1 year ago today...
1 year ago today... I started my Weight Loss Surgery Journey in Great Falls.
I was 374 lbs that day and today I am 213lbs. A total loss of 161lbs in 1 year!!! This is also the weight that they have for my start weight, so its the one they gauge everything by. 19 days till my Surgiversary!! I just can NOT believe how far I have come in a single small year of life. It amazes me everyday the changes that have happened and are happening and still have to happen. Its so exciting. Life is great! There is no doubt about it.
*huggles*
Felicia =0)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ok read on if your bored lol. I was "looking back" and thought I would post what I had in my journal this day a year ago....
::Journal Entry from Sept 13, 2006::
September 13, 2006
I'm going to be a LOOOOOOOOOOOOSERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR lol.
Who ever thought that being a "loser" would be a good thing .
Ok lets see where to start. I guess from the night before.
Tuesday Sept 12, 2006
:: 8pm ::
The Portable DVD player we bought for Joshua to watch on the trip ( its a total of 8 hours ish in the truck so long drive ) crapped out. BRAND NEW! Lasted 2 days ( yes you can say its going back) so off Dale goes to both Wal-marts, Target and finally Office depot to get a new one ( didn't want JUNK wanted a GOOD one to work this time). So we are all excited cuz he found one at Office Depot. So in the truck it goes and we are off on a test run around the neighborhood to see if it will stay working ( the other one crapped out as soon as Dale drove out of the drive way to go get gas *grrr*). So test run was a huge success. We are freaking happily excited as this was so important ( how boring would it have been for Joshua 4 hours up and 4 hours back listening to my Mom and I gab). So out of the truck it comes cuz we need to to hook some more stuff up etc.. And plugged it in, in the house and nothing. No picture, no menu, NOTHING. PANICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCc Dale takes it back out to plug it in in the truck to see if maybe it works out there. NOPE! We search the instructions to see if there is something we can do to get it to work ( mind you this is 11pm by now as we had packed more stuff and done other things in there too). I am in tears, Dale is pissed. UGGGG why!! Was this a sign to what was to come on Wednesday???
Wednesday
:: 12am ::
So screw it I went to bed with my alarm set for 430am so I could go over to Walmart and at least get Joshua some new music and books on CD and a new CD player so he would have SOMETHING that was his to do besides the doodle board and books. *thunk* I am out like a light ( which never happens as I always have trouble getting to sleep.)
:: 4 am ::
*thunk* I am up like a light. CRAP why cant my internal clock co inside with the alarm clock. Up 1/2 hour even EARLIER then I had planned. So I get up to go take a shower, and for ****s and giggles I thought what if I just go try the DVD Player 1 more time and see if the DVD Player Fairy showed up in the night and fixed it. Guess what? SHE DID! I don't know what the heck was wrong with it ( don't want to know either at this point cuz ALL I can think its OMG ITS WORKING AND PLEASE STAY WORKING. I go in and tell Dale its working ( like he cares at 4am ) and off to a shower. I should have gone back to bed but was afraid I would be more tired.
:: 5am ::
SPIDERS!!!!!!!!!! What the hell? Joshua comes SCREAMING into the living room that there are giant spiders blocking his way to the bathroom! ( ok trying not to laugh at him here ) I am like well lets go smooshem so you can go potty. NO MOM THEY ARE TO BIG!! I am like Joshua they are no match for "The Mommy". So off we went to the bathroom. No spiders of course but of course I had to "smoosh" them anyway's just to take care of "business". Dale gets up, heads to the shower with "Did you say the DVD Player was working or did I dream that?" lol I said yes and off he went to the shower.
:: 6am ::
I am tired. Why the hell did I get up at 4am???? Truck is packed and ready to go. I am ready to go. Lets get this moving before I fall asleep.
:: 7am ::
Dale is off to work and I am off to get Joshua moving. Joshua wakes up with a MOM IS IT TIME FOR OUR ADVENTURE!!!!!! Yup it was getting to be time.
Note: I have not been further from home then 20 min's in 5 years. I am now preparing myself to drive almost 4 HOURS away from home for the first time in almost 6 years!
:: 8am ::
Resist the urge to call my Mom who is always late.
:: 820 am ::
Mom is late oh wait see her driving in the drive way now. She is reprieved.
:: 11am - ish ::
Harlowton: Lost, well ok not lost just a tiny bit confused by the signs lol. Apparently missed the turn before town so ended up on the wrong end of town. There must have been fate driving though because we ended up at the nicest rest stop with a huge playground and clean potties!! Took pictures of Joshua and His Gram on the merry go round. To funny!!
:: 1pm -ish ::
Great Falls!!! What a car lot town lol. The main street as it where I think its 10th ave. is one car lot after another lol. Found the clinic with no problems. Mom and Joshua wandered off to play for a few hours while I headed in for my appointment at 130pm.
Ok from here I am not sure the times:
:: Checked in ::
Gave my pile of papers, Meet Lisa and I think the other lady was Laura. SUPER sweet and nice people. OMG was like they had known me for years "How are you?" "Great to have you here"so wonderful. ONLY complaint The chairs in the waiting room. SMALL!!! OMG I was a lucky one and got the only chair with no arms but the rest were small chairs with arms. BAD for a Bariatric Clinic. There were 2 other ladies there my size or bigger and they were miserable in the chairs. Ok so I wasn't nice and I didnt get up but wasn't sure how long I could wait and they were both from GreatFalls and after 4 hours in the truck I was feeling chair greedy! But that was my only complaint.
:: Name called ::
Ok my name was called and back I went. Onto the scale first. 374. Had to laugh cuz at least it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had done nothing but eat for the last 3 weeks so a gain of 13lbs was not so bad. Then into the exam room I went. Was given a awesome pamphlet called Understanding Bariatric Surgery. GREAT little hand out. Answered a lot of questions and was a great guide for what I was heading into. Was also given a sheet to sign that I understood the complications and that my LAP could go OPEN if needed. That and that I may have my gall bladder and or spleen removed if something doesn't look right. Etc...standard "let me off the hook" paper. Lastly I was given a sheet about the Preoperative Liquid Diet for Bariatric Patients. Was the basic "To Do" for the 2 week liquid diet. I drink 4 servings a day for 720 calories and 80 grams of protein. They recommend Low Carb Slim Fast but Lisa said I could use ProComplex no problem instead ( whew cuz I hate slim fast ). I have to start that on September 18th. So I guess that means that September 17 is the last day of my fat life. Can I just say again how awesome Lisa is?!?! Well she is!!
:: Dr. Rohrer ::
he was just as I imagined him to be. Professional. Knowledgeable. Confident. Kind. Compassionate. Understanding. Frankly just a wonderful guy. He went over what was coming and what he expected to happen. Told me about his background. Told me almost a min by min account of what I was to expect from the moment I signed into the hospital till I was discharged. I feel completely at ease with having him do my surgery. That man knows his stuff!! I was especially impressed with the after care he expected from me and of himself and his staff. I feel like 10 years from now if I still have a question he will personally answer it for me. Thats just awesome! Was told also that I have to have blood work done before surgery and that I could do it here in Billings. Then after surgery I would go home with a drain that I could also have removed down here in Billings. WHEW the fewer trips to GF the better. Although I wish I could go back more often they are wonderful!!
:: Exam over and checking out ::
Welp I missed getting a surgery date on the 25th of September by 2 darn days. Lisa stated that with my BMI I would be safer to make sure I get a full 2 weeks on the liquid diet. And yes to darn days were important. Thats ok. To be honest it would have been hard for Dale to get time off that soon not to mention I have a crap load of things I need to get done before I have surgery so this worked out the best. Besides its kind of a special day in a way for me anyways. My grandpa diet on October 2nd. I know it sounds silly to have this be a special day but the way I look at it, this is a day he became my guardian angel and what better day for me to have surgery then the day he pass over to watch over me. I LOVE YOU GRANDPA!! So I guess I am set up. October 2, 2006 @ 10:30am I will be an offical "LOSER". Was given a handout called Instructions For Patients Having Surgery.
:: Crap I am Late! ::
I had no idea how much time had passed till I got to my next appointment. I was supposed to be there at 2:15 and end up getting there ( it was 2 doors down from Dr. Rohrer's office) at 2:45!!! CRAP I hate being late. The receptionist lady had plenty to say about it. Not about me being late but why I was late. Thought that wasn't so cool to be complaining about the other office to a patient but *shrug* whatever. She was nice though and I did understand her frustration.
:: 245pm ::
Got to the Bariatric Clinic, checked in, got to meet Carolyn. SHES AWESOME! It was like meeting an old friend again after 20 years. She was so nice. So helpful. SO just cool!!!! We were kind of rushed because of me being late and she had another appointment but luckily I had already done all the evals and stuff so it was a basic meeting to go over the quick do's and don'ts. She gave me a bunch of paper work. Weight Loss Surgery : The basic ins and outs of before and right after etc... Gastric Bypass Surgery - Basic of the diet stages. Got Milk! Hand out. Healthy Eating After hand out. Exercising After Gastric Bypass hand out. Day to Day Walking Program Hand out... and what they would normally give at the first appointment that I would have gone to if I had my drain removed up there which was a stage 2 Pureed Diet hand out. Carolyn was just so sweet. We exchanged a bunch of information. Fun to "teach the teach" a few things lmaoo.
:: 330pm ::
Headed Home. Life is great and I am ON MY WAY!!!!!!!
Felicia,
Life is great! no matter what curve balls are thrown our way!!! I had so many people trying to discourage me from having this surgery -- my mom being one of them. She was so convinced that something terrible was going to happen to me in the OR -- well, I am so glad I had the surgery and guess what???? SO IS MY MOM!!!!
I enjoyed reading your journal entry from a year ago!! I am so proud of you and all of our October sisters for the accomplishments they have made in the last year!!!
Hugs,
Holly
Dawn Most Active
Recent Topics
