Robert E. Brolin M.D. Dr. Brolin performed gastric bypass surgery 25 years ago on 2 people that I know very well. I have known these 2 people for 27 years. They are well and happy. When I first met Dr. Brolin he remembered those patients from 25 years ago including details about their lives! When I met him again at two support group meetings, I was impressed by how he listened to everyone's questions and answered them so thoroughly. He repeated every question to make sure that everyone in the room could hear them. I met him again for my consultation. He was very thorough in explaining risks, complications, and aftercare. The strongest impression I have of Dr. Brolin (besides his surgical abilities) is that he truly and sincerely cares about each patient as an individual and feels great happiness in helping people save their lives. I am so confident to have him do this surgery and know that he will be able to handle any bumps in the road, if any. The support group, which meets the first Monday of each month is awesome. I am looking forward to working closely with Dr. Brolin for many years to ensure a successful outcome!
An extra note--surgery was 3 days ago and it went great! I was released from the hospital after only 1 night! I will always be very grateful to Dr. Brolin and Dr. Nihalani for all they have done for me.
Another note--I am now one year out and went from a size 2X to a size two! I look great AND I feel great! Thank you Dr. Brolin and Dr. Chau for all of the support you've given me during the past year. Knowing that you are always there to listen or answer a question no matter how small means everything--thank you!
I hope that
everything went well
for you, Jill, and
that you are happy
with the results.
I'm so excited to
read your update
once you're feeling
up to being on the
computer. ~Big
(Gentle) Hugs~
Not much exercise for me this month. We'll see how/if it affects my weight loss. But I did a lot of work around my house and I went hiking with Ryan once.
Yesterday I walked my fastest mile so far!! Previously my fastest was 15:02 and yesterday I did a mile in 14:43. I walked for 65 minutes and went 3.77 miles and burned 400 calories.
So, I'm back in the swing of things just in time for June!
I went away to Stone Harbor, NJ on vacation with my family and another family on Friday and we came home on Monday. We went to the zoo, the beach, shopping, Atlantic City, and a parade! On Friday night Steve took me to a fancy restaurant for our 10th wedding anniversary and my parents (who were also staying in Stone Harbor) watched Ben and Sarah. Steve wrote me a great poem and put it on a beautiful paper--(of course I will post it here when I get time!) And he gave me a stunning watch and I gave him a bracelet.
It was a great weekend! The only thing that was DRIVING ME CRAZY was that it was the first time I didn't have access to a scale. I always weigh myself every morning. I just like to know. I believe in daily weighing and I believe overall it helps me. It may not be right for everyone, but it is right for me. I don't record my weights except for once per month--so I can't even tell you my weekly weights....but every morning, I just like to know.
Almost every vacation I've EVER been on I have come home to be a few pounds more. Even when I've brought my own food, had conferences with the chefs, etc.--I would still come home to disappointment. I would inevitably be up a couple of pounds.
So I went THREE days with no scale. Pure torture. I tried as hard as I could to eat right, stay hydrated,etc, but my past experience was that that whatever I do is just not good enough--just being out of my routine and eating out would have me gaining weight.
So....we got home tonight, and of course I couldn't even wait until tomorrow morning--I just ripped off my clothes and told my husband to brace himself for angriness on tap--and I was prepared for it to be a gain of few pounds. I held my breath and looked down....I was DOWN half a pound!!
G-d is GOOD. I was just amazed. Weight Loss Surgery is a miracle for sure. I'm going to Boston for a week in the middle of June--we're driving there--I WILL be taking my scale with me, but I'm not having anxiety about going, like I was for this trip.
I will be okay. I will do my best. The weight loss surgery works, and G-d is watching over me. We have a lot of family trips planned for the summer, and I will be okay!!!
Yesterday I went to Tony Lukes www.tonylukes.com best known for their Philly Steak Sandwiches.
I asked the man if I can have one slice of provolone and one slice of tomato and 2 slices of pickles.He made me a BEAUTIFUL plate with 3 slices of provolone and 3 slices of tomato and 3 pickles!
He wouldn't take any money--and this is like the zillionth (ok I'm exaggerating a bit) time this has happened, at lots of different places. So that was my lunch AND dinner!!
I put the cheese on the bottom, a slice of tomato on top, then a pickle slice, and folded it over and had the best "cheese sandwich" ever!
My new good looks aren't hurting in the get things free department either!
This week I haven't been tired at all. Last week I was. I thought maybe I wasn't taking in enough calories, so I was tired. This week I added NO extra calories, and I'm not tired.
Moral--sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
I was tired last week. Everyone gets tired sometimes, I'd think....
I'm still feeling very tired alot. It is similar to how I felt while dieting all the time for the past few years. I would limit my intake and be very, very hungry and to avoid eating, I would lie down and rest alot because I knew if I ate I would not lose weight or I would gain weight. But I also knew that if I did not eat I would feel weak and tired. If I really needed energy I would eat more and then my weight loss efforts would suffer. But I used to get very, very hungry to the point of weakness. Now, after surgery, I get such a limited amount of calories I have that same weak, tired feeling, but without the hunger. I know I need more calories to keep my energy levels up. I don't count calories or grams of anything anymore (I already have the t-shirt) but I'm sure that on most days I probably take it about 500-700 calories. My surgeon said that is fine. He said not to go over 1,200, but there's no minimum. At 1,200 I have a very hard time losing--that's what I used to eat on a regular diet and would lose but less than 1/2 pound per week, and I'd feel weak and tired. I'm hoping at one to 1 1/2 years out I'll be eating 1,200 calories a day and losing very slowly and not feeling hungry. I believe if I ate that much now, I'd lose too slow and have nothing to work up to. I'm happy with my rate of loss now, just not happy with my energy levels. The funny thing is that if I do eat, I'm tired from eating, and if I don't eat, I'm tired from not eating!! Hello!! My best feelings of energy are about an hour after eating.
The main reason I bring all this up, is that I really have to be cleaning my basement today and tomorrow because on Friday some people are coming to help us move the contents and it has to be packed up first. But instead of doing that, I'm in bed! I'm too tired!! I'm hoping that I'm procrastinating and I'll get a huge burst of energy tomorrow.
Benjamin had no school today because of parent/teacher conferences. So we snuggled in bed all morning--here's a picture--
Also, it's pouring outside--maybe that's affecting my energy. Thousands of theories, only 24 hours in a day....
I went hiking with Ryan today and made it much further up the mountain than I did last time, and instead of an hour, we went an hour and ten minutes. Ryan said that next time if I just go another 40 minutes up, I should make it to the top.
He reminded me that I used to keep up at his pace and zip right up to the top--I remember getting to the top, and loving hiking, but I don't remember any zipping!
I get so low on energy all the time since surgery. It's because my intake is so low. When I get to a certain point on the hike, I just have to turn around--I've only eaten about 200 calories at that point, and that is by far depleted. Next time I will bring some peanut butter, sweet potato, or maybe some granola with me. If I eat anything "hard" it sits in my pouch like lead and I just want to lie down. If I eat nothing, I have no energy and I just want to lie down. Soooo....I think I just have to replenish with soft mushy things if I want to get to the top.
About two hours after the hike, I was shopping and felt dizzy and faint, and that happened last time I hiked also. I've gotta' squeeze some more calories into my body on high activity days.
On the way home, I stopped at Wendy's and had a small chili. I think I've gotta' eat a lot more "soft" foods like re-fried beans and chili and ricotta cheese and less "hard" foods like fish and beef because it's too heavy for me and makes me feel sluggish and sleepy. After eating "hard" foods my bra feels tight and I'm miserable--I think it's because my pouch is still healing from surgery.
How funny is it that they are in the same building! Check out the sign on the corner of the building! There is a plastic surgeon in the building also--talk about one-stop shopping!
It seems that everyone is so different when it comes to eating. Everyone's got a theory, especially me. I've got theories about eating, living, EVERYTHING....
Steve is so tired of hearing all my theories for the past 11 years---"oh, I've just figured this out--I've just figured that out" I should have a Nobel Prize by now. I'm like--"Oh--oh!! I know--whenever I have green tea at 4 am it makes me feel better the next day--that's the ticket!!" or "Oh-oh!!! I know--if I drink a 24 ounce bottle of water every morning before eating--it flushes my body and makes me feel great and helps my weight loss--that's the ticket!!" or "Oh-oh!!! Eating fish for breakfast makes me think better and keeps me sharp all day--THAT'S the ticket!!" It goes on and on--every day of my life I come up with SO MANY THEORIES!!
Either I'm a GENIUS or I'm STONE COLD CRAZY.....
But I've been thinking up theories for just about everything since forever, and I don't forget them--I build on them and learn--life is about trying a round screw in a square hole and saying--oh, maybe not, and then finding the round hole....
I think I'm part genius and part crazy, but anyhoo I make my husband roll his eyes everyday--good thing he's cute.
Size 12??? TWELVE??? size 12 bottoms and my shirts are size MEDIUM!!!
I went into Ann Taylor and when I tried on size 12 pants, I figured that syle must run very big, so I tried on like 10 other size 12s including jeans and they ALL fit!!! SIZE TWELVE!!
I'm wearing my pre-pregnancy size!!! Only 4 months after surgery??!! It seems like a dream.
I'm halfway to my goal weight, but I am happy as can be with the body I have right now. Can't stop lookin' at myself!
Jill
Here's a picture of me in my new pants! (with my friend Goldie)
This morning at three minutes and four seconds after two o'clock in the morning it was 020304050607. This will never happen again.
What is really important to remember is that yesterday will never happen again and neither will the last five minutes.
Let's live like we're dying, because we are....
He said I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me And one moment came that stopped me on a dime I spent most of the next days, looking at the x-rays Talking bout' the options and talking bout' sweet times. I asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end How's it hit 'cha when you get that kind of news? Man what did ya do? He said--
I went skydiving I went rocky mountain climbing I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu And I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin' And he said some day I hope you get the chance To live like you were dyin'
He said I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn't And I became a friend, a friend would like to have And all of a sudden goin' fishin, wasn't such an imposition And I went three times that year I lost my dad Well I finally read the good book, and I took a good long hard look At what I'd do if I could do it all again And then
I went skydiving I went rocky mountain climbing I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Shu And I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'
And he said some day I hope you get the chance To live like you were dyin'
Like tomorrow was the end And ya got eternity to think about what to do with it What should you do with it What can I do with it What would I do with it
Skydiving I went rocky mountain climbing I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu And man I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I watched an eagle as it was flyin'
And he said some day I hope you get the chance To live like you were dyin'
This one's for all you girls about thirteen - High school canbe so rough, can be so mean - Hold onto, on to your innocence = Stand your ground when everyone's giving in - This one's for the girls
This is for all you girls about twenty-five - In a little apartment, just trying to get by - Living on, on dreams and spaghetti-o's - Wondering where you life is gonna go
This one's for the girls - Who've ever had a broken heart - Who've wished upon a shooting star - You're beautiful the way you are - This one's for the girls - Who love without holding back - Who dream with everything they have - All around the world - This one's for the girls
This is for all you girls about forty-two - Tossing pennies into the Fountain of Youth - Every laugh, laugh line on your face - Made you who you are today
This one's for the girls - Who've ever had a broken heart
Who've wished upon a shooting star - You're beautiful the way you are - This one's for the girls - Who love without holding back
Who dream with everything they have - All around the world
This one's for the girls - Yeah, we're all the same inside (same inside) - From 1 to 99
This one's for the girls - Who've ever had a broken heart
Who've wished upon a shooting star - You're beautiful the way you are - This one's for the girls - Who love without holding back Who dream with everything they have - All around the world
This one's for the girls - Yeah, this one's for the girls
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