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OK, so I'm on my 5th day of my pre-op L.Q. diet, and so far so good I guess. Gets a little tiring only being able to have a few different things to drink/eat everyday. Someday's it's harder than others, like when my hubby is making himself something to eat, and the smell of it fills the house! Everywhere you look there is adds for food, on TV, and the Internet. I miss the crunchy stuff most.
 
On another note, I have lost 5 pounds so far since I started the L.Q. diet, so counting that, and what I lost on my 6 month diet (I had to do for my insurance to approve me), I have lost a total of 52 pounds! It feels great, and I went from a tight size 26 woman's to a comfortable 20/22 woman's so far. I have also lost several inches all over my body! I can't wait to get my sleeve in just 10 more days! I can't wait to be an "average" size again!
It's been over 25 years since I haven't been a PLUS size gal! I hope all you other pre-op sleever's are doing well on your L.Q. Diet too!

I had a very bad night last night, and a bit of a set back! I was doing fine most of the day, vacuumed my hardwood floor, put dishes away in my dish washer, made my bed, and even did a little laundry. I was still feeling OK, but now just a little tired. About 5:00 p.m. I made myself some beef bullion with some unflavored protein powder in it, then heated it in my microwave. I slowly drank that down over about an hours time. I started to not feel so good about 7:00 p.m. I got more and more nauseated, and started to vomit. Plus I was still having problems with my stools being very lose, and allot of gas. By 9:00 pm. I was feeling so bad, and was feeling very weak and tingly in my arms, and legs. I was feeling like I might pass out! Mind you, I am home alone as my hubby works 2nd shift! I tried not to call him at work, but by 9:00 p.m. I was getting worried that something was wrong with my sleeve, or something! I called my hubby home, and he took me in to the ER at the hospital where I had gotten my sleeve 8 days ago. They ran some test on me, gave me anti nausea meds., pain meds., and IV fluids as I was dehydrated by then. We were there 4 hours, and they said everything looked OK with my sleeve, and told me to double up on my Prilosec, and take one A.M., and one P.M. to help with excessive acid my stomach was apparently making! My doctor that did my sleeve thinks I need to give dairy a break for a bit. I don't know what happened, but I know I felt terrible! This morning I feel allot better, and I'm going to be more careful about what I eat, and try to stay away from things that say they contain MILK! I can't wait until I can add more things to my diet for some variety. Anyone else experience anything like this?

OMG!! I received approval from my insurance today!! I am sooo happy. I was in such a slump...this has been such a roller coaster so far. After being denied by BCBS of IL a few weeks ago (said I needed more documentation for my two co morbidities) I went back to my primary MD, had more labs done and resubmitted. I called the insurance yesterday and was told it was denied again because there wasn't anything new submitted. I very nicely started to ask questions about the new info we had sent...hight cholesteral, started on new med, etc. She had not seen that and started to look thru my submission again. She agreed to send an email to the doctor that decides. Today I received a call from her and the new information was enough to get it approved for the vertical sleeve. I am so happy. This just goes to prove what everyone else has said...keep trying. Surgery date won't be till around 1/13.

I'm 3 weeks post and my mother in law having dinner on Saturday. I'm wondering if i should eat a soup or mash potatoes rude to bring my own food.

All is well and being sent off to the insurance dept. for approval. Surgeon said they may have trouble getting in before end of the year. He can do it but may not have an operating room available, I told him to,just do it in the hall. Lol. He was impressed with my weight loss, that made me happy. I can even wear a smaller size underwear, yeehoo.
 
I tried some of that UnJury shake stuff and it made me gag, the chocolate wasn't so bad but every thing else I tried was awful. Going on a quest to find something better.
 
Stay tuned, it's getting closer!

So got on the scale and I was 217.8 in the middle of the night but when I woke up and got on the scales and weighed myself like normal in the am. I was 218 so I am not counting the 217.8 even though I want to so bad!!!!!!!!!!! So I have decided to take my multi Vitamin in am and pm to make sure I am doing ok on those. I have a doctor's appt. Nov 30 and I was hoping to have lost more by the time I went!! now I am stressing that I am a slacker!! lol
 
So the gym did not work out as well as I though it would I have not been for almost 2 weeks because BOTH girls had issues and could not make it and i HATE going alone. Been back going 2 days in a row....... Just get back on the horse and push hard!! I did 1.5 miles today and 2 minutes on the Elliptical. I swear I sweat more on that thing then I do on the tread mill!!
 
I had ordered a couple summer dresses for Kauai and bought them smaller then I was guessing on the size I would be. Well I tried them on last night.... 2 I love and will be perfect. 1 was tight and I was OMG its going to be awhile (it ran WAY smaller then what it said) I special ordered a pair of swim shorts I tried those on, I like and will be better 18lbs down
 
O I forgot to bring up I have been wanting my favorite Mexican food, so Marc and I went Sunday and I was so excited. We shared a meal, Marc said it was great as usual but for me after craving it for over 3 months I had 2 bites and I was so bummed it just did not taste the same!!!!!! Which in some way it was a good thing but in another I so was looking forward to enjoying a few bites of yummy food!
 
I wanted to thank everyone who has showed so much positive responses to my rambling!
 
My son will be here Nov 20 so that will be a interesting to see his reaction to my weight loss.

I have not posted in a while. I have been pretty depressed with my weight lose. I know part was my fault because I was not exercising, but I have been so tired with no energy! I finally forced myself this week to join the gym. I have my best friend and my sister join with me so if one is unable to go the other will be there sooooooooo that makes me have to go!!! I am only able to do 1.25 miles right now but that is better then nothing and OMG the elliptical is WAY!!!!!!! out of my league right now. I was only able to do 2 minutes on that.
 
I went out and bought 5 new shirts (1x size) WOOHOOO.... because my best friend told me I was starting to look like dumpy because they were getting to big on me LOL...... so I found some good sales! and teased her when I lose some more weight she will have some new shirts! I just hate to buy items when I wont be wearing them very long ( I hope!!!!!)
 
We have planned a trip in January for 10 days to Kauai!!!
I am so excited to go to Kauai, but I sit here and worry about clothes and what I will have to order because there will not be any stores that will be carrying shorts and swim suits in Dec. I dont know what size I will be and if I order items off the web will they fit, will I have to return them or what??? I don't like to order off the web much because unless you try them on you dont know how they will look or feel. Crossing fingers my goal is to be under 200 by then!
 
All I have to say, don't give up! All the other post and blogs from people about how much they lose and how fast! I think as long as I am losing even 5lbs a month is better then nothing!

Been 2 weeks 5 days since I had surgery. I am down to 230lbs total 33lbs, (12lbs down from day of surgery weight) even though when I left hospital I was up 11lbs, but how do I count re-losing that weight.
 
My mom and I went to the mountains Sat. road was a little bumpy but I did ok. I ended up pretty tired when I got home, and I have taken it easy today. I wished I had a little more energy but I figured it really has not been that long.
 
I think this weekend has been the hardest with the food, I am tired of what I been eating and nothing taste good. But do love sugar free banana flavored Popsicle's, and they only have 2 in a bag of 12..........grrrrrr
 
So my other half wants to go camping one last time next weekend........ I want to go but I am a little worried how I will do with my food. I know home I have food choices I guess I will make sure I have TONS of extra stuff around just to give me choices.
 
I start work back up tomorrow. I have to remind myself to eat. At least it will be a short work week, 3 days and then 4 hours on Friday!!
 
I know this is a short blog this week, but honestly don't have a lot to report. Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

I was not planning on doing another blog so soon but my dad stopped by, he seen me right before surgery but he was leaving town! ( I did the don't change your plans I will be fine speech) He stated "wow, I can tell sis" I know that I was down almost 20 lbs before the surgery, but seems these last 10lbs were the ones that you could start to notice more in my face and stomach!
 
Can we say roller coaster day!!!!!!! Today is the first day I felt like I had energy and the day I decide to cry at ever drop??? Go figure LOL
 
My grandma "second mom, best friend" past away in December and I wished she was here to watch this transformation she would be so happy, She never said one unkind word my whole life about my weight, but I know she worried, she herself was over weight and struggled up and down for years. You just wanna kick yourself for not doing earlier.
 
My son I miss so much, I keep telling myself at least he is not in Afgan anymore, which makes me so happy but he is stationed in Germany so far away. Sounds like he might be home in Nov. he is supppose to be stationed in the states by then. What will he say, his momma under 200lbs lol, he has not seen that in years. He sends message almost daily which does help! I get these kind of messages from my wonderful boy "awesome job momma" "way to go" "you can do it" and the usual miss you and love you ...... Got this text yesterday... what you at now ma? I told him I was 233 and I kept waiting for a reply and nothing... I was kind of bummed all the sudden my phone rang and it was HIM!!!! He was happy he decided to call me! really made my day yesterday.
 
30lbs really?????????? OMG did the lil happy dance, swear my Sissie( my lil d-o-g, that in itself is another story LOL) gave me a you are crazy look. Later in the day she layed in my lap FIRST TIME EVER!!!!!!
So a lil about Sissie, she is called a Munchkin she is about 6lbs cutest lil thing you ever seen, was a Christmas present because I was not dealing well with my son being gone. I would cry at least weekly. My other half (Marc) bought her for me. I was able to visit with her for 3 weeks before she was able to come home to us. I even slept with a blanket for a few days then took it over to her so she would sleep with my smell and get used to it(ok I know I am weird but anyone out there with a "child" pet knows what I am saying) She came home on Dec 21st. She was so tiny, her colors have changed completely I will attatch a couple different pictures of her for your viewing. Well lets just saying I would have never said in my life time my Sissie would be a child, I used to tease my mom all the time when she had her dog 13 years and would spoil it so bad! Marc and I joke all the time that Sissie is not a real d-o-g!
 
WOW can you say rambling, My family teases me all the time because we were in the car on a road trip and I was rambling on and all the sudden I said "bird" and pointed....... and then just continued my converstation like it was no big deal. Well now its a standard joke when I start rambling and change the subject with out notice, they will go Bird!!!!
 
Have a great Tuesday, I see light at the end of this big long tunnel!!
Here is a few pictures 1st is Sissie Jan 2, she shy 2 days of being 2 months old, the second is my son Ryan, third what Sissie looks like now, cutest lil girl ever!

today I weigh 189.5
 
You've got to love the sleeve!

I forgot to weigh my self yesterday AM, so I weighed myself last night I was 218 at night,(usually I am that in am and then by night I am up anywhere from 1-3lbs) and i just knew I would be at least 217 this am and was totally shocked that I was 216!... I dont know if I posted in the last one but I measure my waist and I am 3 inches smaller for a total of 7 inches!!!
 
I decided I needed a night away so my mom, sister and I are going to go stay the night at the casino/hotel Saturday, which is in town but its just the point of "getting away" kind of excited! I have decide that I will take 300.00 with me and play the dollar machines! Heck I must feel rich and skinny!~ I think its been 6 months or longer since I have been out there. We usually take 30 bucks or so out and blow that!

I had my vertical sleeve gastrectomy November 6, 2012. It's been a week...and I'm happy to report that the worst is behind me (I'm hoping!).
 
I've started a blog, My Sleeved Tummy, to chronicle my adventures while I attempt to lose weight and gain control of my life.
 
You can find my blog at:
 
www.mysleevedtummy.com
 
I hope you give it a visit! Maybe our stories are similar?
 
All the best!

Hey everyone. Long time no see! Sorry, I just have so many different things to do online that I just can't get around to them all. I still lurk around a bit but just don't have much time to post. I belong to 2 support groups on facebook that I frequent but I also just started my very own blog.
 
I've recently made a new acquaintance, Holly over at www.300poundsdown.com and during our correspondence she suggested I should start a blog. At first I did not like the idea but over the weekend I really thought about it a lot and decided maybe it's not such a bad idea.
 
So I did it. I made a blog and I was wondering if anyone would like to connect with me and get the word across. I'd like to follow anyone but other blogs as well related to WLS that use blogger/blogspot. Feel free to follow me and I'll follow right back no matter what kind of blog you have!
 
My blog is Weight Loss: My Version and the link is http://www.my-version.org

I bought my flights today... From here to Houston, hang out for a day, then Houston to San Antonio with my travel companion and then back to Houston/Georgia. Will be a whirlwind weekend!
 
I am stalking the post op forums because I want to know EXACTLY how I am going to feel for the first few days. It seems like Dr. A's patients are okay a few days out. I should be fine, but you never know, ya know? I want to be ready!
 
Being prepared eases my mind and my nerves.
 
According to the finance company they will fund around 2 weeks out, so the beginning of December. And then it'll be REALLY REAL.
 
I am weirdly enjoying the liquid diet. I cannot stand trying to decide what I can eat, what I should eat vs what i WANT to eat but shouldn't eat, what time I should eat. I just have a selection of things I've purchased and I have that and I am good to go, even at home.
 
I am about to have some soup and run some errands. I order my passport tomorrow. I need to make a list of things to buy to pack and things to have in the house when I come back. Because my parents will be in town, I am coming back to Atlanta instead of hanging out in Houston.

Sleevers!! I'm getting sleeved in Mexico on Thursday!! I'm real scared!! My mom decided that it would be a good idea to call me and put the fear of God inside me 2 days before my surgery. Ugh, have any of you guys gone to Mexico for your surgeries?! If so how was it? Did you feel safe/unsafe? Did everything go as planned with no complications? If so, what happened. Any advice and opinions would help!! I'm real scared now and I don't want to chicken out because mama decided to put all these doubts in my head, but I'm freaking out now and I don't know what to do. PLEASE HELP!!! ANYBODY!!

OK, so un-lucky me, I had to be one of the "UN-lucky" ones that had a very hard time with nausea either from the Anastasia, or the fact that my doctor had to also repair two hernia's while he did my sleeve! I had a higher up one and a belly button one too. I didn't feel to bad the day of my surgery, and thought, "Oh well, this isn't so bad"! Unfortunately the next day I was not doing so swell! I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a Mack truck, and so nauseated I just wanted to "leave my body", and go somewhere, anywhere else, but in my body right now feeling like I did. They gave me drugs to help with nausea, but it didn't help really at all. I hadn't pre-pared myself for feeling this badly! My poor husband felt so bad for me, and I could tell he wanted to help me, but there was nothing he could do for me! I thought I'd only be in for a couple days, but ended up in there from Tuesday morning until Friday morning! I got to say, I was thinking, "What did I do to myself"? That is until I got home, and felt a little better on Friday, a little more better on Saturday, and little more better on Sunday, and then woke up Monday morning feeling like a NEW women!! The nausea was completely GONE!!! Things actually smelled good again, my drinks actually tasted good again too. My wonderful nurse's in the hospital kept telling me that I would turn the corner one of these days, and start feeling better, and they were right! I went in for my post op check up, and I lost 5 pounds since day of my surgery, but I'm still swelled up, and have fluids from my hospital stay. Would I still do it if I knew then what I know now? Yes, yes I would! It will get better! I promise!

1 year ago today I was being rolled into the Operating room thinking that this is my last chance to change my life. This is the last chance I have to get healthy and make a change for the better. This is the last chance for me to for me to stop just existing and start living. Growing up I was always the largest kid. In high school I went from being a 5 foot 8 kid to being 6 foot 4 man wearing a size 15 shoe. In high school I was athletic and worked out daily. After high school my family moved to Atlanta so my sister could receive better treatment for her MS. During my time in Atlanta I started to gain weight .I was sedentary and but still eating like an athlete. My sister lost her battle with MS and it affected my family severely. I started eating and packing on pounds , and me working a call center job working second shift did not help. In early 2011 I started looking for a way to get healthy. At this point I had not been weighed in at least 3 years. I went to the doctor and stepped on the scale and it read 540 pounds. My mother started crying uncontrollably at the doctors office, she saw 540 pounds and then saw me in a grave next to my sister. That was the day I decided that I have to have WLS, I had did diets and lost weight but it always came back. I started my journey at 540 pounds with back and joint pain, High blood pressure, borderline diabetic, and un-diagnosed sleep apnea. I was able to get down to 490 the day of surgery. I am down to 330 pounds as of today with a total loss of 210 pounds. I still have about 40-50 pounds to go but I am more than happy with my results. My life has improved so much in the last year. Physically I am able to walk for 10 minutes without my back being in knots and my joints screaming in pain. I am able to get a full nights sleep and not wake up tired. No more high blood pressure, no more back or joint pain, no longer borderline diabetic. Mentally I have become a different person also. My outlook on life is positive. I have become a stronger person inside and out. I no longer let negative people or issues get me down. I was just diagnosed with MS October 15th. Usually this would get me down especially since my family has history with this disease( my deceased sister), but I just started living again, I will not let this control my future. I am not going to stop living until I am dead- and I am not dead yet. I will you leave you guys with a quote that I live by. Stay strong and stay positive everyone.
 
"Now we are the masters of our fate, That the task which has been set us is not above our strength .That it's pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance .As long as we have faith in our cause and an unconquerable will-power Salvation will not be denied us ! "- Winston Churchill

Ok here I sit counting down. And I tell you the wait is almost painful !! I go in 11-14 and do all my appointments. Labs, ekg, chest x-ray, ultrasound, barium swallow, nutritionist and psychiatric.I will expect to hear from the surgery scheduler 11-28. I am currently 5'5 267 and my surgeons goal for me is 155-165.
 
I have told some friends and co workers my plans and I almost always get the same reaction. "Are you sure. Your not that big." I chuckle a bit and ask them have you ever been this weight and most responses are uhm no. I have been big since I was younger and was actually extremely confident 30 lbs ago. Now that confidence is gone and back pain has settled in! I am excited for my journey ahead.

So I'm in the middle of my first stall. My body and I are in this fight where it wants to do one thing, I want it to do something else, and I am feeling like a newbie just out of the starting zone that stumbled in to end game content.
 
I've always been the type of gamer that loved doing the impossible. Elite mob? No problem. Group of mobs three levels higher? Easy. Explore a zone ten levels too high? I'll run right through it! I'm that person that takes the phrase "You can't do that" as a challenge, not a warning. I'll throw myself at something over and over until I do it or die trying.
 
This has been no different. I'm taking comfort in plans and spreadsheets. I've done the math to show where I'll be next month, and the month after, and the month after that. I've got the next six months of my life planned out. I'm bordering on a near-fanatical, slightly neurotic desire to catalog every little thing. Every drink, every bite of food, every pill. Leave nothing unaccounted for, ever. I'm sure in some regard that this is entirely unhealthy. You see, like most games, this one has an end, too. Everyone can tell me (and I can tell myself) all the platitudes that I've learned from start to finish - marathon, not race, journey, not sprint, lifestyle not diet... but I don't care.
 
This is my end game boss and I'm a one-person forty man raid group. I don't care how many times I wipe, how high my repair bill gets, how much screaming and yelling I have to do to get my group in to shape, this b***h is going down and going down hard.
 
Failure is not an option.

Like all epic quests, this one begins in the storied depths of history, when our heroine was just a small child...
 
And that's about the extent of the pseudofantastical writing I can muster. In all seriousness, I've always been a big kid. There's nothing new, or novel, or even remotely unique about that. I don't even remember my first diet, but I do remember this list of lined yellow paper detailing all the wonderful things I'd get if I could just slim my chubby child body to a svelte 80 pounds. Needless to say, I developed an unhealthy view of food and eating at a young age. Add on the fact that food just tasted so damned good and it was a scenario guaranteed to result in a fat adult. Lots of people live fat, healthy lives, though, so what was it that brought me to laying in a gurney with IVs in my hands waiting for a surgeon to take out 85% of my stomach?
 
Yeah, I'm going to have to think about that one.
 
I discovered my first love at an exceptionally young age, when I taught myself to read with the help of the illustrious Sesame Street. While I wouldn't know it for many years, I was (and remain) an introvert. Books filled that mental craving and it wasn't unusual for me to fall asleep surrounded by stacks of them. This love affair continues to this day, but around the time I was 6, I had an experience that would change my entire life.
 
It was at the age of 6 that I had a hands-on experience with my first computer. Some model of Apple ][, our tiny local library somehow procured one. What was even more amazing was that after a small class, they'd let you use it. What's more, use it unsupervised! I had never seen such a thing before and I would have trouble describing or explaining how entranced I was by this collection of circuits, switches, and programming. It was, in short, a kind of magic for me.
 
Around the same time arcades were exploding as the first gaming revolution took hold. I still remember the first time I was taken to an arcade by my parents. My father pressed a token in to my hand and told me I could play whatever I wanted. Any of them! All brightly lit in all their 2 and 4 bit glory with colors and sounds, it was like you could hear the synapses in my brain just fire off and those little nooks and crannies that had never been exposed were instantly and irrevokably hooked.
 
And those four things largely sum up my formative years. When I look at myself today, that is what, undeniably, has made me who I am. Without those things, I can't even imagine what my life would have been like, and I'm glad for it.

Today's post isn't about weight loss. It's about me and my husband learning to adjust to living with cats. First, you have to understand that neither he nor I are cat people. Please, let me explain. In 1997. after graduating from college, I got a dog. Bear (I didn't name him), was black lab, boarder collie mix. He was full of life and the most loving animal I have ever known. I found Bear in a local paper and when I left to go look at him, my mother's last words to me were, "DO NOT bring him home if he's nothing but a ball of energy!". So, I set off to take a look at this dog that I more than likely wouldn't bring home. All I knew was he was between three and four years old and he was a black lab mix.
 
Once I got to the home, this big bouncing ball of fur pounced out the door and on to me. All he wanted was to to be played with and loved on. There was something about him that told me I couldn't leave him there. So, after assuring the owner he was in good hands and giving my vet. references, I said the magic words, " Wanna go bye-bye?" That was it. He took off towards my car in a full stride. By the time I caught I up to him, I could see him sitting by the car door, tail wagging, and what to me looked like a smile on his face. To be honest, I felt really bad for the owner, who was in tears. I could tell she loved this dog. The only other thing I knew was that she was going through a tough divorce and that she could not have Bear in her new place. So, with another jump, he was in my back seat and we were off to my house.
 
Once home, many things became obvious. The first was that he had not come from a loving and caring home. I believe the woman did love and try to care for him, but he was scared to death of men. My father would try to play with him and he would whimper and hide. The same thing would happen if my father or anyone would try to throw food to him. Other than these signs, he was a loving, caring, empathetic creature who seemed to be very happy to be in his new home.
 
Over the years, Bear and I moved on. He watched me go on many dates and never seemed to give any of the men the time of day. If I would have a date over, Bear would stay near me, but he would never engage anyone. That is until my husband. On our first date, we ended back at my place to play Trivia Pursuit. I later found this was a test of my intelligence....thank goodness I passed. It was when Scott sat down that the strangest thing happened. Bear, jumped up on the couch and placed his head in Scott's lap. It was as thought Bear was trying to tell me to give this one a chance. To be honest, I am not sure if it wasn't for Bear if I would have even thought about going out with him again. I guess there are just somethings dogs know that we don't.
 
That brings me to 10 years later. Scott and I are living together and I am an hour away visiting my parents when I receive a text message. It's a photo of Scott holding this tiny orange kitten. Now, i wasn't too shocked as even though we are no cat people, we are humane. This kitten had been outside in the cold for awhile. We had been feeding it and even gave it a safe, warm place to sleep. Apparently, that wasn't good enough. While my husband was getting firewood, this kitten decided to walk right inside, past the dog, and jump up on the couch and take a nap. Despite my attempts to find a home for him, he seemed to nudge his way in our lives and hearts. It took a little longer for Bear to be as open with him but once they learned to live together, things were fine.
 
Then, a year later, my husband and I are watching T.V. when we hear what sounds like a baby screaming. Because at the time, we lived in a not so nice place, we allowed the sound to go on for a few minutes. When we knew it wasn't going to stop, it dawned on us that it wasn't a child but a kitten making this heart wrenching noise. Sure enough, when we opened out front door, we found a kitten, around four to five weeks old. It had been thrown down the steps to our door. In the process, it had broken it's leg, busted three teeth, and peed itself. Needless to say, we couldn't allow it to suffer. So, as i went to get food for the little thing, my husband (a trained EMT), reset the kitten's leg and wrapped it. Bear became very protective of Bandit (the new cat) from the moment she came in our house. I think he knew she was abused and he remembered what that was like. Bear refused to leave her side and though he was too old to jump up on the bed to lay next to her, he did stand guard next to the bed. Every time she would jump down to use the bathroom or explore, Bear was right there to watch out for her.
 
Then a year later, when Bear was 19 1/2, yes you read that right, he passed away from a brain tumor. When we brought home his ashes, Bandit curled up next to him and refused to leave his side. She became his protector and it was obvious she missed him. This was the most heart wrenching and loving thing I have ever seen.
 
Now, all that was to tell you this. Though my husband and I are not cat people, these two cats really did help us through the loss of our dear friend, Bear. However, it is times like this morning where I wonder if maybe we should have tried a little harder to find another home for them. Let me explain.
 
It's 3am. My husband and I are all cozy asleep in bed when Hunter (the orange cat) decided he wants to walk on us and kneed us. In my half awake state, I move him down towards my feet and begin to fall back asleep. I can feel him walking on the bed again, but since I'm almost back in REM state, I don't really care. Then I hear it. The blood curdling screams from the man I love. Apparently, Hunter, decided to use my husband's chest as a scratching post. Trust me, it's bad enough to be scratched by a cat but it's even worse when you're dead asleep and get woken up by razor sharp nails digging into your chest and face. The words I hear coming from the half asleep man next me are too risque to type here, but I am sure you can all get an idea of what he said. So, as my husband gets out of bed to care for the gashes in his chest and face, I have to smile. Not becasue my husband was hurt, but becasue I know that with out these two animals in our lives, I am not sure how we could have ever handled Bear passing away as well as we did. It's funny, we thought we were saving them, but in reality, they saved us......now if I could just get them to behave more like dogs we'd all be happier and my husband would be less scared.
 

 

 

So the treadmill test was the test I was most worried about because I'm seriously not a runner at all. I had my test today so I thought I'd share how it went and what happens to maybe allay some fears. I think the not knowing is half the problem.
 
So I scheduled first thing in the morning, I recommend this so you're not waiting for the people who came in before you to get done. The wait doesn't help my anxiety level. I walked right in to the reception and within 5 minutes I was talking to my technician. Originally, I was crabby because it was a guy and I'm already self conscious. He was great though in spite of telling me that I have short legs and that would make it harder to walk quickly on the treadmill. We talked about the hospital and what I like (the people) and what I hate (their central scheduling/epic software/etc). I was told to wear a baggy shirt and some pants you can really walk in. I was also told not to eat the morning (or 6 hours before the procedure). He lifted my shirt (i still had my bra on), swabbed the places he was going to put the adhesive things that would hold the ekg wires to my body (my first roll and just below my bra) to give a good reading as I laid down on the gurney. They were sticky (obviously) but when they came off they didn't hurt like...oh say duct tape. So between the banter he's telling me about the process. I get my blood pressure taken (which was high for me but not high).
 
So here's the deal, after you're all wired up they put a belt (this belt fits don't worry about it not fitting) on you so that the wires and such don't pull off when you're walking. The blood pressure cuff stays on pretty much throughout and they periodically test your blood pressure throughout. They did not use the automatic one, I'm pleased w/ this because I honestly never have a good reading from those things. It's either really high or no blood pressure at all. So you get off the gurney and on the treadmill, mine didn't have sides, it had a bar you have to hang on to. The overall program is that it steps up both the incline and the speed until your heart reaches it's target rate. In my case, I'm 30 and it's 180 i think (don't quote me). You get on, the treadmill goes immediately to 10% incline and 1.7mph. I think every 2 minutes or so it raises the speed and I think the incline. This isn't some slight increase in speed It goes from 1.7 to 3.2 to 3.7 to 4.2, if your tech is paying attention he might just warn you which helps tremendously, I ended up at a 14% incline. The test goes on as long as you feel you can tolerate or reach the heart rate they want you to reach. The tech said usually people last between 5-8 minutes. I'm not sure if he was saying that to make me feel better but I did make it to 8 minutes. I told him straight out that I can walk up but not fast.
 
The cardiologist came in when I was about to start the test and watch my ekg. He blabbed about his sons gym class and after I got to 3.2 i was not sharing in any conversation because I was huffing and puffing. It's fine though I think the atmosphere left me feeling like i wasn't being watched to fail and "look at the fat girl try to move...." Overall it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. I was worn out but the doctor said he felt that I could probably have gone on longer. I didn't argue it but I seriously, I couldn't have done 4.2 mph, that's closer to running. It's just so uncomfortable to try moving my body that fast. The doctor said he felt I was very healthy and because I've been walking 3 days a week it has helped me keep my heart healthy. All done.
 
 
Within 30 minutes I was out the door and on my way.

Well I joined Curves last week. I've gone before but lacked motivation. This time I have a new attitude and am motivated. The local Curves has a new owner and sure makes it more enjoyable. It just feels good to get moving and not sleep all the time.

It took a while finding a surgeon who would do my surgery, I guess I'm a high risk. (Who would have thought). Lol
 
I am getting the sleeve, then hopefully a pancreas bypass. I have had many abdominal surgeries but this one I'm kinda looking forward to.
 
I was so thankful to find a doctor with a sence of humor, I told him all the problems I had and he just kept saying arggg. Then he looked at my scar and I told him there was mesh underneath, arggg again. Lol
 
The shrink you liver diet isn't so bad, but the lack of caffeen is giving me a headache, and an upset stomach adjusting to no carbs. I was surprised when it took a while for my sugar to come down to normal range, but I'm not normal is what my friends tell me. Lol
 
All for now, next appt in Mid October for psyche and weigh in.

I walked the dogs just now, noticed the mail on the washer on my way out. It was an envelope from aetna.....my letter of appeal has been approved. I'm so relieved.