My First Meal

Today was a great day.  I finally progressed from the liquid diet on to the next stage.  It is often referred to as the mushies stage althought crisp crakers and well-toasted bread are included in it.  I have looked forward to and dreamed about this day for I can't tell you how long.  Being on an all liquid diet sure was a test of my will.  It is also common for people to wonder "did my surgeon actually cut away the majority of my stomach?"  On liquids, you can consume more than you think you should be able to and more than you can of solids.  People talk about how little they can eat but I think they are referring to the amount of solids, not liquids.  I don't think those of us new in this process really realize that because it is not uncommon to see posts on the boards of people concerned that they can ingest so much liquid.  Others further along in the process respond with such responses as "just wait to you get to solids" and "it is normal to be able to ingest more liquids".  Anyway, as I said, I have dreamed of the day I finally got to have "my first meal".  Mostly I've dreamed about what I was going to eat.  Scrambled eggs and refried beans seem to be very popular first meal choices.  For me, I wanted something cruchy.  Oh, how I missed the crunch of a chip or cracker.  Its been 5 very long weeks since I had the crunch of a chip or cracker.  Anyway, I vascillated between having a scrambled egg or at least part of a scrambled egg and having one of my all time favorite "meals", cheese with pretzel chips.  Guess what won?  Yeah, this:

Well, not this exact slice of cheese and these exact three pretzel chips because I ate the originals.  I went into the kitchen to fix my first meal.  I stood there wondering how much could I eat.  I had absolutely no clue so I got out 2 slices of cheese and the bag of pretzel chips.  Surely I could eat 2 slices of chesse with pretzels, right?  Uh, no I couldn't.  When all was said and done, I only could eat 1 slice of cheese and 3 pretzel chips and I was stuffed.  Not miserable or sick.  Just stuffed  You would have thought I had just eaten a gourmet meal the way I enjoyed it.  Yeah, it was that yummy!  I ate it very slowly and chewed every bite to mush before swallowing it.  It is a little scary eating solid foods for the first time.  I don't want to overeat and be misearable nor do I want the slimes or to throw up.  Most of all though, I don't want to get a blockage.  Nothing happened though except that I got full and I felt a huge since of accomplishment.  It sounds kinda cheesy to say I felt a since of accomplishment at eating, but none-the-less, I did.

As I continue with this journey, I am still trying to determine the indication(s) my sleeve is giving me for being full.  Everyone is unique and there seems to be many different ways a sleeve has for saying that's enough.  I started noticing during the liquid phase of my diet that I would get this little pressure in the center of my chest between my breasts.  I wasn't sure if that was my signal that I'd had enough or it was just the way my sleeve was reacting to what I had ingested.  I would always stop at that feeling because of the fear of overdoing it and causing any of the issues I mentioned above.  When I ate my first meal, that all too familiar feeling came over me so I stopped and I was content for hours afterward.  For now, I'm going to take that as my signal that I've had enough and I need to stop.  I don't know that will always be my signal so I will continue to be very vigilant of how my body is feeling and of the signs it is giving me.  My goal is to never eat so much that I am nauseous, that I have to throw up, that I get the slimes or that I get a blockage.  

On another note, have you ever been asked what your favorite part of your body is.  I was thinking of that question and that, for the vast majority of people, the answers are some outward part of their appearance like their eyes or their arms, etc.  Ask a person post VSG what their favorite part of their body is and I betcha the vast majority of us would say "my sleeve".  Never in a million years would I have ever thought I would ever answer that question that way.  At least, not until after I had surgery anyway.  I spent a lot of money for this surgery and it is worth every penny.  Heck, maybe even more.  I love what my sleeve is doing for me and I will be forever greatful to Dr. Nicholson for "giving" me this gift.  Because of my sleeve, I am very optimistic for what lies ahead in my future.

~Amy

Support

I think I may have mentioned this before, but since the beginning of my VSG journey, I've become friends with two ladies I initially "met" on the boards. We all three had surgery on the same day, at the same hospital by the same doctor. It has been such a blessing to have these women in my life. There is no better support than that of someone who had surgery the same day and by the same doctor as me. If you can find someone like that before you have surgery, I would HIGHLY recommend it. If it isn't someone who has the same doctor as you, at least have friend who had surgery the same day. It's amazing having that support and friendship. One of the two ladies, Kristi, lives quite a few hours away. I wish she lived closer so we could hang out, but none-the-less I enjoy our new friendship....even if it is mostly a phone friendship. Regardless of the distance between is, she is still becoming a great friend and someone I look forward to having in my life For many more years to come.

My next source of support is the support group offered at a local hospital. It is for people or friends and loved ones of people who have had, are getting ready to have or are considering weight loss surgery. It is only once a month but I look forward to seeing the other lady I met, Donna, there. I also look forward to making other friends from there.

Another source of real live support I'm hoping to ne involved with also comes from the VST boards. There is a subforum on the boards for people to commect whomlive in the same geographical area. Another lady and I are starting up a group from there that can meet up regularly for get togethers and support. I love this idea! We all suffer with food issues and we all have had or will soon be having sleeve surgery. We can all understand each other in ways "outsiders" cannot.

I really think don't think a person can have too much support. Yes, our physicians physically limited the amount of food we can take in, thus resulting in weight loss. However, it is only a tool. It is very possible to "cheat the sleeve", as they say. That can lead to less success in losing and/or maintaining weight.

I've also mentioned in a post about the idea of counseling. I've pretty much decided I need to do this, at least for awhile anyway. I've never had counseling and the idea of picking up the phone and making that initial call is intimidating. I really need to do it soon though. It definitely can't hurt and since I've met my maximum out of pocket for 2012, it would be free. I would be stupid not to take advantage of that support.

On a final note about support, I count myself very blessed to have the support of my family, my best friend, Shawna and my other friends. I definitely couldn't do this without them. There are people who don't have the support of some of their family and friends and I feel so bad for them and it makes me that much more thankful for the support I do already have.

~Amy

Post Op Day 13

I had my 2 week postop appointment today and all is well.  Actually, all is really good.  Everything except my protein intake which I still struggle with but Brittany, the PA I saw, wasn't too concerned this early out.  Oh, and the fact that I am still on liquids.  I just cannot wait until next Tuesday when I can eat some real food.  Mushies, as they call it.  That opens up a lot of things like mashed potatoes, refried beans, canned tuna and chicken, thinly sliced lunch meat, jello.  Lots of things.  I think you get the picture.  As of my appointment today, I'm now cleared to take a bath.  My oh my have I missed my baths.  In the evenings, I typically take a relaxing bath more days of the week than I don't.  I may have to start taking them tonight.  I hope it is as good as I think it will be.

On another note, be careful and don't overdo things.  Yesterday and today my left side, where my big incision was, has been hurting.  It has also brought me almost to tears a couple of times.  I talked to Brittany about this at my appointment today.  She told me they see tons of patients and get tons of calls from patients right around the 2 week mark who complain of the same thing.  She said right before 2 weeks patients ususally start feeling good and start doing things and they end up lifting too much or bending and twisting too much without realizing it until later.  Well, she hit the nail on the head.  I have been feeling better and I started doing little projects around the house this weekend.  They actually encourage such to help build the stamina lost from surgery.  Wouldn't you know, those "little" projects ended up with me hurting the following 2 days.  Brittany assured me that I didn't do any damage to myself.  I just irritated that area of my abdomen which is still healing.  Hello pain meds again.  I've sure needed them the last two days.

Today, I spent a few hours with my Momma and sister.  It's my birthday and we went for pedicures.  My mom treated me!  I also got some cool gifts from them.  It was a really good day.  It always is when I get to hang out with my mom and sister.  Especially, when I get to hang out with both of them at the same time.  We are all 3 close, but it sure doesn't seem like we all 3 get to spend time together very often.  I'm glad we got to today.

I've completed my first 4 weeks of documenting my weight and measurements.  I am down a total of 27.8 pounds.  My measurements though stayed exactly the same so I won't post those yet.  Here's my next weight progress picture:

Until next time....

~Amy