ChaChaBurch

It's hard to believe that a week ago I was in the hospital getting my lap band removed and my sleeve done. This past week has been really amazing, and in some ways really surreal.
 
I'm feeling really good, not having any issues with anything that I've eaten so far, and I get to start my "blended/puree" phase tomorrow (1st thing on the list is soft scrambled egg).
 
If it weren't for this website, and the friends that I've made, I don't think I could have been nearly as successful.
 
Really looking forward to week 2 and the new things I'll learn!

It's hard to believe that a week ago I was in the hospital getting my lap band removed and my sleeve done. This past week has been really amazing, and in some ways really surreal.
 
I'm feeling really good, not having any issues with anything that I've eaten so far, and I get to start my "blended/puree" phase tomorrow (1st thing on the list is soft scrambled egg).
 
If it weren't for this website, and the friends that I've made, I don't think I could have been nearly as successful.
 
Really looking forward to week 2 and the new things I'll learn!

It's hard to believe that a week ago I was in the hospital getting my lap band removed and my sleeve done. This past week has been really amazing, and in some ways really surreal.
 
I'm feeling really good, not having any issues with anything that I've eaten so far, and I get to start my "blended/puree" phase tomorrow (1st thing on the list is soft scrambled egg).
 
If it weren't for this website, and the friends that I've made, I don't think I could have been nearly as successful.
 
Really looking forward to week 2 and the new things I'll learn!

Didn't sleep but 3 hours last night, so after DH went to work, I took myself right back to bed! Slept about another 2 then just got up.
 
When I weighed this morning, it showed I had lose 15lbs since my pre-op liquid diet! I will start the "mushy/pureed" diet on Friday, and then from that point I will only weigh on Fridays. Don't want to become too obsessed with the scale just now. The Surgeon hasn't set a weight goal for me, but the NUT did ask me, when I went to see her, how much weight did I want to lose. I told her that I didn't really have a good idea yet of where I wanted to be. I want to focus more on my over all health, and not just a number given to me by a square piece of metal that I stand on. I'm thinking I'll set a goal weight in about 3 months -- we'll see.
 
My follow-up with the Surgeon went great! They removed my drain (just burned a little), removed all my bandages, said the incisions looked great. They were really amazed at how well I'm feeling. Told me I had 2 more weeks before I could begin to resume my "usual duties" - riding mower, gardening, and all the other things I do around here on our little homestead.
 
So, starting tomorrow, I am going to focus on smaller goals: 1) Get as much protein, liquids, etc that I can each day, and sticking with the Post-Op eating plan; 2) Learning better/healthier ways to cook - being from the South, if it ain't fried, smothered in gravy, or slathered in butter, we just don't cook it -- going to search online for some great cooking classes (via DVD's). 3) Work on increasing my activity and working out sessions. For my 50th BDay, my girls got me the Zumba fitness DVD's, and a beginner's Yoga DVD - that's that I told them I wanted. So I can start the Yoga now, but the Zumba has to wait at least 2 more weeks.
 
I'm still struggling with eating enough, as I am not ever hungry - not even head-hunger pains. It's a really strange feeling, but I know that as my tummy heals, those things will start coming back.

Didn't sleep but 3 hours last night, so after DH went to work, I took myself right back to bed! Slept about another 2 then just got up.
 
When I weighed this morning, it showed I had lose 15lbs since my pre-op liquid diet! I will start the "mushy/pureed" diet on Friday, and then from that point I will only weigh on Fridays. Don't want to become too obsessed with the scale just now. The Surgeon hasn't set a weight goal for me, but the NUT did ask me, when I went to see her, how much weight did I want to lose. I told her that I didn't really have a good idea yet of where I wanted to be. I want to focus more on my over all health, and not just a number given to me by a square piece of metal that I stand on. I'm thinking I'll set a goal weight in about 3 months -- we'll see.
 
My follow-up with the Surgeon went great! They removed my drain (just burned a little), removed all my bandages, said the incisions looked great. They were really amazed at how well I'm feeling. Told me I had 2 more weeks before I could begin to resume my "usual duties" - riding mower, gardening, and all the other things I do around here on our little homestead.
 
So, starting tomorrow, I am going to focus on smaller goals: 1) Get as much protein, liquids, etc that I can each day, and sticking with the Post-Op eating plan; 2) Learning better/healthier ways to cook - being from the South, if it ain't fried, smothered in gravy, or slathered in butter, we just don't cook it -- going to search online for some great cooking classes (via DVD's). 3) Work on increasing my activity and working out sessions. For my 50th BDay, my girls got me the Zumba fitness DVD's, and a beginner's Yoga DVD - that's that I told them I wanted. So I can start the Yoga now, but the Zumba has to wait at least 2 more weeks.
 
I'm still struggling with eating enough, as I am not ever hungry - not even head-hunger pains. It's a really strange feeling, but I know that as my tummy heals, those things will start coming back.

So far, so good. I got in a 17oz protein shake with 42g of protein, 2 bottles of water, a small coffee, 1 packet of cream of wheat, and a SF pudding yesterday, all with no issues. Just have to take my time and do baby sips.
 
Slept for 4.5 hours straight last night! That's a record since the surgery. Woke this morning feeling pretty good. I still have brief moments of feeling a teeny weeny faint, but then it passes and I'm good for a while. Don't know if that's lack of food, lack of sleep, or just from the surgery itself.
 
Today, again I'm going to focus on getting in the nutrition, liquids, and just all around resting. The weather is absolutely beautiful, so the windows are open, and I will go for a few short walks later today.

Wow, I can't believe I've made it to this point. I'm still sticking with the diet. Only one slip back on Day 2. I weighed this morning, and didn't lose any more, but that's really not surprising. I think because my calorie intake has dropped so dramatically on this diet, that my body has gone into "starvation" mode and is hanging on to what I currently have. That's okay, as my surgery in in less than 48 hours. So I'm sure that will shock my system in to letting go of some more fat.
 
I have so enjoyed this website. It has everything! Good, bad, and ugly. It helps me to stay "real", if you know what I mean. And the support out there is phenomenal! I've met so many wonderful people, and have really enjoyed their input. I'm looking forward to all the support and "pearls of wisdom" that I will get after the surgery. No one very close to me has had this surgery, so the support from this website is vastly needed. Even though my DH and family are supportive, no one will truly understand what I will be going through.

I weighed this morning and have lost 4.4lbs so far on the liquid diet. With all of the "necessities" out of the way (doctor's visits, tests, sleep study, etc), now it's just down to me focusing on staying on the liquid diet. Somehow it seems sorta "anti-climatic" now. I have this sort of "let down" feeling. Not in a bad way, but just that there's nothing in the immediate future for me to focus on, other than my surgery. Down to 6 days now (yayyyy). I'm afraid they will pass really slow, or really fast! I'm looking forward to getting this done, and feeling healthier, but I'm not very good at being patient, so I have no idea how I will be feeling over the next 6 days.

March 6th had arrived. I was so freaking excited!! My parents had decided to take the boys to the lake for a week so I could recover. The only thing that was giving a twinge of worry was the drain. I am not good with medical things. I even hide my eyes and gag a little when a doctor gives a shot on TV. So this drain is a huge source of panic in my world.
 
My surgery was scheduled for noon. I had to be at the hospital at 10 am. That gives me time to sleep in a little, spend a little time with my family, and reassure my husband that this is what I want to do.
 
I am going to a side note here, but this is not a sillly observation, it is a sincere one. My husband is someone that I can say truely loves me. Not who I think I am or who I want to be, just me. He has loved me at size 12 (when he met me), size 18 (when he married me) and size 22 (when he followed me into the hospital that morning) and all the ups and downs in between. He has never made me feel fat or ugly. He is truely a beautful human being. When I made the decision to do this, I saw the panic on his face. Not because of the money or time, but because he said he is scared to live without me. I have had to give my brother my medical power or attorney because my husband said he won't pull the plug. He said he can't be the one to kill me. He did assure me that he respects my decision and will not fight my brother; he said he just can't be the one that makes that decision.
 
So, at 9:30 we dropped my boys off at daycare. With tears in my eyes, I kissed them each good-bye. I knew that I was going to be fine, but there is always that chance. Telling your kids good-bye is a little scary when it might be the last time. I sent my step-daughter a message telling her I loved her. Then, we started out for the hospital. I was chatty and my husband was nervous. He did not feel like talking so we fussed at each other. I took it with a grain of salt. I knew he wasn't mad at me. When checked into the hospital, we were immediately sent to the pre-op (no time to change my mind). I weighed in there and I had officially lost 20 pounds before my surgery. Woo-hoo!!!
 
I was put in my room, changed my clothes, and met all the pre-op nurses. My parents and mother-in-law joined us and helped me pass the time. I cherish those moments. I guess when you are in a situation like this, you sit back and thank God for the little things that make us happy and my family is it. The nurses came in and tried to start an IV. Because I had been on a liquid diet for a week and clear liquids the day before and NPO since midnight, I was a little dehydrated. It took two nurses one hour to find a vein they could use. They kept saying, "Your veins are so deep". (Sidenote: If any of you are nurses reading this, when you say something like "your veins are so deep" what your patient hears is "You are so fat, your arms are even carrying a load. Stop eating cake, fat butt" Well, they finally got the IV started in my hand using a baby needle. If that didn't solidify my decision about having this surgery I don't know what could have.
 
The time had come and they were finally wheeling me to the OR. The nurses are just talking away. I finally looked up and said "You know I know what you are saying". The nurse looked at me in shock. They apparently forgot to give me the wacky juice I was supposed to get before they carted me off. When I got to the OR, a line of nurses was waiting for me. They even did the wave as I passed by. I said "They forgot the wacky juice, I am soooo going to remember you doing that!" Everyone laughed and began talking at once. I was able to help them get me to the operating bed. I talked to the doctor that was going to put me to sleep (Side note: I know what the name is and no idea how to spell it, so don't judge!) I mentioned to him that I was going to remember speaking to him and I BETTER NOT remember any of that surgery. He promised me that he hasn't had a patient remember in 18 years, and he promised not to blemish that record. Thankfully, he was right.
 
Unfortunately, when I woke up, I did not like him or anyone else very much. I HURT!!!!!. . .