Hey everyone going through Kaiser Richmond!!

Where are you in the process?

Work and friends are DEFINITELY 2 different things! Abd surgery is fine, just tell them it's a hernia. My sister had hernia surgery Feb 4th and she has 4 lap incisions that look almost like mine! And her healing was about the same too.

Liz will give you a bunch of stuff at your pre-op classes and the CD will be one of them. I'm not really a meditator but the CD really worked for me. I didn't laugh during it, I kinda liked that parts that referred to the surgeons as having "caring, respectable hands" etc...made me feel safe.

I didnt' take any drugs from 10:40pm last night until 7:45 this morning...BAD IDEA. DON'T do that. I'm hurting big time now and just took more of the stupid Lortab. I really wanted to be off that by today. Bri went to get liquid Tylenol last night and bought the crap that's for colds and coughs. FAIL. He's heading out to take Soph to preschool and he's gonna go get the right stuff. Hopefully it'll be strong enough to wean off the Lortab so I can start feeling more normal!

Ok, I'm rambling...pain does that to me.

Hey All

You know the CD does work. I know it makes me laugh at bit but still I am not stressing as much the last few days. So I think it is sinking in. I am feeling more relaxed about the whole thing and I am starting to really like the CD. Whenever I think about listening to it I feel calmer............

I joke around but truthfully it is working!! Just doesn't put me to sleep but makes me calm. I am definetely taking it with me on the IPOD. Security blanket I think................

Christine you doing ok? Take the pain meds if you have to but I hear you I am hoping to stop within the first week. So how many days do they give you Loratab for?? I guess that would the estimate for what they usually see in patients? Just curious................

Well tomorrow I get the time.....did Kaiser keep calling you the week before to "ask questions?"

I am not telling work at all. Just hernia which could be true. I don't want to hear the negetive talk. They know I am losing already and think it is to get healthy for surgery!!

I am so ready to sleep.....even the day of surgery I get to sleep and Dr. Baggs has to work. That is a crazy thought but makes me happy...........I get to sleep through it. I hope.......

I havent told many people, basically my mom, husband, sister and a couple friends.. My extended family is all sticks and VERY judgemental... so i don't tell dad so he wont tell them.. The friends who don't know i just said i had hernia surgery.. the only thing they might question is my diet.. so i said im ona diet lol..

Also i figure in a year or so after we are at gola the questions will be GONE because it will then be NORMAL for us to be the skinny ones!!!:sad:

How much liquid tylenol did you guys take when you stopped the Lortab?

Hows everyone doing today?

I can't even BEGIN to tell you how bizarre it is to be totally full after eating 1/4 c. of lemon yogurt. It's SUCH a weird feeling!

So Christine your on stage 2 now right? You feeling better today? Today is the fourth day the day things look up...........right? I guess I will be finding out next week.

One more day of work!! I am so ready.........been rushing around all week to get ready to go.

So everyone what did you take with you? What should take with me on Monday? Lip balm, icentive spirometer, glasses, ..................and...............what else will I need??

How are you Nicole? Two weeks out now............still losing? Christine what about you? Reggie and Riley you guys also? Meandmyweightloss so you have 2-3 weeks now?

Ok waiting to hear how everyone is doing today........

OH did you get the letter for work with the discharge papers or did you have to ask for them?

Hi tina, I am nine days out today, and still loosing not as fast as i was though, I only was down like .5 but, i knew it would slow down again:)

christine helped me today, i was starting to starve by noonish.. and had to wait until 2 for lunch, was NOT FUN.. Today i had my first meal at 12 and then i just had dinner now tonight i can have a snack! And I tell you what I haven't been hungry at all today. She gave me the idea just to move m y meals out:)

What i brought to the hospital, My atm, ID, Kaiser Card, Inspironmeter, cd player, thats it. I wore a pair of sweat pants and a tshirt and shoes.. no bra. They gave me a chapstick for free while there... Oh yeah i also brought my binder:) but didnt need it. So yeah really not much at all, cause I was to scared of loosing stuff, and when u leave u dont wanna wear a bra anyways..

So ladies, I am having one of those complications u can get with surgery.. my port incision keeps bleeding. I contacted Baggs about it because it hasnt stopped in a while.. He said my body is rejecting my stitches and just watch for a fever, or redness. SO if you bleed just email ur surgeon to let him know:) It is normal if ur body is not tolerating the stitches..

Nicole your gonna be under 200 really soon here............oh that is my next goal!!

Well I am gonna learn from you ladies as I go. I am worried about the port site..............Riley had a problem and that is what your read the most about.........port problems. Hopefully your just bleeding a little and not spurting blood...........I really hope it calms down. Is is still hurting................

Ok well I am cleaning house, doing laundry and making sure I am a week ahead on the housework here..........LOL. What to be able to really rest.

It is not squirting, but when i tied my shoes it was surely rushing out.. i think its pooling under the skin and thats why when i get up it leaks.. but dr baggs made it sound like something he hears often.. so no worries:)

Is which hurting.. the port? Oh heck yes.. my entire abdomen still aches.. but, its not soo bad that i take lortab. I occasionally do tylenol, but its deal able.

I did just email dr baggs again cause the bleeding is getting worse..whats weired is he said i can keep dressings on it.. so its like its normal

oh well ill find out tomorrow when he works again.

How was everyones day??

Ok girls, so this has been a pretty bad day for me. It's been about as bad as yesterday and I think I tried to get off the Lortab too early. PLEASE--take it as long as you feel like you need to! You're body will tell you when you're ready for regular Tylenol.

I had my first crying episode today, I was in SO much pain and am getting tired of needing help 24/7. I'm very independent and this is hard for me. But then I took my Lortab and passed out for 2 1/2 hours and I feel MUCH better now, lol.

So just a word to the wise: Take the hard stuff as long as you need to! Don't try to be tough.

I just had applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon for dinner and 1/4 and I was full again. Very weird but kinda cool! And holy crap! It kinda hurts to burp and hiccup, watch out for that.

NIcole watch it and be careful. Riley had something like that and had to go back to Richmond. Just watch it. I think it is common since Riley was told to call back if it got red and infected..............so I really think it is something he hears alot.

Oh you guys!! I think I have a long week ahead next week. Maybe two long weeks...........I am getting ready for that.

I am planning to take the meds. I just hope they give enough in case I turn out to be a wimp. I won't have my daughter around so I can sleep as much as I need to. Does the Loratab make you sleepy...........probably good to sleep so the body can heal faster.

Christine I hope tomorrow is a great day for you. I will be thinking about you!!

Thanks for all the advice girls!! I hope you all feel better. I want to get it done so I get the worse part over as soon as possible.

Nicole please watch that blood thing that worries me your bending over and it coming out..............

The Lortab makes me feel VERY relaxed and at ease (like my CD, lol) and they give you a big container of it, although I only have about 1/4 of it left. Hopefully I won't need it after Friday or Saturday...that's what I'm hoping.

I know some of this advice is yucky stuff about the complications and not feeling good, but at least you'll have an idea of what to expect just incase it happens.

I DO know that this will all be worth it, and I'm already down almost 4 lbs since Monday. WOOT!