My Gastric Bypass Story

November 25, 2017May 23, 2021

I had my first Steak since Surgery

At the start of me being officially 9 weeks post op I had my very first Steak dinner. Was I nervous? maybe a little, but I could not wait to dig in. I would never know if it did not sit well with me if I did not try right?

Hubby had bought some steaks last week to cook for dinner this week and honestly I think he forgot that Gastric Bypass patients have a fear of steak. A lot of people after Gastric Bypass actually have a hard time eating any meats – even Chicken. Lucky for me I am not one of those. I have had no issues at all with any meat I have eaten, but I had not given into Steak just yet.

I was actually very excited to try because I really missed having it. So while hubby grilled up the steak on the BBQ I made some sides for dinner. I sauteed up some fresh Mushrooms, made some Pasta Roni and Corn.

When we sat down to eat I took a small piece of the Steak which was cooked just the way I liked it – medium rare. I was hoping that would not be an issue, but I figured it would be worse if it were dry and I do not like my steak well done anyways. I also had some of the sauteed Mushrooms and a spoonful of the Pasta Roni. I skipped the corn tonight because it would have been too much – I let hubby and the kids have that.

So I cut up my Steak into small pieces and of course I had some ketchup on the side – like I have said in previous posts – I am a dipper. The first piece I ate was like a 4th of July fireworks explosion in my mouth – it was that good. I chewed it up really good and down it went with no problems at all. It is funny how good food tastes now after Gastric Bypass especially when it has been so long since you have eaten it.

I continued to eat and had no issues – I did spit a few pieces out if I found I could not chew them up really good (I now that is gross, but you gotta do what you gotta do). So I ended up eating my little piece of heaven Steak along with my sides and I was full. It was crazy to think that I could eat an entire Steak prior to surgery and now I was satisfied on less than a 1/4 of one, that blows my mind.

After dinner I waited for any reaction to my meal and NADA – I did the happy dance to think I can now add Steak to my Eat List.

I know there are many Gastric Bypass patients out there who are terrified to try Steak at all. I say get over it and give it a try. If you have not had much trouble with other meat than go for it. You will never know if you don’t try right? BUT make sure you are allowed to try some at the stage you are at post op.

Again I have been very lucky to have had no issues with pretty much any food that I have tried, well besides the Cereal Incident. I am so thankful for that and feel really bad when I hear or read the troubles others have had with foods. There are plenty of things that I have not tried yet and one never knows if I will react to them – it is like playing a game with your food. But if we do not try we will never know. I will not deprive myself of the things I loved to eat prior to surgery – the only difference now is that amount I can eat. Oh but I will say this – I have yet to try anything heavy with sugar. For me that is no big deal because I am not a big sweet eater. I am sure at some point I will break down for a real Cookie, piece of Cake or Cupcake.

I know my family reads my blog and so I would like to say “Sorry” to my sister in law Mo who is a vegetarian. You know I am an animal lover, but I like my meat – just sayin’

xoxo

P.S. I have found writing this blog to be very therapeutic – check out some of the benefits of writing a journal.

November 25, 2017

My eighth week after Gastric Bypass

I cannot believe that 8 weeks have gone by since my Gastric Bypass Surgery. Some days I feel like it was just yesterday that I had it and others seem like it was so long ago. It is definitely a crazy journey and this week I had St. Patrick’s Day to contend with, one of my favorite meals.

Other than planning for a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner with friends at my house and a reaction to some Cereal I ate this week was not bad at all. The weather has been getting warmer and I have been outside more which has helped with my mood. The warmer weather also gets me into Spring cleaning mode and I have a long list of things that I should be getting done – Yikes !! Hoping my motivation kicks up a bit more this list is longer than I would like it to be.

Here is what I ate so you can see each day for the eighth week:

(I am not gonna add the times on – just the order in which I ate)

March 12th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
Chinese Take Out – 3/4 cupish Beef & Broccoli with White Rice and a bite of an Eggroll
1/2 Slice of Muenster Cheese
Salad – Lettuce, Feta Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
Cereal – 1/2 cupish Honey Bunches of Oats with 1/2 cup of Skim Milk

So today I had some Chinese Food for lunch with the hubby and it was so good. Prior to surgery hubby and I would occasionally order take out for lunch and I would eat the whole lunch meal, egg roll and soup. It is amazing that I was only able to eat about 1/4 of the meal and I stole a bite of my hubby’s egg roll and was stuffed. That lunch pretty much kept me full all day. My sister had brought over dinner tonight, but I was just too full at that point to eat it and instead had myself a salad.

Later in the evening I was craving something sweet so I thought I would have a small bowl of cereal. It was my first time having any since surgery. Well that turned out to not be a good idea at all and it was the first time I had eaten anything since my surgery that caused me great pain. You can read about it in my post here: Cereal is not my friend. So with that being said Cereal is off my list of things to eat for now.

March 13th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1 Slice of American Cheese
Handful of Almonds
Protein Shake
1 1/2 Egg Salad
1 Chicken Strip that I made for my daughter
1 Small Slice of frozen Thin Crust Pizza
SF Ice Pop

I was so tired when I woke up this morning – maybe it was from the Cereal incident – who knows. After I got my kids off to school I just could not stay awake. I decided to go back to bed and I slept for another 3 hours. I tried to keep things light today since my stomach was not happy from that cereal yesterday. I did pick at my daughter’s dinner and ate a small Chicken Strip. My hubby and son were having frozen pizza for dinner which looked and smelt so good that I decided I would have a small piece. It was so good and thankfully it did not bother me at all.

March 14th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
2 Bites of a Cheesy Omelet
1 Egg Salad
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
1 Small Slice of frozen Thin Crust Pizza
Handful of Almonds
Baked breaded Tilapia, Peas & Country Cheddar Rice a Roni (Tarter Sauce to Dip)
3/4 Rocky Road Brownie Supreme Protein Bar
SF Ice Pop
Handful of Almonds

Yes I had another slice of Pizza that was left over – I wonder if I can handle a real slice of pizza – hmmm? We had fish for dinner and even though it was breaded and baked – I tried to pick off most of the breading. Right before I went up for bed I had a handful of Almonds – well that was stupid. I woke up not long after I fell asleep choking because I must have had some reflux from them and had puke taste in my mouth. Note to self – do not eat right before bed.

March 15th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Tea – no Milk and some Splenda
2 Egg Salad
1/4 Rocky Road Brownie Supreme Protein Bar
2 Slices of American Cheese
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 Tuna Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Coleslaw and Potato Salad on the side
Slice of American Cheese
6 Flipside Crackers with Cheese Spread

Uneventful day for the most part. I did have a Tuna Sandwich – first time having Tuna since surgery. I LOVE Tuna and it was good. I had some cole slaw and potato salad on the side, but not much of them at all.

March 16th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
Slice of American Cheese
A few bites of Coleslaw
SF Tastycake Chocolate Chip Finger Cake Cal: 100, Fat: 3g, Protein: 3g
Nectarine
A Handful of Peanuts – Elephant Peanuts I had to remove from the shell
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper

Hung outside on the patio today and enjoyed the warm weather. I also did some shopping with my daughter for St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow – they got out of school early today. I cannot wait to eat the Corned Beef tomorrow and hope all goes well with that.

March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day ♣

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
2 Egg Salad
Raw Broccoli, Carrots & Celery dipped in Lite Ranch
Corned Beef, Cabbage and Mashed Potatoes
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 cupish Sugar Free Ice Cream – Turkey Hill Cool White Mint

Today I was very busy getting ready for our St. Patrick’s Day company. All the fun stuff like cleaning the house – NOT !! I also enjoyed the smell of the corned beef cooking in the crock pot all day – it was like heaven. My daughter and I baked up some Green Velvet Cupcakes too. It was a beautiful day out today also so a lot of the day was then spent hanging out outside.

When it came time for dinner I made my plate with my Corned Beef, Cabbage and Mashed Potatoes – a much much smaller portion then all the years prior. I was just happy that I could enjoy the meal and I so did. I am also happy to say I had no issues at all. I did a post about it here: St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. Later that night I had a bowl of SF Ice Cream my hubby picked up for me – it was Cool White Mint which is a fancy name for Mint Chocolate Chip. I am amazed at how good Sugar Free Ice Cream is and this flavor was da bomb !! My new favorite.

I had a great time today with my friends and family I could not have asked for better weather. The kids all had a great time to I would say today was a success in more ways than one. Even my dogs were worn out form all the playing – lol.

March 18th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
Picked at leftover Corned Beef & Cabbage
1/2 Protein Shake
Bunch of Peanuts – Elephant Peanuts I had to remove from the shell
1/2 Ham Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo
A Piece of Corned Beef and some Cabbage
1/2 cupish Sugar Free Ice Cream – Turkey Hill Cool White Mint

Today was another really nice day out and I was outside and cleaning up from last night I had my daughters friend stay over from last night as well – so I had an extra kid (nothing new at my house). I picked at some leftovers in the fridge this morning – yup there goes that picker in me, but at least it was protein right? My friends stopped over this afternoon and hung out and chatted a bit and then I just relaxed tonight. I was beat from all the festivities. I did find I was not very hungry today and had to remind myself to eat – that is a new one !!

I would say this week went very well with the exception of the Cereal incident. I was able to get through a holiday that I love so much with no problem and still enjoyed the food as I have in the past, just this year I could not pile it up and pig out. BUT that is what got me to this point anyways so I was ok with that. I thought it would have been much harder, but I guess I am getting use to the change.

I have noticed this week that I forget to eat. I will be working on my computer and then realize hours have gone by and I have not eaten. I am not one for breakfast so my meals usually start at lunch with the exception of a morning protein shake from time to time. By the time I go up for lunch it is usually around 1-2 in the afternoon. Crazy right? I think so – what a change from the past.

Then by the time I start eating there does not seem like enough time to get in all my water and protein since it takes forever to eat and drink as it is. I am just not hungry (OMG did I just say that?). I did boil a bunch of eggs earlier this week so I could make egg salad and eat that for a quick boost of protein, but I get sick of eggs pretty quickly so I am not sure that will last much longer. The Protein Bars are also good if I craved sweets more, but I really have to be in the mood for them.

As far as exercise goes – I have still not done much. I have been up and moving more with the nicer weather so that is a plus. The closest I came to my treadmill this week was watching my friend Vicki work out after dinner on Saturday – lol. Exercise is just one of those things I hate, but I know I need to do – I still have that on my to do list – even if it is at the bottom. I have lots of yard work coming my way soon and that will help. My back has been bothering me a lot lately too so I have to watch that.

I still have yet to get in my 64 ounces of water which has been an issue since the beginning – I am probably only getting in just over 32 ounces. I will have to work on that too.

Ahhh so many thing to work on.

On a happy note I have gone down in my jean size and had to ditch the ones I was wearing because they are way too big. I got to shop in my closet in all my old clothes that I had put aside for that one day I will fit in them again. I started in a size 26 jeans and now have on a size 24 jeans – the 24 are also big on me, but all around the waist which is how I always am. My big butt holds them up for now, but they will be too big soon as well. I have not allowed myself to buy anything new with summer coming quickly. I will definitely need all new summer clothes since I donated them all prior to surgery – I am very excited about that.

The scale was VERY nice to me finally this week want to know how I did? Well then take a look at My Weigh Ins. I am not complaining at all this week – It is a celebration !! I am ready for Week 9 so here I come !!

Stay Tuned for some updated photos….

November 25, 2017

I made it through St. Patrick’s Day with no issues

Wooo Hooo I am happy to report that I made it through St. Patrick’s Day with no issues. I must have had the Luck of the Irish on my side even though I am not Irish (lol). I had my Corned Beef, Cabbage and Mashed Potatoes and danced the Jig !!

I love St. Patrick’s Day and every year we have our Corned Beef and I look forward to it. I LOVE Corned Beef !! My hubby is Irish and so we celebrate it every year. This year we invited our friends over for dinner too. The smell of the Corned Beef cooking in the crock pot filled the air all day and I could not wait to dig in.

I was nervous thinking that my pouch/stomach would not be able to handle the goodness, but no way was I gonna miss out on one of my favorite meals. I did bake up some Green Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting that I made from scratch with my daughter that looked so good and I knew that I definitely could not have any of those. But they were for the kids and everyone else and I was OK with that. It was the rest I was most excited about.

Here are some pictures from the day. My daughter – aka Mini Me helped me bake up the cupcakes. From what they all told me they were Delish !! My son loves Red Velvet Cake and Cupcakes so I made these with him in mind ♥. I also made all the kids a fun Leprechaun Drink which was made up of Lime Sherbert and Sprite, then I made some Green Mustaches and attached them to the straws for some fun photo ops. When it came time to eat I let everyone dig in before me and I watched them all pile up the food on their plates. I was kinda sad thinking I would not be able to do the same this year, but at least I could still eat it is what I told myself.

So here is my plate – not piled up at all. I tried to pick the pieces of Corned Beef that were not fatty (the small piece was a bit so I did not eat that one). Then I had some Cabbage and a small portion of Mashed Potatoes, which by the way were made by my friend and they were incredible !! Before my surgery I could have eaten the whole pot – Mashed Potatoes are one of my favorites. These were made different than what I am used to and had Garlic and even Eggs in them which I had never heard of before.

I ate it all – chewed chewed chewed and as much as I wanted to take another plate full I did not. I was very satisfied physically by what I ate – mentally I could have kept going.

After dinner everyone dug into the Cupcakes and had their fancy green Leprechaun Drinks. I made some Coffee and was good with that.

So there you have it – I made it through my first St. Patrick’s Day and did not feel so deprived. Ok one thing I did miss this year was my Mother in Laws Irish Soda Bread. She makes us some very year, but this year I told her not to. I did not want to be tempted by the carbs and I think I made the right decision. Next year may be another story.

Tomorrow is my Weigh In day and I cannot wait to see what the scale has to say, it better be good.

Stay Tuned….

November 25, 2017

A Couple of My Yummy Finds ~ Special K Cracker Chips and Supreme Protein Bars

I had to share a couple of my latest Yummy Finds with you all. When I find something yummy I just have to share and these are worth sharing.

My first share are the Special K Cracker Chips (Sour Cream & Onion). I came across these in a local store on a shopping trip one day and they sounded like a good option for those times when I am craving a crunchy salty snack.

I crave salty items more so than the sweet ones and I need to have things on hand that are not so bad when I do. I am not going to completely deprive myself of some treats now and then, but I am just going to make better choices. I have to say that these Cracker Chips are DELICIOUS !!! They are light and airy and have caused me no issues eating them. That does not mean you may not have any issues, but they are worth the try. I was truly surprised at how flavorful and satisfying they were for me.

Now here are the Nutritional Facts on them:

Serving Size 27 Crackers (they are about 1 1/2″ round each)
Calories – 110
Total Fat – 2.5g
Cholesterol – 0
Sodium – 230mg
Potassium – 190mg
Total Carb – 22g
Dietary Fiber – 3g
Sugars – 1g
Protein – 2g

I do not think those stats are bad at all, but I am no nutritionist either. A much better choice than eating Potato Chips and I do not have them every day. They are a treat for me every now and then. Best part is they are available in lots of different flavors such as Sour Cream and Onion, Sea Salt, South West Ranch and Cheddar. I will be buying some of the other flavors next to try.

You can purchase them online or check in your local store for them. Special K has a whole line of crackers in addition to these as well. I think they are a good option.

My next yummy find are these Supreme Protein Bars I found in my local CVS Store. I was there buying some vitamins and came across all the Protein Bars and thought to myself I should try some of these for the days when I need an extra boost of Protein since I have been taking a break from my protein shakes. But there were so many of them and I had to sit and read all the labels in addition to finding a flavor I would like.

I had read in some of the Gastric Bypass Forums that some Protein Bars were not so good for us and did not contain the right things. So when I saw that these Supreme Protein Bars contain Whey Isolate Protein which is what I drink I knew they should be a good choice. So I bought just one and it was the Rocky Road Brownie. Again I am not big on the sweets, but every now and then I enjoy something sweet. On the way home I opened it up in the car to try and I was very surprised how good it tasted.

I was not able to eat the whole thing at once so I ate only 1/2 and the other 1/2 later that day. I really liked it a lot.

Now here are the Nutritional Facts on the Rocky Road Brownie (not sure if the other flavors differ as of yet):

Serving Size 1 Bar 1.75 ounces
Calories – 210
Total Fat – 9g
Cholesterol – less than 5mg
Sodium – 70mg
Potassium – 1115mg
Total Carb – 16g
Dietary Fiber – less than 1g
Sugars – 3g
Protein – 15g – Woooo Hooo

The Supreme Protein Bars come in 2 sizes the 1.75 ounce and also a 3.4 ounce. So basically the bigger one is just double and the protein is as well @ 30 grams per bar, but no way can I eat all that in one sitting.

They also currently come in 9 different flavors which are; Rocky Road Brownie, Caramel Nut Chocolate, Cookie n Cream, Peanut Butter Crunch, Peanut Butter Pretzel Twist, Chocolate Caramel Cookie Crunch, Peanut Butter & Jelly and Chocolate Peanut Butter Wafer Crunch.

I bought the Supreme Protein Bar in CVS and it cost me $2.37 for just one – which I think is pricey, BUT you can find these online for a lot cheaper. I did buy a couple more on my next trip to CVS because they were so yummy. I will be buying them online now to save some cash. I have yet to try any of the other flavors yet, but I bet they are just as tasty. I think I am gonna try the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Crunch and Peanut Butter & Jelly next – I will keep you updated. Oh Heck – I think I am just gonna buy the variety pack and try them all.

Usually Protein Bars can taste gross, but I have to say the one I have tried so far tasted just like a candy bar to me. They have sure come a long way since the last time I have eaten one many many years ago.

If you know of a Yummy Find I should try please let me know by commenting below. I would love to find some new treats to try as I continue on my journey.

November 25, 2017

Cereal is not my friend

So last night I thought I would have myself some cereal, Honey Bunches of Oats which is one of my favorites. Well it turned out to be not such a good idea and I think I know why.

Since my Gastric Bypass Surgery I have not had much trouble with any foods I eat. I just get the occasional grumble in my tummy telling me I either ate too fast or a bit too much. But last night I was craving some cereal and I thought it would be ok for me to eat a small amount of it. So I poured myself some Honey Bunches of Oats with about 1/2 cup of Skim Milk.

I ate it as I normally would prior to my surgery. Within about 5 minutes of finishing it I had the worst pains in my stomach (pouch). It was like I was being stabbed. If I moved it was worse because I got up and tried to walk it off. I did not panic, but it hurt. I got up and grabbed a Gas X and chewed that hoping it would help some and maybe it did a bit, but at that point I just wanted to lay down and be still.

So I went to bed early so I could lay there and not move. When my kids came up to bed they came in to give me a hug and kiss goodnight and I was like stop right there and do not come any closer. I was afraid of them moving me – so we gave air hugs and kisses. I felt bad, but movement is what made it worse. While I was in bed I went online on my phone and researched Cereal after Gastric Bypass. I discovered why I probably felt like I did.

For starters I did not let my cereal soak up the milk and get soggy – I ate it crunchy. After Gastric Bypass it is also a rule not to drink and eat at the same time because it pushes the food quickly through your pouch. I think these two things were my main issues. I honestly did not even think about it prior to eating it. Boy was I stupid, but I paid the price.

I do not think it was the type of cereal I ate for the nutritional info is not that bad, although there are many other cereals out there that would be a better choice. I just wanted a small amount and it was not going to be a daily thing. Well the fact is it WILL NOT be a thing for me at all – I am banning the cereal from my diet for now. If I cannot eat it crunchy then I do not want it anyways – I am not a soggy cereal person, just sayin’.

I woke up today and my belly still feels not happy – not hurting anything like it was yesterday, but like it is sad (lol). I got the kids off to school and even though I was in bed early last night I was so tired. Hubby said I should go lay back in bed and that is what I did. I slept for another 3 hours and feel a bit better now. I am gonna give my pouch a break today and will have liquids and mushy things and hopefully my belly will be happy again.

November 25, 2017

My seventh week after Gastric Bypass

Oh boy spring is in the air so much so I can taste it and if I could eat it I would !! I love spring and even though it is a couple weeks away mother nature is giving us a taste here and there and I will take anything she wants to hand out.

So who is that cute doggie in the photo you ask? I am gonna tell ya even if you weren’t asking so there !! That is Dodge she is one of my 3 dogs. How cute is she? I say VERY !! My dogs love the warm weather as much as me and when the warmness comes that means I am outside to play with them and they know it. I am a HUGE animal lover and in addition to my 3 dogs I also have 5 cats, 2 hamsters and a big fish tank full of fish. I will share more about them on a post in the future.

This week went well, I did try a few new things this week which I will share in my food journal below.

Here is what I ate so you can see each day for the sixth week:

(I am not gonna add the times on – just the order in which I ate)

March 5th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
Salad – Lettuce, Feta Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
Mashed Potatoes (leftover)
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese

It is funny how when I type in my food journal that it looks like I hardly ate today. Hmmm. I did enjoy some leftover mashed potatoes from last nights dinner, but they sent me into a Carb Coma. Basically after I ate them, which I may have had a bit too much, I had a little belly ache and I ended up taking a 2 hour nap on the couch. Rut Roh !!

March 6th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
1 Chicken Leg (roasted)
Handful of Special K Cracker Chips (sour cream and onion)
1 Small Ground Sirloin Steak with Ketchup
Handful of Grapes

Today I did a little food shopping and I found some yummy Special K Cracker Chips (sour cream and onion). I was excited because I love to munch on snacks especially at night while I watch TV and these sounded really good and the nutritional facts were not bad. They are only 100 calories for 27 chips and less than 2.5 grams of fat. They are DELICIOUS !! They are light and crunchy – I love them. I also bought myself some ground sirloin steaks which I cooked one up for dinner and it was also delish. Then I had myself some sweet grapes – 1st time having grapes since surgery – I love fruit !!

Tonight I went to see One for the Money at the movies with my sister. I was full when I went because we went at night so I had no issues with the movie snacks. The movie was OK, not great just OK, but it was good to get out.

March 7th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
2 Slices of American Cheese w/Mustard
Handful of Almonds
Raw Broccoli & Celery dipped in Lite Ranch
Lean Cuisine – Meat Loaf & Mashed Potatoes Cal: 250, Fat: 8g, Protein: 20g
Nectarine
Handful of Special K Cracker Chips (sour cream and onion)
Apple Sausage, Mac & Cheese and Green Beans
1/4 Vanilla Protein Shake

Today was nice and warm so I hung out a bit and soaked up some rays for extra Vitamin D. My back was bothering me today for some reason so I had to take some Tylenol 3′s. Today I tried some raw veggies in dip which I love and had no issues at all. For dinner we had Apple Sausages and I had a small portion of that with mac & Cheese and Green Beans. I tried drinking a Vanilla Protein shake at night, but it was gross and I could only get down 1/4. I was out of chocolate. I will save the Vanilla for smoothies when it gets warmer out.

March 8th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
2 Slices of American Cheese w/Mustard
1 Slice Muenster Cheese
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
Nectarine
Cheddar Goldfish Crackers (mindlessly ate too many)
Handful of Grapes
2 Mini Chicken Fajitas with Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Sour Cream and Fajita Sauce
SF Tastycake Chocolate Chip Finger Cake Cal: 100, Fat: 3g, Protein: 3g
2 SF Ice Pops
3 Flipside Crackers with Cheese Spread

Today I woke up with a horrible headache, but it does not look like it stopped me from eating today. My one issue today was sitting down with the bag of Goldfish Crackers – I ate waaaay too many. First time to mindlessly eat since surgery. I did not thank god get sick, but I knew I should not have done that. I am really enjoying eating fruit – I just have to say that.

March 9th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
Handful of Almonds
1 Small Ground Sirloin Steak with Ketchup
Handful of Special K Cracker Chips (sour cream and onion)
1/2 Turkey Bacon BLT on Whole Wheat Bread
Fajita Leftover – no Tortilla
Nectarine

Today was uneventful. I did go see the kids play up at school this evening, mine were not in it but I knew a lot that were. It was amazing – for middle schoolers they did a fab job. It was a comedy so I laughed a lot. Oh and I fit in the seats – yup had some wiggle room. What a great feeling that is. When I came home after the pay I was hungry so I had a small bowl of left over fajitas without the tortilla – I think I ate too much cause I had a belly ache gong to bed. That will teach me to eat too close to bed time huh? !!

March 10th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
Small Banana
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
1/2 Supreme Protein Bar (Rocky Road Brownie) Cal: 210, Fat: 9g, Protein: 15g (only ate 1/2)
Turkey Loaf with Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower
1/2 Supreme Protein Bar (Rocky Road Brownie)
SF Tastycake Chocolate Chip Finger Cake Cal: 100, Fat: 3g, Protein: 3g

Not much to say about today besides I loved my banana today. I would like to thank my kids for eating them all and leaving me just one – how nice !!

March 11th (Daylight Savings – woooo hooo)

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 Ham Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo
Handful of Almonds
Small Macintosh Apple (no skin)
Cheddar Goldfish Crackers
2 Slices of American Cheese w/Mustard
Salad – Lettuce, Feta Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
Protein Shake
Handful of Special K Cracker Chips (sour cream and onion)
2 SF Ice Pops

Today was BEAUTIFUL outside. I spent most of the day on my patio in the sun and playing with the dogs. I was a bit bored today even though I was hanging outside. I found myself battling head hunger and picking at snacks. Even though they were all not all bad snacks – I really have to watch those old habits because I can see them creeping back up.

Some things I have noticed this week – I need to add in more protein to my diet. I need to cut out the morning Coffee and go back to starting my day with a protein shake. It does not look like I am getting enough protein in. I still have yet to be able to drink 64 ounces of liquid. Closest is over 32 ounces. Another thing I have to work on.

As far as the exercise goes – well I guess I need to add that on the list as well. This is not one of my favorite things to do, but I guess I will work on it.

I also found myself snacking a bit this week – not always on bad things, but I have to watch that. I do not want to go back to those old bad habits that got me to this point in the first place. Head Hunger is a battle and I have to stand up and fight !!

Wanna see my weight loss this week? Then look here at My Weigh Ins – Slow and Steady

So here is to another week and better choices….

November 24, 2017

Be careful of Information Overload it can really make your head spin

There is nothing wrong with doing a little research online about your Gastric Bypass Surgery, BUT be careful because you may get Information Overload. That is about the time confusion sets in and you start to question a lot of things.

Now you all know I have had my surgery already and prior to which I did a lot of reading to educate myself on my decision. I spent countless hours reading others blogs (like mine) and watching videos blogs etc… I also wrote a post recently on Gastric Bypass Horror Stories because I looked into all of those as well.

Even though I am living my journey now I still follow others and continue to read. It is comforting to have the support of others who are going through the same thing you are. I also started this blog to help others who may be contemplating the decision or have started the journey too. My goal is to help others just like those who helped me with documenting the ride.

Recently I have joined a couple forums called The ThinnerTimesForum and ObiesityHelpForum which are full of others who have been through or will be going through Gastric Bypass Surgery, Lap-Bad Surgery, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy etc.. It is a great community of people at all stages of their Weight Loss Surgery. I find it full or information, BUT after being there and reading I find I now have Information Overload and a bit of confusion.

I find it crazy when I read there or pretty much any where how every Weight Loss Surgery Surgeon has a completely different list of guidelines and diet plans coming out of surgery. I mean they can really differ BIG time from each other. The other thing is the guidelines to what Vitamins we should all be taking after surgery. This is where I have been the most confused.

I have read that the Flintstones Gummy Vitamins I am taking (per my Surgeon) are not enough and some of the others I take are also lacking. Why would my Surgeon steer me wrong? I am not sure he has, but it is now in my head that I am not taking enough or the proper vitamins. I will talk to my Surgeon about that, but that is just one of the subjects that is making me say “hmmmm???”.

I am starting to think at some of these forums it is like there are too many cooks in the kitchen sorta speak. While I will still go to them to read and help others I have to tell myself that I have to stick to what my surgeon has given me, BUT I can bring up some questions this reading has told me. I think it is so important to follow the guidelines of your own doctors and if you read something that has you questioning them – then talk to them. That is what I do.

While I love the fact that if you have a question you can go to a forum and ask it and get answers from so many who have been there – just when it comes to the real medical stuff use caution because they are not doctors. I stopped reading about the Vitamins because I was getting a real headache about it and will continue taking what I have, but I definitely will bring it up at my next appointment.

And as I always say – everybody’s story and journey will be different, similar, but different. Always keep that in the back of your mind. That is why my blog is titled MY Gastric Bypass Story. I can only share what I am going through and I NEVER try to give any medical advice, just sayin’

November 24, 2017

My sixth week after Gastric Bypass

After last week when the scale decided to not move at all with any weight loss I knew I had no choice but to not dwell over it and just keep moving forward. Was I disappointed? Yes of course I was – Big Time, but there was nothing I could do about it.

So I decided to keep doing what I was doing with some minor changes and hoped that I would see some results on the scale come my next weigh in. I told myself if I did not see the numbers go down that it was my surgeon who had something to worry about – lol.

I had a fairly good week with some challenges such as going to the Movies and being around all the temptations and that was followed up by a meal at my in laws house. It was my first time since surgery to have eaten out like that and it was hard for me, but I made it through.

Here is what I ate so you can see each day for the sixth week:

(I am not gonna add the times on – just the order in which I ate)

February 27th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
Lean Cuisine – Meat Lasagna Cal: 320, Fat: 8g, Protein: 17g topped with some Parmesan Cheese
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
Bite of Chicken (from leftovers)
1/2 Cupish Crab Salad
2 Slices of American Cheese with mustard
4 Slices of American Cheese with mustard

I decided this week I could ditch the Crystal Light and drink only plain water – that maybe it was the artificial sweeteners causing me no weight loss. It could not hurt and besides water is the best choice anyways. I also had my first Lean Cuisine today, I was craving lasagna and thought I would give it a try. I did end up eating the whole thing which was probably a bit more than I should of. I did have the chills a bit afterwards and ended up falling asleep for a bit. My Nutritionist says the chills is a form of “Dumping”.

I did go food shopping today and picked up some American Cheese for the kids. I had not had any in the house since my surgery – it is a favorite of mine and I know it is not the best. Well I dipped in to it. I have a habit of taking 2 slices and putting some mustard inside of them. I did this once during the day and my body was fine with it. But not long before I was going to bed I did it twice – so 4 slice sin total. My pay back was a little nausea – Yup I over did the cheese.

Also note I had no protein shake today – usually I start every day with one. Well I decided to take a break from it because it was getting too monotonous.

Today I also added Biotin to my list of Vitamins I take. This is suppose to help keep my hair and nails stay healthy and maybe reduce the chances of it falling out down the road from the surgery. We will see if it works, but regardless it will help my hair, nails and skin be healthier.

February 28th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
2 Bites of Chicken (from leftovers)
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
1 Ham Sandwich on Sandwich Thins with Mayo
1/2 Cupish Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta with Turkey Sausage & 1/2 Crab Cake
Choboni Blueberry Yogurt (ate 3/4)
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins

Today I saw my Nutritionist for the first time since surgery – see post HERE. I got a lot of answers on a list of questions I had for her which you cam read on the post I did. One of the new things I ate today were Sandwich Thins – Nutritionist said they were a good choice, well I am not sure if she said I can eat a whole one like I did for lunch. After my ham sandwich I got those chills again and my belly hurt a bit – I went under the blankets and ended up sleeping for about 2 1/2 hours.

For dinner I made a Pasta dish and you can see the recipe for it here: Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta with Turkey Sausage. It was very good and I did not seem to have any problems with that. For my dessert I had a Choboni Yogurt to get in more protein – I was unable to finish the whole thing though so I ate about 3/4.

Today I also added Omeprazole to my list of Vitamins I take. I did this because I started smoking again and in hopes it will help me from not getting any ulcers. I know smoking is so very bad, but you can read my post HERE all about it. I will be working on quitting yet again.

February 29th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
Mrs. Budd’s Shepard Pie – Cal: 274, Fat: 15g, Protein: 18g
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins
A few bites of a Nectarine (was not very ripe)
3/4 Cupish Chicken with Rice Pilaf, Broccoli and Cauliflower
Salad – Lettuce, Feta Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing

I tried a Mrs. Budd’s Shepard’s Pie today which was just some ground beef with onions and carrots topped with some mashed potatoes. It is a pre-made meal and it looked good when I saw it in the store. It was ok, but nothing I woudl buy again. I was also excited to have a piece of fruit today, but disappointed that it tasted gross – it was not really ripe and I should have known since they are not really in season yet.

I did not eat a lot today and I actually went to bed early. The funny thing is – my wise ass hubby added to my food journal so when I woke up the next morning I see this added to my day: 5 Donuts, 2 T-Bone Steaks, 1 Box Mashed Potatoes with 5 Cups of Gravy and 1 Gallon Rocky Road Ice Cream. That really made me laugh – gotta love him !!

March 1st

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
Lean Cuisine – Swedish Meatballs Cal: 290, Fat: 8g, Protein: 19g (tossed out about 1/4 of the noodles)
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins
A Few Peanuts with Raisins
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
A few Cheese Doodles (Rut Roh)
Bite of American Cheese & Ham while making son’s lunch
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
2 Slices of Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese of Low Fat Wheat Thins
1/2 Cupish Chicken with Rice Pilaf, Broccoli and Cauliflower

Today I seemed extra hungry – maybe from not eating much the day before. I also found that I picked a bit today which is an old habit of mine. We have not had any bad snacks around in the house since my surgery because we are trying to get the kids to eat healthy as well, BUT these Cheese Doodles were hidden in the garage. They came out because my daughter had her friend over and they wanted a snack so I thought I cold get rid of them. Well there they were in front of me and I dipped in and ate a few – not a bunch – just a few. FYI – They were delish !!

March 2nd

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
A few Cheese Doodles (I have NO control)
Lean Cuisine – Meat Loaf & Mashed Potatoes Cal: 250, Fat: 8g, Protein: 20g
1 Low Fat Mozzarella String Cheese
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
A Few Peanuts with Raisins
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper

Nothing to eventful today – I did have some extra Coffee in the evening to keep me awake on a Friday night. Other than that it was just another day.

March 3rd

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Protein Shake
2 Ritz Crackers
Handful of Low Fat Wheat Thins (at the Movies)
2 Slices of American Cheese (picking)
1/2 Turkey Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
1/4 Pickle
2 Tbsp Potato Salad
1 Slice of Tomato
1/2 Banana
A Few Peanuts with Raisins
Salad – Lettuce, Feta Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
SF Ice Pop

Today I finally had another Protein Shake, I knew I was going to be out of the house and wanted to make sure I got it in just in case. I was going to the movies to see The Lorax and then going to my in laws afterwards for a late lunch. It was the first time I was eating out since the surgery and it was hard with all the temptations at the movies and keeping myself in check at my in laws. I wrote and entire post about it HERE. I think overall I did really well, but it was not easy. It was truly the first time reality was setting in about how food and I have a much different relationship now and things will never be the same. I think others who have had this surgery will understand that.

March 4th

Water (drank over the course of the day)
Egg & American Cheese Omelet
Coffee with Sugar Free Hazelnut Creamer (1/2 mug)
1/2 Chicken Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayo, Salt & Pepper
Salisbury Steak, with Mashed Potatoes and Carrots
SF Ice Pop
8 Flipside Crackers with Cheese Spread

I made my son and omelet for breakfast and decided we would split it – I made just Eggs with American Cheese – it was soooo good. For dinner hubby made the most Delicious Salisbury Steak per my request – I wanted some meat – lol. I have shared the recipe HERE. I ate only 1/2 of one and then had some Carrots and Mashed Potatoes on the side. It was very filling and I so wish I had room for more, but I did not. While watching my evening TV I had a snack of 8 Flipside Crackers topped with a smear of Cheese Spread. The Cheese Spread is a fancy one we buy at our local store – I think it is like a provolone wine cheese – it is so tasty.

So I had some new foods this week such as Lean Cuisines which I know are not the best, but it makes it easy on me during the day to just heat one up for lunch. I also did not have my protein shakes most of this week and tried getting in my protein other ways.

I did find I am getting back into old habits with my morning coffee, BUT I use to drink a large mug full prior to surgery and now I am lucky if I drink 1 small mug. I just like the warm drink on the cold morning and I bet I can do without it come summer.

I also noticed that I have to watch my picking/grazing – I am not too bad with it, but I can see how that old habit can quickly creep back up on me. If I do pick I write it down – that is one thing I told myself I would do – everything that I eat no matter how small will be written down and I have been great at that.

I have to work on getting in more water – I am no where near the 64 ounces per day – I am still at maybe 1/2 of that. I also was suppose to start exercising and that did not happen either. I am hoping as the warm weather comes and I become a yard slave I will have no issues there. Winter always gives me the blues and even more so now after the surgery. I cannot wait to be outside in the warm sun. I am literally counting down the days until Spring, which is March 20th ya know !

I cannot believe 6 weeks have gone by already – shocks me everytime I post my weekly food journals how fast the time goes by. I must say it gets easier, but is also very hard at the same time if that makes sense.

So I did my weigh in this week and was nervous after having such an early stall last week with no loss – want to know what the scale said? Well then visit my Weigh Ins to see.

Here is to another week on my journey……

November 24, 2017

Delicious Salisbury Steak Recipe

This Salisbury Steak Recipe is a great source of protein and full of flavor. Hubby made this one for dinner and it was so delicious that I had to share the recipe.

My hubby has been doing a lot of the cooking since my Gastric Bypass Surgery and when he asked what I wanted this week – I said Salisbury Steak. I was craving a nice meat dish. So he cooked some up and it was A-MAZING !!!

The meat is high in protein and all in all it was not bad in the calorie and fat department either. If you are looking for a rich and yummy recipe to try then I say this is the one. It is a family pleaser, trust me.

Here is what you will need for this recipe:

1 1/2 Pounds Ground Beef (hubby used the extra lean)
1 Egg
3 Tbsp of crushed Ritz Crackers or any Buttery Cracker (hubby used the Ritz)
2 Tbsp of finely Chopped Onion
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Poultry Seasoning
2 (4 ounce) Cans of Sliced Mushrooms with the juice
3 Tbsp Butter (you can sub Low Fat Butter – hubby did not)
3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
3 Cups Milk (you can sub Low Fat Milk – hubby did not)
3 Beef Bouillon Cubes

In a medium sized bowl mix together the Ground Beef, Egg, Cracker Crumbs, Onion, Salt, Pepper and Poultry Seasoning using your hands (you can always get the kids to do this – lol). Then shape that into 6 patties about 1 inch thick.

Next fry the patties in a large frying pan over med-high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side or just until browned. Drain off any excess grease/fat and set aside the patties on a dish.

Next melt the Butter in the frying pan and then add in the Mushrooms. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the Flour and mix until blended. Stir in the Milk and Beef Bouillon Cubes. Continue cooking and stirring over medium heat until it is smooth and starts to thicken up. Then return the patties to the gravy and cook over low heat uncovered for about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.

That is it – how EASY is that?

Keep in mind this makes a lot of gravy so you can serve it over pasta – maybe even the Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta I spoke about in a prior post. Or you can have some mashed potatoes on the side like we did.

This recipe will make 6 Servings.

Nutritional Value Per Serving

Calories: 296
Total Fat: 18.6g
Cholesterol: 106mg
Sodium: 951mg
Total Carbs: 12.6g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2g
Protein: 19.4g

That is not so bad at all I think and that is with making no adjustments such as using Low Fat Milk and Butter etc…. Hubby also used the Extra Lean Ground Beef so that probably brought down the Total Fat for us to. Considering that I could not eat a whole serving I was good with that and sooo worth it.

That is my plate with my portion in the photo above. DO NOTE – that is a salad sized plate and I only had 1/2 of a Salisbury Steak. IT killed me that I could not eat more of it – my head wanted to, but my pouch said “NO”. That portion of Mashed Potatoes is nothing compared to what I would eat prior to surgery – you have no idea. I was still very satisfied.

The kids absolutely loved it too and it is another recipe that makes it into my special “Do Over” Recipe book.

November 24, 2017

Going to the movies and dealing with the smell of Popcorn

So yesterday I ventured out to the movies to see The Lorax with my kids and in laws. It was my first time to the movies since my Gastric Bypass Surgery and the smells in the theater from the Popcorn were intense.

To be honest yesterday was the first day that I have gone out for almost the whole day since my surgery. It is my niece’s birthday Monday so we went to my in laws house to celebrate and to go see a movie. Afterwards we planned to go back to their house to have a late lunch and hang out for awhile.

First up was the movie. We were going to see The Lorax and I could not wait – I am a big Dr. Seuss fan and this movie looked like a lot of fun with a great message of course. So we get to the theater and of course it is packed – it was only the second day The Lorax was out – I am not a fan of crowds, just sayin’. But before we could go get our seats I had to wait in the food line to get my son some Popcorn.

Oh the smells of that Popcorn had me going crazy, but I knew I could not have any. I have read that Popcorn is a NO NO after Gastric Bypass. But the smell was so extra intense and I could feel the angel and the devil on each of my shoulders. The angel said “No you cannot have any, it can cause you great pains if you do – stay strong !!” and that devil (oh how I hate that Lil’ Devil) said “You have not had any issues as of yet so why not try some. What can it hurt and it does smell sooo yummy.” Ahhhhhh

So I order my son his popcorn and his drink as I look at all that candy in the case and see the soft pretzels (which I love) along with a sign showing they also sell White Castles. It was food teasing overload at its finest. So they hand me the popcorn and there it was right under my nose smelling better than it ever had before. That damn devil on my shoulder seemed to be talking very loud to me now – it was like the Lorax in Devil form and instead of speaking for the trees he was speaking for the popcorn. So I quickly ran to find my son and said you have to take this from me quickly, which he did thank goodness. The Angel won the fight, but it was not easy nor had the movie even started yet.

NOTE: On the ride to my in laws I had a 1/2 Chicken Sandwich I made at home so I would be full. I also packed a small baggie with some Low Fat Wheat Thins that I could have during the movie. I smuggled that in along with a bottled water and some extra candy for my daughter since she is not a huge fan of popcorn. YES I am a movie snack smuggler, but you have to be these days since it is so expensive. Any way one can save a buck or two is much needed.

When we got in to the theater it was packed like I said and we ended up sitting close to the screen. Not my favorite seats, BUT after I sat down and realized the seat was not tight on my butt I did not care at all. I actually had wiggle room – I was so excited !!

During the movie I could still smell the Popcorn and it seemed so much more prominent now that I could not have any. In addition to that I could smell the Twizzlers and Candy as well. The sounds of everyone chewing on their snacks also seemed loader to me. Talk about mind games right? But once the movie went on those smells and sounds slowly got drowned out or maybe it was because they were getting eaten – whatever it was nice they were going away.

I had my Wheat Thins which I munched on a bit and I was proud of myself to have stayed strong. It was truly a different experience now going to the movies and not being able to indulge in all those goodies, but not impossible. This is my new life style now. OH and BTW The Lorax was an AWESOME movie – I loved it. It is a must see for all ages.

After the movie we went back to my in laws house to hang. This was the first time I had seen them since my surgery so it was nice that they could notice my weight loss – even it if is only 20 pounds so far.

The next hard part was when it was time for our late lunch. See whenever we all get together there is food involved and we all love to eat of course. So this was my first time eating at a family gathering. The good thing was that the food was some lunch meats, some side salads and pickles etc.. Nothing really horrible that I could not have.

So I made myself a 1/2 Turkey Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread, had my mother in law slice me off a small piece of Pickle (first pickle since surgery and it was heavenly) and I had a couple tablespoons of Potato Salad. It was so hard with all the food sitting in front of me to not continue to pick at it even though I was very full. It was a bad habit I had prior to surgery so that was a battle. I did however eat 2 slices of American Cheese before even making my sandwich – that is the picker in me. So as you can see from what I ate – it was not a lot, but I think more than my normal in a sitting. OH and before the food got put away I stole a slice of tomato. Even though I ate more than normal I was ok, full but ok.

The next challenge was when it came time for my niece’s Birthday Cake. Now even though I am not a HUGE sweet eater I do like a good piece of cake from time to time. BUT this time I knew it was not gonna happen. So I sat and watched them all have a piece and it made me crave something sweet. Luckily I spotted some Bananas and my sister in law split one with me and that satisfied me. OH and that was the first Banana I had since surgery too – oh it was yummy and nice and ripe.

So I made it through the movie an my first extended family meal. I think it will be harder come summer BBQ’s since I love Hot Dogs, Burgers and all those yummy Pasta Salads. The good thing is is that I can have those things, just in tiny portions. I think by then I will be more use to the changes, but I think it will always be hard.

It is hitting me more the past week or so how I cannot eat like I use to and will never be able to again (portion wise). While it is of course a good thing because I did not get to the weight I am by portion control (duh), it is still something hard to comprehend. And unless you have had WLS yourself it is really hard to explain. Sometimes I miss the mindless eating especially at night which was my favorite time to snack.

I also drive by restaurants thinking to myself how hard it will be to eat at one now. I have yet to experience that and I am not quite ready for that challenge. One day I will have no choice, but it will not be easy.

Like so many say – Gastric Bypass Surgery is a Rollercoaster Ride of ups and downs and even twists, turns and flips. I have opted to ride and so now I face what comes my way – hard or easy it was my choice to ride. I am buckled in and ready for the craziness, or am I?

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