Thursday, April 27, 2006
It's amazing who just doesn't get it
**** WARNING- I'M GOING TO BE VENTING HERE *****
So I talked to one of my best friends yesterday, and she shocked me. Not that I should be so caught off guard with her ignorance, but the more I talk to her, the more I notice she could care less abut me. I'm just a name with a years of friendship mark that she can parade in front of others. Or at least it's starting to feel that way.
So I haven't talked to her since the week after I got married in March. Which is unusual for us since we used to talk many times a day, every day. But life gets in the way of a lot of things lately. She mentioned ordering pizza for dinner last night, and I told her that I'm on a liquid diet and couldn't eat anything. Then she asked me why everyone was on a diet all the time. Well, um.... I kind of have to be on a diet to get ready for this MAJOR SURGERY that I'm having. She didn't ask me to remind her when the surgery is, but she knows that I'm having gastric bypass done. I thought she was okay with it and pretty supportive the first time that I told her I going to have this done. But that was months ago. Then I mention that I'm having surgery next week. She says, "So, you'll be out of work for a few days?" Well, no. Not exactly. This is major abdominal surgery, I'll be out of work for about 3 weeks. I'll be in the hospital for 2 or 3 days. She asked me to call her when I was home and feeling up to talking.
So I call another really good friend and give her the play by play of this last phone converstaion. She is shocked too! So obviously friend #1 isn't planning on visiting me in the hospital. She hasn't offered to help me in any other way either. But this other friend, friend #2, is willing to bend over backwards to make sure that I get better, and that everything turns out okay. I thought that friend #1 would understand more of what I'm going through and why I'm putting myself through this drastic life change. She's known me for over 15 years. You'd think that she'd see just how difficult my life has become and how my struggle with my weight has really taken a huge toll on my life. But I guess she doesn't see it. I am thankful that I do have friends like friend #2. And that I have a great family who is very supportive and helping me every time I ask.
So I talked to one of my best friends yesterday, and she shocked me. Not that I should be so caught off guard with her ignorance, but the more I talk to her, the more I notice she could care less abut me. I'm just a name with a years of friendship mark that she can parade in front of others. Or at least it's starting to feel that way.
So I haven't talked to her since the week after I got married in March. Which is unusual for us since we used to talk many times a day, every day. But life gets in the way of a lot of things lately. She mentioned ordering pizza for dinner last night, and I told her that I'm on a liquid diet and couldn't eat anything. Then she asked me why everyone was on a diet all the time. Well, um.... I kind of have to be on a diet to get ready for this MAJOR SURGERY that I'm having. She didn't ask me to remind her when the surgery is, but she knows that I'm having gastric bypass done. I thought she was okay with it and pretty supportive the first time that I told her I going to have this done. But that was months ago. Then I mention that I'm having surgery next week. She says, "So, you'll be out of work for a few days?" Well, no. Not exactly. This is major abdominal surgery, I'll be out of work for about 3 weeks. I'll be in the hospital for 2 or 3 days. She asked me to call her when I was home and feeling up to talking.
So I call another really good friend and give her the play by play of this last phone converstaion. She is shocked too! So obviously friend #1 isn't planning on visiting me in the hospital. She hasn't offered to help me in any other way either. But this other friend, friend #2, is willing to bend over backwards to make sure that I get better, and that everything turns out okay. I thought that friend #1 would understand more of what I'm going through and why I'm putting myself through this drastic life change. She's known me for over 15 years. You'd think that she'd see just how difficult my life has become and how my struggle with my weight has really taken a huge toll on my life. But I guess she doesn't see it. I am thankful that I do have friends like friend #2. And that I have a great family who is very supportive and helping me every time I ask.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Sloshing through life
Well, here I am, still drinking... and drinking more. I feel like I'm not drinking enough though. Not that I can do anything more than stick an IV in my hand. I've heard that if you don't keep yourself hydrated enough that it can be really difficult to get that IV going when you finally get into the hospital. Hopefully I won't have that problem. I'm trying to suck down every ounce of liquid possible, but eventually one does feel like they should just grow some gills and move into a lake. It would be easier. But I'm determined that I can do anything for 10 days... and I will do this!
Monday, April 24, 2006
Major update... finally
I thought I should start off with how I've gotten to where I am in this journey of new beginnings. I'm pulling this from a profile I have on another weight loss surgery site.
1/19:
I've had my first meeting with Barb, the bariatric nurse. She's wonderful. I think she gave me some of the best news I could have heard since I started even thinking about WLS. I don't need approval from my insurance! Woo Hoo! Some things are small miracles. I still have to go through the whole assessment, but I don't have to wait for any approvals. I go in for my 4 hour assessment on 2/20.
2/20:
The assessment wasn't all that bad. It took quite a while, but I respect that they are very thorough. On top of the psychologist, MD, physical therapist, and nutritionist, I had to have an EKG done and some lab work. But from what I heard so far, everything is going very smoothly and I shouldn't have to worry about anything before surgery. I believe that I'm ready, and I think they see that I'm ready too.
2/27:
Barb called me today. I'm a green light and ready to go! Yay me! Since I don't have wait for an insurance approval, she just needed approval from the assessment team. They found that my iron levels are a little low from the lab work that I had done, but that's fixed with a couple of pills each night. I can handle that. They also want me to have a sleep study done to see if I have sleep apnea. It's possible, so that will just be one more interesting and new experience. She now has me scheduled to meet with the surgeon and get a surgery date! This is just moving along so quickly. I thought it might take longer. But I'm not going to argue with getting on with the rest of my life sooner.
3/1:
I had my surgeon appointment today. What a great experience! This is the first time that I've met Dr. Svendson, and he is a good person. He's easy to talk to, very calm, down to earth, yet honest. Just what I want in someone who is going to have my life in his hands. Now I have surgery scheduled for May 2nd. They were going to do it a week earlier, but there is a 10 day clear liquid prep that I wouldn't be able to do because I'll be on my honeymoon until April 17th. I have the pre-op physical scheduled with my regular doctor too. I'm sure that when I see her she'll be really exicted for me. She's been seeing what pain I've been in over the last few years and will glad to see me on the way to pain-free. Now I just have to schedule an appointment with an OB/GYN to get my yearly done and go over some birth control options. Since they really want me to be on two methods, I need to find something that won't make me moody or depressing but is still effective. I'll see what their suggestions they have for me.
3/19:
Yesterday I got married! Woo Hoo! One less thing I have to stress over before my WLS. I think it's going to be a big WOW moment when our one year anniversary comes around and look at the pictures from yesterday. I'm sure that I'll be half of the person that I am now. Just the thought of that amazes me. But I'm so glad that I've gotten to make this commitment to the one person that I love so much that I'd go through all of the stress, pain and heartache of wedding planning again if it meant that I could be with him. Love you Don!
4/4:
So, now it's been a while since I updated. Guess I should say something. I'm going on my honeymoon next week. I'm very excited. It's going to be 8 days of wonderful Florida sunshine for this very cold Minnesota chick! Actually, I've been very lucky so far. I have all of my paperwork into my employer for the FMLA leave. Barb, wonderful Barb, has me penciled in for 3 weeks off. She said that I might not need it all, but at least it will be there. She's one funny woman. Keeps me laughing every chance she gets. She has a new title now, she's my "Rockstar Trainer"! I know that there's a Rockstar in me, and she's going to be the one to help me bring it out. She's my own personal owners manual for the tool I'm about to get. I am getting very excited to get this all off the ground. I have 17 days until I start my liquid diet, and then 28 days until surgery! Oh my, that's less than a month! Can't wait to be on the losing side!
4/24:
Liquid, liquid, liquid. Blah. I'm on day 3 of this 10 day liiquid diet. It's not nearly as bad as it could have been. The first day was rough. It didn't help that it fell on a Saturday. I got to watch the kidlet eat ALL day long. Man, for being so little, she can really pack it down. She is grazer. No doubt about that. But now I'm getting into the swing of it. I still get to have my coffee. Then I choke down some CIB. I sneak in water everywhere inbetween to help me keep that "full" feeling longer. Then I move into a small glass of straight milk, a protein shake here and there, and soups/broths. I think it's the protein shakes and broths that are keeping me alive. Well, that and the coffee. Who would really want to see me without my daily dose of wake-me-up juice? I would think not. Anyway. I'm getting more excited every day to get to the next phase of my life. I'm a week and 17 hours away from the losing side. Who would have thought I'd get this far this fast?
1/19:
I've had my first meeting with Barb, the bariatric nurse. She's wonderful. I think she gave me some of the best news I could have heard since I started even thinking about WLS. I don't need approval from my insurance! Woo Hoo! Some things are small miracles. I still have to go through the whole assessment, but I don't have to wait for any approvals. I go in for my 4 hour assessment on 2/20.
2/20:
The assessment wasn't all that bad. It took quite a while, but I respect that they are very thorough. On top of the psychologist, MD, physical therapist, and nutritionist, I had to have an EKG done and some lab work. But from what I heard so far, everything is going very smoothly and I shouldn't have to worry about anything before surgery. I believe that I'm ready, and I think they see that I'm ready too.
2/27:
Barb called me today. I'm a green light and ready to go! Yay me! Since I don't have wait for an insurance approval, she just needed approval from the assessment team. They found that my iron levels are a little low from the lab work that I had done, but that's fixed with a couple of pills each night. I can handle that. They also want me to have a sleep study done to see if I have sleep apnea. It's possible, so that will just be one more interesting and new experience. She now has me scheduled to meet with the surgeon and get a surgery date! This is just moving along so quickly. I thought it might take longer. But I'm not going to argue with getting on with the rest of my life sooner.
3/1:
I had my surgeon appointment today. What a great experience! This is the first time that I've met Dr. Svendson, and he is a good person. He's easy to talk to, very calm, down to earth, yet honest. Just what I want in someone who is going to have my life in his hands. Now I have surgery scheduled for May 2nd. They were going to do it a week earlier, but there is a 10 day clear liquid prep that I wouldn't be able to do because I'll be on my honeymoon until April 17th. I have the pre-op physical scheduled with my regular doctor too. I'm sure that when I see her she'll be really exicted for me. She's been seeing what pain I've been in over the last few years and will glad to see me on the way to pain-free. Now I just have to schedule an appointment with an OB/GYN to get my yearly done and go over some birth control options. Since they really want me to be on two methods, I need to find something that won't make me moody or depressing but is still effective. I'll see what their suggestions they have for me.
3/19:
Yesterday I got married! Woo Hoo! One less thing I have to stress over before my WLS. I think it's going to be a big WOW moment when our one year anniversary comes around and look at the pictures from yesterday. I'm sure that I'll be half of the person that I am now. Just the thought of that amazes me. But I'm so glad that I've gotten to make this commitment to the one person that I love so much that I'd go through all of the stress, pain and heartache of wedding planning again if it meant that I could be with him. Love you Don!
4/4:
So, now it's been a while since I updated. Guess I should say something. I'm going on my honeymoon next week. I'm very excited. It's going to be 8 days of wonderful Florida sunshine for this very cold Minnesota chick! Actually, I've been very lucky so far. I have all of my paperwork into my employer for the FMLA leave. Barb, wonderful Barb, has me penciled in for 3 weeks off. She said that I might not need it all, but at least it will be there. She's one funny woman. Keeps me laughing every chance she gets. She has a new title now, she's my "Rockstar Trainer"! I know that there's a Rockstar in me, and she's going to be the one to help me bring it out. She's my own personal owners manual for the tool I'm about to get. I am getting very excited to get this all off the ground. I have 17 days until I start my liquid diet, and then 28 days until surgery! Oh my, that's less than a month! Can't wait to be on the losing side!
4/24:
Liquid, liquid, liquid. Blah. I'm on day 3 of this 10 day liiquid diet. It's not nearly as bad as it could have been. The first day was rough. It didn't help that it fell on a Saturday. I got to watch the kidlet eat ALL day long. Man, for being so little, she can really pack it down. She is grazer. No doubt about that. But now I'm getting into the swing of it. I still get to have my coffee. Then I choke down some CIB. I sneak in water everywhere inbetween to help me keep that "full" feeling longer. Then I move into a small glass of straight milk, a protein shake here and there, and soups/broths. I think it's the protein shakes and broths that are keeping me alive. Well, that and the coffee. Who would really want to see me without my daily dose of wake-me-up juice? I would think not. Anyway. I'm getting more excited every day to get to the next phase of my life. I'm a week and 17 hours away from the losing side. Who would have thought I'd get this far this fast?
