Well, I finally had my first upchuck! lol...Yesterday, I came home and I ate a couple bites of rotisserie chicken and I think I ate too fast and didn't chew it well and next thing I know, I had this uncomfortable feeling in my chest/tummy and had to bring it back up. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Not a heaving belly aching thing like when you have the flu. It was still uncomfortable, of course, and not something I would want to do on a regular basis. So, I did my thing and waited about an hour and ate some tuna and I was then fine. Tomorrow, I get to add an additional tablespoon of pureed goodies to my diet, which at this point, isn't a big deal because I can barely eat 2 tablespoons still. Other than the upchuck episode, I am feeling good and hit 25 lbs. today. I find that I am a bit cold these days, which has always been unusual for me, but I'd rather be cold than to be sweating. I went back to work on Monday (21st) and am pretty tired by the end of the day. I find that my muscles are sore even though I'm not working out yet. I don't know if that's because I'm not eating much or what is going on there. I'll have to remember to ask my doctor on my next visit. I went for a massage on Monday night and I was sore everywhere, even in my arms and stuff. Kind of strange. Tonight, I had some meat from a Taco Bell beef burrito (no sauce) and it's stayed down and was yummy. Just discarded the tortilla. It was a nice treat. Well, my daughter is having a melt down today, so I'm off to see how she is doing....love & kisses til next time!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Water Intake (04-14-08)
I am finding it a bit difficult to get my water intake in over the past two days....I'm not used to having to constantly sip water. I have found that sugar-free popsicles are good for providing a little change to the taste buds. I've tried crystal light, but I'm not a big fan. It's almost too strong for me. I think I like tart flavors more than sweet...I do know that I'm getting a bit dehydrated though because I've been getting a muscle cramp in my right calf. I think part of it is that I am bored too. Today was the first day home alone, as both Lou and Britt were gone. I can only take so much television. Thank goodness I get to go to lunch with my girl Carla tomorrow!! Well, off to the kitchen to find some fluids!
PS: Down 20 lbs. as of today!!!
PS: Down 20 lbs. as of today!!!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
1st Post Op & Lake Tahoe (April 13, 2008)
Hello Hello! Well, I went to my 1st post-op check up on the 10th and I was pleased that I was down 15 lbs. (As of today, I'm down 18!). The doc said I was doing great and has now allowed me 2 tablespoons full of soft food, three times a day. That doesn't seem like much, but trust me, it is a lot at this point and depending what it is, I usually can't finish it. Pureed only foods go down well and I can finish it, but tuna and chicken is usually too much. My energy continues to increase. I am still having a hard time with the meds and the protein. At this point, I gag constantly when taking the protein shakes which sucks big time, because I have to have these for at least a year, if not forever. I am still experimenting to try different flavors. I am determined to find something that will work for me.
My husband and I went to Lake Tahoe this weekend for a friends wedding and I didn't take anything except bottled water and my meds. It was only an overnighter. The wedding was very small (25 people) and, fortunately, the food was good. I ate maybe an ounce of hawaiian chicken (I chewed each bite 25 times to make it the right consistancy for my tummy to handle) and I ate one small pasta noodle. I also took one teeny, tiny bite of the wedding cake. Everything stayed down well and I didn't feel bad afterwards. I have discovered, however, that I don't ever feel "full". I just suddenly don't feel like eating anymore or I become uncomfortable. Not really a pain, just an unpleasant feeling in the pouch. Not having that feeling of fullness kind of sucks because I don't feel satisfied. But, it's an adjustment and I will get accustomed to it as time goes by. I told my doctor I was hungry and she says I'm not. She said it was "head hunger". Your brain is telling you to eat and your body responds. I understand her reasoning, but my brain is slow to grasp this. However, over the past couple of days I have noticed my cravings are stopping. At first, everything looked sooooo good but now, most of the time I just shrug it off with a "whatever". I'm sure that will change with time, but for now I'll take it!
After our friends wedding, we went to an Improv show at Harvey's Casino and afterwards, I told my husband that I felt I needed to eat. It wasn't hunger, but it was just a strange feeling, like I felt weak. So, we found a tacqueria stand and I ordered a chicken soft taco with just meat and cheese. I was able to eat the chicken and cheese and felt much better afterwards. This morning, though, I made a big mistake. Lou needed breakfast and so we stopped at McDonalds. I ordered a chicken bisquit and ate half the chicken piece. Well, I didn't think about the chicken being breaded. I didn't vomit, but I was burping the chicken for over an hour and it sat like a lead weight in my pouch for at least that long.
Well, that's about it for now. I am going back to work on the 21st. My incisions are healing - they're just little, tiny holes that itch like crazy. I still get a bit tired in the afternoon, but nothing serious. Until next time.....
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Feeling Better!
Hello everyone! I’m sorry it has been a few days since I’ve posted, but I’ve been feeling much better and not sitting on my derriere at home as much! Monday, I started to come alive but was quite tired by the end of the day. I was also having my own personal pity party, feeling “hungry” and lonely and all of that. However, friends stepped in and saved me from myself and by Tuesday, I was a new person! I woke up and suddenly, I didn’t feel pain any more! Now, I still am tender if I bump the belly or turn over in bed too quickly, but I can walk well with a tiny little vigor to my step and can go up and down the stairs in my house without problem. Today was even better and I even took my daughter shopping for a couple of hours. It was fun to imagine myself in all the cute little tops and stuff by next summer. Heck, maybe even part of this summer!
I still get tired easily and after walking for about two hours, I had to lie down for about an hour, but that’s okay. I decided to return to work on the 21st, as long as the doctor’s say it’s okay. My job is pretty low key, so I don’t have to do a lot of walking, which is nice for something like this.
I am still struggling with the protein because I am the type of person that when I eat (or drink) something that I don’t like, I gag and will vomit. So, although the IsoPure shake mix is tolerable, drinking it on a daily basis is gagging me now. And, it’s the only one I have found that I can stand, so I don’t know what to do. I tried mixing it with a little coffee today and that didn’t help. And, by the way, you cannot mix it with HOT water - it will turn to a cup of rubber…ugh!! lol I am also still mentally dealing with the “head hunger”. I am a bit hungry, as surviving on liquids for 11 days now is trying, to say the least. I was craving KFC and even dreamt about it! lol…Although I have not officially been approved to go onto the pureed portion of the diet, I went ahead and had some healthy choice cream of chicken soup for lunch (2 tablespoons) and then I had a small bit of Taco Bell beans & cheese for dinner and I kept it down without problem and it was heavenly! I even took a little nibble (we’re talking miniscule - like the size of a pea) of Brittany’s chicken sandwich today (just the white meat) to help with the cravings and that helped so much. I’ve heard some people say they will bite into something, chew it for the flavor and then spit it out. Don’t think I’m strong enough to do that….if it goes in the mouth, it ain’t coming back out unless the stomach causes it to. So, I am pleased that I am not having any repurcussions from the little bits of food I have been having. I’ve read many stories where people are eating food 3-4 days post-op. That’s crazy to me! My doctor would kick my butt if i did that!
Well, just wanted to give everyone an update. I am doing well and feeling more optimistic. I am going to Lake Tahoe this weekend for a wedding and I hope that I will not feel like I am missing out on anything by not being able to drink, eat or dance. I am looking forward to a night away from home with just the hubby, as it’s been awhile since we’ve done that.
Til next time!!
I still get tired easily and after walking for about two hours, I had to lie down for about an hour, but that’s okay. I decided to return to work on the 21st, as long as the doctor’s say it’s okay. My job is pretty low key, so I don’t have to do a lot of walking, which is nice for something like this.
I am still struggling with the protein because I am the type of person that when I eat (or drink) something that I don’t like, I gag and will vomit. So, although the IsoPure shake mix is tolerable, drinking it on a daily basis is gagging me now. And, it’s the only one I have found that I can stand, so I don’t know what to do. I tried mixing it with a little coffee today and that didn’t help. And, by the way, you cannot mix it with HOT water - it will turn to a cup of rubber…ugh!! lol I am also still mentally dealing with the “head hunger”. I am a bit hungry, as surviving on liquids for 11 days now is trying, to say the least. I was craving KFC and even dreamt about it! lol…Although I have not officially been approved to go onto the pureed portion of the diet, I went ahead and had some healthy choice cream of chicken soup for lunch (2 tablespoons) and then I had a small bit of Taco Bell beans & cheese for dinner and I kept it down without problem and it was heavenly! I even took a little nibble (we’re talking miniscule - like the size of a pea) of Brittany’s chicken sandwich today (just the white meat) to help with the cravings and that helped so much. I’ve heard some people say they will bite into something, chew it for the flavor and then spit it out. Don’t think I’m strong enough to do that….if it goes in the mouth, it ain’t coming back out unless the stomach causes it to. So, I am pleased that I am not having any repurcussions from the little bits of food I have been having. I’ve read many stories where people are eating food 3-4 days post-op. That’s crazy to me! My doctor would kick my butt if i did that!
Well, just wanted to give everyone an update. I am doing well and feeling more optimistic. I am going to Lake Tahoe this weekend for a wedding and I hope that I will not feel like I am missing out on anything by not being able to drink, eat or dance. I am looking forward to a night away from home with just the hubby, as it’s been awhile since we’ve done that.
Til next time!!
I survived Surgery (April 4, 2008)
Surgery Day: Well, this day was interesting. I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 10am with surgery scheduled at 11:30. When I got there, they put me in my own bed, separated by curtains, and told me to undress,etc. So, I sat in the bed for about a half an hour before someone finally came in to talk to me, get final permission slips signed (again). Eventually, they gave me an IV. At this point in time, I was feeling quite grumpy and unfriendly. I hadn’t eaten in 36 hours (jello does NOT count as real food) and my stomach and head were killing me. I was also having pain in my back because I hadn’t taken the pain killers or muscle relaxant for the fibromyalgia.
At around noon, the surgery nurse came to get me. She was awesome and was eleven months out herself from having the surgery and looked great. She was very reassuring and a nice person to talk to right before going in to the operating room. Of course, as usual with me, the bed hadn’t been plugged in so she had to have my hubby, Lou, help her push the bed to the operating center. That was cool because he got to stay with me longer than he normally would have.
They finally took me in at 1pm. They scooted me over to the operating table and told me they were going to give me something to make me drowsy. And that’s the last thing I remember. I woke up when it was done and don’t really remember anything from that time. I remember saying I was in pain and then sometime, hours later, my husband kissed me goodbye and then I woke up to David Archuleta from American Idol singing on the television.
The first thing I noticed when I woke up and was coherant was that it felt like someone had dried my mouth out with a cotton towel and there was lint on my tongue. My breath was awful and if I scraped my tongue, there was an actual brownish film on it. It was disgusting. I would also do little coughs that would bring up little particles of the stuff. I really wasn’t in too much pain from the surgery. The following morning they allowed me to sip water and that felt like heaven. The only problem was, none of the drinks they brought me were cold so I had to continually ask for ice, which I felt was kind of bothersome, but I needed it.
Second day post op was a day of realization and adjustment. I could now eat (jello, broth) and sip liquids. They started measuring how much of my liquid I was getting in. So, they brought me the Isopure liquid and I would have two cups at my bedside, which I sipped continuously. One of the protein drink and the other of bottled water. With each sip of one, I’d have a sip of the other. This worked very well for me, as the protein drink was kind of nasty and the water quickly washed the taste away. Every four hours or so, the nurses would come in and do a blood sugar test. I hate having my finger pricked, but I didn’t feel a thing because of the morphine coursing through my veins. So, with east test, I’d then get a shot of insulin. They also gave me a shot of heparin in the morning and evening, which is a blood thinner. Since you’re lying in bed, they want to make sure you don’t get any blood clots. The other thing you wear is a contraption on both legs that continuously squeezes your legs to keep the circulation going. I, personally, liked it. I thought it felt like a massage. One other thing you have to do is breathing exercises. Although these are a bit painful in your rib area, they are very important to do every hour. They keep you from getting pneumonia and from crap going into your lungs. They’re very simple to do, just a bit painful at times because your ribs are sore.
Walk! and when you don’t feel like it anymore, walk some more. It really does help to move the build up of gas that is coming and helps to keep your insides from sticking in one place too long. I didn’t realize how much it helped until day three when my stomach blew up to twice it’s size from all the gasses that were backing up. That, which is where I’m at right now, is more uncomfortable than anything so far.
So, there will be times during your hospital stay that you may wonder what you have gotten yourself into. You may feel sad, but it will quickly pass. Try to stay focused on what brought you to this place in the first place. I’m only four days out and I’m in that spot of feeling crappy and fat and like the whole thing was “anti-climactic”. But, I’m focusing on the end result, when the healing is done and the weight loss will begin. Talk to you soon! ~~Cyndie
At around noon, the surgery nurse came to get me. She was awesome and was eleven months out herself from having the surgery and looked great. She was very reassuring and a nice person to talk to right before going in to the operating room. Of course, as usual with me, the bed hadn’t been plugged in so she had to have my hubby, Lou, help her push the bed to the operating center. That was cool because he got to stay with me longer than he normally would have.
They finally took me in at 1pm. They scooted me over to the operating table and told me they were going to give me something to make me drowsy. And that’s the last thing I remember. I woke up when it was done and don’t really remember anything from that time. I remember saying I was in pain and then sometime, hours later, my husband kissed me goodbye and then I woke up to David Archuleta from American Idol singing on the television.
The first thing I noticed when I woke up and was coherant was that it felt like someone had dried my mouth out with a cotton towel and there was lint on my tongue. My breath was awful and if I scraped my tongue, there was an actual brownish film on it. It was disgusting. I would also do little coughs that would bring up little particles of the stuff. I really wasn’t in too much pain from the surgery. The following morning they allowed me to sip water and that felt like heaven. The only problem was, none of the drinks they brought me were cold so I had to continually ask for ice, which I felt was kind of bothersome, but I needed it.
Second day post op was a day of realization and adjustment. I could now eat (jello, broth) and sip liquids. They started measuring how much of my liquid I was getting in. So, they brought me the Isopure liquid and I would have two cups at my bedside, which I sipped continuously. One of the protein drink and the other of bottled water. With each sip of one, I’d have a sip of the other. This worked very well for me, as the protein drink was kind of nasty and the water quickly washed the taste away. Every four hours or so, the nurses would come in and do a blood sugar test. I hate having my finger pricked, but I didn’t feel a thing because of the morphine coursing through my veins. So, with east test, I’d then get a shot of insulin. They also gave me a shot of heparin in the morning and evening, which is a blood thinner. Since you’re lying in bed, they want to make sure you don’t get any blood clots. The other thing you wear is a contraption on both legs that continuously squeezes your legs to keep the circulation going. I, personally, liked it. I thought it felt like a massage. One other thing you have to do is breathing exercises. Although these are a bit painful in your rib area, they are very important to do every hour. They keep you from getting pneumonia and from crap going into your lungs. They’re very simple to do, just a bit painful at times because your ribs are sore.
Walk! and when you don’t feel like it anymore, walk some more. It really does help to move the build up of gas that is coming and helps to keep your insides from sticking in one place too long. I didn’t realize how much it helped until day three when my stomach blew up to twice it’s size from all the gasses that were backing up. That, which is where I’m at right now, is more uncomfortable than anything so far.
So, there will be times during your hospital stay that you may wonder what you have gotten yourself into. You may feel sad, but it will quickly pass. Try to stay focused on what brought you to this place in the first place. I’m only four days out and I’m in that spot of feeling crappy and fat and like the whole thing was “anti-climactic”. But, I’m focusing on the end result, when the healing is done and the weight loss will begin. Talk to you soon! ~~Cyndie
Hello World (March 28, 2008)
After about two years of contemplating weight loss surgery, I finally made the decision to go through with it about six months ago. I've always struggled with my weight, as most, if not all, obese patients have. I'm 5'2" and currently weigh about 210 lbs. My heaviest was 226, that I recall. I carry all my weight in my belly, which is, of course, the most unhealthy way to carry any excess.
Today, my true journey begins as my surgery is scheduled for 11:30am. It was a rough night, to say the least and I am nervous and anxious and just dreading the whole thing. However, I'm also excited to be finally reaching this place and for the promise that my future now brings. My goal is to lose about 100 lbs. With this surgery, I have faith that I will be able to not only reach this goal, but to maintain it for the rest of my life.
Deciding to have this surgery has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever faced. It is difficult to not think of every meal as your last and of the daunting task of figuring out what to eat on a regular basis. As a frequent flyer at the fast food joints, I worry a bit about what to eat when we're on the run, which is 5 nights out of 7 during the spring and summer months. But, I understand that this takes pre-planning and my food quantity, especially at first, will be so small that throwing things in my purse is not going to be an issue. It's just a matter of changing habits. Many, many bad habits that have formed over the course of my 44 years.
Well, let my journey begin and welcome to my blog....
Today, my true journey begins as my surgery is scheduled for 11:30am. It was a rough night, to say the least and I am nervous and anxious and just dreading the whole thing. However, I'm also excited to be finally reaching this place and for the promise that my future now brings. My goal is to lose about 100 lbs. With this surgery, I have faith that I will be able to not only reach this goal, but to maintain it for the rest of my life.
Deciding to have this surgery has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever faced. It is difficult to not think of every meal as your last and of the daunting task of figuring out what to eat on a regular basis. As a frequent flyer at the fast food joints, I worry a bit about what to eat when we're on the run, which is 5 nights out of 7 during the spring and summer months. But, I understand that this takes pre-planning and my food quantity, especially at first, will be so small that throwing things in my purse is not going to be an issue. It's just a matter of changing habits. Many, many bad habits that have formed over the course of my 44 years.
Well, let my journey begin and welcome to my blog....
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