Hiya Gals!!
I hope this finds all of you well and happy! I can't believe how well I'm feeling! Then I start to do to much and my body tells me pretty quick, so I slow down again. I actually slept 7 hours in BED last night! IT FELT SO GOOD!! I'm getting pretty good at giving myself those injections, whatever it takes right !!
I have been eating three 8 oz. protein drinks, a few teaspoons of applesauce with my Prevacid sprinkled on top (what a treat!), a few teaspoons to a 1/4 cup of yogurt, and a 1/4 cup of soup once or twice a day. I find the soup very yummy! But I have to be very careful not to drink too much! I did that the first time, yesterday and I was pretty uncomfortable feeling all night! I never dumped (Thank God!) but I felt like uncomfortable full.
It is weird they way different doctors do things differently, our doctors share the same office but the still have very different ways of doing the same thing. Funny!
What are you eating these days Amy? Give us an update!
Diane
I have been eating three 8 oz. protein drinks, a few teaspoons of applesauce with my Prevacid sprinkled on top (what a treat!), a few teaspoons to a 1/4 cup of yogurt, and a 1/4 cup of soup once or twice a day. I find the soup very yummy! But I have to be very careful not to drink too much! I did that the first time, yesterday and I was pretty uncomfortable feeling all night! I never dumped (Thank God!) but I felt like uncomfortable full.
It is weird they way different doctors do things differently, our doctors share the same office but the still have very different ways of doing the same thing. Funny!
What are you eating these days Amy? Give us an update!
Diane
Sounds like you're doing good! I can't believe you're able to sleep in your bed so soon. It sure felt like heaven when I could! Yeah, that "uncomfortable full" is not pleasant. That's great you're getting in 3 protein drinks a day (I'm usually getting 2 in a day).
I have been looking for protein sources in my food, and while I'm still careful, I am tiring of scrambled eggs, tuna and cottage cheese. I bought some salmon patties (no breading) from Costco and can eat 1/4 to 1/2. I have had a small amount of tuna salad on a cracker or two, and have had refried beans with a little melted cheese. Last night I had two shrimp from my daughters frozen dinner. I have not had any bread, pasta or any of that sort. Now, I'm NOT recommending any of these foods, and I might be slightly pushing my diet phase, but I don't feel I'm really "cheating" or anything. Of course I can't eat that much of anything anyhow. I bought some ground turkey and am thinking about making some milf turkey chili tomorrow. Something the whole family can eat. My paperwork says I can have puree meats, so I'm just chewing everything to death, lol...
I have noticed at nearly 4 weeks out that I am able to drink slightly more liquids at a time. No chugging of course, but it is nice to get liquids down a little quicker. I'm drinking Special K protein water (they have it bottled and in packets) rather than Crystal Light or water, just because it's got the 5 gms protein. South Beach has packets of protein water mixes too, although theirs only contains 3 gms protein. I've been finding the protein waters on sale lately, so I've been stocking up.
I was able to move around and start walking within the first week of returning home, and have been faithful in exercise ever since! I LOVE to swim, and my teenage daughter got a job at a local motel that has a small pool. Families are allowed to swim there for free, so we have definately taken advantage of that! So I'm either walking or swimming---and find I get frustrated if my schedule gets disrupted. Every week feels like a milestone in endurance, and I just keep doing a little more each time. I'd like to get back on my bike too, but right now I'm just a little leary of being bent over (I still have slight tenderness every now and then) or falling off my bike (unlikely, but heh?!). Maybe in a week or two.
Do you have any plans or strategies for eating / exercising while at work? I am kind of getting a "system" down, and next week I'm back to work full time. One day I skipped meeting the gals for lunch and went for an extra walk. But I found I missed the visiting. The next day I brought a magazine to our lunchroom table and sipped my protein water. But I felt a little dumb, like everyone was eating but me. Another day I just ate a few bites of lunch I brought, socialized, and it wasn't so bad. I was worried about everyone staring and scrutinizing. Maybe some were, but I was too busy yapping and catching up!
I start out my day with a protein drink and try to keep it cold next to my desk as long as it takes me to drink. Which sometimes is a couple hrs! I generally go on a 15 min break in the afternoon with another coworker (we've been doing that since spring). I find that if I eat something at my desk prior to that, and then go for a walk, I don't have to dwell so much on having to wait to drink any liquids. I also try to take my chewable multi vit then too, so they can "sit" in my stomach awhile. I was always one to drink a lot of liquids, and "wash" a meal down...so that has been hard for me.
When is your follow up appt? What are your Dr.'s diet recommendations until you go back?
I think the best thing this surgery has done for me, at least for now, is that it's taken the DESIRE to eat bad foods away. I have felt in CONTROL for the first time. I am in awe of this. I keep wondering if this is what all those naturally thin people just normally experience??? I hope it doesn't fade for awhile. I realize that in time we will be able to eat more, tolerate more and may want to "test" our boundaries. I'm just in no hurry to do that.
Have a great day!
Amy~
I have been looking for protein sources in my food, and while I'm still careful, I am tiring of scrambled eggs, tuna and cottage cheese. I bought some salmon patties (no breading) from Costco and can eat 1/4 to 1/2. I have had a small amount of tuna salad on a cracker or two, and have had refried beans with a little melted cheese. Last night I had two shrimp from my daughters frozen dinner. I have not had any bread, pasta or any of that sort. Now, I'm NOT recommending any of these foods, and I might be slightly pushing my diet phase, but I don't feel I'm really "cheating" or anything. Of course I can't eat that much of anything anyhow. I bought some ground turkey and am thinking about making some milf turkey chili tomorrow. Something the whole family can eat. My paperwork says I can have puree meats, so I'm just chewing everything to death, lol...
I have noticed at nearly 4 weeks out that I am able to drink slightly more liquids at a time. No chugging of course, but it is nice to get liquids down a little quicker. I'm drinking Special K protein water (they have it bottled and in packets) rather than Crystal Light or water, just because it's got the 5 gms protein. South Beach has packets of protein water mixes too, although theirs only contains 3 gms protein. I've been finding the protein waters on sale lately, so I've been stocking up.
I was able to move around and start walking within the first week of returning home, and have been faithful in exercise ever since! I LOVE to swim, and my teenage daughter got a job at a local motel that has a small pool. Families are allowed to swim there for free, so we have definately taken advantage of that! So I'm either walking or swimming---and find I get frustrated if my schedule gets disrupted. Every week feels like a milestone in endurance, and I just keep doing a little more each time. I'd like to get back on my bike too, but right now I'm just a little leary of being bent over (I still have slight tenderness every now and then) or falling off my bike (unlikely, but heh?!). Maybe in a week or two.
Do you have any plans or strategies for eating / exercising while at work? I am kind of getting a "system" down, and next week I'm back to work full time. One day I skipped meeting the gals for lunch and went for an extra walk. But I found I missed the visiting. The next day I brought a magazine to our lunchroom table and sipped my protein water. But I felt a little dumb, like everyone was eating but me. Another day I just ate a few bites of lunch I brought, socialized, and it wasn't so bad. I was worried about everyone staring and scrutinizing. Maybe some were, but I was too busy yapping and catching up!
I start out my day with a protein drink and try to keep it cold next to my desk as long as it takes me to drink. Which sometimes is a couple hrs! I generally go on a 15 min break in the afternoon with another coworker (we've been doing that since spring). I find that if I eat something at my desk prior to that, and then go for a walk, I don't have to dwell so much on having to wait to drink any liquids. I also try to take my chewable multi vit then too, so they can "sit" in my stomach awhile. I was always one to drink a lot of liquids, and "wash" a meal down...so that has been hard for me.
When is your follow up appt? What are your Dr.'s diet recommendations until you go back?
I think the best thing this surgery has done for me, at least for now, is that it's taken the DESIRE to eat bad foods away. I have felt in CONTROL for the first time. I am in awe of this. I keep wondering if this is what all those naturally thin people just normally experience??? I hope it doesn't fade for awhile. I realize that in time we will be able to eat more, tolerate more and may want to "test" our boundaries. I'm just in no hurry to do that.
Have a great day!
Amy~
Hi Amy,
You sound like you are getting the hang of this! You get to eat Tuna? Yummmmm. I can only dream.....I have scrambled myself an egg and almost ate the whole thing. It was so yummy!! I hope that wasn't too bad for me, I look forward to adding Tuna and I'm gonna try cottage cheese again, it's been many (20?) years since I tried it but I didn't like it back then.
You DO NOT look old enough to have a teenage daughter!! I had to read that sentence twice! Good for you with the swimming! And the walking!! I have yet to get a walking regime started, I know bad me, before surgery I was taking Voltaren for my knees, they just were hurting and my legs felt like they were 50 lb. tree trunks, so the doc gave me this stuff to try, it's a pain reliever for arthritic knees, I don't think I have arthritic knees, but it worked, well I quite taking it the day before surgery and it was Tuesday after surgery and weaning off the pain pills when I noticed my knees hurt and my legs felt like tree trunks again. So I started taking it again, so, now it's Saturday and finally it's kicked in and my knees don't hurt as much, so I guess now it's time to start walking!
oh, BTW, I didn't get your email while I was in the hospital, they sent it to me printed out on paper and I got it the Monday after I came home! Thank you for your well wishes and good thoughts!
My follow up appt. is this Monday the 4th, and then I think it's monthly after that? I'm not sure.
I'm hoping to be moved off the liquids to soft diet for two weeks when I see her on Monday.
How are your incisions? My belly itches!! They seem to be healing quite nicely, my doc used a DermaGlue did yours?
That's a great last paragraph you wrote, it says alot, all things I can really relate too. I think the best thing this surgery has done for me is make me not feel hungry and limits the amounts I can eat, (when something tastes good I have to eat it all). I never have been a junk food eater, I like an occasional desert, it's just been overeating the really good stuff that has led me down this road. I think my biggest battle is going to be with Head Hunger, and just working through some of the issues like, it's okay, I know it's good but you can make it again....and you really don't have to eat all the leftovers...and clean your plate.....it's gonna take some work! Wednesday my daughter mentioned how she is missing my cooking,(my two teenagers are fending for themselves) and she said "remember that Chicken Bacon Ranch you made?" Of course I did! Well, I thought about it all day Thursday, I couldn't get my mind off of it, so I went to the store in the afternoon, got everything I needed, came home and made it, the kids loved it, and I didn't have to think about it anymore. And, No , I didn't even have to eat any of it, that was the really good part! So, I know this is a journey, one day at a time..
I have one more week before I go back to work and I think I'll try to do six hour days for a week or two to build up my endurance, that's one thing I'm finding, it's taking me a lot longer to bounce back then it did when I had my c-section when I was thirty! It's hell getting old!! LOL
I am trying to figure out what to do at work, sometimes I'm in the office all day, sometimes I'm in the field, driving around looking at houses. I guess I'll need to pack a cooler and get a lot of little containers! For my tuna!! Can you tell, I love Tuna ? oh, and egg salad!! and chicken salad!!
I gotta say, I'm looking forward to the weight-loss, but I'm also looking forward to being to eat a little more normally!! That's bad isn't it???
Any chance you'll be at the doc's on Monday too? my appt. is at 11.
Talk to you later!
Diane
You sound like you are getting the hang of this! You get to eat Tuna? Yummmmm. I can only dream.....I have scrambled myself an egg and almost ate the whole thing. It was so yummy!! I hope that wasn't too bad for me, I look forward to adding Tuna and I'm gonna try cottage cheese again, it's been many (20?) years since I tried it but I didn't like it back then.
You DO NOT look old enough to have a teenage daughter!! I had to read that sentence twice! Good for you with the swimming! And the walking!! I have yet to get a walking regime started, I know bad me, before surgery I was taking Voltaren for my knees, they just were hurting and my legs felt like they were 50 lb. tree trunks, so the doc gave me this stuff to try, it's a pain reliever for arthritic knees, I don't think I have arthritic knees, but it worked, well I quite taking it the day before surgery and it was Tuesday after surgery and weaning off the pain pills when I noticed my knees hurt and my legs felt like tree trunks again. So I started taking it again, so, now it's Saturday and finally it's kicked in and my knees don't hurt as much, so I guess now it's time to start walking!
oh, BTW, I didn't get your email while I was in the hospital, they sent it to me printed out on paper and I got it the Monday after I came home! Thank you for your well wishes and good thoughts!
My follow up appt. is this Monday the 4th, and then I think it's monthly after that? I'm not sure.
I'm hoping to be moved off the liquids to soft diet for two weeks when I see her on Monday.
How are your incisions? My belly itches!! They seem to be healing quite nicely, my doc used a DermaGlue did yours?
That's a great last paragraph you wrote, it says alot, all things I can really relate too. I think the best thing this surgery has done for me is make me not feel hungry and limits the amounts I can eat, (when something tastes good I have to eat it all). I never have been a junk food eater, I like an occasional desert, it's just been overeating the really good stuff that has led me down this road. I think my biggest battle is going to be with Head Hunger, and just working through some of the issues like, it's okay, I know it's good but you can make it again....and you really don't have to eat all the leftovers...and clean your plate.....it's gonna take some work! Wednesday my daughter mentioned how she is missing my cooking,(my two teenagers are fending for themselves) and she said "remember that Chicken Bacon Ranch you made?" Of course I did! Well, I thought about it all day Thursday, I couldn't get my mind off of it, so I went to the store in the afternoon, got everything I needed, came home and made it, the kids loved it, and I didn't have to think about it anymore. And, No , I didn't even have to eat any of it, that was the really good part! So, I know this is a journey, one day at a time..
I have one more week before I go back to work and I think I'll try to do six hour days for a week or two to build up my endurance, that's one thing I'm finding, it's taking me a lot longer to bounce back then it did when I had my c-section when I was thirty! It's hell getting old!! LOL
I am trying to figure out what to do at work, sometimes I'm in the office all day, sometimes I'm in the field, driving around looking at houses. I guess I'll need to pack a cooler and get a lot of little containers! For my tuna!! Can you tell, I love Tuna ? oh, and egg salad!! and chicken salad!!
I gotta say, I'm looking forward to the weight-loss, but I'm also looking forward to being to eat a little more normally!! That's bad isn't it???
Any chance you'll be at the doc's on Monday too? my appt. is at 11.
Talk to you later!
Diane
LOL...you are so funny, I loved the age comment! I am 39, and my kids are 7 (nearly 8), 14 (nearly 15) & 16. I'm hoping to be 40 and FABULOUS rather than 40 and FAT next year! 
My family has been more or less fending for themselves, although I was starting to hear the comment "Oh it must be help yourself night" routinely. But I am finding as I'm feeling better and getting my own food requirements lined up I've been more inclined to plan / help or assist with meals. My hubby is a cook, but has a mixed schedule of eves and days. So it's not like I have to worry about everyone starving...he usually makes dinner if he's home. I did make that turkey chili and didn't have any ill effects. Chew chew chew...and it really filled me up. In fact I was disapointed I couldn't eat more. Such a strange concept!
I too came from the club of clean plates! And unfortunately that has also been instilled in our family, which I'm TRYING to get over. Leftovers is another biggee. I am starting to realize it's not my JOB to make sure the leftovers get eaten (or eat them myself). What can I say? I work for the State, we're poor, lol...
Sounds like your Dr. has different follow up as well. I'm not to see my Dr. for my 1st follow up till Aug 20th (6 weeks after surgery). Not sure how often after that, guess I'll find out. I do not want to travel there in the dead of winter! When we went over for our consult in February the roads were horrible (and we lived to tell it)!
I had itchy incisions but that's all gone now. Everything is all healed now. The kids thought that was "cool" they used superglue rather than stitches (I hope they don't get any wierd ideas). I really believe the exercise has helped with my recovery. Maybe losing weight will help with the knee pain. Wouldn't that be nice? I had a lot of edema in my legs and feet, and was surprised that it has vitrually disapeared since my surgery.
Enjoy your last week off! Let me know how the follow up appt. goes
My family has been more or less fending for themselves, although I was starting to hear the comment "Oh it must be help yourself night" routinely. But I am finding as I'm feeling better and getting my own food requirements lined up I've been more inclined to plan / help or assist with meals. My hubby is a cook, but has a mixed schedule of eves and days. So it's not like I have to worry about everyone starving...he usually makes dinner if he's home. I did make that turkey chili and didn't have any ill effects. Chew chew chew...and it really filled me up. In fact I was disapointed I couldn't eat more. Such a strange concept!
I too came from the club of clean plates! And unfortunately that has also been instilled in our family, which I'm TRYING to get over. Leftovers is another biggee. I am starting to realize it's not my JOB to make sure the leftovers get eaten (or eat them myself). What can I say? I work for the State, we're poor, lol...
Sounds like your Dr. has different follow up as well. I'm not to see my Dr. for my 1st follow up till Aug 20th (6 weeks after surgery). Not sure how often after that, guess I'll find out. I do not want to travel there in the dead of winter! When we went over for our consult in February the roads were horrible (and we lived to tell it)!
I had itchy incisions but that's all gone now. Everything is all healed now. The kids thought that was "cool" they used superglue rather than stitches (I hope they don't get any wierd ideas). I really believe the exercise has helped with my recovery. Maybe losing weight will help with the knee pain. Wouldn't that be nice? I had a lot of edema in my legs and feet, and was surprised that it has vitrually disapeared since my surgery.
Enjoy your last week off! Let me know how the follow up appt. goes
I know I know it will happen the way it is supposed to. At least now I got two big sisters talking me through it when I finally get to go. 
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