6 weeks

So I am six weeks out now and I am down to 221 which would be a total of 31lbs lost. I seem to be slowing down. I did have a 2 week stall where I did not loose anything and then it picked up again only to move at a snails pace...  I am happy to be down 31 lbs but would like to loose at least 4 lbs a week. I need to excersise more. Going back to work I just have not had the motivation to work out like I did while I was at home. 

I can pretty much eat whatever I want now. I just eat smaller portions and still do no carbs or sugars, no carbonation or alcohol. Also eat only good fats. I had a piece of bacon on Sunday and was sick for 2 hours after. Grease no bueno!!!

5 weeks out an 30 lbs gone!

Fast food Nation

So as I venture out into the world smaller and happier I notice the fast food places still irritate me. I don't reat crave fast food but being with my husband and kids in the car when they are hungry proves to be a small challenge. 

So today while my husband and I drive an hour to my surgeons office for my post op and an hour back we both get hungry at about noon. Ok normal. So I remember seing a commercial from chick Fil A that they offer grilled chicken bites. Yum! Lean Protein! 

So I order a kids meal that consists of fruit, grilled chicken and water. At first I was like, "wow, this is great", especially seeing my husband order the spicy crispy chicken sandwich and waffle fries.....but it was delish! I could not even eat it all! I had leftovers! So it can be done! You can eat healthy at some fast food places!

1 month post op

Well it's officially been 1 month since I had gastric sleeve surgery! I feel pretty good! I finally had my post op appointment today. I was supposed to have it 2 weeks after but Dr. Eslami was in Vacation. So it was scheduled for the 3rd week but I was suffering from dehbitating constipation. So it finally was today! 

Fully dressed with shoes on I weighed 226 on his scale. This would mean 18 lbs since surgery day of May 7th and 8 lbs from pre op diet, totaling 27 lbs. (my weight has been fluctuating during this stall period) plus I am PMSing and retaining water right now. 

He was extremely happy with my results though. He looked at his little iPad and his eyes got big and his head cocked back. He was all, "wow awesome!" So if he's happy I am happy. He told me to start working out and I told him I walked daily. He said to join a gym. I will not be joining a gym because I don't want to pay for it. So he suggested lap swimming. I'm down with that! 

My incisions have healed nicely and I'm almost ready to go back to work. I am just taking my time. 

So her it is, 4 weeks and 26 lbs gone!! Dr says he wants to see me in 3 months another 30 lbs lighter. Bring it!!!

Down 27 lbs!!

Ao today marks 3.5 weeks since my sleeve surgery and I am down 19 lbs since surgery day and 27 lbs total since my journey began. Just thought it was time to share some pics. 

May 30th

May 30th

2 weeks Post op

Well I made it to 2weeks post op and I'm coming around day by day. I'm down 23 lbs, (15 since Surgery) 

I'm on the purée stage of my diet and happy to not be on liquids anymore but anxious to start the next part of my diet. One more week and I can transition to soft foods! Something I can actually chew!!

Right now my puréed diet is like this: 

Breakfast: Premier Protien Shake

Snack: 2 tbsps cottage cheese

Lunch: blended Tuna with a tsp of Mayo, salt and pepper. (About 2 tbsp) 

Snack: protien shake 

Dinner: blended meat (1 big tbsp)

            Blended veggie (1 tbsp)

Snack: sugar free pudding Cup

I sip about 45 oz of Cherry Pomegranite Crystal light throughout the day. 

This seems like it's so much! But it's not. I'm doing good. 

I walk for about 30 min a day. Sometimes way more. 

I am still pretty tired and the muscles in my stomach ache. I will get there!

What is the Gastric Sleeve?

I get a lot of puzzled looks when I tell people I got the gastric sleeve. Lots of people have never heard of it and that's cause it's a fairly new (10 years) procedure that has not gotten much publicity.   Celebrities like Lisa Lamponelli and Rosi Odonnel have recently had the sleeve making it more well known. 

When I first thought about weight loss surgery I was dead set on the lap band. Lap band is where they place a foreign peice of plastic around your upper stomach that can be tightened and loosened to create restriction in your food intake and help you loose weight. The pros of the band was that is not permanent, it's reversible and you pretty much control it. The cons were; slower weight loss, band slippage, band erosion, throwing up, plus you have to go in and get fills and infill a all the time the maintenance was constant. I noticed that 74% of people who had the band gained all the weight back and 58% converted to the sleeve or bypass. So I thought, "if I'm gonna do this It's all or nothin". In my first seminar with Dr Lara Machado she was against the sleeve. She said she did not like doing the sleeve. She had me so freaked out about the sleeve I was totally against it.  Then I started doing research in her and found out that she wa a very capeable surgeon but she had only done 3 Sleeves. Well that explained a lot. So I went searching for other surgeons. 

I was referred to Afshin Eslami by my PCP Dr. Miller. He was all the way in S Sac and I was like "really?"  But I made the journey and went to the seminar and a support group, then had my consultation and did a nutrition class.i was very impressed!  

Afshin Eslami, M.D.
Bariatric Surgeon

Afshin Eslami, M.D.

Dr. Eslami earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Tehran in Iran. Upon graduation, Dr. Eslami completed two years of service in the military as a general practitioner. In 1999 he relocated to the United States and completed a residency program in General Surgery at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, and was awarded a chief residency completion in both surgical trauma and intensive care shock trauma. He then went on to the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas to complete his fellowship in Advanced Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery.

In addition to his formal education, Dr. Eslami has been very involved with clinical research, and often presents his articles at various conferences around the country.

Dr Eslami is an active member of the medical staff at several Mercy Hospitals. He has obtained Board Certification in Surgery from the American Board of Surgery. He is a member of theSociety of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) . Dr Eslami is designated as a Center of Excellence- Bariatric Surgeon through the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) of which he is an active member. Dr. Eslami is an avid runner, biker, and swimmer. He enjoys boating, spending time with friends and family, participating in cultural meetings, and reading history in his spare time.

 I then started researching the Sleeve VS Bypass. I have many friends who have had the bypass and have been successful. I just was really curious about this sleeve thing. So what it is; the surgeon goes in laparoscopically and removes 85% of your stomach. Yep that's right! Instead of rerouting your intestines they just remove pRt of the stomach. 

This makes the existing stomach smaller about the size of a small banana. This way you still have the use of your stomach for digestion. With the bypass everything you eat goes in your esophagus and out your intestine and your stomach does not ever encounter food again. This causes malabsorption issues because the stomach is designed to absorb nutrients and create the natural stomach acids to aid in digestion. This is why the sleeve made sense! No malabsorption, the use of my stomach and there was one more plus I discovered.. Ghrelin!! Ghrelin is your hunger hormone. That's right girls just another annoying hormone that makes your body do things you don't want! Ha! Your stomach produces Ghrelin at a fast rate. The more you produce the hungrier you are. The bigger your stomach is the more Ghrelin is produced. Well with the sleeve a large part of your stomach is removed so you in turn produce less Ghrelin! So not only will I have less room but my appetite will be less! It just made sense!! 

So those were my findings regarding the sleeve. I am happy with my educated decision and feel confident I will succeed! 

1 week Post Op!

Well I made it through the hardest days so far. I today marks 1 week since I had this surgery and I am amazed and blessed. I am amazined at all that my body has been through in just one short week. I went from being unable to get up out of my chair without help and not being able to sleep in my bed to walking laps around the block! 

Today my incisions feel mostly healed. My 4 small Incisions are almost non exsitant. My large one still kinda hurts. But only if I for some reason use the muscles around the site. I can sleep in my bed again and I'm so glad to be in our bed with my husband. :-)

My husband... The love of my life.. The most amazing person I have ever met.... Ronnie has been amazing. But I never had a doubt in my mind. He is loving and doting and gentle and compassionate. He is a true gentleman in every sense of the word. I could not have done any of this without him. 

So today I weigh 232 which means I have lost 13lbs since surgery day and 20 lbs total!  I cannot believe it! 

The eating thing is what's difficult. Trying to get in all my water an protien. 

Just gotta keep on truckin!

4 days Post Op

Weird it's only been 4 days cause it feels like 4 weeks!  I am down 17 lbs since the beginning of my journey. I lost 10 lbs on my preop diet and 7 lbs since my surgery. Right now my main goal is to stay his rated so I'm sip sip sipping Gatorade and Crystal light and Sugar Free Jello. I also sip in small shot glass size cups of protien shakes. I do not want to be one dehydrate and end up back in the Hospitol though. 

The hardest thing so far I have ha to deal with is the gas pain. They pump gas into your belly during surgery so tey can see what there workin with. The more you move post op the faster the gas goes away. So I have been walking a lot, and taking Gas X Strips. It's pretty painful at times though. Also when I swallow anything my atomach cramps up and starts growling and gurgling and makes the most god aweful noises! This apparently is gas resistance. There is gas still in the belly that does not like it when stuff comes down. It is getting better though! 

The pain from the large in incision, (the one they pulled the stomach out of) hurts pretty bad. It's an annoying nagging, tugging pain. A heating pad on it helps!

I have felt hungry a few times but I stink or eat a pudding and it's ok. It's more head hunger than anything. The kids had Banquet Fried Chicken and Onion Rings last night and I was salivating for an hour!!! It will get better though. 

I'm positive this is going to all be worth it in the end!

Pre op pics

Just some more pre op pics

My first post op meal.. Could only drink 2 of those little medicine cups of Veggie Broth and like 1 bite of Jello.

Olivia came to see Aunty

All bandaged up

Beef Consume was tasty lol! (May 8th)

Bandages off steri strips covering the incisions. The big one is where they took my stomach out through!

Going home!

Just a few surgery pics!

Surgery day!!

Well I had my Gastric Sleeve Surgery Wednesday March 7th, 2014 at 9 am. It took only 45 min and as they wheeled me into the operating room I was surrounded by -about 12 doctors, students, nurses and the anesthesiologist. I had the entire OR singing Dancing on the Ceiling by lotion all Ritchie!

When I woke up out of anesthesia I was combative and it took 3 people to hold me down. (Don't have any recollection of this)

I was wheeled into my recovery room where my mom was and Uniates we walk. Do we did.  Walking helps the gas flow. During surgery they pump you full of gas to see inside the stomach cavity better. The shorty thing is that it settles ad hurts terribly! 

I spent the rest of the day in and out of sleep. I had morphone and lots of it. 

Today is day 2 and it is getting better by the hour. 

I can't believe I did it! I'm sleeved!!! I actually have a really good chance of being healthy long term!!!

5/6/14 Night Before Surgery!

Well it's 11pm on Tuedsay May 6th 2014z my Sleeve Gastrectomy is tomorrow morning. I have to be at the Hospitol at 630 and surgery is at 9. I'm taking my Momma with me because she has had several surgeries and has that female nurturing thing going on and I just feel more at ease with her there than 

Ronnie. He wanted to come but he had a broke down truck today, a broke down mower, people were calling for estimates all day and I could not take him away from all that. He needs to get that equipment up and running and make mama some money! Plus he knows the kids routine and open house is Thursday at Masons school so it just makes more sense to have him here continuing business as usual. I love him though and I was a tiny bit bummed but hey it was my suggestion he stay. 

So here I am, bags packed, showered and stomach grumbling. Today was the clear liquid diet phase. I had nothing but water, broth, crystal light and Jello. I'm STARVING!!!! that will end tomorrow. Bye by bug belly and you nasty hormone Grehlin!

Night all! See ya on the sleeved side!

The Day Before

Ok so today is the Day before my surgery.... Yesterday was hard. I was a ball of emotions and would cry at the drop of a hat! A song would come on the radio or I would think of something sad and the tears would start flowing... Let's hope today is better but I don't think so... Especially cause for the next 24 hours I am to have only clear liquids and nothing after midnight tonight. So today I will live in broth, popcycles and sugar free jello and that will pretty much be my diet for the next week. 

Yesterday I spent running around getting things done as far as errands, shopping etc. today I am gonna focus on cleaning house and getting things prepared. My Mom is coming over at 5 in the morning to be with the kids for the next 48 hours and Ron will be by my side at the Hospitol. 

I'm rambling, but it's early Tuesday Morning and it's my quiet time. So many emotions and hopes I just hope I do well.

Preop Food

The preop diet is not so bad once you find foods you like. For instance the Dannon Light an Fit Greek Vanilla Coconut is THE BOMB!!!!!  Unsweetened almond Milk is what I mix my shakes with. Sugar Free Jello Pudding is yummy and if you add ine to a protein shake it's creamier!  Here's what my normal day looks like. 

Day 8 Preop

Day 8......

The pounding headache has finally subsided.   My stomach has also stopped grumbling... I have also dropped 7 lbs now! I feel like I have a bit more energy and am actually forcing myself to drink my protein shakes.

I am supposed to be on full liquids to loose weight before preop but I have cheated a few times.  I had Blue Cheese on my salad on day 3, I had a spoonfull of refried beans with queso on day 5, on day 6 I had a boneless skinless grilled chicken thy. Other than that its protien shakes and sugar free pudding, jello and liquids.   I am still doing great on my weight loss so I am not gonna beat myself up for it. OH! And i think I am supposed to blend everything but I have been eating my veggies whole. No butter, salt etc. Forget about it! LOL!  I still get head hunger though. Like I would love to have a juicy cheeseburger right about now with some crunchy fries with ranch dressing.. (NO MUST FOCUS!! LOL!!)

Today is my last day at work for the next 5 weeks. Thank BUDDAH!  Work has been absolutely insane the past three weeks as we lost our Supervisor due to some bullshit allegations that no one is allowed to talk about. So because of my lack of fucks to give, Im not gonna give a fuck about that right now. My main concern for once, ME!!

5 days till surgery and Im so scared....... Excited.....

Day 4

I never realized how food is in such control of my head. Today is day 4 of my pre op diet (5 lbs down) and my first day at work while on thi diet. (Really tough to be around everyone else and drunk nothing but protien shakes, jello and soup) it was a Monday so I was  super busy which helped keep my mind off food. But after work I had to go to the grocery store for soups and diet stuff. Driving there I passed the Carls Jr., the smell of flame broiled burgers was intoxicating.... Then I parked and could see the Little Cesar's dude dancing in the street with a sign that said "Hot & Ready"..... I just thought about those buttery crazy breads!!!  Then I go inside Rayles and I smell the Chineese Hot Wok and see the beautiful pastry sand fresh bake bread.... (This is gonna be hard I think to myself) but I walk past it all, stomach grumbling, head dizzy from lack of food.  I find some miso soup and some Dannon Light n Fit Greek Yogurt.  I also find some fresh asparagus...   I leave feeling like my glass is half empty... 

I just never realized what a big part food played in my life.. It's everywhere!!!! I can see it, smell it and feel it..  

Day 4 is almost over and as I sit her and eat plain broccoli and a protien shake I have to remember one thing. I LOVE MYSELF ENOUGH TO OBTAIN HEALTH!

Day 2 Pre Op

So day 2, 3 lbs down (probly just water) and thi is my approved breakfast. 1/4 Cup Cream of wheat with a splash of unsweetened Almond Milk and a packet of Splenda. 8oz of Chocolate Cornerstone Protein Mix with Unsweetened Almond Milk. I cup of green tea an my chewable bariatric advantage multivitamin. 

Preop Diet

So my preop diet consists of a 2 week liquid diet. They like you to do this to detox your body an shrink your liver. Shrinking your liver is important because it naked surgery easier as it lowers the fat content. 

I can have 4 Cornerstone protein shakes a day (using non sweetened almond milk)

Sugar free jello and pudding and popcycles, cream of wheat, blended soups and veggies are a free for all. I have been doing Premier Protein for weeks and I love it, however Dr. Eslami wants you to buy his at least for the first month. The Cornerstone tasted like such crap I'm thinking. "How the hell am I gonna choke these puppies down for the next month?!"  Well I figured it out... Add a banana and a packet of Splenda; all good!!! 

For my first day I've been doing pretty well. When in hungry I eat. I just eat what's allowed. Water keeps me feeling full. Now it's late and my stomach is growling so in gonna sleep it off. 

Goodnight!

The Journey Begins

So I decided to go to a bariatric Seminar after my sister in law having such success with her Gastric Bypass Surgery. She has been overweight all her life too so we really know how the other is feeling. 

In September 2013 I decided I was going to get healthy. I quit smoking in November 22, 2013 because surgeons will not do the surgery on smokers. Smoking actually slows healing and causes complications. So I quit.... 

January 2014 I met Dr. Eslami at Slimlife Solutions in South Sacramento. I went to his seminar, support group, nutrition class and had my initial consultation. He told me all the things I would need to do pre op to prepare for surgery and my head was spinning when I left the office. In the next few months I would have: an EKG, Chest X-ray, Endoscopy, Blood Work, Psych Evaluation, Pap Smear, Pelvic Ultrasound, another seminar with my husband, and another panel of bloodwork. 

By April 2014 I had done all my pre op testing and was healthier than expected! I did have a small hernia and inflammation of the Stomach lining but that's probably caused by long time use of NSAIDs... (Which I will never take again) I got the call in April 8th that my insurance had approved the surgery and I would be to see Dr. Eslami in April 24th for my Preop Visit and surgery was scheduled for May 7th!!! Am I dreaming? Was this really happening? I'm excited and scared and nervous and happy an sad and emotional all at the same time.... 

Ron (my husband) came with me yesterday to my preop appointment and met my surgeon and was there for me in any way I needed him. My Dr. Told me to start my 2 week liquid preop diet now and gave me my Protien shakes and multi vitamins and told me he'd see me the day of surgery! 

After months of anticipation, doubt and excitement I am ready!!!! I have done more research than most people do in this. (I decided to have the Sleeve Gastrectomy by the way) I have watched live surgery videos. I am part of an online support group and I have several friends who have had this done who are rooting me on! I am ready to be healthy, get off my meds for high BP and Cholesterol and stop taking pain pills for my sore joints and have more energy to do the things I want to do! I'm doing this for me and my health and like everything else in my life I won't give up. 

The Straw

After a childhood of body issues and 13 years of marriage and two beautiful children I finally tipped the scales at a whopping 250 lbs.. Disgusting I know.... But being happy with my husband and growing two humans and me getting to the point where I no longer gave a fuck what anyone thought of me I just didn't care anymore. I honestly felt beautiful and was content with what and who I was. I had broken through the chains that confined me which were masked as other peoples opinions. They say opinions are like assholes; well that's true in more ways than one. Lol!!!  

My husband has saved me.. Saved me from myself... He has made me believe I am beautiful every day for 13 years. He has given me the self esteem I so desperately needed. He loves me unconditionally, every single aspect of me. He has shown me that everything I was ever told about men and what they want in a woman is just not true. 

As loved as I am and as confident as I am, the straw that broke the camels back was a visit to my doctor in the fall of 2011. I was 238 lbs and had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint pain and planters faciitis.. At only 34 that was a problem... My daddy died in June of 2009 way to early.. He was only 63 and had high BP, Cholesterol, diabetes, Congestive Heart Failure, Coronary Artery Disease  and had a heart attack (one of many) that would be his last... 

I felt jipped, robbed I my father and pissed at him for not taking care of himself knowing I needed him; we all needed him. I thought how selfish he was and was extremely sad and angry...That was the straw that broke the camels back...

I needed to loose weigh and a lot of it. All the hundreds of diets I had been on through the years were not working and I needed a long term tool that would help me get healthy. So I started looking into Weight Loss Surgery. 

Fat Daddy

Well what can I say.. I was born a fat girl. I was never one of those really big kids you see on Maury Povich but I was always very cherubial. I was almost 10 lbs when I was born and I had so many rolls I quickly adopted the Nick name, "Michelin tire baby". I was later called Fat Daddy and Stephanie Marie Hamburger Haro... Sad I know.. What my parents thought was cute and harmless turned into a lifetime of body image issues. 

I was overweight a majority of my life and it bothered me that I did not look like the Guess girl in my Teen Magazines. My Father was overweight but that's cause of lifestyle. He is Mexican and grew up on Lard and Mantacia, (butter) I remember him eating beans with mayo in them... Bleh!!!

 But I grew up in the 80s... Health was Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton Johns Video Physical was a huge hit! But we ate Homerun pies from the local Hostess Bakery, full flavored Pepsi out of glass bottles and Kool Aid. My mom cooked home Cooked meals so it's not like we had a lot of fast food. Plus I was one of 5 kids so it was a luxery to go out and eat. 

Mom was always on some diet. Weight Watchers, Nutri System, Slim Fast you name it. She is one of three sisters and it was like there was always a competition with their appearance. All three of those women were what I looked up to and I quickly came to the conclusion that this is how women act. It's normal to talk bad about your body and go on crazy diets to fit into society's perception of beauty. This was a lot of pressure that carried into my teen years. 

I was caught shoplifting Dexatrim at 13 years old. I just wanted to be thin and noticed.. I figured if I was thin I would stop hearing whispers from females in my family about "the pre pubescent pudge" and other such comments that made me feel less than. Or how everyone always said how skinny and beautiful my little sister was and how she was going to be a model.  I thought, "fuck! Well why breathe?!"

I started to become anorexic and bulemic at 16. I'd binge and purge and some days I would not eat at all. I started taking drugs like speed cause I noticed it was an appetite supessent. By the time I was 17 I was the lowest weight I have ever been in my life, 118 lbs. at 5'4" I was lookin pretty thin! It was awesome! Weird thing.... When I looked in the mirror I still looked fat....

It always seemed like no matter what I did. I was never good enough.