Had my post op visit with the surgeon today. He was extremely pleased with the way I am going. Said it was obvious that I am following everything to the letter. He said that my op had gone well and that I had done a good job cleaning my liver.
I am getting my first fill in 3 weeks time. I will have 5ml of saline injected into the band to tighten it. Then have to go on 2 days of liquids again, and then back to what food I am on then.
The dr was running over 2 hours late. He told me when I went in that he was doing a band on someone that morning and when he got in found a hernia the size of a very large rockmelon. It was so big it had pushed their stomach up in behind their heart. So the op ended up taking 2 hours extra with removal of hernia then having to reposition stomach. OMG can you imagine that!!
Oh and another way to tell I am losing weight. Not only are clothes getting looser, sleeves getting longer but I also had to move the car seat forward to be able to reach the pedals properly. No fat to push me forward haha
Have to say the scales gave me a boost this morning.
Every time I have been on a diet in the past that 150 mark was always like a brick wall that I couldn’t break through. For some reason when I put on weight and went over that 150kg, it was like my body saying “well that’s it, your never going back”.
Well today I did!! 149.85kgs!!!
So body, take that! I am never going back over it again!
And yes I have been taking my medication every night, still not back on even keel but it will come J
Well yesterday and today it all caught up with me. Tears have been flowing and not just in trickles but Noah’s ark flood mode.
I think being bought on by a few things – today being daughters birthday and they always get to pick what they have for a meal, so not being able to have that or cake it just felt like I wasn’t a part of it. Daughter and boyfriend went out last night and came home and not knowing also ate the food I had made up for today (although it wasn’t mushed yet), I went to get it and it wasn’t there.
Also because of crushing tablets to have them and they taste foul, I have been only having them every second night… yeah yeah I know, shouldn’t do that, but I did. Hence anti depressants have seemed to cut out.
Then add to it all family that get shitty because they weren’t told I was going in, doesn’t matter that they never tell us anything and it was a pretty horrible couple of days.
But good thing is that I got on the treadmill to stop myself crying which worked, bad thing I started again writing this lol.
Yesterday I had my first bout of wind up under my right hand side rib area. Boy what pain that causes!! Think I ate the yoghurt too fast.
Speaking of yoghurt I have the best friends around. A friend of mine Jan came over yesterday and knowing what type of foods I am allowed and not allowed, she brought over some gourmet yoghurt. OMG this stuff is yum!!! Made in Qld in comes in flavours such as Mango (which I had), coffee and walnut, rhubarb, and others. As a treat it is a great way to go and better still made in Qld and sold at IGA. Be warned though, ½ cup of it is too much as it is very rich.
The wounds are in such an awkward place. My bra is rubbing on one which isn’t good, so another friend suggested a man’s hanky between bra and wound to stop it happening. Am getting some today. All the others seem to be healing up nicely.
Exercise isn’t going so great, but am going to try and get an exercise buddy to make things easier. Will let you know how that goes.
Family has been so supportive and telling me how well I am doing and how proud they are. Clothes are getting looser and I can actually touch parts of my body that I haven’t been able to for a while eg shoulder blades.
Last night having just sat at the dining room table to have dinner, my youngest decided that me sitting there with my rice bowl and princess fork was just too much temptation. He picked up my fork and in his best daddy voice said “ Here comes the train. Open up, toot toot”. Well that’s when my best batman impression came in lol – wham, bam, pow!!
Tried rissoles and veggies with gravy for dinner last night. Store bought rissoles but never again. Its either none or I make my own. They were a bit too compact to blend so needed more gravy than I would of liked to use.
And did you see more weight loss!!! Now I am only .7kg off of being in the 140’s… wooooohoooooo!!!
Yes you read right, I am a princess!!!
Sent son out today to buy me some small bowls that would hold about ½ cup, so it made it look like I had a big meal and a small fork to have small mouthfuls.
He came home with 5 rice bowls – these are excellent for the mushie stage and hold just the right amount.
He also brought home, a baby fork and spoon. He said he got the one with princesses on them as that is what I am…awwww….think he might be after something lol.
I am really enjoying the different flavors now. It was the thing I have missed the most, especially over the liquid stage.
Last night for supper I had some yoghurt with some apple that I had stewed before my op. just the right amount of tang.
Today a wonderful friend of mine (pozzie) came to visit. With her she brought have the supermarket of food I could eat and also some seafood mornay that she made me – it even had lobster in it!!!
I normally take about 20 mins to eat the ½ cup serve; this took me 40 mins as I was savoring each mouthful. Thank you so much pozz.
Today is our 24th wedding anniversary and we are having curried chicken and rice for dinner and mashed banana and custard for supper. I had been worried I would still be on liquids at the moment and wouldn’t be able to share a dinner with my husband.
I am hoping to add my 1-month photos either later tonight or tomorrow. I am feeling very positive within myself, proud of myself for being able to follow the dietician to the letter and grateful to having wonderful, supportive and caring friends.
I woke this morning very apprehensive about getting to eat food and how I would feel.
For breakfast I made some porridge, it was ok but by the end of 20mins (the length of time I have to take to eat my half cups worth) it was a bit gluggy.
So roll on lunchtime and I had to come and tell you what an explosion I have just had in my mouth. I can tell you that the first mouthful was orgasmic haha. I cooked some veggies - potato, pumpkin and broccoli, and then mashed them with a little milk and to that added a tin of lite tuna tempters that had lemon and cracked pepper in it. Run the hand blender thru it all and omg to die for.
It made 1 and a half cups so 3 meals all toll. I will be freezing it as I am going to build up my choices of just grabbing things out the freezer.
Tonight for dinner I have the crockpot on making a beef stew of - beef, potato, carrot, celery, turnip with tomato puree, water, salt, pepper and instead of sugar I put 1/2 teaspoon of equal. Its finally great to be able to eat with the family and we all have the same thing. Of course theirs won't be blended lol
For breakfast I made some porridge, it was ok but by the end of 20mins (the length of time I have to take to eat my half cups worth) it was a bit gluggy.
So roll on lunchtime and I had to come and tell you what an explosion I have just had in my mouth. I can tell you that the first mouthful was orgasmic haha. I cooked some veggies - potato, pumpkin and broccoli, and then mashed them with a little milk and to that added a tin of lite tuna tempters that had lemon and cracked pepper in it. Run the hand blender thru it all and omg to die for.
It made 1 and a half cups so 3 meals all toll. I will be freezing it as I am going to build up my choices of just grabbing things out the freezer.
Tonight for dinner I have the crockpot on making a beef stew of - beef, potato, carrot, celery, turnip with tomato puree, water, salt, pepper and instead of sugar I put 1/2 teaspoon of equal. Its finally great to be able to eat with the family and we all have the same thing. Of course theirs won't be blended lol
The liquid stage!! I am sure this has to be the hardest part. You have to build from having a sip of liquid every 5 mins to around 125mls every 20 mins at day 4 and then cup every half hour around day 7.
This stage I was allowed -
This stage I was allowed -
- 3 optifast shakes
- tea or coffee with milk
- thin soups
- drinking yoghurt
- vegetable and fruit juices strained
I have to say that first cup of coffee I had on the Sunday was heaven. nearly 4 weeks with no coffee and I didn't care that it took half an hour to drink it. Nectar of the Gods haha.
I was allowed to change what flavour optifast I had now and could have any. I got hubby to buy me the strawberry, which he couldn't get until the Wednesday. By this time I was at the stage of thinking, " I can't cope with making another bloody chocolate shake". That first strawberry was magic!!!
Because I was use to making thick soups I found it easier to buy some chicken and noodle soup and strain it. Every day was shake for breakfast, soup for mid break, shake for lunch, orange juice for mid break then shake for dinner.
Not knowing much about drinking yoghurt I thought it was yukult, so got hubby to get some of this. Revolting stuff. I gave the bottles away to a neighbour haha.
So that brings me to today. I had thedietician this morning and he has said that I can go on mushies starting Sunday. Wooooo hoooooo.
Mushies as my dietician explained is food. So if you make something and then dip a fork in, if it stays if it runs through the prongs it is liquid.
This consists of 6 half cup serves per day eg
I was allowed to change what flavour optifast I had now and could have any. I got hubby to buy me the strawberry, which he couldn't get until the Wednesday. By this time I was at the stage of thinking, " I can't cope with making another bloody chocolate shake". That first strawberry was magic!!!
Because I was use to making thick soups I found it easier to buy some chicken and noodle soup and strain it. Every day was shake for breakfast, soup for mid break, shake for lunch, orange juice for mid break then shake for dinner.
Not knowing much about drinking yoghurt I thought it was yukult, so got hubby to get some of this. Revolting stuff. I gave the bottles away to a neighbour haha.
So that brings me to today. I had thedietician this morning and he has said that I can go on mushies starting Sunday. Wooooo hoooooo.
Mushies as my dietician explained is food. So if you make something and then dip a fork in, if it stays if it runs through the prongs it is liquid.
This consists of 6 half cup serves per day eg
- Breakfast 1 weetbix or a sachet of plain porridge on the fork it is food,
- mid morning, yoghurt with blended fruit (no passionfruit)
- Lunch, sandwich tuna and ricotta or casserole.
- mid afternoon, more fruit
- Dinner, curry, spag bols, etc
- supper, 1/2 mashed banana and custard.
- 2litres of fluid (no fruit juices)
The reason for the amounts is that my new little stomach is only about the size of an egg and if I have more to eat than 1/2 cup I can damage it. I also have to have a drink no more than 10 mins prior to eating and then not until 30 mins afterwards so that my meal isn't washed away.
I have to say my dietician is excellent although all my "visits" with him, have been done by phone. He really explains everything and why you need to do things at certain stages. He works in conjunction with the people at Foodtalk, developing the guidelines for banders around Australia.
Can't wait for this stage to start. It's our wedding anniversary on Monday so we are having a romantic dinner of curry and rice with banana and custard later. It is one busy week with daughter and her boyfriend also having their birthdays on Thursday and Saturday.
Until next mushies update..... bye.
I have to say my dietician is excellent although all my "visits" with him, have been done by phone. He really explains everything and why you need to do things at certain stages. He works in conjunction with the people at Foodtalk, developing the guidelines for banders around Australia.
Can't wait for this stage to start. It's our wedding anniversary on Monday so we are having a romantic dinner of curry and rice with banana and custard later. It is one busy week with daughter and her boyfriend also having their birthdays on Thursday and Saturday.
Until next mushies update..... bye.
4.30am and my alarm goes off. Time to get out of bed, have a shower with the surgery wash and get ready for my daughter to take me to the hospital. We didn't have to be there until 7am but it was a 40 minute drive plus Ipswich motorway into Brisbane is known for accidents and hold ups plus heavy workers traffic.
There had been a concern that I might not have even gotten to the hospital with floods we had the couple of days beforehand. But all was good and we ended up getting there 45 mins early.
We went to admissions where I had to pay the excess - I wonder if they get the money first in case something happens lol. Then someone came to take me to the pre operation section. She said that daughter wasn't allowed to come up even though I had been told she could stay with me until my op time at 10am.
This upset me a little bit and even had me thinking "was it too late to call it off". To make it worse the woman came back a few minutes later to say they had changed the rules and my daughter could stay, but by then it was too late as she had left. A lot of others in the area had people with them.
I sat there for 2 hours before seeing the anesthetist who came to take my history and explain what he would do. He was a really lovely guy. Really putting me at ease.
It was another half an hour before seeing the nurse to take all my details and take me thru to get changed. For some reason this section had thought I was getting done later so as I came out from getting changed they said I was next. Then they realized they hadn't had some blood work done that they were suppose to get done and I ended up having to wait around for that.
As soon as my blood work was done I was taken to the "holding" area in theatre. They checked who I was and what I was having done. The anesthetist came out to see me again and so did my surgeon. He asked if my hubby was there but I explained no he was at home and he said he would ring him after to tell him how it all went.
Into theatre we all went. Me with my beautiful white knee length stockings and ultra sexy hospital gown. Everyone else covered up with masks on - think I must of had bad breath lol.
I was connected to a few wires on my body, also a monitor on my forehead to say how under I was (have never had this with all the other ops I have had done), then iv in and off to sleep.
Next I woke up with the anesthetist calling my name and asking how much pain I was in from 1 to 10. I vaguely remember saying 8 and him giving me some pethadine. He also gave me a heparin injection to help with clotting. The nurses asked a few more times and gave more pethadine until I was down to under 5.
It was then a case of waiting until I had woken fully and I was taken to the ward. I had some splint type of things on my legs as well that pumped up and down with air to also stop clots. I dozed on and off for a while until a nurse came in with hubby on the phone. The doctor hadn't rung him and he and the kids were sitting at home worried as to what was happening.
The worse thing at this time is that your mouth is dry and all you want to do is wash it all out. Your not allowed anything for so long after the op but as soon as I could the nurses got me a damp washer and some ice..... Heaven!!!
When hubby arrived at the hospital at 7pm I was a lot more alert. I asked the nurse if I could sit up - from previous ops, I have found I cope a lot better sitting rather than lying. She was concerned about this and went and asked the nurse in charge who said it was fine. So between her and hubby I got up and sat in the chair. Oh did I mention I was also on oxygen all this time as well to get my stats up.
That night wasn't too bad. With the help of the nurse I was able to relieve pressure on my bum by half laying on my side with a pillow behind me. Although around 4am I did get and sit in the chair again and dozed a bit there.
The next day - Saturday - I was taken off the iv, oxygen and my lovely splints and taken off for a barium xray. This is to make sure the band is in the correct position and liquid can flow through it properly.
Until this test was done I wasn't allowed any fluids apart from water. My dietician had told me to take an optifast sachet in with me to have after this if I felt like something. He had also explained that often they will bring you food or even jelly to have but to refuse it all, as it's not allowed.
With the test done I could head home. Hubby came to pick me up. I can honestly say the most discomfort I was in, was that it felt like a bad stitch in your side. I was one of the lucky ones without all the shoulder tip pain, although I did get it slightly about 3 days later.
All toll I had 3 heparin injections and also came home with coloxyl to keep movements lose and no straining.
There had been a concern that I might not have even gotten to the hospital with floods we had the couple of days beforehand. But all was good and we ended up getting there 45 mins early.
We went to admissions where I had to pay the excess - I wonder if they get the money first in case something happens lol. Then someone came to take me to the pre operation section. She said that daughter wasn't allowed to come up even though I had been told she could stay with me until my op time at 10am.
This upset me a little bit and even had me thinking "was it too late to call it off". To make it worse the woman came back a few minutes later to say they had changed the rules and my daughter could stay, but by then it was too late as she had left. A lot of others in the area had people with them.
I sat there for 2 hours before seeing the anesthetist who came to take my history and explain what he would do. He was a really lovely guy. Really putting me at ease.
It was another half an hour before seeing the nurse to take all my details and take me thru to get changed. For some reason this section had thought I was getting done later so as I came out from getting changed they said I was next. Then they realized they hadn't had some blood work done that they were suppose to get done and I ended up having to wait around for that.
As soon as my blood work was done I was taken to the "holding" area in theatre. They checked who I was and what I was having done. The anesthetist came out to see me again and so did my surgeon. He asked if my hubby was there but I explained no he was at home and he said he would ring him after to tell him how it all went.
Into theatre we all went. Me with my beautiful white knee length stockings and ultra sexy hospital gown. Everyone else covered up with masks on - think I must of had bad breath lol.
I was connected to a few wires on my body, also a monitor on my forehead to say how under I was (have never had this with all the other ops I have had done), then iv in and off to sleep.
Next I woke up with the anesthetist calling my name and asking how much pain I was in from 1 to 10. I vaguely remember saying 8 and him giving me some pethadine. He also gave me a heparin injection to help with clotting. The nurses asked a few more times and gave more pethadine until I was down to under 5.
It was then a case of waiting until I had woken fully and I was taken to the ward. I had some splint type of things on my legs as well that pumped up and down with air to also stop clots. I dozed on and off for a while until a nurse came in with hubby on the phone. The doctor hadn't rung him and he and the kids were sitting at home worried as to what was happening.
The worse thing at this time is that your mouth is dry and all you want to do is wash it all out. Your not allowed anything for so long after the op but as soon as I could the nurses got me a damp washer and some ice..... Heaven!!!
When hubby arrived at the hospital at 7pm I was a lot more alert. I asked the nurse if I could sit up - from previous ops, I have found I cope a lot better sitting rather than lying. She was concerned about this and went and asked the nurse in charge who said it was fine. So between her and hubby I got up and sat in the chair. Oh did I mention I was also on oxygen all this time as well to get my stats up.
That night wasn't too bad. With the help of the nurse I was able to relieve pressure on my bum by half laying on my side with a pillow behind me. Although around 4am I did get and sit in the chair again and dozed a bit there.
The next day - Saturday - I was taken off the iv, oxygen and my lovely splints and taken off for a barium xray. This is to make sure the band is in the correct position and liquid can flow through it properly.
Until this test was done I wasn't allowed any fluids apart from water. My dietician had told me to take an optifast sachet in with me to have after this if I felt like something. He had also explained that often they will bring you food or even jelly to have but to refuse it all, as it's not allowed.
With the test done I could head home. Hubby came to pick me up. I can honestly say the most discomfort I was in, was that it felt like a bad stitch in your side. I was one of the lucky ones without all the shoulder tip pain, although I did get it slightly about 3 days later.
All toll I had 3 heparin injections and also came home with coloxyl to keep movements lose and no straining.
May 1st and I was all ready to go. I had bought my optifast, sugarless gum to chew, benefibre to have in shake.
I was allowed to have -
I was allowed to have -
- 3 optifast shakes a day - I was only allowed chocolate, vanilla or chicken soup
- 1 cup of berries no other fruit
- salad or vegetables from a restricted list
- jelly
- no milk, protein, carbs.
- diet cordial, diet drinks, plain mineral water
I stuck to the chocolate shakes as I had heard heaps of people say the vanilla was horrible and from previous experience with powered soups I wasn't game to try the soup.
I would have things like salad for lunch with a dressing of lemon and garlic on it, or my favourite salad of spinach leaves, bean sprouts, capsicum, mushroom and tomato with a dressing of soy, lime juice, garlic and chilli.
Dinner along with my shake I would have some soup that I had made up. I had to learn to like black tea so just had it and water for fluids of which I had to have 3 litres a day. It wasn't too bad just trying to keep the variety was the main thing.
I did have chicken a couple of times in that 3 weeks. My dietican had said if I was stuck out somewhere then to have protein.
I did vary the choc shakes from cold to warmed up as a hot chocolate. Someone sent me a chicken soup to try and boy can I tell you it was the most vial thing I have every tried lol. By the end of the 3 weeks I was very sick of chocolate though.
I had an appointment with the dietician again and he told me what to have after surgery. Best news I heard was that I could have any flavour shake by then wooo hoooo!!!
The day prior to surgery I didn't really eat much at all, as I was too nervous. I did however go and have my hair done and coloured just to feel good about myself and bring on the new me.
I would have things like salad for lunch with a dressing of lemon and garlic on it, or my favourite salad of spinach leaves, bean sprouts, capsicum, mushroom and tomato with a dressing of soy, lime juice, garlic and chilli.
Dinner along with my shake I would have some soup that I had made up. I had to learn to like black tea so just had it and water for fluids of which I had to have 3 litres a day. It wasn't too bad just trying to keep the variety was the main thing.
I did have chicken a couple of times in that 3 weeks. My dietican had said if I was stuck out somewhere then to have protein.
I did vary the choc shakes from cold to warmed up as a hot chocolate. Someone sent me a chicken soup to try and boy can I tell you it was the most vial thing I have every tried lol. By the end of the 3 weeks I was very sick of chocolate though.
I had an appointment with the dietician again and he told me what to have after surgery. Best news I heard was that I could have any flavour shake by then wooo hoooo!!!
The day prior to surgery I didn't really eat much at all, as I was too nervous. I did however go and have my hair done and coloured just to feel good about myself and bring on the new me.
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