Slow it down

One of the biggest things that I have had to be mindful of this week with experimenting with solid foods is to eat sloowwly. It is very important to take small bites and chew, chew, chew. It can take you 1/2 hour to eat a couple of tablespoons of cottage cheese and 3 or 4 slices of banana. Which should make it really interesting when I go back to work in a week and a half and get a 35 minute lunch. Let's see - do I use the bathroom or check my mailbox? Oh, wait, at the start of first grade, half of your lunch is spent walking them all the way into the cafeteria, showing them how to carry their tray, dealing with the cryer who wants to go home (trust me, there's always at least one.) Then maybe having time to eat yourself. Whew, maybe I need to start eating while I'm walking my kids out.

Wow, and I was trying really hard to block that all out! Anyways, I learned the hard way when I ate a little bit of egg salad a little too fast. It felt like it was stuck and just was like a brick in my new tiny stomach - a very uncomfortable feeling. So - I am really taking this slow food thing seriously. The upside is that the slower you eat, the better things taste. You really notice how sweet and creamy those banana slices are. Cream of wheat is really good - very creamy, a little gritty. Yogurt has a sweet taste followed by that tangy aftertaste. Maybe adding a few new foods a week and eating them slowly will give me the gift of rediscovering how good some of them taste. What a gift!

With apologies to Kraft Foods

I never want to eat plain, sf jello again - but wait .... I don't have to! I went to my doctor today for my 1st week post-op visit and got some exciting new food choices. I'm officially on "soft foods" which includes such things as cottage cheese, yogurt, applesauce, banana, real soup (yahoo!!) such as split pea and lentil (for protein), cream of wheat - there just aren't enough meals in the week to honor them all. Especially when you are eating 1/4 to 1/3 cup at a meal. But amazingly - that's enough.

Other than tiring easily, you'd never know that I had major surgery a week ago. I feel great - my body is moving so much easier - my stiffness and arthritis seem to have taken a giant step back.

So - curious to know what I had for lunch? Cottage cheese and a few banana slices mushed up with a drizzle of sf Toriani coconut syrup. Wonderful!

There's always room for Jello

3 days post-op. Jello is just not my favorite food - I've gotta remind myself to eat. According to my nutritionist, it's extremely important to get three meals. When you are not particularly hungry, you kind of have to remind yourself that it is time for sf jello, vegetable broth and a sf popsicle (my lunch) Oh, well, I always wanted to be that girl who had to remind herself to eat!

I've been surfing the net and have found a few people who have worked on getting WLS meals that are appealing and fun. (after the clear liquid stage, of course!

Here is one of the best. She is 2 1/2 yrs out from surgery and is quite the cook. It is great to know that I can still enjoy food - after all, it has been a big part of my life!

I am feeling terrific. A little sore, but not in pain. I figured out how to get into a sleeping position that I could live with last night. Can't do pressure on my stomach, and I hate sleeping on my back. I discovered that a pillow against my abdomen helps a lot. I am walking on the treadmill every couple of hours - not burning it up, but moving. I'm getting there

A New Day

Yesterday was a loonng day! It seemed like a very long day from getting up at 5 till surgery at 10:00. Then -suddenly it was 2:00! Everything went really well. I am feeling better than I expected this morning. Walking is getting better each time I try. I'm looking forward to seeing what flavor jello is on my tray this morning (really wishing for red - last night was orange) I am so thankful that all went well and to have so many, many friends and family praying for me. Not much to report from the hospital - think I'll just go back to Facebook!

The Last Supper

OK, don't get all over me for being sacriligeous. Tomorrow (The Day Before Surgery) is all about liquids. I bought my broth, Crystal Light, SF Jello to prepare for The First Week. Not really sure how long it will be until Real Food is in my grocery cart again (in teeny tiny quantities) My surgeon tells you as much as you need to know at the time (it IS a little information overload at times) But this week and especially today is about eating food that I will miss until we meet again. Actually, I found that it is pretty healthy stuff. This morning I had my ceremonial Last Starbuck's Run. (Had a grande iced skinny vanilla latte and a LF apple bran muffin. Fresh peach and some grapes for lunch. Dinner tonight is grilled flank steak, fresh green beans (I've been craving fresh fruit and fresh veggies all week) and roasted new potatoes drizzled w olive oil and herbs. Maybe a ceremonial Last Glass of Red Wine. I was doing really good till I got to that - but it's heart healthy, right? We've had a good run, but I am so looking forward to this next part of my life.

Sleepless in Fresno

Tom Hanks would identify with me. I'm not so much nervous as feeling wired. It's as if the first day of school was looming (although that will be here soon too) Less than a week to all liquids - all the time. I start that a day before surgery to prep. Less than a week to eat what I want, when I want it. Interestingly, I have had few cravings, no urges to carb load. I told Jim I'd like to go out for breakfast - my favorite meal to eat out. Last week, I went to a support group run by my surgeon's office. They showed a video of an actual bypass surgery. I was actually really fascinated by seeing what will be happening to me. It made it a lot more understandable than reading about it (even Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies) All that's left is to go to some pre-ops and stock up on broth and Crystal Light. Five days and counting.

My Body, My Self

Isn't that the title of a book? Anyways, it all started in December. I came home from the seminar jazzed, ready to read, go online, get started with getting healthy. I had a fitful night's sleep, due (I thought) mostly because of an active brain and the 19th being the last day of school before vacation. I had a weird dull pain in my lower abdomen which worsened as the day wore on. I barely made it through an afternoon party when I realized that something was very wrong. After calling my doctor, my son took me to the ER and I spent the next four days in the hospital with diverticulitis. I spent the rest of December getting well. January, February came and went. I had a list of a battery of tests that I had to complete or get records from. Let's see if I remember them all. Yearly exam and blood work, PAP, mammogram, colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, stress test and echocardiogram, angiogram (when the stress results seemed questionable), psychological evaluation (I was beginning to doubt my sanity by this time myself), visits with the surgeon, nutritionist, more with the surgeon, counseling sessions (both pre and post-op) and - just for good measure, a bout with pneumonia in April. I have seen nine different medical professionals (just counting those I made appointments with)

The good news - I am, surprisingly, in pretty good shape for someone with as many health issues as I have. If I take good care of myself and lose this weight once and for all, I will probably have many healthy years ahead. What wonderful news!! I feel as if I was waiting for the other shoe to drop during this long process of getting approval. Now, full steam ahead!!