I was going to call this Break On Through To The Other Side (thank you Doors). But I figured I'd get sick of it after a while. I'm going to use this space to keep track on the 2 week march toward surgery and then to keep track of the recovery and progress. That way I can keep it all together and if I just do one thread, it's all in one place without clogging up the Blog Area. I'm sure it's gonna be excruciatingly boring to everyone--me included! I'm a list and minutia kinda gal. I like tracking and counting--although I can be equally lax about crap. So I stop just short of OCD town (not that there's anything wrong with that).

My official 2 week liquid diet starts tomorrow. I decided to jump on it today because Sunday feels like a great place to start and because it's hard to do better than yesterday as my last food day before surgery. I'm a Texan, born and raised, and yesterday we had a fairwell to my ass and thighs via a Texas BBQ tour through Houston and Tomball. I ate so much brisket, sausage and ribs, I can honestly claim to be over it. Growing up in a BBQ family, slow smoked meats is almost in my blood. So it was only natural that I would choose that as the last rights.

I'm having RNY on February 20th and as I understand it, moist (fatty) brisket might not be my friend post surgery. Supposedly high fat foods (which moist brisket is) might cause a sort of "dumping" in the poop department. So I figure my future, once healed, might only include lean cuts of brisket and smoked meats. It's a choice I will readily make to lose weight and get my health back.

So the morning Day 1 hasn't been very difficult--a little hunger and growly tummy, but nothing that makes me feel anxiety. Protein drinks on board and this afternoon will shop for SF popsicles, SF jello and bone broth. I think I'll stick to packaged bone broth so I can get the actual nutritional information from a certified source. There's no real way for me to tell how many calories and carbs are in the bone broth I make here at home.

My Pre-Op Plan includes: 80-100g of protein; low fat; 60g carbs and somewhere around 1000cals per day.

4-5 Protein Drinks containing a minimum of 15g of protein per serving. They must be low fat and low sugar and can't contain over 4g of sugar per serving. I can have clear low sodium broths, sugar free drinks, sugar free jello and sugar free clear popsicles (no fudgsicles or ice cream based pops).

I will do this from now until February 20th.

I'm pretty sure I will be doing plenty of the following:

Edited February 4, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

1 minute ago, Apple203 said:

100 pounds is a big forkin' deal!!! Or is it forken? LOL

I enjoy your posts, you always seem to find new challenges for me to consider -- like getting my veges and fruit to a pound a day.

Hell, I never know what bs will come out of my mouth next girl. And I EQUALLY love your posts! I just wanna see if I can do it or if I'm already doing it naturally. LOL. I think without the green smoothie or a smoothie of some sort, it will not be possible for me. So I'm just gonna re-examine if they stall my weight out...plus, LOL, I have to play with my new $14.99 smoothie blender toy. ROFL! I think as green smoothies goes, it's fairly low carb--so hopefully that dog will hunt and it's not Gakalicious! And it is indeed forkin' hahahaha! Or fargin' if you prefer--as in, "fargin' icehole bastages." LOL.

Damn it, Janet! Rocky, "UGGGGH!!!" LOL. And just like that 100lbs is stolen from my cold dead grasp! LOL.

So good news and bad news. I was 100% beautiful yesterday and worked out like a semi-disabled beast at PT yesterday. Ate responsibly. Could only finish 3/4 of my green smoothie which didn't even have THAT much fruit in it (full drink = 1 1/2oz apple), and ate responsibly last night (1/4 of a Caprese salad=1slice of tom + 1oz mozz + basil + balsamic glaze), 2.25oz grilled chicken + 1oz zucchini and y. squash and the scale showed bounce back as it almost alway does. So I'm up 0.6lbs.

I'm not worried except it would have been nice to have it go down again and have a new low firmly in the 180s rather than just hangin on to the 180s by my fingernails. I was 189.2lbs this morning. Grrrr.

But the good news is that it's only Week 11. LOL. So I have another week to officially hit Week 12 and 3 months out. hahahaha. Insanity has it's rewards.

Today is walking, walking, walking. I'll do my 2 walks to the neighborhood park. Woot! And work of course. So all ist clar der Komisar.

Todays forecast is clear with a chance of shrimp!

Have a good one!

Edited May 8, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

Well, thought I would check in today. I just pulled an incredibly stupid and bone-headed stunt. I walked for 45 minutes without stopping and used an unknown trail by one of our big drainage ditches where there's a trail, but no shade. I wore thin ripstop shorts and a shell with spaghetti straps and no hat. No sun screen. It was like I was just beggin to die. I didn't notice the toll it was taking on me until I was 25 minutes out--at the end of the trail, furthest away from the house and in full sun. Fu*k me! I did have 3/4 bottle of water, but not enough...so I took it slowly and made it back, but dayum, shazam!! It looks like summer is here in full-measure and I'm going to have start walking about 2-3hours earlier.

I now have a headache and am a tiny bit nauseous. So I am hydrating and sitting under a strong fan. And will take it easy to assess how much of a tool I actually was. But it could have been bad. Luckily, I'm keeping fluids down and will eat as soon as I know I'm hydrated enough. I may just have to suck back a PP and call it a meal.

Also, the scale continues to make me it's little bio*ch this week. Still at 188.2 today (down from yesterday a tiny bit). Am eating great. Had a starvin' marvin day yesterday and actually ended up eating 2 dinners! I had like 96g of protein and 855 cals for the day. LOL. At least it was all legal food, just way, way, wayyyyyyy too much protein for me. Don't know what got into me. I wasn't craving anything other than meat (ie chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, hb eggs, whatevs, just wanted dense protein). Maybe I would have had a visit from the Whoosh Fairy if I hadn't eaten second dinner. Oh well. TTSP.

Laters.

Edited May 10, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

Sorry, Fluff - gotta call you out on this one! We live in Texas! We know better!

Anyway, hope you feel better soon

33 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

Sorry, Fluff - gotta call you out on this one! We live in Texas! We know better!

Anyway, hope you feel better soon

IKR???!!!! What a dumbass! I am feeling better and am eating my 2nd breakfast right now. All's good and will really knock the agua back today!

Glad you made it back safely!! I'm sure its cooler here, but I still schedule my walks early and/or late, so's Murphy's feet don't get scorched. One of my kids seriously overheated when he was pretty little, 5 or 6, and it was frightening for us because we too were away from home at a crowded event.

Ugh regarding the scale -- that major milestone is tantalizingly close.

Oh, and I had an extra 200 calorie meal yesterday, too, because I was starving. Its either from having coffee shakes for breakfast again (instead of eggs), or carby midday meals (leftover lentil soup, cottage cheese & peaches, etc). I dunno. Have you picked up on something triggering you? Maybe even the extra exercise?

6 minutes ago, Apple203 said:

Glad you made it back safely!! I'm sure its cooler here, but I still schedule my walks early and/or late, so's Murphy's feet don't get scorched. One of my kids seriously overheated when he was pretty little, 5 or 6, and it was frightening for us because we too were away from home at a crowded event.

Ugh regarding the scale -- that major milestone is tantalizingly close.

Oh, and I had an extra 200 calorie meal yesterday, too, because I was starving. Its either from having coffee shakes for Breakfast again (instead of eggs), or carby midday meals (leftover lentil Soup, cottage cheese & peaches, etc). I dunno. Have you picked up on something triggering you? Maybe even the extra exercise?

How terrifying about your son!!! As a mom that would scare the crap outta me! What did you end up doing? Did you go to the care tent? How did you get him to feel better? (Can I just tell you Murph is soooo dang cute!)

Well, I'm thinking it may just be the smoothies. So today I'm going back to my tried-n-true menu. And no green smoothies. I think I may just still have so much hyperinsulinemia floatin' around that I can't do it, even if it is only a small amount of berries and frozen spinach--the protein drink itself lends some insulinogenic properties too. More so than just eating.

But, it may be the extra walking and PT. So am being careful for the next couple of days to see if I spot a trend.

I'm thinking the lentil soup and maybe the peaches and cc are probably doing it for you??

But you know, there are just hungrier days and leaner feeling days. Usually I get super hungry when I'm about to drop a couple of pounds, but things that make you go hmmm.

The heat exhaustion (?) with Matt -- I don't remember all of the gritty details, but I do remember that we had biked a mile or so into town (Annapolis) for the fireworks. I sat with him on a curb and my husband rushed home to get a car to pick him up. We threw the bikes in someone's yard, LOL. Then we focused on cooling and rehydrating. Little kids just dehydrate so fast!

Lentil soup is all gone -- I think I was just having too many carbs at once and too early in the day.

Edited May 10, 20188 yr by Apple203

5 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Well, thought I would check in today. I just pulled an incredibly stupid and bone-headed stunt. I walked for 45 minutes without stopping and used an unknown trail by one of our big drainage ditches where there's a trail, but no shade. I wore thin ripstop shorts and a shell with spaghetti straps and no hat. No sun screen. It was like I was just beggin to die. I didn't notice the toll it was taking on me until I was 25 minutes out--at the end of the trail, furthest away from the house and in full sun. Fu*k me! I did have 3/4 bottle of Water, but not enough...so I took it slowly and made it back, but dayum, shazam!! It looks like summer is here in full-measure and I'm going to have start walking about 2-3hours earlier.

I now have a Headache and am a tiny bit nauseous. So I am hydrating and sitting under a strong fan. And will take it easy to assess how much of a tool I actually was. But it could have been bad. Luckily, I'm keeping fluids down and will eat as soon as I know I'm hydrated enough. I may just have to suck back a PP and call it a meal.

Also, the scale continues to make me it's little bio*ch this week. Still at 188.2 today (down from yesterday a tiny bit). Am eating great. Had a starvin' marvin day yesterday and actually ended up eating 2 dinners! I had like 96g of Protein and 855 cals for the day. LOL. At least it was all legal food, just way, way, wayyyyyyy too much protein for me. Don't know what got into me. I wasn't craving anything other than meat (ie chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, hb eggs, whatevs, just wanted dense protein). Maybe I would have had a visit from the Whoosh Fairy if I hadn't eaten second dinner. Oh well. TTSP.

Laters.

Sorry you got overheated, it is easy to do since we are already hitting the 90's in our (central) part of Texas. Will be taking my pup to the community park near us soon to walk under the trees but I try to be out there no later than 7.

I am vampire pale with red hair and freckles and have used industrial strength sunblock since childhood so it is routine to me. Nothing worse than a sunburn...

All you food sound so good as I face ANOTHER week of the protein shakes...I told my husband last night that I am NEVER drinking another one for the rest of my life. Made some chicken "soup" last night with broth and some greek yogurt and I almost cried since it was so good!!

Do you find it helpful to weight yourself daily? I do but I know some advise against it.

I really enjoy your posts!!

Oh No!! I've been there! I'm in the Dallas area and walk at 6:00 am; it's horrible getting myself out of bed, but worth it as my walk is ending and the sun is in full force. Glad to hear you are recovering and not too sunburned!

I'm only slightly pink. And it will turn to tan, even on lymphedema arm. But I never get really truly dark. I ket lots (more) freckles! We're coming to the hill country in June and then hopefully again in July to a different area. We spent most summers at the Frio! Woot!

***********

1 hour ago, MIZ60 said:

Sorry you got overheated, it is easy to do since we are already hitting the 90's in our (central) part of Texas. Will be taking my pup to the community park near us soon to walk under the trees but I try to be out there no later than 7.

I am vampire pale with red hair and freckles and have used industrial strength sunblock since childhood so it is routine to me. Nothing worse than a sunburn...

All you food sound so good as I face ANOTHER week of the protein shakes...I told my husband last night that I am NEVER drinking another one for the rest of my life. Made some chicken "soup" last night with broth and some greek yogurt and I almost cried since it was so good!!

Do you find it helpful to weight yourself daily? I do but I know some advise against it.

I really enjoy your posts!!

Thank you and glad you're here! Hope you'll post often! Central TX and red hair and freckles is tough!!! Where in the Hill Country?

No burn, just a little heat "tiredness" not even exhaustion. Just a stupid stupid move on my part.

The shakes will be over soon. I still do 1/2 of a PP per day. I use it as coffee creamer and love it!!! I probably will still be doing it next year! It makes it easier so I get to eat 2-2.5oz of protein at a meal and have more room for veggies! Your broth sounds lovely. Greek yogurt leaves me too hungry. So I don't eat it often. Sometimes as dessert with SF choco syrup and low fat PB powder, but that's not too often.

I do find it best to weigh daily. There was a study that says daily weighers lose up to 15% more weight than those who don't. I find it truly keeps me honest and on my toes. But the down side is it can be aggravating!

((hugs))

1 hour ago, FluffyChix said:

I'm only slightly pink. And it will turn to tan, even on lymphedema arm. But I never get really truly dark. I ket lots (more) freckles! We're coming to the hill country in June and then hopefully again in July to a different area. We spent most summers at the Frio! Woot!

***********

Thank you and glad you're here! Hope you'll post often! Central TX and red hair and freckles is tough!!! Where in the Hill Country?

No burn, just a little heat "tiredness" not even exhaustion. Just a stupid stupid move on my part.

The shakes will be over soon. I still do 1/2 of a PP per day. I use it as coffee creamer and love it!!! I probably will still be doing it next year! It makes it easier so I get to eat 2-2.5oz of protein at a meal and have more room for veggies! Your broth sounds lovely. Greek yogurt leaves me too hungry. So I don't eat it often. Sometimes as dessert with SF choco Syrup and low fat PB powder, but that's not too often.

I do find it best to weigh daily. There was a study that says daily weighers lose up to 15% more weight than those who don't. I find it truly keeps me honest and on my toes. But the down side is it can be aggravating!

((hugs))

We are currently about an hour north of Austin on the border of Temple and Belton. We love riding the Harley down south though, you mentioned the Frio Canyon which is spectacular (Twisted Sisters!!) We also love the Marble Falls area, Fredericksburg and New Braunfels/Gruene. Actually did our honeymoon in 1984 in Gruene. Love the River Road too!!

Glad you did not get more than a little pink. I think the daily weighing is good for reinforcement and/or accountability. Oh, and to be completely honest the red hair is somewhat "enhanced " at my age. Ha!!

I too plan to use the vanilla shake for coffee instead of my normal half and half and Splenda. My program is really into fat free/low fat stuff which I do not completely agree with but I am going to play nice and do what I am told.

Have a nice evening!!

Beautiful area! I had friends who lived in Belton and my nephew did his med school at Temple Scott & White. Love Marble Falls too. We had my niece's wedding at Escondido. So. Much. Fun! We're going to be on River Road in June at my sissy's place!!! OMG. It's one continual party in the summer! And will likely go to the Grist Mill one night for dinner. I will wave to you! Prolly won't go to Gruene Hall, but will look at it and remember my college days there!

Haha on enhanced hair!

We like the Grist Mill and Gruene Hall as well though I gotta say it is getting SO CROWDED down there that it takes away some of the relaxation. Back in the fall I really wanted to go to Gruene Hall to see one of my favorite bands but I worried too much about my back hurting unbearably if we could not find a place to sit......next time FOR SURE.

I had my surgery at S&W in Temple and I must say they have their stuff together. I am a pretty tough health care customer but I can not think of a single significant complaint after 12 years of using their facilities.

Lucky you to know someone on River Road...I wish we did. Many fond memories of tubing on the Guadalupe back in the day. We do have long term friends who live at Canyon Lake and that is gorgeous and peaceful as well.

What area of Houston do you live in? Husband grew up in Humble. We were down there in February because my dear friend had some surgery at MD Anderson. I also worked a contract in 2016 for 4 months up the road in Livingston. Made the mistake of driving to Kingwood one day for shopping.....even by Texas standards that is some CRAZY A$$ driving in that area.

Edited May 11, 20188 yr by MIZ60

Hahaha! Hilarious about the driving.

We live about 5 minutes south of Tomball off of 249 and the grand parkway. It's nice and quiet. LOL. And just your average everyday schmoe drivers. LOL.