So, on to the pictures. As you can see, Tia is looking fantastic. She's down 130.2 lbs while Mark is down 109. We're starting to investigate the whole plastic surgery thing for the excess skin.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
9 Month photos
Okay, here we are at the 9 month mark. Tia is doing much much better with her eating since her dialation procedure, so both of us are eating pretty much normally. We had our 9 month checkup with the surgeon yesterday and all is good. Just a slight vitamin D deficiency for both of us, easily corrected with a supplement. With the lack of sunlight in the Pacific Northwest, this is a pretty common condition.
So, on to the pictures. As you can see, Tia is looking fantastic. She's down 130.2 lbs while Mark is down 109. We're starting to investigate the whole plastic surgery thing for the excess skin.
So, on to the pictures. As you can see, Tia is looking fantastic. She's down 130.2 lbs while Mark is down 109. We're starting to investigate the whole plastic surgery thing for the excess skin.
Friday, October 10, 2008
7 months photos and update
Apologies for missing the 6 month mark. I think we were distracted by life and other things.
The good news is that Tia is doing a bit better with her eating. She had a mild stricture which caused her to not be able to eat any meats, so we had a procedure to fix that (went smoothly). She's still very cautious about things, but can handle tuna, etc. No chicken yet though.
Mark is doing okay. Things have slowed a bit but I'm approaching 100 lbs down (yay!).
Both of us are much more active, taking walks about 5 times a week, sometimes with the dogs pulling us along.
By the way, people really didn't start noticing until we were down about 80 lbs, so don't get discouraged if people aren't gushing about your loss. Most are scared to bring it up!
Okay, on to the photos:
The good news is that Tia is doing a bit better with her eating. She had a mild stricture which caused her to not be able to eat any meats, so we had a procedure to fix that (went smoothly). She's still very cautious about things, but can handle tuna, etc. No chicken yet though.
Mark is doing okay. Things have slowed a bit but I'm approaching 100 lbs down (yay!).
Both of us are much more active, taking walks about 5 times a week, sometimes with the dogs pulling us along.
By the way, people really didn't start noticing until we were down about 80 lbs, so don't get discouraged if people aren't gushing about your loss. Most are scared to bring it up!
Okay, on to the photos:
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Goodbye, Melissa
I first met Melissa Batten through e-mail. I was researching weight loss surgery and stumbled upon a message board called Thinner Times. While reading through the posts, I saw someone who said they were a software tester in the Seattle area. Hmmmm. While there are lots of software companies in the Seattle area, I wondered whether she actually worked at Microsoft – where I worked. In looking at her sign-on name on the board, it looked an awful lot like a Microsoft e-mail alias. For the heck of it I put it into our address search at work and voila – there she was!
Hesitantly, I e-mailed her to verify it really was the same person. Not only did she confirm it, she was very forthcoming with information about her experience with the surgery. She even recommended her doctor – Doctor Lauter at Overlake hospital in Bellevue.
We exchanged a couple more e-mails filled with questions about every aspect of weight loss surgery. Each time, she responded with wonderfully detailed, open and beautifully written answers. When I asked her where she learned to write so well, she said it was from writing tons of test specifications.
In one of the mails, she volunteered to meet up with Tia and I to answer any more questions in person. Wow, we were amazed by that offer, but eagerly took her up on it.
We met at the Starbucks in Redmond Town Center, near work, just before our initial consult with Dr Lauter. She was so open, so generous and so excited about her WLS experience. She talked about how she was now doing martial arts, and even running – which, in her words, was stunning, as before the surgery the best she could do was a few seconds on Dance Dance Revolution video game before becoming exhausted. She mentioned how she wanted to try to get pregnant now that she was slimmer, but there was some hesitancy about that from her husband. We both got the feeling that he wasn’t entirely supportive of her transformation.
She made the surgery seem normal to us. It would all be fine. Life afterwards was so good, there’s no reason not to.
So on February 26th 2008, we did. And with Dr Lauter, her recommendation. He was fantastic. We were off on our new lives!
We kept in touch via e-mails, with her checking up on us on our surgery date and every few weeks afterwards. Each time we had a concern or questions, she’d still openly and patiently answer.
Shortly after our 5 month mark, I posted some before and “so far” pics on our blog and wanted to share them with Melissa.
Something weird was going on though. She wasn’t in the Microsoft address book any more. I looked up her manager’s org chart and she wasn’t on there either. Maybe she’d gotten pregnant and was off taking care of that??
Being the researcher that I am, I decided to go back to the Thinner Times site to see if she was still posting there. I did a search for posts by her…
What I found was a bunch of condolence messages. My heart sank. Oh, no, no, no. What happened?
…
From the Seattle Times, Friday August 1, 2008:
“A woman who was fatally shot by her estranged husband at a Redmond apartment complex Tuesday just before he killed himself had obtained a protection order against the man a little more than a week earlier, court records show.
The protection order was obtained July 21 by Melissa Batten, 36, against Joseph Batten, also 36, in King County District Court in Redmond. In her request for the order, the woman had written that her estranged husband had recently purchased a handgun and had threatened to kill himself.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office said Thursday that Melissa Batten died of multiple gunshot wounds and classified the death as a homicide. Joseph Batten died of a single gunshot wound and his death was classified as a suicide, according to the medical examiner's office.”
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
This loving, generous person…a person who had changed our lives for the better was murdered.
Oh my god.
Even though we only met in person that one time at Starbucks, the support she gave to Tia and I through numerous messages was immeasurable. She showed us how good life could be after surgery. How happy we could be in our new bodies. And that the eating afterwards was do-able. We could feel normal again.
Melissa, we’ll miss you. You had a more positive impact on our lives than you imagined.
Epilogue: Tia and I are meeting with a couple on Friday to share our experiences with WLS. We can only hope to do as good a job as Melissa did.
Mark
Hesitantly, I e-mailed her to verify it really was the same person. Not only did she confirm it, she was very forthcoming with information about her experience with the surgery. She even recommended her doctor – Doctor Lauter at Overlake hospital in Bellevue.
We exchanged a couple more e-mails filled with questions about every aspect of weight loss surgery. Each time, she responded with wonderfully detailed, open and beautifully written answers. When I asked her where she learned to write so well, she said it was from writing tons of test specifications.
In one of the mails, she volunteered to meet up with Tia and I to answer any more questions in person. Wow, we were amazed by that offer, but eagerly took her up on it.
We met at the Starbucks in Redmond Town Center, near work, just before our initial consult with Dr Lauter. She was so open, so generous and so excited about her WLS experience. She talked about how she was now doing martial arts, and even running – which, in her words, was stunning, as before the surgery the best she could do was a few seconds on Dance Dance Revolution video game before becoming exhausted. She mentioned how she wanted to try to get pregnant now that she was slimmer, but there was some hesitancy about that from her husband. We both got the feeling that he wasn’t entirely supportive of her transformation.
She made the surgery seem normal to us. It would all be fine. Life afterwards was so good, there’s no reason not to.
So on February 26th 2008, we did. And with Dr Lauter, her recommendation. He was fantastic. We were off on our new lives!
We kept in touch via e-mails, with her checking up on us on our surgery date and every few weeks afterwards. Each time we had a concern or questions, she’d still openly and patiently answer.
Shortly after our 5 month mark, I posted some before and “so far” pics on our blog and wanted to share them with Melissa.
Something weird was going on though. She wasn’t in the Microsoft address book any more. I looked up her manager’s org chart and she wasn’t on there either. Maybe she’d gotten pregnant and was off taking care of that??
Being the researcher that I am, I decided to go back to the Thinner Times site to see if she was still posting there. I did a search for posts by her…
What I found was a bunch of condolence messages. My heart sank. Oh, no, no, no. What happened?
…
From the Seattle Times, Friday August 1, 2008:
“A woman who was fatally shot by her estranged husband at a Redmond apartment complex Tuesday just before he killed himself had obtained a protection order against the man a little more than a week earlier, court records show.
The protection order was obtained July 21 by Melissa Batten, 36, against Joseph Batten, also 36, in King County District Court in Redmond. In her request for the order, the woman had written that her estranged husband had recently purchased a handgun and had threatened to kill himself.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office said Thursday that Melissa Batten died of multiple gunshot wounds and classified the death as a homicide. Joseph Batten died of a single gunshot wound and his death was classified as a suicide, according to the medical examiner's office.”
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
This loving, generous person…a person who had changed our lives for the better was murdered.
Oh my god.
Even though we only met in person that one time at Starbucks, the support she gave to Tia and I through numerous messages was immeasurable. She showed us how good life could be after surgery. How happy we could be in our new bodies. And that the eating afterwards was do-able. We could feel normal again.
Melissa, we’ll miss you. You had a more positive impact on our lives than you imagined.
Epilogue: Tia and I are meeting with a couple on Friday to share our experiences with WLS. We can only hope to do as good a job as Melissa did.
Mark
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Tia hit 100 today!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some great news - Tia hit the 100 lb lost mark today! We're all very excited. She's fitting into clothes that she hasn't been able to fit into in many years.
Congrats, Tia!
Congrats, Tia!
Friday, August 1, 2008
5 Month Photos
I'm planning on writing up a "Lessons Learned So Far" post, but haven't had the time yet. In the meantime, we took some 5 month comparison photos. Here they are!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Way to go, New Hampshire!
Just saw this on the newswire:
New Hampshire now requires insurers to cover gastric bypass surgery if it is found to be medically necessary. The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Robert Clegg, wrote the legislation after having to pay more than $20000 for his own gastric bypass.
Details here.
New Hampshire now requires insurers to cover gastric bypass surgery if it is found to be medically necessary. The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Robert Clegg, wrote the legislation after having to pay more than $20000 for his own gastric bypass.
Details here.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
3 month check-up
So, we had our 3 month check-up last week. Everything is fine, no nutritional difficulties or anything. We've both lost around 70 lbs!
We definitely are in two different places though, eating-wise. Mark can eat virtually anything, while Tia has trouble with just about everything and is afraid to eat solid foods. She's been having mainly hot cocoa protein drinks and now protein smoothies. The doctor says it's fine though and wants to see us again in 3 months to check in and see if things are improving.
We're both stalled a bit with our loss right now, but from what I've read that's kinda normal at this phase.
So we'll keep plugging away at it!
We definitely are in two different places though, eating-wise. Mark can eat virtually anything, while Tia has trouble with just about everything and is afraid to eat solid foods. She's been having mainly hot cocoa protein drinks and now protein smoothies. The doctor says it's fine though and wants to see us again in 3 months to check in and see if things are improving.
We're both stalled a bit with our loss right now, but from what I've read that's kinda normal at this phase.
So we'll keep plugging away at it!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
12 Weeks out pics
We're now at 12 weeks out, so here are our new pics. Overall, things are going well. Tia is much more sensitive to foods than I am, so eating is a bit of a challenge. Dumping is a powerful aversion tool. I'm able to eat anything, which worries me too.
But, bottom line is that we've both lost 60+ pounds in 12 weeks, which is a pretty good average!
But, bottom line is that we've both lost 60+ pounds in 12 weeks, which is a pretty good average!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Two months and WooHoo!
Quick update: We had our two month "surgiversary" this weekend and both of us have lost 50 POUNDS!!! EACH!!! This is so cool.
Both of us would still like to blink our eyes and be at goal weight, but hey, this is going great.
Both of us would still like to blink our eyes and be at goal weight, but hey, this is going great.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
8 weeks post-op photos!
Okay, here they are - our photos at 8 weeks out. Tia has lost 46 lbs and Mark 47! It's weird, when we look at each other's photos, it difficult for us to see the change, yet we know it's there. Something about self-image, I'm sure.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
After Tax Day
I'm know I haven't written in a while. I'm not sure if it's because I have too many things going on or not enough to actually write about. Either way....here I am.
As Mark stated, I have finally found my protien rhythm. One challenge down and a couple more to go. So let's get started.
First challenge...drinking enough water. I used to drink 6-8 16oz bottles of Propel a day. Now, because the taste of Propel is way too sweet, I drink plain water. It seems to go down easier for me, as long as it's pretty cold. Luke warm water? Icky ca ca! My problem is that I used to go through so much water because I gulped it. I would chug an entire bottle between the grocery store doors and my car. Now, with the sipping, the "no drinking 15 minutes prior or 30 minutes after" issues and the constant 2-3 hour feedings, it seems like most of my time is spent in the waiting period. Then when it's not in the waiting period I'm so busy at work that I forget to drink. So, while I haven't mastered it yet, I plan to by June.
Second challenge...excersice. Mark and I have been walking and are up to 1.5 miles per day. This week I started doing water aerobics (Mon, Wed & Fri) and water walking (Tues & Thurs). I did my first aerobics class today. {Funny thing about the Skagit area, if you aren't a member of a gym and want to use the public pools with their programs, it's really hard to find an aerobics class that isn't in the middle of the day. I really don't know why this would be. Don't they think people work?} Anyway...I found one at the Fidalgo Pool in Anacortes (about 2 minutes from my work). The members and instructor are all senior citizens. They are great ladies. Very fun loving and really welcomed me without hesitation. I thought (once I found out that these classes are mostly about stretching) that I wouldn't get much out of it. HA! Good Gracious, this instructor had me stretching muscles I don't think I'm supposed to have. I have no doubt that I'll benefit from this class. And on the opposite days when I'm water walking, I can work on getting my heart rate up. I think this will be a good thing. Not to mention that Mark and I will continue to walk at night.
We are looking into buying a BowFlex machine. Mark is a "research-a-holic" and found that Consumer Reports rated them #1 for home gym equipment. This, plus the fact that my very fit brother (with a body fat of about 10%) says they do a wonderful job of sculpting. And as we all know from looking at my picture, I need some sculpting.
Let's see, what else...Oh yes, the looks and comments.
Now, after loosing 43 pounds in 7 weeks, people are starting to look at me a little differently. They think something has changed, but are almost afraid to say anything just in case they are wrong and I really haven't lost weight. Those that do know make comments about how good I am looking. This comes with mixed emotions. (1) Are they being sincere? (2) Are they only complimenting me because they want something and they know this subject is close to my heart? (3) Did I really look that horrible before? I showered, wore make-up and did my hair.
I understand these are paranoid feelings. But, having been verbally abused for so many years prior to my hubby, I am not that easy to trust. I hadn't realized that learning to trust was going to be on the menu that comes with the Gastric Bypass Surgery. Can I exchange it for cake?
We will be taking measurements on Sunday the 20th and posting them soon after. So stay tuned for the next episode of Mark & Tia's Amazing Journey.
As Mark stated, I have finally found my protien rhythm. One challenge down and a couple more to go. So let's get started.
First challenge...drinking enough water. I used to drink 6-8 16oz bottles of Propel a day. Now, because the taste of Propel is way too sweet, I drink plain water. It seems to go down easier for me, as long as it's pretty cold. Luke warm water? Icky ca ca! My problem is that I used to go through so much water because I gulped it. I would chug an entire bottle between the grocery store doors and my car. Now, with the sipping, the "no drinking 15 minutes prior or 30 minutes after" issues and the constant 2-3 hour feedings, it seems like most of my time is spent in the waiting period. Then when it's not in the waiting period I'm so busy at work that I forget to drink. So, while I haven't mastered it yet, I plan to by June.
Second challenge...excersice. Mark and I have been walking and are up to 1.5 miles per day. This week I started doing water aerobics (Mon, Wed & Fri) and water walking (Tues & Thurs). I did my first aerobics class today. {Funny thing about the Skagit area, if you aren't a member of a gym and want to use the public pools with their programs, it's really hard to find an aerobics class that isn't in the middle of the day. I really don't know why this would be. Don't they think people work?} Anyway...I found one at the Fidalgo Pool in Anacortes (about 2 minutes from my work). The members and instructor are all senior citizens. They are great ladies. Very fun loving and really welcomed me without hesitation. I thought (once I found out that these classes are mostly about stretching) that I wouldn't get much out of it. HA! Good Gracious, this instructor had me stretching muscles I don't think I'm supposed to have. I have no doubt that I'll benefit from this class. And on the opposite days when I'm water walking, I can work on getting my heart rate up. I think this will be a good thing. Not to mention that Mark and I will continue to walk at night.
We are looking into buying a BowFlex machine. Mark is a "research-a-holic" and found that Consumer Reports rated them #1 for home gym equipment. This, plus the fact that my very fit brother (with a body fat of about 10%) says they do a wonderful job of sculpting. And as we all know from looking at my picture, I need some sculpting.
Let's see, what else...Oh yes, the looks and comments.
Now, after loosing 43 pounds in 7 weeks, people are starting to look at me a little differently. They think something has changed, but are almost afraid to say anything just in case they are wrong and I really haven't lost weight. Those that do know make comments about how good I am looking. This comes with mixed emotions. (1) Are they being sincere? (2) Are they only complimenting me because they want something and they know this subject is close to my heart? (3) Did I really look that horrible before? I showered, wore make-up and did my hair.
I understand these are paranoid feelings. But, having been verbally abused for so many years prior to my hubby, I am not that easy to trust. I hadn't realized that learning to trust was going to be on the menu that comes with the Gastric Bypass Surgery. Can I exchange it for cake?
We will be taking measurements on Sunday the 20th and posting them soon after. So stay tuned for the next episode of Mark & Tia's Amazing Journey.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
After 40 days...
So, we're back in the groove again and losing steadily. On day 40, Mark is down 37 lbs and Tia is down 40! It's starting to feel "real" now, as we're seeing numbers on the scale that we haven't seen in a long, long time. Both of us have bought clothes two or more sizes smaller than what we've been wearing, and donated a bunch to Goodwill.
After struggling with some irregularity (to put it mildly - it was like passing a bowling pin!) I (Mark) have found a good rhythm - the key for me is to constantly drink, as well as get at least 12 grams of fiber in per day. Now things are fine.
Tia has also found her rhythm with her protein, which was a struggle for her. She now makes Hot Cocoa, consisting of one packet of Swiss Miss Diet variation, plus half a scoop of vanilla protein powder and half a scoop of chocolate. By the way, it took a while to find a brand she likes, but we settled on Jay Robb's brand. Yummy! And 25 grams of great whey protein per serving.
Things are going well!
After struggling with some irregularity (to put it mildly - it was like passing a bowling pin!) I (Mark) have found a good rhythm - the key for me is to constantly drink, as well as get at least 12 grams of fiber in per day. Now things are fine.
Tia has also found her rhythm with her protein, which was a struggle for her. She now makes Hot Cocoa, consisting of one packet of Swiss Miss Diet variation, plus half a scoop of vanilla protein powder and half a scoop of chocolate. By the way, it took a while to find a brand she likes, but we settled on Jay Robb's brand. Yummy! And 25 grams of great whey protein per serving.
Things are going well!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Good news, bad news
Tia and I are in kind of a strange place right now. I'm once again holding steady at weight (even gained two days) while Tia is doing fantastic and losing about a pound a day. I'm so proud of her!
I need to do two things better: Get my water in and get more fiber in (things are backed up). Both of these significantly affect my weight loss.
I'm also kind of freaked out - I seem to be able to eat anything. Literally. I haven't found anything that I can't tolerate. This worries me considerably as I don't WANT to be able to eat anything. The temptation is too great. I know I'm only eating small amounts (although it's more than I expected to be able to eat) but still. The amount is weird too though. For example, I had almost an entire small chili from Wendy's! That included crackers and cheese too. That's just wrong. Other foods I'm full with about a half cup, so there's something about certain foods.
Tia is a bit more sensitive to things, but still not bad. Sweet drinks, which she used to live on (such as Propel) are now WAY too sweet, even watered down. I think her opening is smaller than mine as well as she really has to chew things finely to get it through.
So it's a weird time. I guess the thing that surprises me is that I didn't expect to be having to watch my diet so closely so soon after surgery. But whatever it takes, I'll do!
I need to do two things better: Get my water in and get more fiber in (things are backed up). Both of these significantly affect my weight loss.
I'm also kind of freaked out - I seem to be able to eat anything. Literally. I haven't found anything that I can't tolerate. This worries me considerably as I don't WANT to be able to eat anything. The temptation is too great. I know I'm only eating small amounts (although it's more than I expected to be able to eat) but still. The amount is weird too though. For example, I had almost an entire small chili from Wendy's! That included crackers and cheese too. That's just wrong. Other foods I'm full with about a half cup, so there's something about certain foods.
Tia is a bit more sensitive to things, but still not bad. Sweet drinks, which she used to live on (such as Propel) are now WAY too sweet, even watered down. I think her opening is smaller than mine as well as she really has to chew things finely to get it through.
So it's a weird time. I guess the thing that surprises me is that I didn't expect to be having to watch my diet so closely so soon after surgery. But whatever it takes, I'll do!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
4 weeks ago today...
We entered the hospital for our surgery. In some ways it seems like a long time ago, but in others, it seems like yesterday.
Our eating is still a learning experience, but that's okay. We're luck in that we're able to eat a wide variety of food and our tastes haven't changed that much. The only thing we've noticed is that sweet fruit drinks (lemonade, Propel, etc) are way too sweet for our tastes now, so we have to cut them in half with water. Compared to what some people go through, that's nothing!
Okay, on to the stats and photos. Both Tia and I have lost 30.2 lbs in 4 weeks (28 days). We also did our measurements. Mark has lost a total of 11.5 inches (and has gone from a size 52 waist to a 48!) and, get this, Tia has lost an amazing 22.5 inches!!!!!!!!! I'm so proud of her.
Okay, here are the photos:
Our eating is still a learning experience, but that's okay. We're luck in that we're able to eat a wide variety of food and our tastes haven't changed that much. The only thing we've noticed is that sweet fruit drinks (lemonade, Propel, etc) are way too sweet for our tastes now, so we have to cut them in half with water. Compared to what some people go through, that's nothing!
Okay, on to the stats and photos. Both Tia and I have lost 30.2 lbs in 4 weeks (28 days). We also did our measurements. Mark has lost a total of 11.5 inches (and has gone from a size 52 waist to a 48!) and, get this, Tia has lost an amazing 22.5 inches!!!!!!!!! I'm so proud of her.
Okay, here are the photos:
Saturday, March 22, 2008
WooHoo! Losers again
Good news - our stalls appear to have broken and we're losing steadily again. We'll be posting our 1 month out photos and stats tomorrow.
The other good news is that we both appear to be able to tolerate toast! That's very good news for me as I was in need of some fiber. The whole grain white bread from Costco has 6 grams of fiber per slice, so that's great. More than one serving of the Benefiber! Things are once again "regular". Plus it's just nice to have some toast with peanut butter in the evening (have to get a little protein in there too!)
Our walking is going great - doing 1 mile 5 times/week at least. Today we'll probably try for a mile and a half. Man, and to think I used to get winded just going to the end of the cul-de-sac to get the mail!
The other good news is that we both appear to be able to tolerate toast! That's very good news for me as I was in need of some fiber. The whole grain white bread from Costco has 6 grams of fiber per slice, so that's great. More than one serving of the Benefiber! Things are once again "regular". Plus it's just nice to have some toast with peanut butter in the evening (have to get a little protein in there too!)
Our walking is going great - doing 1 mile 5 times/week at least. Today we'll probably try for a mile and a half. Man, and to think I used to get winded just going to the end of the cul-de-sac to get the mail!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
3 week check-up
Tia and I had our 3 week post-op check up on Monday. Everything is great. Tia's infections are cleared up, our tiny tummy wounds area healing well and our energy levels are great.
Dr Lauter cleared us to begin eating solid food again! WooHoo! We still need to chew everything extensively and only little bites, but at least it's a start.
Our weight is only creeping down at this pont, which is kind of depressing. Believe it or not, it's because we're eating too little. On days that we eat more (700-800 calories) we actually lose better! The other challenge that has a dramatic effect on things is getting in all of our water in. It's mainly a timing thing, but also just getting used to always always drinking or eating.
The other big milestone is that we're up to walking a mile a day! That may not sound like much, but it's huge for us. Heck, I used to drive to the end of the cul de sac just to get the mail! Another side benefit of the walking is that it really helps with digestion after dinner.
Still no regrets at all. Unlike diets, we know this will work. It's just a matter of time. Tia, by the way, is looking great. You can really see her weight loss! We'll post some one month out pictures next week.
Dr Lauter cleared us to begin eating solid food again! WooHoo! We still need to chew everything extensively and only little bites, but at least it's a start.
Our weight is only creeping down at this pont, which is kind of depressing. Believe it or not, it's because we're eating too little. On days that we eat more (700-800 calories) we actually lose better! The other challenge that has a dramatic effect on things is getting in all of our water in. It's mainly a timing thing, but also just getting used to always always drinking or eating.
The other big milestone is that we're up to walking a mile a day! That may not sound like much, but it's huge for us. Heck, I used to drive to the end of the cul de sac just to get the mail! Another side benefit of the walking is that it really helps with digestion after dinner.
Still no regrets at all. Unlike diets, we know this will work. It's just a matter of time. Tia, by the way, is looking great. You can really see her weight loss! We'll post some one month out pictures next week.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Stalls already?
What's up with that! Both Tia and I are stuck at 21 and 25 lbs down respectively and haven't moved in 3 or 4 days. From what I read, this is perfectly normal, although most people experience it around week 3 or 4 and we're 17 days out.
It's kind of demoralizing, but unlike regular diets, we know this has to work just because of the physical change in our bodies. I think our bodies are in shock from how little food they're getting and are holding on to every bit.
I've also noticed I'm not peeing much, so I'm really trying to up my water intake. It seemed to help yesterday. Man, this really takes effort and planning!
Still, neither Tia nor I have any regrets at all about the surgery. We know the weight will come off. Neither of us are especially patient people though. We want to post some "after" pictures NOW! :)
It's kind of demoralizing, but unlike regular diets, we know this has to work just because of the physical change in our bodies. I think our bodies are in shock from how little food they're getting and are holding on to every bit.
I've also noticed I'm not peeing much, so I'm really trying to up my water intake. It seemed to help yesterday. Man, this really takes effort and planning!
Still, neither Tia nor I have any regrets at all about the surgery. We know the weight will come off. Neither of us are especially patient people though. We want to post some "after" pictures NOW! :)
Monday, March 10, 2008
2 Weeks after
It's been 2 weeks since my surgery. As I stated in my last blog, my hospital experience was very good. Now comes the fun of trying to figure out HOW and WHEN to eat. Throughout my life it's always been, "only eat when you are hungry." Not so in this new WLS life. Now it's about timing, timing, timing.
For instance. This morning I woke at 6:15, got the child off to school by 7:00. My husband got up at 7:30 and was sweet enough to make me an egg for breakfast. It was almost one hour since waking that I finally ate. You may not think that is a long time, except when your body needs to eat every couple of hours and your last meal prior to breakfast was a snack around 9:30 the night before. So, do the math. That's 10 hours my body has been patiently waiting for it's next round of nourishment.
Now onto the emotional and physical side of things. My husband had a sentence in one of his blogs that stated, "if it wasn't for the 6 little incisions on my tummy, I'd never had known I had surgery." That rings true with me as well. My SURGERY and recovery afterwards have been a breeze. It's the other things that have me feeling less than 100%. Like the pneumonia I got while I was in the hospital. The fun of antibotics for the next 7 days. Please keep in mind that attempting to take the pill form of an antibotic right after surgery would be a terrible (TERRIBLE) mistake. So they prescribed me a liquid. Icky ca ca. I usually don't have a problem with medication, but everything I need to take at this point is liquid. I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd think it's eating away the tastebuds. No matter how much I rinsed out my mouth after taking the meds, I could still taste it. GROSS!
But, I sucked it up, thought to myself, "Tia...this is about your heath. You HAVE to take this nasty tasting stuff. It's not an option. Pneumonia just doesn't go away, left untreated." And so I took it.
Now I find out I have a yeast infection and Thrush caused from taking the antibotics. Amazing how modern medicine works, huh? Starting later today (after getting the prescriptions filled) I get to start on a whole new regiment of things to get my outsides to feel as good as my insides. I KNOW I WILL GET THROUGH THIS. I KNOW I WILL GET THROUGH THIS.
I know you have read this a 100 times before, but even with the crap I am currently experiencing, I'd still go through with the surgery again without a doubt. Any woman can get a yeast infection from taking antibotics. Heck, my girlfriend told me she got one just today. So this, in my opinion, has nothing to do with the surgery itself. Do not be discouraged that little things can happen afterwards. It's a part of life, no matter what your situation is.
As for the weight loss....I have lost 20.6 pounds in 13 days. I can't complain about that at all. I am flabbergasted at the fact that after having this major surgery, I'm not taking 3-4 naps a day trying to recover. Heck, yesterday and (so far) today I've not had a nap at all. I can't imagine having Gastric Bypass Surgery in any other way but laparoscopically. The energy I feel, so soon after surgery is amazing. My husband and I used to talk about taking nightly walks. Now we do it. We started with a casual stroll, then added a little more distance. Now we are adding speed. I think next week we might have to add some more distance again. We have goals of riding bicycles together, riding horses (without the horses dying under our weight). I want to parasail with my daughter when we go to Maui. I couldn't do that the last time we went. I will not embarrass her or me again.
Well, I've talked my own ear off, so I will close this blog for not. I will post another entry soon. Stay tuned..............
For instance. This morning I woke at 6:15, got the child off to school by 7:00. My husband got up at 7:30 and was sweet enough to make me an egg for breakfast. It was almost one hour since waking that I finally ate. You may not think that is a long time, except when your body needs to eat every couple of hours and your last meal prior to breakfast was a snack around 9:30 the night before. So, do the math. That's 10 hours my body has been patiently waiting for it's next round of nourishment.
Now onto the emotional and physical side of things. My husband had a sentence in one of his blogs that stated, "if it wasn't for the 6 little incisions on my tummy, I'd never had known I had surgery." That rings true with me as well. My SURGERY and recovery afterwards have been a breeze. It's the other things that have me feeling less than 100%. Like the pneumonia I got while I was in the hospital. The fun of antibotics for the next 7 days. Please keep in mind that attempting to take the pill form of an antibotic right after surgery would be a terrible (TERRIBLE) mistake. So they prescribed me a liquid. Icky ca ca. I usually don't have a problem with medication, but everything I need to take at this point is liquid. I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd think it's eating away the tastebuds. No matter how much I rinsed out my mouth after taking the meds, I could still taste it. GROSS!
But, I sucked it up, thought to myself, "Tia...this is about your heath. You HAVE to take this nasty tasting stuff. It's not an option. Pneumonia just doesn't go away, left untreated." And so I took it.
Now I find out I have a yeast infection and Thrush caused from taking the antibotics. Amazing how modern medicine works, huh? Starting later today (after getting the prescriptions filled) I get to start on a whole new regiment of things to get my outsides to feel as good as my insides. I KNOW I WILL GET THROUGH THIS. I KNOW I WILL GET THROUGH THIS.
I know you have read this a 100 times before, but even with the crap I am currently experiencing, I'd still go through with the surgery again without a doubt. Any woman can get a yeast infection from taking antibotics. Heck, my girlfriend told me she got one just today. So this, in my opinion, has nothing to do with the surgery itself. Do not be discouraged that little things can happen afterwards. It's a part of life, no matter what your situation is.
As for the weight loss....I have lost 20.6 pounds in 13 days. I can't complain about that at all. I am flabbergasted at the fact that after having this major surgery, I'm not taking 3-4 naps a day trying to recover. Heck, yesterday and (so far) today I've not had a nap at all. I can't imagine having Gastric Bypass Surgery in any other way but laparoscopically. The energy I feel, so soon after surgery is amazing. My husband and I used to talk about taking nightly walks. Now we do it. We started with a casual stroll, then added a little more distance. Now we are adding speed. I think next week we might have to add some more distance again. We have goals of riding bicycles together, riding horses (without the horses dying under our weight). I want to parasail with my daughter when we go to Maui. I couldn't do that the last time we went. I will not embarrass her or me again.
Well, I've talked my own ear off, so I will close this blog for not. I will post another entry soon. Stay tuned..............
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Quick update
Here's a quick update as of Thursday, March 6th. Tia and I are doing well. Tia's pneumonia finally feems to be on the downside and she's breathing pretty well. Can take deep breaths without pain!
Me? This is very weird. If I didn't know better, I'd never know I had surgery. No pain, no problem getting around. Only six little scars on my tummy remind me that it actually happened.
Both of us seem to be tolerating all the food we eat. Tia, who used to be addicted to Propel, now finds it way too sweet. But other than that, no changes.
We're starting to get the eating/drinking routine down. It's very different from "normal" trying to plan everything out. I'm so used to eating when I'm hungry, drinking when I want, etc. But it's getting better, more of a reflex now.
This is definitely do-able. Oh, here are are stats: Mark down 21 lbs, Tia down 13.8! That's in 10 days!
Me? This is very weird. If I didn't know better, I'd never know I had surgery. No pain, no problem getting around. Only six little scars on my tummy remind me that it actually happened.
Both of us seem to be tolerating all the food we eat. Tia, who used to be addicted to Propel, now finds it way too sweet. But other than that, no changes.
We're starting to get the eating/drinking routine down. It's very different from "normal" trying to plan everything out. I'm so used to eating when I'm hungry, drinking when I want, etc. But it's getting better, more of a reflex now.
This is definitely do-able. Oh, here are are stats: Mark down 21 lbs, Tia down 13.8! That's in 10 days!
Monday, March 3, 2008
And now for a commercial break...
Okay, this has absolutely nothing to do with weight loss surgery (or does it?). I saw this ad on the Travel Channel while watching Anthony Bourdain in Hawai'i and was absolutely blow away. I just wanted to share it here.
The Hospital Stay – Mark’s perspective
Now that we’re safely back at home, here are my memories of the entire hospital stay:
My surgery was at 7:30am on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008, which meant we needed to arrive at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue WA at 5:30am for check-in. Tia’s surgery would follow at 9:45am. Tia, Tedi, Rick, Deborah and I arrived at the appointed time.
What surprised me was how fast everything moved once we got there. We checked in at the main desk, and then headed to the pre-op check in on the next floor. There they had us sign some papers, put our wrist bands on and were immediately escorted to our respective prep rooms next door to each other. Our gowns were on the bed. They gave us bags to put our clothing in and told us to get into the gowns and inventory everything we put in the bag. We had already been told not to bring wallets, jewelry or any valuables, so basically it was just clothes. The only other things we brought were driver’s license and insurance card, which we handed off to Tedi. They bring in a scale. I weigh in at 361lbs in just my hospital gown.
So within what seemed like 5 minutes, I went from the parking lot to lying mostly naked aside from gown in the pre-op room, getting ready for surgery. Thoughts at this point? Mostly fear. Am I really gonna do this? Am I gonna wake up tomorrow or is this the last day of my life? I was also still extremely nervous about the anesthesia as I’d never had it. The nurse there, Caroline I believe, was very nice though. She saw I was freaking a bit, sat next to me, had me take deep breaths, touched my hand, and reassured me everything will be fine. More paperwork. Tia comes in in her hospital gown to try and calm me down too. I look up at the clock and it’s 7:00 already. Man, why is time moving so fast? Then came in the anesthesiologist – Dr Yang. She was very, very nice and very patient. Answered all of my questions and calmed me down (a bit). Next Dr Lauter (surgeon) shows up. He basically does a quick check, then goes out to get ready.
Next are a series of memories that each feel about 10 seconds in length.
I get wheeled into the operating room. Lots of lights, machinery and about 6 or 7 people (with no doctor even in yet). I remember Dr Yang (anesthesiologist) saying “Here’s the mask we talked about. I’m going to press it firmly down on your face”. Gone. Out.
My eyes are closed. I’m hearing voices “Come on Mark, wake up buddy”. Other words and conversations but barely discerning them or realizing that they are words. Finally I think “recovery room” and I feel nauseous. My mouth is like sludge and I struggle to say the word “nauseous”. The “wake up buddy” guy says “you need to help yourself” and slides a little tray on my chest so can use it to puke I guess. I gag a couple times. Gone. Out.
I awake in my regular hospital room. I think Tedi was there, plus Rick and Deborah. I remember Rick tells me that if my mouth feels like gunk I can use these little green brushes sitting in ice water next to the bed. I grab one and rub it all over my lips and inside my mouth. God that felt good.
Over the next few hours, I lapse in and out of sleep. Each time talking a little better. Still very weak. Not really in a lot of pain though, which is interesting. That’s one of the big reasons we wanted to do this laparoscopically rather than an open gastric bypass. Tedi tells me that Tia made it through okay and is in her room. This is great news. Tedi got me a gecko in the gift shop and puts it on my bed to keep me company. I vaguely remember people coming in and out, chatting with Tedi, Rick and Deborah, then I think they all left. It feels like a have a very large gas bubble in my stomach – the remnants of the CO2 they use to inflate the abdominal cavity during the laparoscopic surgery. Not really too painful, but definitely uncomfortable.
Surprisingly, Tia shows up later that night! Walking already and wheeling her IV stand into my room. It’s great to see her. Dr Lauter checks in. I learn my operation took about an hour and ten minutes, Tia’s about a half hour longer than that. When I ask him why, he was kind vague, just saying it was tighter quarters, just took longer to get things done, etc.
Next comes the absolute worst thing about the hospital stay. Every single hour of the night and day someone would come in, turn on the lights, check my vitals, and leave. Man, all I want to do is rest. A fitful night.
Wednesday comes. Tia stops by and I have my first walk around the ward. A “short lap” and we’re back in our rooms. Strangely, I actually feel pretty good as the day goes on. Gas bubble seems to be a bit smaller. Still uncomfortable, but not painful. I last used my “self pain med button” at 11:00 am and didn’t need any after that at all. We both do a “drink test” where we get a scan of our digestive tract as we drink some nasty liquid so they can check for leaks. Both are fine, although mine is a bit of a slow drain due to the swelling. As the day goes by, Tia is developing a bit of a fever, which has me worried.
One unexpected thing was that they are always checking our blood sugars. For me (diabetic) that’s understandable, but they’re doing Tia too (who’s not). And the weird thing is that they’re giving us insulin. What I later learned from Dr. Lauter was that with surgery, your body’s blood sugar can go high, which is very bad for healing. There are studies that show that anything over 150 can seriously impact your healing rate, so they give us insulin until it gets below that point consistently.
Tedi stops by and so does Dee, Tia’s sister, which is great for her morale. I hear them laughing like crazy in the next room.
Wednesday night is extremely uncomfortable. Even though it’s a bariatric bed for larger patients, the length feels like it’s about 5 ft 8 inches and I’m 6 ft tall. I absolutely cannot stretch out. The small couch in the room is useless. So that, plus now being awakened every two hours, has made me extremely grumpy. A very, very fitful night of sleep. Man, don’t they know that patients need rest to heal?
Thursday – our expected check-out day. Dr. Lauter had warned us about this at our pre-op meeting last week. Invariably, he said, when a couple does this surgery one will go through fine and the other will have a tougher time. I think both Tia and I expected that it would be me, but it turned out to be Tia. She’s running a fever and her white count is up. After a chest x-ray, we learn that she has some pneumonia and fluid in her lower right lung. IV Antibiotics are started. Dr. Lauter is concerned, but doesn’t seem overly so, which calms us a bit.
Dr. Later gives me the option of leaving or staying another day to be with Tia. I definitely decide to stay. Tia and I take walks through the halls and nap. Later, Dee shows up again sans Tedi, who apparently has the flu or some stomach ailment. We later learn it’s hit Rick and Deborah too. Just about our entire support system is now sick.
Friday – I’m freaking exhausted due to yet another night in the short bed (which is also hard as a rock). Tia has a different bed that inflates when she sits on it.
Not good on the fever front. Still up there but showing some slight signs of improvement. Dr Lauter again gives me the option to be discharged and we decide I should, just so I can go home and get some real sleep. I’m discharged around noon, and Dee shows up with the keys and my driver’s license so I can drive home. Everyone else is sick, so I’ll be driving myself. Dee ends up staying the night with Tia and the nurses tell me the entire ward could hear them laughing.
My hour and a half drive home was not fun, by the way. The gas bubble felt like it got bigger the longer I drove, I assume from the jiggling and vibration in the car.
I was now on a pureed diet as per the Dr. Tedi made me some tomato soup (which tasted fantastic and went down well). I had about ¼ cup then went to bed. Oh man, a real bed to stretch out on!
Saturday. I was planning on leaving in the morning to go to the hospital to hopefully discharge Tia, but Dr Lauter shows up early to Tia’s room while I'm actually on the phone with her, sees that things are slowly improving but still not great, and decides to see how things go through the day and will check in with us between 3 and 5 pm. I head down to the hospital around noon and patiently wait for the Dr verdict. He says things are looking better, but he’d really prefer that we err on the side of caution and stay another night. We both agree and I spend the afternoon/evening with Tia and drive home.
Sunday. I drive down early in the morning. Tia’s looking much better. The IV antibiotics are doing their thing. The nurse tells Tia that if she’s taking a shower, to change into her street clothes when she gets out. Yay! When Dr Lauter arrives around 10:00, we’re packed and ready to go. He says things are looking much better and gives Tia a prescription for some liquid antibiotics to continue taking, but we’re discharged!
We get the prescriptions filled at a Walgreens nearby then head to pick up our beagles at Mystic Mountain Retreat in Monroe (they love it there). It was a fiasco getting three dogs into the SUV while still moving gingerly, but eventually we were on our way. Tia dozed on the way home once the dogs calmed down.
It was nice to be done with the hospital.
Random general observations:
My surgery was at 7:30am on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008, which meant we needed to arrive at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue WA at 5:30am for check-in. Tia’s surgery would follow at 9:45am. Tia, Tedi, Rick, Deborah and I arrived at the appointed time.
What surprised me was how fast everything moved once we got there. We checked in at the main desk, and then headed to the pre-op check in on the next floor. There they had us sign some papers, put our wrist bands on and were immediately escorted to our respective prep rooms next door to each other. Our gowns were on the bed. They gave us bags to put our clothing in and told us to get into the gowns and inventory everything we put in the bag. We had already been told not to bring wallets, jewelry or any valuables, so basically it was just clothes. The only other things we brought were driver’s license and insurance card, which we handed off to Tedi. They bring in a scale. I weigh in at 361lbs in just my hospital gown.
So within what seemed like 5 minutes, I went from the parking lot to lying mostly naked aside from gown in the pre-op room, getting ready for surgery. Thoughts at this point? Mostly fear. Am I really gonna do this? Am I gonna wake up tomorrow or is this the last day of my life? I was also still extremely nervous about the anesthesia as I’d never had it. The nurse there, Caroline I believe, was very nice though. She saw I was freaking a bit, sat next to me, had me take deep breaths, touched my hand, and reassured me everything will be fine. More paperwork. Tia comes in in her hospital gown to try and calm me down too. I look up at the clock and it’s 7:00 already. Man, why is time moving so fast? Then came in the anesthesiologist – Dr Yang. She was very, very nice and very patient. Answered all of my questions and calmed me down (a bit). Next Dr Lauter (surgeon) shows up. He basically does a quick check, then goes out to get ready.
Next are a series of memories that each feel about 10 seconds in length.
I get wheeled into the operating room. Lots of lights, machinery and about 6 or 7 people (with no doctor even in yet). I remember Dr Yang (anesthesiologist) saying “Here’s the mask we talked about. I’m going to press it firmly down on your face”. Gone. Out.
My eyes are closed. I’m hearing voices “Come on Mark, wake up buddy”. Other words and conversations but barely discerning them or realizing that they are words. Finally I think “recovery room” and I feel nauseous. My mouth is like sludge and I struggle to say the word “nauseous”. The “wake up buddy” guy says “you need to help yourself” and slides a little tray on my chest so can use it to puke I guess. I gag a couple times. Gone. Out.
I awake in my regular hospital room. I think Tedi was there, plus Rick and Deborah. I remember Rick tells me that if my mouth feels like gunk I can use these little green brushes sitting in ice water next to the bed. I grab one and rub it all over my lips and inside my mouth. God that felt good.
Over the next few hours, I lapse in and out of sleep. Each time talking a little better. Still very weak. Not really in a lot of pain though, which is interesting. That’s one of the big reasons we wanted to do this laparoscopically rather than an open gastric bypass. Tedi tells me that Tia made it through okay and is in her room. This is great news. Tedi got me a gecko in the gift shop and puts it on my bed to keep me company. I vaguely remember people coming in and out, chatting with Tedi, Rick and Deborah, then I think they all left. It feels like a have a very large gas bubble in my stomach – the remnants of the CO2 they use to inflate the abdominal cavity during the laparoscopic surgery. Not really too painful, but definitely uncomfortable.
Surprisingly, Tia shows up later that night! Walking already and wheeling her IV stand into my room. It’s great to see her. Dr Lauter checks in. I learn my operation took about an hour and ten minutes, Tia’s about a half hour longer than that. When I ask him why, he was kind vague, just saying it was tighter quarters, just took longer to get things done, etc.
Next comes the absolute worst thing about the hospital stay. Every single hour of the night and day someone would come in, turn on the lights, check my vitals, and leave. Man, all I want to do is rest. A fitful night.
Wednesday comes. Tia stops by and I have my first walk around the ward. A “short lap” and we’re back in our rooms. Strangely, I actually feel pretty good as the day goes on. Gas bubble seems to be a bit smaller. Still uncomfortable, but not painful. I last used my “self pain med button” at 11:00 am and didn’t need any after that at all. We both do a “drink test” where we get a scan of our digestive tract as we drink some nasty liquid so they can check for leaks. Both are fine, although mine is a bit of a slow drain due to the swelling. As the day goes by, Tia is developing a bit of a fever, which has me worried.
One unexpected thing was that they are always checking our blood sugars. For me (diabetic) that’s understandable, but they’re doing Tia too (who’s not). And the weird thing is that they’re giving us insulin. What I later learned from Dr. Lauter was that with surgery, your body’s blood sugar can go high, which is very bad for healing. There are studies that show that anything over 150 can seriously impact your healing rate, so they give us insulin until it gets below that point consistently.
Tedi stops by and so does Dee, Tia’s sister, which is great for her morale. I hear them laughing like crazy in the next room.
Wednesday night is extremely uncomfortable. Even though it’s a bariatric bed for larger patients, the length feels like it’s about 5 ft 8 inches and I’m 6 ft tall. I absolutely cannot stretch out. The small couch in the room is useless. So that, plus now being awakened every two hours, has made me extremely grumpy. A very, very fitful night of sleep. Man, don’t they know that patients need rest to heal?
Thursday – our expected check-out day. Dr. Lauter had warned us about this at our pre-op meeting last week. Invariably, he said, when a couple does this surgery one will go through fine and the other will have a tougher time. I think both Tia and I expected that it would be me, but it turned out to be Tia. She’s running a fever and her white count is up. After a chest x-ray, we learn that she has some pneumonia and fluid in her lower right lung. IV Antibiotics are started. Dr. Lauter is concerned, but doesn’t seem overly so, which calms us a bit.
Dr. Later gives me the option of leaving or staying another day to be with Tia. I definitely decide to stay. Tia and I take walks through the halls and nap. Later, Dee shows up again sans Tedi, who apparently has the flu or some stomach ailment. We later learn it’s hit Rick and Deborah too. Just about our entire support system is now sick.
Friday – I’m freaking exhausted due to yet another night in the short bed (which is also hard as a rock). Tia has a different bed that inflates when she sits on it.
Not good on the fever front. Still up there but showing some slight signs of improvement. Dr Lauter again gives me the option to be discharged and we decide I should, just so I can go home and get some real sleep. I’m discharged around noon, and Dee shows up with the keys and my driver’s license so I can drive home. Everyone else is sick, so I’ll be driving myself. Dee ends up staying the night with Tia and the nurses tell me the entire ward could hear them laughing.
My hour and a half drive home was not fun, by the way. The gas bubble felt like it got bigger the longer I drove, I assume from the jiggling and vibration in the car.
I was now on a pureed diet as per the Dr. Tedi made me some tomato soup (which tasted fantastic and went down well). I had about ¼ cup then went to bed. Oh man, a real bed to stretch out on!
Saturday. I was planning on leaving in the morning to go to the hospital to hopefully discharge Tia, but Dr Lauter shows up early to Tia’s room while I'm actually on the phone with her, sees that things are slowly improving but still not great, and decides to see how things go through the day and will check in with us between 3 and 5 pm. I head down to the hospital around noon and patiently wait for the Dr verdict. He says things are looking better, but he’d really prefer that we err on the side of caution and stay another night. We both agree and I spend the afternoon/evening with Tia and drive home.
Sunday. I drive down early in the morning. Tia’s looking much better. The IV antibiotics are doing their thing. The nurse tells Tia that if she’s taking a shower, to change into her street clothes when she gets out. Yay! When Dr Lauter arrives around 10:00, we’re packed and ready to go. He says things are looking much better and gives Tia a prescription for some liquid antibiotics to continue taking, but we’re discharged!
We get the prescriptions filled at a Walgreens nearby then head to pick up our beagles at Mystic Mountain Retreat in Monroe (they love it there). It was a fiasco getting three dogs into the SUV while still moving gingerly, but eventually we were on our way. Tia dozed on the way home once the dogs calmed down.
It was nice to be done with the hospital.
Random general observations:
- Overlake has done a great job with their remodel – it’s a beautiful hospital now. I can’t believe how uncomfortable those beds were though!
- After all the nervousness on my part about the anesthesia it turned out to be a non-issue. FYI: There’s no sense of time spent under it at all. One second you’re having a mask on your face, the next in recovery.
- The lack of ability to sleep due to all the interruptions in the hospital was really surprising. I was freakin’ exhausted by the time I left.
- The lack of pain was also very surprising. By the second day I could swing my legs in and out of bed like nothing every happened. I asked myself a few times – did I really have surgery?
So that’s it. Probably way too much detail, but I want to remember it. By the way, I'm already down to 347lbs!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Countdown to thinness
This is my first time blogging. I'm not sure what is and is not appropriate to write in these things. So...let's hope I do this right.
It's the night before our Gastric Bypass surgery. I'm calm, cool and collected. As my husband puts it...this is old news for me. I've had 5 surgeries, so I know what to expect. I have absolutely NO doubts at all that I'm doing the right thing. I may not have exhausted all my resources before reaching this decision (hitting the gym for 2 hours every day, hiring a personal trainer, etc) but I know this is the one thing that will give me my life back.
It's been a rough life. I had a previous husband that, as we walked down the street, would point out thin pretty women and say, "Don't you wish you looked like them?" It's hard to have any self esteem when your own husband wished you looked like someone else.
Now I'm married to Mark. A wonderful man. The only problem....I got toooo comfortable. I have been eating anything I want. Not caring about my looks. Not because I didn't want to be attractive to Mark, but because he was so supportive and attentive, I didn't think twice about the extra weight I've added on as being a problem.
So the years went by and more and more weight got piled on. I have had many "wake-up" moments, but none that lead me down the path of thinness. I had given thought to surgery before, what they used to call stomach stapeling, but money always seemed to stop me. Now, with my husband's insurance, I can afford to spend some money on myself, to make ME happy. It's seems as if my entire life has been trying to make others happy, not myself. At 42, it's time I took care of me.
I have told 5 people about the surgery. Not one person was outright apposed. I actually received a lot more positive feedback and well wishing than I expected, not that I needed their blessings to go ahead with the surgery.
After reading all the info on what will be expected of me after the surgery, I know this isn't going to be an easy fix. It will be anything but. I will have to make huge changes in my eating habits. For instance....where I used to skip breakfast and lunch...I absolutely HAVE to eat now, or I will be extremely sick and pass out. As many as 5 "meals" during my work time. I absolutely hate eating in front of people. I have seen their stares, the terrible looks on their faces when they see a fat person eating. I can almost hear their thought. "She doesn't need to eat. She could afford to skip a few meals. What a cow."
So what have I done? Starved myself during the day and eaten myself out of house and home during the evening. NOT GOOD!
It's now 11:15pm and I have to get up at 3:00am. We will be leaving the house at 4:15am, to arrive at Overlake Hospital by 5:30am. Mark's surgery is at 7:30 and I am to follow right after. I am not worried about me. I know I'll be fine. I'm worried about Mark. He is very worried and scared. He's never had surgery before. He doesn't deal well with unknowns. I understand the need to be prepared, but whatever is going to happen, is going to happen. Whether we have met every single person who will be in the operating room, interviewed them like a jury selection, or not. Sometimes you have to just have to let it go and believe that your higher power will keep you safe.
I am getting extremely tired now. I think I will sign off. I will write more in a few days.
It's the night before our Gastric Bypass surgery. I'm calm, cool and collected. As my husband puts it...this is old news for me. I've had 5 surgeries, so I know what to expect. I have absolutely NO doubts at all that I'm doing the right thing. I may not have exhausted all my resources before reaching this decision (hitting the gym for 2 hours every day, hiring a personal trainer, etc) but I know this is the one thing that will give me my life back.
It's been a rough life. I had a previous husband that, as we walked down the street, would point out thin pretty women and say, "Don't you wish you looked like them?" It's hard to have any self esteem when your own husband wished you looked like someone else.
Now I'm married to Mark. A wonderful man. The only problem....I got toooo comfortable. I have been eating anything I want. Not caring about my looks. Not because I didn't want to be attractive to Mark, but because he was so supportive and attentive, I didn't think twice about the extra weight I've added on as being a problem.
So the years went by and more and more weight got piled on. I have had many "wake-up" moments, but none that lead me down the path of thinness. I had given thought to surgery before, what they used to call stomach stapeling, but money always seemed to stop me. Now, with my husband's insurance, I can afford to spend some money on myself, to make ME happy. It's seems as if my entire life has been trying to make others happy, not myself. At 42, it's time I took care of me.
I have told 5 people about the surgery. Not one person was outright apposed. I actually received a lot more positive feedback and well wishing than I expected, not that I needed their blessings to go ahead with the surgery.
After reading all the info on what will be expected of me after the surgery, I know this isn't going to be an easy fix. It will be anything but. I will have to make huge changes in my eating habits. For instance....where I used to skip breakfast and lunch...I absolutely HAVE to eat now, or I will be extremely sick and pass out. As many as 5 "meals" during my work time. I absolutely hate eating in front of people. I have seen their stares, the terrible looks on their faces when they see a fat person eating. I can almost hear their thought. "She doesn't need to eat. She could afford to skip a few meals. What a cow."
So what have I done? Starved myself during the day and eaten myself out of house and home during the evening. NOT GOOD!
It's now 11:15pm and I have to get up at 3:00am. We will be leaving the house at 4:15am, to arrive at Overlake Hospital by 5:30am. Mark's surgery is at 7:30 and I am to follow right after. I am not worried about me. I know I'll be fine. I'm worried about Mark. He is very worried and scared. He's never had surgery before. He doesn't deal well with unknowns. I understand the need to be prepared, but whatever is going to happen, is going to happen. Whether we have met every single person who will be in the operating room, interviewed them like a jury selection, or not. Sometimes you have to just have to let it go and believe that your higher power will keep you safe.
I am getting extremely tired now. I think I will sign off. I will write more in a few days.
Pre-op photos
Here are the pre-op photos we took yesterday. I'll add the weights on them when we check in to the hospital and use that data. At our surgeon's pre-op weigh-in last week, I was at 369.5 and Tia was at 320.‘Twas the Night Before Surgery
Twas the Night Before Surgery, and all through the house
The stress level was rising, no meditation could douse.
The hospital bag is out, packed yesterday with care
In hopes that the surgery time would soon be there
The linens ‘ve been washed, all fresh on the beds
While visions of “after photos” danced in our heads.
Wish us luck tomorrow morning! My surgery is at 7:30am, my wife Tia at 9:45am. Yikes!
The stress level was rising, no meditation could douse.
The hospital bag is out, packed yesterday with care
In hopes that the surgery time would soon be there
The linens ‘ve been washed, all fresh on the beds
While visions of “after photos” danced in our heads.
Wish us luck tomorrow morning! My surgery is at 7:30am, my wife Tia at 9:45am. Yikes!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Final pre-op appointment
Yesterday was yet another milestone - our final pre-op appointment with Dr. Lauter (our surgeon). Tia, Tedi, Rick, Deborah and I all piled in the car for the trip to Bellevue. Along the way we pointed out the directions to the hospital because they'd be picking us up and driving back after surgery.
Dr. Lauter was great, as usual. He's always very patient and has the ability to explain things very clearly. We talked about the final details, how our surgery day will go (hopefully) and life immediately afterwards.
So we're all set. It all feels very "real" now. There's that voice inside that's screaming "OMG I'm completely changing my life in 5 days!". A definite mix of fear and excitement. I get so motivated looking at before and after pics on some of the WLS site, it just gets me so excited about all the possibilities. My (Mark) biggest fears are still the anesthesia and the internal healing (I'm a slow healer due to my diabetes).
After the meeting we all went to TGI Fridays. Great meal, lots of fun. No strtict pre-op diet by Dr Lauter - just no big pig-outs or buffets. Love it!
Dr. Lauter was great, as usual. He's always very patient and has the ability to explain things very clearly. We talked about the final details, how our surgery day will go (hopefully) and life immediately afterwards.
So we're all set. It all feels very "real" now. There's that voice inside that's screaming "OMG I'm completely changing my life in 5 days!". A definite mix of fear and excitement. I get so motivated looking at before and after pics on some of the WLS site, it just gets me so excited about all the possibilities. My (Mark) biggest fears are still the anesthesia and the internal healing (I'm a slow healer due to my diabetes).
After the meeting we all went to TGI Fridays. Great meal, lots of fun. No strtict pre-op diet by Dr Lauter - just no big pig-outs or buffets. Love it!
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Nutritionist
On Sunday (yes, Sunday) we had our appointment with the Nutritionist - Minh-Hai Tran of Nutrition Works Seattle. She was very nice and answered a lot of our questions. She met with each of us individually, then together for the final 20 minutes.
I liked the fact that she gave us specific suggestions based on our eating/working habits and tried to fit our needs into our lifestyles.
Later on Sunday, we had a family meeting - Mark, Tia, Tedi, Rick and his girlfriend Deborah. Our family support system. We just went over what the surgery will entail, allowed them to ask any questions, then went over the schedule for the surgery and what we'd be asking their help with. It was a good meeting, I thought. Deborah had made us little Valentines Day gifts which were very cute. The remainder of the evening was spent watching Eddie Izzard!
So, we're down to just over a week before surgery. How am I (Mark) feeling? Well, the eating plan is now coming into focus, which is good. We're trying out protein shakes/powders to find the one we like best (keeing in mind out tastes will most likely change after surgery, based on what I've read). I'm still nervous about the surgery itself, having never had one before.
Next up? Pre-op meeting with the surgeon on Wednesday the 20th. The whole family support group is planning to attend, so it should be fun!
I liked the fact that she gave us specific suggestions based on our eating/working habits and tried to fit our needs into our lifestyles.
Later on Sunday, we had a family meeting - Mark, Tia, Tedi, Rick and his girlfriend Deborah. Our family support system. We just went over what the surgery will entail, allowed them to ask any questions, then went over the schedule for the surgery and what we'd be asking their help with. It was a good meeting, I thought. Deborah had made us little Valentines Day gifts which were very cute. The remainder of the evening was spent watching Eddie Izzard!
So, we're down to just over a week before surgery. How am I (Mark) feeling? Well, the eating plan is now coming into focus, which is good. We're trying out protein shakes/powders to find the one we like best (keeing in mind out tastes will most likely change after surgery, based on what I've read). I'm still nervous about the surgery itself, having never had one before.
Next up? Pre-op meeting with the surgeon on Wednesday the 20th. The whole family support group is planning to attend, so it should be fun!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Just a little nervous
Mark posting:
Thought I'd share what's in my head at the moment. I'm a little nervous. Not about the decision to do the surgery, just about the hospital stay mainly. While Tia has had a few operations where she's been "under", I never have. I've never even been in a hospital unless it was to visit someone. My main concern, I think, is the anesthetic. You hear the horror stories about waking up during surgery, or being under and feeling things, but not being able to speak. Stuff like that. Yes, I read all the statistics about it, and I know it's extremely rare, but it still runs through my head.
I told my best friend Mike about the surgery on Friday. He was extremely supportive, as expected, but he has also never been under. No help there!
Being a research-aholic and planner, I'm also nervous because I don't have a super clear picture of what a typical day will be like after surgery. I'm studying like hell, and know quite a bit, but you can never predict which (if any) compliations will hit. The eating picture is coming into focus now, but from what I've read, all the pre-planning in the world can't predict how our tastes will change (and from what I read, that happens to the majority of people).
Maybe this is all meant to teach me how to go with the flow more? Hmmmmm.
Thought I'd share what's in my head at the moment. I'm a little nervous. Not about the decision to do the surgery, just about the hospital stay mainly. While Tia has had a few operations where she's been "under", I never have. I've never even been in a hospital unless it was to visit someone. My main concern, I think, is the anesthetic. You hear the horror stories about waking up during surgery, or being under and feeling things, but not being able to speak. Stuff like that. Yes, I read all the statistics about it, and I know it's extremely rare, but it still runs through my head.
I told my best friend Mike about the surgery on Friday. He was extremely supportive, as expected, but he has also never been under. No help there!
Being a research-aholic and planner, I'm also nervous because I don't have a super clear picture of what a typical day will be like after surgery. I'm studying like hell, and know quite a bit, but you can never predict which (if any) compliations will hit. The eating picture is coming into focus now, but from what I've read, all the pre-planning in the world can't predict how our tastes will change (and from what I read, that happens to the majority of people).
Maybe this is all meant to teach me how to go with the flow more? Hmmmmm.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Psych Eval
One of the things that Dr. Lauter requires is a psych eval (along with a nutritionist visit). Yesterday was the psych eval.
I (Mark) was pretty nervous about it, since approximately 20 years ago I had looked into one and failed this part. I have no idea why I failed, but they thought I wasn't suitable.
Tia and I had back to back appointments, starting at 9:00am down in Seattle with Jackie Leibsohm. We figure it would take us about an hour and a half in rush hour traffic to get down there, but we left 2 hours early just in case. Boy, it was lucky we did. There was a massive traffic accident in Everett that completely closed I-5. We jumped off at Everett Avenue and made our way on side streets around the problem (maybe a 5 or 6 mile backup). We made it to the psychologist with 5 minutes to spare.
I went first (get it over with). Jackie was very nice, and reassuring (which I needed). We talked about family history, expectations around the surgery outcome, depression, why we wanted the surgery at this point in our lives, etc. It went well and we both passed.
A trip to Dick's Drive In for one last time on the way home was nice.
Oh, before I forget, we bought one book on the recommendations of others regarding weight loss surgery - Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies. I never thought I'd buy something from that series, but the book is excellent. I found it on eBay cheap. Highly recommended.
I (Mark) was pretty nervous about it, since approximately 20 years ago I had looked into one and failed this part. I have no idea why I failed, but they thought I wasn't suitable.
Tia and I had back to back appointments, starting at 9:00am down in Seattle with Jackie Leibsohm. We figure it would take us about an hour and a half in rush hour traffic to get down there, but we left 2 hours early just in case. Boy, it was lucky we did. There was a massive traffic accident in Everett that completely closed I-5. We jumped off at Everett Avenue and made our way on side streets around the problem (maybe a 5 or 6 mile backup). We made it to the psychologist with 5 minutes to spare.
I went first (get it over with). Jackie was very nice, and reassuring (which I needed). We talked about family history, expectations around the surgery outcome, depression, why we wanted the surgery at this point in our lives, etc. It went well and we both passed.
A trip to Dick's Drive In for one last time on the way home was nice.
Oh, before I forget, we bought one book on the recommendations of others regarding weight loss surgery - Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies. I never thought I'd buy something from that series, but the book is excellent. I found it on eBay cheap. Highly recommended.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Welcome to our blog!
About two weeks ago, we decided to change our lives forever. Both Tia and I are overweight and not too happy about it! We realize that we've exhausted all of our other options, and want to start living the lives that we dream about. Little every day things that most take for granted are a struggle, let alone doing fun things like ride horses, watch a Mariner game in comfort or travel on an airplane.
So Mark did some research - okay, a ton of research - and found Dr Lauter at Overlake hospital in Bellevue WA. He has a great reputation on obesityhelp.com plus we found someone who also works at Microsoft that had the same surgery with him (and she looks great - thanks Melissa!). We met with her and she patiently answered all of our questions. Next up, we met with Dr Lauter, who did an exam and also answered the remaining questions we had.
We decided to do it.
Thanks to Microsoft's fantastic insurance, we were fully covered and approved in less than a week (for many people this takes months, if at all). Our surgery date is scheduled for February 26, 2008 at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue.
So now we read, plan, and dream...
So Mark did some research - okay, a ton of research - and found Dr Lauter at Overlake hospital in Bellevue WA. He has a great reputation on obesityhelp.com plus we found someone who also works at Microsoft that had the same surgery with him (and she looks great - thanks Melissa!). We met with her and she patiently answered all of our questions. Next up, we met with Dr Lauter, who did an exam and also answered the remaining questions we had.
We decided to do it.
Thanks to Microsoft's fantastic insurance, we were fully covered and approved in less than a week (for many people this takes months, if at all). Our surgery date is scheduled for February 26, 2008 at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue.
So now we read, plan, and dream...
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