3 Months - a little late

This is a picture of me at my sister in law's baby shower. It was days after the official 3 month anniversary of my surgery. At this point I was somewhere between -58 and -60 pounds. This is the first picture I have seen that I can actually see a difference. As of today I am -63 and hoping the trend continues. I have had to get new clothes and wear a belt most of the time. This is a new experience for me. I don't think I have worn a belt in like 25 years. (In case you need to do the math, that makes me 12). When I got the belt it was purely for necessity, but as the days have passed I have decided I like it. I hope no one takes this as being conceited or something. This is just something I have waited a LONG time for and I haven't been successful like this before (weight wise anyway) and I am proud of myself for doing it. Hopefully I am being a good example to my family now instead of putting them in a dangerous situation.

This is a mini photo shoot that Dan did of me. He liked the sunset, but it appears that we missed the really pretty part. It was really pretty.

Three days ago I was walking through my kitchen, not very quickly because I don't do anything fast, when I slipped on something and had a very non graceful fall. While I don't remember passing out or anything, I found myself lying flat on my tile floor in horrific pain. I have a problem with my neck that is ongoing and if I lift my head to far backwards I pass out. The theory is that I flung my head back too far and must have passed out for a second. After lying there crying for a minute, Dan helped me into a chair. We were confident everything was going to be OK and then one side of my face (any guesses which one?) swelled up and my leg and arm lost all function instantly. At this point between the pain and the loss of function it was decided that I needed to be check out by a doctor, but I couldn't walk. Dan called the paramedics and they came in and strapped me to a board, taped my head down and had things holding my head still. Very much taking precaution in case I had broken my neck or something. They took me to UVRMC where I can't get in to much because it gets me very upset. Lets just say that if it hadn't been for the doctor that they finally called to get rid of me, I don't know if I would have made it out of the hospital without being taken straight to jail for tearing up the ER. They did do an xray and made sure my neck wasn't broken, but that was it until the last doc. He gave me a shot for the immense pain I was in and did a bunch of neuro tests where he determined that I was not faking it. Long story short, I was brought home and carried in the house and just like the doc said, started getting feeling back the next morning. I am still very weak and slow, but getting better. It's just very hard to be back in this pace again, trying to fight my way to "normality" whatever that is. Sometimes I just get lost.

OK, well, that is all I am going to type tonight. Maybe I'll have more later. Thanks for reading.

~Christy

Two Months and the Pioneer Trek

So, this picture was taken on June 12th. Exactly 2 months after the surgery. At that point I had lost around 40 pounds. That was 10 days ago. Now I'm at 47 to 48 pounds depending on when I stand on the scale and what scale I'm on. In this pic I was wearing pants I have not gotten in for years and the shirts as well. I'm happy for myself and for my family right now. At least in this area. I am not pleased with the lovely tire around my waist that I'm not sure if I'll ever get rid of. This experience has been an interesting one for me. I am told by people there is a very noticeable difference, but most of time it's not something I can see. Yes, I know the reality is that it is different and I can tell when I put on my clothes, but I cannot see it at all. Oh well, I guess it's all going to hit me one day.

Four of my family of 6 were gone for 4 days last week on the pioneer trek in Wyoming. They went to Martins Cove and several other places there. I think they may have really had as close to a real pioneer experience as they could have. The wind broke several tents the first night.

Dan's tent was the first casualty, then his finger as he got a huge fiberglass sliver trying to clean up after the tent. The wind is apparently very unforgiving there. There are sign to prove it. They tell of the pioneer's struggle with the wind. It is cold at night and the wind is frigid. On top of that, our ward had several people who were already injured or got injured during the trek. There is one young man that broke his ankle not long before and really wanted to try and walk some but he was told he would ride. They put him in a handcart first, then they put him in his own handcart fashioned like a wheelchair. Kyler got the opportunity to pull him, along with some help from the Stake President.

I'm told that after that first day, another young man decided it was very important to him to pull him and he held to that decision until they made him stop. We have some good youth and I believe they had a inspiring experience. I think that no matter what they say, they were all glad they went and are changed because of it. I don't have the pics I need on my computer to show you all of them in their pioneer gear, but Dan was the Trek Historian and took something like 1000 pictures. I'll get more on here sometime. Dan was asked to speak on Sunday after the trek and give a synopsis of it. It was touching to see him tear up and have some pretty strong emotion while talking about this. Jake asked me if Dan was sick and going to throw up, I told him no, he's fine, he's just trying not to cry. This really was the experience of a lifetime. There was not a dry eye in the room and the closing song, Come Come Ye Saints, no one could sing.

This is experience from my point of view was another kind. I have gained an appreciation for these people, those mothers and wives who lost their children and husbands, and especially now knowing how it feels to send them off into the unknown and not know if they were OK or not. These were strong women and men and children, and I think in our time, we now have the understanding that maybe we need to appreciate it on another level. They endured unspeakable things and hardships, and so do we in our time experience ours. My hope is that we are now able to appreciate it and meet our hardships with the same unwavering attitudes.

OK, my sermon is over, I hope all are well and thanks for reading.

Update

Just a quick update on the lives of the Hansen clan. Summer is upon us and the kids are at home. All day. Every day. I am no longer telecommuting as my job assignments are changing (for the better). Trek is coming up and we think we are finally prepared thanks to a trip to the store yesterday in which I paid more than a days salary to purchase non-cotton socks for the hike. If I get a blister, I will cry on so many levels.

I have been taking the new camera out and having fun shooting as much as possible. I shot my first paying job, a wedding, and really enjoyed it. There are many, many photographers out there with much more talent and experience than me, and I am in it more for the fun of the creation of a beautiful picture, but it would be nice to make enough money to cover expenses.

Christy is losing weight like crazy and is almost halfway to her goal.

Kyler got his driver’s license and would drive across the street to borrow milk if we would let him. He’s really handy for those quick trips to the store or taking the other kids to their errands.

Megan is babysitting and helping out around the house.

Aubree is also helping around the house and misses her friends over the summer.

Jake is anxiously awaiting the beginning of football practice.

Random Thoughts

So, I know I have something I want to write, but when I open up this program, it's gone. Hopefully my rambling won't bore you to death. I guess it's writers block or something.

Lately I have been having a really hard time not being depressed. I was doing pretty well and then one day I just woke up and was in a funk. Not sure what has caused this, but I'm blaming the weather for a major portion. The sun came out over the weekend and it was SO NICE! There just something about gray gloomy skies that brings me down.

I am down 32 pounds now. I know that this isn't something to pass off. That 32 pounds in 5 weeks is pretty good, but this has really bothered and I guess scared me quite a lot. After losing 25 pounds in one week, it seems that 7 pounds in 4 weeks isn't exactly successful. I worry that because I am such a unique person when it comes to my health, that this is how it's going to be for me. Having to work twice as hard as the norm to get the same result. I know this sounds like I'm being too hard on myself, but I really want this and it's not happening how I thought it was going to. I have even returned to going to the gym in the pool at least 2-3 times a week. I'm working on it, just having a hard time seeing the results. Dan and others keep reassuring me that they can see progress and I know they wouldn't lie to me, I just have my moments that I wonder if they are just being nice. On top of that, my neck and my leg have been giving me major problems lately. UGH!!

Dan and I continue to struggle trying to keep on top financially. We really do try, just seems as though there is always something on our heads to keeping us just underwater.

We have recently had more testing done with Kyler. He is really struggling with some classes at school. The poor guy is our oldest and we are learning as we go. We are never sure if these struggles are 16 year old boy issues or whether there are other problems. While we are very aware that some of it is 16 year old boy, we have now learned by testing that there is a much larger issue of a neurological nature than previously thought. I don't know how he gets through as well as he does. It's got to be hard. He has almost no short term memory. Where I thought he was just being ignorant, he really can't remember. Makes it hard on parents to figure out how to discipline and help him through. We keep plugging along, but it is very hard some times and most people don't understand, especially his peers. It's really hard to have to try and help people understand and many make snap judgements, even of our parenting skills with him. All we ask for is understanding and support in what we are trying to do. I have an understanding of how Kyler feels. I have had unexplainable issues and problems that people don't understand as well. I have in the past, and am now again at this point feeling somewhat on the outside of the proverbial group trying to figure out where I fit and belong. OK, enough about this, I am getting worked up now.

Then there is the situation with Megan. I am EXTREMELY disappointed with the Orem Police Department right now. They have taken a situation that was bad to begin with and not done a thing to help or protect our daughter. We realize that there is an order in which things have to be done, but we have been left to do everything ourselves and those who are supposed to be there to help us simply haven't. I am afraid this situation is going to be let go and then some one else is going to get hurt and hopefully not worse before anyone pays the correct amount of attention. This occurance with the little boy who was killed this past week has hit very close to home for me. It's all because some one didn't do their job and put that boy in a dangerous place. With that said, I'll stop talking about this now.

Dan has started a new hobby. A while back he got a new camera, mostly for doing his church calling as the Ward Historical Clerk and for the trek where he is the Trek Historian. Outside of church, he has found a way now to use the hobby he loves to maybe make a little bit of money. He is slowly building a portfolio by just doing free shoots with people who inquire. After his first one last Friday, he was hired by those people to shoot a wedding. This one will be a paid gig. Dan has been the photographer for almost all of the family/friend weddings in recent history and really does a very good job. Lets hope it is a lucrative hobby and he can make some cash doing what he loves.

Well, I guess this is a long enough novel. I have really been trying to not complain and be negative. I am just really having a hard time lately. There are more things going on that I can't post on here, but are equally as trying. I am trying to be the Christy you all used to know. Not sure where she has gone. Maybe she has simply gone away and can't come out again until things are less intense. I don't know. I would like to have her back as well. Thanks to all of you who love and support us.

Christy

One month and counting

Hike Dan, Aubree, and Jake

Battle Creek Falls hike last week

Seeing Results of a Decision

So this is the only before picture I could locate. It's not the greatest, but it will have to do.

OK, so after quite some time of battling my weight and having no success, I started looking into other options like the lap band or the sleeve and the gastric bypass. The first thing I checked was the possibility of the insurance paying for it. If the insurance wasn't going to pay, there was no way for me to do any of it. After my research, I discovered that Medicare would in fact pay for it as long as I had 2 qualifying sicknesses and had tried other things. Well, believe it or not, with all of the docs I have seen over the past 3 1/2 years, no one was tracking my regular health. I had been told that I did not have diabetes, that my blood pressure was unregular, but they figured it was from anxiety, and a list of other things. I decided in December that I was going to find a new primary doctor and have a physical. I needed one anyway, and if things worked out, then we could maybe push through some kind of help.

I went to see Dr. Darryl Stacey in mid December. He did a physical and a full work up on me. He knew of my previous history and issues that I deal with. The conclusion came back that I had pretty bad diabetes, and that my blood pressure was so unregular that I needed to be medicated for both. He then wrote a letter to the surgeon that I had asked to do surgery and told her what was happening. By the end of January, I had appointments set up for the surgeon and was well on my way for the surgery. I had originally planned to get a lap band, the least invasive of the three, but after further study and talking with the surgeon, we decided to go ahead with the Bypass. I went through the Surgical Weight Loss Center, Doctors Christina Richards and Daniel Cottam. This is one of 2 places that were available with Medicare. They did everything. They wouldn't schedule surgery until the insurance had cleared and it only cost us $500. I started the process the first of January and by mid February we had surgery scheduled for the end of March originally. The process going so smoothly and easily really gave me a peace of mind that I was doing the right thing.

The surgery didn't actually happen until April 12th because of some unforseen problems with my health, but it did go forth on the 12th. I had been on a liquid diet for 7 days before. This amazed me that I actually did it. The doctor reported to Dan that the surgery went "perfect" and then promptly put me in the ICU. I have always had an unusually high heart rate. This apparantely concerned the doc so I was put there as a precaution and spent 2 days there. I live in Orem and the hospital and doc are in East Downtown SLC. She didn't want me to have problems and be that far away. If I could just convince people that the ICU was a precaution, it would be good. Many don't understand the changes that have happend with this surgery over the past several years and have been very concerned.

As of this morning, April 19th, exactly 7 days, I am down 22 pounds and Dr. Stacy took me off of all my meds. My BP has regulated well and my Blood Sugars are pretty great. It is soooo nice to see results from working hard to do something. I have struggled with meight for years and just couldn't make it happen. This gives me renewed strength to go on now that I know I'm having success and can actually see it. Hopefully soon I will post a new pic so you can see the progress.

Thanks to all of you who have helped and supported Dan and I and the kids through this. I am well on the mend and doing well.

~Christy

Christy Surgery

I'm sure that she will tell you more later, but Christy's surgery went perfect (according to her doctor). She had to stay an extra day in the ICU because she had an elevated heart rate and so she didn't com home until yesterday. She had the surgery at Holy Cross Hospital (now known as Salt Lake Regional Medical Center) in Salt Lake. A creepy place where a homeless guy met us at the door when we arrived. Salt Lake Regional Medical Center was formerly known as Holy Cross Hospital, which was the only Catholic Hospital in Utah for over a century. The hospital was sold by the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1994 and renamed. The hospital is built on a block that was a hill and the whole set-up is just weird. The main entrance is on the second level of the parking structure. Christy would not let me take pictures of her in the hospital, but I took some pictures of my kids and have been playing with my iPhone - Pictures below.

Spring Break Update

Kyler is doing his roading for driver's ed.



Jake and Aubree have been fighting - we got them to stay still and smile in order to get a few shots:


We've been trying to keep them out of trouble



Christy is enjoying her liquid diet week and having the kids home



Megan has been babysitting and I have been taking pictures.

I'm Surprising Even Myself

Today is day number 2 of my liquid diet. It really isn't as hard as I thought it might be. So far anyway. I'm sure about Thursday or Friday it might get a little tough. Really though, as long as I chew my gum and drink my shakes like I should, I feel OK. I even prepared a meal yesterday and didn't sample anything. I surprise even myself!! This surgery is something that is going to change my life in many ways and I am really determined to get it right.

Dan and I had Chinese food for lunch last week. They put a bunch of fortune cookies in with it, so I took 2 of them. The pic to the side is what they said. I know that these aren't real and I am not really superticious, but 2 of them in a row?? I am holding on to this. Waiting for these good things :-) I know they have to be coming, it's about time!!

Last week we also found out some other things. Not so good, but manageable. We found out that Megan has an auto immune disease called Hashimotos Thyroid. This explains why she can't seem to lose any weight. They have started her on some medication so we'll see how that works. The issue now is that it's not just a thyroid problem, it's an auto immune issue. The doctor says she will likely have others that just haven't surfaced yet, or we haven't caught. Poor girl, she never had a chance.

Also, we have had Kyler in for some testing. They so far have determined that he has a processing disorder that is very closely tied to a memory problem. There is more testing scheduled. We will be waiting to find out what the results are from that. It does explain a lot. Poor guy. He just turned 16 last week. Can't be very easy on him.

Speaking of Kyler turning 16. This was a weird thing for Dan and I. It seems very unreal that we have a 16 year old child. We still don't feel old enough to be at this stage of our lives. It has been a real dose of reality for us. Middle age is upon us, whether we believe or like it or not. SCARY!!

It appears that Dan has managed to escape the layoffs once again. He really doesn't enjoy his job and would like to be happy in a job elsewhere, but this one is a good one and he is feeling a little less worried now, at least for a while.

Anyway, life continues to surprise us around here. Not really any dull moments. We are just trying to get through it. Thanks to all of you who care about us. It's nice to know we have friends.

~Christy