Well, it is a little over two weeks, and I am feeling really good.
I am down about 32lbs since surgery, down 62lbs overall.
I got issued new work pants (BDU's) about 8 months ago. They have been sitting in the closet since then because they were way too tight. I wouldn't have been able to wear them at work. I tried them on a week before surgery and they fit, although still a bit snug, but they were wearable. Then last week when getting ready to return to work, I put them on again. They fit, and fit comfortably. In fact, they are a little loose now.
Thanksgiving was not too bad at all. I had a deviled egg and felt fully satisfied. Yeah, all the food looked and smelled so good, but I found it wasn't that hard to pass it all up after I had eaten the egg. Weird how one little deviled egg seemed to be enough. Other than that, got to hang out with the family and it was fun.
I am trying to get myself in the habit of walking each day. My goal is to walk 1 mile on the days I work, and 3 miles on the days I don't. I work 12 hour shifts, so I only work 3, sometimes 4 days a week, so i figured this would make about 15 miles a week.
I am eating soft foods this week, eggs, cottage cheese and have had no problems with anything so far. Everything else seems to be working just fine, and overall I am feeling really good.
Can't wait to see what the next few months have in store for me.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Post-op meeting
Went in Monday, Nov. 19th for post-op meeting with the doc. It was a pretty short one really. He wanted to know how I was feeling, looked at the stab wounds on my stomach and said he thought I was doing really good.
I asked him a few questions about nutrition and vitamins and then asked if i could go back to work. He said, sure, if you feel like it go for it.
I weighed in at 382lbs, which is a 23lb loss in two weeks. My blood pressure was also down to a good level. Last few times I had it checked before I had surgery it has been borderline high.
So I went back to work last night. This works out well because I only have to work last night and again tonight and then I am off for the next four days. It lets me kind of ease back into the routine a bit. Things went good last night and I felt just fine. I had one little problem when I first got to work because I forgot the papers the doc signed for me, but you can read all about that at my work blog here.
Well, that's about all the new news for now. Thanks for checking in on me.
I asked him a few questions about nutrition and vitamins and then asked if i could go back to work. He said, sure, if you feel like it go for it.
I weighed in at 382lbs, which is a 23lb loss in two weeks. My blood pressure was also down to a good level. Last few times I had it checked before I had surgery it has been borderline high.
So I went back to work last night. This works out well because I only have to work last night and again tonight and then I am off for the next four days. It lets me kind of ease back into the routine a bit. Things went good last night and I felt just fine. I had one little problem when I first got to work because I forgot the papers the doc signed for me, but you can read all about that at my work blog here.
Well, that's about all the new news for now. Thanks for checking in on me.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
My weight loss and exercise log
I looked around the internet and couldn't find a book I liked to keep a journal of my weight loss, and eventual exercise habits.
I decided to make my own and put the things in it I thought would be important.
I decided to make a little one page web site and make the journal available to other people.
The link is http://pruittclan.net/wlsjournal and can be found to the left in my links of interest.
If you know anyone interested, point them to the site.
I decided to make my own and put the things in it I thought would be important.
I decided to make a little one page web site and make the journal available to other people.
The link is http://pruittclan.net/wlsjournal and can be found to the left in my links of interest.
If you know anyone interested, point them to the site.
Friday, November 16, 2007
One week out...
Well, it has been a week since doc went in and cut up my innards.
I feel great. I am doing the mantra...sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, walk, and healing up just fine.
All the puncture wounds in my belly are healing very nicely.
I have plenty of energy to get out and walk around.
Haven't taken any pain meds since Tuesday evening.
Don't even have much soreness in the stomach from getting up off the couch anymore.
Basically, I have been blessed, lucky or whatever you want to call it and have had no problems and am doing great.
I DID get the whole head hunger thing a couple times this week. I haven't been hungry by any means, but on Monday, the kids were home from school, my son cooked some spaghetti and meatballs for lunch. DAMN that smelled SOOOO good. Despite not being hungry, i wanted a bowl of that so bad. So, I grabbed a sugar free popsicle and just enjoyed the aroma. That happened again last night when my wife brought home chicken for dinner. That one was not as bad I think, just because I knew it wasn't too much longer and I could tear the skin off and join them for that one.
I was on full liquid this last week. I get to have "creamy" foods this week. Creamed soups, or cream of wheat, that sort of stuff. So today is looking even brighter with a bunch of new tastes and options opening up for me.
So, to make a long post even longer, I am basically doing very well, feel fantastic, spirits are up and want to thank everyone of you for all the support and help through this wonderful journey so far.
I feel great. I am doing the mantra...sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, walk, and healing up just fine.
All the puncture wounds in my belly are healing very nicely.
I have plenty of energy to get out and walk around.
Haven't taken any pain meds since Tuesday evening.
Don't even have much soreness in the stomach from getting up off the couch anymore.
Basically, I have been blessed, lucky or whatever you want to call it and have had no problems and am doing great.
I DID get the whole head hunger thing a couple times this week. I haven't been hungry by any means, but on Monday, the kids were home from school, my son cooked some spaghetti and meatballs for lunch. DAMN that smelled SOOOO good. Despite not being hungry, i wanted a bowl of that so bad. So, I grabbed a sugar free popsicle and just enjoyed the aroma. That happened again last night when my wife brought home chicken for dinner. That one was not as bad I think, just because I knew it wasn't too much longer and I could tear the skin off and join them for that one.
I was on full liquid this last week. I get to have "creamy" foods this week. Creamed soups, or cream of wheat, that sort of stuff. So today is looking even brighter with a bunch of new tastes and options opening up for me.
So, to make a long post even longer, I am basically doing very well, feel fantastic, spirits are up and want to thank everyone of you for all the support and help through this wonderful journey so far.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Surgery went well....
Well, the big day finally arrived.
I woke up WAY too early Friday morning (4:00 am) and jumped in the shower.
Made a last minute check to make sure I had everything. CPAP machine, bag with toothbrush, deoderant, all that good stuff, my Bariatric notebook, I was ready to go. We drove to Corvallis and checked in.
I was taken right into a room to await surgery. Changed into an interesting gown. It was your basic hospital type gown, but it was disposable and had these little pockets lining the inside. They had a hose that attached to it and it had a climate control. You could turn it up to warm you, or if you were hot you could cool it down. It was kind of cool. The anesthesiologist came in and asked a few questions and told me what he would be doing. Then Bobbie, who is the program manager for the Bariatric Program, came in and talked to me for a while. At 7:30 am they came in and wheeled me away.
They took me into the surgery room and had me scoot to the operating table. Then the anesthesiologist gave me a shot of the happy stuff and the lights went out.
I woke up in recovery. Pain. Lots of pain. Felt like someone had cut up my insides. Oh yeah, they did. The upper part of my belly was really sore. They eventually took me to my room. I was pretty out of it most of the day. I had a button I could hit every ten minutes to administer pain medicine. It would make me groggy as hell, I would sleep for 15 minutes or so, wake up, hit the button again....wash, rinse repeat. Most of the day went like that.
Then in the afternoon the physical therapist came in and had me moving my limbs and asked if I wanted to try going for a walk. Since my back was getting sore at this point, I figured I might as well give it a try. It was the best decision I could have made. Getting up seemed to help clear the head a little and helped relieve some of the pain. It also helped to get up and stretch the back a bit. I got up two more times that night to walk around.
By Saturday morning I was feeling much better. I wasn't hitting the pain medicine pump but once or twice an hour. The physical therapist came back in about 9:30 am and asked if I wanted to try walking again. I told her I did and that I had been up a couple more times the night before. She took me out walking and determined I could get up and walk on my own from now on, without having to have someone with me. By this time Dr. Read had come in and checked on me while I was standing next to the bed. He asked how I was doing and I told him I felt pretty good. I asked him to please have someone come in and take the damn catheter out. He said he would, and someone came in shortly after to remove it. Then I started pleading my case to go home that day. Bobbie came in and said that if I could go to the bathroom on my own, and if I could tolerate the liquid Vicadin for pain tolerance I could go home that afternoon.
I was able to meet the requirements, so by 3:00 pm they started the paperwork to release me. By about 3:30 pm I was on my way home.
It felt good to get home, and the last couple days have not been too bad. I haven't had any problem getting the amount of fluids down they want me to. I am supposed to get in at least about 50 ounces of liquids a day. Since I have to drink small sips, it means sipping on water all day, but I haven't had any problems with it. I also have had some sugar free popcicles and sugar free jello. That will pretty much be my diet for the rest of this week.
I have a post-op appointment for the 19th of November. Denise forgot to write the time down, so I have to call tomorrow and confirm the time for the appointment. Other than that, things are going pretty good.
Will update again after my post-op appointment unless something new comes up in the mean time.
I woke up WAY too early Friday morning (4:00 am) and jumped in the shower.
Made a last minute check to make sure I had everything. CPAP machine, bag with toothbrush, deoderant, all that good stuff, my Bariatric notebook, I was ready to go. We drove to Corvallis and checked in.
I was taken right into a room to await surgery. Changed into an interesting gown. It was your basic hospital type gown, but it was disposable and had these little pockets lining the inside. They had a hose that attached to it and it had a climate control. You could turn it up to warm you, or if you were hot you could cool it down. It was kind of cool. The anesthesiologist came in and asked a few questions and told me what he would be doing. Then Bobbie, who is the program manager for the Bariatric Program, came in and talked to me for a while. At 7:30 am they came in and wheeled me away.
They took me into the surgery room and had me scoot to the operating table. Then the anesthesiologist gave me a shot of the happy stuff and the lights went out.
I woke up in recovery. Pain. Lots of pain. Felt like someone had cut up my insides. Oh yeah, they did. The upper part of my belly was really sore. They eventually took me to my room. I was pretty out of it most of the day. I had a button I could hit every ten minutes to administer pain medicine. It would make me groggy as hell, I would sleep for 15 minutes or so, wake up, hit the button again....wash, rinse repeat. Most of the day went like that.
Then in the afternoon the physical therapist came in and had me moving my limbs and asked if I wanted to try going for a walk. Since my back was getting sore at this point, I figured I might as well give it a try. It was the best decision I could have made. Getting up seemed to help clear the head a little and helped relieve some of the pain. It also helped to get up and stretch the back a bit. I got up two more times that night to walk around.
By Saturday morning I was feeling much better. I wasn't hitting the pain medicine pump but once or twice an hour. The physical therapist came back in about 9:30 am and asked if I wanted to try walking again. I told her I did and that I had been up a couple more times the night before. She took me out walking and determined I could get up and walk on my own from now on, without having to have someone with me. By this time Dr. Read had come in and checked on me while I was standing next to the bed. He asked how I was doing and I told him I felt pretty good. I asked him to please have someone come in and take the damn catheter out. He said he would, and someone came in shortly after to remove it. Then I started pleading my case to go home that day. Bobbie came in and said that if I could go to the bathroom on my own, and if I could tolerate the liquid Vicadin for pain tolerance I could go home that afternoon.
I was able to meet the requirements, so by 3:00 pm they started the paperwork to release me. By about 3:30 pm I was on my way home.
It felt good to get home, and the last couple days have not been too bad. I haven't had any problem getting the amount of fluids down they want me to. I am supposed to get in at least about 50 ounces of liquids a day. Since I have to drink small sips, it means sipping on water all day, but I haven't had any problems with it. I also have had some sugar free popcicles and sugar free jello. That will pretty much be my diet for the rest of this week.
I have a post-op appointment for the 19th of November. Denise forgot to write the time down, so I have to call tomorrow and confirm the time for the appointment. Other than that, things are going pretty good.
Will update again after my post-op appointment unless something new comes up in the mean time.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
B1 (Thiamin) level is good to go
Got a call from Susan yesterday. She told me to actually STOP taking the B Complex for a few days. Seems now my B1 level is high. I guess the double doses I had been taking did the job. So that was the last little hurdle to get over for surgery.
I go in next Monday, the 5th of November for pre-op.
I am so ready to get this done and get healed up so I can be a loser!!
I go in next Monday, the 5th of November for pre-op.
I am so ready to get this done and get healed up so I can be a loser!!
Friday, October 26, 2007
It's Official !!
Got a call from Susan today. She heard back from the insurance company and everything went through and is approved. I am officially a go for November 9th.
The Cardiologist went just fine on Tuesday. I went in, doc asked me some questions, then had the nurse hook me up and do a short EKG. Then he came back in the room and listened to the ol' ticker. He said he thought I would be fine, told me I was cleared for surgery and wished me good luck.
On Monday I went to the hospital and visited with the vampire. She drew blood to do the work up and check my B1. Oh, and she was DAMN good. She didn't even bother with the, "Gonna feel a little poke here". She just did it, and I didn't feel a damn thing. Others lately have had a time getting blood from me, but she hit it right off and boom, boom, boom, filled three little vials and was done. Anyway, still don't have the results from that yet, but I think that even if my B1 is still a little low, they will just add a drip to my IV when I have surgery.
The Cardiologist went just fine on Tuesday. I went in, doc asked me some questions, then had the nurse hook me up and do a short EKG. Then he came back in the room and listened to the ol' ticker. He said he thought I would be fine, told me I was cleared for surgery and wished me good luck.
On Monday I went to the hospital and visited with the vampire. She drew blood to do the work up and check my B1. Oh, and she was DAMN good. She didn't even bother with the, "Gonna feel a little poke here". She just did it, and I didn't feel a damn thing. Others lately have had a time getting blood from me, but she hit it right off and boom, boom, boom, filled three little vials and was done. Anyway, still don't have the results from that yet, but I think that even if my B1 is still a little low, they will just add a drip to my IV when I have surgery.
Monday, October 22, 2007
More appointments
So, I now have an appointment for a Cardio consultation with a Dr. Bream on Tuesday, October 22. Not sure if I will need another after this, but I am hoping this will be the only one I need and I can get clearance that will satisfy the insurance company.
Then on Thursday, October 25th I have an appointment to get a new CPAP machine. The doctor wrote me a prescription for a new type machine. I am hoping it is easier for me to use and keep on all night.
Then on Monday, November 5th, I have a pre-op visit with Dr. Read. So now I am just hoping all this other stuff falls in line so we are able to go for the November 9th surgery date.
To add to the madness of this next couple weeks, I need to get the FMLA paperwork back from Dr. Read and get it turned in at work. I need to make a run to the hospital and get the bloodwork done again to check my vitamin B1 level. Oh, and I am working on a web site for some friends, and would like to have it done and up and running before surgery so I don't have to mess with it afterwards.
Then on Thursday, October 25th I have an appointment to get a new CPAP machine. The doctor wrote me a prescription for a new type machine. I am hoping it is easier for me to use and keep on all night.
Then on Monday, November 5th, I have a pre-op visit with Dr. Read. So now I am just hoping all this other stuff falls in line so we are able to go for the November 9th surgery date.
To add to the madness of this next couple weeks, I need to get the FMLA paperwork back from Dr. Read and get it turned in at work. I need to make a run to the hospital and get the bloodwork done again to check my vitamin B1 level. Oh, and I am working on a web site for some friends, and would like to have it done and up and running before surgery so I don't have to mess with it afterwards.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Insurance demands...
I got a call from Susan yesterday. The insurance had already contacted her and they want me to have a cardio consultation before they will approve me for surgery.
It seems when I went to the sleep lab for the sleep test, I had a number of instances of an irregular heart rate. The doctor made a note of it in the report, so they want me to get the ol' ticker checked now. I will be trying to call them this morning to try to get an expedited appointment so we can keep the surgery date.
The good news is they contacted her just the day after she turned in the packet. So I think if all looks ok with the cardio, and the blood test shows my B1 is adequate, I should be good to go for the November 9th surgery date.
It seems when I went to the sleep lab for the sleep test, I had a number of instances of an irregular heart rate. The doctor made a note of it in the report, so they want me to get the ol' ticker checked now. I will be trying to call them this morning to try to get an expedited appointment so we can keep the surgery date.
The good news is they contacted her just the day after she turned in the packet. So I think if all looks ok with the cardio, and the blood test shows my B1 is adequate, I should be good to go for the November 9th surgery date.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Good news and GREAT news...
Good news is, I tried on a pair of BDU's I got for work about 5 months ago. When I first got them they fit too tight to wear comfortably. Now, although they are still a little tight, I can wear them!
The GREAT news is Susan just called me. I have a tentative date to have surgery on November 9th. As long as they get the approval from the insurance (and we assume they will) I will be having the surgery in just a little over 3 weeks.
I'm so excited, I don't even know what to say at this point.
The GREAT news is Susan just called me. I have a tentative date to have surgery on November 9th. As long as they get the approval from the insurance (and we assume they will) I will be having the surgery in just a little over 3 weeks.
I'm so excited, I don't even know what to say at this point.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Last weigh in
I went over today and weighed in at the bariatric office.
I am officially done with all the things I have to do to have surgery. I had to lose 5% of my weight, and I hit that goal today. I lost 8 pounds since I weighed in last week!!
(In case you are curious, I am a slim 411 lbs. now)
Bobbie told me Susan is out of the office until Tuesday next week, and when she gets back she will call and probably set a tentative date for surgery. She will get the packet sent to the insurance for approval. She said my insurance is usually pretty good and we will most likely get an answer back from them within 2 weeks. Then a blood test to make sure my vitamin B1 level has come up sufficiently and I am good to go.
I will post again next week after I talk to Susan.
I am officially done with all the things I have to do to have surgery. I had to lose 5% of my weight, and I hit that goal today. I lost 8 pounds since I weighed in last week!!
(In case you are curious, I am a slim 411 lbs. now)
Bobbie told me Susan is out of the office until Tuesday next week, and when she gets back she will call and probably set a tentative date for surgery. She will get the packet sent to the insurance for approval. She said my insurance is usually pretty good and we will most likely get an answer back from them within 2 weeks. Then a blood test to make sure my vitamin B1 level has come up sufficiently and I am good to go.
I will post again next week after I talk to Susan.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Getting Close...
The back surgery seems to have been a success. I have not had any sciatic pain down my back and leg since the surgery. It is SO nice to not have that pain all the time.
I also had to go to the sleep lab and have a sleep study done. Well, big surprise, it turns out I have sleep apnea. So I now have a CPAP machine I use when I sleep to help keep my airway open so I sleep better. I have had it for several weeks now, and I am still trying to get used to it. I have a tendency to pull it off part way through the night. It seems to dry my throat out or make my sinuses stuffed up. Oh well, hopefully I will be having the WLS soon and the sleep apnea will go away as I lose weight.
I met with Dr. Read on September 17th. It was a good meeting and just re-affirmed my first impression of him. He is a down to earth, honestly nice guy that cares. So many surgeons (at least the ones I have known) have a varying degree of "God Complex". They seem to be so detached and uninterested in you other than doing the job and moving on.
Dr. Read is NOT one of these. We talked about my reasons for wanting the surgery, and if I was prepared to do the things that I will have to do afterward to make it a success. I have given this a lot of thought and the answer is a resounding YES! I am so tired of always being tired.
The day I saw Dr. Read I also had blood drawn for some tests. I got a call from Susan last week telling me my B1 vitamin level was way to low. So now on top of taking a one-a-day vitamin and calcium tablets, I have to cram a vitamin B complex for the next 3 to 4 weeks to get the levels up before they will do surgery.
The Psychologist has finished and sent her report in. I am getting very close to getting a date. I have not been serious enough at losing the weight I need to. I have continued to lose, but very slowly. As of last week, I still need to lose another 6 pounds. That is basically all I need to do at this point, so this next week I will be seriously working on getting those last few pounds off.
Once I get those last 6 pounds off, my packet will get sent off to the insurance company for approval. I don't think this is going to be an issue. I think once I do that we will actually schedule a surgery date, pending getting my vitamin B1 up where it needs to be.
I am getting pretty excited now. This means within the next 6 weeks or so, I could be going in and having something done that will change my life. I will be posting more as things progress...
I also had to go to the sleep lab and have a sleep study done. Well, big surprise, it turns out I have sleep apnea. So I now have a CPAP machine I use when I sleep to help keep my airway open so I sleep better. I have had it for several weeks now, and I am still trying to get used to it. I have a tendency to pull it off part way through the night. It seems to dry my throat out or make my sinuses stuffed up. Oh well, hopefully I will be having the WLS soon and the sleep apnea will go away as I lose weight.
I met with Dr. Read on September 17th. It was a good meeting and just re-affirmed my first impression of him. He is a down to earth, honestly nice guy that cares. So many surgeons (at least the ones I have known) have a varying degree of "God Complex". They seem to be so detached and uninterested in you other than doing the job and moving on.
Dr. Read is NOT one of these. We talked about my reasons for wanting the surgery, and if I was prepared to do the things that I will have to do afterward to make it a success. I have given this a lot of thought and the answer is a resounding YES! I am so tired of always being tired.
The day I saw Dr. Read I also had blood drawn for some tests. I got a call from Susan last week telling me my B1 vitamin level was way to low. So now on top of taking a one-a-day vitamin and calcium tablets, I have to cram a vitamin B complex for the next 3 to 4 weeks to get the levels up before they will do surgery.
The Psychologist has finished and sent her report in. I am getting very close to getting a date. I have not been serious enough at losing the weight I need to. I have continued to lose, but very slowly. As of last week, I still need to lose another 6 pounds. That is basically all I need to do at this point, so this next week I will be seriously working on getting those last few pounds off.
Once I get those last 6 pounds off, my packet will get sent off to the insurance company for approval. I don't think this is going to be an issue. I think once I do that we will actually schedule a surgery date, pending getting my vitamin B1 up where it needs to be.
I am getting pretty excited now. This means within the next 6 weeks or so, I could be going in and having something done that will change my life. I will be posting more as things progress...
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Back Surgery Complete
Went in for the back surgery yesterday and all went well.
I was scheduled for the surgery at 10:00am, but the one they did before me ended up taking a LOT longer than expected, so they didn't come get me until 2:30pm. Everything went ok though, doc said I did fine and I was able to get up and move around about an hour after surgery so they let me come home.
I am doing pretty good. No real pain so far to speak of. I have been up and about, even walked up and down our street this morning, and feel just fine. There is a feeling of pressure on my lower back, but it isn't really painful at all. I have been taking Vicadin every 5 to 6 hours though.
Anyway, all seems well, I feel fine, so hopefully I will have a speedy recovery, and can get back to the last steps I need to have the WLS.
I am hoping to get everything done and have the WLS in mid September, right after the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire. I figure it will be real close to faire before I can get in, so I might as well wait until after faire to have it.
I was scheduled for the surgery at 10:00am, but the one they did before me ended up taking a LOT longer than expected, so they didn't come get me until 2:30pm. Everything went ok though, doc said I did fine and I was able to get up and move around about an hour after surgery so they let me come home.
I am doing pretty good. No real pain so far to speak of. I have been up and about, even walked up and down our street this morning, and feel just fine. There is a feeling of pressure on my lower back, but it isn't really painful at all. I have been taking Vicadin every 5 to 6 hours though.
Anyway, all seems well, I feel fine, so hopefully I will have a speedy recovery, and can get back to the last steps I need to have the WLS.
I am hoping to get everything done and have the WLS in mid September, right after the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire. I figure it will be real close to faire before I can get in, so I might as well wait until after faire to have it.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
July Update
Well, I went to the psychiatrist again yesterday. It went well. I like her the more I go to see her. I know someone else that is going through the program, and called them today to tell them to go to her for the psych eval.
I also stopped by the bariatric center to get weighed. I was still at the same weight as last time I went. I didn't lose anymore, but at least I didn't gain any back!
I go in for the back surgery on Friday. Hopefully this goes well and I recover quickly and can finish the last steps to have the WLS soon afterwards. It will be nice to be able to get out and exercise after the WLS without being in pain all the time.
Although it really has nothing to do with the WLS, I will post when I am able to let everyone know how the back surgery went.
I also stopped by the bariatric center to get weighed. I was still at the same weight as last time I went. I didn't lose anymore, but at least I didn't gain any back!
I go in for the back surgery on Friday. Hopefully this goes well and I recover quickly and can finish the last steps to have the WLS soon afterwards. It will be nice to be able to get out and exercise after the WLS without being in pain all the time.
Although it really has nothing to do with the WLS, I will post when I am able to let everyone know how the back surgery went.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Reply to Skald's comment
In case anyone reading this doesn't look at the comments, here is one the Skald left me,
The Skald said...
Hey buddy, figured to drop in and follow your story here. I thought you were getting the weight surgery done first. Losing the weight is good for the back too. I just spent a bit of time in the hospital this past week, and the doctor kind of made that plain... "Lose some weight ya fat viking."
As always, best of results for you my friend!
First, thanks bud. If I know nothing else, I know I can count on my family, and two people that I consider brothers, The Skald and Gravebinder.
To answer your question, after some serious consideration and after having talked to the surgeon, I have decided to have the back surgery now. The reasoning is twofold:
1) I am SOOOO tired of hurting all the time.
2) I need to be able to exercise after the WLS.
This is an important step. Yes, PERHAPS after losing 100 lbs the back pain may subside, but the disc will still be protruding. UNTIL I lose that first hundred pounds though, exercise will be difficult, and I will always be worried of blasting that nerve and having all that pain again. I don't want to be hampered in my efforts to make the WLS successful, because I have back pain and can't exercise. So I decided I am going to have it done, hope to hell I am one of those people that can say afterwards that I have no more back pain, and get on with it.
The Skald said...
Hey buddy, figured to drop in and follow your story here. I thought you were getting the weight surgery done first. Losing the weight is good for the back too. I just spent a bit of time in the hospital this past week, and the doctor kind of made that plain... "Lose some weight ya fat viking."
As always, best of results for you my friend!
First, thanks bud. If I know nothing else, I know I can count on my family, and two people that I consider brothers, The Skald and Gravebinder.
To answer your question, after some serious consideration and after having talked to the surgeon, I have decided to have the back surgery now. The reasoning is twofold:
1) I am SOOOO tired of hurting all the time.
2) I need to be able to exercise after the WLS.
This is an important step. Yes, PERHAPS after losing 100 lbs the back pain may subside, but the disc will still be protruding. UNTIL I lose that first hundred pounds though, exercise will be difficult, and I will always be worried of blasting that nerve and having all that pain again. I don't want to be hampered in my efforts to make the WLS successful, because I have back pain and can't exercise. So I decided I am going to have it done, hope to hell I am one of those people that can say afterwards that I have no more back pain, and get on with it.
Weight update and Surgery news
I went today to see the surgeon for my back.
We set a date, July 13th, that is Friday the 13th for those keeping score at home.
Yeah, my daughter flipped out and told me I needed to change it. I think that is a good day for a surgery. So, if all goes well, I will miss only one week of work and be ready to go back by the following week.
After the visit with the surgeon, I went to the bariatric office and weighed in. Turns out just giving up all that sugar in soda is enough to lose weight. I am already half way through the amount I am supposed to lose. Down 11 pounds, to a svelt 424 lbs. I certainly haven't been eating as well as I should, or getting any serious exercise in with my back all screwed up, so I attribute most of it to just not drinking soda anymore. Oh, and Gravebinder was right, Diet Mountain Dew sucks. It is pretty much pointless. If I am going to have a soda, I have decided I like the diet Dr. Pepper, and the flavored versions of it and Pepsi, like the Pepsi Jazz soda. I have pretty much stopped drinking even these though at this point. I am pretty content with the flavored water drinks.
We set a date, July 13th, that is Friday the 13th for those keeping score at home.
Yeah, my daughter flipped out and told me I needed to change it. I think that is a good day for a surgery. So, if all goes well, I will miss only one week of work and be ready to go back by the following week.
After the visit with the surgeon, I went to the bariatric office and weighed in. Turns out just giving up all that sugar in soda is enough to lose weight. I am already half way through the amount I am supposed to lose. Down 11 pounds, to a svelt 424 lbs. I certainly haven't been eating as well as I should, or getting any serious exercise in with my back all screwed up, so I attribute most of it to just not drinking soda anymore. Oh, and Gravebinder was right, Diet Mountain Dew sucks. It is pretty much pointless. If I am going to have a soda, I have decided I like the diet Dr. Pepper, and the flavored versions of it and Pepsi, like the Pepsi Jazz soda. I have pretty much stopped drinking even these though at this point. I am pretty content with the flavored water drinks.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
So what's left?
So here is what I still have to do so I can have the surgery.
1) I have to finish with the psychiatrist. This will be one or two more visits.
2) I have to get the sleep study done at the sleep lab. (If they ever call me.)
3) I have to have a consultation with Dr. Read. (This one I will do as soon as I have the money. The $750.00 program fee is split into three parts, $250.00 when you see Susan for the first consultation with her, $250.00 when you see Dr. Read, and the last $250.00 after everything has been finalized and before you have the surgery.)
4) I need to make a point to attend a few of the support groups.
5) I need to lose the 22lbs.
That is all that is left before I can get the surgery.
Just to throw a monkey wrench into the whole works though, I have a buggered up disc in my back, and will probably be going in to have surgery on it in the next few weeks. I don't think this will have too big an impact though. If all goes well, the recovery time shouldn't be too long on the back surgery, and I still have at least a couple months to get through all the last hurdles I need to for the WLS.
1) I have to finish with the psychiatrist. This will be one or two more visits.
2) I have to get the sleep study done at the sleep lab. (If they ever call me.)
3) I have to have a consultation with Dr. Read. (This one I will do as soon as I have the money. The $750.00 program fee is split into three parts, $250.00 when you see Susan for the first consultation with her, $250.00 when you see Dr. Read, and the last $250.00 after everything has been finalized and before you have the surgery.)
4) I need to make a point to attend a few of the support groups.
5) I need to lose the 22lbs.
That is all that is left before I can get the surgery.
Just to throw a monkey wrench into the whole works though, I have a buggered up disc in my back, and will probably be going in to have surgery on it in the next few weeks. I don't think this will have too big an impact though. If all goes well, the recovery time shouldn't be too long on the back surgery, and I still have at least a couple months to get through all the last hurdles I need to for the WLS.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
So where am I at in all this?
OK, so this post is going to be the one that gets me up to date, then I will post as things progress or as I feel necessary to document my story.
First off, I will list the players in this little real life drama.
First up is me:
I am 41, married for 20 years, have 3 kids (Gavin is 20, Tyler is 17 and my baby, Heidi is 15). I work at the Oregon State Penitentiary and have another blog that talks about my prison life called "Life on the Installment Plan".
Corvallis Samaritan Bariatric Program:
Let me preface this by saying that every one of these people are quality, caring and supportive people. I have enjoyed my interaction with each of them, and feel very comfortable with my choice to have the surgery here.
Dr. Read - He is the one that will do the surgery
Kim - She works the front office and is the one I talk to on the phone all the time.
Denise - Kim left and went to another job so now Denise works at the front office.
Susan - She is the patient coordinator and is also a Certified Medical Assistant.
Bobbie - She is the program manager and is also a Registered Nurse
Barb - She is the dietitian.
The Psychiatrist that I am seeing is Dr. Rushing. She is not strictly a part of the Bariatric Program, but is one of the psychiatrists that they recomend that has worked with many patients of the program. She has her own practice in Corvallis.
So I had been thinking about having WLS for some time. I even sent off for information from this program one time before, then kind of put it aside. I was also considering the program at OSHU in Portland, and wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. I had talked about it with my regular doctor a few times, and he was very supportive and all for it. My regular doc is Dr. T. Hindmarsh, and he is the best. I really like him and appreciate the care he has given me over the last 10 or so years.
The first part of April of 2007, I decided I had put it off long enough and was ready to commit to WLS. I had decided to go through the program in Corvallis. I called Kim and talked with her a while and asked her to send me the information packet again. I got the packet around the middle of April.
On April 24th, 2007 I attended the first informational meeting. This meeting was conducted by Susan, and was mostly an overview of the program, what was expected of us, and what we could expect from them. There was also a lot of information about what was needed to deal with getting all the information together that was going to be needed by the insurance companies.
On May 16th, 2007 I had an appointment to meet with Susan and Barb. First up was Susan. She wieghed me in and checked my BMI. Yup, here is the scary part. I am 6' 4", wieghed in at 435 lbs and have a BMI of 53!! She then detailed the program for me and gave me a notebook with an outline of the program. This is to be my bible, and I am to read it, make notes where needed and take it to all future meetings. She also gave me a book titled "Wieght Loss Surgery - Finding the Thin Person Hiding Inside You!" by Barbara Thompson. I went home that evening and read the entire book. It was very interesting and I really enjoyed it. I passed it along to my mom to read, and haven't seen it since. Barbara Thompson has a web site dedicated to wieght loss surgery called Wieght Loss Surgery Center. This is a good site with some good information.
So after Susan finished explaining the program to me and answering my questions, Barb came in to talk to me about diet. She outlined what eating would be like after surgery and went over the food that I would be eating after the surgery. I won't go into all the details for now, but I will at a later date and as I am going through the process myself. She also helped me to set up a plan to lose the 22 lbs I would need to lose before I could have the surgery.
Then on May 22nd, 2007 I attended the second informational meeting. This was the one conducted by Dr. Read and was an in depth look at what the surgery actually is and how it is done. This was the first time (and so far only time) I had met or seen Dr. Read. My first impression is that he is a very down to earth man that genuinely cares about his patients. The meeting was very informational and interesting. My mom went to this meeting with me to help support me, and see what it was about, and when we talked later, she had the same good feeling about him as well.
I forget what the actual date was, but some time after this I had to do an overnight oximetry study. I went to the hospital and picked up a machine that had a little probe that I attached to my finger. I then slept that day (I am a night worker, so yes, that day) with it hooked up to me. This machine kept a record of my oxygen levels and heart rate while I slept to check for sleep apnea. I apparently failed this test, as I was told I would need to go to the sleep lab at the hospital for further tests. I was told this a couple weeks ago, but so far I haven't heard from the lab yet. I will call them later this week if I don't hear from them.
On June 4th and June 11th, 2007 I had appointments with Dr. Rushing, the psychologist. The first meeting was a lot of background information and getting to know each other. The second meeting was spent talking about the changes that would happen once I have the surgery. These were good meetings. I like Dr. Rushing and she is very easy to talk to. I will need to go back at least one more time to take a test and discuss life after the surgery some more.
First off, I will list the players in this little real life drama.
First up is me:
I am 41, married for 20 years, have 3 kids (Gavin is 20, Tyler is 17 and my baby, Heidi is 15). I work at the Oregon State Penitentiary and have another blog that talks about my prison life called "Life on the Installment Plan".
Corvallis Samaritan Bariatric Program:
Let me preface this by saying that every one of these people are quality, caring and supportive people. I have enjoyed my interaction with each of them, and feel very comfortable with my choice to have the surgery here.
Dr. Read - He is the one that will do the surgery
Kim - She works the front office and is the one I talk to on the phone all the time.
Denise - Kim left and went to another job so now Denise works at the front office.
Susan - She is the patient coordinator and is also a Certified Medical Assistant.
Bobbie - She is the program manager and is also a Registered Nurse
Barb - She is the dietitian.
The Psychiatrist that I am seeing is Dr. Rushing. She is not strictly a part of the Bariatric Program, but is one of the psychiatrists that they recomend that has worked with many patients of the program. She has her own practice in Corvallis.
So I had been thinking about having WLS for some time. I even sent off for information from this program one time before, then kind of put it aside. I was also considering the program at OSHU in Portland, and wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. I had talked about it with my regular doctor a few times, and he was very supportive and all for it. My regular doc is Dr. T. Hindmarsh, and he is the best. I really like him and appreciate the care he has given me over the last 10 or so years.
The first part of April of 2007, I decided I had put it off long enough and was ready to commit to WLS. I had decided to go through the program in Corvallis. I called Kim and talked with her a while and asked her to send me the information packet again. I got the packet around the middle of April.
On April 24th, 2007 I attended the first informational meeting. This meeting was conducted by Susan, and was mostly an overview of the program, what was expected of us, and what we could expect from them. There was also a lot of information about what was needed to deal with getting all the information together that was going to be needed by the insurance companies.
On May 16th, 2007 I had an appointment to meet with Susan and Barb. First up was Susan. She wieghed me in and checked my BMI. Yup, here is the scary part. I am 6' 4", wieghed in at 435 lbs and have a BMI of 53!! She then detailed the program for me and gave me a notebook with an outline of the program. This is to be my bible, and I am to read it, make notes where needed and take it to all future meetings. She also gave me a book titled "Wieght Loss Surgery - Finding the Thin Person Hiding Inside You!" by Barbara Thompson. I went home that evening and read the entire book. It was very interesting and I really enjoyed it. I passed it along to my mom to read, and haven't seen it since. Barbara Thompson has a web site dedicated to wieght loss surgery called Wieght Loss Surgery Center. This is a good site with some good information.
So after Susan finished explaining the program to me and answering my questions, Barb came in to talk to me about diet. She outlined what eating would be like after surgery and went over the food that I would be eating after the surgery. I won't go into all the details for now, but I will at a later date and as I am going through the process myself. She also helped me to set up a plan to lose the 22 lbs I would need to lose before I could have the surgery.
Then on May 22nd, 2007 I attended the second informational meeting. This was the one conducted by Dr. Read and was an in depth look at what the surgery actually is and how it is done. This was the first time (and so far only time) I had met or seen Dr. Read. My first impression is that he is a very down to earth man that genuinely cares about his patients. The meeting was very informational and interesting. My mom went to this meeting with me to help support me, and see what it was about, and when we talked later, she had the same good feeling about him as well.
I forget what the actual date was, but some time after this I had to do an overnight oximetry study. I went to the hospital and picked up a machine that had a little probe that I attached to my finger. I then slept that day (I am a night worker, so yes, that day) with it hooked up to me. This machine kept a record of my oxygen levels and heart rate while I slept to check for sleep apnea. I apparently failed this test, as I was told I would need to go to the sleep lab at the hospital for further tests. I was told this a couple weeks ago, but so far I haven't heard from the lab yet. I will call them later this week if I don't hear from them.
On June 4th and June 11th, 2007 I had appointments with Dr. Rushing, the psychologist. The first meeting was a lot of background information and getting to know each other. The second meeting was spent talking about the changes that would happen once I have the surgery. These were good meetings. I like Dr. Rushing and she is very easy to talk to. I will need to go back at least one more time to take a test and discuss life after the surgery some more.
What is the criteria for having gastric bypass?
The criteria for having gastric bypass can be different depending on where you are having it done and what your insurance requires.
Following is the criteria I have to meet for the Samaritan Bariatric Program.
This also happens to be pretty much the same as my insurance requirements.
I am very fortunate in that I work for the state, and have Samaritan Select health insurance. It is very good insurance, and it will pay for the bariatric program. The costs to me will be, Co-pays for labs and doctors visits (usually $10.00), a total of $750.00 for the bariatric program fees (this is not covered by the insurance) and for the surgery itself I pay only $100.00 per day for the hospital stay, which is usually only about 2 days if all goes well and the surgery is done laparoscopic.
taken from handout from Samaritan Bariatric Program in Corvallis, Oregon:
Mandatory patient selection criteria
1) Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeding 40; (greater than 100 lbs over ideal body wieght); or
2) BMI greater than 35 in conjunction with the severe co-morbidities that are likely to reduce life expectancy.
1. Coronary Heart Disease
2. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
3. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
4. Hypertension
5. Hyperlipidemia
6. Hypercholesterolemia
7. Osteoarthritis
8. Gallstones
9. Stress Incontinence
3) Patient must demonstrate a 5% wieght loss after entering our program.
4) Commitment to Samaritan Bariatric Program:
1. Attend two informational classes prior to an office consult with the doctor,
2. Lab work every two months after surgery for the first year.
3. Support groups monthly.
4. Monthly wieght checks for the first year.
5) Health status at level to tolerate surgical procedure.
6) Age 18 - 65 (consenting adult)
7) Not pregnant
8) History of trial medical/dietary therapies:
Provide documentation that you have failed less invasive methods of wieght loss. Less invasive therapies include low-calorie dieting, increased physical activity, behavioral therapy, and pharmacotherapy.
9) Behavioral or psychiatric assessment.
*My insurance also states that this is to be a six month process before the surgery.
I MAY be able to have it before the six months are up, if I have completed all the other requirements. This is strictly up to the person at the insurance company that reviews my request for the surgery.
Following is the criteria I have to meet for the Samaritan Bariatric Program.
This also happens to be pretty much the same as my insurance requirements.
I am very fortunate in that I work for the state, and have Samaritan Select health insurance. It is very good insurance, and it will pay for the bariatric program. The costs to me will be, Co-pays for labs and doctors visits (usually $10.00), a total of $750.00 for the bariatric program fees (this is not covered by the insurance) and for the surgery itself I pay only $100.00 per day for the hospital stay, which is usually only about 2 days if all goes well and the surgery is done laparoscopic.
taken from handout from Samaritan Bariatric Program in Corvallis, Oregon:
Mandatory patient selection criteria
1) Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeding 40; (greater than 100 lbs over ideal body wieght); or
2) BMI greater than 35 in conjunction with the severe co-morbidities that are likely to reduce life expectancy.
1. Coronary Heart Disease
2. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
3. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
4. Hypertension
5. Hyperlipidemia
6. Hypercholesterolemia
7. Osteoarthritis
8. Gallstones
9. Stress Incontinence
3) Patient must demonstrate a 5% wieght loss after entering our program.
4) Commitment to Samaritan Bariatric Program:
1. Attend two informational classes prior to an office consult with the doctor,
2. Lab work every two months after surgery for the first year.
3. Support groups monthly.
4. Monthly wieght checks for the first year.
5) Health status at level to tolerate surgical procedure.
6) Age 18 - 65 (consenting adult)
7) Not pregnant
8) History of trial medical/dietary therapies:
Provide documentation that you have failed less invasive methods of wieght loss. Less invasive therapies include low-calorie dieting, increased physical activity, behavioral therapy, and pharmacotherapy.
9) Behavioral or psychiatric assessment.
*My insurance also states that this is to be a six month process before the surgery.
I MAY be able to have it before the six months are up, if I have completed all the other requirements. This is strictly up to the person at the insurance company that reviews my request for the surgery.
What is WLS?
WLS is a Wieght Loss Surgery.
There are a number of different types out there.
I will at some point try to mention the different ones, but this will mostly be about the one I am having. It is called a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
The following information is taken word for word from the brochure "Samaritan Bariatric Program". This is a brochure I received in my information packet from the bariatric program at Good Samaritan hospital in Corvallis, Oregon.
What will the surgeon do?
How does it work?
During surgery a small stomach pouch is created by dividing the stomach just below the esophagus. This pouch is designed to hold two ounces (or 1/4 cup) of food. This limits the amount of food one can eat while providing a satisfying "full" sensation.
The lower portion of the stomach is permanently closed, but it continues to produce digestive fluids that pass into the duodenum, where bile and pancreatic enzymes are also recieved. Together, these fluids will flow through the first portion of the small intestine and combine with food for normal digestion.
Beyond the stomach, the duodenum and the small bowel are fashioned into a "Y" configuration. One limb of the "Y" drains the active small stomach pouch and the other drains the unused portion of the stomach and duodenum. The stomach pouch is attached to the small intestine by way of a hole approximately one centimeter in diameter. This helps solid food stay longer in the stomach pouch so it provides a longer duration of "fullness".
To learn more, try looking at the American Society for Bariatric Surgery's information on Roux-en-Y, or just do a Google search for Roux-en-Y surgery.
So here it is in laymens (my own words) terms.
Basically they cut your stomach loose, leaving just the very top part to make a small pouch. The rest of the stomach is left in you, and is still alive and well. It continues to make the fluids needed for digestion and mixes with the food you eat in the bowels to digest the little food you eat normally. The weight loss occurs because of two factors, one, you don't (can't) eat much with a stomach the size of a golf ball, and two, a portion of the intestine is bypassed so the food you eat doesn't spend as much time in your body before being passed out.
Well, that about covers what it is.
There are a number of different types out there.
I will at some point try to mention the different ones, but this will mostly be about the one I am having. It is called a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
The following information is taken word for word from the brochure "Samaritan Bariatric Program". This is a brochure I received in my information packet from the bariatric program at Good Samaritan hospital in Corvallis, Oregon.
What will the surgeon do?
How does it work?
During surgery a small stomach pouch is created by dividing the stomach just below the esophagus. This pouch is designed to hold two ounces (or 1/4 cup) of food. This limits the amount of food one can eat while providing a satisfying "full" sensation.
The lower portion of the stomach is permanently closed, but it continues to produce digestive fluids that pass into the duodenum, where bile and pancreatic enzymes are also recieved. Together, these fluids will flow through the first portion of the small intestine and combine with food for normal digestion.
Beyond the stomach, the duodenum and the small bowel are fashioned into a "Y" configuration. One limb of the "Y" drains the active small stomach pouch and the other drains the unused portion of the stomach and duodenum. The stomach pouch is attached to the small intestine by way of a hole approximately one centimeter in diameter. This helps solid food stay longer in the stomach pouch so it provides a longer duration of "fullness".
To learn more, try looking at the American Society for Bariatric Surgery's information on Roux-en-Y, or just do a Google search for Roux-en-Y surgery.
So here it is in laymens (my own words) terms.
Basically they cut your stomach loose, leaving just the very top part to make a small pouch. The rest of the stomach is left in you, and is still alive and well. It continues to make the fluids needed for digestion and mixes with the food you eat in the bowels to digest the little food you eat normally. The weight loss occurs because of two factors, one, you don't (can't) eat much with a stomach the size of a golf ball, and two, a portion of the intestine is bypassed so the food you eat doesn't spend as much time in your body before being passed out.
Well, that about covers what it is.
In the beginning...
I am too fat.
I have always been too fat and as I start into my 40's I am ready to make a change.
Diets don't work. It is time for something a little more drastic.
This is one mans story of taking the bull by the horns and making that change.
If you are reading this, I have probably already had the surgery.
I don't plan on making it public or known to anyone until I have.
The first of this is simply going to be my thoughts as I go along, and the different things I have to do in order to prepare for, and get approved for the surgery.
I will try to keep it fairly interesting and informational.
If you are going through, or thinking of going through a WLS, feel free to contact me and I will be happy to help you in any way I can. You can email me at: Wolfgore@gmail.com
Well, let the journey begin....
I have always been too fat and as I start into my 40's I am ready to make a change.
Diets don't work. It is time for something a little more drastic.
This is one mans story of taking the bull by the horns and making that change.
If you are reading this, I have probably already had the surgery.
I don't plan on making it public or known to anyone until I have.
The first of this is simply going to be my thoughts as I go along, and the different things I have to do in order to prepare for, and get approved for the surgery.
I will try to keep it fairly interesting and informational.
If you are going through, or thinking of going through a WLS, feel free to contact me and I will be happy to help you in any way I can. You can email me at: Wolfgore@gmail.com
Well, let the journey begin....
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