Lisa's Story - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:19 PM

Oops...this should have been posted earlier..oh well...

Hello just out of the hospital about an hour ago and headed straight to the computer. It has been a HELL week, but I made it throught with all your warm wishes and thoughts.

I can assume that the surgery is very different being open or maybe very different from doctor to doctor.

Went in on Mon am and all went good. I woke up in recovery and did well. I was pretty much out of it the whole day - they had a NG tube down my nose to my tummy, a g tube out of my belly and a drainage tube out of the belly. I had on blow up pants on. I remember very little about monday . 3 times a day a had heprin shots in my belly and a morphine or demoral with gravol every 3 hours by needle in one of my legs. I look like a pin cushion. When they assisted me up to use the washroom, the tube town my throat would adjust and make me dry heave for 2-4 minutes...then I was ok, until I got up again.

The staff were great - took good care of me.

Day2 - uneventful - no liquids - IV only

Day 3 - 2 am, I had difficulty breathing and panicked. They gave me some meds, sat me up in bed and gave me ventilin. all ok..THEN

at 4am I woke up and felt like I was drowning in my own fluids, I couldn't get a breath - I pulled out my nose tube - its probably 2 feet long....but I could breath. after an hour or so of crying, getting cleaned up, I was doing much better.

Nothing on day 3 to drink

Day 4 - went down for leak test. had to drink radio-active stuff. I didn't think it was too bad, most others threw it up. No Leaks.

So I was started on ice chips and liquids. Stupid staff...what do they bring me every 5 hours ----full strength sugar fruit juice!!!

Doing jello and ice chips no problem.

Day 5, nurse talked me into taking some diluted fruit juice - guess what...within 45 seconds up it came and then a trip to the bathroom within about 10 mintues....dumping...or just not toleralte?

Day 5 they took out my other drainage tube...holy cow....that hurt.

Anyway, I am living on Propel, ice, blended cream of mushroom & potato.

Going to try yogurt today. At a hotel and just resting, so will check in again later.

It was a very rough week, but I am glad to be doing well now. Doc wants me on blended for another 2 weeks and then can add in soft foods.

Thanks for all your support.....thought of you all often this week..until later.

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:23 PM

Pics taken during the first week in the hospital

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:25 PM

I am just over 2 weeks post op. I have followed my doctors instructions to eating. What I am finding is that certain smells really bother me. I can't stand the smell of gum, some foods cooking and beef gerky actually made me sick. I am trying to get in protein as much as I can, but most of it just turns my stomach. I can't gag down cottage cheese or any lunch meat. I tried several protein drinks prior to surgery and did fine, no more...can't stomach them. Will keep trying others that you have all suggested.

Did anyone else experience this with smells? I am really struggling getting in enough good foods. At this point I can do potoatoes, beans, cheese, soups, yougurt, fish and jello. I am trying to get in fluids too, but this has decreased with more intake of food. I am thinking of eggs and cheese, but scared as eggs were never my friend before surgery, so the longer I wait the better.

LisaBoston · 02-19-2006, 07:26 PM

My pouch "Elmo" has been happy living in Elmo's World, but last night....he went to Grouchland - happily transported by none other than myself.

Since I had surgery 3 weeks ago, I have been in my own home and bed 6 nights - all other times I have either been on the road or living in the hotel many miles from home. The first 2 weeks were fine as I lived on yogurt, popsicles and soup. So I had 6 days at home introducing new foods and Elmo was very happy.

I left my home again on Friday, to take my daughter to a figure skating competition (she won a Silver and a Gold) and once again had to eat out in public. Not a simple task. Breakfasts I had cold cereal and omelette and lunches I had yougurt smoothies. Supper is a different story. We went to the mall food court - I ordered soup, didn't sit well with me, so I had 3 shrimp off my husbands plate (Edo Japan) Did good with that. Last night, I lost my mind and without even thinking I had a few bites of my husbands take out Chinese. I ate 2 deepfried wonton that was fried in noodle, meat and bean sprouts. Elmo is not happy. It stayed down for about 20 seconds. The worst part was the heaving for the next hour...I didn't eat that much, but Elmo doesn't like Chinese. I trust once I am farther out, he will like it.

Did I learn something....yes....think before you put things in your mouth.

Other things I learned...its ok to chew something you might want (sugar peas) and spit it out. Not to eat silly things like I did.

Where my concern is......I am not consuming many calories a day. Even if its good things....there is not enough to feed a bird...I don't think I have had more than 500 calories in a day yet. My concern is that my body is going into starvation mode and that I am loosing muscle mass. I kneeled down on Friday to take a picture of my daughter on the podium, and I couldn't get up, there was NO strength in my legs. I can feel the difference in my legs all the time. According to the doctor, I can't do a good full workout until 8 weeks. I can walk *which I am* but nothing else.

Questions to you:
If you don't like protein drinks, how do you get in all your protein and what did you eat this early out?

Anyone experience loss of strength?

Other than that I feel pretty good. My incision is doing really well - almost all sealed up now. Mood swings not happening like they were earlier, still very tired.

LisaBoston · 02-21-2006, 11:11 AM

SO last night I finally found out what its like to be overfull. I had chicken cup o soup and filled my mug. I drank about 3/4 of the mug when I felt a great pressure in my chest - off to the bathroom I go. Only spit up a little bit and then felt great. I now know the difference between taking one sip (bite) too much and eating something that doesn't agree with me. Its hard to figure out the difference as the feeling comes on the same.

Also bought a snow cone maker and I should of had it weeks ago. I highly recommend it....I can now get in all the fluids I need. I make the snow and then mix a little crystal light with about 2 tbsp. of water to make the "syrup" and viola....a snow cone for a bariatric patient.

LisaBoston · 02-25-2006, 10:55 AM

Added a new food today...Yipeee... Grapefruit. It was absolutely wonderful. Its almost been 4 weeks now and although my food choices are limited and most foods turn me off....I am doing ok. I weigh in again in 4 days and hope for a lost of a double digit...

LisaBoston · 02-28-2006, 11:24 AM

So its 4 weeks now and up to today, the last 3-4 days were the worst for food. I am getting ill just smelling the food, let alone eating it. The funny thing is soup is coming up....like turkey vegetable. I have to wonder if its the combination of the liquid in the soup with the vegetables and such...ie: don't drink while you eat. So last night I started on nuts (sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds) and did really well. I also had some pasta with cheese. I know protein is the most important, but for some reason the protein on its own doesn't stay down well. If I add a carb (not too much) into it, it stays well in the pouch. Grilled cheese - only about a tablespoon today at lunch and it was very happy.....what am I learning here?

At least I am getting in more protein this way so will keep trying this. I see the doctor tomorrow. Updated weight coming tomorrow....can I hope for another 10 lbs?

My frustration post is here : ok, I am whinning.....

And my post on starvation is here: Starving vs. weight loss

LisaBoston · 03-01-2006, 11:59 AM

Had my 4 week check up today and down another 10 lbs - so a total of 32 pounds and 14.5 inches in 4 weeks. Yipeee. Now, if I can only get in enough food for good nutrition.

I am going the the nutritionist on the 13th..she doesn't know much if anything about gastric bypass, but she apparently will look into it and work with me on my food journal.

Did really good yesterday and kept all my food down - 4 meals plus lots of fluids. Today, not so good. Kept breakfast down, not lunch. I think part of the problem was that I had 3 sips of water while driving today, came home and had lunch right away....maybe too much water in the pouch when I ate...I am conscious of this at home, but this time not. Could be just an irritation, or Elmo in Grouchland...we will see how the snack and supper go tonight.

LisaBoston · 03-09-2006, 07:36 PM

So since the first of March, the food thing is NOT happening. I have been doing liquids only for the past 9 days..mostly water and we all know that water does not contain any good nutrients....I have since driven to Saskatchewan to see my mother in law who is dying in the hospital and now I have driven down to the bottom of Alberta to my surgeon. He is doing a scope tomorrow morning and the assumption is that I have a stricture. Lets hope thats what it is and a quick fix. We are currently sitting in a hotel room looking out the window at a massive snow and wind storm. Maybe after my scope in the morning we will be staying in the hotel for another day to wait our the storm. I can probably use the rest. I can't explain to you what its like to not eat anything for almost 10 days and to rely on water only - expecially while you are travelling and have to sit with your family in restaurants. A few crying spells later, and I am still doing ok, with NO REGRETS. I will update how the procedure goes tomorrow. I have probably lost more weight...but this certainly isn't the way I wanted to do it!

LisaBoston · 03-13-2006, 10:21 AM

The scope went really well. I was at 7mm and was dialated to 15mm, with that shrinking to 12mm. I thought I would have to drink water again for the remainder of the day, but was told to do eat....wow. I had shrimp and rice and believe it or not, it all went down great. Later in the day I had ceasar salad and that went down great too. It doesn't matter to me that I can't eat very much.........its that I am actually eating again and some real food.

Water goes down much easier now too.

I now know what life is supposed to be like after surgery.

There is a chance I will have to go for another scope, time will tell.

For now I am just enjoying life again...some normalcy.