Kat Crowder

carriecat, I don't think it's ever the best thing to do to keep your mouth shut when it comes to telling health/condition stuff with your surgeon or anesthesiologist. Are you able to function today, or are you completely laid up with the pain? Try icing it? And/or do some gentle stretches?

The Alexian Brothers support groups actually meet at the Kane Center in Hoffman Estates, and cost $10 each. Here's the info: http://www.suburbansurgicalcare.com/seminars/support-groups/

Ebonyj, what are you doing for painkillers, and have you tried warm liquids (like the unjury chicken soup)? I know we're straying off topic here, but I find my sleeve cramps more if the liquid is cold, and if my tylenol or vicodin has worn off. The colder the liquid, the worse it is. I tend to let everything cold get to room temperature, or mush the jello around in my mouth til it warms up. The popsicle liquid seems to warm up before it goes down, too. But I was sleeved on 5/21 and doing well with my shakes, Soup, popsicles, and jello. Not much on the scale yet, but I still feel post surgical gassy and bloated. I had a major operation 6 days ago, I'm going to expect my body to take a while to get better.

Sounds great! I know it feels like the date will never come, but it does! You're already on the way to losing your weight!

That's great! My parents have been really good, too - my dad told me how courageous I am, and that he understands all the good reasons for doing it, but still thinks it's a brave decision to do this for myself and my health. I'll take the compliment.

For the life of me, I can't seem to pass it, and they won't discharge me until they're sure that my bowels are working. Except for this, I've been ready to go since Tuesday (op was 8:30 a.m. on Monday). I know the drill - walk, walk, walk, sip, sip, sip. I've never wanted to fart so much before in my life! Every doctor and nurse who comes to check on me has to marvel at my single site, though. I feel really lucky to have been able to get one of those. Incision through the belly button, one puncture higher up for the liver retractor, and the rest pretty smooth tummy skin. Ah, vanity.

At 5:45 a.m., gas was passed, and there was much rejoicing.

Thanks, all. I'm still stuck in the hospital, as I've yet to pass gas. I'm on clear liquids still, only on Tylenol for pain. I just want to go home, but I have to fart first. How obnoxious!

Sleepy, a little low on oxygen, but otherwise doing well. I've already backed down on the frequency of pain meds, and its only been a few hours. Inhaling in my spirometer, spitting up gunk. I'm ready to walk!

I'm feeling pretty good, but they're keeping me in the hospital until I can pass gas. So I walk walk walk rest rest rest rest sip sip sip sip over and over. Wanna go home!

So great to hear you're approved!

Leaving for the hospital in an hour, surgery scheduled for 2.5 hours from now. The time for a new beginning is here!

I'm with you, FatGirlSlim!

Wow, you're dealing with a handful, aren't you! *hugs* It sounds like you're making a great effort to take care of yourself, you're finding out important things about your body, and it's moving slowly forward. I think aiming for surgery by the end of the year is reasonable, and not too accelerated that you won't keep getting frustrated as things change. I don't know anything about Graves disease, so I can't help you there, but I love your outlook in the last paragraph. Vent to us all you want, This is a great place for it! -Kat

If they haven't submitted you for insurance, there's not much benefit with sticking with BCBS for the surgery. Are your other costs (deductible, out-of-pocket, etc.) the same between the two? I'm really not happy with your office manager from what you've said, and if she's pushing the two procedures, do you know how many sleeves your surgeon has done? Is he the only surgeon in the area? If you haven't gone through any insurance hoops, you may want to consider looking around on the surgeon score, as well. I know it's a lot to think about with your open enrollment date ending Wednesday, but we're here to bounce your ideas off of! With the odd wording of BCBS DE, all else being equal Aetna might be the way to go, even if you're delayed on your surgery until July. A little delay for a positive outcome is an acceptable thing.

*hugs* I'll be a day ahead of you! I'm not sleeping well myself (just got up at 3am) with the nerves. We'll do great!

I'm on May 21, and although I know it's the right thing, I'm still scared and nervous. Am I really going to the hospital and saying, "Please cut out most of my stomach"? It's going to make such a difference to our long term physical and mental health, though. It's empowering to take this step for myself - it's a hard decision, and I've made it, and of you're like me, you've been over it a million times and you know it's best. It is scary, and it's going to be tough, but we're all here for each other. This place is the best!

Thrilling!

How awesome!!!

Congrats! :-)

Good luck! You're an hour ahead of me, I'm going in at 6:30 a.m. Monday. Race you! :-)

Thanks, petal. Sounds like things are going well for you. I've been watching a lot of videos of the surgery, and it looks a lot easier when the liver is solid and small. It makes sense that carb and fat starvation cause your liver to release its stores of glycogen, but how fast that happens and how fast it reconverts is something I don't know about. We'll see what my doc says today. I'm not in the mindframe that he's going to suggest I reschedule now, so I hope that's the right spot.

I have been a bad girl on my liquid pre-surgical diet. I'm forgiving myself for all 3 of my cheats and moving on, I'm going to do these last 6 days right! I had an excuse for the first one. After starting on Monday, I had my pre-op testing on Tuesday a.m. and an ultrasound on Tuesday p.m., so fasting with no liquids from 7:30 until 10am, then downing a quick shake and nothing more until after my ultrasound at 4:30. I was soooo hungry, and I got sushi. No biggie, one cheat at the beginning, get right back on that horse. Saturday I went to the amusement park, and I brought protein powder with me, but left it in the locker while we went on rides, so I went 6 hours without anything to eat, after getting up late and only having had one shake that day. I was grouchy and hungry and went to Red Lobster. It was really tasty. Yesterday I had no excuse whatsoever. I just wanted to have nacho cheese fries from KFC/Taco Bell. I made sure I had a shake so I wasn't hungry, I made sure I didn't have time to get any before exercise class, I had a great exercise class and was feeling good about myself - but I _still_ went and got the cheese fries. This is a mindset problem that I really have to kick. In the past, I've routinely eaten out in combination with other errands, and it's rare that I wouldn't get something if I'm out. "I have an appointment here, then I can eat at this place," or "I have an appointment there, then I can eat at that place." That can't be my reward or my treat anymore. I'm blogging this because I've been afraid and ashamed to admit my cheats "out loud". But it happened, it's over, and I'm going to do better in the future.