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Saturday, December 24, 2016

Eve of Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, and I have had the flu. You know from my last post that I was stopped up like mad. Well I did what the Dr. ordered and I did finally go. Thank you God.
 But then I got the sore throat, bad bad cough, freezing then hot, you know the drill. So getting everything ready for fun at Calie and Nate's home after church, I did to much and I was not able to go to church. Actually I really just wanted to stay home. But I knew there would be a sad little Boo. Church is almost over, I need to glaze the ham, but taking a shower and getting ready wore me out again. So here I sit.
I cleaned up ok,  and I don't know how to do a selfie for the life of me.
Have a very Merry Christmas, and whatever you do, don't get sick.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

One month since surgery

I would and should be just so so happy that one month has gone by. They say that is the hardest of them all. However, I am having a hard time being so excited because for the last two weeks I, um, cough, cough, cough, lol have been completely constipated.  To the point that I am not able to get all my liquids down in a day, also food. I see food and I gag. Not to mention the freaking pain in my gut.
But yesterday I met with all my different specialists for my one month check. And, its very common at this time because two weeks ago is when I started eating food, instead of something soft and pureed. Ok that makes since, but still doesn't solve my problem lol.
First off, I was weighed. 216 lbs. I started at 244lbs. so down 28lbs. I told Mark, that I have 2 lbs. of $hit stuck in me, so I'm saying 30 lbs. LOLOL Hey, I have to make fun of this miserable moment. LOL
I then did the bod pod. Which tells us the percentage of fat verses muscle that is being lost. I am almost 50/50. They told me, that this is pretty much the norm at this time, because I am in the process of figuring out what to eat and when to eat and how much to eat. Also I get to introduce exercising.
They want me for the next two months to really concentrate on finding the foods that work for me but have high protein.
Next was exercise. I had purchased the TRX about a month ago to prepare for when I could start to exercise. Especially because Nate, my trainer had me try it and it didn't hurt my knee.
Here it is. This girl is using it outside, but we are attaching it to a stud on our wall. This works for me on so many levels. With a messed up neck and back, knee and very over weight, This TRX helps with holding some of my body weight. So Nate showed me the exercises he wants me to start. I have to say, this feels pretty good.
Next appointment was with the nutritionist. She told me what I could do for my constipation since Milk of magnisa was NOT lol working. And she gave me some recipes of different foods baked up into muffin tins and then frozen. Easy to pull out for a lunch.  I am all over this, because lunch has been a hard one for me.
Next off to psych. We learned that going through  a major thing like this in your life can start problems with relationships if you both are not aware what to look for and to understand why different things are happening. Also, she taught us about how others will start to treat me once it becomes more obvious whats happening with me. And how important it is to  my psychy to say the right thing back to people. I know this probably doesn't make any sense to you the reader, but for me it was a very good session.
This company Eviva is just awesome. This aftercare that they do for their patients is second to none.
Next appointment for me will be in a month here in Bellingham. And I think I am not going to weigh myself until then. 
Oh, did I tell you????? I have had an entire week with regular coffee. Whoooo HOOOOOO. LOL

Thursday, December 15, 2016

It's been awhile

Everything has been going pretty good. I am learning all about food in a brand new way. 
With me, its not been that I am an over eater, never really had been.  When I am skinny and exercising, I can pretty much eat what ever I want. But since getting hurt and being sedentary for the first two years ruined that for me. When my heart and soul is not into exercising, (because I couldn't after getting hurt)  Is where the wheels fell off for me. Loved my ice cream, especially at night. It takes a lot to gain 100lbs. 
So I have been asked by a couple people. "If you had to change your eating habits so drastically before and after this surgery, why didn't you just continue on your own? You are already down 1/4 of the weight.
My answer to these questions is......
It is so much more then to just keep going. When you are this much over weight, you can't exercise because of your injuries and then later your injuries and your weight.  There is no way, and I mean no way possible for me or anyone to be able to loose 100 lbs. without exercise. Not to mention my
left knee. I hurt it in gymnastics when I was in middle school. But now, OMG is it bad. Right before surgery, on a scale of 1 to 10, my pain was a 12. I was ready for surgery right then, cause I couldn't take it a second longer. However part of the reason for this surgery is because I was hoping to push surgery off for a few more years if I got some weight off. Well let me tell you this, I am not sure how much I have lost right now ( I will weigh at Dr. office on Monday) but as of day 17 and down 23 lbs. my knee is already better. Is the pain gone? No! but it sure is tolerable.  So I am already seeing a perk from having this done.
As I said in the very beginning of my blog posts, everyone thinks differently, this surgery was in no way shape or form "The easy way out" Its been work, the education I am getting is incredible.
For me, this has been the best decision of my life, and for the future of my life.
I think sometimes before we ask questions of people that we really know nothing about, that we should educate ourselves a little more. See, even this has been educational for me.
My cousin Lynn has told me two or three times now, "I can see the spark back in your eyes" 
You know what, I hadn't realized I lost it. But I sure get it, I can finally see a light at the end of my tunnel.

Monday, December 5, 2016

Check this out

Well since I wrote last, I have learned a couple things. Plus still trying to figure some things out. Not an easy task I tell ya.
Markie and I went out to do a couple things one evening. Mostly buy his mom and dad new lights and ornaments because we have put their old ones somewhere, and we don't know where. We just have to go through our storage. Any way off the subject.
So our first time out, all I can think of is what in the world can I eat? what if I don't eat at the right time? what if I start to get sick in the store? Thinking about all this really makes ya nervous. We didn't have time to go to a sit down restaurant, which would of been easier. And then I remembered Wendy's chili. Protein, yes! So we go to Wendy's. Cost .40 more cents to get one tablespoon of cheese on my chili. WTW! Oh well I had to do it, I needed more protein. I ate maybe 1/4 cup, and a two crackers. But I felt good and took the rest home.
Another night, Mark and I were watching a movie that was super intense, so I wasn't really paying much attention to my body while I was eating my snack of saltines and peanut butter. BIG, HUGE, MISTAKE. I started not feeling good, but thought if I just keep my mind on the movie I won't feel so sick.  NOPE, that didn't work one bit. Mark looked over at me and asked if I was sleeping, I could hardly get out of my mouth that I was sick. So he paused the movie, while I continued to get sicker and sicker. You see with such a little pouch left for a tummy, I really need to be careful on what goes in my mouth at all times, and especially how much and how fast. 
This dumping was the worst yet, Markie had to get me a bag to breath in because I started hyperventilating.  Thank God he did that. Now I could open my eyes, so I asked Markie if he would just tuck me in, I HAD to go to bed.
The next morning was just fine, but boy was I scared to eat anything. I am telling you all this because I am going to show you some pictures of the operation. One you will see him fixing my hernia, also stapling my stomach and then you will see the part of my stomach they removed.







                                                                             
                                                                               


So, as you can see my tummy is small. Finding the right foods at just the right time is tough. At this point of all this, I could no way go out somewhere all day. I would be scared. I know as time goes on and I learn more, I will feel more confident in myself. But not right yet. Its three weeks today, that I had my surgery, so for women or men that had to go back to work, I think it could be a little hard. But heck everyone is different.
I hope I didn't gross you out too much.