6 weeks out

I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since my surgery!  I truly never thought I'd feel this much better this quickly.  Of course, when I was still in pain, it didn't seem to move very quickly at all.  LOL
I'm off of at least 7 medications now, my blood pressure is great (116/80 this morning), my blood sugar is wonderful (an hour after breakfast it's 115!), and I'm down a total of 39 lbs.  
For those of you keeping up with the pounds lost, you'll realize that means I only lost one pound this past week.  I know what caused that - me.  Since I can now eat regular food, I found myself eating part of a meal and then two hours later eating the remainder of that meal.  For example, yesterday Jim grilled burgers and made pasta salad for dinner.  I ate 1/4 cup of pasta salad around 3pm and then ate my 3 oz burger about 2 hrs later so I could enjoy the entire meal.  I know that it doesn't sound like much food to you, but that pasta salad was like adding a 4th meal into the mix - know what I mean?  So today I go back to what I know works for me - three meals and 1 or 2 snacks if needed.  
My incisions have healed although I do have two that still have a small scab on them.  The only twinge of pain I feel is when Ringo tries to sit too close to me (AKA puts his 85 lb body into my shrinking lap).  There's also a little bit of an ouch on the left incision when I cough or sneeze.  
Clothing is getting too big.  I've dropped three pant sizes, two shirt sizes, two bra sizes and my shoes seem to be getting loose as well!
Hope everyone has a great week!

Five weeks today

Five weeks ago today I had VSG (vertical sleeve gastrectomy).  I started this journey at 267 and, as of this morning, I am at 229.2!!!!  I'm in the 220's!  I haven't been in the 220's since 2001-2002.  That means I have lost 38 pounds so far.  I was wearing size 26 pants and am now in a size 20.  

It hasn't been easy.  At. All.  Sure it sounds wonderful to lose 38 lbs in 5 weeks but it has definitely changed my way of life.  I won't elaborate on all the yucky stuff I go through but it is finally getting to the point where I can see changes that are good.  

On weekends, Jim and I usually go to town and visit several favorite stores of ours.  As a rule, I'll walk through one store and, by the time we get to the next, I sit in the truck while he goes to shop because I am too worn out.  This weekend, we spent three hours in town and I walked every single store with him and wasn't worn out!  That had been one of my goals - to walk with him and keep up.  

I'm so excited to see what this week brings!

It can always get worse but you do get through it

This will be choppy, misspelled so just try and keep up.  I'm doing much better.  There was the run-in with the Plavix not liking an unhealed stomach, then we moved on to the ever so lovely abdominal abscess that had me begging my sweet husband to shoot me.
I seem to have a difficult time staying focused and in one spot so I will work on more and let you know as days go by.

Set back

One of the girls at the hospital told me to check with the doctor who prescribed my plavix (my blood thinner) to see when to return to it.  I called and the assistant said, oh immediately.  You should already be on it.  So, being the good patient I am, I started back on it on 8/26.  
I was in such pain that night that i couldn't sit up, lie down, roll over, sip water, moan - that's what i could do.  i called my surgeon's office and left a message they eventually said they never got.  all this continues thru the following day.  i was pissed because i didn't know what was causing it and i had been doing so well.  i finally got a call thru to dr. kennedy's personal line and she had them call me almost as soon as i hung up.  stop the plavix.  no more plavix.  it is irritating you stomach.  take as many of your other meds as you can but stop the plavix.  
who knew a little pill that does so well for people could wreak such havoc in a new banana sized stomach??
my blood sugar has been hovering around 110 and that's without any medicines whatsoever.  i'm so thankful.  my blood pressure has been 115/67 except for those pain days and it was whatever/53.  
i'm slowly building my strength back and will weigh before my next post.  
Thank you guys for reading.  I need your support.
love you
cheryl

This blog will be short for now.  Suffice it to say that doctors sometimes office incorrect instructions.  I called my neurologist to see when to start back on my Plavix - blood thinner.  Her nurse said immediately.  That was two days and many painful hours ago.  i am finally able to sit up without feel as if i was going explode and am finally certain i'm not dying quickly.  i'm taking one step at a time and will post a full blog in the next couple of days.
i love you guys.

little achievements

i just finished 1/3 of a serving of cream of wheat - is has to be liquid consistency and slide off the back of your spoon.  no problem - just added a few spoons of water.  added 1/3 slice of sliced cheese made from 2% milk and a dash of salt and o.m.g.  best meal ever - at least that's how it feels after having nothing but sweetened liquids pretty much for a few weeks.
other things have started moving again so don't stand between me and the bathroom door.
OH the scale this  morning is 251.  It was 262 when I got home on Tuesday.
(i apologize for the atrocious typing - i'll get back to normal soon)
love you guys.

This ain't for sissies

There are people out there that say this type of surgery is the easy way out.  They say that because they haven't had this surgery.  I didn't go into this decision thinking it would be easy but I didn't really know I'd hurt like this.  When you have laparoscopic surgery you get this enormous build-up of gas that tries to poot it's way out your upper left shoulder.  Unless your anatomy is different than mine, you know there is no opening up there.  I spent quite a bit of time hammering my shoulder trying to get that to loosen up.  It doesn't help, btw.
Meals this week consist of broth, crystal light drinks, water, decaf coffee, jello, popsicles, and IsoPure protein drinks.  After updating with the doctor today, beginning Monday I get to expand my menu.  Cream soups, low fat, enter the menu as well as low fat yogurt.  Applesauce and pureed bananas, other fruit and veggies without seeds or hulls that have been pureed and thinned until liquid consistency.  The two big items, in my mind, is grits and cream of wheat thinned until liquid consistency.  FINALLY, something that doesn't have sweetner in it.  You cannot imagine how good that sounds.  Monday morning you will find me at my kitchen table drinking Cream of Wheat.  It won't be much - but it will be good.
I've not been hungry - the portion of stomach they remove has the 'hunger' alarm in it so I just have to stay on a schedule.  After week one I will begin to count protein amounts as well as liquids.
I've been up most of the day today.  Finding a comfortable sitting spot is my goal.  My favorite recliner hasn't been too comfy.
I'm doing well but no one has mentioned the real pain that I've had in other blogs about weight loss I've read.  Also, they sent me home from the hospital with oxygen because their policy is that you have to have your oxygen level up to 90% to leave.  They put me on 3 liters continous and by the time I got home, my house looked like a lab facility.  There's oxygen set up next to my bed, three little portable bottles that last 20 minutes each.  Signs have been posted on my doors about no smoking within 10 feet of the house.  I truly don't need oxygen.  I am complying with taking it while I sleep but I have compensated lack of oxygen for years since my carotid artery surgery.
Each day is getting better.  If you have a question, feel free to ask.  I'm not shy.
Thanks for listening folks.  I appreciate your feedback.

HAPPY SURGERY DAY!!

It's here!!  I'm so excited although I'm now noticing my hands are a little shaky.  It will be over and done with by lunch time and I'll be in that weird morphine state for a few hours.  LOL
Thanks to everyone that has followed along so far.
I'll check back in as soon as I can.
Love you guys.

It's day 6, folks!!

Somehow something changed yesterday.  I wasn't as hungry feeling as I had been.  I had loads of energy.  I even got out of the house....TWICE!  My uneducated theory was that I had reached a point where people who starve themselves on a clear liquid diet don't care much about food anymore.  I believed that.  Until Diners, Drive-ins & Dives came on and a big ol' juicy burger, topped with some sort of ham and swiss cheese appeared on the screen and I turned to Jim with a panicked voice and said, "Honey, we've got to turn the channel!  Quick!"  I am SO lucky to have the best husband in the world.  Evidently looking at food on television is not advised until AFTER the hunger switch part of my stomach has been removed.
Today as I read over my information from the surgeon's office again, I found the part where it said I could have broth.  I've been having chicken and beef bullion but it dawned on me.  If Jim would make a big ol' pot of homemade soup and put extra liquid in it, I could sip the broth while he eats the soup for dinner!  As I type, the above mentioned soup is simmering on the stove and I don't mind it smelling yummy because I get to have some broth!!
I've been working on stitching a pillow to use in the hospital.  After two c-sections and an emergency surgery that left me with a wonderful horizontal scar from side to side, I recall needing something to place over my incision area when I got up or coughed or, heaven forbid, laughed.  This time I'm making my own.  I'll finish it later this evening and post it tomorrow.
Only two more sleeps, folks, and we'll be on our way to the hospital!  Woot!  Woot!  

the 5th day of 7 liquid diet days

Good morning, folks!  I even took a picture just now so you can see I have not gone completely insane.
Wednesday I had a pre-op visit with my surgeon, Dr. Kennedy.  She went over all my tests and said my lungs work and my heart is still beating and my cholesterol was amazing.  She also said my surgery is scheduled to begin at 10:30 Monday morning and should take about an hour.  I will be in the hospital one or two nights, depending on how well I can tolerate liquids.
Jim, God bless him, is taking the entire week off to tend to me.  I'm hoping he doesn't have to do much nursing and can do some fishing and stuff during that week.
This liquid diet portion has had it's ups and downs.  I quickly became tired of the sweetener taste in my protein drinks and decaf coffee.  Crystal Light is a great product but why couldn't they make a roast and potatoes flavor??  I am able to have V-8 juice and broth so those two things seem to help when i'm tired of sweetened drinks.  Water is my beverage of choice most of the time.
The most difficult part of this week long liquid fest has been cooking dinner for Jim.  Before you say anything, I know he is perfectly capable (and willing) to do his own cooking but he works all day and I enjoy having dinner ready for him when he gets home.  This is usually our time of day to catch up and watch the news - you know, all that old couple stuff.  He does, however, cook on weekends so I have requested he cook things that smell bad or that I don't like this time.  LOL  A girl can only stand so much!
Only three more sleeps before surgery!!!

and now a few words from my stomach...growl....grumble....gurgle!

I have not felt hunger pains in years.  My stomach had not growled for as long as I could remember.....until yesterday.  To be more precise, it started about 4pm and continued on thru the rest of the evening.  I did everything I was supposed to do though and made it without cheating but WHEW that was difficult.  Of course, that meant going to bed at 10pm so I wouldn't be tempted.
My surgery time has been moved up and we have to be at the hospital 1 1/2 hours earlier.  Wahoo!!  Although that means maneuvering through morning rush hour traffic in North Dallas, I'm certain Jim will get us there on time.  That driving doesn't bother him.  
I'm getting more excited! 

My adventure is here....

Today is the first day of a week long pre-op liquid diet.  This is to make the liver shrink so the surgery will be easier to perform.  It goes pretty much like this:  breakfast - protein drink, lunch - protein drink, dinner - protein drink.  (seeing a pattern here?)  In between meals I can have water, Crystal Light, chicken or beef broth, and unsweetened tea.  
As of today, I have stopped my blood thinners, my aspirin, two of my diabetes medications, my fish oil supplements and another pill or two.  I will restart those after surgery whenever they tell me it's okay.  
I drank a 16 oz bottle of Crystal Light Orange this morning while I was taking my meds instead of sipping on coffee.  The shake - chocolate - was next.  I mixed it with non-fat dry milk and put it into the fridge last night so it could get really cold.  The consistency is extremely thick.  No, really, like not quite pudding thick.  No, more like not quite concrete thick.  Yes, that's it!!  The shakes are 8 oz and for lunch I am going to mix it with water instead of the non-fat dry milk.  
I'm on my 2nd 16 oz bottle of water - this one plain - and I'm really thankful I learned to like water after my diabetes diagnosis.  
I also weighed this morning so I could have a pre-liquid diet starting point.  The hardest thing to do is to type this out for the public.  This morning I was 261.2.  Ouch!  But I put that on here so I can hold myself accountable for this journey.  
Why am I having this surgery?  I'm going to list a few of my reasons so, on difficult days, I can come back and read this and remember why:  
It hurts to walk.  Literally hurts - my ankles, my knees, my back.  I am looking forward to going for walks with Jim and not having to stop every little bit for me to rest.  
It is also difficult to breathe.  I have so much fat in there that my lungs don't have enough room to stretch out.  
I want to be able to use a normal stall in the ladies room and not feel like I'm stuffed into a vertical casket.  Seriously. Diabetic lows and highs are another reason I am having this done.  Trying to eat healthy as a regular person is difficult enough but when you add diabetes to that, if you eat too many carbs, you feel sluggish and sleepy.  If you eat too few carbs, you shake and feel starved and can't think properly, sometimes coming close to passing out.  And it isn't just about the eating - sometimes the blood sugar goes low without any warning. Those things leave you feeling as weak as a kitten for HOURS - not just minutes.
Those are just a few of the many reasons I'm doing this.  If you have any questions, ask.  I may not know the answer yet.  I'm learning as I go. 
So let's all lift a glass (of water, of course) and wish me well as I become healthier.