Got Snow???

Yeah... We got snow... Yesterday we got about 5 inches of fluffy, light, easily shoveled stuff. Last night the wind blew, and it snowed some more. I was on my way to go to work this morning and when I opened the back door to the carport, there was a 3 foot drift from the back door to the car and all around it. Then the driveway was mostly clear. However, DH's car was drifted in and there was a drift from his car across the driveway to the roadway that runs past the house. We live in the very Northeast Central part of PA. 6 miles from the NY State border. I work for NY State. And before you say it NO, I am not a "typical state worker" LOL. I drive 56 miles one way into NY everyday to work. And well as you can see I didn't do it today.  I'm home today, watching the snow still come down and blow all over where the DH has shoveled. He has just left for work, and if it drifts again it will be up to me to shovel. You would think that the neighbor, directly across the road, that has a snow blower would get out and do his driveway and maybe offer to help DH & me with ours, but NNNOOO he is probably still wrapped up warm in bed. This is the same neighbor that starts his truck 30 - 45 minutes before he has to go anywhere to let it warm up. He is crazy, wasteful and yes also just a tad bit on the lazy side! He lives with his elderly parents BTW. And we see (And Help) the 80 something yr old father doing more than this 50 something yr old guy!  Oh well, at least I'll get some exercise in today if nothing else, right?

OK, enough of that soapbox...

With recent BG's blog's being alot about foods, today I wanted to ask anyone that wants to comment about their first fill experience and what they ate or what kind of a diet they were on after a fill? I ran into a girl from support group the afternoon of my fill and she was telling me that she could eat anything she wanted after every fill. She never had to stay on liquids for any length of time. I know some Dr.'s make you stay on liquids for 3 days or a week or whatever. Mine said 12 - 24 hours of liquids and then ease back into my regular food. he said I may want to be careful and eat mushies for 12 - 24 hours too, before heading into regular food. So after running into this other person. I am curious.

Also, Do any of you (besides BG) drink caffeine? I have not since surgery, but am so craving my 1 measly cup of coffee in the morning. I weaned myself to one cup many years ago. But my PCP said one cup in the morning was ok... Since getting my band, I've been drinking decaf tea and coffee, and milk and flavored waters. But I'm wondering if that one cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning with DH (instead of making 2 pots) will be a problem?

Finally... My 1st Fill

WHOO HOO I can now say I have got my first fill and well the experience, while much more of a process than it should have been, was "easy peasy" as BG says! So now my story today reads below:

My appointment was for 10:30 so I get to the radiology department of my hospital at 10:15, DH could not go today due to his work schedule, so my very good friend... and next best supporter met me there. A little after 10:30 a nice nurse comes out and says that she is just waiting on the Dr to tell her if he wants to do this on the actual fluro table or go to another area near the OR and use a "C arm" machine. He opted for the C Arm (should have just gone with the table... and I'll explain why). We go into the "Quick Care" room near the OR and Dr. comes in, he's ready with pockets loaded full of the needles, saline, numbing medication etc. Asks me how I'm doing... ya know the little small talk that we do to take up time and space while they are setting up the machine and table... I say "I'm good, but wait til you see what you did to me on Monday!" Dr. says "bruise?" I say "look!" and flip my shirt up and waistband of the pants down. He says "OMG... I am sssooo sorry. THAT won't happen today! C'mon over here lets get you a fill" Anyway, if any of you have had this done by this C arm thing you'll know that the machine is a great big letter "C" and you stand in the middle of it while they take the pictures.

He numbs me this time... not a problem. that needle is tiny, and I hardly even felt it. Then in goes the fill needle. hits the port, doesn't go in... tries again... no luck... Yup, you guessed it, my port is tilted but he can't tell if it is tilted up or down. SO, here we go again. Pack everything up and head to the regular flouro table room, find a "intervention Dr" that is more specially trained to do this and try again!

Yup the intervention Dr finds the port tilted down. (No wonder the surgeon couldn't get it in... he was hitting the side of the bottom of the port!) AND intervention doc is the same guy that did my GI swallow procedure after my surgery to make sure there was no leakage. I like him he's good... Stuck that needle in and right into where it was supposed to go! Whew... they put 6 cc's in... Holy cow! I can't swallow anything, I feel it sitting in my throat... (Oh, and by the way BG... to answer one of your questions... My surgeon said there WAS a small amount in the band already. he didn't say how much but said there was some!) Ok, so they back out to 5, the stuff they made me drink was barely seeping now, back out to 4, starting to go... back out to3, and then to 2cc's... It's going easier now. Back out to 1cc... I don't feel any restriction, so... I get .75 more put back in. That seems to be good. I'm drinking water and it is going thru ok... Dr. says that should be good for now but if I have any problems or concerns AT ALL to call him... and I will. 

So I got 1.75cc's today... After leaving the hospital, that was about noon, my friend had to go, so because I took the entire day off work, not knowing what would happen... I called and met another dear friend for lunch. I drank a glass of ice tea. Seems to maybe be going down easier than it should. But I am not concerned right now. I leave her so she can go back to work and come home. I'm drinking vitamin waters, and I had a glass of tomato juice for dinner. It went down ok, but I can tell that there is restriction that wasn't there before today, I'm happy... I got my first fill! AND My next fill appointment is 3/25.

No Fill for me today... UGH!

Yes you read that right... I did not get a fill today as had been planned. And as badly as I wanted one! I have to wait till Wednesday. So now let me tell you the story of my morning!

I go to the Dr's office with DH in tow at 9 am as scheduled, called into the waiting room, weighed (down 2 more pounds) all the regular questions asked, and ready for the Dr to come in and tell my what/how he will do the "procedure". He comes in tells me everything I want to know... you know, all the how's, what's and what if's! He said he wanted to fill me up to total restriction so I would know what "too much" would feel like and proceeds to tell me that he is putting in 6 cc's but he knows I won't need that much! Ok, I'm good, nerves are calmed... I'm ready! Let's get that needle out and fill me baby! LOL. Now mind you I love (well really really like) and trust my Dr. I have faith that I will be done and out of there by 10. No problem!

One question I never even asked was about numbing medication. Everyone has told me that it's not a big deal and not painful...So... we continue, he gets his little gloves on and gets that really long needle. I've been told about this needle so I was expecting it. Not a problem I am not a "needlephobic", I give blood as often as I can. Needles are not a problem for me. Now DH on the other hand I thought he was going to pass out just from looking at the needle that was about to be put into MY stomach! (Yes my port is to the right of my belly button). Dr sits down next to me and says, "ok here's a pinch and a sting"... Ok... nope, not a problem yet, I feel the needle hitting the port (I think). then Dr mumble something. Then he says "ok, lets try again". He must have went in the same hole cuz I didn't feel any pinch and or sting that time. Still nothing. I feel the Dr. "prying" if you will for my port, but he doesn't get in. He gets up, goes out into the other office and gets an ultrasound machine. goops it up and says... "Yes it is right there why can't I get the needle in the port? This has never happened to me before"... ARE YOU (excuse my language) F*&^%$G KIDDING ME??? Dr. G your mumbling out loud! I heard that! WTF? He tries again, and again, and then ONE more time. By this time I was about to say "Isn't there something else you can do?" When he got up and said after apologizing profusely, We are going to have to go to the hospital and do it under fluoroscopy. I'm there on Wednesday can you meet me there. Of course I say yes! I wanted it done today but he had 2 more fills and then surgerys already scheduled so he couldn't. OK, so I get up and go out to the office where they schedule me for 10:30 Wednesday morning at the hospital under the fluoroscope. All I can say is it better work this time. I better get a fill!

Now tonight I have a bruise next to my belly button that is bigger and bluer than any of the bruises that I had 6 weeks ago after getting my band. I almost feel bloated again too... Is that possible? I gotta go to bed! It's been a hell of a day!

It's been a very long week

Yes, it has been a very long week for me, ending today with a 2 1/2 (1 way, so 5 hours driving for me. But it's ok!) hour road trip taking a fellow WLS friend to her moms place so she can stay with her for a few days while she recuperates from a total mastectomy, reconstruction surgery & chemotherapy. She bought my gas and lunch while there which was great! Lunch was easy for her to choose, considering she has had Gastric Bypass and has technically been my "adviser" on alot of stuff! (In addition to you BG!) She advises me but you tell me the Gods honest and point blank truth! Her advice is different because she had the RNY procedure. Anyway, we went Mexican... AUTHENTIC Mexican! OMG how I wanted a Margarita. But I abstained. Lunch, consisted of a Chicken and cheese quesadilla, those re-fried beans and spicy Mexican Rice. And portions so freaking big that I doubt I could have finished them even before I started this journey, let alone now! And All for $8.95. Well, needless to say I have lunch for the next 2 days too with the left overs. I don't really care for rice so DH gets that. He was happy since he had to work a 10 hour day today.

Anyway, I'm going in for my first fill on Monday and I'm not only a little nervous, I'm very excited to get the restriction again. I have a list of questions that I am going to ask, (thanks again BG) and I am anxious to get the answers. I'll also have a new weight post after that appointment. I'm starting to notice things changing. My rings are getting looser, DH says he can feel that I am losing when he puts his arms around me. and My clothes are now finally starting to fit a little bit different.Oh what a great new life this is going to be.

I've been stalking I mean, looking at blogs that BG follows again! Reading and then following myself, so if you suddenly see me pop up, I mean, appear on your follower list, I'd like to beg I mean, ask... No I mean BEG. LOL, you to please find me and follow me in return! I am going to try and post more, and interesting stuff on here just as soon as I find something that I think is interesting enough to post! LOL... Now, what did I do with that list of questions for Monday?

Happy Presidents Day!

Whether you have today off or not today is Presidents day. I have done well today, and I have decided to go to our leader and start following many blogs that my (Our) buddy, BandGroupie follows. So if you see that I have started following you... please feel free to follow me... I'd like that immensely! However, I can't promise the "Before" pictures as BG has done. all I can promise is the updates when I get a chance to do so, and how about I promise a picture at every 20 lb loss, since my profile pic IS my Before pic. It was taken in December 2009 and I started my journey to health in January, 2010. So ok... you're saying my point is? I really have none! other than, I'm begging for followers! LOL  Please?!?!  :-)