Pookeyism

I recommend you discuss with your doctor if it will be him or another doc that will be seeing you after surgery - and go over your pain med options now. Later it is difficult to discuss the pain meds, and catch is you probably dont need to unless they arent working right. They tried to try me on morphine, when I had told them not to, then demoral (or some such) and my doc had gave my post care over to another doctor, so no communication was working. the demoral would knock me totally out, and then when I woke it was so much worse because you cant sleep and get in your walking at the same time. Finally a nurse on the next shift told them to give me hydrocodone in a liquid suspension and she said..."I am giving you two medicine cups and your pain med is just over halved - the first sup is about 3/5 and the other is 2/5...sip it real slow..." I did and I didn't need the other half, it was a suspension so it began to work quickly and after that I avoided having to take a whole dose - ever. No pain, less meds, less out-of-head. All good

"Blender Bottle" is good for me...it has a really good lid, and blends the drinks well, too.

If you want to see what I am talking about you can check it out at dagorhir.com ... ...okay, so a MUCH younger me was always doing some sort of martial art - and at about 18 fell in LOVE with armed european swordplay - european martial arts, that sort of thing...so I fought in the SCA and other groups...I loved it and I was really good at it. And then I packed on the weight and I just could not keep up. I lacked the arm reach and I was always injuring myself... Sunday I participated in an event again for the first time, and I KICKED ASS, lol. I was mediocre, actually...but it was the first time in fifteen years, and I won sparring events and survived the meley. You may need to locate a nerd to interperate... I was getting some Water, which is on the otherside of a bamboo wall in the park we were in and I heard one of the more experienced guys (who I almost beat 5/6) say "she hasn't done this is 15 years? really???" you can't see it, but the sun is shining from WITHIN me right now, this - feels - sooo - freakin' - good!

Start keeping your food journal again...start if you never did. Get online for instructions to tell you the best way ot keep it if you feel like you do not know how...look at what you are eating...eat as many times a day as you want...but keep it focused on protien rich/low carb. Avoid drinking your liquids if they are over about 100-200 calories a day. Perhaps you should consider a boot camp of sorts...start back on the basic eating and go from there. Get back into ketosis for awhile. You have not failed...go back and read my topic on my 3 month sleeve-anniversary. We all struggle...or we wouldn't have the sleeve to begin with. God bless and you CAN do it.

I have been thinking about that one and about a week ago finally decided to wait until I was abotut a size 12, and then go from there. I think I am going to go to a sports doc and have a better assessment than the BMI before I decide on a goal weight range.

I appreciate the feedback! Very interesting responses. I made a really hard decision over the weekend based on asking myself not if they liked me before, because I knew they did - but was I hanging on because they had...at the detriment of us both (in no way related to Hubby or such, lol). I decided that yes, in a big way I was hanging on because I knew they really liked the old me - and liked the new me, but our relationship was strained and a bit volatile, and I can't have it in my life. :'( Friendships are strange and I never used "forever" anywhere in the goodbye, but stressed I couldnt be there. I DID tell her I knew she had always cared for me (fat or thin), and always would - and so would I.

Good luck, I had to self pay also.

On the subject of getting used to a thinner "you"...this is much harder than I realized. I am lingering in this quasi-friend haze of aquaintances - people I no longer have any real thing in common or never liked really well anyway (not a slight on them and OMG some of them are so funny and sweet) but I linger, I think in part because I want to have people who knew me then, and liked me then...I think I find myself almost angry at new aquaintances. I feel like "why didn't you get to know me a year ago!". Is anyone else experiencing this? What is your take on it, if you are?

yes!!! omg yes! My Hubby and a friend of ours swears George (my sleeve) was saying "redrum" the other evening while I took a nap.

I was on liquids for so long! I stil have days that I stay on the protien drinks and alot of crushed ice. I am just feeling it along, and honestly if I had to drink meals for the next year I would...I am three months along and can say even the most finicky sleeve is worth it. Or at least very finicky!

True but worth it...so very worth it. You will not believe how good it feels to not just lose the weight, but there is a point when you realize you have a tool that gives you the ability to lose it, learn and keep it off...just be prepared to work very, very hard. Good luck, God bless!

Thank you so much for your blessings! <3

"Once we acknowledge that it never will, we can just take it out and quietly talk to it every now and then" - words I do not think could come from someone who has not had the need to whisper those things aloud...I thank you for sharing your loss, and offering a moment of your time to make me (and others) feel better.

Thank you for your encouragement and prayers. Peace and blessings sound very, very good right now.

Thank you Lissa! I do try to be brave, and I have alot of decisions to make in the next year or so, I will continue to do my best. Knowing people like you are just a post away helps so very much.

Thank you Lynda. I had not really thought about the fact that I was still probably below the stamina and such I will have even just a few months from now. Thank you for the reminder, and the assurance

Thank you. I wanted to post not just for me, but for those who can't yet - for them to see the responses and know we have others out there, like you, who will reach out. Thanks!

Thank you for your kind words.

I am woman I try to keep that in my thoughts. I lost my grandmother a year before this, so I feel it even moreso- I feel like I lost my other two corners of my trinity... I am woman... me, this girl is a WOMAN, whether to laugh or cry... I am a woman - its in me now. Small statements and warm thoughts ...and I thank you very much.

Kathy, Thank you. I think she knows, too.

"with grace" - Thank you.

Yes I would say less of the lettuce and bagel and a bit more protien. Here are grains by protien/carb ratio: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/grains-highest-protein-carbohydrate-ratio.php Also don't forget protien-fortified food options, there is breads and milk and much more that come in protien-fortified form.

I wonder if the bariatric docs could offer some insight? I will contact mine in the morning and see what they say!

I think your lifestyle of eating should be directed at "the most bang for your 2 oz" lol...protiens first. Really focus on the protiens. Seek them out in animal form, and do not be afraid of a small amount of fat. Avoid processed meats once you can. brown turkey meat has slightly higher fat than white, chicken with a little evoo, bison over cow, etc...look to alternate forms of getting in your veggies (I said look, you decide) - I have found jucing and soups that are cold -veggie medlies, etc. are excellent for me. I use it to help supplement my fluids through the day, leaving meals for protien. I do suggest avoiding carbs in the forms of breads and crackers and dumplings, etc. They just do not pack enough nutritional punch. Eventually maybe barley or oameal in the morning or teffa (am I saying it right??). If you are referring to the paleo diet in reference to the caveman diet, i call it bunk! If you really want to know what is best for you - it takes a lot of real knowledge - get away from the books promoting diets - read the anatomy texts, the biochem references, the articles posted as studies and papers...alot of knowledge will go a long way (no i did not mean a little, I meant a lot). Some basics to keep in mind with food, and I am just mentioning a few, please feel free to add to the list: Allergies - food allergies!!! this affects soooo much, even very dangerous inflamation you may not even realize is going on inside of your body - that feeling in your sinuses? You get that elsewhere too when you expose yourself to a daily onslaught of food you are allergic too. Medications - some medications need to be taken with food or without, avoiding certain foods or types of food, naturally raise or lower blood pressure or affect glucose levels - which you may need to counter with timing your food, food choices (avoiding sodium if you take a med that already is a potential to raise blood pressure, etc - fiber and additional good oil in diet if prone to constipation. Probiotic foods if you have been recently exposed to antibiotics. Do a blood panel every 3 months to begin with - and pay attention to what that says about your food needs...platelets going down? You may need more red meats, or beans and lentils, etc...or perhaps you need to avoid donating blood for a little while? Like I said sooo much to consider. I say this only if you are really considering adopting a "lifestyle" food choice...there is not a need for that, in my opinion. Good luck. if you do choose one please let us know and how it worked!

...and it will always be this way. It was more than I let myself realize this week, and I literally ignored my eating until last night. Had you asked me how my week had gone I would tell you average and doing just fine. In truth, when I made myself accountable I had my first Cereal, my first crackers, first dessert-like food, and I dont even like to eat them anymore. Even when it was the good stuff it was constant. It wasn't head hunger, I call it heart-hunger. For those of you who don't know - many of you do and have been so supportive - I had my surgery on January 4th of this year. My Mom passed away unexpectedly a week later - three months ago today. I will always Celebrate a sleeve-anniversary knowing a week later my Mom died...six days later I talked to her last, three days before that I began to make arrangements to be home in the Spring and suprise her with my weight loss...This is so unbelieveably hard. I feel really weak but I know I must have some strength left in me because I am here at work, and I want to exercize tonight and enjoy my evening with my Hubby and text my Sister and Dad...and I want to work on this some how being better, not even OK, just better. My Husband told me I should not judge my strength by how weak I feel right now, that I am not a sprinter, I am not a marathon runner. I am a hunter-gatherer and I have been chasing a bison now for a long time, and I will eventually catch it, consume it and go on. The reference is vague but he meant it is not a game or sport, it is life and I will win. I told him once while he was gone on an extended trip to Africa (while a crisis known as Hurricane Ike loomed - and I decided to stay with our home)...I told him "I will survive" on Facebook and he replied "No you will thrive". I keep that in my thoughts. I hurt, and I wanted to reach out to a group that has been always supportive and caring and just wonderful and inspirational and say so...for me. I also wanted to post this to say to the other people out there that are having an exceptionally hard time that you are not alone, and you are stronger than you think. There is no shame in reaching out, no lack of anything in you for realizing finally that something is harder than you realized. I realized today that this is not how weak I am, this is how strong I have been all along. I have took so much and I do not endure or survive. I do thrive. You will too. God bess.