Well, my first day back to work went pretty well. It was nice to know I had been missed... Several people said they could tell I had lost weight, but I know it will take a bit more before it's terribly obvious. That's just what happens when you start out with such a huge amount to lose. Last time I lost a significant amount, it was about 50 lbs. before people started to take notice. I'm not too worried, (although it's nice when others can see your progress) because the real prize will be regaining my health and feeling better than I did previously.
I did have my first significant food challenge today (a hard-boiled egg) even though scrambled eggs have never been a problem for me. I had forgotten to buy more yogurt over the weekend, which is what I always do for breakfast, so I decided to get a hard boiled egg from the salad bar in the cafeteria at work. I chewed really well, just like I always do, but it just DID NOT sit well with me. It took several hours for it to feel like it actually got past my stomach pouch - it just sat there forever, and was REALLY uncomfortable. I'm just grateful I have tolerated so many other things, but it will be a long time before I attempt that one again... After that, nothing really sounded good, because I was afraid other things might get stuck on top of that darn egg, but I did manage to keep lunch down. Oh well... if that's the worst I've had up until now, I don't have it so bad.
The thing I was most concerned about was not having enough energy to keep up for the entire day, but that was not the case. I no longer feel weak or dizzy, thankfully. Tomorrow should be better overall, though, since I will be sticking strictly to foods I know agree well with me. I also picked up some paperwork so that I can sign up to use the gym onsite. I thought it was around $15 a month, but it's only $2.50 per paycheck (every 2 weeks), which is an awesome deal! I will have to start out slow with the treadmill, then work my way up to other things. I'm always concerned about hurting my back...
As for the actual weight loss, I'm down exactly 40 lbs., including what I lost in the 3 weeks before surgery (18 since surgery). It seems to be coming off much slower than I had expected, but I guess 40 lbs. in 6 weeks is still pretty good. I think once I start becoming more active, things might pick up a bit. I have finally been able to work up to about 55 - 65 grams of protein a day, and all 64 oz. of water. I'm also averaging about 600 calories a day, which isn't much compared to a normal person's intake, but I'm just glad not to feel hungry on this amount :) I could never have imagined how this would be possible before surgery, but sure enough, it is a reality. I just hope that my pouch will not stretch out too much over time, so that I can maintain this feeling of not being hungry all the time.
Friday, April 24, 2009
1st Post-Op Visit Since Surgery... (written on 7/29/08)
I went for my first post-op visit since surgery this afternoon. Dr. McKinlay was pleased with my progress so far, and said I'm doing better (recovery-wise) than the average person. I was actually a little discouraged because my weight has been exactly the same for the last 3 days in a row, and even went up 3 pounds by the time I weighed in at the doctor's office later in the day. I guess I need to cut myself some slack, though.
On a happier note, my foods are all still going down well, and nothing new has disagreed with my little pouch yet. My favorite 2 meals lately have been stewed chicken with homemade gravy and baby carrots (Sunday dinner), and the insides of some chicken enchiladas that I made for my husband last night for dinner (shredded chicken with mild green chile enchilada sauce and shredded colby jack cheese, with some diced tomatoes on top).... YUM!!! I bought some little 4 oz. containers and lids over the weekend, and was able to make 8 more meals from the leftovers of each (filling them about half-way). I froze half of the containers for when I go back to work next week, and left half in the fridge for meals this week. I'm getting geared up to go back to work next Monday, and will genuinely miss my naps every day... Sigh... It will be great, though. I'm excited to get back into the real world again, and I hope I will have enough energy to make it through that first week back. I did have to buy some new shoes for work over the weekend, because the two pairs I was wearing before surgery are FALLING OFF and way too big. What a bummer... shoe shopping... J/K - It was great!!!
On a happier note, my foods are all still going down well, and nothing new has disagreed with my little pouch yet. My favorite 2 meals lately have been stewed chicken with homemade gravy and baby carrots (Sunday dinner), and the insides of some chicken enchiladas that I made for my husband last night for dinner (shredded chicken with mild green chile enchilada sauce and shredded colby jack cheese, with some diced tomatoes on top).... YUM!!! I bought some little 4 oz. containers and lids over the weekend, and was able to make 8 more meals from the leftovers of each (filling them about half-way). I froze half of the containers for when I go back to work next week, and left half in the fridge for meals this week. I'm getting geared up to go back to work next Monday, and will genuinely miss my naps every day... Sigh... It will be great, though. I'm excited to get back into the real world again, and I hope I will have enough energy to make it through that first week back. I did have to buy some new shoes for work over the weekend, because the two pairs I was wearing before surgery are FALLING OFF and way too big. What a bummer... shoe shopping... J/K - It was great!!!
I Reached My First Goal!!! (written on 7/24/08)
I now officially have a BMI of less than 50 - that was my first goal!!! I've graduated from "Super Obese" to a mere "Morbidly Obese". Don't you just LOVE these terms someone came up with? LOL Anyway... I couldn't be happier today. My only regret is that I didn't take my measurements before starting on this journey. I can make an educated guess based on how my clothes are fitting now, but I guess I'll never know for sure... My goal for this week is to start keeping track of that. I'm still doing incredibly well with my foods. I'm now eating refried beans and cheese, canned tuna or chicken with a little light mayo, scrambled eggs with cheese, bean with bacon soup, etc., plus a tablespoon of very soft cooked veggies with my meals. I had steamed zucchini with a tiny bit of margarine, salt and pepper last night with my bean with bacon soup, and it tasted INCREDIBLE!!! I still have no regrets about my decision to have this surgery, and can't wait to continue reaching the many goals I have set for myself. More to come soon...
Here's a new picture:
One Week Out... (written on 7/21/08)
My RNY surgery was exactly one week ago today, and already I have had a couple of milestones (I actually need to include my 3 week pre-op diet success as well). I am down exactly 32 pounds in one month (only 9 of that since surgery last week), but I am seeing a big difference in my clothes, and I am feeling more confident than I did a month ago. I am so blessed to have done incredibly well with the surgery / recovery part, and have really had no pain or discomfort to speak of since returning home from the hospital. I have had no intolerence to food of any kind so far, and almost feel guilty in saying so, because many of my online friends have not been as fortunate. I don't know why I'm the lucky one, and others aren't so lucky, but I am truly grateful, whatever the reason.
Some of my friends from church were completely shocked to see me there yesterday, and on top of that, singing in the choir and helping my husband teach our Primary class (the 5 year olds). I figured if I was fortunate enough to be feeling this good already, there was really no reason I should stay home.
After church, Erwin and I went to my Aunt Shelley's house for dinner. She had made homemade lasagna, salad and garlic bread, so I asked her to set aside some ricotta cheese and sauce for me (I also had 2 very small pieces of cucumber from the salad). My cousins who were also there said they felt bad eating in front of me, but I told them not to, because this is just how it is. I spent about 25 minutes eating my tiny little bit of food with my baby sized spoon, and we all finished about the same time. It was almost a victorious feeling for me, knowing that I CAN do this, and will be a much healthier and happier person in the longrun for it.
After we left my aunt's house, Erwin and I went for a drive, then stopped by my friend Launie's house to say hello. She told me my face looked so much thinner already, and that was nice to hear. I thought I was starting to see it as well, but it's so nice to know I'm not just imagining it :) I'm so excited to be on this journey and will accept all of the challenges and victories equally along the way - I didn't get to this place overnight, and it won't all be resolved overnight. I'm just grateful for the journey...
Some of my friends from church were completely shocked to see me there yesterday, and on top of that, singing in the choir and helping my husband teach our Primary class (the 5 year olds). I figured if I was fortunate enough to be feeling this good already, there was really no reason I should stay home.
After church, Erwin and I went to my Aunt Shelley's house for dinner. She had made homemade lasagna, salad and garlic bread, so I asked her to set aside some ricotta cheese and sauce for me (I also had 2 very small pieces of cucumber from the salad). My cousins who were also there said they felt bad eating in front of me, but I told them not to, because this is just how it is. I spent about 25 minutes eating my tiny little bit of food with my baby sized spoon, and we all finished about the same time. It was almost a victorious feeling for me, knowing that I CAN do this, and will be a much healthier and happier person in the longrun for it.
After we left my aunt's house, Erwin and I went for a drive, then stopped by my friend Launie's house to say hello. She told me my face looked so much thinner already, and that was nice to hear. I thought I was starting to see it as well, but it's so nice to know I'm not just imagining it :) I'm so excited to be on this journey and will accept all of the challenges and victories equally along the way - I didn't get to this place overnight, and it won't all be resolved overnight. I'm just grateful for the journey...
5 Days Post-Op & Feeling Great!!! (written on 7/18/8)
Today I graduated from 1 oz. broth & 1 oz. sugar free jello to 2 oz. of real food - I can't tell you how happy that makes me!!! I was getting incredibly bored with that little bit of the same thing for every meal. I am now able to eat 2 oz. of cottage cheese, yogurt, cream soup, string cheese, etc. for my meals, and it tastes soooooo good. I am now getting in my 64 oz. of water by sipping all day long. Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade and Sugar Free Kool-Aid are some of my new best friends, so all that water doesn't get too boring. In a couple more days, I will be able to eat soft deli meat and cheese, refried beans, canned meats, etc., plus a small amount of vegetables. I think this will help with the monotony.
This morning I was feeling really weak after I got in the shower. For some reason, the hot water made me feel nauseous, and I had to get out for a minute and sit down until the feeling passed. I don't like that I was feeling very weak, and was concerned that I'm not getting enough protein. I REALLY don't want to pass out somewhere if I feel like this again, so I sent an email with questions to the education director at my doctor's office. Since I'm following all of my post-surgery guidelines and getting more than enough water in, she agreed that I should get a snack or two in during the day, and suggested including nonfat milk or V-8 juice as part of my fluids for the day. I was soooo relieved, because I didn't want to do anything outside the rules, but you can also understand my concern...
Late this morning, my Aunt Shelley called to see if I'd like to get out of the house for a while. I said absolutely! We just went over to the new Sam's Club by my house, and walked around the entire store for over an hour. I was hoping I wouldn't get too exhausted since it was my first real outing since surgery, and I did just fine. I went through an entire 16.9 oz. bottle of water while I was there, and I'm sure that helped to keep my energy up. Anyway, I was grateful to break up my day with something new, and I'm glad the extra walking didn't wear me out (although I was glad to come home and sit in my recliner for a while).
I think things will be a little more smooth with my new foods in the coming week. This is definitely a learning curve, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can already see and feel my clothes getting really loose, so I'm going to go through some smaller clothes over the weekend, and have those ready for when it's time to get rid of the big stuff I'm wearing right now (it shouldn't be long!) As for pain, I haven't had to take anything since Thursday morning, which I'm still surprised about, but very happy at the same time. I probably could have left the hospital after the 2nd day and not taken any more, and still have been fine. I just took a couple Percocet on Wednesday, then one on Thursday to make sure I was OK. I'm guessing I'm probably an unusual case, as far as the pain level goes, but I'm very encouraged by this. I'll post a little more over the weekend, after I've had a chance to graduate to a few more foods. We'll see how I tolerate everything...
This morning I was feeling really weak after I got in the shower. For some reason, the hot water made me feel nauseous, and I had to get out for a minute and sit down until the feeling passed. I don't like that I was feeling very weak, and was concerned that I'm not getting enough protein. I REALLY don't want to pass out somewhere if I feel like this again, so I sent an email with questions to the education director at my doctor's office. Since I'm following all of my post-surgery guidelines and getting more than enough water in, she agreed that I should get a snack or two in during the day, and suggested including nonfat milk or V-8 juice as part of my fluids for the day. I was soooo relieved, because I didn't want to do anything outside the rules, but you can also understand my concern...
Late this morning, my Aunt Shelley called to see if I'd like to get out of the house for a while. I said absolutely! We just went over to the new Sam's Club by my house, and walked around the entire store for over an hour. I was hoping I wouldn't get too exhausted since it was my first real outing since surgery, and I did just fine. I went through an entire 16.9 oz. bottle of water while I was there, and I'm sure that helped to keep my energy up. Anyway, I was grateful to break up my day with something new, and I'm glad the extra walking didn't wear me out (although I was glad to come home and sit in my recliner for a while).
I think things will be a little more smooth with my new foods in the coming week. This is definitely a learning curve, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can already see and feel my clothes getting really loose, so I'm going to go through some smaller clothes over the weekend, and have those ready for when it's time to get rid of the big stuff I'm wearing right now (it shouldn't be long!) As for pain, I haven't had to take anything since Thursday morning, which I'm still surprised about, but very happy at the same time. I probably could have left the hospital after the 2nd day and not taken any more, and still have been fine. I just took a couple Percocet on Wednesday, then one on Thursday to make sure I was OK. I'm guessing I'm probably an unusual case, as far as the pain level goes, but I'm very encouraged by this. I'll post a little more over the weekend, after I've had a chance to graduate to a few more foods. We'll see how I tolerate everything...
Gastric Bypass Surgery is Now Behind Me... (written on 7/16/08)
I have soooo much to be grateful for! My surgery was on Monday, July 14th, at noon, and I was released to come home last night (Tuesday). I was told it was "textbook perfect" in every way, and my pain has been very minimal. I had more pain with my gallbladder surgery in February than with this! I'm starting to feel a little bit of the residual gas from the surgery trying to work its way out of my system, but it's very minor. Dr. McKinlay said he tries to evacuate as much out as he can before finishing up, so I was very thankful for that! My only complaint after surgery was a bit of nausea and not being steady on my feet because I was a little dizzy, but that has subsided.
The first thing I was allowed in the hospital was 1 oz. of water per hour, starting at 6pm Monday evening. After noon on Tuesday, I was able to increase my water to 2 oz. per hour. I had my first meal of chicken broth and sugar free jello (1 oz. each) for lunch, and the same thing for dinner (waiting, of course, for 30 min. before and after to drink any water). Before leaving the hospital, all of my staples were removed, as well as my drain. I know when my brother had his surgery, they left his drain in for 10 days, so I asked the nurse why they would take mine out so early. I guess every surgeon does things a little differently, but I haven't had any issues related to mine coming out sooner than later, and it wasn't painful having it removed.
Today, my 3 meals will be the same as at the hospital - 1 oz. broth and 1 oz. jello, but my water increases to 4 oz. per hour. I am also doing my breathing exercises with the spirometer 10x every hour to avoid any problems with pneumonia, and I'm getting up and walking just a little bit, as often as possible, to avoid any blood clots. I will probably venture outside of the house in a couple of days to get a little more distance to my walking, but for now, I'm really feeling pretty good!
After my husband brought me home from the hospital last night, he fixed himself some dinner. I found myself thinking I should be hungry, but I'm really not. It's such a strange feeling for a change! I think the biggest challenge will be between my head telling me I should be hungry and my body telling me otherwise. Years of habit will have to give way to a new way of doing things. I will need to learn how to listen to my body more carefully, so I'm trying to pay close attention.
Later in the day, I'll post some pre-op pix from the hospital. Erwin got a kick out of the purple paper gown they put on me before surgery! It had some little vents where they could hook up a big white tube to blow cold or warm air underneath your gown, and they handed me the control to adjust the temperature to whatever was comfortable. The gown was actually twice the size I needed, so I had to wrap it around quite a bit. Anyway... more to come soon. :)
The first thing I was allowed in the hospital was 1 oz. of water per hour, starting at 6pm Monday evening. After noon on Tuesday, I was able to increase my water to 2 oz. per hour. I had my first meal of chicken broth and sugar free jello (1 oz. each) for lunch, and the same thing for dinner (waiting, of course, for 30 min. before and after to drink any water). Before leaving the hospital, all of my staples were removed, as well as my drain. I know when my brother had his surgery, they left his drain in for 10 days, so I asked the nurse why they would take mine out so early. I guess every surgeon does things a little differently, but I haven't had any issues related to mine coming out sooner than later, and it wasn't painful having it removed.
Today, my 3 meals will be the same as at the hospital - 1 oz. broth and 1 oz. jello, but my water increases to 4 oz. per hour. I am also doing my breathing exercises with the spirometer 10x every hour to avoid any problems with pneumonia, and I'm getting up and walking just a little bit, as often as possible, to avoid any blood clots. I will probably venture outside of the house in a couple of days to get a little more distance to my walking, but for now, I'm really feeling pretty good!
After my husband brought me home from the hospital last night, he fixed himself some dinner. I found myself thinking I should be hungry, but I'm really not. It's such a strange feeling for a change! I think the biggest challenge will be between my head telling me I should be hungry and my body telling me otherwise. Years of habit will have to give way to a new way of doing things. I will need to learn how to listen to my body more carefully, so I'm trying to pay close attention.
Later in the day, I'll post some pre-op pix from the hospital. Erwin got a kick out of the purple paper gown they put on me before surgery! It had some little vents where they could hook up a big white tube to blow cold or warm air underneath your gown, and they handed me the control to adjust the temperature to whatever was comfortable. The gown was actually twice the size I needed, so I had to wrap it around quite a bit. Anyway... more to come soon. :)
Here are some pictures from the hospital, just before surgery:
The Final Countdown Has Begun... (written on 7/13/08)
By this time tomorrow, I'll be recovering from surgery. It almost seems surreal, since I've been working toward this day for 2 years now. I can't believe it's finally here! I had a few moments today where I felt my heart start to race and my nerves start to kick in, but I'm OK - no cold feet. My bag is packed for the hospital, and all that's left to do is wait for the magnesium citrate to finish working it's "magic" (that stuff is soooooo nasty!).
I went to visit with some of my family this afternoon and had a blessing, which definitely helped calm my nerves. I've talked to my brothers and Mom on the phone, taken care of the dogs, and cleaned up a little around the house. I'm just hanging out now and watching last week's episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance" while I wait out the magnesium citrate. Once everything's over with and I'm home recovering, I'll post some new pix from the hospital and give everyone an update.
Wish me luck!!!
I went to visit with some of my family this afternoon and had a blessing, which definitely helped calm my nerves. I've talked to my brothers and Mom on the phone, taken care of the dogs, and cleaned up a little around the house. I'm just hanging out now and watching last week's episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance" while I wait out the magnesium citrate. Once everything's over with and I'm home recovering, I'll post some new pix from the hospital and give everyone an update.
Wish me luck!!!
Here are some photos of the me the night before surgery:
My Pre-Op / Pre-Surgery Orientation Yesterday (written on 7/12/08)
So yesterday was my "pre-surgery orientation" or last mandatory class before surgery on Monday. I received a lovely blue leather binder with all the information I will need to basically help me adapt to my new lifestyle for the rest of my life, as well as a small quick reference guide to keep in my purse to help with the daily choices I need to make from now on. I also had 4 vials of blood drawn and paid my $18,475 (split between the surgeon and the hospital). I think this is a new personal spending record for me in one day!!! (Erwin tells me I'm expensive, but this is really an investment in our family's future.) I expected them to weigh me, but I guess that will happen just before surgery on Monday. I was all excited for that (for a change), because I had reached the weight loss goal I had set for myself before surgery (down 20 pounds in under 3 weeks). I already feel so much better! As of this morning, I have even lost another pound. Who knows what my final weigh-in will be after I have to drink my magnesium citrate tomorrow night, which will basically "roto rooter" my whole system...
A lot of people have been asking if I'm getting nervous. The truth is that I've tried to make myself numb to those feelings so I don't dwell on them too much. I'm just keeping busy, checking off my "to do" list and trying to stay focused. My younger brother Dan (who had his surgery in January and is already down 150 lbs) told me that around Saturday or Sunday I would start getting cold feet and questioning my decision. If this happens, I will be on the phone to him for emotional support, because there is no way I'm changing my mind. I need this tool in order to become the healthy person I want to be, no matter what the personal sacrifices along the way might be.
I fully expect to have some pain, some emotional struggles, and some major lifestyle adjustments - that's just part of the package - but I'm ready. Having had an emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder in February, I have a pretty good idea of what my recovery will be like, since that was laparoscopic as well. I have 4 tiny little incision scars from that, and will add 6 more with this surgery, so I'll get to play "connect the dots" pretty soon! The worst part of it was the pressure from all the gas they pump into your abdomen to make getting around in there easier for the surgeon. I walked around as much as I could, but no matter what I did, the pressure wouldn't go away. Finally, I called the nurse's station at the hospital and asked if there was anything else I could do before coming back to emergency, because the pain from that gas pressure was unbearable. They asked if I had tried putting a heating pad over my stomach, but nobody had told me about that... It worked like a charm! I guess knowing all of this, I haven't been as nervous as I might have been otherwise.
I come from a religious family, and will receive a blessing tomorrow evening from my Uncle Matt, Uncle Ray, and my husband Erwin. I appreciate that my faith and preparation will carry me through this change in my life, and I am confident in my doctor's abilities and my own personal and emotional preparation. I will also be well cared for by family and friends - I just need to let them know what I need, and they'll be there for me.
I will probably post one more entry tomorrow night, just to record how I'm feeling. I think using this site (www.obesityhelp.com) has been such a wonderful tool for me emotionally, and I will be grateful if I can help even one more person besides myself along the way.
A lot of people have been asking if I'm getting nervous. The truth is that I've tried to make myself numb to those feelings so I don't dwell on them too much. I'm just keeping busy, checking off my "to do" list and trying to stay focused. My younger brother Dan (who had his surgery in January and is already down 150 lbs) told me that around Saturday or Sunday I would start getting cold feet and questioning my decision. If this happens, I will be on the phone to him for emotional support, because there is no way I'm changing my mind. I need this tool in order to become the healthy person I want to be, no matter what the personal sacrifices along the way might be.
I fully expect to have some pain, some emotional struggles, and some major lifestyle adjustments - that's just part of the package - but I'm ready. Having had an emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder in February, I have a pretty good idea of what my recovery will be like, since that was laparoscopic as well. I have 4 tiny little incision scars from that, and will add 6 more with this surgery, so I'll get to play "connect the dots" pretty soon! The worst part of it was the pressure from all the gas they pump into your abdomen to make getting around in there easier for the surgeon. I walked around as much as I could, but no matter what I did, the pressure wouldn't go away. Finally, I called the nurse's station at the hospital and asked if there was anything else I could do before coming back to emergency, because the pain from that gas pressure was unbearable. They asked if I had tried putting a heating pad over my stomach, but nobody had told me about that... It worked like a charm! I guess knowing all of this, I haven't been as nervous as I might have been otherwise.
I come from a religious family, and will receive a blessing tomorrow evening from my Uncle Matt, Uncle Ray, and my husband Erwin. I appreciate that my faith and preparation will carry me through this change in my life, and I am confident in my doctor's abilities and my own personal and emotional preparation. I will also be well cared for by family and friends - I just need to let them know what I need, and they'll be there for me.
I will probably post one more entry tomorrow night, just to record how I'm feeling. I think using this site (www.obesityhelp.com) has been such a wonderful tool for me emotionally, and I will be grateful if I can help even one more person besides myself along the way.
5 Days and Counting!!! (written on 7/9/08)
Today I started training my temp replacement at work who will fill in for me while I'm on Medical Leave for my surgery. I will spend one more day with her tomorrow, then she's on her own... I've worked 9am to past 8pm 2 nights in a row, and I'm almost to a point where I feel comfortable with how I'm leaving things for 3 weeks.
Friday, I go for my Pre-Surgery Orientation / Final Education Class / Labs at St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about this hospital, so I'm hoping it's as pleaseant as something like this can be!
I am down 17 pounds after 2 weeks on my 1,000 Calorie Pre-Surgery Diet with 5 more days to go, which is pretty good - more than a pound a day average... I'm hoping Dr. McKinlay feels this was a good effort on my part.
My Mom asked me the other day to cancel my surgery and just keep on this same diet, since I'm doing so well. We all know the answer to that one :) I am so ready for this, and I'm just trying to focus for these last several days on getting a few more pounds off. If I can lose a total of 20 before surgery, I will be happy with that. I took a few more pictures today to see if I could tell a difference from 2 weeks ago.
Friday, I go for my Pre-Surgery Orientation / Final Education Class / Labs at St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about this hospital, so I'm hoping it's as pleaseant as something like this can be!
I am down 17 pounds after 2 weeks on my 1,000 Calorie Pre-Surgery Diet with 5 more days to go, which is pretty good - more than a pound a day average... I'm hoping Dr. McKinlay feels this was a good effort on my part.
My Mom asked me the other day to cancel my surgery and just keep on this same diet, since I'm doing so well. We all know the answer to that one :) I am so ready for this, and I'm just trying to focus for these last several days on getting a few more pounds off. If I can lose a total of 20 before surgery, I will be happy with that. I took a few more pictures today to see if I could tell a difference from 2 weeks ago.
My Second Week on 1,000 Calories (written on 7/3/08)
I am feeling so good today - I can't believe it! I think my body has finally figured out that I'm making a change for the better. I really wasn't feeling that great over the past several days, until I started getting enough fiber in - things weren't "moving" like they used to, and I was feeling really bloated. Today is a very different story, thank goodness.
It is now day 10 of my pre-surgery diet, and I am officially down 15 pounds. I couldn't believe the energy I had at work today - it's been such a long time since I've really felt good. I work for a rather large company - my facility has a North and a South building with 4 floors on each. In my position, I do a lot of walking between several of the floors in both buildings. I'm still taking the elevators, rather than the stairs, but I'll work my way up to it eventually. Anyway, I noticed that I wasn't out of breath as I zipped around, and it was a great feeling. It also takes a few minutes to walk from the parking lot to the building when I come and go, and I noticed the same thing as I entered and left the building today. I just feel lighter on my feet than I did last week, and I'm loving the fact that I feel completely in control, and my body feels like it's cleaner on the inside (I don't know how else to describe it). I've noticed that my feet and ankles haven't been swollen for the last week - they usually plump up by the end of each workday, but not now!
I'm actually excited to go to my pre-op appointment next Friday and prove that I've adhered to my diet, knowing that I've done everything I could to have a safe, uneventful surgery. My online calorie counter has been such a wonderful tool throughout this process so far. I will definitely continue to keep it up to date every day - especially after surgery. I enjoy being able to look back and see every bit of nutritional information that I eat each day, so I can make adjustments and improvements as needed. I feel very accountable to myself, and very motivated to continue on in the right direction.
The countdown is on until my big day... only 11 more days to go!!!
It is now day 10 of my pre-surgery diet, and I am officially down 15 pounds. I couldn't believe the energy I had at work today - it's been such a long time since I've really felt good. I work for a rather large company - my facility has a North and a South building with 4 floors on each. In my position, I do a lot of walking between several of the floors in both buildings. I'm still taking the elevators, rather than the stairs, but I'll work my way up to it eventually. Anyway, I noticed that I wasn't out of breath as I zipped around, and it was a great feeling. It also takes a few minutes to walk from the parking lot to the building when I come and go, and I noticed the same thing as I entered and left the building today. I just feel lighter on my feet than I did last week, and I'm loving the fact that I feel completely in control, and my body feels like it's cleaner on the inside (I don't know how else to describe it). I've noticed that my feet and ankles haven't been swollen for the last week - they usually plump up by the end of each workday, but not now!
I'm actually excited to go to my pre-op appointment next Friday and prove that I've adhered to my diet, knowing that I've done everything I could to have a safe, uneventful surgery. My online calorie counter has been such a wonderful tool throughout this process so far. I will definitely continue to keep it up to date every day - especially after surgery. I enjoy being able to look back and see every bit of nutritional information that I eat each day, so I can make adjustments and improvements as needed. I feel very accountable to myself, and very motivated to continue on in the right direction.
The countdown is on until my big day... only 11 more days to go!!!
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