Re: Scheduled for surgery Tuesday July 6th, 2004

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

We all go through those moments of panic.... but I wouldn't change a thing

about my surgery, except I would have done it years ago if I knew then what

I knew now. What a wonderful gift you are giving yourself, doing this and

still having a young child to enjoy life with. I did it to help me keep up

with my grandson!! Just take things a day at a time. When I started

stressing, I just started praying and that helped me a lot (don't know how

you feel about that one) but start thinking of yourself in your very

favorite spot in the world, and how much you will enjoy it when you are

feeling healthier.

best of luck, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help,

-- Scheduled for surgery Tuesday July 6th,

2004

Okay, now I'm getting a bit nervous. I went in a week and a half

ago after completing all the tests and such and getting all of my

releases and they had a cancellation so POOF I'm scheduled in two

weeks. Oh, really? Thank you. ARRRGGGHHH!! I didn't really have

time to think and now after a life of Chicago pizzas and ribs and

barbequed steaks I'm going to be limited to an ounce or two of baby

food and I find out yesterday I'll probably be in intensive care

with a respirator for up to 4 days. All of this is happening a bit

faster than I thought. My wife cannot come because of our 2 month

old and so I will be going in and post surgical by myself. That is

hard and her and my also but I'm just suddenly frightened. HELP!

lol It's not funny but it is funny but its not funny. I'm sure

there are a lot of you who had or will have these feelings and I

need some 'peer' encouragement etc. Is anybody there?

Respectfully,

[Guest guest]

Thank you, yes panic is a good word. lol I am 45 and have 5 kids.

My oldest is 25 and I have 3 grandkids older than my youngest

child. My present wife is wonderful and she is only 26 so I could

not say no to a child. I am only 329 pounds but at 5'9 " I am

miserable. A head injury just 4 years ago changed my life forever

and I want my life back. I was always big but never over 240 before

the accident. Now I know that if I don't have this surgery I will

lose much of my life and quality of life for sure. I am just not

looking forward to post op and recovery and all that yuckiness. lol

> Hi there,

>

> We all go through those moments of panic.... but I wouldn't change

a thing

> about my surgery, except I would have done it years ago if I knew

then what

> I knew now. What a wonderful gift you are giving yourself, doing

this and

> still having a young child to enjoy life with. I did it to help

me keep up

> with my grandson!! Just take things a day at a time. When I

started

> stressing, I just started praying and that helped me a lot (don't

know how

> you feel about that one) but start thinking of yourself in your

very

> favorite spot in the world, and how much you will enjoy it when

you are

> feeling healthier.

>

> best of luck, and let me know if there is anything I can do to

help,

>

>

>

> -- Scheduled for surgery Tuesday

July 6th,

> 2004

>

> Okay, now I'm getting a bit nervous. I went in a week and a half

> ago after completing all the tests and such and getting all of my

> releases and they had a cancellation so POOF I'm scheduled in two

> weeks. Oh, really? Thank you. ARRRGGGHHH!! I didn't really have

> time to think and now after a life of Chicago pizzas and ribs and

> barbequed steaks I'm going to be limited to an ounce or two of

baby

> food and I find out yesterday I'll probably be in intensive care

> with a respirator for up to 4 days. All of this is happening a

bit

> faster than I thought. My wife cannot come because of our 2 month

> old and so I will be going in and post surgical by myself. That

is

> hard and her and my also but I'm just suddenly frightened. HELP!

> lol It's not funny but it is funny but its not funny. I'm sure

> there are a lot of you who had or will have these feelings and I

> need some 'peer' encouragement etc. Is anybody there?

> Respectfully,

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Okay, well, I'm supposedly having a laporiscopic roux en y. About

90 hours until surgery and counting. lol It's just that I keep

hearing all these different accounts of people eating normal foods

within weeks of their surgery and that goes against all the research

I've done. Peanuts, NEVER AGAIN, according to all the online

research. Nuts and seeds are out, carbs can cause postop damage and

no solids for at LEAST 2 months. Why would anybody go through a

surgery like this just to defeat the surgical procedure? Are all

these people after bypass or simply banding or??? All the

dieticians told me liquid one week and then perhaps very soft after

2 weeks. All within 2 oz servings. The maximum serving size is 4

oz of combined foods and wet solids only after 2 months or more. It

is confusing to keep seeing so many different accounts and diets and

such. I think that email I was given in the last post was 'edited

out' which must mean " BIG " brother is watching? lol

[Guest guest]

What about the tiny sips of liquids and/or baby spoon type bites

etc???

In the beginning, small sips and small bites are a must. For some,

that may be true always. I never used a baby spoon though. And,

since old habits die hard, I still eat with a tablespoon rather than

a teaspoon. As long as I chew thoroughly, it's fine. I can also

drink about 8oz of water in just a few sips.

(40)

11/18/03

284/249 preop/164

[Guest guest]

Thank you and everybody else who has responded here or emailed

me. I suppose the last concern I have is muscle mass. Even when I

was around 200 I was always broad shouldered and big arms. Now I

look like a bulldog. lol Between the tattoos and the weight people

move out of my way even when I'm just trying to blend in. I do not

want to give up the muscles really. When I'm using protein powder

and able to work out again will it be more of a struggle to increase

muscle mass. I've read several posts where people obviously must

not take in enough protein and have that as a side effect. Is there

anybody out there is has had luck in 'toning' the new body or is

everybody merely enjoying 'skinnyness'? I know I know...its not a

word really. hehehe

> ,

>

> Take it slowly and enjoy yourself being preop. Do the things that

you know

> you aren't going to be able to do again for awhile. Make it a

fun. And

> remember you can ask for a medication to relax you when you get in

to the

> hospital so that you aren't so scared. I was very thankful for

that

> medication. Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! You will

be in our

> thoughts and prayers.

>

> Vandever

> LAP RNY 4-6-04

> 305-241-165 (64 LBS!!!)

> Scheduled for surgery Tuesday

July 6th,

> 2004

>

>

> > Okay, now I'm getting a bit nervous. I went in a week and a half

> > ago after completing all the tests and such and getting all of my

> > releases and they had a cancellation so POOF I'm scheduled in two

> > weeks. Oh, really? Thank you. ARRRGGGHHH!! I didn't really

have

> > time to think and now after a life of Chicago pizzas and ribs and

> > barbequed steaks I'm going to be limited to an ounce or two of

baby

> > food and I find out yesterday I'll probably be in intensive care

> > with a respirator for up to 4 days. All of this is happening a

bit

> > faster than I thought. My wife cannot come because of our 2

month

> > old and so I will be going in and post surgical by myself. That

is

> > hard and her and my also but I'm just suddenly frightened. HELP!

> > lol It's not funny but it is funny but its not funny. I'm sure

> > there are a lot of you who had or will have these feelings and I

> > need some 'peer' encouragement etc. Is anybody there?

> > Respectfully,

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Wow, thanks. That's good news. I visit the Philippines annually

and need to be able to take in liquids. I keep thinking

the 'immediate' post op diet and restrictions is forever. I know

much of it is but it is also good to hear that all of it may not

be. Thank you again...

> What about the tiny sips of liquids and/or baby spoon type bites

> etc???

>

> In the beginning, small sips and small bites are a must. For some,

> that may be true always. I never used a baby spoon though. And,

> since old habits die hard, I still eat with a tablespoon rather

than

> a teaspoon. As long as I chew thoroughly, it's fine. I can also

> drink about 8oz of water in just a few sips.

>

> (40)

> 11/18/03

> 284/249 preop/164

[Guest guest]

,

You are in the Chicago area??? Damn...I wish I still lived there,

because I would surely take that 2 month old off your wife's hands

for a couple days so she could be by your side. Is there a friend or

family member that could keep the baby for a few hours at a time so

she could be there for a while? Why in ICU? Must be other underlying

issues medically?

I know it came on sudden, but look on the other side...you will be

losing that much sooner

Keep your chin up and my prayers are with you.

Donna

RNY 6/1/04

309/277/150

[Guest guest]

Wow, thanks so much for that email. Yes I'm a bit saddened by the

fact that she cannot really be there with me. In fact, it may be

that I take the train to Chicago now by myself and then call her

after the breathing tube comes out and I have access to a phone. My

wife is from the Philippines and very supportive when it comes to

literally helping me. She has a problem with not being there 24/7

much less AT ALL! I have a daughter who lives close but she has her

two kids 2 years and the other 4 months so giving her a 2 month old

for even a day would be too much for her even though she offered.

My wife is not too keen on being away from the little for any amount

of time and I figure I will be drugged up and have that hideous POST

OP GLOW about me. You know, swolen, moaning and in pain. So she

won't really be missing out on too much. Not sure why the ICU but I

do have some other health problems that I don't consider major but

Deziel is a world renown surgeon so whatever he says goes in my

book. It is cost prohibitive to have her stay downtown Chicago even

for one night. At $125 for a night stay to only see me a total of 3

hours a day at a half hour at a time while in the ICU. I just wish

I could stop the nervous stomach long enough to shove a steak into

it while I still can. lol Here I am years in the service and tons

of tats and afraid of the proverbial knife...er, well little camera

tubelike thingies rather. I HOPE they can do it LAP but they said

they never really know until they begin what each situation is.

Take care

> ,

>

> You are in the Chicago area??? Damn...I wish I still lived there,

> because I would surely take that 2 month old off your wife's hands

> for a couple days so she could be by your side. Is there a friend

or

> family member that could keep the baby for a few hours at a time

so

> she could be there for a while? Why in ICU? Must be other

underlying

> issues medically?

>

>

> I know it came on sudden, but look on the other side...you will be

> losing that much sooner

>

> Keep your chin up and my prayers are with you.

>

> Donna

> RNY 6/1/04

> 309/277/150