cathrynsrealm

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I haven't updated here in a couple weeks, so I guess I should!

So much has happened recently. First and foremost, I'm down 45 lbs total. After a 1.5 week stall, I finally started losing again this past weekend.

I had been feeling very crappy for a while and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong until I finally got the nerve to call the clinic. Apparently I wasn't taking all the vitamins I was supposed to be taking. (By accident, I misunderstood) Once I started taking them all, those crappy feelings went away, and now I feel great about 97% of the time!

My back pain has completely went away. I can now walk around like normal without feeling like I'm going to collapse. Everything in my life has gotten better because of that. I can actually go shopping and attend functions like I want to.

Unfortunately I have had a tragedy in my life this past weekend. One of my co-workers, and a guy that I consider a close friend, Chris, shot himself and died last Friday. He was dating one of my best friends, Jill, and she's been devastated. Monday was the funeral. It lasted about all day and thanks to my back being better, I was able to go and not draw attention to myself. The whole day was very gloomy. I still can't really get over his passing, but time heals.

R.I.P. Chris Rose 1986-2007

I feel like I'm eating solids a lot easier now. I still feel crummy a couple times a day, but I don't know how to prevent that, so I just do what I can.

It's getting easier to get my 64 ounces of fluids now. I just constantly drink water. Sometimes I can't even drink fast enough and I stay thirsty. But I do get about 64 oz, so I'm happy on that note. At least I don't really have this dry flaky skin anymore.

I'm just low on energy. *sigh* Back to work tomorrow, too.

And down 35 lbs!

I've been trying new solid foods everyday. I had meatloaf a few days ago, and that made me sick at my stomach for about an hour. 2 nights ago I had a chicken quesadilla (minus half the tortilla). I tolerated it well, surprise surprise. Yesterday I ate 2 pieces of ham-n-cheese loaf lunch meat all cut up. I just dipped it in mustard, and that was the best thing I think I've eaten so far!

I still have issues with getting all my protein in. It always seems impossible, but I keep telling myself that it will get easier once I'm indefinitely healed. I hope.

I'm having trouble getting all my liquids and proteins down. I try, but it just seems like I just can't do it. I hate the taste of whey protein. The copper penny taste. It turns me off of every product I buy. So far I've bought Chocolate Muscle Provider, Vanilla Isopure from GNC, Crystal Sky Nectar, Fruit Punch Protidiet, Hot Cocoa from the clinic, and GeniSoy from RiteAid. It's getting to be expensive.

Also, I can't manage to get my 64 ounces of liquids. It just seems overwhelming. When I try, I manage to get about 30 ounces per day. And I feel full all the time. There's just not enough time in the day.

I know, whine, whine, whine.

I will try not to post too many of these negative posts.

(copied and pasted from another forum)

On your way home from work, stop at your pharmacy and go to the thermometer section and purchase a rectal thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson. Be very sure you get this brand. When you get home, lock your doors, draw the curtains and disconnect the phone so you will not be disturbed. Change into very comfortable clothing and sit in your favourite chair.

Now, open the package and remove the thermometer.Carefully place it on a table so that it will not become chipped or broken.Now the fun part begins. Take out the literature and read it carefully.You will notice that in the very small print there is a statement, "Every Rectal Thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson is personally tested." Now, close your eyes and repeat out loud five times, "I am so glad I do not work in the Thermometer quality control Dept. at Johnson & Johnson."

Well, everything had been going good until night before last. I was drinking some chicken broth, and after about 1-2 ounces, I felt full and had to stop. Normally I would just wait about 15 minutes and drink some more, but that night the full feeling never subsided, so I just went to bed early. Then yesterday morning I woke up, and I still felt full. I couldn't eat or drink anything else and just the thought of it made me sick.

I'm supposed to get 64 ounces of fluids per day, and by noon yesterday, I still hadn't had any, so I was concerned about getting dehydrated. I couldn't even take my pain pills and the pain was starting to catch up to me. So I called the doctor and he wanted to see me and do some tests. Theeeeen, we drove to Lexington. (1.5 hours) Went to the ER. They did some bloodwork and a cat scan. After about 4-5 hours of sitting around waiting, my surgeon came in and said everything looked perfect. He thinks it was just some swelling in my new stomach that was causing me to feel full. By that point I was feeling back to normal again anyway.

So we went home. Billy almost missed House, and he was in a grumpy mood. >:| He's been very patient during all of this, and he takes good care of me so I will let that one slide. He actually leaves to go to Denver, CO for work this coming Sunday. At that point I will be going to stay with my Mom in Somerset for a few days. Then approximately Thursday my sister will have a few days off and she and I will drive back here to my place and she'll stay with me.

Today as I type this, though, I'm fairly self-sufficient. I walk around a lot, and I do almost everything normally. I just have trouble bending over and carrying large or heavy things.

They say its not a good idea to get on a scale during your first 1-2 weeks post-operative, but I did. ^^ I admit it. And I've lost 7.5 lbs since Friday. I'm not going to look anymore for a while though. I told Billy to hide the scale. (Although he's no good at hiding things, and I know it's between the washer and dryer. I just can't reach it.)

Today I am allowed to start eating puree'd things. I was getting tired of chicken broth and SF jello and popsicles. I'm thinking ham-n-cheese egg beaters puree or chicken salad puree. YUMMEH.

That's about it for now. 100 friend points to you if you read this whole thing.

SNOW!!!

Go away!

My surgeon requires a 48-hour liquid diet before surgery, so that started today. I really empathize with those of you that have to do it for 2 weeks. I also start the milk of magnesia today. ICK.

I'm not really nervous yet. No. It's more of a feeling like, "Oh my gosh, I only have 2 days left to clean this house!"

MUST...

CLEAN...

HOUSE!

This is my last weekend before surgery. I must get up and get this house clean, because it will be a while before it can happen again!

Last night I went to the grocery store again and bought some essentials. I got a new kind of protein powder to try. It's soy-based, vanilla flavor. I also bought Gas-X strips (peppermint), milk of magnesia, Kleenex moist wipes (for convenient hygiene in the absence of a shower), and a few other little things to help me feel better about myself when I'm in the hospital. I think I'm set as far as everything I'll need in the hospital now. The only other things I intend to buy are just a few little items for my husband to have (to occupy him) while we're sitting around. I'll pack them away in my overnight bag and when he's completely bored, I'll tell him they're there.

There are so many things I want to do this week, too. I just don't know how I'll find the time for them all. I really wanted to get my hair done, but due to surgery expenses, I'm hesitant to spend that much money on myself. I suppose I'll live without it. I did buy myself a new electric razor. Because I can only imagine how that will go after surgery... I will not want to bend over in the shower.

That's about it for now.

This time next week I'll probably still be unconcious from the general anesthesia. This morning I looked at my stomach, kind of in shock, thinking that next week I'll have incisions. Then scars. Then my stomach will shrink.

This will be the last friday I am this way.

Changes are to come!