So I know you are wondering what happened with my PCP. Well it turns out we needed that clearance letter after all or my entire surgery would be jeopardized or not happen at all. I called my doctor and left messages with his secretaries asking for a callback from the doctor. I called at 9 am when the opened and again at 12 noon and 2 pm, and still never got the call back.
So the next morning again at 9 am i called in and this time i spoke to the doctor directly. I explained that I didn't need a referral just a letter saying that I was medically okay to have this surgery as far as he was concerned.
He then agreed to write it for me. So now ALL the paperwork is in and we are just waiting for the insurance company to give us the final thumbs up.
So that is that for now.
With that said, here is today's taste test.
Sorry, I should explain that. Stage 1 is the first few days after surgery. It is nothing but water, no shakes etc. just for a few days, to let the staples set and the incision line where they removed most of the stomach heal a bit. Stage 2 is liquids including protein shakes.
This will last about two weeks then I go back in to see the surgeon and the nutritionist and they will evaluate my nutrition levels, and blood levels etc and decided if we progress to stage 3, a puree type stage, where yogurts, hummus etc can be started.
What is interesting is that you are basically causing your body to go into starvation. You keep away the bad parts of starvation with the daily multi vitamins, and the daily calcium tablets and of course the protein.
Those of you who have ever seen Survivor, the TV show not the band. Well you may remember how the castaways would continuously complain about not having any energy. They were lethargic, felt nausea and dizziness. Well that is the same state we are sort of shooting for. When you consider the size of my stomach after the surgery will be big enough to hold about 1/2 cup of liquid or food, you realize the extent of what is being done.
My nutritionist pulled out a set of plastic measuring scoops, the kind you use to bake with etc. When you look at how small a 1/2 cup scoop is, the realization of this endeavor really hits you. Now at a point much further down the road say a year after the surgery I may be able to fit a cup full rather than a 1/2 cup and that is why the maintenance is lifelong. Here is something you may not know about WLS ( weight loss surgery). It doesn't make you lose weight on it's own. Just because you cannot fit a lot does not mean you cannot eat a lot, or eat badly. people do fail at this. Now usually it is because they have not come to terms with this process. People say addiction but I don't use the word because I do not want to give an excuse to how I got fat. There are of course contributing factors and they start you off on the path to getting this way, and your mind does a wonderful job of putting blinders on itself until it is almost too late.
Now I know I mentioned before that one of the biggest changes I face is in drinking. I do not mean alcoholic drinking, although that does have to go away for a long time if not forever. I am talking about just drinking liquids. There are some very big changes you have to abide by. Like, no carbonated beverages, ever. I will figure out how to quickly make diet Mountain Dew flat, lol.
The reason for this is of course gas. With a normal sized stomach you stomach expands with the gas and then you burp it out, or it escapes in other ways we wont get into at this time. With the sleeve, you would risk rupturing it, and at the very least cause a great deal of pain to yourself and probably just throw it up anyway.
The other side to drinking don't is that you cannot drink for 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after, meals. The reason is almost the same. If you imagine I have to get in quite a bit of protein and water each day. If I drink with a meal I will fill the sleeve with liquid and not enough protein, so I would be wasting what I have with empty useless stuff. Getting enough water in is a very tough thing for many people after this surgery. You cannot just swallow a mouthful of water. You have to slowly sip it, ( and no straws please, you suck in air with straws, please see the section about gas above). A 4 oz portion of protein shake is to be eaten or drank I guess, over the course of 1/2 to 1 whole hour. It is a very daunting task. Try it for yourself go get two small glasses with openings wide enough for you to get a teaspoon in. fill one with 4 ounces of water. Then take your teaspoon and slowly move the water from the full glass to the empty one, over the course of an hour. This is quite tedious, and people tell stories of when they finally gave up and tried to take a gulp of water. Besides having to get plenty of paper towels to clean the spray off the walls, the pain was enough to not do it again. Well not at least on purpose anyway. One of the people at my favorite spot on the net. Bariatricpal.com , had an idea where you mark your water bottle with a sharpie to show how much you should have been drinking at what time. Great idea, I will surely do it.I guess they make a water bottle with a timer on it but that's probably excessive.
Before I go I would to say I am thankful for all of you. I am thankful for my wife who is the most supportive person in the world. Everyday she helps me keep a positive frame of mind and keeps me moving forward. I am thankful for my In laws, who have always been there for me in many ways. I am thankful for my friends who always have my back. I am thankful for my co-workers who are always interested in what is going on with my surgery and with providing me an atmosphere that I can succeed in and are flexible with my schedule enough so that I can take the time I need to have this surgery.
******************HAPPY THANKSGIVING ********
To You All!
And now for today's Quote, another cartoon all about those Christmas early stores!
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