So I'm not a very good blogger...

As usual I've been lax at blogging.  Call it laziness if you want.  I prefer to call it forgetfulness.  LOL  So much has happened since the last time I wrote that I doubt I can remember it all, so I'll just touch on the important things.

The position with Insphere did not work out.  I won't go into details but I decided to break ties with them after I became very ill and in a great deal of pain (to the point that I had a CT-Scan done to make sure there were no problems from my surgery).  I worked for about two weeks at a local billing office until my migraines reared their ugly head.  It's a shame that didn't work out because the environment was nice as were the people, and it would have provided medical benefits.  I had been offered two positions at the same time, one with the billing office and one with another insurance group as an independent contractor, so I contacted the second company and they were still interested.  I had started training before some other issues arose.  Technically I'm still with them, but I'm exercising some more options and might possibly have another job that would begin later this month (that would offer stable income).  I'll know more Tuesday.

Now onto some of the happier things...  I spent July 4th weekend in Flat Rock, NC with Gloria seeing For the Glory in its latest incarnation.  Michael Lanning was back as the northern captain and several alums from Gettysburg and DC were back as well, but the biggest treat was Mike Eldred as the southern captain.  We haven't seen Mike since the first national tour in 2000 so it was a thrill to see him, although I will admit that I missed having him sing Sarah since he's the only man who's ever made me cry every time he sings it.  (Ryan did a great job... he just isn't Mike.)  We also saw several of the cast (and a couple other alums) do a NYC Writers' show (like a writers in the round) in northern VA the following week, which was also a lot of fun.

We made a rather impromptu decision to see one of the festival's Bruno Pelletier was performing at early in August.  As usual the stars and moons aligned for us so we had several shows lined-up and friends to visit while we were there.  Our first full day there was August 4 and we had lunch with Mad and then went to the casino with Anna that night.  Surprisingly we all won money (even me who doesn't gamble played a few dollars and won).  The next day (5th) was Bruno's show - at a village about 2.5 hours from our hotel.  It was a gorgeous day for an outdoor festival... until about 8:00 that night.  We almost didn't get a show because a heavy storm came through during the second act (Bruno was the 3rd and final) causing her to leave the stage early.  We got drenched but we were persistent, and in the end Bruno and co. did go on and put on a great show for the approximately 100 people who stayed.  It was after 3:00a when we got back to the hotel and we were both still wet and cold.  Friday morning we made arrangements to meet with one of our other friends for a bit late morning.  He had a very busy schedule that day but had some time to meet for coffee.  Then that night we headed over to Granby to see Michael Dozier and co. in the Equire Show Bar Revue.  This is the second summer we've seen it - it's just a lot of fun.  Saturday we were off to another outdoor festival, this time to see Vincenzo Thoma sing at an Italian festival.  The weather was beautiful although the breeze made it a bit chilly.  It was nice to finally meet Vincenzo and hear him sing a variety of Italian songs.  Sunday we had to leave.  *sobs*

I'd love to say that was the end of our travels for the summer, but it wasn't.  We went back to Flat Rock again, this time to see Mike perform a John Denver tribute show.  We only stayed overnight but it was worth it.  I grew up listening to John Denver's music so to hear one of my favorite performers sing his music was amazing.  I'd go again in a heartbeat.

Yesterday I returned from New York after taking Gloria home.  The worst part of the summer is always saying goodbye when I leave.  I wish there was a way for us to live nearer to one another.

I've also passed the 6 months mark since my surgery.  I had my follow-up appointment the beginning of August (just before we left for Montreal) and everything is fine.  My iron level is still a bit low for my liking so I'm trying to add more iron rich foods to my diet so I'm not having to take more than one supplement a day.  I'm also proud to announce that as of this morning I have lost 106.6 lbs!  Not bad for 7 months, eh?

Now I need to go to the library and deal with an overdue library book.  Hopefully they'll let me pay the fine and renew it since I still haven't finished it.  Then I'll probably head home to work on laundry and perhaps do a bit more beading and list things on my Etsy shop (see link in my links section).

One final thing before I sign off, if you or a loved-one has a medical condition please do the right thing and wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.  God forbid you are in a situation where you are unconcious and none of your close family or friends are able to speak with EMS, you need them to know your conditions.  I wear mine all the time so EMS is aware of the gastric bypass surgery which means I can't have a blind NG tube or NSAIDS.  Please make sure you and your loved-ones are protected.  If you don't like the plain ones check out Lauren's Hope Medical IDs (www.laurenshope.com).


Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekend!

Ending the month with a bang!

I suppose promising myself I'd blog something every day wasn't the best idea.  Best laid plans and all that...  But I do try to blog when there is something on my mind or something important to me.  Today is one of those days.

As most of my close friends know I've been actively looking for work since the end of February/beginning of March.  Nothing has really panned out except a temp agency specializing in medical practices, and they haven't had any positions available.  I did go on another interview after that for a receptionist position in a pediatric dentistry practice and when I left I didn't have a good feeling.  I'm not really surprised I never heard from them.  Then the beginning of last week I had a message regarding one of the resumes I'd sent out.  I called and spoke to the gentleman and set up an interview for last Thursday.  Interview #1 went well, and I learned that the company does a 3-part interview system to make sure they have the right people for the jobs.  Friday was set to be a telephone interview but due to an emergency it was postponed until Monday.  Today was my final interview, and I went into it very positive and expecting the best.  I was offered the position!  *happy dance*

I begin training May 10th, but before then I need to finish a licensing class and pass the state exam so I can sell life and health insurance.  No problem.  Everyone says the property and casualty classes and exam are harder and I passed that one just fine.  I will be working for Insphere Insurance Solutions as an independent contractor, which means although they pay me I am basically my own boss.  I like that.  Once licensed and trained I will be selling life, health, long-term care and retirement plans - oh, and they provide all the leads with no cost to me.  Needless to say I'm excited about this new step my career is taking!

Also, as of this morning I have hit the 69.8 lbs mark - just 13 weeks out of surgery!  I'm well on my way to reaching my goal - although running out of clothes that fit is a bit frustrating.  LOL

I'm also trying to get all my plants re-potted so they can enjoy the Spring weather.  I've bought larger pots for the two rose trees and have two miniature roses on their way to be put in the existing pots.  I planted some strawberry plants for Gloria, and I have a lovely purple daisy and a lavender plant to transplant.  Goodness knows it will keep me busy!

For tonight, however I think I will relax.

Just one of those days...

It's been a long day for me, and the heat didn't make it any more bearable.  I had a job interview at 9:30 which I had high hopes for but left feeling a bit empty.  The position is for a receptionist in a pediatric dental practice, which is just fine by me.  I love kids and I do well in positions where I interact with people (I was more a less a glorified receptionist at Allstate for most of my years there).  However, some of the questions in the interview baffled me and left me with an uncomfortable feeling:  am I married and do I have children.  I didn't think to ask what it mattered, but in hindsight wish I had.  It might help relieve this unpleasant feeling I have regarding the entire 15 minutes I spent with him.

From the interview I went to have my taxes prepared.  I'm a bit behind this year with only 8 days left to file.  The news there was not even remotely good.  Apparently having income solely from accounts I was beneficiary of does bad things to your tax percentage and such.  So between the Federal and State returns I owe somewhere around $5000.  This takes me way out of my comfort zone.

Quite honestly all sorts of worse case scenarios popped into my head after the interview and finding out I owe on my taxes.  I had images of not finding a job, losing my car and my house.  Certainly not the best of feelings, or the way I had planned to spend my day.  By this time it was early afternoon and about 90° outside... I was miserable.  I went home to change into more comfortable (aka non-interview) clothes and have a bite to eat.  The kitties both looked like they had wilted onto the floor they were so warm, and I didn't feel a whole lot better myself.

I met up with Gena around 3:00 and we had pedicures.  Something about having a bad day just makes me want to have someone pamper me, and I enjoyed it.  My toenails are now a lovely shade of metallic green/teal.  From there we went to Kohl's to check out clearance racks.  I found a couple things for the kids to give them for their birthdays (the boys turned 1 on March 20 and Laila turned 3 today, but their party isn't until the 17th), and a couple shirts dirt cheap to put aside for myself.

The highlight of my day came as dinner was coming to an end.  We met up with everyone (Amanda, Dani, Heather and the kids) at Ryan's and I got to sit between Laila and Bryce.  Laila received a musical Ariel card that has Ariel singing a bit of "Part of Your World" - which she loved.  She was showing everyone her card and Heather told her to show it to Aunt Sarah, so my little angel handed it to me.  I opened it up so the music started playing and sang along with Ariel.  The look in that little girl's eyes as she watched and listened to me sing touched me beyond words.  It was just the sweetest thing and I nearly cried.  That made all the crap earlier in the day worthwhile.

Now I'm home and relaxing, and trying not to stress over things.  I'm trying to remain positive and remind myself that everything happens for a reason.  I will continue to pray that a job is offered to me, and I hope that you will add me to your prayers as well (or even just keep me in your thoughts).

Let me thwak you with my not-so-subtle stick.

Tonight I’ve been chatting online with my good friends, Ashlee and we’ve been trying to determine what is and isn’t too subtle.  It raised the point that apparently women and men have different ideas about the subtlety threshold.  Why, you may be asking yourself, would two fairly sane women be having such a conversation at 1:00a?  The answer is simple really:  I’ve been too subtle with the things I’ve been saying.  Well, at least with the things I’ve been saying to one person in particular.  Who happens to be male.  Is it starting to become a bit clearer now?

For some time now (perhaps months) I’ve been dropping little clues to this friend, and just when I think he’s got it – nope, I was wrong.  In reviewing a recent message I sent him it became clear to me that what I thought was a not-so-subtle hint in my eyes was probably draped completely in camouflage to him.

Can someone please enlighten me as to what this “fine line” regarding subtle and not-so-subtle is?  I believe for women it is a fine line and at any time we risk going over it, but on the flip side for men that fine line is more like the Grand Canyon.  So how is a woman to determine was is too much when being subtle with a man?  Is there some point where we go, “Whoa!  That’s not subtle any longer!” and stop?  And again, just because we as women feel it isn’t subtle, does that mean a man would feel the same way?  It’s like the age old question of which came first the chicken or the egg.

I think tomorrow night I’ll ponder the meaning of life…

Sometimes you just gotta take the bad with the good…

Today is my 1 month “surgiversary.”  Yes, it’s been an entire month (4 whole weeks) since my surgery.  I am very happy with my progress to this point and look forward to what the future still has in store for me.  That’s the good part of today.

Then there is the insurance issue.  I’ve been on COBRA since quitting my job in September, 2008.  I had a maximum of 18 months coverage, which means my current policy expires March 11, 2010.  So earlier this month I went online and worked up a quote through a National insurance carrier – the same one my COBRA policy is through.  The quote was within reason (actually a bit less than what I’m paying currently) so I filled out the application and submitted it.  The application was incredibly thorough asking not only for doctors I’d seen but medications I’ve taken and am currently taking, who prescribed them, dates I’d taken them… and surgeries.  Naturally I listed the WLS procedure I had last month.  I figured the fact that I noted it was a “self pay” would be a good thing.

Yesterday I receive a large envelope from them.  I figure this is good news, just like when you get the large envelope from a college or university you’ve applied to.  It was partly good.  Yes, they could offer me a policy, but at their highest tier (4).  The premium per month is roughly 4 times that of the quoted monthly premium.  Their reason for the tier was that my “weight is elevated for height.”  So I fumed.  All I could think was how did they overlook that I just had surgery to help with the weight?  So I spoke to my mom last night as she’s had far more dealings with insurance companies (and once upon a time actually worked for this one) and she suggested I call them even though I couldn’t file an official appeal over the phone (and I don’t really have time to appeal either).

Earlier I spoke to a very nice underwriter named Mary who pulled up my file and reviewed it while we were on the phone.  I asked her if the fact that I’d had gastric bypass last month, and that I’ve already lost over 30 pounds was taken into consideration at all.  She said the fact that I’d had the surgery last month was why I’d been put into tier 4!  I was flabbergasted.  Apparently I’d have to be 3 years post-op in order to be considered for a higher tier!  Insanity!  I thanked her for her time and called my mom with the news.

Am I happy with the outcome?  Hell no.  Is there anything I can immediately do about it?  No.  I can’t be without insurance and there is no more time to apply to another company.  So I will bite the bullet and pay this horrific premium until I become employed and qualify for insurance through a group plan.

However this does bring serious issues to mind.  In my opinion having a surgery for weight loss may cost $X up front, but in the long run it costs the insurance companies less for other co-morbidities that the patients would have.  That would make the insurance companies’ pay out for claims for WLS patients less over time.  Consider all the co-morbidities that my insurance might have needed to pay if I’d not had the surgery:  hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea supplies and/or surgery, knee and/or hip replacement, etc…  Now my chances of all those are drastically reduced.  This is just another example of how the US healthcare system needs an overhaul.  I’m actually trying to figure out where to send a letter/email to those working on the healthcare issue so they have even further evidence of how the insurance companies are treating the insureds.

If I could still drink I would most likely have a glass of wine.  But as alcohol is off limits for another 11 months, I think I’ll just enjoy some water.  Or a nice protein drink.  Regardless, I’m relaxing the rest of tonight.

Woo hoo!

Today is 3 weeks after surgery, and 3.5 weeks from my final pre-op doctor's appointment... and I've lost 29 pounds!  I'm excited about this as well as a NSV (non-scale victory) I had last night.  Years ago I was given a birthstone ring by my mom.  I've only ever been able to wear it on my right hand ring finger - it's a size 7.5.  Well yesterday I noticed it was fitting a bit loose so I started playing with it, and just for giggles put it on my left hand ring finger... and it fit!  I have noticed some of my clothes fitting a bit more loosely than before, but others not so much.  I know it's a matter of time so I'm not discouraged in the least.  I can honestly say I am very pleased with my progress thus far.

Last night I made a yummy cheese quiche.  Lots of protein in a 2 oz serving.  Next time I'll precook some broccoli or spinach to put in it as well.  Regarding the protein, some days I have very little trouble hitting or getting close to the 85g I'm supposed to get, but others it is an absolute struggle.  The same goes for my liquid intake (64 oz), but I know that is partly due to restraints on how I can drink.  I'd love to be able to chug a bottle of water at times, but it's not possible.  Well, I could try but I'd probably end up very uncomfortable and burping for hours.  Not pleasant.

I think it's nearly time for me to do my first load of laundry since surgery.  My wardrobe has been pretty limited to pajamas and lounge wear since surgery, so the supply of those is getting low... not to mention under garments.  LOL  Sadly laundry is always a necessary evil (just like dishes... which need to be done again too...)

As for the rest of today, I think I'm just going to relax.  I have a bit of a sinus headache and it's making me want to curl up and nap with the kitties.  Sounds like a good idea...

Call me a slacker...

I haven't exactly been on top of my blog lately.  It's most likely the adjustment to being home and my "new" life.  My emotions have been a bit crazy the past week and that seems to be taking a lot out of me.  Yesterday all I wanted to do was sleep... and today I was somewhat active, but now I feel as if I could sleep through the night (and it's only 6:21).

I'm following both the doctor and nutritionist's orders, although I'm still not walking as much as I would like.  Hey, there are only so many times you can walk through a cluttered house before you want to scream.  Perhaps if Mother Nature could see fit to stop dumping snow on us every few days I could get out and enjoy some fresh air and walk on the road (which right now is treacherous).  And have I mentioned it is snowing.  Again.

The last storm, which some have dubbed the snowcalypse or snowmaggedon, dumped another two feet in my area and left tons of people without power.  I was without for nearly 26 hours, and I've heard that people in my town are still without.  Now the next storm front has started and it's expected to give us another 7-14 inches.  My neighbors (bless them!) have brought wood up to the house for me since I'm still on lifting restrictions, and have warned me they expect another outage.  Please, Mother Nature can you give us a break?

Weight-wise I'm doing well.  I'm seeing a steady decrease each week on the scale.  I still am not feeling it much in my clothes, but I know that will come in time.  I'm in the "soft/mushy" phase now, and it is honestly nice to have something besides liquids.  The first thing I ate was cottage cheese - my very first craving after leaving the hospital, and it tasted good.  I'm carefully measuring all my portions and taking all my vitamins, the only real "work" is getting in all my protein and liquids each day.  I'm usually very close with the liquids, but have only been close (within .5-1g) on the protein twice.  I think once I get some more protein powders that I like it will be easier to get the liquid protein in me.

Speaking of liquid protein... time to go mix up a batch...

Catching up!

I realize I have been lax with my blog since the surgery, but since returning home I’ve found it difficult to focus on any one thing for a long period of time.  My mom says it is most likely an effect of the anesthesia.  I’ll take her word for it.  So let’s get caught up:

Tuesday, January 26:

We arrived at the hospital an hour early!  I never would have expected traffic to be that light, but both Manda and I agreed that it was better to be early than late.  I was taken back to have my blood type/screening done and then it was off to the surgical suite.  I must admit that when we walked through the doors and headed towards the desk I felt my first twinges of nerves.  That was the first and only time I felt nervous, and it passed very quickly.  I was taken into a small room and asked to change into an every so lovely hospital gown.  I then made myself as comfy as possible on the gurney.  There was a TV in the room but as I don’t watch it at home I didn’t see much point in turning it on.  Dr Mahtemework was the first of the surgeons to see me.  He would be assisting Dr Tran.  The anesthesiologist came in and began my IV.  I’ve never had an IV, so it was odd having this long needle in the back of my hand.  It didn’t hurt but I had all sorts of visions of moving my hand the wrong way and doing damage.  Dr Tran came in and spoke to me about the procedure and let me know we’d be getting underway in about 20 minutes, and then Dr Halmi came by.  I felt pretty lucky to see three of them the morning of my surgery.  I remember Manda wishing me well as they wheeled me into surgery… and the CRNA telling me about giving me something  to sedate me…

The next thing  I remember was being semi awake.  It felt like a dream, and I actually thought for some time after fully waking up that I had been dreaming during the anesthesia.  I remember the nurse telling me to put my legs on the other bed (I believe there were nurses to help guide me, but I was really still quite out of it) and then telling me to use my legs to pull myself over to the bed.  Seriously???  I had just come out of major surgery!  Then she asked what my level of pain was on a scale of 1-10.  I thought about it and told her a 5.  She said I’d already been given some morphine and then handed me the “button” to my PCA (Patient-Controlled Analgesia) and told me to push it.  I think she then told me how often it could be used and to use it if I needed it.  Of course the nurse on the floor that night might have told me too.  That part is still a bit cloudy.  They then handed me my bear.  Let me explain about the bear.  Apparently this bear was designed specifically for people who’ve had major surgery to their chest, stomach and abdominal areas.  His purpose is to be held against your body to help absorb the shock from things such as coughing, sneezing and bumps in the road (literally).  She told me to hold onto him since they were moving me and it could be a little painful. 

Winston (he came with a name: Winston the Weightloss Bear) and I arrived at my room.  I remember a nurse asking if any family was waiting for me.  I knew Manda would have already left by then.  What I don’t know is how much time passed between her asking and Amanda and Dani coming in the room.  I gotta tell ya, anesthesia sure screws with how alert you are!  LOL  I did perk up with them in the room, and Amanda even said I was more alert than Gena had been post-op.  That made me feel good.  She and Dani dug my cell phone out of my bag so I’d have it handy, and Amanda even plugged in the charger in case I needed it.  They stayed for a bit which was nice.

I have to say the thing that made me feel really great that first night was all the calls and texts I received.  I am certainly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life, and hearing the voices of my angels (Gloria, Ashlee and Francesco) on the phone gave me more determination to do everything the medical staff told me.  I was very thankful to be in what I considered minimal pain (that night it remained somewhere around a 3 or 2, and I used the PCA very little), but I’m sure I still sounded somewhat out of it on the phone. 

During the night my back began to ache profusely.  I knew it was from lying down for more than 12 hours – I remember the feeling from when I’d get the migraines and be bedridden for so long.  I called for the nurse to see if she could help me get more comfortable and she did what she could.  She said she would check my orders to see when I was allowed to get out of bed.  At 4:00a when she came to check my vitals she told me she’d be in at 6:00a to get me up and moving before the shift change.  When she came in at 6:00a and asked if I still wanted up part of me wanted to leap from the bed!  Naturally I didn’t, but that was how much I wanted out of that bed.

Getting up the first time was a bit painful but nothing I couldn’t tolerate.  She told me to do some walking in the halls as it was very empty out there at that time.  I did 5 laps of the area before 7:00a.  I felt quite accomplished, and my back felt immensely better!

Wednesday, January 27:

“My” nurse for the day, Carolyn came in a little after 7:00a to introduce herself and see how I was doing.  She was quite pleased to find me sitting up and alert.  She took my vitals and such and told me that someone would be coming to get me for my Upper GI that morning.  (It’s required to make sure there are no leaks.)  One of the other nurses came in after her with hot wet washcloths, soap, and waterless washcloths (they have everything built into them – like a really think wipe) so I could clean up a bit.  She also brought me a fresh gown.  Getting the gowns on and off around my telemetry unit was a bit tricky but I managed, and it felt good to clean up a bit.  I hadn’t been done with that for more than a few minutes when they came to take me down for my test.

This Upper GI was far more “pleasant” than the pre-op version.  And as expected, everything looked fine.  At some point that day Dr Tran came by to check on me and look at my incisions.  He said that everything looked good and I’d probably go home Thursday or Friday at the latest.  I was determined that I would go home Thursday.  I was also given the clear for the initial liquid diet.  I had just loads of choices… not.  I got some chicken broth, sugar free jello, herbal tea and a bottle of water.  I ordered as much as I did solely because I didn’t know what I would and wouldn’t be able to tolerate.  I managed most of the broth (a whopping 4 oz) and a few bites of jello.  I kept the tea bag as the water had gone cold (it’s actually still in the bag I had at the hospital) and the bottle of water to sip on.  Gena, Pat and Heather came in while I was sitting with the tray in front of me (although I was done eating by then).  They brought me some lovely flowers (Gena & Heather) and a nice melon scented candle (Pat).  We chatted for about an hour before they headed out.  They could tell I was tired.

A couple hours later I got really bad gas cramps (a side effect of laparoscopic procedures) to the point of nausea.  Carolyn was fantastic and put two medications into my IV to help with the nausea and said one might help the cramps a bit too.  Not only did they help, but they helped me sleep for an hour or so.  I desperately needed that sleep because I was feeling exhausted.  I had a bit more broth for dinner, and there was a never-ending supply of ice chips and water.  I just had to be careful how much I ingested at any one time.

I actually watched a bit of TV simply out of boredom.  I couldn’t concentrate on anything long enough to do a Sudoku or any of the other brain games I had on my DS.  I finally gave up on TV and tried to sleep.  I slept fitfully for several hours and then became incredibly uncomfortable again.  One time after I got up to use the bathroom I went to sit in the chair because I just couldn’t bear getting back into the bed.  After the nurse came to check my vitals at 4:00a another one popped her head in to check on me.  She was concerned that I was in pain and wasn’t using the PCA.  I told her that it was gas pain and I didn’t see how Dilauded would help.  She said that it might and I should use it.  So I did.  She also told me she didn’t want me getting up on my own to go back to bed due to the nature of narcotics.  That wasn’t an issue though because I fell asleep in the chair.  I did eventually go back to the bed… I think it was around 6:00a when the IV machine started beeping (the battery was running low since I hadn’t plugged it in).  I called the nurse at that time and she made sure I got over to the bed ok. 

Thursday, January 28:

I hate to admit this, but this was probably the worst of my days in the hospital.  It had nothing to do with the medical staff because they were great.  It had everything to do with the fact that I was utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to be home in my own bed.  I was told early on that I’d be able to take a shower, which made me happy.  They had disconnected the PCA very early – probably around 7:00a and said the rest of the IV would be disconnected a bit later that morning.  The nurses kept trying to get me up to walk, but I was so miserably exhausted that I wouldn’t.  I finally managed to order breakfast (I was moved up to a “full” liquid diet) but I had no appetite.  I managed a few small bites of cream of wheat.

I finally told the nurse I was ready to take a shower and she got everything together for me.  It felt really good to feel the hot water against my skin and to be able to bathe a bit more normally than the previous day.  But the shower took a lot out of me and I had to lie down for a bit.  Dr. Mahtemework came in to see me and said I would be going home that afternoon.  Naturally that made me immensely happy!  The nurse said she’d start getting the papers together so I wouldn’t have to wait on her once Gena was there to get me.  I asked when I would be able to put on “my” clothes and she said anytime.  So I began changing, which took a bit of doing but I managed it all on my own.  I then began to slowly gather all my things together in one central location so we wouldn’t forget anything.  All of that took a lot out of me, but I felt good that I’d been able to do it.

Gena had gone to my house to get my Jeep for the ride home from the hospital.  We both figured it would be more comfortable.  She was very surprised how little the bumps and such on the road bothered me.  I think I only made audible sounds of pain twice – perhaps three times the entire trip.  We stopped by the pharmacy to fill my prescriptions (Dilauded for pain and something else for gas build-up in the stomach), and that became a fiasco.  Long story short:  due to the incompetency of this particular pharmacy I waited close to 1.5 hours for two prescriptions because they couldn’t tell us from the beginning that they didn’t have the Dilauded in stock.  Gena felt horrible that I’d been waiting in the car all that time, plus she wasn’t feeling 100% herself.  She managed to get me home and into bed, and I told her that I didn’t need her to stay.  I probably fell asleep somewhere around 7:00p and didn’t get up until about 1:15a when I used the bathroom.  I decided to spend the rest of the night in the recliner, and ended up sleeping until a little after 6:00a.  I was awake for about an hour before I dozed back off… and woke up just before noon!  I guess I was a bit tired.  LOL

Friday, January 29:

Gena came over for a bit late in the day.  I managed rather well on my own.  The only thing I hadn’t been able to do was feed the kitties so she did that for me.  Plus I didn’t want to shower without someone in the house, at least not the first time after coming home.  It went well and felt amazing to actually be in my own shower with my own shampoo and soap.

Saturday, January 30:

It snowed all day!  And I received a beautiful purple bouquet from my Angel.  I couldn’t think of anything better than being curled up with the kitties.  They seem a bit intrigued by my odd schedule and things I’m “eating.”  But they’ve both been really good about not walking on my incisions and that is the important thing.

Sunday, January 31:

Mina was quite intrigued by the yogurt I had for breakfast.  I told her it was not hers.  (It didn’t stop her little nose from sniffing the air wildly.)  I found my mobility was getting better which made me very happy.  I managed to shower without anyone else in the house.  I also determined which of the protein drinks (of those I’ve already tried) will be the easiest for me to ingest.  But this is all about learning how to create a new way of eating for my new life.

Monday, February 1:

Wow!  February is here.  It doesn’t seem possible.  Today I’ve found that my mobility is much better.  I have far less “pulling” on my left side (where the biggest incisions are, and also where everything is “pulled” to during the procedure) when I get up or turn over in bed.  I’m also sleeping longer in my bed before waking up and coming into the living room.  Now if I could just get the furrballs to understand that when I need to get up from bed they need to move!  LOL

Alicia (my neighbor) called me this morning to see if I needed anything from town.  I swear she and her family are just the sweetest.  Her husband, George fixed the hall toilet while I was in the hospital, as well as cleaning the filters in my HVAC and sealing a hole under it with steel wool (he thinks that’s where the beasties are getting in at).  Plus Alicia cleaned up my kitchen a bit more so it was easier for me to prepare my soup and all.  I truly couldn’t ask for better neighbors.

My cousin called me earlier to see how I’m doing.  It was really great to hear from her as she’s been on my mind a lot lately.  Gena called and we discussed her ongoing situation at work.  I just hope they don’t let her go.  She really doesn’t need that sort of stress right now.

Right now I’m reminding myself that I should have started drinking water or a protein drink at least 45 minutes ago… but I got carried away typing this.  I guess I should go get that now…  

It's here!!!

Well girls and boys the big day has arrived!  Ok, so it's the wee hours of the morning but it is officially the 26th!  Manda and I have been sitting chatting for hours and are getting ready to head off to bed shortly.  We need to leave by about 8:00 to get to the hospital by 10:00 (morning traffic northbound to DC is hell).  This is the last time I'll be checking in pre-op.  You won't hear from me again until sometime Thursday at the earliest.  Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes.  I appreciate it.  :-)

Almost time!

I've been busy the past couple days trying to get things ready for Tuesday.  I've done more laundry in the past two days than I've done in the past two months.  LOL  The most fun had to be changing the sheets on the guest room bed while Fluffy remained on the bed - the entire time.  That took some talent.

Tomorrow (erm, tonight) Manda will arrive and stay for the night.  Then in the morning she'll take me to the hospital.

I feel like I still have a million things to do before Tuesday morning, but in essence I know I don't.  The most important thing right now is to remain calm or I won't get any sleep prior to Tuesday.  Sleep?  Hmm, that's definitely a foreign concept to me.  ;-)

Argh! Take 2...

I don't need to rant as much as yesterday, but it's still a rant.  I had my final pre-op visit today.  We went over my test results from the labs and such, and everything looked fine... almost.  My white cell count was high.  I expected that, but had forgotten to tell them that it would probably be high.  How did I know?

A number of years ago (I believe in 2006) I was referred to a hematologist who ran a series of tests to determine why my white count was high - always.  He deduced after a number of tests that my white cell count is higher than average and said that it isn't entirely uncommon.  So he wrote up a report and sent it to my primary care.  I didn't really think about it since.  Until today.

So, I've been set on a mission to get a letter from either my primary care or the hematologist - or both if possible.  The problem is that the records are in both office's archives.  The hematologist's office seemed far more helpful that my primary care.  If worse comes to worse I'm going to head over to the primary care Saturday and see Sherri.  She'll personally write me the letter, which is good.  One way or another I will get this letter!

After all the drama on the phone with the two different offices, I got to drive home in rush hour traffic in sleet. *sigh*  I stopped at the store on the way home to stock up on things I'll need next week.  I now have lots of broth, smooth low-fat cream-style soups, sugar-free jello and sugar-free pudding.  Yum!

In a nutshell, I'm ready.  Now to get all the doctors lined-up and in order.  ;-)

Argh!

Be forewarned, rant ahead!

As my final pre-op visit with Dr. Tran is tomorrow I had called his office yesterday to verify they had received all my test results and the medical release from Dr. Carter.  Leslie (the amazing surgery coordinator for the office) called me this morning and told me several things were missing - including the release.  Now I saw Dr. Carter sign the release, and she assured me that everything would be faxed.  I called her office and spoke with her nurse who assured me she had personally faxed everything.  I was polite and said that sometimes this happens and read off the list of missing items.

Now there were probably 6 or 8 test results that Dr. Tran's office hadn't received.  Two of them were types/levels of thyroid tests.  Her response to why they weren't run was, "The primary test was normal so we didn't see a need to run them."  Apparently I'm supposed to be stupid enough not to realize that they wouldn't know the first test was fine until they got the results back.  But instead of playing that card I said to her, "My surgeon ordered those tests to be done and they should have been regardless."  She didn't have a response to that.  So she said they leave a prescription at the front for me so I could have the remaining tests run.  When I got to the office (a good hour later) the RX still wasn't at the front.  So I asked for the RX and copies of all the blood work results, EKG, urinalysis and the medical release.  The nurse wanted to know why I wanted all that and I informed her it was so I could take it with me to my appointment tomorrow.  Grrrr...

At least the lab that drew the blood is reputable and assured me they would have the results to Dr. Tran no later than Friday.  Thankfully Leslie told me as long as they have them by Monday everything will be fine.

I spent the rest of my day making an appointment to have maintenance done on the Jeep, and then a trip to the dump.  One more load of cardboard boxes and 6 bags of garbage down.  ;-)  Let's see how much more I can accumulate during the house cleaning process.  LOL

One Week!!!

It doesn't seem possible that my long journey is nearing it's completion.  One week from today I will be having my surgery.  As a matter of fact, by this time next week I will probably be in my hospital room zonked out on pain killers.  LOL

Today was the nutrition class/seminar.  There were about 10 of us there - all within two weeks of our surgery.  I learned a few things but much of it was reiterating things I've already been told and read.  I'll see the nutritionist again Thursday when I meet with Dr. Tran.

I began the attempt to straighten up the house tonight.  I made a small dent, but any dent is good.  LOL  I have to make it somewhat presentable before Manda arrives Monday.  :-)

Rainy days and Mondays...

Ok, so the rain today didn't get me down but it also didn't inspire me to do much.  I did have a really wonderful afternoon with my friend Gena.  She came over to visit for a couple hours.  We chatted about some of the things she's been finding since her surgery and about the different products that are available to help us get our protein. Plus I got to show her some of my photos she hadn't seen before.  Overall it was a really enjoyable time.  Even Mina had a good time playing with her. :-)

Tonight I'm relaxing.  I just got off the phone with Manda to confirm how we're working next week.  We'll talk again the end of the week after I see Dr. Tran.  We just need a better idea of how long the surgery will take so we can determine whether or not she'll be able to stay until I've been moved into recovery.  If she can't I'll get Gena to come up when she gets off work.  Regardless everything seems to be covered.  Well nearly everything...

I'm still trying to decide if I need someone to come stay with me for a few days post-op.  I know Gena is more than willing and Manda would if she didn't have to be at work in DC each night.  I just hate feeling like a burden to my friends.  There may be one other possibility, but it would be a bit more work to pull it off so it's probably out of the question.

Other than that one little "hiccup" everything is going really well.  Over the next couple days I need to concentrate on cleaning up the guest room and laundry.  It's all falling into place now.  :-)

9 Days!

Wow!  It doesn't seem possible that I am a mere 9 days out from surgery!  It seems like I just began the journey a few weeks ago, when I actually started the initial inquiries the end of September.  Wow.  I am so thankful to have my family and such great friends who are supporting my decision.  It really is an entire change of lifestyle and I'm ready for it.

One neat thing that happened this weekend bears mentioning.  I was checking my MySpace account and was surprised to see I had a message in my inbox.  I didn't recognize the person who sent it, but it contained a link to an article and the question of whether or not I was the person in said article.  OMG.  It was an article in the Freelance Star from when I was all of 5 years old!  If you'd like to take a look at the article, you can find it here. Veronica said she found the article when she did a Google search of her name, and then did a search for me.  She said she thought my profile pic looked enough like the Sarah in the picture that she took a chance.  Isn't it amazing how you don't see/speak to someone for 30 years and suddenly there they are?  Amazing the world we live in now!

Nerves

I think tonight is the first time my nerves have really kicked-up.  I don't believe it is entirely the surgery but a mixture of things.  I'm going into the surgery as prepared as possible but I still find myself having fears about the months post-surgery.  I don't feel a concern over complications or problems with getting the nutrients I need, it's more a fear over the fact that there is still so much I need to do in other aspects of my life and I actually feel the time to get the completed before returning to work is running out.  I keep reminding myself that everything will get done in due time and not to let it stress me, but tonight I really feel it nagging at the back of my mind.  Anyone have any suggestions on how to work through this?

Whoops!

Today I had my first real experience with how much energy I can expend (at one time) with the lowered calorie intake.  Who knew that dumping the kitties' kibbles into bins and changing their box was so taxing?  Apparently it is because I got lightheaded and actually wasn't sure if I could make it to a chair in time.  (I did.)  So now I know to be a bit more careful.  Now keep in mind I had originally planned to only change the box, but as I was moving stuff around to sweep up scattered litter I found that "she who shall remain nameless" had gnawed into the new bag of kibbles and there was a small pile of them accumulating on the floor.  I guess this is my payback for wanting them to eat the older food first before I dumped the new bag into the container.  She was appropriately scolded, btw.

I also came to a conclusion today that my memory really isn't what it should be.  Actually, I began formulating that thought last night when I couldn't remember how many of the five liquid items I'd had during the day.  *sigh*  So today I added a spot on my white board with the days of the week so I can put tic marks each time I ingest one of the liquids.  It's sad that things have come to this.  Right now I'm enjoying a little before soup jello.  Sugar free orange flavor to be exact.  I am a bit disappointed that it isn't more orangey.  I think I prefer the lime. :-)

Got hunger?

I really don't have much on my mind regarding the surgery today.  However, last night I found that my stomach would not stop growling.  I had already ingested my alloted servings for the day and no amount of water and gum chewing was helping.  Finally I gave up and went to be in hopes that I could sleep.  (I eventually did.)  Today hasn't been too bad hunger-wise.  I find it interesting that I had more problems last night than the previous one.  I guess my body was just trying to do all it could to make me eat.  Well it's not gonna work.  I am committed to this!

Today my thoughts have mostly been on Haiti and it's people.  I have done what I can by donating to two different organizations providing aid to the nation.  I look at the news reports and images and just find myself in tears.  Please, find it in your hearts to say a prayer for these people - even if you cannot help them financially.

Raspberry lemonade and mint gum do not mix...

In an effort to find ways of curbing my hunger I've taken to chewing sugar-free gum.  Tonight I have come to the not so amazing conclusion that sugar-free raspberry lemonade and mint gum do not blend well - at all.  Guess I'll need to stick to bubble gum flavor with my raspberry lemonade.  ;-)

Day two of the restricted diet has gone well.  I did feel the fatigue this morning from the lowered calorie intake, but once I got myself up and moving it wasn't too bad.  I managed to clean out the fridge and freezer.  It was something (at least regarding the freezer) that should have been done some time back.  It's so empty in there now, I think there is an echo.  LOL  It was a bit rough going through the grocery store knowing that it's going to be some time before I can buy a number of the things I've enjoyed eating.  Today it was a few non-food items and then a couple packages of sugar-free jello and sugar free popsicles.  They're the only things besides the special food that I can eat during these days leading up to my surgery.

Today I also found myself deeply moved by the situation in Haiti.  A magnitude 7 earthquake in California would be horrible, but in one of the poorest countries of the world it is devastating.  The images that are coming from Port-au-prince and the surrounding areas are graphic to say the least: bodies lying in the street and in the debris.  Please, if you are able I ask you to donate to one of the relief programs.  More people will die from lack of water and lack of medical attention/equipment.  Also, say a prayer for those affected by this disaster - including the families and friends of the victims who are living outside Haiti.

Two weeks!

Today is officially the two week mark until my surgery!  It also marks the first day of the pre-op diet.  It's not too horrific, but I'd love to have something to actually chew besides the one "meal" bar each day.  We are allowed to have sugar free jello and sugar free popsicles as well - up to 3 a day.  I was glad to have some sugar free jello in the fridge.  Why didn't I remember it tasting so good?  LOL  I guess I need to go to the store tomorrow.

In order to keep things real I've decided to openly admit that as of today my current weight is 327.8, which is only two pounds less than when I started Weight Watchers in September, 2008.

These are the two photos I took to begin my journey in photos.  So yes, there will be more to come.

The "Last" Supper

One of the biggest misconceptions I keep reading about regarding WLS is people feeling the need to have that "last" meal that they will never be able to eat again.  I'm actually to the point where I am finding that attitude quite annoying.  There is no "last time" for anything.  Once the body has healed and the doctor has given the green light for going back to foods of a normal consistency there is no reason you can't have a bite or two of a beloved food.  The thing to remember is you will not be able to eat an entire slice of cake or pie any longer because your body will not be able to cope with the amount of sugar in those items.  The same goes for all processed carbs.  Plus, some people find their bodies don't ever tolerate some foods again (some say red meat is completely out, while others can't eat lettuce/salads).  That is something I considered very closely prior to making my decision.  I realized there is not a single food that I am not willing to give up for life if need be.

With that in mind I did decide to have one thing today that I won't ever be able to enjoy in it's entirety again:  a milkshake from Chik-fil-a.  However, there is a recipe in Before & After that is said to be an acceptable (re: sugar free) version of a Dairy Queen Blizzard.  That works for me.  There are quite few things in my fridge that will be getting tossed because they will go bad before I can even consider eating them.  They are all leftovers so I don't feel as if it is a total waste of money.  Plus, if they aren't in the fridge I have less likelihood of wanting to eat them.  Removing temptation is a huge step.

Over the next two weeks I'll be stocking up on foods that I can have during the liquid and puree stages (usually the first two to three weeks post-surgery).  I already have several resealable containers of stock, so that's a plus.  I've also ordered some of the non-flavored protein powders to mix with things such as stock.  Getting enough liquids, protein and vitamins are going to be my main goal when I come home.  I also ordered some other types of protein mixes and pre-made drinks to sample.  I've been lucky that some of the companies make travel sized pouches.  That will be a life saver when I'm traveling.

Today I had the appointment with the pulmonologist as well as a required breathing test.  All went well with the test, although it did show that I've already begun to have decreased lung capacity due to the excess weight.  He feels that after I begin to lose significant weight (50+ lbs) it should begin to correct itself.  He did provide me with another spray to use to help with the rhinitis problems.  It's just a sample size but he said it may help me breathe a bit better through my nose up until the surgery.  We also discussed the results of the sleep studies and feels that is is highly possible that post surgery the sleep apnea may go away.  I certainly hope so.  We arranged a follow-up appointment for the beginning of May.

I'm starting to become a bit nervous and excited as the date grows closer.  I realized today that I'm more upset than I thought over my mom not being here for my surgery.  I don't deny her health is important, but I find myself really upset that none of my family will be with me during this important day of my life.  I know all my friends will be with me in spirit and that is reassuring... it just isn't the same.

T-02:57 until I am on the pre-op diet.  Time to enjoy nibbling a few more things and drinking that last lonely Sprite in the fridge.  LOL

Everything happens for a reason...

I am thankful for the wonderful friends I have.  The other night after my panic over Mom not coming up for my surgery I sent a message to one of my friends.  Despite the fact that Amanda will have to work in DC the week of my surgery, she is going to come stay at my house to make sure I get to/from the hospital.  I definitely have some angels looking out for me.

I'm still working my way through the book I mentioned before.  I have learned some important things so far, and I've gotten some ideas of things to do in order to stay mentally focused.  I'm really glad I bought the book before my nutritional seminar on the 19th because it's given me time to read through it and formulate questions.

So far there is really only one thing that I'm mildly concerned about and that is the fact that I won't be able to take ibuprofen or Excedrin again.  They are the only medications that give me any relief from my headaches.  I realize with ibuprofen and other NSAIDS that there is a higher risk of ulcers, but I know the WLS isn't aware of how much I take on a regular basis (and have for a number of years) without any problems.  That is something I'll have to speak with him about in our last pre-op one-on-one session.

Tomorrow (well, technically later today) I'm having dinner with Gena and her clan.  We're finally getting to celebrate Christmas since I was sick during the holidays.  I'm so happy with her success thus far since her surgery on December 15.  She had a tiny problem with an infection from a filter they put in her neck (due to a history of blood clots), but she's on the mend from that now.

Monday I meet with the pulmonologist to be assessed regarding the CPAP.  Then he has to do my final pre-op test which is a breathing functions test.  Considering everything else has gone well I'm not expecting any difficulties.  Tuesday is the big day I begin my two week pre-op diet.  That should be interesting.  I've been told to expect to be rather weak the first two days due to my body acclimating to the lowered calorie intake.  So I will plan to stay home those two days.

I still feel confident that I've made the right decision, and I'm more excited than ever about my fast-approaching surgery!

Why?

I would love to know why when things are going really well someone feels the need to throw a wrench into it.  That's what has happened tonight.


Ever since last month when I told my mom I was having the surgery and that I want her here for it, I was under the impression that she and Fred would be here.  She did nothing to suggest otherwise.  Tonight I spoke with her and it turns out that she hasn't been entirely open with me, and now her doctor is basically forbidding her from making the trip.  He is concerned with the amount of time she'll be in the car for the drive here and back, and how long she'll be away from his care.  Away from his care... yeah.  He can't even entirely figure out what is wrong with her leg (an on-going problem for at least two years now) to properly heal it.  But being angry at him doesn't help or change things.


Now I'm scared to death at how I'm going to coordinate getting to/from the hospital for my surgery.  Gena will have already returned to work and they aren't going to allow her to take the time off, and I don't really have anyone else in this area whom I can ask.  I know Gena will come stay with me for a few days once I'm home, but my main concern is the initial travel surrounding my surgery.  It is times like these I truly dislike living so far away from everything.


However I think the worst part is that I'm now second guessing things.  I'm trying to tell myself that everything will work out fine, but right now all I want to do is cry.

"Before and After"

Last night I began reading a book that is recommended by the nutritionist.  Normally I wouldn't have found out about this book until I attend the nutrition seminar on the 19th, but as my friend Gena had her surgery last month she told me about it.  The book is called Before & After by Susan Maria Leach.  The part I read last night is Susan's journal entries from prior to her surgery up through the 18 month post-surgery time.  At times while reading her story I started to cry.  I know what this woman has gone through.  I've been there.  Hell, I'm still there.  I actually find some of myself in her story - and not just the obesity similarity.  Like her I have the mindset that I am making a lifestyle change and there is no room for cheating.  I have no desire to see just how much sugar my post-op body will be able to handle just so I can eat things I shouldn't.  I am actually eager to embark on my new life, and willing to make the necessary changes.

The next section of the book discusses questions and answers regarding weight-loss surgery, and then there is a very large section of recipes that Susan has created that are "safe" for post-bariatric surgery patients.  Gena suggested not reading the recipes until after the surgery because she found herself dreaming she'd eaten and waking up in a panic thinking she actually had.  Those must be some serious pain drugs they give in the hospital.  LOL

I have one other recommended book as well:  Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery.  I had glanced through Gena's copy and think this book will be fantastic.  It contains a lot of recipes, but to me one of the perks is that it gives full nutritional breakdown of the meal AND gives information on the meals based on what post-operative stage you are at!  Talk about great.  :D

Tonight I'm going with Gena to the bariatric surgery support group.  She attended two prior to her surgery, and I believe this is the first one post-op for her.  They meet the first Thursday of each month, and it is mainly people who have already completed the surgery but it is open to those who are pre-op as well.  I'm looking forward to meeting new people and hearing about their experiences.

In other surgery news, my grandma had her surgery this morning to remove the colostomy bag and reattach everything.  The surgery went well and the doctor is very happy with the immediate out-come.  Grandma is going to be sore for a bit as they used the same incision as before, but in several weeks she should be more like her old self again.

Humpday Fun

So this morning as I groggily swatted at my alarm clock to shut it off I had the following thought, "Why is my alarm going off?"  I snuggled back under the covers and had the sudden realization that I had an appointment this morning and that was the reason my alarm went off.  Apparently my brain hadn't decided it was time to function.

The appointment was fine, although in my opinion the doctor was a bit scatterbrained.  I'm kinda glad I don't usually see her.  ;)  The EKG was fine, and they drew four vials of blood for the multitude of tests.  The one that made me laugh the most was the pregnancy test.  Of course this morning was the third time in the past 48 hours I'd been asked if it was possible I was pregnant.  I laughed and told her it wasn't possible and she said (no joke), "That's what Mary said."  Seriously?  If I turn up pregnant I'm gonna be making international news, and something tells me the Catholic Church will be doing all in it's power to disprove divine intervention.  LOL

After being used as a human pin cushion I met with Gena.  She looks really good three weeks after her surgery.  We went to lunch and discussed what she is able to and not to eat at this point.  Then we went for pedicures.  So it was a lovely afternoon.

I did forget to mention yesterday that the time of my surgery has changed.  Originally it was scheduled for 7:30 on the 26th, now it is scheduled for 11:30.  At least I don't have to be at the hospital as early now. :)

More to come soon...

Tests, Day 1

I've been up for 8 hours now, and have surprisingly accomplished quite a bit.  I left the house at 6:00 in order to be at the hospital on time for my 7:30 registration time.  I actually arrived at 7:00 so I got things moving along a little early.  


I had three pre-op tests/requirements today:  A chest x-ray, sonogram and UGI (a type of x-ray/scan where they use dye).  The sonogram was first up, and quite honestly if I don't have bruises from it I'll be surprised.  I realize I'm not a skinny person but the tech seemed to be using excessive force with the scanner thingy.  (Don't you love the technical terminology?)  As much pain as her pushing was the whole "take a deep breath and hold it" thing got a bit old.  Especially the three times she seemed to forget to tell me to exhale.  Blue as a skin color just isn't working for me.  Next up was the chest x-rays, which was a walk in the park.  Then came the fun part, the UGI.  The tech is explaining to me what is going to happen and I sort of understood her but 30 seconds after she finished explaining it all, I had not a thought in my head.  *sigh*  Thankfully the doctor told me what to do and when.  It starts out with standing on a platform and doing a "shot" of this stuff like Alka-Seltzer.  Except you're not allowed to burp.  Then you drink a huge gulp of this nasty white stuff.  Now the real fun begins... suddenly the platform you are standing on reclines into a table - while you're on it!  That was actually the neatest part of it all.  LOL  Then I had to (as the doctor put it) do a "log roll" on the table - completely roll all the way over.  That is so the dye fully coats the stomach.  Then lots of images are done whilst in uncomfortable positions... only to be followed by yet one more nasty liquid.  This one you sip on command while images are taken.  Boy was I happy when that was over.  The doctor was really nice though and tried to make an unpleasant situation fun.  He commented that their variety of cocktails must be really great after not being allowed any food or water since midnight the previous night.  Sure, doc.  LOL


The best part of the morning was chugging the 16 oz of water I'd brought with me after the final test was done.  Then I met with the surgery coordinator and answered a lot of questions and signed paperwork.


Oh, and my annoyance from last night turned out to be nothing.  They do accept credit cards so I'm all paid up.  Go me.


Now I really think a nap is in order...

22 Days

So we've reached the 22 day mark.  To say there aren't any butterflies in my stomach would be a lie.  There are a few flitting about.

Tomorrow is my first round of pre-op tests, and I have to be at the hospital and the outrageous hour of 7:00.  That means leaving my house by 6:00 at the latest.  *sigh*  But that's not the truly annoying part.  What has me fully irked tonight is the fact that I missed an important phone call from the coordinator because I didn't hear my cell phone ring while I was out earlier.  Naturally by the time I got her message she was gone for the day.  So now I may be in a bind tomorrow morning when I arrive and have to make the payment for the hospital.  The issue is this:  she left a message to remind me that payment must be a cashier/bank check and not a personal check.  Now the surgeon's office told me that the hospital would accept payment on credit card, so I had planned to pay it that way.  My bank was already closed by the time I got the message, and they won't be open when I leave the house in the morning.  So I have no clue what is going to happen.  All I know is I'm frustrated.

Here's hoping tomorrow won't be as frustrating as I fear.

2010 the Year of Change

While most rung in the New Year with family and/or friends, most likely with lots of food and drink I was at home with the kitties watching DVDs and chatting online. Why? Because I've been sick since well before Christmas and there was no way in hell I was going out. I'm feeling a bit better today - my third day of antibiotics to help kill the respiratory infection I have. At least the fever finally seems to have gone.

Let me back up momentarily to Wednesday. I had a very early appointment to pick up a CPAP machine. Seems those lovely sleep studies I did in October and November found I have sleep apnea. Chances are the surgery will correct the problem. I'm not sure who has (or does) use a CPAP machine, but they definitely take getting used to, and are probably easier to use when one can already breathe without congestion. Sleeping the last two nights hasn't been easy because I'm having a hard enough time breathing due to my current respiratory problems and then adding on this machine which forces air up your nose constantly... Well, it just isn't happening. I'm managing about three hours a night with the machine before I have to take the mask off. I only hope once I'm healthy again that it won't be so difficult to acclimate to the machine.

So now we're up to date through the here and now. I spent today working on a gift for a friend. Why I thought I have the mental capacity to work on Celtic knotwork right now is beyond me, but so far it is looking good. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it tomorrow and mail it Monday. My other "big plans" for the weekend include laundry and dishes, and if I still have energy after those are done I'll work on getting stuff straightened up in the house. I have so much I need and want to do before my surgery and I'm afraid it won't all get done.

I have two days of pre-op tests this week. Tuesday I'll have all the radiological stuff done (x-rays and the like) and Wednesday I'll have blood work and what is called a pre-op physical. Should be two days full of fun - especially Tuesday when I need to be in NoVA by 7:00a. Yikes! I just keep reminding myself that it's moving me closer to my final goal.