Holly5.3

Hey there! I saw my dr. yesterday and he suggested I stay home this week. He said the sutures closing hernia was done tight (the pulling/burning feeling) so the herniadoesnt return and the wounds from laprascopes still need to heal-stomach muscles are traumatized! All the twisting, stretching and up-and-down movements at work stressed the muscles trying to heal. At least I know I didn't tear something! (how I felt on way home from work!) Only naseaus in hospital. But I'm still on clears as full makes me feel uncomfortable. And my sumach still gurgles a lot!

I thought I could be a skinny Italian cook-without tasting my meat sauce and baked ziti....chew and spit-Episode #1! sooooo gross but I put the ziti in my mouth (day 12 post-op mind you!) and was like, "WTH are you doing girl?!? Spit it out! Spit it out!" (Like a baby with a toy in his mouth!) Whoa- I miss food. I need to stop cooking for a while! Self-control, woman! Self control!

It's so funny - I miss salads so much. I never thought I'ld say that, but here I am! Congrats. on your first meal out-it looks like you were mindful if what to order and stopped eating when you were full-perfect! Keep up the good work!

Don't worry about that! When you arrive at hospital you'll get your I-V. I had to get on the surgery table myself (since surgery is 'elective' -weird!) Anyway. They asked me to put my arms out on each side, put a warm blanket on me. A few questions...next thing it's 1:30 pm (surgery was at 9:00 am) and I'm trying to wake up from anesthesia. You'll doze on and off a bit. Then you'll be bought to your room. Done! They don't say, "now we're giving you the good stuff!" they just do it when you're comfortable and ready. They don't even ask you to count backwards any more. Easy-peasy!

Thanks, Slimagain! I think I rushed back trying to prove to myself ... I'm good! I can do this like a 20-year old! Yeah, right! . Now I'm back in bed, what I do to myself!!!

Happy Birthday Queenie! Wow, you must feel like a true Queen knowing how far you've come since your last birthday! I can't wait (actually, I can...!) for my 54th birthday in July. Last July, the day after my birthday was when I went to the WLS open house at my hospital's Bariatric center. I was so excited to be doing something that was going to help me with my life-long battle forever! 3 months later and I'm recovering-exciting! (I literally spent my 2 week vacation taking care of all Pre-op requirements! So worth it!) I don't know what I'll weigh, or how I'll look, but I do know I'll feel 200% better than I did last July being squished in a beach chair at the ocean and almost drowning in the rough surf when I got knocked over and almost couldn't get up! (Tumbling baby beluga comes to mind!) I even watched a beloved turquoise bracket (why I was wearing it swimming, God only knows!) slip off my wrist as I tumbled about! What a "wake up!" moment that was! A little set back today, but I know I'll be fine! What are your goals for yourself for this year?

Hey Club 50's! I was sleeved on 10/11/12 and returned to my secretarial job yesterday and I dont think my body was ready! I felt great all day-nothing my Tylenol couldn't handle -then POW! At 3:45 (I work 8-4) I got the dame pain I get after I sneeze or cough too hard, except the pain didn't go away after a minute or two. Thank God I live 4 minutes from work-crawled in bed, called my dr. They said to stay home snd rest and call later today. They recommend a min. of 2 weeks off, no one told me that snd they gave me a back to work letter stating the 22nd! Anyway .... what is the burning feeling? Is it the stomach or hernia repair?? Feeling scared-I was doing so well!

food wise, going back to mostly liquids has helped. I'm having 2 shakes with Protein and skim milk and broth plus a SF Jello and Crystal Lite with protein. No problem getting protein in this way. pudding and yogurt still too dense, by the time I add milk to thin it, the taste is gross! I returned to work yesterday too soon-my stomach is killing me! By the time I left my office, the pain you get when you sneeze was there but it was constant. My Dr. said to stay home today and see how I feel. I feel bad letting everyone down at work, but I don't want to cause any damage by not listening to my body! This is just the beginning if my journey-can't screw it up!

I realized I posted in middle of FMLA responses when I was asking about recovery time and back to work. Now I'm wondering if i should have taken FMLA rather than all of my sick and personal time. I went back too soon (civil service clerk-typist in my school district) and now I'm tapping into my vacation time because I knew the office was strapped for coverage in my absence. Poor decision on my part -I wish I had HR to help me, our school is too small!

Well, I went back to work today (DOS 10/11/12)- I WAS feeling great! Grocery shopping, cooking over the weekend. I was terrific all day until the last 1/2 hour killed me! By the time I was walking to my car I was in pretty bad pain. It's like the burning you feel when you sneeze, except it didnt go away a few minutes later! Got right in bed and called my surgeon. They said they recommend 2 weeks off from work minimum-no one told me that! And to rest tomorrow and call if the pain doesn't go away, he may want to see me! Now im scared that I tore something, if that's possible- but I haven't felt this bad since 4 days post-op! What is the burning sensation? Also had a pretty bad hiatal hernia repaired during VSG.

Hey girl! I am doing fantastic! Down 13 pounds since surgery (10/11/12-255.5), this morning 242.5!! Whooopie!!!!! Goal for Halloween is 240, I think I'll make that goal-ya!!

Coughing and sneezing OMG!!! Finally, this morning was the first time an unexpected sneeze didn't bring tears of pain to my eyes! Every day feeling so much better than the day before! Ggod luck!

I switched from Percocette to extra strength rapid release tylovol caplets 3 days post-op. The Percocette was making me hyper and not really helping with pain. I've had no problem swallowing the caplets with a tiny bit of water one at a time. Fine. No stomach problem whatsoever and it takes away any pain/discomfort I was feeling. I can also take Tylenol PM (just 1) at bedtime to get me through my CPAP mask anxiety! Ask your doctor. Mine said taking caplets was fine, but still no vitamins-weird!

Today: 10/22/12: 242.5 (2.5 to go!!)

Oops! I just started a New Year's Day Challenge thread, I didn't see this Thanksgiving one! Highest weight 8/15/12 - 279 DOS 10/11/12 - 255.5 Today, 10/22/12 - 242.5 Halloween goal (240) Thanksgiving goal - 230 Good luck!

I cant find the "Halloween Challenge" thread, so I thought I'ld start a new challenge to help us through the holiday season! I'm on stage 2, so I have no idea what I could lose so I'm guesstimating (hoping and praying, too!): DOS 10/11/12 - 255.5 Today10/2/12 - 242.5 Goal 1/1/13 - 220.0. (22.5 lb. loss)

I had my VSG and hiatal hernia repaired on Thurs. 10/11/12 and I go back to work on Monday, 10/22/12. I feel terrific! I know I'll be tired since I can rest at home whenever I want, but I used all my sick time for the year already (I also had bunion surgery last Feb. and needed a month off recovery). Compared to foot surgery, I feel like I can cartwheel into the office! Lol! if I feel like it's too much, I'll just call in sick (tapping into precious vaca. time!). One day at a time!

Shart!!!! OMG I'm dying of laughter! The "never trust a fart" credo cracked me up last week, now this! It's weird.. Pre-surgery a gurgling stomach would be a warning that somethin's a-brewin' down there. Now the gurgling happens all the time-hungry gurgle, while-eating gurgle, post-eating gurgle. Maybe its when the gurgling stops post-op that you have to worry!! Just in case, I'm bring some 'emergency items' back to work with me when I go back on Monday! Thanks for the laugh and tips!

I'm starting week 2 post-op and I still have a swollen area where hernia repair was. However, I did measure my waist with a string, cut where it met end-to-end and yesterday I put the string around waist and it was about 5" bigger than me! Yaba daba doo!!!!! Last week after surgery my first non-dr. putting was to Michael's Crafts. I bought turquoise and wood beads and I'm making a necklace the length of my belly string to wear as a remixer if where I was. I bought nice accent pieces for my 10 pound goals (total want to lose-138 lbs.). Then when someone disbelieves that i could have lost so much weight, ill simply remive my very long necklace (that will be doubled around my neck, no doubt!) put it around my waist and show them "this us how big I used to be! This necklace is my measuring string!!" so psyched!!

Is there supposed to be a progression when adding solids (like when introduced to babies), one food added so you can tell what caused a negative reaction, if any? Or does everyone just try a bit if everything all at once-not really knowing which food the stomach wants to reject? Ive always had sensitive digestion so for me, I'm going to have add items slowly, not what I want to do, but looks like I'll have to if I don't want to feel sick or vomit! 