Hi everyone,
Just for my own records and in case any of you were wondering:
4 days short a month out of surgery:
- down 22 lbs and 1.5 clothing sizes. Averaging 5.5 lbs/week - extremely fast and this will slow down as I am able to eat more.
- able to eat almost anything I did before - no issues with nausea or intolerance. Missing the times when I can sit down with awesome food and socially eat and visit, but it's not overwhelming and it's easier to push those feelings away than I expected it would be.
- feeling GREAT, fully healed, energy levels are high and general mood is "astounded". Haha..
- confidence levels are already improving. More comfortable in clothing, rings fitting on new fingers, facial definition that I forgot I had..
- going back to work on Monday the 19th - curious to see if full days of kid-slinging are realistic or if half days will be how I have to start.
So that's that!
One of these days I will do a more detailed entry about the actual process and hospital stay but for now, I'm off to decorate the cookies for Chels' lunch this week. :)
-J. xx
Monday, November 12, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Busy work
Time is a-ticking and I'm left with 5 weeks before the big day. It's not a lot of time if you consider that I will be working full-time until the 12th of August and I feel like there is way too much shit around here that has to get done. I feel like an expectant mom again.. like, when I was at the end of my pregnancy with Chelsea I remember feeling like I was losing my mind because I literally started cleaning the bathroom while I was BATHING. This morning, I geared up to bake a cake and instead, wound up organizing and re-arranging my kitchen cabinets.
No cake was made for the kid's lunch this week. No, no time for that. But pictures of the newly streamlined fucking spices were sent to Chris so he could see what I'd accomplished while he was at work. Haha..
-J. xx
-J. xx
Friday, August 31, 2012
Surgery date!
Well, after months of painstakingly waiting by the phone I have finally gotten a surgery date.
October 16th will be the big day. The woman who called me gave me the details and the note paper that I was writing on looks like it was written by a 9 year old - I was shaking so hard.
So what's next?
More waiting.. 6 weeks of it.. carefully monitoring food etc.. a couple of pre-op appointments.. and basic puttering around the house trying to get everything in order for the days/weeks of recovery time afterward.
Very scary and exciting - can't wait to be out of the hospital and onto this big new adventure.
-J. xx
October 16th will be the big day. The woman who called me gave me the details and the note paper that I was writing on looks like it was written by a 9 year old - I was shaking so hard.
So what's next?
More waiting.. 6 weeks of it.. carefully monitoring food etc.. a couple of pre-op appointments.. and basic puttering around the house trying to get everything in order for the days/weeks of recovery time afterward.
Very scary and exciting - can't wait to be out of the hospital and onto this big new adventure.
-J. xx
Saturday, May 5, 2012
I'm such a jerk..
Way to keep this updated..
So I met with my surgeon a couple weeks ago and, with his help and advice, have decided to go ahead with a full gastric bypass procedure for 2 reasons: A) It is more effective. Period. B) The risks associated with complication post-surgery are less serious than with the 'sleeve'. and Wait! There's a third! There is 40 years of research and follow-up to back the bypass surgery where as there is only FIVE to support the sleeve.
The decision seemed to be pretty clear.
Anyway, I signed off on all of the paperwork and am currently waiting for a surgery date and a meeting with an anaesthesiologist to make sure I will do well with the anaesthetic.
The crazy part is that the surgery dates are usually only a 6-8 week wait so this will be coming up around the end of June. I can't think of a better time to have 2 weeks off of work either so I am pretty damn excited.
In other news..
I bought a slow cooker today to help with weeknight dinners - do any of you use one and if so, who loves it and what is your favourite recipe? In my crock-pot at this very moment is a sweet and sour chicken recipe - so hopefully it works. It does smell great though, so I'm optimistic.
And if not, I guess the cat will eat well this week and Chelsea and I will be back to soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.
-J. xx.
I don't know. Irrelevant picture; but I really like this chandelier.
So I met with my surgeon a couple weeks ago and, with his help and advice, have decided to go ahead with a full gastric bypass procedure for 2 reasons: A) It is more effective. Period. B) The risks associated with complication post-surgery are less serious than with the 'sleeve'. and Wait! There's a third! There is 40 years of research and follow-up to back the bypass surgery where as there is only FIVE to support the sleeve.
The decision seemed to be pretty clear.
Anyway, I signed off on all of the paperwork and am currently waiting for a surgery date and a meeting with an anaesthesiologist to make sure I will do well with the anaesthetic.
The crazy part is that the surgery dates are usually only a 6-8 week wait so this will be coming up around the end of June. I can't think of a better time to have 2 weeks off of work either so I am pretty damn excited.
In other news..
I bought a slow cooker today to help with weeknight dinners - do any of you use one and if so, who loves it and what is your favourite recipe? In my crock-pot at this very moment is a sweet and sour chicken recipe - so hopefully it works. It does smell great though, so I'm optimistic.
And if not, I guess the cat will eat well this week and Chelsea and I will be back to soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.
-J. xx.
I don't know. Irrelevant picture; but I really like this chandelier.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Surgery Referral Day!
The 'too-long-didn't-read' version is: Was referred to speak to a surgeon on Monday the 23rd.
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW.
Let's all take a collective sigh of relief shall we?
This means that I have completed all of the initial steps and have the go-ahead from my overseeing practitioner to have a VSG procedure in the next few months. After seeing the actual surgeon (who did a friend of mine's surgery) I will have a better idea about time frame and such but the rest of it is all pretty clear in my head and I'm mentally prepared for this weird giant experience.
This means that I have completed all of the initial steps and have the go-ahead from my overseeing practitioner to have a VSG procedure in the next few months. After seeing the actual surgeon (who did a friend of mine's surgery) I will have a better idea about time frame and such but the rest of it is all pretty clear in my head and I'm mentally prepared for this weird giant experience.
THE VERTICAL SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY
I thought I would do a FAQ to provide some insight about this stuff and why I am choosing to go ahead with it:
1. You're going to cut yourself open in pursuit of some skinny-girl fantasy instead of just exercising? Why would you do that to yourself?
For me, personally - and others may have a different perspective - the promise of the physical changes to my appearance are exciting but it's more about not wanting to die of some obesity related disease before I'm 60. I don't want to be diagnosed with cancer in later life and have to regret never getting my shit together enough to try to prevent it from happening in the first place. I want AN energy level and be around for my kid into her adulthood. I want to not have to buy ugly clothes for twice as much as a size 8 would pay. That said, I also don't want to fuck around with trying to lose weight.. then gain weight.. then lose weight.. and gain.. and then suddenly be 45 or 50 and have so far to go when age makes it harder. Also, it should be noted that most weight loss is food related, not exercise related. I am encouraged to be active, of course.
2. So, just taking the easy way out then?
Fuck you right to the moon. Any type of weight loss surgery is an incredibly difficult path and one must have discipline (why do I sound like a karate teacher?) and show adherence in order for it to even do it's job. It's not a magic cure for being a fatty - it's just something that has your back and makes it suck.. a lot.. when you screw up with portion sizes or sugar/fat content in food. So basically - you stick to your guidelines and follow the rules or you suffer consequences like vomiting or ultimately, stretching out your 'new' stomach and winding up in the same chubby spot you were in before.
If you research these procedures and still think it's a walk in the park, I'd question your reading comprehension and suggest you re-attend grade 6.** Meanwhile, I'll be over here eating 1 cup of food at a time and avoiding sugary fat stuff which sounds like a pretty logical method to weight loss.
** (Come to think of it, I'd rather do that than go back to grade 6 - I don't remember a whole lot of that year but something that stands out is choking a boy named Michael over him asking me if I "forgot my uterus at home" that day and feeling very insulted by that. I should add that he went on to be very successful in his personal life: Went to jail in Regina for shooting a cop in the face. So that's right; I forgot my uterus at home and he forgot to not try to kill law enforcement.)
3. But SURGERY?
Relax. It's laparoscopic. 4 little incisions and a bit of stomach removed (the part that produces hunger hormones!)
4. Okay fine. So you're having surgery. What about work?
2 weeks off vacation time set aside. No issue.
If you have questions, I would encourage you to ask me or wikipedia the procedure. :)
Also, a big congratulations to Sarah for just having gone through with her VSG surgery and taking it like a champ!
Until next time -
-J. xx
1. You're going to cut yourself open in pursuit of some skinny-girl fantasy instead of just exercising? Why would you do that to yourself?
For me, personally - and others may have a different perspective - the promise of the physical changes to my appearance are exciting but it's more about not wanting to die of some obesity related disease before I'm 60. I don't want to be diagnosed with cancer in later life and have to regret never getting my shit together enough to try to prevent it from happening in the first place. I want AN energy level and be around for my kid into her adulthood. I want to not have to buy ugly clothes for twice as much as a size 8 would pay. That said, I also don't want to fuck around with trying to lose weight.. then gain weight.. then lose weight.. and gain.. and then suddenly be 45 or 50 and have so far to go when age makes it harder. Also, it should be noted that most weight loss is food related, not exercise related. I am encouraged to be active, of course.
2. So, just taking the easy way out then?
Fuck you right to the moon. Any type of weight loss surgery is an incredibly difficult path and one must have discipline (why do I sound like a karate teacher?) and show adherence in order for it to even do it's job. It's not a magic cure for being a fatty - it's just something that has your back and makes it suck.. a lot.. when you screw up with portion sizes or sugar/fat content in food. So basically - you stick to your guidelines and follow the rules or you suffer consequences like vomiting or ultimately, stretching out your 'new' stomach and winding up in the same chubby spot you were in before.
If you research these procedures and still think it's a walk in the park, I'd question your reading comprehension and suggest you re-attend grade 6.** Meanwhile, I'll be over here eating 1 cup of food at a time and avoiding sugary fat stuff which sounds like a pretty logical method to weight loss.
** (Come to think of it, I'd rather do that than go back to grade 6 - I don't remember a whole lot of that year but something that stands out is choking a boy named Michael over him asking me if I "forgot my uterus at home" that day and feeling very insulted by that. I should add that he went on to be very successful in his personal life: Went to jail in Regina for shooting a cop in the face. So that's right; I forgot my uterus at home and he forgot to not try to kill law enforcement.)
3. But SURGERY?
Relax. It's laparoscopic. 4 little incisions and a bit of stomach removed (the part that produces hunger hormones!)
4. Okay fine. So you're having surgery. What about work?
2 weeks off vacation time set aside. No issue.
If you have questions, I would encourage you to ask me or wikipedia the procedure. :)
Also, a big congratulations to Sarah for just having gone through with her VSG surgery and taking it like a champ!
Until next time -
-J. xx
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Clinic Update..
I'm gonna be that middle one.
The criticism-fearing 12 year old in me is constantly slightly afraid to go to the clinic because I'm always imaging them yelling at me for not journaling every single day or for having gained a pound or two. This is ridiculous for two reasons: 1) so far I haven't had any gains, but fairly steady and consistent losses and 2) they don't DO that.
These people are nice! They don't yell at me! They don't judge or sneer at my comments or ideas! They don't ground me for not cleaning my room or pinching my sister or not eating my vegetables or giving them the finger that one time when I was 16 in my bedroom when my shadow on the hallway wall gave me away...
Oh god, I think I have mommy issues.
Regardless, I had a clinic visit the other day and despite my catastro-fantasizing - it went very well and no one yelled at me. In fact it went so well that I didn't need to book a follow-up appointment with my nutritionist and my only existing visits are to see my psychologist for a one-on-one after having completed the "Emotional Eaters" group and.. drumroll please...
A surgical referral appointment that is booked for April 11th!
This is exciting news because it means that big things are on the horizon for this soon-to-be-little(r) girl! This appointment will determine whether the clinic deems me ready to be referred to a surgeon so you can see that it is a big step. A big, exciting, scary, awesome step.
My boyfriend and sister are extremely supportive. I chose to tell my Mom that I could be having surgery and after a few seconds of what I can only imagine was her attempting to speak through brain aneurysm.. I just hung up. Maybe she will come around at some point, but now is not the time to focus on that. Instead I'll lean a little on those who are supportive and happy for me and in that I will find the courage and strength to make this work and be unafraid.
:D
-J. xx
My boyfriend and sister are extremely supportive. I chose to tell my Mom that I could be having surgery and after a few seconds of what I can only imagine was her attempting to speak through brain aneurysm.. I just hung up. Maybe she will come around at some point, but now is not the time to focus on that. Instead I'll lean a little on those who are supportive and happy for me and in that I will find the courage and strength to make this work and be unafraid.
:D
-J. xx
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Small victories..
Temptation was high and the water was rough but rationality prevailed this time and one bite was where it ended. I think that's a big, enthusiastic "Fuck You" headed in your direction you sugary hunk of regret. lol.
It's also a twin pack where you get two regular sized bars in one package so I feel like this was a double whammy of good judgement here right before bed. Let it be known that my boyfriend is wonderfully supportive of my efforts and that this sort of thing isn't left around the house to lure me this way and that; however a true testament to how far I've come is that the bars still EXIST in near full form and aren't BOTH completely gone like would have happened before.
Lesson Learned: I have the ability to resist and overcome compulsions and cravings.
New Goal in Light of Experience: Sugar-free day tomorrow.
-J. xx
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