Pookeyism

Yes, it is to the point that I know I am costing myself years.

About 6 months ago, a 37 year old diabetic in anothe office at work died due to diabetic complications. She could have been me - except she weight alot less! A1C in .2+/- of 5.0 for years, fit active, controlled - and then the complications set in. She was dead within 6 months.

I was floored, and I felt very small and scared - and wide awake and ready to fight harder - and yet very scared and small...

I want to do the things I used to be able to. I will never recover my knee (misdiagnosis of Water on the knee and it was a staph infection that ate my knee cap into the shape of a "c").

I think with proper maintenance I can do lot of it again. I still ride my bike and core train and never gave up on yoga (almost 23 years now) but there is more: Paintball, hinking, wall climbing, MMA. Twister! I can already play a mean game, but it is difficult for people to get around me, lol. I think contact juggling will be easier with slimmer arms.

I want my Mom to look at me and not worry. I want my Husband to not wonder how few years we have left.

I WANT TO DO A PULL UP!!!!

I feel for you. I also agree with the others, there are simple ways to make yourself feel pretty and acceptable. However, have you checked the clothing exchange forum on this site? There are a lot of people who can no longer wear the nice things in their closet and I for one would love to send you something if I have anything, most of them don't want anything but the cost to ship. I haven't dropped much in size yet, but you could certainly use whatever I have much more than I can. What size are you looking for? I've got a variety of sizes from 18/20 - 26/28. I'd love to help you. Send me a private message if I can help you out at all. Maybe I could take a couple pics and send some options to you.

Very generous of you! I started to offer the same, but then I realized the post is almost a month old...hmmmm...maybe an "upsale" post VGS post?

Also, may I suggest to everyone to keep an eye on lane bryant and women within for sales? you will be suprised! Much of your wardrobe can be tailored down a size or two as you shrink, at a fraction of the cost of replacing the clothing!

Look at your itemization for your surgery. Even if you paid a lump sum fee they have to disclose what you are paying for, so they can not come back and say it didn't include this or that. Look it over and see if there is any mention of you paying less due to a co-morbid condition or hernia.

Look at the breakdown of what was paid by your insurance. Does it have things on it that show definite double payment? Anest. fees? Hospital room, the pro op tests, etc...

If there is any doubt contact your insurance ASAP...

http://www.healthche...weightchart.htm

The link above is from the Metropolitan Life Insurance company - it is their official height / weight tables. It lists the target weight ranges for women assuming 3 lbs of clothing wearing 1" heals. It also lists the ranges by frame size (small, medium and large). If you don't know your frame size - it also tells you how to measure and determine that - by using the distance between the two prominent bones in your elbow when your arm is bent at a 90 degree angle to your body.

So first, determine your frame size. Then, find your target weight range from the chart. Determine how much weight there is from where you started to both the top and bottom of the target weight range. That would be the high and low numbers for how much excess weight you started with. My surgeon told me a VSG sleve patient usually losing 85% of their excess weight in the first year. So take 85% of both your excess weight numbers and subtract that from your original weight. That will give you your high and low numbers for how much weight you will probably lose in the first year.

Here's an example using my numbers:

I started out weighing 253. I am 5'4 barefoot

Using the method described on the link, I measured the distance between the two bones in my elbow at 2". This means I have a small frame (hard to believe).

Going to the chart for height and weight, a 5'5" women with a small frame should weigh 117 - 130.

That means I was carrying between 122 to 136 pounds of excess weight. (253-130=122, 253-117=136)

85% of these numbers are 104 and 116 pounds projected weight loss at one year (85% *122=104, 85%*136=116 both numbers rounded up)

So my goal weight for one year is most likely between 137 and 149.

Hope this helps

I think that will be very helpful - and just some interesting information to keep in the noggin'!

Thank you! :biggrin5:

You are "here"! I am so anxious and I have weeks yet, I can't imagine the night before - and no alcohol, lol!

Good luck, God bless!

I have not set one yet. Not a firm number, not a firm size really. I have a bit of difficulty "seeing" myself past a 16. beyond a 14? lol...but I am trying, because I wonder what I would look like as a 5'10" inch me, just a size 10.

Did you go by a desired size? inches? BMI?

Has this group started yet?

I have had a friend suggest I have a party before surgery. We both know it can be a difficult path, and I could possibly be a long way out from being very social again. Possibly make it the NYE gathering or something. Has anyone done this?

I have lost around 30 lbs, and suspect I will loose more before my surgery - and I am cold already - and I am in HOUSTON!

:/

This is the brand my surgeon provides. I just found them online. Their Calcium and all other chewables are good. My calcium is orange flavor. I think they have other flavors and gummies. I don't chew them though. I just let it dissolve in my mouth. They are big and as of right now 2 are needed in the morning and 2 in the afternoon so I might switch to gummies. Anyway....they taste good and have free samples.< /p>

http://www.bbvitamins.com/

Thank you for the link. I have put in my request to talk to someone and get some samples.

Perhaps you could crate an attachment that has these bulleted, so they would be easier to print, like the list for the hospital.

Your mentoring is wonderful. Thank you so very much. God Bless!

May I suggest you also keep a running total of meds, etc that are administered...and make sure that before they give you any otc meds ask the cost - you have the right to bring them in if they are charging too much.

Note everyone you saw and what they did and how much time they took - especially if you have complications later.

These are for you later on to be able to dispute any charges you should not have to pay.

I set my surgery for 1/04/2012 on 11/22/2011 and for the last several days have been caught up with work and school and the Holidays, not to mention the end-of-month at work. So I am setting here at 3:45 AM and I have soooo many thoughts going through my head. I am much more nervous than I suspected.

The posts about pain scare me. I really dont want to just hurt for days on end. However, that could be the end result for many co-morbid conditions associated with obesity and diabetes (not to mention asthma and a bad knee).

My Husband is scared, and I think that for me is the hardest thing right now. He is holding onto me, literally, almost every second he can. I looked up from paperwork tonight and he was just staring at me. He caught me following up on my pre-paid funeral arrangements (I am a pessimistic optomist) and he just looked, so, very...well, very.

(note: I didn't make the prepay arrangements for this, I have had them a long time. Not morbid at all, I used to be a Funeral Director and have since been a strong advocate to pre-pay and deciding on as many arrangements as one can so no one else will have to..).

My Sister will be in for the surgery. She flies in on the 3rd and leaves on the 10th. I am also going to encourage my Hubby to ask some of his closer friends to help him over the first few days. He is going to be so overwhelmed.

Looking back at this post, I think if one could summarize this in a question it would be : What type of support systems are out there for the Spouses?

Note: I don't want to hear anyone say to go see a therapist. I already have that taken care of. This is all surgery related.

I'm at one month and feeling severely depresses right Now. It was slow coming n now it's full force. Can't sleep at night n sleep all day with too many thoughts in my head. Can't wait particularly to look n feel good n not feel so lonely . I want a life. I want the weight to get off me so badly n to feel good. I deserve to laugh and smile. Not cry...

Get In My Belly

Were you like this before the surgery? Did you have a tendency to feel like this in the past if you were feeling ill for awhile?

May I ask what you mean by "it's all surgery related"?

Huggs to you! I will keep you in my prayers.

Sophia, go ahead and do the sleeve. It will be the best decision you'll ever make. Its 10 days now since my op and my stamina is just so high right now. I actually feel absolutley normal.

I noticed you are from Kuwait. I am curious about how you finance the surgery there. Were you able to get the surgery in Kuwait? It seemed to me more specific or specialty services were a little difficult to come by.

Just curious, and I hope not too private of a question.

My date is January 4th...so close and yet so far!

I was told that closer to the surgery my doctor would describe what a leak felt like, and my surgeon always puts in a drain at the time of surgery, and it stays in for 7-10 days. he encourages lightly tinted liquids so that if there is a leak you can see the liquids easily.

It is my understanding the test for leaks will be at my doctor OR my discretion, If either of us want it, he will do it, and it is in my inclusive cost to have one if necessary so yes, lol, I will probably make them do it.

Interesting about the post that it could actually cause a leak - it is much thicker than we are supposed to have post-op.