Wow! It has been a minute since I posted - my sincerest apologies! Life has been busy these past three to four weeks. So much has happened and is now lined up - so let's dig in!
First of all, I attended AAPC HealthCon 2025 in Orlando, Florida last week. It was so neat! My Chapter Board President attended with me and we networked and learned so much from other Chapter Officers. It was really neat to hear other Officers talk about what has worked for them and what things they are struggling with. The Chapter Officers Breakfast was an amazing networking opportunity! We also found out we were first runner up for Chapter of the Year for 2024! My Chapter President and I have totally forgotten we had applied for Chapter of the Year - so this was a wonderful surprise! We are very proud of the Chapter of the Year 2024 Winner which was Puerto Rico!
Of course while we were at Disney, we met Mickey Mouse and of course we had evening passes to Magic Kingdom! We had a blast and came home exhausted but in a really good way. The networking alone made the trip completely worth it!
So last week was truly a whirlwind adventure. And I ended up coming down with an upper respiratory virus the morning we flew down - and it came home with me too. So I unfortunately missed a few sessions so I could go lay down to try and recoup my energy. The conference was at the Coronado Springs Resort in Disney World and was absolutely beautiful! It however was A LOT of walking! And this Michigan girl was not acclimated to the 90 degree heat!
I also have had some major movement in regards to my bariatric gastric bypass surgery. I was contacted by my surgeon's office this morning and surgery is scheduled for the first week of June! I was so excited followed immediately by being so terrified! After I let things sink in for a few hours, I landed at I am caustiously excited and am going to go into this with a positive attitude and positive mindset. I think there is much to be said about your thoughts and keeping those positive and sending out good juju. So mid-March I'll have my big pre-surgery appointment that is a small group and several hours long. Then I'll be on a very strict diet for two weeks prior to my surgery date. My surgeon's office requires we purchase all of our food and drinks from their store for consumption the two weeks prior to surgery. I believe it is used as a control measure and to make sure you are shrinking your liver as much as possible before surgery. I think about that and go oh that's no problem! But then I think about how long two weeks is and how I am going to have to mentally prepare myself for some emotional reactions. I'm a food addict, so I am fully expecting an emotional break down or two over the fact "I can't eat something". But I will take it as it comes and handle it day by day.
My surgeon's office advised I would be off work for 2 weeks. Initially they had told me I'd only have to take one week - but during my pre-op appointment the physician was adamant about taking two weeks. Just to get into good routines and habits and making sure I'm getting all of my liquids and protein in daily. I think that will be enough to try and worry about in a day while recovering from major surgery. Luckily, I don't consider my job high stress - so recooperating shouldn't be an issue.
So overall, I am feeling a little more confident. I feel like the last two to three weeks I have felt very unsure if I really wanted to do the surgery. But, I have also had a lot going on with traveling and work and then compound it with whatever this illness is - it just hangs around and hangs around. I feel like I was in a bit of a brain fog stupor. And thinking back, I ate sugar when I was in Orlando.....so now I am wondering if my body had to detox some of the not great food choices I had made while away from home (but Dole Whip!!)
I feel that doubts are common with this type of life change. I actually started un subscribing from bariatric groups on Facebook because so many people just complained about how they regretted it and how they are having so many complications. I understand that is a possibility, but, that isn't the rule. Most people do just fine as long as they follow their surgeon's protocol. And THAT is something I know I am 100% committed to.
But I won't lie, I have moments where that doubt creeps in and I freak myself out about such a drastic life change. But that is only because I don't know how that change will occur or how it could positively impact my life. We are so quick to think of all the negative things that could happen post bypass - we forget we also can think of all the positive things that could happen. And one of those is the fact I don't remember how I felt at a healthy weight. I imagine I felt incredible and on top of the world. So, it is my expectation once I get through my post operative recovery that things are going to go well and I will make this happen for myself.
My three goals before I turn 50 are -
1. Go skydiving
2. Go scuba diving
3. And get my ass back on a ski slope!
And you know what?
I think I am crazy enough that I'll get all three completed. Whose on board with me?
Wishing you peace, wishing you hope, wishing you balance and wishing you rest.
Emilee
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