It’s been a month since I had my Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy!  I can’t believe it’s been that long, time has certainly flown by.  I’ve been through a lot over the last month and have learned a lot of lessons about my new life with Sleevie McGavin.

The first couple of weeks were tough.  I read on a lot of forums about people having these incredible quick and easy recoveries.  People who go shopping on day 2 and sky diving on day 3.  OK, sky diving is an exaggeration.  I tore a stomach muscle and was in a lot of pain.  The first days home I couldn’t even get in 2 oz of protein shake, so I focused on water.  I wound up back in the hospital for two nights due to tearing my stomach muscle from a popped stitch.  By the end of the first week though, things were getting better.  I was on bed rest until day 8 or so, and slowly began moving again after clearance from my doctor.  I am so happy that I was able to take two full weeks off from work, and honestly, I probably could have used a third week.  The first week back to work was no cake walk for me, but I got through it.  I allowed myself to go bed as early as I needed too, and I was very careful about ensuring that I took things slowly.

A month later, I am getting in 64+oz of fluids a day, in addition to my two protein shakes.  I’ve gotten in a routine with all of the supplements that I need to take.  I am progressing through the mushy/pureed phase and adding more and more things with a bit of texture (chicken salad or tilapia for example.)  I am feeling really good.  I do still get tired easily, but it gets better everyday.

There are moments when I wonder WTF did I do to myself.  But the majority of the time when those moments happen, they fade quickly or I remind myself that I needed this tool to be healthy.  I have had some head hunger issues, but I haven’t indulged in any of them.  We went to a festival this past weekend and there was a lot of food there, in incredibly large portions.  The smell of the food enticed me, and there were a few things I really wish I could have tried.  None of the things I wanted to try though had any nutritional value, so I reminded myself it was OK, I didn’t NEED fried Oreos, ha!  I also noticed people eating these huge portions of food, and it was like watching people eat in slow motion.  It seemed so glutenous and unnecessary.  Then I remembered that a month or so ago, I was eating that way too.

Below are photos from surgery day and then photos from 1 month post op.  I’m so disgusted looking at them.  I see absolutely no difference, maybe my ankles are smaller.  I know my clothes are getting bigger, heck I can now pull down most of my jeans without unzipping them, I just wish the loss would show up in the pictures.

Photo’s from 8/22 (Day of Surgery)

Photo’s from 9/22 (One Month Post-Op)

Measurements

I forgot to take pictures before I started the pre-op diet, but I did take my measurements the day that I started the two week pre-op diet.  The numbers below include changes since 8/8, the day I started the pre-op diet.

• Waist: -2 5/8″
• Hips: -2 3/4″
• Right Thigh: -1 1/2″
• Right Calf: -7/8″
• Left Bicep: -1/8″
• Neck: -1 1/4″
• Chest Under: -3″
• Chest Over: -5/16″
• Total Lost: -12 7/16″

I know a lot of people measure both their right and left side of their body, but that’s a lot of effort.  I’m pretty happy seeing the inches fall off where it’s easiest for me to measure!