Changing taste buds

It's amazing to me that somehow after the surgery, certain things just don't taste the same to you. I've heard this before I had the surgery from a friend of mine, and i've also read it online from others who are post-op. Now, lucky me, i'm starting to experience this.

Now, i'm only on liquids still....so I don't know if certain foods will turn me off now, but pre-op, I would LOVE drinking my fruit2o flavored waters. It was the only way I could get all my water in to help me lose the pre-op weight. I used to stock up on it in bulk, and loved it. Now....I just don't like the taste. It's really weird. It just "bothers" me, and sometimes, I just can't stand to take a sip of it. So that leaves me w/ just plain ol' water, or crystal light. I don't have a problem with crystal lite as long as it's diluted enough. So it looks like that is my option right now.

But....i'm scared to see what foods that I liked pre-op that will now turn me off. The next couple of months should be very interesting!

Week 1 results!

Hey. So I can't believe i'm already 1 week post op. I'm starting to feel a little better, which is great. I decided that i'll post up weekly tracking results to keep myself accountable and motivated during this process. So here is week #1 :




I'm very excited about the 9 pound loss in one week. There was a lot of bloating from being fresh post-op, so I didn't know how much i'd lose this week, but 9 pounds is great. Last week (the week before surgery) I was on the all liquid preop diet, so I lost alot of water weight that week (like 13 pounds), so this week, the 9 pounds doesn't represent a lot of water weight, but actual weight loss. :)

At first I thought I would also post up weekly pictures, but I think monthly pics would be better. I may throw up a couple of videos every now and then as well, we'll see. :)

Head hunger rears it's ugly head

So, i've read about it, I understand the concept, but didn't totally get it until now. Head Hunger. It's real, and it's a bitch. LOL. For the past 6 days post op, I haven't been hungry once. It's a great thing, being on all liquids isn't nearly as bad when you don't have the desire to eat at all. But the problem is that your brain doesn't get that message. Sometimes you think about food, and you remember that it taste good, and your mind WANTS you to go an eat it, but physically, your body just doesn't want it. It's a weird constant battle. But, it's all a part of the "divorce" from food that i'm going through, so, bring it on. I'm ready. Usually when the head hunger starts to appear, I just take another sip of water, then i'm stuffed again :)

Bloating & Gas

Right after my surgery, I had some pain, but not a lot, so I thought this was going to be a breeze. But maybe I spoke too soon. I'm home now, and although i'm not in terrible pain, the incision spots are still very sore and they do cause discomfort. But I think that's to be expected. The major issue I'm seeming to have at this moment is bloating and gas. My goodness, it's terrible. My stomach is incredibly bloated right now. And I can feel the gas moving/rumbling inside of me, but it won't "come out" if you know what I mean. It's a terrible feeling.

You know me, so i've done some internet research on it, and it appears this is very common for the 1st week or more post-op. So i'm going to give it some time, I guess i'm just a worry-wart. My major concern is keeping hydrated. I need to make sure i'm getting enough water in, but because of the bloating / gas, drinking is very uncomfortable right now. I have this constant full feeling, and drinking makes me feel OVER stuffed and it's hard to drink at all.

The doctors and online research say walking a lot can help with the gas issue. So i'm gonna start walking today. I'm just hoping this issue resolves itself soon, i'm so uncomfortable.

Finally, i'm home!

Just made it home. It seems surreal. I wanted this for so long, and now it's done, and i'm back home. I just need to get comfortable (i'm now feeling some pain at the incision spots), and everything is just different. Sips of water seem to fill me up, and I have this unpleasing gas feeling in my stomach that doesn't seem to resolve itself.

However, all in all, i think i'm in a good spot, just some things to work through. :)

I'm so ready to go home!!!

So, it's day 3, and i'm really tired of the constant blood checks, blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, blood thinner shots to my thighs, breathing tests, etc, etc, etc. And let's not even mention the catheter being yanked out of my private part ----i've never felt that kind of pain before in my life. LOL. I feel like a lab rat, and i'm just ready to go home already. Hopefully I get sprung today!!!

This is gonna take some getting used to.

So, today I was finally allowed to chew ice (no water, no broths, the only thing i'm allowed is ice). And two small (very small) cups of ice have STUFFED me. I mean, I wasn't hungry in the 1st place, but my mouth was extremely dry, so I really wanted the ice. But I now feel like i've ate a 5 course meal or something. LOL. Well I guess this is how it's gonna be from now on. It's just gonna take some time getting used to it.

Generally surprised.

I must admit i'm generally surprised this far. In my mind, I had built this up to being much worse (pain wise) in the first two days than it had been. Thank God. Other than a liitle uncomfort, i'm doing pretty good. I'm getting ready for my "every 4 hour" walk around the floor.

My mouth is really dry though. I haven't been allowed to drink anything day 1. I've never looked forward to crunching ice so much (on day 2) in my life!!

It's over...and i'm ALIVE!!!

I'm out of surgery. Things went well. Very exciting.

I'm almost there.

I'm all checked in. I've got my iv. I'm ready to go in. It's been very uneventful. That's a great thing. And still not nervous ! The shaving of my stomach and groin area by a complete stranger was a bit weird/uncomfortable....but hey, it's a small price to pay for a new life. I'll keep u updated....by for now. :).

THE DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!

Well, today is the day! I thank God for me seeing this day, and I thank God for peace. No longer nervous, i'm just anxious to get this done and be on the road for recovery. The last couple of days have really made me feel better, and i'm so blessed/thankful for all the people in my life who care for me, expressed their joy for me and are actively praying for me and my procedure. This is what i've been waiting for, and although the road ahead wont be an easy one by any stretch of imagination, i'm ready for it. LET'S GET IT!

Three days pre-op!

Pre-op Liquid Diet = Torture

So, i'm 5 days pre-op, and officially on this liquid diet. This is crazy. I've lost like 6 pounds in the last 2 days. An all liquid diet is much harder than i though it would be. I can only have low carb protein drinks, water, and sugar free jello. It's crazy.

It's weird because, i've done some research online, and different doctors require different things for the pre-op diet. Some doctors allow you to have vegetables, broth, or even a small sensible meal for dinner only. Some doctors want 2 weeks of all liquids, luckily mine only requires 5, but no solids, no broths only the shakes/water/jello.

But genius me, I decided to do it for 7 days to give my liver extra time to get smaller. I'm now regretting putting myself through 2 extra days of this terror. LMAO. I mean, this gets me used to how i will need to eat after the surgery for a couple of weeks, but I feel like it'll be a little easier post-op, because for 1 I won't be as hungry all the time with the smaller stomach, and 2, liquids will be all i can probably handle at first anyway without it coming back up. But going from an 1800 calorie diet (the diet plan the dietitian put me on) to a roughly 500-600 calorie all liquid diet with the same size stomach is...let's just say hell. But it's a necessary evil, so I will comply. I'm already below the doctor's required weight he wanted for me on surgery day, so i'm not under any pressure to drop more pounds pre-op, but this is solely for me to shrink my liver so that it's easier for the doctor to work around it on surgery day.

Guess I'll go drink some water now.....pray for me. LOL

Let the preparations begin!

So, only 9 days remaining until my long awaited surgery. A couple of weeks ago, I began a search for a nice scale. I wanted something that was 1) accurate, but 2) had a remote display that I could mount on a wall for easier reading. Anyone who know me, knows that i'm a really bad tech junkie, love electronic gadgets, so of course I couldn't just get any ol' scale, I had to get a remote display scale. LOL.

So my lovely scale arrived today, I can't wait to start doing my weekly weigh-ins post op. I've promised myself that I wouldn't be scale crazy, and on it 3-4 times a week. Once a week, I don't want to become obsessed with the #'s.



Later today, I need to go out and see if I can find a puree' machine. And since my 5 day slim fast only diet starts this coming Wednesday, I guess I need to go out and stock up on them.

I'm committed to remaining positive.

I will not stress out over this. I leave it God's hands.

12 days to go until surgery, and now i'm on blood pressure meds

Honestly, i've been lucky I think. Being the size that i am, I haven't had many health related issues. No diabetes (thank God), all bloodwork good (Except for low vitamin D), and no major ailments or anything like that. However, my blood pressures has either been high, or on the "high side of normal" for quite some time now. Every time I go to a doctor, they say, 'keep on eye on it'. Just a couple of weeks ago it was a whopping 190/100. Craziness. But the next day it was normal.

So I had my final appt today with my primary care physician, so that she could give me clearance for the actual surgery. Well, no surprise, my blood pressure was high again. I believe it was 140/100.

I've been told over and over again, that as soon as you have the surgery, rather quickly your blood pressure falls back into line when your losing the weight. With only 12 days to go, i thought i'd be in the clear to go into surgery w/out being on any meds. Guess that wasn't the plan for me. My doc has officially put me on BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION! Sigh....I guess that's just a reality of being this large. But not for long, i'll take the meds for the next week and a half, but prayerfully if things go well, I wont be on this medication long.

12 days and counting, i'm not as nervous anymore, but more ready for my life to change!!!

Nervous, but excited

So, today is May 4th, and I have only 2 weeks left until my surgery. Heaven knows that i'm extremely nervous. Part of that comes from reading TOO MUCH about the surgery. I know I need to be armed with information, but reading about all the things that could possibly go wrong during the surgery or during recovery time has got me a little freaked out.

I know this procedure has come a long way since it debuted, and it's been perfected so to speak, but there are always dangers with major surgery. I've never had to have surgery, i've never had to spend significant time in a hospital at all, so this is all new to me, and i'm worried.

Although I have a great support system, I just worry about the "what if's". I know I can't live my life in fear, and I will kick myself the rest of my life if I don't take this opportunity while I can. So i'm just going to pray on it, and leave it in God's hands. I know He'll take care of me, what's meant for me IS for me.