Trucking Along...

Chris had his second adjustment this week...Wednesday. They only added 1 cc this time saying they were concerned that they did not want him to get too much and have to "waste" one of his 4 (paid for) adjustments by having to come back and have some removed. So, he now has 4ccs total in his band. It has made a big difference in his volume of food...and in the speed of his eating too! He actually had his first "encounter" Friday at lunch. He was eating a ham sandwich and wasn't really paying attention and took too big of a bite and didn't chew it up good. Well, it got stuck! He said that was VERY painful and that he will not be making that mistake again any time soon. He said he tried drinking water to wash it through but it didn't work. He ended up going outside thinking he was going to have to make himself throw up but he said he just opened his mouth and it came out! I have notice he eats VERY slow now! We went out to dinner last night (Harbor Inn Seafood Restaurant). He ordered the broiled flounder dinner. He ate 1/2 the fish, most of his salad, 1/2 a baked potato and 1 or 2 hush puppies. The rest was packed up and we brought it home. I wish I could learn to like fish and we could split those meals...I have tried and just can't do it. I need to be brain washed or something...I can do shrimp but that is about it... We have been very hit and miss with the Wellness Center (more miss than hit). I told him that I would like to get back to going this week...just seems it is always one thing or another that comes up in the evenings and we can't go. Hopefully this week will be better! The "at home weigh-in" has Chris as 262 now...so that is a total of 59 lbs. lost for now! He started out in 48 waist jeans and just bought 42s last week so that is awesome.

Hit the 50lb Mark!!!

Thursday morning Chris hit the 50lb mark! YAY! Just less than 2 months post surgery so I think that is wonderful. I am holding at 16lbs lost...I have not lost anything in WEEKS.

His appointment Monday for the first adjustment went really well. The normal adjustment is 2cc of saline but Chris asked for extra since we are self-pay and only have 4 adjustments included in the price that we paid...plus he has been able to eat a larger volume of food. She said that is very normal and most people hit their sweet-spot around 5-7 cc's. She gave him 3 cc's for his first adjustment instead of the normal 2. His next adjustment is scheduled for 12/30. I am not sure if they will give him 3 again or just 2...it might depend on the volume of food that he is eating at that point. Right now he is doing great...he stopped last night and got a Wendy's grilled chicken sandwich and could only eat about 1/2 of it. I wish I could do that!!!!! :)

So...everything is going really well. I don't thank Thanksgiving will be that big of a challenge...other than as usual I think we are expected to be subject to at least two different family meals...not a good idea for either of us right now really.

OH! We joined the Tri-City Leisure Center Thursday night. We did a short workout that night on the weight machines and we went back again first thing this morning. We are both liking it...I think it is true what they say...you feel better for it if you can just make yourself do it. With the tremendous hours that he works it will be difficult sometimes but I hope we can make it work... I already feel a difference...and my muscles are feeling it too! LOL Chris was fussing about how weak he is...I told him he has to consider that it has been since the early 80s that he did any real kind of exercise and weight training....that was a LONG time ago!

Till next time!...

Time for an Adjustment

I had a class in Hilton Head this past week and Chris decided to take vacation and go with me. In the end, I think he realized that I was right when I told him that he was going to be really bored. Guess it was at least a break from work for him, which is good.

So...tomorrow afternoon is his appointment at the surgeon's office for his first adjustment. I have to say that it is much needed. He definitely eats a lot more than the 1 cup of food that he should be eating. And his choice of foods has lost focus as well...I think being on "vacation" for a couple of days did not help him in the process. I have told him that we are going to refocus, review all of the "rules" and refresh him on what he is supposed to be doing. A lot of the burden falls on my shoulders because I need to/have to take responsibility for what he is doing...he is almost like a child in being able to make decisions in what he can do, should do, etc. I really have to measure out anything brought into the house into servings for him or he will overeat...and I need to put more focus onto cooking at home again...that really makes a huge difference because at home he doesn't have a choice but to eat healthy...that is all I cook and all I have in the house. when he is going out, like most of us, it is harder to make the right choice.

So...I have told him to be honest with them at the surgeon's office tomorrow on the fact that the volume of his food is way too much and to do a "good adjustment" on him. I vote for about twice the normal saline that they would use. We'll see what happens. I will try to post again in a couple of days to report how the adjustment appointment goes and how it affects him!

Still going strong...sorta...

Okay, I know that I have not posted in forever...have received several complaints. Sometimes it is difficult to find the time to sit down long enough to do this but the main reason is just not a lot happening right now. Chris has lost 47 lbs. YEA!!! However, his weight has not changed for at least two weeks now. I realized after a few days that he had stopped taking in his liquid protein each day so I told him that is likely the reason. He started back for a couple of days but when I asked him about it last night, he is not doing it. I don't know if I will have to start forcing it down his throat or what but he needs to have the protein for a number of reasons...and likely will not be losing wieght without it. I also told him that I need to work on getting him back on a better schedule...he has somewhat lost focus. Not really lost focus as far as eating good things...but eating too often...snacking. He has started snacking on dry Special K cereal...all in all that is fine...but is he really hungry when he is doing that or bored?...or just mentally hungry?. Again, I think the protein intake would help with some of the hunger issues. Anyway, his choices are still good for what I witness...lean cuisines, the low-fat chicken salad that I make for him on Light Wheat Bread, canned fat-free tuna salad and crackers, homemade soup, broiled fish, etc. We have finally been out to eat a couple of times and he did well with that too...except he did eat hash browns the other night (I was not with him to stop him). A small amount would be fine but I would be willing to bet he ate the whole serving and that normally is more than any one person should be eating... SO...I guess it will again fall on my shoulders to get him back on track and refocused...Hell, I can't even keep myself on track. I do think he has done an amazing job mentally though...I mean one or two things that he should not have had in a 6 week + time frame is pretty darn good.

I think I mentioned this already but his first "fill" will be on Monday, November 17th. I think that will help too. Need to work on the exercise...he is definitely very hard to motivate in that area, as you can tell from his pose in this photo. He works so many hours that it is hard to motivate him to do anything once he gets home. This coming Wednesday is support group so I am going to do everthing I can to make sure he plans to go...I really think it helps!

A little frustrated...but still very hopeful

Well, the sugar readings are back up some now that Chris has been on the "creamy-foods" phase of the diet. Readings have been anywhere from 130-something to 180-something. So...he started back on his Glucophage pills (4 a day) and his Amaryl (1 pill a day) this morning. I noticed that his lunch reading was still the same as his fasting reading this morning...so I am sure it will take a couple of days for the meds to get "reactivated" in his system. While a little disappointed by this, it is more in line with what we were originally expecting. So...keep your fingers crossed...

The blood pressure is awesome, with no meds. He took a pill the day after he saw the surgeon (on the surgeon's advice) and his blood pressure dropped to 70/50. So...no more blood pressure meds.

This is the opposite of what we were told by some of the people in the support group. They said the sugar would be an immediate resolution but the blood pressure would take time. Guess everyone is different. We will take any/all improvements we can get...

First Post-Op Appointment

Chris had his first post-op appointment yesterday afternoon. Everything went really well. They were very pleased with his weight loss...and very pleased with his report on his blood sugar and blood pressure. Dr. Strickland advised that he get with our family doctor in a couple of weeks to have his blood work done. You know doctors never like for you to take yourself off of medicine but I surely cannot see anyone taking diabetes medicine if your sugar reading is 80-90 something...you would end up passed out somewhere! They did advise him to continue with his blood pressure med just because that typically takes longer to have a result from the surgery than the blood sugar does. So...Chris took a pill this morning...and...this evening his blood pressure was 70 over something...way too low!!!! So...guess he will have to monitor it and maybe take 1/2 a pill if he thinks it is needed. Anyway, they removed his staples and said everything looked good. The largest wound, where they put the port, seemed to have a little more healing to do so they put some steri-strips on it. They said they would stay on for about 5-7 days and it should be fine by then...ha...Chris just informed me that we need to run to CVS to get some steri-strips because those are already coming off! I figured as much!

His official weigh-in was 285 (that's with clothes and shoes). So in 6 days, he officially lost 14 lbs. And a total of 36 altogether. Awesome!!!!!

They are supposed to call him to schedule an appt for approx. 6 weeks. At that time they will determine if he needs a fill or if he is okay without. I predict he will need a fill....right now he is doing great, really not getting hungry...but by then he will be "experimenting" with real food and I would think at that point it will be easier to lose focus a little. We will see.

After the doctor's appt., we went to the support group meeting (1st Wednesday of every month). It was really a good meeting. The Lap Band was represented much better than it was last month...lots of successful people. Same thing for Gastric Bypass. It is just amazing to listen to every one's stories, to hear the excitement about how much their life has changed...to share the struggles that they are all facing...I think it is just an excellent thing to stay involved in.

So...will post again in a few days to report in with how Chris is doing and to report any additional weight loss. I am having a problem with the weight loss tracker that I had at the top of the page but will keep messing with it trying to get it to work! Till then....

Added a Weight Loss Tracker

Okay, as you can see at the top of the page, I have added a Weight Loss Tracker. The starting weight of 321 was his last appointment with the surgeon prior to starting the pre-op diet (approx. 5 weeks ago). When he weighed in on Monday (the week of surgery) he was 299. So, he lost 22 lbs. on the pre-op diet. Today, 72 hours after surgery, he weighed in at 290! So...by our scales...he has lost 9 lbs post-surgery! Awesome. I guess we'll know his "official" weigh in this coming Wednesday when we return to the surgeon for this first post-op appointment.

Also, about 4 weeks ago, we did body measurements. We measured him last night and he has lost a total of 7 1/2 inches in a month (that is the total from neck, both arms, waist, thighs and calves). Pretty good!

I think he is doing an awesome job of staying motivated. AND...best news of all...the blood sugar readings are WAY down! YAY!!!! I think he will have to start adjusting his meds and will need to f/u with his endocrinologist soon.

So... I will be headed back to work tomorrow but he is taking the week off. He was instructed by the surgeons office not to drive until after he has his follow-up with the surgeon and has his approval. Not sure what he is going to do all week...I think he will certainly be stir crazy! Guess I will be playing "phone a nurse" and trying to make sure he is taking in all of the liquids, etc. that he is supposed to. I have been having to remind him because he is not hungry...but he has to get those liquids in.