Jenn's Weight Loss Journal

Monday, March 1st 2004 [Top]

Well, it’s been far too long since an update has been made to this web site and I apologize. I had all good intentions when I started this web site, not just to document my journey but to hopefully inspire. Life doesn’t always go as planned; sometimes it’s good and sometimes not. My life has taken an unexpected turn in a good sense, although unforeseen and surprising, and things are going great.

My husband and I had decided before I had my surgery that we were finished having children and that it was my time to work on myself and fix my body and work towards better health. I spoke with my surgeon before surgery about birth control. I had heard rumors about women possibly not absorbing the pill and I didn’t want to be one of them. I had heard all the horror stories about how you could have a malnourished baby, or be robbed of all things good in your body that provide good health. I was reassured by my surgeon that he was not aware of the birth control pill being a problem and that I shouldn’t worry.

At my one month check up with the surgeon, I told him I was nervous that the pill was not working right and asked if it was possible that I wasn’t absorbing it somehow. I never missed a pill and I took them at the same time every day as I was supposed to. He assured me, once again, that he believed that the reason I was having a fluctuation with my periods was because of the trauma of surgery and that it should self-correct. I believed him.

All of that reassurance from my surgeon backfired. About three months after surgery, I had become pregnant with my third child. On September 12th 2003 I tested positive on a HPT (home pregnancy test). I was shocked and scared. My husband was shocked but more positive about the aspect of having another child.

All I could think about was how I might be harming this baby growing inside me, or our finances, my job and if I would be able to keep it. One of my biggest fears was that I would somehow damage a baby by having a “nutritional disorder.” Most of all, I was afraid of how my parents would react, since we were still living with them while Paul continued college. I would not have had the surgery if I was planning on having more children. I would have put it off until after I was done. I wouldn’t have made the decision to put my child in jeopardy on purpose.

All this aside, my parents had an amazing reaction; they were happy and willing to work with us to figure out what we would do. Not having the baby was absolutely never an option for us, so we were having an addition to our family no matter what. We had been saving to buy a house, so we looked further into that prospect. However, the house prices were outrageous. So that was out. We sat down as a family and decided that we would put a third floor on my parents house, creating enough space for all of us to live together for a few more years. As I type this, we are in the middle of construction. Paul will finish up with school on May 6th and graduate on May 27th. Our little one will arrive (hopefully) somewhere in between those dates. The baby is tentatively due on May 14th, 2004.

I had my first prenatal visit with the midwives, who delivered my last two children, and wondered if I would be considered high risk. The midwives had not had any patients who were former gastric bypass patients and they consulted with a Perinatologist to determine how they should treat me.

The first thing the midwives wanted to do was see how far along I was, since I was unaware when I had conceived. My first ultrasound was on September 22nd at our local hospital. Paul and I saw our little “peanut” with a flicker of a heart beat. The technician said I was about 6½ weeks along. Everything looked good. The midwives advised me to eat every three hours to make sure I was getting in the 100 grams of protein I needed to help the baby grow.

I had a visit with the Perinatologist shortly after my first prenatal exam. He has treated a few dozen women who have had gastric bypass. I was so excited to find that the women he had treated had done very well with their pregnancies. There were almost no additional risks for those women than with any other pregnant women. He really wanted to point that out, because I was pregnant so close to the time I had the surgery. He assured me that I shouldn’t have any problem giving the baby all it needed nutritionally.

The Perinatologist let me know that the baby acts as a parasite in your body, essentially “eating off” of what I had to lose. Since I still had a lot of weight to lose, that would not be a problem. Sounded good to me!

He also said I had to be religious about taking my prenatal vitamins and calcium. I was starting to take an extra iron supplement before I found out I was pregnant, so I continued that, too, since I didn’t want to run into an iron deficiency, which can be dangerous. I later switched to something called “Yellow Dock” which is an herbal iron supplement which is much easier to absorb and digest and doesn’t cause constipation.

The Perinatologist also told me about the complications I could suffer. He said there was a possibility of hernias as the baby grew and that anyone who has had abdominal surgery (not just gastric bypass patients) run the risk of having a bowel obstruction during the pregnancy, which would require surgery while still pregnant. He told me there was no way to predict if this would become a problem, but that I should monitor my body functions and let the midwives know if something changed. He said he wanted me to come in for a couple of Level II ultrasounds to monitor the growth of the baby.

All in all, I found it to be a very positive meeting. I was not considered high risk and I would continue to see the midwives.

I told my bosses about all of this and received positive responses. They were excited for me and my family and they were willing to work with me to continue working. They assured me that I would still have a job if I wanted it and I could bring the baby to work with me. My schedule will change from 4 days a week to 3 days a week after the baby is born. It will allow me to spend more time with my family and still continue to work and make a decent living.

It was a huge load off my mind. I love my job and I love the family I work for. I am the luckiest nanny I know. I am so thankful for the flexibility I have gotten from this job.

So, everything seems to have worked out for the best. Everyone, including the kids, is very excited about the baby. The pregnancy has been going very well and I am now 7 months pregnant. I’m in great health, as is the little one – a girl – something we confirmed after both ultrasounds were performed. (We do the girl thing really well, so it seems only appropriate to have another!)

I have lost about 92 lbs to date – about 22 lbs while pregnant. My weight has been fluctuating between 220 and 230, remaining in that range now since the beginning of the year. The midwives wanted to see some kind of gain, but I have told them how often I am able to eat, yet I continue to lose slowly, although lately, it seems the weight loss has stopped. I see that everything else seems to be shrinking except for the belly and breasts, as it should be! So maybe I have really lost more, I just can’t tell because of the baby weight I’ve gained.

I would say that the most difficult part has been the fact that this pregnancy was unexpected. It has taken time for me to get used to it. It has really played with my head.

When I had the surgery, I was excited about my new life as a thinner person. I had exercise goals. I was just about to join the YMCA! I was making sure I got in all the protein and vitamins I was supposed to. My hair was starting to fall out - a little side effect of the surgery - so I had been keeping a better eye on my protein intake and was happy with the weight loss I had experienced in the three months since surgery. I was looking forward to moving down a size in clothes and wondered what kind of bathing suit I would be able to wear by the summer.

Everyone I told about the pregnancy was excited from the start. It made it much easier on me. But now I had to stop thinking about myself and start thinking about this tiny baby I carried. I had to forget about the surgery and my personal goals and start thinking about feeding my body and taking care of myself. It was a hard adjustment because just when I began to feel good about myself, someone changed the rules!

At three months post-op I was just starting to see little differences in my appearance. One big thing was that when I lay on my back, my tummy was now looking the way it was supposed to; that’s to say, it wasn’t bulging out. I think two weeks after I noticed that my tummy was flat when I lay on my back, it started to bulge out a little. So, in a way, I feel as if I’ve been “showing” since I discovered I was pregnant.

Just when I was supposed to be going down into a different size of clothes, I had to keep wearing my “fat” clothes because they fit my growing belly. I remained, for the most part, in my 3x clothes and when I ordered a few maternity things, I ordered them in 3x to make sure they fit. Well, they fit for a while, but now they don’t fit as well; they are all getting big. Maternity clothes are costly and I didn’t want to spend any more money on them, since this is my last pregnancy. So, last weekend I went to the Salvation Army and bought some used maternity stuff and a couple of nursing things. I was shocked to discover that I fit into an extra-large short sleeve maternity shirt and a size 22 pants, which are a little big. I bought large-sized nursing clothes, because even being six months pregnant, they actually fit!! That was a nice surprise for me. It showed me that even if I can’t see much of a difference in my body, things are really changing and I am smaller than I was 9 months ago. I know the scale says I have lost weight, but it has been really difficult to look at myself and notice a change. So, this has been my biggest challenge, adjusting to the fact that I am changing and will lose more weight after the baby is born. I've read that some WLS patients who became pregnant soon after surgery lost more than 30 pounds, just one week after their babies were born. So, by the time my baby is born, my weight loss will "catch up" to where I would have been, had I not become pregnant, meaning I won’t have missed my “window of opportunity" for weight loss.

Another big change is my drastic hair cut. I have always had a problem with my hair touching me when I’m pregnant. I know that may sound weird to some of you. So I went to the hair dresser and said I don’t want this hair to touch me another day. I want it away from my face and, in fact, I wouldn’t mind cutting it short. So, now, I have short hair after many, many years of having long curly hair like I did in high school, I now have short hair that is away from my face. That has made a huge change. I also got contacts and ditched my glasses. They were too big for my face anyway, but I have wanted contacts and I felt like I deserved them. It makes me feel pretty every day to look in the mirror and see my new thin face, new hair cut and no glasses covering me up. That has been a great self-esteem builder. My husband even thinks I look sexy!

Monday, June 16th 2003 [Top]

I'm sure you all thought you'd never hear from me again! Wrong! I had been recovering and then back to work last week, which was exhausting. Thank goodness I had help. My cousin Geneva came with me to help me lift the baby, etc. I haven't had much pain since Week 2. Occasionally at night after a long day, I feel as though I have had a good work out in the tummy area. I have lost 25 lbs. so far. I am eating most things, protein first. This week I was able to have a few carbs with meals, which was very nice. It's amazing how much you can miss a piece of bread or a potato. I'm still not getting enough protein. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. I am now lactose intolerant, which is a hassle, but I could have worse things wrong with me. My scar is excellent. It'll be a very thin white line with time, and I'm very pleased. I saw Dr. Randall for a 2-week check up and he told me I'm doing great. I told him I'm still tired and he said to eat pickles for energy! I thought, 'How odd,' but maybe I'm low in sodium. It seems to have helped. I am beginning to see that I am gaining energy and feeling like myself again. Things seem a little looser, like my rings and my clothes, which is awesome!

I'm trying to hurry and plan my daughter's 7th birthday party for the end of June. We bought her a hamster — long hair, cream and white. Soooooo cute! She named her Sabrina and we all love her. That was the big gift, so I really only need to get a few small things. Hoping for great weather for the day, so we can cookout and enjoy the day with the kids outdoors.

I'm just looking forward to the good weather and being outdoors. I can't wait to go camping with the kids and my husband. I guess I'm just looking forward mostly to being more active and getting in shape. I'm going to be writing about once a month, so look for updates around the same time every month.

Monday, July 21st 2003 [Top]

I'm back! Today is 2 months since surgery and I was hoping to reach the 40 lb. Mark, but I'm happy to say I've lost 38 lbs. I now weigh 275 and I'm starting to see a difference in little areas. I was telling my husband that I wasn't feeling as secure in my car. I felt as if I was sliding around a bit and then I realized that I wasn't touching the door and the armrest with my hips any longer. In other words, I wasn't packed into the car like a sardine! Over all, I've been feeling wonderful. I have my energy back. I am eating most things and supplementing with a protein shake when I know I won't be able to get all my protein in. I'm starting to notice that I fit better in my clothes and I fit into a few things I have never been able to fit in.

I saw Dr. Randall on July 14th. He said I look great and everything seems to be going well. He said my scar looks excellent. I got the okay to start taking regular vitamins instead of those yucky chewable ones. Yippeee! I do have to start doing some crunches to tighten my stomach muscles. He said to be aware of how I am sitting. He told me not to slump and to hold my body straight. It will help prevent a hernia. I'm trying to exercise in one way or another several times a week. I'm walking and swimming mostly. A couple of weekends ago we went to the Lost River in New Hampshire and that was a hike! I was impressed that I was able to complete it and didn't feel terrible afterwards. It was fun and the kids and my husband really enjoyed it.

We've done fun things this month. We took the kids strawberry picking. We've been swimming, but not to the beach, yet. We went to a great family party for 4th of July. We went to my brother's cabin in NH and had a wonderfully relaxing weekend. The kids found tons of baby frogs, which they collected and then returned to the lake. We did the Lost River. We had a small party for Sarah who just turned 7. We went out for ice cream and I got some sugar free maple walnut. I couldn't eat much, but it sure tasted good. I was a little frightened that it really wasn't sugar free, but it really was. I guess that comes from not having sugar in such a long time. That's not a bad thing.

We're going camping next weekend. I can't wait! I really loved camping as a child and I know it will be exciting for our girls. We just bought a 4-room tent and the kids first sleeping bags, so we're ready to go. The place we are going has an excellent water slide and lots of other fun activities.

Yesterday my sister and I drove to Maine to talk to someone about time-sharing. She won a 3-day vacation, a $100 gift card to Macys, and received a $40 gift certificate to a local restaurant called Bintliff's in Ogunquit. The restaurant was amazing and we hit the place at the perfect time. Sunday between 3-4:30p.m. is early bird dinner and we also got 2-1 entrées. Of course I took most of my food home and got an unusual look from the waiter. We had a great time and she didn't purchase any time-share. She gave my parents' name, so they will be enjoying this little trip soon.

Wednesday, May 21st to Saturday, May 24th 2003 [Top]

Hi all, Jenn's husband, Paul, here. Well, since Jenn is unable to update at this time, I thought I'd provide a little insight into my experience during this interim phase of Jenn's journey to "The Other Side."

Click here to read my journal.

Sunday, May 25th 2003 [Top]

Well, I made it! But you all knew that because of what my husband had written. I'm doing well, a little slower than I thought it would be, but that's okay. I'm lowering my pain medication, which is a good sign. I'm tired and it can sometimes get tough to move around, but all is well, I'm on the mend. It was about what I expected, so there was nothing that shocked me.

On surgery day we arrived on time and I switched to the lovely attire the hospital provides. They had trouble getting the IV in on my left hand, so it ended up in my right, which I was thrilled about. I got an antibiotic and IV fluids. My husband was much more nervous than I was. I asked the anesthesia Dr. if he could slip Paul something, but he said the policy on giving spouses drugs had changed. Damn! So Paul had to suffer through. Dr. Randall came wearing a very nice suit and a pink tie, what a guy, I told him I liked it. He asked me if I had any questions and that when I didn't he said he'd see me in the OR. I was wheeled in and said goodbye to Paul. I asked the nurses how they work in the weather conditions in the OR, it was freezing in there! They said they were lots of gowns so they're hardly every cold. So I moved to the "too small" table and was strapped down. I didn't like being awake for that, but soon after I was told that the medication could sting and then I would go to sleep. I remember looking up at the lights wondering when they would get blurry, but that's the last thing I remember before waking up in my room. I don't remember the recovery room at all. I do remember that I was in pain and having charley horse type cramps in my tummy, they were rhythmic and I cried out at each one. They gave me some kind of shot in my bottom that stopped the cramps and some pain med. I got pretty good at giving myself pain medicine with the PCA. Morphine, it's not so bad! Made me fall asleep in mid sentence often, but to me, that's not a horrible side effect. Keeping people guessing is something I really like to do. I started with water and ice chips as soon as I was awake enough to do it myself. I had no hunger and still don't 5 days later. The next day I was on clear liquids, Jell-O, broth, diluted juice, decaffeinated tea. My favorite thing besides the pain medication is this folded up sheet that is taped together, it's hard and soft and I hold it against my incision when I get up or sit down. It seems to reduce the pain and hold everything together.

I was lucky enough to have plenty of visitors. My husband came a few times, the kids came twice. My cousin Geneva came, my friend/boss Jill came, and my brother came, too.

Now that I'm home, it's harder because the kids are needy and I can't really help them with anything. It will be better when they're in school or Paul can take them to a park, It's been raining for 2 days. The kids say I sleep too much, but I really need to. I've tried to explain that it's because I'm healing and getting better, that's just what I need to do.

My dad went shopping for things like cottage cheese, fat free yogurt, etc.

My mom is doing much better than I am, this long incision really does make the difference. She just feels a lot better and doesn't take any pain medication. She has to be on liquids longer than I do, but it's not much of a difference in timing.

Tuesday, May 6th 2003   [Top]

Well, today I went for my pre-op testing. It wasn't bad and I was in and out of the hospital in 2 hours! I have no idea why, but I was very nervous last night. I'm not one that gets scared or squeamish over having blood drawn, so that wasn't it. Anyway…I was already pre-registered, so I didn't have to wait for that. I went right to Day Surgery where I filled out some info about any previous surgeries I've had and any medications I am on, etc. The nurse told me there was a cancellation for a pulmonary function test (PFT), so I went up and did that. Nailed it on the first try, but I did it once more to make sure it was correct. I have above average lung capacity; pretty funny!    I wish I could remember the woman's name at the PFT lab. She was amazing! I got more information about the surgery and what would happen and what to expect afterwards in addition to her giving me tips on how to help myself move around after surgery. She also told me to keep my pain in control in order to get the most out of the healing process. She said that I will have to cough and begin breathing deeply, soon after waking from surgery, and it will be easier to manage if my pain was not severe. She told me to keep an extra pillow handy to press against the incision to support it and be able to move around and cough. I then went and had an EKG, which took no time. Then, I went back to the Day Surgery nurse who told me everything that would happen the day of surgery and who I would see. I was surprised to learn I can eat up until midnight before surgery. After getting all that info, I went to have blood drawn and then to have a chest x-ray. I'm all set to go on the 21st. Two weeks from tomorrow! Hard to believe it will be here soon. It's been a long journey so far and I have lots to look forward to.

The kids will be going away to a relative's home for a few days and they will come visit me in the hospital the day after surgery for a few minutes. I think I'll have a little toy or something ready for them when they come to visit. Paul will be at the hospital with me the day of surgery and it will be nice to know the kids are in good hands and he doesn't have to worry about them and me.

Monday, May 12th 2003   [Top]

I saw the surgeon this afternoon with my mother. This was the first time she met him. It was a pretty quick visit. I asked all the questions I had. I asked about the leak test, which was my biggest question. He said he hasn't had a leak yet! He checks them before closing to make sure there are none. He said I can have liquids by the next day. I asked about the pump sleeves for the legs to prevent blood clots. I figured that would be something that could make me uncomfortable, but he said they would be on if I were in bed. Hopefully I'll be up and getting around enough that I won't need them for long. My mom told me she loved having them on when she had a previous surgery. I asked about the hiatal hernia and umbilical hernias. Dr. Randall said it would be no problem to fix them while he's in there, but that my incision will be a little longer than I was expecting. It's a good idea to have it done during this surgery because the umbilical one is starting to bother me and it gets sore. Dr. Randall said he'd see me before surgery on the 21st. I can't believe it's only 9 days away. Everything is all set. I signed the papers and it's a done deal. I'm excited that it's finally happening!

Monday, May 19th 2003   [Top]

Well, today my mom went into surgery. She was delayed getting in, but she made her way to "the other side". I'm so excited for her! Everything went well. I haven't spoken to her yet, but I will tomorrow.

I saw my nutritionist. She is so upbeat. It's really nice to go see her. I have all my post-op instructions for what and how I will eat, both directly after the surgery and a few weeks after that. I go back to see her on June 13th.

I've been so busy, between getting my mom off to the hospital and getting my kids ready and packed off to stay with relatives for a few days, that the time has passed quickly. I'm working tomorrow, the day before surgery, mostly because it will keep me busy. I work as a nanny, so I'll get and I get to hang out with the little boy I take care of for one more day before surgery. I'll miss him a lot when I'm not working.

I hope this doesn't sound too morbid, but I plan on writing letters to each of my daughters in the event that something happens. This is another thing to occupy my time. My husband will be driving the children to their sleepover and then coming to spend a little time with me, at the house where I work, at the end of my workday. My Dad, my sister, my husband, and I plan on getting take-out and maybe watch a movie the night before. Last chance for fried oysters—my favorite!

Two more days! :)

Tuesday, May 20th 2003   [Top]

Well, just hours left before surgery. I'm not nervous at all. I've been too busy with work, my last dinner with my husband and sister, and all the phone calls wishing me well. I have an amazing support system with my family and friends; I'm very lucky.

I just spoke with my mom. She told me not to be nervous—it's not a big deal. She is doing real well and will be coming home tomorrow some time. She said she just feels like she was punched in the stomach and that she needs to burp often. I'd say that's not bad for major surgery.

I just spoke with my oldest daughter (6 years old) who was having a hard time being away from mommy. Poor girl. I tried to comfort her as much as I could do over the phone, but she was still crying a little. She will be just fine. She's a sensitive child and I'm sure is a little worried about me. I told her not to worry and we all loved her and she was going to have so much fun with her cousins while she is on her little vacation. My 3-year-old let me know she found a great rock. Then she said, "Okay, bye mommy."   She cracks me up. The kids will be back home on Thursday.

My husband may do a little update on the website if he gets time.

I'll write again after I'm "on the other side."

Jenn's Weight Loss Journal

Saturday, March 1st 2003   [Top]

I met with a psychologist in my town. We talked about surgery and why I was doing it and how mentally prepared I was. She wants to meet once more because this is mostly a getting to know you session.

Saturday, March 8th 2003   [Top]

I met with the psychologist again. She thinks I'm good to go and will send a report to my doctor. Yippee that's done!

Monday, March 17th 2003   [Top]

I met with Erica, the nutritionist. She is really nice. I liked her a lot. We talked about eating habits. As instructed, I wrote down 3 days worth of what I eaten and what kinds of medication I was on. She had no concerns about me. She wants me to start eating 5 times a day, eating on the clock instead of when I get hungry. This, of course, for anyone who has ever dieted, goes against my grain. This is something I have really never done and I really will have to put my mind to it. She wants me to focus on conscious eating, keeping the bites of food about dime sized and I am to chew very well—either about 10-15 chews before swallowing or when everything is mush. She said I should stop eating the minute I feel full, which isn't an issue. I am really going to concentrate on what I am eating and slowing down. I started taking a multi-vitamin after this meeting and I've been drinking more water.

I need to meet once more before surgery with Erica, so we can make sure I'm on track for what will be eaten after surgery. I will meet again after surgery to make sure all is well.

Monday, January 27th 2003 [Top]

I met with Dr. Randall for the first time. My sister went with me. My husband, who is going back to school to get his degree, had class so he couldn't be there. It was a very good first impression—Dr. Randall is very kind. He drew a diagram of what he would be doing for the surgery. He also showed me how big my scar would be and where it would be located. Not as big as I thought it would be. He told me I meet all qualifications for the surgery.

I discussed my thoughts on going back to work as soon as possible, even if that meant taking someone with me to help with lifting. He said it was all up to me and how I was feeling but that 2 1/2 to 3 weeks wouldn't be unreasonable as long as everything went well an I was feeling up to it. We set up a time to meet again and he assured me that I would get a surgery date when I returned on May 12th. He gave me instructions on what I needed to do next. I needed to see the physiologist to make sure I was prepared for surgery and I needed to see the nutritionist 3 times. He said the quicker I get this all done the sooner I would get a date.

Tuesday, April 1st 2003   [Top]

Could this be a really horrible April Fools joke?!? Bud (the office manager) called from Dr. Randall's office and asked if I was sitting down. I said, "Yes, why?" He said, "You will be in surgery on Wednesday May 21st, at 7:30 a.m." OMG! I couldn't believe it! I was so excited! "I hope I didn't forget anything else," he said. I do remember that he said to keep my appointment for May 12th with Dr. Randall. That will be the day I sign consent for surgery and get any last minute questions answered. He also told me that I would have my pre-op testing on May 6th at 9:30 in the morning. He was unsure if I would have to have the PFT breathing test, but I would be notified if that is the case. I will have to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. on the 21st.

I can't explain how excited I am. I called my husband and asked him what he was doing on May 21st at 6 a.m. He said, "I don't think I have anything going on, I don't have school." I said, "Do you think you can drive me to the hospital that day?" He screamed, "You got a date!" I think he was as excited as I was!

The next person I called was my boss. I had told her previously that I would tell her of my surgery date as soon as I knew. She is now planning her time off to be home.

My family was very excited for me, also.

Wednesday, April 9th 2003   [Top]

I am getting more and more excited by the day. Hey, only 42 more days to go! People keep asking me if I am scared. I am in no way scared at this point. I've had surgery before. I think if I hadn't, it might scare me. I have no fear of being put under and the pain isn't anything that scares me—it comes with the territory. I have done so much research that I, pretty much, know everything to expect.

Of course, on the morning of the surgery, I will be nervous and I might cry when I say good bye to my little girls. But we shall see. I am already anticipating getting a book from the library to read to the kids that will help to explain what surgery is and why l will be in the hospital for a few days. I'll be coming home with a "boo-boo" and they won't be able to climb all over me. I'll be tired and won't be able to keep up with them as much, but I plan to walk a lot afterwards and that will thrill them to go on walks with mommy and daddy. It's one of our favorite things to do. We will not be telling them why I am having surgery other than to say I will be having an operation on my tummy. They are both so young. My oldest is almost 7 and my youngest is 3 1/2. I don't want them to think that having weight loss surgery is the only solution to losing weight.

I have been through years of dieting and I have come to this serious decision to alter my body to live a healthier lifestyle. This really is my last hope for losing this weight that is slowly killing me. When my kids are older, I'll explain how I came to my decision. Since they see me every day, I don't think the weight loss will be as dramatic as it will be for people who seldom see me.

Monday, April 14th 2003   [Top]

I can't believe I only have 37 days till surgery! Thank God I'm working the day before. My boss asked if I wanted the day off, but I said, "To do what, sit around and worry about the next day?" Not that I'm worried, but doesn't everyone who is having surgery get just a little anxious before they go under the knife? There is nothing I really have to get done except to find someone who can get the kids back and forth to school. I'm hoping my parents might do that for us. I want my husband with me the day of surgery. He doesn't have to stay the night with me. But the hospital is about 1 hour from home, so he will be gone most of the day, I would imagine.

Tuesday, April 15th 2003   [Top]

If you're thinking I'll be writing every day, think again! Heeheehee! I will only write if something exciting happens, like today. I got a call at work from my mom. She hardly ever calls me at work and she was still on vacation. She said, "Hi…you'll never guess why I'm calling." I'm thinking, she's calling to say she'll be home earlier than expected. She says, "I got a surgery date and you're not going to believe when it is! May 19th!" It's two days before mine. We both must have said, "Oh my God" about 50 times. We were laughing and I said, "Do you realize that you're having surgery in 34 days and me in 36 days?" It was a giddy conversation; I'm so excited for her. We will be in two different hospitals in two different towns during the same time period. Yikes! But the great thing is that we get to recuperate together. I think it will be great support for both of us. WOW! I still can't believe it!

Thursday, April 24th 2003   [Top]

Hey everyone! I got a call from my husband who received a letter from my insurance company. I have been APPROVED! When he told me I burst into tears. I had been secretly worrying that I would be denied. It really will happen. I couldn't be happier! 27 days to go!

Monday, February 24th 2003 [Top]

I was supposed to see a psychologist that works with Dr. Randall's office tomorrow, but today the Dr. called me and said she doesn't take my insurance and cancelled my appointment. Oh man, now what! After more phone calls than I can count, I found out that I can go with anyone that takes my insurance! Yippee! I found a woman who has office hours in my town. So, I made an appointment with her for Saturday. It's probably good I'm seeing her. I am so stressed out with the planning of a surprise 60th birthday party that my siblings and I are having for my dad. I will benefit from this visit in more ways than one!

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