23 Weeks Post-Op (Quick Update and Me Talking to Talk)

Hi all! This week has been the coldest week so far this fall...or soon to be winter. I'm so excited that Christmas will be here soon even though we are no where ready for it. I hope you all are doing wonderfully!

Okay, a super quick update on my weight. I've lost another 2 lbs. since my last update about a week ago. This brings me to 196 lbs. I'm very happy about this. Hopefully it will keep falling off.

I have to say that even though this journey hasn't been the easiest...you know, with the surgery and recovery...and the getting used to all the life changes.............I feel like the weight comes off with so little effort. As ashamed as I am, I haven't exercised much and I still get to eat some junky foods that if I'd even looked at before, I would have gained 10 lbs. just for the simple look. I do still get all my protein in and I try to get all my liquid in...which most days, I do. And I don't eat junky food every single day either but when I do, I feel as if I have this high metabolism that a naturally thin person has. I'm pretty sure I don't and maybe it's just the fact that I can't stuff myself silly even after I'm stuffed (you know, going back for seconds or thirds or for that matter, eating whatever it is all day long). And possibly because my appetite is almost nonexistent .... and when I do want something that's high carb, high calorie, high fat, and no protein, I'm satisfied with only a very small portion....especially compared to what I used to eat or drink. I don't have to tell myself that I need to stop...I just really and truly have no desire to eat another bite. I love this about the sleeve! I don't really know why I'm going on and on about this except to say that the sleeve is so wonderful and unlike any kind of diet I've ever done in my life. Oh wait a minute, this isn't a diet and doesn't feel like it either. Maybe that's why I love my sleeve so much! If I ever needed or if I could ever have it done again, knowing what I know now, I'd do the surgery again in a heart beat. I wouldn't think twice and I wouldn't worry like I did the first time. I would be begging the doctor to do it right away. And I don't think I'd have the buyer's remorse the second time around like I did the in the first month after surgery this time around. I'll stop with all that....REALLY, like I'll ever need it done again! Ha! lol I heart my sleeve!!!

And just to mention it, I don't have any left over problems that some surgeries have. I have no malabsorption problems, I have no food restrictions (except maybe raw celery...I think that's one that I can pass on...and maybe raw coconut...not something I eat much of anyways), no twinges or pains....really nothing. I LOVE MY SLEEVE!!!!

Pictures of My Stomach

Hey all! First, I want to say that this post may be a little bit disturbing and not for the weak at heart. I'll tell you that looking at it actually makes me a little squeamish ... mainly because that was my stomach they took out. 

Yesterday, someone on www.verticalsleevetalk.com asked if anyone was allowed to see their stomach after surgery. Well, I don't remember exactly but I think that most of the replies were a "NO"! But there were some that talked about maybe asking for a picture. Well, I didn't have to ask, my surgeon gave my husband pictures of my insides before I ever came out of recovery. Wow! I'm glad that I didn't mind him seeing that blob of mess! Ha!

Anyways, on with the pictures. I think that I mentioned in a past post that my surgeon also found a hiatal hernia..."..a rather large one," he said! Which explains horrible pains that felt like a heart attack for the last 18 years that no doctor could diagnose. Now, I will be honest with you, I can't make heads or tails of that particular set of pictures. Maybe you can. I can see the repair on the last picture but the others...well, take a look for yourself.

Here's the pictures of my hiatal hernia and it's repair:

Here's pictures of my sleeve and the larger part of my stomach that they removed:

48 Days Post Op (Freedom)

Hi! Today I had my 6 week post op nutritional class and weigh in. I've lost a total of 45 lbs. since pre-op started. 

So the break down:

• 280 lbs. the day I started my pre op diet
• 255 lbs. the day of surgery (3.5 weeks of pre-op diet)
• 245 lbs. two weeks after surgery
• Stalled for almost 4 weeks (Ugh! Wanted to scream!)
• 235 lbs. as of this morning (I lost 10 lbs. in one week. YaY!)

Does this surgery work? Sure it does but not without hard work on my part. And let me tell you, it hasn't been easy. Before surgery, I couldn't wait until I didn't feel hungry anymore. Well, I never thought that would be hard. Now, I have to remind myself to eat and then it's a game of "what do I want to eat that I've already had one hundred times in the last 2 weeks AND that I'm not really hungry for anyways." Ha! Now, I'm not complaining! It's just a huge adjustment.

The good news....freedom! Freedom to eat whatever I want! In my nutritional class today, I was told that there's not much that's off limits except for carbonated drinks, high calorie and sugar foods (in moderation of course), and celery. Mentally, this changes things for me! I'm thinking that maybe if I can have an open variety of foods that maybe my interest will pick up again. I'm hoping to enjoy food again soon. Not like I used to, of course, but instead, not dread my next meal. I think that my biggest problem is that I'm sick of the same old foods over and over again. That's hard! I was so excited when I was told today that life will start to get back to normal and I would still continue to lose weight. YaY again!

Exercise! Well, little has been happening here. I really want to but I have had a really bad hip since 1997 after an injury and it has only gotten worse over the years. I had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon this morning. And no, I don't have to have surgery yet! Thank you Lord! But he did take some x-rays and discovered that I have osteoarthritis. He is sending me to physical therapy for 4-6 weeks to help strengthen my muscles in my hips and to help with my weight loss. Of course, he feels that if I continue to lose weight, the pressure of all that extra weight will no longer be present and will help a good bit with some of the pain. He also prescribed Celebrex which was on my list of medications that a sleeved person could tolerate. When I presented that to my sleeve surgeon today, he said absolutely not! Huh!?!? He said that it would tear up my stomach and that it's not safe to take until I'm at least 6 months post op. He suggested I call my orthopedic doctor back and have him give me a shot of something that starts with a "T"....lol....I wrote it down but can't remember. Go figure! After speaking with my ortho-doc, the shot that was suggested will only last a day. Well, that's not going to work! Ha! So, I'm scheduled to go in on Wednesday for a cortosone (sp?) shot in the hip. Hopefully this will help. If you've ever had to have this done, will you tell me your experience? Thanks in advance.

Oh, and my 25 lb. weight restriction has been lifted and I'm free to do whatever exercise I please....if I can do something with this hip. Sigh!