Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the OCC

[HoosierGirl 780]

B2B - the whole body image problem is something that will be with me for awhile. When I was 237, I never "felt" fat. It was always shocking when clothes didn't fit or I saw myself in pictures. So now that I weigh 147, I don't "feel" thin. And I am shocked I am a size 6 and shocked I look so little in photos.

Since this is such a mental thing for me, I don't know if I need counseling or just time to wrap my head around the changes. As an example, my son will be 9 next Saturday and asked for a pool party. So I was dreading the thought of having to put on a bathing suit to help our 5 year old swim in the pool....but then I remembered, "I am not fat anymore!" Just stuff like that all the time. Hard to re-program the self-talk I guess.

All I will say is that I like the current shock of being smaller a lot more than being fat!

KJUNEAU - thanks! You will get to goal. I am sure you are already seeing big changes. Do you have any pics? They are so motivating to see!

I love the support from this site!  You ladies ROCK!  I am not sure I have ever had "online besties" before?!

Edited January 6, 2014 by HoosierGirl

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

Good job HG and B2B!! Keep the photos coming!

 

 

Update for me: nearly 8 weeks post op and down 0.5 from 40 pounds. Means I'm 60 pounds from my personal goal. Two months and almost half way there?? I'll take it even if I'm a "slow loser"

Edited January 6, 2014 by MouseOnTheMile

[HoosierGirl 780]

Mouse - that is NOT slow! Very impressive! We want pics...Mouse...Mouse....Mouse.... (I am cheering you on)

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

Mouse - that is NOT slow! Very impressive! We want pics...Mouse...Mouse....Mouse.... (I am cheering you on)

Hehe well I don't take very much of those been too busy getting my house cleaned before I leave for Hawaii soon though I promise! I really wish I had taken really good before photos

[mazzers120 75]

I posted these pics in one of the before and after threads, but wanted to share with "my people" a couple of my 3 month postop comparison pics

 

Yay!!

Wow you look beautiful! Great job

[gastricsleever 259]

I will be in MX in a little over a month. Can't believe it's coming up so soon! I had a vaca to Disney planned the last week of January plus my surgery "vacation" in February. I Just found out that while I'm doing my 2 week pre-op, I have to go out to Pittsburgh for work for a week. Then I will come back on Sunday, and I leave for the TJ Marriott on Saturday. It's gonna be crazy busy for me. I'll be traveling with my bosses so it will be hard to go out to eat and only drink a Protein Drink :/ I'm debating on just staying in my hotel room instead of going out with them for dinner. The pre-op instructions say we can have leafy greens and balsamic dressing, hopefully that won't be hard to find at a restaurant? Just a plain salad? Idk, trying to decide what to do. Did u guys have any problems or challenges with your pre-op diet?

[huberm 10]

How's the care on the weekends handled? I heard the OCC is open a half day Saturday and closed Sunday. I'm getting mine done on a Friday. Will this be a problem?

[shungsleeve 62]

I'm back at the hotel and I must say I feel 20 times better. I don't know if it's all the room and privacy I have or what. But I'm feeling awesome. I guess the removal of the drain has a lot to do with it.

[BelindaK 11]

I had a private room at the hospital but still felt MUCH better in the hotel. I had the drain till the night before I left. Hated it. LOL! It wasn't painful, just annoying.

[Kindle 8,667]

I, along with 4 others, had our surgeries on the Friday before Christmas. So not only were they "closed" over the weekend, but also the whole next week. It was actually kind of nice because we had the place to ourselves and received very good care. Discharged Saturday and went back to the. Marriott. We were shuttled back to OCC on Sunday morning for drain check and dressing change. The office manager and two nurses were there to take care of us. The office manager even made chicken broth for all of us to sip on while we waited. We were talking about going shopping, so she arranged for their driver to take us to the Revolucion marketplace instead of back to the Marriott. Back to OCC Monday morning where the concierge, a nurse, and Dr. So were there for our barium fluoroscopy leak tests and drain removal. Again, great, personal attention. And had there been any complications, there is always a doctor on call for emergencies 24/7. Besides Dr. Ortiz, they have 7 other doctors on staff. We were given local phone numbers to reach OCC, the nutritionist, and Dr. Martinez if we needed to.

 

You will do great!

[SoCalMomOfFour 36]

I just received my pre-op diet. Holy crap! I'm not scheduled till April but they want me on a diet and checking in weekly. Already? I was going to change my diet, but I was waiting till Feb to get started! Not sure what to do!

[SO.READY???? 17]

I just received my pre-op diet. Holy crap! I'm not scheduled till April but they want me on a diet and checking in weekly. Already? I was going to change my diet, but I was waiting till Feb to get started! Not sure what to do!

They have u starting already? I am scheduled to go March and not yet have I started. Checking in weekly wow!! Well j guess we should both get in too of it then. Are u taking your Vitamins already? I just got a link from Andrea the nutritionist to buy some online. Enspira I believe. I'm still confused also. Well it's always good to start early!!

[SoCalMomOfFour 36]

They have u starting already? I am scheduled to go March and not yet have I started. Checking in weekly wow!! Well j guess we should both get in too of it then. Are u taking your Vitamins already? I just got a link from Andrea the nutritionist to buy some online. Enspira I believe. I'm still confused also. Well it's always good to start early!!

I don't think I'm going to buy the enspira. I read somewhere that someone bought Enspira and it was already out of date! No thanks.

Edited January 10, 2014 by SoCalMomOfFour

[back2barb78 890]

I will be in MX in a little over a month. Can't believe it's coming up so soon! I had a vaca to Disney planned the last week of January plus my surgery "vacation" in February. I Just found out that while I'm doing my 2 week pre-op, I have to go out to Pittsburgh for work for a week. Then I will come back on Sunday, and I leave for the TJ Marriott on Saturday. It's gonna be crazy busy for me. I'll be traveling with my bosses so it will be hard to go out to eat and only drink a Protein drink :/ I'm debating on just staying in my hotel room instead of going out with them for dinner. The pre-op instructions say we can have leafy greens and balsamic dressing, hopefully that won't be hard to find at a restaurant? Just a plain salad? Idk, trying to decide what to do. Did u guys have any problems or challenges with your pre-op diet?

I was working 2 full time nursing jobs during my preop diet, one an assignment I had to drive 3 hours from home for (yes I'm crazy). Anything is possible if you want it!! I don't know if you can find a calorie free balsamic but the diet calls for calorie free dressing (unless something changed). Bring your own dressing with you and I would avoid dinners and eat in my room unless you have crazy willpower. It's just easier. People ask so many questions. Or you could go to dinner and start getting used to people saying "Is that all you're going to eat?!" Preop really didn't pose a great challenge. For my salads I used Walden Farms calorie free dressings.

[raven123 97]

I found the enspira to be better than any other Protein drink. It didn't make me feel sick like most of them. I'm really glad I bought it.