Bypass Blogging - Continued

It’s been a while since I’ve posted – so I’ll try to update this blog.


We returned home after that “interesting” car ride (with the little detour through Madera, CA, to have the Toyota water pump replaced). We arrived home later that evening at about 10PM … the rest of the ride, thankfully, was uneventful!

As usual – it was always nice to be home. I felt “great” surgically speaking … I don’t think I had any pain after that one “bump” in the road with the bowel/intestine requiring a second surgery. That kinda’ sucked but … Demerol was my friend on the early morning on November 20. Wednesday morning we picked up Ivy from the vets’ office … another thing that was very nice! 

Late Wednesday evening (we’re now @ November 25th) Kimberly and Adam arrived home. It was late so they didn’t stay up late but Thursday morning I swiped their grocery list that was on the counter; I headed to Winco to buy the groceries they would need. I felt bad enough that I wasn’t making Thanksgiving dinner – I would’ve felt that much worse if they paid for our groceries! I know neither of them would’ve taken reimbursement without a squabble so … it was easier to buy the stuff on the list and deal with it later! (ha)

Thanksgiving dinner SMELLED great – obviously I couldn’t taste things but – that was okay. I did have a little bit of the turkey broth, and a little turkey puree. It tasted good.

Fast forward to now … not much else has been happening. I returned to work on Mon., November 30th as planned. By the end of last week I was reallllllllly feeling tired – especially on Saturday and Sunday (this past weekend). Benjamin had his first basketball tournament @ Shasta High and the first game was Friday night … starting @ 8:45 p.m.

Thursday night we had a mandatory training at work until 7pm and then I had to work a full-day on Friday (I usually get off work @ 2:15PM) so to have to work basically two full 8 hour work days was killer for me only post- surgery about 2 weeks. GEESH! I think I pushed it there. So the tournaments kinda were the “icing on the cake” as far as exhaustion goes.

To anybody having gastric bypass my unsolicited advice is: Plan on taking the full 3 weeks off if you can afford to do so. It takes your body a while to build up energy, you’re still trying to heal, you still have to “figure out” your eating protein/drinking water schedule. It is a bit much to try to jump right back into routine so soon after surgery. That’s just my two cents worth.

Anyway – so … this past weekend is the one where I felt wiped out. But today I made a decision to REALLY focus on my water and protein intake. As a result, today, for the FIRST day, I am really not hungry. In fact I am having difficulty getting in the protein. Up to this point honestly I had yet to experience a feeling of fullness and I was wondering what the heck was going on? Had I screwed something up? Eaten too much and stretched the pouch? What?? I don’t think I could’ve possibly eaten too much because I have yet to experience the dumping syndrome or any vomiting, nausea. I think I’m doing things right and today the feeling of fullness finally hit! To feel full is a beautiful thing! A “thing” I’m not completely used to feeling. I hope it lasts!

I think I’m experiencing fullness because I am FINALLY focusing on my water intake. I have a ways to go in mastering the art of “sipping” 32-64 oz. of water daily. (I’m STILL working on my first 16 oz. that I measured out this morning. YIKES!) How do people do this? Get in their water, but get in their vitamins/minerals, while getting in the correct amount of protein – separate from water so they don’t flush out nutrients, screw up their appetite, etc.

It’s an art, I swear.

If you, too, are trying to master it … hang in there. It will click and kick in soon – I promise.

My starting weight before surgery was 227. This morning I was 206.6. I have lost about 21 pounds but I had lost that initial 21 pounds shortly after I arrived home from surgery and things have pretty much stayed the same since. I have felt kind of discouraged by this but … I figure I will be losing more eventually. You can’t hardly eat baby food, cottage cheese and refried beans and expect to gain, right?! At least that’s what I’m choosing to believe so – I’m stickin’ to it.



More later ~