One Month Update

Apr 17, 2009

It has officially been one month since my RNY. I am down 24 pounds since surgery (38 total). Things have been going really well since getting out of the hospital, though the first few days at home were rough. I went through a couple of days of “What the hell have I done to myself?” Even though I knew that stage was coming and would pass, it hit me hard. Luckily as I got to progress from clear liquids to full liquids, my mood drastically improved.

My surgery was Tuesday, March 17, during my spring break. I am a college student, and I went back to classes the following Monday. While it wasn’t fun and I certainly wouldn’t recommend coming home from the hospital on Saturday and going back to “the real world” on Monday, it was doable. The first week all I did was attend classes, and that was plenty! I had my first post-op appointment with my surgeon on March 25 where he removed the drain, thank goodness. While it was definitely good to have since I did end up having some internal bleeding in the hospital, I was so ready to get rid of it. No longer having anything attached to my body instantly made me feel better. So did advancing to full liquids the next day.

I have been very lucky with food, and so far (knock on wood), nothing has disagreed with my new stomach. My surgeon’s plan calls for one week of clear liquids (which I started two days after my surgery), one week of full liquids, and one week of chopped/diced food before advancing to a “normal” diet. I am grateful that I did not have to spend a month on liquids as I’ve seen some people on OH have to do. I eat my small 2-4 oz. portions of protein-dense foods and drink one protein shake a day. Since starting last Thursday, I’ve been averaging 70+ grams of protein a day, which is exactly where the surgeon and nutritionist want me. I do sometimes have to remind myself that being able to take in food is a good thing, especially when I see some people eating so very little at the same stage. Then I feel pretty ridiculous for worrying about being able to eat 600-700 calories in a day! According to my paperwork I’m supposed to gradually work up to 1200 calories a day during the losing phase. I don’t see that happening all that soon! I already feel like I’m eating constantly.

It’s exciting because I can definitely already see some changes in my body. The only people who’ve noticed so far are those who know I had surgery, but I’m guessing that will change soon. I also realized today that at almost 40 pounds lost, I’ve lost about one-third of my excess weight! Somehow thinking that I’m a third of the way there is a lot less daunting than thinking that I still have 80 pounds to lose. I’m just going to keep following the rules and let my body do what it needs to do.

Here are some comparison shots:
Day Before Surgery, One Month Post-Op

Day Before Surgery, One Month Post-Op