Tired of my life like this

[LAG4ahealthierme 76]

Your story is moving. I am so glad that you are on the road to recovery. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[JessterNC 92]

Your story is moving. I am so glad that you are on the road to recovery. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Thank you. It feels good to be moving forward. I really appreciate the thoughts and prayers. Good luck toyou on your journey as well.

[JessterNC 92]

It is a blessing to have a supportive person in the home with me. My wife has been beyond wonderful.

She keeps a journal of what I eat, my BP, my measurements and any other information for me. She told me if I kept it then no one would be able to read it.

She has pre-made Soups, Protein shakes, and yogurt shakes for me and put them pre-measured in the fridge.

I told her that I might like to eat some Protein Bars when I am able. So she got online and researched the store bought ones, she found she could make me some that were much more healthy, so she is going to make them once I can have them.

I start my puree stage on Friday and she is helping me plan the meals and told me that on Thursday, she will pre-make some stuff for me so I can have it starting Friday.

We have been married for 12 years and she has been beside me every step of the way since then. She is my rock, my leaning post, my sounding board.

I know we cant do this for someone else, but I want to get better for her, I want us to be able to enjoy each other again and for her not to have to be my care-giver all of the time. Every time I think this is hard on me, I look at her and see it has not just impacted me, that I need to be strong for both of us, she has carried the load by herself for too long.

I am truly blessed, not just to be able to have had this operation as a part of the healing process, but to have someone like her to go on this journey beside me.

[JessterNC 92]

So I went to the grocery store with my wife yesterday and saw one of my former students. I had him last year but because of my health issues I had not actually seen him since April. I was expecting a, "How are you doing, you look rough" type of conversation.

But no, he says, "Wow, you look great! I saw on FB you had surgery last week but never expected you to look so good. You have lost some weight too, it looks good. I don't know what you are doing but you look fantastic."

That was so refreshing to hear. I realized that my chubby cheeks are not quite as round now. I am one of those odd people that when I start to lose weight it all comes off of my face first. My cat isn't too happy with me either. She used to climb on my stomach and sit on it like a throne. The bulge from the top hernia isn't as big now so she cant sit there. That is from the new binders I have, but it is still nice to be able to look down and not see this huge bulge on the top of my abdomen.

I start the puree stage today for the next 3 weeks so I will let everyone know how that goes.

Small steps can grow into huge successes.

Have a great day everyone

[JessterNC 92]

So far so good today, couldn't eat all of my lunch, the pureed chicken salad filled me up.

I had to laugh at this though, I entered everything I had eaten and planned to eat in my fitness pal and it gave me this big warning that I was not eating enough to survive! Okay, only 635 calories at this point but this is my 1st day of pureed food.

I have to admit I was really pleased to feel "full" while eating lunch. I didn't get to finish my lunch, didn't eat the pureed carrots. The feeling was subtle, but I did feel the slight tightness in my upper abdomen and that told me to stop and it felt good to experience that. I did eat very slowly though, took me about 20 minutes to eat 4 oz of pureed chicken salad.< /p>

So far so good! Hope everyone is doing well on their journey as well!

[gigito2 52]

I am so happy for you!!! I hope you will continue to do as well with your recovery. Considering all you've been thru in the past, you're golden now! Best of luck.

[JessterNC 92]

First day completed with pureed food and taking my Vitamins. Vitamins were not bad and I felt full after every meal. I had 3 meals and 3 Snacks throughout the day and as of now had 54 oz of Water. I wont go to bed for a couple of hours so will hit 64+ oz with out any problems.

Because of my intestinal issues I had a modified diet before the surgery and was actually able to eat some of the things I ate before so I think it makes things easier for me. I am eating things I was used to eating so to me, the food is "normal" the amounts are not the same by any stretch of the imagination, but the selection is very similar, except for the "baby food" peaches I ate things today that I ate before the operation.

In a way, I feel kind of bad sharing how easy so far things have been for me. I know that others have had some problems that luckily I haven't had to deal with. My heart does go out to them so much tho. I know all about the overwhelming nausea, the extreme pain, the weakness, the dehydration, having so many tubes and lines running in to you that you feel like some freak of nature.

Please know that things will get better, to not give up hope, half of this battle is mental and I am a firm believer that having a positive attitude is HUGE in any recovery. No matter how bad today is, tomorrow can be better and then it is the first day of the rest of your new and improved life. If it isn't tomorrow that gets better, then it can be the next day, or the next, that eventually things do start to get better and know that we are all here with you and keep all of you, even if we don't know your name, or your story, in our thoughts and prayers.

[JessterNC 92]

Went to the dr today and got my stitches taken out. The 6 hour round trip was very tiring, thank goodness we don't start school until Aug 12th so I can recover tomorrow.

My surgeon is very pleased with how I am doing. He told me I can start to move to solid food on Friday. I am very pleased with things.

I feel good and cant help to think that I will get feeling even better.

Thanks for all of the support as we all move through this!