I'll hijack this post and pimp us out!!

Last Monday of every month at 6:30pm. We meet at Faith Chapel Church in Bridgewater, 340 Pleasant St., which is Rt 104. (We are not a religious group, just a free place to meet!)

We are VERY informal and have about 34 members. A good 20 show up each week and we are starting to not fit inside the church's classroom anymore! We are currently looking for a bigger place to meet but have not found anything yet.

We talk about everything and tend to go on tangents alot LOL. Sometimes members will bake some WLS friendly grub and bring it to share. If people have WLS friendly food, powders, vitamins they don't want people will bring them to give to other people to try. Companies sometimes send Lisa samples as well and we get to try them out at the meetings.

We get together alot and do fun outings together (whether it be a 5k race, a walk around Castle Island in Boston, obviously in warmer weather lol, or simply catch a movie) and see each other regularly outside of meetings.

There are 6 of us who also attend Flower's meeting in Quincy (yay!) and can give your Aunt details on that too if she wants :)
We are mostly women and have a faithful 3-4 men who come to each meeting. If your Aunt has any young children they are welcome as well - we meet in a preschool classroom and our friend Ella is at every meeting

I did learn a lot in the class.  I've been so impressed with Lahey's approach so far... they are so good about giving tons of information, and everyone is very supportive.  I had a LOT of appointments.... I know a lot of people that refuse to go to any hospital but Winchester, though, for anything!  (it's the closest to me, but my PCP is at Lahey, and it's the only hospital I've ever had any kind of surgery at, so it made sense for me).

Things vary a LOT post op.  I'm on a liquid diet for the first week (water, broth, sf jello, plus 3 protein shakes/day).  Then Day 8 I get an egg for breakfast (poached or soft scrambled).  Day 9 I get an egg for breakfast, and 1-2 oz of soft protein for lunch.  Day 9 it's an egg for breakfast, and 1-2 oz of soft protein for both lunch and dinner.  At that point I'll work up to the point where I'm eating 3oz of protein at each meal.  They don't put a time frame on that... it's different for everyone.  I'm supposed to stop eating when I feel full regardless of how much I've eaten.  The protein drinks continue at this stage, until I'm getting the food in and then I'll wean off them.    Once I'm able to consistently eat 3oz protein at each meal and feel like I have room for more, I move to stage 3, which means adding cooked, non-starchy vegetables after protein at lunch and dinner, and fruit after protein at breakfast.  Only after that can I add starches back in.  

I haven't done much shopping, because I can't eat anything for the first week and the grocery store is right across the street from me.  I went today to make sure that I had lunch foods for my daughter to pack for school, and I bought chicken and beef broth, and some more Crystal light.  I did order a sample pack of Syntax Nectar, bought 2 bottles of IsoPure premade, and a big container of GNC brand chocolate whey isolate powder.  I figure that will get me started with protein shakes.  I'll go out later next week, or send a friend if I don't feel well enough, to pick up eggs and some other soft protein foods to get started.

Thanks Kate!  It's great to see people that are a year out and doing great!  Definitely helps to alleviate my fears and questions of if I'm doing the right thing! 

I have been at 202.6 for almost a week.  I was hoping to get to Onederland by Christmas but I re-set my goal for New Year's Eve. 

If you have any suggestions or positive vibes, send them my way!

Dawn

I'm a little nervous too... surgery 1/3/11.  Where are you going?  I'll be at Lahey clinic, and I can share the info from my pre-op class if it helps you (could be a *little* different, but hopefully at least generally the same?)

I was told clear liquids only from midnight on, nothing at all 2 hours before arrival time.

Leave any meds at home. bring CPAP/BIPAP Machine, bring inhaler (if applicable)

Leave all valuables at home (I was told basically not to bring anything, nothing needed).

Upon arrival, go to the admitting office.  After checking in, go to the ambulatory surgery center.

Lock up clothing and put on johnny, then wait in the waiting area until called to the "Hold and Prep" area.

There, I will be placed on a stretcher.  I will meet an anesthesiologist, a nurse, and my surgeon (possibly also the physician assistant or a resident).  This is the time to ask any last minute questions.

The IV will be placed, and antibiotics will be administered.  I *might* receive meeds at this time to help relax.  A tiny injection of anti-clotting medication is also administered (Heparin)

I will be brought by stretcher to the operating room.

General anesthesia is administered.

Breathing tube and catheter are placed.  (I was promised that this happens *after* I am asleep, and the breathing tube comes out before I wake up, although the cat will still be in)

Surgery is performed.

I will be transferred to the recovery room.  No visitors are allowed.  I will be placed in vemodyne boots, which help circulate blood through the legs.

I will then be transferred to the in-patient unit.  There, I'll be given a spirometer (breathing toy).  That's where I can have visitors, and I'll be expected to take 5 small walks daily.  



Again, I know this might not be exactly the same "day at a glance" for other hospitals... but hopefully having the basic overview will hel;p you be more comfortable.  I know it did for me!

-Lisa