Archive for the ‘Doctors and Dentists and Nurses… oh my!’ Category

People amaze me.

Posted: July 24, 2013 in 5K, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Exercise, family, Foot issues, friends, Weight loss
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team-allears-logo-rgbReceived two donations for my Team AllEars Avon fundraising goal yesterday and this prompted me to dig out the calculator. Seems I’m only $54 away from my original goal after everything gets credited.

Fifty. Four. Dollars.

That’s less than the price of the next entry in the Call of Duty franchise.

I’d venture a guess that $54 toward the elimination of breast cancer has more redeeming value than a first person shooter. But maybe that’s just me.

As has become a habit, I wanted to give a public thanks to my latest donors. First of all, Donna & Jim. I worked with both of them and I’m sad to report that Donna will be joining her husband in retirement in under two weeks. She’s been a great mentor to me and was always available to answer any questions I had. They are both great people and I’m that much better for knowing them.

I’d also like to give a huge thanks to my brother from another mother and his lovely wife. Mike & Mary gave a very selfless donation and it actually brought tears to my eyes when I got the e-mail that they had done this. I’ve spent a lot of time over the years bemoaning the state of humanity and just like that, my faith is restored.

Thank you, Mike & Mary. And thank you, Donna and Jim. You guys are awesome.

So, on to the meat of today’s post. I want to talk about doctors and such. See, I had an appointment with my primary care practitioner yesterday. Things went well. She’s pleased that my blood pressure is getting back to normal, that I’ve lost weight, and that I’ve been able to make changes to my lifestyle. So pleased that she doesn’t want to see me for six months. I’m actually kind of bummed about that, because as I’ve previously mentioned, I actually LIKE this one.

This follows on the heels of a good visit to the podiatrist. Maybe there is something to this healthy lifestyle stuff. Whoda thunk?

I’ll keep you posted on the fundraising efforts. Remember, if you want to contribute, you can do so at info.avonfoundation.org/goto/BrianT. Even if you can only spare your daily Starbucks allowance, every little bit helps.

 

The Ballad of Stubby (redux)

Posted: July 22, 2013 in 5K, diabetes, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Exercise, Foot issues, friends, homeowner's association, Inspiration, Physical activity, Stubby the Wonder Toe, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars, Wanda, Weight loss
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So, it was a helluva week last week.

I not only killed it at the gym, I managed to wound Stubby as well.

See, on Thursday, I was actually running on the treadmill. It felt pretty good… the left ankle was barking a little, but that was the extent of my pain.

When I got home from work that night, well, I found that Stubby had a pretty substantial blister that had developed where there was a corn.

Cue frowny face.

I had Supportive Partner Woman (tender of my feet!) give it a Betadyne bath, then slept with my foot hanging off the bed, allowing it to air out. The next day I called my podiatrist and scheduled an appointment for this morning. He was impressed at how well it is healing and told me I could get out of the Boot of Shame. So I have that going for me. The bad news is that I’ll need to spend a week in it in early August. The doc wants to straighten the two remaining hammertoes on my left foot. Not something that I’m really looking forward to, but what can you do? This will hopefully prevent any more corns from forming.

In the other news, it’s time for a rant.

Got another letter from Evil Bitch Queen Wanda of our homeowner’s association. This time saying that we need to put down a “mulch” barrier to prevent damage to the siding from the lawn crew trimming.

My first thought was, “Seriously, this is the first you mention it after the lawn crew has had SIX YEARS to jack up the siding?

My second thought was a lot less charitable.

I posted about this on FB and one of my friends had the winning comment regarding the “mulch barrier.” She said, “Four foot bunker made of bags of mulch. Check.”

Amen.

So far we’ve established that the foot is healing nicely, me running isn’t pretty,and, oh, yeah, Wanda is an evil bitch.

Not bad for a day’s work.

So, on to the fun part of today’s post… Another fine inspirational story.

When I was in elementary school I had a very good friend named Mark. We played together pretty often and we kept in touch well through elementary and middle schools. At that time we went to different schools, and as frequently happens, we lost touch. Fast forward 20 years and we reconnected via Facebook. I’ve been very open about the health issues I have faced, and he had faced some similar issues. It’s been a long road for both of us, but he’s done some running and it inspired me to get in better shape. It’s kind of funny that I can find inspiration from someone I haven’t seen in over twenty years but still think the world of.

Thank you, Mark, for your friendship, inspiration, and also your donation to the Avon Walk. Every little bit counts.

Speaking of which, if you want to contribute, visit my personal fundraising page at

http://info.avonfoundation.org/goto/BrianT.

Have a great day, everyone~

Getting seriously serious

Posted: May 23, 2013 in 5K, Cooking, Digestive issues, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Exercise, Foot issues, Goals, Physical activity, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars
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Greetings!

It’s been good to be wearing a regular shoe. The Toe. That. Will. Not. Heal. is now the Toe. That Would. Not. Heal. That’s right… the Boot of Shame has been put back in storage until the next time it’s needed.

My first stop after leaving the foot doctor on Tuesday was at Inside Track. This place is apparently THE running store for central PA and I can see why. The owner, Mark, took one look at me and knew I was dealing with overpronation and hammer toes and knew which shoe would work for me. I picked up my Brooks Beasts today and I can’t wait to start breaking them in. He was able to fit me up, knew exactly how these shoes ran in terms of sizing, and was able to get a pair of size 13 EEEE shoes in just two days.

Speaking of our upcoming 5K, I’ll be posting some information regarding fundraising in the coming weeks. I’ll be raising money for the Avon Walk through Team All Ears. Too many of us know someone who has been impacted by breast cancer, whether directly or indirectly, and it’s my hope that we will have a cure in my lifetime. Keep your eyes peeled.

My new Brooks Beasts

My new Brooks Beasts

I’ve always struggled with shoes… I think I kept trying to squeeze my feet into smaller shoes, not for any reason other than I hated trying them on. Plus, the last time I tried a size that was a little wider then what I was sued to, I could feel my ankle grinding. Not a good feeling. But, I figure if I’m going to do this 5K, I’d better have decent shoes for it. Mark assured me that while my trusty New Balance trainers were fine for general use and working out, these would be a far better option for any serious roadwork. I was sold the second I slipped them on and walked around outside (Could you see Foot Locker or Dick’s let you wear the shoes outside?). These have plenty of cushion and the motion control insoles really cradled my feet. I was concerned about the length difference in my feet, but they seem OK to start. If there’s a problem, Brooks will even create a mixed-pair order for me. Good to know.

So, speaking of shoes, I’m in a wedding on Saturday. I went to Men’s Wearhouse to get fitted and was presented with the dreaded rental shoe problem. Is there nothing worse than rental shoes? I mean, they don’t fit, they feel cheap, and they want to charge you $20 extra to torture your own feet. I was worried that I would have issues, so I went in search of my dress wingtips, which I might add I wore to my wedding almost nine years ago. They aren’t the greatest fit ever, but they should be enough to get me through the day, and Lord knows they are a better fit and quality than the rental shoes. I mean, seriously, bowling shoes are much more comfortable and don’t cost $20 to rent.

Other than that, I’ve been managing to keep food down today. My lunch was a crab burrito that we found at the store last night. It’s pretty spicy, not too much rice and loaded with beans, crab meat, and salsa. Oh, and Supportive Partner Woman (Still the bestest wife ever!) located some Copper River salmon and picked up a small piece. If you’ve never had this salmon, it’s easily the best you can find. It’s wonderfully red with no added dyes like the farm-raised stuff. (Also, I love seeing “Atlantic salmon – product of Chile… guess nobody ever looked at a map to see exactly where Chile is) I’m looking forward to plank roasting it and just having it melt in my mouth. The season only runs about a month, but,  well, damn.

We also attended the Friends of the Library book sale at Franklin & Marshall college. Gotta love when you can score three big bags of books for around $35. Plus, all the proceeds benefit the library. After we read the books, we wind up donating most of them back to the library, so they can be sold again. I would prefer to keep them, but storage space becomes a premium in a townhouse.

At any rate, I have an appointment with the boys tomorrow. I think I’ll be breaking out the Beasts and seeing if they get Ryan approval. I’m also going to invest in some decent socks that should help the blister conditions. The guys at Inside Track said that cotton socks are a bad choice because of how much moisture they hold. We will see what happens.

Hope that you all have a great day!

Song of the Day: Nineteen Forever – Joe Jackson

Make Your Own Sub Party vs. Joe the Pouch

Posted: May 10, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Digestive issues, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Foot issues, Travel
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Good morning!

I write this after a long night. No, that does not mean that I’ve been up all night. It just means that it was a learning experience.

See, my office recently celebrated a milestone. Some two million work hours without a day-away case. Basically, that means we are working safely. That’s saying something… we’re a printing company and there are presses, tow motors, basically all sorts of heavy stuff that can do serious bodily harm if not respected. To go two million hours without anyone being maimed or killed or worse is pretty good. As such, they decided to throw a “make your own sub” party to celebrate.

Now, given more former girth, I don’t have to say that I was always a big fan. Think about it… piles upon piles of unhealthy meats and carbs, not to mention that you could thrown some lettuce and tomato on top and kid yourself you were making it healthy. Don’t get no better than that.

Of course, just because I’m embracing a healthier lifestyle doesn’t mean I don’t like lunch meats and I wanted to participate, because, well, it’s like a bonus. So, as I trudged down to the party site (step… thump, step… thump) I concocted a strategy for making the most out of my sub experience. I obviously couldn’t have the roll… a little too much bread, but I thought why couldn’t I have some meat and cheese? After all, it’s protein and protein is important.

This wasn't how I planned it, but it was my reality

This wasn’t how I planned it, but it was my reality

So, I picked up a slice of provolone, a slice of American, and one slice each of bologna, salami, ham and turkey. The cheese and turkey went down fine. One bite of the salami was enough to make me pitch it… nasty. The ham, though, was very fatty. VERY fatty. And, well, it didn’t stay down long. So, lesson learned. Stay away from fatty meat. In this case, advantage: Joe.

In other news, the toe that just won’t heal has caused me six weeks of issues. After multiple visits to the podiatrist, I’m not feeling confidence that it’s helping. I understand that he thinks Betadyne will dry the wound, but it doesn’t seem to be healing. I dug into my bag of tricks and discovered some prescription stuff that the wound care doctors had given me for a prior toe issue and have opted to go that route. So far, it seems to be working pretty well… if I don’t show marked improvement by my next appointment, I’m ditching Mr. Foot Guy and going back to the wound care doc, who is named Paul Rogers. And no, he doesn’t periodically tour with Queen. Different spelling. Either way, I have to do something, because this is killing me to be so inactive. Plus, sleeping with one foot hanging out is kind of a pain in the ass.

It’s funny, though… even the boys have noticed my frustration level. I was at the fitness center yesterday and although they keep telling me to not get down about it, it’s so hard not to. The wearing of the boot, coupled with the uncertainty of when I’ll get it off just really wreaks havoc in your mind. If I knew that I had “x” number of days to go, well, it would really do wonders in making life a little better. Or, at least, give me an idea of how long my sentence will be. I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, but that little voice is there in the back of your head saying, “Remember, Brian, thou art mortal.”

So, this upcoming weekend is National Train Day. I’m planning on meeting up with a friend at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia and touring the equipment they will have on display. It’s always nice to ride the rails and since I’m an equipment geek, I like to walk through the various trains and private rail cars they have on display. We had discussed going to Washington, since they are offering excursions on an Acela trainset, however, given my new eating reality, we thought it best to just make it a day trip. Should still be fun.

At any rate, hope that everyone has a fun weekend and that you can kick back and enjoy some weather that will supposedly be very nice. Talk to you more after Train Day.

Song of the Day: She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult

Untitled, mainly because I’m too tired to think of one.

Posted: April 30, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Cooking, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Foot issues
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The title pretty much describes how I feel. I left out frustrated, though.

I think the combination of the post operative blues, third shift and the Toe That Will Not. Freakin. Heal. has really been weighing on me. I’m kind of fed up, to the point that weight loss or not, I have times where I regret the surgery. I know, it’s not like I can return it, but I just really want to feel good and instead I feel meh.

That’s not to say I don’t appreciate the fact that I fit in my clothes that much easier and I can bend over and tie my shoes. Hell, I can actually SEE my feet for a change. Better than having to just catch a glimpse over the Buddha. It’s just that while I don’t miss the general lethargy of being a fat tie, I miss the days when I just felt good in general. I haven’t had one of those days since before the operation.

The thing that really bothers me is that I have this scent in my mind. It’s at the edge of my consciousness, I can’t even tell you what it is, but I smell it everywhere. It’s a sickly sweet odor and it can have me on the verge of nausea. I’m not sure why it’s happening, but I think it’s related to surgery. It goes well with my phantom pain from my toe. I’m normal, though… I’ve seen a lot of people post about the phantom scents and that it will usually go away in about two months.

In the good news, the toe has actually started to show some healing. Dr. Miller also fashioned a spacer that I can use to keep the toe off the shoe and I can probably go back to a regular shoe rather than the Boot of Shame. Once it heals up, he wants to do a tendon release, which is a minor surgical procedure that will take about a week to heal. Otherwise, I will be at a higher risk of similar problems in the future. I’m just glad that I might finally be out of the boot. The latex appliance is still curing, but if it gives me a chance to be out of the dreaded boot and getting back to living, well, I’m all for it.

Did some kitchen stuff yesterday. I mixed up a batch of tuna salad and also made my first-ever oven roasted chicken. I rubbed the bird down with olive oil, rubbed spices up under the skin, stuffed the cavity full of onions and celery and garlic. It turned out pretty good and yes, I did manage to eat a small piece of it. It was very juicy and flavorful, which is what you hope for.

At any rate, I think I’m going to head to bed. Just a few more days of dreaded third shift to go.Then, maybe back to living like a normal person?

Who knows.

Moving right along

Posted: April 17, 2013 in Boston, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, local markets
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So, I got the quasi bad news yesterday. I’m sentenced to the Boot of Shame for a little while longer. For whatever reason, the toe is just not healing fast enough. It’s showing progress, the inflammation seems to be receding (like my hairline) and things are generally improving. Just not fast enough to suit me or my podiatrist. Sigh. He wants to see me in two more weeks, which means two weeks I have to take it easy at the gym. I’m not ready to take it easy… I’m chomping at the bit to do some work. It’s been three weeks since my operation, bring it on!

Diamondbacks Yankees BaseballI’m feeling a little better today. I’m not quite as down on humanity as I was yesterday. I actually hate to say it, but I was impressed by the actions of the New York Yankees, a team which I pretty much loathe on general principles. They showed a lot of class in their public support of their Boston counterparts, even going so far as to play Sweet Caroline during the 3rd inning of the Diamondbacks-Yankees game. Way to go, NYC!

Bramhall's World - Boston NY - New York Daily News 4/16/2013I’ve been struggling of late to find good stuff to eat. I have plenty of ideas, I just don’t feel inspired to make any of it. I think I’m generally tired of my choices thus far… after all, you can only eat so much string cheese before you simply get tired of it. I’ve been meaning to make black bean soup, but again, just haven’t felt inspired enough to make it. Maybe today. Another case of General Malaise rearing his ugly head, I guess. This has certainly been challenging… more so than I expected. I’ll get through and get back on track. I always do.

In other news, I got my authorization to return to work yesterday. According to the docs, I can go back on Monday, the 22nd. They insurance people were going to give me until the 26th, but since that’s a Friday and I’m on third shift, would it make a heap of sense to go back for one day on third shift, then have two days off? I was like, “Screw it… let’s just go back.”

Supportive Partner Woman and I then went to Root’s Market. It was really crowded, which is usually the case on those temperate days. We scored some strawberries and I got a new belt. There’s an Amish/Mennonite leather goods stand that does real sturdy belts, custom fit, for a reasonable price. Not only that, these belts hold up. My last belt went through two buckles and the leather is still in pretty good shape. It’s just a little too big for me anymore. I also managed to do some closet shopping. I dug out a polo I haven’t worn comfortably in well over a year, which makes me pretty happy. It fit pretty much perfectly and it was a favorite of mine.

I even managed to spray the front lawn for crabgrass… I don’t know why I bother, it never seems to work, but I at least feel that I did it. Maybe this will be the year. I have to hit it again in two weeks. I know, big doings. At least I was outside and walking around while I did it. It was exercise of some stripe. I also think I need to patch and paint the walls in the laundry area, as well as put down new flooring. It’s looking kind of beat up these days. Yay! A project!

Anyways, I’m going to wrap this up. I’ll leave you with a really inspiring story that I came across published in Mother Jones. Well worth the read.

Songs of the Day: Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond (of course) and Fields of Athenry – Dropkick Murphys

Back to it… kind of

Posted: April 8, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Cooking, Digestive issues, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Exercise, Physical activity, recipes, Supportive Partner Woman, Walking, Wayne, Weight loss
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Greetings!

I got to go back to the fitness center today. I had to take it easy, on instructions from Ryan and Cory, but that might change after I see the doctor on Wednesday. Here’s hoping I can sweat next time I’m there.

I have another doctor appointment tomorrow morning. The second toe on my left foot (the one next to Wayne) developed a corn/blister that seems to be hanging around. I’ll probably wind up back in the Boot of Shame. So, I’ll let Dr. Miller take a look at it and see what’s what. Maybe I’m being alarmist, but I’d rather not take the chance on there being a problem. After losing the better part of one toe, you tend to be a tad overprotective.

I also am able to start puree foods today. I attempted to overreach and tried some scrambled egg white this morning. That didn’t go so well. The end result was that the egg white’s residence in my digestive tract was short-lived. Hey, I knew it had to happen and I’m glad that it did, in a way. My pureed turkey chili stayed down, though, and actually tasted pretty good. It’s not the consistency that I like from chili, but it was full of flavor and, most importantly, protein. Supportive Partner Woman (not a real lover of chili!) had a bowl of it and pronounced it to be edible, so that’s always good. I also baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies yesterday so she could take them to work and share the awesomeness with her boss. Apparently they went over well.

I think I’ll share the recipe… it’s bariatric-friendly!

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped (I only had red ones… they work, too)
6 cloves of garlic, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup yellow corn
1 lb. ground turkey
1 can of red or kidney beans (15.5 oz) (I use kidney)
1 can of diced tomatoes (I found some with chipotle peppers in the can… perfect)
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 squirts of Tabasco
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium soup pot add some olive oil and cook onions, garlic, corn and bell pepper over medium heat, about ten minutes. Separately brown the turkey meat, drain and set aside. In a food processor, blend the vegetables and return to the soup pot. Over low heat, add the beans (drained), tomatoes, turkey meat, Tabasco, cilantro, cumin and chili powder. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Salt & pepper to taste. Should serve 4-5.

It’s a nice, healthy dish that will serve up a lot of protein. 3 oz of ground turkey has 23g of protein and a cup of kidney beans comes in a 16g of protein.

If you make it, feel free to customize it. If you’re a bariatric patient, feel free to throw it in the food processor and puree it. Just remember to eat slowly and stop when you’re full.

Have a great day folks!

Letting it sink in.

Posted: April 5, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Exercise, Physical activity, Walking, Weight loss
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By now if you saw last evening’s post, you know I lost a bit of weight.

This is a good thing.

It’s also not the end.

There’s a long weigh (get it?) to go, a lot of pounds to be shed and many years of poor food decisions to be atoned for. It didm’t go on overnight and it sure as hell won’t come off overnight.

So, last night was support group. Our guest speaker was a medical doctor specializing in non-surgical weight loss and he talked about vitamins. I’ve alluded that I would be on vitamin supplements for the rest of my life, now I learned more about the what and why. I’ll spare you the details, but simply put, post surgically, my body cannot get the vitamins and minerals it needs from food alone. This is primarily due to the bypass of the majority of the stomach. I’ll be short on B12, calcium, iron, D, and folic acid. It’s just how it works. When I return for my followup on Wednesday, I’ll get more information on dosages and such. There was also clam chowder that Dr. McPhee prepared. I did not have any of it, but it smelled awesome. Also met up with a guy in group who is the younger brother of a high school classmate. Small world.

I also stopped at the fitness center to see Ryan and Cory. I do get to go back there next week for some walking. No weights until I’m cleared by the docs, but it will be a nice change of scenery. Plus, I know that they’ll be able to offer some other exercises that I can do and won’t be too hard on the gut. In the meantime, back to the Rec for more walking, at least until it warms up.

That is the real downer, being cold all the time. I was never really cold… now I’m walking around with my hands up my sleeves seriously considering gloves. In the house.

Something is NOT quite right with that.

At any rate, time to get the day underway. Off to the gym for some treadmill time, then off to Mom’s. I picked up 10 pounds of apples that she’s going to turn into applesauce for me. It will be nice to have once I transition to purees next week. The store bought stuff is just too sweet and loaded with extra sugar that I don’t need. Plus, Mom makes some banging applesauce.

 

A Grand Day Out

Posted: April 3, 2013 in 5K, Bariatric surgery, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Food porn, Lego, Physical activity, Supportive Partner Woman, The Beetus, Walking, Wegman's, Weight loss
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Greetings!

Sorry I never got to write yesterday. We got busy with doctors appointments and errands and whatnot. It happens.

I did manage to spend most of the day out yesterday. First off, I had a foot doctor appointment. I managed to keep Stubby in check, but Wayne’s next door neighbor is a little ulcerated. Dr. Miller unroofed it and we’re doing the Betadyne and bandaid treatment until it dries up. This was a regular appointment, so I also got the toenails trimmed and all that.

Afterward, we went to visit Supportive Partner Woman (Practiced good eating habits!)’s mother. Had a nice visit over lunch, well, Mom ate, SPW and I kind of watched and chatted. Afterward, we took the car to the Three Minute Car Wash. This is a Reading, PA institution. You drop your car at the entrance and they clean it inside and outside, and clean it well, all for around $12 without any extras. It”s in a sketchy part of town, but the quality of the cleaning is far superior to some of the other full-service car washes in the area (cough, Cloister, cough) AND it’s less expensive.

Then it was off to the Lego Store at King of Prussia. It’s like Mecca for Lego geeks. We looked around and considered the new Architecture series release, the Imperial Hotel, but opted instead for the Palace Cinema. It’s pretty cool and bears a resemblance to The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I think that’s the real reason we went with it. It was a double points period, which means more VIP points for later. It’s like free money, so you can’t turn it down.

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Some really yummy tomato soup at Wegman’s

After that, we went looking for a place for SPW to grab a bite. I had my trusty pudding and Jell-o in the car, so I was good, but she needed to forage. We swung by Gino’s, which was a big fast food joint in our youth, recently resurrected as an “upscale” burger joint. It smelled fantastic, but SPW was underwhelmed by the menu and we hit the road for Collegeville and Wegman’s (insert choir of angels singing). This is a rather new Wegman’s and it’s in a huge retail complex that features an Eastern Mountain Sports, Best Buy and a Movie Tavern location. This Wegman’s actually has a pub with a sit down menu, and a huge cafe area. SPW managed to located a few tasty items and we found an organic tomato soup that was right up my alley. It was spicy instead of salty and really sit well with the pouch, which I think we will call Joe. I also brought in my pudding cup. Shhh.

It was my first meal out since Red Robin a couple of weeks ago and while it was only soup, it really went down well. I couldn’t finish it all (no surprise) but that’s OK. I have some more of that yumminess for today.

On today’s agenda will be registering for the 5K in January.

Yup… I’m we’re really going to do it. And you’d better believe that when we get those finisher medals, we’re wearing them. Other than that, not sure what’s on the agenda. A walk, for sure.

OH… one other thing that I wanted to share. The last three days, my blood glucose has been at 88. It’s weird, but three days in a row, slightly different times, same number. I guess consistency is key.

Have a great day and get out for a walk!

 

Better days

Posted: April 1, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Exercise, Weight loss
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(WARNING: There is a photo of a surgical incision later in this post. It’s not the worst thing ever posted, but avert your gaze if you’re squeamish.)

The purpose of this is that so the incision picture doesn't gross people out. And, well, puppies!

The purpose of this is that so the incision picture doesn’t gross people out. And, well, puppies!

After last evening’s sobering post, I felt drained. It took a lot for me to just throw it out there. I’m not always the best at communicating how I really feel. I usually try to deflect things away from myself. It’s my way of dealing with things that make me uncomfortable.

I’ve been trying to change that behavior, because that just makes things worse. Avoidance is not always the best policy.

Anyway, I started taking a look at myself in a different light. Knowing that I really am an addict makes things a little different. I guess I’ve known that for some time, just never accepted it. Sort of like I’ve been a nerd for a long time and never really embraced that fact. The question is, how do I move forward?

Well, first off, I actually ate two servings of tomato soup today. No protein powder, just old fashioned Campbell’s tomato soup. It tasted awesome, and the best thing is that for the first time in three days, I took in more than 70-80 calories. Even though I wasn’t exactly hungry, I know I needed to eat and get something in me, otherwise the body would start to slow my already glacial metabolism. I also still have not seen an actual number on the home scale. This does not make me happy, but I’m still processing out fluids from surgery. It’s understandable, albeit frustrating. I can’t beat myself up over that anymore. Need to keep moving forward.

That’s always been a huge character flaw of mine. I don’t have a short memory. I tend to reminisce and analyze and wind up beating myself up for stupid stuff I did twenty years ago that I can do absolutely nothing about.

Enough.

photo-3So, I’m posting a pic of one of my five incisions. As you can see, it’s healing pretty nicely. I’m told the surgical glue does a good job. It’s basically a non-toxic form of SuperGlue. According to information I saw, it sets in 30-45 seconds (faster than suturing) and leaves an equivalent amount of scarring. I have two incisions about this size that are glued, one that was sutured and now is closed by Steri-Strip. The other two incisions are small, virtually unnoticed. Once the hair grows back, all of them will be hard to find.

Upcoming on the medical front is a visit to the foot doctor tomorrow morning. Supportive Partner Woman (Foot care master!) has off, so she’s going to go to the appointment with me. I have to explain to Stubby that he’s once again not allowed to bust a cap in Dr. Miller for saying I have unattractive feet. That is the truth, whether or not Stubby wants to believe it.

Thursday is support group. I know some folks are really hoping I will make it. It’s on my to-do list, although I will probably be unable to sample whatever samples they cook up in the test kitchen.

Next Monday I can start eating something resembling real food. This make me happy. I have some of my mom’s homemade vegetable soup that I’m thinking of running through the blender to make edible for my pouch. Probably wouldn’t be smart to throw crackers in the blender with the soup, though.

Finally, next Wednesday is my follow-up with Dr. McPhee. I’m hoping to get cleared to go back to the gym at that point. I really miss it. I really REALLY miss it. I’ll also be placed on vitamins at that point. These will be things I will have to take for the rest of my life. One of the ways bariatric surgery works (at least a bypass) is through malabsorption. This means that I can no longer receive all the nutrients I need via eating or drinking. It’s a small price to pay for being healthier and sans medication.

In short, I’m feeling a lot better than I was last night. This could be in part to the fact that the mail finally moved, so to speak. But no need for details.

Hope you all have a good night!

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