One day and one pound at a time:

Thank you everyone for all of the support so far. I can't tell you how much your messages, comments, calls, and texts have meant to me. It's so exciting to know that I'm not alone in this journey, and that you're all there following me, some of you even considering taking the same plunge, or on the path to recovery yourselves. Please keep it coming! 

10 days since my last post! Yikes! Sorry about that, folks. I'll be honest: being back at work has been challenging so far, and I've only been there a week. My energy level seems to be stable throughout the day, but the minute I make it home, usually around 6pm, I'm asleep. Then I wake up somewhere late evening, 8pm or sometimes later, and end up having problems sleeping through the night. The cycle repeated until this weekend hit, and I spent the whole of Saturday in bed with "The Cosby Show" and "Friends" reruns. It wasn't so bad, but I wish I'd been able to be more productive. Today was better, however. I spent the breezy, sunny Sunday afternoon with friends drinking beer (them, not me) around a frigid pool, and that was nicer than any fancy Kite Festival that we may or may not have totally failed at attending. Next year, maybe.

On the protein front, I've found a pre-mixed brand that is totally working for me. You can find Premier Protein products at Costco (and maybe Sam's) as well as online. I've only tasted the chocolate version, which really and truly tastes just like chocolate milk. An 11 ounce container has 30 grams of protein, so I've been drinking 2-3 per day. They're easier than the powders since no mixing is required, and they aren't chalky. I'm going to pick up a case of the vanilla version this week, and I'm hoping they taste just as smooth and satisfying. They're also not overly expensive, priced at around 25 bucks for a case of 18. That's not bad at all compared to the pricey powder my surgeon's office wants me to buy. 

Speaking of my surgeon, I think this is where it's time for a vent session. I've been holding back on this topic, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm pretty frustrated. So, I went through the office of Dr. Nilesh Patel at Texas Bariatric Specialists based out of San Antonio, Texas. Getting in for my initial appointment was no problem, and Dr. Patel was very nice and seemed to genuinely care about my specific case upon our first meeting. However, my later experiences with his office and staff made me feel like I was a member of a cattle call. I had to take ownership of my case, making sure to schedule my own procedures, call other specialists, and continually call his office to make sure my records were received and the ball was still rolling. Honestly, if I'd sat back and let the office handle everything, I probably wouldn't have even had surgery yet. It's that bad. 

The last time I saw Dr. Patel was the day I was rolled into surgery. There was no follow up with me at the hospital, and when I went for my first post-surgery appointment last Wednesday (2/27/13) he wasn't there. I met with the Nutritionist who was very sweet but only gave me some pamphlets and went over information that I already knew. Thank goodness things are going well so far, because if there was indeed a problem I feel like I'd be relying on my PCP instead of my surgeon. Also, I'm pretty sure they have a deal worked out with a specific brand of Supplements and Protein Powders, because everyone in that office acts like it's the only choice. I'm sort of developing my own routine based on products I can handle, and it's requiring a lot of research online and support from others who've had the same surgery. I wish Dr. Patel's office had more advice to give when it comes to not tolerating the Bariatric Advantage brand (which spoiler alert: tastes like poo). 

My advice is this: if you're planning to have Gastric Bypass or any weight loss surgery for that matter, make sure you pick your surgeon well. Don't go with someone who treats you like just another number or is hard to get in touch with, because it'll just add to your frustration post-op. I feel like I was so excited to have the option of the surgery, that I sacrificed a quality doctor/patient relationship. I hope that the friends and family who are considering the same procedure don't make the same mistake.  

Anyway, moving on from that rant, I've found some specific problems I'm battling during this part of my recovery. First up, cold water. I'm thirsty ALL THE TIME, and it's so tempting to grab an ice cold water from the fridge and chug it down. Bad idea. I repeat: bad idea! My stomach is super sensitive to hot and cold, and when the water hits I immediately start having stomach cramps. Girls, these are a different kind of cramp. Instead of the lower abdominal cramps that I associate with mid-month fun times, these are much higher and I can see where it would be easy to confuse them with chest pains.  They go away after a minute or two, but are still a bugger in the moment. I swear it feels like someone has a fist around my stomach squeezing it. I've experienced the same sort of pains when I've tried foods that had too much starch or when I've eaten more than I should have. 

Secondly, I'm still battling portion control. Thankfully, I've been given the okay to start eating soft foods so I've been experimenting over the past week. My fridge is packed with sugar free pudding, string cheese, lunch meat, and other protein packed odds and ends. The problem becomes when ordering out. I'm still working on not letting my "eyes overload my stomach" as my grandmother used to say. It's a strange place to be in really, because it's almost a waste to order anything at all. I have a big feeling that the kids menu is going to become my best friend at most places. 

However, there are LOTS of positives I'm beginning to see. One of the most apparent is all the money I'm saving. Granted, it'll be put toward medical bills and protein shakes (which are surprisingly expensive), but it's nice not to be embarrassed at my monthly bank statement with the daily charges to fast-food and grocery stores. 

And the biggest positive so far, as cheesy as this sounds, is that I feel prettier and healthier. I haven't lost a huge amount of weight, but my face is leaner as is my waistline. I need to invest in a belt, that's for sure. I can walk across a room without feeling winded, and my breathing issues are not as apparent as they were pre-op. My blood pressure has evened out, and I was taken off all of my meds before even releasing from the hospital. Even with all the changes of adjusting to this way of life, I just plain feel better, and that was the goal all along, right? 

Cravings this week: drinking with friends, sausage pizza, sandwiches of all shapes and sizes, and bread!

Days Since Surgery: 20
Current Weight: 328
Total Pounds Lost: 22