iNette

Sorry about my absence. I bought an iPod and my whole world changed.

That's right, I'm just like Judy Jetson now. I have all my music (and some of my photos!) all right there on my little iPod. I have officially moved into the 21st Century. I even have an iTrip modulator and 2 (count them, two) sets of earphones. One for walking and a nice Sony set for listening at home. So how do you like me now?

The real reason I got the iPod was so that I could listen to music while I exercize. Of course, um, there's that little problem of me not starting my exercize routine yet. I know, I know, it's an important part of the whole process, but I just get so tired still. I walk around alot, like Wal-Mart, Target, and the mall, but it makes me tired and it's just so hard to start a new routine.

I'm hopeful though, that soon I'll be able to start some aerobics. Well, maybe some yoga and pilates first. Then maybe some weight training. I just need to sit down and write a plan to do that.

For those of you who are keeping track I have lost 40 pounds so far. It's weird because I'm not even trying! I eat little meals and then I lose weight! It's like a miracle. I know that this will only last for a while, but I don't really feel hunger and I always stop eating before I get the full stomach feeling. Just like the doctor said to do. I feel better, I haven't taken any blood pressure or diabetes meds since the surgery. My scheduled checkups are going well, and next week I'm asking the doctor when I can go back to work (UGH). It's all happening and it's working and coming true. I'm living in a fairy tale (for a while yet at least).

The whole emotional eating thing had only gotten to me a couple of times. My niece Katie was over last week and ate 2 turkey sandwiches and barbecued potato chips. It didn't really bother me because I wasn't hungry, but it did bother me because I used to be able to eat barbecued potato chips. In fact, I could eat a whole bag of them if I wanted to. But I can't now. I don't know why it bothered me like it did. I have since gotten over it. I realize that I don't need to eat those things and I certainly don't need to eat as much as I used to. I stopped eating sugar and it didn't kill me. I eat low-fat things and I still enjoy the flavors. I still love to cook and have been for Anita and Eric.

I'm going to make it and I know that I can because I finally know who I am. I used to be a big, fat stereo filled with CD's, records, and DVD's and soon I'll be everything I was and more but just wrapped in a smaller package. iNette. I like that.

A Belated Catching Up & THE BAG

First of all, I would like to apologize for having been late in getting the next edition of this blog out in a timely manner. It's true I have been recuperating with no ill effects, so I do not have an adequate excuse for my tardiness. So let me catch you up on a couple of things.

First, I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who called, sent cards, flowers, etc. to me while I was indisposed. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in these respects.

Secondly, to Andy, my dear friend, I apologize for having left you out of the last before-surgery blog entry. It was not an intentional mislead in any respect. You have been my dear friend for many years and I appreciate your friendship with every fiber of my soul and would not trade that friendship for any other item of value on the earth.

(Anyone else think I've been watching too much of "Deadwood?")

Finally, to my sister Anita, I send a heart-felt thank you for everything you have done for me since my release from the hospital. You are the best caretaker a girl could have. You also are my friend, my cheerleader, and my confidant. I love you without limits.

The subject of this blog is to catch you up on events that have transpired since my release from the hospital on May 21. I realize it is already June, but there are a couple of things I need to talk about.


THE BAG

Because of my massive hernia, the doctor sent me home with a tube in my body cavity (A Jackson Pratt drain) which sucked pent-up fluid from the hernia sack in my belly. This tube was connected to a bag which required emptying every day.
Believe me when I say this was not exactly a pleasant experience. Firstly because the annoyance of pinning the bag to my clothes and carrying it everywhere with me was more than tolerable. As my body released this "hernia juice" I wrote it down - in cc's - to keep track so at the next doctor's appointment, he would know how much was draining and be able to take it out at the earliest convenience.

Well, at the next appointment which was on May 31, the doctor informed me that, 1) no one had ever kept track of the fluid like I was doing, and b) he could not remove the tube because the amount of fluid still draining was too much. This did not make me very happy.

For the next week, I kept strict track of the volume of drainage, plotted it on an excel chart and made a graph which indicated the percentage of decrease in the amount of fluid drained over time.

On June 5, I presented the doctor with the graph. He chuckled and put it right in my chart. "I'm going to go show this to some people right now." Of course he removed the drainage tube at my delight and now I feel free!! I am free from the constraints of carrying the thing with me, as well as the task of emptying the sucker all the time!

So having graduated to the next level, I am on the path to a healthier me. I eat very little, drink a whole lot, and have lost 34 pounds so far. I know that sounds like alot, but for someone as heavy as I it is just the beginning. I'm well on my way thanks to the doctors and staff at the hospital, my family and friends for their support, and to my own courage for going through with the thing. I feel like I am well on my way...