Medication

I posted this on Facebook, but I wanted to put it on the blog too so that I can always remember the timeline of everything that has happened. I was dizzy a lot yesterday and called to get into my regular doctor to be cautious and check stuff out. I had surgery on Monday and as of Friday morning, I'm off all my blood pressure medications!!

Weigh In #1

So I think Friday would be a good a day to weigh myself as any, but I reserve the right to change the date if I feel like it. :-) My starting weight is from last Thursday when I last went to the doctor and I weighed 324. This morning I stepped on the scale before my shower and came in at 304! So one week down and I've lost 20 pounds. I know it wont stay this easy, but it helps reassure me that I made the right choice. Have a great weekend and be sure to check back for posts about the next part of the diet.

I really think I overdid it today. I've made it a point to get up with Sandra and the kids even though I don't necessarily have to, because I can take the kids to school with her and make sure I get some walking in. We've also needed to make runs to the grocery store too, and today's trip in took a lot longer than expected. I think being on my feet and walking so much was pretty tough and I felt a little more tired today than I have so far.

I pretty much ate nothing but Jello today. Realizing it has only been four days on the first phase of the liquid diet, I am really looking forward to Sunday so I get more food choices. In the second part of the liquid phase, i can add skim milk, certain types of yogurt as long as they don't contain little bits of fruit or anything and I can have pudding! I'm really looking forward to the pudding. I also read somewhere that I can have runny mashed potatoes. The best part will be just getting more flavor options. I found a recipe sift for banded people at www.bandfriendlyrecipes.com and they suggests mixing up orange jello and then before putting it in the fridge you mix in vanilla pudding mix and whip cream. Of course it is all sugar free, but it will taste awesome!

I am actually losing weight pretty quickly, and I've been a little worried about the protein issues. This afternoon I noticed I'm getting a little light headed and I don't know if that's from lack of calories, lack of protein or that my blood pressure medicine needs adjustment. Just in case, I drank some protein with my jello at dinner. Even though it's allowed, I don't think I'm ready for it. My stomach felt like a rock for a couple hours afterwards. We'll see how tomorrow goes and I think I'll start posting my weight loss on Fridays. Thanks for listening to my journey! Talk to you soon.

Post Surgery

The strangest thoughts go through your head when you are having surgery. I was worried about my family and praying that they would be taken care of. I was worried that something would go wrong and my bowels would be punctured and cause lifelong problems. The one thought that got me wax actually about why I was doing this surgery. For some reason, I'm sitting in the prep room 10 minutes away from surgery thinking about how many children starve to death every day and that I'm going to have surgery to limit how much I eat. It is a hard thought to wrestle with. The thing is that this is all normal. I'm so glad I had the surgery. I can't wait to lose weight and be healthier for my family.

I finally got to come home yesterday and the first thing I did was take a 3 hour nap. Every time I'm in a hospital, I'm blown away by how little they let you sleep, even though they keep telling you that you need rest. I managed to get another 3 hour nap today and have gone on a number of walks. Right now, my food intake is so limited that any walks I get are really helping to shed pounds already.

Speaking of eating...it's pretty hard so far. The first night back, our good friend Shelly made dinner for the family so Sandra wouldn't have to worry about it. She made jambalaya which I love, and sitting there with a little bit of jello, I wanted to eat it so badly. It isn't that I'm hungry because I've had pretty much zero in the way of appetite since Monday morning. It is just the mindset that I want a Snickers when Sandra is stealing the kids candy, or to just suck on the jambalaya to get the flavor and then spit it out, but I'm not ready to risk that temptation yet.

I ate 1/4 cup of sugar free Jello for breakfast and again for lunch today. I've struggled to drink enough water today because it gases really painful gas when you swallow air. It's something I'm working on because I REALLY don't want to get dehydrated. In effort to be a little more creative, I actually made a giant pot of soup for the family. I'm going to strain out the chunky stuff and drink the broth in hopes that I will want to eat more of it and keep liquid flowing. I'll probably go ahead and add a little bit of protein powder to it too.

In terms of actual weight loss, I need to create a starting point. The biggest I've weighed is 338, and the Thursday before surgery, I met with the doctor and weighed in at 324. I will probably pick one day each week to post the current weight, along with a picture so you can see the progress. Today isn't that day, but here's my "Biggest Loser" picture from the day I came home. If you don't want to see a large topless man, or see my bandages or whatever, then you shouldn't scroll down.

I hate skipping showers. I know some people who can skip on occasion and it's nothing, but I'm not that guy. The night before surgery, I have to wash with something called Hibiclens which is an antimicrobial and antibacterial soap. I'm not allowed to use normal soap, so I'm hoping this isn't weird for me. Thankfully they gave us to packets so I can use it tomorrow morning too before heading to the hospital.

Sent from my iPad

Hunger

It's 8:15pm the night before surgery, and I'm really stinking hungry. After the bowel prep, you are supposed to start phase I of the diet which is exclusively clear liquids. Thankfully, it also includes broth, sugar free popsicles and jello. I haven't had any solid food or about 30 hours which probably shouldn't be that big a deal. I think after my stomach is officially banded, it will be easier because I will feel full more easily.

The first phase of the diet lasts until the 8th day after surgery, and the next part of the phase allows me to have certain types of yogurt and skim milk. I don't think I get any actual solid food until the third week. So far, it hasn't been that big an issue. I made it through dinner with Sandra eating a huge juicy steak and then everyone having brownies and ice cream, and I'm not sure it gets tougher than that. If I know I physically can eat this stuff and manage to avoid it, then I know I'll make it after surgery.

Sent from my iPad