VSG - ONE YEAR AFTER SURGERY

SOOOOOOOOOOO..... it has been a WHOLE YEAR since I had VSG (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) surgery! WOW! I really cannot believe it. I suppose I must incorporate the "word" 
SURGIVERSARY into my vocabulary now, heh :-)
I thought that I would write this post to give some updates on my weight loss, daily living / eating, and to basically share what's in my head with regards to the whole process. At the end of the post, I'll close with some links to my previous blog posts in case you might want to read some, but don't want to search for them.  I don't really have great before and after pics, but here is a collage of some. I will try to take a good current picture soon and re-post.

A collage from the past year of pictures I like. You can see some differences!

WEIGHT LOSS SO FAR: 
- I have lost 92 lbs - THAT is AMAZING! It's also pretty much - a person. I have had MUCH longer plateaus this spring and I have been eating some salty foods at times so I think it has slowed my loss a little. 
- My goal is to lose 100 lbs and I'm pretty darn close!
HOW I FEEL: 
- Lighter, but the same.
- As friends put it.....they certainly didn't take out my sense of humor.
- Grateful that I had the surgery.
- I wonder what life would have been like if I had done this earlier.
- Men still don't seem to be able to take a chance - even with the smaller me. I think my sense and sense of adventure still scares them. It's depressing really, but that's another post.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT ALL: 
- Myself
- Being able to fit better into clothes and of course SMALLER SIZES! Woohoo!
- I feel more "feminine" and pretty whereas I used to feel lumpy
- Not looking so puffed up / heavy
- Being able to enjoy food more freely in some ways....I suppose I'm not afraid to eat various things now that I previously would have avoided or berated myself for eating
- Crossing my legs with ease, scrunching up on the couch with ease
- Not feeling hunger in the same way as I used to feel it. I can easily ignore being hungry and sometimes I do not feel hunger at all
- Grazing. I am a grazer and for me personally, I can now eat on and off throughout the day without the fear as I had before
- Takeout lasts me a few meals, that's cool! $aving $ome $$$
- I like it when people smile at me. I always have liked that, but they do it more now.
- I always took the heat ok, but now, I handle it even better.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE TOO MUCH: 
- I still assume I can eat more than I actually can and I can't sample too much of what I'm cooking or I'll fill up! Boo!
- Some evenings I eat a little too much for dinner and then have reflux, but I suppose that happens to lots of people
- Sometimes I want to gulp down a cold drink, but I can't do that. I take several tiny swallows super fast and it seems to work well enough
- Some people that I work with and even some friends treat me differently now that I am smaller. I imagine that they do not even realize that they smile at me more, talk to me or listen to me more, or actually treat me like I am "worthy" of their time or that there is a difference between now and before. This statement is in this category of what I don't like too much because I think that MANY people treat overweight people in ways that are less than nice / appropriate and often, they DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT.  In the past, I have experienced my ideas or my conversational participation being ignored because of simply being a women and/or because of being overweight. Think what you like - it was not my imagination. Ok, rant over. 
- I don't really like the fact that I still hate more than one or two flights of stairs.
WHAT I CANNOT STAND: 
- When people make assumptions. In general, I dislike this, but we all do it sometimes. People seem to automatically assume that I have more energy b/c I lost weight or that I must certainly "feel better" or even that I was unhealthy (other than the weight). I feel exactly the SAME except that the mental angst and self-loathing I carried around with me my whole life is seriously diminished and often completely gone. I've always had an extremely high level of energy and have always been very active (when I'm not intentionally being a couch potato).
- I won't call it extra skin just yet, but my shape is not too.....shapely. At least I now have a waist and the girls are still where they're supposed to be, HA!
I'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY THAT:
- I was able to do this. I chose Endobariatric in Mexico for several reasons. One is the amazing Dr. Alvarez! He was also there for me afterwards for ANYTHING and ANY questions or worries that I had or still may have. People laugh at Twitter, but for me, it was a life-saver. Another reason for going to Mexico was that my health insurance did not cover the procedure. Yet another reason was that Endobariatric kept me for a couple of days whereas certain area programs here would have released me either the same day or the following morning.
- I have a support system! My dear friend Meg (who went with me) and my dear friend Chuck have been there every step of the way and numerous friends and colleagues have been supportive and excited about my efforts and my results. My choirs, my students, and my family and friends have all been so awesome! I even found out last year after I had returned from Mexico that the cathedral had put me on its prayer list as had a few folks at St. Paul's. That means the world to me! THANK YOU!!!!  I also count YOU as my support system. If you're reading this, you are interested or you CARE and I appreciate it! :-)
- I have not thrown up even once since surgery. I almost did when I was five months out and took that ONE extra bite of steak after I'd eaten enough. I didn't get sick, but I remember feeling very ill momentarily.
- I can eat anything that I want to - rice, cereals, Jones Cream soda, broccoli, nuts & seeds, etc. Nothing gives me texture or digestion issues. Sometimes, people have either something they cannot eat or a food texture issue that bothers them. I may be slightly lactose intolerant at times and sometimes I just have a day where stuff goes through me too rapidly, but that's always been the case. I feel safe in saying that most people have those days.
- I have been able to eat my favorite salad which includes: spinach, broccoli, sunflower seeds, sometimes pine nuts, with cheddar cheese and a dot of Ranch or Caesar dressing. WHEW! This is what I eat a LOT so it makes me happy that I can still enjoy it so much!
NEW ADDICTIONS:
- Some people worry about replacing one "addiction" with another. Firstly, I do not feel that food was a true "addiction" of mine, but I could be wrong...maybe it was in some ways. It was certainly something that I fought with. I'd say that drastic and yo-yo DIETING was more of an addiction. Anyway, my new food eating addictions would be..................
HIBACHI, Doritos, & Starbucks mocha frappuccinos & I can justify all of them if you ask me :-)

THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO:
- Getting to goal eventually
- Getting some more new clothes. I've been rather slack about it because I haven't been at the same weight long enough for to justify tooooo many new clothes.
- Mission trip to India this summer!
ADVICE TO THOSE THINKING ABOUT SURGERY:
- Do your homework (I did) on the best type of surgery for you (meet with your doc) and research the heck out of the place to which you are entrusting your life and to whom you are paying your money
- Ask yourself if this is the last resort for you. You cannot undo a VSG and you will need to be sure this life choice is what you want. 
- Do NOT let people's wide-eyed stares or snarky comments hinder you from considering surgery (if you feel it's a viable option for you) or surgery at a place such as Endobariatric. This is your life we're talking about, not theirs.
- Have a support system whether it's a formal group of WLS / VSGers, family, or friends
- Do NOT think that VSG or any WLS is an "easy way out". It is not an easy way out. I mostly eat right, I exercise (not a ton, but I do what I can), and I take vitamins, but I will have to be careful to maintain and take care of myself. For me, my inability to lose weight was a severe problem - SINCE I WAS 11.  I decided that since I had lived 31 years of my life on diets and being too concerned about it, I was NOT going to live the rest of my days with the same thing. 
- Do not be afraid of seeking counseling as you prepare for WLS. Your particular program may or may not require it. I followed one local program and did some counseling, but in the end, was extremely put off by my five-min. meeting with the surgeon so after the nutrition classes and counseling, I started all over. 

HERE ARE THOSE BLOG LINKS I PROMISED:
There are lots of posts. I hope they will be helpful to someone out there!

- My Weight Loss Journey Part I - A Little Background
- 
- WLS Journey Part II - Going for it and Insurance
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- WLS Journey Part III - Types of Weight Loss Surgery
- 
- WLS Journey Part IV- Surgery Scheduled
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- My Choice for VSG Surgery: Endobariatric
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- I ALMOST ATE MY DESK
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- A Day and a Half...
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- My Journey to Endobariatric
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- My VSG Journey: Discharge Day
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-VSG Journey Update: Three Weeks Out from Surgery
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- VSG Experimental Eating and Eating Abroad
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- Staying on Track: Life 10-11 Weeks Out from VSG
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- VSG 5-Month Update
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- VSG - Hair Loss, Yikes!
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- VSG - What Am I Eating?

Here endeth the blog post! 

Me on the right - with my UNO Choirs after our Spring 2014 concert!

VSG - What Am I Eating?

[In catching up on my blog posts from last Fall]
WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I EATING?!

Well, in a word: ANYTHING

For me, I have been extremely lucky in that I can eat anything I could eat before surgery. I am truly grateful because while I had surgery knowing there was a possibility that I'd never eat things such as rice, grits, sunflower seeds, flax, or random other imaginations, I CAN and I DO eat all those items! WHEW!

For some people, especially a local friend of mine, certain foods cause stomach upset or cannot be tolerated at all. Sometimes, it's a texture issue and sometimes just comes right back up for no reason. One of my friends told me that she threw up almost every day for two months and I remember that she definitely could not tolerate many foods. In spite of all that, she said that she would do it all over again!

As for me, I have not thrown up once and I can eat anything. I suppose it depends on the individual. I have had a vitamin B deficiency in my January vitamin panel, but I take that daily now and am fine.

Things I eat for breakfast:
- Vanilla Greek yoghurt with Torani sugar free raspberry flavoring
- Club crackers with cheddar cheese
- apple slices
- granola bar
- leftover Hibachi or whatever I made that's lasting four days, LOL

Things I eat for lunch:
- the same list as above
- a protein shake occasionally
- the inside of a sandwich (I sometimes eat some of the bread)
- my favorite spinach and greens salad w/ carrots, sunflower seeds, cheese
- leftovers

Things I eat for dinner:
- I've started making casseroles for convenience and eating them for a few days at a time
- Hibachi (I am officially addicted
- salad
- fish....I love cooking salmon
- beef and rice
- fruit is often a dessert now

For me, nothing has changed THAT drastically except some of the following:
- portions are much, MUCH smaller
- I feel ok about grazing
- I tend not to drink and eat at the same time as much, but I still do it carefully
- I still have soda, but I buy the mini-cans and one pack may last a month or more now
- I eat a TON of popsicles sometimes (so I mostly get the sugar free kind)
- Hibachi, a new addiction :-)

Staying On Track - Life 10-11 Weeks After VSG

Update for 10-11 Weeks Out from Surgery
It only took me four weeks of being in Innsbruck, but yesterday I happened upon a store here that is similar to GNC stores back home! I was overjoyed to see it even though they didn't have all the same products. I brought my own supplements to Innsbruck: a multi-vitamin (gummies), fiber (gummies), B-12 zipmelts, Biotin, Thiamine (B1), and Calcium/D melts. (Hmm, can you tell I like gummy vitamins? HAHA!)  By the way, B-12 zipmelts are AWESOME and I highly recommend them. Any weight loss program, but especially weight loss surgery, risks B deficiency and this is an easy way to keep your vital energy levels up.

Still, I have not been getting all my protein in every day so I have been keeping a lazy eye out for protein shakes and haven't found any until I saw this store yesterday. Our free cafeteria lunches often have breading around whatever meat they prepare and while it is tasty, I cannot eat very much of it at one time so finding protein without breading is a goal of mine. Also, I love salads, BUT the majority of them have been pre-packaged, often with peppers which I cannot handle at all, and/or they are not included in our complimentary lunches. So, I have had to avoid them thus far. I am able to select fresh cucumbers and shredded carrots -  if not already vinegared and salted up. It seems to alternate every other day...

   

I suppose my preferences could be considered a bit unusual in that I like raw, uncooked, un-messed-around-with vegetables and fruits. In MY opinion, it is unusual to want to doctor up foods to the point that they either become mushy, tart, overly salty, or pepper-infused. Blech!
Anyway, this store had protein shakes and I bought some and was extremely disappointed. They taste HORRIBLE to me and are too thick. Upon opening the bottle, it even had a skin to break through which made me question the freshness and sealant and worry about food poisoning. So, foiled again on that front, but I will keep trying for the protein while I am here another 13 days.

I did buy a scale, finally, to see how well I have been keeping on track with losing. Since being in Austria, I have continued to lose slowly and have lost about 9 lbs. This makes my total 51 lbs !!!!! I've been walking everywhere and I am positive that helps. At home, my exercise consists of walking in City Parks at least twice a week. Cooler weather seems to make me want to walk the French Quarter more and hotter weather only City Park in the mornings. I used to have a treadmill and it was one of my dreams to own one, but I had troubles with motion sickness on its moving belt - in spite of the fact it was a high end Nordic Track treadmill. I had to take Bonine every single time I used it and so it fell out of use for the most part. I used to ride my bike frequently, but stopped while in Milledgeville due to the lack of sidewalks and pathways for riding in combination with being heavy and feeling awkward about it. I do plan on getting a new bike in New Orleans this Fall, but feel like I will only ride it around the park or on levees b/c of the traffic and scary neighborhoods I have to traverse. Nevertheless, I'm excited about getting back into riding and I hope to continue my journey toward a better shape! Notice that I wrote SHAPE and not HEALTH. This is because I was already in good health before I elected to have VSG surgery to aid with weight loss! :-) I like to point that out every so often because a great assumption regarding those who are overweight is that they may be very unhealthy. It is not always true!

My VSG Journey - Discharge Day!

After two nignts in the hospital, it was time to leave Endobariatric and Piedras Negras and head back to San Antonio.

The morning of discharge, the nighttime doctor and Dr. Rosales and Dr. Alvarez came to see me as did the nurses.

I must say, they gave me everything I needed: paperwork for my doctor here, vitamin/mineral panel recommendations, pain meds, acid reflux meds, antibiotics, instructions, a copy of Dr. A's helpful VSG book, a backpack and folder in which to keep everything, and personal contacts in case there were any issues or questions.

Here's a picture of me with Dr. A right before I got on the van. I am so happy that I chose to come to Mexico for my surgery. Down with any naysayers and all the skeptics! I received better care here than most of the US medical experiences I have had in my whole life combined. In addition, the doctors are extremely skilled, very caring, and concerned with your well-being. They took the time out to talk to me, answer questions, make me comfortable, and explain procedures. I have also been able to ask Dr. Alvarez my questions (via Twitter as well) and he gave me quick answers and asked me how I was doing!



They signed my pillow :-) (the Endobariatric signature stomach pillow, LOL). The pillow made me laugh, but I sincerely needed the support for the two-hour return trip which was BUMPY BUMPY BUMPY!

After crossing the border, we dropped off the other patient at the Holiday Inn and then got on the road. halfway through, we stopped at a convenience store for some water. I was sipping, sipping, sipping. It seemed like I sipped constantly, but the level didn't go down that much. When we got to the La Quinta airport, we went down by the pool for some sun and rest and SIPPING WATER. Then, in the room, I took a nap. It was HOT. I checked my Weather Channel app and saw that it was 106 in Piedras Negras! Yikes! Later, in the early evening, I was feeling less nauseous so we went to the mall to walk around and I did some mini-shopping and had some apple juice!

The next morning, we had a SUPER EARLY set of flights back to NOLA, but that was ok b/c we were back by 10:30 a.m. and I was back in my apartment by around 11:30. Kudos to Meg for being such a trooper on this whole journey and for taking such great care of me. Her husband picked us up at the airport and then drove me to my car. I stopped by GNC on the way home to see what a protein bullet was and to buy an Isopure drink to try it out. Sasha kitty was so glad to see me and she was LIKE GLUE, stuck by my side for the next three days!

I slept most of Friday and tried to sip water. Tthe next day, I tried the protein bullets and they were WAAAY too sweet. I tried apple juice and that was much better, though also sweet. One week clear liquids, Ugh! I failed in attempts to get my water in and to finish the protein bullets every time I tried one. Blech! Sunday, I decided I needed to go to church....not just to be there for my job, but I really needed to be there. I also needed some fellowship and normalcy. Everyone was so nice! It helped a great deal and I was able to also attend the NOVA rehearsal that evening. That was a lot harder than church and I sat down for most of it, but I wanted to see how it was to sing! That was also hard, but I figured that it would help. In between these activities and naps, those first few days involved reading various ObesityHelp.com  forums and Sleevetalk forums, and watching several movies. I took myself to watch the new Star Trek Into Darkness movie, t'was great! "Khaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" My next post will be an update as to where I am along the path now. I leave you with another picture of my dear Sasha kitty :-) 

A Day & and Half.....

Well......ONE DAY AND A HALF to go before VSG surgery!

Yikes! I'm super excited for all the lifestyle and healthy living changes ahead, but also have a case of pre-surgery jitters. I suppose that is understandable considering general anesthesia is involved. It was awesome to be able to communicate with the doctor about antibiotics (explain my bad reaction to Cipro after the Haiti trip last summer) and anesthesia. Made me feel more confident overall.

Everyone's been extremely supportive and I truly appreciate that. I also appreciate the kind words about my posts and the prayers. I received several notes after my FB post and I am greatly moved by them. We are all in this life together!

I've lost 14 lbs on my liquid diet  so far.....which makes me think....."hmmm. do I REALLY have to go through with actual surgery?......or can I simply do a longer liquid diet etc.?"

I know the answer and it is "yes" I need to go ahead with surgery. It's a longer lasting change than a fad diet and I would know because I have tried most of them and the weight came back on....plus a few lbs. Tired of yo-yos with the same pounds. So, all hail to the new stomach...er....sleeve that I will have. I hope it's not too picky and that it will tolerate most foods and I hope my capacity will not be impossible to deal with.

Here is my itinerary for the trip to Endobariatric in Piedras Negras, Mexico:

- Flights to San Antonio, shuttle to La Quinta hotel where Rosy, the driver will pick us up.
- Two-hour drive to Eagle Pass, TX where we'll send one night
- Tuesday: morning pickup, cross border, meet Dr. Alvarez, do tests, have SURGERY
- Be in recovery (we're hoping, LOL) and then will probably be walking and sleeping
- Wednesday: at the hospital, leak test, may graduate to ice chips, REST
- Thursday: discharge, Rosy drives us back to Eagle Pass, spend night
- Friday: Flights back to New Orleans and alternate between resting and walking
- Saturday: REST / WALK / sip on water
- Sunday: I am hoping to be back at the church on Sunday, but we shall see......

Wish me luck! :-)

WLS Journey IV - Surgery Scheduled!

TUESDAY, MAY 14th is the day! It's exciting to have this dream become a reality after such a long time. A week after scheduling the surgery, things got a lot more real - I paid my deposit!

I made sure to schedule the surgery for after the semester is over, but at a time when I know I'll have a great deal of work to do via computer. Grades are due that morning so I know that I will have something to help distract my mind get through the few days beforehand. I will be on a liquid diet for two weeks prior to the surgery date. This is to shrink my liver and ensure that the surgeon can reach the stomach easily. It will also add to the weight loss!

I will be teaching in Innsbruck, Austria this summer for seven weeks (more about that later)and want to have the surgery at least a month before I fly there. I will still be learning how to handle my new stomach size, but I will be surrounded by fresh markets and an easy / touristy way to increase the walking that I already do.

Some thoughts that recently occurred to me:
- I will be able to fit into those STUPID SMALL school desks better.
- I've spent 30 years fighting a battle against obesity....with whatever years I have left, at least I will have a tool to help me fight it better
- I WILL ride horses again. I used to train horses, racehorses actually (trained two for the Hialeah stakes in Fla.), but I've been avoiding riding for YEARS because of my weight.

50 days until surgery!

WLS Journey Part III - Types of Bariatric Surgery & What I'm Having

Types of Bariatric Surgery in a Nutshell

Check out each link for detailed images and info.

Lap-Band / Gastric Band - This involves putting a band around the upper portion of the stomach to restrict the amount of food you can eat. The band is inflatable and those who have it must receive saline solution fill-ups periodically. It's considered a minimally invasive procedure and is both adjustable and reversible.

Gastric By-pass - This both reduces stomach size and re-routes a segment of stomach and small intestine. The segment containing digestive juices is attached to the food-bearing intestine closer to the large intestine. There are several different kinds of bypasses.
More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_bypass_surgery

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) - In this surgery, the size of the stomach is drastically reduced to a sleeve and the remaining portion is removed.
More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeve_gastrectomy

Duoenal Switch (biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS) - This surgery both reduces stomach size and re-routes a substantial portion of the small intestine, creating two separate pathways and one common channel.
More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duodenal_switch

Info from the Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/bariatric-surgery/types.html

 

 

I have chosen to have the VSG procedure. For me, I feel that VSG is the best choice. I know a few people that have had this same surgery. I know two people who have had lap-bands and three who have had gastric by-passes. Each of my friends is happy with his/her decision and has had amazingly successful results!

 

There are benefits and complications to each surgery. It will take a long time to get used to eating with the new stomach size and temperament, but I think that no longer having the portion of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone Grehlin will be useful. I also believe that if I were to get the Lap-band, I would be able to "cheat" a bit by not going in regularly enough for saline fills. I have read about that happening. I have also read many accounts of the malabsorption that can sometimes be associated with gastric bypasses. In addition, many people who have the bypass procedure, have experienced what is called "Dumping Syndrome"

 

There are TONS of helpful websites and blogs out there about bariatric surgeries. One I've come to enjoy reading is the VSG Talk forum.

 

I've also found tons of YouTube videos helpful in seeing real people discuss and share the problems and the triumphs of each of the surgery types. I'm often struck by how much has rapidly developed during my lifetime. From typing a paper on a computer for the first time during my Masters degree to finding anything at any time on personal devices practically anywhere - this amazes me!

 

I believe that I should have this surgery. I'm quite ready to not have to deal with the weight struggle which has tormented me most of my life. I'll have a new struggle and new results!

 

Cheers!