Sunday, November 29, 2015

Playing catch up

As I sit here, still in bed on Sunday morning, I realize there is no way to catch up what I have been doing since I posted last, almost 6 months ago. So in a nutshell, I have moved to the country with my horses (October). I have lost 50 pounds and I'm now a size 12 mostly.  Thanksgiving was spent with Maggie and some other friends. I have been feeling odd and dizzy since last Tuesday when I went to the chiropractor. I think that I was so out of adjustment my body hasn't found its  equilibrium again. It's raining like mad and I have 4 wet and nasty dogs outside, but my kittens are keeping me cozy. The farrier is coming at around 2 pm and I'm not really looking forward to having to go outside.   I think that wraps it up for today ;-). Back to my book and my coffee. 

Sunday, June 7, 2015

The long ride

Today is not a horsey post, but an honest post about an upcoming event in my life.  I guess it affects the horses I ride in a way, but not directly.

On Thursday I will have gastric sleeve surgery.  I know that this is a controversial decision, which is why I haven't told anyone publicly.  I wanted to make the decision and go through the classes without questioning my own resolve or being made to feel I'm taking the easy way out.

For the record I have weighed between 210-235 ever since I had Maggie. I started my pregnancy in the mid 180's and was back down to 192 six weeks following surgery. However, I then broke my shoulder (in a horseback riding fall no less) 6 weeks later and all that good work I was doing getting down to pre-pregnancy weight or below went to heck as I sat and existed in an easy chair for 3 months. I couldn't go anywhere without help so my metabolism came to a grinding halt.  I was busy with our place (15 acres) and horses and work and a baby and I did work out, but I never seemed to lose even when I ate correctly. And I didn't eat correctly back then. Maggie's dad is a big, unhealthy eater and it caught up to us both during this period.  When I met him I was a size 32 levi. By the time we split up I was a 38.

Upon moving to Texas I worked out and ate right. Peter is a healthier eater, though he is prone to the random cheeseburger and providing the pint of ice cream (upon my request of course). He manages to never change weight or look heavy no matter how much he eats. I eat less than half of what he eats and I still gain.  Over the years I have given up french fries, donuts, bread, pasta...you name it, I have tried to live without it and I haven't lost any weight.  I work out, I don't lose; I don't work out and I don't gain. My body is stuck in status quoa. The only thing that has helped me lose at all in the last 12 years is medifast, which backfired on me when I lost my gallbladder...so the magic number for me to lose seems to be 800 calories per day.  Despite my best efforts, i can not eat that little on my own and maintain it for more than a week or two. I just go nuts.

So, last Thursday I started my presurgery liquid diet.  It consists of 4 bariatric grade shakes per day and unlimited water, sugar free jello and popsicles, one cup of chicken broth and lots of willpower.  I was sick with Pink eye on Thursday and Friday which was a blessing in disguise. It would have been hard to work all day while dieting at first.  Yesterday was hard around 4pm, when I would normally eat supper, but by the last shake last night, I would rather just not have eaten, lol.  Today will not be bad and the next three days I work steady and then surgery is Thursday morning. 

I don't know what time surgery will be, but I expect it to go smootly. I will report to Baylor Trophy Club early Thursday morning. Maggie is taking me because Peter had already taken days for something this week before the surgery was scheduled and we didn't want him to miss any more days. Plus, he is fidgety and would get bored...and worry. Not that Maggie won't worry, but she can do school work or read a book or sleep.  Several friends have said they will come by to sit with her and if anyone else wants to, they can.  Surgery should last only about 45 minutes and then I will go to recovery. At some point they will put me in a room and I will have to drink and walk. I have to drink water without puking it before I can go home. 

For the first week I will be on thin liquids. This means unlimited water, crystal light with added protein, broth with added protein, sugar free popsicles and jello.  Then I will be on 2-3 weeks of full liquids which include all of the above and also bariatric meal shakes with the goal to get in 50-60 grams of protein min. each day.  Then after that I go to puree or soft food which include yogurt, applesauce, avocado, a little bit of potato or sweet potato, fish or chicken...basically anything that can be ground up with added protein as needed.  Then by the 6 week I am supposed to be eating "normal" which isn't normal, but it's the new normal.

After week six small meals, eating protein first and veggie second and starch only if there is room third.  My intake will be around 800 calories a day with a maintenance of 1200 later on.  Most of the people I know eat fairly normally but in smaller portions 3 years out, but everything I read warns about watching carbs forever, which, honestly we should all be doing anyway.

Wish me luck, say a prayer and send good thoughts to me this week. 

For the folks who worry, of course I have considered the downside. Of course something could go wrong. But something could go wrong anyway the next time I get behind the wheel of a car. The downside has been weighed and it is a small sacrifice to pay to get this done.  So, if you don't hear from me for a few days I'll be sleeping and drinking lots of water :-)