My Journey

Crying myself to sleep...

2009-02-26T00:46:00.003-07:00

If you click on the title of this post, you will see/read the post I wrote on the Thinner Times Forum... :( (*Warning, it's not a short or easy read*)

I have other posts that I will post later, I want to finish editing them before I post them...

In the Hat...

2009-01-15T00:03:00.001-07:00

So, we made the trip ok and the roads weren't great from Calgary to just past Strathmore but then were ok until Bassano and then good from Brooks to the Hat. We got here and tried to call the hotel we'd made a reservation at and were told they have no record of our reservation. Oh, and the rate we were quoted is wrong and is actually TWICE what we were expecting. So, we said, "no, thanks!" and called around.

We're staying at the Travelodge. It's not too shabby, there are outer and inner doors (which is odd to me) but there is a pool with a hot tub, the showers/tubs are nice and big and the beds are comfy without being too hard or soft. All in all, ok place to be. Mom and I went to ABC Family Restaurant for dinner when we finally got here, got checked in and settled. We split corn bread (which I love and haven't had in a long time) had our own meals and when we came back to the hotel, my mom took some "before" pictures of me in this really cute bra and panty set that I bought specifically for before and after shots (so I don't own a lot of matchy-matchy stuff, sue me). Then we went to the pool and sat in the hot tub for a bit. We took random photos in the hot tub and my mom took a couple of pictures of me going down the slide and such too. (I'll post the pool pics to Facebook sometime...) I've since showered, talked to Mike on the phone, Matt, Dianne and Randi online and mom is asleep. I'm heading that way now too. I'm excited/nervous still but not having an emotional breakdown (which I was expecting/anticipating).

A couple of turns of event today (one or more that are slightly odd): my mom got a couple of e-mails about my surgery from people we didn't tell about it. Curiouser and curiouser. My auntie (mom's best friend) is getting married February 14! I'm SO happy for her! (When I last saw her, they had yet to set a date!) I sent my dad a letter (through Canada Post) telling him that I'm having surgery. I told him that I wrote a personal care directive and if anything were to happen, my brother will let him know. He doesn't know I'm going in for surgery at all so it'll be news to him... Last, but certainly not least, the hospital called around 4:30 to tell me I'm scheduled for surgery at 7:45am so I have to be there to check-in to admitting at 6am.

I'm all packed. I have everything I need... No clothes other than some PJ pants, a PJ top (I'm currently wearing it) and a couple of other tops (one I'm wearing in and another to wear once I can wear my own clothes). I'm taking some toiletry stuff, my laptop and some DVD's and a book that I'm in the process of reading. I also have a set of slippers, a set of sandals and my robe. My mom brought me a pillow, blanket and stuffed animal as well. I'll see if I decide I need/want those.

OMG, on my last random note before bed... I was at the mall on Saturday (when we went to see "Bride Wars") and wandered through the "Build-a-Bear Workshop"... They have their Valentine's animals and outfits out! There is a pink monkey who is freaking cute! When I'm feeling up to it, I might have to go build a monkey! :) On that note, I'm gone, wish me luck and I will talk to you all later!

"Oh, the places you'll go."

2009-01-14T11:27:00.003-07:00

So, like "One fish two fish, red fish blue fish," and, "I do not like Green Eggs and Ham, I do not like them Sam I am," the title of this blog is a book. A very cute, Dr. Seuss book. One that was read aloud at my grade 12 graduation banquet. I have a copy of the book somewhere... Anyway, the way it relates... So, this week has been a good and bad example of friendship. I have had people tell me not to talk to them, they need to move on with their lives. So be it. I have had people I haven't talked to in a while message me or make an effort to see me or spend time with me. It's nice to know that people other than the 3 or 4 I've been spending a lot of time with care.

Last night, we went for dinner at BP's. I invited a few people, not figuring most would come. Many of them don't come out on a regular basis, let alone for something I'm inviting them to. I wanted to celebrate that Mike is done his exam and it was my last night out in a while. So, Randi, Brityn, Matt and I went for a swim and then headed for BP's. The group ended up being Brityn, Matt, Randi, Mike, Marshall, Kurtis, Ben, Jordan and I. It was an interesting combination and I took a bunch of pictures and will post them to Facebook soon! :) For now, I am keeping them on my camera, so while I'm in hospital I have people's pictures to look at. I'm told it's a good idea for keeping my spirits up. :)

For anyone who wants to come visit... The visiting hours at the hospital are noon to 8pm. I am allowed my cell phone on the unit so I will have one of them with me and will be checking Facebook as I feel up to it. My status will reflect how I'm feeling in general. You can text me and I will try to get back to you but I probably won't be answering too many phone calls. Also, if you are planning on bringing me anything, I can't have anything to eat but may be allowed sugar free hard candies (Lifesavers, etc) but watch the ingredients/nutritional information on them as they have to be sugar free and the sugar alcohols can't be too high. I love chap stick and prefer it not in a little jar, a tube is easier. Otherwise, I think I'm bringing everything I need... lol, and some people have asked if I'm taking anything good to read. I'm not taking more than maybe one book, I'm taking my laptop and some movies because it's not as much work to watch a movie and if I fall asleep through it, so be it.

Anyway, I need to finish packing/deciding what to take so I'm going to go do that... And turn the dryer back on! :)

"Thank you falettinme be mice elf again..."

2009-01-12T23:37:00.003-07:00

This week has been good and bad, had it's ups and downs and has made me look at a few things in a whole new light. And it's only Monday! ;)

I didn't tell a lot of people what was going on with me, other than the countdown on Facebook. Then I was like, "y'know, maybe people WILL care, I'll post the link to my blog." I've gotten a LOT of encouragement from people I haven't talked to in a long time and was surprised by some of their reactions.

For anyone who doesn't know, I don't have a HUGE group of friends anymore. Partially my choosing, partially the other people's. I got sick of the HS mentality and I don't like huge crowds so going to bars and such ALL the time isn't my idea of fun/relaxing. I've become a bit of a homebody and I'm ok with that. I do still go out, not as often as I used to though, and generally in groups of no more than 4-6 people.

Saturday I went to see "Bride Wars" (really funny but the trailer gives away too many of the funniest scenes) with some friends. It ended up being Mike, Matt, Danielle, Jenn and I. It was a large enough group that I was feeling pretty tired afterwards but a small enough group that I felt like I got to talk to everyone. We went for "dinner" (it was my first meal of the day... Bad for me, I know!) first at the food court (purposely had a bit of junk foodl) and just sat and talked for a while. Afterwards, Mike came over and we watched a movie (after dealing with the police, but that's a story for another day).

Sunday evening I spent time with my mom. I had just written my "Personal Care Directive" and a letter that is basically a will. (Mom and I figure that it's like insurance... If I have it, I won't need it.) She was really upset by it, partially because I'm her "baby" and partially because at the same age I am, she was pregnant with me. We went for Vietnamese and then to see "Bride Wars" (yes, I just said I saw it twice in a weekend) and then came home. Mike dropped by for a few minutes and we went for a little drive and I bawled about mom being so upset by the stuff I had to write. Matt dropped by for a few at almost midnight to witness the letters for me...

Today, I worked (Susan, my assistant manager hugged me when I left and told me to keep in touch and let her know how I'm doing), after work, I went to pick up some stuff from John Smith. I found out I might need to spend an extra 3 days in Medicine Hat post-surgery and that I need to take my nails off. I'm going to wait on the last one as long as possible! OUCH!!!

I have had some emotional stuff this week that frustrates me. I'm not sad about any of this; if anything, I'm excited! But watching people worry about me has made me more emotional than normal (yes, it IS possible). And the support and encouragement from others has been amazing.

I want to put a shout out to Kira... Thanks for all of the love and support you have given me this week. I really appreciate it and I look forward to seeing you when I can drive out! :)

On that note, I'm going to try and get some sleep... Mike is writing his Red Seal exam in the morning and I work tomorrow... I'm nervous about the exam and I'm not even the one writing it! I know he's going to rock it though! :)

sigh

2009-01-09T03:14:00.000-07:00

So, this week has been tough with being sick the entire time and starting a new job and just dealing with the emotional side of the surgery. I have been reading a lot of people's posts on the forum about being depressed post-op in hospital and feeling more depressed as time goes on. Let's be honest... I'm already depressed (technically speaking) and while I don't expect it to immediately get better post-op, I know that in the long run, the entire process will improve my health which will, in turn, improve my mood.

A lot of people don't understand why I'm doing this. I have tried to explain it to them over and over and I can't say anymore than I have. I know that this is a "life-altering" surgery... Duh. That's why I'm doing it.

I don't want to be a woman who is afraid to have kids when she is over 30 because she is already high risk because she is obese. I want to have kids and live to see my grandkids and maybe even great-grandkids. I want to be able to climb several sets of stairs and not have to stop and take a breather or rest my knee. I want to look in the mirror and know that the person I see there is the same as the person I am inside. I want to go to the doctor and not have him send me for blood work because of some odd symptom that he can't diagnose. I want to swim 20+ lengths and not be completely worn out at the end. I want to ride my bike and not get exhausted halfway through. The only thing that is semi-superficial is I want to be able to go shopping and buy something that makes me look my age, not like I'm trying to dress like a woman in her 80's.

I wanted to say, for those of you who HAVE questions; I have been pretty open about what's going on, just freaking ASK ME!!!

For those of you who have been supportive, thank you. I cannot tell you often enough how much your support means to me.

I am looking forward to seeing those of you who want to come and visit.

Patient/Guest Information

2009-01-09T03:09:00.003-07:00

If you click on the title of this post, it will take you to a website that is a handout about the amenities at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. It includes close places to stay, visiting hours, close restaurants, etc. If you want to know something that's not in there, let me know!

Oh, as an FYI, the number for the Best Western on the list is the WRONG number. I had to look it up online when I needed it both times!

Album - Pre-Op

2009-01-05T02:29:00.003-07:00

I made an album of pre-op photos from the past couple of years on the forum I joined. If you click on the title of this post, it should take you to the album! :) It's basically face shots as I don't have many photos of me as more than my face. I may try to find a few to post with my pre-op pics taken the day before.

Crap-tastic...

2009-01-04T22:39:00.003-07:00

So, I went to Zoolights the other night and was feeling GREAT! But then, as we were walking out, the temperature drastically dropped and the wind picked up. I didn't realize as I was walking in how much of a downhill slant it was. I DEFINITELY noticed on my way out that it was mostly uphill! My asthma was really bugging me by the time we got back to Mike's truck so I took my inhaler and tipped the seat back enough to be able to stretch out and breathe for a while. I HATE asthma attacks!

So, then I woke up the next morning and my nose was a little stuffy and my throat hurt a bit. I didn't think much of it, went through my day and then yesterday woke up with a bad cough on top of the stuffy nose and sore throat. I took some Sudafed and slept for most of the day. I went out in the evening with Kurtis, Matt and Michelle and then hit Timmy's with my mom, Mike and Matt. I came home and went straight to bed with the intention of getting up and going to church this morning.

When my alarm went off at 8:00am I couldn't swallow and was feeling a little out of breath. I called and cancelled meeting Matt and went back to sleep. My mom woke me up when she got home at noon and aid I'd been coughing with a croup-like cough most of the night. I didn't know but that would explain the breathlessness and sore throat to a point. I called the nearest walk-in clinic and was told there was a 2 hour wait but I could go over, sign in and go back in a couple of hours if I want. Mom offered to drive me over and off we went.

Here's where I get frustrated. In a city this size, you'd think that finding a walk-in clinic that is open on a Sunday wouldn't be that difficult. Well, I was wrong... Here's what happened:
- We went to the one by my house and they had a sign up saying they were closing in an hour and weren't taking anymore patients. My mom called and was told they have a 2 hour wait and when she asked what time they were closing, they said about an hour. They recommended two other clinics...
- We started to head to her school so she could print some stuff and I called the clinic that my family doctor works out of. Turns out, they're CLOSED. Lack of physicians so they weren't open.
- I called both of the recommended clinics and one had a two hour wait and was closing in three so they weren't taking any other patients. The other had a "long wait" and told me they "should be open until 10 o-clock..." Oy vay.
- The one by my mom's school had 16 people ahead of me when I went to sign-in. I was told by the receptionist to call and check to see approximately how long. I told her that I had tried to call and couldn't get anyone. Her response was, "oh."
- I called 13 clinics in the NE and NW. THIRTEEN!!! Something like 5 were closed (it's a Sunday after all), one answered and then told me they were already closed (WHY did she answer the phone???), 4 had a 2-3 hour wait, 2 there was no answer and the last one I tried told me they had 6 or 7 patients in the waiting room and were open until 8. At this point, I was in Rundle and the clinic was in Ranchlands. Again... oy vay.
- Mom drove me to the clinic (it's by the DQ) and dropped me off. I signed in and a little over an hour later saw a doctor.

Bad news: I have a cold and it's viral so there isn't much they can do.

Good news: Just a cold! She put me on antibiotics so if it turns bacterial I'm already on something that should kill it! She also gave me a steroidal inhaler to take for a few days. I'm not a fan of them but if I feel like I need it, I'll take it.

Matt picked me up from the doctor and drove me to the pharmacy and then I took him out for something to eat - as a thank you and because I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. Bad, I know. He dropped me off and I napped for a few hours. My mom picked up my prescription and brought it home so I could take it before bed.

So, surgery is in 11 days and I'm not completely healthy but I'm hopefully on the mend. I CANNOT be sick when I go in for surgery! So, if anyone wants to pray that I'm healthy by then, I would appreciate it!!!

Things people wished they knew pre-op...

2009-01-03T12:13:00.005-07:00

I sent this link to Mike and to my mom to read. There is a lot of good information within the posts. The two that kind of surprised/bothered me were:

I wish I'd known how many friends I would lose.

and

I wish I'd known that people who thought I was attractive when I was fat would no longer find me attractive when I was skinny.

(Click on the title of this post to go to the Forum post.)

Open RNY Website

2009-01-02T04:33:00.005-07:00

I found this website from the Mayo Clinic that explains what I'm having done. There are three procedures covered within this and what I'm having done is the first.

(Click on the title of this post to go to the website.)

Forum

2008-12-31T02:57:00.001-07:00

So, I joined the "Thinner Times Forum" which is a forum specifically having to do with weight-loss surgeries.* Pre-Op, Post Op, etc. I have found a few interesting posts, such as what people wish they would have known Pre-Op to people's opinions now that they are 2 or 3 years Post-Op. Some of the stories are heartwarming, a couple made me cry (I'm a sap!) and a few shocked me. All in all, it has been a great resource and I think it is something that will be a great support in the days, weeks and months to come.

*My understanding is you don't have to HAVE weight-loss surgery to join, you can also be the family, friend, significant other, etc. to be part of the forum. :)

Tea... Caring/Concern... Goals...

2008-12-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

I had tea yesterday with Dianne (Mike's mom) and she wanted to talk to me about the pro's and con's of the surgery. I know that deep down she is only commenting because she cares and I know that I have become a big part of her son's life... I hope she knows I wouldn't knowingly go into something that would endanger me or hurt him as a byproduct.

I am looking forward to surgery as it is a chance to counteract a lot of the health problems I deal with on an almost daily basis. arthritis in my knee, asthma, hypoglycemia (which may turn into type 2 diabetes if I'm not careful), IBS, etc. If I was looking for a "quick and easy fix" I would have applied for something like an Extreme Makeover or gotten plastic surgery years ago. I do want to be skinnier, there are a lot of things I want to be able to do that I either haven't ever done or haven't been able to do in years. Some of these things include:
- Go on an airplane without feeling like I have to "share" a seat.
- Buy a papasan chair and actually be below the weight requirement.
- Go to the Stampede or Calaway Park and ride the rides; being able to fit into the seatbelt.
- Not have to strain to get my seatbelt on over my winter jacket.
- Pick up my little cousins without it making me winded.
- Walk up more than one flight of stairs before I need to stop and catch my breath.
- Walk on a treadmill or elliptical trainer without my knee giving out on me.
- Swim more than 10 lengths before I have to stop and take my inhaler.
- Cuddle with my boyfriend without feeling like I'm going to suffocate him or myself.
- Take my dogs for a walk that is longer than around the block; without my knee killing me or my asthma acting up.

There are others but those are the things I have on my brain at the moment...

I appreciate Dianne's concern and I love that she cares but I'm not just jumping into this head first without doing a ton of research. This is something I have struggled with for years and I have felt more than once like I am at the end of my rope... Before I reach the end of it completely, I'm kind of hoping it will be a lifeline to my friends and family who are supporting me.

One of the best resources I've found is a forum that I am considering joining. Another is the book, "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies." I have two copies if anyone wants to borrow one.

Pre-Surgery Musings

2008-12-29T01:32:00.007-07:00

So, I grew up in a world that values what people look like. This has made me very self-conscious and worried about things like my appearance but also my heath, happiness and well-being. I think that ultimately in life you should be worried first and foremost about being happy. As bad as it sounds, many people value their looks to the point that it dictates their happiness. I will admit; I tend to be one of these people.

Being valued for your appearance has always been the case but the stereotype of beauty has changed over time. Most recently, “Thin is in.” You see the magazines and ads with the girls who seem to get skinnier and skinnier as time goes on. Back in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, etc. women weren’t toothpicks. Women were shown as “normal” rather than as some kind of icon to live up to. Now, don’t get me wrong, there were women who were idolized who were sex symbols but they were women of ample curves or high scale standing. Examples of each of these were Marilyn Monroe and Jackie O. Even children who were on the chubbier side weren’t considered to be a problem. Shirley Temple is a good example of this. It is the way that the world has evolved that makes actors and other celebrities have issues with the way they look and end up with eating disorders or addictions.

Certain societies value women for their size. In some places in Africa, a woman is considered to be healthy and wealthy if she is bigger. In Western societies, it is considered to be a bad thing. A woman is overweight or obese if she is full-figured at all. She is seen as someone who doesn’t exercise (is a “couch-potato”) and overeats constantly. Depression, lack of interest in life and boredom are all associated with binge eating. Some people turn to purging afterwards to rid themselves of the food and guilt and then eat again to counteract the guilt. It’s a vicious circle. I will admit, I have been depressed and turned to eating, but not in years. In high school I would occasionally sit and snack on things due to boredom or depression. However, I was one of those odd ones who would snack on fruits, veggies and popcorn. So while it was snacking, it wasn’t completely a bad thing. As I got older, I’d stop eating when I was tired, depressed, bored or any other major emotion. I was living on one or two meals (maybe) a day but in the long run, my metabolism was all over the place.

I tried some of those “fad” diets with the points through Weight Watchers and eating like 6 meals a day through Jenny Craig. I ended up cheating on the points by only eating one meal a day and eating junk at times and I lost 20 or so pounds and then hit a plateau, staying within 10 pounds either direction. With eating 6 times a day – three meals and three snacks – I felt like I was overeating, I wasn’t ever hungry and I stopped eating when I realized that I could drink shakes instead of eating. Over the two years I was doing the second one, I lost about 20 pounds but then put 5 or so back on, hit a plateau and then didn’t lose anymore and got incredibly frustrated with myself.

In 2005 I went to see my family doctor and explained that I had tried both of the aforementioned diets and that my doctor in Lethbridge had put me on some meds that had caused my system to excrete all fat but it had made my stomach so upset that it was pointless to take because I didn’t want to eat anything at all. It was also embarrassing because it tended to make my stomach cramp up to the point that I couldn’t stand or drive for too long. Being in the fetal position was the only thing that made me feel better and I couldn’t live like that. He told me he could refer me to a doctor in Vancouver or one in Medicine Hat and that the doctor in MH had a better reputation but the wait could be longer. I didn’t care about the wait and he referred me. In the Spring of 2008, I went to see Dr. Carl Nohr in MH. He weighted and measured me and when I was only 3 pounds heavier than I was three years prior to that when my family doctor weighed me. I was impressed with myself because other than swimming a ton, I haven’t been doing anything major other than trying not to constantly eat junk food and drink a lot of water. He booked me for surgery in mid-April 2009. I called to change it and they offered me the 4th of May or the 23rd of March so I took the date in March. I wasn’t worried about missing school; I figured that I would take a few days off if I needed to. That way it wasn’t in the middle of my exam week; which is why I changed it in the first place. The 19th of December I got a phone call asking if I could change to the 8th of January. I panicked a little and talked to my mom. We confirmed and two hours later I got a call back asking if they could change it again. It is now confirmed for the 15th in MH.

I will admit, I’m a little freaked out right now. I’m trying not to think too much about it. I did the pre-admittance blood work and an interview over the phone with the nurse at the hospital. She asked me all kinds of questions about my medical history, family history and so on. She then explained a few things to me about what to expect when it comes to the day of surgery and the 5-6 days I’ll be in hospital. I will have an 8-inch incision below my sternum, I will have a tube up my nose for approximately 4 days, I can’t drink too much after that or I will throw up and no solid food or I will also throw up. I can’t wear my own clothes, I won’t be able to get them on and off because of the tube up my nose and I will be wearing compression bootie-type-things. A couple of things that I still need to check on are I can’t have nail polish on my fingers or toes but I’m not sure about the fake nails. I was told to take out my nose ring. It’s going to be a pain in the ass to put back in or get re-pierced but when I asked about a clear nose retainer, I was told they won’t allow me any facial piercings at all because I might aspirate the stud. I’d like to avoid that.

I’m looking forward to life after surgery, etc. The eating aspect is interesting and I have been looking into high protein foods because that is something that is important afterwards. I am worried about a few things. Some of them are kind of stupid so bear with me…

I’m not feeling very attractive lately because I’m feeling self-conscious about the surgery and my weight and life in general. After being compared to my girl friends for so long, I didn’t bother caring what people thought… Or, I tried not to. I ended up feeling much better about myself when I stopped comparing myself to them all the time. But when your friends are teeny and all you ever hear about is how hot they are, you begin to develop a complex. Plus, a couple of the guys I have dated used to comment about how cute my friends were and went on to cheat on me or date them after we broke up or both. So, here I am, about to go into surgery that is supposed to be life-changing and a happy thing in the long run and all I can do is think that afterwards I will have a cool scar (do guys dig scars?) and a story about it. But if I’m not thinking I’m attractive, what will make anyone else think I am, including my bf? It’s a rock and a hard place for me. Surgery that will ultimately make me healthier and hopefully happier or wait and deal with potential health problems in the future because of a body composition that I can’t control.

Genetically I’m screwed as it is, I’ll end up with type 2 diabetes if I’m not careful and body composition-wise I’m never going to be a size 2. I would be a skeleton if I was a size 2. I have the shoulders of a football player and the hips of a milkmaid. According to something I read years ago, my "ideal" weight for my height is something like 179. The problem is that if I drop that much weight, will I be healthy? According to my BMI I will be "normal" but at what cost?

On that note, my surgery has been scheduled for January 15, 2009 at the Medicine Hat Hospital... I will be in hospital for approximately 5 days if anyone wants to make the trek to come visit. I wouldn't recommend coming before the 16th though. We can take my IV pole for a short walk! :) And for anyone who wants to bring me anything ("contraband" or whatever) just know I can have nothing by mouth for the first 4 days I'm in and even after that, no refined sugars or anything that's not liquid. In other words: water is good, propel is better... I love hand creams, body butters and chap stick (Vanilla or Cocoa Butter are always a good choice!) and those are things I'm allowed to have/use as I may be feeling a bit dehydrated so my skin/lips will be dry. Also, I love stuffed animals (it's the five-year-old in me) and I'm especially partial to Monkeys, Teddy Bears or some Disney characters.

So everyone knows... I am going into this with open eyes and an open mind. I hope that my friends and family can be supportive because I can only do so much on my own! I have heard that along with the physical change is a mental change and a lot of emotions that go with it. Please be patient with me and if you have any questions, just ASK!

Pre-Op Prep

2008-12-24T11:09:00.002-07:00

This week I have had my blood work done (only two vials, no big deal!) and answered what seems like a million and one questions about my medical history from both a personal and family standpoint. It was a lot of somewhat difficult questions to answer as I'm not 100% sure exactly what my parents and grandparents have/had as medical problems over time. I was also kind of depressed having to answer her questions about my current weight. I hadn't weighed myself in a while so I told her what it was when I last weighed myself and she wrote it down. I got home that night and almost had a heart attack when I stepped on the scale and I was TWELVE POUNDS more than what I had told her!!! It was a definite, "OMG!!!!" moment. I'm not quite up to where I have been at my highest but it was a freak-out moment! (I just wanted to point out that weighing myself at the end of the day, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt was NOT my best choice. For future reference, weighing myself in the morning is a MUCH better plan!)

The nurse also gave me a bunch of information that I need to know. The list is as follows:
- They will call me the night before with the surgery time. I need to be at the hospital, up and freshly showered for breathing tests and having the IV put in two hours before my surgery time.
- Last meal before 10pm the night before and nothing (not even gum, water or lozenges) after midnight.
- The incision will start at my sternum and be approximately 8 inches long.
- I will have a feeding tube up my nose for 4 days. After that I switch to liquids and then to soft solids. If I switch too early or eat too much/too fast, I will throw up.
- I will be wearing compression booties and they will inflate and deflate as I am lying in bed to prevent the blood from clotting in my legs.
- I am expected to get up and walk around a bit as well as have a shower the day after surgery (the nurses will help me shower).
- Either the 4th or 5th day the drain is removed and a leak test is done. Providing no complications, I should be out after 5 days in hospital.
- I need to remove all facial piercings and earrings. No metal near my face and nothing that can be aspirated. (I do find it ironic that I worked at Disney for 6 months and fought to keep my nose ring, only to find out I'll have to remove it for surgery.)
- No nail polish or toenail polish when I arrive at the hospital. No one said anything about my nails needing to come off due to their not being real and when I asked I was told they should be fine. (I am considering calling and checking on that.)

An OMG moment!

2008-12-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

Today, I was at my mom's school and I got a phone call asking if they could move up my surgery. I had previously started this blog with the intention of writing on it as the surgery approaches and hadn't done more than "create" it. So, now my surgery date is about a month away (due to the rescheduling) and here goes my blogging about life and what's going on with me! WOOT for a surgery date so soon and ACK, I have a lot to do between now and then!