joatsaint

I didn't change my career as a result of WLS. But WLS was part of my overall goal to get a better job in the same field. I hated the place I was working, I knew I was at a dead end and the only way to grow was to find a better job. But, at 375lbs, I felt trapped at my workplace - who was going to hire such a morbidly obese person, who couldn't even get up off the floor without a chair for assistance? So I used my frustration with my career as fuel for my weight loss. It helped me commit to the surgery and kept me committed to exercise and diet post-surgery. Every time I felt like quitting, I'd ask myself if I wanted to still be where I was in a years time. And the answer was always "No!"

I didn't bring anything but my CPAP machine to the hospital. But I wish I had brought my pillow. If you bring a pillow, be sure to cover it with a bright case - to make it easy to spot and pack when you leave. I was driving after 7 days. And was back at work on day 11. Things were pretty much back to normal, except I wasn't eating thousands of calories a day anymore! :-P So you should be able to attend a movie pretty soon after surgery, but I wouldn't want to go, I would have been tempted to eat popcorn. As far as crafting goes, I wouldn't want to be refinishing a table or wood working, but anything that can be done sitting, should be easy to take on.

I don't know about the difference in pain levels, but I was off for 10 days. I have a desk job, so the transition back to work was not a difficult one. But I do know that I wouldn't have wanted to lift anything heavy for that 1st month. I wore the elastic stomach support under my clothes every day that 1st month, just for extra insurance. I wanted to be very very careful and give myself time to heal.

My taste buds changed after surgery. I think it was caused by having to stay away from processed foods for a month! :-P My taste buds were detoxed and I didn't like fast food or most processed foods anymore. Now I enjoy the flavors of vegetables and fruits, AND dislike most hamburgers and fast foods from places like McDonalds. Home cooked burgers taste sooooo much better than ones from a restaurant. I count it as an unexpected benefit from WLS.

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You are right, I was still pretty fatigued when I made that post. A complete lap around my block is actually 1/2 mile.

Thanks jess, I really thought a sub 10 min mile was the norm. I never gave it a second thought. I've never researched the average jogger's speed and really felt like I was going at a snails pace. My only goal was to finish the 20 minutes, up until today, I've never tried to measure distance. Wow! A 10 minute mile is AMAZING! Took me like a year to get to that speed!

Week 5 Day 3 complete! I really am surprised that I was actually able to run non-stop for 20 minutes. This time, I ran completely around my block, instead of just on the part in front of my house. I know that 1 block is 1/4 mile and I did 4 complete laps in 20 minutes. So not only did I complete the 20 minute jog, I know the distance was 2 miles as well. *** Does Happy Dance *** I'm still living with my old pre-op mindset that KNEW I couldn't run more than a few feet before hyperventilating. Maybe when I cross the finish line of my 1st official 5K, I'll believe that I CAN do it. :-)

I don't think I went to the bathroom for the 1st week following surgery. I wasn't eating anything substantial and I hadn't eaten since the night before surgery. If you're like me, then your system is used to handling thousands of calories a day and there's plenty of room in your intestines. Since I wasn't taking in anything but liquids for days and days, there just wasn't anything to come out the other end. :-P

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Chicken was the toughest meat for me to readjust to, beef comes in a close second. Turkey hamburger was the easiest meat to add back into my diet. To this day, beef fills me up very quickly and sticks with me the longest.

I've not planned on running a 5k, yet. :-P There's only one in my area and it will be this month, and I'll be a few more weeks before completing the C25K program. But my girlfriend is already asking WHEN we'll be running in one together. So I think I'll be running in at least one 5K before year end.

Workout 2 Week 5 is on the books. I completed the whole thing, but it really tested my resolve to keep going. Thanks to everyone that is following my adventure. I'm sure I'd have quit by now if you weren't watching.

I know where you're coming from. I've been overweight since elementary school, so about 40 years, give or take a year. :-P The hardest part was the anxiety I felt about how I was going to handle being "normal" size! I'd always been fat, I knew how to be fat! How was I going to handle being "normal"? But, you know what? It all worked out. I didn't get "normal" size overnight, and the slow transition from being morbidly obese to a healthy weight was much easier than I expected.

I KNOW I KNOW!! :-P It's really going to be a mental hurdle, to believe that I can jog non-stop for 20 minutes, but I know I can do it. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Starting Week 5, the jogging time is increasing, but it wasn't really that difficult to move to the next level. Surprising.

I can tell you from 1st hand experience that it won't happen. I caught the hiccups right as I was being released from the hospital, and stretched my staple line.... it hurt like Hell!!!! I was using my CPAP each night and never felt any pain while using it. With my irritated stretched staple line, I think I would have noticed the slightest pressure on my Sleeve when sleeping with the CPAP machine. I never experienced any feelings of fullness or pressure in my Sleeve. But I have woke myself up from belching and passing gas, because the CPAP was pumping me so full of air.

Week 4, Day 3 is complete! It's kinda amazing how the 5 minute jogging parts got easier after I did it one time. At first I was worried I couldn't run for 5 minutes straight, but after doing it one time, and having proof that I COULD do it, I got past some mental barrier that was holding me back. It was sort of like having doubts that WLS would work for me. I had to go through it to have the proof it works.

I'm not a fan of heights, but on my next plane ride, I am excited to see if I can put my tray table all the way down. Never been able to do that!!

I waited till 6 months before trying a drink. I only waited because I was eating so little, I didn't want to drink empty calories. But I noticed right away that I got drunk after 1 12oz beer or 1 shot of tequila. Doesn't take much, 2 drinks of any type is my limit, then I get this "full" sensation and don't want to drink anymore... then it's bedtime. Drinking has always made me sleepy. :-) I've never really been a drinker on a consistent basis. Sometimes I can go months without thinking about it. So, it's never been part of my social life and I didn't miss drinking post-op.

I'm about 85 miles from you in Beaumont. I've found a few fellow sleevers from this area, but we pretty much go our own ways for some reason. But I'd be happy to offer any support I can.

I think all the fat and inches wind up in the same place as all the missing pairs to socks - some kind of clothes dryer Bermuda Triangle thing going on! Spooky!!

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I pretty much ate at home during that period. Frankensleeve did not like any foods too well. But the few times I did eat out, it was Mexican food. Re-fried beans and guacamole, queso, and the finely ground taco meat.