First Month.

Here are pictures from the hospital stay, that I forgot to add in my last post: http://www.flickr.com/photos/justashley1637/sets/72157627499967438/

Anyways, the first month...

First thing i did the second i got home was took a shower.. I felt nasty. then i layed down, had some chicken broth and some propel zero, and fell asleep.. woke up a few hours later to a surprize, my best friend came over.. Well.. She had been my best friend since i was 5. i hadn't seen her in a year or two.. I guess her mom found out i was having surgery and then she found out through her mom and yeah.. She came over and was asking about it and we agreed to hang out sometime. Hasnt happened yet.. But it will. I've missed her.

I was supposed to start school on tuesday that week.. I just got home sunday. That wasnt gonna happen. I guess someone never contadcted the school and told them I had surgery.. I just didnt show up the first week. they called on friday and were threatening to call truancy officers on me and stuff (I've had a history of skipping school in the past.. I don't blame them.) but they didnt believe i had surgery. It's not liek i couldnt get a doctors note if i wanted to. But i wasnt even planning on going back to that school, anyway.. so whats it matter.

We went to the board office on monday and got me enrolled in GED classes, which i was supposed to start last week, but i was sick. So I'm starting them this monday.. ironically, the 19th.. exacty one month since surgery(:. Haha. I've been going through the book.. the stuff is pretty easy. I don't think i'll have a problem.

First week i was allowed sf pudding and popsicles, greek yogurt, jello, broth, protein shakes, and like crystal light or propel or other flavored waters.. after a week or so they let me have some tuna salad and chicken salad.. and its kinda progressed from there.

I have a plan written out, but they go by typically how the patient is feeling or how well they are tollerating things.. so far? the only thing i havent tolerated alright was scrambeled egg.. But i was perfectly okay with a fried egg.. So. Not quite sure why that is, but i've been doing great that way..

I probably havent gotten in as much fluids as i'm supposed to.. I'm supposed to get 80-90 a day. and Even though I have absolutely no problem drinking, i'm still finding it hard.. even though i got that easily before surgery. I dont know why. for a week when i was really sick, i was most definatley dehydrated.. barely getting 20 or 30 oz a day, if that.. I'm surprized i didnt have to go to the hospital and get IV fluids... I probably should have.. i dont think my mom told any of the doctors though..

I'm doing better now though. getting around 64+.. still not up to 80-90 but.. i'm getting there.

my endocrin put me back on metformin.. heres the deal with that: I clearly have metabolic issues.. i had the sleeve.. i dont think that fixes the metabolic portion there.. I really didnt think that part through. I wish i would have. I'm not too sure how i'm feeling right now about having the sleeve, isntead of RNY or DS.. My weight loss is very minimal..

On surgery day i was 250.. I gained 6 pounds water weight in the hospital, and then by the time i left i was back down to 250.. first 4 or 5 days i got down to 238.. since then i've only lost 3 pounds, so i'm down to 235. which is great! So much better off than when i was 278 at the start of this journey.. But still.. one of my doctors said i should be lost 2-5 pounds a week. uhm... Its not working out that way.

my endocrin did some blood work a bout a week ago.. most of my levels have improved. thyroid and other hormogn levels. but she put me on half the dose of metformin was on before surgery. so i'm taking 500 twice a day now, along with my aldactone (50mg 2x day) and Synthroid (20mcg 1x day) to controll hormogne levels, thyroid, sugar, bloodpressure, all that jazz. the aldactone is a diuretic. basically a water pill, as well.. they were worried about me retaining water i guess. or my mom was. so i'm still on that. i clearly need it.

along with my multi vitamin, calcium citrate, d vitamins, and the b1&b12 which i've had some problems with.. its near impossible for me to get those down.. the smell and the taset just.. ugh. i definatley have missed those a bunch.. not necesarily on purpous either. i'm usually really good with meds. but keeping trac of when i can and cant take the vitamins is a hassle. i'm still trying to work on aschedule of when to take them, cause some cant be takenw ith otehrs or need to be taken at certain times of the day.. and mys leep pattern is always off. so i cant sy 'take this at 8am every morning' cause well.. frankly... i never know when i'll be awake that early other than maybe on mondays and wednsdays when i ahve class.. but even then.. id ont know. soemtimes i'm nocturnal, other times i'm on a normal schedule, other times i go days without sleeping, other times i sleep too much.. dont ask why. id ont know. it just depends on what i have going on.

Eating wise, right now i'm allowed.. a lot more than most people at one month post op.. i just looked at my paper that said stage 4 or 5.. i forget which one i'm on. but i'm allowed everything i was the past few weeks (cottage cheese, yogurt, sf pudding, jello, popsicles, tuna and chicken salad, etc..) and now i'm allowed skinless chicken (grilled baked or broiled.. no frying or anything like that), fish, any soy crumbles/products.. beans, turkey, soft fruits and cokoed/steamed veggies.. like canned fruits. no skin. i have t obe able to mash a fork through it.. uhm. whole grain pasta and crackers and toast.. no regular bread yet, whichi 'm fine with.. no more than half a cup to a cup of food. i'm usually around 6oz.. 4 times a day. the rest of the time i'm drinking.

I'm honestly not sure if i was supposed to start this already or not, but my dietition said to be thinking about protein bars.. well i got somein the mail the other day and i tried one.. 15 gramd of protein and less than 20 carbs i beieve for some protein bar from dietdirect.com... well its amazing. i'm in love. its like a twix bar. carmel crunch or somthing? i forget the name of it. but it's really good. ive had a few of those over the past week.

I dont seem to tolerate protein shakes well.. carnation ones anyway. pureprotein seems to go over okay. and i have a few other ones sitting around i need to try.  i got some fruit drink mix from dietdirect aswell, and those are sf and have protein in them. they're like juice drinks. andthey mix really well. lemonade is probably my favorite so far, and i've had those in place of protein shakes.

I'm getting in my 60+grams of protein fine. i try to log it.. i'm terrible with keeping up at i though. i have a day here, a day there, 2 days there, missed a week there, etc... I'm trying though.

I'm getting a membership to the ymca here. and hopefully gonna start going to the rec center to swim more. i love swimming. its a great work out.. even just walking in water is better than walking on dry land.. it uses more muscle and burns more calories.. takes more effort.

So i'm gonna start that up. aside from going swimming labor day weekend.. this is pretty much what i've been up to. just walking. ive played some soccer with my little brothers outside a few times.. i love soccer<3 definatley gonna try and get back into that when i lose some more weight and can run. mroe. i miss it.

Uhm... yeah. I think thats about it. Oh, and i'm getting signed up for drivers ed soon ;D Watch out people! haha kiddng. I've been driving with my parents since february/march. i got my temps back then. just never signed up for classes. i turned 16 a few days after my surgery. so i just need t oget the classes over with and i'll be set. ive already driven on the highway, around neighborhoods, parking lots, the mall, the longest ive driven at a time was i think amlost half an hour? i drove likeh alf way home from cincinnati hospital once before my surgery xD haha. That was fun.

But yeah. Life is good. (: I'll try to update this more. I like blogging. its just hard for me to find the time to sit down and write out what i wanna say, how i wanna say it, etc.. But im gonna try harder at that as well(:

Have a good day! feel free to email me if you have any questions.

~Ashley<3
ashleyellen1637@aol.com