So tomorrow will be three three weeks since surgery, here's my update.
After my one week check-up, my surgeon referred me to a bariatric nutritionist. She has put me on a strict liquid and puree diet. It has become quite tiresome not having anything to chew, but as long as I put my mind off food and concentrate on other things it passes. Although the smell of toasting bread sets me off. Bread was always my weakness.
I now understand what the term "head hunger" means. I have no physical hunger whatsoever, in fact I find that I now forget to eat or drink my protein shake. I have to set an alarm on my phone to remind me. But if I smell or see something tasty, I immediately get cravings which feels so much like hunger.
I go back to see my doctors on Tuesday. I have some lab work to do tomorrow as my surgeon wants to see how my blood sugar and triglyceride levels are doing. Before surgery, they were both off the chart. I also hope that he will clear me to fly. A grounded pilot is a grumpy pilot! It was actually my last pilot medical exam that set me on this path of surgery. It was then I found out I had type 2 diabetes, hypertension and a very high risk of heart attack caused by being obese.
I also hope that the nutritionist will put me something with taste. The protein shake is too sweet for me, although I've adapted it by blending it with ice and decaf instant coffee, so it's kind of like an ice mocha chino which is actually quite nice. I've been able to keep my hydration up by drinking gallons of tea. Being a typical Brit, she told me I could drink as much tea as I want.
Last Friday night was my first social gathering with all my ex-pat mates. Friday night is pie night at our local pub. All our ex-pat mates join up every Friday night and has been a thing for quite some years now. I decided to turn up and had a bowl of soup and drank tea all night. It wasn't that easy seeing my friends tuck into their delicious pies, but the soup helped me feel full and the tea gave me something to drink while they were all boozing. But it was nice to see how supportive all my friends were. My doc has told me to wait at least three months until I can drink. I think I can manage. I will have my first drink on my birthday which is in April, so I have something to look forward to.
But by far the most positive thing has been the astonishing weight loss. 27lbs in three weeks! I'm amazed. I bought myself some fancy body analyser scales and I'm pleased to report that the weight loss has been mainly fat. Sometimes I am low on water, but at the moment I'm not losing muscle mass which is encouraging.
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