Doctors Visit...

I had my doctors visit yesterday. I was well equipped with my notebook full of questions, my vitamins, my momma and my hubby. First of all, let me just say that I love my doctor. If you're in the area, and you're looking for this option, you should definitely check out Dr. Ara Keshishian, He has the best bedside manner and he's a pistol. Which I appreciate in a doctor. I like straightforward, almost to the point of rude Doctors. But no totally rude...I just don't want them sugarcoating or pretending there's not a problem when there really is. Don't baby me...I don't like it. So anywho, I asked him all my questions, he answered them....with quirky but true answers....for example: Can I swim? I don't know, can you? nice. May I swim? Yes, you may. lol. So on a high note, I can swim, drive, eat WHATEVER I want. I will repeat that for some of you. I CAN EAT WHATEVER I WANT. See the beauty of the surgery I've had, is that nothing in my body has been disturbed. My stomach was simply made smaller. I have no narrowing of my intestinal track or digestive track. My stomach is just teeny tiny. He said my progress has been amazing. He was proud of my food diary and my healing. I still need to wear my support band, but he said that's just for my benefit, if I decide i can't stand it, to take it off. He reiterated the fact that this is a jump start to a lifestyle change. I still need to stay away from high fat, high calorie foods, but if I have a hankering for a chicken nugget to get one. Cause that's all I'll want and be able to handle. The only thing he wasn't too happy about was my water intake...gotta get 64oz a day. He said that is the most important part, as well as the vitamins and calcium. He said it will just take some time. But I have been cleared! He wants to see me in a month. I will be staying away from breads and pastas, just because they swell so much in your stomach, it's just a waste of good calories for me. I'm going to continue with my protein shakes. Oh! I can even eat salads!!! Good form of fiber for me :) Every time I see him he keeps trying to beat into my head, that the type of procedure I had done, really isn't like anything anyone else has had done. And I think it's finally sunk in. I had no drainage tube, I was in and out of the hospital in one day, and I got a nifty DVD just to prove it. Chance and I watched it last night with the kiddos....which Aunt Jenny would be proud to know that I'm almost positive I have a little nurse on my hands...Madi was more into that video, than her Tangled movie....lol. She was asking so many questions, that I barely had the answers for...and she even asked to watch it again this morning. I've had the DVD since the day of my surgery, just hadn't had the guts to watch it....lol...it really wasn't that bad. Just weird to know that my stomach was that HUGE! I'm going to try and save it to my compy and put it on here. He's about 35 minutes long...so I might have to enlist the help of my sister to figure all that out...hint hint ;)

So needless to say, after my appointment, we went and had lunch at Red Lobster. My doctor said you can never go wrong with seafood. High in protein and usually, if it's not smothered in sauce, low in calories. I had 3 wood grilled shrimp, a bite of Caesar salad, and 3 bites of wood grilled salmon. And I couldn't have been happier!! Try not chewing anything for a while and only getting things that are liquid and you'll understand my happiness! that was at 2:00 yesterday afternoon and I didn't even want anything to eat until about 8:00 last night. That's a first :) And an excellent first! :D

I really do believe that this surgery was my God send. I have so much more control now. Am I weak? yes. Do some day SUCK way more than others? you betcha! Is it hard to watch everyone around you eating pizza and hot dogs and chips and salsa and knowing that I really can't touch it? yep. But it's going to benefit me in the long run. Can I have the above listed foods? yep, but do I really wanna do that to myself after this???? Not so much. I don't hurt, other than the general soreness of healing. I don't hurt when I eat or afterwards. I can feel my limit very quickly. I just have to chew about 40 times per bite and swallow slowly, and don't forget tiny bites. Not everyone has to have this procedure to make this work. I have no self control, but I'm learning it. I have a great psychologist that I go to, and he helps me out in the mental department. It's not always smiley faces and daisies for me....he sees the bad stuff...poor guy. ;) But to tell you the truth, it's all worth it. The happiness, the sadness, even the stress, just to know that I'm going to be around a little longer for my kiddos....