Day 28

It's starting to get easier to dish out portions for myself so I don't waste as much food but right now I'm not even worrying about what I throw away. Ken, Aidan, and I went to Chili's for dinner last weekend and I ordered the chicken tacos. It came with 3 tacos, rice, and beans. I ate 1 taco. That's it, just one taco. I tried a small bite of the rice but it wasn't very tasty and the beans just aren't something I usually like so they were just decoration in my eyes. I did box up my other 2 tacos but to be honest, I'm not going to want to eat a soggy taco so they will end up in the trash before Halloween.

I really have to start eating my lunch and not do anything else during. I was at work the other day and I was doing some internet browsing while I ate my lunch (half a turkey sandwich on wheat with a slice of cheese no mayo no mustard)and when I was done, my stomach hurt and I felt like I might be sick. It passed after a few hours but all I could think was I had no clue how big my bites were and if I was chewing enough. Maybe I'll start bringing a lawn chair and I'll set up shop in the back and enjoy some sunshine while I eat...plus I can work on tanning these ghostly white legs of mine. BOOOOOOOO!!!

I'm still trying to sell my costume, but no takers. I did buy a new costume ($12.99 for the dress) so I won't have to go to the party in my Birthday suit.


No weight change this entry

Day 22

Oh the brick that is my breakfast in my tummy. I ended up having an egg over easy and an english muffin with butter. It doesn't hurt, just feels like a lump just sitting, not moving, through my stomach. Now I have to figure out a lunch for myself. I'll be out of the house so it will be some type of restaurant food. I was thinking a Submarina/Subway sandwich turned into a salad???? It will have meat for protein and veggies, I miss veggies. This is gonna take some getting used to.

Day 21

So today is my last day on my all liquid/mushy diet. My first meal will be simple, one egg over easy and a half piece of wheat toast with butter. Doesn't seem like much but I've been eating 1/4 of a cup of "food" when I eat and that's been filling me up.

My weight loss should start to slow down some due to the addition of food but I also get to start working out again so I'm super excited to burn off some of those extra calories.

Day 18

I made myself a strawberry/raspberry vanilla creme smoothie this morning with a scoop of weight loss protein powder and boy am I hungry now :( My tummy is growling and I still have 30 minutes until I can eat my lunch. I had half a yogurt about an hour ago as a snack and even that isn't helping. Maybe it's the dairy based foods that aren't helping. Can't wait to get some raw almonds to snack on. YUMMMMMM!

I'm going to make some zucchini bread over the weekend and maybe some english muffin bread as well. I found a few recipes for crustless quiche that I also want to try and I'm going to try to learn how to make omelets on the stove and ditch my microwave omelet maker.

I've been looking for low calorie and/or low fat recipes that I can try out and I've found a few interesting websites.
http://fromapples2zucchini.blogspot.com/
http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

While I was perusing the web, found this site and just LOVED it. Great Christmas idea for me *hint hint*
http://www.carolynskitchenonline.com/index.html
(I like the Dorthy Apron in Red. It's black and white striped with a red pocket)

Day 15

Week one of work is over and I'm glad to say the working helped to make me feel better. The pain I felt in my stomach while walking has vanished and it's much easier for me to get up from a sitting or laying down position.

Mom and Matt came over for dinner last night and it was very easy for me to sit down with them and enjoy my mashed spuds w/ gravy. I am finding that I need to eat slower though. It's getting easier for me to not have something to drink with my meals too, but I need to make a more conscious effort to drink between meals so I stay hydrated. The other day I had a cup of tea and about 6oz of juice when I got home.

I had to reschedule my first fill so now it's set for Saturday November 13th. Ken will be taking a projection class in Long Beach so he won't be home for 4 days/nights.

Even with the addition of mashed potatoes, I'm still losing. Down another 3lbs.

Day 12

Yesterday was VERY long and exhausting. It was my first day back to work and by 10:30am, I was ready for a nap. My back and sides were super sore and all I wanted was a nice back rub and some rest. I finally got it, the rest that is, at about 10pm.


I woke up this morning ready to take on the day, with some help from Tylenol of course, and so far I'm doing pretty good. My back is a little sore and stiff again, but not like it was yesterday. I did wear some very comfy "lounge" pants today hoping that would help since I'm sitting most of the day and the jeans I wore yesterday hurt my stomach whenever I bent forward.

I had a homemade smoothie for breakfast, half of an individual serving of applesauce for my morning snack, and 1/4 cup mashed taters for lunch. I weighed myself this morning and the scale said I was UP a pound :( It could be that I'm not drinking as much as I should or it could be that I've added some "real" food into my diet over the past 4 days. Either way I'm feeling lighter and my clothes are stating to feel loose so I'm still happy even with an extra pound.

Day 9

Went to Kory & Joesi's wedding and I'm glad I did. I had a good time even with all the yummy food that I couldn't partake in. We did stop at KFC on our way there and got me some mashed taters w/ gravy so I had something to eat during dinner. It went down nice and even hours later, still no problems. I'm going to go to the store tomorrow and buy some spuds to make my own mashed taters so I can control the salt and butter that will be in them. It will be a nice dinner to have instead of soup so I can join Ken and Aidan at the table while they have their dinner.

I did have some of the icing from the wedding cake and it was "sinful"!!!

Everyday is getting just a little bit easier but after all, it couldn't get any harder.....right!????

Day 8

Today started out the same as every other day this week; I'm sore, hungry, and wanting week 3 to be here already. But now as I get ready for bed, I find myself feeling incredibly good. I hope I'm not jinxing it by saying that, but I know a few people were kinda worried so I wanted to reassure them that I'm doing a lot better and everything will work out as planned. I still feel hungry, but not like I have been. I'm eating food with a little more body to it so that might be what did it. I ate 1/4 cup of cream of broccoli soup for lunch AND dinner and it sat nicely in my stomach, none of that "after" pain (the feeling I ate too much too fast). I had applesauce for dessert, just about 2 tablespoons and that also did good in the tum-tum. I might try Malt-O-Meal for breakfast and just make it with a lot of milk.

I go back to work on Monday and I hope that being more active will help me feel even more normal.....I hope.

Day 7

So even after barfing my guts out, not once but 3 times, I'd have to say that yesterday wasn't too bad. I slept until after noon, but I think that I deserved it after not getting to bed until after 1 am then having my last vomit attack at 3:30am. I was tender all day but not like I thought I would be. Ken crushed up 1/2 a Tylenol for me and I mixed it with 2 spoonfuls of warm tea, hoping that it would stay down......it did :)

I have 3 days left to get back to feeling normal, then it's back to work I go. Thank god I took the week off!

Day 6

Another 3lbs gone. I keep thinking "How is it possible to lose 3lbs in a day? Oh that's right, I'm not eating. LOL!!!"

I'm going to venture out today and take a trip to Vons. I'm going to buy cream of broccoli soup in a can and just blend the shit out of it. I can't stand to eat anymore broth and the creamed soups that come in the cartons are starting to taste like they just came out of Newkie's butt. Too graphic for you? Sorry, but just being honest.

Oh the tortue!

Tonight really sucks!!! Ken made tacos so the house smells sooooo good. I can't even stomach the idea of having beef broth tonight so I tried to make (heat up from a box) portobello mushroom soup. I tasted it and sorry but it tastes like vomit. I'm going to have Gatorade for dinner and just avoid the kitchen/living room for a little bit. I'm fighting the feeling of hunger and can't figure out if it's all in my head or if I'm really hungry. I haven't had solids since September 30th so I can only assume that I'm truly hungry. I know I can't cheat because that can lead to my band slipping and then this will have all been for nothing.

You know you're a true foodie when you can't decide what your first solid meal will be. I need to have protein so I'm thinking an egg either over easy or scrambled and a half piece of wheat toast with butter. The toast may or may not be a good idea. My other choice right now is Malt-O-Meal. It's got 5g of protein but it's too much like a liquid right now.

I can totally understand and relate to the people on the forums having such a difficult time eating less once they start back on solids. I think that mentally you are trying to make up for not having food for 21 days and you just eat everything in sight. I do have to say that I feel like I have the upper hand having that thought in my head and Ken on my side.

I get to have drinkable yogurt on friday!!!!!

Day 5

Down 2lbs since surgery! So far so good!!

Still have a slight rash around the largest incision but the doctor said it's nothing to get worried about unless I see an infection start. The incision looks like it's healing just fine regardless of the rash. I'm going to try to schedule my 1st fill for November 12th. It's a week before Ken's birthday and 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. Right now the timing on everything is working out perfect. I was laughing yesterday about if having my surgery right before the holidays was a wise decision, but I think that getting through all the family functions and not eating everything in sight will show what will power I never knew I had.

On a much sadder note....... I think that I might have to buy a new Halloween costume :( I'm going to try it on later but it was already a little big BEFORE losing the pre-op weight. I still have costumes from a few years ago so I won't have to go naked......maybe I'd win the scariest costume prize though. lol

Day 4

My battle scars, they totally look like stab wounds. A little bloated still, but that should be gone by the end of the week.
Yesterday wasn't such a good day. I took a pill for heartburn, which was prescribed by my doctor, and the damn thing got stuck. Oh the pain!!!!! I did what they said in case of such a thing but the walking and putting my arms over my head didn't seem to help pass it or relieve the pain. I just had to wait it out. That gives me a good idea of the size of food I'll be able to eat. I'm still on clear liquids but I'm finding that they just aren't keeping me satisfied. I did drink an Odwalla vanilla protein drink, which Ken gave me a hard time about but that's what he's here for, so I won't have another until after day 8. My incisions were closed with glue and now the glue is giving me a rash. I'm going to email the doctor later to see if there's anything I can do or if I just have to wait until the glue wears off.

I slept pretty good last night, I rolled over on my right side and it seemed ok. Poor Ken slept with one butt cheek off the bed cause he was afraid he might bump my tummy, what a trooper.

No change in weight just yet, but you can't rush these things.

The day after

I'm back home and starting to recover. Yesterday was the LONGEST day ever. We got there just a little after 8am. I had my blood drawn, my EKG done, my evaluation with the nutritionist and then I got to sit.....and sit.....and sit. They finally called me back at about 3:35pm. Ken went and grabbed a bite to eat while I went into the OR. I was in and out in 12 minutes. I didn't sleep very well but the bed was so uncomfortable. I woke up about 7am, went to the bathroom and washed my face. I talked to the nurse and she said that if I was feeling good, she'd send me to the hotel to meet up with Ken, so that's what I did. By 9:15am we were waiting for our shuttle to bring us back to our car. That was another hour wait. BUt I'm home, I feel pretty good, and I'm about to drink my dinner.

Thank you again mom for watching Aidan while we were gone. He always enjoys hanging out with you.

My nutritionist did change my goal weight to 174 but we'll see if I like that weight once I get there.






P.S. I still have both my kidneys