So, on Tuesday night, I watched through a semi-narcotic haze - ok, so I was completely baked - as our nation elected Barack Obama our new president. I was bawling like a baby and it really hurt pretty bad, so the tears might have been half pain, half wonderment.
Tuesday night was also the Night of Unfortunate Bodily Waste Mishaps (see previous post). The next day as I was reflecting on the events of the previous night it hit me:
Right about the time Barack Obama was probably realizing that he was going to be president and no doubt thinking, "Holy crap! What have I done?" I was having my own holy crap experience, also thinking "What have I done?"
If that doesn't bond us for life I don't know what could.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Guess What I Did?
Warning: Some dialogue may be too intense for young readers or people who are easily "squeamed" by frank discussions of bodily functions.
My, my, my . . . such a long absence between posts! I know - I'd better have a good excuse. Well, I think I do.
Last Monday, I had gastric by-pass surgery. My stomach (now lovingly referred to as a "pouch) is now the size of a plastic Easter egg. Yeah. That tiny. Won't hold very many Jelly Bellies any more. In fact, it will never hold Jelly Bellies again!
First, the why . . . When I was 29 I lost 60 pounds. When I was 39 I lost 80 pounds. When I was 48 I lost 40 pounds. Careful addition would tell lead you to believe that, by all accounts, I shouldn't exist, having lost that much weight. Ah, but the rest of the story. Not only did I gain every one of those lost pounds back, I also managed to bring another couple dozen (at least) along for the (unhealthy) ride.
I finally got sick and tired of the failed diets, the failed goals, the failed life. Not that I thought my entire life was a failure, but I knew that I wasn't living life to the fullest. Simple things were getting too hard to do. Like go upstairs to our bedroom and my office. Like fitting comfortably in an airplane seat. Like walking more than 1/4 mile without getting winded. Like walking and talking at the same time.
So, in May I attended an informational seminar at the Kansas City Bariatric Center. I won't go into too much detail here (because I have a NEW BLOG . . . theeggandeye@blogspot.com . . . that will deal with my journey), but suffice it to say that it was a LONG process that included clearance from a psychologist, cardiologist, nutritionist and pulmonologist. And that doesn't include the nail-biting wait for insurance approval. But - hallelujah, hallelujah - I passed everything with flying colors. I only had two co-morbidities (sounds awful, huh?) - high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so I went into surgery as a pretty low-risk patient (my surgeon's words, not mine).
Surgery was a piece of cake, probably because I slept through most of it. Recovery, so far, has not been that bad. Of course, there was the night in the hospital that I had violent diarrhea all over myself FOUR times - and just happened to have a male nurse that night - so humbling. He was absolutely wonderful and somehow managed to return to me my dignity and hope. And then there was the night at home when I made Ron check to make sure that my intestines weren't spilling out of my gut because I had moved a little too much one way and YOWZA! I've never been stabbed, but I'm guessing that's what it feels like. SEARING pain. But short lived.
So, today, one week post-op . . . it's a BIG day! After a week of a liquid diet, I get to eat 1-2 tablespoons of a scrambled egg! Tomorrow I get the egg AND cottage cheese!!! Eventually, I'll be able to eat a fairly normal diet, just no sugar and not a lot of fat. High protein, low carb. Actually, it's a diet all of us could benefit from. And, since I've come home from the hospital I've lost nearly 12 1/2 pounds.
I'll try not to let my Egg world spill into this one, but you know me. Check out the other blog, if you want. It will give you more insight into what lead me to this decision and what life's like as a bariatric patient. And if you have friends or relatives who have considered this operation I'd love to talk to them. I'm SOLD on it and the program I went through. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat!
My, my, my . . . such a long absence between posts! I know - I'd better have a good excuse. Well, I think I do.
Last Monday, I had gastric by-pass surgery. My stomach (now lovingly referred to as a "pouch) is now the size of a plastic Easter egg. Yeah. That tiny. Won't hold very many Jelly Bellies any more. In fact, it will never hold Jelly Bellies again!
First, the why . . . When I was 29 I lost 60 pounds. When I was 39 I lost 80 pounds. When I was 48 I lost 40 pounds. Careful addition would tell lead you to believe that, by all accounts, I shouldn't exist, having lost that much weight. Ah, but the rest of the story. Not only did I gain every one of those lost pounds back, I also managed to bring another couple dozen (at least) along for the (unhealthy) ride.
I finally got sick and tired of the failed diets, the failed goals, the failed life. Not that I thought my entire life was a failure, but I knew that I wasn't living life to the fullest. Simple things were getting too hard to do. Like go upstairs to our bedroom and my office. Like fitting comfortably in an airplane seat. Like walking more than 1/4 mile without getting winded. Like walking and talking at the same time.
So, in May I attended an informational seminar at the Kansas City Bariatric Center. I won't go into too much detail here (because I have a NEW BLOG . . . theeggandeye@blogspot.com . . . that will deal with my journey), but suffice it to say that it was a LONG process that included clearance from a psychologist, cardiologist, nutritionist and pulmonologist. And that doesn't include the nail-biting wait for insurance approval. But - hallelujah, hallelujah - I passed everything with flying colors. I only had two co-morbidities (sounds awful, huh?) - high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so I went into surgery as a pretty low-risk patient (my surgeon's words, not mine).
Surgery was a piece of cake, probably because I slept through most of it. Recovery, so far, has not been that bad. Of course, there was the night in the hospital that I had violent diarrhea all over myself FOUR times - and just happened to have a male nurse that night - so humbling. He was absolutely wonderful and somehow managed to return to me my dignity and hope. And then there was the night at home when I made Ron check to make sure that my intestines weren't spilling out of my gut because I had moved a little too much one way and YOWZA! I've never been stabbed, but I'm guessing that's what it feels like. SEARING pain. But short lived.
So, today, one week post-op . . . it's a BIG day! After a week of a liquid diet, I get to eat 1-2 tablespoons of a scrambled egg! Tomorrow I get the egg AND cottage cheese!!! Eventually, I'll be able to eat a fairly normal diet, just no sugar and not a lot of fat. High protein, low carb. Actually, it's a diet all of us could benefit from. And, since I've come home from the hospital I've lost nearly 12 1/2 pounds.
I'll try not to let my Egg world spill into this one, but you know me. Check out the other blog, if you want. It will give you more insight into what lead me to this decision and what life's like as a bariatric patient. And if you have friends or relatives who have considered this operation I'd love to talk to them. I'm SOLD on it and the program I went through. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat!
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