While intending to keep you guys updated life took over and mom is back at Burlington. Luckily this time she is getting some help with her legs and she is having surgery today on that. Which is all very good stuff to have happen. She had all the tests done on her heart and her heart looks good for this. As far as an update goes, I am fully aware I have no restriction yet. I am using a lot of will power I didn't know I had to keep my portions down. As of Wednesday, 9 days post surgery, I had lost 13 pounds. I am eating a bit more here than I do at home. But eating at a cafeteria in a hospital does not give you much portion control over what you are getting. I don't think they would approve if I went behind the counter with a scale to weigh and measure my portions. I'm trying to stick to a little bit of meat that I chew REALLY well (even though I know it's not gonna get stuck since I have no restriction...I figure might as well already get in practice for when I have a fill) and I also get like some potatoes or cottage cheese. So I'm working hard...I gotta get to the hospital, so I'll update more later. Bye
~Raena
Friday, June 15, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Surgery
I know I haven't posted pretty much since I started this, but I finally got the surgery!! I'm doing good. My stomach is a bit sore. I got it done yesterday and I am back at the hotel now. I journaled my activities while at the hospital and hope to be posting them soon while I am off of work.
Here is what my poor belly looks like now:
Monday, May 7, 2007
To Do List
So I started my to do list today!! It's like 3 miles long! I also started a packing list. I can't believe my surgery is 4 weeks from today. I'm starting to freak out just a little bit. I was reading through some of the literature that my doctor's office gave me and there are lots of big words! I think the ride down to NYC and the night before the surgery are probably gonna be the longest times of my life, not to mention the 2 hours in the hospital before surgery and also pre-op preparation. But I think what I'm most worried about is my poor mother sitting and waiting for me to come out of surgery. That is honestly the thing I'm most scared about, I'm scared she's gonna have another heart attack with her baby girl in surgery. But anyways here's my to do list:
- Physical, Bloodwork, Labs, Sleep Study & Stress Test
- Find Hotel & Make Reservations
- Decide on a Broadway show and get tickets
- Look up Amtrak times and get tickets
- Wash my teddy bear (I'm such a baby I know!)
- Buy new pillows
- Find/Buy Mp3 player
- Find/Buy books
- Call Doctor's office - What do I need to bring, Pain Meds, Protein Drinks, etc.
- Renew Car Insurance
- Get Car Inspected
- Check Muffler, Brakes, & wipers
- Oil Change
- Charge camera/video camera
- Look at new camera/video camer
- Plan out my calender (what days I have to stop meds, get in labs, call surgery, etc.)
- Make a list of foods I can have and bring
- Make CDs for car trip
- Apply for time off
- Buy Listerine
- Buy Fan
So that's what I have so far, please any additions would be greatly appreciated.
Friday, May 4, 2007
I love my NYC surgery group
I may hate my doctor at home but I love my NYC doctor's office. http://www.nycbariatrics.com/
I was looking at FG's blog http://journeyofafatgirl.blogspot.com/ and checked out the link to a Post-Op list and got all freaked out. One girl suggested cough drops because her throat was sore after the breathing tube was removed. I was like OMG!! A breathing tube, I have to have a breathing tube??? So I called NY and talked to one of the girls there and she told me that was only if there was, god forbid, a complication. Much calmer now!! She also told me as long as I did my EKG and Chest X-Ray before March 4th it would still be good. I have to go get my hair did so I'll write more about Dr. Roslin and his office later.
I was looking at FG's blog http://journeyofafatgirl.blogspot.com/ and checked out the link to a Post-Op list and got all freaked out. One girl suggested cough drops because her throat was sore after the breathing tube was removed. I was like OMG!! A breathing tube, I have to have a breathing tube??? So I called NY and talked to one of the girls there and she told me that was only if there was, god forbid, a complication. Much calmer now!! She also told me as long as I did my EKG and Chest X-Ray before March 4th it would still be good. I have to go get my hair did so I'll write more about Dr. Roslin and his office later.
NYC & A Doctor Rant
So I called New York today and talked to my doctor's office. I'm having them send me the lab work and physical sheets again. It really sucks that they only are good for one month before the surgery. I didn't think I'd have to do the physical again, I figured that would at least not have to be changed. Now I have to make an appointment with the doctor that I can't stand!!!
Man living in a small town sucks. I'm Native American and on my reservation we have a health clinic and that's where I do my doctoring. Well lets just say we don't get the highest caliber medical people working out there. I'm pretty sure the doctor I go see (the only doctor at the clinic, everyone else are P.A.s) works there because he lost his privileges at the hospital. He's a complete ass, and had it in my paperwork that I was diabetic (I'm not) and that I was "non-compliant with meds". He can bite me, the meds he's talking about aren't even ones he prescribed. One was Lipitor, which has WAY too many side effects and I don't even want to consider taking. Yes, I know I have high cholesterol, it's part of the reason I'm having this surgery. The other one is Metformin, which was prescribed for my Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and did absolutely nothing except make me sick to my stomach all the time. I had liked him and thought he really wanted to help me get this surgery, etc. etc., and then I got my medical records to bring to NYC and found out what a jerk he was. In one note he wrote that he didn't offer me Metformin and Lipitor because if i didn't ask for it I wouldn't take it!!! What a jerk! I went back to see him and made him write me a letter explaining the "non-compliant" part so that my insurance company would approve me. The insurance company had sent me a sheet saying what was required for me to get approved, and one thing said specifically that my medical records had to show compliancy!! I was gonna hurt my doctor. Luckily that all worked out. I did have one problem with my insurance company but that's a post for another day.
Let's wrap up this rambling rant before I've bored you all senseless. I still have so many things to do now to get ready for this surgery. I have to have another physical, blood-work, urinalysis, EKG, chest X-Ray, sleep study, and I still need to do a stress test. Add to all that the fact that I still haven't booked a hotel room or applied for my time off yet, I'm starting to think it wouldn't take much additional stress for them to get a good test!! Man I can't wait til June 5th when I'm all done with this and banded already!
Man living in a small town sucks. I'm Native American and on my reservation we have a health clinic and that's where I do my doctoring. Well lets just say we don't get the highest caliber medical people working out there. I'm pretty sure the doctor I go see (the only doctor at the clinic, everyone else are P.A.s) works there because he lost his privileges at the hospital. He's a complete ass, and had it in my paperwork that I was diabetic (I'm not) and that I was "non-compliant with meds". He can bite me, the meds he's talking about aren't even ones he prescribed. One was Lipitor, which has WAY too many side effects and I don't even want to consider taking. Yes, I know I have high cholesterol, it's part of the reason I'm having this surgery. The other one is Metformin, which was prescribed for my Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and did absolutely nothing except make me sick to my stomach all the time. I had liked him and thought he really wanted to help me get this surgery, etc. etc., and then I got my medical records to bring to NYC and found out what a jerk he was. In one note he wrote that he didn't offer me Metformin and Lipitor because if i didn't ask for it I wouldn't take it!!! What a jerk! I went back to see him and made him write me a letter explaining the "non-compliant" part so that my insurance company would approve me. The insurance company had sent me a sheet saying what was required for me to get approved, and one thing said specifically that my medical records had to show compliancy!! I was gonna hurt my doctor. Luckily that all worked out. I did have one problem with my insurance company but that's a post for another day.
Let's wrap up this rambling rant before I've bored you all senseless. I still have so many things to do now to get ready for this surgery. I have to have another physical, blood-work, urinalysis, EKG, chest X-Ray, sleep study, and I still need to do a stress test. Add to all that the fact that I still haven't booked a hotel room or applied for my time off yet, I'm starting to think it wouldn't take much additional stress for them to get a good test!! Man I can't wait til June 5th when I'm all done with this and banded already!
Monday, April 30, 2007
First Post
Hi to anyone who might read this. This is my first post here and it's not gonna be a long one, that will be for another day. I'm going for Lap-Band surgery on June 4th, hopefully! It was supposed to be April 23 but my mom got sick and we had to reschedule it, also a post for another day. Anyways, I'll be posting here all that I'm thinking of and going through as I make my journey towards "Movin' On" http://www.geocities.com/islandlyrics/rascalflatts/flatts11.txt
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