How Did I Get Here?: Part 9

Part 8 left us spying on me in post-op, from my gastric bypass surgery, hating my so-called caregivers.  This was my first overnight stay at a hospital and these lackeys were ruining my maiden voyage into inpatient recovery.  Buzzkillers!  I feel like I slept for two days once I got to my room.  When I wasn't sleeping, I was hitting the pain relief button more times than Ken Jennings on Jeopardy.  They get you up walking immediately.  They send you down the hall, wheeling your IV rig along side of you.  Now, if a fat guy in a hospital gown at least one size too small, coming at you in the corridor isn't enough make you move out of the way, add the wheelie IV sidecar of death to the equation.  That will make you duck for cover.  But I walked.  In agony every step.

I remember my work mates, both male and female, coming to visit me, 'Get Well Soon' balloons in tow.  I was so loopy from the morphine Jeopardy button,  I didn't realize I was less than covered up.  I'm someone that doesn't like being in front of a camera, let alone laying all splayed and half naked for the world to see.  It's amazing how the humiliating moments can pile up, year after year, and I still returned to my old ways.  If that isn't proof of the insidious nature of addiction, then I don't know what is.

After leaving Morristown Memorial, I convalesced at Mom's house.  We purchased a La-Z-Boy for me to sleep in, because getting out of bed was so painful.  I slept in that chair for many years, it was so comfortable.  I miss you big brown ugly recliner. 

When having a bypass, there's no solid food for a week or so and they start you on pureed food thereafter.  About one tablespoon's worth.  Mom would either throw something in the blender or mash up tuna really fine.  I ate about 3-5 tablespoons of food a day.  Ensure shakes were another way to get some nutrition in you.  I just didn't want to eat.  It didn't feel good to do so.  They were making this easy on me.  The thought of eating anything was totally unappealing.  I got just what I wanted.  They took away my appetite. 

The doctors stress protein intake to help you heal as quickly as possible, so eating nothing isn't an option. Protein shakes and, later, protein bars were a solution for me.  I drank many meals in those days.  The procedure also makes certain nutrients less available.  Your system becomes malabsorbtive to calcium, vitamin B, among others.  Eating those candylike, Viactive supplements and a multi-vitamin became way of life.  Sugar was out of bounds now.  Too much sugar in the form of things like juice, ice cream or candy can give you something called 'dumping syndrome', the effects of which include, cramping, nausea, diarrhea and diabetic-like symptoms.  All stuff you'd want to avoid like the plague.  I didn't have these issues until much later...but I got it.  I got it good.  Bananas were something that set me off.  Now that I am on the straight and narrow, I certainly do not miss the ole dumping syndrome.  Funny how bananas are not an issue anymore.  I am sure all the fat I was eating, back then, helped the trigger the dumping.  Soda was also something I didn't drink for years.  With a stomach the size of a thumb, drinking a Diet Coke would be like you did it with a Mentos as a chaser.  Talk about discomfort!

The weight was pouring off of me in staggering amounts.  My surgery was in July and by the following May I was down from 483.5 lbs. to around 295 lbs.  It got to the point where people I hadn't seen in a while did not recognize me.  I was on my way to sveltness...or so I thought.  Then everything stalled.  It came time for the really hard work to start.  The surgery fixed my stomach, but not my head. 

The battle of the bulge resumes next week in, "How Did I Get Her?"

For those interested, the weekend walking club starts tomorrow.  Check Wednesday's blog for details.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ 2 eggs scrambled with red pepper and scallion w/1 multi-grain English muffin.

Lunch ~ Roasted Red Pepper Soup...not very good.  also, a salad with mesclun greens, smoked turkey and homemade chipotle lime dressing

Dinner ~ Whole wheat penne w/Amy's Family Marinara.  As jarred sauce goes, this is very good!

Exercise ~ None today