Tomorrow!!!!!

Tomorrow is the big day.

Wow - 7 months ago, on October 11, 2012, I started this journey.  Since then I have lost 30 pounds.  Wish that made a dent...but not really!  LOL

My surgery is at 8am tomorrow at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City.  My surgeon is the head of bariatric surgery at UI so that makes me happy.  I also have met the Fellow in bariatric surgery who will be assisting.  They are both wonderful men and I trust them.

Friday I spent most of the day at the hospital doing pre-op appointments.  Who knew the hoops you have to go through just to allow them to cut you!  :-)

This is laporoscopic surgery - typical 6 small incisions.  1 on top, 1 on bottom, 2 on each side.  They are closed with internal, disolvable stitches and tape on the skin.

I go home with a drainage tube sticking out one of those incisions.  Eew - it sucks out juices that are in my abdomen.  Twice a day I have to empty the drain and measure the fluid output.  You of course want that amount to go down over time and to get clearer and clearer.  They explained that if I drink milk and then have milk coming out of the drain - I should probably call right away!

How long do I stay in the hospital...many people have been asking me this.  Most people stay one night - sometimes two nights.  What is the determining factor?  That's what we asked as well.  Two big things:  is my pain controlled and am I able to take in at least 4 ounces an hour of fluids.  If all that is happening - then I go home late afternoon on Wednesday.  If not, then Thursday morning.  So....Wednesday late afternoon!

The doctors pretty much told me to expect the first week to be hellish.  Great - just what I wanted to hear!  But they assured me that if I power through that first week, life gets much, much better.  Friends who have had this done have also assured me that I will make it through that week and be great.  So...I am prepared for hell, but will muddle through so I can get on with the rest of my life!

People have been asking what I eat right away.  Here is a low down of my post-surgery diet.

First 7 days after surgery:   broth, skim milk, water, sugar free popsicles
    Yep - that's it!  I must have 1500 cc (or 50 medicine cups) every 24 hours
    Yes - I drink out of cute little 1 ounce medicine cups!

Day 8-28 after surgery:  broth, skim milk, water, sugar free popsicles  and ADD double milks (8 ounces of milk + 1/3 cup dry milk powder - doesn't that sound nummy?!?!),  light yogurt with no fruit pieces, sugar free pudding we make at home with double milk, blended and strained soups we make with double milk
    Yep - not much variety added - but a little bit more!
   Still drinking out of my cute little medicine cups!

Weeks 5 and 6 after Surgery:  Pureed diet
    all the stuff from above - but now I can have pureed fruit with no skins, pureed veggies with no skin, pureed meet (meet with broth), mashed potatoes, applesauce.
   Nice part - done with the double milks!!

Weeks 7 & 8 after Surgery:  Mechanically soft diet (chew food to puree consistency)
     now I can add fluffy scrambled eggs, toast, well cooked soft veggies (carrots) some fruits, some soft meats.  Must chew everything to the consistency of pureed food.  This is forever!

Week 9 and for the rest of my life -
     I eat whatever - avoiding the things I need to avoid - this list is long and confusing - but it is to what I tolerate.  leaving out sweets and juice and ice cream and such forever.

The doctor said something the other day that really helped me.  He was talking about how even if my body can "tolerate" the sweets, I need to avoid them.  why?  Because if my body handled them the way a "normal" body handled them - I wouldn't be here for surgery!  My body does not deal with those sugars - thus why I am the shape and size I am.  So....to maintain my new body - I must change FOREVER how I eat.

People express sadness for me when they hear that.  Don't feel badly for me.  I have made the decision to do this because I have tried for years to lose weight and simply am not able to lose it without it coming back PLUS some.  Every attempt has resulted in gained weight rather than lost.  FRUSTRATING to say the least.

Surgery is a tool - not an answer.  It is a tool that gets me started and gives me the headstart I need and the ability to keep it off IF I maintain my new lifestyle and eating habits.  I can do this!

My parents came down yesterday to be here for the surgery.  They will bring my kids to the hospital tomorrow to see me.  And then take them to Maggie's conference track meet and then quickly leave from that when she is done running to get her to the high school band/choir concert where she plays in the hs jazz band.  Glad they are here for the taxi service so Mike can worry about me.

Bought a recliner yesterday and Mike and my dad will go get it on Thursday.  Mike has wanted a recliner for 21 years.  We get it now.  Why?  For me!!!  HE says he will get it when I am recovered.  Ha - just try!

So - tonight I am staying in a motel with Mike so we can sleep as late as possible tomorrow morning.  My parents are on kid duty.  And I prepare mentally for the next week of hellishness.  And Mike prepares mentally for putting up with me over the next week!  LOL

If you pray - please keep me and my surgeons in your prayers tomorrow.   When I can get on a computer again, I will blog about how life is going.

Here is to my new life starting tomorrow morning!