Lisa's Story - Page 3 - ThinnerTimes

LisaBoston · 03-15-2006, 12:31 PM

The first picture is the day of surgery, the next is 6 weeks post op. I didn't think there was a difference until I saw the pictures. I changed my avatar too.

I have my full body shots before and after, but not quite ready to post them....

LisaBoston · 03-18-2006, 01:54 PM

Its been just over a week since my scope and life has changed quite a bit. I have so much more strengh since I am able to eat. Sleeping through the night now too.

I still have to be very careful about when I eat and drink. One hour before a meal, I must stop any liquids as there is no room in there for food. Waiting after food ideally is an hour, sometimes a little early and it seems ok too.

I had chicken the other night and it felt really heavy in the chest and I thought it would come back up, but it didn't.

I am happy to eat again, but for the most part food turns me off, especially when I cook. I am eating most suppers with my family, some things I choose not to eat as I feel they don't have enough nutritional value for the small amount I am eating.

When cooking, the smells really get to me and this turns me right off. Bacon and other meats are really bad.

I saw the dietician the other day and she said due to the small amount that I am eating 3 times a day, just make sure that protein gets in every meal. My main sources of protein are: cheese, nuts, eggs, seafood and milk products. I find a little carbs with the protein help keep the pouch happy.

Fruits and vegetables go down really well and once again eaten with protein or carbs.

I am down 41lbs and really happy with this. 20.5 inches, 7 of these being from the waist - which I am REALLY happy about...most of my weight is around my waist and chest so ideally I would like to loose this for health.

I am finally at the point of living again. The first 6 weeks are rough, but in the end well worth it.

The doctor said it was ok to walk and swim now. He wants me to wait another 8 weeks to go to Curves. It would put too much stress and pressure on the abdom. and he says I still need to heal. Doing too much can cause a hernia.

I am off any medication that I was taking before surgery.I may have to take allergy medication once the tree's start to bloom and the snow mold may appear as the snow disappears.

I am very thankful for the doctors who enabled this board to exist. I live where I am the only person who has had the surgery, thus no support groups. This is my support, so thanks to you all for being there for me.

LisaBoston · 03-19-2006, 09:52 AM

Last night was great for me...I ate roast beef, potato and green beans! All went down really good. 2 new things happened......

1) I crossed my legs and sat in a chair...didn't think this was going to happen for some time...I have only lost 41 lbs, but I did it without even thinking about it.

2) My first social event in my house. I had another couple here for cards. I made a surprise dip and fruit plate. I ate a late breakfast and then dinner. I saved my other meal for the event. I ate 2 crackers with dip and a little fruit. I think I did really well for the first social event. The other couple that came are good freinds and he is my boss. He loves real Coke and drinks it like its going out of style. It didn't even bother me. I think the key is that I was able to have some of the food that I served, and I had a cran-grape juice (the low cal one, with less sugar) to drink and I felt just fine.

I am starting to feel like my old self and can go through my day with reasonably normal activities. I did a little housework and my stength is no where near what it used to be like, but that should change with time. I still have 2 weeks off work.

Going through this surgery and then a stricture have taught me self control and amazing emotional strength. I know I can do this and succeed. This doesn't mean there won't be hard times, but for now I am in control and look forward to the next few months.

NewMel06 · 03-19-2006, 10:05 AM

LIsa,
When you say you are turned off by the smells of the foods you are cooking, does it make you queezy? I am a Chef, I never thought about this happening. It kind of scared me, because I am cooking for 200 to 300 people at a time. I'm wonderding what the smells will do to me and if this is just a temporary thing.
Congrats with your success this past six weeks!
Melanie

Blueyz · 03-19-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaBoston

The first picture is the day of surgery, the next is 6 weeks post op. I didn't think there was a difference until I saw the pictures. I changed my avatar too.

I have my full body shots before and after, but not quite ready to post them....

Awesome!! You can see a great difference. Pictures tell it all. I still have to look back at pictures that I took along the way. It is always bittersweet.

LisaBoston · 03-19-2006, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewMel06

LIsa,
When you say you are turned off by the smells of the foods you are cooking, does it make you queezy? I am a Chef, I never thought about this happening. It kind of scared me, because I am cooking for 200 to 300 people at a time. I'm wonderding what the smells will do to me and if this is just a temporary thing.
Congrats with your success this past six weeks!
Melanie

Melanie, it reminds me of being pregnant and smells get to you. I usually leave the area for a while and I am better. Meat is especially bad for me. I don't know if this is temporary or long term....I will have to wait it out and see. I can assume its temporary cause beef jerky smell was making me gag, now I just don't like the smell.

LisaBoston · 03-21-2006, 06:09 PM

With all my frustration with clothes sizes, today I had a wow moment. I went to Walmart (never been able to fit clothes there before) and went in search of some pants to tie me over until I fit into the jeans I have at home. I grabbed the largest jeans off the shelf and stretch to boot. Went into the dressing room, only to come out and find a smaller pair...What !!!! Only 2 months ago, I couldn't fit anything there .....and now I have to go down to a smaller size! Holy Smokes Batman! Anyway, I came home with 1 pair of jeans and 2 pairs of pants. I go back to work in just over a week, so I needed something. I will hold out on the shirts as long as I can. Never imagined this coming so soon. I haven't weighed in this week...will hold off till next week to do that.

LisaBoston · 03-22-2006, 10:53 PM

Well the day started out with vomiting breakfast...I didn't think it was a big deal cause I had something new and I ate right out of bed. I usually start with liquid and then have breakfast in about 2 hours, but the day before I didn't get in all my fluids and so I thought I would start with food.

Then came beef barley and vegetable soup at lunch and this caused some tightness in the chest, but i chewed well and ate slow...it stayed down.

Felt good all afternoon. Drinking is ok as long as I can burp at some point - almost like a gas bubble needs to come out to make room for liquids.

Then supper....well that came up right away. Spent the night on liquids as I didn't get in enough....that came up too.

I just pray its not another stricture. I was dialated 2 weeks ago and all has been so good since then. Its a long....long...haul to the doctors, not to mention very costly to get there.

So pray for me...that its just a fussy pouch and not another stricture or something else.

JJ Girl · 03-23-2006, 06:17 AM

Hi Lisa

I found that after I was out for awhile and could eat more easily that occasionally I would irritate my pouch and if I took a day or two and went back to soft foods that it would clear up. Hope that is what it is. Enjoyed reading your story.

LisaBoston · 03-23-2006, 06:24 PM

So after a day of vomitting, I took it easy and kept to soft food as you recommended and so far, so good. I kept down everything that I took in. Mind you the protein was not as high as it should have been, but the food stayed in as did liquids. The doctor called this morning, (just by fluke) to see how I was doing. He was quite upset about me vomitting and asked me to call him back in the afternoon to let him know how I was doing. When was the last time the doctor called you ???

So I have to learn the difference between a fussy pouch and a stricture. They felt the same to me.

I will stay away from soup for a while and stick to more solid foods and soft foods. That sounds so funny..........before WLS, what did you have when your tummy was upset...soup! Not now.

I really focused on keeping the liquids out of my meals. For lunch I had the Lean Cuisine Spa - Shrimp with pasta. My pouch sure likes carbs with protein...thus this went down really well. I have a salmon one that I will try tomorrow.

Thinking of making chilli for tomorrow.

My podmate (goblin) is having her scope tomorrow and I pray that she can eat after this. She has barely eaten since our surgeries 8 weeks ago.

Fingers crossed for an uneventful day tomorrow.