3 Week Post-op

It has actually been 3 weeks since surgery. It seems like so long ago yet also just like yesterday. I am healing on the outside (incisions). I still have scabs, but they seem to be healing well. I keep Neosporin on them to help with the scaring. The inside seems to be healing as well. My pouch seems to be able to take in a little more food at a time. I am finding I am sometimes able to eat 2 tablespoons at a time. I tend to eat 1 tablespoon of one thing and another tablespoon of another thing so I get a variety. I have to listen to my pouch by taking my time eating. This is so I don’t over eat and feel miserable or have a dumping episode. Luckily I have not had either so far. I have to stop and wait for the pouch to communicate with me, so I don’t eat fast, which is how it is supposed to be done. I have tested the acceptance of the foods by eating them individually before eating them “together” to make sure my pouch is happy with the particular food.

This week has been tough to find a protein drink I like. I bought some UnJury chocolate and vanilla drink powder. It just isn’t the right taste. I struggled with it all week until last night. I put a little Splenda in it and it seems to take the “edge” off of the after taste. I think I can tolerate it for now. Tomorrow I will go to Wal-Mart and see about something else. I wish you could buy one drink so you can try it, but you have to buy it in packs of 4-6 cans at a time. I am finding the shake mix I have is just that-a shake. It seems too thick for me. So I am trying to find something that is more like a drink. I am going to try Atkins Advantage. I have to find something because I need the 60-70 grams of protein a day and with a protein drink is the only way I am going to hit it. I have been putting unflavored protein powder in my soup and in my cottage cheese. It doesn’t influence the flavor at all and gives me a little more protein.

Mom said she is going to make up some hamburger with Lipton onion soup mix. Then I can grind it up to baby food consistency and that will give me some good protein. We also talked about grinding different kinds of beans to get the added protein. I will start on tuna this week and that will add some good protein. If I add protein powder to these it will boost it even more per serving means my servings are so small. Yesterday I took some left over mashed potatoes with some roast beef gravy and added some protein powder and it was so yummy! Good ole tastes!

I got on the scale to see what the tally is. Since I started the Optifast (a month before surgery) to date I have lost 35 pounds. Twenty of that is since surgery date (3 weeks ago). It shows in my face. Tomorrow I will start back at the YMCA with water aerobics. I will take it easy to make sure I am ready for it. I also want to do some water walking. I can easily get my water exercising in 3 times a week. Once my work schedule changes in September I might be able to do water exercise 5 days a week. Regardless, I will get exercising in 5 days a week by walking. Soon I will be able to go back to the YMCA to bike, Arc trainer and weight resistance lifting. I am ready to start working on the fat that is hanging around my belly. I just have to be patient and take my time. I didn’t get this way over night and I won’t get into a different shape (because we all know round is a shape!) over night. Patience is not one of my strong suits. God will be there for me! “God give me patience, but hurry!”

I decided before all this that I would need to make eating fun. I also found in my extensive research that changing to smaller dinnerware, cutlery, etc. is helpful. So I went on a search for “fun” dinnerware. I found smaller plates in the shape of a ladybug, frog, monkey, cat, etc. I found a Donald Duck spoon that is a baby spoon and I found some small bowls, a small “salad plate” and a small glass with Winnie the Pooh on it. There are a lot of characters out there for sale. If you look in the plastic ware or thermos type glasses or in the baby section you can find these. I found a set of cutlery with Sponge Bob on them for a friend of mine that had this surgery in April. He loves Sponge Bob. As a matter of fact he and his groomsmen wore Sponge Bob ties to his wedding. So if you look you can find fun ways to lighten meals and assist you in eating less at the same time.

As I venture into another week of living a healthier lifestyle I find the challenges exciting! I know the “novelty” will wear off and the “honeymoon” phase will pass. Therefore I have to get the habits down now so they become like breathing. In some ways they already do. I just have to remind myself to eat to sustain my energy because if I were to eat just when I became hungry I’d go all day without eating. So I try to pay a little attention to the clock and eat on a schedule of every 2-3 hours. It has been working out pretty well for right now. As I progress to solid food and a little larger portions it will be easier to eat at “normal” designated times, I hope!

I have no regrets for this decision and I’m glad God provided the means and determination to change. Until next time--have a sunshine day! :0)