This is a super quick update and I promise to write about Christmas tongiht.
Since I started keeping track of my weight on 9/14 I have lost an amazing 50 pounds!!! If you include the weight that I gained after surgery(and I do because I like the number better)....I've lost 41 pounds since surgery!!!!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Do Not Eat Too Fast!!
I learned the hard way yesterday that when I am hungry I eat faster, which in turn makes me vomit!! Right after surgery that really stinks!! I am still having trouble with not being hungry and getting enough to eat. I am consuming at least two EAS Myoplex Lite Ready-to-Drink Nutrition Shake, Chocolate Fudge which I am glad I have not gotten bored with yet! (knock on wood)
I have also been playing with out new Kinect for the Xbox 360! We bought Kinectimals and all I can say is WOW!! That is a surprising workout. I also like the Your Shape Fitness Evolved
which is cool because it does a body test and "watches" you so that you know how you are doing and if you are doing the workouts right.
Well that is my wisdom for the day!!
I have also been playing with out new Kinect for the Xbox 360! We bought Kinectimals and all I can say is WOW!! That is a surprising workout. I also like the Your Shape Fitness Evolved
which is cool because it does a body test and "watches" you so that you know how you are doing and if you are doing the workouts right. Well that is my wisdom for the day!!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
March for Babies
On May 14th at Wheeler Park, the March of Dimes will be holding its annual March for Babies. This is a major fundraising event for the March of Dimes and the money raised helps to research and prevent premature birth. This is a very important topic for me since my own daughter was born 6 weeks premature and spent 1.5 weeks in NICU. I honestly believe it wasn't for the research that the March of Dimes has done that she would have been in there for a lot longer!!
I realize that this walk is a ways off, but I have started my team (Team Binks) and would love to have as many people as possible walk or run with me!! If you are interested please go to: http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/Binks
and register to walk with us! If you cannot make it, but you would like to donate you can make a general team donation or donate on my personal fundraising page: http://www.marchforbabies.org/kmangan
I realize that this walk is a ways off, but I have started my team (Team Binks) and would love to have as many people as possible walk or run with me!! If you are interested please go to: http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/Binks
and register to walk with us! If you cannot make it, but you would like to donate you can make a general team donation or donate on my personal fundraising page: http://www.marchforbabies.org/kmangan
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
About Time!
Sorry I haven't done an actual blog since I was in the hospital, but these past two weeks have been a little hectic and tough!! So this entry will probably be a little longer so I can catch up!
In December 1st I came home from the hospital. It was so nice to come home. At the hospital I had been up and walking around so I went to Walgreens to pick up my medication. It was so nice to be breathing fresh air and in my own clothes. Walking also really helps with the gas that builds up from surgery. The excursion wore me out so I went home, took some pain killers and went to bed. When I woke up I had some of the broth that I loved so much in the hospital. I was eating/drinking clear liquids only at a pace of 1 ounce every 20 minutes. The would be the last cup of broth I consumed because for some reason I developed a HUGE aversion to broth. The mere mention of it made me gag!! So I was eating Jell-o and water for the next two days. As soon as I started being able to drink protein shakes I felt so much better. I also stopped having cravings for protein, mostly I was craving Pork and Beans and hot dogs.
I also was able to stop taking pain medications the following day (Thursday) and haven't taken so much as Tylenol since. I was pretty sore, but it was bearable. It hurt the most when I was getting in and out of bed. You really don't realize how much you used your abs until they have been cut into. Oh and sneezing hurt like a mother!! I was very excited when I could finally sneeze and it didn't hurt. However, belching and burping (remember a lot of gas!) still hurts a little.
I have been able to maintain a semi-normal activity level since surgery which is good since I have to chase a 3 year old around all the time!! Until yesterday I had a 20 pound weight restriction which was difficult since the kiddo is 32 pounds. She has done really well with getting in and out of the car by herself and is very careful about climbing onto my lap when it was time to rock for bed. I agree with Peter that this would have been a completely different situation had I tried to do this surgery anytime before. I think this was the perfect time since the Binks is pretty independent and likes to do a lot of stuff by herself. She was even helping me pick up the house. We will see how long that lasts.
The only other major thing that I noticed where mood swings! The surgery messes with your hormones quite a bit. There were times when I wanted to cry for no reason what so ever. I had a major meltdown at a Christmas party the Saturday after surgery. I was doing fine enjoying eating the extremely small amount of food that I could eat and taking my time (45 minutes to eat the roughly 2 oz of food) and I felt like everyone was watching me. I wanted to go home! My mother was with me and had wanted to stay. Once she assured me that she would get a ride home, I bolted. Well I bolted after I made 3 people move their cars from behind me. I came home to an empty house, cried for a few minutes, drank a protein shake and knitted a scarf. It was actually a good night!!
The only other part of the program that I have had a hard time with was pureed foods. Certain foods are supposed to have certain textures and I am all about texture! I found that some pureed foods, okay most pureed foods make me gag. Vomiting isn't something that the doctors want you to do, especially after surgery when the vomiting can damage the pouch. After talking to my doctor, we have restructured my diet and so far that seems to be helping.
I have heard people can have an aversion to the smell of food and just smells can make them sick. I have not experienced this. I can say that food that once smelled good, no longer does. For example we took my daughter on the Polar Express and went to dinner prior to boarding the train. Just walking into the restaurant I was a little turned off by the smell of cooking steak, a smell which I normally would have loved. Also, I notice that sweets are no longer appealing to me. We went to Sam's Club the other day (a great walk when it is cold out by that way) and walked past all the cheesecakes and desserts. They actually made me a little sick to look at!! I do have a huge fear of sugar right now since I know that it can cause dumping syndrome and that isn't something that I am looking forward to experiencing.
Overall I have gone through some days were I debated if I had made the right choice, but that first step on the scale where I lost 8 pounds really made me change my tune about that! I know that I made the right choice. I may have had a few hiccups along the road (like the rash around my stitches) but overall while not the easiest process in the world, it is totally, 100% doable.
***Please note that any changes that were made to my diet were made at the direction of my doctor. Please don't make any changes to your plan without first consulting your surgeon or doctor!***
In December 1st I came home from the hospital. It was so nice to come home. At the hospital I had been up and walking around so I went to Walgreens to pick up my medication. It was so nice to be breathing fresh air and in my own clothes. Walking also really helps with the gas that builds up from surgery. The excursion wore me out so I went home, took some pain killers and went to bed. When I woke up I had some of the broth that I loved so much in the hospital. I was eating/drinking clear liquids only at a pace of 1 ounce every 20 minutes. The would be the last cup of broth I consumed because for some reason I developed a HUGE aversion to broth. The mere mention of it made me gag!! So I was eating Jell-o and water for the next two days. As soon as I started being able to drink protein shakes I felt so much better. I also stopped having cravings for protein, mostly I was craving Pork and Beans and hot dogs.
I also was able to stop taking pain medications the following day (Thursday) and haven't taken so much as Tylenol since. I was pretty sore, but it was bearable. It hurt the most when I was getting in and out of bed. You really don't realize how much you used your abs until they have been cut into. Oh and sneezing hurt like a mother!! I was very excited when I could finally sneeze and it didn't hurt. However, belching and burping (remember a lot of gas!) still hurts a little.
I have been able to maintain a semi-normal activity level since surgery which is good since I have to chase a 3 year old around all the time!! Until yesterday I had a 20 pound weight restriction which was difficult since the kiddo is 32 pounds. She has done really well with getting in and out of the car by herself and is very careful about climbing onto my lap when it was time to rock for bed. I agree with Peter that this would have been a completely different situation had I tried to do this surgery anytime before. I think this was the perfect time since the Binks is pretty independent and likes to do a lot of stuff by herself. She was even helping me pick up the house. We will see how long that lasts.
The only other major thing that I noticed where mood swings! The surgery messes with your hormones quite a bit. There were times when I wanted to cry for no reason what so ever. I had a major meltdown at a Christmas party the Saturday after surgery. I was doing fine enjoying eating the extremely small amount of food that I could eat and taking my time (45 minutes to eat the roughly 2 oz of food) and I felt like everyone was watching me. I wanted to go home! My mother was with me and had wanted to stay. Once she assured me that she would get a ride home, I bolted. Well I bolted after I made 3 people move their cars from behind me. I came home to an empty house, cried for a few minutes, drank a protein shake and knitted a scarf. It was actually a good night!!
The only other part of the program that I have had a hard time with was pureed foods. Certain foods are supposed to have certain textures and I am all about texture! I found that some pureed foods, okay most pureed foods make me gag. Vomiting isn't something that the doctors want you to do, especially after surgery when the vomiting can damage the pouch. After talking to my doctor, we have restructured my diet and so far that seems to be helping.
I have heard people can have an aversion to the smell of food and just smells can make them sick. I have not experienced this. I can say that food that once smelled good, no longer does. For example we took my daughter on the Polar Express and went to dinner prior to boarding the train. Just walking into the restaurant I was a little turned off by the smell of cooking steak, a smell which I normally would have loved. Also, I notice that sweets are no longer appealing to me. We went to Sam's Club the other day (a great walk when it is cold out by that way) and walked past all the cheesecakes and desserts. They actually made me a little sick to look at!! I do have a huge fear of sugar right now since I know that it can cause dumping syndrome and that isn't something that I am looking forward to experiencing.
Overall I have gone through some days were I debated if I had made the right choice, but that first step on the scale where I lost 8 pounds really made me change my tune about that! I know that I made the right choice. I may have had a few hiccups along the road (like the rash around my stitches) but overall while not the easiest process in the world, it is totally, 100% doable.
***Please note that any changes that were made to my diet were made at the direction of my doctor. Please don't make any changes to your plan without first consulting your surgeon or doctor!***
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Measurement Updates
Today
One Month AgoWeight: 290
Waist: 47"
Thigh: 29.75"
Leg: 18.75"
Arm: 15.75"
Wrist: 7"
Above Chest: 42.75"
Around Chest: 47.5"
Below Chest: 42.75"
Hips: 57.25"
Ankle: 10.25"
Differences:
Since Last Post:
Weight: 33 pounds
Waist: -3.25"
Thigh: -2.5"
Leg: -.75"
Arm: -1.75"
Wrist: -.25"
Above Chest: -2"
Around Chest: -2.5"
Below Chest: -2.25"
Hips: -2.4"
Ankle: -1"
Total so Far:
Weight: -45
Waist: -5"
Thigh: -3.25"
Leg: -1.25"
Arm: -2.75"
Wrist: -5"
Above Chest: -5.25"
Around Chest: -5.25"
Below Chest: -5.75"
Hips: -3.75"
Ankle: -1"
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Slice and Dice
I am writing to you today from room 3079 at FMC. Surgery went well on Monday. It took a little bit longer than expected but no major hiccups. I wasnt brought into my room until around 9pm so it was a long day for everyone.
Yesterday I was privliaged enough to experience a swallow test. The contrast solution tasted like yellow Triametic. That's a taste that sticks with you!! Especially when you are only allowed ice chips and they are half way across the hospital in your room!! But once I passed my swallow test I was allowed clear liquids!! I have found the best chicken broth in the world!!
I have been up walking and that feels amazing!! Plus it helps the gas to pass. I have been very proud about the gas I've passed, a situation the hospital fully supports!!
The pain hasnIt been too bad with the help of my friend Lora Tab (ha ha bad joke). The location of pain surprised me because I was expecting something more similar to my hysterectomy. This pain is more like a stitch in my side that really hurts when I breathe deep.
All in all I am doing great!! I've been up and walking around quite a bit and I am hoping to go home today!! Thank you to everyone who came and visited or sent well wishes. It really meant a lot to me!!
Yesterday I was privliaged enough to experience a swallow test. The contrast solution tasted like yellow Triametic. That's a taste that sticks with you!! Especially when you are only allowed ice chips and they are half way across the hospital in your room!! But once I passed my swallow test I was allowed clear liquids!! I have found the best chicken broth in the world!!
I have been up walking and that feels amazing!! Plus it helps the gas to pass. I have been very proud about the gas I've passed, a situation the hospital fully supports!!
The pain hasnIt been too bad with the help of my friend Lora Tab (ha ha bad joke). The location of pain surprised me because I was expecting something more similar to my hysterectomy. This pain is more like a stitch in my side that really hurts when I breathe deep.
All in all I am doing great!! I've been up and walking around quite a bit and I am hoping to go home today!! Thank you to everyone who came and visited or sent well wishes. It really meant a lot to me!!
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