Getting Strength Back

It's been a wonderful week. I downloaded a podcast called from the Couch to a 5K in 9 weeks and headed out the door. It's starts off with a brisk walk, and from there you alternate between running for 60 seconds, and walking for 90 seconds you do this 8 times throughout the first day, and you continue it three times the first week, before going to Week two. Well I did pretty good for being 2 weeks post op however it took me 2 hours to recover. So, I had a little inspiration, and I am creating my own podcast called from the couch to a 2.5K in 9 weeks for Bariatric patients. It should be completed in 8 more weeks and I'll be posting it for all to use. I'm ready to go back to work. I don't know how people stay at home all day (unless they have kids) I'm so going stir crazy.

today is 3 weeks post op and here is my weigh in

starting weight 214

today weight 186

I decided not to join the gym yet. mostly due to knowing I won't use it and I don't want to waste our money, so for now running/walking will have to do... Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. Talk to you all next week.

Ready to Start Living

I went to the doctor's yesterday for my two week post op appointment and it was a great appointment. I am recovering very well and was given approval to start working out. (not just walking) I still can't lift anything for another two weeks, but I can do everything else. Now I need to figure out if i want to join a gym, or work out at home. Decisions, decisions. well here is the official weigh in I know you have all been waiting for.

Prior to Surgery 215lbs

2 weeks after surgery 190

I also got promoted to Stage III foods yesterday which means I can eat pretty much everything except beef, that will take another 6-8 weeks.

I would love you hear some of your exercise idea's you can email me a vestalmt@vzw.blackberry.net

I look forward to reading your responses. Update on sleep, i'm sleeping!

Two days until first weigh in.

I have survived the weekend in fact I actually left the house with my husband this weekend and went to the Tomato festival. I was able to walk around and it felt great. I have two days until my 2 week post op appointment and can't wait. I've been getting ready for my next stage of food with such anticipation. I've also been cooking dinner for my husband then sneaking a lick of the sauce I cooked for him just to get a taste of flavor. I'm getting a lot more energy and can't wait to start getting out daily. I still get light headed on occasion but mostly when I stand too fast. My incisions are healing wonderfully and itching like crazy. My husband has noticed the weight loss on me. He's never noticed a weight loss before and I was touched that he mentioned it to me. He's been wonderful through this whole thing. I remember being afraid of the aftermath of surgery more than the actual surgery. I think it was the feeling of being deprived of eating what he eats. You know, I haven't felt that way at all. Only that I could eat something other than what I can eat. well in two days, I'll be able to.

Could this be the new Normal?

Today is 10 days post op and all I've been doing is watching TV, taking walks, and not eating much of anything. Could this be the new normal? I have decided that since I can't start eating real food for another 5 days, that I would focus on research. what type of research you ask? the type of research that will take a new place in my life that food can no longer have. That's right! I'm going to start a gym membership and my wonderful husband and I are going to start taking cooking classes. Since he can still eat normal and I will be able to start eating pretty normal in the next month, we have decided to sign up for our first class in September on "How to use Knifes." Today in our life he does all the cooking but for the last three nights I have had the pleasure of cooking him dinner, while I suck down my little 1/4 cup of soup. I have also enjoyed doing a little cleaning around the house and plan on tackling my closets in the next week. But I must get through the weekend first. Still not able to be around people so it too will be spent stuck in doors.

Sleepless in Vallejo

I seem to have another problem, Sleep. Two days ago I took my medication to help me sleep and didn't want to take it again last night. So, I decided to stay up until I felt tired enough to sleep. Next thing I hear is my husbands alarm clock go off in the bedroom. That's right, at 6:00 am I was still on the couch trying to get tired. I thought it was because I had slept so good the night before with the medicine that it would wear off and I would automatically get sleepy on my own. Well here we are now being up for 24 hours and I'm still not tired, So I did some research and found out that I'm not the only one with this problem. Here's what I learned. "The postoperative period in bariatric surgery requires significant adjustments in patients–lives. The potential for altered sleep physiology, reduced quantity of sleep, altered hormonal balance, increased tendency to disordered eating, and poorer quality of food intake, are all possible etiologies for substandard weight loss..."Eric S. Ketchum and John M. Morton"

If any of you have any suggestion to naturally get my sleep back I'm willing to try. Tonight, I will start drinking Mint Tea at 5:00 pm.

The Mistakes I've made!

No one said this was going to be an easy road to take, but I praise God for my great husband and for good friends in my life. Today is day 7 post op and I have made some real big mistakes so far. for starters, for the first 3 days I was home I was always hungry. What, why am I hungry, didn't they just take 90 percent of my stomach out. well back to the binder I go. the binder is this 3 inch thick book that has all the do's and don't both before surgery and after, so the book says that I need 55-60 grams of protein a day and that my protein shakes is where I'm suppose to get that from. oh, that would mean two scoops of protein powder and not the normal one scoop.. Oops, ok so starting day 4 post op, I'm back on track with protein and you know something? I'm no longer hungry. Second mistake I made was I have been having a hard time getting in my fluids (64 oz a day) because I've been diluting my crystal light. so needless to say it tastes like water with just a hint of flavor and I want something with more of a punch. So today I find out the only thing that needs diluting is sugar drinks. anything sugar free I can freely drink. Bring on the flavor! The third and final mistake so far I've made was not taking the pain medication. You see I haven't been in hardly any pain at all but the medication has a sleep agent in it so your body can get the rest it needs to repair itself. Well after feeling dizzy all day yesterday from lack of sleep, I took it last night and lets just say I didn't get my nickname Princess "Snooze a lot" for nothing. I slept all night and even took a nap today. I was able to eat right and go for another walk around the block..

Ready for Real Food!

You know, when I read the Stage 2 food list, creamed soups (strained for any lumps) sugar free pudding, Sugar free Jello, Cottage Cheese, and of course protein shakes, I thought cool this will be easy. Well let me tell you it's not. I'm so tired of eating these foods, and although it's only 1/4 cup of each three times a day, do you really know how many servings are in a full can soup? 12. That's right, there are 12 little containers in my fridge of Cream of potato, and since I was already tired of the cream of Potato by day 2 there are also 12 containers of cheese broccoli and cream of mushroom. Now, before surgery I loved cream soups with Saltine crackers. Heck I could eat a whole can without blinking with about 10 - 15 saltine crackers. well that was the past. I cannot eat that much now. So food has become very boring for me. Now what is a lover of food look forward to.

Recovering well.

Hi All, Well today is day 3 post op and I'm doing pretty good. The pain is very minimal and mostly caused by build up gas from the CO2 that they use. The incisions don't hurt at all. Surgery went well, 1.5 hours and I was in recovery. 4 hours after surgery I was up walking. I walk as much as I can because it helps to lessen the gas pressure. Last night was a better night sleep for me as well. First night home was Thursday. That's right, I spent one night in the hospital and home sweet home I went. I was pretty miserable the first night at home, due to not getting comfortable enough to sleep. I slept on the couch that night with pillows all around me. Last night however I was able too sleep in my own bed. Food is getting boring fast since I'm on stage II food which creamed soups, protein shakes, pudding, applesauce, and jello's. I will be eating like this for two weeks before advancing to Stage III foods.

Surgery Day Tomorrow

Today was a list of all list day. Make a list of things I need to do, what did the list say to pack, what was on the grocery list, what was the list of things we wanted to do around the house before I leave. List, list,list. I started the day reading the list of "Things to do the day before surgery". I woke up at 8:30 am and the list said to drink two tablespoons of Mile of Magnesia, so I did, then an hour later I ate breakfast, the list said only liquids today, so I had a protein shake for breakfast. with in an hour, I was going to the bathroom. I spent more time in the bathroom today, then I think I did all week. (was not a good day for anything) Next on the list it said, "call the Admitting office to see what time to show up" So, I called. the admitting office said, "you need to be here at 6:00 am. ??? oh my Lord, that means I have to get up and out of the house by 4:00 am. no, not because live 2 hours away, because the list also said arrive one hour early to make sure you have time to walk 45 minutes - 1 hour to reduce the risk of blood clots. I'm so blessed that I have Mike. He will be driving me at dark"o"Clock..I received a lot of phone calls and Facebook posts today saying people were praying for me. I love my life, so filled with wonderful people. Well friends, I won't be blogging until I get home from the hospital, so if all goes right, you'll hear from me Friday August 6th. Good night and God Bless.

2 Days Before Surgery

This weekend we went Camping with some dear friends at Lake of the Springs, CA. It was in the low to mid 90's and we spent a quite a bit of time in the water and took some nice long walks, I also took some pictures of me in my swimsuit, which I would have NEVER been brave enough to do if I wasn't about to have surgery. We got to test out Mike's new car (Scion xB) as a camping car. It hauled everything beautifully as well as was roomy enough to fit our air mattress to sleep in. WOW, we have a mini RV now "Smile", normally we just put up our tent, but this time there really wasn't room for our big tent (sleeps 6) due to the space that was rented, so the truck/mini RV, came in very handy.

Two days before surgery and I still have several things to get accomplished. I have to get my pedicure, do the laundry from our trip, pack my hospital bag as well as take a nap, I'm exhausted.