Almost Two Weeks Post-Op

Hello all!  It's a beautiful day in the mountains of Western Maryland...sunshine, warm breezes, beautiful rippling lake water.  It's a treat to have such a day in the middle of November!  Other years, we've had the ground covered with snow at this time of year.  Well, I am just going to enjoy it while it lasts!

It' a strange day for me.  My husband and one of our "adopted" kids are looking at a graduate school downstate and won't be bac****il tomorrow.  So, here I am all by my lonesome after almost two weeks of being lovingly attended to...I think he spoiled me!  LOL!!!  Pre-op, whenever my husband went away, I dealt with the boredom and loneliness by eating and drinking whatever I wanted.  It was carte blanche and, man oh man, was it a rush to just have that freedom and eat as if the calories didn't count because no one else knew!  So, today, on my clear liquid diet, I almost don't know what to do with myself.  Don't get me wrong, I am not tempted to engage in that kind of self-destructive behavior again....I have no appetite and I've worked too hard to get here to just blow it all at this early stage.  I am just recognizing and owning that this was a pattern in my old life and that now, feeling bored as I am, I am going to have to develop some new coping mechanisms.

Luckily, I have a friend coming over in an hour or so.  She will understand exactly what I am going through, as she has weight issues, too, and sipping tea together and laughing will definitely be a much more healthy coping mechanism.

Overall, I am doing great.  I am still moving a little slow and tire easily, but I've got to attribute that to the so few calories I am taking in on my all clear liquid diet.  I have to stay on that until Thursday, when I have my post-op surgical appointment.  LOL!!!!  I can't believe how good the pureed foods sound to me right now!  Pre-op, the pureed foods just didn't have much appeal to me...right now, though, after almost two weeks of liquid, pureed food sounds like a banquet.  I am already getting some recipes together!!  :)

Other than that, I went back to my PCP to have my infected toe looked at.  And of course, I had to weigh in before I saw him. It was one week and two days post-op and I was looking forward to seeing a significant weight loss.  I lost ONE pound!  One pound on an all liquid diet for 9 days!  I tried to talk myself out of being disappointed....it's early, body is adjusting, maybe its in survival mode with so few calories, etc....but two days later, I realized it was bothering me more than I was admitting to myself.  One pound lost in 9 days since surgery!  I just hope this doesn't mean I am going to be one of the slow losers.  :(

The other thing that my PCP told me (in addition to my toes is doing fine) was that my blood pressure was way up.  They had taken me off of two of my blood pressure medications after the surgery because the pills were too big, but they didn't give me a substitute.  Both pills were water pills (maybe I am holding on to too much water weight because of not being on the pills anymore?), so he told me to take them again.  But, now I have to open one pill up and swallow the tiny capsules inside and split another pill before I can take it.  I go back to the PCP the day before my post-op appointment to see how my blood pressure is doing.

Finally, of course after surgery, they took me off of all my diabetic oral medications and sent me home with insulin.  I have never taken insulin before and am not too pleased to be on it, but the good news is that I have needed very little in my almost two weeks post-op.  I am checking my blood sugars 4 times a day, and in the past 5 days have only had to take insulin once.  Wow!!!  That is good and encouraging news.  :)

So, how am I doing post-op???  I am having my ups and downs, but I am please to say that the ups outnumber the downs.  :)  I am still excited and can't wait for the next steps.

Thanks for listening!!  :)

Guayas

Hey sweety! Let me console you here a bit... First thing is to remember all scales are different. So you cannot base your weight loss on that scale if you initial weigh in was on another. Secondly, it sounds to me like you are holding onto a lot of fluid. I bet you have lost more than you think...in fat loss...but the fluids you are retaining are adding to what the scale has to say about it. I am almost willing to bet within a few days of starting back on the water pills, you will see a significant change, and when the fluid is out of you, your BP should decrease as well as the scale readings.

Remember too, if you are not drinking enough fluids, your body will hang on to all it can to prevent dehydration from occuring, so make sure you are getting in lots of sugar free fluids. I know you are on a liquid diet. When I say fluids here tho, I mean water, sf flavored water, crystal light, sf caffiene free iced tea...)

You are going to be fine.. just wait and see.  If it ends up your loss is a bit on the slow side, it gives your body and skin more time to adjust to the weight loss, but you are going to loose it.
Get those walks in as best you can at this point, that will help too! You are going to be fine!

hugs!

Hi Guayas,

Good to hear that your toe is doing better.  You may be suffering from water weight.  I came home from the hospital 15 # heavier than when I went.  Took a bit for the water weight to shift back on out.  Probably kept me from being too dehdrated on the first few days at home. 

Use this time alone productively, looks like you have a sound plan in place already.  Take care of yourself.  Hugs, Kathy

Patrece and Kathy....THANK YOU!!!  That's what I love about this group. You put the good stuff out there and there are people to celebrate with you.  You put the "bad" stuff out there and there are people to console you, commiserate with you, and reassure you!! 

And just writing all that made me feel somewhat better.  Then hearing from the two of you made me feel a whole lot better!  Thanks again!

Hope you both had a beautiful Sunday!!  :)

 Good evening  :)

I kinda know what you mean about being home alone.... kinda!  I'm currently a hunting widow, deer season opened today in Michigan.  My daughter and her boyfriend have been in Columbus since yesterday, they went to the OSU / Iowa game and stayed down there overnight.  My son had friends here all weekend though, until early afternoon, and of course the dogs always keep me company.  Unfortunately I am also recovering from the fun and festivities last night!  I danced, a LOT, and my plantar fasciatis is in full flare-up mode.  My legs hurt, even my neck and shoulders hurt!!  I probably burned a ton of calories, but I am losing whatever ground I may have gained because I can't hardly MOVE today!  lol

I'm glad your toe is ok, I get those sometimes too and it can be painful for a few days!  As far as weight loss, the others nailed it.  One scale can vary drastically from another.  You haven't been taking water pills, and you are healing.  I wouldn't let any of that concern you.  Keep on keepin' on - fluids, protein, walking.  It'll drop before you know it!  And kudos for recognizing old behavior patterns and devising a way to handle it - yet another success!  Keep up the great work!!

Hi Darlene, glad you had fun last night.  Any photos of you all gussies up?  Love to see one.  Hope you feel better tomorrow, Patrece is right about the getting up and moving thing.  Hugs, Kathy

Hey Darlene...I was wondering how everything went for you last night! Sounds like you had a blast! Now..even tho you are hurting, the best way to loosen up and get that sore stiff feeling to go away is to push ..just a tad.. to get in some walking, and stretching. The more you use everything, the quicker it will feel better for you.
hugs!