A Promising Place to Find Good Recipes

One of the things that we are still learning about as we go along is what we can eat.  The relatively newly revamped digestive systems in our family don't tolerate many of the foods that are considered "normal" fare, and it is so crucial to get all the nutrients into what little bit they can eat.  We (T and I) are forever on the lookout for tasty foods that can be made in ways that satisfy these tiny, little appetites AND provide interesting and satisfying tastes and eating experiences.  There's no way to chow down on great quantities, so what we do eat needs to be exquisite...

Tonight, looking for ideas, I came across an interesting blog full of great ideas and wonderful sounding dishes.  We'll be dining on two of the recipes I found at Once Upon a Chef in just an hour or so...  I don't intend to turn this into a food blog, but surely, part of our way forward involves finding our way to foods that work.  This is just one resource to make our way easier and more enjoyable.

swan

Uncommon Conversations Ensue

I am enjoying my new body this morning. We got up about 10:00 marveling that our new floors we worked feverishly to clean and to reinstall all our furniture and possessions from the garage last night, where we moved them to be out of the way of the flooring workers, were still there. It wasn't all a dream. I have just been walking about nude all morning doing this and that and loving the fact that I am slender,

I am recalling my conversation with my bariatric surgeon Friday when t and I were in to see him for our 1 year post surgery check up. We both passed with flying colors by the way. t has made the average progress that one typically makes with sleeve gastrectomy and has significant health improvements as a result. I have actually lost more weight than is recommended for me. This was the second time a health care professional has told me it would be good if I regained a few pounds. And this comes after I've already regained between two to five pounds depending on where I am in my weight fluctuation. (Today I'm actually only up 1.5 pounds at 160 pounds from my all time low of 158.5 last December.) You cannot imagine what a thrill it is after an entire life of being overweight, to have Dr.'s tell you it might be good if you gained a few pounds! I never thought I'd hear those words spoken in sincerity. He then went on to verify my age. I am 60 now and will be 61 in less than a month. He pointed out that it is "uncommon" for a healthy person in their 60's to have their ideal weight and I am actually a little blow my ideal weight. I just looked at him and said, "Well, you know, I am an uncommon guy.....and I like it that way." A big grin came across his face and he said, "So I've noticed."

It was great to have an uncommon conversation about my new uncommon physiology and health.

All the best,

Tom

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.

One Year Later

It is late.
We've had a hell of a week, month, year...
We're tired and stressed out and sad and scared and ...
But ... this is a date that ought to be noted before it passes.
One year ago today, Master and T embarked, with great bravery on a path that would forever change their lives -- we hoped for the better.  It has not been an easy path.  There has been pain and suffering and a very great deal of adjusting as both of them have worked to learn to live with their very significantly altered digestive systems.  With all of that, between them they've lost some 222 pounds.  That's notable, and I want it noted here in this place -- before we all move on. 

I am awfully proud of the two of them.  I am thrilled for the new and healthier lives that they have ahead of them because of this choice.  Some few, sour souls have insinuated that there was a lack of discipline that set all of this in motion -- made it necessary.  That's just pure, ignorant nonsense.  There are real medical reasons why some people cannot successfully control their weight, and there are weight driven morbidity issues that make finding a way to conquer the issue a critical life decision.  Choosing the path of bariatric surgery is not a simple decision, and anyone who believes it somehow provides an easy fix is just an uninformed fool.  The surgery gave my Master and my T the tools they needed to get control of their weight issues.  It was not any sort of magic.  They have done the work, made the changes, and won the battle.  Today, in the midst of everything else happening in our lives, I want to shout from the housetops that this is a "birthday" of sorts and deserves its own celebration.

swan