FitBit scale (& soft foods update)...

We got a FitBit Aria scale yesterday!!!  

I haven't set it up, yet, but it should be really cool--it connects wirelessly to our home network and automatically syncs with a FitBit account.  We have each ordered the FitBit One which will be here at the end of October.  I set up my FitBit account earlier this week and have just been tracking my activity manually.  I absolutely LOVE the website and am thrilled with the tracking, progress reports, graphs, etc.  

In other sleeve-related news:  I have been on puree/soft foods since Tuesday.  Let me tell you, pureed steak is gross!!!  I have abandoned the idea of just puree-ing whatever I cook for Darrell and have decided just to cook a lot of ground meat meals to serve with pureed veggies.  For example, tonight we are having BBQ Turkey meatballs with pureed cauliflower.  Tomorrow I plan to make a bolognese and serve with pureed green beans (Darrell will get the beans whole).  Fingers crossed this works out a little better for my tastebuds.

Speaking of tastebuds--I am still extremely sensitive to sweet things these days!  I still put a Splenda in my coffee, but I just cannot stomach things like pudding or Jell-O.  They just taste SOOOO sweet to me that I almost get a gag reflex.  I'm sorta hoping this will last for a while since The Hubs likes to keep chocolate ice cream around.  So far, I haven't been tempted to taste.

I have finally been able to meet my protein goals for 5 days in a row!!!  I am averaging around 700-800 calories each day.  I still need to work more on my H20 consumption--so far I get in about 48 oz.  most days.  I really need to make an effort to get in those last 16 oz.  My plan today is to have 8oz first thing in the morning (before coffee, even) and then to have another 8oz just before bed.  Hopefully this won't make me get up in the middle of the night for a potty break.  I've been grateful to be sleeping through the night w/o the potty break for the last week or so.  Of course, that might be because I'm not drinking enough water. LOL




Cheers!--and happy weekend!

things are getting better...

The switch from liquids to puree/soft is going well.  Yesterday, I didn't have any of the gastro-intestinal issues that have been plaguing me of late.  And for the first time since surgery I actually met my protein goal!

I have started tracking my food (for the umpteenth time) on MyFitnessPal.  If you're interested in what I'm eating, you can view my Food Diary at www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/justlynda (password: imaboob).  If I can figure it out, I'll also put a new tab on my blog to link to the site.

Through the ObesityHelp website, I have been in contact with a couple of other women who had sleeve surgery about the same time as me:  one on the same day and the other 3 days later.  We've been comparing notes & it seems like everything I've been experiencing...even the emotional breakdown...is right on track.  Glad to know I'm not any more crazy than I thought!

To all the Chicago ladies...have fun this weekend!!!

eggs....yum...

I get to eat (legally) a soft scrambled egg this morning!!!  I never thought I'd be so excited about an egg.  Stay tuned to for updates.

total breakdown yesterday...

Silly me decided that it would be ok to eat some pimento cheese as long as I "watered" it down with extra mayo in order to duplicate the loose consistency of some of the soups I've been eating.  BAD idea!  Within minutes, I was dealing with some very violent vomiting!  Then, I started crying because I didn't want to be sick.  Then, I cried more because the vomiting strained my abs right around the area where my main incision is.  Add that to the fact that I had forgotten to take my Lexapro for about 2-3 days and you get a MAJOR emotional breakdown.

My husband was great and just sat on the bed with me while a cried for about an hour.  Then, when I was finished, he brought me a wet cloth to wipe my face and tucked me into bed to take a nap.  I love that man!

Talked to my nutritionist today and she said the vomiting was probably from all of the fat (I used regular, not low-fat, mayo and full-fat cheese).  Duh!

interesting tidbit i learned @ support group...

When Doc R (I erroneously identified him as Dr. F in my last post) found out where I had my original Lap-Band surgery his eyes rolled and he had a bit of a Cheshire Cat grin going on.  Later it came out that he is not a fan of my lap-band surgeon or the Emory program in general.  His exact words were: "That's the last place in the state that I would ever send someone."

After further discussion, I learned that he hears a lot of stories like mine about the whole process being difficult to navigate and about after-care being...absent.

my first LIVE and IN-PERSON support group...

My surgeon & the hospital where I had my surgery offer support group meetings several times a month.  There are three types:  Open (for anyone); Veteran (for those 12+ months post-op); & Newbie (for those -12 months post-op).

With the Lap-Band, I relied solely on online support--specifically my blog and my B.oo.Bs.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I want to do things a little differently this time, so I decided that I would give the bariatric support groups a shot.  My sister went with me.

We attended an Open support group last night.  Running the show was Dr. F who is a psychiatrist specializing in bariatrics for the last 14 years.  There were about 20 patients--about 50/50 post-op and pre-op.  Everyone but me was gastric bypass.  Dr. F mentioned that this was perhaps the smallest group he had ever seen and that there are generally many more Sleevers in the mix.  He also suggested that I might want to try the Veterans' group since I qualify from having a Lap-Band for 2 years.  

I didn't get much from the group, personally.  This was due in large part to the fact that I didn't feel as though any of the "support" applied to me since I had a different surgery.  Despite this, I did enjoy the group and am looking forward to attending another.  I plan to try both the Newbie and the Veteran group to see where I feel the most comfortable.  

I have never been a support group kind of person, but I am willing to give it a go if it will help me attain long-term success.

Cheers!

weight loss comparison...

It took me 6 months to lose the first 20lb with the lap-band.

It has taken me 2 weeks + 1 day to lose 20lb with the sleeve.

Things that weight 20 lbs:

A car tire.

Anonymous grandma holding 20 lb cat!

2-weeks post-op...

I am feeling better daily!  Today makes exactly 2-weeks since my conversion from Lap-Band to Sleeve Gastrectomy.  

• I haven't quite been able to give up the Lortab completely, but am down to taking it only 1x/day--usually in the afternoon.  The pain is limited to the one incision area where they actually removed the stomach and is generally limited to times when I am using my abs (i.e. going from sitting to standing, etc) or when I find myself sitting in a slouched position thus putting pressure on the area.
• I have one more week on Full Liquids and that sucks!--not because I'm hungry, but because I am bored with my choices.  I made some baked potato soup yesterday and thinned it out with extra chicken stock.  It was a nice change!  Sadly, I think I ate too much (I never thought I'd be saying that about less than 1/2-cup food) and was a little uncomfortable for about an hour.  Unlike the band, drinking water didn't make it "slide through" to relieve the discomfort--it just made me feel more full.  Lesson learned.
• I miss cooking and can't wait to get back in the kitchen next week.  I'm already working on some meal planning using a couple of awesome post-bariatric-surgery cookbooks I have that give you "regular" meal recipes for your family and then instructions on how to alter your portion depending on what stage of recovery you are in.
• I am currently wearing pajama bottoms that I initially bought to take to the hospital.  But, when I got them home to actually try on, they were too small.  This morning I had to use the waist-tie to keep them on.  :)
• I STILL LOVE PEPCID!!!

Cheers!

planning ahead and setting goals...

I never really set firm weight goals when I had the lap-band.  I also didn't exercise as regularly as I should have.  These two things had nothing to do with the complications that led to the removal, but they are two things that I'd like to approach differently this time.

I have set some weight goals and I think they are realistic.  Mostly they are based on my current rate of loss and also on the "average" sleeve weight loss of 10lb/month.  

• Starting weight:  244.5
• Current weight:  227 2 weeks post-op
• Oct. 2:  218  4 weeks post-op
• Oct. 16:  211 6 weeks post-op(also my 4th wedding anniversary & the last day of post-op diet)
• Nov. 4:  205  lowest (non-dehydrated) Lap-Band weight
• Dec. 4:  195
• Jan. 4:  185
• Feb. 4:  175
• Mar. 4:  165 high "illbehappywiththis" goal
• Apr. 4:  160
• May. 4:  155 mid "whatidreallyliketoweigh" goal
• Jun. 4:  150
• July 4:  145 low "holycowicantbelieveit" goal

As for exercise, Darrell & I have joined the new YMCA near our house.  They offer a 6-month "Coach Approach" program for people who have not exercised regularly in the last 6 months.  I have my first appointment with my Coach (who also happens to be a Personal Trainer) on October 15.  She will help me devise an exercise plan/strategy based on my needs and current condition and then I will meet with her 1x/month to re-evaluate.

Excited!!!

pepcid is my new best friend...

Darrell took me to CVS yesterday to get some Pepcid for the heartburn.  It worked!  And, apparently the heartburn was related to the nausea because that's gone, too.  I actually feel good today!!!!

11-day summary

Today is the 11th day since my conversion surgery & here's a recap to let you know what's going on and where things stand.

• 16 lbs lost
• I'm off pain meds--I still have a little pain, but the liquid Lortab tastes like rotten pineapple mixed with Nyquil so I would rather have some pain that have to choke that down anymore.
• I'm still fighting with nausea which is interfering with my protein consumption.  Basically, I can only tolerate clear liquids and occasionally some yogurt or really thin soup.  Anything heavier makes me severely nauseated.  
• I am also having difficulty drinking enough water.  I suspect that mild dehydration might be related to the nausea mentioned above.  Therefore, I am doubling my efforts at getting in more water today.
• I am hungry, but I don't have a really strong urge to eat.  Weird.
• I still have 9 more days of Full Liquids before I can move up to pureed food.
• Things taste REALLY sweet these days.  I have had to dilute my Jell-O mixture (4 cups per package instead of 2) because it tastes soooo sweet.  
• I was able to play fetch with my dog this morning!!!  This is the first time I've been able to throw the ball w/o severe pain.  YIPEE!!!
• The incision that they pulled my stomach through is only about 2" wide...smaller than my port incision from the lap-band.

i still have Lortab brain...

I tried to go off the painkillers on Monday...BIG mistake!!!  Not only was there pain, but I was completely out of it all day yesterday.  I assume it was because of the lack of pain killers since that is the only thing I did differently.  Lesson learned...

But, because I am still on Lortab (same as Vicodin) I have difficulty bringing thought together in an eloquent manner.  So, I'm retreating to the bullet post 'cause I have lots of things to tell you.

• I have lost 13lb since my pre-op testing appointment on August 30.
• I had my 1st post-op appointment with Doc S and he was pleased!  He said I looked great and seemed to be impressed with my recovery and the amount of daily activity I was doing.  He said that as far as activity goes, I can do anything I want as long as it doesn't cause pain.  Exception--a few more weeks of lifting restrictions (nothing over 10 lbs).
• The nutritionist, Brittany, stopped by as well.  I love her!!!  We had a nice chat about things, she said it was ok to take my Calcium even though it meant chewing (mine are kinda like a Starburst) and confirmed that I need to try harder to get in my protein.  I have been averaging around 20-30g per day and I need to get it up to 60.
• My family is AWESOME!!!  Mom dropped everything yesterday to come over and stay with me when I told her I wasn't feeling well.  She even helped me get all my clean laundry put away AND cooked dinner for Darrell!  My dad is on his way over now to visit & to play fetch with Murphy (since I still can't throw the ball).
• My sister & her wife will be staying with us for a few days while they have some work done on their house (they had a burst pipe a couple of weeks ago).  In return, they will be feeding Darrell while they are here so that he can have a break from the casseroles.  His response, "I hope I like what they cook as much as I like your casseroles."  LOL
• I have had a few panicked "OMG what have I done?!?!?!?!?" moments in the last few days.  Seriously, I just threw away 80% of my stomach and I can never get it back!!!
• Thankfully, those moments don't usually last very long.
• The recovery pain for the sleeve is significantly more than it was for the band.  Strangely, though, I seem to have a lot more energy and am dealing with it better.  Go figure.

sleeve recovery is WAAAY different!

Even though I've had other surgeries, they have all been out-patient procedures and recovery has been fairly simple & straightforward.  This is different.

First, I am so grateful that an overnight hospital stay was required.  I also am grateful that my husband & my sister conspired behind my back for her to stay with me overnight (I was insisting that I didn't need anyone).  I vaguely remember waking up in recovery to excruciating pain.  I was FREEZING--so much that my whole body was shaking.  I remember feeling nauseated (they told me later that I vomited, but I don't remember that).  Apparently, they gave me stuff because the next thing I remember is being wheeled into my hospital room where Darrell was waiting.  This was around 4-5pm, I think.

I have very vague memories of the next few hours.  Darrell says I kept falling asleep mid-sentence and that most of what I was saying didn't make much sense.  I do remember that my nurses were really nice, though.  The stay was fairly uneventful--I pushed the button to dispense pain meds as often as I could.  I peed a lot.  They kept asking if I'd had a bowel movement, and I kept telling them that I had not had solid food in 4 days and didn't really think that would be happening anytime soon. ;)

The next day, Doc S stopped by and told me that both procedures were textbook--everything went well and nothing out of the ordinary happened.  He said that I could have "lunch" (i.e. chicken broth) after an upper GI and that if I tolerated lunch & dinner, I could be discharged.  The upper GI, as with everything else, went according to plan.  YIPEE!!!

So, a fairly boring hospital story.  Being home has been different.  After the band, all I remember is sleeping A LOT and having a ton of gas pain in my shoulder but not much anywhere else.  This time, I don't have the gas issue and the pain is in the lower right quadrant of my abdomen (I'm assuming this is where my stomach is).  

I find myself with a lot of energy in the mornings and have been quite active (too active, if you ask my husband).  I've been emptying the dishwasher, making the bed, cleaning out & organizing cupboards and trying to walk as much as possible.  This morning, we took a field trip to Lowes.  My sister took me to Whole Foods yesterday.  However, I generally crash HARD in the afternoons.  

I haven't slept through the night, yet and always wind up waking around 3-4am for a dose of pain meds and then awake again around 6-7.  Today, I slept until 9:30 before pain woke me up!!!--That's 5 1/2 hours--much improved. :)

Tomorrow I have my 1st post-op visit with the doc.  Fingers crossed.

PS  I'm still pretty doped up on Lortab, so please excuse the rambling & unfocused nature of this post.

Going home...quickie

Sleeve surgery went well. Looks like I'll be discharged after "dinner" of chicken broth & jello.

2 more sleeps!!!

This morning marked the beginning of my 2-day Pre-Op clear liquid fast.  I actually remembered NOT to put cream in my coffee!! (yay)

I found out two days ago that some of our friends would be in town for Dragon-Con and a basketball game.  Since it's also my sister-in-law's birthday, my sister decided it would be a grand idea to have everyone come over to my house for dinner and a movie (we have made a "theatre" in our basement with stadium seating, etc).  I love this kind of stuff and readily agreed.  

I contacted my SIL's mother and got a recipe for a cherry Angel-food cake that she used to make (shhh...it's a surprise).  I also decided it would be a good time to try out a vegetable lasagna recipe from Cooks Illustrated since one of our guests is vegetarian.  If you've ever made a CI recipe, you know that it is neither quick nor easy.

So...I got up this morning and was at the market by 10am; started cooking around noon; and am just now sitting down to put my feet up before I start unloading the dishwasher so that I can re-fill it with the 3rd load of the day.  I am HUNGRY.  And, I am TIRED.  And, I just want a NAP.

I know the evening will be fun and I do not begrudge the company.  But, with the fast starting today, the stress planning for surgery and hormones from PMS I am feeling a little fragile.  Luckily, my husband gives great hugs!