The weigh in this week went well. I lost 2.4 pounds so I'm down -13 total. Still a little more than I would have liked, so I think I'm going to start eating some of my extra weekly points. I was not able to walk at all this week so honestly the loss surprised me.
I'm really itching to get back into the gym. I've been a handful of times since the baby was born but I'm really wanting to start toning up again. I can eat right and walk and lose all the "weight" I want... but I want to tone my arms and legs and try and do something about this post baby tummy.
Sorry for the short post!!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Friday Weigh In
Got my -10 pounds bookmark today! I am down 2.6 this week making my grand total lost with WW in 4 weeks 10.6! I knew that I'd lost weight this week as I periodically weigh myself on our bathroom scale and once a week I weigh myself on the Wii but I wasn't expecting a 2.6! SO happy to see that.
What did i do different? I only ate 3 meals out:
date night on Sunday: Applebees (WW menu!!!) Chicken with Potatoes and Veggies
running errands on Tuesday: small Arby's Roast Beef sandwich
walked up to Port of Subs with Evan and Brianna on Thursday night: small turkey, no cheese
We also walked around the neighborhood on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
And, I think a lot of it had to do with more fruits and veggies. We've been eating all of our food from our Bountiful Baskets order. I did not order one this week as we're still finishing off last weeks and we will not be around tomorrow to pick it up. I think ordering a basket every other week will work for us, for now, while only 2 of us eat real food.
I'm really nervous about this weekend as we're going to be out of town. I am going to pack lots of healthy snacks and since I'll have to eat stuff that someone else prepares I will just have to watch my portions and take note of everything I eat so I can look it up later. I usually calculate everything before or while I am cooking.
What did i do different? I only ate 3 meals out:
date night on Sunday: Applebees (WW menu!!!) Chicken with Potatoes and Veggies
running errands on Tuesday: small Arby's Roast Beef sandwich
walked up to Port of Subs with Evan and Brianna on Thursday night: small turkey, no cheese
We also walked around the neighborhood on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
And, I think a lot of it had to do with more fruits and veggies. We've been eating all of our food from our Bountiful Baskets order. I did not order one this week as we're still finishing off last weeks and we will not be around tomorrow to pick it up. I think ordering a basket every other week will work for us, for now, while only 2 of us eat real food.
I'm really nervous about this weekend as we're going to be out of town. I am going to pack lots of healthy snacks and since I'll have to eat stuff that someone else prepares I will just have to watch my portions and take note of everything I eat so I can look it up later. I usually calculate everything before or while I am cooking.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Bountiful Baskets
If you're looking for a cheap and easy way to get in your fruits and veggies, I'd check out Bountiful Baskets. It's a local food co-op and for $15.00 you get a ton of yummy goodness!
Today's loot included everything you see above: strawberries, banana's, plums, cauliflower, grapes, apples, cantaloupe, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, artichokes, potatoes.
I already washed my lettuce, grapes, and strawberries, and cut up my cantaloupe. I just sat down and looked up everything online so I know how many points everything is. Everything is either 0 or 1 point with the exception of banana's (2) and potatoes (3). SCORE!
I have to snack and eat all day long and I'm constantly grabbing things quickly with one hand while I'm holding B in the other arm. While I have lots of healthy snacks to choose from like yogurt, granola bars, string cheese, what's healthy than fresh produce?
Now I just have to figure out what to do with those artichokes. :)
Today's loot included everything you see above: strawberries, banana's, plums, cauliflower, grapes, apples, cantaloupe, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, artichokes, potatoes.
I already washed my lettuce, grapes, and strawberries, and cut up my cantaloupe. I just sat down and looked up everything online so I know how many points everything is. Everything is either 0 or 1 point with the exception of banana's (2) and potatoes (3). SCORE!
I have to snack and eat all day long and I'm constantly grabbing things quickly with one hand while I'm holding B in the other arm. While I have lots of healthy snacks to choose from like yogurt, granola bars, string cheese, what's healthy than fresh produce?
Now I just have to figure out what to do with those artichokes. :)
A little is better than none
Weighed in at Weight Watchers yesterday and I was down .6 for the week which puts my total with WW at -8 pounds lost. I tracked everything I ate all week long but i think a couple of factors added to my .6:
1) Husband and I went out to dinner on the previous Friday night with the baby. I had a club sandwich and dessert. I looked up the points as best as I could but it's never going to be exact.
2) Sister, friend, and I went to a concert and ate dinner beforehand and I had another club sandwich (because I knew the points from the previous day).
3) Went to the mall and had 4 month pictures of baby taken and grabbed the healthiest thing on the menu from Panda Express. I had looked it up before I left and knew where I was going to eat and what I was going to get. Again, don't know if it was exact. (btw: i got chicken and mushrooms with steamed veggies)
4) I only got 1 walk in this week. We attempted a walk on Tuesday but only made it one lap before you know who called it quits. Then we walked up to Starbucks on Thursday.
Down is better than up, but this next week I have no plans to go out and I plan to walk a couple more days.
P.S. I still got a BRAVO sticker and I'm 2 pounds away from getting my -10 pound sticker. :)
1) Husband and I went out to dinner on the previous Friday night with the baby. I had a club sandwich and dessert. I looked up the points as best as I could but it's never going to be exact.
2) Sister, friend, and I went to a concert and ate dinner beforehand and I had another club sandwich (because I knew the points from the previous day).
3) Went to the mall and had 4 month pictures of baby taken and grabbed the healthiest thing on the menu from Panda Express. I had looked it up before I left and knew where I was going to eat and what I was going to get. Again, don't know if it was exact. (btw: i got chicken and mushrooms with steamed veggies)
4) I only got 1 walk in this week. We attempted a walk on Tuesday but only made it one lap before you know who called it quits. Then we walked up to Starbucks on Thursday.
Down is better than up, but this next week I have no plans to go out and I plan to walk a couple more days.
P.S. I still got a BRAVO sticker and I'm 2 pounds away from getting my -10 pound sticker. :)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Weight Watchers - week 2
Totally got another "Bravo!" sticker today folks. I lost 1.8 pounds this past week so I'm down 7.4 pounds since starting Weight Watchers 2 weeks ago. I must say that I'm really happy with my weight loss this past week because it is healthy. Last year when I lost 70 pounds in 7 months I was going to the gym, you guessed it... 7 days a week. On average I would lose 2.5 pounds a week, which for me then was a healthy weight loss of 2-3 pounds a week. I mentioned it in my last blog but I want to lose between 1-2 pounds a week while I'm nursing.
Weight Watchers has incentives to keep you coming back each week. Once you lose your first 5 pounds, you get a 5 pound sticker for your book. Once you loose your first 10 pounds you get a bookmark that says "I lost 10 pounds!". You can put all your stickers on that going forward. You also get a really nice silver keyring when you lose your first 10% and then after that you get adorable little charms to put on the keyring that say "25 pounds", "50 pounds" "100 pounds". My goal is to lose 40 pounds so I will only get the one charm, but who knows? maybe I will strive for the 50 pound charm too!
Last week and this week I got in 2 walks. Our mornings are never the same, but if she is happy and fed and I'm not overly tired from being up in the night then we usually head out for at least 45 minutes. Sometimes I walk around my neighborhood, 1 lap is .5 miles, and I usually walk 4 laps. IF the little gal in the stroller I'm pushing is cooperating. Other times I will walk up to Wal-Mart or Walgreens or Starbucks, all of which are less than 1 mile one way. We have to go pretty early, about 7:00 or 8:00am because anytime close to 9:00 or 10:00 and it's far too hot for the baby to be out. I'm looking forward to when it gets cooler and maybe we can walk in the evenings instead.
Also, I have tracked every single point I've put in my mouth since I started. I use an application on my phone and it works great. Of course WW doesn't have an app for the Android yet but I've emailed them and I'm using a different one that I found in the meantime. I used 10 of my "extra points" the first week because we went to a dinner party at a friends house and I only used 2 of my "extra points" this past week (you get 35 extra points per week). I find that I can pretty much eat anything I want at home and still have to cram more in as the day wears on but if I eat something away from home, the points sure do add up fast. Although, this past week, I did a bad job planning one day and I still had about 20 points to eat still and it was dinner time. So I stopped and got my husband and I Arby's. He wanted two small plain roast beef sandwiches and I got a small roast beef sandwich and CURLY FRIES!! :) I was looking up the calories on my phone in the drive through to make sure I definitely had enough points left though.
That's one thing that I love about WW, you can eat whatever you want as long as you're smart about it. No, I'm not going to eat curly fries from Arby's everyday, but this one day I had enough points left and it was a special treat. I firmly believe that if you deprive yourself then your brain will play tricks on you and you will set yourself up for failure. Everyone is entitled to eat what they want and that's where self control comes in.
To me, losing weight is 80% mental and 20% physical.
Weight Watchers has incentives to keep you coming back each week. Once you lose your first 5 pounds, you get a 5 pound sticker for your book. Once you loose your first 10 pounds you get a bookmark that says "I lost 10 pounds!". You can put all your stickers on that going forward. You also get a really nice silver keyring when you lose your first 10% and then after that you get adorable little charms to put on the keyring that say "25 pounds", "50 pounds" "100 pounds". My goal is to lose 40 pounds so I will only get the one charm, but who knows? maybe I will strive for the 50 pound charm too!
Last week and this week I got in 2 walks. Our mornings are never the same, but if she is happy and fed and I'm not overly tired from being up in the night then we usually head out for at least 45 minutes. Sometimes I walk around my neighborhood, 1 lap is .5 miles, and I usually walk 4 laps. IF the little gal in the stroller I'm pushing is cooperating. Other times I will walk up to Wal-Mart or Walgreens or Starbucks, all of which are less than 1 mile one way. We have to go pretty early, about 7:00 or 8:00am because anytime close to 9:00 or 10:00 and it's far too hot for the baby to be out. I'm looking forward to when it gets cooler and maybe we can walk in the evenings instead.
Also, I have tracked every single point I've put in my mouth since I started. I use an application on my phone and it works great. Of course WW doesn't have an app for the Android yet but I've emailed them and I'm using a different one that I found in the meantime. I used 10 of my "extra points" the first week because we went to a dinner party at a friends house and I only used 2 of my "extra points" this past week (you get 35 extra points per week). I find that I can pretty much eat anything I want at home and still have to cram more in as the day wears on but if I eat something away from home, the points sure do add up fast. Although, this past week, I did a bad job planning one day and I still had about 20 points to eat still and it was dinner time. So I stopped and got my husband and I Arby's. He wanted two small plain roast beef sandwiches and I got a small roast beef sandwich and CURLY FRIES!! :) I was looking up the calories on my phone in the drive through to make sure I definitely had enough points left though.
That's one thing that I love about WW, you can eat whatever you want as long as you're smart about it. No, I'm not going to eat curly fries from Arby's everyday, but this one day I had enough points left and it was a special treat. I firmly believe that if you deprive yourself then your brain will play tricks on you and you will set yourself up for failure. Everyone is entitled to eat what they want and that's where self control comes in.
To me, losing weight is 80% mental and 20% physical.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Bravo!
Is it just me or do those cheesy "Bravo" and "5 pound" stickers AND the round of applause that you get at Weight Watchers meetings motivate you? I'm not going to lie... I was beaming this morning when I announced that I'd lost 5.6 pounds since last week and everyone cheered and clapped and I got to put my awesome stickers in my awesome little book. I'm just sayin'... :)
Yes, it's true. I lost 5.6 pounds in a week but honestly, it was my first real week back at it post baby, so of course it was going to be a lot. My plans are to stay healthy for me AND Brianna (nursing) and loose 1 pound a week maaaaaybe 2. Will it be a slow journey? Yes. Will I keep at it? Yes. Will it get easier as she gets older to eat less and go to the gym more? Yes.
On that note... for now, I am enjoying my baby and realizing that she's not going to be a baby forever. So, while I'm eager to continue on my shape-up journey I must re-iterate again, not at the expense of jeopardizing my milk supply. If it meant I had to eat In-N-Out burgers every day to keep up my milk supply I would (and you wouldn't even have to twist my arm, lol). But in all seriousness... I just gained 30 pounds to make a baby, and that took 9 months. So, I'm in no hurry and realize that I will get there eventually.
Also, I had a reality check this morning. I have 45 more pounds to go to get to my original goal that I seta million years ago back in February 2009. BUT, including today, I have lost 61 pounds total so I'm still more than halfway to my goal and that 61 was the hard part! Now, I know what I need to do, I've tasted success, and wore the jeans to prove it!
Step 1: lose 10 more pounds to get to what I was the day I found out I was pregnant
Step 2: lose 25 more pounds to get to what I was at the end of my 1st trimester (if you recall, I lost 15 pounds in my 1st trimester due to gallstones)
Step 3: lose 45 more pounds to get my ultimate goal that I haven't seen since HS
Ready? Set? Go!
Yes, it's true. I lost 5.6 pounds in a week but honestly, it was my first real week back at it post baby, so of course it was going to be a lot. My plans are to stay healthy for me AND Brianna (nursing) and loose 1 pound a week maaaaaybe 2. Will it be a slow journey? Yes. Will I keep at it? Yes. Will it get easier as she gets older to eat less and go to the gym more? Yes.
On that note... for now, I am enjoying my baby and realizing that she's not going to be a baby forever. So, while I'm eager to continue on my shape-up journey I must re-iterate again, not at the expense of jeopardizing my milk supply. If it meant I had to eat In-N-Out burgers every day to keep up my milk supply I would (and you wouldn't even have to twist my arm, lol). But in all seriousness... I just gained 30 pounds to make a baby, and that took 9 months. So, I'm in no hurry and realize that I will get there eventually.
Also, I had a reality check this morning. I have 45 more pounds to go to get to my original goal that I set
Step 1: lose 10 more pounds to get to what I was the day I found out I was pregnant
Step 2: lose 25 more pounds to get to what I was at the end of my 1st trimester (if you recall, I lost 15 pounds in my 1st trimester due to gallstones)
Step 3: lose 45 more pounds to get my ultimate goal that I haven't seen since HS
Ready? Set? Go!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Weight Watchers
tap, tap, tap... are you still there? Not sure if I have any readers left (I guess a 12 month hiatus will do that to a blog) but in case there are a couple of you still hanging around, I thought I may as well update this thing.
As you well know I had to jump ship from the weight loss boat this time last year. It was then that I found out I was expecting a little one. Well, that little one is here and getting to be not so little anymore. I have been hesitant to get back into the swing of things weight loss wise for the simple fact that I am breastfeeding. That can be a whole 'nother post on it's own but for simplicities sake: I haven't wanted to "diet" and jeopardize my breastmilk supply.
I did some research and found that the 2 safest ways to lose weight while nursing is 1. Weight Watchers or 2. Body For Life. I've followed the BFL program in the past and not looking for a repeat so WW is the winner.
I found that they were running a special right now and for the same price that 1 month of my vitamin B12 shot used to cost me, I can go to the meetings for 3 months. AND since I have aforementioned "little one" I discovered that they have special meeting times for "mommy and me" all over town. Score!
So, today is day 5. You get extra points if you're exclusively nursing (10) which is the category I fall into right now. Then you get extra points (5) if you're nursing AND supplementing with formula or solid food.
I've done really well so far eating my exact points every day. I'm excited to weigh in this week. My meeting day/time is Friday morning.
So, I'm looking forward to getting back in shape AND finally getting to my original goal weight. Also, here's to fitting into last years winter clothes in time for winter!
As you well know I had to jump ship from the weight loss boat this time last year. It was then that I found out I was expecting a little one. Well, that little one is here and getting to be not so little anymore. I have been hesitant to get back into the swing of things weight loss wise for the simple fact that I am breastfeeding. That can be a whole 'nother post on it's own but for simplicities sake: I haven't wanted to "diet" and jeopardize my breastmilk supply.
I did some research and found that the 2 safest ways to lose weight while nursing is 1. Weight Watchers or 2. Body For Life. I've followed the BFL program in the past and not looking for a repeat so WW is the winner.
I found that they were running a special right now and for the same price that 1 month of my vitamin B12 shot used to cost me, I can go to the meetings for 3 months. AND since I have aforementioned "little one" I discovered that they have special meeting times for "mommy and me" all over town. Score!
So, today is day 5. You get extra points if you're exclusively nursing (10) which is the category I fall into right now. Then you get extra points (5) if you're nursing AND supplementing with formula or solid food.
I've done really well so far eating my exact points every day. I'm excited to weigh in this week. My meeting day/time is Friday morning.
So, I'm looking forward to getting back in shape AND finally getting to my original goal weight. Also, here's to fitting into last years winter clothes in time for winter!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Slowly coming back...
I have not been officially cleared to be able to go to the gym yet but I am definitely counting down the days. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Brianna 25 days ago and I've lost 22.5 pounds so far (yay for giving birth!)
I tried on a pair of my pre-pregnancy, jeans the other day just for the heck of it and they slid right on. They were a little tight on my butt but it wasn't difficult to put them on (no laying back on the bed, squeezing myself into them).
So, I'm well on my way to not only get back to my pre-pregnancy weight but also pick up where I left off and reach my goal for the last 20-30 pounds!!!
Stay tuned...
I tried on a pair of my pre-pregnancy, jeans the other day just for the heck of it and they slid right on. They were a little tight on my butt but it wasn't difficult to put them on (no laying back on the bed, squeezing myself into them).
So, I'm well on my way to not only get back to my pre-pregnancy weight but also pick up where I left off and reach my goal for the last 20-30 pounds!!!
Stay tuned...
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Shapeup Journey Hiatus
I have decided to take a Shapeup Journey hiatus because I'm obviously not focusing on weight loss right now being 19 weeks pregnant. Check back this summer, because I'm sure I will be ready to shed the baby weight by then. :)
In the meantime, I have started a new blog if you would like to keep up with a different "journey" of mine... http://ebmacdbaby.blogspot.com/
In the meantime, I have started a new blog if you would like to keep up with a different "journey" of mine... http://ebmacdbaby.blogspot.com/
Gallbladder Surgery Story
I'm a little more than 3 weeks out from my gall bladder surgery (Cholecystectomy). My surgery was December 11, 2009. I was to report to the hospital at 6:00am where my husband and I waited around in the waiting room for about 30 minutes. I was very very nervous, hardly slept a wink the night before and started crying a few times in the waiting room. They finally called my name and I was taken back alone, since they wouldn't let Evan come in with me, yet. They had me change into my hospital gown and attractive socks, then the nurse gave me a cup to pee in "just in case I am pregnant". Um, apparently somebody didn't read my chart because I said "I am pregnant. 15 weeks." Crazy lady.
I shuffled back to my bed and got under the warm covers. I was still in panic mode and started crying again thinking about how scared I was. Another nurse eventually came over and asked me about 578,612 questions that included my entire medical history. He was also the one to get my IV started and thankfully he only had to stick me once to find a vein. I have extremely small and deep veins so even the act of getting blood drawn usually requires 3 to 4 sticks and numerous nurses standing over me exclaiming "I think I got a vein this time!"
I had a list of questions ready to ask anybody that would listen, but mostly my surgeon. I needed to know about what, if any, pain medications I would be prescribed for post op that would be safe for me and safe for the baby. I am allergic to most of the pain meds that they would normally administer, so they finally settled on a codeine-free extra strength Tylenol. Also, I didn't see a Doppler machine anywhere and my OBGYN made sure to tell my surgeon I needed fetal monitoring before AND after my surgery. The nurse said someone from Labor & Delivery was coming over. Also, I am RH-, so it was imperative that I received a shot of Rogam after my surgery since my blood type is different than my baby's.
Eventually, they let Evan come back and stay with me while they were waiting to wheel me back and by that time my mom was there, so she came back too. They were able to stay with me for about 20 minutes and they were also there when my anesthesiologist came in to talk to me/ask me more questions. I asked my list of questions to him, too and my mom and Evan got to hear his answers. I let him know that I always have severe reactions to anesthesia when in recovery, so if there was anything safe for the baby that they could give me to help alleviate vomiting 10+ times Post OP. I cried a few times again while talking to him and kept apologizing and told him that I was just really nervous. Holding Evan's hand helped, but I still knew I'd be on my own soon.
My surgeon finally came over and answered all my questions. The L&D nurse came down and took note of the baby's heartbeat, which sounded great. He also made sure the shot of Rogam that I needed was documented clearly on my chart. The next thing I knew, Evan and my mom were kissing me and saying goodbye and the nurse was starting to wheel me back to the OR. Of course, I start crying again and cried all the way down the hall.
In the OR they had me scoot over to the operating table and my anesthesiologist and nurse kept telling me it was going to be OK. They gave me oxygen and the last thing I remember was hearing them tell me to take deep breaths. I was staring up at all the operating lights and feeling the tears stream down my cheeks.
The next thing I remember is being wheeled into recovery and trying to talk with the oxygen mask still on my face. It was hard to speak because the tube they had inserted in my throat made my throat hurt and feel scratchy. I kept saying "I'm going to throw up. I feel like I'm going to throw up", but nobody could either hear me or cared. I was in and out of consciousness and felt very achy and lethargic. I kept the oxygen mask on and kept falling back asleep. My surgeon came over and told me that everything went great and that the L&D nurse was coming back down to test the baby's heartbeat again. Also, he was there when another nurse gave me my Rogam shot. My surgery lasted about an hour but I think putting me back together took longer because the times didn't add up when I looked at the clock in recovery.
My throat was throbbing and I was in a lot of pain in my abdomen. They would not let Evan come back (HIPAA regulations), but said I would be in recovery until I could use the restroom. I was in recovery for about 2 hours total until I was finally able to pee. They had to put a catheter in during surgery, so apparently peeing on my own was part of my discharge orders.
The nurse helped me to the restroom and change back into my clothes. I had to sit because I felt like I was going to vomit again, but she had me smell some alcohol pads and the feeling passed eventually. I never did throw up from the anesthesia, so I guess whatever they gave me worked. She wheeled me out in a wheelchair where I saw Evan, immediately, at the exit. She told him to go get the car and she would push me out when he had it. He ran off really fast! The next thing I knew they were both helping me into the car and we were off.
I was in a lot of pain and asked him to drive VERY slow. Any bumps or nudges or accelerations were excruciating. I could tell he was having a hard time seeing me in so much pain and was just rubbing my leg and taking it really really easy driving. We decided to drop my prescription off on the way home since I wasn't suppose to be left alone for the first 24 hours. We got home, and walking up the stairs was... interesting. I asked my doctor if it would be alright to walk up stairs afterward since that's where our bedroom is and he said "yes, with help". It took us about 2 minutes to walk to the top, taking it one step at a time.
I had no idea the amount of pain that I would be in, in my abdomen after surgery. I had prepared myself for the possible diarrhea and even the bloated shoulders and chest because of the gas they had to pump inside to inflate me. I had no idea that walking, sitting, laying, standing, sitting down to pee, coughing, sneezing, etc. would be so painful. I told Evan "it feels like I've been stabbed in my stomach!?" He said, "You were stabbed. 4 times" My stomach looked gross. Covered in yellow betadine, three 1-inch bloody scabs closed with sutcher glue on my stomach, and a huge bloody scab directly below my belly button - my belly button itself was also filled with dried blood so for the first few days I thought I had 5 incisions.
Evan set up a TV tray next to my bed with water and tissues and my pain meds. He also started a sheet with the time and quantity when I took my pills since I was limited to 6 every 24 hours. I slept off and on the entire rest of the day and through the night. I had to sleep sitting up propped against 3 or 4 pillows because the gas pain in my chest and shoulders. I probably could have slept standing up though since I was so tired and the anesthesia hadn't completely worn off. Evan went downstairs and fielded calls from concerned friends and family checking to make sure I was OK. He would run up the stairs 2 at a time if I called his name. I needed help getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom. I hadn't eaten since the night before at about 6:00pm and at this point it was after 2:00pm the next day, but I wasn't the least bit hungry.
My sister came over after work to check on me and sit with me for a while. Evan and Megan both said I was in surprisingly good spirits for having gone through such an ordeal that day. My thought process was that I needed all the help I could get so I might as well do it with a smile on my face so they'd be more willing to help. :)
My dear husband offered to sleep in our master retreat that night on the futon since having someone just sit or lay on the bed was painful to me. I also couldn't cover myself from the waist up with our duvet (it hurt because it heavy) so that would have been interesting too. The first 24 hours were definitely a blur and I could only think about the baby and hoping that everything was OK.
I finally ate something the next morning and it took me at least a 3 or 4 days to get over the fear of eating. I had been watching my diet for 6 months and knew that any little thing could cause another gall stone attack. I had to retrain my brain to realize it was ok and that I wasn't going to have an attack again.
My pain level went down day by day and I wheened myself off of my pain medication (I didn't like taking anything at all, even though I know acetaminophen is safe for the baby). I was able to come downstairs and watch TV on the 3rd day and moving around by myself was getting easier. The gas pains in my chest lasted about 5 days as well as the incision pains. My insides themselves were sore and I assume that's because they had to move stuff around inside. I was feeling considerable improvement by day 5 and on day 7 I requested an appointment with my OB to make sure everything was still OK with the baby. Of course, the heart rate was 140 and everything was fine.
Today, I am a little more than 3 weeks out of surgery. I can eat anything I want and have had no traces of "gall stone attacks". I have been a lot more, uh, regular but that was to be expected because my food digests much more quickly now. Above all, I am FINALLY getting the nutrients the baby needs and I am not CONSTANTLY worrying about attacks I've also finally gained weight, up 5 pounds! My betadine finally wore off and the glue peeled off as well as the scabs. I have 3 scars that seems to be healing nicely on my upper stomach and the big one in my belly button is healing but itches some and isn't such a nice neat line as my others.
Was having surgery while pregnant ideal? No.
Did we have the option to postpone it until I delivered? Not if I also wanted to have a healthy pregnancy.
Was I more scared than I've been in my entire life? Yes.
Did everything end up OK in the end? Yes.
I shuffled back to my bed and got under the warm covers. I was still in panic mode and started crying again thinking about how scared I was. Another nurse eventually came over and asked me about 578,612 questions that included my entire medical history. He was also the one to get my IV started and thankfully he only had to stick me once to find a vein. I have extremely small and deep veins so even the act of getting blood drawn usually requires 3 to 4 sticks and numerous nurses standing over me exclaiming "I think I got a vein this time!"
I had a list of questions ready to ask anybody that would listen, but mostly my surgeon. I needed to know about what, if any, pain medications I would be prescribed for post op that would be safe for me and safe for the baby. I am allergic to most of the pain meds that they would normally administer, so they finally settled on a codeine-free extra strength Tylenol. Also, I didn't see a Doppler machine anywhere and my OBGYN made sure to tell my surgeon I needed fetal monitoring before AND after my surgery. The nurse said someone from Labor & Delivery was coming over. Also, I am RH-, so it was imperative that I received a shot of Rogam after my surgery since my blood type is different than my baby's.
Eventually, they let Evan come back and stay with me while they were waiting to wheel me back and by that time my mom was there, so she came back too. They were able to stay with me for about 20 minutes and they were also there when my anesthesiologist came in to talk to me/ask me more questions. I asked my list of questions to him, too and my mom and Evan got to hear his answers. I let him know that I always have severe reactions to anesthesia when in recovery, so if there was anything safe for the baby that they could give me to help alleviate vomiting 10+ times Post OP. I cried a few times again while talking to him and kept apologizing and told him that I was just really nervous. Holding Evan's hand helped, but I still knew I'd be on my own soon.
My surgeon finally came over and answered all my questions. The L&D nurse came down and took note of the baby's heartbeat, which sounded great. He also made sure the shot of Rogam that I needed was documented clearly on my chart. The next thing I knew, Evan and my mom were kissing me and saying goodbye and the nurse was starting to wheel me back to the OR. Of course, I start crying again and cried all the way down the hall.
In the OR they had me scoot over to the operating table and my anesthesiologist and nurse kept telling me it was going to be OK. They gave me oxygen and the last thing I remember was hearing them tell me to take deep breaths. I was staring up at all the operating lights and feeling the tears stream down my cheeks.
The next thing I remember is being wheeled into recovery and trying to talk with the oxygen mask still on my face. It was hard to speak because the tube they had inserted in my throat made my throat hurt and feel scratchy. I kept saying "I'm going to throw up. I feel like I'm going to throw up", but nobody could either hear me or cared. I was in and out of consciousness and felt very achy and lethargic. I kept the oxygen mask on and kept falling back asleep. My surgeon came over and told me that everything went great and that the L&D nurse was coming back down to test the baby's heartbeat again. Also, he was there when another nurse gave me my Rogam shot. My surgery lasted about an hour but I think putting me back together took longer because the times didn't add up when I looked at the clock in recovery.
My throat was throbbing and I was in a lot of pain in my abdomen. They would not let Evan come back (HIPAA regulations), but said I would be in recovery until I could use the restroom. I was in recovery for about 2 hours total until I was finally able to pee. They had to put a catheter in during surgery, so apparently peeing on my own was part of my discharge orders.
The nurse helped me to the restroom and change back into my clothes. I had to sit because I felt like I was going to vomit again, but she had me smell some alcohol pads and the feeling passed eventually. I never did throw up from the anesthesia, so I guess whatever they gave me worked. She wheeled me out in a wheelchair where I saw Evan, immediately, at the exit. She told him to go get the car and she would push me out when he had it. He ran off really fast! The next thing I knew they were both helping me into the car and we were off.
I was in a lot of pain and asked him to drive VERY slow. Any bumps or nudges or accelerations were excruciating. I could tell he was having a hard time seeing me in so much pain and was just rubbing my leg and taking it really really easy driving. We decided to drop my prescription off on the way home since I wasn't suppose to be left alone for the first 24 hours. We got home, and walking up the stairs was... interesting. I asked my doctor if it would be alright to walk up stairs afterward since that's where our bedroom is and he said "yes, with help". It took us about 2 minutes to walk to the top, taking it one step at a time.
I had no idea the amount of pain that I would be in, in my abdomen after surgery. I had prepared myself for the possible diarrhea and even the bloated shoulders and chest because of the gas they had to pump inside to inflate me. I had no idea that walking, sitting, laying, standing, sitting down to pee, coughing, sneezing, etc. would be so painful. I told Evan "it feels like I've been stabbed in my stomach!?" He said, "You were stabbed. 4 times" My stomach looked gross. Covered in yellow betadine, three 1-inch bloody scabs closed with sutcher glue on my stomach, and a huge bloody scab directly below my belly button - my belly button itself was also filled with dried blood so for the first few days I thought I had 5 incisions.
Evan set up a TV tray next to my bed with water and tissues and my pain meds. He also started a sheet with the time and quantity when I took my pills since I was limited to 6 every 24 hours. I slept off and on the entire rest of the day and through the night. I had to sleep sitting up propped against 3 or 4 pillows because the gas pain in my chest and shoulders. I probably could have slept standing up though since I was so tired and the anesthesia hadn't completely worn off. Evan went downstairs and fielded calls from concerned friends and family checking to make sure I was OK. He would run up the stairs 2 at a time if I called his name. I needed help getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom. I hadn't eaten since the night before at about 6:00pm and at this point it was after 2:00pm the next day, but I wasn't the least bit hungry.
My sister came over after work to check on me and sit with me for a while. Evan and Megan both said I was in surprisingly good spirits for having gone through such an ordeal that day. My thought process was that I needed all the help I could get so I might as well do it with a smile on my face so they'd be more willing to help. :)
My dear husband offered to sleep in our master retreat that night on the futon since having someone just sit or lay on the bed was painful to me. I also couldn't cover myself from the waist up with our duvet (it hurt because it heavy) so that would have been interesting too. The first 24 hours were definitely a blur and I could only think about the baby and hoping that everything was OK.
I finally ate something the next morning and it took me at least a 3 or 4 days to get over the fear of eating. I had been watching my diet for 6 months and knew that any little thing could cause another gall stone attack. I had to retrain my brain to realize it was ok and that I wasn't going to have an attack again.
My pain level went down day by day and I wheened myself off of my pain medication (I didn't like taking anything at all, even though I know acetaminophen is safe for the baby). I was able to come downstairs and watch TV on the 3rd day and moving around by myself was getting easier. The gas pains in my chest lasted about 5 days as well as the incision pains. My insides themselves were sore and I assume that's because they had to move stuff around inside. I was feeling considerable improvement by day 5 and on day 7 I requested an appointment with my OB to make sure everything was still OK with the baby. Of course, the heart rate was 140 and everything was fine.
Today, I am a little more than 3 weeks out of surgery. I can eat anything I want and have had no traces of "gall stone attacks". I have been a lot more, uh, regular but that was to be expected because my food digests much more quickly now. Above all, I am FINALLY getting the nutrients the baby needs and I am not CONSTANTLY worrying about attacks I've also finally gained weight, up 5 pounds! My betadine finally wore off and the glue peeled off as well as the scabs. I have 3 scars that seems to be healing nicely on my upper stomach and the big one in my belly button is healing but itches some and isn't such a nice neat line as my others.
Was having surgery while pregnant ideal? No.
Did we have the option to postpone it until I delivered? Not if I also wanted to have a healthy pregnancy.
Was I more scared than I've been in my entire life? Yes.
Did everything end up OK in the end? Yes.
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