Week 3 numbers!

So I posted about hitting 30 pounds lost and was wondering if that was too fast. Welll, I haven’t even lost an ounce since I hit 30 pounds. Ain’t that just nice.

Buttt, I talked to my doctor on the phone yesterday and he seems pleased with my progress. My next goal with him is 215. He said I can now start having fruits and vegetables and meats. I can also swallow pills. He wants me to start taking B12 since my energy levels are not back to where they should be. I still can not go back to work. He will not release me without restrictions until December 1. I have a really physical job and he just does not want me to mess anything up.

I really honestly have not exercised at all. Other than my just day to day happenings I have done nothing. But, it has rained and rained and rained and rained a little more here. That cuts out me even wanting to leave my house. I did try the elliptical yesterday. Did you see that TRY. I was sure I would die as soon as I stepped off. I was so tired and my legs felt like jello. And I was on there a total of 3 minutes. A shame. I am out of shape to say the least. So sad. I will get better. The kids have soccer practice this afternoon and I am going to walk the track. See how that works out.

I did get the process going to start some online classes in January. I have procrastinated long enough. Next September I will have my LPN license 10 years and have yet to take one class toward getting my RN. Procrastination. I am the Queen.

My dad called yesterday to let me know his new little family he formed would be coming from Texas for Thanksgiving. My sister called to tell me she would be here for Thanksgiving. My mom let me know that she thought I should cook a meal for Thanksgiving. She let me know additional people planning to come to my house. So, unknown to me, everybody planned Thanksgiving at my house with me cooking. So currently I am expecting about 50 people. In my house. That I gotta cook for. And clean up after. And entertain. Gotta love it.

But on to the numbers….

SW 10/12/15: 263.8

Week 1 10/20/2015: 246.3 (-17.5)

Week 2 10/27/2015: 239.8 (-6.5)

Week 3  11/3/2015: 233.8 (-6)

Total Loss: 30

Losing too fast???

So as of yesterday I have lost 30 pounds less than 3 weeks post op. I know not to compare myself to others, but it seems like this is significant compared to different stats I have seen. I am grateful to be losing, but I am just a bit concerned that it is really fast. Am I losing too fast??

Week 2

So Week 2 has been ok. Nothing really major. I seem to be able to get more liquids in. I am able to eat a little more now. I am still bruised pretty badly but am in no pain. I seem to still get tired pretty easy when I really try to do alot. I have not began to actually exercise yet. It has rained here for days now and I really want to go for a walk. Maybe tomorrow. But now for the numbers…..

SW 10/12/15: 263.8

Week 1 10/20/2015: 246.3 (-17.5)

Week 2 10/27/2015: 239.8 (-6.5)

Total Loss: 24 lbs.

1 Week Post Op: Down 17.5 pounds!

Yea. 17.5. Seventeen and a half pounds. In one week.

I am definitely feeling the effects of this. I see everybody else back to normal things and I am just blah. I am tired.

Yesterday was my check in with my doctor and I can now start full liquids so maybe that will help. I really feel malnourished.

Overall this has not been a really bad week though other than being tired. I have had no nausea or vomiting. I have had no problem getting my fluids in. I still have really really bad bruising but no soreness. My steri strips are still in place.

So yea. This has been my week one.

Day 2

I am ok. My back and shoulders are really sore. One of my incisions is bleeding pretty good. I just can’t seem to get comfortable. But I’m ok.

And we’re off….

Everything is packed and we just dropped our children off at my mom’s.  This journey is really beginning. We are traveling about 6 hours today to arrive for a night filled with clear liquids and laxatives! Tomorrow is the day! I am super excited and ready. Nothing ever goes as planned for me so it’s hard to believe this whole process has happened without the first set back. But it has. And tomorrow is the day!!!!

My weekend….

This weekend was fabulous. It feels like fall in the south… until tomorrow. There should be no such thing as humidity. But the weekend was filled with football, boiled peanuts,hoodies, jelly making, canning peppers and experimenting with protein shakes. The shakes are nasty. Everything else was great. I did not realize until I was looking on pinterest that there are many people who have never heard of boiled peanuts. So bizarre to me. Did anybody watch the Ole Miss vs. Florida game? Chomp Chomp!!

Can we say rambling?

Anywho, I have 6 days ’til surgery!! The surgery center called the other day to finalize everything and tell me all the do’s and don’t before surgery. I booked my hotel last night and the nice lady talked me into buying some other stay for my choice of 7 different locations. I probably shouldn’t have but since it is good for a year it sounded like a good reward when I meet one of those goals that I have not yet got around to setting yet. I must do that.

But 6 days. I can.not.wait. Soooo ready.

Hope all is well.

-Amy

THIRTEEN DAYS!

So super excited that I am finally under 2 weeks! Time seems to be flying by but I am so ready!

Only the people closest to me were aware that I am having surgery. Not that I didn’t care if people knew but I did not want people trying to talk me out of it. This is not something I just woke up and decided to do. This was a very long and thought out process. Because I am having to be off work a few weeks, a select few people at work had to know what was going on. Because circumstances changed, someone else had to know. And she told everybody that didn’t know. I wasn’t mad at all about this. I guess she didn’t realize everybody didn’t know. Until yesterday, everyone knew except one person. And he found out. He immediately said to me “I offered to help you solve that problem, but I see you decided to go take the easy way out!” Really? It really just took everything in me not to just lose it on him. I feel like this whole process will be one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. So for someone to tell me I am taking the easy way out just angers me.

Moving on… Did I mention I have 13 days left?? Anywho, I feel like I have so much to do prior to surgery and do not know where to start. I am the one that takes care of business so I naturally feel like everything will fall apart while I am out of commission for a few days. I’m sure everybody will keep on keeping on without a problem but what if?

13 days… Yea! I did go buy some Isopure which is much much easier to stomach than the protein powder. Hopefully this will not change after surgery. I just can’t imagine having to stomach the powder immediately after surgery. It is like an animated show to just get one sip down.

I also have not got the courage to put before pictures on here yet. I will do that. I’m skeeeered. I will find the courage to do this. I will. Before 13 days!

Hope all is well with everyone and their journey. I have 13 days!

-Amy

Protein Horrors!!

If only it was as fun as it sounded.

One of the things that gets me super anxious when thinking about after surgery changes is protein shakes. I have never found one that I like. So, as I am trying to prepare as my surgery date is nearing, I researched TONS of protein powders. I settled on an unflavored no carb powder with 25g of protein per scoop with wonderful reviews. Sounded super awesome to me! I ordered the biggest container sold which would last about a month based on my protein requirements. Said powder arrived at my door about a month ago and went right with the rest of my surgery stuff and has not been touched since.

Yesterday, I was curious as to how long it could be mixed without clumping or doing anything it is not supposed to do. After surgery I am allowed 4 oz of liquids an hour. So, I mixed one scoop in 8 oz of Powerade Zero.

I was too scared to try it. My super awesome, wonderful, muscular, fit husband says “I will try it first.” He takes a big gulp and says “It doesn’t get much better than this!” He goes on and on about how he has had wayyy worse protein powder. So I take the cup. And took a SIP. It hit my gag reflex and I instantly began gagging and could not swallow it.

He assures me that once it is cold it will taste much better. In the fridge it goes. For 4 hours. I take it out. No clumping or looking different as I expected. Still perfectly blended. Not sure if that is normal as my shakes normally have nothing to do with protein.

Once again, that wonderful husband of mine tastes it first. Why I trusted him after the first time I’m not sure. But I did. He tastes it. “That’s really actually good!” he promises. As I hover over the garbage can I take another SIP. Instantly I began gagging and doing ugly faces trying to keep it down. I still am not sure where he gets good out of anything to do with said shake.

A very similar experience occurred last week when I tried to chew a Flintstone vitamin. My daughter assured me it was “not that bad.”

She lied. My husband lied about the shake. The reviewers lied about the powder. What’s a girl to do??

For the vitamin and the shake I think one factor is that chalky nastiness. I just can’t do it!

Also, with the shake, it tastes like watered down milk. I. HATE. MILK. I like nothing about it.

My next quest is to mix it with some sugar free pudding. I don’t know what else to do.

Any suggestions?

The BEST pre op diet EVER!

As I posted, I went for my pre op appointment last Wednesday. My life is chaotic right now so it takes me a few days to find time to update.

Dr. Borland’s office had received all of my lab work on the day of my appointment and everything was perfect. I weighed in at 262.3. They explained everything thoroughly and answered all of my questions. Dr. Borland is wonderful! I have to be at the surgery center at 6am on October 12th. It is approaching fast!

The absolute my wonderful news I received…. I only have to be on clear liquids for 24 hours prior to surgery! So excited about that! He said not to gorge the couple weeks prior but there was no need to do liquids for that long. He said if I was planning a “food funeral” that that should be done prior to the couple weeks before.

So the exact orders I received are:

The day before surgery: clear liquids only (NO SOLID FOODS!!!) clear chicken and beef broth, strained clear soups, sports drinks, fruit juices (no pulp), apple juice, white grape juice, white cranberry juice, water, tea, koolaids, tang, popsicles, jello, ice chips.

At 4 and 6 pm 10 ounce bottle of Magnesium Citrate

Nothing after midnight.

Day 1 post op: Nothing by mouth

Week 1: Bariatric surgery clear liquids. No concentrated sweets. No carbonated beverages. Try to consume 3-4 ounces of fluid every hour that you are awake ( Not during meal time ). No solid foods.

Week 2: Thickeded liquids. No solid foods. Protein shakes. Chewable vitamins.

Week 3: Home soft diet (high protein foods). You should be consuming 4-6 oz of fluids every hour. You should be consuming approximately 500-700 calories and 50-70 grams of protein.

Week 4-5: All foods tolerated, tofu, fish, and seafood, thinly sliced deli turkey or ham and other lunch meats, slices of low fat cheese, unsweetened canned or cooked fruit, potatoes, squash, unsweetened cereal with skim milk, boiled chicken in broth, crisp toast, crackers, beans, and peas, and lean moist turkey and beef.

Week 6-8: Diced poultry (no skin), vegetable burgers, soft cooked vegetables, soft fruits (watermelons, honeydew, peaches, plums), well cooked pasta

3 months post op: Rice, untoasted bread, lean and moist meat and poultry

4 months post op: Veal, crunchy fruits and vegetables including salads

6 months post op: Beef and pork (choose poultry and fish more often in view of lower fat content)

The diet should always be high in protein and low in refined carbohydrates (white flour). Preferably, choose protein first, and then fruits and vegetables, and then whole grains. 

After surgery I will have to have a chewable multivitamin such as Flinstones complete twice a day and 2 Tums a day for the first three weeks.

I am now getting anxious as time is nearing. I’m just ready to start this new journey. Hope y’all find this info helpful!