Brian C.
Recap of week 2
Jul 12, 2013
Well, it has been an interesting week full of highs and lows. Here are the high and low lights:
1. Turns out "Buyer's Remorse" is real. My son was going away to sleep away camp this week so we took the kids out for ice cream. We got there and I realized: I can't have ice cream. I don't know why I didn't realize this until the minute we walked intot he ice cream shop, but it really made me sad. Everyone warned me there would be times like this: everyone else is eating something and I can't. I just didn't expect it to bother me this much. Fortunately, when we got home my wife made me some sugar free chocolate pudding with PB2 powder. It's not ice cream, but it took the edge off. I have a feeling there are a lot more of these moments ahead for me, including a work party on Saturday that I am not particularly looking forward to.
2. Speaking of work, I've been slowly increasing my hours this week until by today when I was just about back to full time again. I probably overdid it based on my level of soreness, but it is a god kind of sore: the kind that tells me I am slowly getting back to myself but also reminds me I'm not there yet. To be fair, I am not yet 2 weeks post-op, so I still have a long way to go. I actually suggested to my wife that I might try to go to karate one night next week. Her skeptical look put me on the defensive- I said "I'll be 3.5 weeks out by then." She looked at me in that way that makes me rethink whatever stupidity just came out of my mouth and I realized I was off by a week- I'll only be 2.5 weeks out. Probably not ready to start working out that much.
3. Walking has been going well but I find it incredibly boring. I enjoy walking with my wife and I even have been watching Game of Thrones on my iPad while walking the track at the YMCA when she is on other exercise equipment. Still, the mindless walking in circles is too much for me to bear. I did manage to walk every night this week (except for tonight) and increased both my time and distance each night until I was doing better than 3.0 for 30 minutes. I have unfortunately hit the wall- my ankles and knees are not really up for faster or longer walking, so I am anxious to switch back to the elliptical which puts a lot less stress on my joints.
4. I saw the doctor twice this week to follow up on my incisions. Okay, to be fair I saw one of the PAs in the office, but close enough for me. I happen to think very highly of the PAs in the group so I am just as happy to see them for things like this. Turns out, they are all clear, so one less thing to worry about!
5. The weight has been pouring off this week, and I have not been hungry. In fact, I am finding it a bot challenging to eat enough. I know, that sounds unbelievable and even I am having a hard time believing it. Seems like eating more slowly and less really works! People have been telling me this for years, but I never had the tool (my pouch) I needed to make it happen. Suddenly, my four scrambled egg whites take 20 minutes to eat and keep me full all morning! For the win!
