Poop

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery alters the digestive tract in very significant ways.  It reduces the size of the stomach, but it also removes a good bit of the small intestine, reducing absorption.  It can be a very effective tool in the pursuit of weight loss goals, and that has been true for Master.  The effects of the surgery, a year later are, of course amazing weight loss, but mostly just unbelievably improved health and well-being. 

There are still challenges to living in the aftermath of the surgical alteration of His digestive tract.  Eating is still something that we have to pay attention to.  We have to attend to the daily nutritional requirements, and we have to make sure that He gets all the supplements that are needed to ensure good health.  Some foods are still a real challenge.  We are only now finding that it is possible for Him to eat many of the vegetables that are commonplace on some tables.  The same is true for much fruit.  Beef and chicken are both sometimes very difficult.  Preparation makes a difference. 

One of the things that no one really told us about before the surgery is the dramatic impact that has been made on His bowel function.  After the surgical removal of small intestine in the first surgery, and then the resection of His bowel as a result of the bowel obstruction last November, we find that His insides are very touchy and that managing that to ensure His ongoing health and physical comfort is a tricky process. 

We rely heavily on twice daily doses of Benefiber and He routinely uses stool softeners to prevent serious constipation.  Our daily conversation always involves at least some variant of the "Did You Poop?" question. 

Who knew that the new skinny life He leads would be so continually focused on the workings of His bowels?

swan

Cheering Section

Our walks take us out and through and around our neighborhood. We walk six laps -- around and around and around. It isn't a big neighborhood, and we spend an hour and a half each day (or at least most days). We've been at it since April, and we've reached the status of a regular event with those who live around us.

The changes in that time are dramatic, as those who read here are aware, and it has reached the point where our walking is often interrupted by neighbors who drive by and roll down their car window and comment and cheer for the obvious progress. Just yesterday, one lady who lives up the street from us, commented on the weight loss, and when He reported his now 121 pound loss, she said, "WOW! I'm proud of You!"

That sort of response is so genuine and so heart felt, and it comes from people that we mostly know by sight but not by name. It is really amazing and a little bit stunning. It reminds us that people do see us and do pay attention, and that the change in our lives is one that has, in some small way, changed the world around us.

swan

Starting to Claim the Benefits

There have been so many amazing and wonderful improvements in terms of health, but also in terms of quality of life issues since the surgery. One thing that has started to come up in the last few days, however, just blows my mind...

We have a public official who is a great advocate for children's health. One way that he draws attention to the cause is an annual walk. Each spring, he and a group of supporters walk the 112 miles to our state capitol.

In the last few days, as we've walked our daily laps, Master has mused that, "maybe next spring...I'll walk with him."

Wow! The first time He said it, I thought it was an interesting idea, but as He has repeated it, I've started to hear it as an aspiration and a declaration of freedom and belief. Coming from someone who struggled to walk to the bathroom a year ago; who could barely stand up long enough to get dressed in the morning, that is a fabulous improvement in well-being on all levels.

Next spring! Let's all walk for kids' health!

swan

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

We are eight weeks post-operative and feeling better and better. Life is beginning to resemble what will, eventually become "normal" for our household, and we are making strides toward learning how to live this new life we've been given. Holidays, like today (Memorial Day) which used to be for big cookouts and serious feasting do present some emotional/intellectual challenges, but we are figuring it out. Today, we went to the Cincinnati Reds baseball game, and with a few appropriate snacks that we carried to the park with us, we had a very nice, very comfortable time... Life is good and getting better!

swan

We've Graduated

Yesterday, the visiting nurse saw Tom and formally and officially released Him from their care. She packed up the remaining supplies and the wound VAC, and prepared it to be shipped back to the company. It will be picked up today. She declared that the remaining wound seems clean and free of infection, so the latest antibiotic seems to be doing its job. There will be no more nurse visits. We need only to change the wound dressing each day until it heals, and that should be the end of that. Perhaps another 4-6 weeks. He will see the doctor tomorrow to have the infection looked at again.

Both are still coping with unsettled and unreliable tummys. Hopefully that will resolve with time, but we do seem to be stepping ever so gradually toward some sort of normal life again.

And the weight loss continues. I'll have to leave it to Tom and Teresa to report numbers -- I can't keep up!