Good morning!
What a difference a day makes...
This is what I wrote on the day after I went to have excess fluid drained after my first surgery, and this FULLY covers how I feel today - and how I felt after going to the hospital.
As much as I found great relief, it was a traumatizing experience to say the least.
But let me start at the BEGINNING of the day, as I have more to tell.
...
I got up, and wrote my journal and got ready to go to the train station, to be on the train at 7:12 AM, heading to the hospital.
Before going, though, I was at the gym for a special little meeting. My gym boss turned 40, and the whole staff was there to celebrate. I was there as the first person, before ANYONE else, so I had that place to myself and started putting up little flags everywhere, and decorations.
The other coworkers showed up and we started making the whole place festive. It was good fun.
While it was nice and quiet, I decided to do a panorama photo of the place. I talk so much about it - I though it might be nice for you guys to actually see it.
Click
HERE to see the full resolution panorama, if you want to look a little closer.
Anyways, boss man was sure in for a surprise, and we totally made his day.
I got him to stand behind the counter with a couple of flags, took a picture of him and put it on the gym's official facebook page, and encouraged all the users to stop by and sing a birthday song for him.
MANY did! He called me on his way home from work thanking me for the most amazing day.
Boss man is becoming a good, personal friend too, and it was fun to do all of this for him, especially since I had to leave and get on the train.
...
So, I arrived at Roskilde Hospital at 8:45 AM, fifteen minutes before the phones opened. I wanted to just go and chance it to get a doctor to look at me, as the discomfort from the fluid buildup was unbearable. It hurt, bad!
So I went, explained my situation to the secretary and she asked me to go have a seat. I was prepared to be there all day if necessary, just to get this done. It's not like I had a choice, and it's not like there was anything I should be doing instead. I'm on sick leave for a reason.
It took less than twenty minutes before they called my name.
I came into a surgery room, and there was a surgeon along with two nurses.
He took a look at my stomach, and told me I basically had two choices.
1. I could be re-admitted to the hospital and they could re-do the surgery tomorrow.
2. He could attempt to cut me open a bit here and now, and we could drain the fluid. It would be no anesthetic, as there wouldn't be time for that here and now. I could have a local anesthetic, but that would hurt as much as the actual cut he'd make.
I asked him what was behind door number three. I really didn't like getting cut like that, the thought was really freaking me out.
Door number three had potential infections, pain and possibly discomfort at trouble for months.
I chose door number two. Seems like the less terrifying thing.
...
So, as I get undressed for the "surgery", they point out that I have started leaking. I have a huge red spot on my girdles - the ones that keep my stomach skin in place while I'm healing.
This is good. This means that the fluid WANTS to come out, and that the pressure basically is pointing us to the optimal point of entry, and possible telling us that less cutting is needed.
So they get ready, and take a look.
Well, lucky us realize that cutting IS indeed still needed, but as the doctor so elegantly said:
"Don't worry. Never in my career have I had any emotional issues with cutting a patient without anesthetics prior". Gee. Thanks. He knew I could handle the humor though. No hard feelings.
So, he cuts me open.
Let's just say I used all the £$$€$€££$!#¤&'s I had in me. It hurt like a mother! He got it done though, and I was allowed to hate him all I wanted.
They got to work, and I would literally hear the fluid pouring out. It was - to say the least - disturbing. The relief felt great, though.
The nurses were BUSY. So much came out. It all looked healthy, no infections. They had a small tube inside my stomach, and they had to change the little tray that the goo was pouring into constantly.
One of the nurses looked a little iffy. I was at some point thinking that she looked a little surprised by the whole thing.
I could tell how wet I was getting from all this. There must have been blood EVERYWHERE at this point.
So... I decide to take a peek. BAD mistake. There is literally bloody goo EVERY-frickin'-WHERE! It's gross. It's disturbing.
What's even more disturbing is that I see an actual fountain of the stuff pouring out of me.
Remember those splatter moves where someone gets their jugular cut? Yeah, that is how the stuff was coming out. Not cool, man. Just. Not. Cool.
So, I lay back, trying to go to my happy place. This is a bit too much for me in every kind of way. They keep checking up on me, and I'm essentially okay, but I can tell the the blood is running from my head and I feel sick. They tilt the bed so I have my head lower, and it helps.
The stream of fluid slowly weens off.
I take a deep breath, thinking that we're probably almost over.
This is when the doctor says "You know, it would help me work a whole lot if I could cut you just a little more open."
Geez.
So, of course I have to abide. He does it. I cuss him out. It hurt probably 3-4 times more than the first time. We get the fluid going again.
After about a full hour, we're done. It's all rinsed out. It's neat and clean.
He leaves the cut open, and tells me that there will be a nurse visiting daily to clear it out - just to make sure that we avoid any kinds of infection. That's fine with me - as long as there is no more cutting.
The doctor estimated that they took out 1300 milliliters of fluid. 1300 grams. 3 lbs. Damn.
It had better show on the damn scale. LOL.
Since I'm still feeling a little queezy, and they need to room for the other patients there, I am hauled out in the hallway, on another hospital bed. I get some fruit juice to help me get my bearings straight.
It was nice with the fruit juice, but it bothered me that I had calories before 11 AM. LOL. Still, I knew better than to skip the juice. I needed it.
After I was hauled out in the hallway, the nurse came out to me, and told me that she had NEVER seen that much fluid, and had NEVER seen it come out as aggressively as this. It was a MESS in there.
She then told me that the other nurse was actually an intern. It was her first day. I was the very first patient in her entire career! Welcome aboard, chica! :) I assume it can only get better from here on. :)
I took a couple of "after" pictures last night, to show you guys the difference it made.
I compare them with the same photos that I showed yesterday.
Front, before (notice the "pouch" of fluid sitting over the whole stomach.
Front, after the drain. Everything is a LOT tighter. It still looks horrible because of the bruising.
Side, before:
Side, after:
Can you tell the difference?
EDIT:
I took new "after" pictures after the nurse had been here to do today's drain. Things cleared up much more.
END OF EDIT
...
Yesterday was the first time I actually got to see the result of the surgery. Before, I have only seen it either all wrapped up in bandages, or with all the fluid sitting there.
This was SO COOL!
The skin looks like it now sits nice and tight around my chest and stomach. I can literally see my stomach muscles when I flex my abs!
This makes me want to take a challenge, when I am fully recovered. It makes me wonder whether I can actually build a six pack? Or, at least a 4 pack?
Regardless, it will always be better then the keg that I used to drag around.
...
The rest of the day I had to take it easy. There was nobody home, and I wasn't allowed to walk the streets waiting for Wife. I decided to go have my pizza for lunch, but nowhere in Roskilde were they offering pizza made from wholewheat flour, so I skipped. I took the train back home, decided to pass on pizza as it was getting too late. If I had my planned lunch at this point I wouldn't have had room for the huge dinner I had planned.
...
Getting off the train at home I stopped by the gym just to say hi. I then decided to just stay there and enjoy good company in a nice, comfy chair - instead of sitting at home alone. The end result was that I had two more names for my waiting list for my classes. Not bad.
...
Dinner? Well, things were crazy yesterday, and we ended up just getting whole wheat pita breads. I fit it all into my macros by getting a HUGE protein shake to make sure it was nutritionally sane what I was doing.
...
"But the numbers, Keld. The numbers! Give me the friggin' numbers!"
Ok ok... I'm happy to say that there ARE changes since yesterday - and I think it's due to the fluid. It's actually pretty interesting.
Check it out:
Weight:
07.12.13: 82.4 kg
08.12.13: 82.9 kg (pretty much average of the last several months)
09.12.13: 83.4 kg
10.12.13: 83.4 kg
11.12.13: 82.4 kg
12.12.13: 81.3 kg
13.12.13: 80.3 kg
Bodyfat:
07.12.13: 07.5% (6.18 kg)
08.12.13: 07.0% (5.80 kg - lowest in AGES!)
09.12.13: 06.8% (5.67 kg)
10.12.13: 10.8% (9.00 kg)
11.12.13: 09.3% (7.66 kg)
12.12.13: 12.0% (9.56 kg)
13.12.13: 10.9% (8.75 kg)
Muscle weight:
07.12.13: 72.5 kg
08.12.13: 73.4 kg
09.12.13: 73.9 kg
10.12.13: 71.5 kg
11.12.13: 71.1 kg
12.12.13: 68.0 kg
13.12.13: 68.0 kg
Fluid Percentage::
07.12.13: 68.5% (56.44 kg)
08.12.13: 68.3% (56.62 kg)
09.12.13: 70.5% (58,80 kg)
10.12.13: 65.6% (54.71 kg)
11.12.13: 66.0% (54,51 kg)
12.12.13: 63.6% (51.71 kg)
13.12.13: 64.4% (51.71 kg)
Total Daily Energy Exp.:
07.12.13: 3379 calories
08.12.13: 3424 calories
09.12.13: 3451 calories
10.12.13: 3342 calories
11.12.13: 3320 calories
12.12.13: 3179 calories
13.12.13: 3174 calories
Abdominal fat:
07.12.13: 4% (a first in a LONG time!)
08.12.13: 4%
09.12.13: 4%
10.12.13: 5%
11.12.13: 5%
12.12.13: 5%
13.12.13: 5%
I'm a full kilo down. This was expected, if my theories are right - along with the fluid drain.
I find it REMARKABLE that I am at 80 kilos. It's been RARE that I am this low, and here I am - simply by eating more. I still feel that I am eating CONSTANTLY. The difference is, of course, that I am not eating the same things as I used to. I make them fit into a system. I stop when I have to. I go when I can/want/have to.
Body fat dropped by 1.1% since yesterday. It's down by 3/4 kilo, and could easily compensate for about half the fluid that was drained, should we choose to read it like this.
What is MORE interesting is that during this both my muscle weight and fluid weight (not the drain, the "water weight") remain the EXACT SAME, down to the decimal.
The Water percentage is higher, as it's measured from a lower weigh-in, but the numbers stayed the same. THis is actually optimally what I'm looking for. Weight/maintenance wise, this is perfect.
I lost body fat. I lost weight. I retained muscle and fluid. I ate within 7 calories of my RDI. Everything ended up perfectly aligned with the perfect results. I probably won't see many days with this happening - there are way too many factors that can influence it, but it's pretty cool when it happens.
Once again, I convince myself a little more that this is the way to go.
Comparing my numbers with those from the last month or so, I don't see any significant muscle reduction. I expect that it will FEEL like it, when I start working out again, but so far there really isn't any. I'm impressed.
...
Today has been busy already.
Wife is home today, having the day off from work.
A long time ago she agreed to cook Mexican food for the 40th party that my gym boss is throwing tomorrow. There will be 45 guests, and expectations are high. Wife LOVES doing stuff like this, but it's also a massive stress factor for her.
A day like today, I will most likely constantly be in the way, no matter where I am. That's fine. She's cute when she is in this focus mode. I just try to stay out of the way.
We went shopping for the food at 8 AM when the stores opened. We've been up since 6 AM prepping, and things are finally settling down.
Wife is in the kitchen, and I am here writing my journal. I totally ran out of energy, so I am enjoying this little break. I won't be doing much more today. I will have to relax and take it easy.
In a little bit I will go across the street and hang out at the gym, and then go have my lunch. I'm craving my pizza still, but at the same time I don't really feel like it. I think I'm still nervous about the calorie hit that it gives - even if I know that I can handle it. It's all in my macros, and the macros are just fine.
On one hand, I feel that I should skip it, and go for something less. On the other hand I really want it, and kinda figure that I could use it to see how tomorrow's weigh-in will be affected.
Not that there is much point to evaluating from day to day, though. Our bodies just don't work that fast. It's much better to evaluate over longer terms. My buddy Nimm, who seems to be less active around here these days (I'm very sure he's just doing great and don't need us) suggested to evaluate over three week periods. That makes sense to me.
Still, it's only been one week since surgery and since my calorie intake change. I can only evaluate one week. But let's take a look regardless. I don't have all numbers, but let's see what I have.
These are the difference from Saturday to Today. I'd say they're impressive:
Weight: I am down 2.1 kilos.
Body fat: I am UP 3.2%.
Calorie intake: I have consumed an average of 3289 calories per day. This is on average 63 calories too low per day. I'm sure this isn't all that relevant.
Macros: I have been consuming 24.7% protein, 33.4% fat and 41.9% carbs in my food. I have met my protein goal of 190g every day, and since I am aiming for at least 30% fat I'd say this is about as good as it gets.
My fitbit says I average 7700 steps daily on average. That's a LOT more than I thought.
All in all, not bad numbers at all.
I gotta say I am surprised that I am losing weight. Two full kilos in 6 days is quite a lot, this late in the game - especially coming off surgery. Or does that help kicking it into gear? I'm not sure.
...
Anyways,
Today I am thankful for:
- You. For reading all this. I'm impressed.
- Wife. For helping cooking for the party. For staying (relatively) calm though the process.
- Coffee.
- A chance to sit down and relax. I need it.
- Getting that damn fluid out!
- NOT THE DOCTOR FOR CUTTING ME OPEN! :)
Have a great day - and a great weekend. I will probably journal a whole lot less the next two days. But I will of course keep recording stats and let you know. If I don't get to write one of the days, I will just have more numbers the day after. :)
Life is good!
