RickE

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So, I haven't posted in quite a long time.  It's now December 23 and so far I've lost 90 lbs.  Yep 90 lbs in less than 5 months.  So I guess I have to say it's working pretty darn good.  I feel much better.  The amazing thing is that I can walk into Walmart and buy clothes.  Okay, so maybe that's no big deal to you but let me tell you from someone who has had to buy their clothes at a Big and Tall (aka Fat Boy) Shop for decades this IS a big deal.  I am finding that eating smaller is no longer a challenge but a way of life.  I really don't miss the old life at all.  Incredibly I don't miss all the junk food, soda ,or even beer.  Now give me some Crystal Lite and I'm as happy as a clam.

I did have to go see Dr Jawad again two weeks ago and have my gall bladder removed.  No big deal.  Dr Jawad is such a fine surgeon that I didn't even need pain pills the next day, and three days later I played a gig. 

Oh well, I'll write more when I go over that 100 mark.

Cheers and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Okay, so it's been 12 days since the operation.  Things are going pretty good.  I had my stapes taken out last week and it is amazing how fast those little incisions healed up.  I still have the g-tube in of course and that is the single worst thing about the whole operation.  It isn't really bad, it's just annoying.  It comes in handy when I have to take my Metorpolol though.  That stuff tastes like crap no matter what you do with it.  I tried it in pudding, drink, you name it.  It's just bitter.  So now I just shoot it through the g-tube no problem.  I guess when the tube comes out i will have to find another way but in the mean time, so be it.   

So far I have lost 20 lbs.  That's like a pound and a half a day.  I'm loving that!  And that's with just a slow walk everyday.  I can't wait until I get the tube out and I can start power walking.

Now as far as doing things and hunger.  I have been out and about every day.  I play in a rock group and was able to play a gig 6 days after the surgery.  Granted I sat through most of it on a stool, but I made it through the set playing lead and rhythem guitar.  Going to the store etc, no problem.  Another nice thing I found about the operation is that when my wife drags me to Target, Walmart, or some other store that I hate I can tell her half way through that I'm not feeling well and she actually listens and get's me out of there.  (Don't tell my wife that I said that.)

One big test came last Wednesday night when my wife and I went to a friends house to play cards.  There were eight of us and the host, as usual,  really layed out a spread.  Everything I loved, different high fat cheeses, meats, fruits, various crunchy finger foods with dips, cookies, and of course a homemade cake.  I wanted it all!  However the fact that I simply wasn't hungry made it easy to pass on everything.  Wow, what a difference.  In the past I would have dived in head first and regretted it later.  Now I just smiled and told them, sorry, but I had eaten at home before I came and wasn't hungry.  To their credit they didn't try to push food on me.  It was a different experience for me.  In the past I was always hungry, even if I had just eaten.  This time I still wanted to eat the stuff because of the flavor but was able to resist it because it didn't wake that tiger in my stomache that always made me overeat before. 

This experience reminded me of when I quit smoking back in 1978.  Back in the "old" days I had a pack a day habit and decided it was time to dump it.  I did some research at the library (no internet back then) and found that after three days people no longer have a physical need for nicotine.  Having that knowledge going into it really helped me get thgough the first few months.  I knew that on day four I didn't NEED the cigarettes any more I just WANTED them.  Armed with that knowledge I was successfully able to dump the habit.  I havent had a cigerette in 30 years.  But the funny thing is, I still want one.  I guess it never truley leaves.  I always loved the way a cigarette made me feel.  I don't crave it amymore, I just want to smoke, and I still dream that I smoke.  Isn't that wierd?

Anyway, I think this surgery has done the same thing for me.  I no longer NEED that junk food I just WANT it.  I can handle that.  I have enough will power for that.  Before the operation I physically needed that stuff.  If I didn't eat it, hunger pains would start in, even if I had recently eaten.  Not the case anymore.  That's the miracle of this surgery.  I guess I will always want to eat the cookies, cakes, etc.  I mean the desire to put that stuff in my mouth for the taste will always be there.  I am just beginning to realize that I no longer need it.  I guess 30 years from now I will still be dreaming that I'm sitting somewhere having a big bowl of ice cream and a cigarette.  So be it.  That's behind me now!

Cheers!

Okay I'm home and things are going as planned.  Don't kid yourself it hurt like hell when I first woke up after surgery.  I felt like I had thrown my body on a handgrenade.  But they do have the really good pain killer there and it works so don't even think about not asking for it.  Everything went pretty much as they said it would and I met some really nice people who were having it done at the same time.  I was out of the hospital by 3pm on day one post op.

This morning we are still getting used to "draining the stomache" and trying to drink 64 oz of fluid.  That is harder than you would think.  After being on clear liquids for four days I did the one thing they told me not to, I stepped on the scale.  I gained five pounds!  Oh well I know that is just fluids in my body from the hospital stay.  I will stay away from that thing for a while and report later hopefully with a better result.  Oh well, time for a nap.

I went to Dr Jawad's pre-op meeting and got all the info.  Wow!  What a lot of stuff to try and remember.  It's a good thing they gave me a DVD to take home.  I'm all checked into the hospital and have to be there at 5:30 am on Tuesday!  I guess it's really real now.  Oh well I will write more when I'm on the other side.

Cheers!

Okay, I got the word today that the insurance has been approved and all the pre determination stuff is finished.  I have an appoitnment for pre-op with Dr Jawad on July 24th and surgury scheduled for July 22.

Up to this point this was just sort of something I have been working on, now it is real I am getting a bit shakey.  Wish me luck!

Cheers.

At this point I have done all the pre-op stuff with the Psy, Dietitian, gall blatter check ect., got the endoscope this Friday then it's just the waiting for Blue Cross to come through.  

I appreciate all the postings on this forum.  It makes the journey a bit more predictable which is a very welcome thing at this point.