Vena Cava Filter Placed

Was at the hospital at 6am for my Vena Cava Filter Placement. It is placed.

The procedure went well. Everyone was very helpful and friendly in every location. Very careful to tell me what was going on before they did it. Was finished and out the door by 10:30. Awesome! Like the McConnell Heart wing. Very nice.

They didn't put me out. They gave me a relaxer, which was very nice. :) They go in through the right groin, so they got that area all prepped. Then the doctor came in. He numbed the immediate area and did all the poking and prodding that was necessary. They took a picture of my new passenger and we were done. It took about 45 minutes.

So, I have a picture to scrapbook! Woohoo!!

I just have to be careful on steps for the rest of today. No biggie!

Tomorrow is the big one!

Sunday night

Almost there! I slipped again yesterday. Scott had taken the kids to Troy while I was at an Archery Recertification class. I then met him to pick up the kids so he could go game with the boys. Well, he had purchased a bucket of KFC in Troy and brought most of it home for leftovers for the kids. Oh, man. Lizzie was laughing at me because I was moaning as I ate a piece. It was amazing!!! I had two pieces. Including skin and coating. But, what do you do? I stepped up the fluid intake after that. I had 96 ounces by the end of the day.

Today I had to start taking acetylcysteine every 12 hours. It is to protect my kidneys during the vena cava filter placement tomorrow. They use a dye that can hurt the kidneys. The stuff is nasty!!! Smells VERY STRONGLY of rotten eggs. Worse than rotten eggs!!! Taste isn't horrible, if you can get over the smell. So, I take it really fast and chase it with a cold drink. Of Crystal Light. Then it makes me feel funny.

I am just looking forward to the next step in the process. I am pretty sure I have all my ducks in a row. Kids are taken care of when needed. Scott has the schedule. We're all good!  I almost wish I could just stay at the hospital tomorrow so I wouldn't have to deal with everything else in between!! It's a lot easier when they control everything. Oh, well. I guess that's the issue. I have to be in control.

Day 11

Amazing what happens when I follow the plan 100%. Wednesday I was 370.2. Thursday I was 368.4. Today I am 364.1. Wow.

I'm getting really nervous about it. I'm starting to have weird dreams related to being in the hospital. I guess it's only natural!!!

Day 10

I have been doing great on this. Yes, I've slipped up a little. I'm not going to beat myself up about it. 

Yesterday I had a lunch meeting. I had thought about trying to not order anything at the restaurant. And, yes, I'm sure I could have. But, I really didn't want to!!! So, I checked out their menu online. They had a couple of options I thought might work. I opted for the Tilapia. Of course, it comes with a lovely cream sauce and a couple of high carb sides. So, I got just the Tilapia. Waitress didn't even bat an eye. 

It was so yummy!!! I figured it was about 2 servings, so I let it replace two of my shakes for the day. Drank lots of water. And, lost weight!! Woohoo!!! It was a good example of what I will be doing later. And, we didn't get our usual basket of sweet potato fries which helped all of us!!

I'm so excited about getting this done. Looking forward to it!!!

Day 8 - Half way!

This is hard. Food is the hardest addiction because you can't quit cold turkey. I've been doing really well. I had a slip up at the movie theater on Sunday. I should have known better. I had Scott get popcorn so that I could have just a little bit. Next thing I know I'm mindlessly munching on popcorn. I should have known I couldn't have just a handful.

I'm going out for a work lunch on Wednesday. I keep trying to walk through what I'm going to do. I think I can have like a breadless sandwich. Just do the meat and cheese. But, on the other hand, I'm getting so close, do I want to risk messing things up? But how am I going to sit in the restaurant and not eat something? I haven't lost anything since I ate the popcorn. But, I also started my period. Could just be that. I need to up my water intake. Already drinking at least 64 ounces a day. Added 16 more yesterday. Need to do that every day. Need to not eat. So hard. But I know it will be worth it after.

If it was easy, everyone would be thin!

That frustrating stall...

Found this on another site. Thought it was very interesting. Haven't checked into it any further, but I thought I would share, anyway!!

"A "stall" a few weeks out is inevitable, and here's why.

Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a saber tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored."

Day 4

No slip-ups!! Woohoo!! Have started Day 4 and am going well on it. It's been rough. Yesterday I was offered lunch while working Kindergarten Screening. Nice, but wouldn't take no. Finally did, but almost had to get rude. Then I got to school for the Book Fair and they had fresh Papa John's pizza in the office. And it was in the middle of lunch time so the smells were wafting out. FOOD!!

The only problem is that my blood sugars are up. Not supposed to be above 150. Was at 185 this morning. So, I will have to add a small dose of diabetic medication. I'm checking my sugars twice a day, so hopefully it will balance out quickly. One friend had the idea that since I am shrinking my liver, it is squeezing extra sugars out. Could very well be! Hope it stabilizes quickly!

Otherwise just very tired. My parents are worried because I'm so tired. Well, the schedule I'm keeping and only eating 500 calories a day, what do you expect???

At least next week is Spring Break. We get to sleep in!! Planning to do the zoo, a movie or two, something else. Not sure exactly what. Not eat!!

Added later:

Got back from working the book fair and checked my blood sugar: 124. Now I just have to be careful that it doesn't go too low. :)

Day 2

So far so good!! I'm finishing day 2 on the NutriMed and am being successful!!! I know that tomorrow is going to be really hard. But, I am helping with Kindergarten screening from 8:15-12 and then working the book fair until 1:30. Lizzie has a detention tomorrow. So I'll be able to go for a few minutes. And tomorrow night is free. YAY!!!

Girl Scouts tonight. We have two girls who are really inappropriate. One is just very immature. The other is obsessed with morbid thoughts. Her favorite sound is bones breaking. Nice.

Found out today that Lizzie's friend's mom had gastric bypass surgery in 2000. Wow. She has lost about 250 pounds. She is not finished, but much healthier than she was! Good to know someone else who has been through it!

I'm having some soup (NutriMed Chicken Noodle) and then going to bed. I'm tired!!!

Liquid Fast

Started my liquid fast today. I am on NutriMed (Advanced Health Systems) for two weeks. Wow. 1000-1200 calories a day. Day one hasn't been too bad. I'm going to bed soon!

I went to the Fresh Start Bariatrics Support Group tonight. They had a guest speaker, so it wasn't what I was kind of hoping it would be. I wanted a share and discuss. I wanted to talk to some post-op people. But, the speaker was about a web-based support system developed by Realize. It looks like it will be useful. It's basically a good diet aid program designed for Bariatric Surgery patients.

My biggest problem today was depression. Lizzie had a melt-down at school and then we got into it at home. It was probably just as well that I had to leave. And, Alex was at Cub Scouts.

I am looking into her dropping band for the fourth nine-weeks. I don't really want to let her, but the extra time that she will be able to work with teachers will be worth it. Just one more stress. And, of course, she always knows what buttons to press. I was told I never have time for her. Grrr...

I'm working the Avery Book Fair multiple times this week and have been recruited for Kindergarten Screening Thursday morning. On the plus side, this will keep me busy so that I'm not sitting at home being hungry. On the negative side, it's requiring a lot of energy when I am on a VERY low calorie diet.

Pre-Op Appointment

Today I had my pre-op appt. Good information. Too much wasted time.

Arrive by 8:30. Meet in the meeting room. There are five of us. All women. Two women have their husbands there. I didn't even think about asking Scott to come. Huh.

The nurse who was supposed to talk to us was sick, so another nurse was going to go over everything. In the meantime we had a bunch of consent forms to sign. Three basic forms but one required a lot of initialing and signing. Lots of "these are possible side effects, including death" type things. A little scary!! So, that took a little bit of time.

Then Dr. Myers' assistant, Mike, came in and explained the specifics of the NutriMed (what you take before the surgery to shrink your liver) and why, and the ProtiDiet (what you take after surgery to help you get 60 grams of protein a day). Good information. Time for questions.

Then we waited. Mike called people back one at a time in the order of when their insurance was approved. Fair enough.

I met with Mike and we went through the physical that I had had on the all day evaluation just to make sure there weren't any changes. Updated meds and vital signs. Talked a little bit about what meds I should take the morning of and not.

Next met with Dr. Myers. He went through all the paperwork to make sure it was in order. Checked out all of the necessary approvals, etc. Then went through the meds. Discussed the ones that I will probably be off of soon. And he checked my lungs. All good.

On to meet with Yvonne. Paid the final costs. Ouch. Then discussed final scheduling. I am to report to the Hospital at 9am. Not bad. Finally have the time so I can finally determine how to get there. And how to arrange for the kids.

Finally over to Mid-Ohio for final bloodwork.

All done at 1pm.

Once Mike called me back, it went very quickly. But, until then, it was a lot of sitting and waiting. I am so glad I had a book with me!!! In fact, I ended up reading the entire book today!!

So, it's official!!! I'm having surgery on March 30!!!

I start on the NutriMed on Tuesday, March 16. Any last food I want to enjoy that I won't be able to have for a while I need to get in this weekend. It is going to be really rough for those two weeks. You can't cheat AT ALL!!! If they open you up and your liver isn't small enough, they sew you back up and cancel. Then you have to reschedule. So, the stakes are really high. Of course, I've decided I really want to do this, so it shouldn't be an issue, right? :)

So, of course, my next stop was AppleBee's. Love their French Sliders and their Spinach and Shrimp Salad. Yummy!!!

Tomorrow, breakfast at LouiE's with Terri. Lunch at Old Bag with Cathy. Yummy!!! Dinner at Eastland Mall with the Girl Scouts. We have a Cookie Booth there. Then Cookie Booth at Sam's Club on Saturday.

I'm thinking brunch with the family on Monday!!

Sick

Man! It has been sick time around here!! Alex was sick Thursday night. Stayed home Friday. He had a neighbor boy spend the night Saturday night (he was fine by then). That boy got sick. I stayed in bed most of Sunday and today because I have a sinus thing going on and, apparently, Lizzie has what I have. When it rains, it pours!

4 more pounds!

Met with the surgeon, again. Lost 4 more pounds. Only 2 more to be where he wanted me before surgery. I have 3.5 weeks until surgery. Next Thursday is my pre-op appt. I go in at 8:30 and am there most of the day. I'll take a good book and relax. It's just one more step in the process.

Evening: So, I'm sitting at the computer starting to get some work done and Alex walks over saying he doesn't feel good. I give him a hug and ask him what is wrong. He says "puke" and walks away. I say: you did puke or feel like you are going to puke? He nods his head and leans over and pukes. Two steps away from the hardwood floor. So, Scott is now cleaning the carpet. Just what we had planned this evening! So, then, Scott is in the kitchen bagging Girl Scout cookies to take to school and hears something behind the refrigerator. Our escape artist hamster has made his way back there, again. Out comes the refrigerator. Out comes Fuzzy. He builds up quite a stash of dog food and various items when he goes back there. sigh.

Almost finished with my chapter. Then I can go to bed. I have one more chapter to write by Monday and I will be finished for now!!! I had to give up 5 chapters because I just wasn't getting it done. I have such a hard time focussing. Oh, well.

My parents are on board!

I finally talked to my parents about the surgery. They are totally supportive!! Woohoo! They have even offered to pay for a shopping spree when I'm ready.

I'm so relieved. It could have gone badly. But it didn't!! My mom has been reading up on Bariatric Surgery and has educated herself about it and had even come around to the point of encouraging me to look into it.

I am so thankful I don't have to worry about a negative coming from that direction.

Protein Information

Found this on a website and thought it would be useful!

Beef
• Hamburger patty, 4 oz – 28 grams protein
• Steak, 6 oz – 42 grams
• Most cuts of beef – 7 grams of protein per ounce

Chicken
• Chicken breast, 3.5 oz - 30 grams protein
• Chicken thigh – 10 grams (for average size)
• Drumstick – 11 grams
• Wing – 6 grams
• Chicken meat, cooked, 4 oz – 35 grams

Fish
• Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein
for 3 ½ oz (100 grams) of cooked fish, or 6 grams per ounce
• Tuna, 6 oz can - 40 grams of protein

Pork
• Pork chop, average - 22 grams protein
• Pork loin or tenderloin, 4 oz – 29 grams
• Ham, 3 oz serving – 19 grams
• Ground pork, 1 oz raw – 5 grams; 3 oz cooked – 22 grams
• Bacon, 1 slice – 3 grams
• Canadian-style bacon (back bacon), slice – 5 – 6 grams

Eggs and Dairy
• Egg, large - 6 grams protein
• Milk, 1 cup - 8 grams
• Cottage cheese, ½ cup - 15 grams
• Yogurt, 1 cup – usually 8-12 grams, check label
• Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) – 6 grams per oz
• Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) – 7 or 8 grams per oz
• Hard cheeses (Parmesan) – 10 grams per oz

Beans (including soy)
• Tofu, ½ cup 20 grams protein
• Tofu, 1 oz, 2.3 grams
• Soy milk, 1 cup - 6 -10 grams
• Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc) about 7-10 grams
protein per half cup of cooked beans
• Soy beans, ½ cup cooked – 14 grams protein
• Split peas, ½ cup cooked – 8 grams

Nuts and Seeds
• Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons - 8 grams protein
• Almonds, ¼ cup – 8 grams
• Peanuts, ¼ cup – 9 grams
• Cashews, ¼ cup – 5 grams
• Pecans, ¼ cup – 2.5 grams
• Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup – 6 grams
• Pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup – 19 grams
• Flax seeds – ¼ cup – 8 grams

Woohoo!!!

Got on the scale this morning and I have lost all that I gained plus an additional pound!!! So, what do I do? Go out to breakfast!! I'm such a self-sabotager!! But, I had my Breakfast Quesadilla with Chirizo, salsa, and home fries. The home fries were really the only bad thing. And, the plus side is that since I had them early (well, brought half home and ate it for lunch) I can just minimize my calories for the rest of the day. It's actually becoming easier to do that.

I see the surgeon this Thursday. Based on the scale this morning, I need to lose 5 more pounds by then. Actually pretty doable! Just need to behave myself. Which, my schedule for the next couple of days totally works with.

Got the Box Tops all counted. Need to take them to the post office in a bit. Over $1000 for the PTO. Yay! Post office and then to Tharp to work the book fair 1-3. Darn. Have to sit and read a book for two hours basically.

Money is so tight. It's a good thing I don't eat as much. I feel guilty every time I spend money. Not that it stopped my this morning. I guess I knew that I wouldn't be eating out the rest of the week. Scott was asking what he can do to help pay off the bills. Well, me getting paid would go a long way!!! Will be receiving a couple thousand dollars when I finally get paid. We don't do well living on his income only. Actually we probably would if it weren't for paying off the credit cards. Which I can trace back to me. sigh.

Oh, well. I do the best I can. Which is a LOT better than it ever used to be!!! For now I have to focus on eating right.