On to better days...

These past few weeks have been very difficult. About 3 weeks ago I started having morning sickness. Around here we call it "all day sickness" because it doesn't matter if it is morning, noon or night.

When I was pregnant with Emma I was sick so much I ended up in the hospital because of dehydration. Having learned from my past, I called the doctor to see if there was anything that I could take to help easy my discomfort. He prescribed an anti - nausea medication. I was relieved, or so I thought. After taking the meds for about a week I found I wasn't any better off. Yes, I had stopped throwing up, but I couldn't get up off the sofa. The new meds sent my head to outer space. I was so dizzy I was afraid to climb the stairs without holding on to the rail for fear of falling backwards. I called the Dr. back. He prescribed another anti-nausea medication. I have been on this one for 2 1/2 weeks with out any complications.

Yesterday was the first time in 3 weeks that I cooked dinner for the family. It is difficult to cook when the sight, smell and thought of food sends you running. For several weeks now we have been either eating out or bringing in. A couple of nights Bruce came home and made dinner for he and the kids. Ethan has learned to warm up TV dinners for he and Emma on those nights when daddy is working late. Emma has learned to get her own bowl and spoon from the dishwasher for cereal. My family has been such great troopers.

Tuesday night, I guess it was early Wednesday morning, was the last time I took any medication. Yesterday I didn't take any meds. I haven't needed any this morning. I think I am turning a page. :-)

These past few weeks are what I dread the most about being pregnant. Not being able to eat, take care of my family, or keep the house. It really puts a dark cloud over my head. But this morning I ate breakfast, sat down with Emma to watch cartoons and felt baby move. I have been having a hard time finding my joy in this pregnancy. I think I found it this morning. I can say with out hesitation, Thank you Lord for this new life.

Where did December go?!?

As usual, December has flown by once again.
I can't believe that it is the second of January already.

I looked at my blog and was appalled that I haven't blogged since Halloween. Pathetic!
So much has happened. December is a very busy month around here. I know, everyone has a lot to do in December. Well do all that plus Ethan's birthday on the th 11 and Emma's on the 16th. Oh and don't forget Stephen's birthday on the 29 of November, Christina's on the 6 of December, mom's on the 21, Granny's on the 23, and Bob's on the 3rd of Jan. What a month!

I have finally found time to sit and blog about the surgery.

Back at the end of November I got a call from the surgery center. They told me that I had been denied coverage from the insurance company for the surgery. She said that they did not find enough evidence that I had been trying to loose weight with my doctor. So, they wanted me to go on a 6 month, physician supervised diet. She said that I could have my doctor call the person who reviewed my application and try to appeal the decision, but it had to be done with in a week. So...

I called my doctor and told him what was going on. He figured that this might happen. That's why, when we started this process, he put me on a diet pill and had me come in every month for weight checks. He said he would call the person who reviewed my application and give him the information we had collected up to this point. COOL!!

Two weeks go by and my doctor is having a hard time getting thru the automated phone system. I am anxious to hear the final word, but I am so tired all the time. I felt like I was dragging myself thru my days. On December 12 I had a passing thought that I might be pregnant. So I took a pregnancy test and to my shock, it came back positive. Bruce was sitting at the computer desk. I came out with my test, tossed it up on the desk, pat Bruce on the shoulder and told him "Merry Christmas" He was shocked too. I decided to take another one in the morning just to make sure the positive was real and not a false positive. It was just as positive in the morning as it had been the night before. I called my doctor and told him to stop trying to call the insurance company. I can't have the surgery now anyway. He was very surprised and happy for us.

Now the question was how we were going to tell our family. My mom was coming out to celebrate Emma's birthday. She was showing up that night. Bruce's parents would be getting here on the night of the 15. Bruce and I decided to tell our parents about the baby by placing 5 stockings over the fireplace this year. The only hitch was that he wouldn't let me do it until Friday night after his parents had arrived. That way it would be up and ready to be seen by all on Saturday morning.

Now we had to figure out a way to let all of our friends and extended family members know. We took a picture of the stockings and sent out a digital greeting card to every one we had email addresses for. It was really fun to see how long it took people to figure it out. One of my friends asked if we had gotten a dog. Ha!

I have to say that it has taken me some time to switch gears. I was expecting to have surgery in the next month. I worked really hard to loose 25 pounds. If history repeats itself, I will be gaining the 25 pounds back and then some with this baby. It will be at least 3 years before I can even consider the surgery again.

Don't get me wrong. We are very excited about the baby. He or she will be a blessed addition to our family. We just thought it would happen about a year after the surgery. I was looking forward to Bruce being able to feel the baby move. He was never able to feel the other two kids move because of my size. I guess that wasn't in God's plan.

When we told the kids they were both very excited. Ethan told me that "my dreams have come true, mom." For a couple of months now Emma has been talking about when she grows up and can have babies in her tummy. When we told her I was pregnant she was very excited. So far we have been able to miss the "how did the baby get there" bullet. Ha! I am sure it will come some day soon.

I don't know what I am going to do with this blog. I can't decide whether or not to leave it and come back when I start the weight loss surgery again, or whether to blog about the baby and life here in Indiana. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.

Until next time, so long.

Halloween

Tuesday night Ethan and Emma dressed up for trick or treat. They scavenged the neighborhood, with two other kids, looking for Halloween goodies. They had a great time!
Here are a few pictures.































Ethan didn't get to carve a pumpkin this year. So we had to get a little creative.
Yes, those are cucumber ears.







Ethan wanted to be Dash from the Incredibles. He was a great Dash. He dashed from one house to the next.
Emma wanted to be "Singerella". She even had the glass slippers. They were jelly shoes. She thought it was great until she realized that she couldn't keep up with the other kids. The slippers kept slipping off the back of her heels. She had to curl her toes to keep them on. This kept her from being first to the door bell.
I thought this might be a problem and put her stride rite shoes in daddy's coat pocket. Once she changed shoes she could keep up without having to be carried. But she still had a hard time getting to the door bell first. She was more interested in what she got, where as Ethan just wanted to get more. So he was usually off to the next house while Emma jumped up and down for joy at the piece of candy that she just got.
To make sure that the kids were visible to cars we got them each a glow stick necklace. We had them wear them backwards, like tail lights. So that the kids could be seen from the front, we put an Ogg in each kids candy bucket. It worked really well. What is an Ogg you ask. They are little glowing eggs that Bruce got me for mothers day. Here is where he got them:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/76c0

We were out trick or treating for about an hour and a half. By the time we got back home the buckets were so full we had to take the oggz out for fear they would roll off the top of the mound.
When we got home the kids were allowed one candy. Out of 2 buckets worth of candy, the biggest hit was the gummy Googley Eyeballs. Personally I am looking forward to the frozen 3 Musketeers and Milkyway bars :-)











I hope you all had a Spooktacular Halloween

Babies

Today my family is celebrating the addition of twins.
My brother Chris, and sister-in-law, Lyndsey, gave birth to two beautiful babies.
The first born was Halle Mkayla, followed 7 minutes later by her brother, Hudson Michael.
Their original due date was November 4, so they are a little early. But, all are healthy and doing fine.


I will post some pictures as soon as I get them to download. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Oh, Bruce...

Thanks Bruce

The Package is in motion

Yesterday I went to the doctor and had my blood pressure checked. 120/80, perfect. Doctor said that I can stay on the phentermine. He wants to see me back for a recheck next month. As long as I keep getting good blood pressure checks, I can stay on the meds.

How many times have you been to the doctors office and they didn't weigh you? Any other time this would have been my most dreaded part of the visit. Yesterday I weighed in and lost 12 1/2 pounds. WOO HOO!! The doctor was very pleased.

I also picked up my medical history packet and letter of medical necessity. Today, I get to courie them to the weightloss center. The center will then add to the packet anything else that the insurance company needs and mail it. The insurance company should have it by the middle of next week. Then starts the long wait.

OY! Men are so stubborn

I am sorry, but I have to vent.

This morning I was headed to the Doctors office to have my blood pressure checked. One of the possible side effects of the phentermine is high blood pressure. I have to have mine checked every month as long as I am on it.

As I was leaving Bruce stuck his head out the door and asked if I would ask the doctor to re-write orders for a blood test. You see, about 4 months ago Bruce went to the doctor and ask if he would write orders to have a blood draw done. Bruce keeps an eye out on his PSA levels. It has to do with the prostate. High PSA could mean a problem with the prostate (ie. cancer). Bruce's dad has already been treated for prostate cancer. Any way.

I would gladly ask the doctor to re-write his orders except I already did once. They have been sitting around the house for almost 2 months. (6 days short of 2 months) So, instead I said that ON HIS WAY across town, to his co-workers house, he could stop in and have his blood drawn. It should only take a few min. It was 10:00 in the morning. They shouldn't be too busy. He told me he wouldn't have time. I found the paper and gave them to him any way hoping that he would find the time.

When I got home, Bruce was gone but the orders were sitting on the counter.

Good grief!! How long does it take? His co-worker wasn't going to be ready to meet with him until 10:00 or so anyway. We are talking about a blood test. One stick, a couple of vials. Done.

I hope his clients appreciate that he puts his work (their databases) before his health.

Ok, so that sounded a little dramatic. I hate it when my common sense won't be quiet. You know:

-asked for orders (4 months, or so, ago)
-on the way
-won't take long
-good for health, live longer, be around for family
BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, I'm done :-)

PS. I love you honey.

New news...

Well, it has been a very busy week. Back a few posts ago I mentioned a meeting that Bruce and I wanted to go to at the Methodist hospital. Well it was the same night as AWANA for the kids. Needless to say, we didn't get to go. But...
Tuesday night they had another informational meeting at the hospital. Come to find out, they have these meetings twice a month. So, Jeanie and Tim came over to watch the kids, giving Bruce and I the chance to go this time. It was a very interesting meeting. I came away both excited and afraid at the same time.
I was excited because I got to meet some of the woman that work in the weightloss clinic. People that I will be able to go to for the rest of my life for advice and help. That is very comforting. They said that "if you keep up with them, they will keep up with you". I found out that I will be talking to a dietitian about meals before and after surgery. She will be able to help me figure out meals for me and meals for the family. They also took us thru the surgeries (Lap-Band and RNY Gastric Bypass) step by step and let us ask questions along the way. They talked about insurance, psychological evaluation, post operative procedures and depression.
I had already gone out on the internet and researched as much about these procedures as I could. But it was nice to hear from the surgeon and nurses that will be taking care of me. Yes, I said surgeon. Dr. Stanish, my surgeon, was not there it was his birthday. But his associate was. It seems that one of the two of them, if not both of them, attends these meetings .
That night there was a woman there, Gloria, that had bypass surgery done 2 years ago. She was 320 pounds at her heaviest. Today she is 180. She went from a size 28 to a 12. It was good to get a chance to meet her and ask questions. She said that she is so happy with her surgery. That she would "do it again in a heart beat".
The meeting also left me feeling a little fearful. They talked about how if you are a real sweets eater, than the bypass may be a better option for you. The reason being that if you have the bypass done, and then eat something that is very sweet, then you may experience what they called dumping (intestinal cramps, sweating, diarrhea). They said that some people see this as aversion therapy. That "if I eat this sweet, then I am going to have that, and I don't like that, so I am not going to eat this". Oh, and it's not just sweets. It can happen with high fat foods, as I sit here eating sausage links for breakfast, and dairy.
For the bypass surgery they talked about protein shakes, supplements, leaks around the incisions in the stomach, having to go back in to stop the leaks, clots, vomiting, malnutrition (because of the way they re-route the intestines your body doesn't get the opportunity to absorb the nutrients that you need. If you don't follow the post operative diet, then this may become an issue), stretching the stomach back out, death (it is surgery. There is always a risk).
The Lap-Band surgery has it's own list of complications. You do not have the dumping. So you have to watch every little thing that you eat. You can stretch the stomach back out. If you don't follow the post operative diet, you may/will not loose weight. If you don't keep up with your post operative check ups, then the band may slip. If you eat too big a meal, you may/will vomit. If you do this too often it could cause the band to slip. If that happens then they have to go back in and reposition it. I will have the band for the rest of my life. There will be a port under my skin just below the rib cage. With this port they can adjust the tightness of the band. The nurse said it is like giving blood. One needle stick and it's done. I told Bruce, one needle stick may be, but the needle is 18 inches long :-)
No matter which surgery I have, I have to be on a full liquid diet for 2 weeks before surgery. I don't know what full liquids are, but I don't think they are talking about the state of my stomach. I did ask about the possibility of having children after surgery. They said that yes, you can have children after surgery usually. They said that with the bypass, it may not be possible. Just because you are having to work so hard to get all the calcium, iron, protein and vitamins that you need for yourself. Let alone for an unborn baby. With the Lap-Band they said that you could carry a baby to term with little problems. They would just have to remove all the saline from the band allowing the stomach to take in more food. Then the band would have to be adjusted , tightened, after the baby is born. Which ever surgery I have, the nurse said that it would probably be a year or two after surgery before I could even think about getting pregnant again. Now, just for the record. Bruce and I have been talking about having a third child. I started talking about it first. Then I stopped because of the idea of surgery. Now Bruce is talking about it. So, we will all just have to wait and see.
You can see why I came away feeling both excitement and fear. I am still leaning toward the Lap-Band. I think I can give up the sweets in order to not go thru the leaking, dumping, and malnutrition. I also think that the Lap-Band is the best option for me when I think about maybe having another child. I wouldn't want to have the bypass and then get pregnant and have complications, for me or the baby.
Yesterday I got THE CALL. Chris, from the weightloss center, called me. She contacted my insurance company and found that the procedure, Dr and hospital are all covered. YIPPEE!!!
Today I have to call my doctors office and ask them if they will release my medical records to the weightloss center. You see. Just a couple of months ago we switched doctors. Chris said that the new doctor may not release the records from the old doctors office. If they won't release them, than I have to go back to Westchester and ask for a copy of my file. The insurance company needs the records to obtain a 5 year record of my weight.
Once the insurance company has my medical records, and a letter from the doctor saying that this surgery is medically necessary, then my file goes before a medical review board to determine if they think I should have the surgery or not. 30 business days later, I should have an answer from the insurance company. If they agree that the surgery is medically necessary, then it will all covered under our insurance and we will only be responsible for deductible and 10% of the cost of surgery.
So, there you have it. The new news as of today.