Saturday 28 July 2012

Mixed bag of ramblings from my mind

Day one of my pre-op diet AGAIN lol. At least this time I have a count down woohoo. But I'm so HUNGRY. Last time I went on the pre-op diet I didn't get as hungry as I feel right now, my tummy is actually growling at me :(
Haven't been shopping so can't even cook up some veggies on the free list. Trying to fill up on water but it doesn't seem to be working. Oh well early night and hopefully my rumbling tummy doesn't keep me awake.


Have had the trots all day, need fibre, but can't have benefibre. Brought Psyllium husk today (recommended by my GP) Had 2 teaspoons with my optifast dinner, so far so good, no crapping or running to the toilet like with the benefibre. Only thing is does make the drink gritty, doesn't dissolve as good as the benefibre. Must remember will need beneprotein or something similar for after the surgery. I weaned myself off coke last time I started the pre-op diet, this time I have to wean myself of diet lemonade and diet cordials as GP said no artificial sweeteners at all.  


Just read a blog last night about who told family, friends about their operations. I think I am very lucky to have wonderful friends and family that support my decision. I have had nearly no negative feed back in my choice. My eldest son and best friend are worried about me going under the knife, but that is the only fear that has been voiced. I have not made a secret of my decision, but nor have I gone public with it to acquaintances. If someone asked I plan to be open about it. My life is pretty much an open book, but I like it that way as any rumors about me are usually started by me lol.






Still have so much to get organised and this weekend has been taken up with kids sports (a whole 5 hours of netball tomorrow for a netball carnival. 14 minute games and think they play about 7 all up over the day) Must remember to take the Ritalin. Not sure if I have mentioned before have 2 kids out of my 5 on the autism spectrum. My eldest has mild to medium  Aspergers, he had a lot of intervention when younger but is coping well in main stream school and my youngest has Autism. I never liked the idea of medicating him, but put a skeptic in the room with him for an hour without him having his meds for the day and the person no longer a skeptic. He is full on, those jokes you see about Autism or ADHD and concentration, well that's my boy.  He has gone from getting sent to principals office or home each day to being a model student (does help he has a wonderful understanding teacher this year). It was so bad that by the time he was 9 (grade 2) he had been suspended a few times. The school ran out of his meds recently and forgot to tell me, 8 missed calls they where desparate lol. We tried for an aid, but due to his intelligence being higher than average, it balanced him out on some scale they use for assistance. Very frustrating.


Well as I said when I first started this blog better get to bed, might read another chapter of "Fifty Shades of Grey" Not the best written book I have ever come across, like the author had a copy of playboy in one hand and a thesaurus in the other. “His pointer finger circled my puckered love cave. “Are you ready for this?” he mewled, smirking at me like a mother hamster about to eat her three-legged young.”   Seriously !!!!! this is from the book so you know what I mean lol.
But like thousands of other deprived woman across the world, I want to see if the hampster eats its young lol





Friday 27 July 2012

SURGERY DATE


OMG OMG OMG. So excited. Finally have my surgery date. 10th August. Rang the booking office and they told me ""finally"". Now I'm annoyed at myself for coming off the optifast, but the last time I rang they told me it wouldn't be until at least September. So 2 weeks on the optifast is going to have to be enough :/

I'm wondering if I have slotted into a cancellation as I haven't received paperwork from them and that would have been it would have been less than 2 weeks notice.
Well so much for the dietitian wanting me on the optifast for 4 weeks. I'm still down 4 kg from when I started it last. But I ended coming off it as I thought it was too expensive to be on for so long. Problem is old 'fat' habits returned and been pigging out last 2 weeks. But I have stayed off the coke and chocolate. Have put on roughly just under 2kg of the 6 I initially lost that first week I started on the optifast. I can hear my body swearing at me already lol. Well have plenty of optifast, just ordered 4 weeks worth of optifast too. Was going to go out for dinner tonight, but have cancelled those plans as starting the optifast as of now. Though my doctor has modified my diet slightly, I need to find Psyllium Husks as a replacement to benefibre as I'm not allowed wheat products. Also she told me to have watered down normal cordial instead of anything with artificial sweetener.

I knew this would all clash, kitchen renovation and surgery. Plus my sister was going to take me home, but she will be away in Queensland that week. The one good thing is it falls on a day that the kids go to their dads for a week. So no worrying about finding carers.








Now I'm starting to get into panic mode typing this, as there is so much to organise. I have to pack up the kitchen, I just started cleaning all the cupboards in the kids rooms so still have to sort though piles of mess (that have found it's way into the hall way thanks to 2 of my kids swapping rooms.) My room looks like a bomb hit it too. Then I also have a voluntary secretary role with my housing group, all the meetings fall in that week so will have to organise someone to take over my role for the week.
But I will say this, it's a happy panic mode. With a hint of fear.

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Day 6 Pre Op..... Woohoo hit a small Target

Well have been jumping on the scales daily (habit) lol. Been loosing about a one kg a day (2.2 pounds). Well today I hit the 6 kg (13.2 Pounds). I never really thought about where this weight goes, but considering how much I have been spending on the toilet the last 6 days, I wonder no more lol.
Friend suggested I half my benefiber intake (as I had diarrhea). Did that yesterday and I feel so much better. Obviously my body didn't need so much fibre. My muscles are not aching as much as they did 3 days ago so that's a good sign too.
Oh also my order for the Strawberry optifast arrived (couldn't find it locally) Have decided this is the best tasting protein drink out of all the ones I have tried. Going to retry the soup tomorrow, the last time I had it I made the mistake of making the water to hot and it went gluggy. Will try it with some chopped veggies on my can have list.
Going to be a busy next few weeks, I'm getting a new kitchen and they are redoing the floors in my kitchen/dining/lounge. Plus painting all that area too. Since there is a fair bit of packing and lifting to do thought I'd better make a start. Won't be able to lift anything after the operation.
Haven't been able to get much housework done, school holidays in winter are always a nightmare, 5 kids in a confined space, blood is usually spilled before the end of the week. Plus every time I wash a cup another clean one is taken out of the cupboard and dirtied. So kitchen is on strike!
Tried ringing the hospital this morning as I still haven't got a surgery date, a time frame was ok a few weeks ago, but with 5 kids and other commitments I need dates. Will need to arrange for the boys to be at their dad's the week I go to hospital if it falls on my custody week. Then there is the kids sporting events to arrange them to get to while I can't drive for a couple of weeks. Plus as I mentioned the new kitchen going in, I'm going to have tradesmen  trooping through my house for a couple of weeks.
Couldn't sleep last night, my body was exhausted but my mind wouldn't stop with all the things I need to do.
So speaking of things I need to do, the clothes on my bedroom floor are not going to fold itself....sigh

Sunday 8 July 2012

Day 3 Pre Op feeling BLAHH

Not going to do a big update, been crook. I have had diarrhea for about 24 hours now. Just really wearing me out. I do suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, but that is usual brought on by too much fat or gluten. I am having my 2 tablespoons of Benefiber a day. Was thinking maybe I have just picked up a bug, but my kids are not sick!
My intake for the day is:
6 x optifast products
2 tablespoons Benefibre
2 x vitimin D tablets
1 x Ferro-Grad C (Iron)
1 x Allopurinol (for gout)
1 x Metforman (Diabetes)
1 x sugarless C
4 x 500ml water


I actually only had 5 optifast last night and  couldn't finish my last water  as I was feeling nauseated. Still have to have 1 more optifast to go today its been a struggle with feeling so yuck. Major headache too.
daughters making up my last optifast shake for the day for me, and I'm trying to polish off this 500 ml water. Then only 500ml to go. About to go to bed early tonight, no energy today.

So has any one else suffered with diarrhea in the first week? Or is it just me and my stuffed up body?

Saturday 7 July 2012

Day 2 Pre-Op

Day 2 was easier than day 1. Did all my prep work for meals in the morning, I did this because I never seem to be hungry in the mornings, but by about 5pm (usually the time I'm preparing the kids dinner) I'm starving.
So it was handy just to throw chicken and veg's together and throw on some rice for the kids dinner. While I made some chunky vegetable soup for myself.
Ate about half of it, not the biggest veggie eater, but making myself eat it since that's all I'm now allowed with the optifast.
Did up a 28 day tick sheet. Was getting a bit lost about how many optifasts I had and what medications I had taken, also keep a track of my water intake. So now I can see at a glance what I still need for the day.

One really weird thing I have noticed since I couldn't eat the fruit salad I made for the kids today, I really enjoyed sniffing the fruit as I cut it up. At least one of my senses is still enjoying food lol.
School holidays and kids are driving me crazy already. Problem is with five kids outings get very expensive. The 'bored' word comes out a lot and I either suggest they help me with housework are they go read a book. One of my son's piped up "there is nothing to read" when I suggested that today. I have 3 well stocked large bookcases in my house!!!
My eldest son (14) is glued to his computer. So unless his brothers or sister is annoying him I don't hear much from him unless he is hungry lol.
I am doing really well with withdrawals, thought coke withdrawal would have kicked in today. My daughter is monitoring my moods lol
Well my computer time procrastination is over I have a pile of washing to fold.


Thursday 5 July 2012

Pre Op Diet: Day one

Well the appointment went great. Only set back is I have to go on the optifast for four weeks not two. So today I started the protein diet. I have to have 6 optifast meals a day, plus added fibre and protein. Was so hungry after my first shake this morning It wasn't even an hour before I prepared the next.
Kids won't know what hit them, did the grocery shopping on line last night and didn't order anything norty but Icepoles. I think the hardest thing will be no fruit, always have banana's around as they are a quick in a hurry meal replacement. Won't be able to do that anymore (sigh).
So would you belief a walked out of the hospital and they still haven't given me a surgery date. The doctor I saw (not the surgeon) said that it would be anywhere between 3 weeks and 8 weeks and the fact that we are doing all the pre-admission visit that it won't be any longer than 2 months. So everyday will be a dash for the letter box as soon as the posties gone by to get that all important letter with a date.
I asked the dietitian when to start the optifast as I had no surgery date and she recommended the sooner the better. So here I am at Day 1.
Met a fellow sleeve patient at the hospital. We are around the same height, I probably weigh a bit more than her. We are going to keep in contact. I know I have sleeve friends on line, but having someone I have met and is going to the same hospital and most likely be around the same date. It's kind of comforting.
With the optifast I have to take an assortment of other goodies. Benefiber and also beneprotien (haven't found that one yet) Also had to order some nutri chews on line. Plus my regular vitamins, iron and Vitamin D (which I know have to take 2 a day). Also grabbed some sugarless vitamin C as my daughter has a cold and I want to avoid it as much as I can. All I can say is lucky I had a bit of money saved up as this is a very expensive diet. Spent $300 just today and will have to restock the optifast in 9 days.
Picture is Not my cat, but a very similar.
Speaking of medical expenses, off the diet topic now. Had to take my cat to the vet because he had an abscess. $140 later and might have to go back yet. Was going to drain it myself, but noticed it had got infected. Knew he needed antibiotics. It's a new Tom Cat in the area. My dogs have been going off their rockers the last few weeks. If I get my hands on it, bashing up my poor baby. I suppose my baby isn't a baby anymore he is a 3 year old 5kg spoiled pussy cat.
mmm having an optifast ''Berry Crunch'' bar as I type. Having to have gulps of water with every bite its so dry and bland. Oh well must endure nearly one day down, roughly 27 to go....SIGHHHHH
And yes then the weeks of fluid then mush afterwards. But a life I once had back.
House is so quiet, daughter has taken 3 of her brothers out shopping and only one remains. She is grabbing me the mummy porn book. "Fifty Shades of Grey" thought I'd have a quick read and see what all the fuss was about lol It's Take Out night and they wanted McDonalds so I told them not in-front of me, so think they where going there for tea before coming home. It's weird you hang out for these quiet moments and when they present themselves you don't know what to do. Actually need to get some washing done so must stop procrastinating and get busy.