WHATS HAPPENING THURSDAY

Suppose to go have a shot put in my shoulder this morning but they called and said that dr. Mcclain had emergency surgery  this morning so will go Friday morning at 11:15 . well it will really will be hurting by then. I spent all day Wednesday hauling dirt into a flower  bed that I am revising. Shade garden. getting it ready for a lot of new things this year. Primrose, hostas Astilbes and a couple more Hydrangeas. The other bed will be filled with Impatients. And Ferns …I have put off working on these shade flower gardens for 2 years now , but now is the time. I am laying down soaker hose too as I go because it is a big hassle to get the water down to them so will lay a hose out down too them too and just connect via a short hose to the hydrant. All together I cleaned and weeded 5 flower beds today put down about 3 inches of compost in each one then sprinkled Preen all over the place to help keep the weeds from coming back. Will have to do it again right after the first spurt of weeds that would be coming up either do or don’t. wont be as much as there would with out the Preen that is for sure.

 

Joe got the windows of the green house cleaned for me too. That was a job I wasn’t looking forward too. Now to get the other pond uncovered and working. Need to go buy a new pump. The one I had for it quit working. So that is a 100.00 they sure are expensive. 

 

TRACI: wow I just never really thought all of this thru I guess but you are right they make our new pouch out of the part of the stomach that has no digestive juices. That is why when we throw up it is just food and none of that bitter stuff that you use to get before surgery. Wow.

I wonder how many people really read what you wrote and will really think about it?

Ok so why should we worry about eating at all then, If we get all of our protein from shakes only , and we take vits like we should what else? Do we digest other food for the vits and such or is that why we have to take all the vits everyday for the rest of our lives?

If so then we wouldn’t have to eat anything actually , just for other people?

Im really playing devils advocate here. Give me some answers for all of these doubting thomasas. Educate me…

Hope you got some sleep last night. I know how it is when you don’t get the sleep you need.

 

 

KERRI: glad to see you the Whats Happening post and hope that Traci answered your questions. I am learning right along with you . I knew that I felt better when I had 3 or 4 protein shakes a day and didn’t worry about eating meat. I cant anyway so I don’t try too much. Glad that you are trying to learn all you can before surgery.

 

SHEILA: honey to mix most protein powder with hot coffee it will just lump , you have to get certain kinds of protein powder ,and I don’t remember which one it is. Maybe someone out there can remember or knows the name.

I hope you read Traci;s post yesterday. It explains why we HAVE to have Protein shakes or some form of liquid pre digested protein .and more than one shake a day ,

 

Backaches starting around 3 or 4 months out lots of times come from losing our old center of gravity and our balance.  Start working on your core strength to get your posture back up to par. Most of the time the back aches with ease if you do that. And exercise ball is great for getting your core strength back.. I sit on one while I am at the computer daily , just sitting and bouncing small bounces make you sit up straight and gain strength.

See you thought I was going to tell you to do 100 sit ups daily lol  use the exercise ball they are great for getting flexability and strength back.

Also go to soy milk or lactaid milk, lactiad milk is 100% lactose free and you can get it that is 100% fat free too that is the one I have to use now. Try that and see if your shakes don’t taste better. The Lactaid milk is in the dairy case with all the other milks .

 

 

JANET: thanks for praying for me and Joe , guess it worked cause we worked outside all day today and were fine. I think we just needed to rest up. Joe doesn’t do well on my schedule anymore. I can outdo him 10 to 1 now. Is so good when use to he had to even do the housework because I couldn’t . wow Ive come a long way baby.

 

Sounds like you are really enjoying this hunter safety class. Are you going to go deer hunting with Mike or just want to be able to if you want to?

Joe can use a Cross bow too if he wants to, he has one but he has never used it yet.

Wow that was good that you found that check. Did the wind just whip it our of there or what? And how in the world did you all ever see it to find it . Amazing sometimes the things that happen isnt it?

No as pretty as it has been the last few days I know we will have some days or night or both that we will need that heat again. Wish we wouldn’t but we know better don’t we.?

LOL that girl driver is going to be the death of you yet. I think you have a lot of nerve . I would make her go up and down the driveway over and over again till she could get that part right before I stepped into a car with her again.

Medicare will pay for the tummy tuck too if you have documentation that it is a health issue. Like rashes or tears or something. Get your pcp to start putting that in your notes.

You will have to have a plastic surgeon to do it and that could be arranged like you said with another surgery if it didn’t mean you would be out too long. The only plastic surgeon I know of in Springfield that accepts medicare is the one I went and saw that time will have to look up his name for you.

 

No Joe goes to the pain clinic in Branson. Not in Springfield .

 

 

CONNIE: im so glad that your excited about your new job. Is good to know that your time at home raising kids gave your experience to do a job that you get paid for lol

Mothers should be paid as much as they do daily anyway.

Just happy that you think you will like the job. 12 ½ hour shifts ? wow that is long days.

 

 

Going to close this up for now and talk to you all again tomorrow. All you newbies feel free to post on the Whats Happening post anytime and let us get to know you better.

LOVE EVERYONE

GOD BLESS

 

 

 

Good morning all....long time, no talk! Glad to see the "What's Happening" posts still going!  Jan...you sound like your doing great...keep up the good work!! Update on everything here...geez, where to start? My weight is down 65lbs...slow but steady!  The lumps in my neck are still there and being watched carefully. I have 3 swollen lymph nodes that went from feeling like hot tamale candies to one the size of an apricot I have three nodules on my thyroid, one being quite large and may cause me to need surgery in the near future. David and I had sleep studies done and both need C-Paps. David slept 6 hrs, O2 levels dropped to 83% 30 times an hr. and he stopped breathing 87 times during the 6 hrs. he slept. I thought I would get away scott-free...that didn't happen! I slept 4 hrs, O2 levels dropped to 75% 8 times an hr. so I need supp. O2 as well as the C-Pap...fun, fun! With the weight loss I have had, I feel so much better! I get outside and can do a lot more than what I use too! I have been working on flower beds and my veggie garden...getting everything ready!  The back surgeries I have had are helping too, I don't always feel as though my back is breaking everytime I try to do something! Jason and Wendy are doing good with this pregnancy, they are having a girl, she is due July 2nd and her name is Jennifer Lynn. Nicole and her situation are still the same as well as our son Roy. David is still dealing with his leg pain and heart issues but doing good. I had a bunch of tests ran on my heart and everything came out A-OK! The cardio doc put me on statins for cholesterol which I no longer take because they caused severe leg cramps, he also put me on a blood pressure med...rough start but doing good now. Funny....these things were all supposed to go away when I lost weight. I have always been ass backwards though. I smoked for 20 some years, when I quit I got asthma...it will all work out in the end. We recently had a litter of Lab/Ret pups...there are 10, all lived, there are 7 girls, 3 boys, all adorable! Glad to be able to post again....you all have a good day! Talk soon...Love & Prayers, Deb M

I am on oxygen and I don't de-sat that low!  Did the dr. say anything about using oxygen at night?  It is hooked up to the cpap and you can't even tell you are getting oxygen, but man, do you ever rest better.  Your oxyen really needs to be at 90% or higher.  Danger is at 86......  So please have a conversation with your doctor!

Sounds like your back is just awful to live with...bless your heart!

Brenda

Morning everyone! Sleep - I finally got some sleep!!  YAY!!!!  I feel much better this morning.  Even though I was struggling yesterday, my grandbaby was a dream and took a 3 hour nap and I did get some work done yesterday afternoon!  Squee!!!!! Today I have some other clients needing my attention, plus need to work on my Sunday school lesson for this week too.  Oh, I believe there's laundry in the laundry room (imagine that!)  Jan:  it's only protein that's so hard to digest and we have a tough time with because of the process required to digest it.  We eat it because of the full feeling it gives us.  If we can't actually break it down/digest it to the point of ammino acids so we can absorb it, I'm not sure if we then do not get any other nutritional benefit from it:  logic would say we do not - however, I am doing more research to find out if the type of protein (say steak vs. soft fish or an egg) makes a difference in how it breaks down and is absorbed, and also if the protein is say, partially broken down (if that's even possible) and if then some of the nutrients are then absorbed, even if the full protein chains are not.  Either way, the dense proteins DO help us feel full and keep us from grazing, munching and eating too much.   That said, I would not give up eating protein foods entirely.    We do, however, digest other foods and absorb at least part (approximately 50% for RNY post-ops) of those calories/nutrients, so obviously, we need to eat!!   I do eat protein.  I eat a variety of all types of foods.  I take my supplements - including my protein shakes.  I hope folks are reading this.  It's very important.  It truly is.  Sadly, many will not.  You can live a long time with your body using it's own muscle and organs for protein.  People in third world countries do it for many years.  Doesn't mean it's healthy and well, the end result could be very serious indeed.  DRINK YOUR PROTEIN SHAKES!!

Good Morning OH Friends!!!  It looks like rain today?  Can't wait for warm weather to get here.... I took yesterday off from work to spend time with my dad who was in town.  Got to visit with him and then we went to my aunts house and visited with her so that was nice.   Last night I had this craving for a pancake!  My friend and I had gone shopping (got a really cute top) but afterwards we decided to go to IHOP.... I ordered off the kids menu and got pancakes, sausage, and hashbrowns oh and they had sugar free syrup.  I just ate a few bites of the pancake, a few bites of the hashbrowns, and like one bite of the sausage.  I didn't want to push things cause I didn't know if I would dump on the pancakes/syurp?  Got home and all of a sudden had to potty tried to make it to the bathroom and didn't.  I don't know if it was the sugar free syrup since it did have like 9g of sugar alcohol or the pancake?  Well, it was a good thing I only had to pay $3.50 for that meal since I couldn't eat much of it.  I guess I won't try that again! When I was shopping last night my legs and hips got really tired and started aching not sure what that's about?  Maybe I'm lacking something?  I am going to a new PCP that does support wls maybe she can run some blood test and see if I am lacking some things?  I can't run to Sedalia all the time I wanted someone here in KC that would see me and boy did I have a hard time finding someone that supports wls and would see me.  I don't like the PCP I have now I got stuck with her when my dr. left the practice last year and I didn't want to change in the middle of trying to get my surgery approved.  The dr. I have now a few months ago I went there was sick she wouldn't give me anything for my cold said it was a virus and had to run it's course well that evening ended up at urgent care they said I had bronchitis and gave me antibiodics I was so mad at my dr.  Also I once asked her for something to put on my rashes that we get under our hanging skin (at the time I didn't have one) just told her I get them like once a week and the over the counter stuff wasn't working and she again wouldn't give me anything said she had to see it first! This is why I am changing dr's I don't want to continue being treated like this. Traci;  I think your very knowldgeable and I appreciate all the information about the protein shakes.  I have to admit that I am a newbee (2 months out) and I get lazy and not only that I get tired of the shakes but I don't drink them like I know I should.  I usually make mine with low fat mil**** frozen fruit, a little splenda, and the protein powder.  I blend all that in my magic bullet.  It seems like when I do make them it makes like 16 or 18 ozs and I can't drink all that I do good to get about 6ozs down before it all goes bad?  What about the protein bars do they get absorbed like the shakes do?  I didn't know until I read your post that we really don't absorb the meat that we eat so that was interesting to learn but if that's the case I really haven't been getting hardly any protein then?  How can I make my shakes so that I don't get bored with them and where I can drink them?

Girl - I still can't eat pancakes!  Well, one or two bites, it swells up in my pouch and that's it.  Rice does the same to me.  The whole carb issue aside (and I do eat some carbs), but sheesh, they swell up so bad that it takes up all my room and well - ya can't eat anything else!  So I generally avoid foods that do that.  Protein shakes:  here's how I do mine.  I put 4 oz of soy milk in my shaker, add my scoop of protein powder, shake and drink.  That's it.   Now, if you can make them with jus****er - all the better.  Seriously, making them with water is truly good - as it's supposed to just be a supplement, and soy milk does add calories, and yes - milk sugars, etc...., but I use soy milk for a couple of reasons:  #1, it masks any hint of protein'ish after-taste that seems to be in every protein that I've tried, and I really love the ones I use, but with water, it's still there to a tiny degree.  I just like the way it makes my protein drinks taste.     #2, I'm in menopause and that little bit of soy is good for me to help with my menopause symptoms.  But if you can make them with water, it's cheaper overall, it's less calories, sugars (even if it's just milk sugars), less fat (I can not stand 100% fat free anything, so do low-fat) and all that.  Water is best - but if using soy milk, or fat free, even skim, 2% , or CarbCountdown Milk is going to get you to actually drink your protein shakes, then do it!!!  The whole point to keep in mind is the term 'protein shake' does not mean, nor should it imply that the term 'shake' is a dessert or treat.  It's called that because you shake it in a shaker to mix it up.    Call it a protein drink, instead of a shake, if you must:  but adding everything under the sun to this nutritional supplement is really defeating the purpose of what it's really supposed to be:  a protein supplement.  Not a mini-meal, a snack or a dessert!!

Hey...it's the new girl...I have a protein you can put in hot liquids...and yes i have put it in my coffee.  It is tasteless and dissolves well...it's called Any Whey and it is featured on www.bariatriceating.com website.  BTW...I saw your message about the part of our stomach with no gastric secretions being used for our pouch so why eat???...the whole system is re-routed...the food makes its way from our pouch through a section of small intestine to a point in the small intestine where the gastric secretions have been routed in from the section of the stomach that makes them...did that make sense??  So yes...the food has nutritious value...but because of the size of our pouches it would be impossible to consume enough solid protein to maintain any level of health.  The food is still digested...just lower in the maze.  Hope you don't mind me butting in on that...the info is still very fresh so thought i would share......Nancy

Hi Nancy - welcome!! Yes, there are some digestive enzymes down in what amount of small intestine we have left and that certainly does work on other foods - just not on protein.  Protein is tough to break down and digest.  It's not the same as other foods like carbs (complex or simple) or fats.   In a normal digestive system is takes hours and lots of digestive enzymes to break down protein - I'm not talking about carbs & fats, just protein - into the ammino acids it needs to be in order for our bodies to fully absorb it.    So we do absolutely need to eat food - because we do absorb some of the calories & fat from those foods and nutrients too, depending on where those nutrients are normally absorbed into the body and whether or not we have bypassed that area or not (like B12 - which we no longer absorb from food, and protein too:  both now need to be supplemented, and iron is another one because in a normal digestive system the majority of iron is absorbed in the duodenum, and that's bypassed in the RNY post-op, so what little ability we have left to absorb iron, often isn't enough). 

  YIKES!  I think my brain just exploded!!!!  LOL...Thanks for the info...It all makes more sense now.  Nancy

Hi Jan and OH Peeps~ Oh it was so good to get in here and see Deb had posted. I was just thinking about you yesterday and how you were doing and how Jason and Wendy are. I found a card that had fallen behind the desk-filled out to you and your family when they were going through all that last year-Oh, I felt so bad-cause it was here, which means it never went to you-has stamp on it-but I am not mailing it to you now! Yesterday was pretty emotional. I went to help my mom clean out Davids room. His mom and his daughter are coming tomorrow to pick up Davids ashes and his belongings. My dad is so upset, they were pretty close and for the past year and a half-my dad has been the only family David has had. He was a nice guy-just lonely and had some health problems. We found 13 empty Vodka bottles-biggest ones you can buy- and lots of empty bottles of pills. Thats when I lost it-when we realized that he chose to end his life-and didnt reach out for help. My dad tears up when he says he should have checked on him more-it had only been 3 days since we had seen him-not like a week or a month, you know?  However-the room was a mess because his bathroom sink water was running when he died-and so everything was flooded in the bathroom-and thats where all of his newspapers and books were-we filled 2 huge bins full of trash and got 80% of the room packed up-and I had to leave-to come home and get ready for my hunters safety course. That went over 1/2 hour, so we didnt get out of there until 10 pm, and they said the same thing about Friday, to expect to be there until 10 pm. YAY!!  As long as I pass, I dont care-however, the word "test" freaks me out-and we have our test AND hands on for gun safety on Friday-in front of the whole class-so that wigs me out a bit. At least I have handled all the guns they have there, so as long as I remember and not get too nervous, I ought to be okay. Today Im not feeling so hot.  Last night I had a coughing spell in class and had to excuse myself-and then I had the 2nd worse gb attack Ive ever had-between that and my knees and back-I was a crying fool when I pulled in the driveway. I got on here to post this morning-and just wasnt feeling good-so I went back and laid down on the couch for a bit.  I havent been on here for a while, I know-but I have 3 broken bone pcs in my right knee-and MAN DOES IT HURT!! My ortho said he could surgically remove them, but if I can deal with it-it can wait until I have my knees replaced. I know I am trying to come down with something, but I am NOT going to let it get the best of me!!! Im not getting sick-IM NOT, IM NOT!!!! **Jan-The reason I am going to the course is so I can turkey hunt with Mike. Dont really care to hunt deer, but I guess now IF I decide to-I will be able to. Im pretty excited about it, mostly because I COULDNT ever do it before-due to my weight, and now I can-and I can keep up with him walking/scouting etc.  So, Im pretty excited.  Mike bought a 9 mm the day after one of the customers at the motel threatened to kill me. I have to go to a class for concealed weapon permit-but I will do that class as soon as they have it at MSSU. They only do it every 3 months. I call her Annie-for Annie Oakley-get it-LOL....So, Mike took me out to practice-bullseye the first time, and then I got nervous! It happens all the time-I can hit the bullseye the first time, and then I just get nervous-I am getting a lot better with practice. Anyhow- I have probably shot off 600 rounds since we got her, and then I can shoot the rifle we have and Mikes dads shotgun-however, that thing hurt my shoulder for 2 days afterwards it hurt to move my arm!!!  I have to get used to it though, because thats what we have to use for turkey hunting, cant use the handgun or the rifle for turkey.  Its all so confusing to me!! The check-yes, the wind blew it right out from under the propane tank lid-in 5 yrs, thats the first time that has happened!!! Mike actually saw it while we were looking for it-Im so glad he found it-the way the wind has been out here-who knows where it would have ended up!!! Thats a lot of money to lose~   My tulips are blooming and so are the daffodils. I hope we dont get a late freeze this year-so we can get fruit from our 7 fruit trees. We didnt get any last year-and we only had a few wild berry bushes. We usually get more than a couple HUGE tupperware bowls full-and Jon comes in the house-and his hands and his face are blue/purple from the berries he picks-its like one for the bowl, one for me!!! Hey, thanks for the idea for Stephanie and driving. The ONLY worry I would have then, is at the end of the driveway, where it meets the road (about 1/4 mile long-our driveway is) she would have to turn around there-in the road or back up and she just isnt that good yet. Maybe I could tell her to put it in reverse and back up the driveway? NOT!!!  Mike put up 4 solar powered lights next to the driveway and the carport area-and I have ran over 2 of them myself-LOL...both times driving his Suburban!!! Ok-so funny story-we have this cat-Abby-the one we adopted after the kitten, gabby died and broke our hearts-k? Well, she is about the friendliest cat you ever saw-loves everyone, gets in everyones cars and tries to go for rides with them all the time-she rides on the 4 wheeler either with us-or in the trailer we haul around behind it for wood transportation-so anyhow-last night when I got home from town-I left the drivers window down in the car-came in and changed, got my workbook etc-and get in the car to go to class and get down the driveway and the cat jumps up between the seats and scares the crap out of me!! Oh man!!!! I slammed on the brakes-and I swear I felt my heart skip a beat!!! I opened up the door and let her out. Better get this done and get on to my emails before the kids get home. We are going for a walk today when they get home. Its 77 here-a little wind-a lot of clouds and they are calling for thunderstorms tonite-which I know are coming because I am hurting where nothing helps!  I am glad you and joe are feeling better!!! **Deb-wheres your new pic!! I wanna see you!! Congrats on your weight loss!! How come you have a new username? Everything ok? Miss you. Email me sometime or email me a pic!!  Love ya! **Traci and Bev-I still can only do 2 bites of a pancake with no sugar syrup-or rice-they both blow up on me- Im just now up to a 1/2 pc of toasted bread. **Everyone else-Hope your having a good day. Take care and as always, your in my thoughts and prayers.  Janet