Re: Pouches and puberty, again

[Guest guest]

Cathy:

This is so well stated. Thank you for sharing it. It's a good

reminder to all of us, even us longer-term post-ops.

While my pouch isn't exactly an infant anymore, it's like an

adolescent with all the challenges of bounding energy and crazy

hormones!

I even went through a kind of physical re-puberty. All the hair on

my legs came back and my muscles are more pronounced. My body has

taken on a more masculine shape that was not evident when I was

larger.

It's amazing how much changes. We have to open our minds and our

hearts to so much, but like you said, we gotta take it step-by-step,

day-by-day.

Francisco

>

> Lilka,

> I read your post about being tired, and I started to think back to

all

> I've heard from others on this list and what people who've had the

> surgery have told me about their recovery. And I started to think

back

> on my life, and I realized that what life immediately post-op

sounds

> most like to me is life during the first year or two after I had my

> kids. Think of your pouch as a new baby, and you've just given

birth.

>

> When I had my first baby, I was on top of the world. . . I had HUGE

> rushes of energy during the first few weeks, far more than my

doctors

> expected. At the same time, I was adapting to a completely new way

of

> life, with every day bringing new wonders and some worries, as

well.

>

> Exhaustion set in after a while. Everything was changing. My hair

fell

> out. I didn't want to do anything except sleep sometimes. My body

had

> always been pretty reliable in some ways, but not now. My hormones

> were on a roller-coaster. . . my emotions too. I slept whenever I

had

> a chance.

>

> Feeding was a big issue - just the right kind, just the right

amount,

> etc. Poop was a big issue, too! <grin>

>

> I had to think ahead about what I was doing, and plan things ahead

so

> that I had what I needed. If I went out, I took supplies with me

so

> that I had food and water in case I needed them.

>

> Relationships changed. People I'd known all my life suddenly

started

> treating me differently. I *felt* differently about myself, too. I

had

> gone through an experience that permanently changed my life. Things

> would never be exactly the same again.

>

> It took a long time for me to fully adjust to being a parent. It

meant

> a lot of changes in my life, and some sacrifices. But would I go

back?

> Not on your life. My life is so much richer now than it was before.

> And now that you've been given a new little pouch, you're going

> through many of the same things as your life transforms - but it

takes

> time to get to the point where you stabilize. I think it will never

> stop being something you work at - you'll always have to pay

attention

> to some things, just like parents do with their kids. But take it

> easy, go step-by-step, and you'll get through the first year just

> fine!

>

> Cathy C.

>

[Guest guest]

Cathy:

This is so well stated. Thank you for sharing it. It's a good

reminder to all of us, even us longer-term post-ops.

While my pouch isn't exactly an infant anymore, it's like an

adolescent with all the challenges of bounding energy and crazy

hormones!

I even went through a kind of physical re-puberty. All the hair on

my legs came back and my muscles are more pronounced. My body has

taken on a more masculine shape that was not evident when I was

larger.

It's amazing how much changes. We have to open our minds and our

hearts to so much, but like you said, we gotta take it step-by-step,

day-by-day.

Francisco

>

> Lilka,

> I read your post about being tired, and I started to think back to

all

> I've heard from others on this list and what people who've had the

> surgery have told me about their recovery. And I started to think

back

> on my life, and I realized that what life immediately post-op

sounds

> most like to me is life during the first year or two after I had my

> kids. Think of your pouch as a new baby, and you've just given

birth.

>

> When I had my first baby, I was on top of the world. . . I had HUGE

> rushes of energy during the first few weeks, far more than my

doctors

> expected. At the same time, I was adapting to a completely new way

of

> life, with every day bringing new wonders and some worries, as

well.

>

> Exhaustion set in after a while. Everything was changing. My hair

fell

> out. I didn't want to do anything except sleep sometimes. My body

had

> always been pretty reliable in some ways, but not now. My hormones

> were on a roller-coaster. . . my emotions too. I slept whenever I

had

> a chance.

>

> Feeding was a big issue - just the right kind, just the right

amount,

> etc. Poop was a big issue, too! <grin>

>

> I had to think ahead about what I was doing, and plan things ahead

so

> that I had what I needed. If I went out, I took supplies with me

so

> that I had food and water in case I needed them.

>

> Relationships changed. People I'd known all my life suddenly

started

> treating me differently. I *felt* differently about myself, too. I

had

> gone through an experience that permanently changed my life. Things

> would never be exactly the same again.

>

> It took a long time for me to fully adjust to being a parent. It

meant

> a lot of changes in my life, and some sacrifices. But would I go

back?

> Not on your life. My life is so much richer now than it was before.

> And now that you've been given a new little pouch, you're going

> through many of the same things as your life transforms - but it

takes

> time to get to the point where you stabilize. I think it will never

> stop being something you work at - you'll always have to pay

attention

> to some things, just like parents do with their kids. But take it

> easy, go step-by-step, and you'll get through the first year just

> fine!

>

> Cathy C.

>