1 week

I'm still alive after a week. All of the soreness is gone, I think I coughed it all away. I'm running on about a 1/4 tank as far as energy goes, but that is getting better as I increase my intake of protein. Most of it now comes from a Whey Protein shake that I drink 3 times a day, it yields about 80g. But thank god I now transition to pureed food! I pureed a cup of vegetable soup tonight, sweet baby jesus it was so good to have a hearty taste and consistency in a meal. And I felt for the first time what it will be like to be full with the Lap Band in place. One cup was all it took. It felt sooo good to feel full.

I have been forced to do something with this surgery that I never attempted to do with any of the diets I tried. Micromanagement of nutrients, specifically fat intake. I had always set a calorie budget and shot for it. But just as important is the intake of fat. And if you took one day out of your life and wrote down the fat grams you consume, you'd see why obesity is such a problem. So, for me, my daily budget is now: calories (net) - 1000, fat grams - max 25, protein - 70-80 grams, sodium - 2400 grams. It's very hard to restrict the sodium. Most of the time, you can't find low fat and low sodium, it's one or the other. If you have an Iphone, there is an application that is perfect for tracking everything you need on a diet. "Lose It". It has been instrumental in my success. As I transition from pureed foods to solid foods, I will see the rapid weight loss subside, and the real work will begin to maintain the average 2 lb a week decline.

My weight today is 299.0

2 days post-op..

I spent the day yesterday walking around the mall trying to get a little exercise and work some of this soreness out. It doesn't help that I am also still recovering from a cold that I caught 4 days before surgery. The coughing up junk hurts pretty bad cause I'm using all the muscles in my gut. Not pretty to watch. People in the mall looked like they were going to call 911 after witnessing my painful hacking. I'm starting to feel the effects on not having enough protein or energy.

Actually felt pretty good this morning. The soreness is noticeably subsiding and I am drinking more liquids. I haven't been concerned with food to this point. I'm not even close to being hungry. I'm sure that will set in as my gut heals and the swelling goes away. It's been kind of a weird experience seeing and smelling great food and not having the first inclination to eat. It's like a circuit breaker is popped between my senses of sight / smell and the desire to eat. I've been fascinated watching Man vs Food. I'm even cooking meals without the desire to taste or eat of it.

So, whats it feel like to have a relatively large piece of plastic and silicone wrapped around my stomach? I can't feel it! No pinching or anything. I figured I'd feel something like a knot or cramp if I turned the right way, but nothing....yet. There is a port attached to my abdomen muscle beneath the skin on my lower left side. It is still bandaged, so I can't see if it is noticeable yet. It will be used when I require "fills" to regulate my appetite. Saline will be injected into the port, which will tighten the band around my stoma (the pouch that has been created).

Over the next couple of days I'll be eating things that can be sucked through a straw. Soups, yogurt, pudding, protein shakes, all low fat of course. I'll get back to my exercise routine as well.

My weight today is 306.

Damn, it's done.

06:30 am. An early start this morning....arrived at the hospital and did the usual sign in and wait. After about 45 mins, I was escorted back for the prep. It's pretty much the same prep as for any procedure; I.V. port, thousand questions, meet with different nurses, vitals taken, etc.. Dr. Woodman stopped by to go over a couple of last minute things. He emphasized "This surgery is not going to make you lose weight. There has to be a lifestyle change." And with that, it was time to roll.

09:15 am. As I'm wheeled into the operating room, I can't help but notice the ancillary things. The chilly temperature, the ominous operating table light hovering above the "stage like" table. The nurses and techs all working in kind of a coordinated chaos. "Dirty Laundry" playing on an ipod dock across the room. As I'm strapped to the table, Dr. Woodman walks in. At this point, he has achieved celebrity status with me because of what he is about to do. The doors close, the music fades, and the lights go dim....

My first thoughts after waking up from surgery...
I'm alive.
I am a different person.
It doesn't really hurt that bad.
My surgery virginity has been taken.
Everyone's being really nice.

It took about 15 mins to get oriented. I was pretty groggy and drifted in and out of that semi-dream like state. After a few questions, I was wheeled into a recovery room. I drank a few sips of water, walked around a bit, and got acquainted with my new incisions. They look like the big dipper. I was asked to convey my pain on a scale from 1 to 10, and the whole time I felt it never went over a 3. It feels like a soccer player stepped across my belly. After a somewhat uneventful recovery, I was given the OK to go home. So at 02:30pm, I left.

For the rest of the evening, I'll just chill. Apple juice and t.v. Clear liquids for the next three days, then regular liquids.

It has taken me 8 months of dedicated planning to get here, and now I'm glad it's over. The new chapter begins...

Uh oh....

This is about the time I start wondering....crap , am I doing the right thing??

T minus 18 hours and counting...

Surgery is a go. Dr. Woodmans' nurse gave the ok to proceed. And because of a cancellation, I get moved to an earlier time. Show time at the hospital is 06:30 am, surgery start time is 09:15 am. Hopefully I'll be heading home around 2:00 pm ish. So I'm on clear liquids for the day and get to drink a bottle of magnesium citrate (aka colon blow) mid afternoon.

My weight before my pre-op diet (about 3 weeks ago) was 334 lbs.
My weight today is 314 lbs.

I was on a pretty restrictive diet for that time. I limited my daily caloric intake to 1000 or less (net). Fat grams to less than 25. Protein to at least 60 to 80 grams. I either walked an hour each day, or played racquetball when I could. I feel like I am mentally prepared for the way things will have to be after surgery.

I've come to realize just how much food had consumed my thoughts throughout the day. It was a habit to stop on the way home from work and get a burger "for the ride home", irregardless if I was hungry or not. Or eat something when I got bored. The amont of food I could eat is another thing. I felt full when the pain set in, then it was too late. Being on a restrictive diet forces you to confront those habits and the feelings associated with them. I can't say that I was addicted to food, but, you know what they say the first step is.....

Food will still consume a lot of my time, but in a more constructive way. I now have to plan meals ahead of time and stick to a regular pattern of eating. I'll be on 2 weeks of liquids followed by two to four weeks of pureed to soft food. After about six weeks I'll transition back to regular meals in a limited quantity, approx 4 ozs.

Stay tuned.....

Whats going on?

I've created this blog to chronicle my journey to a healthier weight with the use of the Lap Band. My surgery is set for Sept. 15th at 09:15 am. However, two days ago, I've come down with a flu like illness which may delay my date. It hit pretty hard and fast, so there is a chance that it may be clear before the next two days. I go in to the doctors' office tomorrow for my weigh in and any other pre surgery instructions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! But in the interest of safety, another week or two won't kill me.

I started this journey back on January 5th at a seminar given by Dr. Woodman. I had just finished up a workplace biggest loser contest in which I failed miserably. I was one of the two who came up with the idea to have the contest at work. And, wouldn't you know it, the skinniest (lightest) guy won the contest and raked in $1100 bucks. My problem is not so much the ability to lose weight, it's keeping it off. After a lot or research, the Lap Band looked like the best option in helping me achieve my goal of long term weight loss.

So, I'll try to go into as much detail of the process as I can through my blog. Reading other peoples' blogs help me understand the things the doctors don't really talk about, the emotions, the physical aspects, food tribulations, etc... Of the blogs I researched, 99% were women, so I'm offering a male perspective.

Off we go, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Words into action.

Well, I finally created my blog after putting it off for no good reason. So this post will really be more of an experiment to feel my way around this site. I will gather my thoughts, talk to myself, and get back to you.