Day 8 Post Surgery

I made it over a week and my food cravings are starting to go away...well, my cravings for some food has gone away, I still enjoy when I eat and am even starting to like pureed foods. My favorite thing by far is cottage cheese. I'm figuring I'm living on about 250-300 calories a day with about 25 grams of protein. My nutritionist said that a better snack if I need one is a protein rich one and not the Jello Sugarfree Chocolate Mousse, only 60 calories. But given the choice of hard boiled egg whites and mousse, well, I figure tomorrow night is New Year's Eve and I'm gonna have it.

I got my mammogram results and all is normal. I'm really glad as if it turned out I had cancer, I'd have put off the surgery and done the chemo diet.

Bodily Functions

I was told I might get constipated so I was expecting it. For 2 days, I've drunk my Benefiber and tried to squeeze out the poop I can feel rattling around inside me. After a disappointing attempt yesterday that yielded only one small raisin sized pooh, I was very excited to pass a small box of raisins this morning before my shower. I let the shower pour over my sore butt as I hoped I wouldn't suffer from hemorrhoids. I didn't think I had completed the job but I just wasn't able to get more out without hurting myself.

Rob and I decided to take a ride to Alki in West Seattle. There are great views of downtown and a pleasant walkway along the beach. I was feeling up to it so we took a stroll. On the way back to the car, we came to a public restroom and I was still feeling a bit of need so we stopped for a bit. I just sat there after my pee and knew that nothing was coming.

We continue back to the car and I start to get an ache in my lower belly. Rob's all concerned and I said I just thought it was a bit of gas. Just before we got into the car, I let a little air escape. It wasn't just air. Let's just say that constipation is no longer a problem and I had a very uncomfortable ride home. Rob offered to stop at a bathroom somewhere but unlike the toddler I'm starting to feel like, I hadn't packed a change of clothes with me.

I feel better now.

* I should have titled this: How I pooped in public.

Calorie Counting

I figured keeping track of what I eat would be a breeze since I'm only eating about a quarter cup of food at a meal. What is difficult is making sure enough of this food is high in protein and that rest is good for me. Enter whey protein. I am adding this to my hot cereal, my pureed meats and veggies. I haven't added it to my applesauce because that is my little sweet treat.

I'm feeling better today tho, my throat is still sore from tubes ramming in and out. I feel a bit bloated and worry about my staples, so I just got back in my nightie after my shower. I put on a little makeup and some gel in my hair, I looked almost human today.

Home for the Holidays

I got home from the hospital yesterday afternoon. I'm eating pureed foods. I'm bruised and bloated from the surgery. The surgery went great, no problems. I have five small incesions on my tummy, the staples come out next week. I'm still on a diaretic for a few days, this meant I was up every hour to pee. But it was still wonderful to be in my own bed. I'm not feeling very hungry when it is time to eat but I still feel the old urges to stuff my face with food because it is there.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas.

Surgery Day

Last post for a few days.

It's the morning of surgery, I slept pretty well. I'm not as nervous this morning but I am pretty emotional.

Got to pack my bag, see you in a few days.

Last Dinner out for a while

Last night Rob and I went out for dinner. I just wanted to have an opportunity to eat out with my hubs one last time before the surgery and a month of puree.

I chose a local Pho Noodle restaurant. I love this Vietnamese soup. We both got the small bowl which is still pretty large. I savored those noodles, meatballs, sprouts, basil and broth. I saved most of the broth to take home. Tomorrow while I'm restricted to liquids, I will enjoy this delight soup instead of just plain broth.

2 more days to go. Yikes

3 days to go

I'm trying to get all my Christmas gifts wrapped and do other odds and ends around the house so that my family will have an easy time while I'm in the hospital. I keep waking up in the early morning hours (today it was 3am). I have black circles under my eyes. 3 days until my life changes. 3 more days...

Me Anxious??

I got up at 4am this morning. I just couldn't sleep. Feeling a bit anxious. Did I make good use of my time? Nope, went onto Facebook and played some games and read all my friends status lines.

I just installed Skype and a web cam so I can talk for free with my sister in Norway. I haven't actually seen this work, so we are testing it at 10am this morning.

Maybe I'll try sleeping again for a bit.

5 more days

Now that I've moved up my surgery date, I realized I needed to finish up my Christmas shopping. I'm done, although I need to go to the post office to mail a package to NJ for my brother's kids. I just might pay my son to do this for me.

I also bought food for my liquid Monday and for after I get home from the hospital. I think I'm all set.

I've been feeling fairly selfish lately. I haven't been making dinner since I'm not eating it and I've just been offering up casual dinners for Nicole (daughter) and Rob (the hubs). My son seldom eats with us. It's hard to come up with dinner for a vegetarian (Nik), a dieter (me) and my biking hubs who needs carbs.

I've got to my gifts wraps before Tuesday!!

New Date for Surgery??

My case worker for my surgeon called today and asked if I could move my WLS date up a day. This means I'll be home on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day. I had to check with my husband to see if he could get the day off. I will know for sure tomorrow when my case worker calls me back, but it looks good for Tuesday. Holy Shit that's only 6 days away!

Christmas Shopping

Since I've only got until the 22nd to shop, I figured I'd better get on it. Yesterday I went shopping. I have in the past tried to avoid stores as I've got arthritis in my left knee and after a short time I can't walk without taking short sitting rest stops. Since I've lost 20 lbs, I have been able to walk longer and yesterday I made it thru 3 stores before having to talk a break. This was quite a feat for me. I didn't get all my shopping done but I was happy that I not thinking about Advil, which I'm not suppose to take anymore. Tylenol is just not as joint friendly and I was eating Advils like they were M & M's.

One week til my surgery.

I have half decided not to do my huge holiday baking. Too much of a temptation.

8 Days to go

I'm a week out from my Bariatric Surgery and the reality of it is starting to hit me. I shared my news of WLS with my 9th grade Girl Scout Troop. They were very nice about it and were very encouraging. Then they went back to their goofy selves and made offers of pureeing a Big Mac for me after the surgery. Gotta love the teenage girls.

To prepare for surgery I was told that I needed to lose 5% of the excess weight from the time I started in on the program. Which is about 10 pounds. So far I'd lost 16 and I hadn't gone down in a couple of days. Weighed in last night, and I'd gained 1/2 lb! But this morning I was 2 1/2 lbs down.

I haven't done any Christmas baking this year and I don't think I will. If my weight creeps up, then they will cancel my surgery and it will be months before I get another date.

Losing just 18 lbs has done a world of good for my knees. It doesn't make a much of dent in what I need to lose but it's a start.

Ending a Love Affair

I've had a very long relationship that is over. My love of food and my inability to control my lust for it has got to stop. I'm Fat. My doctors label it MORBIDLY OBESE. Sounds horrible? It is. I have alot of health problems due to my weight. Some are escalated because of my weight. I won't list them all but I sincerely hope and my doctors tell me that many of them will disappear or ease up when I lose weight. Somethings are permanent. The damage to cartilage, the sagging skin.

As one of the tools I've chosen to help me lose the weight is Weight Loss Surgery (WLS). I talked with my GP about my weight and admitted that I'm not able to lose the weight and keep it off myself. His referral led me to the Bariatric Surgeons and my journey began. With my HMO, you are required to do lab tests, EKG, get chest xrays, see a Pulmonary Specialist and sign up with a Weight Management program. I got my packet with all the requirements and started getting ready. This is typically a 3-6 month process or longer once all the tests are done. I had barely finished the tests and taken the class and was expecting to have a 2-4 month wait for a surgery date, when I was contacted that an opening had come up and would I want it. It was just over 2 weeks away. I took a deep breath and said, lets go for it.

My Surgery date is December 23rd. I am having the Roux-en-y or gastric bypass procedure. This will (hopefully) be done larposcopicly with 5-6 small incisions in my abdomen. If all goes well, I should be home on Christmas Day.

I'm very excited but also anxious about the surgery. I've been over all my literature about WLS, I've been to a support group, I've told my close friends and family and I have been busy preparing for a month of pureed foods and then a life time of very small healthy meals.

The hardest part is trying to imagine myself healthier, being able to do things I don't currently do. I wonder what it will be like to enter a room and not have to try to figure out if you can fit in chairs or move around the room without your butt, hips or belly knocking over something. To climb stairs without having to pause to catch your breath. To be able to get up off the floor in a more graceful manner. To be able to travel without the fear of having to purchase an extra seat. To be able to go to Disneyland and ride the rides again. To bike with my husband more that a couple of miles and make it up hills without having to get off and walk.

I've started this blog to document my journey from obesity. To share the laughter and tears. As a way to keep track of how my life will change and how I'll handle these changes.