How it is, so far...

First of all, thanks.  So many people have made nice comments about this blog.  People have also said, “You’re looking good.”  Whenever I hear this, I spin around to see who’s behind me.  There is no way someone is saying that to me.  It is kind of like when a teenager calls me sir or mister.  I think they must be talking about my Dad.  But, people actually are complementing me over my weight loss.  I really appreciate it.  I’m flattered and embarrassed at the same time.

People ask me if it has been hard or if I throw-up a lot or if the ‘dumping syndrome’ is getting me down.  Some ask if I’d do it again.

Has it been hard?  No.  It’s been easier than any other diet I’ve tried.  I don’t get hungry.  I don’t crave food.  Certain foods taste better than others, and I prefer to eat certain foods, but I don’t crave them.  This is pretty remarkable considering I’d fill my car floor with drool while waiting in the drive through for my Whopper (with cheese, no tomato).  I do feel empty from time to time, but usually some liquids or a little food will take care of it.  My only indulgence is Greek Yogurt with Honey.  It’s doctor approved so I’m going with it.

Has it been hard?  Yes.  The first six weeks were difficult.  I felt very weak.  The weight was dropping off, but I didn’t have the energy to enjoy it.  I had to stick to very soft foods.  Any meat (beef, chicken, pork, even fish), no matter how thoroughly I’d chew it, would get stuck in my throat.  You know the painful feeling you get when you take too big of a swallow?  That’s how it feels; only it’s persistent.  Sometimes it would pass into my pouch, other times it would come back up.  I’d do a sort of semi-vomit (delightful, huh?), and up would come the meat.

Do I throw-up a lot?  Compared to getting the flu once in a while, I throw-up a lot.  It is a weird experience.  I get all the classic symptoms of having to throw up (watery mouth, a need to heave on a new carpet, wedding dress, polished floor, etc.), but sometimes it is just a throat clearing experience.  It isn’t that painful.  And the results are certainly less painful than having food stuck in your throat.   I had the full blown flu-type vomiting this past weekend.  I’d just eaten some food, and five milliseconds later I had my head in the kitchen sink (It was urgent, and I couldn’t find a wedding dress).  I knew there was food in the pouch, but my body did the standard vomit contractions.  Nothing came out of the pouch.  It was the driest of dry heaves.  It went on and on and on.  My son didn’t know what was going on.  He thought I was grunting to a song on my iPod.

Dumping Syndrome happens to me from time to time, but I really haven’t had major problems with it.  I try to be really careful with the types and quantities of food that I eat.  The biggest “dumping” trigger seems to be when I drink Pero with Sweet ‘N Low.  Does anyone remember Postum?  I loved Postum.  I was heartbroken when Kraft Foods discontinued it.  I guess the Utah market wasn’t enough to sustain the brand.  So, now I drink Pero as a Postum replacement. This is pretty funny considering Pero is marketed as a Coffee replacement.  If you add enough sweetener and creamer, Pero is drinkable.  Sometimes when I drink Pero, it triggers the dumping part of the ‘Dumping Syndrome.”   If you know what I mean.

Would I do it again?  Yes.  The positives outweigh the negatives.  I no longer have type-two diabetes.  I no longer have sleep apnea.  I’ve lost sixty pounds.  I’ve gone from 3x shirts to XL shirts.  I’ve gone from a forty-six inch waist to a thirty-eight.  I’ve gone from a quadruple to a triple chin.  I’ve re-grown hair (unfortunately it is in my nose, eyebrows, and ears).

I think I’m through with the worst of it.  The hospital stay was pretty miserable.  The psychological break with my comfort foods (all foods) was difficult, but I got over it after two weeks of non-stop crying.  The overall physical weakness was hard.  I’d get winded on short walks.  Climbing stairs felt like climbing Everest without oxygen.

Now I feel pretty good.  I’m used to the foods I can eat.  I don’t eat to fill emotional needs or out of boredom.  I’m gaining strength.  Sometimes I really feel like I’ve cheated the system.  Diets are supposed to be a struggle, a sacrifice.  Other than the first few weeks of adjustment, I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing anything. 

The doctor says that I’ll lose all of my excess body weight.  He also showed me statistics of how many people keep the weight off long term.  Statistically, I’ll gain some of the weight back.  But, I hope to beat the stats and keep the new me around for a while.