Reflections on month 3 of 6 pre op diet ~ “How much farther Papa Smurf?”

Posted this late~

Another month closer to my surgery date and my focus has been to try to stop obsessing so much about the surgery. I don’t want to wish my life away waiting for it. The time between now and then is precious, so I am trying to be mindful of that. The distraction of Spring has really been great for me as I love working in the yard.

A note to any that may be reading and are planning to get clearance from a Pulmonologist – start early if you think you may have sleep apnea. From start to finish will be around 8 weeks for me which includes time waiting to get first appointment, sleep study, titration (after getting apnea diagnosis), receiving CPAP and final appointment with pulmonologist to get my clearance letter (after at least 2 weeks using CPAP).

I was not looking forward to the Nutrition counseling, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a group setting which I was not expecting, but enjoyed as well. We learned what makes a protein supplement important, label reading, and discussed in great detail each phase of our diets both pre and post op.

Visit #4 of 6 with PCP went ok. I gained a pound which I am not really upset about because that could just be clothes or shoes but I am resolved to show a weight loss next month.

My goals for next month-

• Lose 3 pounds
  
• Cardiac clearance
  
• Psych clearance
  

If you are just starting your journey and think you will wait until later on to check off all of those to-do’s from your surgeons check list, think again. I am really glad I planned a couple of these per month because otherwise I would be missing a lot of work that last month before surgery (if I could even get appointments without pushing my surgery date out further). I am also glad that I have been documenting my journey because when things appear to be moving slowly I can look back and see that I have made progress. Enjoy your journey!