wiccandove

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

This weekend we drove  my kids back to their father in New Hampshire. We decided to stay overnight in a hotel before heading back the next day. Dinner time rolled around and my BF wanted to get my biggest food weakness-  chinese food.

Now to be clear, the type of chinese food you get in New England is very different then the chinese food you can get in Toronto - especially egg rolls! 

Well, I thought I did pretty good at first. I had one terriaki beef stick which was moist and easy to eat. Then I made the probably bad choice to eat the egg roll.

Now these egg rolls are large. More like a burrito almost. They are filled with chopped cabbage, shrimp, and pork and very dense. I figured I would be ok if I just ate the filling and not the wrapper.

It was so good. Too good. I ate ALL the filling. And of course about 1/2 later all the filling came back up. This was my first overeating incident because I liked the food too much. I've thought about this incident a lot since yesterday and realized that it would of been ok if I had eaten 1/4 of the egg roll instead of all of it. I need to learn I'm not missing out on a food just because I don't eat it all. I need to make that small amount count, not eat fast, enjoy it for what it is and not be trying to shove the next forkful in my mouth of food that tastes exactly the same as the food i'm still chewing. I know this, anyone reading this knows this. But this was my first incident with trigger food since surgery. Luckily for me you can't get this food in Toronto so I won't have to struggle with over eating this particular food here, but I'm sure there will be others.

My BF and I have gone out to eat a few times recently (to hot to cook!) and I think I am doing ok with making smart(er) choices. For instance, at one place he had a burger and I ate lentil soup. At Montanas he ordered steak and I had a small portion of his steak and 2 greenbeans (I don't think the waitress was too keen on us sharing but oh well). If he goes to wendys I get either a chili, or a jr. cheese burger plain with no bun. Tonight he went out to get Mcdonalds and I had him get me chicken chop suey. 

I have to be realistic - we are still going to eat out. Its part of being social. I just have to find a way to deal with it and choose what i think are better options and watch my portions. Please tell me I'm not too off base here!

I finally broke down and bought some patches from PatchMD. They just arrived in the mail - wee!

Now, to be clear, TWH said there wasn't enough research on the patches and couldn't recomend them. I've been reading on these forums that some people in the USA have been using them with success. I figured its worth a try. I hate feeling surrounded by pills all day long. 

I ordered the B12 patches, multi vitamin and calcium D3. Now the calcium patch ssays its calcium carbonate but from what I understand the reason RNY'rs need citrate is because we take it orally and its digested better. Getting the calcium through the skin should not cause an absorbtion issue, but I guess I'll see.

I'm a little worried about my iron and am not sure how to manage that due to my thalassemia. I'll be discussing it with my primary Dr., maybe I'll have to go to a hematologist again.

My plan is to wear the multi vits and calcium over night and the b12 during the day.

Wish me luck!

I have a wedding coming up in 2 days (yeah yeah I waited until the last minute). My usual go to for clothes is Addition Elle but I didn't really like what they had for dresses so I went to Torrid.

 

First off let me just say that the sales people in Torrid at the Eaton Centre are amazingly patient and helpful. I was probably in there for almost 2 hours, tried on 9 dresses in various sizes and a few bras. And some shorts. I ended up leaving with a size 20 dress, down from a 24, same for shorts. Bras are still tricky but they carry size G at Torrid, which I didn't know, and got a great cup fit, even if I do have to use an extender around the chest. Hopefully someday I'll be able to wear it without the extender!

 

I think I need to change my weight goal. At first I put 185, mostly because when the nurse aked me what I wanted to weigh after surgery I had no idea. I figured they would tell you what your goal would be. Having lost 48 pounds so far I'm thinking I could weigh 150, like I used to years ago. I don't know if I have to talk to the nurses to change my goal or just change it myself. I'm kinda bummed that losing 48 pounds hasn't made a HUGE difference in the way I look, because 48 pounds seems like a lot. I can't really work out yet because I'm only 5 weeks but soon! Maybe working out will help with the body I want to have instead of this mess of fat and flab.

July 6th was my 4 week post-op appointment at TWH. It started at 1pm. At 10am I ate 1/3 cup of wendys chili, which went down fine. At noon, I took a few sips of my protein water and was in agony, like I had eaten to much. Horrible back pain, burping, ect. I finally threw up and felt fine after, but I did think it was odd. 

Since we were in a rush out the door I forgot to bring my protein water with me and was super thirsty by the time I got to the clinic. I got a small cup of water from their water cooler, had 2 sips and it hurt! I figured this was because I threw up and my pouch must still be sensitive. 

Went in to see Patti the nurse and as she was asking me how things were going I said "Good! well, except I've had a rough morning..." and then proceeded to tell her what happened. I was trying to play it down because I didn't want to come across as a baby. I had assumed this was all part of the healing process.

Luckily, Patti took this more seriously then I did and told me if I was still having pain after the meeting to come find her. The meeting was 2 hours long and yes, I was still uncomfortable at the end. I almost didn't go look for her but decided at the last minute I might as well since I was still waiting for my ride.

Patti sent me down right away for an xray. By the time I got back to baricatrics she had already contacted the resident surgeon. Even tho the xray came back normal, they wanted to admit me for observation, a ct scan and a possible endoscopy. I was little shocked to say the least. The surgeon explained with this type of surgery they always like to be cautious. Right away I asked if they thought this was a stricture (I've been terrified of getting one since before the surgery!) and the surgeon said you don't normally see strictures this early out and it was probably an ulcer. Reluctantly, I was admitted and in a weird coincidence ended up in the same room I stayed in after my surgery lol. I guess that was the only bright thing in all of this is that I ended up in a private room - silver lining!

At least the view was nice!

A very nice nurse named Dennis came in and hooked me up to my IV and took my blood. I secretly got a kick out of Dennis - he was from russia and everytime he said "blood" it made me think of vampires. 

My BF went home to get me some toiletries and most of all, my own pillow! I wish I had brought one the first time :P

A few hours later off I went to get the CT scan. I had to laugh when Dennis brought in the giant cup of contrast they wanted me to drink.

Giant Cup!

In the end I managed to force down seven 30ml cups of contrast in just over an hour. Every sip hurt like crazy. By this time I was also thinking I had an ulcer.

Well, the CT scan came back fine so next day it was down to endoscopy for me. I know people say they dope you up and you don't remember what happens, but the doctor seemed in a hurry and I felt and remembered everything. I even saw the inside of my pouch on the monitor! He quickly found I had a stricture at the bottom of my pouch and used a balloon to open it back up. None of it hurt but it felt weird for sure.

Back in the room I was given good old jello and apple juice and everything went down and didn't hurt at all, it was amazing. I went home the next day, after a total of three days in hospital.

So I'm going to talk about being a patient having undergone RNY for a minute. I think its very important to know your own limitations as the nurses are not all familiar with the special needs of a gastric bypass patient. I can't tell you how many nurses brought me straws! And it took me forever to have someone verify that the jello was no sugar added. I was put on the puree diet of the hospital and heres what came for my first meal:

Meal One

Now, besides the fact that this is way to much food for me, whats with the bread??

Ok now meal 2:

Mushy Meal 2

I'm not sure, but it looks like an orge sneezed on my plate. Those were peas (I think). I still have no idea what kind of meat or soup they brought me I braved a little bit of the meat mixed with the potatoes but in the end just mostly ate potatoes. The pureed bananas looked interesting but I couldn't find any info on their sugar content so I didn't eat them. Since I can't drink for 30 minutes after eating I saved the tea and made it into ice tea later on.

Meal Three - possibly WW2 leftover rations

Ok this meal was pretty gross. It was pureed chick peas, pureed chicken and potatoes. The scary thing was this came in a presealed package that had obviously been microwaved. I have a feeling it sat in the freezer for a long time. I ate maybe 1/4 cup of everything mushed together - omg the aftertaste would not go away! Not even after brushing my teeth!

Meal 4, or second Breakfast

No picture of the acctual food here but here is a shot of the slip. Can you point out 2 things right away I can't have? If you said bread and coffee you win! I asked the nurse to change the coffee for tea, which she did. I toyed with adding the sweetner but when I read the package it had aspertame in it so I didn't. I ended up eating some of the cream of wheat plain which was just fine with me.

Anyway I guess my point here is to take a good look at the food brought to you if you find yourself in hospital for any reason after surgery. Don't rely on the nurses and doctors to know all of your dietary restrictions. Also, don't expect to get your vitamins! If I had know I wasn't going to be getting them from the hospital I would have had my BF bring them for me.

I have to go back for another endoscopy on July 28th to see if the stricture needs to be re-opened. Depending on what they find, I may need to go back a few times. As I mentioned before this was one of the things I was most afraid of, but now that its happened its not really a big deal to get taken care of (although it is a pretty serious side effect).

I really need to start paying attention to myself. When I already have that full feeling but there is just "one more" teaspoon of food left, I eat it and then the pain sets in. Like right now I'm really regretting that last spoonful of chili!

I ate an ungodly amount of hummus yesterday and was at like 910 calories. The hummus sat well with me and I wasn't really in the mood for anything else but at the end of the day when I look at my totals I was shocked.

I've discovered eating first thing in the morning to not agree with me. Tried to make my own protein shake based on the recipe from the handout they gave me at the hospital but I couldn't finish it.

I browsed eggface's pureed stage recipies and was all excited to try some new stuff today but now am in too much pain from the chili and don't want anything. :(

Sometimes I feel I ask to many questions!

I feel I didn't have as many questions before surgery and now I feel like I am posting almost everyday with some silly question or other. I feel silly sometimes like I'm being judged "oh no not another topic by Wiccandove!"

Anyway, last few days have been interesting:

1.I threw up for the first time trying to eat eggs to fast. That was scary, and painful. I called the nurse because 3 hours later it was still painful and she was like "its only been 3 hours" like I was a moron. Well, its never hurt throwing up before so I didn't know how long was normal or not! I was pretty much better by the next day by just sticking to liquids.

2. My well meaning BF has discovered he can make all kinds of smoothies and soups and stuff in our new vitamix. This is great but he keeps wanting me to try some and I keep having to tell him no. Today he wanted me to try this frozen strawberry thing he made and he was so proud of himself he was really being pushy with "just a taste". I asked him what was in it and he said "only strawberries, (some other ingrediant I forget) and SUGAR. I was like, really dude? you want me to eat frozen fruit and sugar 3 weeks after surgery? I so hate you right now. Then he looked all embarrased and apologized. I guess it will take time for him to be accustomed to the new norm too.

3. Was sad I couldn't eat chicken alfredo with the rest of the family - especially since they made it the night I threw up and was on liquids only. I know they have to eat too but can't they eat gross things that don't smell so good? :P

4. Joined the YMCA yesterday! Even tho I can't use the pool or anything for another 3 weeks I can still use their walking track, which is nice when its 10 million degrees outside. I did a half an hour on the walking track today. I know its not a lot but its a great start for me.

5. Finaly figured out a way to get in all my protein - Splash protein powder! Now, it tastes like Tang on steroids so I water it down a lot because I'm not a fan of sweet things. I figure getting my protein in will be easier once I can eat more solid foods but for now this stuff is really making a difference - I hit 82 grams of protein today!

Going to be trying salmon tomorrow for the first time since surgery - wish me luck!

I can't believe its been 3 weeks! Since starting Optifast I'm down 38 pounds! But let me back up.....

Surgery went well - recovery was a little rocky. I had an issue with a nurse who gave me my pain meds wrong and made me quite ill and over-doped up and later have a panic attack. A bunch of people took a report on this incident but I don't know that anything ever came of it.

Since coming home I've been taking it really slow eating, like instead of a teaspoon at a time I take 1/2 teaspoon, wait 5 minutes, then another. I started pureed this week and am getting a little braver with wendys chili. I ate 4 oz of chili yesterday as a meal - if I had just remembered to put in my protein powder I would have hit my protein goal!

I tried some pureed chicken in tomato sauce, and some mashed up haddock. While both of these things agreed with me they didn't feel as comfortable as the chili so I'm going to back off and just stick with chili for a while.