Re: Re: A little about colleen

[Guest guest]

Tamara wrote:

--Robynn: Thank you so much for being gracious enough to share with me. I am going out of the SOuth San Francisco facility, and I have also heard that Richmond is far more strict. I have been researching this for 3 years, and have been to consults outside of Kaiser. I have read 5 different books that detail almost every kind of gastric surgery, and have read my Kaiser book 4 times front to back since last Tuesday. I don't know if Lifestyles is also a nutrition class, but it was taught by Beth Goodridge, who is the registered dietian. The questions that I have pertain mainly to the time frame from orientation to surgery. I understand that it is mainly based upon your goal wiehg tprior to surgery, and I have begun to lose. I was placed on the 1200 calorie diet last week on Tuesday, and have lost 9 pounds as of this morning. I think I will

be required to lose 30 pounds, so I am a third of the way there. I joined Curves gym, and work out for 1 hour everyday, except for weekends, when I garden and walk with my children. I am drinking betwen 96 and 128 ounces of water a day, so much so that I pee clear. I feel like a camel!! I have already had my bloodwork completed, as well as my EKG and my chest X-ray. AS far as support people goes, my mom is taking 10 days off from work to come and stay with me, my hubby has a weeks worth of vacation time saved up, and my best buddy/neighbor is a fellow GBS patient, 3 years post, and has been thru the whole kit and kaboodle. I feel exteremly fortunate to have her as my friend and support person, because she has been thru it herself. I also have lined up for my kids to be at grandma's for 1 week after surgery, so I can come home to a quiet environment for at least a few days. So how long did it take you to get your surgery date

once you called them and told them that you were at goal? Was it a long time? How long were you in the hospital afer surgery? The surgeon told us at orientation that if things go well, it is possible to go home the next day. That seems kinda fast to me, but what do I know? I have never felt so ready for something in my life. I can honestly say that I am approaching this with a surreal sense of calm. It is as if my very being knows that this what I need to have done to make my body well, and my mind is right there, ready to go. I know that probably sounds strange, but I never knew that your body could experience that sense of right. Does that make any sense at all? Anyway, I am at the point now where I have read all that I can, and am visiting numerous sites to chat and get first hand expereince from real people who have been thru this. That is why I thank you again sincerely for sharing with me. If you would be kind enough to

answer my questions as they come, I would be ever grateful. Thanks for welcoming me as a new friend. It means alot. Tamara- In gastric-bypass-support-kaiser-patients , Robynn VanPatten wrote:> Yahoo, Miss . Hey there Tamara. I went through Richmond, too. I just had the surgery 12 days ago. Lost 26 lbs. prior to, and 14 lbs. so far...for a total of 40 lbs. So, my current weight is 221, and I'm 5'6".> > What kind of info are looking for...or are you at the place where "you don't even know what you don't know"? The best thing to do is read, read and read...and when you think of a question, throw it out there.> > You will probably be asked to do a second psych eval with the staff psychologist who is assigned to Richmond. (I'm blanking on the Lifestyle class...is that a new requirement, or was I just thinking of it as something else? Is that the Nutrition

class?)> > You'll meet witha surgeon for your first surgery consult at some point. If you are lucky, you may be at goal at the time (I wasn't, because I got my surgery consult within a few weeks of my orientation). If you are at goal, they will schedule you for your surgery. You will then have to take a pre-op class which they'll schedule for you, you'll have to take various tests, meet with an anesthesiologist, and keep your weight down.> > At Richmond, they are very very strict about the weight, so keep it down. Don't let up, don't slack off.> > If you don't make goal at your first, assigned surgery consult, they will wait for you to call them when you are at goal. At that point, they schedule you to see the surgeon, and all of the steps I outlined above will be undertaken.> > So, read your book a gazillion times. Try and get a caregiver on board to help you post-surgery (way

before, so they are on notice)...work on your water intake, try to exercise to get in as good physical shape as you can before the surgery, it will aid in your recovery...get the 10 percent off...and fasten your seatbelt.> > In the meantime, try to go to some support groups...frequently you'll get a reminder from this board about the upcoming ones...and then, partake of the knowledge and frivolity you'll gain from this board.> > Welcome, our new friend.> Robynn> > musil321 wrote:> 5 months post op and down 101 lbs to a FABULOUS 175. Thank you very > much. > > gina takes a bow. > > > > > > Hello all. I would like to introduce myself to the group. I > am > > > > Tamara, and I am new to the process. I have been through > > orientation > > > > and lifestyle 1, ans meet

tomorrow with Beth Goodridge for my > > > > nuttition/dietian class. I am hoping that I can use this site > > > to "pick > > > > your brains" and get some insight as to what to expect, > > especially > > > time > > > > wise. I also saw a post from someone named Uncle Timmy about > a > > > Cherry > > > > Vanilla flavored protein shake. Anyone have any information > for > > me? > > > > Thanks so much, and look forward to chatting with you all soon.> > > > > > --------------------------------->