blondebomb

I'm going on 11 months out in another wk or so..I started using a straw I avoided it till a few months ago. I know it sounds crazy but I easily blow thru it first a little then inhale to me (maybe I am just rationalizing to myself or what have ya) but it works. I get more fluids in using it. and yes I do drink my caffeine coffee in the morning ...2 cups. I am not human till I get it..lol..I drink Decaf the rest. and due to enlarged goiter behind thyroid (knot in my throat) and sjograns dryness in mouth and slower muscle movement in my esophagus I sip some during meals. I drink all day long but yes I drink a little before during and after its just not much I have to to get it down. no carbonation! I never will. that's my confessions!!

Jenifer,
I am so sorry to hear this. I will be thinking about you and your husband. You are such an asset to this site. We will miss you, but I know you are going to be there 100% for your husband. Best of luck to you both.

So the battle with insurance begins. Like it's not enough we must emotionally and physically deal with all of this.
I have to share this one with you: Immediately following Dave's first colonoscopy, where the Dr. could not complete it due to a blockage caused by the tumor, Dave was (while still under anesthesia) sent in for a CT scan. An emergency deemed by the Dr. So of course there was no time for a pre-certification of the test. Besides, it was after hours for the insurance company.
The insurance company sent us a letter telling of a $100 penalty for lack of pre-certifying that test. We have sent an appeal for that issue. Since then we have set up a PET scan, necessary to determine Dave's chemo plan. The Dr.'s office sent in all the appropriate information to pre-certify for the PET scan. So the insurance company DENIES the PET scan due to the fact they say we need a CT scan FIRST. HE HAD THE CT SCAN, THE ONE THEY PENALIZED US FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, the same company. We re-submitted all the information, INCLUDING the scan results AND their OWN letter regarding the penalty!! In the meantime, Dave has been put off the schedule for his scan. Who knows how long he will need to wait to get it done. STAGE 4, PEOPLE! How urgent is urgent?
SORRY. To rant is good, methinks. Need to vent. I hope they get their act together, soon. The chemo hasn't even started yet. And those treatments are anywhere from $8000 to $15000...EACH. And he needs at least 12. It's not like cancer is a new disease, or the treatment for it. Why don't they have this all figured out? We have been using this insurance company for over 25 years. Maybe time for a change.....
Your heartfelt prayers and thoughts are so much appreciated. I feel their power lifting me up, for I surely am not doing it by myself! In spite of acquiring c. diff., Dave is back at work, feeling "100 percent", and is healing nicely after the port was put in on Wednesday.
One thing learned, that will help ALL who heed: Take each day by itself. Don't bring on tomorrow's problems onto today's shoulders. Today is only equipped to handle TODAY. Don't worry about tomorrow, it will take care of itself. It tells us this in the Bible, and it is TRUE. Yes, I can worry about how long Dave will live, how much suffering we will ALL encounter, the worries of all that is to come....but it doesn't help. I have found that if, indeed, all I focus on is what is for THIS day, I CAN deal with THIS day. So I try not to think too much on the tomorrows. I still plan for the appointments....but I don't FOCUS on them.
Staying with this plan of day-to-day living helps me deal with the sadness and other emotions of cancer. I don't HAVE to be sad today, I'll save that for when the day IS sad. I don't NEED to be ANGRY today, it is a beautiful, fresh day with no bad things presenting themselves to me at the moment. Dave is happily patrolling with his boss, I am going into the garden to plant, laundry will be hanging on the line, chicken will be roasting in the oven.
One moment, one day at a time. Enjoy it with me.....

Newest update: Dave had his chemo port put in today, with no issues. He begins chemo on Tuesday. It will be 3 treatments for 3 days, then 11 days off for recovery, for a total of 6 sets. Sometime during that time-frame, he will be carrying treatments with him, constantly being infused. Then, if it does what it is supposed to do, he will undergo yet another attempt at surgery, to remove the tumor on the colon, plus any cancerous areas within the abdominal cavity.....
He will have a PET scan this coming week to try and determine where the other cancers are located, then they can "aim" the chemo treatments and radiation at those. While he undergoes the surgery, they will use radiation while he is opened, to "kill" the cancer that is unseen by the human eye. I am learning SOOOO much about this! This type of surgery is done by ONLY ONE surgeon in the U.S., and ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD HIMSELF, this man is located in our area of Spokane, WA!!!!!!!! Coincidence? I just DON'T think so!
Then he will undergo 3 more months of chemo, to kill what may be left of the cancer. So a VERY long road, a VERY trying time to come. I'm in it for the long haul, because this is very promising. And I KINDA like my guy!!!!! We have hope, and for that I am eternally grateful.
Because of Dave's health (great-other than cancer!!!) and physical fitness (great) and age (a YOUNG 53!!!!), he has a lot going for him with this plan.
Today we started the fight. And with the POWER, GRACE, and LOVE of our MIGHTY Lord Jesus, we will fight the good fight! With all of you prayers, we are stronger than ever. Did you know we have folks from ALL over the country weighing in on this fight?!!!!!! I cannot. CANNOT thank you all enough for what you are doing, I am sincerely HUMBLED. I am sincerely GRATEFUL. AND. I love you all! Bless you, people!

@@CanyonBaby,
I am so sorry to hear that your husband is ill. my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
We will be here when you are ready.
God bless you!

@@CanyonBaby
Pray boldly! Remember there are many prayer warriors on this site, keeping you and your husband in prayer. I know God will help you through this, I am so sorry that you must endure such a hardship. My heart is with you, take care of yourself and your beloved husband.

I hope he makes a full recovery and we are all praying for you here.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Good morning, You and your family are in my thoughts. Please continue to do the best you can to stay strong and do whats best for you and your husband. You take care, we'll be here when you come back ????

@@CanyonBaby
My heart is heavy thinking about you after reading this post. My hope is the love you have for your husband, prayer and support will give you the strength to take on this unfortunate challenge in life.

Jennifer, take care of your husband; take care of yourself...we'll be here.

Well folks, it's not good news. My husband, Dave, has stage 4 colon cancer. It has been a very rough day. They will not remove the tumor until chemo has settled the rest of the cancer down, then they will consider removing the tumor. We are in total shock, obviously. Now the real work begins. The praying never stops. The true love of friends is revealed, and peace WILL fall over us all.
We thank ALL of you for your prayers and kindly thoughts, for being there. Now I MUST dig inside and find enough strength to help him through this, to carry him as he has carried me through all the hard times that have come before.
Right now it seems things are about to get crazy, so I will be pulling back from answering on this site. I will try to post updates as time permits, but please understand this is all so draining. We are SOOOOO touched by all of your support, you may never know what it really means to us. We ask that you keep praying for us, every prayer is heard.
God bless you all, safe journeys, everyone......
Jenifer

Stalls are real. The body may be pausing before resuming weight loss, but they do happen. All these people that stall around 3 weeks post op, on 500 calories, aren't making it up or making excuses.

There is one essential component that you left out. The body adapts to the reduced calories, and if too severe a reduction starts conserving energy in order to preserve life. I think it is natural to stall even if doing everything right. Our bodies adjust and then we start losing again.

I sometimes take tiny sips with meals because my mouth gets dry very easily (even when I'm past my Fluid goal!), and I drink with a straw because it's easier to take in less air for me. I'm following everything else (calories, Protein, etc). Eating for twenty minutes and then sitting an hour after a meal with no liquid at all makes my throat too dry and gives me a hacking cough that turns into heaving, so it was a choice I had to make.
I decided I had to do what I needed to do in order to prevent myself from getting to that down point. I'm losing weight, not as fast as I'd like (also hitting that three week stall), but I'm doing good, I think. Meeting goals, dropping weight, and losing inches with ease.

I'm three weeks post op. It's been amazing to me how much hunger is in my head!!! Even when I'm completely full, my head is saying just take one more bite... try to distract yourself, get up, move around, find something to do. When your head is focused on something else you'll forget about it BC you really aren't hungry. Hardest thing for me has been grocery shopping!!! Although I am on a hugely restricted diet, I still have a family that has to eat! Either I want to buy everything, (BC it's in my head) or I want to buy nothing. It's def a struggle but it's getting better every day. Good luck!!

I had gerd for yrs prior..still took nexium for about 5 months after been off since I use alternative remedies for this and doing fine but I also eat a clean diet, no carbs I eat mostly Protein and use raw sugar if anything along with stevia..it has worked for me..we eat organic as much as possible. I do take liquid supplements where their available..suppliment will be required or at least till you get po and able to eat balanced. I also only use coconut oil and olive oil and my insides Iv not had issues. I eat raw pecans and cashews (not till I was free to expand diet) daily and it has fixed the IBS/constipation issue which I had the past 30 yrs but used Seneca and Miralax in shakes or Water for first 3 to 4 months. I luv my tool the sleeve..no rerouting just body does have to get used to some changes I would do it in a heartbeat best thing I ever did for myself and health! My body thanks me! Lol

Any surgery No guarantees..for me Iv had over a dozen..this one saved me...have several medical conditions some are gone. Sick and tired of being fat...watching life pass by..no more! Yes it was a little rough first several months..but manageable. I would do it again in a heartbeat! Down over 100 pds in first 8 months (or around there) stuck to protocol..all pros here! ????

You're always going to find people that can't get past the stigma of WLS. Even somewhat intelligent people like doctors.
Yes, it's a tool. Just like I need a hammer to pound a nail into the wall to hang a picture as opposed to using my hand, WLS was the correct tool I needed to make the job work for me. Just like the hammer is the correct tool to pound the nail.
I pounded that nail with my hand for 30 years, but just couldn't quite get the job done. Now I am 15 pounds away from goal, and now I at least have fighting chance of keeping it off this time with the tool I know I needed. If you use it the way it's intended, you will get the results you want. Like getting that picture of your new healthy, slimmer self hung on your wall by using a hammer

When I woke up from surgery, the first thing that came into my mind was "what the heck did I just do?" It gets better. Breathe, take care of YOU, and go along with the process. The first several weeks postop are hard because you are learning to do everything all over again. It will get better.

Most people do at your stage. The first month or so pretty much sucks. Each day, week, and month that go by you will start to feel more "normal" again and on top of it you will have lost weight, so the regret goes away Are you on a PPI for your heartburn? I was on major PPI's and had to be on full liquids for 6 weeks after surgery becuase of severe GERD. 9 months later, I'm still on a PPI but don't get heartburn too often anymore. I have more of a regurgitation problem when I eat too much. I really hope they can help you with your heartburn.
And yes, I had major regrets being on liquids for 6 weeks and problems with GERD. I just wanted to EAT SOMETHING!!

I've learned that I can now control food vs it controlling me.

Well, I guess guys are a little different from women. One day I just decided that I needed to do something and I started to look at my options. I found out about the lapband and I looked for a Doctor and thats basically it. It took me then 2 weeks from the first day I called Andres till the date of surgery.
Well thats how my pre op went.
I just want to say, Hang in there Alexandra it's all going to be worth in once you see the first 10lbs fall off!

Pros:
I am no longer fat.
I have more energy than I have in decades.
I can do mud runs, zip lines, zumba, ride horses (scared of them, but I could), ride amusement park rides, etc.
I can shop anywhere.
I am no longer the fattest person in the room.
I can grocery shop without feeling self conscious.
I can fit in theater seats, airplane seats, down aisles without feeling squished or squishing others.
I can eat whatever I want, I rarely WANT junk and when I do, I eat very little.
I am a cheap date. (See above.)
food no longer rules my life.
I could truly go on forever...

Cons:
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<crickets>

Don't go by other people, it will only make you feel worse. Everyone is different. If you're stuck talk to your nut. They can recommend things to increase or decrease. Use my fitness pal to log everything. It's a great tool