My Roundabout Journey

[dhazlegrove 5]

Hi, my name is Don. I'm 46, and I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I'm married to a wonderful woman who I met online in a chat room about 20 years ago. Yup, you heard right -- not an online dating site, not eHarmony or Match.com or anything like that, just a "boy band" chat room of all things. We were the chaperones so to speak, keeping an eye on the younger more impressionable kids. That's our story, and we're sticking to it. I lived in Northeast Georgia, where I had grown up, and she lived here in Cincinnati, where she grew up. I moved up here and we were married in December of 2001. I inherited four kids from her first marriage, three girls, and one boy. They are all grown and most of them have flown the coup. Now it's just the two of us and our nine fur-babies. Yes, it was an accident, her first litter, and we weren't about to foist our problem on someone else to take care of. Besides, they're small, little mini-pin-chihuahua mixes.

Around the last week of June 2017, I got the call I had been waiting for since my journey started in December of 2013, (See my About Me page for the sordid details of the trip so far.) The insurance was finally satisfied and had approved my surgery and it was set for August 4th, 2017. HALLELUJAH!

My surgeon is Jonathan Thompson, MD, with the UC Weight Loss Clinic in Cincinnati, OH. My surgery is scheduled for around 9 AM, August 4th at the UC West Chester Hospital, of course, I have to be there by around 6:30 AM to start all of the poking and prodding. I'm about 2/3 of the way through my 3- week clear liquid pre-op diet, Yes, I'm a high BMI patient so it's 3-weeks and only Clear Liquids. I wish I could say it was having a good time of it, but I'd be lying. I think I can handle the all liquid diet if it just didn't have to be clear. There just aren't that many clear things to choose from!

All and all, I'm not doing as bad as I thought I would. By the time I'm done with this clear liquid side, though, the liquid only flip side should be a breeze, Oh for a cream of chicken or some "bricks and blood" ... minus the bricks of course!

If anyone has any tips to share, feel free. I'm not proud as my mother would have said.

Anyone getting sleeved around the same time, let me know. I'd be glad to hear from you.

Don

[Berry78 4,261]

Congrats on making the decision to change your life!

Oh, I remember the days of BBS's.. and my 600 baud modem! Lol! Of course, a BBS (bulletin board system) is only a local system, so you must have been on one of those new-fangled chat rooms!

Are you permitted Protein Shakes or Protein Water on your clear liquid diet?

[dhazlegrove 5]

Yup, the Protein Shakes are the only things that don't have to be clear. Just a few more days and then I'm on the other side of it. Excited, anxious and just a tad terrified; I'm just trying to concentrate on the excited portion.

[DinaJuneSleever 33]

Yup, the Protein Shakes are the only things that don't have to be clear. Just a few more days and then I'm on the other side of it. Excited, anxious and just a tad terrified; I'm just trying to concentrate on the excited portion.

Hey!!! Are u allowed to have yogurt???

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

Welcome. You are very courageous and your determination will make you a success. Great things are going to be in your future. I wish you well on your journey.

My husband also 'inherited' 4 kids same configuration too and you deserve kudos for taking that on, we now have 9 grandkids!!! So fun.

Shameless plug. As you get more active, I invite you to look up square dancing on your trusty computer and go take lessons. We are a great bunch of people, we dance to all types of music. We don't compete, but we do have local dances, state and national conventions - National was in Cincinnati this past June! It is great socialization and exercise.

Good luck. Keep posting.

[dhazlegrove 5]

14 hours ago, DinaJuneSleever said:

Hey!!! Are u allowed to have yogurt???

No, not yet. The 3-week pre-op diet is Clear Liquids only. Once I get sleeved (this Friday -- YAY!) I can go to any liquids, so yogurts will be okay then, Can't wait to have some yogurts and Soups. Same old few liquids were SO BORING. I could have coffee or tea, but I'm a cream and sugar guy. I could handle the Splenda or Truvia, but it's just a little off without the Creamer. The one upside I had was sugar-free Gelatin, but even that gets kind of monotonous when it's ALL you can have,

[dhazlegrove 5]

13 hours ago, Sosewsue61 said:

Welcome. You are very courageous and your determination will make you a success. Great things are going to be in your future. I wish you well on your journey.

My husband also 'inherited' 4 kids same configuration too and you deserve kudos for taking that on, we now have 9 grandkids!!! So fun.

Shameless plug. As you get more active, I invite you to look up square dancing on your trusty computer and go take lessons. We are a great bunch of people, we dance to all types of music. We don't compete, but we do have local dances, state and national conventions - National was in Cincinnati this past June! It is great socialization and exercise.

Good luck. Keep posting.

Hi Sue,

Thanks for the welcome! Your husband and I are in good company then, the outnumbered one. We're only up to 2 grandkids so far, but then only 2 of the kids are in relationships, so I guess they're keeping the numbers balanced. You know I took "Folk & Square Dance" as one of my PE electives in college and had a blast! My only problem now is that my wife has back knee, hip -- well, all over problems, with fibromyalgia on top of it. I just took her over to her pain specialist today to get the second of 2 injections in her knee. She was happier this time because the shot actually helped. I think the doctor missed the sweet spot last time because she said that one didn't help. I'm thinking about trying to get her interested in some Water exercise classes, far less impact there. (Took that elective in college too -- mastered that squeak by with as little strenuousness as possible trend.) I noticed the "sew" in your "handle" and looked up in your profile that you like to sew and quilt, my wife knits so we have another similarity.

Take care, nice meeting you.

Don

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

@dhazlegrove Sorry about you wife's problems, I had total knee replacement in rt knee 8 years ago, so I know how those injections go - ouch.

YES I am a crafty girl lol - it helps to have hobbies that keep you from food.

Keep posting your journey.

[dhazlegrove 5]

The stomach is gone, man! All sleeved and here we go!

Four days out and not doing too badly now. Surgery went well Friday. I went in and got my IV started, moved into the operating theater, slid myself over onto the table and saw the big lights above the table, then woke up in the recovery room. Literally, remember nothing else, Just have the small incisions from the laparoscopy. The biggest one is about an inch and half to two inches. Incredible!

Spent two days in the hospital. Not too much pain, just had some swelling near the bigger incision where the stomach remnant was removed. It was probably air -- they inflate the area so that they can work in there don't they? -- anyway, started passing the gas and the swelling went down, so it's a guess....

First day home was kind of miserable. I was sore, first time actually laying flat didn't go well; I had to lay on my side, I spent the day nauseous. I couldn't tolerate plain Water very well, so I switched to Gatorade. I barely got two 32oz bottles down for a total of 64oz throughout the day. Only managed one Protein Shake with 30g of Protein and some beef broth with unflavored Protein Powder added for a total of 60g for the day. The broth went better than the shake, but I'm not sure if it was because the broth was just better or if my stomach had settled more.

Today has been going fairly well. Already have 49oz of water in, 32oz of Gatorade and 17oz of water and I've had two shakes with 30g and 10g of protein in them. Hoping to keep it up. The only problem today has been some diarrhea. I think that was because they stopped my metformin before the surgery and I just restarted it, Speaking of metformin, my glucose levels have been below 150 every time and that's without any insulin and I just restarted my metformin yesterday, Of course, I haven't been eating much either, so....

Off to grab another shake so I can get that protein in.

Edited August 9, 2017 by dhazlegrove

[Berry78 4,261]

Congrats! Sounds like you are doing super! Make sure that gatorade is G2, not regular (unless your program specified otherwise).

[colleen 5595 13]

Wow! Good for you!! The surgery is behind you now!! Now comes the work. I know you can do this. I had so many reservations about having the surgery. I have to wait six more weeks. But hearing your experience helps people to be calmer about it. I think I will do like you did, take us right up to the surgery and when you woke up. I'm so happy to hear that you didn't have much pain, except the gas pain. I'm a little worried about that because I don't have a colon or a rectum! I have a ileostomy bag! That thing is going to blow up!! Oh well, if that's all I have to worry about, I'm good. I sure could feel the excitement in your writing and that gives me comfort. You take good care and keep us up to date! I'd love to hear how you are coming along!. Prayers your way! Colleen5595