Windi

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So I am post-op a month now and this is how things are going:

*  I am now able to eat most foods according to my surgeon's plan.  Only thing I have to avoid (for 6 months) are steaks,
    popcorn, nuts, stringy veggies (celery, artichokes, corn) and for life the obvious (fried foods, foods made with white flour,
    sugary foods, etc.).
*  Exercising is getting easier.  I did skip 2 days in a row but I made it up with a nice walk around our neighborhood today.
*  I'm not as thirsty as I once was so getting adequate fluid intake is a bit harder now.
*  I have discovered protein bars!  Woo hoo....no more yucky powder.  I've only tried 2 but I am able to tolerate them well.
*  I have lost a total of 14 inches throughout my body!!
*  I was able to successfully swallow petite calcium pills (if I cut them in half first).
*  I still have not yet found a food that my pouch doesn't like.  Not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing.
*  I have really enjoyed finding WLS surgery recipes and cooking them.  I was always a grab fast food or snack my way
    through dinner kind of gal.  With all this home cooking, not only do I benefit from it, my family does too. 
*  Miralax has become my best friend.
*  I've lost 20 pounds since the day of my surgery.  I get a bit discouraged when I see that others have lost 40 pounds by 
    now but I know that everyone loses at a different rate.  Then I think...that's 5 pounds a week!  YES!!  :)

Here is what I have learned since my surgery:

*  Eggface is a Goddess.  I have been making so many recipes from her site and each one has been delectable.
*  Carbs work for me.  As soon as I added a complex carb to my daily plan, my hated stall broke.
*  I am determined to get my protein needs from food sources.  I tried About Time Mocha Mint and immediately gagged.
*  Constipation and the resulting impaction has been my worst complication so far.  Oh man, I don't wish that on anyone.
*  Still concerned over my ability to eat almost anything (albeit in tiny, tiny amounts).  I have yet to find a food that makes me sick or clog or anything else.  Course I have not introduced rice or pasta yet and plan to wait many months for that.  Those were the foods I still had trouble with last time and I can just imagine what they would do to me now.
*  I'm surprised that I have not yet had the urge to drink my beloved Diet Pepsi.  For too many years to count, it was the only thing I would drink.
*  I'm still pumped about exercising.  I only get about 30 minutes a day but it is a hell of a lot more than I got pre-surgery.
*  I have cravings every now and then but it never goes beyond that point.  We had cheesecake and carrot cake today at work and I was able to sit with the group while they gorged themselves on the yummy food and I was happy to just drink my ice water.
*  I have noticed though that I am finally starting to feel hunger.  I hope that does not lead me astray.

Here's looking to one month out!  Three days to go.  :)

This last week was rough!

*  I discovered that stalls suck.  It's even worse when you gain 3 pounds and then just hover there for a week!!!
*  But on a positive note, I have lost 2 inches around my hips and waist so at least there is some proof this is working.
*  I don't ever feel full.  I worry about that.  I follow my diet to the T, never going over the prescribed amount (eating about 1/2
    cup per meal now) so maybe I'm not pushing it.  But still....
*  On the other hand, I'm still not very hungry.  Eating is like a chore to me right now.
*  I have yet to find some type of food that disagrees with me.  My surgeon allows meat pretty early I guess and I have eaten 
   chicken, ground beef and deli turkey all with no problems.  Hmmm...this makes me wonder too.
*  A big yay that my pouch will allow me hot sauce!  I love spicy food and apparently so does my pouch!  :)
*  I definitely do NOT like the Birthday Cake protein flavor from About Time!  My chicken flavor Unjury arrived today though
   so I will try that this week and hopefully I can get that down.
*  My energy waxes and wanes.  One day I am bouncing around, the next day I need to take a nap.  Bleh.
*  I am getting at least 30 minutes of walking most days, which is nice.
*  Constipation is kicking my butt (pun intended)!  I definitely am not liking this aspect of my guts getting rearranged.  :)
*  Hoping this week cummulates with at least some form of weight loss.

Welp, I am now two weeks out and this is what I have learned in the last week:

*  I'm very grateful to be eating some sort of real food now instead of pureed starting today.
*  I am even more grateful that I am still never hungry and basically have to force myself to eat  
    (this is still completely amazing to me).
*  Crystal Light is actually yummy.  Go pink lemonade.
*  Protein shakes are still gross.  I ordered some sample packs this week so hopefully I will find
    something soon that is palatable to me.
*  My energy is slowly coming back.  I walked a mile today at lunch and did OK (course I walked
    pretty slow).
*  Standing up too quickly from laying down almost always leads to dizziness right now.
*  Still pretty thirsty all the time so my MD cut down on my "no liquids for 30 minutes before
     eating" restriction so I could get more food in.  Now I just have to wait for 10 minutes.
*  I'm finding it difficult to eat all of my snacks.  I have no desire to eat and rather drink.  I'm only
    pulling in about 40-45g protein a day so far and know I need to do better.  I just can't stand
    those protein drinks.  :)
*  Even half tablets get stuck going down.  I have resorted to crushing my iron pills and mixing
    them in with my meals.  Ick!
*  Was able to do Wendy's chili today.  It felt so decadent.

Now onward!  Looking forward to what this upcoming week brings me.

Well I am officially one week post-op and this is what I have discovered:

*  I never understood how wonderful it is to pee until I couldn't after the surgery.
*  It sucks being on your cycle during surgery.
*  My stomach was so hard from all of the gas they pumped in me and extra saline that I felt pregnant again.
*  I walked the hospital hallway 3 times the first day out of surgery and refused my pain meds so I could go home the next day.  My nurses called me a "machine."
*  The stairs in my house kick my butt.
*  My husband is absolutely wonderful for playing "mommy" for the week, taking full care of the kids including homework, baths, meals and school drop-off/pick-up.  Could not have survived without him.
*  My stomach and incisions are manageable but increased back pain is the worst.
*  On that note, my husband gives awesome back massages.
*  I love the novelty of not ever being hungry.  That's a big ol' first for me.
*  I can't seem to stop watching cooking shows.  It's nice to see all that great food prepared and then even better when I have no desire to eat any of it.
*  I am thirsty all the time and cannot seem to get enough liquids.
*  I will not die from not drinking diet soda (which pre-surgery was the ONLY thing I would drink).
*  I am so not a fan of protein drinks.
*  I am looking forward to when my doctor says it is ok to take a bath.
*  Sugar free Popsicles never tasted so good.
*  I'm finding it difficult to eat my snacks during the day because I am so thirsty all the time and can't wait the obligatory 30 minutes of no liquids before eating.
*  I'm actually starting to enjoy this journey now that I'm not so tired.  I went back to work today and did great.
*  I'm looking forward to see what this next month brings me.