Today is my 2-month surg-iversary!
Back in November, I decided to attend a weight-loss surgery informational session. I've been battling my weight for the past 3+ decades. Although I have lost over 100 lbs. ... twice ... I have never been able to keep that weight off, and I was miserable - physically and emotionally. That night I decided that I needed help, and bariatric surgery was my best chance to get healthy.
2 months ago today, I was wheeled into the operating room for a vertical sleeve gastrectomy.
The stats:
Official Pre-Op Weight: 307.2 lbs
Surgery Weight (after 10-day pre-op diet): 290 lbs
Current weight: 249.8 lbs
Total lost: 57.4 lbs
In two months ...
My goal weight is 195-205 lbs. I am 44.8 lbs away from the high end of my goal weight. I am hoping to hit my goal weight before the end of the 2013, which should be well within my grasp. I know this seems kind of odd - I lost over half of my excess weight in 2 months, so the other half should come off in another 2 months, right? Unfortunately, weight loss slows the farther out from surgery you get.
Just for shits and grins, I thought I'd share with you what a "typical" (I tend to eat the same foods) day of food looks like for me.
I start my morning with a protein shake/smoothie (2 scoops of protein,
1 cup of water, 3 ice cubes, and maybe 1/4 cup of frozen fruit)
It looks much better when it has spent a few seconds in my Ninja!
My mid-morning snack is almost always a protein bar. I eat the Pure Protein brand
exclusively as they are high protein, low carb, and low sugar
I've discovered Atkin's frozen meals. They are usually in the 250-350 calorie range
(yes, I still count calories), 20+ grams of protein, and low carb.
I cannot eat a whole one, so I start with the protein and (usually) am able to finish that part.
This photo was what was left when I stopped eating.
I'll have another protein bar, or a bag of Glenny's Soy Crisps, for my afternoon snack.
Dinner is always different. I try to cook meals where the protein portion of the meal is separate from
anything else (like chicken in the crock pot, brats, ribs, etc.). One of the things I promised myself was
that I would not make my family eat what I eat, but instead, I would find a way to adapt what I need to
eat from their meal. Last night Mike and Cam had Little Caesars HOT-N-READY®'s for dinner.
There was a Jimmy John's next door, so I went with a #1 PEPE® (applewood smoked ham and
provolone cheese garnished with lettuce, tomato, and mayo) Unwich (lettuce wrap instead of bread).
I set the lettuce aside and got through about 2/3's of the meat/cheese/tomato innards.
That's a day of food! I'm usually in the 800 - 1000 calorie range, 60+ grams of protein, and under 50 grams of carbohydrates ... and I'm not hungry. It's pretty amazing!
These 2 months have not been without issue. I had a very rare reaction to the JP Drain they used during surgery - a huge buildup of fat necrosis that cause a great deal of pain and eventually required a second surgery to remove.
That slowed my healing process down quite a bit, and I wasn't able to start the exercise portion of this process until just last week. I am now on a 5 day/week exercise schedule and moving right along.
I couldn't have done this if it hadn't been for Mike's AMAZING support. He has been my rock. He has been my caretaker when I couldn't take care of myself. He has been the reasonable voice in the process who has reminded me that I am doing just fine - that I don't need to compare my progress to anyone else.
I'm actually looking forward to seeing what the next 2 months bring!
3 comments:
I've been considering this surgery, but I seriously doubt my insurance will cover it. Did you just pay out of pocket, or do you have amazing insurance? Do you need to take vitamin supplements? Also, will you have a 'body lift' if needed?
24crayons, my insurance covered the surgery. You might find that yours does too (it's more common than uncommon these days). I didn't have any waiting period or jumping-through-hoops requirements, although I know of some folks who have. I also know several people who have opted for surgery in Mexico as self-pays, were able to finance the surgery, and are THRILLED with their experience. There are a lot of options!
I do need to take supplements, however with the sleeve, there is less of a requirement for those. I take a standard (Target brand) multivitamin, a calcium supplement, a vitamin B-12 supplement, and biotin 1x/day, which isn't much different than what I was doing before surgery.
Will I have a body lift? I highly doubt it. Although I expect some loose skin, I was relatively "small" on the bariatric surgery scale - 100 lbs overweight. And at 6' tall, that weight was relatively evenly distributed. I think the only surgery I might consider is a boob job, but at 48 years old, I was already a candidate for that. If I were 20 years younger? I might have seriously considered a full body lift, but at my age vanity left long ago!
Hello. And Bye.
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