Hello, I’m Lorie Blythe and I am a Clinical Nurse Specialist for Clarian Bariatrics. I graduated from Marian College in Indianapolis in 1997 with Bachelor of Science
Degree in Nursing, and graduated from Indiana University in 2004 with Master of Science Degree in Adult Health Nursing. At IU, I specialized in Bariatrics and Bariatric Surgery. In 2007, I had the opportunity to take the first certification exam for bariatric nurses and was granted my certification as a Certified Bariatric Nurse at that time. I am a member of several organizations including the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and the American Association of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. I have the awesome privilege to work at Clarian North Medical Center where I do a lot of education regarding bariatric surgery to both the patients and the healthcare providers. Working with the bariatric surgery patient is challenging but extremely rewarding and I love my job. In my free time I enjoy photography, scrapbooking and doing activities with my two children.
Hi everyone, it’s Lorie. You know we all have good and bad days and wonder if it is all worth it. I know myself I have had a rough couple of weeks, and today I read this inspirational story that was sent to me in an e-mail by Mike Kramer. It was perfect for me and I thought I would share it with all of you. I hope you get something out of like I did. Enjoy.
The world can be a beautiful place, full of possibilities and life. You can feel invincible and in control. But it’s not always like that, is it? The world can also be a stressful, upsetting, confidence-crushing place. At times, it seems like even something as clear-cut as weight loss is harder than it really needs to be. Is it worth the trouble, you ask. Why am I banging my head against the wall? Is it really doing any good?
You’re darned right it is!
When life and your mind are full of troubles, when things seem out of control, you’ve got to take control of what you can. When confidence is low, that’s exactly when you need to be at your healthiest, your strongest, your most energetic. There’s no better time to create your own little corner of sanity and positive feeling. The best way you can do that is to stick with those small daily weight loss goals.
You can be the hammer, making things happen, or you can be the nail that sits there and gets pummeled over and over. If you’re starting to feel like a nail, it’s up to you to keep your program moving forward. Gather yourself together, draw a line in the sand and refuse to give in to the doubts and temptation to give in or quit.
You’ve probably heard this story before, but since you’re here, it’s worth retelling: A frog, hopping around the farm, minding his own business, fell right into a pail half-filled with cream. Swimming frantically, he found the sides too steep and too high. Determined not to give up, he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed, kicked and squirmed until at last his churning had turned the cream into a block of butter – allowing him to hop right out. He never gave up!
Here’s how your story and his intersect. If he only saw the hopelessness of his situation and started feeling sorry for himself, he would have sunk to the bottom. But instead he kept kicking. He kicked not because he knew it would help him escape, but because he was compelled to, he had no choice. He kicked because the alternative was no alternative at all.
From the frog’s point of view, all he was doing was treading water (or cream), doing what he could in a bad situation. If you keep kicking, even if it just seems like you’re treading water, you’re actually causing real change that will make a huge difference later on. There will be good days; there will be bad days – sometimes several in a row. There will be lazy days and discouraging days. But there will also be days of revelation, days of making a breakthrough, days of being proud of whom you are becoming, days of wanting to climb on top of your success and reach for the stars, because you just know that anything is possible.
These are the days that make it all worthwhile. These are the days that let you deal with those other, not-so-great days. Once you know those bad days will be there, it’s easier to accept them at face value and deal with them. But you have to keep kicking on those bad days to get to the good ones. If you’re not kicking, you’re sinking.
Don’t let the world or your own doubts take away one of the most positive things you have going for yourself – your determination to create a healthier, more energetic, more vibrant, more wonderful YOU.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all you have to do in a day, not only for others but for yourself? Often we do for others before we take care of ourselves. Here are some tips that might help you manage your time more wisely so that you can do things for yourself like go to the gym, plan a meal, pack your lunch with healthy foods, etc.
- Realize that time management is really a myth….. there are always only 24 hours in a day. Time doesn’t change. We can only manage ourselves and what we do with the time that we have.
- Find out where you are wasting time….are you spending too much time reading email, making personal phone calls, surfing the internet, etc. Track you daily activities to find out where your time is wasted.
- Create time management goals…..remember this is changing your behavior not the time. Set goals which are specific, measurable, realistic and achievable.
- Prioritize
- Use a “to do list”
- Be flexible….allow time for interruptions and distractions.
- Avoid being a perfectionist
- Establish routines and stick to them as much as possible….for example; every morning at 5 a.m. walk on the treadmill.
- Learn to say “no”
- Don’t waste time waiting…..at the dentist in the waiting room do things like balance your checkbook, make a grocery list, write your agenda for the next big meeting, check email on Blackberry, make a phone call, etc.
- Reward yourself! Celebrate the achievement of your goals.
Last Friday (May 15) was our annual patient appreciation event at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. What a great day! We not only had great weather but we got to share it with our bariatric family.
For me it was especially great because I don’t always see patients after surgery in the clinic because I’m usually at Clarian North. The only time I see patients after surgery is when so
meone wants to visit (which I love!), or when the patient has a problem and is readmitted to the hospital.
So many of you I have not seen since surgery. It was fabulous to see all of you. Forgive me if I could not put a name with your face as many of you have changed so much.....good thing you had name badges on!
I enjoyed the day so much and I hope you all did the same. I look forward to our next patient event! I have attached a few pictures that I took at the track. Enjoy!
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all you have to do in a day, not only for others but for yourself? Often we do for others before we take care of ourselves. Here are some tips that might help you manage your time more wisely so that you can do things for yourself like go to the gym, plan a meal, pack your lunch with healthy foods, etc.
- Realize that time management is really a myth….. there are always only 24 hours in a day. Time doesn’t change. We can only manage ourselves and what we do with the time that we have.
- Find out where you are wasting time….are you spending too much time reading email, making personal phone calls, surfing the Internet, etc. Track you daily activities to find out where your time is wasted.
- Create time management goals…..remember this is changing your behavior not the time. Set goals which are specific, measurable, realistic and achievable.
- Prioritize
- Use a “to do list”
- Be flexible….allow time for interruptions and distractions.
- Avoid being a perfectionist
- Establish routines and stick to them as much as possible….for example; every morning at 5 a.m. walk on the treadmill.
- Learn to say “no”
- Don’t waste time waiting…..at the dentist in the waiting room do things like balance your checkbook, make a grocery list, write your agenda for the next big meeting, check email on Blackberry, make a phone call, etc.
- Reward yourself….celebrate the achievement of your goals.
Feeling like there is not enough time for exercise is probably the biggest reason why people choose not to exercise. There simply are not enough hours in the day for everything I need to do. I can say that I am a very busy person.
I am married, have two children, work a full time job, my commute to work is one hour each way, I cook at home every night so my family can eat healthy meals, my daughter is in dance and gymnastics, my son plays baseball, basketball, football, and soccer, but I still find time to exercise.
I wake up early, usually about 4:30 a.m., and go to bed around 10 p.m. I am able to fit in cardio twice daily every day (morning and night) and lifting weights three times/week. You just have to make the decision that this is something that you want to do for you! Make it happen!
Time management is the key. When I first started I had to write down a timeline on paper to see that I could actually make everything fit. Then I stuck to it. You can do it too! Good Luck!
I’m too busy to exercise! That is what everyone says. I used to say it, too. I learned that you are always too busy for everything but when you are faced with a situation you just make it happen.
Just like going to college while you are working a full time job, you just find a way to get your homework done and study. Another example, when you don’t have children you think that you don’t have time for them, then you are blessed with a child and you just make it happen.
The same goes for exercise. You have to be dedicated and just make it happen!
Exercise did not used to be a part of my vocabulary. I used to be one of “those people” who could eat whatever I wanted and never gain a pound and I never exercised.
Everyone wants to be that way. Well, it was nice while it lasted, but it caught up with me. I found myself weighing about 25 pounds more than I wanted and I saw more weight coming along.
In April 2007, I decided to join a gym and get a personal trainer. I used to think that only the rich and famous could afford a personal trainer, but that is not the case at all. I have one now and it is the best money I have ever spent on myself. I encourage everyone to try it out sometime.
I was so excited about two weeks ago. When I was at the gym, walking and sweating on the treadmill, my personal trainer came up to me with another man who sort of looked familiar to me, but I couldn’t quite place where I had seen him.
My trainer said, “Do you know who this is?” My comment was, “gosh, you look really familiar but I’m not sure I remember.” My trainer then said, “He is one of your former patients.” That is when I said, “You will have to tell me your name.” And when he said his name I automatically said, “Oh my gosh, you had surgery about two years ago right, with Dr. X.”
I have to say that it was great to see him. He had lost 210 pounds since his weight loss surgery and wanted to get back in the gym to tone and build muscle. He is now seeing my personal trainer on a regular basis and I see him in the gym sweating with me. That is what bariatric surgery is all about. He is getting his life back and he probably never thought he would ever see himself in a gym. I was so proud of him and equally as proud of the fact that I was a part of making it happen for him.
Over the past few weeks I've discussed some common questions patients have after weight loss surgery, and I'd like to add a few more to the list:
Can I walk up stairs after bariatric surgery? Absolutely, yes. If you are able to walk up stairs before surgery you can walk up them after surgery. Not a problem.
Can my family be with me in the hospital before surgery? When you are waiting for surgery you are allowed to have 2-3 people in the pre-op area with you. They can stay with you until they take you back to the operating room. Yes, kids are allowed too.
Do you have another question about bariatric weight loss, health problems with obesity or what to expect after Indianapolis bariatric surgery? Then leave me a comment below!
Walk, Walk, Walk.....You can't get too much of this activity. Walking is important after bariatric surgery not only for exercise but to decrease the risk of further complications.
Patients who do not walk after surgery are at greater risk for blood clots, pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. Frequency is key immediately after weight loss surgery for the first week. I'm not as concerned about the distance as much as I am the frequency.
Do you have an additional question about what to expect after bariatric surgery? Then leave me a comment below. I'd be more than happy to answer any of your questions!
After weight loss surgery you lose weight even in your feet. Yep, that's right, your shoe size might get smaller. As you continue to lose weight from your bariatric weight loss surgery, you might to ask your sweetie for a new pair of shoes instead of forbidden items like chocolate and other sweets.
Do you have an additional question about what to expect after gastric bypass surgery or health problems with obesity? Then leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.
During surgery gas pain can be very uncomfortable. The reason for gas pain is due to the isufflation of gas during the laparoscopic procedures. The gas stays in your body for a few days then eventually is re-absorbed by the body or released. Gas-X can be your best friend during these times. It is a good idea to have it on hand and ready at any given time.
Do you have an additional question about causes of obesity, or what to expect after weight loss surgery? Then leave a comment below and I would be happy to help!
I hear people talk about this often, but I have yet to find a plastic surgeon who will do plastic surgery in return for their patients skin to be donated to a burn unit. So, I don't think this is a true statement.
Do you have a question about what to expect after weight loss surgery? Then leave me a comment below and I'd be happy to answer it for you!
Will insurance pay for plastic surgery after a bariatric weight loss surgery procedure? I often get asked this question after a patient has weight loss surgery.
Most insurance companies consider plastic surgery cosmetic therefore it is not covered. However, I do know that some patients are getting insurance to pay for a portion of it due to skin infections documented in a medical record.
If you have additional questions about costs associated with bariatric surgery or other questions related to life after a weight loss procedure, please leave me a comment below.
This is a common question I receive from patients. There is no definite answer to this question. Everybody's skin is so different and not everyone weighs the same prior to bariatric surgery. Additionally, some lose weight faster than others.
There are many variables to take into consideration. I have heard that if you hydrate your body well, the skin will be more elastic and may "shrink" better. I don't have the evidence to prove that, but it is worth a shot since hydration is important anyway.
I have seen some pretty tight abs of post op patients in my years of experience and they did not have plastic surgery. Those patients claim that belly dancing and pilates prevented plastic surgery....again, it is worth a shot.
Do you have an additional question about causes of obesity or life after weight loss surgery? Then leave a comment for me below!
There are many causes of obesity and over the next few weeks we are going to explore some of the most common. Today, I'm going to discuss the physical causes.
The more a person weighs, the less they move. And the less they move, the more they weigh. Being very overweight makes it difficult to exercise. It hurts! You get short of breath and are easily fatigued. Occasional exercise usually shows little positive results on the scale, so people become discouraged. It is not much fun to be overweight and go to the gym, where people stare and are unkind.
Our advanced society has provided us with many wonderful labor-saving devices that our ancestors only wish they had. Automobiles, garage door openers, TV remotes, washing machines, etc. We have created an environment that forces us to have to schedule physical activity rather than have it as part of our normal lives. This lack of exercise promotes obesity.
Have an additional question about causes of obesity and weight loss surgery? Then leave a comment below and I will gladly respond!
Problems caused by obesity can include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, and depression. Indiana weight loss doctors say that anyone 100 pounds or more overweight is morbidly obese.
For many in Indianapolis Gastric Bypass surgery might be a solution. The best weight loss programs are not fad diets but are programs that are professionally or medically supervised. In addition to Indianapolis Weight Loss Surgery, a program should help you establish healthy behaviors that change the lifestyle and helps you focus a lifetime of weight loss.
Talk to your family doctor if weight loss surgery is a good option for you or come hear one of our Indiana Weight Loss Doctors speak about morbid obesity surgery during one of
Clarian Bariatrics monthly information seminars. Check the upper right hand corner of this blog for more information.
Often times when someone is preparing for morbid obesity surgery, they have a lot of questions related to risks and possible complications once the surgery is complete. Some weight loss blogs touch on these subjects, but it is crucial for people to be aware of everything that could possible happen and how they will be treated while under care at a bariatric surgery center.
One common question and concern for clinicians is the risk of a blood clot. Did you know that most everybody is at risk for getting a deep-vein thrombosis (otherwise known as DVT or simply a blood clot)? You have an increased risk for getting a blood clot if you are pregnant, obese, a smoker, traveling or just had surgery. A blood clot is concerning because if a blood clot travels to the lungs this can cause a pulmonary embolism, which can be a lethal event.
In everyday life the way to prevent blood clots is to walk frequently throughout the day. In the hospital we encourage our patients to do the same thing; walk frequently (every two hours). However we take this a couple of steps further by applying sequential compression devices to our patients legs while they are in bed so this will help with the circulation of blood in the lower extremities; we also give our patients an injectable form low molecular weight heparin to make the blood less sticky so blood clots will be less likely to occur.
If you have any questions related to blood clots or other questions about weight loss surgery, please do not hesitate to post a comment and I will get back to you.
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