It's been a rough week, I won't lie. I'm still on pain meds and have a difficult time getting up and sitting down, but it's getting better. My diet currently consists of 2 oz (4 tablespoons) of various things, like yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, cream of wheat, and refried beans. It's hard to get all the water in that I'm supposed to, because I sometimes even feel nauseated when I drink water. The doctor said that's probably because I'm filling up my pouch, so he prescribed me some anti-nausea meds and advised me to drink more slowly.
Speaking of which, I had my first follow-up with the surgeon today, mainly to remove the JP drain I've had in my stomach and just discuss any issues I've had. Oh, and guess what? I lost another 16 pounds! That means that, since my first appointment with the surgeon in November, I have lost approximately 49 pounds. Dude! Isn't that awesome? I'm so excited about that. Sure, it's been sooooo hard, but it's already worth it. Yay!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Stronger every day...
I've been home almost two days now, and while I have moments where it hurts so badly I want to pass out, I feel like I'm getting better and better. I can get up more easily and walk around with less pain than even yesterday. As long as I keep up with my pain meds when necessary, I think I'll be fine.
I need to be better about my intake, though. I keep forgetting to eat or drink--it's so weird not to feel hungry! My belly rumbles a lot, but it's not hunger growls...I think it's just what I have dubbed "Mr. Newly-Rerouted GI Tract", and he's letting me know that he's still adjusting to things. Well, that makes two of us, Mr. NRGIT. Just have patience and we'll both get better eventually.
I wanted to record what one of the nurses, Jill, said to me the other day, just as I was about to be discharged from the hospital. She said that she is just so excited for me, and that she can sense something different in me, something that sets me apart from the other bariatric patients they get on the surgical floor. She said I just seem so positive, so motivated, and that this is something that will do wonders for me and my health. She also said she spoke to Ginny, who is the UVSWL Program Coordinator, and Ginny said the same. They can tell that I'm ready for this, that I will follow the rules, and I am going to change my life.
It meant so much to me to hear that from them. It's a lot to live up to, but something inside me tells me that they're right--I AM ready for this, and I am going to do all I can to take advantage of it and make it work for me. I've been a captive of my weight for so long, and it's finally time to take control and conquer it. I'm on my way already!
I need to be better about my intake, though. I keep forgetting to eat or drink--it's so weird not to feel hungry! My belly rumbles a lot, but it's not hunger growls...I think it's just what I have dubbed "Mr. Newly-Rerouted GI Tract", and he's letting me know that he's still adjusting to things. Well, that makes two of us, Mr. NRGIT. Just have patience and we'll both get better eventually.
I wanted to record what one of the nurses, Jill, said to me the other day, just as I was about to be discharged from the hospital. She said that she is just so excited for me, and that she can sense something different in me, something that sets me apart from the other bariatric patients they get on the surgical floor. She said I just seem so positive, so motivated, and that this is something that will do wonders for me and my health. She also said she spoke to Ginny, who is the UVSWL Program Coordinator, and Ginny said the same. They can tell that I'm ready for this, that I will follow the rules, and I am going to change my life.
It meant so much to me to hear that from them. It's a lot to live up to, but something inside me tells me that they're right--I AM ready for this, and I am going to do all I can to take advantage of it and make it work for me. I've been a captive of my weight for so long, and it's finally time to take control and conquer it. I'm on my way already!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Home from the hospital!
What a roller coaster that was! I got home from the hospital around 3:30 this afternoon, and it is sooo nice to be home. Here is a synopsis of the past few days...
Wednesday morning, my husband C and I woke up at 5am and made it to the hospital for check-in time at 5:30 (we left the baby monitor and a house key with the family downstairs so they could get my son, J, when he woke up at his normal time). After several more attempts of starting an IV in my arm--seriously, my bruises are OH-so-lovely--they finally got it in my left hand, I said goodbye to C, and then was wheeled into the holding area. The last thing I remember is signing something authorizing anesthesia, and then I woke up in the same place, with a CPAP machine on my face and someone saying my husband went to run an errand and would be back soon. Weird. They brought me to a tiny room, started taking my vitals, and C arrived. The rest of the day involved me getting up once or twice, making a few rounds of the little surgical area (sloooowly), and me snoozing and pushing the pain meds button quite a few times. C had to leave around 4 because he worked that night, so I think I just slept after that. It's hard to get good sleep in a hospital.
Thursday, I woke up and was taken downstairs to do something called a barium swallow (I think). I had to drink this gross stuff while they did an x-ray of it going down my esophagus to check for leaks. That stuff was gross--it was the first thing I had to eat or drink since Tuesday night...blech. Anyway, then I went back to my floor and did more watching TV and making slow rounds of the surgical unit. Once I got the approval to start "eating" and drinking, they removed my IV and started giving me liquid Lortab. Oh, and my sisters came to visit! That really lifted my spirits. They're both so fun :) They had to leave then, and by the time C stopped by on his way to work that night (K&R spent the night at our house to be there for J), my pain was pretty bad. I'm afraid I worried him a bit that night :( The rest of the night was really rough, honestly--they kept pressuring me to use the bathroom, since they had removed my catheter earlier that day and they needed to make sure I was "voiding my bladder" every so often. I just couldn't do it, so around 3am they did an ultrasound of my bladder and then did a straight cath. So not fun to have someone pushing on your stomach when you just had major abdominal surgery.
Friday was a bit better. I was pushing through the pain more and was more steady on my feet, although it was still really hard to get up and down. I finally peed on my own! Sorry, I'm sure you didn't want to know that, but it was a small victory. Oh, and the nurse gave me a sponge bath. You know, you really can't expect privacy when you just had a surgery like this--good thing I'd largely gotten over that when I had my son, which is a process that doesn't allow for privacy whatsoever. I felt better after that, and C and J came to visit that evening. It was so good to see both of them. The nurse took pity on me and offered me pain meds and some benadryl to help me sleep--I took her up on it and had a wonderful night of sleep (finally).
Saturday (today) was much the same as Friday, although I was really looking forward to going home so I was a little distracted. My surgeon was off for the weekend and the doctor who saw me wasn't familiar with the post-op diet for bariatric patients, so he told me he didn't want to release me because he didn't think I was hydrated enough. After thinking about it, I realized I was intaking exactly what I was supposed to, so I got the nurses on my side and they finally managed to get me released around 3pm. Yay!
So, current diet: 3-4 ounces of water every hour and 2 oz of cottage cheese, yogurt, or other full liquid three times a day. On Monday, I can start adding other things, such as refried beans, string cheese, and veggies. 70% protein, 30% vegetable--that is what I am looking at for the next few months. Everything needs to be basically pureed or really soft for about four weeks, and then I can start adding raw veggies and things like regular chicken.
It's harder than I ever thought it would be, but I'm so excited to finally be here. Oh, and another good note: I weighed myself the morning before the surgery, and I was down another 17 pounds--meaning I'd lost a total of 33 pounds on the liquid diet. Woot woot! So I was 404 lbs going into surgery, and I imagine I probably lost at least a little bit while in the hospital, so maybe I'm already below 400. Yay!
Thank you all for being so supportive and great about all of this! Love you!
Wednesday morning, my husband C and I woke up at 5am and made it to the hospital for check-in time at 5:30 (we left the baby monitor and a house key with the family downstairs so they could get my son, J, when he woke up at his normal time). After several more attempts of starting an IV in my arm--seriously, my bruises are OH-so-lovely--they finally got it in my left hand, I said goodbye to C, and then was wheeled into the holding area. The last thing I remember is signing something authorizing anesthesia, and then I woke up in the same place, with a CPAP machine on my face and someone saying my husband went to run an errand and would be back soon. Weird. They brought me to a tiny room, started taking my vitals, and C arrived. The rest of the day involved me getting up once or twice, making a few rounds of the little surgical area (sloooowly), and me snoozing and pushing the pain meds button quite a few times. C had to leave around 4 because he worked that night, so I think I just slept after that. It's hard to get good sleep in a hospital.
Thursday, I woke up and was taken downstairs to do something called a barium swallow (I think). I had to drink this gross stuff while they did an x-ray of it going down my esophagus to check for leaks. That stuff was gross--it was the first thing I had to eat or drink since Tuesday night...blech. Anyway, then I went back to my floor and did more watching TV and making slow rounds of the surgical unit. Once I got the approval to start "eating" and drinking, they removed my IV and started giving me liquid Lortab. Oh, and my sisters came to visit! That really lifted my spirits. They're both so fun :) They had to leave then, and by the time C stopped by on his way to work that night (K&R spent the night at our house to be there for J), my pain was pretty bad. I'm afraid I worried him a bit that night :( The rest of the night was really rough, honestly--they kept pressuring me to use the bathroom, since they had removed my catheter earlier that day and they needed to make sure I was "voiding my bladder" every so often. I just couldn't do it, so around 3am they did an ultrasound of my bladder and then did a straight cath. So not fun to have someone pushing on your stomach when you just had major abdominal surgery.
Friday was a bit better. I was pushing through the pain more and was more steady on my feet, although it was still really hard to get up and down. I finally peed on my own! Sorry, I'm sure you didn't want to know that, but it was a small victory. Oh, and the nurse gave me a sponge bath. You know, you really can't expect privacy when you just had a surgery like this--good thing I'd largely gotten over that when I had my son, which is a process that doesn't allow for privacy whatsoever. I felt better after that, and C and J came to visit that evening. It was so good to see both of them. The nurse took pity on me and offered me pain meds and some benadryl to help me sleep--I took her up on it and had a wonderful night of sleep (finally).
Saturday (today) was much the same as Friday, although I was really looking forward to going home so I was a little distracted. My surgeon was off for the weekend and the doctor who saw me wasn't familiar with the post-op diet for bariatric patients, so he told me he didn't want to release me because he didn't think I was hydrated enough. After thinking about it, I realized I was intaking exactly what I was supposed to, so I got the nurses on my side and they finally managed to get me released around 3pm. Yay!
So, current diet: 3-4 ounces of water every hour and 2 oz of cottage cheese, yogurt, or other full liquid three times a day. On Monday, I can start adding other things, such as refried beans, string cheese, and veggies. 70% protein, 30% vegetable--that is what I am looking at for the next few months. Everything needs to be basically pureed or really soft for about four weeks, and then I can start adding raw veggies and things like regular chicken.
It's harder than I ever thought it would be, but I'm so excited to finally be here. Oh, and another good note: I weighed myself the morning before the surgery, and I was down another 17 pounds--meaning I'd lost a total of 33 pounds on the liquid diet. Woot woot! So I was 404 lbs going into surgery, and I imagine I probably lost at least a little bit while in the hospital, so maybe I'm already below 400. Yay!
Thank you all for being so supportive and great about all of this! Love you!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Postponed :(
I checked in at the hospital at 9:30 this morning along with my husband and had some blood drawn, then was called back to the pre-op area. I changed into a gown, they put the compression thingies on my legs and, after three tries on one arm and a final attempt on the other, they started an IV (I have some beautiful bruises on my left arm from the failed attempts, though). Then they gave me some bad news: apparently, the person having the surgery before me had some complications, so I would have to wait a couple of hours. So, we settled in to wait.
And we waited. And waited. And waited. TV was boring, so I got up and we made a few rounds of the same-day surgery area (where the pre-op and post-op beds are). Finally, around 1:30, the nurse liaison, who is also the program coordinator for the Utah Valley Surgical Weight Loss Program, came to talk to me. She warned me that I was going to hate her...I guess that same person was still having problems, and the surgeon decided that they weren't going to be able to do my surgery today. SERIOUSLY?!?!? I put on a brave face, but I was soooooo disappointed. It's been postponed until next Wednesday, January 19th. Sigh. At least they promised me that I will be first on the list that day, meaning there won't be anyone before me to delay my surgery.
This changes a lot of things. Luckily, it's not a huge problem if I just go back to work for the next week, so that's all right. But the kicker is that my mother drove up here from CA to stay with my son while I was in the hospital. She took time off her two jobs especially for this, and it would be too much of a burden on her to stay the extra week until my surgery actually takes place, so...she's driving back home right now. And I don't think she'll be back next week because it's just too complicated to take another week off, drive back up here again, and all that stuff. I assured her that we'll be fine, that my sisters can help out, but I'm pretty bummed that she won't be here. I was looking forward to my mommy being around :(
But hey, this gives me some more time to shrink my liver with the high protein, low carb diet I've been on. I've been released to add some high-protein foods to my diet, such as cottage cheese, eggs, and string cheese, though protein shakes should still make up the bulk of my intake. This will also give me more time to get some supplies I neglected to get, like chewable multivitamins and small dishes.
It's been a very emotional day for me, so I think I'm going to go to bed early. So much of myself has led up to this day, and now I have a whole week in front of me to build myself up again. It's going to be rough.
And we waited. And waited. And waited. TV was boring, so I got up and we made a few rounds of the same-day surgery area (where the pre-op and post-op beds are). Finally, around 1:30, the nurse liaison, who is also the program coordinator for the Utah Valley Surgical Weight Loss Program, came to talk to me. She warned me that I was going to hate her...I guess that same person was still having problems, and the surgeon decided that they weren't going to be able to do my surgery today. SERIOUSLY?!?!? I put on a brave face, but I was soooooo disappointed. It's been postponed until next Wednesday, January 19th. Sigh. At least they promised me that I will be first on the list that day, meaning there won't be anyone before me to delay my surgery.
This changes a lot of things. Luckily, it's not a huge problem if I just go back to work for the next week, so that's all right. But the kicker is that my mother drove up here from CA to stay with my son while I was in the hospital. She took time off her two jobs especially for this, and it would be too much of a burden on her to stay the extra week until my surgery actually takes place, so...she's driving back home right now. And I don't think she'll be back next week because it's just too complicated to take another week off, drive back up here again, and all that stuff. I assured her that we'll be fine, that my sisters can help out, but I'm pretty bummed that she won't be here. I was looking forward to my mommy being around :(
But hey, this gives me some more time to shrink my liver with the high protein, low carb diet I've been on. I've been released to add some high-protein foods to my diet, such as cottage cheese, eggs, and string cheese, though protein shakes should still make up the bulk of my intake. This will also give me more time to get some supplies I neglected to get, like chewable multivitamins and small dishes.
It's been a very emotional day for me, so I think I'm going to go to bed early. So much of myself has led up to this day, and now I have a whole week in front of me to build myself up again. It's going to be rough.
Monday, January 10, 2011
T - 10 hours!
I report to the hospital at 9:30am tomorrow! I'm so excited and so READY for this. Not much else to say because I should probably get some sleep (even though I'll most likely be sleeping most of tomorrow, I should still get a good night beforehand, right? Not to mention it's the last time I'll be able to sleep on my stomach for awhile...). I'll try to update as soon as I can after the surgery, or maybe I'll have my husband post something on here.
Farewell, old me! Time to strip off the layers and reveal the real, true Carina! See you on the flip side!
Farewell, old me! Time to strip off the layers and reveal the real, true Carina! See you on the flip side!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Four days! So close!
I met with the pre-op nurse today for some bloodwork, an EKG (I think because of my high blood pressure), and just some general discussion about Tuesday. Nothing hugely exciting to report, except...
That's what a liquid diet will do to you =P Actually, let me clarify. I'm not sure where I was when I started the liquid diet because the scales at my parents' house don't go high enough to weigh me (but they will someday!), so I'm basing that weight loss off the last weight I registered when I visited my primary care doctor back in late November, I think. So, yay!
Everything else was just a basic overview of what things will be like on Tuesday before and after surgery. I don't know yet what time of day I'll be having it, but right now I'm last on the schedule...oh, fun. Hey, as long as it gets done, that is what's important, right? :)
I've debated writing about this, mostly because I'm a little ashamed, especially with all the wonderfully supportive "go Carina!"-type comments on my last post (for which I am so grateful--thank you all, seriously), but I promised myself I would be completely honest on this blog. The truth is, I slipped up recently. I had some chips and salsa, which has historically been one of my vices, and a small peanut butter sandwich. I know, I know! I need to follow doctor's orders! I kept the amount small, at least, and I feel so badly about doing it. I won't do it again, I promise. I'm too close to the surgery date to "get away" with anything, and I need to prove to myself that I can pick myself up after I fall and try again.
But there is my confession. Do with it what you will. I am human! I have frailties! I think that's obvious when you look at me--you can see plainly that I have a problem with nutrition. But I'm taking control now, and while I am not 100% perfect all the time, I am trying. I know that this surgery will give me the tool to conquer my lifelong battle. I know I end almost every post this way, but I need the reaffirmation to keep myself in this mindset. I am going to do this. I can and I will!
I've lost 16 pounds already!
That's what a liquid diet will do to you =P Actually, let me clarify. I'm not sure where I was when I started the liquid diet because the scales at my parents' house don't go high enough to weigh me (but they will someday!), so I'm basing that weight loss off the last weight I registered when I visited my primary care doctor back in late November, I think. So, yay!
Everything else was just a basic overview of what things will be like on Tuesday before and after surgery. I don't know yet what time of day I'll be having it, but right now I'm last on the schedule...oh, fun. Hey, as long as it gets done, that is what's important, right? :)
I've debated writing about this, mostly because I'm a little ashamed, especially with all the wonderfully supportive "go Carina!"-type comments on my last post (for which I am so grateful--thank you all, seriously), but I promised myself I would be completely honest on this blog. The truth is, I slipped up recently. I had some chips and salsa, which has historically been one of my vices, and a small peanut butter sandwich. I know, I know! I need to follow doctor's orders! I kept the amount small, at least, and I feel so badly about doing it. I won't do it again, I promise. I'm too close to the surgery date to "get away" with anything, and I need to prove to myself that I can pick myself up after I fall and try again.
But there is my confession. Do with it what you will. I am human! I have frailties! I think that's obvious when you look at me--you can see plainly that I have a problem with nutrition. But I'm taking control now, and while I am not 100% perfect all the time, I am trying. I know that this surgery will give me the tool to conquer my lifelong battle. I know I end almost every post this way, but I need the reaffirmation to keep myself in this mindset. I am going to do this. I can and I will!
Monday, January 3, 2011
One week left! Ack!
Well, here we are, a new year upon us. It's going to be one interesting year, I can tell you that. My surgery is one week from tomorrow! It's crazy to think that it's already that close. I'm so excited.
I've been on an all-liquid diet for a week now, and I have a week left to go. And no, I haven't cheated! That's not to say I haven't been tempted...oh boy, have I been tempted. A lot of the last week was spent at my parents' house in CA, where I had easy access to chocolate mint brownies, Miguel's Jr., homemade bread, and more of my favorites. People have been considerate around me, though, and while it's been a struggle, I'm doing it.
My diet currently consists of protein/weight loss shakes (SlimFast and Atkins, generally), cottage cheese, soup (cream of chicken and tomato), milk, and lots of water and Crystal Light. Sounds tasty, huh? I added the cottage cheese and soup because they are considered full liquids on the post-op diet, and I was feeling really weak with only the protein shakes. I don't know how much weight I've lost already, but I have to have lost at least something.
Every time I'm tempted to eat something--seriously, no one would have known if I had eaten a PBJ while my husband ran an errand tonight after our son was in bed--I just tell myself that my health is worth it. It doesn't always work like a charm, but I've managed so far, and if I've made it this far, I can make it the rest of the way, right? I can do this! I'm just so looking forward to not feeling these hunger pangs anymore...at least for awhile...
I've been on an all-liquid diet for a week now, and I have a week left to go. And no, I haven't cheated! That's not to say I haven't been tempted...oh boy, have I been tempted. A lot of the last week was spent at my parents' house in CA, where I had easy access to chocolate mint brownies, Miguel's Jr., homemade bread, and more of my favorites. People have been considerate around me, though, and while it's been a struggle, I'm doing it.
My diet currently consists of protein/weight loss shakes (SlimFast and Atkins, generally), cottage cheese, soup (cream of chicken and tomato), milk, and lots of water and Crystal Light. Sounds tasty, huh? I added the cottage cheese and soup because they are considered full liquids on the post-op diet, and I was feeling really weak with only the protein shakes. I don't know how much weight I've lost already, but I have to have lost at least something.
Every time I'm tempted to eat something--seriously, no one would have known if I had eaten a PBJ while my husband ran an errand tonight after our son was in bed--I just tell myself that my health is worth it. It doesn't always work like a charm, but I've managed so far, and if I've made it this far, I can make it the rest of the way, right? I can do this! I'm just so looking forward to not feeling these hunger pangs anymore...at least for awhile...
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