GGGOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

So I've gotten behind here.

It's been 10 months.

125.7 pounds

Never going back!

I am now at my goal!! My surgeon's goal is another 25 but I'm not sure if I'm going to get there. At least not until I have some plastics done (if I go that route that is!).

We moved from FL-TX, along the move the hubs and I snuck away kid-free on a week long Caribbean cruise. I managed to lose even on a cruise! Only 1.5 but hey, not shabby!

We've been in TX a month now and it was a rocky start. I've already had surgery since getting here...gallstones, UGH. Painful suckers. Had my gallbladder removed on July 16th and am AMAZED at how much better I feel all around! It was affecting little things that I didn't even realize were gallbladder related (right shoulder pain? check. pain in the middle of my back? check). Now I'm mended and feel super!

However, part of that super feeling could totally be the fact that I've lost like a little adult off my size!

Here are my before/current pics. The befores were literally right before surgery, as in we were about the walk out the door, it was 4am and I was crabby. So not looking my best but oh well.

Without further hesitation...here goes nothin'...

So there you have it, the "new" me. I'm SO happy I decided to have WLS and would do it over again if time was turned back. Yes the start was rough and I hated it, but that was short lived and LOVE my little pouch now!

Non-scale victories

We live in military housing and had a few issues. When one toilet would flush it would suck everything out from the other one. Both bathroom sinks were backed up. Over the weekend ours had standing water in it, so the hubs broke out the plunger to use on it. Next thing I knew I was hearing sloshing in the kiddo's bathroom. Walk in there to see water coming up through the drain. Ew. So Monday morning I called maintenance and put in a work order. I also mentioned that my oven would randomly shut itself off when it was cooking and I wouldn't know it until the timer went off. So they came out and fixed the pipes. They said they would be back after lunch to put in a new oven. When they came back I had gone to pick up L1 from school but Dan was home. One of the mx guys said at first he thought I was my sister visiting from out of town or something because I've lost so much weight! Then they gave me a brand spankin' new oven-score!

Last week Dan got a new truck, much needed! We went ahead and bought car seats to put in his truck. Before we didn't take his vehicle anywhere, but now we will be using it some instead of mine all the time. The new seats were delivered today and we installed them. While I was in the back trying to do the tether I looked at Dan and said, "Gosh-I couldn't have done this 100 pounds ago that's for sure!" It was a pretty cramped fit trying to climb on top of them to tighten the anchors then put the tethers in correctly and get them tightened up too.

I'd write more but a certain cranky 2 year old is refusing to vacate my lap making it difficult!

6 month post-op appointment

I'm sitting in my bariatric surgeons office as I write. I just saw my doc and am waiting to see the nut.

He is very happy with my loss so far. He said 100 (actually 103!) in 6 months is amazing and I am doing great. I asked if I was about the track he would have projected and he said I'm doing better than expected and of I didn't lose any more I would still be considered a success by the stats.

I have to get some blood work done. It is fasting and I had some Tylenol and a swig of water this morning so I'm not sure if I can do it now or wait. I'd rather just get it done with--Landon is in school and Logan is in daycare--so this way I wouldn't have to worry about them.

I am happy I had RNY. A few months ago I wasn't (although I'd put on the face that I was). It certainly hasn't been easy like so many people think. Here's to the next 6 months and beyond!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

101

101

No, not 101 like English 101 as a freshman.

101 as in 101 pounds lost.

I'm still in a bit of disbelief over it. Did the scale lie to me this morning? Not sure. I was too afraid to get off and back on to check.

I felt like I was stuck at 99 forever. Day after day, the same numbers stared back at me. Then all the sudden it dropped to 100. Then not even 24 hours later it was at 101. Hallelujah!

I looked back at my "before" pic today. The one that the hubs took right before we walked out of the door to the hospital. It wasn't a great pic of me to begin with, but what would you expect from me at 4am!? But it really shows me how far I've come compared to pics taken of me last week.

I'm still struggling about thinking about the future, not the past. I know I've written about it before. Still though, I see my old pics or think of my weight loss as 2 Logan's and 1 Landon and it is about nauseating. I just never saw myself that big. I didn't feel that big.

Crazy thing is now I'm not hiding from the camera or avoiding posting any pics of me on places like Facebook.

I haven't done my measurements yet for my 6 month mark, might just wait until 7 since I'm a little behind already. I have my 6 month post-op with my surgeon on Monday. I'm hoping he is pleased with my results like I am!

Soon I'm going to need to get a replacement rock for my finger. My engagement and wedding rings are just falling off. I don't want to pay to get them re-sized just yet as I'm hoping to continue to lose for a little bit longer. Now they hang up on the hook where my keys go so I slip them on before walking out the door.

It is a bit overwhelming being in "normal" sized clothing. Before only 2 handfuls made clothes in my size of which I'd buy from maybe half a handful. Most of my clothes came from 2 stores. Now I can walk into Macy's and buy just about anything. Almost any store in the mall I can shop at, except the ones where I used to shop at. I recently bought a dress for a ball the hubs and I will be attending in a few weeks. I didn't even know where to begin looking! I'd much rather have this "problem" then that extra 101 back though.

My hair loss has slowed way down, hooray! I'll just say I was thinning it out for the hot summer months. Oh...we're moving to Texas this summer! So I should say hot, hot, hot summer months!

I can't remember if I posted about us moving--we found out the end of February. This means I won't have my 1 year post-op with my surgeon but will have to find a new one who will accept another Dr's patient. Apparently some are hesitant to do so, but I'm hoping since I'm looking for a new one due to a military move they would be more willing.

So that is what has been going on in my corner of the world. About 24 more until my personal goal, here's to that!

twenty.six

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to meeeeee.

I am 26 today!

My goal was to be down 95lbs today, but instead I am at 92. Which means I'll probably hit 95 tomorrow. Ok, not really because I'm not going to drop 3lbs in one night--but it seems lately if I miss a goal then just a day or 2 later I hit it. Even though I'm not where I had envisioned in my mind, it is close enough!

My parents will be coming this weekend to celebrate, and my mom will have her famous strawberry cake with strawberry icing for me. YUM! I can't wait to have my 3 bites of it.

Tonight we're going to grill steaks out because the weather is nice, hurray protein!

5 months, 89lbs

Wow. 5 months post-op today!

It is pretty amazing at how much has changed in the last 5 months. I have lost 89 pounds that I will never find again, thanks goodness!

The weather is trying to warm up. Once it does that will give me a lot more motivation to get outside and on the move. It has been unusually cold here in Florida this winter, we even saw some snow!

My birthday is next week. For years my mom has always made me a strawberry cake with strawberry icing. I loved putting a plop (or 2...or 3) of vanilla ice cream in a bowl with the cake and mixing it all together. I think I just salivated a little thinking of it. So earlier today Mom asked if I wanted a cake (my folks are coming up the following weekend). Of course I do!!! I won't eat much, just a few bites though. I'm sure many post-ops would freak at the thought of eating a few bites of cake, but I'm not going to deprive myself of something. I think a lot of times when someone is totally deprived of something (sugar, sweets, carbs, or whatever) when they have some (which inevitably happens somehow), it is almost as though they can't control themselves and over indulge.

My hair is still falling out, which is depressing. I can feel that it is a little thinner but not too much. It always looks like a lot sitting on the shower drain but I know in reality it is just a handful of hairs all bent and folded so it looks like more. I hope it slows down and stops soon. Some people it takes about a year. Some people don't have it happen at all. So there really isn't any way of telling when my magical end time could be.

I'll be headed back to Dr. F. next month for my 6 month mark. It will probably be my last visit with him. We will find out on Wednesday if the hubs will be getting transferred to Texas to finish flight school or if he will be finishing out here. All signs are pointing Texas at this time.

Mixed emotions

Tonight on my way to the shower I noticed my bin of "clothes that someday I'll fit into again." So I decided to bring it back and give them a shot.

About half of them were too big :O I could fit into 2 dresses I know I wore the summer I was 16, I think one I even had when I was 14--I remember wearing it to church at summer camp. Can't say they looked the best, but they fit! They just don't fit a well endowed woman!

So that led me to go through my dresser. Only half of the drawers now have anything in them. Then on to the closet where I now have at least 2 times the amount of empty hangers compared to the ones with anything on them.

The hubs was in there while I tried some things on. Like a pair of shorts I knew was going to be too big, I wore them at my heaviest. I felt like Jared in a Subway commercial...being able to pull out a large section to the side. The hubs said, "That must make you feel good!" Well, I am mixed on that. Yes it's awesome that they are so big and literally falling of......but, at the same time it makes me sad. Disgusts me that I was ever that large to being with.

I wonder how I could have allowed myself to get so big. I think honestly I did realize just how large, ok--OBESE--there I said it, that I has gotten. Because of my age the weight wasn't holding me back too much. Because it went on slowly {although steadily} I didn't notice it as much.

This past week for my 4 year old's pre-school class they asked us to bring in a family picture. We tried to take on at my 2 year old's birthday party last weekend, but I had 2 little ones who weren't too keen on the idea of cooperation. So I was stuck looking for an old one. I ended up using one from Thanksgiving. I remember then people saying how good I looked, etc. Now I look back on those pics and I look so big compared to where I am at now! Especially the face.

It's only been 4.5 months now...and I've lost 84 pounds. Lately I go in a spurt where I'll lose a pound a day for a few days then zilch for a week. The good news is it is still coming off even if it is slow!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

4 months musings

Yesterday was my 4 month surgiversary. The months seem to pass more rapidly now.

As of this morning, I was .2 away from my goal for 4 months. Which means I have lost 79lbs! Although I'm bummed I didn't reach my goal--I am pretty darn close and happy that I did come so close.

I forgot to take my measurements at 3 months, so these numbers are 2 months worth of loss. I lost the most in my waist (4.5"), hips (4"), bust (3.25"), right thigh (2.5"--left came in at 1.5" but was smaller to begin with), and right bicep (2"--left was 1.25" but again smaller to begin with). It's really amazing to look at the inches as the continue to fall off. I never measure before surgery and began at 1 month out, I'm certain in that first month I lost some even though it didn't feel like it.

I've always been that girl with a pretty face. The saying always bothered me. Maybe it was because it pretty much said the rest of me wasn't pretty, or maybe it was because I didn't believe it. I suck at accepting compliments. Now though, at almost 80lbs less that my highest, I'm beginning to accept them and believe them myself. I think this realization hit one night when the hubs said something and I didn't argue with him on it...it took him by surprise, I think he had a comeback ready to try to prove to me that I did look good, and when he pointed it out to me that I didn't deny it it was an ah-ha moment.

Last weekend I went to the outlet mall in Foley, AL. At GAP I pulled down a pair of jeans and shirt and tried them on. They fit---and weren't even the biggest size that the store carries! I still feel weird shopping for myself in GAP though. Before I always felt like if I went in there for the hubs people would want to know why the fat chick was going in there, not like she can really wear anything. But now not only do I fit, but I'm not their biggest sizes either. That was a good feeling.

Losing {almost} 80 pounds isn't all glorious though either.

A few weeks ago my hair began to fall out. This is a normal thing to happen about 3-6 months post-op (sometimes longer). It is also one of the things about this surgery I have dreaded the most. I have a massive amount of hair, and it is thick too. Even 10 years ago in high school I would lose a lot of hair. At one point my mom took me to my Dr about it and they couldn't explain it either. So with my tons of hair and my tendency to shed a bit, I dreaded this part. It can be down right depressing to brush your hair and see it come out. Or take a shower and have to clean out the drain when you're done because hair is just stacked on top of it. So, I took an afternoon to myself (rare!), and got my hair cut. I figure even if the same amount of strands are coming out it'll look like less if it is a few inches shorter. I told my hair dresser if when washing my hair a lot came out, not to be alarmed. He asked if I had been under a lot of stress or had surgery recently. I told him surgery. He went on to tell me how he had surgery last year and lost a lot of his as well. Anesthesia can cause you to lose hair. With WLS not only do you have anesthesia working against you but also your body goes into starvation mode and begins to pull everything it would normally put in your hair and using it other places in your body. Then it works itself out of a funk and the hair gets attention again. When he was almost done with my hair he commented on how nice my hair is. 2 other hair dressers were sitting at their stations nearby and chimed in on how much I have and how great my hair looked. I couldn't help but laugh to myself and think what they would have said about the amount of my hair before!

We had L1's 4th birthday party 2 weeks ago. I didn't even have a bite of cake, much less a slice or 2. Sure there are times I want sweets, but it's not as often as it was before. There is even cake still left over from that party. Guess we should toss it out being L2's birthday is next weekend!

Before I had in my mind I wanted to hit -100lbs by my birthday (March 3rd), but I don't think that is going to happen now. The melting has slowed way down and another 21lbs I don't feel like is going to happen in 5.5 weeks. So I'm going to aim for -94lbs which will be 15 more than I'm at now.

Happy New Year...

...a bit late :X


Wow, I cannot believe it is already 2010! Seems like just yesterday the world was freaking out about Y2K--can it really be 10 years later now?!

My family was very blessed in 2009. The hubs finally got the chance to pursue his dream job and I'm on the way to my ideal me. I hope 2010 is just as good!

Right now I'm holding steady at 72 pounds lost. The scale hasn't moved in about a week which is discouraging. BUT--it is expected. Many people who have had RNY stall every few weeks. During that time it is typical to not lose pounds, but inches. I may have gone over this before when I hit a stall earlier so excuse my repeating if that is the case.

Still, 72lbs in 3 months--that's freakin' awesome if I may say so myself! I am finally beginning to see it in myself and the difference. I cleaned out my closet recently and was left with hardly anything to wear that actually fit and wasn't just falling off me. For Christmas I was given several gift cards to Old Navy/Gap (thanks to my folks, sister in-law, and my bro/sil!). So, I've done some shopping!

We were in Tallahassee right after Christmas for a night and hit up the Old Navy there. I found 3 shirts for $3.99 each! Score! A few days ago I also placed 2 different orders from ON online, which were just delivered about an hour ago. I did it in 2 orders for coupon purposes. Used a $10 off $50 purchase on each went through Bing Cashback for another 25% off and got free shipping because I had a few $ left over to pay that I put on my Gap card, score! Here is what I got from my online orders:plan to return these first 2, color just isn't the same in real life and I don't care for it on me










So for all of those I only spent $73.10! Easy math--about $7/shirt! Plus I'll be taking 2 of them back.

I'm pretty happy with them. Once nice thing about ON online is they carry tall sizes. Yes, me at 5'8" ordering talls...don't scratch your head or wrinkle your nose too much. I was "blessed" with short legs so my height all comes from my torso. I don't think anyone (except maybe Eddie Bauer?) makes plus sized tall shirts. So now I can order a shirt in tall and know it'll fit (if not be too big ha) and know that I won't have to keep pulling it down or worry about the dryer shrinking it.

Remember back before I had surgery where I had bought some smaller clothes? Well they all fit now and I've even out shrunk (ha!) some of them.

I'm set for shirts now for a few months (assuming my weight loss slows a little now I'm getting farther out). Before long I'll need new bottoms--and hopefully by then it will have warmed up some and it can be shorts!

Speaking of warming up...I'm constantly cold now! It doesn't help that it's been absolutely frigid for Florida (in the single digits this morning, what the heck!?)! I'm not convinced the thermostat displays the correct temp though. I mean could I really be comfortable with the heat at 76/77? That's SO not like me. At least not the old fatter me :P

Off to wash those new shirts while the little ones are still napping!