Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Activities to keep my mind occupied...

...and get my body moving.

Mom is coming to visit the weekend of the surgery. The last time she visited I was very depressed and didn't want to do anything. Her visit helped make me feel better, but once she left I felt bad I didn't show her the sites. There are so many things to do around here in the DC area and beyond. Even going and seeing the museums I worked on. So this time, even though I will be right out of surgery, I made plans. I am supposed to be moving around anyway. The plan I am most proud of is tickets to the King Tut Exhibit at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. When I was little I remember a family trip to Chicago to see the exhibit then (in the 70s) we waited in this HUGE line for hours, but we never got in. Mom was disappointed. She has always had a thing for archeology and Egypt. So when the exhibit announced it was coming around again, I had to get tickets. It will mean 6 hours in the car but it will make mom really happy, and I am excited to see the exhibit as well. On the way up to Philly, I plan to stop in Baltimore so we can visit the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the one I worked on, so mom can see it. Plus I haven't seen it since it opened, only pre-opening. For the rest of the weekend I hope to take in some DC sites, the Cherry Blossom Festival is ongoing and the blooms are out, I was thinking about a bus tour of DC, and perhaps the SPY museum as well. It should be a tiring weekend.

22 days

22 days til the surgery. Just enough time to get nervous. But I am ready - let's go. I have been doing well with the purging and cleaning of the house. Moving furniture so I have room to exercise and just LIVE. But I need to actually START WALKING! I gotta get my circulation moving. Everything else is going well, I have the right foods in the house. I have plans for when mom comes to visit (lots of activities to keep my mind off food, pain, etc.). I am not sure what mom will eat yet, she can have whatever, I am sure after the surgery I won't be feeling like eating, and by the time she gets here I will be well into my clear liquid pre-op phase. I have found 3 really good cookbooks (I love cookbooks anyway) that will help to add variety:

Cooking With Soul
Recipies for Life After Weight Loss Surgery
Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery: Over 140 Delicious Low-Fat High-Protein Recipes to Enjoy in the Weeks, Months and Years After Surgery


Funny - I was always very anti-Atkins and now my diet will be very similar to that for the rest of my life... protein first... very low carbs...

Thursday, March 8, 2007

All clear.

I have been cleared... psychologically, fitness and physically/medically. My parents have helped me with the money. And now I have my final dates. My pre-op is March 27 and my surgical date is April 12. Here we go.
I have started my exercise regime. I have found a home for the cat. It's all about me now. Me, me, me.

Focus.