Franken Tummy

The following pictures are of my stomach, they are icky.

Tender tummies and Happy Halloween

Well, the last week or two seems to have flown by.

I had my surgery a few days ago, but wasn't able to/didn't really feel up to blogging until today.


The one thing I'd like to say up front is that it HURT. I was either in pain or discomfort for most of the past few days. I'm doing better now, but mom's still uncomfortable. We think this has more to do with mom's hernia than anything. The doctor had tried to fix her hernia while he was working on her surgery. Every once in awhile she'll make an uncomfortable sound but it does seem like she's doing better.

But anyway, back to me, I was in pain when I woke up. They could not have hit me up with the happy juice fast enough and the second my candy button was set up I gave that bad boy a work out. When the nurses deemed it time that I get off the push button and go on the regular pain pills I had managed to use up all the allotted morphine.

I did alright with walking, the first time they suggested it I was up and stumbling around the hallways. They walked me passed mom's room so I'd know where to find her a few hours later and by the time I got back I was sore and stiff. I decided that nothing sounded better than a nice hot shower. The nurses were nice enough to tape up my tummy and let me sit in the shower for what felt like a few hours.

I just want to say that the nurses and technicians were the nicest people. They took good care of us.

I ended up staying an extra day at the hospital, mostly because of the discomfort I'd mentioned earlier. Basically I wasn't able to sit, lay, or stand comfortably without taking a pain pill and the doctor didn't want to send us me out like that. I also had a slight fever that night as well.

But all things said and done I'm fine. Still a little discomfort depending on how I sit or move.

A lot of people say they don't have a lot of pain, or talk about going out and doing things the next day... all I gotta say is that wasn't the case for us.

Also, I've not really had a taste for food. This was a problem at the hospital since they really wanted me to get something in my tummy, but now that I'm out I've been doing better with eating. The whipped chocolate mouse yogurt is my food of choice.

I have had one weird dream so far, it was a dream about nachos and mom and I said that we didn't care we wanted the nachos. I kept expecting pain in the dream but nothing. Oooo dreams.

Happy Halloween all.

Professionalism need not apply-CORRECTION

Mom called Lauren on my cellphone today at 10ish.

Lauren did not answer, nor did she call us back. Mom left a very polite voice mail.


It's not my intention to turn this blog into a drama rant.. but seriously?

CORRECTION

My phone started vibrating at 6 this morning. I had 3 text messages, 1 missed call and 1 voice mail.

Apparently Lauren did call us yesterday. I just didn't get it until today. She faxed and emailed a copy directly to Dr. Hargroder, and had been talking to him (not to Robin) hence why Robin and the secretary had not heard from her.

She had her reasons, but it is still extremely frustrating.

The last person you expect to mess up is usually the first to

So.. real stressful last few hours... and it's going to be a tense weekend.

I called Dr. Hargroder's office earlier today to see if they ever got our psych evals. Robin wasn't in yet so the secretary said they'd call me back.

I got a call around 3:00, apparently yesterday was our "cut off" day, and they never got the psych evals. Robin, the lady in charge of making sure everything is turned in on time, was kind enough to give us until 5pm today (october 15'th) to get the psych evals in. So I called our psychiatrist.

Her: "Hello."
Me: "Hi Lauren! It's Elizabeth Hoadley, I got a call from Dr. Hargroder's offi-"
Her: "I'll call Dr. Hargroder."
Me: "..Alright. Yesterday was our cut off date, and they need it by today."
Her: "I'll call his office now, bye." *click*
Me: "Alright.. bye."


I waited an hour and called the Doc's office and got the very tolerant secretary. I asked if she'd heard anything and she hadn't. She asked Robin if Robin had heard anything... she hadn't. I explained that I had called the psychiatrist and gave her the low down. Robin was generous enough to say she would accept the letters on Monday.

So frustrated. We gave her $500, she had guarantee that they'd have it on time, only for her to NOT do her job.

Ho hum

So after a few phone calls we got all the required information to Hargroder's office.

Everything but the psych evaluation.

The thing we did early September, with the lady who does a lot of stuff for the MGB group... who had been suggested to use by Dr. Hargroder...


Yeah.

I called her twice today, the first on her business line and the second time on her more personal line. She'll be sending it out tomorrow.

So with all that handled out all we need to do is get the meds next week and show up in Joplin on the 27'th.

I AM READY TO GET THIS DONE

We all knew this would happen

Should you ever decide to have the MGB surgery... be sure to check in with your doctor regularly to make sure they write up and mail out your Physical History and his Support letter. I UPS'ed our packets today and called to make sure they could expect them. I talked to Robin and she said that she only had my blood work and still needed to get the stuff from my doctoer.

He said he'd have it out to them by now.

Nice.

Come together, right now

SO Mom and I (mostly me) spent the day getting the final touches of our "WHY WE WANT MGB SURGERY" packet together.

I mostly spent the day typing up 10 paragraphs (read sentences) about all the different people I'd talked to about the surgery. I also typed up dad's support letter and added a few more sentences to my Patient letter (thanks for the proof-read Shawn!). We got our "before" pictures taken (see previous post) and set up reservations for our hotel (Residence Inn). Mom wanted to get two rooms but that would have cost over $120 a night for a week... I'm sorry but no thank you. We settled for one room with two beds. Dad's not staying with us the entire time, he's decided that he wants to come home for the trick or treaters which is cool.

I'm already making outing plans for after the surgery. I'll be going back to Schaumburg to see some friends graduate. :D I'm hoping to surprise a lot of people when I return.

As I type this I have two biore strip things on my face (one on the nose and one on the chin) so I need to go remove them before they melt off my skin.

Before pictures

And people wonder why I don't like having my picture taken.

My letter

I'm not sure if anyone cares to read this or not, but it's my letter to the doctor. We basically needed to tell him why we think we got the way we are and show him that we've done our research, we know the risks, and that we take the surgery seriously. It was a little harder to write than I thought.

Now for my ten paragraphs.

My name is Elizabeth Hoadley. I'm a part-time rehab technician at the Independence Manor Care Facility, a full-time" wanna-be Artist." I am also 22/23 years old and I've been overweight for as long as I can remember. I've lived a relatively sedentary lifestyle and I was never really into sports. I also didn't have the healthiest of eating habits, growing up. My older brother was in and out of the hospital a lot and there's only so much running around one can do in the ER. A lot of meals either came from the hospital cafeteria, a quick trip through the nearest drive-through, or easy to fix frozen meals.

I've tried many different weight loss options over the years, my mother was really into weight watchers for awhile (which helped everyone for a period of time), I've visited a dietrician, I've gone to a "Fat Boot Camp," and even invested in the metabolife pills. But my most successful weight loss attempt was when I was off to college, I joined a local Curves and would swing by "the gym" on my way home from my classes. Through Curves I managed to go from 236 to 205 and was doing great until I graduated in September of '08. That was a depressing fall and a hard winter of not being able to find a job in the field I had gone to school for. I worked overnight at a Target restocking clothing and chugging down caffeine filled sodas to just make it through my shift, when I'd get home I would be too tired to make anything so I often had food delivered or I'd pick something up on the way home. When Chicago became too expensive I returned to KC and moved into my parent's basement. I was back in the environment where I learned most of my bad eating habits, it was just a few short months before I was back to 236 and growing, and I adopted the grim philosophy of "It doesn't matter anymore, no matter how hard I work the weight will just keep on coming back." I saw my inability to get an art job, my weight gain, my move back to KC, and my continued bad luck in the art field as failures. The straw that broke the camel's back was when I went clothes shopping for a friend's wedding and nothing in the store fit.

It was during this fit of hopelessness that my mother suggested I look into a weight loss surgery. I was not very keen of the idea at first, for the longest time I saw it as the "easy way out" but I figured it was worth looking into. The first thing I found was a video web journal by a lady named Taunia (http://www.youtube.com/user/divataunia). She'd had the RNY surgery March '08 and discussed, in depth, what to do to prepare yourself pre-op. Everything from what doctors and insurance companies would require to the various different tests I should anticipate on taking. Her journals also cover the more personal things of what to expect during the first year after the surgery. I realize that I will need to relearn how to eat and that if I'm not careful with how I eat or what I eat I can expect pain and discomfort. She also explained that in the weight loss experience one will hit plateaus, or that even after the surgery my weight will fluctuate. From her I learned that it isn't an easy fix.

I have also spoken with Alicia B at work, she had the MGB surgery a little under a year ago and was more than happy to educate me on the ways of MGB and life after it. She especially focused on that after the procedure I will be able to live a normal functioning life and that I shall not spend the rest of eternity on a diet of broth and mashed potatoes but even so I there will be foods that just won't agree with me. She also told me about hair loss and even showed me that after awhile it will grow back. Her best advice was to take a few bites, wait a few minutes and see how I feel.

Those two ladies have been a fountain of advice and encouragement for the procedure to come, but my strongest source of support has come from my mother, who has decided to have the surgery with me. Her words rang something along the lines of "Misery loves company." In all honesty, I'm very impressed with her for deciding to join me. While all I shall be giving up is 22 years of bad eating habits, she must not only give her's up, but she also decided to go the long haul and gave up smoking as well. Together we've been comparing notes and concerns.

I've skimmed through various websites to read up on the vitamin cocktail I shall be taking for the rest of my life. I've started stocking up on citracil, multivitamins, broth, and gatorade.

I selected the MGB over the RNY mainly for the recovery time. Both procedures have high success rates and both are fairly similar as far as the actual procedure goes, but my research shows that the MGB has a shorter recovery time and seems to be an simpler procedure.

I also realize that the surgery itself contains risks. I know this is a bit mellow dramatic, but I do realize that I could die. In these kinds of surgeries a whole slew of things could go wrong both during and after the procedure, the one that worries me the most is blood clots. I also realize that I could be one of those poor unfortunate souls who has to have the procedure reversed for one reason or another. I have come to terms with all of these matters and I still believe that having the MGB is the best thing I could do for myself.

The surgery is not a magic fix all, I will be giving up a lot of things I used to enjoy, but as I've heard many times: "Nothing tastes better than skinny feels," and I cannot help but feel that this procedure is the tool needed to help me successfully master my weight.

Thank you.

E-Cigs

So as I'm sure I've mentioned my mother is joining me on the great MGB Adventure. She wasn't sure if she'd be a candidate, since she's a smoker and all. Dr. H said that he would prefer she stop smoking, but that he would still do the procedure on her anyway.

Well, mom decided to quit smoking. At first she cut out all the cigarettes she didn't really need (the ones she'd smoke when bored of when she needed something to do with her hands) then she slowly cut back from there. She's gone from a full pack to a little under half a pack in a matter of a few weeks, where as all her previous attempts had failed.

Mom has been floating around half a pack a day when she hit her plateau, the doctor prescribed her the Chantax (she's had it before and it failed), but what has really helped her out is the new E-Cigarette. It has a little bit of nicotine without any of the other chemicals and helps dull the edge of her craving. The one she purchased comes with 4 strengths of nicotine and as she progresses she's supposed to lessen the strength.

So far it's worked well for her. The best part, however, is the fact that it comes in flavoured filters. She can get chocolate, cherry, mint, or tobaccoo. I joked around that after the surgery that will be how mom gets her chocolate fix, she'll smoke it.