Chicadee

Congrats to you as well. Thanks for posting over in my thread. I look forward to hearing more about your progress while I am experiencing mine.

Thanks for all the well wishes from everyone! I am home today, doing pretty well I think, pain isn't too bad I didn't take any narcotics while in the hospital except the percocet that one time. They did send me home with a Loritab script and I took it once this afternoon, no problems keeping that down and it basically put me to sleep for a little while. Last night I had terrible knots in my throat/stomach every time I sipped anything it would feel like it was stuck, then I could feel it move, then another know again and so on. This morning i felt good and was able to finally pass gas, TMI I know but they wouldnt' let me leave until I did that. I have some knots again tonight. I drank a whole Isopure today with quite a bit of Water and a couple ounces of chicken broth. I definitely don't want to get dehydrated. My Aunt and Uncle came to see me last night at the hospital, so nice of them and they gave me a gift card to Kohl's so I can go shopping once I lose some of the weight., they are awesome people. In addition to the Loritab script I was sent home with an Aciphex script which is not covered by my insurance so they told me just to get the prevacid instead. A Lovenox script I have to inject myself with that every day, piece of cake actually and I was worried about doing it and a Vitamin D script which is once a week for 4 weeks 50,000 units. Did anyone else get this? I wasn't aware they gave this and why. Tuesday I can move to full liquids and looking forward to it already. Then next Friday, the 13th I have an appt with my surgeon and he will let me know when I can progress to purees.

EDIT: meant to say May 3rd not the 2nd lol I arrived at the hospital at 7:30 am and was promptly dressed in a gown. I was placed in a holding area where I was weighed (lost 5 more lbs) and received two shots of heparin in my belly. My surgery was scheduled for 9:45. A nurse came in to start my IV and since I haven't had any liquids to drink my normally absent veins were even more so. It took a local anesthetic, 2 nurses and 2 anesthesiologists to stick me 7 times to get a vein. by the time that was finished it was 9:30. My husband kissed me and went to the waiting room and an OR nurse came in. I actually went to high school with her so she offered to take herself off the team if I was uncomfortable, but I said it was fine, I didn't mind. Was nice of her to ask i'm sure she probably has to when she runs into someone she knows. I walked to the operating room and climbed up on the table and don't remember a whole after that. I woke up in the PACU very groggy and surprisingly enough I didn't shout at people, when I was a kid and had my tonsils out, i started yelling at the nurses when I woke up. They kept telling me to take deep breaths. I already had the compression boots on. I think it was like 11:30. I was told everything went well. I kept dozing in and out for awhile and my husband was allowed in to see me, He made some phone calls while I was half awake to let some family know how I was doing. I didn't feel too much of anything all. When i finally got to my room, I was feeling a bit of discomfort probably a 6 on the scale of 1 to 10. I was sipping in between dozing off. I was given liquid percocet and i wretched really hard twice after drinking it but kept it down. I tried some orange Jello and almost lost that but kept it down. Getting in and out of bed was horrible, lots of pressure on my belly. I am really large to begin with so that probably made it more difficult. I walked laps a couple times before I settled in for the night. People kept coming in throughout the night for a variety of reasons. Vitals, a pill to take, IV swap, etc. I did get some sleep and woke up at 5:30. I had my leak test at 8am, I was able to watch it on the monitor. There were no leaks but the contrast stayed in my esophagus for awhile it was 30cc and I felt a lump in my chest and I could see and feel when it moved, they made sure it eventually passed to my intestines and let me go back upstairs. The liquid isn't flowing well from my esophagus to my stomach but they think it will get better when the swelling goes down. They also said I could request a copy of the pictures, they could save them on a DVD for me. Got back to my room by 10am this morning, the catheter was removed and my second IV site was removed. Doing a couple laps every hour or so. I gave myself my first Lovenox shot, which I will continue for the next week I believe at home, you don't even feel it. I did not have a drain, I have 6 incisions and I have no gas pain whatsoever. I know everyone says they feel it most in their shoulders but I haven't felt anything yet. Hopefully I avoided that issue. I am still quite sore but feeling better than yesterday for sure, trying to sip this isopuke mixed with Water and logging my intake. Every sip feels like a know in my chest at the moment for some reason. I will probably be discharged tomorrow. I can't wait for this swelling to go down and the liquids go down a bit more easily. Will post more from home, let me know if you have any questions. I am Sleeved!! Heather

I've been pretty emotional tonight as well. Same thing basically. My 18yo son overheard me talking to my husband about how I was worried something terrible would happen. Later when he was downstairs, he gave me a big hug and said he heard me talking and that I was going to be just fine. I have to believe it is all going to work out and next week we will all be chatting about what liquid or mushie item we have been eating.

Good for you. please keep us posted.

My paperwork was submitted on a friday and I was approved the following friday. My doctor wanted me to lose a bit more so I wasn't scheduled right away but I would think once they have the approval they could have it scheduled at any time.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the kind words and I am sure I will be posting as soon as I can to let you know how it all went. I am taking a notebook so I can write stuff down. It's been a long day today. I'm about to go take my shower and use the Hibiclens as requested by the hospital. I have to be at the hospital at 7:30 am but not sure what time the actual procedure is taking place. I seem to remember my surgeon telling the coordinator to give me the first spot in the day. I know he will do his very best to make sure things are safe and go as planned. I was the first patient he called when he found out my insurance was now approving the sleeve. Thinking positive thoughts...

My post op is 1 week clears, 1 week full liquids, 1 week purees, then soft for 1 week then on to regular stuff as tolerated.

It has been an interesting journey leading up to this point. I am still hoping that my surgery won't be canceled. I am trying not to worry about it since there is nothing I can do to change whatever the outcome is at this point. I keep thinking I will wake up and find out that nothing was done. I have lost about 17lbs on the pre-op diet but 13 of that was over 3 weeks ago, these last 3 weeks have been slow going. I have only lost an additional 4 lbs so I think the surgeon is not going to be happy at all. I pray for a smooth journey tomorrow with no complications and that I can finally join the other side equipped with my sleeve. I keep trying not to think about it but I am so scared of leaving my husband and kids all alone if something goes wrong. I haven't been outwardly emotional about it until now i just kept pushing the thoughts out of my mind. Trying to think Happy thoughts of riding roller coasters, horseback riding and dancing. Fitting in my husbands car properly and one day maybe being able to drive it (mini cooper), Sitting in an airplane, movie seats and a booth in a restaurant (always sit at a table) and fitting properly. Getting rid of my CPAP machine. Wearing jeans that actually button and zipper (no elastic waist), wearing cute tops that don't resemble a parachute. I could probably go on forever. Please send Happy Thoughts my way!!

I am being sleeved tomorrow with no intention whatsoever to have it switched to a bypass. Chrohn's disease runs in my family and so it is not a recommended procedure for me. I would like to see what the people mentioned at Obesity help have to say. I had concerns with how big I am and getting this done with my BMI being higher than most people I have read stories from. I will go take a look on OH. Thanks.

Well my 5 weeks of shakes and chicken ends today......the next two days are Clear Liquids for me and Tuesday is my day, May 3rd!! Started my two week work vacation and I am a whole mix of emotions from worried, scared to excited for what's to come. I think I have everything I need for at least my first two weeks home. I have lost a total of 17 pounds on the pre-op diet. Not as much as I had hoped for 5 weeks. Hopefully the doctor is okay with it. Had my pre-op appt at the hospital last Wednesday and met with the anesthesiologist. I am praying they can get the breathing tube in while I am asleep. Because of my sleep apnea he said that sometimes they can't get the tube in and will have to wake a person up to do it, that will totally suck. I like the name you picked, I am a fan of Red Velvet cake although I haven't had it in quite some time. Good Luck to everyone, I look forward to posting my hospital experience once I am able and reading about everyone else's.

Wow, I didn't realize some folks had to take tests. I just sat and talked to the guy about my history and if I was depressed, etc. was like 45 minutes at most.

I just saw you mention in the other post that you are in CT. So am I, My surgery is in Derby, CT.

Hi Kristy and welcome. I am being sleeved on the 3rd as well. I have been on my pre-op diet for 5 weeks and 2 of them were stalled, I have lost a total of 15 pounds on it and I am hoping that is enough for my surgeon. Maybe I will lose a few more before next Tuesday, TOM was an issue for me as well.

I have been living on unjury Choclate splendor and Simply Smart milk for the last 5 weeks. You don't need to add anything to it but I do sometimes add a bit of natural Peanut Butter. I also have been living on nectar strawberry Kiwi or Fuzzy Navel with 16oz of Water. (8oz is too sweet). I know everyone's tastes are different for example, I thought Unjury chicken soup was the most vile thing I had tasted is quite some time. I have a variety pack of the torani SF syrups and have only tried the caramel so far in the Bariatric Advantage Vanilla powder. It was ok. I am such a big caramel fan and was a little disappointed. I am sorry you are having trouble Meggie. I hope you find one that works for you.

This will be my first challenge. Since I am not being sleeved until next week, I didn't want to go overboard with a goal. July 4th will be 8 weeks post-op SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal Chicadee..........370..................368............340............30

I am having three shakes per day, a control bar and then a baked chicken breast for dinner. I was eating steamed veggies everyday but but now only once in awhile. Popsicles and SF jello for snacks.

Mine is set for May 3rd with Dr Ehrlich in Connecticut. Only 1 week to go and I am hoping everything goes as planned.

I have the Bariatric Advantage calcium citrate soft chews, they taste like starburst if you get lemon and berry flavors. They were only 10 dollars for a bag of 60 at my doctors office but you can buy them direct from the BA website.

Only one more week to go. I am worried he is going to cancel me. I don't feel like I have been losing anything over these past 2 weeks. How can I not be losing when I am only getting about 1000 calories a day? I am excited and worried and scared all at once with all of these thoughts starting to go through my head. I hope it doesn't get canceled and I hope everything goes well if it doesn't.

Congrats, that is awesome news!! You have done so well.

If I go to starbucks after surgery I will probably get the same thing I always do, a decaf skinny caramel machiato. I am not a big coffee drinker so I don't go there very often. I have always hated drinking my calories so I always try to minimize when getting stuff like this. I would rather save my calories for something I want to eat.

I had lapband surgery scheduled back in October of 2007 and I chickened out using the justification that I didn't need surgery and that I could do it on my own. Well here I am back again and even heavier. I do have to say I am glad I didn't have the band but I should have done this a long time ago. The sleeve wasn't an approved procedure for my insurance until November of last year.

Yea 5 weeks.... The first two weeks I was really positive and this last week I just don't feel like anything is happening, like I am in a stall on the pre-op diet, not sure how that happens, I'm not eating hardly anything. Plus every three months I get a depo shot and it is coming up to get it again, May 2nd, day before surgery. Since I have been getting the shot I never get my TOM, however it must be the drastic change in my diet because I have had a light one for the last 2.5 weeks, enough already.....I suppose that is making me more irritable and frustrated. Sorry if that was TMI. I just want it to get here already and I am afraid if I don't lose anything else, he might postpone me again.... Started reading a new book, so hopefully that should keep me busy. Thanks for the support =) Coming here keeps me busy for a while and I love reading all the successes people have and seeing the photos.

As some of you know I have been on my pre-op diet for 3 weeks now and I guess because I am so busy at work all the time I hadn't started thinking about this until this weekend and today. It's a little slow here at work today so while I sit here I just don't know what to do with myself. I used to go grab something to eat....Same thing as with home. I don't know why it didn't hit me before now, I am just sitting and thinking too much I guess. I didn't realize until now how often I would just eat cause I had nothing else better to do at the time. 2 more weeks of this, i just keep telling myself it is all worth it.