It's been a long week, my head is making me crazy with cravings of things. I think it has something to do with the body's hormones & it's adjusting to the lack of calories it's use to. my emotions have been all over the place, I have felt faint, weak & shaky. I am guessing it'a the body fat's fight to stay. I am hoping it comes to an end soon.
On a different note, I got my fitbit. I love it. it's not fully what I was hoping it would be, but it's better than some of the other things, a couple of the people that got their sleeves around the same time we are all friends with it, I think as I get more active it will become a lot better. it's nice where it sync's up with your smartphone & my fitness pal, for the diet tracking aspect.
the main reason I got it was so I could wear it in the pool at the gym. Go figure the day I get it the pool at the gym goes out & won't be back up till next week. Oh well, I have been walking up a storm, daily goal is 10,000 steps. pretty much on your feet when your not working. I guess that's the key though.
Funny food things, I realized tonight that my go to, "safe" Sleeve friendly staple food is, oddly enough, Bean's:- black, red, navy, garbanzo basically any canned beans, just not Green I've had all kinds of things, hummus, refried, soup's, chili, (fake) backed beans, & (fake) BBQ. everyday this week, I've had beans for 1-2 meals. oddly I would maybe eat beans once a week, to once every other week. The plus side is not eating very much they don't have the side effect they use to. I guess Beans are my new eggs...
eggs make me sick. I have tried 3 different ways. YUCK, I use to love eggs, had them almost daily. now. they almost make me puke. I'll give it a month & try them again.
Oh well, life goes on & things will work them self out, the sleeve is a huge learning curve. good luck to everyone with it.
I have figured for this week it will be easier to eat 1 meal of pureed, at least for a few days. it take a lot of time away from drinking water & protein drinks. I never thought Pureed food would be so complicated. I tired to work out a menu & tried to put it into fitness pal & it just didn't work with the protein, I need, I personally would rather drink the protein then mix it into pureed food. it is defiantly a learning curve, plus the time it takes to not drink before the meal & after the meal. I will just have to get really creative & figure this out. I'm pretty sure once I figure this out I can use the same format for the rest of the food stages. then hopefully it will be a habit for life. just have to plan & prepare.
Now if you told me I was going to do this much prep a year ago for food I would LAUGH!!
Yesterday I ordered more Nectar Unflavored protein, Nectar Fuzzy Navel, it's only 10 grams protein but it's good in a quick pinch for extra protein. I also ordered me a Fitbit Flex. after some research to figure out what to get to help motivate me. this seems like something I will use. hopefully I can get back into the habit of wearing one, I have a heart rate watch about 10 years ago & loved it, then my kids got a hold of it & well if you have kids you know how that goes.
Tomorrow morning starts my going back to the gym! Yeah! I'm so looking forward to it!! I got cleared for Submersion! so Water Aerobics Here I come. the ladies in my class have no idea what I have done or where I have been. so I am sure tomorrow will be a bunch of questions. but bring it on, not sure what I am going to say just yet. I still don't think it's anyones business. My Dr. said as long as I have a bottle of water by the pool & listen to my body. I am so in love with going to the pool it makes the world just disappear. that reminds me I have to set my alarm earlier.
Hopefully I can figure out what works for me rather quickly, next week everything gets back to full busy mode. To all hopefully you all have a great journey as we figure out this thing called Life!
Ugh not as fun, I got my woman garbage & I retain a lot of water. so I had to try to step up my water intake to compensate. At least its almost over.
I had a rough week in dealing with that, but as of today I am cleared puree food! Hallelujah!!! I am normally not a Hummus fan, but that was some great food. Dinner tonight was low fat refried beans, a bit of guacamole, a bit of salsa & a touch of sour cream. in total it was maybe 2oz. but it was good. now it's to introduce the other pureed foods, I bought some baby food, for days when I have to run, sounds bad but when your hungry, you never know. I figure I will keep eating the soups where I have a freezer full & as they told me today 1-2 protein drinks a day for a very long time. which is fine by me. makes it easier.
He said to drag a bottle of water everywhere, when people start eating they forget to get water in & get dehydrated. I usually do any way. now I'll be checking my urine again to make sure today I am a long way away from my goal of 64oz I maybe have 30. so I will be drinking, drinking, drinking... in sips, sips, sips.....
Finally full liquids. Everything is still going well. I have been keeping myself busy, with sorting through boxes from my mom's house so I can clean out my garage. I have been using my slave labor, my 18 year old is home off & on, she would bring the boxes to the rooms I said, then I when I would be done she would haul stuff either to the car for donation or the trash. Then when my kids came home from school I have them hauling big heavy boxes or books & stuff to the rooms where I will go through them. I over did it a bit yesterday, I made sure my tummy was ok, but overlooked my back, now I am on a heating pad. Doh! Oh well I got a lot accomplished & hopefully can resume more tomorrow. As of this morning I have lost 11lbs since surgery & 12 inches. it's a great personal victory. I went to the store by myself & started looking for the foods for the next stage of foods. Kind of makes my head spin. reading the labels, thank goodness there is this website to help, with people who have went through this, before me. I went looking for somethings for this diet & found that the area I live in is terrible for much of a selection of sugar free stuff, like Torani syrups, I made an online order for a couple flavors. I mean they have crystal light, I think there was 3 pancake syrups, (for my cream of wheat) but I didn't buy yet, I think next time I go into the bigger city where I live I'll run into the health food store. It's a different shopping experience reading the packages verses grabbing what you like. but I can do this, I have committed to this, why put junk back in, that would be a huge waste of my time & money. I think soon enough it will become the normal. Just have to retrain the brain.... I did see the store in my town has a HUGE select of Tons of different flavors of Lite Laughing Cow cheese that made me happy. now I just have to get through the next week. Oh well, it will be worth it when don't have to over think when I go out. will I fit here, can I do that there, will I be asked when I am due. will that make me look stupid. who's driving what vehicle are we riding in. I am beyond ready to just be able to get up & go, no second thoughts about it.
That is one wonderful thing about this site, no judging! everyone has similar things going on in there life. everyones stories are different but we all have had parallel things happen, no one wants to be this way, there are many things that happen in life & the next thing you know your needing a surgeons help. The Best decision I have made for myself. Don't get me wrong I love my Hubby & Kids, but there are times they all drive me CrAzY! This is for me, not for anyone else. just to get me comfortable in my own skin, can't remember the last time I was, if ever.
Good Luck Everyone.
Routine for me is a KEY & Pre Planning is another.
I am still not hungry & have to remind myself, to drink my protein. I have no problem with water. I am drinking about 80oz now, slowly. I am doing 3 shakes a day, now I have discovered I really like low sodium V8, Broth & sugar free Jello. I bought the 8oz cans of V8 incase I didn't like it, next time if I keep drinking it the 2 week of full liquids I'll buy a big can. I do add a squirt of Red's hot sauce. Oh YUMMY! I froze all the soup stock, vegetable & chicken in the freezer in 1/2C servings to mix it up a bit, jello I will only buy in the premade cups. Mrs. Dash is the best thing in the soup. I like flavors. I don't like homemade after the 2nd day. I am looking forward to 2 more days & having a pudding or a yogurt.. even MILK even though it will be skim.
I have also been making changes around my house. my kids have had to endure my diets before. but the thing they don't understand is healthy isn't a diet. I made Brownies that are made from Black beans, my kids scooped them up! they said they were the richest & best that I have made. I haven't told them nor do I think I will. I have a few weeks to work out some tried & true recipes. (not just sweets) that way by the time I can eat somewhat of the same as them, I can keep cooking those recipes & they won't have any problems with them. I am really looking forward to getting through the next 8 weeks. (according to my surgeon & dietitians plan.)
I have been working diligently on managing to get my 64oz of fluid & actually have worked out to get 74oz, the liquid includes 3- 17oz bottles of water & 3- 8oz protein shakes, I have found routine & drinking the same thing work the best for me & I also divided it up into 1/3's throughout the day. yet I feel I always have a bottle of liquid in my hand. by night time I am so happy to not have something in my hand, but my nurses scared me about dehydration. so every-time I go to the bathroom I am always looking at what color it is. yes I do that. I have been hitting my goal of about 70 grams of protein. & the last 2 days I have also had about 1/4Cup broth, with a shake of Mrs Dash (my new best friend) I don't add that total to my fluid counting even though I could the last 2 nights my family has had hearty meals, like lasagna & ham & tater casserole. (I made these ahead of time to help if I had problems with surgery) I haven't so much wanted to eat them, more I have a horrible habit at the end of the day of snacking. That's where the soup came in. I have some mixed feelings I need to work thru before I do eat real food. I have a few idea's like changing what my evening pattern is, I have some projects to start as soon as I have a bit more energy & my incisions heal up a bit more, I don't want to ruin anything I have worked so hard to do.
Today I had a great couple of personal victories, 1- my oldest was mindlessly eating a big muffin for breakfast, & I thought, I use to do this, now that kind of repulses me. 2- I got to drive to do an errand. I felt so free, where I haven't hd pain med's I knew I felt good enough to do it. Both of these put me in some deep thoughts about how my life was going... I could have eaten 2 of those muffins before, & if I don't get my health under control, then I might have to rely on others to get me around. it just helps me know I have made one of the best decisions of my life. I promised myself on New Years this year I will take back my life! I am on my way!
I made it thru surgery! Not as bad as I thought. My mouth was dryer than dry, but they gave me ice chips.
My surgery started at 7:30am
They did the sleeve & hernia, was in recovery by 9:25, in there for about an hour, the to my room at about 10:30. I was on oxygen, they took it off at 11:30, just had to remember to breath deep when the buzzer sounds, they also gave me a breathing thingy that I have to do minimum of 10 an hour, it gets deep breaths, it helps A Lot with Gas bubbles & helps so yo don't get Phenomena I've been burping a storm. Walking around my room & the halls. No nausea at all They are stayed on top of the meds while I was in the hospital, the second morning I didn't have any. I just had gas pains.
Also, I was able to get out of the bed & I'm sitting in a what they call recliner... But it's better than the bed. I was able to be out of the hospital by noon the day after surgery, I hated being there, being on the IV & eating ice chips, I was able to walk to my GI & passed, so they said I was cleared t go home.
We ran to get my Rx & home we came where I started drinking an Iso Pure, not the greatest, but its protein, i wasn't to bad after I mixed some powder protein with it. took for ever to drink 8 oz. but I did that twice yesterday & so I hit my minimum mark of 50 grams of protein. I figured that was a great start. the only time I took the pain meds is when I went to bed. I don't like them they knock me right out.
Since this
morning I have choked down a iso pure without added powder & 1/2 a 16.9 oz bottle of water guess that's not bad where its basically 10am. I am not hungry, I just keep telling myself drink this, drink this. slowly. but drink this. then I give myself a break.
I weighed myself & I am down 2lbs the only reason I got on the scale is I do my measurements once a week those were not so good, but I attribute that to being swollen, my plans for the day are SHOWER! then this afternoon a walk, & maybe 1 tonight. and of course every-time I remember I use the breathing thingy. I haven't really had troubles passing gas, from either direction. I know TMI, I also had a BM. the nurses had me a bit scared about that. I had it on my own no medicines or juices.
I had it in my head it was going to be worse than it was. I guess it's better to thin that then have it be better. now if I could just Fast Forward the next couple months.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Last day of Solid foods.
I can say I am ready, a bit stressed but ready.
Extra Dessert Delights are my saving grace, normally when I get stressed I eat, this time I go grab a stick, break it in half & chew till the flavor is gone... that & drinking lots of water, today. tomorrow is 4 protein shakes & 64oz water. the end is in sight, just have to make it through. so many epiphanies! I am thinking its all part of the process. I got the fridge stock for the family & a weeks worth of meals for them, 3 casseroles & 4 crockpot meals, all just have to have someone bake them or put them in the crockpot. so in reality they should be good for awhile. plus I got some broths, sugar free jello's, case of water, powerade zero, crystal light, isopure premade drinks, some powder mix with anything protein & of course chewable vitamins.
washed my sheets, brought a couple more pillows in my room, have a bunch of books, dusted off my running shoes (for walking) also have a nice broken in pair of crocks (if my feet are swollen) pulled out the Huge heating pad, found my rice heating bag. also had the best idea ever, no I did not read it on a thread here, although i'm sure lots of others had the same idea, I pulled out a couple of the small shot glasses to use to measure the liquid intake. also dug out my kids baby spoons for a few weeks down the road.
I am sure there will be something, somewhere that I forgot or overlooked, but for the most part lets get through this misery of surgery & recovery. the end result will be worth it. God Speed to everyone that is going to go through this surgery.
Well technically day 12 isn't over...
but the end is in sight.
just waiting for my call so I know what time surgery is!
I'm kinda nervous my head is full of they didn't get the papers, they misplaced the order, the person who is suppose to call is out for some reason... oh well, it's a good lesson in patience!
aside from that I have done my best to keep myself busy!
maybe to busy, I still haven't had a chance to put a bag together for the hospital.
this past week I finally got my water intake down, my proteins have been on target.
I have also had lots of time to reflect & to think this is the best decision for me.
it will be difficult, painful, & what-not. But that's how life has been anyway.
at least I will have a great tool.
I have been lost in thought for awhile, running all kinds of emotions.
So I thought I will do my old standby. Make a List...
a List of Why I am wanting to keep my head up & not cheat, not give in to my belly...
all its moaning & groaning of thinking it wants something Sweet or Salty... or something besides Shakes, protein, veg's or a single piece of fruit..
things I want to be able to do.
~sit in a both when I go out to with my family.
~not have to worry about whom is driving, due to the seatbelt issue.
~ride any fair or amusement park ride.
~be able to go buy cloths that don't come from The Big Girl section (basically anything without a X or few)
~be able to not have fear of people asking when I'm Due.
~for that matter no terrible comments or remarks.
~to be able to actually Smile without hiding the pain of something.
~to not have to worry if I drop something & have to pick it up in public.
~be able to go swimming at a public pool without giggles.
~when family & friends gets together to not worry about a chair breaking.
~to be able to ride the dirt bike.
~to be able to wear high heels again when I feel like it.
~to do a 5K without walking.
~going skiing.
~go tubing.
~go rollerblading again.
~ride a horse without extra stress.
~go on the zip-line.
~go golfing without getting to tired.
I have many more that have rolled through my head & now that I sit to type they have disappeared.
This Journey is for me, for my Health & Happiness.
Sometimes I just have to remember that.
this was just a quick rant.
I'm so ready for this change.
Happy Trails to everyone on their own Journey!
Day 2: This day did not go buy as smooth. Not as busy & the hunger or ghost hunger (I have plenty of storage I will be fine…)
still stuck to the diet just mainly had a headache, broke-down & bought Crystal Light Grape Energy to relieve the caffeine headache.. My Surgeon prefers no caffeine during pre-op, along with avoiding ibuprofen due to it being a blood thinner, & to try not to take Tylenol. Where you get the Rx version as Post-Op., which is all, ok, just a Pain. I ended up having a hard time going to be cuz my belly thought it needed the Fast Food one of my older kids brought home, well actually just the wrappers.. MAin it was the smell that made my tummy rumble... I thought you know this is a good trail now. I can’t make them change how they eat just because of what’s going on with me. I prevailed. Surprisingly felt better for it when I walked away. Best of all no regret! Small victories. Sad thing the stuff doesn’t even taste nearly as good as my head always thinks it does. So I am Happy.
I did better on water, I got right on target. Protein 64 so it’s improving.
Day 3: Finally had my Blood Labs early this morning. Now I’m just Crossing my fingers that nothing major is found. The blood work wasn’t bad didn’t even feel where she poked me, no bruising either which is unusual for me. The horrific thing was the Urine Test. I awoke to Mother Natures Wrath. Ugh most embarrassing… I know I’m not the only one, one of the nurses said it’s the drastic change in my diet. Which I have had before & I am pretty sure it’ll happen again at some point. LOVELY life as a Woman!!
She also told me some of the more scary stories of people.. #1 STAY AWAY FROM ALL FIZZY DRINKS. Or basically this whole process is in vain. The #2 is do not push your self to eat, like Stuffing your self most people don't eat to much for a very long time, she said that's why you go to your post-op appointments. Good thing I have already heard this info from the Dietitian & Dr. along with pretty much everyone else who I have seen.
Water I got right on, well I'm drinking my last bottle before I head to bed, also & Protein I got 75!!
I think it’s a lot of choices & making the best of it.
I also found to curb the hunger to cut the vegetables up small so they look like a lot more, the old toddler trick worked today. It took a lot longer to eat it also.
The biggest problem I found, with the dry meal rule is getting all the water in during the day. Unless you get up earlier specially when you have a lot of driving to do. It’ll work its self out. The joys of continuing to learn..
I am surprised at how well the first day of the diet went, The hardest part was Dinner when you could eat 3oz of protein. That made me hungry. But I prevailed. It didn't hurt that I registered 1 of my kids for High school & spent 5hrs over there trying to sort out a messed up schedule. I put 2 bottle of water in my bag & drank them slowly. I've had a bit of a headache but I think that is part of detoxing from Sugar & Caffeine. I did pretty good with water. Better than I thought. I just need to try to add 2 more bottles.The whole "dry meal" thing is rough on the water intake.
I got 59 grams of Protein so I will take it. I need more but that's a good start. I am thinking why my Dr put his patients on a 2 week diet is to work the bugs out the best you can before hand. rather than after. its a lot of managing your time, & being accountable, I guess this is where all the other diets I have been on come into play. A learning experience. I think the second thoughts are all part of the process too. I have noticed I second guess when I want something not on my diet. I just do my best to remind myself, I have tried numerous things & crashed & burned. now it's time to succeed. move forward & just flat out do the best I can do. some days will be hard some I won't think twice about. this is just a fact of life. That's where this site comes into play. A place to vent with others that can relate. Good Luck to everyone no matter where you are on your Journey!
What a Crazy past 24 hours..
I have looked through a few website & bookmarked them. I have watched a couple peoples stories & marked a few more to watch.
Then as the Appointments came & went I didn't fully know if I was going to be able to do the surgery, or when. It took a lot of inner struggling to think is this the right choice for me. Then cold calling from the net to find No doctors even though the net said their were 5 around me. Finally found one 45min to an hour away, which I have come to find out is Nothing. Compared to lots of other people. I called & had to wait quite awhile to get in. honestly looking back I think it has been a good thing, its made me know what I want & how I will make this work. then going through the Doctor Appointments & Test. Then waiting....
Then Yesterday just before, their office closed I Got The Call! AND The Date! Sept 9, I just have to do my Blood Labs, but provided nothing major is found Full steam ahead. then reality hit.... They told me to start picking up things that I needed, Protein Shakes, Supplements & a few things that make the first couple months more manageable. I had not done it due to the fact if I couldn't do the surgery for whatever reason.
Thank goodness I am old school & take notes as I watch peoples videos & read blogs & of course looking through the treads on this site. I have started ordering some things online & have a shopping list. I am nervous & excited at the prospect of a New future!
