First post-op check-up today...

I went for my first post-op check today & came away with mixed feelings. First off, didn't get to see Dr. Mo cuz he just became a new daddy for the first time.  Did see his assistant, Pam. The moment I came through the door, she & the other staff members took one look at me & their faces lit up!  I've lost 20lbs in 10 days & according to them, it shows!  So I came away with elation for that one. Pam tells me I'm doing great after the usual question & answer stuff.  Then she tells me that there's a questionable something having to do with my liver biopsy report.  Non-alcoholic hepatitis.  Jerked the breathe right outta me!  She attempted to alleviate my initial fear reaction, but she didn't much succeed, I'm afraid. Now that the knee-jerk panic reaction is over, I need to find out what the heck is going on.  Dr. Mo has suggested a doctor to go see about this but I asked her if I could find someone in MY neck of the woods.  These pilgrimages are getting expensive, gas-wise & I have a perfectly good med center right here in Winchester.  So tomorrow I'll be calling BCBS to find out who I can see.  Gosh, I don't even know what specialty liver issues fall under?  I have no idea what treatment is for this.  Hell, I don't even know what it is I REALLY have?????? When I was a working EMT, I had my shots like I was supposed to but I don't remember how long they are good for.  I faithfully practiced BSI (body substance isolation).  I don't understand how this could happen. *********************** Ok, now that THAT'S over, I stopped writing & called my 24-hr nurse hotline & got some answers.  First off, my shots are good for 10 years.  So what...doesn't help me now.  However, it would seem that by having this surgery, I CAN overcome what I now know to be Non-alcoholic SteatoHepatitis, or NASH.  Apparently it is not uncommon amongst obese people.  Additional contributories are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes...all of which I have a history of.  Because I am eating healthy & am losing the weight, this "condition" can & will reverse itself.  Whew!!!!  I can breathe again.  I still need to see a physician about this, which I will locate tomorrow, but at least I know I'm NOT gonna die from this. Sooooooo, about the rest of my day... This was actually my first time out of the house since I came home from the hospital.  I attempted to go out several times last week & this week but just didn't feel up to it.  Today I HAD to cuz of the doc visit.  It felt GREAT!!!  My son, Matt, went with me & that's always good cuz I so enjoy his company.  He's really been the best guy...he's been my sole caregiver through all this since hubby commutes so far to work.  Anyway, after the doc visit, it was time to have some lunch.  Matt ordered a 6 oz steak & a small rack of ribs.  I had 1 rib, about 2 oz of steak, a bit of mashed potatoes & bit of steamed broccoli.  Chew, chew, CHEW!  Stopped when I didn't feel hungry anymore...took my time.  After that we went to the pet store & I actually walked around the store under my own power & wasn't the least bit tired out.  Definately put a crimp in the bank account, but I don't care.  It just felt so good to be out & about & not feel the need to sit down or use one of those electric carts (which wouldn't have mattered anyway cuz Petsmart doesn't have them). So all is good in Annie's world.  And how was your day???

Ann,         Did they tell you today to come off of pureed food today ???? I don't want to burst your bubble but you ate RED MEAT today when you are still supposed to be on pureed food...... Ann you are going to damage yourself! I know you were celebrating being out but you need to learn to reward yourself with things other than food........ Thankfully your hepititus is treatable and you can be 100% back to being good with specialist help..... Now................ when are you going to start behaving yourself........?? Jackie.

I misbehaved???  Really??  I wasn't "rewarding" myself with food...I was having lunch. Ok, let me retrace my actions.  Mashed potatoes...can't get any more squishy than that.  Broccoli...was overcooked so very easy to smash up...AND only ate the really soft part, which was the head.  The rib meat was so tender it fell off the bone & that smashed up really good.  AND was not heavy on bbq sauce, which surprised me cuz usually restaurants will slather that stuff on like crazy.  The only iffy thing might have been the steak, but I chewed that stuff to a pulp, & took very small bites. Tell ya what I'm gonna do, Jackie.  So that I get clarification on what to do in a restaurant situation, and so that you don't fear that I'm hurting myself, I'm going to call my nutritionist in the AM and get the final word on this.  As you mentioned in another post, it could be slightly different rules for lapband vs rny...I don't know, so I will find out.  That's what they are there for....to educate, right?  Yet another good tool. I THINK I'm doing ok cuz I haven't puked, and was only nauseaous once because of the percocet I was taking for pain.  I'm losing weight.  I head for the protein first, veggie second, fruit last.  I'm taking my meds, multivitamins, prevacid, gas-x as needed (& haven't needed for several days now).  The bloat is nearly all gone.  I'm pee'in & poopin' like a champ.  I'm drinking extra 1% milk in place of the shakes (which I was told I could do).  AND tonight I really surprised myself.  I actually walked 1/2 mile without getting winded but very slightly.  That's a HUGE accomplishment considering I'm not supposed to be exercising till I've lost 50 lbs.  Now THAT might be where I've misbehaved...didn't follow cardioligist recommendation.  Guess I better call him tomorrow too, tell him what I did, & ask if it's ok to walk. So I have a fact-finding mission set for tomorrow.  I'll let you know what I find out.  In the meantime, thanks for the concern.  I know you only have my best interests at heart.

Ann .. I am very happy to hear you are doing well on your weight loss .  But here comes my total  honesty with you however ..  You must stop abusing your tool . No I am not a lap bander .. but I can tell you eating a rib .. and beef  at 10 days post op .. is not on your menu of choices .  When you signed up for your surgery I am sure your surgeon went over how important it is to follow his protocol . How important it is to eat in the stages he puts you in . Ann .. you could die from eating the things you are right now .. You could cause blockage .. or aggrevate your surgical area .  WLS no matter what type is for real .. no joke .. - for life . It requires you change the way of thinking about food . How much you eat .  When .. and sometimes where .  Please .. stop the madness now . If it seems like Jackie and I are preaching .. well we are ..We care enough to tell you these things .  Please call your doctor asap .. tell him what is going on . Seek your nutritionist . You need to get this under control .. as the weight loss will slow in making bad choices .. and sweety .. Ribs are a bad choice .. for now .  Take care .. and I hope t hat you hear us ..  Tink

Thanks for the input, Tink. Let me clarify somethings before feelings start getting hurt & intentions are misread. I do not take this wls to be a joke of any kind.  I don't reward myself with food.  I did not become overweight because I ate too much.  I became overweight because I developed a very serious heart condition that changed my life overnight.  I've been a dancer since I was 5.  I played racquetball 3 days a week.  I was a professional entertainer for over 20 years.  I'm a former police officer & even after my diagnosis, I became a volunteer firefighter/EMT late in life.  I contracted what's called cardiomyopathy.  It's a degenerative heart condition, considered fairly uncommon still.  Most times it's not even detected until an autopsy is being performed.  I was not born with it, & I don't abuse drugs or alcohol.  I contracted it through a virus.  Most people would have just layed down & waited to die, much like the character in the movie called "Beaches" with Bette Middler.  I saw that movie shortly after I was diagnosed & I made a promise to myself that I was NOT going to live in a glass bubble & wait to die.  I still had small children to raise & a husband in the military.  I had things to do with my life yet.  So I pushed the edge, I did things that most wouldn't do in my situation.  To my credit, as agreed to by my cardiologists as well, I have surpassed all expectations.  It was predicted that I would need a transplant within 5 years...I have passed that 5 year mark & have added 12 more.  In spite of my eating the right foods, and I might add, the proper portions, because I could no longer be as physically active as I wanted to be or had once been, the weight began to load on.  It's taken me 17 years to get to the size I was 10 days ago.  It's only been the last year that I've become so sedentary that I couldn't even clean my house anymore or walk up the 2 flights of stairs to sleep in the same bed with my husband.  Even in spite of all that, I STILL managed to ride my horse weekly up until a few months ago.  I didn't quit because I couldn't ride anymore.  I quit to give my poor horse's back a rest.  That's when I began persuing wls.  I have managed to run off the Grim Reaper repeatedly & will continue to do so.  I'm a fighter & a survivor. I DO want ya'lls input, & I will take it all into consideration.  At the very least, ya'll give me food for thought and a reason to follow up with my medical team to make sure I'm on the right page, path, whatever we wanna call it.  Just please don't assume that .... geez, how do I say this kindly & gently without sounding like I don't want ya'lls help?  Ok, let me try this...I do not presume to know nearly enough about all this.  I recognize & respect that ya'll have advanced waaay further than I have.  However, I am gonna make some mistakes.  I want to continue to be completely honest here but...well...I'm not a child but I feel like I'm being treated like one.  Please, please, PLEASE don't take what I just said as being nasty.  I KNOW you're trying to help, and I WANT your input.  Sigh.  I just know I'm not saying any of this right. I'll just shut up for now till I talk to my team tomorrow.  I WILL let ya'll know what I find out.  And IF I've been totally wrong about all this, I will be honest enough to admit it & eat a little crow (pureed, of course, no feathers).

I for one am not upset . But I truly want you to be a success and I know you do to . I feel you are doing the right things by contacting your doc .. Just please when you do hear from them .. just do what they say .  You would not believe the people who get their docs orders .. know they should be on pureed .. go out and eat normal food .. and get really sick .. some almost at deaths door ..  We all want to be successfull .. but in order to do that , it comes with rules . And If I am wrong about you not being able to eat a Rib at your stage .. I apologize .. but something in my heart and in my study tells me that your diet should be one of a softer stage .. and wrong .. I apologize .  Please let us know how it goes .  Tink

I am not upset Ann but I can tell you are. Congratulations on doing so well in the past and pushing the envelope - but when it comes to weight loss surgery,  you are just trying to run a bit faster than you can walk and some of us are concerned for you.  There is nothing wrong with the walking exercise you are doing - in fact it is pretty essential than you do have an exercise regime you can follow as long as you feel alright. I have nothing but praise for you for making sure you do it.... Ann, I did not presume anything - I listened to what you said about your eating choices and queried them - I do not know anything about your past  - and regardless of that it makes no difference - you knew your food choices were not what they really should have been. And yes if you don't want us to not make any comments or give you advice then we won't.  Some of us have a problem sitting by and watching someone do things that we know are not correct. Ann - it is your body and your life - all we did was give you advice  in order to give you the best chance of success with your new tool - it is up to you - not us - to make the most of your tool.  I didn't think I treated you like a child but you obviously felt that way and for that I apologize.   In future unless you specifically ask for advice then I will not offer any.  But I am here if you need help. Jackie

Jackie, my friend, You just wrote..."Ann, I did not presume anything - I listened to what you said about your eating choices and queried them - I do not know anything about your past  - and regardless of that it makes no difference - you knew your food choices were not what they really should have been. And yes if you don't want us to not make any comments or give you advice then we won't.  Some of us have a problem sitting by and watching someone do things that we know are not correct." If MY wl team is not upset about my choice of foods yesterday, then why are you?  And then you jump to a defensive mode with "if you don't want us to make any comments....etc."  I don't know how much plainer to put it.  I DO want your input.  What I don't want is your judgement.  I was told emphatically this morning that we cannot compare our two wls...they have very different requirements.  So why are you continuing to do so? Jackie, I completely understand that your concern is coming from your heart.  You are obviously a people person, and so am I.  And like you, I cannot sit idly by & watch someone do harm to themselves.  But when no harm is being done, I'm not going to continue to harp on them.  How much knowledge of lapband do you truly have?  I'm just curious.  Maybe the problem we're having is that much can be misconstrued through just the written word.  We don't have the opportunity to observe body language, tone of voice, etc.  So maybe, just maybe, we are both reading each other wrong.  But based on your words, I feel like you completely overlooked what I said in my last post...after I spoke to my wl team.  And then you end your post with "In future unless you specifically ask for advice....etc."  That left me feeling like what the heck?  You followed it up with "But I am here if you need me."  Nice positive note, but it didn't feel good after all the other stuff. I don't know, hon....maybe we're having a personality clash or something.  The last thing I want is for anyone, you & me included, to feel uncomfortable when we come here & share stuff.  I WANT YOUR INPUT.  Ok?  But please, can ya stop judging & comparing MY requirements to yours?  Instead of pointing the finger at me, maybe you can find another way to put it.  I guess I need to retrac what I said in my first post.  Maybe I DON'T want a kick in the ass, after all.  I want suggestions, I want support, I want fellowship.  If I'm gonna be honest, I have to be honest with myself as well.  So, NO, I don't want an ass kicking.  I want a friend that understands.  Can you honestly say that you haven't made your own mistakes through your journey?  Really?  It's a process of learning, isn't it?  But I don't need to be beaten up everytime I goof & that's how I feel right now.

Hey Annie, sounds like you had a mixed appointment there.  Your weight loss is great!  Congrats!  And you went out with your son and did a bit of walking and shopping (and then more walking that evening) fantastic. Sounds like you are doing great, starting off slow and working you way up to things.  You found out what you needed to about the NASH (like you said very common).  Fabulous job lady. I know that you had lap band and your rules may be different than rny but I agree with you about checking with your team to see abou the pureed versus regular food.  Once you have the answer there you will know how to proceed.  I had a hard time fixing myself extra food and being so different from my family.  It felt like I wasn't normal and I hated it.  Part of how I overcame this was to make sure that all of our meals were healthy lean meats & veggies and I would just stick them in the blender that way I was eating the same thing, just pureed.  I ate the beef, chicken, broccoli, potatoes, etc. just pureed it as needed.  You were out yesterday and did the best you could with what you had and I am sure you realized  to be extra careful to chew etc.  The only thing that I would have questioned was the ribs because they tend to be higher in fat than most meats.   You have worked hard for this surgery and you are working hard for a healthy new you.  Keep up the great job.

Ok ya'll...I've made my calls to the doctors & here's what I was told. Cardiologist...."great news!!!"  Basically, he trusts MY judgement because I am the only one that knows how my body feels.  I know how far I can push things before I get into trouble.  I take my medication like I'm supposed to, I'm eating properly & he's very pleased that my surgery is done & that I'm losing.  Since my son is also an EMT, he wants Matt to take my blood pressure daily.  But mainly the word is if I feel up to up, go for it.  No cardio just yet, but walking & even getting on my stationary bike is ok.  And as soon as my surgeon says it's ok, I can start riding again too. As for my wl team... I did good yesterday at the restaurant.  The rib was a little iffy, but doable so I will simply avoid ribs for a couple more weeks.  But since I did not have & have yet to have any ill effects on my actions thus far, I'm to continue doing what I'm doing.  The rules ARE very different between lapband vs rny. So there we have it...straight from the horses mouths.  I am a woman of my word. Courtney, thank you for your words of congrats & in put.  For the record, I do the same thing you do at home.  Cook the normal meals at home, then squi**** up in my Oscar.  Still tastes the same, just different texture.  As my husband put it, I'm learning to send food down a straw instead of a pipe...LOL.  Good analogy. As for my accomplishments yesterday...I am so darned  proud of myself if I DO say so.  I conquered the dreaded restaurant scenario, but more importantly I WALKED!!! I'm gonna venture out into the world again today.  I want to buy a pedometer so I can keep track of how much walking I do in a day.  As for my walk with Mike last night, it was so wonderful.  We have 3 acres smack dab in the middle of 89 farming acres.  Our place used to belong to our neighbor's son.  It's nothing but lovely rolling hills full of flora & fauna.  We found a fox den, saw deer droppings, picked wild flowers.  I told Mike that I want us to ride together on this land...something we haven't done yet & we've lived here 5 years. I can't wait to see what sort of adventure I'm gonna enjoy today.  You know how I know it's gonna be a good day??  When I wake up in the morning & discover I'm still breathing!!!  Anything after that is just icing on the cake.  Anyways, talk to ya'll later!!!