FluffyChix

Oh man! Egg is fairly innocent but I "hear" it's a gateway drug. Tell your wife to stop finishing your meals. Otherwise, she will gain as quickly as you lose. One day it's an egg, the next it's your lasagna! ((hugs)) Congrats on your first meal dude!! WTG! (pssst LOVE farm eggs)

I went commando the whole time, cuz the last thing I wanted to do was have to pull down and pull up my underroos when I had incisions everywhere.

They do suck, but you look Ah-Mazing!!! Congrats!

LOL as @OutsideMatchInside said...the less the better. I've had a bunch of surgeries and really the 3 things I ever need are: 1 new cheap pair of slippers (cuz I will toss them in the trash in my hospital room when I leave--no C Diff or MRSA for this gal!), 1 toothbrush, and THE most important thing--a soft standard size pillow for the ride home. I just wore the same stretchy pants and tunic I wore to the hospital to go home--no bra (but I'd had breast surgeries and I've not worn a bra since them).

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. ((hugs)) Prayers of peace to you. Have you done the cottage cheese pouch volume test to see if your pouch is still functional? You can google exactly how to do it, but essentially, on an empty stomach and without drinking liquid, you eat a brand new container of cottage cheese until you feel the restriction and signal to stop eating for your particular pouch. Measure the amount of cottage cheese left in the container. If it fits within the specifications of your original pouch as given to you by the surgeon, then the tool is still functioning. That means, theoretically, you could go back to the early pouch rules of the road and volumes and realize the satiety benefits again. The weight loss is supposed to be slower, but frankly, I don't really buy that. I would think if you have a functioning tool, then satiety and loss can be somewhat manipulated by diet composition (ie ditching the carbs and junk food). Just putting that out there for you to think about in case you didn't realize you could test whether your pouch is still working or not. Either way, the first 4 days of any diet are grueling and filled with hunger. But if you can power through those days it does get better. Good luck!

Dayum...saying prayers the antibiotics will bring relief!!! ((hugs))

Some vets have discussed that "breaking up the surface tension" helps. So things like water drops or dilutions of liquids can help. For instance, use a flavored tea (decaff=celestial seasonings or tazo) and brew it really strong. Then use that concentrate to add an ounce or two to your 12oz of water. Maybe that could help a little bit? Also slicing fruits and cucumbers and adding herbs can adjust the surface tension of the water (like slicing a strawberry and floating it in the water). I've no idea if this trick works, but I do think there is a difference in flavored water for me. I'm not a big sweets person, so a slice of strawberry or a squeeze of citrus fruit works well for my tastes.

I want to be comfortable in my skin and in my clothes to dress temperature-appropriate in any activity. I'd especially love to be able to camp again (in a tent and sleeping bag), hike, canoe, kayak, "tube" the river (Frio/Guadalupe/Comal). I'd love to feel comfy hunting and fishing again. I also look forward to NOT having to spend time taking medicines!

((hugs)) To each of you who battle this! I've got some (what I think) is familial balding in one spot close to my forehead. So far my "comb-over" covers it enough...but something has been making my hair fall out in droves. I'm sure it's diet related or thyroid related. So...who know what the future will hold with it. I also like the idea of clips of supplemental hair and love the hair fiber idea!! @BunnyJean thanks for the ideas about products! I also think a really good cut and style can sometimes help.

Can you "gulp" water yet? How quickly can you drink it? I ask because, I think you need more water (in general). If it were me, I'd get up, and "pound" down 8oz of water as soon as you pee and weigh. Even before coffee. Then mid-morning I would pound down another 8oz. Mid-afternoon do another 8oz. Before bed do 8-oz. That's an extra 32oz over what you are normally drinking. Even if you can only "pound" down 4oz out a time, that extra pint of water will push you more into where you need to be. Don't sip it. Just drink as much as comfortably fits your new anatomy. The rest of the fluid comes from how you already get your 64oz in. My nut said that my 36oz (3-12oz cups of decaff coffee) and 1 glass (12oz) of iced tea count towards my fluid totals. From that, I find my thirst has been reawakened and I drink 4-20oz bottles of water per day.

I've been experimenting pre-surgery so that I have an easy-ish road map to follow after surgery. Have you tried adding unflavored protein powder to regular soups? I make homemade chicken broth from trimmed scraps and bones that I would otherwise throw away. It makes about 3-4 cups at a time and is fairly quick to make. So I take a cup of broth and nuke it for a few seconds until it's about 135*. Then add in my Isopure Unflavored protein powder and if I need to, will add just a touch of Better Than Bouillon to boost the flavor. You can also stir in a spoon or two of cream of anything to the soup. It's really delish. I also do that with V-8 and warm it up for a tomato soup, or just add the protein to tomato soup or bisque. You can stir in a spoon of yogurt and spices/herbs to make it creamy tomato. I also do it for cream soups from a can.

Remember to breathe. And hope. Even when it feels impossible. Saying prayers!

Thank you so much! Isn't perspective funny? Cuz you just said you see me as this inspiration. I do not see myself in that light. I just see me as some average schmoe off the street with no special talent or gift or magic. But I'm a fortunate schmoe. Because God is powerful and has helped me tremendously--especially in the tough times. And if God can help make me powerful, just an average schmoe--how much more so can he make you? Make each of us? If I can do something, then how much better will you be able to because of your advanced talents!

@DrGee I was going to post almost your exact most recent post yesterday, but didn't want to be a buzzkill when you were clearly on a precipice and hurting. I'm not post-op yet, so don't have the forging through fire of which you speak. I only have life experience of dealing with intensely challenging life situations, grief, and life experience with counseling, so am only qualified to give my opinion on getting through difficult/gruelling experiences from a personal perspective. As you said, the only way through it is through it. And the only way to get through it is to stay firmly grounded in reality and grounded in the present--sometimes that present is only 60seconds long. You know? Sometimes you're lucky and that present is a day. And then you start all over again the next day. This is especially true for the "junkie brain" and "fat brain" which is fairly similar to junkie brain because of the pleasure center/dopamine/opiod receptor involvement. (I know I'm preachin' to the choir here, because of your training! ) It DOES help to lament. To gnash teeth. To wail. I felt that's what you were doing yesterday. And, that's ok. That's part of the grief process. But as a professional, you know that having "tools" ready for a time of need, can make the difference between bending and breaking. So today, in the light of clarity, I would encourage you to re-evaluate your arsenal of psychological warfare tools and get them ready for the next time you are tested. I truly know first hand that they do help make us stronger. (BTW, I'm not being Polyanna here. I do understand that sometimes drugs are need to balance brain chemistry.) For me, CBT (or my understanding of CBT) has been invaluable for dealing with addictions, grief, and depression. It honestly made the difference for me between suicide and living mostly depression-free. So when I'm in the metaphorical weeds, I remind myself of these things: 1. Stay focused on the present. Worry about tomorrow when it comes. 2. Choose to believe that this painful present will not last into infinity. It will end. 3. Choose to focus on the positive. (Flip a light switch to turn off the liar's voice that tells you that you are nearing the end and can't endure. It lies. It has one job and that's what it does--lies to us and makes us believe we're weak.) 4. When the liar light is "off," replace the liar with the light of truth: You ARE strong. You are powerful. You will get through this moment. The moment will end. Glom on to one positive element of the moment and believe. Visualize it. If it's scale movement, then imagine more movement. If it's a skinny, healthy you in ridiculous jeans and CFM heels, see yourself there. Imagine you are on the path to light, and mentally check off the "check point" called misery as you walk past it. 5. Remember to breathe. Four square breathing techniques. 6. Accept your mortality. I say a quote from the Sioux, "Today is a good day to die." It means, that if this is the situation that is going to kill me, then I am ready and it can only hurt a maximum of 4 minutes (without breathing) to die. It completely takes the power and bite out of that moment of anxiety because I relax into it. 7. Laugh. Picture myself as having power...the power to laugh through adversity. 8. Maintain a grateful heart. Acknowledge/count your blessings. Affirm the positives from the current day. I truly believe that applying these tools, makes me better able to handle the hairy times. But it's like with any tool. The more you practice it, the more repetitions you do, the more you are able to use those tools accurately--with sure and swift aim--when they are needed. When I first started doing push ups against the counter, I could only do 3 without collapsing in burning agony across my chest and lat flaps (double mastectomy with bilateral lat flap recon). Now I can do 12 reps without the neuralgia burning and muscle fatigue. It's the same thing with your brain. Arming yourself with powerful psychological tools won't mean you will never walk through the fire again. It won't mean you will never have tests, trials, or tribulations. It won't mean you won't have times of weakness, temptation, grief, lamentation, or sadness/depression. It only means that when those times come, you are stronger. We are a warriors. We are not a victim tossed about by an uncontrollable force. We have power and control over our success. Just my 2 cents. It's not worth too much, so please feel free to ignore me. I think I read that you are a doctor of psychology, so none of this is new to you, but there may be someone else out there who is helped from this info... Glad to hear that today is better and that you got through yesterday and can put it behind you--checking it off your list! ((hugs))

Oh my gosh, this is priceless!! I also loved the Wilbury's End of the Line. I can imagine it now, "We're getting the band back together...!"

Oh man! Great tune! There were so many great ones.

@OutsideMatchInside I edited my post to remove my discussion of low carb pizza, cuz I realized I was ruining your review! (Yeah the celiac thing has really pee'd in my Wheaties and thrown me for a loop. Not that I eat wheat very often, being low carb, but I did occasionally use things like the Flatouts and tortillas. I do like Fathead, but as you mentioned, I prefer it made into rolls or garlic knots--and it's a PIA to make. The idea of making it super thin is a good one. I may have to try that this month. I'm a thin crust Neapolitan pizza fan or a crispy cracker crust girl (think that's one of the Chicago styles). But I really agree with you on the pork chop/steak thing and satiety. Hard to argue with that one. KISS has been working for me this go-round, so I've been trying to stay away from gooey, cheesy things...I've backslid a bit with no-pasta-lasagna bowls lately...)

So weird. It posted twice.

@OutsideMatchInside How do you make your low carb pizza? @shedo82773 I haven't made the chicken crust, but the cauliflower crust is pretty tasty!

@dreamingsmall Awesome, awesome post! Thanks so much for sharing. I'm going to save this to my folder so that I can read it when I need a re-set on my attitude and outlook! Thank you. Part of what you suggest is exactly the way I have to live each day. I truly wake up and pledge for this 1 day to: 1. be happy 2. don't sweat the small stuff 3. eat according to today's food plan 4. only worry about the current decade of weight loss If I look too far down the road and make too many plans for the future, things just get really out of kilter for me...even with weight loss goals. I can't think of my end goal. Cuz I can't imagine a time when I will ever reach it. Even after surgery. LOL. How screwed am I, right? LOL.

Great post and thank you for the added perspective. I'm so happy your surgery has really helped you reframe your relationship with food. And yay for better headspaces!!! Who doesn't love that?! It's hard for me to imagine a time where I will feel like you do regarding food. My whole life has been about battling my relationship with food and trying to avoid the triggers that make me fall and resume old unhealthy habits and foods--and then of course, the inevitable re-gain. One of my biggest fears is that I will "do good" after WLS, then get bored with being "good" and go back to my cheatin' ways and before long I will end up regaining. After WLS. Big gulp. *terrified* Cuz you know, then whadayado?

@Half-Tum Wahhhwhoooooo! Congrats on the losses. That's so fantastic!! The amazing, disappearing Half-Tum man! (Psssst, I can't read your name without imagining you as a rapper.) So glad to see you. We're missin' you. Come back and play with us whydoncha? @Berry78 That drawing is incredible. I'm looking at the perspective and hand positions. That's very difficult to pull off--even when studying figure drawing for years. And LOL on the near encyclopedic knowledge of all things fishing. What a boy! LOL. Very interesting that it skipped a generation.

@heycrystal2052 and @Half-Tum What the hayull "ladies"? You think you can just get your surgery, lose weight, have fun in real life, then go off and leave us hangin? That ain't right. Where you at? Come play. kthnxbye

I know it wasn't. I was just being silly. (Wow on 2 dyslexic kiddos. Does it run in the family? I know so little about it.)

@Berry78 Awwww! (You just love me cuz I didn't spell it "loose" in the 1st post.) I you to pieces. (Not in any weird psychopathic, literal, way or anything...)