Major challenge this week....

[frankcahall]

Well as you all know I am 18 days out. I am still stressed out from the huge stall I am in.

I have to do a party for 60+ this saturday. We are talking, Renting Tent, Tables, chairs. I have to do all of the cooking for this party. All the normal house cleaning and all too. Theme is Traditional American Italian feast.

What you all don't know about me is I am a chef. I do not do it as my living anymore. My family and friends in the past know that coming to Frank's house means awesome food. Still healing. Still having issues. Now I have to make all these favorites for family and friends. Am I wrong that I am finding this really depressing.

Part of the stress is that this party means my 18 year old son is leaving home next week too. Between the surgery, my son leaving, having to make all this food, and not loosing weight I think I am at my most depressed in my entire life.

Sorry for venting....

[jamiesmith_26@yahoo.com]

Well first this is a good place to vent! I am a mother of 6 as soon as I returned home my job was cooking and cleaning. I was really dreading it! The first day I cooked (1 wk out) I actually loved watching evryone enjoy my meal. I was surprised that I had no desire to taste while cooking.I also asked family members (my kids) to help out with the cleaning. It will work out fine for you you just need to let some pride go and ask someone to help with the clean up. Good luck.

[frankcahall]

I have been cooking for my family at home since day 4. No one else here cooks worth a crap. Ya my wife could burn water. I to enjoy watching them eat and enjoy. The real challenge is that "Italian" is it for me!!!! I have to make all my favorites. 7 entrees plus all the fixings and desserts. Its almost facing a major demon for the first time kinda thing

[Rae]

Big hugs going out to you Frank. Vent all you want. The more you share the easier it might be to find the strength to keep on keeping on! Is your son going away to college? Who is your support team helping with these rentals, setting up, prep work? What kinds of foods are you going to make? Don't worry about the stall for now, just keep moving even if your legs feel tired and keep drinking no calorie liquids in their most natural form. Any day that you are not gaining weight you are ahead!

[rammajami]

I sooo understand! I am a cook too, and it is really hard to not taste the food to make sure all the flavor profiles are spot on! I was also depressed the first couple of week, one because I wasn't able to take my meds regularly like I did before surgery, and 2 because I couldn't do all the things I usually do, like cooking and cleaning too. It is OK to ask for help...your family might even enjoy helping out...My daughter has learned how to cook more now, than before, and my son is able to fix simple things that I did for him all the time. my husband, is a different story...he's just spoiled!!! LOL
The one thing I can't believe, is, that after 4 weeks out, I finally broke my plateau! I was beginning to think that I actually didn't have the surgery!

[BusyGirl]

Are you kidding me? This is THE place to vent!

I have to say, I do not envy your dilemma, friend. That sounds like a nightmare, BUT there has to be a way(s) to make it less nightmarish... It sounds like it's quite the shin-dig. Is it possible to have an Italian Restaurant cater the party? Or maybe have some of your closer family members (that can cook) help out? If not, you'll just have do the best you can and know that you have your entire sleeve family behind you. The suckage factor in this is obvious, but what might not be so obvious to you is your own strength. If you can conquer this (which I KNOW you can), you can conquer ANYthing. I know it's tough, but we have to remember what got us into the position we're in.

As for your stall, Forge' aboud eht! (See what I did there? Keeping with the Italian theme here.) Your stall will work itself out. Seriously. It will. I know it's frustrating, but they all work themselves out. Just stay off the scale, and keep doing what you know you're supposed to be doing.

[Glock]

You'll be OK Frank. I don't desire food anymore (6 weeks out) and I love it. It makes it easier for me to succeed. Of course I don't cook. It's an adjustment, but I think you're gonna be alright, bro. It's a big change and you're still in the early stage. Hang in there.

[frankcahall]

So today.... all the cabinets and kitchen scoured. Up next? Baking Desserts and cakes......

[Kamorablue]

I think you are going to get such satisfaction getting back in there and cooking this huge wonderful feast! You will be back in your element but you will be in control of your eating. Sure, you can taste your sauces to make sure their right. Have your family help you out with the non-cooking things that need to be done. You are in control of yourself and bc you were the chef of the house you will fit right back into your kitchen well. This event will be a great motivator for you! I have all confidence you will do just fine. Just bc you are cooking all these great items doesn't mean you will be eating like you used to. For one, you can't. If you try, your stomach will let you know your limits. My husband is the cook in the house so now we just don't cook as much. I miss getting in the kitchen and making casseroles. I was always the baker too. Now I just taste what I am making and not eating alot of anything. I enjoy just getting a taste now unlike before I would just eat alot of everything. I was truly a food addict bc I LOVE food! Now, I love my body getting smaller better than eating everything I see. It's a different life now. You can vent anytime you want! Hope your event turns out well. Get in there chef and do your magic!

[gloeygirl66]

Frank, Frank, Frank!! You have lost almost 100 pounds!! Can you please explain this "stall" to me!! You are doing great!! EVERY single person who gets sleeved has to ride the rollercoaster. We lose, we plateau, we lose, we plateau, ....... Don't worry..it WILL come off.

You are lucky. You will be able to eat a bite from all your favorites, but not overdo it. That is the beauty of the sleeve. Enjoy this time with your family & your son and being back in the kitchen doing what you love. Have your family set up the tables and tent...let others do the manual labor...milk your SICK card for all its worth. You don't want to burst one of your internal stitches. (sshhhh...they don't know you are healed by now) Have fun my friend. This is the good stuff in life...family and friends!

[splendaaa]

Frank, Frank, Frank!! You have lost almost 100 pounds!! Can you please explain this "stall" to me!! You are doing great!! EVERY single person who gets sleeved has to ride the rollercoaster. We lose, we plateau, we lose, we plateau, ....... Don't worry..it WILL come off.

You are lucky. You will be able to eat a bite from all your favorites, but not overdo it. That is the beauty of the sleeve. Enjoy this time with your family & your son and being back in the kitchen doing what you love. Have your family set up the tables and tent...let others do the manual labor...milk your SICK card for all its worth. You don't want to burst one of your internal stitches. (sshhhh...they don't know you are healed by now) Have fun my friend. This is the good stuff in life...family and friends!

Yah, what she said.

[frankcahall]

no weight loss for 9 days equals stall to me... but I can deal

[gloeygirl66]

Baby, when you hit 3 weeks like I have, give me a holler!! It's all good. The weight WILL come off. It all just happens so fast the first few weeks, we expect it to continue like that...it doesn't. The weight loss slows down for everyone. Patience and a positive outlook will help you on this journey....focus on the 89 pounds already lost

[newjoanie]

And this too shall pass. Son leaving is good.. He is growing up ... this has been your goal all of his life. You will miss him for sure but even more you will enjoy the man that he is becoming. Party and party food for me has become a time of enjoying doing things for others. I had a party last weekend (nothing like yours with rented tents and chairs) but I found great pleasure in feeding other people. I must admit that I move slowly so my husband had to help with the hosting duties but that is how it should be. Last and most important your plateau will break if you follow your plan and stick to it with a vengeance. Give yourself time to heal and lose. One day soon you will be visited by the whoosh fairy and those stubborn pounds will drop. In the meantime ... stop weighing every time you pass the scale- weight on one morning a week.

[frankcahall]

I agree on the loss. 85 pounds since 1/1/11 is amazing. These things will happen we all now it. Frustrating when it does? Hell yes... Frustrating so close to surgery? Oh ya... I found out why I have been having all the healing issues and pain. the top of my stomach is restricted some. Doc thinks it is swelling from all of the puking. If not better in 2 weeks I will get scoped and stretched. Healing we all do it different.

Thanks for all of the support!!!!!!