My Surgical Weight Loss Journey

Good Morning, it is Sunday October 2, 2011. So much is going through my head, It is a beautiful morning, the temp is 52, blu sky's, the sun is shining, I can hear the birds singing :-) I am thinking about taking a bike ride, or going for a walk or just heading to the gym, I have been pretty sedentary the past couple months :-(

Yup that's "ME" on the left, in the pink, That photo was taken on July 2,2011. Rite now I am at my heaviest last time (some time last week) I stepped on the scale & saw 188.2 OMG YUCK! :-(

On Aug. 9,2011 I attended a Weight Loss Surgery Seminar, Something I have been interested in for quite some time but my PCP kept telling me my BMI isn't high enough. Well Hello self referal! After the Seminar I scheduled and appt. to see one of the Weight Loss Surgens, Dr. Eric J. Hanly, MD

(Dr. Hanly completed medical school at The Johns Hopkins University and his general surgery residency program at The John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He also completed a fellowship in minimall invasive and bariatric surgery at Duke Universit, Durham, N.C. Dr. Hanly served five years in the U.S. Air Force and was on the surgical faculty at Duke University and at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. He serves on the faculty at the University of Colorado Health Science Center and is board certified in general surgery. He has a special interest in surgical oncology and advanced laparoscopic surgery and performes laparoscopic weight loss surgery as a member of St. Mary's Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center team. He is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Hanly joined General Surgeons of Western Colorado in Grand Junction in 2010.)

Dan joined me for the Seminar, I wanted him to hear what I was hearing, know what I was going to know, see what I was seeing & have the opportunity to ask questions. At the end os the Seminar, I might add to my surprise the clerical staff was available and ready to schedule appts. Dan asked me what I wanted to do, I told him I wanted to look further into this & asked him what he thought, he told me it was up to me. So YES I scheduled my appt. to see Dr. Hanly.

My 1st appt. with Dr. Hanly was on Aug. 31,2011. I am 60.5" (5' 1/2") WT. 184, BMI 35.4.

WOW what a process! Psychological Evaluation, Upper GI, EKG, chest X-Ray, EMMI On line computer education program, Nutrition Consult, Labs, Pulmonology Consult, Weight Loss Support Group, & Read the book by Garth Davis, The Expert's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery.

I had my Upper GI on Sept. 9,2011, hope I don't have to do another one of those! Saw Dr. Gustavson for my Psychological Eval on Sept. 22,2011, He gave me the green light! Saw Anna for my Nutrition Consult on Sept. 29,2011, WOW what an EYE OPENER that appt. was! Basically the Nutritionist is there to help with the before & after process. My insurance does require a 6 mth. medically supervised weight loss diet, so Tuesday Oct. 4,2011 I will start Weight Management Solutions, it'a a program the insurance will accept & from what I can see very educational. I will have my Pulmonology Consult on Oct. 13,2011 & attend the Weight Loss Support Group on Oct. 14, 2011. I do have a feeling as far as the Pulmonology Consult I am going to need to do a sleep study, I had on done in 2007 & I was diagnosed with Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea. So after that is complete, my Labs, EKG & Support Group are complete I will see Dr. Hanly again, & hopefully have gotten the green light from my insurance company & can schedule surgery.

For now, I need to read ALL the material I was given from Anna & start preparing myself for before and after surgery. My eating life as I know it TODAY will be forever changed, but I am willing to give it 150%!

The (My) 17 Day Diet Journey

What is all the rave, What is the 17 day diet, How does it work, who is the master mind behind the pen?
I was watching Dr. Phil & he had a guest on his show that day by the name of Dr. Mike Moreno, who is this man?
The 17 Day Diet was created by one Dr. Mike Moreno. More commonly known as simply Dr. Mike, he graduated from the University of California at Irvine and Hahnemann Medical School (now Drexel University).
Dr. Moreno looks back to an early family tragedy as the starting point of knowing what he wanted to do with his life. When he was just in the sixth grade, his brother died in a tragic motorcycle accident. This led him to the strong conviction of wanting to help people live a long and healthy life.
In 2008, Dr. Mike launched a program called “Walk with Your Doc.” Every Tuesday and Thursday morning before his workday begins, he walks with his patients. The idea began simply as an offer to walk with a patient to motivate her to exercise. It has now involved into as many as 70 patients walking with him on a weekly basis. Besides motivating his patients to exercise, this is a great opportunity for the doctor to connect with his patients in a more personal way outside of the exam room.
Other passions in Dr. Moreno’s life include music (he plays drums) and wine. He currently practices family medicine at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, California

So My Journey begins, I got on line checked out the web & Ordered My book. I could hardly wait for it to arrive! Well I did get my book, But it sat around for pretty darn near a month. I finally picked it up, Of course I wanted to go straight to the 17 day menu but I knew I had to read. On February 21, 2011 my Husband and I started Day "1" I have to say breakfast was pretty horriable, We had 2 scrambled egg whites, 1/2 a grapefruit and a cup of green tea. I was hungry within 3 hrs.! I also have to mention it was cute watching my husband learn how to make his 1st cup of tea. He is or was not a tea drinker! We are now almost ready to start Cycle 2 (There are 3)
& to my surprise and with very little exercise (not because Dr. Mike doesn't recommend it, but because I am just not getting myself to the gym) I am loosing weight! There is deffinately a science behind the foods that he groups together & really I am not starving, as a matter of fact most days I can not eat my whole daily menu!

Shawn David Miller December 30, 1974 - October 29, 2009 Shawn David Miller passed away unexpectedly on October 29, 2009. He was 34 years old. He was born to parents, Jim and Sarah Miller, in Grand Junction, CO, on December 30, 1974. Shawn grew up in the Palisade area and attended Taylor Elementary and Mount Garfield Middle Schools. He attended Palisade High School where he lettered in soccer, basketball, and baseball and graduated in 1993 as one of three Valedictorians. While attending high school, he also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1991. Shawn attended Mesa State College and started his future career there as a student athletic trainer. He later graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Human Performance and Wellness in 1998. He was a four-year letterman at Mesa State and had the highest GPA in Athletic Training in 1998. He worked in the Grand Junction area for several years after graduation. He later passed NATA certification requirements to become an athletic trainer in 2001 and was hired by Saint Mary's Hospital in July of 2001. Shawn assisted patients with their physical therapy at the Life Center and worked as the athletic trainer for Grand Junction Central and Palisade High Schools. He also worked many of the Mesa State College athletic events, the JUCO World Series and assisted with other athletic events such as the Special Olympics. Shawn loved to play recreational coed softball and men's league soccer as well as bowling, golfing, and fly-fishing with his friends. He enjoyed helping with the family orchard on the Redlands and was an excellent pruner and fruit picker. He especially liked to see the orchard after it was worked up in the spring. Shawn also enjoyed visiting the family relatives in Nebraska. He was an avid fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and especially liked attending the annual college football game between the Cornhuskers and Colorado Buffalos. Shawn's true passion was taking care of the athletes placed in his care and even made himself available during his days off to help anyone in need of medical assistance. He was very generous and would often buy equipment with money out of his own pocket for athletes that could not afford it on their own. If you were out with Shawn, people would greet and talk to him no matter where you were. He was always striving to become a better athletic trainer and spoke highly of his fellow workers at the Life Center. Shawn was a caring family man and thought the world of his nieces and nephew. He enjoyed getting together with his family, whether it be for a picnic, supper or breakfast. He knew how to make a "mean yet fluffy" Belgian waffle. Shawn touched the lives of a great multitude of people and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Shawn is survived by his parents, Jim and Sarah Miller of Palisade, CO; his sister, Melody Miller of Montrose, CO, and his brother, Frederick (Kim) Miller; two nieces, Kiawa Miller and Sierra McQuiston, and nephew, Dymilo Miller of Grand Junction, CO. Shawn is also survived by a large number of aunts, uncles and cousins throughout Colorado and Nebraska. Memorial services will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. in the Palisade High School Auditorium. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Mary's Foundation - Athletic Training Program - Shawn Miller Fund, P. O. Box 1628, Grand Junction, CO, 81502. Arrangements entrusted to Snell-McLean Funeral Home.

Uncle Jay

In Memory Of

John Edward Orris, Sr.

Born into Life September 2, 1937

Called into Eternal Life October 3, 2009

John Edward Orris Sr. died Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009, in Durango, CO. He was 72

Mr. Orris was born Sept. 2, 1937, in East Millsboro, PA, the son of Joseph C. Orris and Anna Christina Lilley. After graduation from Brownsville High School in Pennsylvania, Mr. Orris served four years in the Air Force. On Oct. 3, 1959, Mr. Orris and Carmen Guevin were married at St. Anthony's Church in Manchester, NH

Mr. Orris was employed by New England Telephone & Telegraph Telephone Co. from 1968 to 1973, when the family moved to Meeker, CO. Mr. Orris transferred to Mountain Bell and worked there until 1985, after whick he did private contracting for various companies.

The Orris'es moved to Durango in 2005 to be close to their children and grandchildren. Mr Orris enjoyed traveling and spending time with his family and was a member of St. Columba Catholic Church.

He was preceded in death by five brothers and his parents.

He is survived by his wife Carmen Orris; Son John Orris Jr; and daughter Amy Orris all of Durango; Son Joseph Orris of Cortez; Sisters Pauline Lzett, of Brownsville, and Ann Miekle, of Monongahela, PA; six grandchildren; and one great grandchild; and many nephews and nieces.

Good Bye Uncle Jay, you will be missed:

Forever In Our Hearts...

Danny & Debbie Guevin

God hath not promised

Skies always blue

Flower-strewn pathways

all our lives through;

God hath not promised

sun without rain

Joy without sorrow,

peace without pain.

But God hath promised

strength for the day,

Rest for the labor,

light for the way,

Grace for the trails,

help from above,

Unfailing sympathy,

undying love...

Happy Anniversary

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Happy "50" year Anniversary

Uncle Jay & Aunt Carmen
We love you,
Danny & Debbie Guevin

I Carry Your Heart

I carry your heart with me

I carry it in my heart.

I am never without it.

Anywhere you go, I go, My Dear.

And whatever is done by only me is your doing,

My Darling I fear no fate, for you are my fate, My Sweet.

I want no world, for Beautiful, you are my world,

My true. Here is the deepest secret no one knows,

Here is the root of the root, and the bud of the bud, and the sky of the sky whick we call life.

Whick grows higher than the soul can hope, or mind can hide, Is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart.

I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart.

In Memoriam

Gilbert Lawerence Mares

Born: Nov. 2, 1960-Died: July 9, 1990

Age 29

In Loving Memory of Gilbert Lawerence Mares, Who passed away 19 years ago July 9, 1990.

God saw he was getting tired

And a cure was not to be.

So He put His arms around Him

And whispered "Come with Me"

With tearful eyes we watched him suffer

And fade away.

Although we loved Him dearly,

We could not make Him stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

Hard working hands to rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us

He only takes the best.

Sadly missed by Your Sister Debra Ann Mares Guevin @-->--