"Amazing"

I wore a button-down shirt on Sunday. My daughter took one look at me and said, "Mom, you look amazing."

Did you hear that? I looked amazing! In a shirt I bought awhile back, but had never worn because it didn't fit "right."

And today at the day job, one of the staff said, "You're wearing a button-down shirt! Wow! Feels good, doesn't it?"

My efforts are starting to pay off in compliments. Oy vey. Such a treat!

Darr

Mirepoix rocks

My new best friend is canned tuna.

White meat chicken gets "stuck."

I do OK with dark meat, however.

Must be the "moistness" of dark meat over white.

My current favorite dish is mirepoix (ready made at Trader Joe's)with lentils and tuna or smoked trout and some crumbled blue cheese. Everything is already chopped very tiny and nothing gets stuck.

All I can say to that is: hooray.

Darr

A second trip to the filling station

I have now 5cc in my 14cc band. It took three pokes, too. My "port" apparently has a "bubble" around it which my body will "absorb" eventually. Ewwwww...

I'm on soft foods for a few days. The nurse gave me some input into my difficulties eating meat. Use sauce! A little gravy. A little BBQ sauce. A dash of ketchup. Anything to help smooth the protein down my gullet.

My hormones have been totally whack lately, and she says that is also a normal reaction to being banded. Hooray.

She said once I start losing belly fat (Oh, God...please...) my port will be easier to find and I won't have to endure so many needle sticks to find the little sucker.

My clothing is getting large--though I've lost only 37lbs.

Today, I get to have the rare treat of smashed potatoes for lunch! I generally avoid spuds, corn, bread, rice and pasta. But today is a "soft foods" day. Such a treat. Oy vey.

Darr :)

My ad at The Romance Studio this month :)

I actually have two. One for my books and one for the readings I do.

Darr :)

Am I chicken to eat chicken?

Cooked some lovely chicken thighs this morning, all nice and chopped up...

Popped a piece in my mouth as I packed a cup of it away for lunch. Yummo!
Popped a second piece into my mouth, swallowed, and PB!

Ate too fast!

Darr

10/18 -- 1 month post surgery

One year ago October, 2007

The end of steak...

Sunday I made carne asada for dinner. Thin slices of beef spiced with "Mexican" flavorings. Yummo.

I had one bite--and it was a small bite--I chewed. I chewed some more and I swallowed. It got stuck.

I had a golf ball in my chest for 24 hours. Right when I knew I was "stuck" and the "slimes" started, I did try to get it to come back up, but it wouldn't. I was miserable for 24 hours until that little morsel of steak finally went down. I drank some acidic juice in little sips to break down the meat and was able to eat some oatmeal on Monday. By the time the food passed my band at 7:00 p.m., I was ravenous. I ate a couple pieces of string cheese and went to bed.

The fill nurse told me to "eat foods that will stay above my band for awhile." I don't think she meant 24 hours of time above my band.

I ate some steamed garbanzo beans and tomatoes w/ black pepper and a little Parmesan cheese this morning for breakfast. About 1 cup. I can tell they are sitting "above my band" but hopefully not for 24 hours.

The "golf ball" thing hurts and I am going to miss steak! Oh, well. I'd rather have my band be my best friend than a steak.

Darr