Pre Op Appointment

Today I saw my surgeon for me pre-op appointment.  I liked Dr. Richardson and feel he will do a great job. He quickly answered all of my questions and put Phillip and me at ease.  I received my discharge instructions and they all seem pretty straightforward.  I saw the dietitian next.  She went over what I need to do prior to surgery and from post-op up until my follow up appointment.  I have at admit I was kinda bummed that no one commented that I had lost 39 pounds from my initial appointment.  They said I needed to loose 17 pounds prior to surgery and I exceeded that.  Oh well, that is 39 pounds kicked to the curb.  Next up is my IVC filter placement and then the main event.  I am so ready for this!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I meet the surgeon for my pre-op appointment.  I have my questions ready and I am eager for Friday to get here.  Right now I am mostly calm about it, but occasionally I have a bit of nerves.

I tried the Jay Robb chocolate protein today with water and with coconut milk.  It was good in water and with the milk.  I think it comes in second to the Syntrax though.  It is sweeter than the Syntrax and I think for now at least I prefer that.

Product Review- Jay Robb Whey Protein- Chocolate

A couple of days ago I saw that GNC was running some sales.  I decided to take a look around and noticed they had the Jay Robb Whey Protein on sale.  I had heard good things about the protein (few additives and sweetened with stevia).  I decided to give it a play and see if it can beat the Syntrax I have been drinking.  I mixed it up with water because that is how I have reviewed all of the other protein powders.  I so prefer the mix with almond or coconut milk.  It was good.  I can't say if it was better than the Syntrax because I mix that with milk, but I will try it again tomorrow with the milk and get a better comparison between the two.  It was good with plain water and that will come in handy when I am first home from surgery.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that my tastes do not change.  I bought some vanilla as well.  I will be trying that soon.

Score- A

Is It February Already?

Time has been flying!  It seems like it was just New Years Day.  I am finally back in the home stretch again.  I have a surgery date and all of the associated appointments set up.  I would like to say that I was able to get back in the zone like I was prior to my first surgery no go, but I have not been.  I have been letting my emotions steer my food choices.  I am still down below what the dietitian wanted me to lose prior to surgery, but that is still 9 pound more than I had been when I was revved about my surgery.  I am still excited about the surgery and I know it will allow me to get to a place that I yearn for.  Now to get my head back in the game.  I have continued to read the boards on OH and still have kept up with bookmarking posts and recipes.  I still have a bit before I start the liquid diet.  Last time I had been eating low carb and didn't have much trouble with the 4 days of the liquid diet I completed before having to cancel the surgery.  I hope it will be the same this time.

Gettin Back On The Horse

When I canceled my surgery last month, I canceled a lot of things. One being my vigilance. I was doing really well with my eating and then I just let it all go because I was not having the surgery when planned. It was a conscious decision. One that I am not proud of. Looking back it was a form of temper tantrum over things that did not go as planned. I need to grow up. Anyway, I am back to my plan as of today. I really want to be successful and to do that I cannot allow life alterations interfere with my goal. I was reading the OH message board today and there was a re-post that really said it all to me. I have it saved under "online bookmarks". It talks about being militant to be successful. I plan to have more of that. I have my appointment with my endocrinologist coming up later this week. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my thyroid levels will be acceptable and we can schedule this thing.

Oh...the IVC filter...I have to have one, but now I understand why and it makes sense to me now.

Where Things Are For Now

It has been a while since I updated.  My liver biopsy showed no autoimmune disease, but Fatty Liver Disease.  The treatment for this is losing weight and exercise, so I am on my way with that.  My surgery scheduled for December 21st has been now postponed because I was taking too much thyroid medicine.  We switched from Tirosint back to Synthroid.  The dosage is off and Dr. C said surgery would be unsafe at the level it was.  He backed me down a bit and I will do blood work once the sun comes up.  I started on the the two week liquid diet prior to surgery and honestly the 4 days I did it, it was not that bad.  It helps that I like my protein powder.  I started stressing how I was going to work the Coumadin/Lovenox shots, getting IVF filter, and then possibly not having the surgery if my thyroid level is still off.  I don't like to mess with my Coumadin unless necessary and the stop/start for the Lovenox with the question of whether the surgery would be on 2 days before was too much for me.  I decided to postpone until the first of the year when my thyroid levels are where they need to be.  Hopefully they are back on track and I can schedule this puppy.  I am ready to go.  It kinda feels like I am walking around in a maze and someone keeps sticking their leg out and tripping me.  In the morning I have an appointment to see about the IVC filter.  I really do not want one of these and my PCP agrees with me.  I want a good explanation of why I need this.  So far I have not gotten one.

I Never Liked Liver

I remember as a child, Mom would occasionally make liver and onions.  I abhorred that stuff,  Total yuck.  My negative issues with liver continue.  Unfortunately it concerns my own liver.  It is uncooperative or maybe   it is not my liver, but my immune system.  My liver enzymes have come back elevated on the pre-op lab work.  Not once, but three times (and now four).  I was referred to a Hepatologist and saw his PA on Friday.  They took 9 more vials of blood and told me that I would possibly need a liver biopsy.  I just got the phone call that two of my tests came back positive for autoimmune and they suspect autoimmune hepatitis.  Oh joy.  What now?  This is a chronic condition that cannot be cured, but usually can be managed with steroids and another drug called Imuran.  My latest blood work showed that the liver enzymes are higher than the last.  I will need a liver biopsy for confirmation and then start on the drugs.  I still feel fine, so I am hoping that this has been caught early and no significant damage to my liver has occurred.  Surgery will likely be pushed back to get this all straightened out.  I am trying real hard not to go and eat the house and will try not to stress too much about this.