Brenda Nutt
Maxine says it like it really is!
Apr 18, 2008
04/15/08 Pre-Op Assesment Day at Bothwell
Apr 15, 2008
Randy & I got up at 3:30 to get to Bothwell by 8:45- so it was a long day. Everything went great at Bothwell, they seemed please with everything and the nurse said I was very prepared, which made me feel good. The 'sleepy doctor' sure went over everything in my file about LAM with a fine-toothed comb. But, I appreciated him wanting to know everything. He seems like a really great guy, I wish I could remember his name... Dr. Wollery can now look at my x-ray like he wanted to. Then on the way home we stopped by Springfield for a Support Group meeting. I tell ya, you meet all kinds at those meetings. For the most part, I'm finding people that are very well educated about WLS even before they find a doctor. We did meet one lady who didn't know she could not swallow pills in the beginning and she went home after surgery and took her 19 daily pills. She had to spend over a month in the hospital and has a leak they 'hope' will seal off. She did some major damage to herself. I'm so thankful the MO site goes over and over the basic stuff for new people like myself. The liquid diet is harder this time. I was on it for a week, then ate for a week, but now the official Doctor ordered 2 weeks have started. I'll make it, I can do anything for just 2 weeks....(I keep telling myself...) Randy and I move between dread and excitement about this surgery. Both of us just want it over and done with so we can move on with our lives.
04/02/08 Hornboste's Scope test & Seeing Dr. Woolery
Apr 03, 2008
Wed. morning went well. We spent the night in Sedalia and we were at the Sedalia Surgery Center by 7:00 am. The throat scope was over before I even knew it began. I tell ya, they have the BEST drugs there! I honestly thought I was still waiting to be wheeled down the hall with all the people with blue paper suits and hats – like surgery always does. But nope, it was like a time warp. Margie did tell me the test showed an infection though. So I’m to go pick up a script at Wal-Mart Pharmacy.
Dr. Woolery was great. He is an Internist and a Plum. Doc if I understood him right? My health was good for the surgery according to my test results and PFT’s I’d brought him. He was quite concerned that I understand the risk of having an optional surgery. I explained to him that every surgery was a risk, and very few surgeries are not optional when you think about it. He is most concerned about what if I get an infection. (All surgeries run the risk of infection) He asked for Dr. D’s phone number at NIH and wants to call and talk to him. I suppose he just wants to make sure that I have discussed this with all the LAM specialist there. He seems a good doctor and took considerable time to visit with us.
This is day three of the pre surgery liquid diet. My blood sugars have been too high for quite sometime. I would have thought they’d be down by now, but they are still high. So I’m moving from Slim-Fast over to the Boost liquid protein shakes. Can’t say I like them much though- the Boost seems too creamy. I’ll learn to like it though- my future eating is going to force me to like many new things! My medicine is messing with my stomach because I’m not taking it with food. I need to go to Dr. Chitsey and tell him all this is going on, I have not told him yet about my surgery, but I will probably next week if my blood sugar readings do not go down.
One of my main goals is to stop taking pills. I hate taking medicine. Seems I am not going to get that. I am to take so many vitamins and the like – that will just replace the pills I’m taking now! BUT these pills are not medicine for bad health, they are vitamins for good health. I must get my mind straight about that.
04/01/08 April Fool's Day ends the old Me!
Mar 31, 2008
Tonight Randy and I went to Western Sizzlin with Stefanie and her family. We celebrated my'Last Meal' ha! I ordered a 16-oz. T-bone steak, a baked potato and a salad. I could not eat all that steak, but I ate all I wanted of if before giving Randy the rest to finish off. I'm so excited about going all liquid. (warning- I may complain about it later after I get tired of it) But for now, I'm so tired of eating so many 'last meals' thinking I won't be able to eat this for a while, I'd better eat it now... (afterwards the food is never as good as I thought it will be). Why was the steak tonight so perfect? Because I slowed myself down and tasted every bite, I was celebrating, not just eating because a food was good, or I was tired or hungry.... or, because it was just 'time' to eat. How exciting tomorrow will be to start the new me!
03/27/08 Maybe a Bothwell Visitor!
Mar 27, 2008
I'm so excited! Christine R. goes to school in Sedalia and she is going to try to make it over to Bothwell to see me after surgery! How awesome is that!
03/24/08 Circle of Friends Meeting
Mar 26, 2008
Wow- what a great group of people! Randy and I enjoyed the meeting and learned so much. We met Glenna, who is a awesome group leader, Tina who is lap band and doing great, Fran I didn't get to visit with, she was not feeling to well and left early. Lana is just a hoot and full of fun, Jan who is just the best of the best and she is now my angel. Connie is one I've been reading on the forum is really loosing weight, Terry is pre-op like me and she works with troubled kids, so I liked her right away..., Mike is still trying to find a way to have the surgery and is considering going out of the country for it. I've met so many new people lately! All have been sooo helpful! Support meetings sure make all this seem real- but everyone is smiling, so I must be great once you are post surgery and settled down a tad.
I learned about a new product - Nyoxyon - shampoo for hair loss.
03/23/08 Easter
Mar 23, 2008
I wish all our family from far and near could have been here for Easter dinner!!! We managed to have quite a crowd though.
My niece and her children visited for the weekend. She is about 8 years out from her WLS and continues to journey. I knew how hard she worked to get her weight off and tried to encourage her all that I could when I'd see her. Connie looks the picture of health and I'm so thankful for that. Good health means so much... I bet she went home tired of me asking her questions! ha
03/15/08 Out of the Closet at last!
Mar 17, 2008
03/13/08 Trying The Shakes
Mar 12, 2008
Jan was kind enough to send me some samples of protein shake powders. I can wait to mix up a 'brew' and try it tomorrow! I find I am quite restless waiting for this surgery. I will tell my family this weekend about it. I hope they take it as a positive move for my health. I know they love me and want the very best for me. I will have a lot to teach them though, our family celebrates with food a lot. I just keep telling myself I will still be there to celebrate with them, I will have every laugh that they will...but like for example....my birthday cake next time will be a mold of sugar free Jell-O on a cake plate instead of cake! I still have not had a diet coke...it is hard to stay good, but I have. It is going to be hard to give up the fizzy carbonated waters though... but April Fools day begins it all for me. I am self-imposing an all-liquid diet as of then, the treadmill daily, and also starting vitamins then. As for now, I am not enjoying my last meal attitude, but I am allowing myself total food freedom until April 1st.
03/08/08 I'm going to be a Grandmother again!!!
Mar 08, 2008
This is the best day...James and Marcy just called and they are pregnant! I thought I could not wait until April 28th for this WLS...but that is a drop in the bucket compared to how excited I am about October 17th! Our little pumpkin will be here about that time. God is so wonderful to Randy and me, we are blessed beyond measure!!!
Last night was my first support group meeting. Randy went with me. It was wonderful to see that everyone just lives and eats like normal...their new normal...not on diets or having to weigh in at meetings etc. There was a wide range of ages there and many different stories told of their success. We liked everyone and hope we were well received as well.
