Another advance...crunch, crunch!

Yes, I've been "advanced" again...this time to the "advanced" foods.  I saw my surgeon and his team yesterday, and got the okay to eat whatever I can tolerate.  That includes salad and raw veggies!  I've been cooking my veg. soft (not quite mush, but bordering on it) for the past 6 weeks, so I am looking forward to the change.  Since I'm vegetarian, I haven't had to deal with the experience of eating and perhaps not tolerating meat-substances, so protein sources will remain pretty much the same.  However, a little more crunch will be welcome. :-)

Since schedules meant my 2 week follow-up was at 3 weeks, and my 6 week follow-up was at 9 weeks, we decided to have my blood drawn yesterday and skip the 3 month visit.  (It would be 3 weeks away...seemed a little much.)  They gave me a B-12 shot and sent me on my way.  So long as everything continues to go well, I will go in again in the middle of May.

And, they say everything IS going well.  I've lost 82 pounds, 42 of it since my surgery December 14, so according to them, that puts me right on track as far as weight loss.  They warned it might start to slow soon, and that exercise would be especially important moving into that phase.  I am having a lot of pain in my left hip (where I have no cartilage left), so may ask my primary care doc for a referral to PT again to see if some new exercises of the hip muscles are in order.  I thought it was interesting that my nutritionist mentioned the changes our bodies must make as we shift our weight (either up OR down).  She is pregnant (due in April) and used herself as an example!

   On a somewhat related topic, my clothes have been falling off me (especially my pants), so I went out to a couple of thrift shops after my doctor's appointments yesterday.  However, I came home with pants that were too small!  I think I was compensating for the annoyance of having to hitch my pants up when I walk--but it is very frustrating.  Now I'll have to go out again, probably to different shops because they didn't really have good choices in the next sizes up anyway.  I really was clueless about pants sizes, but think I overestimated my progress.  :-(












On a totally UN-related topic, it's a three day weekend!  Although I of course have grading and such to do, it will be nice to have three days to sleep in a little and hang around in my (very baggy) casual clothes.  If you get a holiday also, hope you enjoy it!