update

[Guest guest]

I have lost 20 lbs in 16 days. wooohooooo. I am now under 300. I

have not been under 300 pounds in almost 2 years. I am feeling great

and plan on going back to work on Monday. I am going to work half

days for the next two weeks and then go back to my regular schedule.

I am going back to work 1 week earlier than planned. I am still

eating soft mushy foods and tolerate everything I eat. I am able to

eat only about 3-4 oz at a time and everything tastes great. I am

even having coffee in the morning, but it takes me an hour to drink a

cup but oh how it makes me feel like I am starting my day normally.

Here is an example of how I am eating:

I get up between 6-7 and start my day with coffee

About 7:30 I take my chewable vitamin, chewable calcium, 2 dairy

care, and my prilosec, crushed, with 3 oz of sugar free fat free

pudding made with lactaid milk.

In between 8:30 and 10 I have 1 egg beater egg with 2 oz of fat free

cheese

Around noon I have my designer protein drink and 2 more dairy care

After drinking that I have to wait at least an hour before I can have

lunch, which is 3oz of meatloaf or fish or 3 little chicken nuggets

baked and a chewable calcium tablet.

Then I have dinner anywhere between 5-7 and it consists of the same

thing as lunch only add a chewable vitamin and chewable calcium

Snack is pudding

I average 70 grams of protein a day this way and my nutritionalist

thinks it is great. She thinks after next week when I graduate to

more solid foods that my protein will hit between 80-90 with no

problems.

I have not taken a nap all week and sleep at least 7-8 hours a

night. I am sleeping on both sides now with nothing to prop me up in

bed. The first night after returning home from NYC when I got in my

own wonderful bed, I cried. It felt so good. I have not used a prop

since I returned home. In NYC, we folded both bedspreads and put

them under the head of the bed and it gave me enough lift to be

comfortable with one pillow under my head and a pillow under my

knees. Bob keeps me running half the day here there and everywhere,

he calls it bumming. I started walking at the gym on the treadmill

but can only make it about 1/3 of a mile comfortably. But add an

hour in Wal Mart, Menards, Dunhams or the grocery store and I know I

am getting enough exercise.

We bought me some new golf shoes today and plan on hitting the links

next weekend. I can not wait till my belly does not get in the way

of my swing. We figure if I can only play a few holes to start with

that is ok. I will drive the cart. lol

All in all, I have had a wonderful recovery and feel like I am on my

way to a wonderful adventure. My PCP's nurse saw me in the store

yesterday and she suggested bicycling with her and I told her that

when my butt is no longer a traffic hazard I will be glad to.

Story to be continued.............

Viau, 325 lbs lost 9 lbs before surgery

switched 3/29/01 weighed in at 316

4/14/01 weighed in at 296

total of 28 pounds gone forever

http://www.angelfire.com/on/wannabemagic/WLS.html

Dr Ren, NYUMC http://www.med.nyu.edu/bariatric/

Watch MSNBC Investigates on 4/18 at 8pm EST to see " The Last Chance "

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