Crunch Time

It is getting so close! I am getting excited...but at the same time I don't think it has fully registered that this is really happening. I don't know that it will until we board our plane either lol. I am beyond relieved that Madi received her passport yesterday! Granted it still sucks we had to shell out extra money when after we had done everything needed to get it before now...but shit happens.

The scale isn't budging.... in fact it went up a pound. I am not sweating it at this point. I did cheat once and had Taco bell (the day all hell broke loose regarding the passport, Monday or Tuesday I believe). I have been back on track since, and felt terrible about doing it...but that day was just horrible. I spent most of it crying.

Not too many days to go now. Sadly I don't get much of a break until then. I work tomorrow from home for 3 hours, sunday at work for 12, then Monday and Tuesday I am working 14 hours at work. That way I get in all my hours for the week. I am not looking forward to those days. Tomorrow after I work I am heading to the bank to get the cashier's check (my bank does them for free, YAY!) and money for tipping the driver, incidentals, food for Madi etc), then washing the stuff I am packing, and getting my bag nearly packed so I don't need to think too much about it when I get home exhausted on Tuesday night.

Not too much else going on in my neck of the woods right now. After surgery I may post a quick update just to say everything went well and possibly a youtube vid. Depends on the wifi at the hospital in all. I am probably doing one more pre-op vid as well tomorrow.

That's all

This needs to be said....

More passport drama has risen it's ugly head on the horizon. Hopefully we have avoided me going alone, but yesterday this was a real possibility. About 182 dollars later, Madi's passport SHOULD get here before we leave. Sadly I still can't say that it will be here for sure... what can I say? Sometimes you luck out and get your passport without issue, within 1 month. Other times you are just not so lucky.

So I am writing this post for the latter group. If you are having surgery in another country, this post is for you. I am even sticking this in the resources tab as I feel this is so important.

So first and foremost, IF you are seriously thinking of surgery in Mexico (or any other country for that matter) but have not made any plans, I would suggest you get your passports NOW. Don't wait. If you are researching doctors and looking at financing etc, get your passport NOW and whoever is coming with you's passport...NOW.

Just so we are clear... GET YOUR PASSPORT AS SOON AS YOU CAN!
DO NOT go by the "average processing times" listed online. If something comes up, and they feel that you need to be singled out and provide further info, this resets that processing time. This makes 4-6 weeks turn into 12 weeks.

GET THE BOOK & EXPEDITE! I thought that getting the passport cards would be the easiest thing. They were perfect as we are being driven into Mexico. Well mine came, no sweat, right in mid-March. Even after submitting her app within the proper amount of time, AND THEN submitting the additional documentation with OVERNIGHT shipping...Madi has no passport card still and has been told that the passport card WILL NOT get here before we leave. FYI too, they cannot expedite those. Get the book, expedite (they give those priority...because its all about the $$$ unfortunately). It may cost more but hopefully you will have less headaches.

If you are like us, and didn't order the passport book, and did not expedite, but are dealing with the strong possibility of NO passport... within 14 days of your travel date CALL the National Passport Information Center. You can upgrade to a passport book and expedite after the fact. Just be prepared to pay for it. We had to pay approximately $182...as soon as it is processed (within 5 business days..but often i hear they can be a little bit quicker), it will be overnighted.

If you are having fears that it will not get here in time, or if you have received communications stating they need further information, I would NOT HESITATE to contact your local congressman or state rep. They many times can at the very least get more people looking into where your passport is and have staff members that handle this type of thing daily.

You can look up your local officials by zip code, here.

When writing your letter, be polite, be professional. Here is a guide to writing them.

Finally, DO NOT GIVE UP! Keep calling the National Passport Information Center.

Keep checking your status here.

TO CALL:

From the United States: 1-877-487-2778 TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793

Automated Passport Information is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Speak with a representative Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., EST, excluding federal holidays.

EMAIL THEM HERE!

If you are facing any issues with getting a passport for either you or your companion I sincerely hope this helps you! If anyone else has more tips PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMENTS!

<3

Jenn

***************UPDATE!!!!***************

We recieved Madi's passport this morning! 24 hours after upgrading to expedited passport book! SUCCESS...well minus having to spend a crapload more :(

I'm Jenneye the Sailor Girl!

First and foremost I was going to wait to say this til tomorrow since tomorrow will be 1 week since I started the pre-op diet, but
I'm down below 260!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 259.6 lbs to be exact....but nonetheless still awesome!

That is a total loss of 6 lbs since I started my pre-op diet (I was 265.6 lbs last Tuesday). Let's see if we can't add a little more, hehehe. The only downer is that my engagement ring STILL won't come off my finger. I'd hate to get it cut off....but its looking that way. At least my wedding band seems like it has a fighting chance of coming off. Will probably head to a jeweler's on Friday. *sigh* I had my uncle try and take it off...he is a strong guy. He made me hold my finger in ice cold water til it felt like it was going to fall off, then sudsed it up with dish soap...and nothing...

This weekend was pretty nice and relaxing. I didn't do my work at home job this weekend because next weekend is going to be hell...right up until the day I leave . ( 12 + hours shifts for 3 days). Sunday afternoon I went to my aunt's house and hung out with my mom, nephews, aunt, uncle, and my big brother. My aunt had a little outburst when I was talking to my mom about following the pre-op diet, (the usual "why dont you just eat like that and NOT have surgery!?" reaction A LOT of people get), but other than that things were fine.

I think most my family has moved from being completely against it to just being concerned about the surgery itself and curious about what it all entails. My aunt and I were actually talking about how they cut the part of the stomach off and I explained to her about the staple gun and how it shoots off 3 rows of staples on either side as it simultaneously cuts. Like me, the technicalities of how surgeries are actually done is intriguing to her. I think she also liked the fact that I could tell her approximately how many Sleeve surgeries my surgeon has done and the fact that at least some of his training was in the US. (YEAHHHH... DROPPIN THE KNOWLEDGE BOMB!)

Finally I have to say that I LOVE the Myfitnesspal app on my android phone. I have been keeping track religiously of my food and been very compliant. I had been feeling great (after the first couple days) but then this morning i felt just horrible (weak, shaky, nauseated). I thought to look at my last few days of food logs and noticed one big difference. I barely got any iron in over the weekend. The days I had spinach the night before with dinner I had felt awesome. I also got in about 70% of the RDI (recommended daily intake of iron). Coincidence? I think not! Whenever I used to get my period (pre- Mirena days) I would get to feeling the same way and my flow was very heavy. I think at least until I get to eating food again I am going to look into taking iron supplements.

Apparently I am like Popeye, since eating spinach made me feel better and more energetic.

This also makes me wonder if Popeye had an iron-deficiency....hmmm

I am probably going to get full labs done 3 months post-op and then keep going from there regarding supplementation. I just thought it pretty cool that since I'd been using that app I could actually visualize what is actually in my diet and why it may be effecting my body the way it is.

Also I can't wait to get home and eats me spinach! (I promise I won't try and squeeze the can and catch it mid-air in true popeye style though...that would just make a mess)

Post Op Supplies

Post Op Supplies, a photo by NoEscape21 on Flickr. (IF YOU CLICK ON THE PHOTO YOU CAN SEE MY NOTES :P )

Went shopping tonight and got most of my post-op supplies at wal-mart. I ordered a cute turquoise jersey fabric robe online (12 bucks and only a couple bucks shipping).

I also contacted Syntrax and am getting 13 sample packets of Nectar protein for 13 bucks. Everything from Walmart came to a lil under 100 and aside from getting chicken broth cubes, jello and crystal light I will be ready to go and have most of what I need when I get home. YAY!

Still no Passport for Madi, but if it doesn't get here by Saturday the representative's office said to call them again to let them know. So far still doing pretty good with my pre-op diet. accidentally when slightly over my carb limit (by a few grams) but overall I am going strong.

Pre Op Diets, Dealing with family, and other fun updates

Here we go..

So Even though my surgery is 2 weeks from TOMORROW, I decided to start on my pre-op diet today. I just felt like it was time to truly buckle down. So far so good. Here is what is going on today.

Breakfast:
1 scoop of Body Fortress Chocolate Whey protein
1 cup 1% Milk
Total Carbs: 16
Total protien: 34

Lunch:
Atkin's Advantage Milk Chocolate Delight Shake
Total Carbs: 5
Total protien: 15

Dinner Plans:
8 oz Chicken breast (boneless skinless)
Can of spinach
Total Carbs: 8 (approx...gotta check when i get home)
Total protien: 46

Puts me well within my Carb limit of 40-50 Max (im at approx 29gms)
Protien total is 95gms
Calories are approx 862

Hoping to see a decent loss in the next 2 weeks as most my days will look just like this (maybe an egg added in here or there I think).

Not much else to report really, I'm boring right now :P

Sound the alarms

So one of my fears pre-op has happened. Most of my side of the family found out and are freaking out that I am going to Mexico for my surgery. They also keep confusing my surgery with both the lap band AND gastric bypass. (people do that ALLLL the time, just assume I am getting RNY... most of them don't even know what a gastric sleeve IS... including one of my aunts who is a nurse).

Then there was also lots of guilt trips. Like, that I didn't care enough about them to tell them I was going. One aunt keeps leaving voicemails asking if I thought it over, and why dont I just "eat apples instead of going for surgery"....yep. (she is not completely all there up top. but still always finds ways to offend me).

So I am doing my best to just grin and bear it and not really talk about the surgery at all around them because I don't want to keep hearing how stupid I am being.

One aunt tried to "sympathize" with me by telling me how much she wants a face lift and could get one cheaper in another country, but she doesn't feel the risk is a good idea.

Okay... not getting a facelift will not adversely effect your health. I had to stay home Friday because I had a really bad reaction to sushi rice that made me feel horrible all day (I even checked my blood sugar and it was FINE...so yeah idk). Maybe my diabetes might not go away from getting surgery but a lot of my other health risks will. I have other health issues that are all but cleared up with weight loss. To me... going to Mexico for this is worth the risk because I may end up in an early grave otherwise. So please, do not try and tell me that these wants are one in the same.

I spent nearly 45 minutes on the phone with this aunt, who while she said she wasn't trying to lecture me it was more or less that. She didn't think I was getting enough pre-op testing because in the USA you have to go see so many doctors before having the surgery (yes...because that gives insurance a better chance to deny you over something trivial). I explained to her the entire process and that I get down there and get pre-op testing, which includes, a physical, ekg, lots of bloodwork, etc. I also explained the surgery itself to her and how they test multiple times for a leak in my sleeve. She didn't really seem to listen and just said "well your mind is already made up, but I just hope you don't regret this or that something bad happens".

There is always the chance of something wrong possibly happening. Heck I know a girl that nearly died during the surgery for lapband (in the USA might I add) and SHE is even supportive of me.

Easter sunday was suprisingly uneventful with my family (the aunt from NY wasn't there and neither was the crazy one). My other aunt wasn't feeling too well (she is a poster child for just how horrible diabetes and obesity can make your life ...) . My brother did however ask a bit more about the surgery. I think he has gone from completely unsupportive to, interested but still worried about his little sister. I explained the surgery to him. The whole staples on my stomach thing scares him. But I think he is picturing like office staples because he asked what if they fall out? I explained how there are 3 rows of them as well as they sew over the staple line too.

Dinner was good, as I realized that was the last piece of my aunts' lasagna I would have in a long time, I totally savored it, and had some honey baked ham, and one red velvet cupcake. Most of the day over there I spent outside in the pool with my niece and nephews. We brought my dog over too but she just ran around the yard and steered clear of us while we were in the pool since she is scared of it.

I am ready to get these next two weeks over with. Maybe everyone will feel better once I am back in one piece.