Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Another Week, Another Weigh In
So last weekend the hubby and I had a date night-dinner and a movie. This is my first time going out to eat post op. We went out for sushi, one of my faves, and figured I had a lot more options to choose from there. I had some edamame, miso soup, sashimi, and salmon and avocado maki. It sounds like a lot, but was really just a little of each. It was good to get out. We went to go see Shutter Island after dinner. On opening night. Can you say busy and sold out! We went to see the 10:25 show, we were there am hour early and still had to wait in line even after we had our tickets. I didn't love it. It was ok, a little long and drawn out in my opinion. I think I will get the book and see how that is. So on to more important things-my weight loss :) I am down 5 lbs this week, for a total of 27 pounds lost. I also met with my nutritionist this week, and she gave me the go ahead to try many new foods. Soooooo, I made some pork tenderloin for dinner that night. NOT A GOOD IDEA!!! I think it was too dense, because I didn't take big bites, I chewed pretty well, and it just did not want to go down. I had some no sugar added applesauce to moisten it, but it still did not do the job. So, up it came. I guess we will try that again at a later date lol. Tonight I am making mexican turkey burgers, let's see how those work out! Be back next week with another update :)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Weekly Weigh In
Ok sooooo, I decided to change my weekly weigh in from Wednesday to Monday. Just figured the beginning of the week is easier. So, todays result is -3 lbs. It's obviously nothing close to the 19 lbs from the previous week, but I'll take it! So total weight loss to date is 22 lbs. In 13 days. Not too bad :)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
1 Week Checkup
So a whole entire week has already passed and time for my 1 week follow up. Total weight loss for week 1 is 19 lbs! Seriously, I can't remember the last time I lost 19 pounds! It really does not seem real. I am now eating mushy foods, and the first egg I had was the best egg I ever had! I seem to be tolerating everything pretty good so far, let's hope it stays that way! I need to stop weighing myself daily, or I will lose my mind lol. I think Wednesdays will be my official weigh in day, so I will post the weekly weigh ins.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
6 Days Post Op
And feeling REALLY good today! The Qpump came out today, and I am much more comfortable today than I have been. Since I have not been out anywhere, and I needed to do some walking, the hubby and I were off to Costco. We walked around the entire store, which can only mean one thing: good for walking, bad for shopping! We bought a Keurig Coffee Maker, and tons of household stuff. We went to the grocery store after, and I think I may have pushed a little too much, I was a little sore and tired, but after resting a little I feel good! Just one more day of a full liquid diet, and I can start mushy foods-eggs,cottage cheese, string cheese, whitefish...don't get me wrong, I really thought the liquid diet would be much worse, but it's really not bad, I just want TEXTURE!!! Well, that's all to report today, going back to watching the Superbowl!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
So Why Did I Do It?
First of all, let me say a couple of things about weight loss surgery.
1) Weight loss surgery, for anyone, is a deeply personal decision. Many people don't want to share that fact with anyone. If you come across someone you know has had it and they don't want to discuss it, respect them, don't pressure them.
2) Weight loss surgery is NOT FOR EVERYONE! Just because you are overweight does not mean you should have weight loss surgery. There are so many things to consider before you make the decision. Some of these reasons will be discussed here and there in this blog. By the way, this is my opinion, not from a doctor. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv. I am just an opinionated girl that recently had surgery.
3) Weight loss surgery is NOT the "easy way out". If you are someone that is considering surgery and have either talked to some people or looked it up online somewhere, I guarantee you have found at least one opinion that says that. I have a 7 inch incision on my abdomen, had my internal plumbing rearranged, and will have to follow strict eating guidelines for the rest of my life. And after all that, there is still a chance I could gain my weight back. Now you tell me what is easy about that.
OK, now that I got that off my chest, back to the subject. I have always been the chubby-fat-thin-chubby-fat-thin-fat-thinner-really fat-morbidly obese (you get the picture?)girl. I was always active, played sports growing up, but also always loved food. Always. And never felt full. Bad combination. I have always been up and down. At 16 I lost almost 60 pounds and was very thin. Healthy thin, not eating disorder thin. My weight loss also resulted in gallstones, and at 17 had to have my gallbladder removed. I rapidly started gaining weight from the second I left the hospital. So quickly in fact, the clothes I wore when I went into the hospital I was never able to wear again. That was the summer before my senior year in high school. I was a size 6/8. When I started school I was a 10/12. By the time I graduated I was an 18/20. Although I never lost quite that much, I have always been up and down. I also mostly refer to sizes, not weight, because that's all I can remember. So from my late teens until now, I have gone from a 14 (once or twice) to a 26/28, which is my current size. I have tried every diet you can think of, with not much success, obviously. I look at pictures now from a few years ago that I hated because I looked so fat, now I would give anything to look like that. I look at pictures of my now and I dont recognize myself. My body is just round, and my face is all bloated. For my wedding I went and had a dress made, not because I couldn't fit in to any dresses, because I could not bear to even attempt it. My knees hurt and my feet hurt. In July I was told I was diabetic,and my cholesterol was high. In 2004 I was diagnosed with PCOS. I flew to Hawaii with my husband and needed a seat belt extender. When I go out to eat, I look to see what types of seating is available. I can no longer wear shoes with high heels. How many more reasons should I give? But out of all these reasons, there is only one. I wanted to be healthy. I married someone I love and wanted to be with for a very long time, and at the rate I was going, I was not going to be. I want to have a family, and my health was not going to let me. This is why I did it.
1) Weight loss surgery, for anyone, is a deeply personal decision. Many people don't want to share that fact with anyone. If you come across someone you know has had it and they don't want to discuss it, respect them, don't pressure them.
2) Weight loss surgery is NOT FOR EVERYONE! Just because you are overweight does not mean you should have weight loss surgery. There are so many things to consider before you make the decision. Some of these reasons will be discussed here and there in this blog. By the way, this is my opinion, not from a doctor. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv. I am just an opinionated girl that recently had surgery.
3) Weight loss surgery is NOT the "easy way out". If you are someone that is considering surgery and have either talked to some people or looked it up online somewhere, I guarantee you have found at least one opinion that says that. I have a 7 inch incision on my abdomen, had my internal plumbing rearranged, and will have to follow strict eating guidelines for the rest of my life. And after all that, there is still a chance I could gain my weight back. Now you tell me what is easy about that.
OK, now that I got that off my chest, back to the subject. I have always been the chubby-fat-thin-chubby-fat-thin-fat-thinner-really fat-morbidly obese (you get the picture?)girl. I was always active, played sports growing up, but also always loved food. Always. And never felt full. Bad combination. I have always been up and down. At 16 I lost almost 60 pounds and was very thin. Healthy thin, not eating disorder thin. My weight loss also resulted in gallstones, and at 17 had to have my gallbladder removed. I rapidly started gaining weight from the second I left the hospital. So quickly in fact, the clothes I wore when I went into the hospital I was never able to wear again. That was the summer before my senior year in high school. I was a size 6/8. When I started school I was a 10/12. By the time I graduated I was an 18/20. Although I never lost quite that much, I have always been up and down. I also mostly refer to sizes, not weight, because that's all I can remember. So from my late teens until now, I have gone from a 14 (once or twice) to a 26/28, which is my current size. I have tried every diet you can think of, with not much success, obviously. I look at pictures now from a few years ago that I hated because I looked so fat, now I would give anything to look like that. I look at pictures of my now and I dont recognize myself. My body is just round, and my face is all bloated. For my wedding I went and had a dress made, not because I couldn't fit in to any dresses, because I could not bear to even attempt it. My knees hurt and my feet hurt. In July I was told I was diabetic,and my cholesterol was high. In 2004 I was diagnosed with PCOS. I flew to Hawaii with my husband and needed a seat belt extender. When I go out to eat, I look to see what types of seating is available. I can no longer wear shoes with high heels. How many more reasons should I give? But out of all these reasons, there is only one. I wanted to be healthy. I married someone I love and wanted to be with for a very long time, and at the rate I was going, I was not going to be. I want to have a family, and my health was not going to let me. This is why I did it.
5 Days Post Op
And I feel pretty good! I'm not going out dancing or anything, but I don't feel awful! Every day I feel a little bit better. Let me recap the last 4 days:
Day 1-Surgery Day
I reported to the hospital at 615am. Checked in, dressed in my johnnie (sp?), and waited for anesthesia. I remember being put under, and just as I started feeling drowsy, I realized I wasn't drowsy, but being woken up to the sounds of "you're all done, you did great!" I was in recovery for a couple hours, and then moved to my room where my husband was waiting for me. I was a little groggy, and had a bit of a sore throat from the tube, but it was not as bad as I thought. I did have a catheter, which I never had before, but could hardly feel it. I also had a pain pump, which I hardly used, and a "Q Pump". It's this little ball of medicine you carry around in a little bag and is attached by 2 catheters in your abdomen that automatically showers your internal wound with medicine. I don't have any major pain, so I guess it works! I did however feel when I tried to adjust myself in bed-bad idea! That hurt, and needed some help to do so. I was glad to have some family and friends visit me, and snacked on some ice chips during the day. As it was a hospital stay, there was not a lot of sleep!
Day 2-Let's Go Walking!
There is no fooling around here! After a breakfast of some lemon sorbet and some vanilla shake, it was time to get moving. I went for a couple of long walks down the hallways, and was told I did much better walking than most people! It's a little tough getting up by myself, but walking was no problem, in fact I actually felt much better after each walk. Broth and sorbet for lunch and broth and sugar free pudding for dinner. By the way, just because both were served does not mean that both were eaten lol. It's amazing-a few spoonfuls of broth, and I am full, a couple spoonfuls of sorbet or pudding, and I am full, it's craziness!
Day 3-Time To Go!
Yup, day 3 (as long as there are no complications) you are out of there! The Doctor came by around 11am and said I was good to go, and that I could leave as long as I went for another walk with stairs. Around 3:00 I arrived home, and it was kind of like "what do I do know?". I rested, drank my fluids and protein, and rested some more. Again, not a lot of rest in the hospital. My mom came over, while my husband went to pick up my prescriptions.
Here is what I got:
Percoset, for pain (I take 1-2 a day, don't really need more than that)
Colace, stool softener (percs make you constipated)
Prilosec, for heartburn and reflux
a pill for nausea, if needed (I have not been)
Lovinox-blood thinner shot 1x daily for 20 days. My mother comes over every day to give me the shot.
Day 4-Adjusting
Slept on the couch last night. It's still a little too difficult to get in and out of my bed, besides I am supposed to be slightly elevated, so the couch it is. I was able to get up on my own without my husbands assistance, which was good since I did not have to wake him up for my middle of the night bathroom trips. Oh yea, I pee constantly! I am a little uncomfortable because I am gassy, and am constipated (I know it's TMI, but I said I would be honest about this!). Today was great because I got to SHOWER today! No sponge bath, a real shower. Yes, hubby had to help me, but it was so nice to be in my shower, with my shampoo, and bath gel, and facial cleanser. And my own clothes! I could not wait to get into my own clothes! Now that I was all showered and clean, let me share my gastric bypass eating guidelines:
Week 1
Goals: Fluids 64oz/day
Protein 40-65 grams/day
chewable multivitamin 2x daily
protein supplements: sugar free carnation instant breakfast, 1% milk, thin cream soups, light smooth yogurt, greek yogurt, sf pudding/custard
fluids: water, sf gelatin, broth, sf popsicles, crystal light, sf hot chocolate, diet Snapple, decaf coffee or tea NO CARBONATION
4oz every hour, alternating protein and fluid
It's really not so bad. At least there is some variety. If you told me it was all breakfast shakes, then we would have a problem! But, I love soup and yogurt, and sf pudding and jello, and I always drank Crystal Light anyways, so I am doing pretty good!
Day 5-Sip Sip Sip!
The Gastric Bypass mantra! Basically if you are not sipping your protein, you are sipping fluid! I am pretty happy that I have had most of my fluid and all my protein intake! It's not easy, but I'm doing it! Still constipated, still peeing constantly. First week is almost up, which means....soft foods! I can't wait!!
Day 1-Surgery Day
I reported to the hospital at 615am. Checked in, dressed in my johnnie (sp?), and waited for anesthesia. I remember being put under, and just as I started feeling drowsy, I realized I wasn't drowsy, but being woken up to the sounds of "you're all done, you did great!" I was in recovery for a couple hours, and then moved to my room where my husband was waiting for me. I was a little groggy, and had a bit of a sore throat from the tube, but it was not as bad as I thought. I did have a catheter, which I never had before, but could hardly feel it. I also had a pain pump, which I hardly used, and a "Q Pump". It's this little ball of medicine you carry around in a little bag and is attached by 2 catheters in your abdomen that automatically showers your internal wound with medicine. I don't have any major pain, so I guess it works! I did however feel when I tried to adjust myself in bed-bad idea! That hurt, and needed some help to do so. I was glad to have some family and friends visit me, and snacked on some ice chips during the day. As it was a hospital stay, there was not a lot of sleep!
Day 2-Let's Go Walking!
There is no fooling around here! After a breakfast of some lemon sorbet and some vanilla shake, it was time to get moving. I went for a couple of long walks down the hallways, and was told I did much better walking than most people! It's a little tough getting up by myself, but walking was no problem, in fact I actually felt much better after each walk. Broth and sorbet for lunch and broth and sugar free pudding for dinner. By the way, just because both were served does not mean that both were eaten lol. It's amazing-a few spoonfuls of broth, and I am full, a couple spoonfuls of sorbet or pudding, and I am full, it's craziness!
Day 3-Time To Go!
Yup, day 3 (as long as there are no complications) you are out of there! The Doctor came by around 11am and said I was good to go, and that I could leave as long as I went for another walk with stairs. Around 3:00 I arrived home, and it was kind of like "what do I do know?". I rested, drank my fluids and protein, and rested some more. Again, not a lot of rest in the hospital. My mom came over, while my husband went to pick up my prescriptions.
Here is what I got:
Percoset, for pain (I take 1-2 a day, don't really need more than that)
Colace, stool softener (percs make you constipated)
Prilosec, for heartburn and reflux
a pill for nausea, if needed (I have not been)
Lovinox-blood thinner shot 1x daily for 20 days. My mother comes over every day to give me the shot.
Day 4-Adjusting
Slept on the couch last night. It's still a little too difficult to get in and out of my bed, besides I am supposed to be slightly elevated, so the couch it is. I was able to get up on my own without my husbands assistance, which was good since I did not have to wake him up for my middle of the night bathroom trips. Oh yea, I pee constantly! I am a little uncomfortable because I am gassy, and am constipated (I know it's TMI, but I said I would be honest about this!). Today was great because I got to SHOWER today! No sponge bath, a real shower. Yes, hubby had to help me, but it was so nice to be in my shower, with my shampoo, and bath gel, and facial cleanser. And my own clothes! I could not wait to get into my own clothes! Now that I was all showered and clean, let me share my gastric bypass eating guidelines:
Week 1
Goals: Fluids 64oz/day
Protein 40-65 grams/day
chewable multivitamin 2x daily
protein supplements: sugar free carnation instant breakfast, 1% milk, thin cream soups, light smooth yogurt, greek yogurt, sf pudding/custard
fluids: water, sf gelatin, broth, sf popsicles, crystal light, sf hot chocolate, diet Snapple, decaf coffee or tea NO CARBONATION
4oz every hour, alternating protein and fluid
It's really not so bad. At least there is some variety. If you told me it was all breakfast shakes, then we would have a problem! But, I love soup and yogurt, and sf pudding and jello, and I always drank Crystal Light anyways, so I am doing pretty good!
Day 5-Sip Sip Sip!
The Gastric Bypass mantra! Basically if you are not sipping your protein, you are sipping fluid! I am pretty happy that I have had most of my fluid and all my protein intake! It's not easy, but I'm doing it! Still constipated, still peeing constantly. First week is almost up, which means....soft foods! I can't wait!!
Did I Really Just Have Gastric Bypass Surgery?
Yes I did. On February 2, I changed my life forever. For the better, but it is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I have decided to blog about the surgery, the process I went through, and how I will be changing post-op. My hope is that someone will read this that is thinking about having the surgery, and that this helps them make a decision, either for or against.
Couple of things to know about this blog. I will be very open and honest. More open and honest than I am with most people. Except for my best friend, who I tell pretty much everything. I am opinionated, sometimes too opinionated, and if I say something that offends you, then I apologize in advance that I have offended you, but not for my opinion. So, if weight loss surgery has been on your mind but you're just not sure, want to hear some info and opinions from a real person and not a pamphlet, then read on, follow me, comment, or send questions.
Couple of things to know about this blog. I will be very open and honest. More open and honest than I am with most people. Except for my best friend, who I tell pretty much everything. I am opinionated, sometimes too opinionated, and if I say something that offends you, then I apologize in advance that I have offended you, but not for my opinion. So, if weight loss surgery has been on your mind but you're just not sure, want to hear some info and opinions from a real person and not a pamphlet, then read on, follow me, comment, or send questions.
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