A little more about WLS.

For those of you that may be wondering, and I know ALL of you are.  This is going to be a kinda technical  post, but that's ok!!!

The average human stomach is about the size of a football.  Mine was bigger that that because, well, I am fat!  :)  After WLS, my stomach is now about the size of an egg!  Here is a great visual for you...

See!  It is a HUGE difference.  I will NOT be able to eat near as much as I could!  If I attempt to do so, I will get violently ill!  No one wants that.  Trust me.

Here is what my tummy looks like now...

See, I told you... kinda technical!!!

My whole relationship with food is changing.  I am basically starting over and re-learning how to eat.  I am on a liquid diet as per my medical posse's instructions.  This is for 3 weeks!  I was dreading it, honestly!  How can I, a woman who lovers her some good eats, do nothing but drink for three weeks!?!?!?!?  Well, guess what?  I am doing it!!!  And with flying colors, too!  I am simply NOT hungry.  It is a nice feeling.  It is a learning curve, for sure.  

Because I was able to undergo this surgery, my life has been extended.  My Type II Diabetes will go away, my sleep apnea and high blood pressure will be gone too!  Not to mention, I will be able to walk up the stairs in my house without having to stop and catch my breath!

My goals may seem silly to you, however, they are pretty significant to me.  Let me tell you about them, then you can keep me accountable!

First, I want to be able to jog a 5K.  Yep, JOG!  As in don't stop, no walking, JOG!!!!  

Next I want to be able to wear a FABULOUS pair of heels and ROCK THEM!!!

Those are my goals for now, I am sure I will have more!

Less roadkill, more human

It has been a LOOOOOOOOOONG week.  If you don't know what has been going on then you just aren't cool!  Just kidding!!!  I have had WLS this past week.

Hubby and I made our way to London on Friday.  It was a fun ride on the tube.  We got to London and walked in the FREEEEEEEZING cold to hubber's hotel!  We hung out, had dindin and then made our way to the hospital.

The hospital was EXTREMELY nice.  I had my very own room with on-suite bathroom.  WOO HOO!
As we got checked in and settled, they came to get a sample of blood.  The nurse had no idea what the heck she was doing!  Word to the wise, my arm isn't a pin cushion!!!!  Hubby left and then the "IFs" happened!  You know... What if?  That is really the stupidest question around!  I had to ask for a sleeping tablet just so my mind would be able to rest!

Me in all my gear, getting ready to go into theater!

Saturday morning dawns nice and early.  Of course, I am awake already as the sleeping pill had less of an effect on me.  The nurse comes in to get me.  I AM OFF!!!!!  There are so many emotions racing through my brain at that moment.  I get to this TINY room with my anesthesiologist waiting.  They lie me down and start searching for a vein.  They eventually had to use an ultra sound to find one.

I don't remember much after that.  Apparently, everything went well.  I woke up!!!!  HA!

The next few days are a blur of morphine induced haze!!!  I got up, moved around.  You know the drill!

Then on Wed, they told me I could go home!  HOME!  YAYERS!  That had never sounded so good.  One little thing standing in my way, though.  GETTING HOME!  Hubby rented a car (ours isn't reliable enough) and came and fetched me.  I hope and pray that I will never have to do anything like that again! The ride was AWFUL!!!!!  Every bump, pot hole, crack.  You name it, we hit it!

Finally we arrived home.  YAY for my own bed and toilet!  The first day home was the roughest because of the ride home.  I couldn't seem to get comfy!  Which isn't that unusual considering I had just had MAJOR tummy surgery!

Every day is getting better.  Less pain, less roadkill, more human.  I thought the liquid diet would be hard.  It isn't!  AT ALL!  I have to force my self to drink because I am simply not hungry. This is huge for me.  I was ALWAYS hungry!!!!

Now, I am simply resting and enjoying my time at home!

Short but sweet....

Hey Everyone....

First, let me say thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  KEEP 'EM COMING!!!!

I am still in the hospital, but alert enough to be playing a bit on the computer.  The surgery went well and all is going according to my medical posse... and believe me.. it is a posse!!!!

The recovery time is going to a bit hellish, but will be well worth it!!!

Hopefully, I can go home tomorrow (Wed)!

Highlights of the day:

* Getting my IV out in a little bit!  :)

The week it all changes....

Hey Kids!!!

This is it!  This is the week that will change my life forever.  Good, bad or otherwise, I will be forever changed!

I am going in for gastric bypass on Saturday.  It has been a LOOOONGGGGG road to get to this point.  Doctors appointments, blood tests, travel to and from, dates and hospitals being moved, etc!

I am ready as I can be.  I am excited, nervous, a hot mess, really!

Come join me on my journey!

New Update and new direction... again!

Hey Kids!

Welp... It's that time again.... TIME FOR AN UPDATE!!!!!! (Cue music)

Big things are happening here in the Smith household.  Hubby is working like a mad man, as per usual.  He is still liking his job, which is a good thing! :)  Speaking of work... I have been working!  Volunteering, really, but it is work!  I am the receptionist for the Airman and Family Readiness Center here on base.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  I get to talk to people all day long and answer phones and all that!  Hubby says that I now know EVERYONE on base.  I can't go anywhere with out getting stopped.  I do mean ANYWHERE... the Commissary, the BX, the Shopette, I could go on!  Scentsy is going well, too!  I am LOVING that job, as well!  

Ok... now the scary, but still good stuff!  I have started the process for weight loss surgery.  There... I said it!  It has been a long time coming.  Hubby and I are finally ready.  We know it is a HUGE step, but a good one.  One that will help me live a LONG and full life.  In the meantime, I will be taking Metformin to get my sugars in order.  My docs, and I agree, say that having normal sugars before I go in will be a good thing!   We are lucky here.  We have two of the best bariatric hospitals in the world at our doorstep.  One is in Cambridge and the other being in London.  So now I am on medication and doing what I need to get done for this surgery to happen!  

I could use all the warm fuzzies, prayers and good thoughts I can get.  Please keep me in mind!  I know it won't be easy, but I know it will be worth it.  SOOOO worth it!

I love you all!

KA

Hubbs

I was watching a tv show today that is designed to be tear jerker.  It was all about soldiers returning from a deployment and surprising their families!  Yeah, TOTAL tear jearker! This tear jearking show got me thinking about when my Hubbs came home.  So many emotions all at once.  I don't think I can describe it.  He is my heart and soul.  My best friend, my lover, my other half.  Sometimes my better half!  I opened the door and there he was.  After so long, you don't know if it is real.  Then you are holding him and screaming and crying... happy tears.
It brings to mind the other side of things as well.  What if, one morning, I awoke to a knock on the door.  Two men in uniform, standing stoically at my door.  What would I do?  Would I scream and cry, not happy tears?  Would I call them liars?  Who would I call to come help me figure things out?  I can't answer ANY of those questions, thank God!

I love my husband more than he knows.  He is my everything!  I am so glad he IS home and that I do get to see him daily!

Revamping and making some changes!!!

Hello Kiddos!

I know.. I have been MIA for what seems like FOREVER!!!!  Here's the deal... I get asked ALL the time about cooking.  I have decided that this is THE place to be!  I'll be posting my cooking tips, recipes and just about my life in general.  This won't just be a blog about my health, but about ME!

What do you say?  Yeah?  Well, C'mon then!!!!!!

PS:  I LOVE me some Chinese food, hence the pic!!!