Bump update or bumpdate for short!

About my bump in the road, on Friday after work I got a message saying they had gotten me my Upper GI scheduled for THIS MONDAY at 7:30am.  This makes me a little nervous because I have to get a sub for me at work.  I also have to get my plans to work before I get to the appointment.  

The person who normally schedules subs (awesome lady) is away.  I called and left a message for the person who is filling in for her (another awesome lady).  I haven't heard back.  I was really looking forward to getting this done so I can move forward.  I'll try to call again on Sunday.  

Can my bump have bumps?  haha  I think mine does!

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This weekend's research: Vitamins

This weekend Jeff and I have been researching different types of vitamins that I can take Post-Op.  It's a little overwhelming.  There are lots of different options, some formulated for bariatric patients, and some not. 

I really think I need to talk to my nutritionist about this again.  She said I could take a regular multi-vitamin, but I'm not so sure.  There's a lot of information out there and it's honestly all overwhelming.  

An odd thing is that on bariatric message boards, they refer to a nutritionist as a "nut."  That's really an odd way to refer to him or her.  

I am currently looking at trying this vitamin to see how I like it. 

Pre-Op Requirements... bump...

Bump...

What’s that?  That’s another bump in the road.

So, the pre-op requirements are pretty extensive.  Let’s go through them. 

Physical Examination – Done.  My thyroid has gone crazy again.  This led me to see a new endocrinologist.  He has upped my thyroid medicine.  I’m taking it by the way. 

Psychological Evaluation – Done.  No word if I passed.  I sat and talked to a psychiatrist for a half hour then went and took a computer questionnaire with OVER 500 questions!  What kind of questions?  Well they were all true or false and they ranged from, “Someone is trying to poison me.” to “When I play games, I like to win.” to “I hear voices no one else hears.”  I suppose it’s possible I didn’t pass, but with those statements, it seems unlikely (False, True, False, btw). 

Nutritional Counseling – Done.  We met with her and there weren’t any big shockers.  I had already read about the two weeks pre and post surgery having to be on a liquid diet.  She did show us some brands of protein shakes.  I have to have protein drinks that have 4 or less grams of sugar.  She suggested I start trying them to see what I like.  We’ve started that.  The “OH MY GOD” thing she said was actually kind of silly.  I can never take Motrin again.  I can only have Tylenol.  No alcohol for 6 months to a year I was able to take in stride.  No Motrin?  I felt like I was going to go crazy!  That’s my go-to drug of choice!  Whoa. 

Register on EXEMPLO – Done.  It’s a patient portal kind of thing that let’s you see your status, log your essentials, and communicate with the office without them having to actually talk to you. 

Hour long video where you watch a bypass done with disgusting cameras – Done and gross.

Blood Work – Done.  I hope they did all the tests they needed.  That was more blood than I care to give.

Pap Smear within the last year – Done. 

Weight history for the last two years – Done.  My OB/GYN submitted this.  They have seen me a lot during the infertility stuff. 

Upper GI – NOT DONE!  (bump)  Originally, I thought I didn't have to do this because my form said "For Adjustable Gastric Band patients."  Apparently, they have changed their mind and now want everyone to have this.  I have been trying to schedule this for 4 work days now.  I’m now sure why this is so hard to schedule. I wish I could have known this when I scheduled all my other appointments.  Bump... 

That’s where I’m at with my Pre-Op requirements.  Let’s see how many typos Jeff can find in this entry!  Apparently, I was typing “loose” instead of “lose” in the last one (fixed).  Who said teachers needed to be able to spell?  HA!

How Did I Get Here?

I have had lots that I have wanted to document lately, but I have felt that I couldn’t until I explain how I got here. 

It was the summer of 2004.  Jeff and I had been married for a year.  We were in the  Home Depot parking lot, walking back to our car.  Jeff turned to me to tell me that HIS “clock was ticking.”  I explained to him that he didn’t have a clock, but the point was still there, Jeff was ready to start a family.  For the next six months, we tried without really trying.  That December, we starting trying more strategically (looking at the calendar for optimum times).  After a year had passed, I started getting horrible pains.  These pains were actually from having a cyst and endometriosis which required surgery.  During my post-op appointment with Dr. S. we talked about how we had been trying.  He explained to my husband and myself that, “Women have a fatometer.”  Essentially, he was trying to explain how really heavy and really skinny women have trouble conceiving. 

Well, we were a bit put off by Dr. S’s lack of bed side manner, so we consulted my OB/GYN Goddess Extraordinaire, Dr. M.  She wanted to start me on Clomid (as my mom had), but it turns out that I had more cysts requiring surgery. 

After two surgeries, several “painless procedures” (which were not painless at all and which detail is really moot for this blog’s purposes), monthly internal ultrasounds, shots, pills, and blood tests, Dr. M. and her wonderful colleague, Dr. W., sent me to a very reputable fertility clinic.  Lots of things were said about my levels, my thyroid, my Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (which will be referred to as PCOS henceforth), but the bottom line is I needed to lose weight to get pregnant.  How much weight?  I needed to lose 106.5 lbs to be at the BMI I needed to achieve in order to get pregnant.  The doctor said I should lose this in 6 months to a year (that’s right, the doctor wanted me to lose between and 8.9 and 17.75 pounds PER MONTH). 

Amazingly enough, I actually was doing pretty well.  I lost 39 lbs in a year (only 3.25 lbs per month) and got my thyroid under control!  I called the doctor at the fertility clinic and was told by his nurse that he wanted me to lose “at least another 60 pounds before the doctor will see you again.”  This may sound very well and good, but I had really worked hard for those 39.  I had plateaued for the past two months.  Another 60 pounds seemed impossible.  It would be like if I told you (and you alone) that you had to build a house without any tools.  You could read books about houses being built.  You could watch a video of houses being built, you could have someone giving you step by step instructions on how to build the house, but when it comes down to it, it’s your hands and  you.  Oh yeah.  And get it done in 6 months to a year.  During this time, still keep down your job, your marriage, and all other responsibilities. 

I know it sound like I’m being dramatic, but that IS how I feel.  This is my blog and my story. 

I think it’s also important to note that I have always been heavier.  I have never had my weight “under control.”  Even now, I don’t eat a lot more than the average person, but am twice the weight of my friends.  I don’t drink soda or coffee.  I have a small salad and small sandwich for lunch every day at work.  I eat apples for my snack with my students.  My dinner is usually chicken based with a starch and a veggie.  At home, if I have dessert it’s normally fat free pudding.  The whole thing is just so frustrating. 

Everyone has their own solution for me too.  Some people tell me to eat a big breakfast, medium lunch, and small dinner.  Others tell me only eat between 5-10pm.  Others tell me to take a prescription pill (Ionamin®) to over the counter drugs (Alli®). 

In October, Jeff and I started looking into Bariatric options.  It still seems like a ton of work, but (going back to the house reference) it’s like a hammer.  It’d be easier to build that house if someone would just give me a hammer!  After researching and meeting with Dr. B, we’ve been moving forward on me having a Gastric Bypass.  I need help and hopefully this will allow me to be successful in my weight loss and Jeff and I can finally have our family. 

We’ve told some friends, my parents, Jeff’s mom, and Jeff’s sister.  Once I have a date, I’ll tell everyone.  We’re going to “live this out loud.”  There is no reason to feel ashamed.  I need help.  I hope I have your support. 

I’ll probably write more on this decision in later posts, but I’m exhausted.  Jeff is in Boston for work and I need to take Moxie out again before bedtime.