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

41 minutes ago, kimberlymi said:

Hi FluffyChix, I know this post is older but I LOVE the poster. Where did you get it?

Stole it from a FB meme.

Hope I don't go to jail.

Sorry have been out at docs appointments--more tomorrow--and then to a clients, and brunch and now a baseball game. So just quickly dropping in. This landed in my in-box today and I thought I'd share. It's a pretty encouraging article. I just skimmed, so will have to read it in-depth when I had time. But, I thought I'd share it. Please feel free to chime in and share your thoughts on it.

Look forward to talking tomorrow. ((hugs)) Hugs all around and hope you are all having great days! Seize the damn day already. Right?

Here it is:

http://www.marcandangel.com/2018/05/13/5-hard-things-you-need-to-start-doing-for-yourself-on-hard-days/

Good morning! This week I had my 6 month check-up with the oncologist, a 6 month repeat echocardiogram to check on the status of the fluid around my heart and the fibrous growth on it, and my 3 month visit with my lovely bariatric surgeon! Yeehaw! Talk about killing multiple birds with one stone!!!

All appointments went great! My onc was tickled pink at the progress and thought I looked fabulous. He was so happy--I've seriously never seen him so happy and smiling so much! And he does truly love the idea of me getting down to stay between 140-145lbs. He said, "Don't regain!!!! Cuz that can mean TERRIBLE things for recurrence." So yes, there is that. LOL. My surgeon was so happy and all smiles. She's very pleased with the progress and the amount I've lost and told me to keep kickin' it and add weights as soon as possible. I won't know about the echo until my f/u at the end of May if there was an improvement in the ejection fraction or change in the fluid.

So then, I developed a UTI and started taking Macrobid for the first time. Started it Wednesday. Holy CRAP! Can you say debilitating nausea? It's got so bad yesterday that I could only force down 43g of protein and 375 cals. And 30g of that was from a Premier shake. Hoooo doggey, this stuff is mean. I couldn't make myself take the second dose last night. NO vitamins yesterday either. I just couldn't even think of doing it. I also developed an itchy hivey patch on my arm yesterday--so I'm thinking it's not a good option for me. Called the doc's office this morning and am waiting for a call back on medication change. I'm betting he'll bring the Cipro which I'm not too pleased about either.

OK, MORE medicine issues. Ran out of my calcium citrate capsules (doc says I can take them even though they are a blend of calcium citrate, calcium malate, and calcium carbonate with 85% of 1500mg coming from calcium citrate) from Solaray (Vitacost). They are so easy to swallow, and I take 6 per day for 1500mg total/daily. So I subbed the store generic of Caltrate (calcium citrate) Petites--but holy smokes, even those are huge and cause some scratching on the way down! Yuk! Big yuk!

So I remember somewhere reading that you can dissolve your calcium honkers in liquid and take em as a shot. Elegant solution for a crappy problem! I think it's thanks to @James Marusek for this sage advice? Cudos James! So I did it and voila!!! Instant dissolve! I've had my first 2 today in my morning protein latte. They dissolve well, and are only slightly gritty but do-able to not have to swallow those horse pills! I have to take 8 per day to get my 1500mg (plus a little) as opposed to 6 per day of the Solaray combos. The petites are about .05 more per day. We'll see. She's doing labs so we'll see how I'm doing.

All-in-all, good things! Oh, I forgot to post my 12 week dinner pic. Made grilled chicken for me and ribeye (on sale) for Mr. F. I tried a bite of steak again. I was able to tolerate it, tasted great, but it wasn't my favorite. Felt pretty heavy in Iron Will. So I will wait 2weeks or a month and see what happens then.

12 Weeks - Grilled Chicken, Grilled Ribeye, Steamed Broccoli w/WF Sesame Ginger Dressing, Avo & Tomato Salad

2 1/2oz protein, 1/4tsp EVOO, 1/4c cooked veg, 1/4c salad (avo/tom)

Nutritionals: 217 cals; 25g protein; 9g fat; 8g carbs; 2g fiber; 6g net carbs; 2g nat. sugar

Edited May 18, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

Looks delish Fluffy!!!

Sent from my SM-G930VL using BariatricPal mobile app

Your dinner looks amaze-balls!! Said as I sit here relishing my 1.25 ounce serving of Daisy Low Fat cottage cheese...

Congratulations on your good reports from the doctors except BOOO!! on the UTI. I detest taking antibiotics other than the old stuff like amoxil and keflex. Hope you get through it and feel better soon.

Edited May 18, 20188 yr by MIZ60

Love the new avatar @MIZ60!!

Happy Saturday everyone! I have an NSV to report! Thanks to the long-suffering Mr. F, we went thrifting today. It was senior day at Goodwill! Woooohooooo! Anyone over 55 gets 30% off! So I finally found some stuff!!!! Yippee! Thah crahps ah sayuved!!!! And low and behold size 18s were already loose enough on me, that I said to myself, "Self, you will spend $3-5 on these pants and get to wear them exactly 3-4 weeks before they are "pants on the ground" like the rest of your sad-monkey pants in the closet!"

Sooooo I braved the 16's!!! Ha! And guess the fu*k what???? They fit! Whahhhhhh?

For $25 bucks today, I got 3 pair of pants, a shirt, and a black thin cardigan to throw on at restaurants or in movies when I get chilly (which is always). It will fit me in about 10 lbs.

1 pair size 16 black pants - Jones of New York

1 pair size 16 black and white tiny print pull on cotton capris (can't remember brand, but think it's a good one)

1 pair size 16 denim jeggings by Lane Bryant's slutty sister, Ashley Stuart

1 gap batiste cotton pin tucked shirt with these cute little beads around the neckline

1 thin acrylic black cardigan.

Ha!!!! OMG. I swear, I'm still way big, but I'm wearing a size 16. I completely breezed past the 18s in my magic pants! *snort* Now I can safely relinquish the big clothes in my closet at the clothing swap at the support group at the first of June! Bahahahaahaha! So dang cool. I don't even care if the jeggings make my ass look big!

Edited May 20, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

17 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Love the new avatar @MIZ60!!

Aw thank you Fluffy!! Taken on our last cruise (I cropped out the mojito I was drinking) in December 2015. It was a great time and I am excited to go again, hopefully in December this year.

Congratulations on the downsizing...I will be thrilled to wear any pants that are a number without a W or X.

Edited May 19, 20188 yr by MIZ60

Go girl! Go!!!! Gosh it would be fun if we could do a girls bbb cruise! (3 day-cheap) and all have a whoppin' great time!

Happy Saturday everyone! I have an NSV to report! [emoji4] Thanks to the long-suffering Mr. F, we went thrifting today. It was senior day at Goodwill! Woooohooooo! Anyone over 55 gets 30% off! [emoji3] So I finally found some stuff!!!! Yippee! Thah crahps ah sayuved!!!! And low and behold size 18s were already loose enough on me, that I said to myself, "Self, you will spend $3-5 on these pants and get to wear them exactly 3-4 weeks before they are "pants on the ground" like the rest of your sad-monkey pants in the closet!"
[/url] Sooooo I braved the 16's!!! Ha! And guess the fu*k what???? [emoji3] [emoji3] [emoji3] They fit! Whahhhhhh?
For $25 bucks today, I got 3 pair of pants, a shirt, and a black thin cardigan to throw on at restaurants or in movies when I get chilly (which is always). It will fit me in about 10 lbs.
1 pair size 16 black pants - Jones of New York
1 pair size 16 black and white tiny print pull on cotton capris (can't remember brand, but think it's a good one)
1 pair size 16 denim jeggings by Lane Bryant's slutty sister, Ashley Stuart
1 gap batiste cotton pin tucked shirt with these cute little beads around the neckline
1 thin acrylic black cardigan.
Ha!!!! OMG. I swear, I'm still way big, but I'm wearing a size 16. I completely breezed past the 18s in my magic pants! *snort* Now I can safely relinquish the big clothes in my closet at the clothing swap at the support group at the first of June! Bahahahaahaha! So dang cool. I don't even care if the jeggings make my ass look big! [emoji3] [emoji6]

Congratulations Fluffy!!! That is so freaking awesome!!!!

Sent from my SM-G930VL using BariatricPal mobile app

12 hours ago, angyplus5 said:

Congratulations Fluffy!!! That is so freaking awesome!!!!

Sent from my SM-G930VL using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you sweetie!! How are YOU doing these days???! Come tell us and report all!

Ok, so I technically sorta already made my 3month post in the 12 Weeks post-op post. Trouble is there are 4.33 weeks in a month from Jan.1 - Dec.31. LOL. And that can fork with a borderline OCD person's little parsimonious heart! *snort* *double ha*

But technically, this is my 3 month surgiversary (Feb 20, 2018 to May 20, 2018) and I look back, shake my head and wonder where the time went?" It can't possibly have flown by so quickly, can it? I also feel like now, the weight loss post surgery, is finally adding up in a significant manner.

ATHW 325lbs

HW 287.4lbs

SD 222.4lbs

CW 183.0lbs

-39.4lbs lost since surgery day (it averages to approximately 13lbs/month rate of loss going from surg day to the 20th of each month)

-104.4lbs lost overall from highest weight (recent)

-142lbs lost overall from my all time highest weight

-12 inches lost in my waist measurement (48in waist at my HW and 36in waist today)

Of course, I complicate matters because on here and in my stats, I actually track my monthly loss from the 1st of the month through the last day of each month. LOL. Good times! So the true surgiversary date is more of a minor celebration of data. Hahahaha!

I feel great--except for this stupid antibiotic rash I've got going and the nausea that goes with it. Bactrim SUCKS wind! And I truly don't know that my UTI feels any better. I only have 3 pills left (hallelujah-praise Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all the saints!) and I'm still having bad bladder spasms and feelings of frequency. So I'm afraid he's gonna send me to a specialist. YUCK.

Ok, well it's time for me to go get ready to walk the nature reserve with Mr. F! Then home to make green eggs and bacons! ha! A friend gave us some of her yard eggs from her Araucana chickens. They lay the most beautiful eggs! Here's what they look like--like true Easter Eggies!

Edited May 20, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

13 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Ha!!!! OMG. I swear, I'm still way big, but I'm wearing a size 16. I completely breezed past the 18s in my magic pants! *snort* Now I can safely relinquish the big clothes in my closet at the clothing swap at the support group at the first of June! Bahahahaahaha! So dang cool. I don't even care if the jeggings make my ass look big!

Congratulations! You must be over the moon!

13 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Ha!!!! OMG. I swear, I'm still way big, but I'm wearing a size 16. I completely breezed past the 18s in my magic pants! *snort* Now I can safely relinquish the big clothes in my closet at the clothing swap at the support group at the first of June! Bahahahaahaha! So dang cool. I don't even care if the jeggings make my ass look big!

YAAAASSSSS!! Excellent haul and exceptional progress! I wish I'd known about senior day at Goodwill. I could've used hubby's advanced age to my advantage! (LOL I'm not far behind him, but thanks to nature and my salon, I'm far less gray!)

Hubby and I are still neck and neck in the weight race. Every time I lose 2 pounds post surgery, he does as well all on his own. Men suck I will beat him! We went shopping for jeans for him and shorts/skorts/capris for me yesterday. None of my summer bottoms fit! I was hoping to get a denim skort (prefer skirt look to shorts on me). Couldn't find a single one, but found that 16W shorts fit perfectly! Got one pair in black and I'll go back to look for more in a month, closer to my vacation. I'll stretch out that one lone pair in the evenings and weekends if I can. But, I also tried on a pair of regular 16s from the misses section - tight but I can shut them! So, of course I bought those too and will try them on again in a couple weeks. Misses!!! I can't remember the last time...

2 minutes ago, Miss Topaz said:

Misses!!! I can't remember the last time...

Yeah!!! Tremendous milestone! I can't wait til I'm there!