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Category: Health 0 People in progress, 1 Person achieved this |
Category: Health 1 Person in progress, 1 Person achieved this |
Category: Health 0 People in progress, 1 Person achieved this |
Category: Health 1 Person in progress, 0 People achieved this |
Category: Health 2 People in progress, 1 Person achieved this |
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Latest Surgery Support Comments
 Comment by RedStar on 11/1/07 2:44 pm
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Friday is your day!
Just remember you
are on the journey
of a lifetime. Try
to enjoy every
minute. It may sound
weird now, but know
that you are cared
for and prayed for
here, and all too
soon this will be
but a memory and you
will be an
inspiration to
someone else. I am
waiting for you on
the losers' bench!
Click here for the surgery support page
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I've finally made it!
Ugh...I did it..... on July 29, 2008 7:28 pm
I did it. I made myself step on the scale. I knew I have gained some weight back since my last weigh-in in April. Yep. Gained 10 lbs! OMG!!! What am I doing to myself? I have got to get this under control. But how? How do I get the motivation back? The desire has drained from me. I am trying not to beat myself up but its right there staring me in the face.
I've got to do it....I'm on the path to killing myself with food again.
WAKE UP, CRISTINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My dearest Friends..... on July 28, 2008 7:31 pm
I realized the other day that I haven't been here in such a very long time. To those of you who contacted me to see how I was doing...thank you...and I owe you an apology for not getting back to you.
I will take more time in a few days to give my full update, but I wanted to leave a message that I haven't forgotten all your support and belief. I know I will need to have it again soon. I just don't know if I can face you yet.
I am ashamed....I am saddened....I am human....and I know I can come back. I just don't know if I have the strength to do so yet.
Please keep in touch. I promise that I will be back and with full force soon!
Love to all my dearest friends.....
Cristina
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Quick Update... on May 29, 2008 10:09 pm
Hey there......
Well, I quit the tax place and am now working at Microsoft in the Benefits Department. Much better fit for me. I'm a temp on a year long contract but it's still better than the tax place I was at.
I have met someone else who had the lapband. A parent at the school my kids go to. I have known her for a while through PTA but didn't know she had lap band. So we talked a little bit and she has really got me thinking about my habits again. Also, I need to make another appointment to get a fill. Maybe that will put me back on track.
School isn't going well. I have taken on WAY too much. So I am withdrawing from this quarter's classes. I probably messed up my financial aid status, but I will worry about that later. I was just unable to keep up with 4 classes, my kids, new job, financial issues, and my weight loss. LOL What am I - superwoman? :-)
Anyway, I will try to update again real soon. Miss you all!!
Cristina
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Hi there....It's been a while. on April 14, 2008 10:40 am
Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've logged on to OH and this forum. It's been crazy for me the past two months. Since I've received a few emails asking where I've been and what's been going on I thought I should come back and update you. :-)
These past two months I really haven't been focusing on my weight and eating. We have had severe financial difficulties and almost lost everything. I have had to go back to work - and am currently working in a evening position at a tax preparers office. Not my first choice in business because my background is human resources, but it's office work that i know how to do and it's money coming in to help with bills. So, we are almost back to "on time" payments...which is a relief.
I have finished up my previous quarter at school...some of you remember I was in a painting class and shared my paintings with you. But now after spring break we have started a new quarter. This time I am taking all online classes but 4 of them! So I really have my work cut out for me. Two of the classes require a ton of reading and that is where I am now spending my free time - instead of on here with you fine folks. But if I want to get my degree finished that's what needs to be done, right? :-)
Now, as far as my weightloss goes......like I mentioned earlier, I haven't been focusing on my eating habits.....which means my eating habits (the bad ones) have all come back. I'm sad with myself for letting this happen, but in reality, I still am not nearly as bad as back before the surgery. I have lost a little weight and am now sitting at -45 lbs gone. But 5 lbs in two months isn't much. So, hopefully now that our bills are a little more under control and I am getting situated with my school and work schedule I will be able to tackle those bad eating habits once again and be on the right path to my goal.
I've missed all you guys.....thanks for reading my post and still thinking of me. :-) I hope to be on here more often in the coming days/months.
Later....
Cristina
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Just tracking my details...... on February 15, 2008 3:07 pm
Decided to have surgery 08/27/07: 254 lbs
Pre-Op Weigh in 11/02/07: 242 lbs - 12 lbs
Made it through Surgery-11/2/07! On my way to a better me!
11/09/07: 237.5 lbs - 16.5 lbs
11/16/07: 231.0 lbs - 23 lbs
11/23/07: 228.5 lbs - 25.5 lbs
11/30/07: 229.0 lbs - 25 lbs
12/07/07: 224.5 lbs - 29.5 lbs
12/14/07: 221.5 lbs - 32.5 lbs
12/21/07: 224.0 lbs - 30.0 lbs
12/28/07: 225.0 lbs - 29.0 lbs
01/04/08: 221 lbs - 33 lbs
01/18/08: 221 lbs - 33 lbs
01/25/08: 218 lbs - 36 lbs
02/01/08: 217 lbs - 37 lbs
02/08/08: 214 lbs - 40 lbs
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Motivation..... on February 15, 2008 2:24 pm
This was inspired by (taken from) Nanner (krinannie).....thanks!! The only difference is that I inputed my numbers and changed a few words. Amazingly, I am at the same rate as she is....!!
I was banded 11/02/07. That is 105 days ago.
I have lost 40 pounds total. That is .380 pounds a day (more than a third of a pound --- bigger than the meat on a McDonalds's 1/4 pound hamburger every day since surgery!)
My BMI has fallen from 42.3 to 35.6, a drop of 6.7! That moves me from the severely obese category to the obese category....AND I am almost to the overweight category.
I am almost at the "not eligible for surgery" category....except I still have one co-morbidity (sleep apnea). However.....my other co-morbidities are gone!!!
I have dropped from a 22/24 pant to a 18/20.
I am active in step aerobics and play with my kids more.
I sleep better and am in a better mood.
I fee so much better and actually am beginning to feel sexy again!!
That is only 105 days and 40 pounds. Imagine the next forty pounds and the next forty after that....then I will be within 5 lbs of my goal!!
40 pounds is 32% of what I want to lose. Did I say only 105 days? That means about 315 days and I could be at goal. That means only about another 8 or 9 months!!!!!
That would be Thanksgiving time....and about 1 year after surgery. I am truly thankful for what I have been given!
Now THAT is motivation!
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Fill Update..... on February 6, 2008 4:57 pm
Hey there everyone. Had my 4th fill done today. No problems - which is a good thing. If you have followed my story you would know my last one had a little scare. Thought there might be a leak since there was only 2cc's in there and the chart said 6cc's. Well, today she checked and all 6cc's she filled me back to was there!!! Woo Hoo......
So, she filled me up with one more to make me at 7cc's and I was ready to go. I feel great!
Oh, also my surgeon came out to see me when I was waiting in the lobby. He's such a nice guy. LOL Said he didn't recognize me. Gave me a hug and just wanted to see how things were going. So cool........
Anyway, everything's good....no leak.....and filled up ready to get that scale moving even more!!!
Cristina
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Scale Victory.... on February 6, 2008 9:26 am
Although it isn't my "official" weigh in day.....I weighed this morning because I am going in for a fill this afternoon. I couldn't believe my eyes!!!
214 lbs
That means I have hit the -40 lbs gone goal!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO HOOOOOO. I can't believe it....yet I can. LOL Weird huh?
I love this band.....
Cristina
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Not feeling well.... on January 26, 2008 9:39 pm
I don't know if I ate too much or if it was what I ate. But my lunch just didn't seem to sit well on my tummy. Now, after eating my dinner, I am not feeling very well again. I don't want to have anything to do with food anymore. I hate having to eat all the time and feeling horrible even when I eat right.
Sorry....just my stomach pains talking here. I need to take it easy tomorrow.....
Normally, I can just sip on a hot cup of tea and feel better, but the thought of doing that makes me want to vomit. UGH.....You know....the thought of throwing up actually sounds good right now. Maybe then I will feel better.
Maybe I will just go take a hot shower...even though it is almost 10pm already and they generally don't want you "running things" at this time of night - shhh...it's quiet time. But, My tummy has been hurting for over 3 1/2 hours now since dinner and I don't know what else to do.
sob....sniff....sob....sob......
Anyway.....I better go.
Later...
Cris
Let's hope I can sleep tonight.
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Weekly Weigh-In on January 25, 2008 12:00 am
The scale finally moved. Yeah....
Last weight: 221 lbs
Current Weight: 218 lbs
That's a -36 lbs lost....YEAH!!
Let's keep this going!!
Cris
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Archive
My Story
Being heavy was never in my plans - as I'm sure it isn't in anyone else's either. But life happened to me. Going through school I was always skinny. Not just skinny, but almost unhealthy skinny - skin and bones I was called by many. I didn't mind. I was active, felt great and enjoyed exercising. The movements called to me and I didn't feel happy if I wasn't moving. So, what happened?
Well, I can put blame on many things, but they ultimately were all my choices. I believe things started however when i chose to go on the birth control: Depo Prevera. I loved it since there wasn't "that time" for me, but the side effect of gaining weight turned out to be extreme for me. They told me maybe 10 lbs and I was okay with that - I had already gained weight after high school and was now about 115 anyway so another 10 wouldn't be that bad. But over the next year - that's right in only one year - I gained almost 90 lbs. I had my family and friends telling me to stop taking it because it was ruining my health, but I still didn't see it in myself. I was trying to exercise more, but one comment eventually changed my entire thinking. I was told by a professional at a college aerobics class that because i was on Depo there was never a way to lose weight even if I exercised 24/7. That hit me hard......and I basically gave up.
During this time of giving up....I stopped playing sports, I stopped exercising, I even started eating bigger meals. Finally I went off of Depo. My weight was fairly stable...so I didn't think much of it. Then I became pregnant. Most people didn't even know because I was so big to begin with...but I was happy. Soon, my son was born. My focus became on him. Life continued and a couple of years later....my daughter was born. Unfortunately, by this time, I had to go back to work and wasn't able to stay home with both my children, but they were still everything to me.
Throughout the next 4-5 years, I would focus on my weight once in a while - usually after comments of "so, when are you due?" when i wasn't expecting. I would try diet after diet. Weight Watchers usually worked the best, but still couldn't continue with it as a life style. But what really caught my eye was recently. About 7 months ago, I started a position where it was taking me about an hour to drive to work. Nothing too bad about that except I kept falling asleep at the wheel. Then I was starting to fall asleep at work too. NOT GOOD. I self referred myself to a sleep study and found out I had very bad sleep apnea and was put immediately on a CPAP machine. I knew I was heavy. It was hard to walk anywhere without breathing like I just ran a marathon. I couldn't fit into my clothes and the sizes kept getting bigger. I was telling my kids I couldn't play with them because I was exhausted and my eating was really out of control. I relied on pop (pepsi/coke) like it was a lifeline to keep me awake and full of energy - never really acknowledging that it was part of my downfall.
So, now, I am on a CPAP machine, unable to breathe when I walk to the printer at work, not playing with my kids, and fighting with depression over how I feel all the time. Then, one day I get some pictures back from and one of them hit me like a ton of bricks. OMG!!! This isn't me. This is not how I see myself......but there it was in color.....how everyone else saw me. yes, it is the picture I have in my profile. Me, sitting at a desk looking like a pink slab of blubber. To this point, I knew I had a weight problem. But i thought I still was "hiding it" fairly well. This was what I needed.
I went to the doctor and found out that my cholesterol was very high and that my blood pressure was very high. NOT GOOD!!!. I asked what I can do....if there was a medicine that could help me since I was technically now considered Morbidly Obese and all they told me was to eat better and exercise more. I knew that!!! I've been told that for years and years and look at what all my trials have brought me to. I went back on WW and was struggling again after just two weeks. Why can't I do this???? I need help.
To this day, I don't really remember what it was.....a commercial, hearing someone else talk about it, or what it was that made me start my research, but I knew that the only way to help me was WLS. I didn't tell anyone...not even my husband that I was researching this. I went into overdrive. I found a clinic that seemed to be great and was going to go to their seminar. But, I knew the only way I was ever going to have this done was to have insurance help. I did my own research and found out this clinic wasn't a preferred provider. DARN!! So, I continued my research into others in my area that was in the preferred providers list.....and I came across Puget Sound Surgical Center. What a blessing this was.
Over the next month, I was in contact with them, set up all my initial appointments, went to their seminar, got my weight history and letter from my PCP explaining that surgery would help not only because my BMI was 42.3 but because I had co-morbidities too........and before I knew it.......I was approved by my insurance. It was really a shock to everyone at the clinic as well as me since I hadn't submitted anything yet and hadn't even had my nutritional/psychological evals yet. My doctor had submitted my papers and was overwhelmingly approved with just the few items. AMEN!!!
During this time I started to tell my husband. It was just research. He didn't like it and I soon found out why during an argument. He called me lazy and said I was taking the easy way out......wanted me to try working with him on diet and exercise and that surgery was way too extreme. I felt like I had been slapped in the face. Easy way out? Heck no...this was more extreme and I would have to work even harder than on any regular diet. Over time, I showed him my research....told him how I felt - how this was my last resort after years of failure - and that I felt like I was dieing and needed this tool to help me learn all over again. He acknowledged that he he understands how I felt but really was more scared of surgery than anything else because he has had bad experiences in the past and that was the only thing he knew....bad surgical experiences. I personally have only had good surgical experiences and told him that I understood the risks, but still needed to do this. He eventually started supporting me in my process even though he didn't like the idea. He loves me and I love him for being here for me.
So, really in about a two months time I went from making the decision to have WLS and to actually having it. It has been probably faster than some would like it to have been, but for me it was just in time to save my life. Although it caused a strain for a while between me and my husband, I know it was the right decision and now...after the fact....I think he is starting to see that too. It's only been about 3 weeks since my surgery, but I am already down 25lbs and am starting to feel a difference. Some even see the difference. It is hard. I fight my own food addiction battles, but I now see the light at the end of the tunnel. I've always said......if you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, march down there and turn it on yourself! I belive I have done this and can now be the wife and mother I am meant to be.
Thank you for reading my story.
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