Last Day of Liquids!!!

I am so excited I cannot wait to share in my excitement! TODAY IS MY LAST DAY OF ONLY LIQUIDS!!!!!!! (I cannot insert enough exclamation points to make this happy enough)

It has been a rough 17 day road of only liquids. I have cheated (I did eat laughing cow cheese wedges the past couple days, and 1/2 a jello pudding one day), but overall it has been a steady diet of myoplex, protein packets, and Hint water. Mmmmm. The myoplex has really saved me because just 16 oz or so packs in 42g of protein. So I have been having one and then one or two additional protein packets (either "punch" or "boullion") which each have 15. My goal amount is 70g per day but I am finding that nearly impossible so I just focus on getting in what I can and trying to drink a lot of water to supplement. It has been a rough road, but I am VERY proud of myself.

I also went out to buy tofu last night. I am NOT looking forward to eating it but it is better than cottage cheese. I need to look up some exciting recipes for that. And I also got my sugar free Torani syrups to flavor my yogurt. So I figure these 2 things for meals (and possibly egg) and then supplement still with my protein packets or myoplex and then in 2 weeks.... I can eat normally again!!!!! Well normally but about 1/10 of what I used to eat. I get full now on 1 laughing cow cheese wedge.

Another thing that I have been thinking about is all of the food surrounding me. I love food. I love the look, the smell, the taste. I am in the hospitality industry, a board member of the National Association for Catering Executives, I live with a chef.... my life involves food at every turn. I was reading a post on my vertical sleeve message board and a woman was horrified that her husband brought home pizza despite the fact that she couldn't eat it and loves pizza. Yes, I agree that the husband is an a-hole for doing that but I also think that this woman needs to face reality. I have a family, I have to watch them eat delicious food nearly every day. But I made a choice to change my life, and if my doctor recommends letting my stomach heal and that I only drink liquids, then so be it. Yes I have cheated, but certainly not with something as crazy as pizza. God Bless that woman though... she chewed up a small piece and spit it out, just to get the flavor. So I can't be too judgemental. I completely understand how hard it is. Thankfully there is not a food that I "can't say no to" because I have said no to just about everything the past 2 weeks. In a way it inspires a sort of confidence for me, that I CAN do this!

Speaking of confidence, I stood on the scale this morning (yes it is a morning weight so probably not the most accurate, and I was only wearing undies) and I am now down to 224.4. That's another 2.6lbs down! Woohoo! I put on my work pants this morning, and I don't know if it is psychological or what, but they are definitely a little loose, especially in my thigh area. Like I said, I am not sure if all of this is in my head, or real, but I don't care, it feels great!

Another thing that is feeling great is my big surgery incision. "Big" is probably not very accurate. My incisions are really quite small, and I think my surgeon was pretty darn awesome. I saw another girl's incisions at a week out and her belly button one was BAD. Here is a pic of one of my small ones (taken about a week ago, so they are even better now. I have four of these). You can see that the area around the incision is reddish and that is because I am SO incredibly itchy : (

And here is a pic of my "big" one. It is about an inch long. And please excuse all of the stretch marks that my dear Benjamin graced me with about 18 months ago. He was 9.5lbs with too much amniotic fluid... what can I say?

Can't wait for the scars to fade and for me to begin my new life completely!