Aryn Gets Sleeved

On Monday I start my pre-op diet (the first phase of it) which largely consists of sticking to 1,200 calories or less and getting in plenty of water and protein--the purpose is to shrink the liver.  Two days before my surgery (my birthday!) will be the all-liquid diet.   To celebrate the upcoming surgery and having my last restaurant experience as life as I know it I picked for our family to go to the Cheescake factory where I ordered "Evelyn's Favorite pasta" full of penne, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, kalmata olives, artichoke hearts...it's amazing.  It's not that I would never be ever to order and eat that ever again...but, it will be really important for me to focus on eating protein first, and for the first year it's likely I won't have "room" to eat anything other than mostly protein, multivitamins, and water.   I also had my birthday dessert today because I'll be a liquid diet on my actual birthday.  I had Mango Key Lime chee...

I'm super excited to say that I have a surgery date!!  July 8th!  It's unfortunate that it is my first contract day back, but I know that it will all work out just fine.  Ultimately my students and colleagues will have a healthier teacher working with them and that's a GREAT thing.  From listening to doctors and experiences of others, I think I will be "out" from work for 2 weeks.  My hysterectomy was similar incision- wise so two weeks sounds about right to me.  I'm going to work on walking every day over the next few weeks in hopes that my recovery will be the best it can be. I had a dream that someone told me I was taking the easy way out.  Obviously it must be a doubt/worry that whispers at me, otherwise I don't think it would be a dream that left an impression on me.  When I woke up that morning I thought about how I felt about people who might think that ... or WILL think that.  Then I thought about my issues...

A week ago I completed all of my requirements for surgery.  The next step includes the surgical team reviewing my case and then it goes back to my insurance for final approval. I'm having a REALLY hard time waiting.  I'm so ready to be in the right direction with my health.  I'm so ready to feel like "me" again.  I've tortured myself by looking at pictures of me before my back injury....and then I saw a candid shot of me at a school event today and I almost cried because that's not the girl in my head and heart.   I made this reverse before/after photo...it hurts to see it now, but I hope 18 months from now I will feel proud of myself again.   The girl in the before pic was convinced she was "fat" too,  I wish I were wiser then.  The girl in the before picture had no idea what chronic pain was.  She had no idea she was a month away from her back injury.  It all makes me sad.

This morning was my first time attending the support group that Unity Point puts on that is "free" (i.e. paid with through program fees).  It is a requirement that you go to at least one group meeting prior to surgery and it is available to you for life (as are the nutritionists and exercise physiologists).   I sat in the back row with other newcomers.  I don't do small talk well.  I can force myself to do it, I can fake it pretty good sometimes, but mostly I feel incredibly awkward and uncomfortable.  So, I took my place in the back and people-watched until the group began.  I'd say there were probably... . 100 or so people in attendance.   One of the two bariatric  surgeons presents information each time and the second half of this meeting was led by a panel of post-surgery patients, ranging from 4-months to 19-months post-op.   I was surprised to find myself inspired by the panel members....

I've started a new chapter in my life and decided to be open and transparent about it because 1). I think people are naturally curious and might wonder what's going on with me and 2).  It's always nice to journal a long journey so you can see progress and wisdom gained along the way.  I blogged throughout my spinal fusion surgery and recovery several years ago, and it helped me recover, so I'm hoping this will be a good thing as well. I decided a few months ago to pursue gastric sleeve surgery as a tool to reduce my weight and help my chronic pain. Those of you who know me, know that after I had Aubri I got into pretty good shape.  The summer after her first birthday, I herniated a disc and found out that I had degenerative disc disease.  That finding was not all that remarkable, except that I was only 30 years old and the progression of the damage to my spine was quite significant.  One of my surgeons looked at my MRI without looking at my other ...