Tricky eating

So I will be 4 weeks post op tomorrow and I am still trying to get the hang of eating soft foods.  Things like cottage cheese and yogurt and cheese seem to be no problem.  Fish is easy... other meat.. tricky.  I have been eating turkey lunch meat wrapped around a piece of cheese.  I have to eat very slowly, which I suck at.  I always eat too fast and then end up with a little pain.  I keep practicing but at work I just can't seem to remember to eat slow.  I am very aware of the amount I am eating so I have never eaten too much.  I will pretty much be on this same diet for the next 6 weeks.  Then I can add in raw veggies and fruits.  I can't wait.  I love salads and I am really missing them.

My back is still giving me big trouble.  I hurt most of the time.  By the time night rolls around I am so much pain I just can't wait to go to bed.  It has certainly improved but now I feel like the improving has sort of leveled off.  I am going to the chiropractor 3x a week.  It helps, but not enough.  Back pain is so frustrating. 

My weight loss is moving a long nicely this week.  I will have an official weigh-in tomorrow.  Being that it is fat Tuesday, people in the metro Detroit area celebrate with paczkis which is a Polish filled donut.  I never really liked them but people have been trying shove them down my throat all day.  I can't eat them, and I am okay with that.  None-the-less, I hope you all are enjoying your fat Tuesday!

Week 3

I weighed myself this morning and I lost a very underwhelming .8 lbs.  That makes a total of 18 lbs including my 4 pre-op, so 14 lbs in 3 weeks isn't bad.  It is however frustrating because 12 of that was in the first 5 days after surgery.  O well.. I know how this works and I am sure I will start losing more again soon.  Today I can start soft foods so that means lean tender meats, seafood and fish and cooked/canned fruits and veggies.  I am looking forward to it.

My back is still miserable.  Whatever I did to it, it isn't bouncing back.  I have an appointment at the chiropractor during my lunch hour today.  While at work I have to lay on the floor and stretch every hour so I don't get even more spasms.  It is getting ridiculous.

I wanted to mention one of the most delicious things I have tried in a long time.  I have been living on protein shakes for the last 4 weeks and I am getting so tired of the flavors.  I had read about PB2, the powdered peanut butter, on multiple blogs in the past but never tried it.  I finally ordered some last week and it came yesterday.  OMYGOD!  2 tablespoons of PB2 in a chocolate protein shake and heaven follows.  It is 45 calories for 2 tablespoons and has 5 grams of protein!  I am not sure why I didn't try this earlier, but it is delightful.

Nearly 3 weeks outs.

I am coming up on three weeks (Wednesday) post sleeving.  So far I feel really good (in the sleeve department).  However, last Wednesday, my first day back to work, I hurt my back.  I have an ongoing problem with lower back spasms.  I went into work feeling great and left in tears on my drive home.  I drove myself (hardly) to the urgent care.  The doctor gave me Flexeril, more vicodin, and an anti inflammatory shot.  I had to call in Thursday and Friday and I pretty much slept through the last 4 days.  I stopped taking the vicodin on Saturday because it makes me feel gross and have only been taking the Flexeril before bed.  I am significantly better, but I am still really hurting. 

I am back at work today, armed with my heat wrap, back pillow, and meds.  I called my surgeon's office to get the okay to take nsaids for a short time, so I just took a dose of those.  Back pain is miserable...but I am determined to bounce back.

I am looking forward to moving on to soft foods this Wednesday.  I can finally start eating somewhat normal.  I can have fish and seafood, tender white meat, cooked fruits and vegetables, and other delicious options.  I am getting so tired of eating soup, beans, and mashed potatoes.

On the weight front, it is still pretty unimpressive.  The scale isn't moving much so I have to be patient.  I am still eating between 600-800 calories, and even that is a struggle some days.  I am just glad that things seem to be going down smoothly and I feel, for the most part, healthy.

2 weeks post-op and back to work

Today I am officially two weeks post-op.  It is also my first day back to work.  This week I lost a whopping 1.2 lbs.  My body must be hanging on for dear life considering I am eating no more that 800 calories a day.  I am feeling pretty good, almost back to normal.  I start pureed foods today so that is a step in the right direction. 

Happy Monday to all!

Post-op Day 8

Today is a very nice quiet relaxing day for me.  I am just sitting around at home and enjoying what is left of my time off from work (I got back next Wednesday).  I am still a little sore... but it is all extremely manageable.  No more movement on the scale but I am not at all surprised by that.  I am still on my full liquid diet for another week and I am already getting sick of my choices.  My favorite thing seems to be cottage cheese.  Somehow, it feels like real food.

I am learning what it feels like to have a sleeve and honestly, it some ways it is similar to my Lap Band.  I get that same squeeze feeling I would get when I ate too fast or ate too big of a bite.  However, I do not get the slimy pukey feeling that would often follow.  I do get a little miserable if I eat one too many bites but I think that is hard to do at this stage.

My biggest obsession has become worrying about a leak.  I can't imagine anything worse, short of dying, that could happen.  I knew the statistics before surgery, and still know now that it is relatively rare.  However, I recently started researching how they fix the leak and that is terrifying.  I pray everyday that I continue on a healing path with no complications.  I also take my temperature twice a day to make sure I don't have any early leak symptoms.

I have my first follow up with my doctor tomorrow to have all my staples taken out and talk about my progress/issues.  I did get a call from the office yesterday and I have a vitamin D issue so I have to go on a prescription for 12 weeks.  Living in the Midwest where the temps have been in the single digits isn't helping!  I have only been outside for a few brief moments this past week.

Anyway, I am leaving you with a picture of my incisions because I have SO MANY scars.  Some from my original Lap Band, then my port revision, then my Lap Band out, and now my sleeve.  My stomach is a map of my weight loss history!

Day 6 VSG post-op

It is day six and I feel like I finally turned a corner yesterday.  I went shopping with my mom a couple hours, and though I was tired, all the walking really made a difference.  This surgery recovery has been different in so many ways, and has also been tougher.  I started my phase 2 full liquid diet yesterday and I am very happy to be introducing new things into my diet like strained cream soups, cottage cheese (squashed), runny mashed potatoes, pudding, yogurt, and a few other things.  So far it has been a learning process.

I am still struggling to get in enough.  I fill up really quick and liquids are slow to go down.  Each day it seems to get better, I imagine this is due to the swelling going down.  So far today I have had 1 protein drink, 1 pudding cup, a couple spoonfuls of yogurt and a couple spoonfuls of soup.  I am going to try to get in one more protein drink.  I am also really working on the water.  I am entirely off the vicodin and solely taking Tylenol.  I am slowly getting used to my new stomach and the way it feels when it is giving off signals. 

On the plus side, I have lost about 10 lbs since surgery last Wednesday and 16 since my post op.  I am now exactly 30 lbs from my highest pre-op Lap Band weight.  Even though I gained a lot back, it was still nice to have a little jump start on last time.  I am impressed how quickly the weight is coming off this time around.  I know I should be hitting a stall any day now but I will take it while I can.

My first follow-up with the surgeon is Friday and I will have my staples taken out.  I can't wait for that.  They are itchy and pinchy!  Take care all!

Day 4 post-op

Wow, this time around has been so different than any of my band related surgeries!  I am finding it way more difficult this time.  I ended up spending two nights in the hospital because I was struggling with bad nausea.  Once I got past that hurdle I was able to have my upper GI to check for leaks.  All came out clear and I was able to go home yesterday around noon.  I have never been so happy to be home and in my own bed.  I slept from 8 pm-7:30 am this morning without even much moving the entire night.  I was exhausted. 

I am starting to feel better but I still very sore and getting used to my new tiny stomach.  I can only take small sips and have been living off sugar free popsicles and water.  I have two more days until I can move on to full liquids and start working on the protein.  I have a lot of staples in my incisions that I will have out some time next week.  When I feel better I will post some pictures.  Anyway, I hope all is well or everyone in blog land.  I am heading back to bed for a nap.