12/16/17 Saturday

Weight 161.6, calories 722

I'm so envious! I'd love to get a golden puppy, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Retrievers of all kinds are just awesome dogs! Can't wait to see a picture.

My weight is dropping fast. I think dehydration is playing a big part. I woke up parched like the desert with a headache. It's like being a VSG newbie all over again! So I've had some Tylenol and am working on a Coconu****er (supposedly a natural electrolyte balancer) and a glass of regular water right now while watching A Christmas Story.

Today will entail a shower, a few walks, and some solid couch time. And lots of sipping on nasty protein shakes...

I used a protein bar yesterday. Though I did think about having a protein drink, it just wasn't appealing to me.

They are so unappealing!! I have some Syntrax Nectar mixes I never tried. I might break one of those out for "breakfast."

So you aren't hungry either after your surgery?

I am, I'm just not allowed to eat yet. Liquids only until Monday, then soft foods for 2 weeks. It's like having VSG all over again! And I despise protein shakes, but there isn't any other way with all liquids.

Oh yeah, I forgot that you have to go through diet progression.

Weight 115.4, calories 663. It is weird that I struggled to get that many calories in yesterday. I wonder if the use of opioid medication combined with a VSG tummy is reducing my appetite. I added a protein bar at the end of the day to make sure I had reached my protein goal while healing. Also my weight dropped by almost 2 pounds between yesterday and today. I was urinating a lot yesterday, so maybe it was the IV fluids leaving my system?

Diane, you are so lucky to be getting a puppy. DS says he is getting a dog after he gets back from Paris in February. We talked about potentially getting a rescue around a year old so that part of the puppy phase will have passed. BTW, we had a couple of beagles who chewed furniture a lot. We had to get very creative with chew toys for them. We also crated our dogs when not home so they wouldn't get into trouble when we weren't around. We always called their crates beds and they would go into them voluntarily when scared or sensing that they were in trouble. OR when we told them to get into bed.

I am still behind in OH reading as it is still a bit difficult to read for any length of time.

Have a satisfactory Saturday.

147.2. Staying within a 2 pound range but not the range I want!

Christmas concert today with DS#1's Young Men's Choir. Otherwise not much on the docket. I think we could use another Costco run!

Snowy and cold here....booooo!

Greetings My Pets

Oh I do love this little group. 143.5 again today. Way too much. But its sunny and I may get a walk in. Mexican food last night. Good but not exactly on plan. I realize I have let my protein slide and must up it. DH is sick of chicken but he is going to have to get sicker of it because we need to eat some. The frozen Runza's call out but we need to keep those to once or twice a week.

Hey Diane O, such fun with a puppy to arrive. Having been through the puppy thing recently (Tesla is about 20 months) I can tell you its the right thing to crate train from the start. Tesla didn't know there was any other place to sleep until she was nearly a year. Chew toys are a must. Any puppy will chew most anything so get wires and such out of the way. Encourage the retrieve instinct right away. It should come easily to a lab and will provide hours of activity (instead of chewing).

One other thing you might get is a "Snuggle Safe". Its a hard plastic disc that you heat in the microwave and put in the bedding. We used it when we had a litter of puppies that needed warmth. It stays warm for 7 or more hours and is a comfort to a pup who is alone in a crate at night. We had a ritual for Tesla with the snuggle safe, a treat and a special night time toy "Mr. Monkey" that went into her crate at night and that was the only time she was allowed that toy. Made for a good nite time routine. Sadie will enjoy her new buddy and help housebreak too.

Gosh Cecily I didn't think about having to do the two week protein drink thing all over again. My condolences. Heal up fast! You too Liz.

Well the paper piles reached crisis proportions last night when I couldn't find last year's tax return for the gallery and we need it to do some planning. It was finally located in a heap of stuff. So I tossed a bunch of old stuff into the recycle and will do more today.

Interesting article in the AARP bulletin about cleansing your brain. It seems there is a system in the brain similar to the lymphatic system (called glymphatic) which cleans brain waste. Healthy diet, managed bp, good sleep and sleeping on your left side. All very interesting to this non-scientist.

Well, guess I will search for protein today. And Christmas shop. I am into the "buy local" thing but its easier in our dinky little towns.

Peace and Joy. Diane S

So sleeping on your left side clears out your brain? Well, I've got that part right. But I had no idea ...!

Diane, you sure do know a lot about puppies! We used to have an Irish Wolfhound who, very sadly, is now over the rainbow. Darby was soooo smart and soooo sweet. But she did not care for crates. She flat out refused to use one. And because she had us wrapped around her precious big paw, we didn't pu****

One day we realized she had her monstrous puppy jaws around the arm of a huge upholstered chair (one of those chairs that's big enough for 1.5 people) and was pulling it around the living room backwards. That chair immediately became HER napping chair. I still have the chair and just drape a throw over the missing part of the arm. ;)