Sabotage Among Friends

Eating with my boyfriend's family is ALWAYS a challenge. His mom is really strange about food. She claims she's on weight watchers, but other than the fact that she spends money on meetings, there's no other proof. 

First off, they weren't going to invite me to dinner tonight since 'She can't eat'. I think it's really rude to make that assumption and decide for someone what they can and cannot do. Secondly, I can eat. Maybe not everything, but I'm allowed food. I'm not starving myself over here. I just don't need a lot to be satisfied. 

Okay. So, she's weird about food. Once, when I was doing the low-carb diet, I picked up ONE tortilla chip and she hit my hand. Wtf, right? I was highly insulted and was really upset about this one for awhile. Low-carb doesn't mean no-carb and I think I can decide for myself if I want a single freaking chip. 

Well, tonight at dinner, she was all 'Can you eat that?' I'm pretty sure she asked about 14 times, no lie. Then, after our meals arrive, I pull a piece of quesdilla onto my plate. Bill and I had decided to share beforehand. So, I start to eat, and she keeps asking 'Do you want some of mine?' I decline several times. She just doesn't let up. 

Bill's sister and niece decided to get a dessert. I didn't want any. Not only was I comfortably full, but I don't want to waste calories on that. I'm picky about what's allowed room in my stomach. Bill's mom and dad also decided to share a dessert. Bill was with me, he didn't want anything. So, when the dessert gets there, Bill and I are offered to try both desserts, we both decline. His sister doesn't ask again. His mom asked both Bill and I over and over again, only leaving Bill alone when he tried some. I wasn't let off that easily. Only when she had finished the dessert did she stop asking. 

Now, some people would try to say she was being nice, and that's not completely wrong, she was. But for her, it's not about that, not entirely. Yes, it's nice to share, but it's something else to harass people into sharing. Bill's sister offered and when I declined, she didn't ask again. When you ask repeatedly if someone wants something, knowing that they've just had surgery and are trying to loose weight, you want to see them fail. 

I'm prepared for people like this. Not everyone can just be genuinely happy for you. She's one of them. And I can't really get rid of her, so I'll have to deal. 

Wii Fit, Soup and Scars

I'm in LOVE with my Wii Fit. It's an amazing thing, even if you're not using it to exercise. Lately, because I can't do much more than walk, I've been using the Wii Fit as my scale. The wonderful thing about it? The graphs. I love seeing the line graph change and go down. I love that it automatically tells you your BMI and weight. 

It's a really great thing to have something to remind you of how well you're doing. I love seeing that I've lost 20 pounds. I mean, I know I've lost 20 pounds, but the reminder is a motivator.  And I'm not the only one, my Mom loves it too. It's a fun and easy way to monitor your weight. I'm not sure I'd rely on the Wii Fit as my sole means of exercise, but it really creates a nice aid in tracking weight loss and fitness.

In other news, I'm bored out of my mind. Three weeks off from work sounds great, and it is, but whoa. This was fine the first few days - I was napping half the time and drugged up, so I didn't realize I was bored. Now that I'm not in so much pain and able to do things, I'm bored. Bored bored bored bored. That doesn't mean I want to go back to work, I love being home. I just wish I were motivated enough to do something productive. I have writing to do and craft projects that are half finished. I just don't feel like it. 

Maybe tomorrow. Maybe I'll be motivated then.

But I did make soup today, so I guess I did something. Creamy Onion Soup. It's really close to the Walkabout Soup at Outback Steakhouse. I made it lower in fat by using Light Cream and Light Cheese. And it came out great. I'll have to post the recipe tomorrow. I think I'm going to make a Shrimp Chowder tomorrow. I found the recipe in a weight-loss surgery cookbook and so it's super high in protein (around 20 grams) and low in calories. 

So, on the medical front, I'm doing okay. The back pain is completely gone, I no longer need the bandages but there's still pain at the large incision and the port. Otherwise, I'm good. Still a little tired at points, but overall, good.

I'm having trouble keeping in mind when I'm doing too much. Over the weekend, I've done this several times. Friday, I went grocery shopping with my Mom and then relaxed for about an hour before running errands with Bill. By the time Bill and I got home, I was exhausted. Not even just exhausted, but in pain, drained and felt terrible. I'm working hard to make sure I don't continue to do that. It's not to over-stretch yourself when you're trying to heal.

To A New Life

I've been banded!

Monday, February 23rd, 2009. The day my new life began.

Given that it's only the 26th, we're not that far into it. But still, a lot has happened. I had my doubts but I know, deep down, that this was the best decision I've made in a long time. 

This blog, I'm hoping it'll be helpful for myself, in dealing with everything that's happening, and help others on the journey to decide on whether or not to get banded.

The process leading up to the surgery was almost surreal. And although it took 6 months to have the surgery, the wait was worth it.

The surgery itself went well. They were able to do it laparoscopically, which rocks. They were also able to use the Realize Band, the newest band approved by the FDA for use in the US. I choose this band because the port is less prominent and won't be as noticeable. And I liked their online support system.

After they woke me up from surgery and I was crazy disoriented (I kept yelling for my mom at first, since I was scared and wanted to see her.) They took me for x-rays of the band and port. I learned then that breathing without the oxygen hurt (from the tube that was originally down my throat) and then saw my band, which was really cool. Then, they wheeled me into the hall to wait for my transport people.

And this is the worst part of the whole experience. The transport people, they didn't come. After about 30 minutes of laying there, in pain because the meds were wearing off, I asked. The nurse called. No one came. Meanwhile, I have to listen to this other lady who was making this "oh" sounds so loudly and frequent that I was about to scream. She was trying to get all kinds of attention from people. It was just annoying because when they asked if she needed help, she ignored them.

Eventually, I was in so much pain I was in tears and told the nurse. She called the transport people, and this time, obviously only because I was in pain, they came. I had sat there for an hour and a half in a freaking hallway.

So then, some nurses assistant comes in, sets up my IV and heart monitor and leaves. Doesn't leave the call button or anything. 20 minutes later, my nose starts to bleed. I have no way to get anyone, so I start yelling. I was scared out of my mind already because I had been told I'd get to see my Mom and Bill (my boyfriend) by 12 and this was 2. Finally, a nurse comes in, almost pissed off that I was yelling, and I tell her my nose is bleeding and that I didn't have the thing and that I still hadn't seen my Mom. By that point, I'm sobbing, hurting my scars and just plain upset. She was nice after that and did get my mom. When my nurse got there, she was an angel. Really. I swear. She was just the nicest woman and was so attentive and everything, just very motherly.

Anyway, the day goes on and I finally get water. It's all I wanted in the world. Now we have a problem. Usually this doesn't happen, but my swelling must be so bad, making the band super tight that the water wasn't getting down well. That in combination with the pain throughout my throat caused pain at the band site. It wasn't as bad until the broth came for dinner. That really hurt. The doctor wanted to keep me overnight because of the pain. I wouldn't have slept there. Well, it would have been a morphine sleep. But anyway, he decided to leave it up to me, and I came home. 

The swallowing is so much better now. I got down a good amount of liquids today and felt a ton better.

Things have been good and bad since then. I don't react well to anesthesia well. It makes me nausea for days. So, after the day at home, we called the doctor and he prescribed something and it worked wonders. 

Otherwise, I've just been really tired. I find myself taking naps each day, which probably has to do with the lack of calories on the liquid stage. It's okay though, I've lost 20 pounds since I began the pre-op diet and now. It's a real motivator, since I can see the weight leaving my face and it just feels great to see the numbers get lower.

So far, this is worth it. But stay tuned! We're going to see things change here!