Katey

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It is now Friday, three days since my surgery.  Called my doctor's office with a few concerns - his office said to wait until tomorrow for full liquid but the hospital said I could start today (was able to start today); do I really need to take Reglan if I'm currently suffering from very loose bowels (I could stop the med); and was the abdominal growling normal (yes, take Gas-X thin strips).  I was hoping to cut out my pain meds since I'm not in a lot of pain, just discomfort.  I've halved my dosage and feel pretty good.  The 5 minutes of walking each hour is coming easier.  It's just hard getting in and out of chairs.  Didn't realize I used my stomach muscles so much.  All-in-all nothing unexpected and I feel my recovery is going well.  It was great to eat "real" food today.  I had a little cream of wheat with a tablespoon of protein powder mixed with baby food strained peaches for breakfast.  Not a gourmet meal but good enough.  Lunch was the 1/4 cup or less of strained peaches with protein powder.  Dinner was 1/4 cup cream of chicken soup, strained, with a tablespoon of protein powder.  Sipped it a little too fast and felt a little uncomfortable.  Luckily it didn't last long.  I'm having trouble with water.  It hurts as I swallow it.  Maybe I'm sipping too much.  Any suggestions? 

Over all things are going well and as expected.  I can handle this!  I'm so thankful that my family is supportive, especially my husband.  It makes this journey so much easier.

Well it is done!  I had my surgery Tuesday morning and was released from the hospital late Wednesday afternoon.  Preceding surgery I was very nervous but all went well.  Had all the typical "events" - pain from the gas, terrible tasting blue stuff for the leak test, up and walking when all I wanted to do was sleep, etc.  At about 2:30 in the morning following surgery I was asking  "what the hell did I do to myself"  but by 10:00 am I knew I would be alright and it was definitely the best thing I could ever do for myself. 

While on vacation in Colorado last week, I received a call from my surgeons office.  Although I had been cleared by my family physician for surgery, again, (no sign of Shingles), my surgeon wanted to see me for another pre-op appointment.  The appointment is for Monday followed by surgery on Tuesday, Jan. 5th, if he approves.  I'm more nervous this time than I was for the first surgery date in November.  I'm also not nearly as prepared - I haven't been very faithful to the pre-op diet.  But the messages found on the people site have been a big help.  Please keep blogging!  Every word of encouragement helps.  I check it each day for updates and new postings. 

I am having a hard time finding a decent tasting protein drink that is not artificially sweetened.  It's not that I'm craving the sugar, I just can't stand artificial sweeteners.  I've avoided them most of my adult life.  Any suggestions?

I'll post again after surgery on Tuesday.

OK, I'm going to try this again.  I am totally inept when it comes to figuring out how to add to my post or blog or whatever it is called.  I hope this goes to my oh.  I've read many profiles over the past month or so and have been greatly encouraged by them.  It is very comforting to know I am not alone.  As with most of you I have been heavy most of my adult life.  I've tried every diet in every supermarket tabloid.  I've bought many, many diet books.  In fact after deciding to have surgery, I held a garage sale and sold over 25 current diet books!  People asked me if they worked.  I said look at me.  And for the first time since making my decision to have the "sleeve" I told people.  I even had several friends from church show up and I told them. 

Why the decision to have most of my stomach removed?  I'm 58 years old and I want to be healthy for the rest of my life.  I still want to ski down a mountain with my husband and kids.  I want to keep up with my wonderful 3 and 1/2 year old grandson.  I want to shop in the misses section not the plus/woman's section of clothing stores.  I want to take a walk and not worry that I won't have enough energy to walk back home.  I don't want to die like my father - obese and sedentary with major heart problems.  I don't want to live the rest of my life obsessing about food.  I could go on and on but you know all about that because whoever is reading this has gone or is going through this too.

Why the sleeve?  I did a lot of searching through the internet to find what would be best for me.  I attended a seminar by the leading gastric surgeon in my area.  When I heard that his son had had this procedure I made an appointment to talk to him about it.  I liked the idea that my food choices would not be limited except by size.  To be truthful, there were several restaurants I did not want to give up.  After to listening to what he had to say and doing my own research on the internet (especially Obesity Help and You-tube).  I scheduled my surgery for last Wednesday, Nov. 11.  I did all the prep including the two weeks on high protein - low carb and the day of clear liquids on Tuesday.  The week before I had suffered through the terrible prep for a colonoscopy (not required but I thought I'd get it out of the way while I still had a large stomach).  I thought I had pinched a nerve last Friday so I was having treatments at my chiropractors only to be diagnosed with SHINGLES!!!! on Tuesday!  which means no surgery for at least 6 weeks.  So I am rescheduled for Jan. 4, 2010.  I'm discouraged but still determined. 

Maybe this is God's way of saying slow down and get a hold on my life.  I have a lot on my plate (no pun intended) between now and Christmas with church activities, family activities, a trip to DC, Florida Gator football games, and our ski trip to Colorado.  I've decided to treat my surgery and recovery time as "my" time.  This is something just for me and I'm going to take it easy, learn to say no to other people and projects for awhile, and work on myself so that I'm around in the future.

My future is bright and my new journey is just beginning.  Please continue updating your profiles, especially the VSG patients.  There are many of us out here who need your encouragement. 

Now if I can only figure out how to get this on my profile!