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.