Hello everyone it's kind of been a while but this was my home when I first joined 3Fc so I decided to post here. I last posted sometime in late December, I think, so I'm a bit of a prodigal but not too much. I've been catching up with everyone's progress- some people familiar, some new and I'm so excited to be back,
Since I last posted, after spending 6 months or so 15ish lbs from goal (and 5 lbs from 100 lbs lost), in the last 6 weeks, I HAVE MADE IT TO GOAL AND 5 LBS BEYOND!
Now this is very exciting in 1 way but in another it's been pretty horrible and not a way I recommend for ANYONE to lose weight. You see 6 weeks ago, I developped the worst stomach ache ever, had to go to the ER, was told I had a small intestine obstruction, a conservative watch-and-wait-with-tube-down-my-nose-to-my-stomach approach was chosen, by the time they decided on surgery, the intestine was gangrenous and they had to cut a little under 2 feet out (bowel resection). I had a raging infection and had to be in ICU for weeks. All this time I was not eating anything but being fed intravenously. After about 2 weeks, jsust when I was told I could go home, I started to have stomach pains again and was told I had ANOTHER obstruction that would probably need another resection (more bowel taken out, yay). This second surgery was a 6-hr number where I also got my appendix taken out just for kicks and some (thankfully benign) ovarian tumor which they discovered whilst they were in there! I was in hospital for another 10 days (making 5 weeks total of being in hospital and being fed intravenously).
I left hospital at 167.5 lbs a couple of weeks ago. I've also only been back on real food for a couple of weeks. In that time I've lost 7.5 lbs. Which in old times would be a yay! for me but now is agonizing. Because I have a checkup coming up and I know one of the markers that I'm doing well is that I'm not losing weight (at least not very fast). This is almost like the universe is laughing at me. My entire life since I was really little, I've wanted to lose weight, and now I can't stop! Don't worry, I see the irony, believe me! And the inner me is of course like, are you crazy? Enjoy this whilst it lasts. Whilst the rational me is like, something is wrong, the doctors aren't going to be happy, you need to be doing better.
So this is my awkward goal story. For the first time in my life, food is a chore, eating is not especially comfortable so i make myself do it. I try to make everything as calorific as i can, like doing the opposite of everything i'd ordinarily do. Cooking in butter, using full cream milk and real sugar, using tuna in oil etc Sometimes i pinch myself because this has never been me. I'm holding off writing my goal story because I don't even know if I can fairly say I've reached goal or what's going on with my body. But at least for my home people here on 100-lb club, yes my scale says I'm beyond goal.
Thanks! Everyday is better. I've not yet been able to enjoy the new body yet. Can't wear proper clothes yet or do any exercise (which strangely enough i miss a lot- had gotten really into kickboxing and running beforehand) but it IS exciting to be beyond goal and weigh what what i did at age 11 but I wouldn't recommend this way of getting there.
Wow! I really hope each and every day brings you better health. My niece had complications from endometriosis a while ago - her Falopian tube was pushed out of place and had wrapped around her large intestine - and had to have a few inches of her large intestine removed. She was young (27) and very fit, and even with that in her favor, recovery was slow. It took about 8 or 9 weeks before she felt like eating "normally" again.
Because you have lost some small intestine, I guess we have to assume you will eat a little bit differently from now on. I get how ironic this is! Sort of your own "emergency" bariatric surgery. You've done such a great job, though, on losing and changing your overall eating that I think things will be OK once your body and your brain get used to the new situation. And just think of how much more difficult the whole thing would have been if it had happened at 275 pounds! Wow, that was fortunate!
My prayers are coming your way for a quick recovery. Take the loss and keep it off - that's what matters. I was proud of the fact that I was able to lose the weight I wanted to lose. I'm even more proud, so far, that it has stayed off for 6 months. Not a very long time, really, but it seems to be under control. I hope you adjust to your new situation quickly and maintain this healthy weight forever. Getting it off is a great accomplishment. Keeping it off is the true test of what we've learned from the journey.
Toasted, how i've missed you! So much so that I went to look you up and to read this just broke my heart. You are such a brilliant writer, through your words alone I was able to feel your pain. Please let us know how you are, my fingers are crossed that you are doing MUCH better and feeling a LOT better. Prayers with you lady!
I once was told that the Tarot's Hanging Man card was not ominous but a symbol of when we are not addressing the issues we should be addressing or seeing the parts of life that we should see, that life takes us by the toe and holds us upside down until we do. It seems like this experience has given you some insight! I hope it continues to be that for you in your recovery process.
Ayyy Kriz! I've been looking for you since I got back on here last month. Even stalked your blog, which you HAVE TO go back to writing!!!
I'm a lot better than when I wrote this post originally. Yes eating is still a chore I don't look forward to (imagine THAT!) and yes I had my doctor's appointment and I weighed even less than I did when I posted this and got into a little trouble with him, and yes the runs have become a major part of my life but I've kind of had to just let that go and do what I can. I'm definitely in a better place emotionally (and even physically) than when I originally wrote this. I'm a lot more optimistic about the future. I've decided to "enjoy" this run of effortless weigh loss whilst it lasts and once I'm better decide what I want to do regarding maintenance or losing more weight.
There've been so many ironic moments since I had this surgery. I've never been exercise's hugest fan but now that I can't/am not yet allowed to, I MISS running. I MISS even more my kickboxing videos. I'm basically because of 2 general anesthesias back to the level of maybe doing a half mile with Leslie Sansone before feeling like I'll pass out. I know it'll come though. I'll get back there. The day before I got ill I was struggling with eating on plan and I was like "God, why do I have to love junk food sooo much!" Ha, now the mere sight of a cookie gives me a gag reflex. I always said "I wish I could be one of those people who don't like food, who take a bite or two and are 'full'!" Ha, I will never say that again! It sucks not to be able to fuel your body and not enjoy what you're eating! It's not only about losing weight, it's about being healthy. Food is such a blessing I've realized, it fuels us and is also there for there to enjoy.
There's not a lot of support for people non Crohns/IBS people who've had bowel resections. But my support and encouragement come from the fact that I know so many people are praying for me and wishing me well and hoping I'm better soon and it really really helps so I'm really appreciative for your kind words.
Oh and on the bright side, in the words of my surgeon last week (he met me after my 1st surgery when I was maybe 170ish): "Thank goodness you're a heavier girl, at least you have a large cushion to lose at this and not yet be underweight."
I just thought to myself: if only you knew where I was coming from.
my mother in law had the same intestine issues, she had to get a portion of her intestine removed!
she says the only lasting effect she got from the surgery is a loud sound that comes from her stomach sometimes. it sounds like shes got boiling water in her belly! but thankfully its not painful or anything.
congrats on making it through your surgerys. i wish you a speedy recovery. congrats om making goal too
It's been a while- GOAL
