Wow it's been a whole month since my surgery!Am on more solid foods now though have to learn to chew, chew, chew. Have had a few incidents of food stuck due to not properly chewing which are not the most pleasant but not as painful as the first time.
This week was a bit yuck as on Tuesday night I developed diarrhoea which lasted until Saturday morning. I rang the surgery on Wednesday and they thought I might have eaten something too fatty or sugary but I had started keeping a food diary and knew exactly what had passed my lips and knew there was nothing in it. The nurse told me to get some Imodium which I finished Thursday midnight. They rang back on Friday to see how I was going and I had made an appointment for see my doctor which I was told to keep. I went to the Dr and he told me I had a temp of 38.4 (I need to get a thermometer)! He seemed to think I had an infection so prescribed me some more of what I had been taking and told me to take panadol 2 x 4 hourly as I was having cramps too. I was due to go away for the weekend which he said I could do if I felt ok.
Off to camp I went to the annual Home school mother's retreat. It was the 10th anniversary and I have been to all except maybe 1 or 2. I took Lesley with me for her first time and she really enjoyed herself. It was a bit of a blah weekend for me. My heart (excuse the pun) wasn't really in it. I went to bed early each night because I was extremely tired and I think there were too many people there and the weather was yuck etc etc. Any way, it was good to catch up with some old friends but I think I have done my dash with going to HEART.
I had a wonderful sleep when I came home on Sunday night. Yay! I think the diarrhoea may have been caused by a takeout cappuchino I got Marie to get me whilst I was working on Tuesday night as it struck within an hour of having that and I hadn't had anything else to eat for hours!
So I don't know if having diarrhoea most of the week counts as cheating but I was eating normally for me and so my weight for this week is......134.4kg - a loss of 19kg since March and a loss of 3.3kg this week!
I'm really noticing the baggy clothes and sometimes they don't feel the best to be walking around in but I can't wait until I can fit some smaller fashions so onwards and upwards this week :)!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Week Three
Week 3 has been fine. I am now on soft food. It was Brian's birthday on Saturday and we went to The Mount for the weekend as the children were away at Leader's Training camp somewhere on the Coromandel.
I had thought we wouldn't be able to go out for dinner to celebrate but then decided yes we could. I had looked in the Entertainment Book and seen a restaurant I wanted to try but when I looked online, their menu had changed. We spent Saturday morning looking around the shops at The Mount and Tauranga and decided to have lunch as it was quite cold. We looked at a whole heap of different menus but couldn't see anything that I would be able to have so decided to try the restaurant I had originally picked. Well, they had just changed their menu that day. I chose from the brunch menu a crayfish and prawn omelette with country potatoes and toast. I asked that the omelette be only made from 1 or 2 eggs not the 3 or 4 they used and no toast. Brian had an eye fillet. When the food arrived my omelette was huge! I picked a little at the egg and then ate what I really wanted which was the crayfish and prawn (there was also cheese and spring onion but I didn't really have them). I ate a couple of the small potato cubes and ate my food really slowly savouring every bite. I left just about all the omelette on the plate and just about all the potato too but that's fine. It was a lovely menu and on the marina too.
That night we went down to the food court to grab some tea and I couldn't see anything I could have but decided to have chicken nuggets from Oportos. Brian had a burger with chips. I ate 1 of his chips (which were cold) and 1 1/2 chicken nuggets before I discovered that I had a big problem. I'm not sure if it was dumping but I think it might have been. For the next 1 1/2 hours I had to go to the toilet or stop on the side of the road to spit up and eventually throw up. It's really weird because you get a really big build up of mucus which stops you from breathing or swallowing effectively hence needing to spit up all the time. Not a very pleasant experience and quite a sore throat by the end of it.
All week I have not noticed any weight loss and thought oh no not again. I had been having some cruskits outside of my 3 meals as I was hunger. I decided yesterday to write a food diary and keep an eye on what I was eating. I also started keeping a poo diary because I used to go every day and now I was lucky to go every few days which though I was told would happen, I still found it very disconcerting. Anyway, yesterday I thought I might have even put on weight - horrors! But, did my weekly weigh in this morning and I weigh 137.7kg - a loss of 800g - phew and yay!
This weekend I'm off to HEART and am taking my own food so will report back next week.
I had thought we wouldn't be able to go out for dinner to celebrate but then decided yes we could. I had looked in the Entertainment Book and seen a restaurant I wanted to try but when I looked online, their menu had changed. We spent Saturday morning looking around the shops at The Mount and Tauranga and decided to have lunch as it was quite cold. We looked at a whole heap of different menus but couldn't see anything that I would be able to have so decided to try the restaurant I had originally picked. Well, they had just changed their menu that day. I chose from the brunch menu a crayfish and prawn omelette with country potatoes and toast. I asked that the omelette be only made from 1 or 2 eggs not the 3 or 4 they used and no toast. Brian had an eye fillet. When the food arrived my omelette was huge! I picked a little at the egg and then ate what I really wanted which was the crayfish and prawn (there was also cheese and spring onion but I didn't really have them). I ate a couple of the small potato cubes and ate my food really slowly savouring every bite. I left just about all the omelette on the plate and just about all the potato too but that's fine. It was a lovely menu and on the marina too.
That night we went down to the food court to grab some tea and I couldn't see anything I could have but decided to have chicken nuggets from Oportos. Brian had a burger with chips. I ate 1 of his chips (which were cold) and 1 1/2 chicken nuggets before I discovered that I had a big problem. I'm not sure if it was dumping but I think it might have been. For the next 1 1/2 hours I had to go to the toilet or stop on the side of the road to spit up and eventually throw up. It's really weird because you get a really big build up of mucus which stops you from breathing or swallowing effectively hence needing to spit up all the time. Not a very pleasant experience and quite a sore throat by the end of it.
All week I have not noticed any weight loss and thought oh no not again. I had been having some cruskits outside of my 3 meals as I was hunger. I decided yesterday to write a food diary and keep an eye on what I was eating. I also started keeping a poo diary because I used to go every day and now I was lucky to go every few days which though I was told would happen, I still found it very disconcerting. Anyway, yesterday I thought I might have even put on weight - horrors! But, did my weekly weigh in this morning and I weigh 137.7kg - a loss of 800g - phew and yay!
This weekend I'm off to HEART and am taking my own food so will report back next week.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Week Two
Have finished my first week of the pureed food and now into the second. Seems to be going well though I have been a little hungrier on a few days. Trying to go to sleep at a reasonable hour as I know this is one of my triggers for over eating. Still sleeping on the couch, not sure when I'm welcome back upstairs lol!
Weighed myself this morning and there was no change, still 138.5kg. Zola did tell me that some weeks there wouldn't be a loss but I sorted of expected that a bit further in. Never mind, as Marie said "At least it's not a gain".
Went to the support group on Sunday and met 5 ladies who are a different stages of their weight loss. Two were 3 years post op, 1 - 18 months and 1 - 9 months and the other I'm not sure. It was the Hamilton support group but ironically I was the only from Hamilton there!It was great to hear their stories and look at their before and afters. Disturbingly they shared with us how much better their sex lives were since having the surgery with some details I don't think I needed to hear (nothing too racy though just too much info!).
There's a weight loss surgery conference down in Palmerston North in November so I have booked to go and also booked my accommodation. Not sure who I'm going with yet but at least I'm all booked.
Back to work today and maybe driving again for the first time today.
It funny how people think I'm just lying around trying to heal. They ring or see me and are quite shocked at how cheerful and well I am! I'm healing well and doing light duties and going for my little strolls even if it is only over to the mall or around our street and the next.
This weekend is Brian's birthday and him and I are heading over to the Mount for the weekend whilst the children are away at Leader's training. We're hoping to go out for dinner for his birthday as I will be allow soft foods and starting on seafood etc this week.
Here's to another good week.
Weighed myself this morning and there was no change, still 138.5kg. Zola did tell me that some weeks there wouldn't be a loss but I sorted of expected that a bit further in. Never mind, as Marie said "At least it's not a gain".
Went to the support group on Sunday and met 5 ladies who are a different stages of their weight loss. Two were 3 years post op, 1 - 18 months and 1 - 9 months and the other I'm not sure. It was the Hamilton support group but ironically I was the only from Hamilton there!It was great to hear their stories and look at their before and afters. Disturbingly they shared with us how much better their sex lives were since having the surgery with some details I don't think I needed to hear (nothing too racy though just too much info!).
There's a weight loss surgery conference down in Palmerston North in November so I have booked to go and also booked my accommodation. Not sure who I'm going with yet but at least I'm all booked.
Back to work today and maybe driving again for the first time today.
It funny how people think I'm just lying around trying to heal. They ring or see me and are quite shocked at how cheerful and well I am! I'm healing well and doing light duties and going for my little strolls even if it is only over to the mall or around our street and the next.
This weekend is Brian's birthday and him and I are heading over to the Mount for the weekend whilst the children are away at Leader's training. We're hoping to go out for dinner for his birthday as I will be allow soft foods and starting on seafood etc this week.
Here's to another good week.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Week One Up and First Week Weigh
My first week has gone well and I've managed the new eating regime quite good if I may say so myself. Sucks a little when you smell nice smells and can't have it but oh well, it will be worth it in the end.
This first week I'm on pureed food and will be next week too though I can have a cruskit with a protein source on it. That is the most important thing, a protein source each meal and quality at that. So I've had poached eggs, some soup I made post-op, cruskits with cheese or hummus on, porridge, yoghurt with fruit, weetbix with protein powder so not all that boring. I learnt my lesson last night when I tried to eat a little piece of mashed potato and it wasn't as mashed as I thought and it got stuck. Oh that was very painful! The notes I was given said I just had to ride it out or have a little water or diet frizzy to try and dislodge it though it could take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours to pass! Thankfully 20 mins was long enough but I sure won't make that mistake again and make sure I chew everything completely!
So now to my weigh in.....Last week I had 2 weights as I weighed at home before going to the hospital and then they weighed me. There was a 200g difference with favour being on the hospital's side but the weight difference I will take for my records are from my scales at home since they are the ones I will be using most. So this morning I weigh.........
138.5kg - a loss of 5.5kg!
Of course Zola told me I'd have a big loss this week though she said about 3kg and then my weight lost could be varied depending on how my body wants to work. So, any loss, will be a good loss and I mustn't be disappointed if it is small.
I have now lost a total of 14.9 kg - yay!
Off to have the cuppa Marie has made for me now, will report again soon :)
This first week I'm on pureed food and will be next week too though I can have a cruskit with a protein source on it. That is the most important thing, a protein source each meal and quality at that. So I've had poached eggs, some soup I made post-op, cruskits with cheese or hummus on, porridge, yoghurt with fruit, weetbix with protein powder so not all that boring. I learnt my lesson last night when I tried to eat a little piece of mashed potato and it wasn't as mashed as I thought and it got stuck. Oh that was very painful! The notes I was given said I just had to ride it out or have a little water or diet frizzy to try and dislodge it though it could take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours to pass! Thankfully 20 mins was long enough but I sure won't make that mistake again and make sure I chew everything completely!
So now to my weigh in.....Last week I had 2 weights as I weighed at home before going to the hospital and then they weighed me. There was a 200g difference with favour being on the hospital's side but the weight difference I will take for my records are from my scales at home since they are the ones I will be using most. So this morning I weigh.........
138.5kg - a loss of 5.5kg!
Of course Zola told me I'd have a big loss this week though she said about 3kg and then my weight lost could be varied depending on how my body wants to work. So, any loss, will be a good loss and I mustn't be disappointed if it is small.
I have now lost a total of 14.9 kg - yay!
Off to have the cuppa Marie has made for me now, will report again soon :)
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Beginning
For about 22 years now I have had a struggle with my weight which saw me go from about 70 kg on my wedding - 30 July 1988 to over 150kg the past 2 years. Due to being raped 2 months after my wedding and then subsequently a couple of years later moving to Blenheim with my husband Brian since he was in the RNZAF and the loneliness of the 2 years there, by the time we moved back to Hamilton in 1992 my weight had ballooned to over 100kg!
Whilst in Blenheim we had tried to get pregnant but that didn't happen and just before we left I had started having infertility investigations. We moved back to Hamilton and within 4 months I found I was pregnant with twins. I didn't put on too much weight whilst pregnant with the twins going up to 117 kg. I had Marie and Damien 18 March 1993 and after I had given birth went down to about 91kg.
Things seemed to go OK for a while but slowly the weight came creeping back, in fact, I don't know at what rate or when! I just remember dieting at different times over the years. In about 2004 I was about 140kg and so went to Weight Watchers. I lost 25kg and was so energetic and confident it did frighten me at times. I was on cloud 9 but later that year a friendship that was very special to me suddenly disintegrated and left me totally bewildered, depressed and within a very short period of time I had ballooned 30kg as I wasn't able to function and so we ate a lot of takeout meals. Over the next couple of years I tried to have some resolution to the situation but it ended up to only be resolved in my own mind.
In 2008 I went to counselling which is something I should have done years before because the insecurity of the rape and then the weight gain and peoples comments took a big toll. It was one of the best things I did because it helped me sort out a heap of issues and be at peace with myself.
Last year my mother, being concerned for me, suggested we do Sure Slim together. For a few months that went well and I lost 10kg. Unfortunately I like being hospitable and that particular diet didn't fit in with my lifestyle. So again, I put the weight back on (Mum didn't though, she lost her weight and looks really good).
I remember a couple of years ago mentioning to someone that I had wondered if I could borrow money off Dad and Mum to have surgery. I had seen programmes on TV but didn't give it another thought. Sunday 14 March 2010 Damien and I went to visit Dad and Mum and a friend of theirs was there. She asked if I knew of anyone who would be interested in a part time job in my area. She explained the job and I said I might be interested, she said she'd check with the boss and get back to me (I hadn't been in the workforce since I was 6 months pregnant and I home schooled Marie and Damien). After the friends left Mum again expressed concern about my weight and that her and Dad were worried about my heart (my only real medical problem was the arthritis in my knees which was making mobility difficult). She said they would like to help me with stomach stapling. I didn't need to think twice! I came home and told Brian and he informed me that he had been researching it and wondered if it was something we could save toward. I spent the night looking at local sites on the net and finding out as much as I could. Monday morning I rang my GP and had an appointment the next day with him. I had never met him before as my GP had changed but he was a really lovely man. I told him what I was wanting a referral for and gave him a run down on my history. He said he had had 2 patients of the past years have it done and he was happy to give me a referral. I got a call from Mr David Schroeder's office on Friday 19 March to come for consultations Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24.
Monday 22 I got a phone call from Mum's friend to tell me the job was mine if I wanted so I started that Wednesday. It was so exciting, a new job and the prospect of finally losing my excess weight both offered the same day and both started the same week!
On Tuesday 23 I had a consul with Carol the nurse who weighed me (153.4kg) and explained to me the different procedures and then I had a consul with Zola the nutritionist who explained to me about the change in diet etc and made a tentative booking for my procedure, which I decided would be roux en y gastric bypass surgery, for Tuesday 18 May 2010. On Wednesday 24 I met with David the surgeon and then Ann the psychologist and then Donna the counsellor.
I needed to go on a pre-op diet for 4 weeks to help shrink the liver and lose some weight before the surgery. It started on Tuesday 20 April. It consisted of either a protein shake or bar twice a day and then a dinner of protein and non starchy veges - no bread, rice, pasta or alcohol for 4 weeks. After a bit of fine tuning with the flavours I liked I managed to get the diet done.
I had told a number of people that I was having the surgery and there were heaps praying for me especially when I got a cold the week before surgery. Thankfully it was mostly a runny nose and after talking to the anaesthetist was fine for surgery as long as it didn't go to my chest (which it didn't).
I felt at peace the whole time and wasn't nervous about what I was about to undertake. I turned up at the hospital reception and as I was waiting for the receptionist to get off the phone another lady came in, saw my appointment form and informed me that surgery would be canceled due to the surgeon becoming suddenly ill. A friend said we prayed for you, didn't think to pray for the surgeon (which people ended up doing). I went down to his rooms to talk to Zola to find out how far away surgery might be and what I needed to do about my diet. She weighed me and I had got down to 145.9kg (a lose of 7.5kg). She said she would ring me back re the date but it could be in the next couple of weeks or in June some time. She told me to stay on the diet so after checking supplies at home I went back on Wednesday to get some more to last me the next 2 weeks as they had rung to say my surgery was rescheduled for Tuesday 1 June.
I was still fine leading up to the new date and wasn't peed at all that my first surgery had been canceled. Come the night before though I felt like crying! I turned up at the hospital at 8am and was shown to my room where the nurse got me ready for theatre (I had lost another 2.1kg). I remember looking at the clock as I was being wheeled into the operating room and the time was 10.10am. The anaesthetist told me he was going to start administrating drugs to put me to sleep and that's all I remember until I awoke back in my room at 2pm with the family at the end of my bed!
I spent the next few days in hospital and other than a little nausea the first 2 days I had no real pain as they kept on top of pain management. There were about 5 of us who had the procedure done and I met most of the others. Sleep wasn't too forthcoming most nights and so I watched TV or did puzzles. On Friday 4 I left the hospital at 10am. I went to Mum's for the night because Brian had to go to Rotorua but I was home on Saturday. I had much better sleeps Friday and Saturday night - yay!
Today is Sunday and I have to be careful not to overdo things. I've been out a couple of times but am getting some rest in too. I have jumped on the scales a couple of times since I got home but I will wait until Tuesday and do a proper weigh and let you know how my weight loss since surgery has gone.
Here's to the new tomorrows :)
Whilst in Blenheim we had tried to get pregnant but that didn't happen and just before we left I had started having infertility investigations. We moved back to Hamilton and within 4 months I found I was pregnant with twins. I didn't put on too much weight whilst pregnant with the twins going up to 117 kg. I had Marie and Damien 18 March 1993 and after I had given birth went down to about 91kg.
Things seemed to go OK for a while but slowly the weight came creeping back, in fact, I don't know at what rate or when! I just remember dieting at different times over the years. In about 2004 I was about 140kg and so went to Weight Watchers. I lost 25kg and was so energetic and confident it did frighten me at times. I was on cloud 9 but later that year a friendship that was very special to me suddenly disintegrated and left me totally bewildered, depressed and within a very short period of time I had ballooned 30kg as I wasn't able to function and so we ate a lot of takeout meals. Over the next couple of years I tried to have some resolution to the situation but it ended up to only be resolved in my own mind.
In 2008 I went to counselling which is something I should have done years before because the insecurity of the rape and then the weight gain and peoples comments took a big toll. It was one of the best things I did because it helped me sort out a heap of issues and be at peace with myself.
Last year my mother, being concerned for me, suggested we do Sure Slim together. For a few months that went well and I lost 10kg. Unfortunately I like being hospitable and that particular diet didn't fit in with my lifestyle. So again, I put the weight back on (Mum didn't though, she lost her weight and looks really good).
I remember a couple of years ago mentioning to someone that I had wondered if I could borrow money off Dad and Mum to have surgery. I had seen programmes on TV but didn't give it another thought. Sunday 14 March 2010 Damien and I went to visit Dad and Mum and a friend of theirs was there. She asked if I knew of anyone who would be interested in a part time job in my area. She explained the job and I said I might be interested, she said she'd check with the boss and get back to me (I hadn't been in the workforce since I was 6 months pregnant and I home schooled Marie and Damien). After the friends left Mum again expressed concern about my weight and that her and Dad were worried about my heart (my only real medical problem was the arthritis in my knees which was making mobility difficult). She said they would like to help me with stomach stapling. I didn't need to think twice! I came home and told Brian and he informed me that he had been researching it and wondered if it was something we could save toward. I spent the night looking at local sites on the net and finding out as much as I could. Monday morning I rang my GP and had an appointment the next day with him. I had never met him before as my GP had changed but he was a really lovely man. I told him what I was wanting a referral for and gave him a run down on my history. He said he had had 2 patients of the past years have it done and he was happy to give me a referral. I got a call from Mr David Schroeder's office on Friday 19 March to come for consultations Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24.
Monday 22 I got a phone call from Mum's friend to tell me the job was mine if I wanted so I started that Wednesday. It was so exciting, a new job and the prospect of finally losing my excess weight both offered the same day and both started the same week!
On Tuesday 23 I had a consul with Carol the nurse who weighed me (153.4kg) and explained to me the different procedures and then I had a consul with Zola the nutritionist who explained to me about the change in diet etc and made a tentative booking for my procedure, which I decided would be roux en y gastric bypass surgery, for Tuesday 18 May 2010. On Wednesday 24 I met with David the surgeon and then Ann the psychologist and then Donna the counsellor.
I needed to go on a pre-op diet for 4 weeks to help shrink the liver and lose some weight before the surgery. It started on Tuesday 20 April. It consisted of either a protein shake or bar twice a day and then a dinner of protein and non starchy veges - no bread, rice, pasta or alcohol for 4 weeks. After a bit of fine tuning with the flavours I liked I managed to get the diet done.
I had told a number of people that I was having the surgery and there were heaps praying for me especially when I got a cold the week before surgery. Thankfully it was mostly a runny nose and after talking to the anaesthetist was fine for surgery as long as it didn't go to my chest (which it didn't).
I felt at peace the whole time and wasn't nervous about what I was about to undertake. I turned up at the hospital reception and as I was waiting for the receptionist to get off the phone another lady came in, saw my appointment form and informed me that surgery would be canceled due to the surgeon becoming suddenly ill. A friend said we prayed for you, didn't think to pray for the surgeon (which people ended up doing). I went down to his rooms to talk to Zola to find out how far away surgery might be and what I needed to do about my diet. She weighed me and I had got down to 145.9kg (a lose of 7.5kg). She said she would ring me back re the date but it could be in the next couple of weeks or in June some time. She told me to stay on the diet so after checking supplies at home I went back on Wednesday to get some more to last me the next 2 weeks as they had rung to say my surgery was rescheduled for Tuesday 1 June.
I was still fine leading up to the new date and wasn't peed at all that my first surgery had been canceled. Come the night before though I felt like crying! I turned up at the hospital at 8am and was shown to my room where the nurse got me ready for theatre (I had lost another 2.1kg). I remember looking at the clock as I was being wheeled into the operating room and the time was 10.10am. The anaesthetist told me he was going to start administrating drugs to put me to sleep and that's all I remember until I awoke back in my room at 2pm with the family at the end of my bed!
I spent the next few days in hospital and other than a little nausea the first 2 days I had no real pain as they kept on top of pain management. There were about 5 of us who had the procedure done and I met most of the others. Sleep wasn't too forthcoming most nights and so I watched TV or did puzzles. On Friday 4 I left the hospital at 10am. I went to Mum's for the night because Brian had to go to Rotorua but I was home on Saturday. I had much better sleeps Friday and Saturday night - yay!
Today is Sunday and I have to be careful not to overdo things. I've been out a couple of times but am getting some rest in too. I have jumped on the scales a couple of times since I got home but I will wait until Tuesday and do a proper weigh and let you know how my weight loss since surgery has gone.
Here's to the new tomorrows :)
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