canlbnj

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

I have lost 16.8 lbs in the first week!  The last time I lost that much it took me over 3 months!  Wow!

I have also been graduated to a pureed diet for one week.  It includes most foods (except hard cheese, grains/carbs and starchy veggies).  Everything needs to be the texture of baby food.  I can finally put away the timer and medicine cup to get in 4 oz of liquids per hour and can sip, sip, sip as I please.

I came home from the dr. and had a scrambled egg for lunch!  Took me 15 mins to eat one egg!!!

Feeling ok but still a little tired and have pain in my left side under my rib.  Was extremely gassy yesterday.

I was out and about today (visiting Z) and made a few important discoveries:

1)  sipping just whenever, even small sips from a bottle, did not work for me.  Not to say it may not one day, but I had a terrible feeling of bloatedness, alternating with hunger, most of the day.  When I got home and put my liquids in my handy 1 oz measuring cup and drank 1/3 of the cup every 5 minutes (making it 1 oz every 15 or 4 oz per hour -- the prescribed amount), I felt much, much better.  The pouch only holds 3-4 oz at a time and I guess Ihaven't figured out when the 4 oz I've consumed has gone through.

2) I had a very emotional head hunger trigger.  First M and Z made latkes, then they brought up dinner which was pizza.  I wasn't feeling hunger, but the look and food made me SOOO desirous to have some.  I had to sit in an area away from the table.  Even the previous 2 days, the smell of food has made me very desirous to have some, even when I'm not hungry.

Day 1 - Monday 12/22/08.  Left house at 4:45 am to discover the car battery was dead!  Fortunately M was able to boost it with the battery pack (best investment ever) so we were only 15 mins late.  Everyone scheduled for early surgery was assembled in a main waiting room, and when I arrived we were taken into a prep area where blood was taken and IV hooked up.  At about 8:00, anasthesiologist spoke with me and then around 8:15 came the doctor.  I don't recall what time I was moved into the OR but I do remember being brought to my room at 11:00 and told they were removing the catheter now and would be walking the hallways by 3.

It was a rough day.  I was not allowed to drink anything at all and was very thirsty!  At least I could wet my lips with a small sponge on a straw (although it was hard not to let any slip down my throat)!  Pain from gas was very severe most of the time, although I was certain it wasn't gas because it was in the same place - on my side and not moving.  I was given dilordin for the pain which worked immediately, so I was either in pain or knocked out.

My roommate was also from my Center and was right after me by the same doctor. She was a young kid (compared to me!) and her mom was there the whole time, as was M with me.

Day 2 - Tuesday 12/23/08.  Pretty much felt the same way as Monday except that I was now allowed to sip a little - not much but enough to let a bit of the fluid slip down my throat while wetting my lips.  By 1:00 pm, I was brought a pitcher of water and a 1 oz medicine cup and told I could now sip one of those cups in an hour.  Pretty much my routine was sit up at edge of bed, take a sip, take a walk down the hall, sit in the day room on a hard backed chair for about 1/2 hour, then be in enough pain to ask for pain meds.  Slept for about 2 hours when woken by nurses to take vitals.  Discomfort started returning.  Repeat.

Doctor came by at around 3:00.  I insisted it wasn't gas but he explained that they had to blow me up with air to see what they were doing so it wouldn't be like normal digestive system gas and all I could do is walk and walk.  I wanted to stay another day but he said I would have a faster recovery at home (where I could rest as needed without being woken up).  I finally got the marching orders at 5:30, left at 6 and was home by 6:30 where I took a pain pill (percoset) and went to sleep.  I could only sleep on my right side which got a bit uncomfortable after a while.

Day 3 - Wednesday 12/24/08.  Was this yesterday already??  This week is flying by faster than the speed of light!  In the morning my stomach started making loud gurgling sounds and at 10:00-ish I let out my first baby sized fart!  My midday I had a few more and by late afternoon I had a bm.  I felt the gas starting to move around and the pain was starting to go from severe discomfort to just discomfort.  I only needed a pain pill before bed.  Still only on clear liquids 1 oz per hour but mostly just sucking water (melted ice cubes) from the sponge.  Routine was pretty much rest, sit at edge of bed about 1/2 hour, walk back & forth from bedroom to living room 3 times, go to the bathroom, sit at edge of bed again for another 1/2 hour (sipping all the while) then resting for about an hour.  M also rested with me much of the time.

Day 4 - Thursday 12/25/08.  Xmas day, although I don't celebrate it.  Much better today - only mild to moderate discomfort, but gas is definitely moving.  First day I felt well enough to go on the computer and check emails (at noon).  Now nearly 5:30pm and updating my blog.  Also returned a few phone calls as I haven't had the energy to  hold a conversation.  Also graduated to 2 oz. clear liquids over an hour.  Had an ice pop and 2 kinds of ice tea in addition to water.  Saturday I will be up to 4 oz (1/2 cup) and be able to add non clear liquids such as milk, protein powder, cream soups, pudding, cream of rice or wheat cereal, apple sauce.  I guess for Shabbat dinner I will have 2 oz broth to eat over an hour!!!

Summary - I feel like I've been through a wringer and after I walk I feel like I've run a marathon.  I'm very tired and achy.  But considering what's been done to my insides, it's to be expected.  So far, no complications and I definitely see improvements every day.  I'm hoping to be feeling completely normal by the end of the weekend.  As my metaphor goes, there was a lot of turbulance upon takeoff, but I have to hold tight.  It will smooth out shortly.

Ok, I know I'm sitting on the pity pot and complaining over things I really shouldn't.  Things could be a whole lot worse.  But I just need to complain anyway.

Surgery is tomorrow - about 13 hours from now.  I'm feeling miserable....

1) hunger pains from clear liquids only since yesterday
2) major runs today from laxative I had to drink (at least the magnesium citrate 10 oz wasn't nearly as bad as the GoLyghtly 1 gallon I had to drink before the colonoscopy!) but still, everything I consume pours out almost immediately.  I'm very sore and can hardly sit.
3) time is passing so S L O W L Y.  Every time I look at the clock only about 5 mins have passed.

I need to leave the house by 4:45 am.  I have 2 more doses of antibiotics to take (7pm and 8pm) then I will take a shower and go to bed although I know I won't be able to sleep.  Maybe I'll take a tranquilizer.

I can compare this journey I am now embarking on to traveling to my destination by airplane.

Starting today - the period of time I am on a pre-op clear liquid diet - I consider boarding the plane.  I am putting my luggage into the overhead compartment (normal food), to be taken out when I get there.

At 5:00 am on Monday morning - my drive to the hospital - is likened to taxi-ing down the runway.

The surgery itself is the actual takeoff.

And after the surgery, I will be flying on my journey, on the way to my destination (goal weight).

And like air travel, sometmes the ride will be very pleasantly smooth and sometimes there will be severe turbulance, but mostly smooth with the occasional bump.  At those times,  I may get scared that the plane may crash, but I put my complete faith in the pilot (God) and know that I WILL get there safely; I just need to hang on tight and enjoy the ride.

Today is Thursday, surgery is Monday morning.  Went supermarket shopping to stock up on "food" I'll need for pre-op over the weekend and first week on return - clear liquids!!!  Bought lots of apple juice, water (plain & flavored), instant tea, crystal lite, broth and ice pops.  Also citrate magnesium to drink and antibiotics for the day before.

Big snow storm heading this way.  Now I'm worried the doctor will get snowed in and not be able to perform the surgery!  The only other thing I'm anxious about is being hungry all weekend.  Oh well, I'm sure I'll manage to survive it.  Just keep the end goal in sight.

I admit a few times second thoughts have snuck in, but so far I've been able to quiet them.  Just gotta keep thinking about all the things I'll be able to do once I'm more mobile.

On Thursday I went to the dr office for my preop instructions.  I only  need to be on a full clear liquid diet 2 days before (plus drink this horrendous stuff to clean the bowels).  Got instructions for the first week and then will visit 1 week out.  Also stayed for the support group meeting which was very enlightening.  Being in a room with live folks is defintely different from being online (not necessarily better, just different).  It's good to be able to do both.

Tonight we (hubby and I) took our daughter to dinner with 2 of her friends and boyfriend to celebrate her graduation from college.  She wanted to go to this phenomenal sushi buffet (Minado for those in NJ).  Lots of very healthy choices and excellent food.   I'm pretty certain that will be the last time I will be able to eat at a buffet - at least to get my money's worth.  Pretty hard to spend $30 for 4 pieces of sushi!  But being healthy is certainly more important than stuffing myself again.

I'm 1 week and 2 days away and getting very excited.  Nerves and fear haven't hit me yet.

I was afraid to say anything for fear that I'd jinx it.  Was waiting for last test: preadmission DVT ultrasound.  All was fine and it looks like it's really a GO for 12/22/08.  Going with the lap RNY instead of band.  Only reason I was gearing towards band was the lengthy recovery time, but learned that it is about the same.  I'll have 2 weeks to recover so that should work out fine.  I think I'm still sort of in denial though.  I don't feel like I've accepted that this really IS going to happen!  I'm very excited and not at all nervous yet.  I just want so badly to be healthy and to be able to move my body so I can do all kinds of things (like walk and climb stairs and ride a bike!)

I only lost about 18 lbs on WW.  So far I haven't been given any pre-op diet.  DD graduates college and we're planning a nice dinner out, and my company is planning a holiday dinner as well (on the 17th).  I asked dr. office what I should expect and they said they will go over everything with me on the 11th and I shouldn't worry.  What, me not worry???

After many months of research, talking to people, reading blogs and support groups, I have decided to take the plunge and get a lap band.  I am meeting with a doctor on Aug. 13th and hope that i can have the surgery done the day before Xmas (so I can use the week between Xmas and New Years to recover as i have no sick days left this year).

Meanwhile, staying on WW.  Lost 13 lbs so far and hope to lose at least another 25-30 before surgery.