New Beginnings

I know it has been a while, but I am sure you understand. Recovery topped off with still being a mother and then school starting back with only 1 day of in person instruction. That means I am mom, employee, and a teacher 4 days a week!

It’s never too late for a new beginning in your life.

Joyce Meyers

Surgery Day

Surgery day started promptly at 4am. I had to drink a special drink called Ensure Pre Surgery. I had to drink 2 of those the night before. They are meant to carb load you before surgery in order to help you heal better and control your blood sugars. My daughters friend came and picked me up about 5:15a and took me and dropped me at the hospital. No visitors. Thanks COVID! I was promptly taken back at 6am for surgery prep. As I laid there and was getting IV’s I started crying. Anxiety at its finest. They gave me some good stuff and I was all better! I was still nervous being there alone, but at least no tears! Surgery was at 7:20am. I remember being wheeled into the operating room and being given something to sleep and that’s about it.

The next thing I remember was waking up and people messing with me and feeling like I couldn’t breathe. Then nothing. Guess I was back asleep. I next remember waking up in my room. Honestly, I don’t remember too much. I know I was in pain, but it wasn’t too bad. They were giving pain meds (Tylenol) around the clock and I think I asked 1 time for something stronger. I was up walking some time in the early evening. I didn’t walk far, but I was up. Historically I always having breathing issues after surgeries. I have gotten pneumonia a couple of times. I am a shallow breather. This time I was prepared. I was practicing 4 square breathing before my surgery and this time I was a studious pupil and used my incentive spirometer like clockwork.

The Day after Surgery

The next day was pretty good. I was on a liquid diet. Only able to have water, sugar free crystal light, sugar free popsicles, and sugar free jello and chicken broth. Starting on the water the day before I was instructed to drink 1oz every 15 mins. I didn’t find too much trouble with that other than just remembering to do it. Pain wasn’t bad, but there. Just made it hard to get in and out of bed without a little help. I did a lot more walking. I was on oxygen because I was having trouble keeping my oxygen levels up (thanks to my breathing issues). I had to really do my 4 square breathing and be mindful in order to keep my o2 stats up. By later in the day I was doing better without the extra o2 and I was keeping liquids down so I was able to go home. Got home around 6. My daughters friend again helped me about and brought me home. She was sweet because she didn’t just drop and run this time. She came in and tidied a bit. The rest of that day is a bit of a blur as I just slept a lot. In fact the next day was a lot of sleeping, sipping fluids, and a little bit of moving.

The Next Week

By 2 days after surgery, the pain was mostly gone. Sleeping at night was rough and I spent the first 4 nights sleeping in my recliner. Each day was spent tracking fluids and protein. I was instructed that I had to have a minimum of 48oz of fluid and 80g of protein. That was accomplished by drinking protein shakes, water, milk, broth and topping it off with a popscicle from time to time. Pure protein was the drinks I used mixed in with some of my leftover HP Optifast shakes. There was quite a bit of meds to take as preventative measures. Things like thrush, acid reflux, pain, etc. Trying to head things off before they happen. I wasn’t doing any exercise outside, but inside I just tried to get up and walk the halls every hour as well as do my resistance exercises that the physical therapist showed me in the hospital. Nothing too exciting.

First Post Op Dr Appointment

Today, 8/27/2020, was my first post op appointment with the Dietician and the Surgeon. My dietician weighed me. I weighed in at 373.9! I was thrilled. It was a loss of 10 lbs since my last weigh in. I am down 31.1 lbs from my starting weight of 405. My BMI went from 67.4 to 62.2. I am already moving into the next size down in clothes! I know the journey is just beginning, but I am certainly happy with how it is starting.

And to anyone who thinks that surgery is the “easy way” let me just tell you that it is not. I admit I sometimes felt like I too was cheating. That maybe I could just keep doing good like I did on my pre op diet. I questioned myself. But I also knew I was 30 plus years of yo yo dieting, weight loss, and weight gain. I needed something to help me keep it off. No, this is not easy. Lots of food logs, way too many protein shakes, and definitely some days I wanted to just eat SOMETHING. But I didn’t! I am following the plan because I am tired of being unhealthy and fat!

A New Beginning

I will always and forever look at August 17th, 2020 as my new birthday. I will look back to that day as the last step in my coming out of a dark time in my life. No more! I am 100% in control of my life. This life is mine and I can no longer blame anyone for anything. Kristi is in control of Kristi. I make the rules. I set the boundaries. I am the gatekeeper to my heart and my soul. The last three years of counseling have helped me to shed years of emotional turmoil. Now, I am shedding the physical reminder of years and years of stress.

It’s a new day, a new beginning for your new life. With discipline you will be amazed at how much progress you’ll be able to make. What have you got to lose except the guilt and fear of the past?

Jim Rohn

I will no longer feel trapped in this body of mine. I am going to work on having a body and loves me as much as I love myself. I want a body that doesn’t trap me into believing I am not worth anything. I have aspirations. I want to be healthy. I want to go for walks. I want to go hiking in the mountains that I love so much. I want to ride a roller coaster. I want to teach my kids to live a healthy life. And I want to hike back to my happy place so that I look over that valley and not just enjoy the beauty of it all, but relish in the moment of knowing that I did it. I can’t wait to have friends be there to support me and to share that moment with.

I have so many people to thank. I have family, friends, and even the people at my doctors office who are all cheering me on and rooting for me. I GOT THIS!!!!!