MEAT!! Welcome back, old friend.

Today, for the first time in over three weeks, I ate meat! Real, solid, non-liquid meat! I never thought I would be this ecsastic over chicken lunchmeat. It's just that when you're only allowed to eat liquids, you get real tired of sweet. I've been craving solid protein and today I got some. Give it up for two ounces of smoked chicken deli-style lunchmeat chewed to the consistancy of babyfood!!

It's the little things, kids.

Update: Two ounces of smoked chicken deli-style lunchmeat chewed to the consistancy of babyfood filled me up. Sometimes, there really isn't room for Jello. :)

Post-Op Doctor's Appointment

Today, I had my first post-op appointment with my surgeon. Actually, it was with my surgeon's partner, Dr. Christopher Kowolosky.

First thing after being called back, I hopped on the scale. For the first time in a long time, I found myself not dreading the scale! And, as I was about to find out, for good reason. Since starting my pre-op diet three weeks ago, I've lost 33 pounds. Wow. I mean, WOW. That's like a five year old!

So, after I picked my chin up off the floor, I went into the exam room. The nurse asked me a few questions, making sure I was getting my protein and water in. She wasn't concerned that I wasn't up to 60 grams of protein yet; she said at this point 30-40 was okay. She said it was more important to get the 64 ounces of liquids in. Next, she checked my blood pressure which was 108/66. I was very glad to hear this, as the surgeon took me off the beta blocker I've been on for three months right after surgery. The nurse said that it was normal for blood pressure to stabilize this quickly after weight loss. Hooray!

Next, another nurse (I think she was a nurse) came in to remove the staples on my incisions. I wasn't looking forward to this particular part; it just doesn't sound pleasant, having staples removed from your skin. I was surprised; it didn't hurt at all when she removed them. After removal, she prepped my skin with this brown solution so that the sterile strips she applied would adhere better. The whole process took less than five minutes and was completely painless.

The surgeon then came in to ask how things were going, if I had any questions, etc. He took a quick look at my incisions, and said things looked good and to come back in two months. I have to have some labs drawn at that time to make sure all my vitamin levels are good, and that was it.

After my friend Shawn drove me home, I hopped behind the wheel of my car for the first time in over a week and headed to the grocery store to pick up my mushy foods. Another great thing about bariatric surgery: I was in and out of the store in fifteen minutes, and I only spent $34! And I figure what I bought, about half a bag full of groceries, will last about a week to ten days! This is what I picked up:

lowfat cottage cheese
thin sliced turkey and chicken
string cheese
yogurt (no fruit chunks)
individually frozen tilapia and salmon fillets
refried beans
tuna
low fat mayo
and my old friend, beef consomme.








Oh, and I had a 1/4 cup of cottage cheese for dinner! With cinnamon! It was yummy.

One Week Post Op-EGG DAY!!

I'm one week out from surgery and today, I ate my first "semi-solid" food in three weeks: one scrambled egg. It was a damned good egg. It went down and stayed down, so hooray! Tomorrow, 1/4 of a cup of cottage cheese!!



Other Things I've Learned in One Week Post-Op:

* Don't Be a Hero: Don't try to do too much in an attempt to prove to yourself that you're healing. This is a big surgery. Skin, muscle and tissue are trying to heal; let them!

* Incisions, no matter how small or large, hurt. Especially if you try to bend at the waist.

* Isopure Clear Protein is actually grosser than the chocolate protein drinks.

* Pillows make fantastic buffers; take one to work your first couple of days back to cushion your incisions while sitting at your desk.

* Giving yourself an injection of blood thinning medication isn't as hard as it sounds.

* It's much better when your mom the nurse gives you an injection of blood thinning medication.
* Crystal Lite makes much better sugar free popsicles than Good Humor.

* Popsicles, no matter who makes them, suck after eating them for three weeks.

* There is no painkiller in the world that makes you feel as good as your mom tucking you into bed with a kiss on your forehead. Seriously, if Merck could bottle it, there wouldn't be a need for anti-depressants anymore.

Tomorrow is my first post-op appointment where I am very much hoping that I will be released to drive. I think that I will also have the staples removed from my incisions then. Hooray!

Post-Op Update #2

Well, I'm four days out from surgery, and I am doing, okay for the most part.

Most of the pain is centered around the largest of the five incisions. According to the surgeon, that is where they do most of the "digging around" so its normal that it should be the most tender. All of the incisions are closed with titanium staples, and then covered with thin plastic bandages. I can shower normally, and the incisions stay dry. The doctor will remove them at my appointment on Thursday.

Right now, I am pretty limited in my activity. My mom and I went for a walk this morning for about 15 minutes, and it really wiped me out. I'm trying really hard to get at least 30 minutes of walking in each day. So far, so good.

Now, getting 60 grams of protein in is another matter. I didn't think it possible, but the clear protein drink (isopure) actually tastes worse than the chocolate. But I'm choking it down, just not all of it. From what I've read, that's pretty normal right after surgery.

I have had quite a bit of stomach discomfort and gas; mostly from the CO2 that they pumped intomy abdomen during surgery. It takes quite a while for it to work its way out. The Gas-X strips help some but its pretty uncomfortable.

So, back to the comfy chair, sipping on water. I will try to go for a walk later; that definitely helps the CO2 rise to the surface, if you know what I mean.

More later...

Two Days out

Well, I did it. I've officially been "sleeved". It's been a long couple of days.

My mom and I arrived at Heartland Spine and Speciality Hospital at 6 a.m. I signed in, and was callled to get registered about 10 minutes later. About 10 minutes after that, a very nice nurse called my name, and took me up to the pre-op area. Once there, she took a quick history, gave me a gown to change into, and a pair of anti-embolism stockings. Let's just say, I looked HOT.

After I was changed, the nurse came back and put an iv in my hand. It was a bit of a tough stick; she said a lot of the gastric surgery candidates have trouble with iv because they are usually dehydrated.

After the nurse left, the anesthiologist came by to introduce himself, and to talk about the kind of gas he would be giving me as well as the anti-nausea patch that I would wear behind my ear. Apparently, these patches are usually worn by people on cruises to prevent seasickness but doctors have started using them for surgeries.

Then, Dr. Hoehn came by to see how I was doing, and to ask once more if I had any questions. My mom showed up shortly after that. She kissed me on the forehead, told me she loved me and that is the last thing I remember before waking up in the recovery room.

Dr. Hoehn had already spoken with my mom and told her the surgery went very well, and that he was very confident that this procedure was going to work well for me.

Then, I was moved into my room. It was a private room, very nice view of a courtyard and very quiet. Which was a good thing, because I was more exhausted than I have ever been in my life. Another nurse came in to take my vitals and to show me how to use the morphine drip pump. The morphine drip pump then became my new best friend.

More later...

T minus 0 Days-GAME ON

On March 24, I made a decision to seriously investigate weight loss surgery. Now, today, almost four months to the date, I'm walking out the door, getting in the car and heading to the hospital to have surgery.

I've researched, I've explored my feelings, I've talked about it, I've blogged about it. I've cried, I've laughed, I've backpeddaled, I've reasoned my way back. I've made lists, I've planned, I've prepared, I've filled out advanced directives. I've given more blood than a broke college student, had 37 different electrodes pasted to my body for a sleep study, and had a foot long tube snaked down my throat. I've been on a liquid diet for two weeks. TWO WEEKS.

And it all comes down to tomorrow at 7:30 a.m.

Most of my close friends know I have a borderline obsession with the television show The West Wing. I've got the whole series on dvd, I DVR the reruns on Bravo eventhough I've seen them all a thousand times, and I still cry when Bartlet gives Charlie the carving knife on the Thanksgiving episode.

One of my favorite episodes was on the other day. The President is preparing for the final debate of his second campaign. His opponent, played by James Brolin, was a thinly-veiled George W. Bush character. As the President was getting ready to walk out onto the debate floor, his wife Abby tells him, "Game on, boyfriend."

"Game on" has become a bit of a rallying cry for me and my mom. Whenever one of us has a big interview, or meeting, or some other challenge, we tell each other, "It's time to stop screwing around. Game on, girlfriend."

So, I guess that about sums up how I'm feeling this morning.

GAME ON.

T minus 1 Day

At this time tomorrow, I will be in recovery, sleeping off the anesthesia, minus about 2/3 of my stomach. Hee!

My mom just texted from the train; she's on her way, on time even, so I'll leave work about two to go pick her up. Then, we'll head home so I can do the magnesium citrate (ick).

We have to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. so I'm hoping to get packed and get to bed early.

I am so ready.