Getting to know you!

I forgot to explain that my eyes are not the best so larger font really helps me see it. I just did not want you to think I was a pig!!

Hello,
You and Karen are not the only Evansville people on here. I am Vanessa and I am from Evansville too. I just had my surgery on Sept 30 and wow...the surgical procedure itself was not as bad as I had anticipated. As a matter of fact not a lot of pain and I feel pretty good. It does feel like I spend all my time right now...a whole 4 days out figuring out what I am eating, what I am drinking and am I taking my meds the way I am supposed to.
I too amd an animal lover, have 3 dogs..Remington my beautiful blue great dane (aren't they the most awesome dogs ) Paddy my miniature poodle and Benji my border collie mix. I also have black cat named Ebenezer.
Keep in touch. There are wonderful people here. I did stay at St Mary's and had wonderful care and Dr Throop is the best!
Now about me..I m 48 married to Jeff for 30 years this past June. We have 3 kids...Jacob is 23 and in college, Jeremy is 20 and just got married August 8th ( hopefully my last fat pics) and Cassie 16 who is a sophomore in high school.
Nice to meet you all!

Vanessa,
Glad to meet you and I am sorry I over looked your post. My Great Dane is the newest addition to our family he turned 7 months old on the 2nd of October. We had a lot of health issues with him, because of a bad breeder we was told. Oh well, he is doing a lot better.
The reason I asked about the surgery is my sister had the surgery done at St Marys and Dr. Throop did the surgery. When she came home she was in bed for almost 2 weeks and she thought she was dying. She did not drink enough and dehydrated. She even wanted more pain meds. (she did not get them) She had lost 80lbs in the last 7 months. She said it is a mind game you know you have to eat and drink to live but she is not hungry nor thirsty. She finally started getting her water in. To tell you the truth after watching her come home from the hospital I almost backed out of it. I had a back surgery in 2003 and I swore off surgery and then here I am volunteering to be rearranged on the inside. I thought what!!!! Am I nuts!!!!! Then I realized no I am not nuts but I am desperate with no life at all. Good luck with you healing process and keep in touch. Maybe we can walk our Danes together after my surgery. What side of town are you on? Take care

Franee,
I am on the eastside and would love to walk the danes together sometime.
Truthfully, I am a nurse at St Mary's and most people do not have as rough a time as your sis did. The mind game part I can see already...heck I was in the hospital and a commercial for nachos came on and I thought DANG! That looks good! I wasn't at all hungry just old bad habits coming to the forefront.
I am now ....what 4 days out from surgery and am needing pain med really only 2-3 times a day. Today has been my worst day so far, vaguely nauseous and just not feeling as well, so I backed to clear liquids and and trying to get a protein shake in. Tomorrow wil be better, but I can say haven't vomited one time and I wonder if the reason I am feeling kinda icky is because, well...not to try and sound gross...but I have only had one very small bowel movement since surgery.
I am going to try and take a walk this afternoon and see of that helps.
I guess my best advice at this point is...every person is unique and although we all may have some common problems what is true for your sister may not necessarily be true for you. So if you are commited to this follow the program and it will all work out the way it is supposed to!
Huggles,

Vanessa,
Oh my gosh!!! I am 47 and always wanted to be a nurse. I had an opportunity to go back to school 3 years ago and did but Ivy Techs Program was full with waiting list. I could not hang around and wait. So, I went ahead and took Medical Assistant program (Administrative and Clinical) I really liked it. My next move was to get this surgery done so I could work feeling half way comfortable. I have had two back surgeries and knee surgery. When I am released from this surgery the job hunting will start. I live on the east side also on North Burkhardt (past combs land nursery) Down by the Church. My Dane is a Harlequin and his name is Bogart. I am trying to teach him the sit,stay,come,down really just the basics and he will not pay attention at all. He has been very sickly and I carried him in a hand basket and he is rotin. I do need to get the upper hand. I do hope you get feeling better and I think maybe the maybe the small bowel movement might have a lot to do with it. Are you going to take off work for a while or go back ASAP. We will definitely will have to stay in touch we have a lot in common.
Franee

Christina!! Great to hear from you. 130 pounds, you go girl!! You rock. Any chance you'll make it to the exchange?? I"d love to see you.

Hi, my name is Sue Keller and I am now 57 years old and I live in the country between Bunker Hill and Peru, IN. I had RNY on Friday the 13th, July 13, 2007 I have had no major problems at all. I did have a kinky bowel and had it repaired in February 2008. I have lost about 100 pounds. My official starting weight at St v's was 246. Today on my scales I was 145. (My unofficial starting weight was 271#  I lost about 25 prior to surgery) I so want to get to 130  (and at one time was 135) and have gained and lost the same 5#'s for about the last 9-12 months. I have tried about everything and it is getting very frustrating. I increased the PEW cut back what I was eating and nothing has happened except being frustrated over the same 5#'s up and down. I should feel very fortunate because I went to a health fair yesterday. my bp was 103/60 my blood sugar was 104 even after eating, and my bmi was 22.6 all well withing the normal range on no meds for diabetes, just a blood pressure pill and pills for my irregular heart beat that I had prior to surgery.  I have been married to my wonderful friend Vernon for the last 38 years, we have 3 great kids, daughter 37 with 2 grandchildren, kristin 18, who is a cancer survivor and Stephen, 16. Daughter 34 with 2 sons, DJ who is 14 and Collin who is 11. and Son 31 who has daughter Kaytlinn, now a special needs child, she went into cardiac arrest after a respiratory type infection that led to sepsis at age 15 months and now at 5 years old probably will never walk and talk again and then Madisen age 2 and they just told us they are expecting another one probably in April or May. Vernon has been the best support anyone could ever want in this journey of wls. He has went to every appointment, dietician, doctor or support goup I have ever attended. In this process he has changed his lifestyle habits right along with mine He has lost about 45 pounds of extra weight and he is now in the normal range of BMI. We eat healthy and exercise daily, together I might add. We do 5K and half marathon walks together.  I work for the State Police as a Data Operator (glorified girl friday but it brings home a paycheck)I answer the pnones and enter any hand written tickets the troopers write and to keep me busy I now type crime summaries and case reports.

Hey everyone.....
better late than never, huh?
My Name is Shanna(  think Sha-na) Brown. I live In heartland Crossing in Camby. Smack in the middle of Decatur township/ Mooresville/plainfield area. i have been Married to my Pain in the rear Hubby Terry, for 17 years. Ohh I am 35 Years old BTW. We have an awesome son Tyler who is 17 and is a football player/ awesome kid who is a junior at Plainfield high school. And let us not FORGET MISS ISABELLA BROWN,lol. If you ever meet her you will never forget her. She is a ball of energy in a 4 year old body.Her piercing blue eyes will melt you!

My highest weight was 300 pounds. I am 5 foot 3. so i was more wide than I was tall. I was 284 the day of my consult w/ Dr Mattar. i lost 63 pounds on my preop 6 month diet and is was 223 ish on surgery day. I got down to 133 was my lowest ,5 pounds past my personal goal. I hang out around 138-141. Size 4/6. I used to wear a 24/26. Absolutely amazing is all i can say. I have never been this size. In high school I was a 14. My surgery has been textbook normal. NO complications at all. Nothing, zip, zilch nadda.  

I try to go to as many get togethers w/ my Oh family as I possibly can because this is a group of people that are the best people in the world.I love my Oh family. My hubby and I are originally from Ohio so We have no family with in the area except my Oh family:)
Nice to meet you!

Shanna

Shanna, lunch with Sandi on Thursday at Chick Fil A in Avon at 11:30. Be there or be square! Everyone is invited, of course!!

Shanna-where in Ohio are you from?  I'm from Cincinnati and all of our family is still there, as well.

Melissa-how long did you take off work after your surgery?  I'm worried about having to go back.