2 Week Check Up

Sorry it's been so long, since I last posted--the holiday season has been crazy!  Today happens to be Christmas Day--Merry Christmas to those who practice.

I had my two week check up just a few days ago.  Everything went well!  Thank goodness!  I happened to run into a gentleman that had weight loss surgery a few days before me, he had Gastric Bypass versus my Lapband.  He looked fabulous!  One of the differences between the two surgeries is the rapid weight loss associated with the bypass surgery as opposed to the slower slightly more natural weight loss associated with the lapband. My friend lost 14 pounds over the course of one weekend!!  Seeing him was wonderful.  It was really nice to sit and talk with someone taking this journey with me.  He experienced many if not all of the same issues I have.  He missed chewing.  He was having a hard time getting his pills down in the new crushed form that we're forced to use.  He didn't however, suffer the feeling that everything shifted up whenever he bends over like I do - for those of you wondering it's one of the only times that I can actually feel the band around my stomach (the surgeon later said this was normal).  My friend had lots of good advice and happy positive thoughts.  We both agreed this was a great life-changing decision and well worth the most difficult month of my life.

Anyways, back to the check up appointment. They took off my steri-strips and my incision sites looked great.   And more importantly, I was FINALLY moved up to the next stage in the food diet-the fourth stage.

For those of you unaware, there are 5 stages in the Weight Loss Surgery Food Diet.  The first is just water (given in 2 tsp amounts and drunk over an hour time frame).  The second is clear liquids (given the same as above).  The third is where I have been for the last 2 weeks, smooth foods.  Smooth foods consist of protein shakes, soups, and anything pureed.  For an Italian this is a pretty bland diet and very hard!  The fourth stage is actual food again...YAY!...I get to eat 1-3oz moist pieces of meat, steamed (to mushy) vegetables, mashed potatoes.  The best part is I get to chew again!  The fifth and final stage is normal foods, which includes raw vegetables--this is where I'll be for the rest of my life.  I never thought I would crave a salad, but I do!  And I can't wait until I get to stage 5 and I can have salad again! 5 more weeks to wait!

Weight loss update:  I've lost 40 pounds since the end of September and 14 pounds since my surgery.