How cliche'... "New Beginnings" - I can barely bring myself to keep this as the subject line, but it's actually quite appropriate. It's been about two months since I wrote a new Blog entry. A few things have happened that I want to tell you about. Here it goes!
I started a new job last month, leaving my job at JPL in Harrisburg, PA (http://www.jplcreative.com). I worked with some fantastically creative people and made good friends while I was there. It was a painful decision, but ultimately I needed to take a chance to go back to my passion, which is Manufacturing Automation; robots, conveyors, assembly machines, etc. Writing software that can control a factory full of machinery is as much about art as it is science and technology. There's nothing more satisfying to me than being able to watch my team's creation come to life on the factory floor and build something brand new!
Along with the new job came a new office; my HOME office! I get to work from home, which really means I have to be a super-responsible adult (hey - stop laughing! I can do it... REALLY!) keep myself focused and get my work done, which means I need a room to myself which I can call my office. It was decided I would take over the guest bedroom as my office.
For most people, converting a bedroom into an office was a simple task: move out a piece of furniture or two, then slide in a desk and off ya go! Much to Holly's chagrin, my conversion was much more involved, and little did she know that my intent all along was to take over the entire room. I started by removing every shred of evidence that this was once a bedroom, followed closely by a trip to IKEA for a desk set that I found only after an entire month of heavy research into my options. I'm a "Bigger is Better" kinda guy when it comes to desks; you can never have too much desk space. The same goes for tech - you can never have too many computers or (God forbid) too much monitor. As some of you know, I love my 30" monitor - so much so that I am planning to get a second one, which will go nicely with the three 24" monitors that my new employer is providing. I'll post pics when I get all the hardware setup.
I started a new eating regimen last month as I turned the corner at 3 months post-surgery, so my new "rest of my life" eating plan has been taking shape ever since. No more baby food or restrictive liquid intakes - it's all I care to eat and whatever I can keep down. Well, it won't always be that way, but for now it's working just fine, the weight keeps falling off. The main reason is that I can't eat much at all! For example, if we're having chicken for dinner I'll be able to eat about 1/4 of a boneless breast - about 4-5oz, along with a spoonful or two of rice or some other light side dish. That's it. I'll be full for HOURS after that. I estimate that I'm taking in about 300-400 calories a day, max.
And finally, I started to exercise last month. A fantastic friend, Bill, has unwittingly become my personal trainer. We started off slowly, but over the past several weeks we have worked up to 45 minutes of walking. He runs before AND after meeting with me for the walk, so he's definitely not the one working out during our walks. :-)
That's the summary of the last two months. Lots of new stuff to explore, and luckily lots of old friends keeping me on the straight and narrow with this weight loss thing.
Thanks to each of you for your help, support, and patience!!
Weight Loss Update:
Surgery Date: 6/4/2012
Days Since Surgery: 120
Weight Lost: 118 lbs
That's like carrying around a 7th grader, or perhaps three 3rd graders, all day.
-Steve
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Yummy Food!
Hello everyone!
I've started this post three times in as many weeks, but they all sounded so damned depressing I decided to hold off until my mood changed and I could write something that didn't sound like it started with: "It was a dark and stormy night..."
It's been 6 weeks since my surgery, and in some ways it seems longer, but in other ways it seems like it was just a week ago. This morning I went to the surgeon's office for my 6 week follow-up visit, which went wonderfully! He cleared me to resume any and all physical activity (watch out ladies!), and said I should resume a more normal variety of foods, as long as I can tolerate them.
I am SO excited! Woot!
I've been spending alot of time experimenting with foods. One area that has really stumped me since I started on soft foods several weeks ago, was SNACKS. You know, those things that you eat around 3:00 because you aren't still full from lunch, but you gotta make it through until dinner, but if you don't eat something you're gonna freak! Yeah, those things.
I decided the best thing to do was to go grocery shopping for the family and use that time to find foods that I could enjoy as snacks. I usually do a lot of the grocery shopping but in the past few months I haven't done it much at all. In fact, this was the first time I had walked into the grocery store since my surgery.
I set off with my extremely detailed shopping list, sorted by isle and then alphabetically within each isle, expected prices and quantity I needed, with coupons cross-referenced on another sheet so I didn't miss any. [ok, you can stop rolling your eyes now!]
I started in the fruit and veggie isle. I looked up from my shopping list and came to a complete stop!
Everything looked SO green and FRESH! OMG! You have no idea how appetizing and delicious it all looked! I'd spent the last 5 1/2 weeks eating bland protein drinks and baby food. Seeing the big red tomatoes, piles of bright yellow corn on the cob, forest-green avocados, glistening oranges, and campaign-pink peaches all laid out in huge displays was like seeing a rainbow for the first time in my life. I just stood there, for what seemed like minutes, list dangling in my hand, drinking in the view!
This will give you an idea of what it was like. :-)
I picked one of each of these:
I did the same for Greek Yogurts:
And finally, I picked up some Tofu. Yes, folks, you read correctly: TOFU! I've been doing some reading on it and figured - it's super packed with protein, so I decided to give it a try! We'll see how it goes.
More on the taste tests and my preferences in my next post!
On another good note, I've finally gotten the hang of getting enough water into my system. As I suspected, it's a matter of having a glass of water or other liquid in your hand or right next to you, every waking hour of the day. Sounds arduous, but it's become pretty easy now that I've gotten in the habit. But never fear - you won't ever find me wandering in the house or work sporting one of those 128oz water jugs, conspicuously demonstrating my need to consume water. :-)
That's it for now. Thanks for your patience and keep up the good fight!
Weight Loss Update:
Surgery Date: 6/4/2012
Days Since Surgery: 38
Weight Lost: 71 lbs
That's Like Carrying Around: One of these!
I've started this post three times in as many weeks, but they all sounded so damned depressing I decided to hold off until my mood changed and I could write something that didn't sound like it started with: "It was a dark and stormy night..."
It's been 6 weeks since my surgery, and in some ways it seems longer, but in other ways it seems like it was just a week ago. This morning I went to the surgeon's office for my 6 week follow-up visit, which went wonderfully! He cleared me to resume any and all physical activity (watch out ladies!), and said I should resume a more normal variety of foods, as long as I can tolerate them.
I am SO excited! Woot!
I've been spending alot of time experimenting with foods. One area that has really stumped me since I started on soft foods several weeks ago, was SNACKS. You know, those things that you eat around 3:00 because you aren't still full from lunch, but you gotta make it through until dinner, but if you don't eat something you're gonna freak! Yeah, those things.
I decided the best thing to do was to go grocery shopping for the family and use that time to find foods that I could enjoy as snacks. I usually do a lot of the grocery shopping but in the past few months I haven't done it much at all. In fact, this was the first time I had walked into the grocery store since my surgery.
I set off with my extremely detailed shopping list, sorted by isle and then alphabetically within each isle, expected prices and quantity I needed, with coupons cross-referenced on another sheet so I didn't miss any. [ok, you can stop rolling your eyes now!]
I started in the fruit and veggie isle. I looked up from my shopping list and came to a complete stop!
Everything looked SO green and FRESH! OMG! You have no idea how appetizing and delicious it all looked! I'd spent the last 5 1/2 weeks eating bland protein drinks and baby food. Seeing the big red tomatoes, piles of bright yellow corn on the cob, forest-green avocados, glistening oranges, and campaign-pink peaches all laid out in huge displays was like seeing a rainbow for the first time in my life. I just stood there, for what seemed like minutes, list dangling in my hand, drinking in the view!
This will give you an idea of what it was like. :-)
I picked one of each of these:
Apple (Red Delicious) Apple (Macintosh)BananaPeach (Locally grown)Green Grapes (1lb bunch)Watermelon (seedless)Then I wandered over to the Organic / All Natural area and picked up 5 protein bars, each a different flavor and from a different company.
CLIF Builder Bar - Chocolate ChipLUNA Bar - Peanut Butter CookieGenisoy - Creamy Peanut YogurtThink Thin - Creamy Peanut ButterBalance Bar - Peanut ButterDo you detect a theme here? :) As you all know, I don't like chocolate, so the first one made it onto the list only because the picture made it look more like a cookie than a chocolate bar.
I did the same for Greek Yogurts:
Chobani - Non-Fat PlainOIKOS - Honey VanillaNext it was on to the meat isle. I can have any kind of meat I want, but need to be careful about red meats since they usually cause an issue until about 7 or 8 months out from surgery. I'm sticking with Chicken and Fish for now. Got some frozen shrimp. Yum!
And finally, I picked up some Tofu. Yes, folks, you read correctly: TOFU! I've been doing some reading on it and figured - it's super packed with protein, so I decided to give it a try! We'll see how it goes.
More on the taste tests and my preferences in my next post!
On another good note, I've finally gotten the hang of getting enough water into my system. As I suspected, it's a matter of having a glass of water or other liquid in your hand or right next to you, every waking hour of the day. Sounds arduous, but it's become pretty easy now that I've gotten in the habit. But never fear - you won't ever find me wandering in the house or work sporting one of those 128oz water jugs, conspicuously demonstrating my need to consume water. :-)
That's it for now. Thanks for your patience and keep up the good fight!
Weight Loss Update:
Surgery Date: 6/4/2012
Days Since Surgery: 38
Weight Lost: 71 lbs
That's Like Carrying Around: One of these!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Meds and Mourning
Went to the doctor's yesterday for my three-week follow-up. I mentioned I was having some pain when I took one of my meds, due to it being a pill instead of chewable or liquid, he said: "Oh, that's typical for gastric bypass patients; your stomach can't handle those hard pills yet. Wait 5 or 6 months and you'll be fine. In the mean time they have a liquid form. I'll write you a script." Got the script filled on the way home. Problem solved.
Took my first dose of it this morning and promptly lost all 2oz of my breakfast.
I should have read the directions more closely. Apparently I got the "concentrated" formula which means I should mix it with something instead of taking it straight. The word "Vile" (yeah, that's a capital V) describes the taste of this undiluted liquid med. I can choke down cough medicines, huge pills, and even over-cooked spinach, but this stuff?! No way. Ugggh! It's been over 4 hours and I can still taste it, even though I've gargled and rinsed two times. Lesson learned.
Now for something completely different. :-)
I've recently read that most men are reluctant to talk about their emotions. It's a learned behaviour. I won't go into any kind of discourse as to why this is right or wrong, or who's fault it is that men remain mute about their emotions, even in situations where it is perfectly appropriate (and expected) to discuss how they feel.
Instead, I will talk about some of the feelings in my emotional cache that have been bubbling up to the top lately.
Four days after my surgery I started thinking about the things I wouldn't be able to eat. Those things which, even two years from now, I wouldn't be allowed to have. And none of that bothered me. But, then I realized, even those things I could have (like a cheeseburger), I wouldn't be able to have a normal portion ever again. That really depressed me. I started thinking about how much I enjoyed chowing on those big portions, and drinking soda... I'll never be able to do that again (physically), and that realization started me spiraling down into a deep, dark emotional place.
At that moment, and for days after, I couldn't figure out how I allowed myself to have the surgery! What the hell was I thinking?!!? I was mad at myself for not trying harder to lose weight without the surgery. I started wondering if it was too late to go back and have it reversed.
It was bad.
[Deep breath]
I did some reading over the next few days and discovered that post-op depression is extremely common among gastric bypass patients. One author likened the feelings to those experienced by people mourning the loss of a loved one.
In this case, though, the loved one is FOOD. Much like a great friend or family member, food has always been there, ready to comfort me. No matter what, I could always depend on a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich to sooth my nerves. But now, after surgery, I've had the hard realization that many important aspects of that friend will never again be accessible to me: breads, pasta, carbonation, and sugars. And more importantly, that I am forever restricted in how much of that friend I can enjoy at one time.
Mourning the loss of a friend sucks.
I'm doing better now, emotionally, but I still have days where things seem overwhelmingly tough to deal with. Most of the time it's because I haven't had enough water, or tried something new and my stomach is protesting. It's at those times, now, that I find myself reaching for the phone to call a friend, rather than heading to the kitchen to find one.
Thank you all for your kind words and support. This has been a humbling experience. I'm grateful to have such great friends to lean on each day.
Weight Loss Update:
Surgery Date: 6/4/2012
Days Since Surgery: 24
Weight Lost: 62 lbs
That's Like Carrying Around: Twelve 5lb bags of sugar
Took my first dose of it this morning and promptly lost all 2oz of my breakfast.
I should have read the directions more closely. Apparently I got the "concentrated" formula which means I should mix it with something instead of taking it straight. The word "Vile" (yeah, that's a capital V) describes the taste of this undiluted liquid med. I can choke down cough medicines, huge pills, and even over-cooked spinach, but this stuff?! No way. Ugggh! It's been over 4 hours and I can still taste it, even though I've gargled and rinsed two times. Lesson learned.
Now for something completely different. :-)
I've recently read that most men are reluctant to talk about their emotions. It's a learned behaviour. I won't go into any kind of discourse as to why this is right or wrong, or who's fault it is that men remain mute about their emotions, even in situations where it is perfectly appropriate (and expected) to discuss how they feel.
Instead, I will talk about some of the feelings in my emotional cache that have been bubbling up to the top lately.
Four days after my surgery I started thinking about the things I wouldn't be able to eat. Those things which, even two years from now, I wouldn't be allowed to have. And none of that bothered me. But, then I realized, even those things I could have (like a cheeseburger), I wouldn't be able to have a normal portion ever again. That really depressed me. I started thinking about how much I enjoyed chowing on those big portions, and drinking soda... I'll never be able to do that again (physically), and that realization started me spiraling down into a deep, dark emotional place.
At that moment, and for days after, I couldn't figure out how I allowed myself to have the surgery! What the hell was I thinking?!!? I was mad at myself for not trying harder to lose weight without the surgery. I started wondering if it was too late to go back and have it reversed.
It was bad.
[Deep breath]
I did some reading over the next few days and discovered that post-op depression is extremely common among gastric bypass patients. One author likened the feelings to those experienced by people mourning the loss of a loved one.
In this case, though, the loved one is FOOD. Much like a great friend or family member, food has always been there, ready to comfort me. No matter what, I could always depend on a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich to sooth my nerves. But now, after surgery, I've had the hard realization that many important aspects of that friend will never again be accessible to me: breads, pasta, carbonation, and sugars. And more importantly, that I am forever restricted in how much of that friend I can enjoy at one time.
Mourning the loss of a friend sucks.
I'm doing better now, emotionally, but I still have days where things seem overwhelmingly tough to deal with. Most of the time it's because I haven't had enough water, or tried something new and my stomach is protesting. It's at those times, now, that I find myself reaching for the phone to call a friend, rather than heading to the kitchen to find one.
Thank you all for your kind words and support. This has been a humbling experience. I'm grateful to have such great friends to lean on each day.
Weight Loss Update:
Surgery Date: 6/4/2012
Days Since Surgery: 24
Weight Lost: 62 lbs
That's Like Carrying Around: Twelve 5lb bags of sugar
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Red Herring
It's been a bit since my last post, mainly due to a week-long family vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC that we booked and paid for over a year ago. The only way I was gonna miss this trip was if I was still in the hospital with at least three machines hooked up to me. I give a specific number like that because the missing this vacation due to just two machines was not gonna happen; I have two hands, one machine per hand... I'm going!
Luckily, I didn't have to resort to checking myself out of the hospital at the chagrin of the wonderful doctors and nurses that took such great care of me. Instead, I hopped in the family-mobile and we drove 10 hrs (including TONS of stops for me to get out and walk around) to Myrtle. We had friends that joined us down there, so we made a great time of it, despite the fact I had to sit in the hotel room most of the time, recuperating.
The term Red Herring is extremely applicable to the issues I've faced this past week.
Folks use Red Herring when referring to something that is ultimately discovered to be a diversion from the real truth. Magicians use their hands, face and voice to draw attention while performing complex slight-of-hand tricks, causing the audience to look one way, while the true trick is being done elsewhere.
At a deeper level, though, the real falsehood is this: there is no such thing as a Red Herring. Herring fish are not red, nor is there a red variant. Rather, Red Herring refers to a fish (usually Herring, but not always) that has been soaked in a brine so long that it causes the flesh to turn a shade of red.
My physical recovery from the surgery has been fast and relatively painless. My laparoscopic incisions are healing nicely, and I no longer have the searing pain in my abdominal muscles when I sneeze or get out of a chair. I report all of this with a slight air of disbelief, even though the evidence is right in front of me. I expected much more pain for a longer time, with the physical recovery taking a significantly longer time than it has.
More surprisingly though is the amount of difficulty I am having getting my head around my new eating schedule and requirements for water intake. I've mentioned about the water intake in a previous post. It's gotten slightly better, but it hasn't yet progressed to the point where it's easy to get 64oz of fluids into me, 2oz at a time.
As everyone knows, I'm a serious research hound. I spend dozens of hours a week researching everything that interests me, so imagine the time I put into researching Gastric Bypass Surgery!
All the things I read about prolonged physical recovery from the surgery were a Red Herring indeed. But at a deeper level, even while chastising myself for not seeing through the ruse of that Red Herring, I have found there is no Red Herring at all, because there simply is no easy path from Morbidly Obese to Healthy.
Luckily, I didn't have to resort to checking myself out of the hospital at the chagrin of the wonderful doctors and nurses that took such great care of me. Instead, I hopped in the family-mobile and we drove 10 hrs (including TONS of stops for me to get out and walk around) to Myrtle. We had friends that joined us down there, so we made a great time of it, despite the fact I had to sit in the hotel room most of the time, recuperating.
The term Red Herring is extremely applicable to the issues I've faced this past week.
Folks use Red Herring when referring to something that is ultimately discovered to be a diversion from the real truth. Magicians use their hands, face and voice to draw attention while performing complex slight-of-hand tricks, causing the audience to look one way, while the true trick is being done elsewhere.
At a deeper level, though, the real falsehood is this: there is no such thing as a Red Herring. Herring fish are not red, nor is there a red variant. Rather, Red Herring refers to a fish (usually Herring, but not always) that has been soaked in a brine so long that it causes the flesh to turn a shade of red.
My physical recovery from the surgery has been fast and relatively painless. My laparoscopic incisions are healing nicely, and I no longer have the searing pain in my abdominal muscles when I sneeze or get out of a chair. I report all of this with a slight air of disbelief, even though the evidence is right in front of me. I expected much more pain for a longer time, with the physical recovery taking a significantly longer time than it has.
More surprisingly though is the amount of difficulty I am having getting my head around my new eating schedule and requirements for water intake. I've mentioned about the water intake in a previous post. It's gotten slightly better, but it hasn't yet progressed to the point where it's easy to get 64oz of fluids into me, 2oz at a time.
As everyone knows, I'm a serious research hound. I spend dozens of hours a week researching everything that interests me, so imagine the time I put into researching Gastric Bypass Surgery!
All the things I read about prolonged physical recovery from the surgery were a Red Herring indeed. But at a deeper level, even while chastising myself for not seeing through the ruse of that Red Herring, I have found there is no Red Herring at all, because there simply is no easy path from Morbidly Obese to Healthy.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Balancing Act
I think most people reach a point in their lives where they find themselves highly adept at balancing the huge array of things going on in their lives. Work, school, kids, friends, bills, cars, yardwork, neighbors, etc. And when something new comes in, they simply put the other items on pause, assimilate the new thing, and rebalance everything and get back on track. I'm the same way, and humbly consider myself quite good at it.
That is, until I got this surgery.
My diet is changing about every 7 to 14 days, new foods are being added while the ones from the previous weeks still remain, but are augmented in some way to help me further along my recovery. The goal of each stage in my recovery diet is to continue to allow my new 4oz stomach to heal, while getting ready for the next stage in foods which slowly inch their way towards solid foods.
The nurses told me several times that post-operative eating would be similar to a baby's diet: at first, just liquids, then blenderized foods, then soft foods with chunks, then less soft, and finally solid foods. This transision may take a baby a few years. I will be back to solid foods in about 4 months.
At this stage in my recovery, I'm supposed to be consuming three meals a day, consisting of 2oz of protein rich yogurt, pudding, or jello. This may not seem like alot, but believe me when I tell you, that 2oz is totally satisfying. I'm quite full when I'm done eating it.
Yeah, that surprises the hell outta me too! ;-)
Like a good card game, though, the diet has two seemingly simple, and basic rules:
I feel like I'm missing something important in that equation. Meh. I'll sleep on it and see what my subconscious can come up with.
-Steve
That is, until I got this surgery.
My diet is changing about every 7 to 14 days, new foods are being added while the ones from the previous weeks still remain, but are augmented in some way to help me further along my recovery. The goal of each stage in my recovery diet is to continue to allow my new 4oz stomach to heal, while getting ready for the next stage in foods which slowly inch their way towards solid foods.
The nurses told me several times that post-operative eating would be similar to a baby's diet: at first, just liquids, then blenderized foods, then soft foods with chunks, then less soft, and finally solid foods. This transision may take a baby a few years. I will be back to solid foods in about 4 months.
At this stage in my recovery, I'm supposed to be consuming three meals a day, consisting of 2oz of protein rich yogurt, pudding, or jello. This may not seem like alot, but believe me when I tell you, that 2oz is totally satisfying. I'm quite full when I'm done eating it.
Yeah, that surprises the hell outta me too! ;-)
Like a good card game, though, the diet has two seemingly simple, and basic rules:
- Must drink 64 oz of clear liquids a day.
- Must eat three 2 oz meals a day.
- Cannot drink more than 1 oz of clear liquid in 15 minutes.
- Each 2 oz meal must take 30 to 45 minutes to eat.
- Cannot drink 30 minutes before, during, or 30 minutes after a meal.
- I must drink 64 ounces of water a day, but I can only drink it at a rate of 1oz per 15 minutes, or 4oz an hour, max, which means 16 hours to consume 64 oz.
- Each meal takes 1 1/2 hours to complete, or 4 1/2 hours a day, during which time I can't drink
I feel like I'm missing something important in that equation. Meh. I'll sleep on it and see what my subconscious can come up with.
-Steve
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Liquid Plumber
I got my drain removed today.
A few questions may be swirling around in your mind, chief of which is "what is a drain and why did you have it?" Another may be less of a question and more of a statement, like: "ewwww!"
Sure, it was cool the first few days, having a surgical tube sticking out of the right side of my belly with a clear bulb connected to the end collecting the fluid that was freeloading in my abdomen after the surgery. As I got more mobile, though, it became painfully obvious this thing was gonna be ... well, a pain! I never had the urge to rip it out, which I've heard many people do, so I had that going in my favor. The real issue was it constantly getting caught on something. The bulb was always just hanging there, safety pinned to the inside of my shirt, and the tube loosely dropped from the bulb up to where it dissapeared into my belly. If it wasn't the bulb getting in the way, it was the tube getting stuck to some errant tape from one of my bandages.
Honestly, I'm just glad to have the thing out.
It's been 8 days since surgery. I'm past the "clear liquids only" portion of the program and have graduated to "full liquids." This means I can have yogurt, puddings, and cream soups. Surprizingly, the word that best described my feelings the first time I stared down at my 2oz of slightly thinned yogurt is: Apprehension. My fears were not about a specific food or a bad result from eating it; after some consideration I concluded my feelings were driven by the fact I had followed the clear liquid diet so exactingly (some might say, obsessively) over the previous three weeks that I viewed the yogurt as cheating!
I got over it and ate it. But in case anyone from the Gastric Bypass Diet Compliance Department is reading this for any signs of deviation: Let it be known, I took 40 minutes to eat that 2oz of thinned yogurt.
I have lots to tell, but I don't want to bore anyone to death, so I'll end this entry with this uplifting note:
The surgeons nurse weighed me four days before my surgery. When I went back to the office today to get my drain taken out, they weighed me again.
I am happy to report that I lost 40 lbs in 12 days.
:-)
A few questions may be swirling around in your mind, chief of which is "what is a drain and why did you have it?" Another may be less of a question and more of a statement, like: "ewwww!"
Sure, it was cool the first few days, having a surgical tube sticking out of the right side of my belly with a clear bulb connected to the end collecting the fluid that was freeloading in my abdomen after the surgery. As I got more mobile, though, it became painfully obvious this thing was gonna be ... well, a pain! I never had the urge to rip it out, which I've heard many people do, so I had that going in my favor. The real issue was it constantly getting caught on something. The bulb was always just hanging there, safety pinned to the inside of my shirt, and the tube loosely dropped from the bulb up to where it dissapeared into my belly. If it wasn't the bulb getting in the way, it was the tube getting stuck to some errant tape from one of my bandages.
Honestly, I'm just glad to have the thing out.
It's been 8 days since surgery. I'm past the "clear liquids only" portion of the program and have graduated to "full liquids." This means I can have yogurt, puddings, and cream soups. Surprizingly, the word that best described my feelings the first time I stared down at my 2oz of slightly thinned yogurt is: Apprehension. My fears were not about a specific food or a bad result from eating it; after some consideration I concluded my feelings were driven by the fact I had followed the clear liquid diet so exactingly (some might say, obsessively) over the previous three weeks that I viewed the yogurt as cheating!
I got over it and ate it. But in case anyone from the Gastric Bypass Diet Compliance Department is reading this for any signs of deviation: Let it be known, I took 40 minutes to eat that 2oz of thinned yogurt.
I have lots to tell, but I don't want to bore anyone to death, so I'll end this entry with this uplifting note:
The surgeons nurse weighed me four days before my surgery. When I went back to the office today to get my drain taken out, they weighed me again.
I am happy to report that I lost 40 lbs in 12 days.
:-)
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Surgery is a success!
Hi Everyone! Thank you SO much for all the wonderful emails, phone calls, cards, and text messages. You made a big difference!
I'm feeling much better than I ever expected! The pain is completely controlled (Woot for Oxycodone) and my mood has been great. My energy levels are high, but they only last for 10-15 minutes at a time. I get super tired very easily. Not sleepy tired, but just "need to rest my body and brain for an hour" tired. Recovery will take time, to be sure.
I'm tolerating my food intake, which is a maximum of 1oz of water every 30 minutes. Focused 100% on keeping hydrated. I tried 1oz of sugar free Jello in place of my 1oz of water at lunch. Went well. Yum! Flavor!
I wrote up this next part in spurts over the entire day today. It's slow going, but I think some folks are wondering how the hospital was. Thanks again for all your support, prayers, and kind thoughts!! Enjoy!
Surgery went well - or so they tell me.
We got to the hospital at 5:30am and they called me back at 5:45. There must have been two dozen people in the waiting room. I thought: "How can there be this many operations scheduled for this morning??" Turns out, 75% of the folks were family of this one guy getting surgery. The nurses were none-too-happy, but this is York, so it's not completely unexpected to have four generations of "family" accompany a loved one to something as significant as surgery.
The nurses were great. Got my gown on, little sock-booties, then began the endless parade of doctors and nurses, each with their own mission, either giving me something, having me sign something, or just asking how things are going (think of it like the manager coming by near the end of your meal at a resturaunt). I.V. in the back of the hand was next, then anti-biotics, then 1000cc's of fluids to make sure I didn't dehydrate on the operating table. 7:45am they rolled me down the hall into the "kissing zone", where I had a chance to give Alex and Holly kisses before heading into surgery. Hugs! Kisses! Tears! Rinse and Repeat!
The operating room was... well... in a word: AMAZING! I've heard them called "Operating Theaters" and now I know why. It looked like something out of CSI. There were more computer screens than I could count, four of which were 30" medical resolution monitors mounted on fully articulated swing arms hanging from the ceiling. How do I know the specs? You got it ... I asked the nurses while I was lying there in the Operating Room. LOL!
After moving from the transport to the operating table the anestitia guy (yeah, I know there's a more appropriate title - just too tired to look it up) leaned in and said: "OK, I need you to take a few deep breaths from this mask so we can get..."
Apparently there was more in that mask than just plain Oxygen.
Next thing I remember I was lying in recovery with three nurses buzzing around me, adjusting my mask, programming the IV machines, and asking if I was cold. As far as I recall, my response to all of this was a stunning display of my verbal accumen: "I'm good."
Well, that's all I have energy for right now. I'll write more tomorrow when I feel up to it.
Hugs!
I'm feeling much better than I ever expected! The pain is completely controlled (Woot for Oxycodone) and my mood has been great. My energy levels are high, but they only last for 10-15 minutes at a time. I get super tired very easily. Not sleepy tired, but just "need to rest my body and brain for an hour" tired. Recovery will take time, to be sure.
I'm tolerating my food intake, which is a maximum of 1oz of water every 30 minutes. Focused 100% on keeping hydrated. I tried 1oz of sugar free Jello in place of my 1oz of water at lunch. Went well. Yum! Flavor!
I wrote up this next part in spurts over the entire day today. It's slow going, but I think some folks are wondering how the hospital was. Thanks again for all your support, prayers, and kind thoughts!! Enjoy!
Surgery went well - or so they tell me.
We got to the hospital at 5:30am and they called me back at 5:45. There must have been two dozen people in the waiting room. I thought: "How can there be this many operations scheduled for this morning??" Turns out, 75% of the folks were family of this one guy getting surgery. The nurses were none-too-happy, but this is York, so it's not completely unexpected to have four generations of "family" accompany a loved one to something as significant as surgery.
The nurses were great. Got my gown on, little sock-booties, then began the endless parade of doctors and nurses, each with their own mission, either giving me something, having me sign something, or just asking how things are going (think of it like the manager coming by near the end of your meal at a resturaunt). I.V. in the back of the hand was next, then anti-biotics, then 1000cc's of fluids to make sure I didn't dehydrate on the operating table. 7:45am they rolled me down the hall into the "kissing zone", where I had a chance to give Alex and Holly kisses before heading into surgery. Hugs! Kisses! Tears! Rinse and Repeat!
The operating room was... well... in a word: AMAZING! I've heard them called "Operating Theaters" and now I know why. It looked like something out of CSI. There were more computer screens than I could count, four of which were 30" medical resolution monitors mounted on fully articulated swing arms hanging from the ceiling. How do I know the specs? You got it ... I asked the nurses while I was lying there in the Operating Room. LOL!
After moving from the transport to the operating table the anestitia guy (yeah, I know there's a more appropriate title - just too tired to look it up) leaned in and said: "OK, I need you to take a few deep breaths from this mask so we can get..."
Apparently there was more in that mask than just plain Oxygen.
Next thing I remember I was lying in recovery with three nurses buzzing around me, adjusting my mask, programming the IV machines, and asking if I was cold. As far as I recall, my response to all of this was a stunning display of my verbal accumen: "I'm good."
Well, that's all I have energy for right now. I'll write more tomorrow when I feel up to it.
Hugs!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Super Colon Blow
Saturday Night Live influenced my sarcastic side more than any other show in the late 70's and 80's. I couldn't start my 'full colon cleanout' today without thinking of the SNL parody of the 80's "Total" cereal commercial, where a guy is eating a bowl of his favorite breakfast cereal and is interupted by the announcer who asks: "How many bowls of your cereal do you think you'd have to eat in order to equal all the nutrition found in just one bowl of 'Total'?" The guy would spit out a few answers, and then be shocked when the announcer said: "Five bowls!" SNL's take on it was a great role for the late Phil Hartman: http://www.hulu.com/watch/10304/saturday-night-live-colon-blow
Complete cleanout wasn't nearly as bad as some folks warned it would be. I chalk up my success today to the 10 days of nothing but water and sugar-free Jello.
Tomorrow is surgery.
I arrive at the hospital at 5:30am (yike!) have about 2 1/2 hours of pre-op, then go into surgery. It should last between 2 1/2 to 3 hours, then I'll be in recovery for another 2 hrs. I'll be in my room by 2:00pm or so.
I'll spend the night in the hospital, then first thing Tuesday morning they bring me down to XRay for a 'leak test', to make sure all their work is still holding and I'm not leaking like a sieve. If all goes well I'll be discharged that evening after 6pm and home in my own bed Tuesday night.
Recovery is 4-6 weeks.
I can't wait till tomorrow morning! I'm super excited, although maybe a little nervous. I'm heading to bed and hope for good dreams of a thinner me! :-)
See you on the other side!
--
BTW: Several of you have asked where the name of my blog came from. Well, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v29QfOyuZ3Y
Complete cleanout wasn't nearly as bad as some folks warned it would be. I chalk up my success today to the 10 days of nothing but water and sugar-free Jello.
Tomorrow is surgery.
I arrive at the hospital at 5:30am (yike!) have about 2 1/2 hours of pre-op, then go into surgery. It should last between 2 1/2 to 3 hours, then I'll be in recovery for another 2 hrs. I'll be in my room by 2:00pm or so.
I'll spend the night in the hospital, then first thing Tuesday morning they bring me down to XRay for a 'leak test', to make sure all their work is still holding and I'm not leaking like a sieve. If all goes well I'll be discharged that evening after 6pm and home in my own bed Tuesday night.
Recovery is 4-6 weeks.
I can't wait till tomorrow morning! I'm super excited, although maybe a little nervous. I'm heading to bed and hope for good dreams of a thinner me! :-)
See you on the other side!
--
BTW: Several of you have asked where the name of my blog came from. Well, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v29QfOyuZ3Y
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Drinking Syrup - 3 Days Till Surgery
It's Friday, and my surgery is three days away. I'm SO excited! The 10-day liquid diet is not nearly as hard as I thought it was going to be. After the first 5 days I got used to the reduced food intake and the lack of junk food.
Tuesday was a really tough day at work, after being off for three days for the Memorial Day weekend, and I was late getting home to boot. Alex needed to be driven over to York Little Theater for a rehearsal at 6:30. I didn't have time to make my shake, and I was starving since the last thing I had was a shake at 11:30am. We are driving to the theater and Alex says: "But Dad! I haven't had any dinner yet!" My response of "You and me both, kiddo! Suck it up!" didn't sit well with the grumpy 13-year-old sitting next to me in the minivan.
So, I did what came naturally and pulled into the McDonalds on the way, but when I got in line at the drivethrough I realized I couldn't order anything for myself. Again, it was easier to resist than I thought it would be, given my love of McDonalds burgers. Anyway, I ordered Alex's dinner, and was about to finish my order when I realized they had Decaf Diet Coke on the menu. I had given up Diet Coke when I started my liquid diet because I won't be able to have caffiene or carbonated drinks, so it was one of those great moments when I realized I could still drink a soda (without cafeine) before Monday.
I was giddy with the thought of drinking an ice cold soda! After we got our order and drove off, Alex put the straw in my drink and I pulled it out of the cup holder, and took a huge swig of that wonderful..... EWWW!! YUCK!! It's HORRIBLE! I almost had to pull over and hang my head out the window and puke. It tasted so sickenly sweet I thought I had gulped straight pancake syrup instead of a Diet Coke. I was tempted to throw it out, but I brought it home and asked Holly to try it, to make sure it was my tastebuds, not the Diet Coke. She took a sip (as I silently cringed) and then said it was fine. I said: "I got it just for you, sweetie!" <shhhh... that's our little secret!>
Got a busy day tomorrow, then Sunday it's Colon Blow time. Then off to surgery on Monday morning. They do two of these surgerys a day, so I will go in eather at 5:15am (UGG!) or 9:45am (meh). I hope to get a call later today to confirm my arrival time.
I have to get some sleep. My last day of work, until I return after surgery and recovery, starts in just 4 1/2 hours.
Tuesday was a really tough day at work, after being off for three days for the Memorial Day weekend, and I was late getting home to boot. Alex needed to be driven over to York Little Theater for a rehearsal at 6:30. I didn't have time to make my shake, and I was starving since the last thing I had was a shake at 11:30am. We are driving to the theater and Alex says: "But Dad! I haven't had any dinner yet!" My response of "You and me both, kiddo! Suck it up!" didn't sit well with the grumpy 13-year-old sitting next to me in the minivan.
So, I did what came naturally and pulled into the McDonalds on the way, but when I got in line at the drivethrough I realized I couldn't order anything for myself. Again, it was easier to resist than I thought it would be, given my love of McDonalds burgers. Anyway, I ordered Alex's dinner, and was about to finish my order when I realized they had Decaf Diet Coke on the menu. I had given up Diet Coke when I started my liquid diet because I won't be able to have caffiene or carbonated drinks, so it was one of those great moments when I realized I could still drink a soda (without cafeine) before Monday.
I was giddy with the thought of drinking an ice cold soda! After we got our order and drove off, Alex put the straw in my drink and I pulled it out of the cup holder, and took a huge swig of that wonderful..... EWWW!! YUCK!! It's HORRIBLE! I almost had to pull over and hang my head out the window and puke. It tasted so sickenly sweet I thought I had gulped straight pancake syrup instead of a Diet Coke. I was tempted to throw it out, but I brought it home and asked Holly to try it, to make sure it was my tastebuds, not the Diet Coke. She took a sip (as I silently cringed) and then said it was fine. I said: "I got it just for you, sweetie!" <shhhh... that's our little secret!>
Got a busy day tomorrow, then Sunday it's Colon Blow time. Then off to surgery on Monday morning. They do two of these surgerys a day, so I will go in eather at 5:15am (UGG!) or 9:45am (meh). I hope to get a call later today to confirm my arrival time.
I have to get some sleep. My last day of work, until I return after surgery and recovery, starts in just 4 1/2 hours.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Holy Crap! I weigh how much?
A phrase I often found spinning through my head whenever I went to the doctors and the nurse read aloud the number from the scale. If you know me, you have seen me struggle with my weight my whole life. Food is a comfort to me. Life is tough. I eat and life isn't as tough. Pretty simple formula to a very large Steve.
I decided I'd had enough.
10 months ago I entered a program that will culminate in me getting surgery to permanently change how I eat. It's been exciting and scary, but mostly exciting. The goal of the program is to educate surgery candidates on what the surgery is, what you will be able to eat and what you won't be able to eat, how much, and when. Mixed in were some great lessons around why we eat what we do, exercise ideas, and some good old-fashioned group therapy to keep us motivated and focused on our goals.
My surgery is scheduled for June 4th, 2012. If you're reading this AFTER that date, you can skip ahead; I'm certain the post-surgery posts will be much more interesting.
I didn't want to write any blog entries before now, because for so many months it wasn't clear when I would get a surgery date. I'll go back and cover all of that at some point, but for now suffice it to say, it's been a real roller-coaster ride getting here.
To wrap up this post I'll give you a status update:
I'm on DAY 5 of the 10-DAY pre-surgery liquid diet designed to build my protein reserves and shrink my liver*. At times it has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do. At others it's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
That's it for today. My dinner awaits: 8oz shake and two celery sticks.
(*)Interesting Factoid: Your liver sits on top of your stomach. It's in the way if surgeons are trying to mess with your stomach. Eliminating Dairy, Meat, and Breads from your diet dramatically shrinks it.
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