Category: health

Hungry

This is a new one for me in this new post-gastric bypass world. I had 5.4 ounces of salmon for dinner. Jen made it. She used the air fryer. It was perfect. Five ounces is generally my max for a meal. Today I chased the salmon with a little 3.5 ounce cup of sugar free pudding. That’s 8.9 ounces of food. That in and of itself is unheard of, post-op, but it gets worse, and the worse is what I am actually writing about…

I’m still hungry.

No, n-n-n-n-no. This will not do. My new stomach pouch is tiny. Five ounces should be enough. I don’t want more. I don’t need more. Why the hell is my brain screwing with me and telling me that I am hungry? My daily protein goal is 60 grams. I broke 100 today (barely). Why am I feeling anything other than pleasantly full?

Stupid brain. Stupid, stupid brain.

Lunch Break Flake

I had two ideas for things to do on my lunch break today. I am not going to do either one.

  • Thrift shopping for manual film SLRs on the cheap
    • The Salvation Army store in Salem, NH is apparently only open M-F 10am to 5pm meaning I will never be able to get there unless it’s on my lunch break
  • Take one of the cameras (probably the digital) out into the woods behind the house to check out a couple of huge fallen trees. Nature photography, babie. Yeah!
    • I think the main reason I am not outside right now is ticks. I would have to put on longer, heavier socks and maybe boots and shit like that and I just don’t wanna.

Instead of doing those two things I am sitting at my desk typing this here message to you, the universe.

I’m actually struggling with lunch today. I don’t know what I want. For the first time since before the surgery I am kinda tired of the handful of mini-meals I’ve been eating. I wasn’t in the mood for any of the usual suspects. Chicken, Tuna, Eggs… nothing. I made myself 3.9 ounces of chicken salad but I really don’t want it. I am just eating it to get the protein.

What do I want? Who am I?

Unrelated note: I read that CVS takes 7-10 days to develop your film and return it to you. Today is day 11 since I dropped off the first roll. One YouTube video on beginning film photography said it takes two weeks. Is the YouTube video more accurate than the store? Stay tuned and find out. Or, CVS can just give me my friggin’ pics.

ADDENDUM: Screw it, I thought. I am going to check out that spot in the woods. I grabbed my camera and opened up the bulkhead (which is right next to my desk), and saw that our next door neighbor was hitting golf balls into the woods, as he sometimes does. Shit. A 10 minute photo-op is not worth getting beaned in the noggin’ with a golf ball. Maybe tomorrow. Ticks be damned.

Weigh In Day

As of today I am nine weeks post weight loss surgery. That means today is weigh in day. How’d it go? It went really well. I lost seven pounds in the last week. That’s a pound a day, on average, if you’re keeping track. File under: Holy Shit Burgers.

The 10’s column in my current weight changed again. That is such a magical sight. Last week the 10’s column was a six. Today it’s a five. Brilliant.

Now I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but over the last five weeks I have averaged about 5.5 pounds lost each week. If I do that again next week, my total weight loss since the first check in on January 19th will top 100 pounds. Again, I am not getting ahead of myself. That is just some intellectual thing that the analytical part of my brain sussed out. It is not me getting excited or looking ahead or getting over confident or any of that crap. It’s just a number.

However, if that happens next week… there may be a marching band roaring up and down my street all day. Just saying.

  • Weight Loss Since (a few days before) the Surgery: 76.6 pounds
  • Weight Loss Since the First Check In: 97.2 pounds

Holy shit, dudes. Holy. Shit.

Two Months

Today marks two months since surgery. I didn’t weigh myself to celebrate. I thought about it but decided to keep my Wednesday rule and wait two days.

I feel great. The only issue I have is scheduling liquids. A couple times a day I find the dehydration taking over. There was one time when I was visiting mom that it was bad enough to make me a little light headed. Another time, also during a mom visit (pattern?), my mouth was so dry I couldn’t form some words.

Other than that, it’s been aces. The weight is falling off and I haven’t felt this healthy in over a decade. I have millions of miles to go, but so far it’s all good.

So looking forward to whatever comes next.

I Wimped Out

I guess there is a limit to how much in-person social interaction I am comfortable with in this Covid nightmarescape.

I went to a doctors appointment. I was told that I am a little ahead of the norm as far as weight loss is concerned and that I am doing great. Also, when it comes to food selections the gloves are off, babie! Sort of. They said it would be a good idea to hold off on pasta, rice, bread, and crackers for another month, but otherwise I should feel free to eat things that don’t have sugar because sugar will make me super sick.

After the appointment I was going to go to Guitar Center to see about selling my Strat, then to Best Buy to get a camera bag for Dad’s camera, then to visit mom. When I left the house I chose to leave my Strat behind and when it came to Best Buy I bought a camera bag from Amazon. I did see my mother though. She was a little more with it than the last few times I’ve seen her, but also confused about her situation. That means the visit was equal parts happy and painful.

Another potential stop would have been the Goodwill store in Salem. I spent a couple of hours last night watching YouTube videos of a photographer going to thrift stores searching for cameras and finding kick ass film SLR cameras and I want in on that fun. Not today though. I chickened out, and the chicken was seasoned with Covid.

So maybe I’ll feel more confident over the weekend. Maybe, but probably not.

How Much Did I Weigh Back Then?

I can’t remember how much I weighed on our wedding day. It was a lot, but it was also less than it was when we got engaged. I just can’t remember the number. I didn’t write it down anywhere, so how can I figure it out? It’s like a weight milestone for me and I should be able to remember.

I found a way to make an educated guess.

The day after the wedding, my wedding ring slipped off while I was in the shower. For a while there I was taking it off when I showered because I didn’t want it to fall off again.

Back in January, my wedding ring was stuck. I couldn’t take it off anymore. My finger was just expanding around it. It didn’t hurt or anything, it just wasn’t coming off.

Today, post-surgery, it is loose. Not loose enough to come off on it’s own, but we are steadily getting closer to that point.

So… when I loose enough weight for my ring to slip off in the shower, then I will be approximately the same weight(ish) as my wedding day.

QED.