Today started off such a good day. I've decided to make Wednesday my day to weigh. I know that your weight will fluctuate from day to day, which could make you discouraged, so I've decided to only weigh once a week. From Oct. 2, when I started my pre-op diet to today, I have lost 35.1 lbs. That's really mind boggling to me. Then, when I think about how little I am eating, maybe not so amazing. What does still suprise me is how little it takes to make me feel full - in fact, stuffed. I know I have talked about having to get in 75 grams of protein in a day, and the only way to do that is to use a protein powder supplement at least twice a day. Since me surgery, the stuff just doesn't taste as good to me. They said that might happen with some foods, but I need this supplement. I usually make a shake for lunch with skim milk and 2 scoops of protein powder. Chocolate is the best by far, but I bought these other flavors and I'm trying to use them. Maybe, not anymore. I fixed a strawberry shake for lunch today and it just was not all that good to me. I made myself finish it, which was the mistake. I won't do that again. All afternoon I have felt too full and nauseated on top of that. Live and learn. I think the strawberry will go to the back of the pantry. I can put a scoop of protein powder in sugar free hot chocolate or sugar free yogert and can tolerate it a little better. I can use the vanilla to do this. Like I said, I've got to get the protein in and I cannot eat enough real protein yet to meet the magic number of 75. I look forward to that day, although they recommend you use the protein supplement for one meal a day for the first year. It's gonna be a long year.
I don't think I've mentioned that if you eat too fast or too much, you feel so stuffed. You also feel like the food is stuck in the middle of your chest. That is not very comfortable. The other day I ate some packaged lunch meat. You can get them at the grocery store that come in 2 ounce packages. Perfect, right? I can't have beef or pork, yet, so it's turkey and chicken. I can have tuna and salmon, too, but haven't tried it yet. You are supposed to try one new food at a time and I know these work for me. Anyway, I ate the package too fast, I guess and I was miserable for about an hour. I thought that feeling that it was stuck would never go away. It tasted so good. You have to be so careful. I haven't vomited yet, and hope not to, but a lot of people do (or so they say). I never dreamed that you can so easily take one extra bite and immediately know it was a mistake. Too full or that stuck in what feels like you chest feeling.
While I'm complaining, let me talk about the vitamins. They are not the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. I had to start them the first week after surgery. This is only the second week and I am already complaining about them. They are chewable. Not chewable like a caramel, but like a soft sweet tart, but chalky. I've mentioned before how many I have to take a day, so, I won't go into that again, but it's a lot. Again, I have to take them because I am not eating enough food to get in the vitamins and minerals my body needs. So, get over it, Bonnie. You've got to take them. I just needed to whine for a few minutes.
Less you think I am being tortured, I do get to eat a few things I enjoy. I can have an egg or 1/2 cup of grits for breakfast. I like both of those things. I love chicken and turkey and even if it has to be pureed or very soft, I can deal with that. It still taste good. I can also have sugar free yogert, but it comes in a very limited flavors. It's still good and I can add that terrible protein powder to it and it is pretty well disguised. I can have sugar free jello and sugar free pudding and even sugar free fudgesicles. So, you say, why are you whining? Because you just don't have room in your stomach to get all that stuff in. The 64 ounces of water I have to drink sees to that. I've got to learn how to give myself a treat every now and then without feeling stuffed. I will learn.
Thanks for listening. I am thrilled about the weight loss. It's just not all fun and games like you would thing.
Until next time, stay tuned for more exciting updates in my adventures in weight loss surgery and beyond.
Woof from Phoebe, meow x 2 from Hannah & Houdini and xoxo from Bonnie
Oh, yeah, and Happy Halloween! You can celebrate without candy. I am living proof.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Live and let live ~
No, I'm not about break into song about James Bond. I am going to talk about being excluded from activities because my lifestyle is drastically different. The way I am eating right now is not going to last forever. Well, in a way it is, because I will forever be eating small portions of only healthy food. But, for now, I am very limited to what I can eat because my body is healing. My surgeon says to think of my new stomach as you would a new born baby. At first, they can only tolerate breast milk/formula. They body is not ready to tolerate solid food. Then, they progress to cereal and then to pureed foods. As they grow and their body and digestive system matures, they can graduate to toddler foods, and then to regular table foods. That's me exactly. So, on with my story. Yesterday morning, I was running a few errands with my brother. He does not drive, so I'm his ride. He mentioned to me that he was spending the night at my sister's house. We live close to each other and watch out for each other. I always tell him if I am going to be away for a night or more - and he tells me the same. If I called him or went to his house and he was not there for an extended length of time, I would worry, and he would the same. I asked why he was spending the night and he said that he was going over to her house to watch movies and have dinner. They would come to pick him up and then bring him back home the next day. Diane makes wonderful chili and at halloween we usually get together and watch scary movies (the old ones are the best) and have chili and hot dogs. It's fun. We have done this for years. I asked why I wasn't invited. I was disappointed. He said he didn't know the reason. Well, not being one to be shy about anything, I said I was going to call her and ask her why I was being excluded. I did call her, and to make a long story short, her reasoning was that she did not want to invite me because she didn't want to eat in front of me. I can understand that they were going to have foods that I could not eat and she was trying to spare me having to watch them eat, but, she was also leaving me out of a family tradition and fun. That is not cool. The best thing to do was to call me and tell me about the dinner and ask me if I wanted to be a part of it because of my diet. There might have been a time when I would have rather stayed home and isolated myself because my life was so drastically different, but that is not the case. I am embracing this new life and want my life to be fuller because of it. I'm sure not everybody understands this, but it's true. I need to learn to be around people who eat differently than I do. If I were diabetic, I wouldn't think that I would be excluded from activities because of my diet. The same goes here. I did go to the dinner and it was all fine. They apologized for eating in front of me, but it was not necessary. I chose to do this and I can handle it. So, like I said to begin with, live and let live (not die, as in the case of James Bond).
I hope the story is helpful. It was for me to tell it. I don't think I need to say anymore.
Stay tuned for more. But for now,
woof, meow and xoxo from Bonnie and her furry family.
I hope the story is helpful. It was for me to tell it. I don't think I need to say anymore.
Stay tuned for more. But for now,
woof, meow and xoxo from Bonnie and her furry family.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
PROTEIN!!
I mentioned on facebook that I went for my 1 week post surgery appointment on Wednesday. Most of the people that follow my post also follow facebook, but not all, so bear with me is this is old news for you.
My post op appointment went well. My incisions look good, but I still have some soreness. I do get tired very easily. I was supposed to eat 1/2 of a soft egg before I went to the appointment to see if I could tolerate swallowing solid food. It went down and tasted so good. Even with only 1/2 of egg, I still have to take very small bites and chew it very well before I swallow. So, hooray, I now am on a pureed/soft diet for the next 6 weeks. The things you normally think of when you hear sof diet, I cannot have. No mashed potatoes, no macaroni and cheese, no ice cream and very little soup. I cannot have vegetables or fruit yet.. Protein is what I can have. Soft or pureed chicken and turkey. I can have tuna and salmon or other soft fish. I can have a very small amount (1/4 cup) of beans. The reason they limit soup is because it is a liquid that pretty much goes through your stomach fast and has little protein. I am supposed to have 75 - 80 grams of protein a day. That is a lot! I am still supposed to have the protein supplement for one meal a day. I have protein powder in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry that I can make into flavored skim milk or milk shake by adding ice in the blender. If I add 2 scoops to 8 ounces of skim milk I can get 42 grams. I also have a chicken soup flavor and a unflavored powder that is 21 grams per scoop. I can make a chicken broth with the chicken flavor and the unflavored I can add to just about any liquid. I have to have the other scoop to add the 21 grams. The 42 and 21 only equal 63 grams, so I still need 12 grams a day to make at least 75. Two ounces of canned chicken or I have found chicken and turkey sticks that are like vienna sausage that is actually a toddler food, that have 10 grams a serving. That gives me 85 grams and I am over the limit which is alright. Besides I tried to get down 2 ounces of chicken last night for supper and couldn't get it all down. So I figure I am about on target. I'm sure all that bored you to death, but I wanted to give you an idea of what I have to eat daily. Plus, I am supposed to get 64 ounces of water in a day, too. To complicate it even more, there is what they call the 30/30 rule. I cannot drink 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after I eat. If I drank before, I would fill my stomach up with fluids and there would be no room for food/protein. Afterwards, I need to digest what is in my stomach before I can have fluids again. I also have vitamins that I have to take daily. I take a multi-vitamin twice a day, a calcium tablet twice a day, iron once a day and B12 once a day. I just have to divide them up throughout the day. Plus, I have my regular medication I still have to take, too. Whew!! That's a lot to get down. I have been having a burning or irritating feeling in my stomach especially at bedtime. My surgeon said it was probably just irritation from healing that caused that, but just to be sure, he prescribed my a drug called Carafate. It is a liquid that you drink that coats the stomach. It is usually used to treat ulcers and that is certainly NOT want I want to get. I am drinking that at bedtime. I will see my surgeon again in a month to check up on that. Oh, and after all that, I have lost 23 lbs.!!
I am very pleased.
So now that you know my meal plans for the next 6 weeks. I am trying to walk a little more every day, but it does tired me out. Phoebe has been a great incentive to walk. She loves to go outside and run around. She certainly know the word "outside". She jumps down and starts to dance around on her hind legs and runs in circles. She is such a cutie. Hannah & Houdini watch from the windows. I think they are embarassed that she gets so excited. Such displayed emotions is certain not something a kitty would do. On a high note, I have seen them kiss noses with other and I saw Phoebe licking Houdini's ear - and he was letter her! We have made progress!
I did mention to the surgeon that I did not leave the hospital until 9pm on the night of discharge. He was furious. He said that when he orders a drug he expects it to be given "now", not 2 1/2 hours later. There was no excuse for that, he said, and he was going to follow up with his nursing staff. I did feel justified for pitching a little fit at the hospital after what he said. He thanked me for telling him, apologized for the delay in getting discharged. He said he would handle it. I hated to be a tattle tale, but, really......
I think that's about it for now. Stay tuned. This is such a learning process. No more grabbing something quickly to eat. I have to plan for everything.
Until next time,
woof from Phoebe, meow from Hannah & Houdini and xoxo from Bonnie
My post op appointment went well. My incisions look good, but I still have some soreness. I do get tired very easily. I was supposed to eat 1/2 of a soft egg before I went to the appointment to see if I could tolerate swallowing solid food. It went down and tasted so good. Even with only 1/2 of egg, I still have to take very small bites and chew it very well before I swallow. So, hooray, I now am on a pureed/soft diet for the next 6 weeks. The things you normally think of when you hear sof diet, I cannot have. No mashed potatoes, no macaroni and cheese, no ice cream and very little soup. I cannot have vegetables or fruit yet.. Protein is what I can have. Soft or pureed chicken and turkey. I can have tuna and salmon or other soft fish. I can have a very small amount (1/4 cup) of beans. The reason they limit soup is because it is a liquid that pretty much goes through your stomach fast and has little protein. I am supposed to have 75 - 80 grams of protein a day. That is a lot! I am still supposed to have the protein supplement for one meal a day. I have protein powder in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry that I can make into flavored skim milk or milk shake by adding ice in the blender. If I add 2 scoops to 8 ounces of skim milk I can get 42 grams. I also have a chicken soup flavor and a unflavored powder that is 21 grams per scoop. I can make a chicken broth with the chicken flavor and the unflavored I can add to just about any liquid. I have to have the other scoop to add the 21 grams. The 42 and 21 only equal 63 grams, so I still need 12 grams a day to make at least 75. Two ounces of canned chicken or I have found chicken and turkey sticks that are like vienna sausage that is actually a toddler food, that have 10 grams a serving. That gives me 85 grams and I am over the limit which is alright. Besides I tried to get down 2 ounces of chicken last night for supper and couldn't get it all down. So I figure I am about on target. I'm sure all that bored you to death, but I wanted to give you an idea of what I have to eat daily. Plus, I am supposed to get 64 ounces of water in a day, too. To complicate it even more, there is what they call the 30/30 rule. I cannot drink 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after I eat. If I drank before, I would fill my stomach up with fluids and there would be no room for food/protein. Afterwards, I need to digest what is in my stomach before I can have fluids again. I also have vitamins that I have to take daily. I take a multi-vitamin twice a day, a calcium tablet twice a day, iron once a day and B12 once a day. I just have to divide them up throughout the day. Plus, I have my regular medication I still have to take, too. Whew!! That's a lot to get down. I have been having a burning or irritating feeling in my stomach especially at bedtime. My surgeon said it was probably just irritation from healing that caused that, but just to be sure, he prescribed my a drug called Carafate. It is a liquid that you drink that coats the stomach. It is usually used to treat ulcers and that is certainly NOT want I want to get. I am drinking that at bedtime. I will see my surgeon again in a month to check up on that. Oh, and after all that, I have lost 23 lbs.!!
I am very pleased.
So now that you know my meal plans for the next 6 weeks. I am trying to walk a little more every day, but it does tired me out. Phoebe has been a great incentive to walk. She loves to go outside and run around. She certainly know the word "outside". She jumps down and starts to dance around on her hind legs and runs in circles. She is such a cutie. Hannah & Houdini watch from the windows. I think they are embarassed that she gets so excited. Such displayed emotions is certain not something a kitty would do. On a high note, I have seen them kiss noses with other and I saw Phoebe licking Houdini's ear - and he was letter her! We have made progress!
I did mention to the surgeon that I did not leave the hospital until 9pm on the night of discharge. He was furious. He said that when he orders a drug he expects it to be given "now", not 2 1/2 hours later. There was no excuse for that, he said, and he was going to follow up with his nursing staff. I did feel justified for pitching a little fit at the hospital after what he said. He thanked me for telling him, apologized for the delay in getting discharged. He said he would handle it. I hated to be a tattle tale, but, really......
I think that's about it for now. Stay tuned. This is such a learning process. No more grabbing something quickly to eat. I have to plan for everything.
Until next time,
woof from Phoebe, meow from Hannah & Houdini and xoxo from Bonnie
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Surgery over. Now the real work begins.
Five days post surgery so thought to was about time to bring you up to date on the happenings.
Surgery went well. As a nurse, I am probably not the best patient, but I thought I controlled myself fairly well until my IV came out Wed. morning. It needed to be put back in. My nurse and the new nurse who was working with her said it was fine and not to worry about it. But, I did, and with good reason. When my doc came in at 5pm to start to discharge me, I could not go because I could not pee. He said, "no worries, we'll give you some IV Lasix and that will take care of everything." It is then that I said, "no, we can't because my nurse today would not put my IV back in when it it came out." He then ordered Lasix by mouth and said that I could go when I went to the bathroom. 2 1/2 hours later when the night shift came on, I still had not gotten the pill I needed. I was furious. The night shift nurse went and got the medicine I needed and by 8:30 I finally went to the bathroom. I was discharged from the hospital about 9 PM. None of this was necessary and I could go on about it, but I won't. NE GA Medical was a fine hospital and did a great job, except for that one lazy nurse. Opps, I said I wasn't going to go on about it - and now, I won't.
Edel and I left the hospital and went to Larry & Charlotta's house which was only about 30 minutes away. Thank heavens Charlotta suggested we come to their house because the ride back to NC would not have been a very pleasant one. They got me all settled in as big comfy chair and slept there very well with the help of some pain meds. The next morning I was ready to go home, even though the invitation to stay as long as I needed was offered. Edel drove me home and amazingly I did not even feel any motion sickness on the way home. If this surgery cured my motion sickness, it would be worth it even if I never lost another pound. But, let's not get carried away.
Home again and happy to be there on Thursday early afternoon. Phoebe was thrilled to see me. The cats acted like they could care less, but I know they were happy, too. Except for the fact that I brought that little yappy dog back home with me. Edel helped get me settled in walked Phoebe for me. Friday afternoon, Edel headed back home because her niece was getting married on Sunday and the rehersal dinner was at her parent's home Saturday night. I assured her we would be fine, and we have been. Herman has come up in the late afternoon and taken Phoebe for a good walk for me.
Now for the gory details. We'll, not really. I have 5 incisions on my stomach from the surgery. Actually, I have 6, because one of them was where a drain was put in. It was pulled out before I left the hospital. Ther are steri-strips over all the incisions (steri strips are very small pieces of tape that help hold the incisions together). They will come off slowly as I shower. The incisions are sore and bruised, but nothing terrible. I have pain medication that I have been using and it helps. I'm really trying not to use it though, because it constipated me - as it will do anybody who takes a narcotic. That really is about the extent of it.. I had a cathether after surgery, but it was pulled out hours before I left the hospital, too. I won't get into that, because it would start me complaining about that one nurse again, so well, leave it at that. Really, my hospitalization was uneventful.
Now the real work begins. Because they reduced my stomach to the size of my thumb, (it holds 2-3 ounces at a time), and re-routed my small intestines, I have to eat/drink totally different. To give you an idea of what that means, an ounce is a little medicine cup, like you get with cough syrup. It is 30cc. My new stomach will only hold the 2-3 of those. That's it and no more. If you try and drink more, it is very uncomfortable. They said, to stay hydrated, I need to drink 1 of those little cups (one ounce) every 15 minutes. That's hard to do. It has been a challenge to drink enough. I don't have to worry about eating because I can't yet. My new stomach is very sensitive, so I have to be very careful.
You know what, I'm tired. I'll have to finish this new diet business later. But, it is a real learning experience. I'm not hungry at all so I have to make myself drink. That's hard. We'll go into that more later.
So, stay tuned. Phoebe and I are going to rest for a while.
Woof, meow and xoxox, from Bonnie.
Surgery went well. As a nurse, I am probably not the best patient, but I thought I controlled myself fairly well until my IV came out Wed. morning. It needed to be put back in. My nurse and the new nurse who was working with her said it was fine and not to worry about it. But, I did, and with good reason. When my doc came in at 5pm to start to discharge me, I could not go because I could not pee. He said, "no worries, we'll give you some IV Lasix and that will take care of everything." It is then that I said, "no, we can't because my nurse today would not put my IV back in when it it came out." He then ordered Lasix by mouth and said that I could go when I went to the bathroom. 2 1/2 hours later when the night shift came on, I still had not gotten the pill I needed. I was furious. The night shift nurse went and got the medicine I needed and by 8:30 I finally went to the bathroom. I was discharged from the hospital about 9 PM. None of this was necessary and I could go on about it, but I won't. NE GA Medical was a fine hospital and did a great job, except for that one lazy nurse. Opps, I said I wasn't going to go on about it - and now, I won't.
Edel and I left the hospital and went to Larry & Charlotta's house which was only about 30 minutes away. Thank heavens Charlotta suggested we come to their house because the ride back to NC would not have been a very pleasant one. They got me all settled in as big comfy chair and slept there very well with the help of some pain meds. The next morning I was ready to go home, even though the invitation to stay as long as I needed was offered. Edel drove me home and amazingly I did not even feel any motion sickness on the way home. If this surgery cured my motion sickness, it would be worth it even if I never lost another pound. But, let's not get carried away.
Home again and happy to be there on Thursday early afternoon. Phoebe was thrilled to see me. The cats acted like they could care less, but I know they were happy, too. Except for the fact that I brought that little yappy dog back home with me. Edel helped get me settled in walked Phoebe for me. Friday afternoon, Edel headed back home because her niece was getting married on Sunday and the rehersal dinner was at her parent's home Saturday night. I assured her we would be fine, and we have been. Herman has come up in the late afternoon and taken Phoebe for a good walk for me.
Now for the gory details. We'll, not really. I have 5 incisions on my stomach from the surgery. Actually, I have 6, because one of them was where a drain was put in. It was pulled out before I left the hospital. Ther are steri-strips over all the incisions (steri strips are very small pieces of tape that help hold the incisions together). They will come off slowly as I shower. The incisions are sore and bruised, but nothing terrible. I have pain medication that I have been using and it helps. I'm really trying not to use it though, because it constipated me - as it will do anybody who takes a narcotic. That really is about the extent of it.. I had a cathether after surgery, but it was pulled out hours before I left the hospital, too. I won't get into that, because it would start me complaining about that one nurse again, so well, leave it at that. Really, my hospitalization was uneventful.
Now the real work begins. Because they reduced my stomach to the size of my thumb, (it holds 2-3 ounces at a time), and re-routed my small intestines, I have to eat/drink totally different. To give you an idea of what that means, an ounce is a little medicine cup, like you get with cough syrup. It is 30cc. My new stomach will only hold the 2-3 of those. That's it and no more. If you try and drink more, it is very uncomfortable. They said, to stay hydrated, I need to drink 1 of those little cups (one ounce) every 15 minutes. That's hard to do. It has been a challenge to drink enough. I don't have to worry about eating because I can't yet. My new stomach is very sensitive, so I have to be very careful.
You know what, I'm tired. I'll have to finish this new diet business later. But, it is a real learning experience. I'm not hungry at all so I have to make myself drink. That's hard. We'll go into that more later.
So, stay tuned. Phoebe and I are going to rest for a while.
Woof, meow and xoxox, from Bonnie.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Celebration Day
It's finally here! Tomorrow morning Edel, my support person and best bud, and I leave for the hospital. Surgery is scheduled at 11:55am. I'm as prepared as I'm going to be. I feel confident that this is a life changing event. I have so many friends who are supporting me and I am grateful. My brother, Herman, is going to take care of Phoebe at his house and he will come up to my house and feed Hannah & Houdini. They are in good hands. Hope I can get some sleep tonight, I'm so excited.
I entitled this post "celebration day" because it is going to be the beginning of a new adventure. There are going to be lots of celebration days along the way as goals are met. I'm sure the coming days and months won't all be banner days, but I am determine that I am going to be a healthier Bonnie.
See you on the flip side.
Stay tune. This adventure is just beginning.
woof, meow and xoxo from Bonnie
I entitled this post "celebration day" because it is going to be the beginning of a new adventure. There are going to be lots of celebration days along the way as goals are met. I'm sure the coming days and months won't all be banner days, but I am determine that I am going to be a healthier Bonnie.
See you on the flip side.
Stay tune. This adventure is just beginning.
woof, meow and xoxo from Bonnie
Friday, October 12, 2012
Questions, questions.....
Just recently, I was asked a couple of questions that I'd like to address. I certainly welcome anything that people are wondering about and want to ask. Bring it on.
Someone asked: If you are losing weight on a liquid diet, why have the surgery? Good question, but I don't want to drink for the rest of my life. I'd like to have something to chew again. Chewing food is good and natural. If I were to lose all the weight I want on a liquid diet, most likely when I started eating solid food again, I would start to gain again. Part of the reason for the surgery is to help you learn to eat small portions of food and feel satisfied while doing it. As I mentioned in my first post, I have dieted my entire life. I have lost a lot of weight in those years only to gain it back, and more. The person who asked this question did not say this, but I would be willing to bet that there are some people who would say, "It's only a matter of willpower. Just do it!" Anyone who would asked this has obviously not had a problem with their weight or ever dieted. It's hard. It's only natural to want to eat and be a part of "the social world". Eating is a part of everything we do. Go on a date: go out to dinner. Get together with friends: meet at a restaurant. Go to a party: sit down dinner or lots of snacking. Go to the movies: eat snacks. Fellowship at church: eating dinner on the grounds. Even after a funeral, what do you do? You take food to the family and get together for a meal. It's everywhere! Also, being a certain body type is part of heredity. Certain, you can change your own path, but it's in your genes. It's also what you are learned as a child. You grow up eating a certain way and it sticks with you. Not to say again, you can't change the way you were raised - and I certainly have, but it's still a challenge. People eat for a lot of reasons: boredom, anxiety, happiness, sadness. I'd sure I've done them all. Let's face it. Life if hard and eating is sometimes a panacea for out pain. This surgery is a tool, not a cure for obesity. I can still eat whatever I want and as much as I want. My mouth is not being sewn shut. But, because of the size of my new stomach, it will make me very uncomfortable and even get sick if I eat too much - or the wrong kind of food. The way my body metabolizes food, especially sugars, will change. Again, it's a tool to keep me on track. So, that is some of the reasons why I will have the surgery. I'm sure I've forgotten to mention it all. If this answer sounds harsh, I don't mean it to. I just know I need all the help I can get, and this surgery is a way help me achieve my goal of a healthy way of eating.
The other question asked was: If the surgeon is making you a new smaller stomach by portioning off a part of your stomach, what happens to the rest of your original stomach? Do they take it out during the surgery, or why would they just leave it in your body? Good question. You would think it would be something usless in your body. Why not just take it out. But, it's not. The remainder of your "old" stomach still works. It continues to make enzymes to digest your food. Yes, you have a new smaller stomach and your small intestines are re-routed to the new stomach, but you still need those enzymes from the "old" stomach. Your old stomach still empties those good enzymes back into your intestines and it all is reconnected on down the line of your small intestines. This is where I need a model of our "innerds" to show you what I mean. It certainly helped me understand it better. Maybe that explaination will help you understand.
Like I said before, I am not offended by questions you might have. Believe me, I have probably thought the same questions myself. Ask me. I don't need you to understand, but I want you to.
I'm another day closer. The liquid diet has gotten easier. I'm not as hungry as I was to begin with, or as nauseated. It's all part of the plan to make me healthier before surgery. I think I did mention that the reason they have you go on a liquid diet is to reduce the size of your liver. Our liver is a big organ and is right in the way of where the surgery is performed. Making it smaller, helps the surgeon get to the area they need. Also, taking in much smaller portions gives you good practice for when you start to drink, and then eat again. My new stomach will only hold 2-3 ounces at a time.
More to say later I'm sure. For now, stay tuned.
Woof, meow and xoxox from Bonnie
Someone asked: If you are losing weight on a liquid diet, why have the surgery? Good question, but I don't want to drink for the rest of my life. I'd like to have something to chew again. Chewing food is good and natural. If I were to lose all the weight I want on a liquid diet, most likely when I started eating solid food again, I would start to gain again. Part of the reason for the surgery is to help you learn to eat small portions of food and feel satisfied while doing it. As I mentioned in my first post, I have dieted my entire life. I have lost a lot of weight in those years only to gain it back, and more. The person who asked this question did not say this, but I would be willing to bet that there are some people who would say, "It's only a matter of willpower. Just do it!" Anyone who would asked this has obviously not had a problem with their weight or ever dieted. It's hard. It's only natural to want to eat and be a part of "the social world". Eating is a part of everything we do. Go on a date: go out to dinner. Get together with friends: meet at a restaurant. Go to a party: sit down dinner or lots of snacking. Go to the movies: eat snacks. Fellowship at church: eating dinner on the grounds. Even after a funeral, what do you do? You take food to the family and get together for a meal. It's everywhere! Also, being a certain body type is part of heredity. Certain, you can change your own path, but it's in your genes. It's also what you are learned as a child. You grow up eating a certain way and it sticks with you. Not to say again, you can't change the way you were raised - and I certainly have, but it's still a challenge. People eat for a lot of reasons: boredom, anxiety, happiness, sadness. I'd sure I've done them all. Let's face it. Life if hard and eating is sometimes a panacea for out pain. This surgery is a tool, not a cure for obesity. I can still eat whatever I want and as much as I want. My mouth is not being sewn shut. But, because of the size of my new stomach, it will make me very uncomfortable and even get sick if I eat too much - or the wrong kind of food. The way my body metabolizes food, especially sugars, will change. Again, it's a tool to keep me on track. So, that is some of the reasons why I will have the surgery. I'm sure I've forgotten to mention it all. If this answer sounds harsh, I don't mean it to. I just know I need all the help I can get, and this surgery is a way help me achieve my goal of a healthy way of eating.
The other question asked was: If the surgeon is making you a new smaller stomach by portioning off a part of your stomach, what happens to the rest of your original stomach? Do they take it out during the surgery, or why would they just leave it in your body? Good question. You would think it would be something usless in your body. Why not just take it out. But, it's not. The remainder of your "old" stomach still works. It continues to make enzymes to digest your food. Yes, you have a new smaller stomach and your small intestines are re-routed to the new stomach, but you still need those enzymes from the "old" stomach. Your old stomach still empties those good enzymes back into your intestines and it all is reconnected on down the line of your small intestines. This is where I need a model of our "innerds" to show you what I mean. It certainly helped me understand it better. Maybe that explaination will help you understand.
Like I said before, I am not offended by questions you might have. Believe me, I have probably thought the same questions myself. Ask me. I don't need you to understand, but I want you to.
I'm another day closer. The liquid diet has gotten easier. I'm not as hungry as I was to begin with, or as nauseated. It's all part of the plan to make me healthier before surgery. I think I did mention that the reason they have you go on a liquid diet is to reduce the size of your liver. Our liver is a big organ and is right in the way of where the surgery is performed. Making it smaller, helps the surgeon get to the area they need. Also, taking in much smaller portions gives you good practice for when you start to drink, and then eat again. My new stomach will only hold 2-3 ounces at a time.
More to say later I'm sure. For now, stay tuned.
Woof, meow and xoxox from Bonnie
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Moving Forward
After my little spell of anxiety yesterday morning, and a good nights sleep, I'm feeling confident again. When I first went in for my consult weigh in, to the day I started my preop liquid diet, I gained 9 lbs. Not terribly disturbing to me because at that point I really wasn't watching what I was eating, and I gain weight very easily. I certainly wasn't dieting at that point and ate things I don't normally eat often because I was thinking it would be a long time before I could eat those things again. I'm not saying that I will have foods that I cannot taste or have a very small amount, I just can't eat the whole thing. Anyway, I'm not sorry I did this and those pounds are gone now. Thinking that I can never have certain foods is kind of daunting, so I'm trying not to think that way. I just have to be very careful of what I eat and the amount I eat for the rest of my life. This is a life change.
Yesterday, before I went to see my surgeon for preop, I went to Atlanta to see my dentist and have an impression made for the temporary tooth I will wear for 6 weeks after the inplant surgery. I try and combine all my trips down to Georgia because of gas prices. While I was there I got some sad news. My sweet dentist, Dr. Lehr, who has been my dentist for the past 29 years is retiring. Yesterday was his last day. He assured me that he will come back in and take care of my crown after the implant has healed. I love this man. When I first went to him, my mouth was a mess. I hadn't been to the dentist in many years, mainly because of fear. Like many, I had some bad childhood experiences at the dentist, and would not go back. I can honestly say that Dr. Lehr has never hurt me. From the very beginning, he was very gentle and supportive of me to get all the work done. As you can imagine, all that work was/is very expensive. He has always let me pay him as I could. I have always payed something every month and at times, I have even been current with what I owe him. He is a generous and caring man. Anyway.....I went with the office staff to take him to lunch before I went on to Gainesville. I couldn't stay long, but I got to be a part of his retirement celebration lunch.
The preop physical went well and then I went on to the hospital to register and have my lab work, EKG, and chest ray done. I got my preop instructions and headed back home. My surgery will be on Tues, Oct 16 (that's this coming Tues.!) at 11:55am. I have to be at the hospital 2 hrs early. Edel, my trusty support person and best bud, and I had thought we would spend the night with Larry & Charlotta Clark. They had graciously offered to let us stay the night before to keep us from having to drive so far the morning of surgery. Since we can leave at 8:15am and get there in plenty of time, we're going to just stay home and drive to the hospital that morning. We are going to spend the night of my discharge at their house. The surgeon wants you to be close to the hospital after discharge in case there are any problems. So, I will be discharged Wednesday late afternoon and go to Larry & Charlotta's (the big ass river house), spend the night there, and then head back to NC on Thursday. Just goes to show you, I have friends wanting to help out in any way they can.
I got home earlier that I thought I would but still it was a long day. Herman had babysat Phoebe for me because I was going to be gone most of the day, so I was greeted by that happy little dog when I got home. She is a delight. My kitties are loving and greet me when I'm gone, but Phoebe is hysterically happy to see me. I have my own little fan club at my house. Pets are wonderful.
That's enough for now. I have a couple of questions that people has asked and I want to address them. They are good questions and explain why I am doing this in a little more detail. The other is an anatomy question. Maybe I can do that this afternoon or tomorrow. I'm working my last 3 shifts today, tomorrow and Saturday before leaving for surgery. I plan to be out for 4 weeks postop.
So, stay tuned.
Woof, meow and xoxox from Bonnie
Yesterday, before I went to see my surgeon for preop, I went to Atlanta to see my dentist and have an impression made for the temporary tooth I will wear for 6 weeks after the inplant surgery. I try and combine all my trips down to Georgia because of gas prices. While I was there I got some sad news. My sweet dentist, Dr. Lehr, who has been my dentist for the past 29 years is retiring. Yesterday was his last day. He assured me that he will come back in and take care of my crown after the implant has healed. I love this man. When I first went to him, my mouth was a mess. I hadn't been to the dentist in many years, mainly because of fear. Like many, I had some bad childhood experiences at the dentist, and would not go back. I can honestly say that Dr. Lehr has never hurt me. From the very beginning, he was very gentle and supportive of me to get all the work done. As you can imagine, all that work was/is very expensive. He has always let me pay him as I could. I have always payed something every month and at times, I have even been current with what I owe him. He is a generous and caring man. Anyway.....I went with the office staff to take him to lunch before I went on to Gainesville. I couldn't stay long, but I got to be a part of his retirement celebration lunch.
The preop physical went well and then I went on to the hospital to register and have my lab work, EKG, and chest ray done. I got my preop instructions and headed back home. My surgery will be on Tues, Oct 16 (that's this coming Tues.!) at 11:55am. I have to be at the hospital 2 hrs early. Edel, my trusty support person and best bud, and I had thought we would spend the night with Larry & Charlotta Clark. They had graciously offered to let us stay the night before to keep us from having to drive so far the morning of surgery. Since we can leave at 8:15am and get there in plenty of time, we're going to just stay home and drive to the hospital that morning. We are going to spend the night of my discharge at their house. The surgeon wants you to be close to the hospital after discharge in case there are any problems. So, I will be discharged Wednesday late afternoon and go to Larry & Charlotta's (the big ass river house), spend the night there, and then head back to NC on Thursday. Just goes to show you, I have friends wanting to help out in any way they can.
I got home earlier that I thought I would but still it was a long day. Herman had babysat Phoebe for me because I was going to be gone most of the day, so I was greeted by that happy little dog when I got home. She is a delight. My kitties are loving and greet me when I'm gone, but Phoebe is hysterically happy to see me. I have my own little fan club at my house. Pets are wonderful.
That's enough for now. I have a couple of questions that people has asked and I want to address them. They are good questions and explain why I am doing this in a little more detail. The other is an anatomy question. Maybe I can do that this afternoon or tomorrow. I'm working my last 3 shifts today, tomorrow and Saturday before leaving for surgery. I plan to be out for 4 weeks postop.
So, stay tuned.
Woof, meow and xoxox from Bonnie
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Oh, my aching knees
I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row for my surgery next week and beyond. I've mentioned that I have terrible knee pain. After surgery, I will not be able to use any kind of aspirin product or it's derivitive, such as ibuprofen, Advil, Motril, Aleve because they put you at risk for bleeding. Not a good thing. For now, if I take 4 ibuprofen, it will give me some relief. That will not be an option post surgery. Tylenol, which I can take, gives me no relief. To that end, I decided to make an appointment to see my orthopedist who did some repair on my left knee 4 years ago. He said then, that if I did not lose weight that there was no reason to do any more surgery until I lost weight. The repair did help, but now the pain is back and worse, and in both knees. I saw him today and the news was not good. Since it had been 4 yrs since he last saw me, he did new x-rays. I expected him to say that I would need more repair after I lose weight, but what he said was that I need total knee replacements for both knees. Big bummer! I did not expect to hear that. He was pleased to hear that I am having surgery and on my way to weight loss, but that my options are pretty slim for my knees. He gave me a cortisone injection in each knee and also gave me a prescription for Ultram (Trammadol) for pain . He also said that he could do surgery to "clean out" the severe arthritis in my knees to buy some time, and possibly give me some limited relief, before doing the total knee replacements. He also mentioned that there is a injectible treatment call Synvisc that is used to lubricate the knee joint. He said it was made from chicken or turkey or some such bird's bones. Motor oil for the knee. This is given in 3 separate injections into the knee joint and can buy more time. I'd certainly want to try the "motor oil" injections before going for the big surgeries. I trust this doc. I have worked with him for many years in the past and think he does good work, with good results. So.....once I lose some weight and can't stand the pain any more, we'll move on to the next step.
Tomorrow is the big day for my preop exam with my surgeon, and registration at the hospital. Before I do that, I am seeing my dentist so he can make a "flapper, (that's what they call it) for when I have my implant. It is a tooth on a retainer, sort of, that you wear while your bone heals after the implant post is put in place. You have to wear it for 6 months....which is a big pain in the patootee. After that, you get your new crown and Voila!, a lovely new front tooth. This has to be made before the implant surgery is done, otherwise, you leave the oral surgeon's office without a front tooth. Not a lovely look.
Busy, busy. That's me. The liquid diet is going fine. I said I wasn't going to weight, but I couldn't resist. I've lost 13 lbs in the past 8 days. I certainly should have, because there is not much going in and plenty coming out. I pee pretty much on an hourly basis. The diet has not been all that bad. If I can do this....I can handle the postop diet. Really.
I hope ya'll appreciate all the education I'm giving you on not only gastric bypass surgery, but dental implants and knee replacements. I am going to be one cute chick.
Until then, stay tuned.
Woof, meow and xoxo
Tomorrow is the big day for my preop exam with my surgeon, and registration at the hospital. Before I do that, I am seeing my dentist so he can make a "flapper, (that's what they call it) for when I have my implant. It is a tooth on a retainer, sort of, that you wear while your bone heals after the implant post is put in place. You have to wear it for 6 months....which is a big pain in the patootee. After that, you get your new crown and Voila!, a lovely new front tooth. This has to be made before the implant surgery is done, otherwise, you leave the oral surgeon's office without a front tooth. Not a lovely look.
Busy, busy. That's me. The liquid diet is going fine. I said I wasn't going to weight, but I couldn't resist. I've lost 13 lbs in the past 8 days. I certainly should have, because there is not much going in and plenty coming out. I pee pretty much on an hourly basis. The diet has not been all that bad. If I can do this....I can handle the postop diet. Really.
I hope ya'll appreciate all the education I'm giving you on not only gastric bypass surgery, but dental implants and knee replacements. I am going to be one cute chick.
Until then, stay tuned.
Woof, meow and xoxo
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Drink, drink and drink some more
Tues. I started my full liquid diet. All is well except in the mornings. I am a breakfast eater and feel nauseated if I don't eat soon after I wake up. I can skip other meals, but not breakfast. I have to have a protein meal in the morning, so now I just make sure it includes skim milk and not water. That does add some substance to a protein shake I can make. I add ice and make it very thick in the blender. For now, I can also have sugar free applesauce, pudding, jello, or yogert, so I also have a little container of it, too. That also seems to help. Besides breakfast, lunch and dinner, I can also have a mid morning, afternoon and evening "snack". That is when I can have a jello or pudding, etc. For meals I can have cream soups that are strained or broth. Calories are to be between 800-1200 calories daily. Protein needs to be 70-80g a day. I love milk, but I do not like skim milk. Ingles brand has a skim milk that is fortified with calcium that is not too bad. I can't tell when I add it to the shakes. Besides drinking the food, I need to drink 64 oz of water a day. So far, I'm doing well. As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time in the bathroom peeing. I have been keeping a food journal to make sure I get in my protein and stay in my calorie range. Calorie wise, it has not been a problem to stay in my range with the little I am allowed. As long as I have 2 protein shakes, I can get my protein in. The protein powder, Unjury, comes in 2 kinds of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, a chicken soup and an unflavored that can be added to the soup or yogert or other food. You cannot add it to anything warmer than 140 degrees but that is pretty warm. It does not disolve well and changes consistancy if the temp. is hotter than that.
For the next 2 weeks I stay on this diet. Certainly you will lose weight eating like this, but the main reason they have you doing this is to decrease the size of the liver. Many overweight people have larger or even fatty livers. Even thin people can have fatty livers by the way they eat. Decreasing the size of the liver makes the surgery easier because the surgeon is more able to visualize the stomach and intestines. So, it's important to follow this diet. The day before surgery you only have clear liquids to prepare for the next day. I have started taking the multivitamin that we are to take.
Speaking of vitamins, I think I have mentioned before how important it is to take the vitamins to keep your level up, while eating so little food. The multivitamin includes vitamins that are 200% of the daily recommended values. The others are also higher than the average person would take, too. They are either chewable, liquid or come in a Iozenge. I have been assured that I will be able to take my routine medications that I am on. I think I mentioned that I was most concerned about continuing to take my antidepressants. Dealing with the size of my new stomach, recovering from surgery and new eating habits are enough to deal with without have to deal with depression, too. I have a very good relationship with my psychiatrist (of over 25 years) so we will discuss any changes I may need to make. Also my new body will not metabolize food or medicine the same way, so some of my med doses may need to be adjusted along the way. That goes for my blood pressure, anti-reflux and others as well.
I have a very supportive internist and psychologist here in NC. My psychiatrist is in Atlanta, but we can talk by phone or I can drive down for any needs I might have. He is sensitive to my financial needs, in fact, they are all are, and try to cut corners whenever possible. All three are fine people, not to mention outstanding in their fields of medicine/psychology. I am very fortunate to have good doctors. I hear so many people who are dissatified with their doctors, but I have hit the jackpot.
I can not begin to tell you how fortunate I am to have great friends, too. I have wonderful friends here in NC, but also many friends in Georgia and throughout the United States who are supportive of what I am doing. I even have a lovely friend from grammar school and high school who lives in Costa Rica who stays in touch with me and is very supportive. This means so much to me to know that my friends are behind me and want me to succeed. I have also had friends who offered to help me financially and even come to help me postop. Dear, sweet, generous friends who are willing to help in any way.
After I lose my weight, I need to have surgery on my knees. They hurt. They hurt a lot. After surgery I am not going to be able to take aspirin or ibuprofen because of my delicate stomach and a higher risk for ulcers. This worries me because ibuprofen or naproxen help a little. I probably need to talk to my orthopedist to see if their is another medication I can take for some pair relief.
Phoebe has proven to be an excellent reason to get out and walk some. We haven't really gotten out signals down as to when she needs to go out to do her business, so taking her outside frequently to take care of things seems the best way to go. Other than her "accidents", she is a delight to have at my side.
I believe that brings you up to date. Keep those words and thoughts of support coming. I need them. Stay tuned for more updates. For now, woof, meow and xoxo.
For the next 2 weeks I stay on this diet. Certainly you will lose weight eating like this, but the main reason they have you doing this is to decrease the size of the liver. Many overweight people have larger or even fatty livers. Even thin people can have fatty livers by the way they eat. Decreasing the size of the liver makes the surgery easier because the surgeon is more able to visualize the stomach and intestines. So, it's important to follow this diet. The day before surgery you only have clear liquids to prepare for the next day. I have started taking the multivitamin that we are to take.
Speaking of vitamins, I think I have mentioned before how important it is to take the vitamins to keep your level up, while eating so little food. The multivitamin includes vitamins that are 200% of the daily recommended values. The others are also higher than the average person would take, too. They are either chewable, liquid or come in a Iozenge. I have been assured that I will be able to take my routine medications that I am on. I think I mentioned that I was most concerned about continuing to take my antidepressants. Dealing with the size of my new stomach, recovering from surgery and new eating habits are enough to deal with without have to deal with depression, too. I have a very good relationship with my psychiatrist (of over 25 years) so we will discuss any changes I may need to make. Also my new body will not metabolize food or medicine the same way, so some of my med doses may need to be adjusted along the way. That goes for my blood pressure, anti-reflux and others as well.
I have a very supportive internist and psychologist here in NC. My psychiatrist is in Atlanta, but we can talk by phone or I can drive down for any needs I might have. He is sensitive to my financial needs, in fact, they are all are, and try to cut corners whenever possible. All three are fine people, not to mention outstanding in their fields of medicine/psychology. I am very fortunate to have good doctors. I hear so many people who are dissatified with their doctors, but I have hit the jackpot.
I can not begin to tell you how fortunate I am to have great friends, too. I have wonderful friends here in NC, but also many friends in Georgia and throughout the United States who are supportive of what I am doing. I even have a lovely friend from grammar school and high school who lives in Costa Rica who stays in touch with me and is very supportive. This means so much to me to know that my friends are behind me and want me to succeed. I have also had friends who offered to help me financially and even come to help me postop. Dear, sweet, generous friends who are willing to help in any way.
After I lose my weight, I need to have surgery on my knees. They hurt. They hurt a lot. After surgery I am not going to be able to take aspirin or ibuprofen because of my delicate stomach and a higher risk for ulcers. This worries me because ibuprofen or naproxen help a little. I probably need to talk to my orthopedist to see if their is another medication I can take for some pair relief.
Phoebe has proven to be an excellent reason to get out and walk some. We haven't really gotten out signals down as to when she needs to go out to do her business, so taking her outside frequently to take care of things seems the best way to go. Other than her "accidents", she is a delight to have at my side.
I believe that brings you up to date. Keep those words and thoughts of support coming. I need them. Stay tuned for more updates. For now, woof, meow and xoxo.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
A New Family Member. It's a Doggie!!
I suppose I should talk about the new member of my family, first. Yep, I now have a dog, along with my 2 cats. Her name is Phoebe, and she is a miniature dachshund. Talk about adorable! She came from the county animal control. I was thinking about getting a dog to spur me on with walking, and I only went to look, but it was love at first sight. I went to Walmart and bought all the necessary supplies and then went back and picked her up to take home. She is a tiny thing, only 7.5 lbs and is brown and white. I think they call her coloring piebold. She does have some bad teeth and her breath is horrendous, but otherwise is the cutiest thing. I'll have to deal with her dental issues after I deal with mine. I have discovered that dogs are a lot more work than cats - especially if you don't want them to do their business in your house. But, we're both learning. She is the first dog I have ever had. She and Hannah & Houdini are getting along pretty well. Phoebe wants so bad to be friends, but H&H only see her as a nuisance. The kitties do not hiss at her or swat at her. They are pretty indifferent. Phoebe does think their dry food is much better than her's and their water is better than the water in her bowl, but they are tolerating her in their food. All except their wet food that they get in the evening. Phoebe thinks that is delicious and will eat it all if I don't put it up high so she can't get it. The kitties seem happy with this new arrangement. So all is well. Phoebe is very insecure and doesn't want to be left alone. I know this because she clings to me. When I took her to the vet, they said her name should be "velcro" because she was stuck to me. I saved her from, as Herman, my brother, calls it "death row in the chain gang". She does not want me out of her sight. I also know she does not want to be alone because I left her for a little while to go to the store and when I came home, she was at Herman's house. He said she was howling the most pitiful cry. He could hear her down at his house because my windows were open as well as his. Echo, Herman's dog is only tolerant of Phoebe and is not speaking to me. I try to still hold her and tell her I love her, but Phoebe is right there in the middle of it, too. That doesn't go over too well with Echo, the princess. Hopefully, they will get to be friends. I did leave Phoebe another time, but this time I closed the windows and I think she was better. She couldn't hear what all was going on outside. Herman said he walked up to the house but didn't hear her, so maybe that will work better. I'm leaving her today to go to work for about 3 and 1/2 hours including travel time. Hopefully she will get to the place where she knows I will come back, and not be so scared. Poor thing. I don't know what her life was like before me. I forgot to say that she is 7 years old. I'm trying to be really patient with her making "mistakes" in the house. She'll learn, I hope.
I was going to talk about starting my full liquid diet yesterday, but I've run out of time for now. I've got to get ready for work and take Phoebe for a walk before I go. No more doing things at the last minute. Phoebe has changed that.
Big, big changes with my diet. I'll talk about that next time. So, woof, meow, and xoxo. Stay tuned.
I was going to talk about starting my full liquid diet yesterday, but I've run out of time for now. I've got to get ready for work and take Phoebe for a walk before I go. No more doing things at the last minute. Phoebe has changed that.
Big, big changes with my diet. I'll talk about that next time. So, woof, meow, and xoxo. Stay tuned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)