uncertainy very well.. I feel like a cat standing on firecrackers...

Khy

[Nancy Rivers 24]

I was the same way. I had such a LONG time (at least it seemed that way to me) from the informational seminar on April 6 to the first appointment on May 18 then to all of the hoops on starting on June 21. Now here I am starting the pre-op diet today (my doc required a 12 day diet) and now it seems like a whirlwind. Back in April and May I just wanted to get started on it, but couldn't. So, I kept coming onto the forums, researching (which I LOVE to do), and started making small changes that I knew I would have to later - like stopping the caffeine and carbonated beverages, stopping the fast food - although frankly that one was the hardest and least successful of the changes, eating more often but in smaller quantities, etc. I figured if I did it one step at a time, it would be easier in the long run for me. And it helped keep my excitement up because I actually felt like I was working toward the new me.

[Maddie 9]

I remember feeling that way. Worried about losing the excitement. But, even though I did lose some of it, when surgery finally rolled around, the excitement was back in a big way. Don't worry too much about that (I know easier said than done). Enjoy your trip to Memphis and enjoy that farewell "peanut butter 'n nanner sammich" LOL.

[Bryn Dawson 9]

I have had a similar experience as well, because my surgeon's office and insurance required a 6-month supervised diet period. So effectively I have been waiting since January to make the leap into sleeve land.

I did the same thing - start making changes one at a time as I get closer to my date. For instance, I haven't had anything fizzy, including soda, since January 6th. (My surgeon calls soda 'liquid candy'.) I also took that long period of time to say goodbye to things I wasn't going to be able to have for a while after the surgery - if I craved something, I went and got it. Not bingeing, just having some as a meal and then being done. That has helped me immensely with learning to identify emotional eating and sticking to the 6-month diet.

I'm on the 2-week pre-op low carb diet now... 2 Protein shakes a day, one meal. I've only been on it two days, but so far so good.

Good luck to you on your path! Enjoy Memphis!

[meghuffman 4]

I haven't forgotten y'all. I've just had so much going on that I rarely get on the computer anymore. Less than one week to surgery. It will be Friday, 9/2/11. I started the pre-op diet yesterday and although I've done ok, I'm hungry. I was also really weepy earlier in the day and couldn't figure out why. I know that emotions will be all over the place, but didn't imagine this soon.

Bryn, I too, took the past couple of months to enjoy things that I know I won't be able to eat for a long time, if ever. The only thing I didn't get that I said I would was Krispy Kreme donuts- with the light on! We don't have one here, so I was just never anywhere that sells them when I thought about it.

I talked with my mother today and we talked about how this week is preparing my body for surgery and my mind for eating after the surgery. I'm not worried about after the surgery because I'm assuming I won't be hungry! That'll make not eating alot easier. My stepdaughters are here this weekend. And everytime they and my husband have eaten, I've gone to the bedroom. No sense in making it harder on me or tempting myself, right?

I can't believe it's almost here. I'm trying not to expect anything so that I won't be disappointed if it doesn't happen. If it does, then that's more reason to be ecstatic. Such as, people keep asking me when I'll start losing and how much I should lose within the first month, etc. Although I've read that the average loss in a month is about 25 pounds, I'm not getting my hopes up that will happen. I know we are all different and I can't, and won't, base my weight loss on others' successes. I also have severe back problems. Most people are saying that I should be able to get off pain meds and have no more pain after I lose the weight. Because the back problems began when I was 140 pounds, again, I'm not getting my hopes up that losing weight will "cure" my problem or even allow me to decrease my meds. I'm sure this stomach I'm toting around isn't helping with back pain and losing 100 pounds will, I'm sure, help. But I don't expect a cure. If I lose 25 pounds the first month, great. If my back gets better, terrific. But I don't like to be disappointed. Does that make sense?

Love to all!

[Indymom 132]

You're so close - good luck! I didn't have to do a pre-op diet, just Clear liquids the day before. I gave up caffeine about 3-4 days before surgery and I wasn't a big soda drinker to begin with so that hasn't been tough.

You're right about not feeling hungry post-op. I ate a nice dinner two nights before surgery and then virtually nothing the day before. I went into surgery literally with my stomach growling from hunger and woke up feeling NOTHING. Since August 10 I have had to remind myself to eat as there are virtually no feelings of hunger at all. I've smelled foods that made me "want" them but it's in my head, it's one of the best feelings I've ever had! I know that I'm in the honeymoon period and it's going to get harder as I go, but I am using this time to get my mindset where it needs to be relative to food.

I know there's another poster on here with pain issues and maybe fibromyalgia? I'm not sure if her symptoms have completely subsided with her weight loss but I believe they've improved significantly. You may also find that once you're able to exercise more efficiently with the weight loss, that may have significant impact on your back pain.

[Heller2u 11]

Good luck to you, this pre-op process is a lot of mental work and makes you analyze every stage of your life that lead you here and the emotions of changing everything post-op is very intimidating.

On a lighter note, my sisters (we're all dieting) and I were riding in a car together with my daughter & nieces (3 adults, 3 pre-teen girls), we were sitting at a stop light and a Krispy Kreme delivery truck pulled up next to us, I quietly said "OMG, think can take him girls?" the car erupted with laughter.

[meghuffman 4]

Thanks, y'all. I was very hungry this morning, but I ate yogurt and have been drinking Water. I was even able come in the den while my family was finishing their lunch.

I'm determined to do this. I keep thinking, "Only 4 more days of this". Tomorrow will be crazy at work, which I like because the day goes by so much faster. I'll have things to keep me busy the other 2 1/2 days I'll be at work this week, so I'm trying to think of how fast this week will go by. I can't believe it's here. Once today, I thought, "Do I want to do this and stop eating the things that I have loved all these years?" The answer is YES. To know that I'll eventually be able to eat some of the things I love takes away some of the panic that comes from thinking I'll never be able to eat "normal" again. It's all about Portion Control and that will be the most important thing when the time comes that I will be able to eat "normal" again. I'm also excited to think that when that time comes, I may not even want those things because my taste and needs will have changed. I'm going to concentrate on doing what I'm supposed to do for my sleeve to heal and move through each stage how I'm supposed to. I'm also excited to know that my hunger will be gone after surgery so that while I'm still eating (or drinking) full liquid, soft foods, etc., will be easier.

Thanks for y'alls support and for the insight to what I will facing this time next week. I'll keep y'all posted.