Sarah's Little Space

So, I woke up and told Jeff about some nightmares I had last night before my surgery.  But when I told them to him, he started laughing.  Apparently they were funny dreams instead.

In the first dream, Jeff and I had to stay in a hotel before the surgery, and the morning of the surgery the doctors told me to come down to their room to look over the X-Rays.  When I got back up to my room to pick up Jeff, he hadn't even packed yet, so we didn't make it to the surgery.

In the second dream, they cut me open and it was like a magic act.  They pulled out a whole bunch of scarves, a rabbit, and a bicycle.  The doctors couldn't perform the surgery because they were so flabbergasted over the bicycle.

The third dream had something to do with midgets and being thirsty. 

I'm in good humor, and the next time I talk to you all I will be a new woman. 

Take care and Gods bless.

Alright, so it's firmly set in stone: Surgery date is March 12!  Woot!  More to come later including:

-Pre-op infoz
-After surgery diet infoz
-Psych infoz
-"Before" picture (behind a cut of course)


Cool stuff! I am so excited!

Just got the message from the Aetna people: my surgery has been approved.  I must complete the surgery by March 31.  Now just to get the doc's office to schedule the surgery.  Woo!  This news came just before we head out of town for our anniversary.  Talk about wonderful days!

As usual, this surgery stuff is optional reading.  It is mostly good news though...

( Sleep Study and Surgery Info )


So this isn't a yes or a no, but it is a step in the right direction.  I'll have more news later!

( Read more... )

Oh, and Bandwidth Advisors called, they decided that, as much as they want to hire me, business is a lot slower than expected because of the economic downturn so they aren't hiring anyone at all right now. THANKS FOR WASTING TWO MONTHS OF MY TIME ASSHOLES! But, what I really said was "Oh, well I am sorry that your business is doing so poorly that you cannot afford to hire more people at this time. Good luck with that."

I just want to eat dinner and kill some dwarves in Warhammer tonight...

For future reference...if you see a listing for a show about a surgery you are going to have in a few months, and find out the patient dies: don't watch it!

( Surgery info behind cut. As always, it's optional. )

I had my appointment with my new surgeon yesterday to talk about my procedure. It looks like I'm all set to go in February, and I like and trust this doctor a lot more. A few pieces of information I was told, where Valley Med lied:

1. I can have kids after two years, but it is considered a high risk pregnancy (which means similar complications like if I was a 35 year old woman trying to have a baby). While Jeff and I are both still keen on adopting, it's good to have options.

2. Any skin removal surgery after two years will most likely be covered by my insurance because sagging skin can cause infection, making it a medical reason for skin removal.

3. They offer laparoscopic bypass (the procedure I am having), so I won't be being cut down the middle, it will be five or six smaller incisions which should heal well and not leave huge scars. Awesome.

4. Under the band procedure, I could only hope to lose 30-40% of my excess weight, which Valley Med told me was 50-60%. Virginia Mason (where I am having the surgery now) told me the low percentages, and we decided on the bypass, in which I will lose anywhere between 60-80% of my excess weight. I weigh 305 now. My ideal weight is 128. So my excess weight is 177 lbs. Losing 60-80% of that is way better odds, at least I think so.

Jeff and I discussed last night that it might be good for me to keep a blog for the duration of my surgery and the weight loss cataloging. It might be a good idea in case it can somehow show someone else what is to be expected. So, other than this post about the surgery, I will put everything behind a cut, including pictures of my progress. If you don't want to read about it, that's fine with me, I won't hold it against you.

Up Next:
- sleep study to see if I have sleep apnea. The doc doesn't think I do but wants to make sure before surgery since the surgery is 3 hours long.
-getting info from all my different doctors sent to Aetna so they can OK my surgery. As soon as they OK it, I can have it.
-possibly switching to a protein shake diet in the next month. I have a ton of great recipes for shakes though, if you are interested, let me know. Jeff really likes the Banana Bread shake that tastes like the real thing. We both like the Orange Julius shake and the strawberry and chocolate shake.
-pictures and write up of the pre-op when we get that far.

So, I haven't posted in a while, mostly because I talk to a few of you online. But, as the economy grows worse, and I have a lacking friends network out here, I'm feeling verbose. When we moved to Seattle, it was supposed to be easy for me to find a job. I had had several hits back home in Maryland, my resume is great, I can market myself well...then the economy started going to hell in a hand basket. I've applied to countless different positions, and been turned down by 19 so far. I go to interview upon interview to only come in second place. And, after talking to the few friends I have made here, this seems to be the norm from around here. So, after a little digging, I noticed that a lot of friends who graduated with me are in the same boat. It's terrifying. I have to start paying my student loans next month. The plan was to be good and settled in a job by now so that wouldn't worry me. Now, don't get me wrong, our financial situation is better than most in this economy...but that's all Jeff's doing. I feel useless sitting around the house, cleaning, and not working. I can't stand it.

In other news, the new surgeon for my surgery has postponed my appointment with him (an appointment that I made 3 months ago) because he is "unavailable that day". the next time they can squeeze me in is November 11th. Now, along with finding work, I have been busting balls trying to get everything straight for this surgery. I'm doing my weigh-ins with my dietitian, seeing my normal doctor, exercising, gathering all the files and records I need for Aetna to cover my surgery...and they postpone my meeting. I feel like I keep hitting a brick wall with this, meanwhile I'm not losing weight while I'm trying, and my health is getting worse (I'm sure it's from a combination of stress from the surgery situation, the job thing, and the economy)but still. Give me a break.

There is some good news too, though. I made a friend with one of my neighbors. I took him to an Alicia Keys concert (she was awesome!) when Jeff was too sick to go. (My brother-in-law is her tour manager, so I got free tickets.) We went out dancing and drinking afterward at this amazing gay club called The Cuff. It was a blast. The next weekend, we went to The Cuff again with Jeff (since he was feeling better) and we had a blast again.

I think I'm just going out of my mind with feeling useless. At least while I was in school, I couldn't contribute that much to our finances, but now that I've graduated, I feel like a waste of space. Jeff does a wonderful job of reassuring me, and I am lucky to have him.

I just can't shake this feeling of impending doom.

On a completely different note: only 10 weeks till we come home to visit!

So, on Friday, I was supposed to have my Laparoscopic Band Surgery, which I have been waiting all year for. It got postponed because my insurance will now pay for the operation. (Originally, I was paying for it out of pocket, $13,000 just for the surgery alone.) As soon as they found out I was no longer a "cash patient", they stopped returning my calls, resulting in me calling twice a day for two weeks before I got to talk to anyone.
( Here's the Deal )

Reason #342: IMDb week.  Jeff's boss has been here for a week of meetings.  But at night, he takes everyone out to dinner and a movie.  Free GOOD food and movies always win.

Reason #1:  I got a job!  In the fall, I will be a preschool teacher for an accelerated preschool class in the city.  I am so excited! 

Reason #134:  When walking down the street with my lovely husband, a guy in his mid-20's strikes up a conversation. 
       Random Guy: Hey man, I like your shirt.
       Jeff: Thanks.
We keep walking, and eventually he catches up with us.  At the same time, another guy walks by, going back up the hill dressed as Link from Legend of Zelda. 
      Same Random Guy: Did you see that guy? He was dressed like the character from Legend of Zelda.
      Us: Yup.
      Same Random Guy:  Wasn't that cool?  He has the hat and all.
      Jeff: Yeah, he had the jacket too.
      Me: And the belt with the Triforce on it.
      Same Random Guy: Awesome.  It would have been cooler if he had the sword and the flute.
      Jeff: Yeah, the Ocarina of Time.
      Me: Maybe they were in his backpack.
     Same Random Guy:  Well, have a great day.  Oh and I think you are beautiful.  (The latter comment was directed at me.)

I have had a dopey grin on my face all day because of that awesome Random Guy.

Reason #367:  When on the bus.
   Random Passenger: (getting on bus) Does this bus go straight up Pine?
   Bus Driver:  This bus goes forward up Pine.  I stopped going straight a long time ago.

Reason # 176: When walking down Broadway to dinner.  Man and his friends walking towards us.  I am wearing my "Be Good to Your Mama" shirt.  It's green with a picture of the earth in the shape of a heart.  Get it, Mother Earth? Anyway...

Random Guy:  Be good to yo' mama fo' sho'.

Reason #44:  When waiting at the bus stop downtown.  Bus comes, Jeff charges onto the bus, and I get caught in the crowd. 
A rather scuzzy looking man standing next to the bus.  He appeared to be either homeless or very poor. 

Scuzzy Man:  Now, THAT is my kind of woman!  (He says as he points to me.)  People laugh, and I do too. 

Side Note:  I had gone to Nordstrom's to go shopping and buy new makeup since mine dried out.  So I was all glammed up.

Seattle, oh how I love you!

So, I'm figuring, we have this new apartment, new friends, Jeff has a new job.  I should be happy and living the high life, right? Happy and all that jazz. 

So why am I so down in the dumps?  I mean, apart from being sick for the first time in almost a year.  I'm short with Jeff, don't have the will to unpack the rest of our stuff.  I don't really want to go out and do anything, even though we live in this great city, which I love. 

I'm confused.

Off to the SAAM, then maybe Pike Place. Hopefully I'll have pictures to post from the day's events and from yesterday's adventure of putting together the filing cabinet. 

Last night we went to a greaaaat Thai place called Thai Ginger.  It was yummy.  Then we shopped around in the mall there (really hoity-toity with Tiffany's and Coach and all that jazz).  Bought thank-you notes and a bug shaped muffin tin.  then we went to go see Indiana Jones (which was great). 

Right now, Jeff is rubbing my shoulders and asking if I am going to post this on LJ.  It's been interesting trying to post where everyone can see it.

To all:

Over the few years that we have been in Catonsville, we have borrowed stuff (games, scissors, hats, etc) from people.  As we find them we are making a list.  So here's what we have so far and we either need to meet up for dinner or something and give it back to ya, or you can come over and get it, or we can come over and get it, or if you don't want it back we can donate it to charity or sell it or whatever. So, without further ado, here is the list, small as it is:

demigoth: two Play Station 2 games: Enter the Matrix, and The Matrix: Path of Neo (I think zdraco originally borrowed them, but they ended up here)

hmaon: two Play Station 2 games: Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and Grand theft Auto Vice City.

zdraco: Board Game: Brewopoly.

if we still have it by late May (when we move) we will be donating it/selling it.  Also, if you know we have something of yours, let us know so we can set it aside as we pack up our house.

Thanks,

dizzyb4

Make sure you sign up for/participate in Earth Hour this evening from 8-9PM. 

What it is:  Around the world, from 8-9PM, cities, families, corporations, and schools are turning off all their lights for one hour.  Sydney Australia was completely black this morning on a global earth scan. 

What you do:So, from 8-9 in your own time zone, make sure you turn off ALL your lights, get out your candles, and spend some quality time with either you or your spouse, boy/girlfriend, friends, whoever!

What you save:  Last year, Sydney managed to save the equivalent of 48,000 cars worth of car emissions by turning off the lights in the city for one hour.  This year, numerous cities (like San Francisco - can you imagine the Golden Gate Bridge going dark?) around the country have pledged to turn off their lights.  Numerous groups (like the Blue Man Group and the Chicago Cubs for example) have pledged to turn off their lights.  Numerous corporations have pledged to turn off their lights (like McDonald's and Coca-Cola).  New York state, including the city has pledged to turn off their lights from 8-9PM tonight. 

I have pledged one hour to demonstrate that this planet is worth saving...will you?

Sign up here: Show the World You Care

Oh, and for you geeks: Even Google is on board today

I have a very small friends list, so please help me get the word out!

I guess that's pretty accurate.

Complete Crap

Congress better overturn this. I am so angry and ashamed to be an American.  How can he veto this bill when in the same week he honored this man for going through a similar ordeal? President Bush is the scum of the Earth.

*BWAAA HAA HAA* So, here's my dad's reply to last night's e-mail...I almost snarfed my breakfast over this one.