Christmas Eve...Day 10.

Oh thank goodness it has been a better day today.  Must of had the 9 day blues yesterday.  First with my weigh in and then later I pigged out...well as much as you can after you have just had surgery for a gastric band!!!!

I just felt like more than liquids and was really sick of those...even with the new soups I made.  I was also feeling sorry for myself and taunting myself with the....'Why did you do this before Christmas and your holidays?'and 'Poor you you can't eat anything decent...' .  Really all I wanted was some of the Creamy Chicken casserole that I blended up last night for the mushy stage.

Well, I was making the lunches for my daughters and their friends who were over for a play and I saw the peanut butter jar ( a MAJOR) weakness of mine and then the teaspoon just kinda fell in there and then into my mouth.  OMG...yummmmmmmmmm...so I had a few more.  Later I begged DH to go and get the shopping so I could have some more ( in secret) plus 3 choccies that a girlfriend gave me.  Well serves me right but I got a tiny pain in my chest from the peanut butter...scared the sh*t out of me!!!

It is scary how quickly we can fall into bad habits even when we can't really eat!!!  But sneak eating/ bingeing is a problem for me and something I will have to work on when the real eating begins!!! Anyway this morning all is good and it is another day...and I am not going to get bogged down by the guilt!!  I made some chicken and sweet corn soup and then cooked for Christmas day.  The girls had a ball.  It is so exciting wathcing the girls get all excited for Christmas....my youngest just begged me to be able to open something....or just tell her what one of the presents were.  Luckily a friend came over and they opened their girfts from them.

This is a picture of my scars from today.  (Don't freak out at the red long one...it is the tiny scar in the middle that is from the surgery.  The long ones are a reaction I had from the steri strips...blisters etc and the red stuff is mecurochrome to dry them out)

Sorry to subject you all to my gross stomach but I wanted to record the scars....you can't even see the one in my belly button as my tummy hangs down.  I don't think the scars will be a problem but am so looking forward to seeing a much better looking stomach!!!  Who wouldn't???

Finally I got a surprise in the mail today....some books I ordered early this week have arrived.

These are from a dietician in Brisbane and have loads of helpful hints to change your eating after a gastric band.  So more info to read and lots of tips to get me on my way to changing my lifestyle for good.  Yippee.

Measurements in cm

14/12/09

Neck -  37

Left arm  -  34

Right arm  -  34

Chest  -  123  ( I hate my big chest as I have a broad back and never had boobs until after my second DD)

Waist  -  119

Hips  -  127

Legs - no measured

23/12/09

Neck  -  35.5

Left arm  -  33.5

Right arm  -  33

Chest  -  118 (yay 5 cms!!!)

Waist  -  115 (yippee 4 cms)

Hips  -  124

Left thigh  -  65

Right thigh  -  64

Total cms lost:  15 cm in just over a week.

Well I just want to wish all my new bandster friends a really enjoyable Christmas ...no matter what stage you are at and a wonderful New Year.  I know there will be a lot less of us next year...he he he.   I look forward to our journey together.

A special HI to my followers...thanks for tuning in...I love comments by the way ;).

We go away on Saturday for 2 weeks down the South Coast.....that will be so nice

Till next time....

GB

What the....

Ok...how do you put on a kilo (2.2lbs) overnight???  Especially when all you are eating or should i say drinking is fluids???  And mainly vegie and protein soups homemade???

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 8 Post Op...

Well whoever said that you get your energy back around Day 8 was not lying.  I would not say I am leaping tall buildings in a single bound but hey I had more energy and didn't just want to sleep all day.

 

I saw the Dr yesterday and he is happy with my healing although no swimming for the next few weeks which is a bit of a bummer considering we are going on holidays.  I saw the fill in dietician yesterday and she just confused me.  She said I could start mushies on Thursday and then solids on week 4.  After I came home I went through the material from the first dietician and she has written 2 weeks on liquids ...so I am going to go with that because the Dr also mentioned in hospital that he wanted me on liquids for 2 weeks too.

These are the cool plate and bowl I got to help me with the portion sizes.  She the green little circle at the front of the plate????  That is the size of the band (perhaps with fill?) that the food needs to get through.  You can but these off the web too http://www.greatideas.net.au/

 

Besides everything I am still staying full with liquids although am super sick of the milk type shakes.  So as I said I had more energy today so I made a creamy chicken casserole tonight for the family and pureed up a few serves to freeze for the next week and I also made 2 soups... a kumera and lentil soup and a cauliflower & cheese one which I got of Mrs Woofarkinhoo's blog.  Thank you it was beautiful.  So at least I have a few things to keep me on the straight and narrow for the next few days. 

A few of my steri strips came off my wounds today and I am amazed at how small they are.  One is gaping so I re-did another steri strip over it but the best news of all is that the big cut is in my belly button so you can't see it.....not that I will be wearing a bikini...ever ...but still!!!  I will take a pic to share.

I have also been thinking about an entry on Catherine's Blog about the goals she made to help her get to the weight loss she had achieved so far.  I need to write down some things that will help me lose my weight and reach my goals.  In the book The Lapband Solution by Dr Paul O'Brien which I read in hospital he has a list of Golden Rules for Diet and Exercise which I thought was a good place to start.

The Eight Golden Rules

1. Eat three or less meals a day - hopefully easy when the band is working and filled
2. Do not eat anything between meals - again this will depend on fills I think
3. Eat slowly and stop when no longer hungry - having some experience already how the band will help here
4. Focus on nutritious foods - I am really trying to do this at the moment and will do because I will be  eating less and still want my energy
5. Avoid calories containing liquids - wine will be a toughie and needs it's own special plan
6. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day - easy when I am not on crutches
7. Be active throughout eat day - again easy when out of boot and crutches.  I walk kids to school and have an active job
8. Always keep in contact with your Dr/ Clinic - should be a no brainer

 So I have some limitations holding me back at present but I definately have some focus to help me through the next part of my journey.  I must say that I am already seeing the focus towards really nutritous foods whilst on liquids.  I have cut back on my tea so that I can get other things in and when I have something I make sure it has protein as well as vegies.

Well off to read some more of those inspirational blogs.  I try to read them from start to finish so I can capture the whole journey...thanks to everyone who has been sharing their story....

GB

A bit Bunged up.....

Ok....perhaps a lot bunged up!!!!  Yep this post may come under TMI...so you have been forwarned.

Yesterday we went to my SIL's for Christmas lunch.  I decided to go because I have been rather bored of late (after resting my foot and now the surgery) but was concerned about the pressure to eat something.   No need to worry as I just claimed I was suffering from an upset stomach...which is kinda true.....my tummy is a little upset!!!!

I just drank my water and had a cup of vegie and chicken homemade soup and an Up & Go when no one was watching.  Well I have to say that the milk drinks are upsetting my tummy a bit so when the mains came out nothing truly appealed to me!!!  I did have some ice cream and custard but that made me feel really stuffed and bloated.

By the time we left i was in a bit of pain with bloating which then started to make my shoulder hurt.  By the time I got home I just wanted to lie down and I did with my hot pack and I promptly fell asleep.  I think that the wind from being constipated is starting to back up a little now and although I have had some minor 'brake throughs' I really need a major one!!!  I am definately off to the chemist today!!!

Other than that I feel ok...still very tired though....hoping this is normal????  Off to the Dr today for my post op check up which is a little earlier than usual because of Christmas and then I am on holidays on Saturday...I can't believe how fast the time has gone.  The girls went to work with their dad today so after I venture up the shops I will get wrapping their pressies especially those Santa ones!!!

I am a little hungrier now but I really don't think I could eat anything even if I wanted to anyway.....I am very mindful that the Dr wants me on liquids for 2 weeks and plan to stick to that.  A cup of homemade soup fills me up anyway.

Finally I just wanted to wish Yana all the best for her operation....see you on the other side!!!

GB

PS: I so totally forgot to mention that I am 7.2kg down today and it is making a difference!!!  My face looks more human...not a bloated ball and my clothes feel a little looser.  I have also already lost 5% of my total body weight....the band (or surgery) rocks!!!!

Thinking...

So this morning I woke up after a good sleep and just can't believe that I have LB (LapBand, Lil Darlin', Lil Bitch etc...) actually inside me.  I have managed to keep it from everyone....my kids included. It just seems so surreal. But I suppose it is really there (I have the scars) and after reading so many inspiring Blogs I am excited for my journey to begin...to see how my story unfolds.

We are off tomorrow for Christmas with the in-laws but as I am feeling so lethargic and unable to eat anything DH and I think it might be better for me to stay home than to answer 20 odd questions about why I am not eating.  (Remember that only he and my BFF know about LB).  During the course of that day I was wondering what people will actually think when I will eat less or am on fluids and I emailed my BFF about it.  She wrote back that of course they won't guess....who would have ever thought that I would get this done???  Not her....no way....she thinks I should just claim giardia or food poisoning.

Now for all the American/ Candian readers I have some questions...if you don't mind????

• What is Funnel cake?
• What is a gram or graham?? cracker???
• What is Evoo???  (A spray oil???)
• And what is cilantro???

And finally after reading loads of blogs I was wondering why vegies don't seem high on the food list???  Am I missing this somewhere or are they hard to eat???  I love my vegies.....

Till next time...

6 kilos down...

Yay!!!  Weighed myself this morning and I am 6 kg down as of this morning since I started the pre-op diet.  I can feel the difference around my back near my bra but the top of my abdomen is still pretty swollen so hard to say there. 

I made some chicken and vegie soup yesterday and am really enjoying that...I am a little sick of sweet shakes.  Having said that, not heaps is going down but I have given up my cup of tea (or should I say teas!!!) so that I can at least try and get some more nourishing drinks down.

This is a picture of my band being placed around my actual stomach during surgery...how cool!!!

The only thing I am finding hard is being so tired.  I was asleep again early last night and my actual tummy muscles feel like I have done a few rounds with Mike Tyson.  My foot is super tender too...at least I am dounle re-couperating!!!!  Other wise I am going along great guns.

I am loving reading lots of blogs from begining to end and wondering how my story will turn out....thanks for sharing your stories with us all ladies.

GB

Day 3 Post Op...

Well I think I overdid it yesterday!!!  I went to my childrens School Liturgy and last day and by the end of that (about 2 hours) my shoulder was really hurting.  I popped 2 more panadol and then ventured up to the classrooms to collect the girls after which we went for lunch at the local club. 

I ordered the pumpkin and vegie soup and had a few mouthfuls but in all honesty really struggled.  I was full and sore.  I was ready to go home.  Funny no-one noticed how little I ate or how out of it I was...so all good there.  I then came home and fell asleep from about 3pm to 7.30pm.  DH brought me up some juice which was heaven as I have a bit of a yucky taste in my mouth and then around 10.30pm I was out till 8.30 am this morning, although I did wake up for a loo break and weighed myself on the scales.  By morning I was up by 400gms (.88lb).

This is our new Blender which is very similiar to the Magic Bullet and my hair vitamins as reccommended by Dash

So this morning I whipped up a vanilla Optifast with a teaspoon of coffee in it, in our new Wizard Blender (which we all just love).  I bought it on the way to the hospital for all my liquids and purees.  I then dropped the kids off to a friend's while I went to the Sports Dr for my foot.  I have been in a boot for around 14weeks and on crutches for 12 weeks and today I went back for another check up and blood injection.

The Dr takes blood from my arm and re-injects it into my heel to speed up healing.  I have to lie on my tummy for this (which I was worried about!!!) but it all went ok.  I have to stay off my foot for the next 2 weeks and hopefully in the next 5 weeks will be out of the boot.  FINGERS CROSSED

These are the 2 books I have read and found to be very helpful.  The link to the Helen Bauzon Book 'The Gastric Band Nutrition Essential' is at theside bar on my blog and 'The Lap Band Solution' I borrowed from the library on the morning of my surgery.

The rest of today I have been resting.  I must say I am struggling to get in all the reccommended fluids and find the milk drinks a little slimy.  That said I am doing the best I can and it is earlier days after all.

Thanks to Debi who said she thought I looked a good weight...I can assure you that my very minimum to lose is  25 kg (55lbs) with my min ideal around 35 kg (77lbs) down and if I get there I will re-evaluate. ( I am trying to be very realistic)  I posted a head shot of me at 78 kg (172 lbs) but I was doing loads of exercise there but it will give me something to aim to.  I am not ready to post my before photos although I have taken some.

Lastly, Dash's hair loss post scared me.  I am not sure why some of you are losing your hair???  I would really hate that but hey then I hate most things about myself so jusy another thing to work on!!!  However, as tired as I am it did scare me enough to go and buy those vitamins today and take my first one too.....LOL

Well that's it for now....going to work on jazzing my blog up a bit!!!