jbull78

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So Judy's completely blown away with my progress.  She says I'm down 20lbs according to the office paperwork and I'm barely 20 days post op.  She thinks I could be at 200 by New Years.  How awesome would that be.  My mini-goal is to lose 20 more lbs by New Year's but if I got to 200 that would be 36 so here's to that goal!!!

We did discuss the episode where I was in so much pain I had to get sick.  She says to try and avoid things that might be possibly too sweet I might be sensitive still and to not push myself too much!!  She's thrilled with the exercise, we did discuss my menstration and it appears that I need to talk it over with my PCM to make sure that everything's ok.  She feels like it's probably just my body's way of cleansing post-op but I need to make sure I'm not anemic and that something else isn't underlying.  I would hate to assume that it's nothing and it's really something

Other than that, I am allowed to use weight that are shoulder down to my arm and thigh down to my toes.  So at least it's something else to do besides just walking.  She was so funny, when I walked in she said that I looked just fantastic, I love it when doctor's offices take notice when you're feeling good.  I have been in so few where they would comment on my "beauty" persay.

Other than that, I am working on getting my water in.  I did talk with her about how difficult the volume has been lately.  She said as long as I get a minimum still of 48oz I'm doing ok.  I just feel like I'm so pushing myself at 50.  But I'm doing it nonetheless.

Couldn't hardly believe it.  I got up.  Took my son to school and decided it was just too cold to walk outside today (remember I'm only 2 1/2 weeks post-op) So I said I'm heading off to the base to walk on the treadmill.  Was blown away when I managed to walk an amazing 3 miles in about 60 minutes!!!  I've been walking alot at home (approximately 1.5 miles) and was feeling great about that accomplishment but I was walking roughly 3.0 MPH the whole time.  And I felt fantastic when I left.  WOOOO HOOO!!!

I am feeling completely fantastic.  Yesterday I walked for over a mile.  Told Dr. Tribble about it.  He asked how I felt, I told him by the time I realized that it was pushing myself I was almost home.  He surprisingly didn't discourage me.  He said sometimes we should push ourselves a little to see what we can do.  He completely thrilled to see how beautiful my incisions looked.  He felt they looked further along healed than 5 days, when he realized how short of a period of time it was he was even more tickled. 

I did manage to lose the 15 lbs of fluid since my surgery  *Thank goodness*  I told him that I was feeling super, pushing myself to take in the 64 oz of fluid and admitted that I only took in 58 yesterday.  I wasn't lectured it was more of a gentle reminder of how important it was to get my fluid in.  I told him I was pushing myself at 64.  I was informed I need to strive for 64 but at absolute minimum 48.  So I felt less guilty.  I went over 24 hours with no pain meds.  Took one this evening because I felt like I needed it.  Damn gas pocket on my belly.  But that'll work itself out before long. 

I really am amazed, no cravings still.  And everything is feeling wonderful.  I can with NO QUESTION feel when I have drank (volume) too much at a time.  It's a definate adjustment but the filling in my stomach and never feeling hungry is so wonderful.  I told Judy at Dr. Tribble's it's a wonderful feeling to be "full".  She is so proud of me.   I knew when I started this choice and commitment it was the right thing for me, this is only reiterating how good of a choice it is.  I told her even if I only lost a minimum of 10-15lbs in the beginning it's just the beginning for me.  I have been unrestricted from driving which makes me happy so I'll start that up on Thursday more than likely and I can start pureed foods on Monday!!  It's just such a good feeling to be full.

It is taking a minimum of 35-50 minutes to eat a meal; (ie. 1 6oz yogurt,  1/3 cup pudding or jello)  So please know for yourself, maybe you can eat it quick like before.  You need to take it slow.  If I take more than two baby spoon sized bites right now at a time it hurts as soon as it hits the top of my stomach.  So I have yet to have any nausea.  Feeling just super!!!

Talk about an experience.  It was amazing.  I had the most amazing patient care ever.  I had only one negative experience with my first PACU nurse but other than that they were outstanding.  I had nurses from PACU coming up to check on me telling me that they were so proud of me because I was so positive and feeling so amazing.  I walked only once on Thursday (day of surgery) I did walk 4 times on Friday (I'm sure I could've walked more but we didn't want to push it)  If I have to say the negatives at this point it would be the gas pains in my back  and the upper left quad pain. My incisions don't bother me at all.  I do have 6 hash marks on my belly.  They're minimal and look beautiful.  What looks worse is the blood thinner injections that they gave me on my stomach, they made me bruise something fierce.  What can you do.  Dr. Tribble was amazed with how great I looked.

The other drawback is I am retaining so much fluid right now.  When I was in PACU (Post-Anesthesia-Care-Unit) They gave me 5 ltrs of fluids and I wasn't voiding yet.  So they had to give me a dieuretic.  I started to go with no problem but Friday morning they took my foley out and my body was still so lazy from using the foley cath that it didn't wan to go.  Total while I was in the hospital I had 12 ltrs of fluid put in me including two bags of my multi vitamins.  So, Dr. Tribble tells me not to get on the scale when I get home because I'll be really disappointed because he said 12 bags weighs alot especially when you're not going.  Well I should've listened.  I weighed myself Thursday morning naked  and I weighed 253.6.  Got to the hospital dressed and I weighed 257.8 (so I was dealing with the 4lbs weigh gain)  So I get home and I'm weighing NAKED 268.0.  Not nice......He told me it'll take a couple of days to pee all the fluid out.  But I have to take plenty of fluid in the meantime.  So I surely will.

Other than those few hiccups the nurses wanted to keep me there because I hardly bothered anyone and was just happy all the time :-)  I told them it's a state of mind.  If I came in there worrying about all the pain then I would be in a lot of pain.  I told them I was coming into the hospital with a positive frame of mind.  Regardless.  I'm not having too much of a problem getting my fluids in.  I'm drinking all through the night and burping/passing gas finally so my belly hurts less.  THANK GOODNESS!!  The gas pain hurts bad.  It's odd to me the incisional pain in hardly anything but that gas is going to kill me.  We'll see how I do throughout the day!!

Met up with Grandparent-in-laws; I love them so.  They are so amazingly supportive.  It's wonderful.  Considering my family has so many fears that make it seem that they're less than supportive it's nice to have people who are openly supportive with minimal reservations.  We had a great day bowling.  Tons of fun :-)

I even managed to stay on Atkin's at Mcdonald's because I ate thier bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken.  Very proud of myself considering that I had no choice because I had to get to Columbia straight from picking my son up from school.  *yeah for me* 

And to make it better little bit got two stars and no frowns!!  Hooooray!!!!

Overall it was a fantastic day

Another quiet day.  So nice.  Not to mention the beautiful chilly weather that's finally here.  Thank goodness, I'm about sick of this crummy heat.  It's the end of October, where did my fall go???  I talked with my doctor's office today and let them know that my approval was in the system and they said they had the fax this morning and that everything's a go.  I'm so relieved.  The only thing that's going to be better is the morning of the surgery after I wake up and realize everything's anew.  :-)

It's interesting perspective I had this weekend.  My son went with me on Friday to my doctor's appointment and he came in the office and saw the picture of the surgically reduced stomach and he said and I quote, "Mommy that's like my belly."  I told him yes that was very little just like his.  He was very interested in the "tubes" as he called them going around and said he liked the picture.  I explained that my doctor was going to make my belly like his and he was going to cut my belly like my scars from my lap chole (gallbladder) but they would be on the other side.  He said, "Then you'll have a little belly like me."  And I said yes I will.  It was something I hadn't thought about.  I mean I knew it would be very small, but to have my 4 year old put it like that, it's very true.  My new stomach will be very, very small comparable to a childs'..  He's very excited for me that I'm going to have a new "little" belly just like him.  He likes to be very much like everyone else.

I told my husband that with this deployment that I would be sharing my meals with my son from now on.  I'll be pre-seperating the chicken into individual breasts freeze packing them.  It's really going to be easy pre-packaging everything.  :-)

Borring day  (blah would best describe it) Went and recycled today, took my daily trip to Wal-mart.  So sad there's so little to do in this town!!  Did work on cleaning out my pool today so that was a bit of a plus.  I did start my first day of Atkin's.  Have done great.  Had a delicious no carb turkey burger for lunch and a salad with blue cheese dressing.  Just wonderful!!  Dinner is going to be grilled pork tenderloins with a marinade that has 2 carbs and broccoli.  Other than that, blah.  Nothing to report home.  :-)  Kind of nice every once in a while to have an uneventful day. 

What a crazy day it was.  I had to wait from 1:10 (apt @ 1:30) until 4:00 to see my doctor.  I love him to death and completely understood the emergencies that came in needed him now.  And I wasn't in any distress.  No biggie, except my 4 1/2 year old son was with me for the almost 3 hour wait.  I'm sure you can all imagine how much fun that whole process was :-)  Regardless, everything was fine.  He spoke with my husband about how critical the surgery was going to be, discussed the risks of death and the risks of complications, had him sign off on paperwork that he understood and scheduled me for a 9:00am surgery on November 8th!!!  How unreal this feels.  I have wanted this for so long and it's here.  And I    WITH NO HESITATION, am ready for this surgery.  My heart was aching when I realized I was approved this afternoon.  I have felt 150% comfortable with him since the very first moment I met him and he's just absolute fantastic when it comes to remembering the fine details of me.  I know this will ultimately give me the ability to be the person I have always felt was inside me.  Just unbelievable!!