picardy3

My mom has been with me for almost a week and she went home today. :cry It's been soooooo nice having someone here with me but I knew she would have to leave eventually. Now I get to take care of myself. :faint: It's getting easier to drink my Water and Protein drinks. I think yesterday was the first day I actually hit 60 grams of protein. I'm already halfway there for today. The water is a bit harder because I just don't feel thirsty, but I have my water bottle beside me and I sip, sip, sip. The gas pains are getting better but I'll be really happy when they are GONE!!!!!!!! :clap2: (soon I hope?????) Well, I'm off to entertain myself. Audra

I've pm'd one of the mods in hopes that the title can be changed. It didn't dawn on me how it sounded until GeezerSue pointed it out. So sorry if it upset anybody. Audra

GeezerSue, Thanks for your post. I changed the title so that it does not look so "ominous". Audra

PNut and Paulax, Yeah, my mom is my best bud. We do everything together. I will eventually get use to being by myself again, but I was really enjoying the be waited on hand and foot. :biggrin1: Audra

I've been drinking the EAS Carb Advantage chocolate Fudge for the past year and I've added the unjury unflavored and strawberry Sorbet in the past week. I've used Protein drinks for quite a while so I really don't have too much of a problem with any of them.

I can't wait to be in a size 10 - 12 dress. It will make me the same size as my mother. We haven't shared clothes since I was in the 6th grade. Audra

I am so glad that I went home that evening. I couldn't wait to get out of there. I was ready to go at 2:00 pm but they didn't want to let me go just then due to a couple of the incisions oozing blood. Audra

Thanks Roberta! I'm actually feeling a bit human today. I've added the thicker liquids to my diet and that seems to make a difference. I had dry heaves last night. I so hate throwing up but even 4 doses of my nausea medication didn't stop it. Nothing came up. Mom said it sounded like really big bad burps, but boy did it HURT! Went to bed about 8:30pm (actually slept in my bed last night, AHHHHH) and I'm moving a bit more today. Had a BM this morning too. Never thought that would feel so good. And I'm actually beginning to feel hunger pains again, at least I hope that's what I'm feeling. We shall soon see! Audra

Alex, I'm so glad to hear the good news. And I can't imagine drinking 16 oz of the barium stuff. I just had my first taste of that nasty stuff on Monday after my surgery and I don't even want to think about drinking any more of that than what I had then. BIG YUCK! Just glad you got some good news! Audra

I'm glad to be home, but it seems that the gas pains and nausea have both hit at the same time. It's been about 24 hours since I came home and now I'm begining to feel like crap. I'm walking, sipping, chewing gas-x, you name it, but I feel like I have a hard ball sitting on top of my stomach. I will be excited when this nasty feeling goes away. Audra

Randy, I also have BCBS (TRS Active Care 2) and when I was in admitting getting everything set up I was told that my out of pocket expenses would be no more than $2000 due to my deductible and a surgery expense cap. I had to pay $325 deposit and they said that I would be billed for the rest. So now I'm waiting to see if BCBS pays exactly what I was told they would pay. Did they give you any information regarding the cost when MsJoy was admitted? I know that they do different things with different plans, so I'll keep you and MsJoy in my thoughts and prayers that this will work itself out. Audra

Angelu, I know how you are feeling! When I got the hospital Monday morning my legs were shaking so bad I could barely walk in the door. The staff put me at ease and my experience has been great. This was my first surgery EVER and I really didn't know how I would react. I remember them giving me the happy cocktail and being told that I would feel sooooooo good. I remember scooting over from the bed to the table and then having them put an oxygen mask over my face. That's the last thing I remember until they woke me in recovery. The first thing I asked was "Am I banded? Did it really happen?" They just smiled and said "Yes, you breezed right through." Mom told me that Dr. Smith said everything was textbook perfect and that it went exactly as he had planned. I'll be thinking of you today as I sip my Water, Protein drinks, broth, and the lovely pain meds. Audra

I got to the hospital about 8:30 this morning and things went on from there. They drew blood for two more tests, brought me two medications, and then we waited. I ran to the bathroom about three times in the hour that I had to wait. In fact, they came for me while I was on my last trip. We left that room and went to pre-op where they inserted my IV and FINALLY the happy meds. They then rolled me into the OR, I moved over to the table, they placed an oxygen mask over my face and the next thing I remember is waking up in recovery. Morphine is a wonderful drug! I was in recovery from around 11:30 when they woke me up (could have been earlier) until around 1:15 when I went for the barium swallow to make sure that there were no leaks. Barium = YUCK! From there I went back the day surgery room where I finally got to drink something. About a shot glass of water. Then I had 1oz of chicken broth, 1oz of apple juice, and 1oz cube of sugar free jello. YUM!!!!! They told me that as soon as I went to the bathroom I would be able to go home. Did that but then had a dose of Lortab pain elixer and since my wounds were oozing quite a bit, I didn't get to leave right away. I finally got to leave about 5:15 pm because day surgery was closing for the day and if I didn't go home at that point I would have to go back to recovery. So mom packed me up and away we went. Got home, made a few phone calls, had bit of Isopure protein drink, a bit of water, more pain meds, and now I'm ready to sleep again. I'll check in again later. Audra

I'm off to eat my last yogurt and prepare for bed. I will check in as soon as I feel up to facing a computer. Less than 12 hours and I get to join bandland. Night all! Audra :notagree

Dody, These Yoplait yogurts that they are talking about are really good. They have one that is lemon pie flavored and the other day I found the Yoplait Whipped yogurt that is Lemon Merengue Pie flavored and to me was exactly like eating the real thing. Lemon pie in any shape, form, or fashion is my absolute favorite dessert, next to chocolate of course. They also make a chocolate cherry whipped yogurt that is like eating chocolate covered cherries. I have one of those that I'm saving for the last minute tonight so it will be the last flavor I taste before surgery in the morning. Audra

Good luck Jen! I know you won't see this until after, but I'm right behind you. I have to be there at 8:30 Monday morning. Mom came in today and we're getting the last minute things done so we don't have to worry about anything from Monday on. Ok, group, it's April and the countdown has begun! Audra

Dana, I'm hypothyroid too and I keep up with what those levels should be as well. :biggrin1: I'm always asking about numbers for everything and my doctor really doesn't mind. At least if he does, he doesn't show it. I'm also lucky in that my doctor doesn't mind letting me ask questions and make suggestions about things that I would like to try or where I would like my levels to be. If he's really against something I suggest, he gives me his reasons why he wants something else rather than what I'm asking, which is fine with me since it shows me that he has researched as well and it's just an option I had not explored completely. I really think he likes having an informed patient because we can really discuss what's going on with my body, and who should know better about what's going on but me. :confused: My mom is coming in Saturday so that will help alot with the stress level. We'll get caught up on lots of stuff, watch movies, hang out, clear a path from the sofa to the bed to the bathroom (don't ask, I have school stuff, grad school stuff, and odds and ends stashed in places so that I can do things when I'm out). Pre-op diet is fine but I did sniff the bread aisle at Super Target this afternoon. Boy did it smell good! Audra

Dana, Don't feel dumb about the hA1c, most people don't unless they're a diabetic. It's a test that measures the three month average of the glucose in your bloodstream. Diabetics should have this test every three months to make sure that they are on track with their treatment. If I remember correctly an hA1c for someone without diabetes is between 4.0 - 5.5 (it's been awhile since I looked at the numbers). Most doctors like for a person with diabetes to be at or below 6.5 (or pretty close to it) My doctor prefers this number for me, so will everything that's been happening in the past two months, mine should be lower than 6.5 (if I'm lucky). I have members in my diabetes support group who had an hA1c over 12.0 when they were diagnosed. Now let's just hope I sleep over the next three days and not stay up with excitement. Audra

I got the time for my surgery today. 8:30 am is when I am supposed to be there. I was originally supposed to be there at 5:30 am but after a few minutes of looking at the schedule the pre-op nurse changed the time. My mother will be thrilled!!!!! Now we don't have to get up at 3:30 am in order to get our acts together. We can sleep in until 6:30 am!!!!!!!:notagree Monday is only 3 1/2 days away and I can't believe it's getting here so fast. It began to hit me this morning. On the way to pre-op, my radio station previewed a new song off Rasqual Flats new album and it was so sad and touching that I almost lost it on the way to my pre-op. Then actually walking into the hospital and going to admitting was HARD! It meant that this was really about to happen. I didn't begin to calm down until I made it back to the pre-op nurse. Everyone who ran tests was so nice and explained everything to me. I'm one who always asks questions, mostly because the machines fascinate me and I want to know what they are doing and how they work. Turns out that I'm not their typical pre-op patient. I actually knew some of the things they were going to run tests for. They couldn't believe that I knew what an hA1c is, that I test my glucose 5 times a day, and take my blood pressure reading every morning. Everytime someone came in to do something or ask me questions, Susan, the nurse, bragged on me. :confused: That really helped calm the fear a lot. Just knowing that things were looking good and that there was nothing else going on with me was a relief. The only thing that I wasn't happy about was the weigh-in. I've been on this diet for two weeks now and even though I'm retaining a bit of water since my period starts next week, their scale was 6 pounds HIGHER than mine at home. I just have to remind myself that scales LIE and that all scales are DIFFERENT. :frusty: I do better when I put on clothes and can see that they are fitting differently, not when I step on a scale. I think I now have everything that I could possibly need for after surgery. If not, I'll take stock when mom gets here and then we'll make one last run to the store. :wow2: Somebody pinch me! This is really gonna happen! :faint: Audra Oh, and Dana, I'm no longer a hungry raving lunatic. I just hate it when my brain knows that I can't have something so it decides to torture me with hunger pains because it knows I can't do a @#$%$# thing about it.

Oh, and why is it that once you know your not allowed to eat anything after a certain time that you suddenly became a raving hungry lunatic that's looking for something to eat???????? :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: At least that's the way it always works with me. Audra

Dana, I think of you often and your 30 day liquid diet. But just think of the reward in the end for staying with it. :whoo: :first: :first: :first: Keep it up. You'll make it! Audra

I've got pre-op in the morning!!!!!!!! (please notice that I'm using my sing-song happy voice :lalala: ) Now to remember nothing after midnight. Audra

Jen, I learned a long time ago that the grandparents I have left are the crazy ones and now that I'm older, I really don't let it get to me anymore. I know what my accomplishments are and what I'm capable of doing. They are the ones who missed out on a terrific granddaughter. Fiona, Yes, it is only five days away and I can't believe it. Things are really beginning to pick up steam here. I have no idea if I've lost anything on this pre-op diet because it's PMS week and I retain water like crazy. It will be like a dam burst when my period actually starts. Of course my scale could be totally off too and I have no idea what I actually weigh. Audra

Sarahv, I've done plenty of fasting bloodwork before, I just wasn't sure about this one since my instruction sheet doesnt' say. If it is, I need to make sure they do it pretty soon after I get there so I can have something to eat. I'm more concerned about this one due to my pre-op diet. I'm eating very little carb and I'm beginning to experience a few more "lows" due to my diabetes. Glucose tablets have become my new best friend. Thanks! Audra

For those of you who did blood labwork in the pre-op testing before surgery, was it fasting bloodwork? I know when I go to my PCP for my bloodwork there it is always fasting. I've emailed one of the nurses at my surgeon's office, but I haven't heard back yet. Just curious and I don't want to screw anything up. Audra