New Journey To Begin, Surgery Date 05/22/2014

[MommaD88 20]

I am a wife and mother of two boys. I am a leukemia patient in remission since 2004 but still underwent two years of chemotherapy with no relapse occurrence. I love camping, cooking, reading and racing. My husband and I spend most of our time with our children. We rarely eat out as we live in rural area outside of our local towns. I do most of the cooking in our home. I have been heavy all my life. After my 2nd son, my weight gain has been significant and have worked with doctors/diet programs to try to control it without success.

Since then my health has been declining and in the last year, more rapidly. I have severe asthma despite treatment with severe attacks and the coughing never ends. After my 2nd year of these issues and being on the multiple medications and asthma medications. My pulmonary doctor referred me to ENT/vocal specialist and surgeons as my voice has now deteriorated and getting harder to speak. This is causing huge issues for me at work and now been placed on disability. After multiple tests and vocal therapy, tests show that I have severe GERD, severe esophageal reflux with a hiatal hernia, morbid obesity, obstructive sleep apnea and severe asthma/attacks. Upper respiratory infections set up easy and have been admitted to hospitals multiple times. Everything now has spread up to my vocal cords causing muscle tension dysphonia and inflammation. I vomit almost daily and unable to do any activity without issues with breathing, severe coughing thus induces more vomiting causing the muscles around my vocal cords to tighten even more to the point of choking. I am now getting to the point that food and liquid is making me nauseous if I intake too much or the wrong things. My medications are no longer working, and my asthma medications is weakening the sphincter valve that meets my stomach and esophagus. I have been referred for Gastric Bypass surgery to start correcting my issues. My primary specialists are in Madison, WI. For insurance reasons, I am seeing surgeons in Chicago, IL. I was apprehensive about moving to another medical center but so far have been treated very well.

The hospital intake coordinator and case manager were successful in submitting for insurance approval of my surgery for medical necessity. I can only pray now for a successful surgery and trust my doctors and God to keep me safe through my journey.

My support system is my family. My husband has also been through Gastric Bypass but when the surgery was newer.
He has gained back some of his weight since then. We both believe that as he is my support person, we will both be on track to a healthier lifestyle again.

My surgery is scheduled on May 22, 2014. I will not have to do the 3 month diet prior although I will have to do the modified protein/calorie diet 10 days before my surgery. I have also begin dabbling in the Protein shakes. I have purchased Designer Protein whey mixes in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla Almond mixed with Almond Milk. So far not too bad. Most of the Vitamins that I have purchased are in liquid form as I am told this will be easier for me to take although the dry Vitamin A and D I will have to crush.

Biggest struggles will be with my not drinking my Diet Mt. Dew. I can't tell you how much I will miss it. I rarely drink and have given up smoking a long time ago. My soda was really my only vice and now have to give that up too. Since I do most of the cooking and have a family. Learning to make meals that my children will eat will be a struggle. I have two kids that are polar opposites and complain about everything. Even if it a meal I consider comfort food, they still complain. I guess for me growing up, this little chubby girl loved her Momma's southern roots! LOL

I would love to keep this site/forum as a way to help me through this journey. It will allow me to give feedback/get advice and support. I pray you all have a safe and healthy journey as well.

[Jenibop2 38]

May 22 is my day too....One month from today

[longroad34 32]

Thanx so much for sharing your story. Well i have some the same health issuses u do. Asthma really bad outta control. Gurd. Leukima as a infit and my whole like. Been in remition since i think 86 or so. I jus did gastric bypass 2 weeks ago today

[MommaD88 20]

I am excited to move forward with this process. Yay one month to go! Unbelievable Longroad34 that we both share similar stories on our health. Have you felt any different since your surgery? Is your breathing better? Usually my asthma worsens with cool air and cold/flu viruses. just about September things start to decline for me. I am hoping this will help me tremendously. I still feel my cancer although in remission seems to take longer to recover from things.

[MommaD88 20]

May 22 is my day too....One month from today

So what is your pre-op diet like? I see a lot of people doing liquid only. My doctors have me on a modified diet with frozen Meal Replacements, Protein Shakes, 1fruit a day and sf Jello for 10 days prior.

[Jenibop2 38]

No Pre-op diet I can have a light Breakfast and lunch the day before surgery and then Clear liquids until midnight. I'm starting to get very excited, but nervous at the same time. I think the hardest part for me will be not being able to lift my 2 year old daughter for 2 weeks. However, I'm so ready to start my new life!!

May 22 is my day too....One month from today

So what is your pre-op diet like? I see a lot of people doing liquid only. My doctors have me on a modified diet with frozen meal replacements, Protein shakes, 1fruit a day and sf Jello for 10 days prior.

[MrsGloMartin 198]

No Pre-op diet I can have a light Breakfast and lunch the day before surgery and then Clear Liquids until midnight. I'm starting to get very excited, but nervous at the same time. I think the hardest part for me will be not being able to lift my 2 year old daughter for 2 weeks. However, I'm so ready to start my new life!!

I'm jealous that you didn't have to endure the two week pre op diet (not really) kudos to you on making a decision that's gonna change your life. Good luck with your surgery. Keep us posted.

[MrsGloMartin 198]

So what is your pre-op diet like? I see a lot of people doing liquid only. My doctors have me on a modified diet with frozen meal replacements, Protein Shakes, 1fruit a day and sf Jello for 10 days prior.

Good luck MommaD88!!! I'll eagerly await your report in April 2014 post op!!! God bless!!!

[MommaD88 20]

No Pre-op diet I can have a light breakfast and lunch the day before surgery and then clear liquids until midnight. I'm starting to get very excited, but nervous at the same time. I think the hardest part for me will be not being able to lift my 2 year old daughter for 2 weeks. However, I'm so ready to start my new life!!

I can understand that. I am nervous about the unknown of how I will feel afterwards. I've had my gall bladder out and two c-sections. He said I will feel a little more beat up than those. Although I sailed through healing with my 2nd c-section. So maybe I will do OK with this as well. I can see how challenging with not picking up the two year old. My oldest when he was little couldn't go anywhere unless he was carried....my drama king..ha ha ha ha just kidding. Thank goodness he's almost 11 now. My youngest is 6 so this is a good age and time for me to have this done. I just need to concentrate on getting me better. I always have an issue with putting others before myself. Now it's mandatory to get me better. If you would like we could be buddies and check in with each other to see how things are going.

[MommaD88 20]

Good luck MommaD88!!! I'll eagerly await your report in April 2014 post op!!! God bless!!!

Thanks MrsGloMartin!!! Good luck to you in your recovery and successful weight loss as well!

[MommaD88 20]

So I started last Monday to prepare myself for this surgery. I also know that I will have a modified diet with food 10 days before surgery. I didn't want to struggle so bad so

I started things a little early. I have already started eliminating things from my diet. Started I guess a modified diet to work up to my modified dirt so to speak...lol. I've been soda free for a week now. Not struggling too bad but I will miss my Diet Mt. Dew..sigh. Still having the stomach pain so I'm not sure if it's from my GERD, my Protein Shakes or my body getting use to a different eating lifestyle.

Started using my fitness pal app. Thing is, I think I'm eating a lot of Protein but still seems as though it has a lot of carbs. Not sure how to cut this out. Calories I'm trying to stay within 1000 day. Of course I'm going over every day. Not getting frustrated as this is still probably better than what I was eating.

Well have a.happy day all!

[MommaD88 20]

Well had my pre-op appt yesterday. Maintained my weight over the last month. My diet will start on May 11th and I can have 2 Protein shakes, 1 fruit, 1 sugar free treat, 2 frozen Meal Replacement meals like weight watchers, lean cuisine etc a day. On the 21st I can any clear liquid and as much as I want till midnight but nothing with red coloring. I will have to be at hospital a couple of hours before my surgery at 1:30 but always the chance they could call me to be there earlier. I'm more nervous more about how I will feel after the surgery. My husband had the surgery in 2001 and he said the first thing he felt was full all the time. He said to take it slow and I'll be fine. The doctors said after two weeks after surgery I will come back and then they will advance my diet. Keeping positive as I know this will be the best thing for me.

Healthy Life, Happy Life!

[healthyme1963 136]

Good luck with your surgery! You will rock this! Follow the pre-op diet to the letter and get plenty of Water every day. I had mild asthma before the surgery, but from the time I started my two-week pre-op liquid diet I have only had to use my inhaler once. I was also taken off my blood pressure meds at my one-week post-op visit. I hope your health issues start to clear up quickly after your surgery. I wish you the very best and a very speedy recovery!

[MommaD88 20]

Good luck with your surgery! You will rock this! Follow the pre-op diet to the letter and get plenty of Water every day. I had mild asthma before the surgery, but from the time I started my two-week pre-op liquid diet I have only had to use my inhaler once. I was also taken off my blood pressure meds at my one-week post-op visit. I hope your health issues start to clear up quickly after your surgery. I wish you the very best and a very speedy recovery!

Thank you, I appreciate it! I hope to get off all my meds once the weight comes off. The anesthesialogist says I need.to take all my meds or the surgery is off. Time to be a good girl and keep taking those meds.

[MommaD88 20]

Well finally I am updating my story since my surgery. Apologize for the delay.

So started my pre-op diet and had issues with it. Not the portion size because I was already sick and not eating well before that so was not an issue. I could have a Protein shake for Breakfast, fruit for snack, frozen Meal Replacement for lunch and dinner and SF Jello or pudding for snack and then my 2nd shake for after dinner snack. I could not stand to eat those lean cuisines or smart ones, etc I think the meals themselves were drenched in sauce or gravy and I didn't like it. I choose to make my own meals that fresh and probably less carb and sodium. Well must have worked because in my ten day diet before my surgery I dropped 14 lbs at weigh in for my surgery on May 22nd. Pretty proud of myself for that.

Had surgery and things were very smooth and they got me in early. Thank goodness because my surgery still took over 5 hours long and then in recovery for another 2 hours. My poor husband was freaking out because they only updated him after 2 hours. Surgeon came out after 5 and told him that I had a lot of scare tissue around my pancreas. Must have been from when I had pancreatitis a few years back. Which I didn't know I could get from that...interesting.

Got up and started walking in hospital. My night nurses were not the greatest I'll say that. My day nurses were a lot better. food was going ok and tolerating it fine. Had to stay an extra day because my O2 levels kept dropping but that evened itself out and CT scan showed no blood clots and they released me.

Get home and had horrible bloating mostly due to gas. Although I was passing and having bowel movements things were just still hurting like it was trapped and couldn't get rid of it. Funny that every time I ate or drank the cramping was worse and had to take pain and nausea meds because it was so bad. I really couldn't get up and walk for long time because I hurt so bad. Finally after my one week post op I called back to nurse practitioner. She took me off all the stool softening meds and advanced my diet to soft foods. She said some people can't tolerate the pureed full food diet.

So far things are going well and tolerating food without pain. Still have small issues with it when drinking but I'll just drink Water and wait on everything else.

So fast forward to today, feeling better. Got out two days now and visited with family and friends whom I haven't seen since before Thanksgiving of the previous year. Yes I've been since a long time. My voice struggled at times but showing improvements. It was hard at the cookout though. I so wanted what they had but knew I could not tolerate it. I had my piece of fish and smashed up baked potato. After about 5 bites I was done. I couldn't eat no more but ate something small later that night too at home.

As of today I am 10 days post op and weighed myself and since surgery I've lost another 10 lbs. I go back for my 2 week post op on June 4th. Can't wait to see my results then.

Hope you all are enjoying your summer! Take care and hope your journey is going well. Let me know if you have any questions.