shanda7182

Okay guys...... Just waking up. Ive showered only about 10-15 minutes before I leave. I woke up before my alarm clock (4:30 am). I woke up because my heart was pounding, I must having been thinking about the surgery in my sleep and or having an unconscious anxiety attack. Wow, that has never happened to me before, I almost felt asi f I were running a marathon and woke up right when I passed the finish line. Anyway, I know that is my mind/nerves. I said my prayers last night and will say them again this morning. The next time I post-----I will be sleeved. Thanks for your prayers and help.

1. For approximately 2 weeks- all he required was 4 days though 2. I didnt do shakes, I drank isopure- has 40 grams of protein in it bought it at GNC. No carbs, 160 calories 3. I shot for 80-90 grams of protein per day. I limited my carbs to less than 30 per day Hope this helps. Although, I must point out, you dont really have to do shakes or liquids to shrink your liver. You can do high protein, low carb and low fat ---kinda like atkins diet to shrink your liver as well. The main thing is limiting sugar/carbs.

Thanks krom! Look how well you are doing, I see your frog moving on down the line!:smile:

By the way San Juan is absolutely gorgeous! I havent been to the other cities but I took a Puerto Rican spring break trip last year with some of my girlfriends. Boy, how beautiful! I absolutely loved it! For my bachelorette party we plan to go to Belize City, Belize. Anyway, it sounds like you guys have a great trip! Post pics when you can.

Thanks Angela! You are the one who has done great! You will be at goal in no time. I appreciate all of your support and kind words ( and reading my private messages) throughout this entire ordeal. Im still going to take you up on that lunch offer to souper salad when I am feeling up to it and you and both have time. I love your side of town, so I dont mind coming that way! I can make a mini trip out of it (since its like an hour or so away from where I am but you know thats Houston, everything is at least a 30-40 min drive anyway. See you on the sleeved side of things. :smile:

Will do. Thanks to all who have offered their support.

How romantic! At least you arent afraid to show your love in public, which is very cool.:party4:

Congrats on both of your victories. WOW, I have never heard of going on a cruise and loosing weight! Congrats on that! Also, im sure you werent able to eat that much anyway, right? Im so happy for you and I cannot wait to be on the sleeved side of things.

Hi everyone..... GUESS WHAT?? Im being sleeved tommorrow! My PT went into perfect range! My INR was about 1 or 2 pts off but it was nothing of concern. The surgery will procedure and they will just monitor my labs afterwards!! I check in tommorrow morning at 6am. I am praying for a safe, uneventful surgery as well as complication free! Please internet touch and agree with me on that if you believe in prayer! Thank You all, see you on the other side of being sleeved!

I know it sucks, I went to the movie theatre and had to leave a few times in order to release these liquids! I hate crossing over people in the movies, especially, when its a good movie. I usually try to sit on the end but this time the movie was so crowded. But tommorrow is my last day of this liquid diet, well I guess its not because after surgery I will be on it for another week and a half. LOL Today has been a rough day, I dont know why im all of a sudden craving things and my head is hurting (I know its due to hunger).

Im glad that my words could be helpful to you. Definently check out your 401K plan, I was all ready to take "a loan against" mine and pay it back over the course of a few years, however, after I spoke to them over the phone they told me that I qualified for the hardship request because my reason was for medical purposes. I felt finding that out was truly a blessing for me! I mean, it is my money, but they can be so strict with how and when you can take your money. I have not had my surgery yet but I am scheduled to have mine this coming Tuesday, 9/15/09. When I went in for my preop workup, some of my labs were slightly elevated, which required me to recieve some injections, to stimulate my PT and INR values. I am scheduled to follow up with them on Monday to see if my labs have stabilized. For the life of me, im baffled, I have never had such a problem with my labs but like so many have said, nothing is an accident. I am actually at peace with whatever happens at this point. If I go in on Monday and things havent resolved maybe its not meant to be at this time or ever, who knows. But I would love to proceed with the VSG. This whole weight and weight loss surgery thing is such an emotional rollercoaster......its a constant battle. However, I will keep the boards abreast of with my surgery situation on Monday. May I ask, what happened with your lapband (reason for removal), just curious. Otherwise, I really pray that things work out for you. Maybe you can take a hardship out on your retirement. That would be great because you are not required to repay the money.:lol0: I see that you are in Cleburne, TX, where exactly is that? Im in Houston. Please keep in touch. Shanda

Hi, Welcome to the site. I am not a single mother but I am a Christian (hope you dont mind me posting). What you are dealing with is a sticky situation and I see both sides. I have battled with weight all of my life and I have been in some situations, where I have had to make choices about do I give to God or do I do x, y or z. I think you and both know the "biblical" answer to this. But the real answer comes from "what you feel comfortable doing" and can you live with your decision. I made the decision to have WLS, after loosing weight on my on several times and coming to the conclusion that I could no longer continue doing that to myself. I would just say pray, our GOD knows our heart. I took this money from my 401k and some of my savings to finance the surgery. I am taking a risk as well because I will have to be on a super tight budget and I am also planning a wedding BUT I had to prioritize based on what was important to me. Yes my wedding is important but I can marry the love of my life in a box and I would still do it, so I just decided to put my extra money towards making my health and future better for me and my future husband. Here are some option to consider: 1. Have you considered an appeal through your insurance company, many people have done that. 2. Can you take money from your retirement? I was able to take money out on a "hardship" and since it was a medical procedure that I was having, I did not have to pay the money back. (FYI- im only 27 and I figured I would have enough time to build it back up, just throwing out options). So they took a little tax from the money and had it in my acct within 10 days. I would def. advise you to pray about and ask GOD to show you what to do. Sometimes, he gives us a sign or sometimes he speaks through other people. None of us can tell you the right thing but he can, he is our provider, protector, etc. I will keep you in my prayer as well as I am going through some stress right now dealing with my procedure but I am putting it in GODs hands..... Be blessed and let us know:biggrin0:

Hi Daisy, I will know on Monday when I go to the hospital for follow up labs and to have my type and cross done. If everything is on the up and up. I will be sleeved on Tuesday @ 8 a.m. I will keep you all posted.

Congrats on getting a date and a late welcome to VST.com. We look forward to chatting with you regarding your upcoming procedure. Best of luck!

Thank You so much Oregon Rose. They say when two or more are on one accord things happen, in our favor. I believe that what you said will be true as well.

Its okay, Tiff! Sounds like you have alot to look forward to when he comes home. You are going to be one hot couple!:sad0:

Im not in your age group but congrats on getting your sleeve date. Im sure you will be very happy with your results and will be able to enjoy 20+ years of being a normal weight. Keep us posted on your progress!:tongue_smilie:

Welcome GusGus! Glad that you could join us over here, on VST.com. Thanks for sharing insight with me on the other site. Keep us posted on your progress. How are you feeling today? Is the pain gone?

From my research, most people at least say overnight. I know I was told that all of my surgeon's patients go to the ICU (as a extra precaution) right after surgery for 24 hrs, then are transferred to the regular medical-surgical floor for maybe 8-12 hours or so at least. This is mostly for safety and pain control. I was told that I would have a morphine pump directly after surgery, I guess as an outpatient they do oral pain management? I dont know. I wish you all the best in your decision/surgery.

Im glad everything worked out okay for you. Its weird how we can have things "wrong" with us and not even know it. I have not ever in my life had a nose bleed. I would think that someone with a prolonged PT/INR would have at least that. Im starting to think the test results are a fluke. LOL---really, this is bothersome and Im really worried but like we all say, all we can do is take one day at a time and hope for the best. Thanks for your kind words and sharing your experience with me.

WOW Tiff, lovely new pic/hair cute, its really stylish. So if you dont mind me asking do you have a tendency to bleed or "throw clots". Did they just place you on medication, etc? Is it all resolved for you now. Thanks for the words of concern......I am feeling kinda down right now but also in some ways I feel that whatever happens, it will be for the best. Maybe its a defense mechanism? who knows? But I would RATHER have the VSG than to continue to battle obesity for the rest of my life.:cursing:

Thank you so much KayKay! Thanks, I believe it in too and if its GODS will, which I pray and hope that it is, this will all work out. I mean everything has fallen into place so far: the financial means, getting the time off from work, having my short term disability done prior to just in case I have complications, the surgeon, etc. Thanks in advance for your prayers:biggrin0:

PT/INR measures how quickly your blot clots. If its elevated, which mine is, it takes longer to clot: hence per the labs I have a greater tendency to bleed/bruise. So basically, they dont really like to cut on your without have a close watch on those labs. I have never in my whole 27 years had anything with ANY of my labs and I just had some drawn about 2-3 months ago. This is sooo strange. Everything was going picture perfect, my blood pressure was even in the low 100s systolic, when its usually around 130.

Okay guys, I went in today to complete my preop, everything was going fine, everything at the hospital was soo nice and helpful and everything went great. The preop nurse called me back to her office and told me that 2 of my lab values were slightly elevated. These labs just so happen to be the PT and INR!!!!!! I have NEVER EVER had a problem with my labs and I am very shocked! I was almost in tears. I know that I have been doing this preop diet thing early and Im sure I have not been getting in my neccessary nutrtion, which PT and INR elevation is sometimes caused by Vitamin K deficiencies. She told me that one of the PCPs there would assess me and give me some injections. I have no other medical problems by the way. So the Dr ordered 3 days worth of Vitamin K shots:sad0:. Im a nurse, so I have volunteered to give them to myself. I am just so frustrated, I dont know what to do. I am suppose to follow up on Monday for my results and to have my blood type and cross match done. So now who knows what my sleeve future is. I am scheduled to have it on 9-15-09. Im sure I could have it at a later date, but there is only so much time off that I have allowed. This really sucks, BIG TIME! Its not horribly elevated but it should be normal prior to surgery. I have not had any abnormal bleeding or bruising, this is really strange. Since I started my preop diet early, I think I will quit now and try to increase my diet with enriched foods that will help me. Im technically not scheduled to start my preop liquids officially until Friday but I had begin a whole 2 weeks early..... P.S. I was feeling so excited because when I was in admissions at the hospital the lady told me. "You are so lucky, you are getting the surgery under the old price 12K, because now its 20K as of July 1st" Thankfully, I booked before, so I still qualified for my quoted rate. If you believe in prayer, please pray for me.:thumbup1:

Ditto to what Daisy said. In a few years, you will probably see it level out- as bypass and the band have. Once more insurance companies, start to approve the sleeve, more people will start to hear about it, I remember going to a WLS seminar and the sleeve was not even discussed. I happen to hear about it because one of my coworkers had band complications and had a revision to a VSG, when she returned back to work, she looked really good. That is how I found out about the gastric sleeve.:thumbup: