Starting to feel "normal" again. I noticed this morning that it didn't hurt so much to roll over and get out of bed. The shoulder pain is starting to subside. And I'm starting to understand when I feel full. I was able to walk 1.5 miles two days in a row and plan on doing it again today. I'm also finding foods that work for me while I'm still in the liquids/puree stage. I'm not a oatmeal fan but can tolerate it. Right now, for breaskfast I take about 1/4 c. unsweetented applesauce, packet of splenda, couple ozs of milk and 1/2 packet of oatmeal. Nuke it and it makes a very filling warm breakfast. I do a protein shake but have to split a whole one in two eating sessions because I can't get a whole one down. I made some chicken soup last night and pureed it. So, that will be my dinner. I also have been eating mashed potatoes, sf jello and sf pudding. I have another week of eating like this. Can't wait to be able to eat more solid foods. I'm a big fish eater (not tuna though) and miss it.

I go back to work tomorrow. At this point I don't know if I'll make it through an 8 hour day. I was exhausted yesterday and ended up sleeping 10.5 hours last night. Yesterday was the first day that I drove to town, went shopping and walked at the Y. I'm guesssing that's what exhausted me. Luckily, I can get away with doing paperwork in my office and attending meetings. I think it'll be another week before I start seeing patients.

Everything is going wonderfully. Just a little sore. Theback pain has subsided. I'm only taking pain meds at night to help myself relax and sleep. I got on the treadmill yesterday and plan on walking outside today.eating seeml like a big chore right now. It hard work getting enough nutrition in. I discovered that I need to eat warm things in the morning. More later...

I just got home about 6 hours ago from the hospital Everything went well. Surgery started about 2 o'clock yesterday. I woke up in recovery about 4:30. I hate waking up out of anethesia. I get so panicky. I was sick to my stomach too. They gave me somethng for nausea immediately. I have 4 little incisions and a larger one (about an inch) where my port is. I had a pretty restless night. I finally just got up at 2 and walked the halls. They were pumping me so full of fluids that I kept having to go to the bathroom and it was big ordeal to get unhooked from everything. I have an IV, heart monitor, pulse ox, and inflatable ballon thingies on my legs to prevent blood clots. I finally slept from 3:30 to 6. My heart rate kept falling under 50 while I was sleeping so the nurse came in and woke me up a few times. I think I was scaring her. This morning I had a upper GI, everything went down okay. I had some jello and they sent me on my way. I had about 3 oz of chicken broth and 1/4 cup of vanilla frozen yogurt a while ago. I think I'm full. It's kind of hard to tell. My stomach is make some really weird sounds and LOUD. I can already tell eating is going to be a whole new learning experience. Also, the gas that they fill you abdomin with to do surgery has setlled in my bask and side. So, I've been laying on a heating pad for that. I'm getting around real good. Even stopped at the grocery store on the way home. Some say day three is the worst but I'm trying to stay positive. They say the best thing is to walk, walk, walk. So, I'll be on the treadmill tomorrow.....unless it warms up significantly

I got a call this morning and they had to move my surgery up to tomorrow. It was that or wait till the middle of Nov and go through the liquid diet again. So, I have surgery tomorrow at 1:30. I can't wait to get it over with. I can't wait to be able to eat something. Even though I won't be able to eat solids for another 3 weeks. I'm one day closer.

I haven't posted for a while because first I was waiting on insurance approval and then I waited (to long I think) for the office to call with a surgery date. But I lucked out and the surgeon had to cancel his vacation and I have a date................Next Wednesday the 24th. Wow, I barely had time to do start the pre-op liquids. It was either take the early date or wait till the third week of November. I just want to get it over with at this point. The anticipation is killing me. I'm not a patient person. I think I'll be working on this in the next few weeks and months. LOL!

So today, I went for all my pre-op testing: upper GI, EKG, and labs. They also have you meet with the pharmacist, the dietician again, and a representative from the surgeon's office. The liquid diet is killing me. I only consumed 500 calories yesterday. I just could not drink anymore. That even included 3 sugar free fudgesicles, cup of jello, protein shake with milk, flavored water, and 64 oz of plain water. I'll try to get more protein shakes in today. But I have lost 6 pounds after only 2 days.

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