Will I Get This Done Before School Starts Again? My Journey

[navygrrl]

I predict they will be too big soon.

Luckily for me, I have pants in all sizes.

 

[hilary1617]

How's it going now navygrrl? Hope you are feeling well and the school year is off to a good start.

 

[navygrrl]

How's it going now navygrrl? Hope you are feeling well and the school year is off to a good start.

I'm so exhausted! I was feeling great and then WHAM! All the teachers are feeling it, though, not just me, so I think we just got used to not having to stand and talk all day.

So far so good with the school year. My first block class is not very talkative, which makes it challenging. They're still so sleepy first thing in the morning. I'm happy with my classes this semester and hopefully I can get adjusted to actively doing things all day rather than laying around and reading.

I'm down 20 pounds from my surgery weight and 35 from my highest. Sometimes I feel like I'm eating something all the time in order to get my protein and fats in. I haven't had any issues with any food so far. I even snuck a few almonds in yesterday. I miss almonds and I can't wait until I can actually have them in my diet. Bacon and avocado are getting kind of old, so I've been doing keto tea (coconut oil and ghee blended with my Earl Grey) to add more fats.

Thursday is my CT scan. I don't know when results for that will be in, but I'll keep you updated.

 

[hilary1617]

Thanks for checking back in. I can't imagine a teacher not being exhausted at the top of the year, especially after major surgery. Kudos to you to getting back in there so quickly. You're a trooper! I'm glad you're happy with your classes this semester and that you are working hard to get in the necessary protein and fat. Please take good care of you!

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm so exhausted! I was feeling great and then WHAM! All the teachers are feeling it, though, not just me

so you are doing just as well as all the teachers that didn't have major surgery? good for you!

 

[navygrrl]

Just a quick update since I'm 6 weeks out today.

I still need to learn to eat more slowly. I'm much better than I was, but I could work on it more. My "full" sign is a giant hiccup, and woe to me if I don't stop!

NSV - I was able to climb up and down the 3 stories several times yesterday when I took all my classes to the Media Center. Normally, I take the elevator and I can't do that when I'm walking the kids. I didn't feel like dying afterwards. I'm also wearing pants and shirts I haven't been able to wear for awhile. All of my maxi dresses have to go to the donation bin, because now they are too long and I keep tripping on the hems. No, I don't sew. I'm too haphazard with measurements to do that well.

CT scan results show that there is no evidence of disease! The surgeon fortuitously got it all without even knowing it was there. I only have to do annual visits. Since the tumor was completely removed and there's no evidence of disease, I don't have to do chemo. So yay!

 

[hilary1617]

Just a quick update since I'm 6 weeks out today.

I still need to learn to eat more slowly. I'm much better than I was, but I could work on it more. My "full" sign is a giant hiccup, and woe to me if I don't stop!

NSV - I was able to climb up and down the 3 stories several times yesterday when I took all my classes to the Media Center. Normally, I take the elevator and I can't do that when I'm walking the kids. I didn't feel like dying afterwards. I'm also wearing pants and shirts I haven't been able to wear for awhile. All of my maxi dresses have to go to the donation bin, because now they are too long and I keep tripping on the hems. No, I don't sew. I'm too haphazard with measurements to do that well.

CT scan results show that there is no evidence of disease! The surgeon fortuitously got it all without even knowing it was there. I only have to do annual visits. Since the tumor was completely removed and there's no evidence of disease, I don't have to do chemo. So yay!

Wonderful news all around!!!! NED is amazing and NSV's are such positive affirmation.

To this day, years down the road, the earliest sign of nearing fullness remains is a runny nose - maybe see if your sniff changes as a harbinger of an approaching giant hiccup.

All the best!

 

[Larra]

Happy dance for the great report on that tumor!

 

[southernlady]

CT scan results show that there is no evidence of disease! The surgeon fortuitously got it all without even knowing it was there. I only have to do annual visits. Since the tumor was completely removed and there's no evidence of disease, I don't have to do chemo. So yay!

Fantastic news!
The NSVs are great but that news on the tumor is the best of all.

 

[JackieOnLine]

CT scan results show that there is no evidence of disease! The surgeon fortuitously got it all without even knowing it was there. I only have to do annual visits. Since the tumor was completely removed and there's no evidence of disease, I don't have to do chemo.

wooHOO!!!!

so glad for you!

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

Truly wonderful news! Now you can really enjoy this fun ride you’re on.

 

[navygrrl]

I had my 2 month post-op visit with my surgeon on Tuesday. It was a long drive for such a short visit, but it's worth it in the end. He was very happy with my weight loss, as he said he only expected 10-12 pounds per month (I'm a lightweight) and I exceeded that. He wants me to meet with the nutritionist because my Vitamin A, E, and K levels are low. I was following the initial VL list from Facebook, but I didn't pay close enough attention when I ordered my Vitamin K because I was taking the wrong dosage. Now that I have the correct one, I'm confident that will fix itself. I upped my Vitamin A dosage from one to four times a day, and I added Vitamin E because I was not taking that initially. I have an appointment with the nutritionist next week and I'll listen to what she says, with a grain of salt, of course. Next appointment is in February, so I hope to see positive changes in my bloodwork.

The surgeon was also not thrilled that I don't exercise more. I admit I could do more, but I'm so tired by the time I get home from work that I just don't want to people anymore. I always forget each year how young the freshmen really are, and they talk SO MUCH!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I had my 2 month post-op visit with my surgeon on Tuesday. It was a long drive for such a short visit, but it's worth it in the end. He was very happy with my weight loss, as he said he only expected 10-12 pounds per month (I'm a lightweight) and I exceeded that. He wants me to meet with the nutritionist because my Vitamin A, E, and K levels are low. I was following the initial VL list from Facebook, but I didn't pay close enough attention when I ordered my Vitamin K because I was taking the wrong dosage. Now that I have the correct one, I'm confident that will fix itself. I upped my Vitamin A dosage from one to four times a day, and I added Vitamin E because I was not taking that initially. I have an appointment with the nutritionist next week and I'll listen to what she says, with a grain of salt, of course. Next appointment is in February, so I hope to see positive changes in my bloodwork.

The surgeon was also not thrilled that I don't exercise more. I admit I could do more, but I'm so tired by the time I get home from work that I just don't want to people anymore. I always forget each year how young the freshmen really are, and they talk SO MUCH!

True, but freshmen don’t LEAK like elementary school kids. THEY leak everywhere!

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

Thank you for posting your story, I loved reading through it!! Funny thing, I almost had surgery with the same surgeon. I saw Dr. Ng first but his nurse took my blood pressure wrong and wouldn't correct it, told me I was nervous, then did my weight wrong and told me my BMI was 69%! Then I saw Dr. Ng and he announced I should get the DS, then stood up to walk out of the room! He was more concerned with being in and out in 5 minutes than with answering my questions. LOL It could have just been the day, I know he's an amazing surgeon but I needed someone keen on answering my questions...and I had a lot of questions. So I went with someone else. But I'm glad you had a good experience with him!! And I'm super glad he found that cancer and excised it, that is so lucky, those type of cancers are so sneaky and hard to find. You are very blessed!!

 

[navygrrl]

Thank you for posting your story, I loved reading through it!! Funny thing, I almost had surgery with the same surgeon. I saw Dr. Ng first but his nurse took my blood pressure wrong and wouldn't correct it, told me I was nervous, then did my weight wrong and told me my BMI was 69%! Then I saw Dr. Ng and he announced I should get the DS, then stood up to walk out of the room! He was more concerned with being in and out in 5 minutes than with answering my questions. LOL It could have just been the day, I know he's an amazing surgeon but I needed someone keen on answering my questions...and I had a lot of questions. So I went with someone else. But I'm glad you had a good experience with him!! And I'm super glad he found that cancer and excised it, that is so lucky, those type of cancers are so sneaky and hard to find. You are very blessed!!

Thanks to this site, I didn't have a lot of questions for Dr. Ng. He is definitely not the type with good bedside manner, but he's a good cutter, which is what I wanted. I think the other surgeons at Rex are more open to questions, but I'm glad you found someone who you liked and who was able to answer your questions.