I have been married for what will be 4 years in August to the MOST WONDERFUL man God could have ever blessed me with. I am also an army wife...I won't be soon though, he is getting out September 5th (PRAISE GOD!!!). After 2 LONG years of trying for a baby, we got pregnant on Aug. 21, 2001 (our 2nd anniversary). I was told that I could never conceive because 1) I was too overweight and 2) That my weight problem was causing me to have Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (I wasn't ovulating). Well, God knew and had His own timing and through Him with the help of our nearest and dearest praying for us we did finally conceive. I was 252 pounds when I got pregnant. During the last month of my pregnancy I developed preeclampsia (I'm sure that that was due to my being overweight as well). I was due May 27th-31st, 2002 and was induced on May 12th and had my baby via cesarian May 13th, 2002. He was perfect and very healthy. He was exactly 6 pounds and as beautiful as a baby can be...He still is. My blood pressure had always been PERFECT 120/80. Well, while I was pregnant it sky-rocketed to 160+/70+ and I was swollen from head to toe. My feet looked like a surgical latex glove that had been blown up and tied. I no longer had ankles...Nothing. I thought that it would go away after I had my son, but nope, that didn't work. My blood pressure is still WAY HIGH 145-160+/71-80 and I have a right ankle but not a left(I do, it's just REAL swollen). My left leg is swollen from my knee down. I don't mean to be a baby, but it really is painful. My doctor said that I have probably always had this problem but that it just got unmasked while I was pregnant...Great timing 'eh? I've tried soooooooo many diets in the past. They all worked while I was doing them, but the moment I stopped, so did my weight loss. Now remember that I am only 24...I've done slim fast, dexatrim. E'ola drops, Metabolife, went off of weight watchers materials my friend shared with me (she's gained most of her original weight back), I've been to 2 nutrition clinics and had 1 on 1 with a nutritionalist. My dad even thought that sending me to the hospital for a class for "fat kids" during a summer vacation would be a good way to "take care of my problem" so that was how I spent my summer as a 14 year old girl...Being tortured with the thoughts of having to go there. He is so mean! When the summer thing didn't work he would only feed me a little bit of food while everyone else got large plates. (My parents are divorced and my Mom didn't know that any of this was going on until I had recently told her. My dad did this when I came down for summer vacation they lived 300 miles apart.) I couldn't help it that I was fat...I was a kid...It wasn't what I ate...It was just my body...I have a younger sister and she is a natural bean pole. We lived in the same home, ate the same foods (she ate more when we were at my dad's), did the same activities, etc. She is a size 2 and that is after having 2 BIG baby boys! Of course, she is 5'8" and 118 and says that she is fat! Man, I wish that I was fat like her! The smallest size I can remember wearing is a size 14 and that was in the 7th grade. There are so many things that I am wanting to tell you and I feel like I am going in circles. I hope that you are able to follow me. I was 250 when I graduated (1996) high school and 217 when I got married (1999)(that was basically after starving myself to be able to get a decent looking wedding dress). After having my son a year ago I have tried EVERYTHING you could think of...Yes, I've even done the torturous starvation diet again. (Don't worry, I wasn't nursing my baby during this time...He just didn't want to nurse so I had to give him the bottle. He liked that a WHOLE lot more! I hope that my next one, if and when I'm able to have one, will want to nurse.) Nothing happened. I talked to my doctor about me not loosing weight. She got upset that I wasn't eating much. She told me that I needed to eat but to only keep it around 1500 cals/day. Nothing happened so I cut my calories and averaged 1000/day (that's how bad I wanted to loose weight). I was even walking on my treadmill for 1-3 hours/day. Still nothing happened and I didn't lose weight...In fact I gained. After dieting, I am now up to 280ish (give or take a few pounds). Well, I got allergies and sick at the time so I went to the doctor for that. My normal doctor wasn't in so I got a different one. He was GREAT!!! The day that I went in my blood pressure was 155/71. He was sooooo mad that I hadn't been put on meds for that that his face got red, however he was very professional and kept his cool. He asked me why I wasn't on meds for my blood pressure...I told him that it was because my normal doc said that it was the lingering effects of my preeclampsia and that she would just keep a watch on it. He said that there is NO WAY that it was lingering effects of my pregnancy...He said that all problems that you get while pregnant are gone with in 8 weeks of giving birth. Boy was he mad! Well...That was on a Monday...the following Friday I had an appointment with my normal doc. I told her everything that I had discussed with the other doc and I even brought up the fact that I wanted to do the gastric bypass surgery and I asked her what she thought about it. She is going to refer me so basically, right now I am looking for a doctor that will accept TRICARE PRIME. My doctor has since put me meds for my bp...That was May 16th. So here I am...I guess that I am telling you all of this so that maybe you can help me with my journey. More than anything I want this surgery because I want to be around for a long time. I want to get on the ground and play with my son without being sore and out of breath. I don't want my son's friends to make fun of him because of his Mommy. I want to have 1 or 2 more babies. I want to see them get married and to be
able to play with my grandkids. I want to feel good and not hurt. I want to be pretty and look pretty, and to know that I am pretty. I don't want the biggest section in my closet to be filled with black clothes that cover my OVERLY FLUFFY body. Well, that's all about me...For now anyway.
~Darcy
This is me and Daniel. This picture was taken in 2002 3 months before I got pregnant with Eli. I was around 220 pounds here.
2/7/2005
Boy it's been a LONG time since I've updated my profile. Let's see...where do I begin??? Well, I'm now 26 years old, I'm no longer a military wife...YAY!!! My hubby got outta the Army...We will have been married for 6 WHOLE YEARS in August...Woah, that's a LONG time...He's the best! I am now a Mommy of 2 little Heaven Sent boys...My MIRACLES!
The whole RNY thing didn't work out...First Dr. Johnson stopped taking my army insurance...But I guess that that was a blessing in desguise...Had I had the surgery, I wouldn't have had my little boy, Brody. And to be honest, I'd rather have him than be skinny. Eli will be 3 in May and Brody is almost 6 months old. Buttttt....Now that I've had Brody, I am wanting to be skinny now more than ever. I did really good with my pregnancy. I lost 42lbs...I think that it's because I carried him so high that I got full a lot faster. But, I've gained almost all of it back these past 6 months. To be honest, I am very dissapointed in myself that I let this happen. 42 lbs was a lot and it felt so good being that much thinner...I know that WLS will DEFINATLY benifit me. Me and my family. So alas, I'm on my journey again...We'll see where it takes me this time.
Three days before surgery. I HATE THESE PICTURES! Is this really me? Yuck! I look so sick AND so tired! I am. I actually looked worse..I just had every thing tight and squished in my jeans and sucked it all in for these pictures...Ugggg!
First of all, I just wanted to tell EVERYONE thank you sooooooooo much for all of the prayers you prayed for me and all of the kind thoughts and words that have been sent my way. I can't even tell you all how much I LOVE YOU and what a GREAT source of support you have been for me. Each and every one of you have a SPECIAL place in my heart. Thank you.
You didn't have to do it...But I am sooooo glad you DID!
I got to Dr. Marchesini's office around 6pm. I would have to say that next to my Pastor (who is like a Grandfather and VERY SPECIAL to me) and my husband, Dr. Marchesini is the kindest most wonderful man I have EVER met in my whole life. He did an exam on me and softly caressed my face and said in a STRONG Italian voice, "Oh my Honey, don't be afraid. Everything will be okay." I was TRYING to be brave, but obviiously, he could see that I was nervous and scared. As soon as I sat down and talked with him, I KNEW in my heart of hearts that EVERYTHING *WOULD* be okay. He had an answer for all my questions and never stumbled on trying to find an answer...He knew and had them all. (He's such an EXTRAORDINARY Man!) Then he asked me if I wanted to go a day early...I told him that I would have to think about it, and asked him if I could let him know in the morning...That was fine.
Wednesday, we wake up, shower, and go to the hospital to have my pre-op's done. Everything was okay except for that *&@^ endoscopy...They gave me a shot to make things fuzzy and I don't really remember a whole lot about it...But, I DO remember gagging a lot...That SUCKED! After that, I told Dr. M that I would go ahead and have my DS that day and not wait for the next day. He said to be at the hospital at 3 and that my surgery would be at 4.
I was resting in my hospital room with my Hubby. We were just conversing back and forth and I was talking about all the COOL things that *WE* would be able to do, AFTER I loose my weight; going to theme parks, going for long walks, etc. Then, all of the sudden 2 nurses (a lady and a man) came in and started tlking to me in portuguese. I had NO IDEA what they were saying. I do have to admit...It was then that I started getting scared. As they were wheeling me out, my phone rang and it was my Mom. They let me talk to her really fast and she just reassured me that everything would be okay and prayed for me. Dan gave me a BIG HUG and KISS and told me that he'd be there for me when I woke up.
The nurses wheeled me into the OR. Some guy came and *TRIED* to start an I.V. on me...Keyword being TRIED! After 3 BIG HARD pokes, and NO success...Someone else came over and got it on the first try. If I could have...I would have kissed him. He could speak English...*Sigh* He asked me what I did for a living...I told him Daycare and explained that I take care of Children when their Moms and Dads go to work. He asked me if I had any children. I told him yes, that I had two boys and that Eli was 3 and Brody was 11 months old. Last thing I remember saying was that I LOVE THEM VERY MUCH as I dozed off.
I woke up from surgery while they were pushing me down the hall to my room. I was CRYING out for my Mommy and Daniel. They kept talking to me in PORTUGUESE and I remember saying "ME want ME MAMA." Where that came from I don't know. I couldn't see because I had some kind of goopy stuff in my eyes that they put in during surgery. I was sooooo scared. I finally came to my room and Dan held me as much as he could onsidering that I was in a hospital bed, hooked up to iv's and having just had a MAJOR surgery. I kept asking him if I was alive. He kept reassuring me that I was alive and told me that everything was okay. He said that Dr. Marchesini said that EVERYTHING went perfectly and that there weren't any problems and that it was a textbook surgery.
When I got into my room and got my mind back, the pain was tolerable....But within 1/2 an hour I felt like I had been hit by a Mack Truck and drug for about a mile. It HURT so bad. WAY WORSE than a C-Section...In fact....The pain doesn't even compare to a C-section. I remember thinking to myself, "I want to die, what did I do? Please God, let this just be a BAD nightmare." Let me tell you, I kept my little Brazilian nurses on their toes. I kept my nurse button close by and pulled it every 2 hours and then would buzz them until I got my pain meds. The nurses were GREAT!
Next day...The pain I was in Sucked. I had Kim C. from Houston, Tx stop by my room. She was soooo sweet and encouraging. She told me that the next few days WOULD be horrible, but that by day 3 or 4 I would start feeling better. I also had Kathy's mom Mary, Denise and John from New Mexico stop by. They were alll soooo sweet and encouraging. It was soooo nice to talk to someone that could actually talk back. They also let me know NOT to give OUR American sign of *OK* (where you make an O with your thumb and pointer finger and have the other 3 sticking up) to anyone...that it's giving the "Bird" in Brazil...YOU ONLY give a thumbs-up there...I couldn't figure out why my nurses were looking at me so funny...Now, I know why! LOL!
The next few days were a blur of trying to get out of the uncomfortable bed and trying to go pee, going for walks in the hall with the physical therapists, breathing into a thing with little balls in it trying to get the anesthesia out of my lungs, getting my pain meds, missing my boys and my Mom, and trying to sleep.
Dr. Marchesini came in EVERY DAY to personally check on me himself and made sure that EVERYTHING was okay. And, it was.
On Saturday around 2pm I was released from the hospital and we took a cab back to our hotel. Everyday that I was in the hospital it was raining and we had thunder and lightning storms. They were really cool except for when they were disturbing my sleep.
We got to the hotel. I couldn't sleep at all in the bed so we asked for a Recliner. The hotel we stayed in was very accomidating and the people that worked there were very kind and helpful. I slept in the recliner the 1st night...During the middle of the night I must have stretched out or something and ended up on the floor, in the chair, on my back...Yes, it tipped over. I felt like I was in the middle of one of those little old lady commercials..."I've fallen and I can't get up!" I called Dan and he came and lifted me up....My HERO! I couldn't have made it through this whole ordeal without him. He was so wonderful, sweet, and helpful. God has blessed me with the MOST wonderful man in the whole world! I am so blessed and lucky to be married to him.
There were a lot of Americans in Curitiba either having the DS or having some sort of PS done. There was George, Mike, Dee, and Jennifer (She is Mike and Dee's daughter), Denise and John, Elise and Tracy, Matt (my switch Brother...He was switched at 2pm and I was switched at 4pm), Robert, Kim C., Kathy and Mary (Kathy's Mom). By sunday, Elise, Kathy, Mary, and Kim had all gone home. So, George being the wonderful man that he is, had all of us over for chili. It was nice. No, I didn't eat chili...I had soup before I came over. But oh man! That chili smelled soooooooooooooooo GOOD! But, I didn't DARE risk anything with even taking a taste. Getting together with a bunch of people that spoke the same language, that ACTUALLY knew what you were talking about was priceless. We had a great time!
The rest of the time we were there all of us Americans would get together at 8:30am for breakfast in the hotel resturant. It was nice. Sometimes we would get together and do things together and sometimes, we would just all do our own thing. We all went shopping one day. It was sooo cool. We got a lot of neat things. Some things were more expensive there...Like Souviners, etc. but some things were cheap. We got Dan 4 AWESOME Suits for church, 6 dress shirts, and 6 ties for less than the price of one suit here! It was such a GREAT deal! They're very good quality too.
My final visit with Dr. M was a nice one. He did an exam on me. We went over a lot of q and A's. It was soooooooo funny....I already knew most of the answers to my questions (THANKS to sooo many of you!). Dr. M asked me if I had any question's that I was maybe too embarassed or shy to ask of him...I knew what he was getting at...But...Didn't want to go there...Just in case. I said, "Nope." He looked at Daniel and then back at me and said, "Well, don't you want to make love to Him?" It was SOOOOOO FUNNY! Dr. M. got beat RED! I said, "No, are you kidding me!" Then laughed it off and said, "Well, yes, of course I do!" He reassured me that it was okay and looked at Dan and told her that he had to be very careful and delicate with me...And that was that. Dr. M said that everything was okay with me and I was READY to go home!
We changed our plane tickets and left on Sunday instead of Tuesday. It was sooooo nice getting home to my Mom and Boys. The plane ride home SUCKED and I have been in pain for the past few days from the layover that we had. But, I'm here, I'm alive, and I'm healing. I can't wait til the incision pain goes away and I start feeling a lot better. I know it takes time...I just can't wait til that day comes.
Well, I am SURE that I have talked your eyes off...So I'm going to quit right here. IF anyone has any questions or wants to know anything that I may have left out...Feel free to e-mail me and ask...I'm an open Book!
Hugs to you all,
~Darcy
STRETCHING out my Butterfly Wings
As of this morning, I am 26 pounds LIGHTER TOO!!! WOOHOO!!!!
~My First WOW Moment~
Original Post by Darcy T at 11:40 AM PST on 09/17/2005
It happened! I finally got MY very first WOW moment today! Eli and Brody let Dan and I actually sleep in today...Something that NEVER happens...Especially on a Saturday! (No, that's not my WOW moment...LOL!) When the boys finally did wake up I made them breakfast and before I knew it, we were all wrestling around on the floor, playing cars and then playing , "Mommy and baby lions" as Eli says. (He's real into make-believe these days and has a GREAT imagination!) I can't believe it...The boys tired out before I DID!!!! We played and played. I had a BLAST!!!! and I KNOW they did too! Brody was crawling all over me growling like a baby lion cub (he just learnd how to make growling sounds last week...It's SOOOO cute!) and Eli and I were crawling all over each other! It was GREAT! My boys are the number one reason why I wanted to have WLS. I wanted to be the Mommy I knew I could be but couldn't be because I was too overweight and got too tired too fast...NOT ANYMORE! I just wanted to be healthy (getting there) and to be able to get on the floor and play with them...I DID IT! WOOOOOHOOOO!!!!
Hugs to everyone...
~Darcy
-42 lbs and feeling GREAT!
Gotta go, Eli just came up to me and said, "Get-cha, get-cha!" It's play time again!!!!!
~Random thinking~
My sister and I have the SAME two parents. The only thing different about us, well, is everything. My sister has ALWAYS been skinny. She's the outgoing type and was a cheerleader in High School. She always got the nice in style clothes and I always got nice clothes too...They were just the PLUS SIZE in style (such a thing?) clothes. Until highschool, I was always quiet and meek. I was anything BUT skinny. I am the oldest by 2 1/2 years.
My Mom has always treated my sister and I BOTH with the SAME love and respect for each of us girls. She never chose favorites. Never got one something that the other one didn't get. On birthdays, she'd get the other child 1 gift even. (My Mom is soooo AWESOME...I love her more than life!)
My Dad on the other hand...He's a whole other story. I was his favorite (he told me so) but, he would always tell me that I need to be skinny. (My parents are divorced.) "You'd be so much prettier if you lost some weight" was one of his favorite things to say. It hurt me so bad...EVEN as a little girl. To this day I can't make a sandwich using mayonise when I don't think of my dad hurting me....My Mom taught me everything. When you make a sandwich with mayo you take a big glop out, spread it on the bread, put the remaining on the other piece of bread and whatever is left, put back in the jar....Simple...Wrong. My dad saw me making a sandwich like that one day (I was maybe 12) and said, "Gawd, No wonder why you're such a FAT-ASS! You're just like your Mom." It embarassed me so bad that I didn't eat the rest of the time I was at his house (a week and a half...Yes, I starved myself).
Things happened, long story short, I haven't talked to or had a relationship with my dad in 10 years. He missed me graduating from highschool, my first date, me falling in love, my getting engaged, my wedding, me moving across the US, being a military wife and a leader of a group of military wives and being their support when our husbands were in Bosnia, my first pregnancy, his first grandson...His second, us buying our first home, and so much more. He's a stranger to me now...I don't even know if I'd know him if I saw him in passing. Sad thing is, we live in the same city.
I've always wanted to be 'Accepted' by my dad...I just needed that approval. It's just not going to happen. Now that I'm grown, I know that the reason why he doesn't want a thing to do with me is because, I am like my Mom...Something I am VERY proud of. I've had to learn to be proud of ME. Something I am still working on. To be honest, I would love for him to see me when I'm at goal...But, really, what do I care. He's just a mean, bitter person, with NO love in his heart for anyone but himself. I'm glad I'm like my Mom...I'm glad to be me.
~Darcy
I dedicate these song lyrics to my Husband, Daniel. My light, my strength, my HERO...My everything.
I've changed my hair, my clothes, almost
Everything about myself
I can't believe I tried to be somebody I'm not
For someone else, yeah
*It took finding you to finally understand
What it's like to be loved for who I am*
Me, that's all I have to give
What you get is what she see, yeah
No second guessing, no pretending
With you, all I ever have to be is me
I can laugh or cry, don't have to hide
The way I feel
Rain or shine, by my side proving we've got
A love that's real
An old pair of jeans or an evening gown
You still see the same girl that you found
Me, that's all I have to give
What you get is what you see, yeah
No second guessing, no pretending
With you, all I ever have to be is me
Me, that's all I have to give
What you get is what you see, yeah
No second guessing, no pretending
With you, all I ever have to be is me
All I ever need to be, yeah
All I ever need to be is me
~A wonderful day!~
September 25, 2005
I got up this morning, and stepped on the scale (my new best friend for this week anyway) and I couldn't believe my eyes!!!! I have lost 50 whole pounds! That's a Huge bag of dogfood and a big bag of catfood!!! Better yet, that's 50-1 pound packages of butter!!!
I am sooooo proud of me!!!! Woah, did *I* just say that! Well doggonit, I am! I can't believe that I've lost 50 whole pounds! YIPEEEEE!!! I'm out 2 months and 5 days! I've never even lost 20 pounds in 1 month...Let alone 50 in 2 months!!!
THANK YOU GOD! I am just sooooo thankful to have come to this site and learned about the DS from sooooo many of you WONDERFUL people! I am soooo happy with the way my life is going...To steal a quote from LeeAnn (which NOW I understand), "It just keps getting better!" And, it does!
Hugs to all of you and THANKS for all of your support!
~Darcy
The newest member of the 1/2 centry CLUB!
~Will he still love me tomorrow~
Yes. I have been married for 6 years. I had surgery on July 20, 2005. I wore a size 22 wedding dress on my wedding day. So, needless to say, I have NEVER been skinny by any means. However, that is starting to change...I've lost 50 pounds so far...And I know that before too long it will be another 50 and then hopefully 40 more after that! LOL! Anyway, my husband has loved me no matter what. He's never even mentioned a word about me being overweight no matter how much I would gripe, complain, and cry about it. He has loved me no matter what. However, since loosing 50lbs, he does look at me a little different...I don't think that *HE* has changed...It's ME that has changed...Not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally. I'm a lot easier on myself and I actually like me now. It's hard to love someone that doesn't love themself...Well, that's true. I know that it probably was very hard at times for Daniel to love me because I would be sooooo down on myself and saying how ugly I am and how ugly I felt. I'm only 27, but 50 pounds ago, I felt REAL OLD...A lot older than 27. Now, I feel like a teenager, a MATURE teenager...LOL!!! But I'm not as selfcontious when we go out, when we make out, when we play (yes, we play...LOL!) or when we flirt with each other in public.
We have ALWAYS from day one had a STRONG friendship AND marriage. Having WLS has just made our marriage stronger...Because I am stronger.
What a DIFFERENCE 2 months and -50lbs makes!
Two Months and -50 pounds! I'm feeling better everyday! WOOHOO!!!
~My Surgeon~
I remember the day after my surgery like it was yesterday. Okay, let me back up a little...Next to the love of my life, my husband, Dr. Marchesini *IS* the most wonderful man I've ever been fortunate enough to meet. He's very kind, caring, and compassionate. He loves each and every one of his patience as tho they were his own child (IN a way, we kinda are). He will look you in your eyes and answer ANY question you have. He's simply AWESOME. (The meaning of Awesome: awe·some ( P ) Pronunciation Key (ôsm)
adj.
Inspiring awe: an awesome thunderstorm.
Expressing awe: stood in awesome silence before the ancient ruins.)
What more can I say? I just love the man. I felt this from him with my FIRST PRE-op visit with him. I just knew he cared. Well, the day after my surgery, Dr. Marchesini came in to check in on me and see how I was doing and feeling. I looked at him and wanted to choke him. I was soooo *MAD* at him for *hurting* me the way he did and for doing to my body what he did. I felt so un-human, like a freak. I hated myself for putting myself in a position to be lying there in my hospital bed with my guts rearranged *IN* a foreign country 6000 miles away from my Mom and my 2 sons. I couldn't believe that I let someone rearrange my insides...I couldn't believe that the nice, kind, caring man (Dr. Marchesini) I met the day prior to surgery could hurt people the way he did. I literally wanted to die. I was so ashamed to be sooooo fat that I had to have this done to me. I kept thinking to myself, "IF ONLY I WOULD HAVE TRIED HARDER...IF ONLY I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS....IF ONLY I WOULD HAVE EXERCISED MORE....IF ONLY I WOULDN'T HAVE EATEN THAT...IF ONLY...." Well you know what...I did try harder, I did do this, I did exercise (but was limited to the exercise I did because it HURT to exercise), I didn't eat that...I *DID* what had to be done. It was only when I came to the FINAL realization that I had no other way out of my pain stricken, morbidly obese body than to do what I did. Dr. Marchesini didn't "hurt" me....He saved my life and gave me a second chance. God gave me a second chance...*I* gave me a second chance.
~It DOES get better~
Okay, I'm just a new post-op myself (it will be 3 months on Oct. 20th), SOOOOO, I'm not speaking from a WHOLE lot of experience...But, this is for all of the newbie post-op'ies.
The first 3-4 days after having surgery were the worst. I'm sure that you will or have asked yourself, "WHAT DID I DO TO MYSELF?" Day 4 is good and it's GREAT for 2 weeks after surgery...You're still a little sore and can't eat much, but you know that you are going to be alright. Then all the sudden, it's like you get the crap kicked out of you and were just mugged in some back ally in the middle of downtown New York. Suddenly your very best friend in the world (FOOD) abandons you and takes with it your dear friend water. You are all of the sudden lost in a huge world and feel all alone, empty, and lost, and you have no friends to turn to. You're feeling terrible...again....but THIS TIME, you're not hooked up to an IV to help alleviate any of the excruciating pain that you are in. It sucks. Your old abandoned friends Food and Water hurt you when ever you come near them. They want you to stay away, but you know that you need them.
But it DOES get better...
The days move just a smidge faster and turn into weeks. Suddenly by week 4-6 (it was week 5 for me) you wake up and you're ready to face the day. You have a sudden BURST of energy. You feel like a kid again, waiting for your turn to play jump rope on the playground and go to the wide open field to do cart-wheels. You have made new friends that you can turn to...YOU and YOURSELF are their names...THIS is someone you knew all along but were too afraid to get to *know*. But now you have met and you are BEST friends. You realize that they are the BEST friends you that you've had all along and that FOOD and Water are still your friends, but you *still* have trust issues with them because they left you when you *felt* like you needed them the most.
But it DOES get better...
Today I am about 2 1/2 months (give or take a few days) post-op. I've had to learn how to eat and drink again so that I wouldn't be in pain every time I did one or the other. I've had a few little bumps in the road...But THANK GOD, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. But, (besides the nauseousness these past few days) I'm feeling GREAT. I have sooooo much more energy than I've had in a long time. I'm *ACTUALLY* HAPPY!!! My husband told me today that he's more attracted to me now than ever...I asked him if it was because I was loosing so much weight...He said, "No, that it's because I'm getting more self-esteem and more self-assured and he can see that I am happy on the inside because it's coming through on the outside." That made me feel so good. He is soooo RIGHT! In the 54 pounds that I have lost so far, I have lost the part of me that wouldn't go on walks with my husband...The part of me that couldn't play with my boys like I was wanting to. I lost the part of me that kept me away from friends and family because I was soooo ashamed and embarassed of being so big. It's amazing that 54 pounds could be so heavy...Not in weight...But in emotion.
So, eventhough you might be asking yourself, "What did I do to myself?" Your answer is that you DID a good thing. Just think of it as getting rid of ugly old extra baggage...and DO know that IT DOES GET BETTER. You will feel like you (a NEW improved you) in no time.
I love each and everyone of you.
Here's part of what made me want to choose the DS...It's a GREAT comparison chart. If the link won't click for you, then just copy it and paste it into your browser: http://www.dssurgery.com/generalinformation/comparison.php
Clinical Data may be read at: http://duodenalswitch.com/procedure/clinical_data/clinical_data.html
The Surgeon’s website that performed my surgery, Dr. Marchesini: http://drmarchesini.com/
Dr. Marchesini’s Yahoo Group. (This has MANY files and links to click on for more information if you need it.): http://drmarchesini.com/pre-op_tests.htm
The Pre-Op tests (most of these can be done in Brazil): http://drmarchesini.com/pre-op_tests.htm
Post-Op Care: http://drmarchesini.com/post_op_care.htm
Post-Op Nutrition: http://drmarchesini.com/food_and_nutrition.htm
Post-Op Vitamin and Mineral Supplements needed: http://drmarchesini.com/vitamin_and_mineral_suppliments.htm
Research Appeal for the Duodenal Switch: http://www.growley.com/mywls/appeal/research-appeal.html
How much Protein am I getting in what I eat? Here is a GREAT link!
http://www.drmarchesini.com/proteinc.pdf
The "LAB-RAT" link...LOL!
http://www.designdoorway.com/WLSdatawebpage.htm
http://fathom.org/opalcat/wls-compare.html
~More proof that the DS works and is EFFECTIVE for us~
Here is the link to a study done by NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and their findings: http://global.med.cornell.edu/news/wcmc/wcmc_2005/10_14_05.shtml
Duodenal Switch May Be More Effective Than Gastric Bypass, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Study Finds
Duodenal Switch Patients Lose More Pounds and Fat
NEW YORK (October 14, 2005) — The most frequently performed weight-loss surgery, the gastric bypass, may not be the most effective in producing weight loss, according to a preliminary study by physician-scientists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The study finds that a more complex procedure, the duodenal switch, was more effective at promoting loss of body weight and body fat than gastric bypass.
The study followed 13 patients who underwent duodenal switch and 33 patients who underwent gastric bypass, all with comparable pre-surgery body mass index (BMI) and body composition. One to two years after surgery, duodenal-switch patients lost 50 percent more weight than gastric-bypass patients (22.3 BMI units lost vs. 15.1 BMI units lost). Furthermore, duodenal-switch patients reduced their body fat to 25.7 percent, compared to 34.0 percent for gastric bypass patients (25 percent body fat is within the normal range for most people). These findings will be presented at the 2005 North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) meeting in Vancouver on October 16.
"Overall, we found that patients who elect to have duodenal switch end up slimmer than those who choose gastric bypass," says Dr. Gladys W. Strain, director of research for bariatric surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and associate research professor of nutrition in surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. "Previous research has shown that significant weight loss reduces cardiac risk and early mortality."
In the duodenal-switch procedure (also know by its formal name, the biliopancreatic diversion with the duodenal-switch, or BPD/DS), the stomach is reshaped and somewhat reduced in size, creating a sleeve-like or banana shape. Approximately half of the small intestine is bypassed, and the stomach is reconnected to the shortened small intestine. This forms a short channel in which food and digestive juices are mixed. In a gastric bypass, a small gastric pouch is formed from the upper part of the stomach. A section of the upper intestine is then connected to the small gastric pouch through a Y-shaped connection.
Compared with gastric bypass, duodenal switch is less routinely performed, due to its technical difficulty and metabolic concerns, such as the decreased absorption of fat, protein, certain vitamins, and minerals.
In 1999, Dr. Michel Gagner, chief of the division of bariatric surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and professor of surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, performed the world's first laparoscopic duodenal switch. Since then, the procedure has been further modified for high-risk patients so than it can be performed in two stages, resulting in reduced operative mortality.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell offers four laparoscopic surgical weight-loss options, including gastric bypass, duodenal switch, adjustable gastric band, and sleeve gastrectomy. "The availability of these surgeries helps us tailor a treatment plan to each individual patient's needs," says Dr. Gagner.
The study's co-authors include NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell's Dr. Michel Gagner and Dr. Alfons Pomp, associate attending surgeon, Frank Glenn Faculty Scholar and associate professor of surgery; and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center's Dr. William B. Inabnet, chief of endocrine surgery and associate professor of surgery.
~Why I chose to have Weight Loss Surgery~
I chose to have the DS because I was tired of being tired. I was 27, 5'6" (I'm 5'8" now believe it or not...LOL) and I was 288 pounds on the day of my surgery. My highest weight was 292. My only co-morbs were PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome) and a history of high blood pressure. Other than those, I was 'healthy.' I had been on sooooo many diets and none of them had worked for me. Sure, I would loose a few pounds here and a few there, but as soon as I was 'tired' of my diet, I gained back all the weight I had lost and then a few extra pounds for good measure. Then, I was back to square one feeling empty and alone. My husband is wonderful and I am so thankful to him for all the times he told me I was beautiful...Even when I felt my ugliest he would tell me that I was pretty. He has always stood by me and has always taken good care of me. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful man that loves me the way he does.
My decision to have surgery wasn't easy. But, after ALL I had been through with trying to diet and loose weight, I knew surgery was my last resort...But, it has worked. Like you, I was TERRIFIED and HORRIFIED to die. I mean, the DS is a complicated surgery...Any surgery is. There is always risks. I am not a risk taker. Seriously, I'm so prissy it's not even funny...I just like the comfort I feel in being safe. But, after a lot of SERIOUS soul searching and prayer, I knew that the DS WAS the RIGHT thing for me to do. I had to do it...Not only for me, but for my husband and MOST OF ALL, for my boys. There were nights (before I learned about the DS) that I would lay in bed and cry myself to sleep because I was so afraid of having a heart attack, diabetes, a stroke, and dying. It killed me to think of my boys in their teens being made fun of because their FAT mom was in a nursing home slowly dying from a stroke that *I* could have prevented. I couldn't handle the thought of them coming to talk to me and me not being able to talk to them...And them thinking, "IF ONLY SHE WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO SAVE HERSELF." Kids are the most cruel little humans there are. I think that it is because they are so innocent and just speak what they are thinking. I didn't want my children to suffer embarrassment and get made fun of because their Mommy was fat.
I knew all the risks there were going in to surgery. I KNOW that God gave me a peace about having surgery...And even though that peace remained, I was still scared as the needle went into my arm and the anesthesia was started. But, as scared as I was of dying...I KNEW that I was TRYING.
Here I am, almost 3 months out. I'm 57 pounds lighter than I was and I have my life back. I am able to make the MOST out of each day and be a BIG part of my boys' lives. I have a scar on my tummy that is about 6-7 inches long. (I had the open DS.) It's a little crooked and kind of purply in color...To many people, my scar would be ugly...But you know what...To me it's a BEAUTIFUL scar. It's a scar that I have earned...I won it in my fight with obesity. I AM A WINNER. I look at it and am reminded of the reasons why I had WLS and sometimes cry...Not because of the scar, but because it is such SMALL price to pay for the life I am getting. I just can't even tell you how much it means to me to get down on the floor and play with my boys or to chase after them (yes, I can run)...It feels so good for me to tire them out verses them tiring me out. It feels so good waking up in the morning and not having my back, knees, ankles, and feet throb and hurt. I am no longer in any more pain...Physically OR Emotionally. I am so much more positive and happy...I look forward to waking up each morning rather than to going to bed each night.
Going to Brazil was VERY scary for me. I'm not going to lie to you, it was the most difficult thing I have ever done. (My husband was in the Army and had to go to Bosnia for a 7 month long peace-keeping mission and going to Brazil was scarier than him being there and me being left behind here in the states.) I cried several times on the plane the way to Brazil. I missed my boys...But not as much as I would miss them if I died from an obesity related disease.
I didn't have insurance so I had to self-pay. If I was going to pay for something, I was going to do my homework and make sure that I got my money's worth. With having Dr. Marchesini for my surgeon, I got FAR more than my moneys worth. I was sure to check him out thoroughly and talk to several men and women that had their surgery performed by him. Out of 1500+ WLSurgeries he had performed, he had only had 3 people die. Two of them were between 5-600+ pounds and it's VERY risky to have surgery when you are that overweight, and one of the people that died was a man that had prior heart problems...This too was his last resort. I felt relatively safe having my surgery performed by a highly skilled surgeon that KNEW what he was doing. He does the surgery to help people, not for the money. He is US board certified and could make millions here, but he chooses to stay in Brazil and just help do what he can there.
Knowing what I know now, having had the DS, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. It IS worth all of the fears I went through and tears I cried. I am worth it...My husband is worth it...Most of all, my boys are worth it. I made it and so can you...You just have to look deep inside of you, do your 'homework' (lots of it), and weight the risks vs. the benefits, and see which outweighs the other. You need to what is best for you AND your family.
I pray that you will find peace with whatever decision you choose and that you will be blessed along this crazy, emotion filled journey. I DO PROMISE that in the end (after surgery) EVERYTHING is sooooo worth all you will have gone through...Especially when you see how happy your children are that you are playing with them.
My recipe is for White Chili...YUM!
This is a tried and true recipe...I LOVE it and I'm sure you will too!
White Chili
5-6 cans (15-16ozs) of Great Northern Beans...Or any other white bean you like.
6-8 boneless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
2 med onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (4 oz) cans chopped chiles
2 tsp ground cumin
1-1/2 tsp crushed oregano
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cayenne (I only use 1/8 tsp...Too spicey!)
6 cup chicken broth
3 cup shredded Jack cheese
1 pt sour cream
Fresh cilantro & salsa (this works real good with my recent cravings! LOL!)
First make 6 cups of Chicken Broth in a big sauce pan. Then pour 5-6 cans of beans into the broth.
Take chopped up bite sized chicken breasts and salt and pepper to desired taste...Then fry 'em up...Don't use grease or anything...Just cook them til they are done and browned...Not too done tho. Once cooked, put into broth/chicken mixture and bring to a boil.
In seperate pan, add onions and garlic and saute until tender. Once onions are cooked (at this point they are kind of transparent) add green chilies, cayenne pepper, oregano, clove and cumin and let it all cook together for about 5 mins. Then pour everything into the broth/bean/chicken mixture. Bring to boil, then reduce and simmer. Simmer for 2 hours.
Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, salsa and chopped cilantro.
This is also good with a small wheat or flour tortillia as a side to dip in the chili...Mmmm...
ENJOY!
Mexican Lasagna
As you know, I LOVE to cook...Here's my recipe for Mexican Lasagna
PREHEAT your Oven to 375*
2lbs browned hamburger seasoned with SALT and PEPPER...Not too much but enough to your liking.
8-10 White or Yellow Corn Tortillias
2 Cans of Nally's Chili or Cattle Drive Chili (doesn't really matter what kind you use..These are just the ones I like best.
1 small or medium onion chopped depending on how much onion you like (I use 1/2 of a small onion)
chopped or sliced black olives (the super small cans)
1-29oz Can of tomoto sauce
1 Packet or 1/4 C. Taco Seasoning (more or less according to your taste)
LOTS of Shredded Cheese
Okay, After your hamburger has been browned, drain it real well. Then in a sauce pan combine your Tomato Sauce and Taco Seasoning. Stir well and then let it kind of blurp (the little ploppy bubbles) a little over medium heat.
Then take your Chili and put it in the mircowave long enough to get it warm.
Then take your Tortillias and fry those babies up real good...Fry them so that they are CRISP but NOT Hard.
Then in an 8x8 baking pan put the Tom.Sauce w/taco seasoning in the bottom. Then put 4 or 5 CRISP shells in the bottom. Then COVER those with sauce. Then put in 1/2 the hamburger, 1/2 the chili, and a lot of CHEESE, on top. Then dip your shells in the remaining taco/tomato sauce. Be sure that BOTH sides have the sauce on them. Then start a new layer but this time add ONIONS and Olives and the rest of everything. Be sure to put the cheese on last. Then put your pan in the oven and let it cook for about 25-40 minutes. It will be done when the cheese on top is melted and the edges have started to brown a little. Take it out and serve it. I ALWAYS put a spoonful of sour cream on mine and that just gives it that extra added flavor. It is SOOO yummy. Everything is PROTEIN except for the olives, onions and Corn Tortillias and then I think that those might even have some protein in them.
Enjoy. This is something that I ALWAYS get asked to bring to PotLucks. It is SOOOOO good and SOOOO EASY!
~Questions to ask a doctor when considering them to be your Surgeon~
1. How much common channel will I have?
2. How many supplements should I take? If they say none, ask if you CAN take them.
3. What vitamins supplements should I take post-op?
4. How big will my stomach be?
5. Can/should I drink milk after surgery? Sugar? Fats?
6. How often do I need labs?
7. How long am I off solid foods?
8. Of my excess weight, what percentage will I lose? What percentage will I keep off?
9. How "strict" of a diet will I be on?
10. If I am still nauseated or vomiting after surgery, what will yo do for me?
11. What is your mortality rate?
12. How many DS surgeries have you performed?
13. How many DS patients lost?
14. How many leaks?
15. What do you think my goal weight should be?
16. What is the pre-op diet?
17. What are the preparations for the surgery?
18. What is the post-op diet?
19. Can labs be ordered by my PCP and faxed to your office for analysis?
20. What do I do about my medications pre-op? Post-op?
21. How will the incision be closed? Stitches, Steri-Strips, Glue or Staples?
22. How long is the Open incision?
23. Will my surgery be open or laproscopic?
24. How long should the surgery take, barring complications?
25. Will I go home with a feeding tube?
26. Do I bring my CPAP machine with me?
27. Will I be in I.C.U., due to my sleep apnea?
28. Will I have the leg compression devices that help prevent blood clots?
29. Will I get a binder in the hospital? Or Do I need to provide my own?
30. How soon will I be able to drive?
31. Will I have an epidural?
32. Will I be tested for H. Pylori bacteria? And, is there anything I can do to prevent it?
33. Have you ever started a DS and couldn't complete it?
34. Will I have a drainage tube? For how long? Will I go home with it?
35. What type of pain medication will I be given for home use?
36. Are there gowns in the hospital for someone of my size?
37. After surgery, when can I resume my normal activities?
38. Do I have a limit on how much I can carry or lift? For how long?
39. How soon can I begin an exercise regimen, besides walking?
40. Do you have a list of medications that I can/cannot take?
41. What about future pregnancies? Will they be considered high risk? Will I need a specialized OB/GYN?
42. Should I get a medic alert bracelet?
43. When will the staples/stitches be removed? Will I have either?
44. Will I get injections of Heparin, to prevent blood clots?
45. What supplements can I take to help prevent/lessen/diminish hair loss?
46. How many of your patients have lost their spleens?
47. What are my odds of getting a hernia?
48. Can I actually cause a hernia?
49. Will I have a Foley? If so, how long will it stay in?
50. After surgery, how do you detect for leaks?
51. What are my odds of getting a UTI, bladder infection or yeast infection?
52. Can I meet the anesthesiologist beforehand?
53. How soon will I be able to shower after surgery?
54. When is the soonest I can get scheduled for surgery?
55. What are my odds of adhesions?
56. What is the youngest person you would perform this surgery on?
57. How long do I stay in Recovery?
58. Can someone stay with me IN the hospital?
59. How long before I will be at 100% healed, barring complications?
60. How long will I be in the hospital?
61. How often are follow-up visits, post-op?
62. What year did you begin performing WLS?
63. Are you a general surgeon, or do you specialize in Bariatrics only?
64. Are my gallbladder and or appendix removed during surgery?
Our most recent 3/4 of a family portrait. These were just taken on a whim. Eli was at my Mom's and Brody was sooo cute and in SUCH a good mood that we decided to take him to get HIS pictures taken and we ended up getting in there with him...It looks pretty good tho, so I'm happy!
~Happy Halloween Pictures~
~-62 pounds~
November 20th, 2005~4 months post-op & down 66lbs!
CALCIUM MATTERS
This is an interesting post that I Diana Cox posted and I think that EVERYONE can benifit from reading it. WE NEED OUR VITAMINS!
1) It is VERY important that you take enough calcium, and it is particulary important that it is calcium citrate, especially if you are taking any of the acid reducers -- we simply cannot absorb calcium very well with less than half of our intestinal tract and only half of our duodenum in the alimentary tract in particular. If possible, you should take calcium with something acidic like orange juice.
2) We can only absorb about 500 mg elemental calcium at a time, so the calcium has to be taken multiple times/day.
3) Calcium citrate is a very bulky form of calcium, but it is much more soluble than calcium carbonate. That is why -- and PLEASE get your bottles and look at them!! -- most calcium citrate pills are huge and STILL only contain HALF of the recommended dosage -- therefore, a serving size of 500 -600 mg of elemental calcium as calcium citrate tablets is usually TWO TABLETS, not one!! Time and again, people get into trouble with their calcium intake and then discover that they have only been taking HALF of what they thought they were taking, because they were only taking one tablet at a time and thought that was the full 500 mg dose.
4) Contrary to what in a post below someone quoted their surgeon's nurse as saying, too LITTLE calcium causes kidney stones!! The explanation is somewhat complex, but kidney stones are mostly formed of oxalates, and oxalates in your intestines cannot be excreted without sufficient calcium; if there isn't sufficient calcium, the oxalates end up in the bloodstream where they are filtered out by the kidneys and end up forming stones because they are not very soluble and when they get concentrated in the kidney, they precipitate out of solution as stones.
If you are only taking one calcium citrate tablet at a time, PLEASE look at the label on the bottle. This is not something to get wrong.
Here's my Christmas Pictures with me and my boys and my sister and her boys. OH MY GOODNESS!!! These were SUCH A PAIN to have taken...NOT a one of those little goobers would smile at the same time...Little butts! LOL!!! Me, Molly, Ashton 4, Eli 3, Alex 2, Brody 1.
MONKEY SEE, MONKEY HEAR, MONKEY PICK, MONKEY DO!!!
These are my 6 Month Post-Op Pictures! WOW, I didn't even know it was that BIG of a difference! I'm -80 pounds from where I started out! THANK YOU GOD for the DS!!!
Close Up of me 6 months and -80lbs and my Pre-Op pic on the side for comparison. *WOW*
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