More Good News

Sorry I haven't updated for a while, but there hadn't been anything new to tell ya about.

I went to the Heart Dr. today. He was quite pleased with the blood pressure readings since I had been there last. He was also happy that I was off the diabetic medicine and also the Lisinopril medicine. He doesn't want to see me for 4 months and if everything is fine then, I won't have to go back for a year. I will keep my fingers crossed for that.

I was really being down because my scale had not moved for over 2 1/2 weeks. I have been doing everything that I am supposed to. I'm walking, riding the exercise bike everyday, and doing the other exercises that my physical therapist had given me and the scale would not move down. This morning before going to the Dr.'s I weighed so I could compare his scale to mine and I HAD LOST 2 lbs. When I got on the Dr.'s scale I was down 6 lbs. and I had clothes on. Now I can't wait to go the the surgeon on Thursday to see what his scale says.

My brother Ken is coming down for a visit next week. I can't wait to see him. Its been almost two years since I was up in Chicago and saw them. I'm hoping to be able to go up there in either late June or early July.

My kids gave me gift cards for my birthday last month and I bought some new clothes. I was able to buy size 2X, I was in a 4-5X. I have taken in some of my old tops that I really like, I wear them everyday and save the newer ones for church or going out.

I'm going up to McAllen tonight again to the support group meeting, they are having a speaker on Medication Do's and Don'ts. I think it should be quite interesting.

Well that is all I can think up for now. Will update after Thursday when I see the doctor that did the surgery.

100+

I'm so excited, I hit 103 pounds lost since October, and 65 pounds since the surgery!
I feel really good, still keeping up with my exercises. I have taken in some of my clothes 4 inches.

I think the nurse will be surprised because I think the incision is finally closed. When I changed the band-aid after my shower last night it looked like it was closed completely. If it is the nurse will probably only have to come once a week or not at all. She will report to my case worker and he will have to call the doctor to see what he says. I don't go back to my surgeon until the 15th of May.

I am going to a support group meeting this coming Monday at the hospital. Plus I'm on the final phase of the diet. I get to start adding things back into my diet that I have not been able to have. I finally get to have some toast and maybe a grilled cheese sandwich, I will probably only be able to eat a quarter of it but that's okay. I will continue to keep you all updated. Again thanks for your support and prayers.

I hit a new number

Hi just wanted everyone to know that I hit 54 pounds yesterday since the surgery and a whopping 92 pounds since I started back in October.
I am finding out foods that I can't eat right now and making a list of them. I had to add rice to the list today. I had a TV dinner last night that had rice in it and I'm paying for it today.
I only have one more day with my physical therapist, but I go over to Judi's most every day to ride their exercise bike. I'm even pround to say that I was able to pedal it yesterday. I have been working out with my arms only and sitting behind it on a chair and pedaling it but yesterday I put the sit up one notch and was able to get my left knee to bend and go all the way around.
My clothes are getting so baggy on me. I went to the Avenue and bought a few tops last weekend so I had something that fit for Easter. I got a lot of compliments at church Easter for my new top, it really showed off that I had lost.
The picture of me and Kennedy is from Easter Sunday at church.

Update and Pics

Well its been almost a month since I updated this site. I don't know if anyone reads it, but at least I'm posting.

I've been to two doctors this past week. One of them was the surgeon and he was pleased with my progress. Their scale and mine finally matched and it put me at 41 pounds lost. I stayed at that weight for a week and I weighed again on Sunday and lost 4 more pounds. Just for the heck of it I weighed on this Tuesday and lost 1 more pound so that puts me at 46 total pounds since the surgery, but a total of 84 pounds since October. The doctor said not to have the nurses pack the incisions any more so they will close and that he would see me in two months. The smaller of the incisions have already closed and the other is not far behind it. The nurse feels that it should be closed by this Friday.

The other doctor I saw was the Heart doctor. He was also pleased with my progress and is slowly taking me off one of my heart medications. I need to take a half a pill twice a day for a week and then cut it back to a half a pill once a day for a week and then I'm off of it. Yeah!

The physical therapist said that I am doing good. I'm walking more and doing some exercises. I have bought me some tension bands and working with them. I had a friend at church take a few pictures of me today so that I could post them. My clothes are getting big on me, especially the tops.


The picture of me in the tan top was taken this fall before the surgery and the pics in the black top was taken today March 19th. Hope you all like them. I'll try to keep this updated better and with more pics.

Good doctors visit

Hi there, went to the doctor for a check up yesterday. He was very pleased with my progress. He said that he wanted the nurse not to pack so much into the incisions or they will never heal. So I called the nurse and told him to call up to the office to get new orders from his nurse. Said that I could start lifting again, so I can start babysitting again. I can also do more exercising. He suggested arm exercises and bicycling and of course walking. Dr. Camacho was telling Judi and I about his friend Dr. Garth Davis (from the show Big Medicine) and I told him that is where I got the idea of having the surgery. He said that Dr. Davis wanted him to come to Houston and work with him, but he said that he thought he was going to go to New York instead. Judi told him he couldn't go anywhere until I was all better. He said he wasn't going yet. Their practice is having a seminar this coming Tuesday at the Harlingen Country Club to inform people about gastric bypass, I'm going to go to it. Dr. Camacho won't be there but Dr. Reyes and Paula Kilgore will be. Paula is the Bariatric Coordinator at the hospital and has had the bypass herself, she is really nice.

I'm going to start doing my volunteer work again this coming week. I went to lunch yesterday to Boog-a-dee-boos with the family. I took my lunch and they heated it up for me. Next week we go to Big John's so that will be interesting. I will take my food and hopefully they will also heat it up for me, but they normally have some kind of soup on their menu or I could do a baked potato. Well that is all for now, I have lost a total of 30 pounds since the surgery. The doctor said that 10 pounds a month would be a good but if it was more that was okay. My tops are getting really loose and my pants were always loose. I will get some pictures soon and post them. Thank you all again for your prayers.

Doing better

Well here I am going into my third week from surgery. I am feeling much better. After the setback on the 7th of Feb. I had been feeling so good I thought that I could do some of my old stuff. I went to a church meeting, did my Food Pantry work, lunch with the family and then dinner at the church. Apparently I overdid it. I woke up on the 7th with diaherra, cold sweats, and weakness. I went to the doctor and he said that I overdid it, go back on the clear liquids for 2 days and take it easy. That night I also broke out in a rash. Most of the rash is gone. It is still on my legs and feet. I am taking it easy. I'm not doing the Food Pantry this week, one more week won't hurt. I did do the computer work for them. I might go to lunch with the gang this week, its at Boog-a-dee-boos. Yesterday for a change of scenery I went over to my sister's house and we worked on making Easter cards.

I am getting more to eat now. I have started on Step 3 of the diet. I get to blend/puree meat, fruit, and vegetables. I got George Church's Chicken for dinner last night and got me an extra thigh and mashed potatoes. Judi sent me home with her meat grinder and I ground up the thigh meat and oh what a thrill. It tasted so good. I did a chicken breast for lunch today and have extra for dinner tonight. I'll be on this step until about the 13th of March. I'm getting outside more and walking. I'm only using the cane. I even went out today and sat in the sun for a while. The sun was really hot and then I went for a walk in the backyard.

Well everything else is doing good. Thank you for your cards and prayers. I continue to feel the love and support from all of you, without all the support I wouldn't have been able to make it.

I'm Home and recovering

The surgery was last Monday the 28th of January. Everything went well, the doctor told Judi that he was very pleased with everything. Monday night was a little rough, couldn't have any water or even ice chips, they gave me some little sponges on sticks that I could swab my dry mouth with. I had a little problem with the blood pressure they couldn't get it to stablize. I felt fine, I think it was their machines. They gave me an extra bag of something and I know a bag of potassium along with antibotics. My sugar level also when crazy for a little bit and they ended up giving me insulin twice but then it corrected itself. I have 6 little incisions all over my belly, closed with staples. I go to the doctor on Feb. 7th to get them out.

They got me up on my feet on Tuesday. I walked the hall a little bit, and I was able to use the bathroom, hooray. They released me on Wednesday, and have been doing alright at home. I just have to get my schedule straight for eating 3 meals and 3 snacks(the snack is a protein drink). I even ate cream of wheat for breakfast today. I do not like cream of wheat and always gag on it, but I made it really soupy and was almost able to drink it down.

I had George bring me a walker from church when he went to dinner on Wednesday. I have been using it around the house and not always using my rolly chair. Tomorrow, Sunday, its suppose to be nice and hope to go outside and walk down to the end of our street. I plan on making church in the morning. I need to go and thank the Lord again for all the blessings he has given me this week, and see all my friends there too.

Thank you all again for your prayers and continued support. As soon as I can tell that I have lost, I will add some pictures.