One month down + Progress picture

I can't believe it's already been a month. On the one hand it seems like it couldn't possibly have been that long ago - I mean wasn't I just hobbling around in pain? On the other hand life seems so relatively 'normal' now that it feels like it's been longer than that.

So how am I doing?

Well, first, I'm down a total of 27 pounds since I walked into the hospital on 9/18/14. That brings my total weight loss for 2014 (so far) to a grand total of 64lbs. The odd thing is I've noticed a bigger change in my body during the last 27lbs than I did during the previous 37lbs - but such is the reality of weight loss. At 4 weeks out I'm expecting to hit a stall any day now - and while I'm not looking forward to it, at least I think I'm mentally prepared. I still haven't taken my measurements but I am tracking my physical changes based on how clothes are fitting.

Speaking of clothes - I now have more than 1 pair of jeans that I can wear and more than 2 shirts. This is an especially good thing considering we're coming into the cooler weather. I'm still not fitting into all of my jeans the way I want to - but I can tell I'm getting there. I can also comfortably wear Ray's t-shirts. I know that for most wives that sounds like a silly achievement to be celebrating - but when your husband's shirts have always been too tight on you, it's kind of a big deal. I discovered they fit about a week ago when I was running out of the house to get Oliver to school on time. I threw one on and realized it was baggy. Since then I've worn a couple more and Ray's started hiding them from me. :) I can't honestly say that I've gone down a size yet but I can say that things are fitting more comfortably.

My pain level is pretty much back to pre-op - meaning I'm just dealing with my normal aches and pains. They're a little more severe because I'm not able to take my Aleve yet - but I'm pushing through it and making due. I know I'll be back on the Aleve in the next few weeks, but I'm trying to hold off for as long as possible to give my new stomach a chance to heal some more. Aside from that, I don't have much pain left over from surgery which is awesome.

Eating is going okay. I'll be honest, sometimes it doesn't feel like I had surgery. Not that I've sat down and eaten an entire - well, anything other than a cup of broth - but I don't feel as different as I thought I would. Now my body does do a good job of reminding me that the plumbing is working a bit different, especially when I'm not mindfully eating. That's probably my biggest challenge right now - especially if I'm not able to sit at a table and focus on eating. I'm working on it though. I'm still doing protein shakes - 1 to 2 per day for the moment, though I'm hoping to bump it back up to 3 by the end of the month. I'm also eating more 'real' food - like eggs, hamburger, chicken, deli turkey meat, etc. So far so good - no issues. I'm DYING to try coffee, but haven't gotten up the nerve yet. Mostly I'm worried about what it'll do to my stomach. Oh and I'd love a salad or just a plate of crunchy veggies. Those are still several weeks away (if not several months), which makes me a little sad, but I know they'll be something I can eventually eat (some of).

Last but not least, my husband had his surgery this week. As I predicted, he's the problem child. First there was a huge challenge getting his pain under control in the hospital. And by challenge, I mean they failed horribly and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. He's extremely resistant to narcotics and other pain relief methods, so even 2mg of their strongest stuff barely took his pain level down below a 7. I was highly frustrated. Then, when that didn't work, they gave him weaker stuff that actually keeps him awake. I was happy to get him home and be able to control his medication and give him something to help him sleep. He's having a lot more pain and nausea issues than I did - which we expected as he had a more sensitive stomach to begin with. So far he's managed to drink water, a bit of tea and eat a little jello. I'd really like to get some broth in him but he says it all tastes too sweet or salty. Again - the complete opposite of me. Nothing has really tasted off - though some things can seem a bit heavy on the salt.

It sucks seeing him in pain and struggling more than I did - but knowing I can help him makes it a little easier.

So now we're both on this journey together - here's to what the future holds. In the meantime - here's a look at how far I've come since this started:

BEFORE - 9.18.14

- 25lbs - 10.16.14

-25lbs - 10.18.14

BEFORE - 9.18.14