242 1/4

It must have been the bike rides from Cape May Point into Cape May everyday. Maybe it was the diet that was almost exclusively seafood, or possibly a combination of both, but I lost 2 1/2 pounds last week. I last went to the gym on Thursday, and didn't get back there until Tuesday night. Usually I don't lose much weight during weeks that I miss my gym nights, but I rode my bike all weekend, only using the car for runs to the market.


So what is this weeks topic? I received an email asking what I felt like right after my surgery, so I will relate that experience.
I was sore, I had an IV, and I was not hungry at all. My Mouth was dry, and all I was allowed was some Ice chips. I had my surgery on Thursday Morning, and I was discharged Friday evening at 5 PM. On Friday Morning, 24 hours after my surgery, I was taken by wheelchair down to radiology and given an approximately 4 ounce "milkshake" that I can best describe as strawberry flavored battery acid. I sipped this nasty tasting concoction through a straw, and then pictures were taken to see if any of the sutures in my newly realigned stomach were leaking. They weren't, but I was able to look up at the screen and see just how small my stomach now was, the beverage I had ingested made it glow and easily visible. After that, I was allowed my first true liquids, and encouraged to get dressed and walk around, which I did. Later Dr Boorse came into my room, checked me out, and then released me.

He instructed me to stop all my medications, as my post operative blood work that Morning had shown my insulin levels had already decreased from the mid 200s to under 150. I'll talk about all those changes more in depth in another post soon. That's pretty much a recap of my immediate post operative experience, and that I exclusively ate 10 calorie sugar free popsicles to sate my appetite between my meals of soup broth and all liquids the first ten to fourteen days.
That pretty much describes my first days after surgery. I sat in on a panel to answer questions for people preparing for gastric surgery at LVH tonight, to help support others who have either had the surgery, are preparing for it, or are considering it. that's a whole separate post for next time.
I've been receiving emails from those who know to click on my picture, but for new visitors, you can email me at cc3bg61@yahoo.com and I will gladly try and answer your questions privately and anonymously.

244 7/8

I started Swimming laps a few weeks ago, and now my eyes are suffering. The Chlorine really bothers my eyes, so I guess I'm going to have to invest in a pair of goggles. I recently invested in headphones so I could listen to the NBC10 news at 4 while I worked out at the gym.
It has been a while since I really swam, and I was hitting the pool after doing a 35 minute elliptical program, and then 30 minutes of either stair stepping or stationary bike, or some combination thereof.
So I was already tired getting in the pool, and swimming a single lap was exhausting. I tried to go to fast, my form wasn't that great, and I wasn't timing my breathing correctly.
But practice makes perfect, and now, at the end of the month, I can swim 5 laps in about 12 minutes, pacing myself and keeping a steady rhythm.
After that I climb out, catch my breath, and do 15 minutes sitting in the jacuzzi and 10 in the sauna, before hitting the showers.

This weekend I will be in Cape May Point, and there's a lot of odd jobs to be taken care of down there for my Father in Law, but I'm taking my Bike, and I plan to ride as many miles as I can each day, because there is no gym handy!

Next Wednesday the 28th I will be answering questions for new participants in the Weight Management Program at Lehigh Valley Hospital on Cedar Crest.
I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences with others, and offer my support to them, as it was offered to me last year. I have lost over 100lbs since Thanksgiving, and over 80 since the Surgery. I am so grateful to all the Health Professionals who have helped me get my life back. I would encourage anyone with years of obesity issues to give the program a call, and visit their presentations. It has really changed my quality of life, and I am grateful for it.

P.S. I apologize for not posting this sooner. I received an email from a faithful reader asking why I hadn't posted. I had saved the time and post but not scheduled it. Here it is Sunday evening! Sorry gang!

247

Aah, I see the distance between 250 starting to grow. It is a fond goodbye. On Wednesday the 28th I will get the opportunity to speak to people who are considering embarking on a journey similar to mine. I'm going to share with them many of the experiences I have had on my journey. It might be good for me to see people who are where I was, and help me put my current pace of weight loss in perspective. I have come a long way, and helping those about to begin the Journey will probably help me in reinforcing my commitment to my own. I have banged my right knee up pretty well, and keeping to my exercise regimen is proving difficult, but I have. weight loss of 1 1/2 to 2 lbs a week is pretty good, I have to remember that.

249 1/4

When I consider how I had to limit my workouts because of knee joint pain, that's not half bad progress. Instead of hitting the gym Tuesday and Wednesday, I took advantage of the beautiful weather to get some yard work done. There is a great sense of accomplishment in staring at the scale and setting the lower counterbalance at 200 pounds, and moving the upper one leftward from 50 pounds. So now I move on to my next goal, getting the scale under 200 lbs. I went from the 300 level to 250 in about 110 days. Getting to 200 might be tougher, but that's where I'm headed. I started out with a goal to get down to 220, but I'm aiming lower.