5 Week Post Op Follow Up

This Week
Had a small issue this week with one of my incision sites.
It looked kind of funny and was really itchy.
The scab was more like a valley.
On 20180815 I took a shower in the morning and when I got out, I had blood seeping out from the incision.
Called the doctor office and after jumping thru some hoops to see my doctor, went in to see her.
She took a swab of the site and prescribed some antibiotics.

She did take me totally off my Losartin when she saw my blood pressure was 114/72.

5 week post op follow up today.
Both the dietician and bariatric nurse were really happy with where I was.
Officially I am down 58.8 pounds.
I think I should be over 60 but the antibiotics have given me constipation so once I finish those, I have a feeling I will lose a LOT quickly.
I know that I am doing well, but it would have been nice to not have that and be past the 60 mark.

I am now able to start eating regular food without restriction.
Other than volume I can experiment with what I eat.
Suggested that I not try a LOT of different things right away so I can figure what affects me badly.

Saw my primary also to do her follow up for surgery and to check the incision.
The incision is healing fine and I only have 1 more day of antibiotics.
My blood pressure while off Losartin was 128/80 which is perfectly fine now.

So the list of meds that I no longer take are:
Losartin (blood pressure)
Metformin (diabetes)
Gemfibrizol (cholesterol)
U-500 (diabetes insulin - replaced with U-100)
Ranitidine (reflux)
Fish Oil (cholesterol - might go back on after blood work)
Aspirin (heart - might take again after my 3 month check up)

Other than supplements, which there are a lot of them, I am only on 4 actual prescriptions:
Victoza (insulin sensitivity)
U-100 (insulin)
Androgel (testosterone - due to my testicular cancer 30+ years ago)
Pravistatin (triglycerides - might come off after testing)

I also had 8 tubes of blood taken for vitamin and A1c checks.

Blood Work Results
A1c is the lowest it has ever been

Cholesterol is awesome, sort of.
My HDL is really low.
Might have to go back on the fish oil and DEFINITELY need to do more exercise.

The rest of the stuff came back normal.

Wins
I was able to put on some shorts that I can't remember the last time wore.
This gives me some clothing options that I haven't had in a LONG time.

I also ordered a kilt.
They contacted me and had me change the size down but I should have ordered an even smaller size.
I am hoping Elsolel can fix it to make it fit better.
It will work for now but not well and could slip down.
Pics next week of me in both.


Next month I will be doing 4 5k events.
A local event Run/Walk of the Mill 5k on 20180908.

A virtual event for the Travis Manion Foundation on 20180909.
I get a patch for this one.
This one I am required to carry a pack since it is a ruck.
Will see what I can carry but might be light due to physical limits at this point.

Elsolel and I will be doing the AFSP 5k on 20180916, (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention)
You can help us raise money by donating on my page.
When more than 100 people a day end their lives, we should do something.

Elsolel and I will be doing the Warrior 196 5k on 20180929.
This raises money for scholarships for students of district 196 in the names of the students from district 196 that have fallen while serving in the military.

Numbers for this week.
Not great but I am bloated and constipated from the antibiotics.
I have a feeling next week will be a decent drop.

DATE	6/24/2018	08/19/2018
Weight	374.9	313.4
Around Shoulders	64.25	62
Chest at Armpit	58	55.25
Chest at Nipple	60.25	56.5
Chest at Sternum	60.5	54
Waist	66	59.5
Hips	50	46.5
Bicep	22	19
Forearm	16	15
Wrist	8	8
Thigh	29	27.5
Calf	20.5	19.25
Ankle	11.5	10.5

Pictures.
While I still don't like what I see, I can see improvement.
There are definitely times where I look at these and don't like myself.
Even with the improvements, it can be tough.

#DFQ
#IAmWorthIt

One of the Biggest Reasons

I got a notice that it was time to re-order some of my meds.
I logged onto Walgreens site and when I checked the status I had this display.

This picture is one of the reasons why it was worth it for my company to cover my surgery.
I have switched from U500 ($1500/40 day supply) to U100 ($200/40 day supply) and reduced the total amount.
I have already stopped 2 of my meds.

I am no longer taking Metformin or Gemfibrizol. 

I doubt they will put me back on Metformin with how my numbers have been going. 

I switched to a new Insulin Pump, the Medtronic 670G with the Guardian CGM.
Been dealing with some learning and a few issues with the CGM and it crashing low.
Think part of the issue is I am just getting over taking a blood thinner to keep me from clotting after surgery.
I am having some awesome numbers tho and expect my A1c to be really good when they take it in 2 months.
If I stay at that average for the next 2 months, I will have an A1c of 5.6.

My trainer is amazed that I am within range so well.
I reduced my range down from 135 to 100.
I don't want to be 135 since it won't bolus thru the wizard at that level.

This is my unofficial weight, but close, I am sure, since I did compare it to the doctor office and is down from 374.9 pounds at my final weigh in before starting.
That is 59.3 pounds.
I go in to the doctor in a week and expect to be in the 30? range.

I know I am going to have to work thru body image issues.
Elsolel posted a pic that I was looking good and I am still trying to match new me to old me, especially with as fast as it has come off.
I still don't look at myself and see it.
I know that is why I have to do the compare pics.
So I can see a real difference and work on believing it.

Pics for this week.
There are differences.

I really have a problem seeing the difference with full clothes on.

Different types of pics but you can see a difference.
Body pics.

#DFQ

18 Days Post Surgery

18 Days Post Surgery.

Still learning what I can and can't do.
When stuff will hurt if I do it without thinking.

So my mistakes so far:
I didn't pay attention to the diet restrictions and ate cottage cheese too soon.
Hurt but that went away, no long term issues.

Made my potato soup too thick and ended up eating too much and that hurt.
Again no long term issues but definitely uncomfortable.

I have been feeling a bit light headed in the last 4 days, especially when I go for longer walks.
Went in to the doctor and had my blood pressure checked.
My pressure actually went up when I went from standing to sitting to laying down.
Doctor wants me to reduce my blood pressure meds to 1 time a day versus 2.

Looking at wrist blood pressure cuffs.
Let me wear it while on walks while I adjust my blood pressure meds.

Officially I am over 50 pounds loss.
Today I was 323 at the doctor office.
That is down from 374+ prior to my surgery and liquid diet.

My weigh in on Sunday at home had me at 321.6 pounds.
That is down from 374.9 at my biggest.so unofficially 53.3 pounds.

My lean mass is still holding in the 215 range so I am not losing too much muscle at this point.
Probably due to the high protein intake they have me taking in.

Elsolel took a pic of me on Sunday.
She said she thinks I am looking good and can tell but I am still not happy with how I look.
You can tell that I have lost weight but in my head, I am still fat.
That is going to take a long time for me to get past in my head.
I am sure as I lose more I will feel better.

So my measurements and numbers from day 1 when I started the pre-surgery diet.

DATE	6/24/2018	08/05/2018
Weight	374.9	321.6
Around Shoulders	64.25	62
Chest at Armpit	58	56.25
Chest at Nipple	60.25	56.25
Chest at Sternum	60.5	54.25
Waist	66	58
Hips	50	46.5
Bicep	22	19.75
Forearm	16	14.75
Wrist	8	8
Thigh	29	28
Calf	20.5	19
Ankle	11.5	11.25

You can see the difference in the pics I did as comparison pics.
20180624 compared to 20180805.

I start pureed food on Wed.
We are going to get a new Ninja processor from Sam's Club so I can do the puree and mixing easier.
The blender I have is OLD, and very difficult to get stuff out and clean.
Will probably donate it or something.
Same with my OLD food processor.
They work but not well, are difficult to clean, and won't do the job I need from them.
Or put them in storage unit for now and see if they can be re-purposed.

Picked up some sunflower butter for a meal too, but had to get smooth. 😒
I got some ham to make some ham salad.
Eggs too.
Plan on putting those in the Ninja and running it with some mayo to make up meals.
Figure I will be able to eat maybe as much as a regular egg, possibly even less.
Then I have to wait to drink or I will definitely feel uncomfortable.

I did adjust my insulin basal reading down.
I started it about 74% of my pre-surgery amount and adjusted it down another 4 units.
My A1c is going to probably be 6 or below when they test in 2 weeks.

I have also had to adjust my sensitivity.
How much insulin I take to keep my numbers down.
I am hoping when I switch over to my new insulin pump, that will be even easier in the long run.

Since Animas is no longer doing pumps, I am being switched to a Medtronic 670G.
Training is on Thursday and then I will be on that pump.
After a week or 2 they will put me on a closed loop.
Where the pump will adjust basal to keep me on target.
Will see how well that works.

Having issues with my C-Pap.
Too much leakage.
Not sure how much is due to me sleeping on my back versus my face changing shape.
Might have to go in to the sleep store to be checked out and see if I need to make some changes I can't figure out.

More later.

#DFQ