Thursday, November 28, 2013

Shrink That Liver

This week's game is called Shrink That Liver!! I will win by drinking only liquids- soups, water, and yogurt- for a week!

Wednesday: I think there's something wrong with me. I woke up excited. Excited. "To what?", you ask. To be on a liquid diet. I know it's weird, but I'm ready for everything! We've spent the last two days making 5 different homemade soups!! I have enough protein and am stoked! 

That was, until about 11:30 when I got a call saying that the surgery might be postponed because they didn't think I would get authorization in time. Ugh. My options were to be on the liquid diet and hope I get approved for next Wednesday, or "enjoy" the holidays and have surgery in January. Well I can't enjoy the holidays because I am ready to lose some serious weight!! So I have chosen to have a little blind faith and be on the liquid diet and pray that I will have surgery next Wednesday after all. 

/Rant/ Why are they waiting until this week to get authorization?! Why did they tell me Friday that I am missing some 3 key pieces of paperwork? I don't get it and it makes me mad, but I'm going to deal with it and do what I can. /End Rant/

You might be wondering why I need to shrink my liver. I had the same question, and the answer is that your liver is on top of your stomach. To reach the stomach (lapriscopically) they must be able to see it under the liver. Therefore, I have to shrink my liver so my stomach is easier to see. I can see it just fine, but apparently the doctors might have trouble... Haha! If the liver isn't shrunk, they will either NOT operate or open me up. So... SHRINK THAT LIVER!!

Thursday: Today was Thanksgiving and I sat at the table while people around me ate. I did pretty well once I had started eating for the day. I think I'm hypoglycemic; I get extremely grouchy and downright mean when I'm hungry. I drank lots of water and wish I could have eaten everything on the table in mass quantities. But, I didn't cheat once. Go me!! Dad was strong throughout the whole day and didn't eat anything we weren't allowed to either. We rock!

My relationship with food took a backseat to my will  to be healthy today. I don't think it likes that very much. Some of my hunger was pure, raw hunger, but I'm sure some was head hunger. I am learning to tell myself no, a trait I have down with everything but food. I deny myself many things, but food is not one of them. Now I will deny myself what I do not need. Next year's Thanksgiving I will look awesome and will eat everything in small, tiny portions!! Yay!

We are practicing not drinking 30 minutes before and after meals. This is hard for me, but I am doing my best. I literally time myself so that I wait the 30 minutes after, but before is more of a guesstimation. It's hard, but worth it.

Two of the soups I made taste less than delicious. One had far too much garlic and the other tasted very plain. However, the lentil soup I made looks gross, but is pretty good! It tastes like pureed black eyed peas; with a little salt it wasn't so bad!

I am about to devour a shake and my Thanksgiving is complete!

Oh, I am thankful for my supportive family and friends and all that I have learned in the last year.

And that's life...

Monday, November 18, 2013

So... Weight loss.


First things first: my awesome new leg done by the fabulous Lane Farr!!

 
I have taken a hiatus from blogging because people chose to believe they knew me and what I do based solely on my blog (or Facebook). I assure you this is not the case. However, as I am about to change my whole life, again, so I have chosen to write some more.

I have thought about weight loss surgery since I graduated high school (back in 2007). I've always been a little bit afraid to do it because it's irreversible and a completely different way to live my life: without food as my comfort. I'm not going to lie, I love to eat. Unfortunately, food loves me a little too much and it's finally time for me to ditch the clingy ball and chain and find freedom in a life not ruled by food. I have done three dietician visits, one psychological evaluation, one sleep study, and one support meeting and I feel like I am ready. On November 27, 3 days after my first ampuversay, I will start a liquid diet. Yes, I'm aware I will be eating soup at Thanksgiving, but food has run my life for far too long! I put my foot down!! Ha! Get it? I will be on said diet for a week and December 4th I will have the gastric sleeve performed. I will be on the liquid diet for another 2 weeks, then soft foods, then slowly add regular foods back into my diet.

I have chosen the gastric sleeve because the lap band seems like it will not allow me to lose enough weight and the bypass has repercussions such as not being able to absorb nutrients. Since I'm only 25, yes I said ONLY, and I might want to have kids one day, I chose the safest route to lose weight with the sleeve. Babies are statistically smaller and sometimes have more problems when a mother who has had the bypass done gives birth.

I am both excited and nervous about this whole operation (see what I did there?). However, I'm more excited than scared. This time next year I will look awesome!! I will post pictures, honest accounts of what I feel like, my real struggle with food, and update you on how I handle stuff... Get ready! Please feel free to ask questions; I will answer them with my honest opinion and what facts I have.

I am truly blessed because my family will be doing the liquid diet with me and also a few friends will be starting this journey with me. Pretty cool, right? I can tell you what some of my biggest problems will be right now- not drinking water 30 minutes before, during, or 30 minutes after a meal. I will have to leave my water bottle in another room so that I am not tempted. Getting all my protein in for the day will also be a challenge since I need like 80 grams a day. What will NOT be a problem is drinking my 64 ounces of water a day; easy peasy!

I'm sure there was more I wanted to say, but my head is full of lots of stuff right now. I'll keep you posted!!

In case you missed my amazing Halloween costume, I'll post it here again! Yeah, I went there. Hahahaha!
And that's life...