Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Lactose intolerant/Chocolate and sweets go to ....

Who would ever thunk it? I could always drink milk and milk products without any problems. And now, oh the stomach gas and well.. more than that. I switched to lactose free like the dietician said to try, no problems. Fine, be that way. Price of MY milk just went up. LOL
Now I'm here fighting with protein drinks. Why oh why does society think that every obese(fat,full figure ,overweight, whatever 'they' want to call it) likes sweet drinks and chocolate? Guess what? I DON'T!! If I have to sip on something for awhile, just give me something plain. Like vanilla, or fruity, or no flavor I can put into a favorite drink of mine. Heck, you can do it with everything else.
Take Sugar Free Carnation Instant Breakfast. The Dieticains said it was also a good way to get in protien. Ok, no problem. I went to 4, yes, 4 stores. All had CHOCOLATE!
Now I know I'm not the only 'big person' out there who doesn't get off on that flavor. Lizz was cool and looked it up for me on her blackberry and she said she found Sugarfree Vanilla. Ok, that's good. I'll just look it up and find out where it's sold.
I just finished my supper of oatmeal. I like oatmeal. My pouch likes oatmeal. (And it's not chocolate! LOL )
Ok, enough of that ,Ruthie.
Big day today. I drove the furthest. Went to Wishard Hospital at IUPUI to meet Mom for her ALS Clinic. Lizz went with me. Lot of walking! Short of breath! Pulse rate rapid, but darnit I did it! Then found out my pedometer was on wrong and didn't get any of that calculated. What could I do? I fixed it and went on.
Whew was the rain and floodings crazy at 7:30 am this morning! Took Lizz and I an hour and 15 min to get there from here. Lizz learned alot and took some good notes.
We came home and I crashed. I slept for 2 hours.
Tomorrow I'm going to venture out and get me a pool. Not a wading pool, not one with a filter. But one big enough for me to sit in, and lay down in and also be able to move my legs and arms in the water so I can just feel them exercising in that fashion. I have the perfect area in my yard. Shade and privacy. I'm going to make it my private 'oasis'. Ahhhh.... peace and serenity... More baby steps!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Exhausting day but why?

All in all,shouldn't have been a bad day, but I'm exhausted. I slept so good last night, woke up in usual pain, so I took my pain med. Went back to sleep after a half hour. Got up,took a nice bath (hey,2 wks out, it's ok now!) and was happy to see all the steri strips are off and the 6 surg areas look beautiful.
I got dressed, grabbed all my meds together, 2 ounces of yogurt,powerade zero and headed off to go watch Tom at Karate.
For one thing, today is Tom's 15th birthday. I want to spend as much time with him as I can.
I got there and he was already working with another Sensei. I took my meds like I'm supposed to. Sparring wasn't done today so we came on home early. Jay ,Tom and I headed off to pick up items at the store. I ate my yogurt, then after drink my gatorade. I walked in Walmart good.
We picked up his 2 friends, brought them home and I started fixing lunch by chopping onions for the hotdogs and getting the beans ready. Next thing you know I remember needing to go lay down. 4 hrs later, I wake up in bed.
Jay said I came out and told him I needed to lay down. He told me to go up right then. (he was starting the charcoal) He said he checked on me every half hour. I was in bed, in my night gown, no glasses on. So I must have known want I was doing but just have no memory of it.
Once up, I am still tired, but spent the rest of the day keeping Tom and his friends busy and happy. They were getting bored so I suggested getting the Mad Magazine game out. (From the 70's) Perfect!! Tom said later 'Thank you,Mom, it was great!'
I made them pink and regular Crystal lite lemonade and they sat at the kitchen table and had a good time.
Later we took them home, and went to Meijer. I got my sandals, (and walking in them I guess I don't like them as much) and after coming back went over to Kim's to look at her Flamingo's again. (Just another ha ha at her house lol)
That took me down to here. I'm tired again. I only got 4,305 steps in. .64 mile.
What the heck? All I know is, this puppy's needs some more sleep.
Sweet dreams to you all!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Doc appt today

Dealing with more shortness of breath took me to another doc appt. I lost more weight! Yea! Here it's 19 lbs. At my GP doc I was 294 in May. Today I weighed 270. My doc was so happy for me. I told him, yea, well, you also said that if I lost weight my back and hip pain would go away. He said,' yes, I did, but I think maybe it's going to mean more weight',and he kinda chuckled.
If I hadn't been on the exam table, shirt up ,his hands on my tummy,I might have choked him with his stethoscope, but I was nice.
My B/p is running low. Lower than it should. When I stand up it drops even more and makes me very dizzy. This is all from the weight loss,too. I have always ran low.
I see a cardiologist June 30th. Ok, no problem. But you're not going to stop me.
I got 10,000 steps in today! Oh yea!! And that was without actualy walks. I took it easy and just did casual shopping and walking around the yard. (The 'back 40' as I call it)
Jay was in Richmond,In for 2 days. He's home now. He goes to St.Louis next week then on to Chicago. He'll be gone for 4 days in other words. It's ok though. I'm doing better except for the shortness of breath.
I have the best neighbors and I know I can call on them if I need them. (Thank you all!)
Tonight, I'm taking my Ambien. I didn't last night. I worried about the leg cramps I have. (My worked out muscles cry out for the blood it needs and my poor circulation leg doesn't want to give it up.. hence.. cramp. Nothing really helps this but quinine. )
I also worried about the shortness of breath.
But as Dr. W told me today, 'sleep Ruthie, you got to get some sleep'. Ok,Doc, I hate to admit it, but you are right. Ruthie is going to take her Ambien, along with my pain med and sleep.
Oh, I have asymmetrical mandible. All due to my previous brain surgery and this most recent one. With my brain surgery in 2001, my left jaw had to be dislocated , and muscle cut, then reattached. I have problems at times with my right jaw wanting to dislocate. I've always been able to stop it just in time and with very little pain.
However, since my current surgery, my right jaw in the temporal area is very painful. Yawning is awful! Smiling sometimes terrible. Laying on it, etc.
This is what happened... With anesthesia.. To entubate, they tilt your head back, jutting your jaw out, then open your mouth,wide. More than likly when they did this, unbeknownst to them, they dislocated my right side of my jaw. OUCH is right!
TMJ will now probally follow me forever. Ok, well.. Life goes on. I'll deal with it.
I'll take this all, one day at a time,Sweet Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

June 15th,2010

Oh man.. First day alone. Hubby at work, kids at summer school. Trying to get neuro to change my Keppra (epilepsy med) from oral pill to oral susp. Kinda a duh for the doc. The pill says 'do not crush, bitter. Take whole'. Ummm.. I have to crush it. It's bigger than an ASA and I had RNY. My fave pharm and I kinda had to laugh at it. Docs sometimes only see it from the 'medical part'. You know, 'gotta fix it'. Don't let her have a siezure no matter what. Hey, i appreciate that, but in this case, next time let the nurse write the order and then you sign it. Been there, done that! LOL
Can someone please pass the toilet paper? Yes, I know gross. But all the fluids that go on, want to come out and it's not always through the bladder. In this case, I'm glad all my plumbing's working!
Housework. Let's face it. I have to admit, nobody cleans the way I want it done. Ok, Lynda,Mom,Bob, I said it!! ROFL! I really don't care about others houses, I just want mine they way I want it. Not perfect,just remove enough dust so I can be happy, ok?
But it's not ok. And I'm having to learn to live with that, and it's killing me!!! LOL
I'm more short of breath than ever. Just not the same as before surgery. I know I'll be better, but for now, whooooo... this isn't easy. Walking outside, forget it.. humidity whooped my butt.
But I got to keep going.
I vacuumed today and cleaned my counters and did some dishes. Bending over is not good though. Hurts my tummy and sends me spinning.
I have a call into the dieticitain. (Forgive my spelling. Use webster if you really care.. I don't lol) Haven't heard back yet. I called them this morning at 10 am.
I'm going to try to make the family a a chicken and veggie stir fry. One of my favorites!
Me? I'll eat yogurt and peaches. Yummy,too,though!
Working my way to a healthy weight!

Monday, June 7, 2010

4 days post/op

Ok, this is hard. I'm sore in the tummy.My hip hurts when I walk. But I AM walking.
Tomorrow I'll start on protein type foods since I've finally started passing gas.
The hard part,is, my husband is a great cook. However, my nose still works. He's made Baked Ziti,Chicken parnesean, and as of right now, I'm at the kitchen table becuse the chair is comfortable and I'm using my laptop.
Worse thing? They are eating Manwich's (bold) steak fries and corn.
People, I've chosen this new lifestyle, and I'm glad I don't have nausea, but this good smells are hard.
I can't let food win,though!