A friend of mine just text me, asking about an update on my blog. I decided to go ahead and write, but the truth is, I don't have much of an update for you today. This past week has gone by smoothly. I had one episode of digestive upset. Note to self: don't take liquid calcium. It was so hard on my new tummy! I ordered some chewable Calcium Citrate from Bariatric Advantage....I am not taking any more chances on other brands. Unfortunately, I have become scale obsessed. I can't help but weigh myself every morning to see what's happening. It's so exciting! I am down 21 lbs as of this morning. I can see it in my face. I looked in the mirror and said "Wow, I am getting my face back!" My t-shirts are noticeably loser on me, pants are maybe a teeny, tiny bit looser. The other thing I noticed is that my cankles are going away. I actually have an ankle now! Woohoo!
So that's all I have to update for now. Tomorrow or Friday I will have much more to say, as I get to try new foods. Yay! Here is a list of the new foods I can add to my diet: reduced-fat peanut butter, tofu, bananas, low-fat refried beans, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs that are mashed to the consistency of egg salad, yogurt. I cannot wait to have a banana with peanut butter!
On an ending note, I have to say that I am so thankful that I made the decision to have surgery. I have no regrets, and I believe that my recovery has been nothing short of a miracle. All thanks and glory goes to God for His presence and healing touch during this time.
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
1 Week Doctor Visit
This morning I had my 1 week follow up at the doctor's office. Everything went really well. I absolutely love the nurse practitioner at ALSA! She rocks! My vitals were good. She looked at my tummy and took the steri-strips off. I get to wash them with anti-bacterial soap now, until they are healed. When they are all healed, I'll be rubbing in some Vitamin E and Mederma. The scars are surprisingly tiny. Yay! To be honest though, the scars aren't a priority. I have enough scars on the inside from a lifetime of obesity. What's 5 more tiny lines on my body if it means being healthy and having a bright future?
Okay, so some not so deep stuff.....I got weighed at the office and I lost.....17 lbs...... in 1 week! I am so happy and so excited. The nurse practitioner said that my skin looked really good and it should "shrink right up." Well I hope so, but it's not something I am worried about. I did this for health and my future, not to look like a Real Housewife one day. (No disrespect to the Real Housewives. I am a Jersey fan. How about you?)
On another positive note, my diet has expanded. I get to have split pea soup, tomato soup, butternut squash soup, thinned Cream of Wheat, plain oatmeal, light yogurt, soy or almond milk, unsweetened applesauce. YUMMMMM! I had split pea soup for lunch and it was so delicious, and it was satisfying--the creamy warmth felt so good. Ooohhhh, and I stopped by Starbucks on my way home for a tall decaf coffee with soy and 2 Splendas. It felt good to have something that was part of my "normal" routine. Of course, I only drank 1/3 of it, but I am saving the rest for later. I don't care if it doesn't taste fresh. I will finish it!
I go back to work in a little over a week, then go back to the doctor in 2 weeks. I can't wait to see what else has changed! Now I am off to treat myself with a new pair of earrings from my favorite jewelry designers, Silver and Ice Jewelry. You should really check them out at Etsy or on Facebook!!!
Peace, Love and Joy,
Rachel
Okay, so some not so deep stuff.....I got weighed at the office and I lost.....17 lbs...... in 1 week! I am so happy and so excited. The nurse practitioner said that my skin looked really good and it should "shrink right up." Well I hope so, but it's not something I am worried about. I did this for health and my future, not to look like a Real Housewife one day. (No disrespect to the Real Housewives. I am a Jersey fan. How about you?)
On another positive note, my diet has expanded. I get to have split pea soup, tomato soup, butternut squash soup, thinned Cream of Wheat, plain oatmeal, light yogurt, soy or almond milk, unsweetened applesauce. YUMMMMM! I had split pea soup for lunch and it was so delicious, and it was satisfying--the creamy warmth felt so good. Ooohhhh, and I stopped by Starbucks on my way home for a tall decaf coffee with soy and 2 Splendas. It felt good to have something that was part of my "normal" routine. Of course, I only drank 1/3 of it, but I am saving the rest for later. I don't care if it doesn't taste fresh. I will finish it!
I go back to work in a little over a week, then go back to the doctor in 2 weeks. I can't wait to see what else has changed! Now I am off to treat myself with a new pair of earrings from my favorite jewelry designers, Silver and Ice Jewelry. You should really check them out at Etsy or on Facebook!!!
Peace, Love and Joy,
Rachel
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
New Stuff for Day 4
Yesterday was four days since my surgery, and I had some new stuff happening that I thought I'd share. First of all, I got a little dizzy once. I figured out it was because I hadn't eaten lunch. I was 2 hours late and I think that was my body's way of letting me know it needed some fuel, even if it was just beef broth. The other new thing that happened--I was freezing cold yesterday! The temperature outside had dropped a bit, but this was a different cold, from the inside out. I had a hard time getting warm all day. I hear from other people who have had surgery that this is going to be my new normal. I am praying that isn't so! But if it is, at least I like to layer up. The other interesting thing that happened yesterday--my skin is feeling super soft. I've always had extremely dry, sensitive skin, but yesterday I noticed that my arms and hands feel soft for the first time I can remember. I like this change! Maybe my feet will be pretty and callus-free by the time I reach my goal weight. Maybe not, but a girl can dream, right?! I pulled out my scale, too. Now, my scale is much different than my doctor's scale. I will see what his says on Thursday. According to my scale, I have lost 14lbs. Now, much of that is water weight, I know. I got kinda OCD and weighed myself again today. This morning the scale says that I am down 17lbs. I am just glad to know it's going down, and hoping that when I go to the doctor tomorrow, they let me move to stage 2 foods. I can't wait to eat oatmeal, cream of wheat and applesauce! It's kind of funny how truly excited I am about eating these things. My mouth is watering. Haha! It really is!
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
Monday, February 17, 2014
OMG I did it!
So, the good news...I made it through my surgery on Friday, 2/14/14, at 2:30 pm. Here is a re-cap of what's been going on:
Surgery Day: I woke up super tired from being on liquids only the day before, and fasting all morning. I got to the hospital on time...went through registration twice because they spelled my name wrong. Then I was taken back to Pre-Op where they reviewed my medical history, confirmed which procedure I was having, then put my iv in and gave me a shot of Heparin to prevent blood clots. Oh, and I got to wear my lovely XXXXXXL gown and hair net thingy. I looked so lovely! I was wheeled in to the operating room, right on time. I remember them getting me on the operating table and situating my arms. That's all that I remember until waking up. When I awoke in the recovery room, I had horrible chest pain and couldn't breathe well. I was shivering and cold. My nurse was great--he gave me something to get me warmed up, plus lots of blankets. I was coughing a lot, which scared me. I didn't know that my lungs would be so hard to use. I wasn't expecting that! And of course I was scared that I would go into a full blown asthma attack. In spite of that, I was medicated up so I had no pain. I eventually made it to my room, where my family came to say a brief hello, then left. I was so tired! I had a hard time staying awake, even with nurses in constantly checking my vitals, my heart rate going up and setting off the alarms in my room, and with the uncomfortableness of a catheter. Never the less, I made it thru the night with lots of walks and 8 hits of my morphine pump in 12 hours. I belched quite a bit, held down my water and walked as much as I could. Around 5:30 am on Saturday, my nurse took out my catheter and told me no more morphine....time to transition to pills. Once that catheter was removed, I wanted to move and move and move....to get the gas out of my body. OMG that gas pressure sucks! I wouldn't call it pain as much as uncomfortable.
Saturday: We finally made it to lunch time on Saturday. Dr. Higa had made rounds earlier and said that I would be going home today. Unfortunately, my nurse wasn't so great and it took quite a bit of prodding for her to get me out of the hospital. We finally made it home. HOME! It was so nice to be home. At this point, I was in horrible discomfort from the gas. It was settled in my left hip area and around my shoulders. I was really afraid that I would have a heart attack or something. It just felt bad. I walked around my street as much as I could. I finally called my surgeon's office and asked to speak to the doctor on-call about my pain. He advised taking another dose of Norco, but if I had more pain, he asked that I call back and head back to the hospital. Thankfully, the Norco did its job and I was able to do my breathing exercises and walk, which helped the pressure go away, drastically. I slept off and on all night and woke up fairly tired.
Sunday: By Sunday morning, I still had my gas discomfort, but I knew that walking would be my only cure. I walked and walked that day, with naps in between. That's pretty much all that I did. Walked, drank liquids, slept, walked, drank liquids, slept. You get the picture. By Sunday night, I was feeling better. I slept all night! Woohoo!
Monday: Here we are for today. Today was a beautiful, California day. I felt so much better. I had very little gas discomfort and still, NO pain in my tummy! I did get some discomfort when I took sips that were too big. That is no fun! I am still learning not to gulp a yummy drink, like pink lemonade (Crystal Light) or coffee (Pike's Place decaf). Today I got tired of walking my neighborhood. I went to Vons and walked. I went to Starbucks and DD's Discount and walked. I went to Target, Kohl's, Bath and Body Works, and walked. I have very little discomfort at this point and am ready for bed. So far, this recovery has been so much easier than I ever imagined. I am not hungry at all. My drinks/broth/popsicles are totally fulfilling. I am getting my water in with no problems. All I can attribute this to is God. I am thanking Him for carrying me through this and for having His hand upon me throughout this journey, as well as on the road that lies ahead. Thank you Heavenly Father!
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
Surgery Day: I woke up super tired from being on liquids only the day before, and fasting all morning. I got to the hospital on time...went through registration twice because they spelled my name wrong. Then I was taken back to Pre-Op where they reviewed my medical history, confirmed which procedure I was having, then put my iv in and gave me a shot of Heparin to prevent blood clots. Oh, and I got to wear my lovely XXXXXXL gown and hair net thingy. I looked so lovely! I was wheeled in to the operating room, right on time. I remember them getting me on the operating table and situating my arms. That's all that I remember until waking up. When I awoke in the recovery room, I had horrible chest pain and couldn't breathe well. I was shivering and cold. My nurse was great--he gave me something to get me warmed up, plus lots of blankets. I was coughing a lot, which scared me. I didn't know that my lungs would be so hard to use. I wasn't expecting that! And of course I was scared that I would go into a full blown asthma attack. In spite of that, I was medicated up so I had no pain. I eventually made it to my room, where my family came to say a brief hello, then left. I was so tired! I had a hard time staying awake, even with nurses in constantly checking my vitals, my heart rate going up and setting off the alarms in my room, and with the uncomfortableness of a catheter. Never the less, I made it thru the night with lots of walks and 8 hits of my morphine pump in 12 hours. I belched quite a bit, held down my water and walked as much as I could. Around 5:30 am on Saturday, my nurse took out my catheter and told me no more morphine....time to transition to pills. Once that catheter was removed, I wanted to move and move and move....to get the gas out of my body. OMG that gas pressure sucks! I wouldn't call it pain as much as uncomfortable.
Saturday: We finally made it to lunch time on Saturday. Dr. Higa had made rounds earlier and said that I would be going home today. Unfortunately, my nurse wasn't so great and it took quite a bit of prodding for her to get me out of the hospital. We finally made it home. HOME! It was so nice to be home. At this point, I was in horrible discomfort from the gas. It was settled in my left hip area and around my shoulders. I was really afraid that I would have a heart attack or something. It just felt bad. I walked around my street as much as I could. I finally called my surgeon's office and asked to speak to the doctor on-call about my pain. He advised taking another dose of Norco, but if I had more pain, he asked that I call back and head back to the hospital. Thankfully, the Norco did its job and I was able to do my breathing exercises and walk, which helped the pressure go away, drastically. I slept off and on all night and woke up fairly tired.
Sunday: By Sunday morning, I still had my gas discomfort, but I knew that walking would be my only cure. I walked and walked that day, with naps in between. That's pretty much all that I did. Walked, drank liquids, slept, walked, drank liquids, slept. You get the picture. By Sunday night, I was feeling better. I slept all night! Woohoo!
Monday: Here we are for today. Today was a beautiful, California day. I felt so much better. I had very little gas discomfort and still, NO pain in my tummy! I did get some discomfort when I took sips that were too big. That is no fun! I am still learning not to gulp a yummy drink, like pink lemonade (Crystal Light) or coffee (Pike's Place decaf). Today I got tired of walking my neighborhood. I went to Vons and walked. I went to Starbucks and DD's Discount and walked. I went to Target, Kohl's, Bath and Body Works, and walked. I have very little discomfort at this point and am ready for bed. So far, this recovery has been so much easier than I ever imagined. I am not hungry at all. My drinks/broth/popsicles are totally fulfilling. I am getting my water in with no problems. All I can attribute this to is God. I am thanking Him for carrying me through this and for having His hand upon me throughout this journey, as well as on the road that lies ahead. Thank you Heavenly Father!
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
It's Gonna Happen
I had a reality check today. It's gonna happen! I had labs and my preoperative visit today. Tomorrow I start liquids...then Friday I have surgery. I am so excited! I gained weight since my last visit, 9 lbs to be exact. I felt really bad about this because I have been working really hard to eat healthily in preparation for my big day. I am blaming it on PMS. Luckily, it's not affecting my surgery, and luckily it didn't go to my mid section...it's on my legs or hips for sure. I am having my last carby meal-thank you Lunas in Old Town Clovis for amazing tortellini. Now for some relaxation before my crazy busy day tomorrow. Yes, this life change, it's gonna happen. And after today, I will never, ever be this weight again. That is a mind blowing thought!
Peace, Love and Joy,
Rachel
p.s. Here is a picture of the fat people chairs at my surgeon's office.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Count Down
In 4 days I will be missing a chunk of my tummy. That's pretty crazy! Looking forward to lunch today with the girls from work. Love Max's Bistro! I didn't sleep again last night...thinking about surgery and all of the I wonders again. On a positive note, I got the sweetest present from my coworker today. I am so excited to dive in to it!
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Nerves
Now that I've had some time to process that in less than 2 weeks I will be going through major surgery....I've had some nerve issues. Those issues being excessive gas and belching. My nervous stomach has had me belching all day long. It is not fun, nor attractive. I am not doubting my decision to have surgery, just having some anxiety over the actual surgery, recovery, etc. I hate iv's and I'm not looking forward to having one in my hand or arm. I don't like the idea of having a tube down my throat or having a catheter. Ick. Blech. Boo. Ouch.
I keep telling myself, "Rachel, you will be fine. You will get through this. You will recover. You will make it." Please, God, let me be fine, carry me through this, strengthen me as I recover, help me on the road to health.
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
I keep telling myself, "Rachel, you will be fine. You will get through this. You will recover. You will make it." Please, God, let me be fine, carry me through this, strengthen me as I recover, help me on the road to health.
Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel
Monday, February 3, 2014
Preparation
Today starts 11 days of me really hitting it hard...preparing for surgery. I woke up at 3 am, mind racing. Ended up going to the gym by 4:30. The treadmill and I bonded for a while before it was time to go home and get ready for work. I am chugging my cup of coffee, realizing that the next few days are going to fly by. I am going to be crazy busy, preparing for what's to come. I wonder how I'll feel after surgery. I wonder how soon I can wash my hair. I wonder if I will still be super oily on my face and scalp, or will that change with surgery. There are lots of things I am wondering about today, and I am sure there will be many more things to think about....
Love, peace and joy,
Rachel
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Saying Bye
This weekend I said goodbye to some of my favorites...Mexican food, Mickey's frozen yogurt and pizza. It will be a very long time before I taste you again!
Peace, love and joy,
Rachel
Saturday, February 1, 2014
The BIG news
So, I got some really big news yesterday. I've been waiting, and waiting, and waiting......for a huge life change. After an entire life time of struggling, I've finally admitted that I can't do this on my own. I keep failing over and over and over again. I've prayed about it countless times, but it's still something I haven't been able to overcome. I'm not lazy. I don't do it when I'm bored or emotional. I just feel hungry a lot. Truly hungry. I've tried every pill, supplement, trick you can imagine. Nothing will take it way. So I am going to have a doctor take it away. Bye-bye hunger producing hormone grehlin. Hello tiny tummy pouch.
Some people feel that bariatric surgery is "the easy way out." I can't disagree more. This is going to be HARD. This is going to be PAINFUL. This is SCARY. But I'm not so proud that I can keep going on the way that I was. I have given 100% effort and failed time and time again. I am not going to live another 33 years like this. This is it, my bottom of the barrel cry for help. I really have peace about this.
I feel like I'm on the right track. I started this whole process in May 2013, and after months of waiting, I found out yesterday that I will be having my Sleeve Gastrectomy on Friday, February 14, 2014. That's just 2 weeks away!
Whether you agree or disagree with my decision, please, just love me and keep me in your prayers. I see this as a tool to help my body get to a normal weight. I have never been a consistent blogger, but I am hoping that this time around I will do better, as I hope to have LOTS of pictures to post. And I will need lots of encouraging words from you all.
Peace, Love and Joy,
Rachel
Some people feel that bariatric surgery is "the easy way out." I can't disagree more. This is going to be HARD. This is going to be PAINFUL. This is SCARY. But I'm not so proud that I can keep going on the way that I was. I have given 100% effort and failed time and time again. I am not going to live another 33 years like this. This is it, my bottom of the barrel cry for help. I really have peace about this.
I feel like I'm on the right track. I started this whole process in May 2013, and after months of waiting, I found out yesterday that I will be having my Sleeve Gastrectomy on Friday, February 14, 2014. That's just 2 weeks away!
Whether you agree or disagree with my decision, please, just love me and keep me in your prayers. I see this as a tool to help my body get to a normal weight. I have never been a consistent blogger, but I am hoping that this time around I will do better, as I hope to have LOTS of pictures to post. And I will need lots of encouraging words from you all.
Peace, Love and Joy,
Rachel
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