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!

3 months post-op and Christmas in the same week!

Today is Christmas. It's been a wonderful day, but I'll get there later.

Monday I had my 3 month post-op Dr appointment, the official 3 month mark being on Tuesday. Dr. F. was very happy with my progress so far and says I'm doing great and even ahead of schedule. Not that there is really a schedule, everyone's body is different in how they lose, but they go off an average baseline for it. I have to bring the monsters. Err...my precious children. Really they behaved decently, sometimes it's hard to remember they are only 1 and 3 (for now) so I can't expect them to be perfect.

Today is Christmas, so if you're reading it today--Merry Christmas! We have stayed at home instead of traveling. It was actually a decision we had made when I was still pregnant with L1 that we would do Christmas at home with kids. So there weren't a ton of temptations around this week like there usually are at Christmas gatherings. Sure we baked cookies for Santa. Almost 3 weeks ago now I had a cookie exchange and guess what....we still have cookies left over from that! Although I can eat a few and it doesn't bother me, I just don't have the desire too. L1 & L2 both got 4-wheelers for Christmas. This afternoon L1 tested his out. At one point he wouldn't turn around (in his defense they are super noisy on the sidewalk/road and he couldn't hear me), so I had to run after him. It's the first time in a while I've run more than the length of the house much less a bit of a distance (ok not like super far, but down the street around the corner kind of far). I was surprised that it didn't bother me at all to do it. When it warms up a little I think I'll put the trail around the neighborhood to use for jogging instead of just walking.

In my mind I had set a goal to be down 70 by Christmas. Well when you have 2 little boys anxious to see what Santa has brought, you don't get a chance to step on the scale right away. So I didn't weigh until after breakfast and lunch and was .8 lbs from my goal. So if I haven't made it, I'm pretty close.

That ham smells like it's about done, so I'm off to the kitchen to finish up and enjoy a wonderful Christmas dinner with my 2 little ones and the hubs.

The Closet

My closet overfloweth.

It would be simple to weed through my closet and get rid of the many items that are too big. I've finally hit a point where I'll put on one of my favorite go-to shirts and it just doesn't look good at all, it's too big. So I've began slowly buying a few things here and there. This time of year I can still find some clearance on short sleeve things which has been great for the wallet lightening factor. I finally bought a 2nd pair of new jeans this week, I was tired of constantly pulling up the old ones and well--they were just getting too baggy and didn't look good on at all!

I need to clean out my closet. Get rid of everything I've out-shrunk. Problem is I'm having a hard time doing it. When you're big, you get used to having a week here or there that you might feel smaller or things fit a little differently. Maybe you've lost a few pounds and not even realized. Then you're also used to the weight coming right back on (at least, that's how it always was for me). I guess a part of me feels like someday I'm going to be as big as I was. That the weight loss is too good to be true, so I shouldn't get rid of the clothes because someday I'll be wearing that size again. I'm not going to let that ever happen, but there is still that feeling in the back of my head!

Maybe I'll get around to it today. You never know with me. Last night my little one was up during the night and I wound up cleaning our bathroom at 3am. Maybe tonight it'll be the closet, ha!

Dec 6th update

Hard to believe it's been almost 2.5 months since my surgery!

I am down 57lbs as of today!

Friday night the hubs was flying all night so the boys and I ventured to the mall. First time we've been in quite some time! I was on a mission for PJs for them (and was successful). On the way out we passed Old Navy. They had big signs up "extra 30% off womens clearance." So we cruised in, I can't pass up a deal!

I ended up coming out with 2 shirts. One of them was only $1.88! Another was $6-something. I got then extra 30% off plus from the 1st-4th of the month they give military another 10% off. Score!

It was nice to be able to walk into a store and know what I picked up would fit. They did--maybe even a smidge big in places :)

I really need some new jeans, but in a way don't want to buy them. #1 because I was about to buy some on Black Friday and the size I wanted sold out before I could hit submit (I went back and forth on it and was too late), #2-because they are more $$ than shirts, and #3 because I don't want to be in the size too long! However, I think I need to break down and get at least 1-2 more pairs (remember I got the 1 pair over Thanksgiving) that fit, the others are just falling down now. Which is a good thing!

Big week!

Wow, this past week was big--and FUN!

Monday the kiddos and I headed south to my parent's for the week. The hubs had to work and joined us late on Weds night...or maybe it was early Thurs AM.

When I left, my scale said I was at -48. So +2 of what I wanted to be by Thanksgiving. I weighed on my parent's scale, but forgot to until Wednesday--so wasn't sure how their scale and mine compared.

When we got home tonight I weighed, and am now -53!!! That's even at night and I usually weigh first thing in the morning. I don't think there are many people who can lose 5lbs over Thanksgiving week, especially with my Mama's cooking around.

Fri morning we did family pics and there were actually some decent ones of me. I didn't threaten to delete them all like usual. Except the ones that were just me and the bean poles (aka my mom and sis-in-law)...maybe one day I'll be close to them.

Saturday we went to Tampa to see the Miami/USF football game (Go 'Canes!). I had forgotten to do laundry the night before as I had planned so only had 1 clean pair of jeans to wear to the game. I put them on and right away felt like they were going to fall off. The other jeans I had were actually dirty, like stuff on them, not just I wore them the day before so they were dirty from just wearing them. So we left the house early and swung by Macy's. The Macy's in Ocala isn't large--esp the Women's department (can't wait until I'm outta there!). So I crossed my fingers and went in. Grabbed the cheapest pair I could find in 1 size smaller than the norm. Tried them on, wow--there was some room in those too! So I went and grabbed another size smaller, and they fit pretty nicely! When I checked out I think the sales clerk thought I was a little nuts because I asked if it was ok to put them on in the fitting room and wear out. I'm glad I actually tried them on and didn't just grab 1 size down. So these are 2 sizes smaller than several pairs of pants/shorts and even 3 sizes smaller than some things that I have!

I've never been to Raymond James stadium so wasn't sure what the seating was going to be like. Never really paid attention either when watching on TV (the hubs is a Bucs fan so we watch when they are on). Most of my sporting events experience have been college level (or high school of course), with just a handful of events that were either on the pro level or held in a pro stadium. For some reason I just envisioned bleacher like seating. We walk up to our section and I see arm chairs on the seats. The fat girl in me took a sharp breath in. Thinking how uncomfortable I was going to be. I sat down...and the only part of me touching anything was my bottom to the seat and my back to the back of the seat! No sides on the arm rests, no spilling out (gross I know lol). I looked down half-way in shock. There was even space on my sides!

During the week I had a few other "wow" moments. Culligan came and delivered new jugs of water. You know, the giant ones where the water alone weighs 41.75 lbs. Well as I carried them from the side porch to the pantry, I was thinking how heavy it was. Then I said, "WOW...this weighs less that what I've lost so far!" Another time was before we left the football game the hubs, the kiddos, and I went to check out the pirate ship. Of course it was a hike to get there. Then our car was parked on the complete opposite side. L2 ended up on my shoulders for the trek back to the car, and it was wearing me out. Little man is only 28lbs! I've lost almost 2 of him!

So it was a pretty great week for me. I got to see a lot of family, most who haven't seen me since a few months before surgery. It's almost embarrassing to hear the compliments, but feels great at the same time!

2 months post-op today!

Wow, hard to believe it's already been 2 months!

Since I didn't take measurements before surgery, I began taking them at 1 month out. I just did them again for 2 months out...and I'm shrinking!!!

Every thing I'm tracking lost something.

Biggest loser: HIPS! Down 2.75" this month
1st runner up: chest, down 1.75"
2nd runner up: waist, down 1.5"

Seeing these measurements has made me realize that is really is happening. Even though only a handful of clothes have gotten too big, I know I'm on the way.

Thanksgiving is this week so it should be interesting. A meal notorious for stuffing yourself until you pass out on the couch in front of a football game on TV. I have one bite too much and I'll feel very sick, if I don't actually get physically sick. So I'll keep to my little saucer sized plate and savor the few bites I get to have knowing next month I should see more decreases in measurements!

Listen closely

Do you hear it?

I did earlier today! The sound of angles singing as the scale beeped and flashed my weight.

FINALLY!!!

The numbers are dwindling again. 2lbs in the last 3 days. It felt so good to see that. I could breathe a sign of relief. Now lets just hope this keeps up.

Stalls are a common part of WLS. I read about the before hand and after. Even though I knew to expect it, it is still hard to accept that it's happening to you. It's hard to grasp how you can burn more calories than you're taking in yet not lose weight. Or at a rate of .2/day. They say this happens because your body goes into starvation mode. I don't get it, but it's not really my field either.

I'm just glad to see the scale moving again. I've read stories about people losing 40lbs and that's it (when they had a lot more to lose). Even though I knew I was doing things right, there's still that nagging thought in the back of your head that this too is going to fail.

For now though, I'm all smiles with what is going on. 4 more lbs until my 1st mini-goal of 50lbs gone forever!

Ugh.

Ugh.

Just....ugh.

In the past 3 weeks, guess how much weight I've lost?

3 measly pounds. THREE!

In case you are terrible at math, that means one pound per week! What the heck?! I went from losing at least a pound a day to a pound a week.

I knew to expect stalls. They say it's normal. But it's still hard to swallow when you see the numbers on the scale staring back, and they aren't moving.

I guess I should be happy that at least it's 3lbs instead of a big fat goose egg 0.

I wanted to be down 50 by Thanksgiving (according to my scale), I have 6 to go...not sure if I'm going to get there now.

Come on stall, get going and snap out of it!!!

6 week post-op Take 2

Despite Miss Ida trying to bring her wrath upon us, I was able to get to my 6 week post-op appointment. I was even kid-free doing it *gasp*

I am down 45lbs! Dr. Friedman says I am doing well. He gave me the go-ahead to try to swallow pills. YAHOO!!!! I'm hoping that will make things a lot better for me.

Ok this is short, I'm trying to cook dinner and soon heading out for Bunco with the gals before Ida knocks on our front door.

6 week post-op appointment

My 6 week post-op appt was supposed to be this afternoon (well, in an hour from now actually). I had to cancel.

The hubs has a flight this afternoon so I was going to bring the munchkins along with me. I put them down for a rest early, and was shocked that L1 didn't protest. He was actually yawning and ready for it. About an hour before I wanted to leave I got L1 up. He can be a crankapotomus when he wakes up so I wanted to give him some time to work that out of his system. I was getting ready and he came back to check on me a few times, see what I was doing, etc. When I was done I came out and he was curled up in the corner of the couch with my quilt on top of him and the pillows surrounding him too. He told me, "Wow Mommy. You look pretty! You look really beautiful." That boy sure knows how to melt his mama's heart. Then he asked for some milk. He followed me into the kitchen wanting to pick out his cup and asked me to pick him up to see them better. He felt pretty warm to me so I wanted to take his temp. 102.5! Eek! No wonder he didn't want to eat all day and was fine with going down for a rest. I called my Dr and rescheduled, it will now be on Monday morning. Good thing about that is, assuming L1 is well, I'll only have to bring L2 with me (L1 will be at school).

Sooo...didn't want to leave you hanging without an update about the appointment as I promised I would update.

The sugar matter

Every since my surgery, I have been doing really well about having things to eat/drink without sugar or very, very low amount of it.

Well...I was.

And by was, I mean the past few days...not so much. Unfortunately, I think I have made a discovery I didn't want to be true. Well, let me rephrase. Apart of me wanted to be true, but apart of me doesn't.

Some people, for some unknown reasons, after surgery sugar doesn't affect them. They do not have dumping syndrome. I appear to be one of those people.

Now if you get squeamish over bodily functions, hit the back arrow and I'll see ya next time.

Ok, you had your warning!

It had been a few days since I had gone to the bathroom, you know...the #2 kind. We don't have any type of laxatives around, but do have apple juice. So I thought, "hey, I'll take a few swigs of this and see what happens." It was an after thought to check out the sugar. I probably had about 3-4oz of juice. This particular brand has 28g of sugar in 8oz! That means I had just taken in 10-14g of sugar. I kept waiting for the misery to hit. The sweating, stomach pains, bathroom visits...but it didn't come. I was letting the kiddlets snack on some Halloween candy, and I ate a Tootsie Roll. One of those long ones, not a little one. I couldn't find nutrition info online for that size, just the little ones, but my guess would be that had about 10g sugar in it as well. Again, nothing. I wasn't phased.

You may remember my first week or so of being post-op I had a dumping experience with some yogurt. I thought for sure that it was the sugar (although I only had 2 spoon fulls and there was 7g sugar in 4oz serving). Now I'm thinking perhaps it was the little pieces of berries in it. Maybe my pouch was just too tender and fresh to handle that.

Really I'm not sure how to feel about this sugar thing. In a way I'm like, "Yahhooo! I'm not going to be deprived of everything (or seemingly everything) for the rest of my life!!!" Oh the other hand I'm a little annoyed that I even figured it out. Now the temptations are going to be there. I'm afraid knowing this might hinder my weight loss because I won't make the right decisions. Before it was easy to turn down the temptations. Yes, there is a bowl full of candy--but I know if I eat it I'll be sick. Now it's like, yes...there is a bowl full of candy and if I eat it I'll be ok.

The good thing is that even though I can indulge, it can't be much at all. I am still stuffed after 3-4 bites of food.

So this will be another battle to overcome. Actually, not overcome--but stay away from. I've been practically sugar-free for 6 weeks now and am hanging in there.

Tomorrow I have a Dr appt with my surgeon, will update after that on how it goes!

Halloween

Well, I've basically made it through my first food-frenzied holiday.

Halloween...all about dressing up, having fun, and days of a sugar high.

Friday night we went to a party. It was so hard not to take a bit of a caramel apple or some of the other treats there. Tonight we took the boys trick-or-treating. Which means they came home with gobs of candy and dug in. We also had some left over from what we were giving out. The hubs kept snacking on some once the boys were in bed. Weigh-ins were Thurs and he passed so I guess he was giving himself a pat on the back. Finally I told him to stop! A part of me wants to just taste a Snickers, Skittles, etc, etc. But I know it would lead to me getting sick, which is something I don't want to do.

There is a lot of junk around here right now as a result of Halloween, and I can't wait for it to be gone.

Sometimes it is just so frustrating being so limited by what I can eat. Sure there is plenty that I can, but it seems most of it requires some preparation. I'm so sick of chicken at this point! I really need to sit down with the books I have and get some good recipes out of them. At the same time it's so hard to cook a meal then after 2-3 bites be full.

There are times where I wish I could just have a day off. Let me down a soda, eat a candy bar, heck even just finish a full plate of food! I know in the end the struggles will be worth it, but sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end.

It was a tough week emotionally. The Navy lost a T-34, which is what Dan will begin flying on Monday. The CG lost a C-130 in a collision with a Marine Super Cobra on Thursday night. I've been around aviation long enough to have lost friends in incidents before, but it never makes it easier. There were times I wanted to turn to the half eaten carton of ice cream in the freezer and let my sadness get to me through my stomach, but I couldn't.

It's all still a learning process. On the 5th I have my next post-op appointment. Right now I'm down 43lbs according to my scale, or 47lbs since the liquid diet began. Quickly approaching my first real goal!

Here is a pic of Dan and I on Friday night, proudly rockin' our Gymboree Gymmies!