WHAT_EGO
Hi Ladies...Oh and Gentlemen.
My story goes a lil like this...Back in 1993 I had a VRG what is known as a Vertical Ring Gastric. The place that I went through was Surgi-Lite Dr. K. Well, I was doing fine for about 3 months THEN all of a sudden I began not to be able to swallow my own saliva!!! I also started spitting up Bile...the yuckie brown stuff. This totally scared the living day lights out of me. I called the dr and they told me to come in to the office because they might need to use some type of instrument to open up the ring. Well I went and when this procedure was about to take place he explained what was going to happen but I did not hear anything about LOCAL ANESTHESIA... This instrument was to go down my throat without anything except some numbing medication. Needless to say this did not work because this was done 3 different times with no relief. I eventually had the ring removed and I was told that I would gain the weight back....I DID NOT EVEN CARE!!! Well here we are 16 years later weighing 230 pounds, 10 pounds less than where I started back in 1993 UGH!!!!
So here I am again but at age 40 looking and searching for help. I have gone back to numerous doctors and it seemed funny because every time I would tell a doctor who did my initial surgery, I always would get this funny look. Well this particular Dr is not in practice any longer doing bariatric surgeries!!!! YEAH
So I called Surgi-Lite once again looking for help and I was told that my insurance which is Blue Cross PPO was not accepted there. I was referred to a place called New Reflexion. Well I called there and You know what was funny is that the doctor that I would be seeing also works out of Surgi-Lite. Ha Ha Ha.
So with all that said and done, I went through the insurance verification and WAH-LAH... I was on my way with a REVISION surgery!!!!
12/8/09 Big day, On my way to Tri-City Regional Hospital. I am going out on a date with Dr. Martinez...Surgery Date that is LOL. My nurses seem to be nice and knowledgeable. OK so let me tell yall I HAD A PANIC ATTACK RIGHT BEFORE GOING IN THE OPERATING ROOM!!!
oK WHAT HAD HAPPEN WAS...... LOL I had my IV in my arm and the medicine that the anesthesiologist put in my IV he said that this would calm my stomach. Well the vapors of the medication seemed like it drifted up my nose and the smell of this made me feel as though the walls were closing in on me yall. THEN a lady had just come out of the operating room MOANING AND GROANING at the same time that my panic began. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED UP OFF OF MY BED!!!! I started yelling and crying, "OH NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS TODAY PLEASE, PLEASE...GET MY DOCTOR PLEASE. A nurse came running saying, "What's wrong???? I said, "OH PLEASE GET MY DOCTOR, I DON'T WANNA DO THIS TODAY!" The anesthesiologist came running asking what's wrong?? I told him the same thing "Please I can't Please. He then went and got Dr. Martinez, Dr. Martinez Say's , What's wrong? I sat back down on the bed, I jumped back up, I sat back down again. I then turned around in a circle and sat back down again all while crying. My Doctor said "Let me go get your husband" I said, "OK". Well the doctor did not know that my husband was not in the waiting room, he was in my room room. So my doctor calls the lady that I always talk to at the Surge-Lite clinic. She was trying to calm me down and I just was not having it! So the doctors said, "Will you allow me to give you some other medication that will sedate you a little bit and if that does not work we will let you go". I said, "OK" WELL, y'all I was out like a light LIL. I just remember waking up in pain!!! I too was moaning and groaning like the other lady that had scared me.
Well, I am up and coherent now and Now I get my 1st BIG BREAKFAST...a bowl of broth, a cup of tea, a jello container and a bottle of Snapple Raspberry Tea LIL. If never see this stuff again IT WILL BE TOO SOON!!!
So, on 12/12/09, I was released from the hospital with a drain attached to my side. Everything was going as planned according to my doctor. I had to drink some kind of blue liquid the day before I was released to make sure that there was no leakage of any sort before going home. YEAH NO LEAKAGE!!! I could not wait to get home and lay in my own bed! My stay was nice but HOME IS WHERE MY HEART WANTED TO BE. AHHH ATLAS!!!
As the days went by I did not cook for my family, the hubby had to cook. This food was smelling so good! I just started going into my room when it was being prepared. One of these days He was making CHICKEN STRIPS. I never have had a problem with the smell of fried chicken BUT THIS DAY...YUCK!!!! This just made my stomach turn I felt like throwing up. I had to get some peppermint extract drops and put a drop into my ice chips to make me feel better.
So now, I am having trouble with the PROTEIN SHAKES. These were getting nastier by the days, hours, and minutes. I was trying all kinds of shakes and powders and ewww! Not to mention drinking water 64 oz at that was VERY HARD! I could never do it. But I was seeing my face get more slender each day. I have a scale at home and My scale was wondering "what is wrong with her, why is she getting lighter!" After watching the fluid from my drain get lighter in color and less full, I was saying to myself Alrighty then it MUST BE GOOD!
12/21/09 1st doctors visit. When I went in to weigh, I went from 230lbs to 208....I had lost 22 lbs YES! I was excited. Everything was working and going well. I got my drain out got patched up and was told by my dr, " Ok Now NO POTATOES in any form!" I was like damn because I wanted to have something. I said, Dr. Martinez, I can't have anything??? He said, "You can have some refried beans but make sure that they are very mashed." I said alright! to myself CUZ I WAS HUNGRY FOR SOME FOOD!
***As the days went on there was 1 day in particular that I went into my room and cried! I just thought "WHAT THE HELL HAVE I DONE!" My emotions were running on high and on edge, I wanted to eat a regular meal. A regular meal to me was just ANYTHING I WANTED!!! I WAS FANTASIZING OF ALL THE THINGS I WANTED TO EAT ESPECIALLY WITH CHRISTMAS ROLLING AROUND. I soon got over that feeling. I was praying to the Lord for some comfort and peace. He granted me that.
So now I am putting on my old clothes and EVERYTHING was making me look like I was a homeless person who had to wear just anything. I started packing up the old clothes to take to the thrift store. I kept 1 pair of jeans. I went to the store to go find some streatch clothes as I shed the pounds. I started wearing sweat pants and tee shirts.
12/25/09 Merry Christmas! I had open up a box but I thought it was something from my mother and not my husband. It was a fushia pink and black sweatsuit outfit. This was so cute but I did not think this was from my husband because usually the things he pick up are not my type of clothing LOL. So then I looked at the size and it said LARGE OMG! He said, "OH thats probably too big for you now that I am looking at it." My mother says , "Oh yeah thats gonna be too big." I went to try it on right away...it was just the right fit for me at that time. It was un-believeable.
1/7/10 HAPPY NEW YEAR and NEW ME. 2nd visit to the doctor I weighed in at 201. I had lost 7 more lbs YES! Feeling good , feeling more energized, feel better about myself! While waiting to be seen by the doctor, myself and a few other ladies shared our stories of our journey, our likes and dislikes, our cheating ways with foods LOL Chewing it up and spitting it out, this was fun and FUNNY. My doctor told me that I could start my soft foods now still making sure that I stay away from the CARBS!!! I also get to go back to work because I was feeling good and again everything was going well. I was not due to go back until the 18th of Jan. My doctor asked me if I was sure I wanted to go back and I was like YES!!!
1/11/10 BACK TO WORK!!! Here is the test. Everyone noticed. I got so many compliments it was unbelieveable. I had on my makeup and my size 16 regular size jeans NOT THE ONES WITH A "W" after the number tee hee!! Because I was wearing a "20W"...No LONGER GOOD BYE! I work at a High School and the Students, Oh man the students were screaming Ms. P for 1 they had missed me from being out and for 2 because of the weight loss. I looked different and looked good to them also. I had one male student that said, "Damn, If I was only 19! I said "BABY BOY THAT STILL AINT OLD ENOUGH!" "My daughter is older than you!" But I got lot's of compliments. Things like you look younger, you look like a different person, OMG Im Jealous But it was good.
Today is 1/15/10 The end of my first week back at work. I have just been wearing my step ticker at work because I walk my campus because I supervise the campus of over 3,300 students along with 7 others. I have been walking over 13,000 steps so I am buring calories also. Trying to watch my food intake and calories. Also it has been a little easier to drink my fluids as I walk. So BIG UPS TO THIS WEEK and I THINK I may have lost another 3 LBS. IN FEB. I WILL BE GOING ON A CRUISE. THE ONLY THING IS I AM SCARED TO BUY TOO MANY CLOTHES BECAUSE I WILL STILL BE LOSING!!!
