On to an even better life and health.

A week ago today my life was forever changed. On Tuesday September 6th, 2011 I had RNY Gastric Bypass aka weight loss surgery.
I never thought I would ever resort to a surgery like this. I had reached a point in my life where I was just going to settle with the way I am. I have always been heavy, grade school, jr high, high school, and as an adult. I have always thought for the most part that I am a healthy plus size person and this is what god had planned and I just have to work with what I got. 3 years ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. On my 30th Birthday. That was a shock, 30, that’s young. Watching my parents it was a reality check and a wake up call. My dad’s health has declined over the years, and my mom’s started to follow. My mom’s health has gotten bad, and in my mom I could see myself in 10/20 years -Struggling with weight, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, heart problems, that’s a scary thought and it’s hard to watch her be the strong one but her body breaking down at the same time.
A year and a half ago I met with the doctor who was referred to me by family. He said I was a candidate for weight loss but for him to proceed with the surgery he wanted me to lose 75 lbs, before he would. I left that appointment discouraged, and back to square one, just accept what I have. Recently my daughter’s friend’s mom asked me if I had looked into weight loss surgery, (we had prior conversations about it) I told her ya, but, had to lose 75 lbs etc speech. She had bypass 2 years ago and looks amazing. She recommend a different doc, so I thought about it for a while. In Feb I had started some changes here at home, and from Feb to June had lost 30lbs, making subtle changes. I decided in June to go in and have a second opinion. I met with the surgeon and he said that I was a great candidate for RNY. He told me if I got the list of stuff I needed to get done that he could have my surgery done in August. So came July and one of the busiest months ever. Appointments with Psychologist, sleep studies (in this process I found out and was diagnosed with sleep apnea), nutritionist appointments, husband deployed and kids… oh my! I was staarting to think I was going to have to move to Boise. After all of that I was given a date for surgery, August 24th, 2011. I was ready to go. The day before surgery is hard you are required to be on a clear liquid diet the entire day. I had to be at the hospital @ 7:30am. I was Dr. Korn’s second patient that day. So they prepped me and had me all ready to go. I was laying in the hospital bed in the prep area IV and all waiting patiently for my time. 1 hr goes by, then 2, 3, 4, 5 nothing the doc was still in surgery with the patient ahead of me. A nurse came in and told me that they were going to cancel my case, that the doc was having a lot of complications with the patient before me. I was very mad, and told the nurse, “get me the F outta here”. Here I was again, maybe I should just live with myself the way I am. They rescheduled me for Sept. 7th, and a week before they had a cancellation for the 6th. I said yep I’ll take it.
So, surgery went well. Slated to be a 3 hrs surgery, I only took 2 and a half, the doc says I was a very good surgery. I ended up with 11 laparoscopic incisions, he said I am a tall woman, and long torrsoed so it took a few more sites to do it than usual.
I am a week out today, and quite honestly I feel amazing. For anyone who says this is a cheater way of loosing weight, that’s a complete misconception. Not only are you dealing with the healing of surgery, your diet literally changes over night. You go from eating to no eating at all. My diet for the next 2 weeks consists of a 4 oz protein drink for breakfast, a 4 oz protein drink for lunch, a 4 oz protein drink for dinner, and a 4 oz protein drink in the evening. You have the option of having a mid morning snack, and a mid afternoon snack if you feel hungry which consists of 2 oz of the following choices, puréed cottage cheese, sugar free pudding, or a choice of some soups that have to be blended. Pretty blah to say the least. Not only does the diet change, but I am required to take 6 chewable horse pill sized vitamins for life, and have to drink 64 oz of water/fluids a day, and I have to give my self 2 shots of a blood thinner for the next 21 days to prevent blood clots cause of surgery. One good thing that has happened, I am off my Blood Pressure med. YAY!
So far I have met my fluid intake and am tolerating the diet change, though I had my first melt down Saturday. I took my kids to the drive in, and they were eating popcorn without me. Movies and popcorn go together, I cried then told myself it’s ok, I will be able to have it eventually IN A YEAR. It’s all good, and this will all be worth it, it will add to my life. I have my 2 week check up next Thursday and will post again then……ON with the sho’. :D