Alligatorob's Diary

[Cate]

You’ll get there Rob

 

[alligatorob]

Another day, a little bit better than the last, but just a little... Still not eating a lot of calories, but not starving myself. No real appitite I guess. Doesn't keep me from having urges, but they are easier to hold at bay...

Did they use the same anesthetic? If yes it could just be that your previous surgery was only a year ago. The second one in s relatively short amount of time generally hits harder.

Don't know for sure, but since it was the same hospital and surgical group I assume it was the same anesthetic. Big difference was the nerve block used on both legs for the knee surgery. But the general was probably the same. What you say about the second one hitting harder makes some sense.

Really glad about the brain fog lessening and the pain abating! What sorts of things do you do for relaxation normally? Hopefully there are nice things like reading you could do now that you have your cognition almost back to normal.

Thanks Marsia. Normally I spend a few hours a day at the gym and then do yard, farm, and handy projects. Little of which can I do now. I do read a little, and watch too much TV. Been watching some of the Great Courses lectures, more listening really. Getting tired of all that though...

You’ll get there Rob

Thanks Cate, and I hope so. However I'm not real sure where "there" will be, or what it will look like, LOL.

 

[Llama]

Big difference was the nerve block used on both legs for the knee surgery.

If you had a nerve block for the pain the first time you probably only had something so keep you lightly "asleep" on top of that while for neck surgery you would've had to have been fully knocked out, so I'm guessing completely different drug cocktail.

Normally I spend a few hours a day at the gym and then do yard, farm, and handy projects. Little of which can I do now. I do read a little, and watch too much TV. Been watching some of the Great Courses lectures, more listening really. Getting tired of all that though...

The good news is that at first everything you DO get back to will take a lot more energy so you'll feel busier

 

[Cate]

Thanks Cate, and I hope so. However I'm not real sure where "there" will be, or what it will look like, LOL.

Maybe we don't want to get there, Rob!
There may be when you can gradually do stuff safely, without undoing all the surgeon's good work & you are not feeling so frustrated.

 

[alligatorob]

I binged last night... there it is, did not want to post this morning but I know I need to. No idea what drove me to do it, but it happened and is done now. I just need to get through today without another.

If you had a nerve block for the pain the first time you probably only had something so keep you lightly "asleep" on top of that while for neck surgery you would've had to have been fully knocked out, so I'm guessing completely different drug cocktail.

That makes sense and probably is what happened. Looking back now I can see that my early desire to get to the gym was at least in part due to the amnesia delirium... there was no way I belonged in the gym at that point. I will think about going next week, just for some gentle recumbent biking or treadmill walking. As I said it gets better every day so I might be ready.

The good news is that at first everything you DO get back to will take a lot more energy so you'll feel busier

I am finding that to be true!

Maybe we don't want to get there, Rob!

Maybe not, if and when I get "there" I'll let you know what its like, you need to do the same, LOL

There may be when you can gradually do stuff safely, without undoing all the surgeon's good work & you are not feeling so frustrated.

It is slowly happening, I have a follow up doctor's visit on Thursday am looking forward to talking about what I can and can't do.

 

[liza3]

Sorry to hear about the binge Rob, but good for you posting when you didn't want to. Today's a new day!

 

[Llama]

Maybe not, if and when I get "there" I'll let you know what its like, you need to do the same, LOL

Just don't go into the light, ok?

 

[Emilyrose]

Sorry to hear about the binge but it makes sense because you're not able to do the things you want to do right now. Anyway, that's done, no more!

 

[Cate]

Done & dusted, Rob. Done & dusted. Good on you for fessing up

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a better day, ate relatively well, low calorie, but probably not so low as MFP calculated. I get out and about more every day, but still after an hour or so my neck and shoulders start to hurt so I am still recovering. Doing my best not to lift too much @Llama I remember that your uncle only filled his pails half way, I try to think of that when I pick things up.

Sorry to hear about the binge Rob, but good for you posting when you didn't want to. Today's a new day!

Thanks Liza, and today was a better day, back on track.

Just don't go into the light, ok?

Not one of the lights like you posted on your diary, couldn't afford many of those, LOL.

Sorry to hear about the binge but it makes sense because you're not able to do the things you want to do right now. Anyway, that's done, no more!

Thanks Emily and while I know what you mean, that may well have been the trigger, no binge of mine ever really makes any sense... Yes it is done, time to move on.

Done & dusted, Rob. Done & dusted. Good on you for fessing up

Thanks Cate, that expression "Done & dusted" was new to me. I learned it from you, I like it, use it now and again. Must be an Aussie thing.

I am sure this calorie count is too low, not sure why. I am guessing from the way I feel 1,200 to 1,400 calories is more like it, but its late I don't want to figure it out now.

 

[Llama]

I often feel like I overate the day after I overeat. Like the body remembers it doesn't need as many calories today. But a couple hundred calories either way one day aren't really important. The main thing is that you felt like you
ate somewhat well and didn't binge.

 

[Cate]

Thanks Cate, that expression "Done & dusted" was new to me. I learned it from you, I like it, use it now and again. Must be an Aussie thing.

It's commonly used here but may have English origins. One theory is it's what a chimney sweep would say after the job was done & the soot had been cleaned up.

 

[Llama]

It would also work for carpentry, or most other manual labor. You've not only done the job but you cleaned up after yourself so you can go home with an easy mind.

 

[liza3]

good for you getting back on track Rob!

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, kind of feel like I've turned the corner on my neck recovery. Still a bit of pain and sore throat, but I sure feel better. Will keep taking it easy until my Dr appointment Thursday.

I ate well, and had a real challenge tonight. Grandson's birthday and he wanted to go to the Golden Corral (https://www.goldencorral.com/), one of those all you can eat places that serves huge quantities of high fat, high sugar, high calorie mediocre to worse food. No limits you can get all you want of anything, this is just the desert spread:

• Carrot Cake
• Assorted Cupcakes
• Cotton Candy Cupcakes
• Assorted Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Pie
• Peanut Butter Pie
• Sweet Home Carolina Cake
• Fruit Cobbler
• Fudge Brownies
• Banana Pudding
• Bread Pudding
• Cotton Candy
• Sugar-Free Options
• Manager’s Choice daily featured cakes & pies
• Hand-Dipped Ice Cream (select locations)
• Soft Serve Vanilla Ice Cream
• Soft Serve Chocolate Ice Cream
• Ice Cream Cones
• Hot Fudge
• Strawberry Topping
• Assorted Candy Toppings
• Chocolate-dipped Fresh Strawberry Skewers
• Chocolate-dipped Rice Krispies Treat Skewers
• Chocolate-dipped Marshmallow Skewers

And you can have any and all in any quantity you want. A good place for an easy 10,000 to 12,000 or more calorie binge at a reasonable price. And I have done many of those. But tonight I just wasn't very tempted, I had a big lettuce salad with no dressing, a slice of roast beef that I carefully carved all the fat off of, and the my wife brought me a small piece of pecan pie. First I refused the pie, but then I tasted it and to my surprise is was pretty good, so I ate it. All in all I ate about 700 calories at the place, mostly in the pie, they made money on me, LOL. However the kids and others appeared to more than makeup for my lack of eating, as a group we ate a lot. I feel good about it.

It's commonly used here but may have English origins. One theory is it's what a chimney sweep would say after the job was done & the soot had been cleaned up.

Thanks, that's interesting. I will probably start using it.

It would also work for carpentry, or most other manual labor. You've not only done the job but you cleaned up after yourself so you can go home with an easy mind.

Makes sense.

good for you getting back on track Rob!

Thanks Liza, it feels good and so far it hasn't been hard. Will keep my fingers crossed.

 

[Llama]

All in all I ate about 700 calories at the place, mostly in the pie, they made money on me, LOL.

I know you jest, but I watched a docu about all you can eat places once and the way some of the people featured talked about gaming the system and making sure they got the most out of their money was frankly disgusting. I think it's a nice concept when you go somewhere with a larger group though, just because it saves you the hassle of figuring out who wants what and how to split the bill. Or - for buffet-style eating in general - when you want to try a little bit of several dishes rather than a lot of one (whether it's because you're trying a new cuisine or just because that's how you like to eat). Hygiene-wise of course any place where people serve themselves tends to be catastrophic and if you have allergies it's basically Russian roulette unless you arrive very early and keep an eye on the buffet the whole time.

That's a lot of words to say I'm glad you managed to enjoy responsibly

 

[alligatorob]

I know you jest, but I watched a docu about all you can eat places once and the way some of the people featured talked about gaming the system and making sure they got the most out of their money was frankly disgusting.

I did find it disgusting last night, but to be honest I have binged at such places. I am guilty...

I sat next to a family member who is about 200 lbs overweight, he has heart problems. He told me about the progress he was making with his cardiac therapy, as he ate plate after plate, including several of the deserts. I could not help but have the "There but for the grace of God go I" feeling.

Might make sense if you were on a one meal a week diet.

I think it's a nice concept when you go somewhere with a larger group though, just because it saves you the hassle of figuring out who wants what and how to split the bill. Or - for buffet-style eating in general - when you want to try a little bit of several dishes rather than a lot of one (whether it's because you're trying a new cuisine or just because that's how you like to eat).

Not much "cuisine" involved unless low quality high calorie food is one... Nothing is worthy of trying as a new food.

Hygiene-wise of course any place where people serve themselves tends to be catastrophic and if you have allergies it's basically Russian roulette unless you arrive very early and keep an eye on the buffet the whole time.

Yep, I thought about that last night, did my best to keep safe, but it was almost impossible. It was a big place, and crowded. Hundreds of people close together. The food did have good sneeze guards, but that can only do so much.

That's a lot of words to say I'm glad you managed to enjoy responsibly

Thanks!

 

[liza3]

Good for you making healthy choices at that restaurant!

 

[Cate]

It's great that you resisted over-eating, Rob. I haven't been to an all-you-can-eat buffet for so many years, but I still shudder at the memories of people overeating to excess. It makes me feel ill just thinking about it.
It's also great that you feel like you have turned the corner with your neck recovery.

 

[Llama]

I did find it disgusting last night, but to be honest I have binged at such places. I am guilty...

There's a pan-Asian restaurant near me that used to have an amazing buffet. I definitely got close to having to roll home from that one a couple of times... Thankfully they got a new chef and I'm no longer tempted.