Lisa's Weight Loss Surgery Journal
May 1, 2000
Happy Beltane to my Wiccan friends! :)
Well... 17 more days, according to the countdown thingy on my main page. That's not counting today and the day of surgery! Wow...
Bob and I were talking about things the other night, and he got tears in his eyes. He is soooo worried about me being in pain! I'm not too terribly worried about the pain - I usually tolerate pain pretty well, an I know the doctors and nurses are prepared to help me control it, so I'm really OK with the prospect of pain. I'm more worried about feeling claustrophobic when I wake up, due to the tube up my nose and the booty things on my feet! I'm afraid I'll feel tied down, and I'll panic. Hope not!
We continue to pack and pack and pack. We've really accomplished a lot, but somehow it doesn't look like it. Bob is planning to go over to the house this weekend (while I'm in Vegas! Woohoo!) and start painting. Geez... I've managed to get out of lots of the work, haven't I? *grins* Poor Bob and Lacy. They are going to have to do almost everything! I feel pretty guilty about that.
May 2, 2000
I found out today that someone I know is going to have the same surgery as me! She is going in next Wednesday. I won't say her name, b/c she is not "advertising" it - and I respect that. But if you she is reading this, I just want to say BEST OF LUCK! :)
Rena and I are both about to freak out, getting ready for this trip. She is so nervous about meeting Rick! I would feel the same, I'm sure! Sounds like we are going to have a terrific time. I"m still a bit nervous about that airplane ride, but I'm sure I'll be OK as soon as we are up in the air.
Well - that's all for now... I'll be sure to post some Vegas pictures as soon as I get back! I thank everyone who is taking the to read this - and I hope it is somehow helpful to you, and not just the ramblings of a madwoman! Take care, everyone... talk to you soon!
Friday, May 12, 2000
Well, I'm back from Vegas and one week away from surgery!
About Vegas: we had a blast! Unfortunately, she and Rick didn't hit it off very well, so there was no "love connection", as it were. Still, it was a great trip - just what the doctor ordered, for me! I didn't obsess over the surgery one time while I was gone! Just had a great time.
One of the highlights of the trip was the fact that Rena won enough money on the slot machines to justify our renting a convertible Mustang! I will post pictures as soon as I get them back. In the meantime, I have put together a
page of pictures
from the Red Rock Canyon. What a beautiful place! I brought home a marvelous sunburn from driving around topless though. *grins*
This weekend we will be feverishly packing up the last of our stuff. Bob did a beautiful job painting what needed to be painted at the new place, but we still have a few things to touch up out there... so we'll be taking a load over there this weekend I presume. That will be great - more room at the apartment to stack more boxes! :)
I'm finding it so hard to believe that my surgery is a week (actually less!) away! This time next week, I'll be all done, recovering safely and on my way to a whole new me! I was talking to my friend Alice last night on the phone, and she said, "Lisa, just imagine... by Christmas this year, you will most probably have lost about 100#! Well, THAT was something to think about! Alice encouraged me to stop thinking in terms of "only so and so more days/hours/minutes til surgery" and start thinking in terms of AFTER the surgery!
Also, it turns out that Jan from my local support group will be having her VBG to RNY revision on the same day my surgery is scheduled, so we'll be in the hospital together! I think that's kind of neat. We joke about having a big party while we're in there, but I wonder if either of us will even feel like FAKING a party atmosphere! LOL! For some reason, though, knowing that someone I know is going through the same thing on the same day as me is a comfort.
I haven't yet heard how Mary is doing... Mary is another person from the local support group I belong to. She and I had our RNY class on the same day, so I feel kind of a kinship with her, too.
Well... I'd better get back to work. The temporary we hired is here today, and I am busy training her to take my place while I'm off. She is wonderful! Very quick to learn and VERY good with the computer. It's nice to know that there will be someone doing my job while I'm gone, so things don't pile up so badly. Quite the load off my mind!
Tuesday, May 16, 2000
Only two more days, then d-day is here! I can't believe it!
Some more words of wisdom from my angel Alice... I had told her that I have butterflies in my stomach, and she wrote back with this beautiful analogy:
*****
"I love butterflies. I can recall when I was very close to surgery as
you are now, someone mentioned butterflies, and how they are a great
symbol of WLS patients. Like the caterpillar, we move slowly. We are
not particularly attractive - and most of us are a bit round. Soon, we
enter the cocoon stage, where we hide from everyone and everything, and
EAT and SLEEP. Then, when the time is right, we emerge from the cocoon,
spread our wings, and when they are dry, we fly off, seeking summer
flowers. I love the analogy, and can't think of a thing that is better.
So, first the butterflies in your stomach, and in your thoughts - pretty
soon, you will have them in your heart, and you will be so proud of
yourself, and feeling darn good, too!"
*****
Amen, AliceBob! Thank you so much - you are a very special lady. I love your spirit, and I value your friendship! Thanks so much for being there for me!
Things are really moving along. I got all the utilities set to be turned on in our name at the new house, and ... we will be getting a CABLE MODEM! I'm excited about that. I'll be able to compute and talk on the phone at the same time. Best of all, I'll get to keep my beloved Outlook Express so I can still make stationery! How cool is THAT? :)
I had lunch with my local angel, Susan, yesterday! I really like her. She reminds me of myself - so many responsibilities, yet she finds time to do a thing or two for herself in spite of it all. She brought me the prettiest little angel figurine, which I need to remember to take to the hospital with me. I want to put it in the room so I'll have her there to watch over me while I heal. Susan's surgery is June 26, the day I go back to work! Susan will be there the morning of my surgery, so she can report back to the local e-mail list. Wow, it should be quite a party in the waiting room that day! LOL! Jan's friends/family will be there also... I feel so much better knowing that all these caring people will be around. But still... these butterflies keep multiplying! I will be sooooo glad to have this over with. The anticipation is agony.
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