Post-surgery diet schedule

Step 1 (Aug. 24-25): First 24 hrs. after surgery-- clear liquids and walk every hour

Bring on the sugar-free jello, water, sugar-free popsicles, crystal light, diet V-8 Splash.

Step 2 (Aug 26-Sept 8): Two weeks of clear liquids--64 oz. a day

More of the same except can add vegetable juice, cream soups (that have been strained to get out any little bits of things), light orange juice, yogurt, smoothies, and protein powder drink.

Suggestion: use a sippy cup and/or disposable dixie cups (they hold about 2 oz.)

Step 3 (Sept 9-10): 2 days-1 week of thin pureed food (depending on what can be tolerated)--3 to 6 small servings per day

Total of 60 grams of protein a day in the form of meals, snacks, and protein powder. Can mix pureed fruit with juice, pureed oatmeal with milk, and pureed meat with milk.

Step 4 (Sept 11-25): 2 weeks of soft food--3 to 6 small servings per day--continue 60 grams protein daily

This will be the hallelujah phase! I can have baked fish, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, bananas, watermelon, tuna, soft-cooked veggies, applesauce, saltine crackers. This will be the part where I have to chewchewchewchew everything and it should take 30 minutes to finish a meal.

No drinking water or other beverage with the meal! Must wait 1 hour after meal.

Suggestion: use a baby spoon to eat with and a salad plate or dessert plate for portion control

Step 5 (Sept 26): Forever--low fat, low-sugar solid food--minimum 3 meals per day

Continue with a high-protein diet (aids in healing, weight-loss, muscle maintenance).

Note: A chewable vitamin is necessary from the very beginning of the schedule.

Shrinking my liver

Who knew you could shrink your liver!...or even need to! The liver sits in front of the upper stomach area and, when doing this laproscopic surgery, the surgeon needs to be able to retract the liver. The smaller the liver is, the easier it is for him to wrestle it out of the way! This is accomplished by a low-fat, sugar-free diet.

So...on to shrinking my liver.

Truly, medical advances are amazing! It has been about 12 years since I've had an echo and stress test. Much to my surprise, they now consider it necessary to use a piece of velcro-like sandpaper to literally scrub the top layer of skin off your chest. My chest now looks like I've been in a cat-fight with long red scratches down the front! This is to provide "tooth" for the electrodes to stick to you and not slide around. It wasn't too uncomfortable...until I was on the treadmill working up a sweat and then my chest starts stinging like blazes!! Think salt in fresh wound! ouch! Anyway, I "passed" the stress-test...thank God for that!

I met with the surgeon (who was not happy that I'd gained weight this past year--I told him I was practically chained to a desk all day!), had all my pre-op tests done, and had a 2 hr. nutrition class. All that's left is another meeting with the surgeon 3 days prior to the surgery and then the surgery!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Once I was gainfully employed again last year and receiving insurance benefits, I decided that I needed a really spectacular birthday gift to myself in the upcoming year. Why? Well, because it is the big 5-0 milestone, that's why. What better gift to give myself than one of better health with half of me gone!!

In late October I googled for lapband surgery in Dallas. I looked no further than the first hit that I received and immediately e-mailed them to sign up. On the following Monday, I had a follow-up phone call from them and I signed up to attend a required seminar with the surgeon on the next Saturday. Kari and I attended and we both felt very comfortable with the level of care, attention, and follow-up that is provided. So....began the journey.

I've been planning to throw myself a birthday party to celebrate the milestone achievement and invite family and close-est, best-est friends, but with all the juggling that has been going on all summer with trying to get final approval and pre-op and surgery scheduled (not to mention my full-time summer job with Edison--I could NOT turn that down!), not to mention the weather---who knew whether it would be 110 like the past several years or flooding? I've decided to "wear the crown" and put off the party until next year. If the Queen doesn't have to celebrate her birthday on the actual date, then neither do I! I'll feel better, look better (ok...there is a touch of vanity showing here!) and not have all this scheduling mess going on at the same time.

So....happy birthday to me....today!!

P.S. I did not just admit my age, did I??

Getting Ready

Yesterday I went through my closet and pulled out all the biggest sizes of winter clothes and had Lindsey bag them up...because I won't be needing them this winter. I'm taking them to a teacher friend tomorrow.

I also went through my cabinets and cleaned out things that I know I probably can't eat or shouldn't eat--things like corn, cornbread mixes, muffin mixes, etc. Sent home 4 sacks of groceries to Lynn.

Today Lisa and Lori gave me a food processor/blender called The Magic Bullet. It comes with short and tall cups and a variety of mugs, along with accessories to steam veggies and extract juices. [Kari and Lindsey were most impressed...even a bit jealous, that I've come in to possession of one these! Who knew? Apparently, they've been watching the Infomercials and consider it to be an amazing gadget!]

I think I'll be able to use some of the recipes that came with it such as hummus, chicken salad with apples, broccoli soup, and the babyfood chicken and rice. Having this little gizmo will make my life easier! Mucho Thanks, you two!!

Surgery Schedule

Tues., July 24th: 11:00 am Meet with surgeon, Dr. Green Done
Thurs. July 26th: 7:30 am Standard pre-op tests (echo, bloodwork, stress test, and chest x-ray) Done
2:30 pm Nutrition class with nutritionist Done
Wed., Aug. 1st: 6:00 pm Protein-shake tasting "party"/support group meeting Skipped due to weather
Tues., Aug. 21st: 9:30 am Meet with Dr. Green
Fri., Aug. 24th: surgery