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Time surely has flown... Especially now that I'm not feeling sick and with nausea due to the ulcer. I'm slowly but surely starting to take my vitamins, still taking the Carafate and Protonix... I'm still not eating much. Chicken and eggs are DEFINITELY out -- feel like a lead balloon in my pouch and make me have to throw them up. This week I can start on veggies, so over the weekend I will try some steamed asparagus tips. Have been able to tolerate ground turkey "picadillo", though must eat it cold because reheating food still makes me want to gag. I had some beans today and they were okay. Things still don't taste like I remember them, and there's still that metallic flavour, but there's a definite improvement. I weighed myself today and am down to 188! Unbelieavable. That's a total of 76 pounds in six months, 44 since surgery. I have 53 more to go to my goal of 135. The only thing I MUST do now is a regular exercise program... Between the ulcer and feeling tired (lack of vitamins I would say), I've slacked off and can't keep doing it. Anyway, that's it for now.

I'm officially below 200 pounds for the first time in about 11 years!  It's wonderful, beyond words...  I went to the surgeon's for a follow-up to my ulcer hospitalization and was weighed at 197.6 (with clothes) pounds.  That's 56 pounds remaining to the surgeon's goal of 141 pounds.  I was also very happy to get some anti-nausea medication and a liquid form of the Carafate for the ulcer... These will make my life much easier, definitely.  I was able to eat ham on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and it "went down" fine.  I'm trying to timidly venture outside my food comfort zone to expand my repertoire.  I just can't cook or reheat anything at home.  

Last night I tried on my size 16 clothes.  Things close but are still too tight, but they close.  The little black dress is still not fitting even tightly (I think it's more of a size 14); another cocktail dress should fit perfectly for my friend's wedding on February 10th.  I'm now a perfect 18 or 16W. 

Well, I "celebrated" my one month post-op back at Cleveland Clinic Hospital...  But I am getting ahead of myself, so I'll start at the "beginning."

Going back to work on December 4th was not too much fun, I was tired (thank God I was working half-days more or less) and had nausea most of the time.  Drinking water and getting my vitamins in was a major struggle (the vitamins still are a major struggle) and food had no appeal at all.  Still, I kept on trying.  I finally couldn't deal with the nausea any longer on Saturday, December 9th and called my surgeon's office.  I ended up in the ER and getting admitted so I could be hydrated and could have some extensive tests to find out why the nausea was so bad.  After having tons (I exaggerate) of blood tests done, a swallow test from hell (HORRIBLE), X-rays, and sonograms, an endoscopy on Tuesday evening revealed that I had a small ulcer in my pouch.  The word ulcer never sounded so good and sweet to me!  There was a reason for feeling so lousy!!  I was prescribed some new medications and sent home on Wednesday a.m.  I was so happy to be out of the hospital.  I was treated very well, but almost five days without a shower didn't make me a happy camper...  I was supposed to have my one-month appointment with my PCP while at the hospital, so I don't know (nor much care, really) how much more weight I've officially lost.  While walking the halls to kill time and exercise, I weighed myself and it looks like I've lost another 7 pounds, for a grand total of 32 since surgery.  I finally fit comfortably in my size 18 linen pants, but the shirt is still tight... Other size 18 clothes are too tight, so I have no idea what the sizing scheme of some of these clothes is...  Whatever!!  I have a follow-up appointment on 27 December to make sure all's still going well with the ulcer situation.  I'm eating string cheese, turkey rolls, drinking skim milk, and trying to get as much water in as possible.  I go back to work tomorrow, though only plan on half a day.  Hopefully I'll feel up to full-time next week.  I want to be able to eat more, feel better, and start exercising!!

I had my two-week post-op appointment on Monday.  Since before surgery I've lost 25 lbs. for a BMI of 37...  My goal weight is 141 lbs. with a BMI of 25.  I'd like to ideally go down to 130, but I'll work with the official goal so as not to be too ambitious!!  During the appointment, I had two small stitches removed by the surgeon and that was it.

I've started my vitamins, and boy was that interesting.  The calcium chewables made me gag something awful, so I had to order calcium in powdered form from bariatriceating.com.  I'm going to get some Centrum liquid also because I'm just not thrilled about chewing pills.  The dissolving Prevacid every morning is okay, but the sweetness is just not my favourite part.  

Eating is an adventure because I'm very weary of getting sick.  Egg substitute made me sick, so that's out.  Tuna took hours to digest and I got sick after three hours and a couple of sips of water.  I ordered a Magic Bullet a couple of weeks ago and it still hasn't arrived.  I think the tuna in paste form will be easier on the pouch.  I'm eating LF ricotta cheese, mozzarella sticks, ham/cheese roll-ups, and will make some turkey meatballs in tomato sauce later today for some variety.  I also drink NF milk.  The water "situation" is getting better, hoping to work up to 64 oz by the end of the week.  I was such a water drinker before surgery, that it's weird to be struggling to get it all in!!  I'm still getting really tired during the day and haven't been exercising much.  Will try again today because I know I MUST do it to be able to succeed.

I'm not really looking forward to going back to work on Monday, but since I must, I will!  My boss is great so I'll be working part-time that first week...  We'll see how it goes.

Just a short update...

Went to see my PCP and all's well... Have lost 12 lbs. since the day before surgery.  I'm no longer super morbidly obese, "just" morbidly obese with a BMI below 40, YES!  

Still chugging the H2O like a trooper (thank GOD I love water) and drinking my liquid protein.  

I keep having these elaborate food dreams, where I'm not eating, but am entertaining (I love to cook and entertain) with the most lavish meals imaginable...  ;o)

Well, it's done and over with!!  I can't believe it happened after the planning, testing, waiting, and wow, I had major surgery six days ago.  Thankfully, all went as well as expected.  My hospital stay was four days long (surgery day and three post), I was in very little pain -- with the exception of the second day post-op when the drainage tubes hurt A LOT and I could barely deal with life.  The morphine pump was my best friend, as well as the liquid pain killer the great nurses alternated.  Didn't mind the catherer too much, but what a relief to get rid of it!  I had a private room with a window and Cleveland Clinic was the BEST!

I was also surprised that the swallow test wasn't the nightmare I had read about.  The liquid they give you doesn't taste good, but it wasn't as horrible as I expected... 

I hate jello, popsicles, and Crystal Light!!  Too, too SWEET.  I drank Slim Fast Low Carb during my two week liquid diet and after getting home from the hospital couldn't bear it.  Thank God for sugar free Carnation Breakfast and Lactaid milk.  My best buddies!!  I have been drinking about 20 oz give or take of water and 4 oz of liquid protein three times a day.  All bodily functions are perfectly fine.  I think I've lost about 7 lbs. since the day before surgery.  

My staples come off on the 27th, which is when I'll start on the Stage III pureed diet.  I'm not hungry, but smells do smell good when my mom cooks!  Today I finally took a longer walk outside and was pretty tired afterwards.  I've been walking around the house and moving around.  I sleep very well in a regular bed and have been able to sleep on my side since I came home, and actually sort of on my stomach since last night.  I'm amazed at how little pain this whole experience has entailed.  It's miraculous!

I didn't have any swelling or water retention, which made me very happy.  

Thank you for the caring messages inquiring after my well-being and wishing me well.

Ugh, this liquid diet thing is getting OLD!!  I'm not hungry, but I'm bored of the shakes and the broth.  I keep thinking about eating a big meatball, isn't that silly, or having some peanut butter!  Last night I had a dream (nightmare?) that I came out of surgery and everything was great -- no pain, no complications; however, they wouldn't come in to do the leak test.  And all I wanted was some water, I was parched... and it felt like it was days and nothing happened.  I guess that's my subconscious reacting to the fact that the one thing that I'm kind of not thrilled with (go figure) is drinking the nasty stuff to test for leaks after surgery.  I'm sure it will be perfectly fine, but I've got to worry about something since I'm pretty much very excited, happy and relaxed about the whole surgery thing.

Yesterday I cleaned my apartment and packed for my stay at the hospital and later at my parents'.  This afternoon after work I'm going to purchase my vitamins, and put in my prescriptions for Prevacid and the pain medication so I can pick them up on Thursday.

That's it for now!

I had my final pre-op consults with the nurse, surgeon, anesthesiologist, and PCP today.  I'm very excited to note that from my highest weight earlier this year (the horrible 264 lbs.) I'm down to 239, yes, yes, yes!!  Tha's 114 from my personal goal of 125 (don't have a goal from my surgeon yet).  I have to have one more round of blood tests on Friday because the lab never gave my surgeon my cholesterol levels.

The liquid diet is going okay, better now that I'm having warm broth/soup.  It's wonderful not to just drink cold, sweet liquid protein and eat jello.  

I'm looking forward to maybe losing another 5 to 8 pounds by surgery date.  Let's see what happens.

Well, today I started the very exciting two-week long liquid protein diet...  It's only 10:05 a.m. and all's well -- however, I'm sure this will get old and boring very soon.  But, it's all for a good cause and the final goal is what matters.  Thank God I live alone and don't have to cook for anyone; that would be very tough. 

Well, the surgery is scheduled! I thought it would be sometime in October, but it's going to be on November 10, the day before my 40th birthday... I'm certainly going to always remember my big 40!! :o)