Category: Deep Phat Thoughts

Current weight:  225 (-12lbs)

Why is taking a shower so exhausting now?  It went from feeling refreshed to wanting to curl up on the floor and nap.  I suppose it could be worse.  My in laws are here helping me out now, which is great, but they might leave early like on Wednesday depending on what my doctor says.  I still won’t carry anything over 10-20lbs, certainly not David, and I’ll wait for Catherine to come home so she can help me with house hold chores.  Oh she’ll LOVE that.

I’ve slowly started into the next phase of food.  Oh yeah, here are the stages:

Day of surgery you eat nothing, drinking nothing.  Not even water.

Clear Liquids – Post surgery 2 days:  broth, water, jello

Full Liquids – 4-7 days post surgery:  creamy soups, protein shakes, soy milk, nonfat milk if I can tolerate it.

Ended yesterday with a little banana baby food and wow – it was the best thing I had ever tasted in my life.  Left me with a little upset stomach, but today wasn’t so bad.  Had banana baby food (same jar, not even half eaten 4.oz) and for my mid afternoon snack, had a nonfat milk chocolate protein shake, 4.0z.  So far so good – I don’t want to throw up or burst, but I am pretty thirsty.  I just want to gulp cold water but obviously I can’t.  Feeling tired, probably because I wasn’t eating but jello and water, but I’m down to 12 pounds now.  Definitely going faster than I thought, but I’m going to talk to my doctor about when and what kind of exercises I can do.  I am dreading any flabby skin I might have, but I’m hoping the Brown gene will kick in and at least help it be not near as bad as it could.

Tomorrow is appt with my surgeon to take out my JP drain.  I’m looking forward to it, kind of, so that I can start sleeping on my side.  The spot is really the only place I have pain and it’ll mean I’m that much further from operation day and close to healing.  Wish me luck.

Oh I thought of something else.  Figured I’d lay out the medications I was taking before the surgery and compare it to now and during my post surgery progress.

Before:

Novolin (fast acting human Insulin that is injected) – x2 a day, 50 units

Lantus (12 hour slow release human Insulin that is injected) – x1 a day, 50  units

Zorcor (cholesterol medicine) – 20 mg x1 a day

Micardia (high blood pressure medication) – just upped it from 40 to 80 mg x 1 a day

Low dose Aspirin – x1 a day

Ok, keep in mind that all but the insulin has been taken off until I can get past this clear liquid phase, but here’s the insulin I take now:

Novolin – On a scale now, checking my blood sugar breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Anywhere from 15 units in the morning to 2-5 units for lunch and dinner.

Lantus – 16 units x1

Yeah, pretty significant, huh?  Will I be able to get off insulin someday?  The doctors say I have a reasonably good chance that I will once the weight starts coming off.  I was surprised at how much less I’m needing though.  I might up the Lantus at night to help bring down my blood sugar reading at fasting.  Wish me luck.