ObesityHelp

I'm thrilled to be able to report that I've lost 

another 8 lbs! I have NO idea how that happened, especially since my weight 

loss has generally excrutiatingly slow. However my diet is really 

limited these days. I still have the occasional intense, labor-like trapped 

gas pains. After one particularly bad episode last week (lasting 4 

miseralbe hours), I finally called my surgeon to find out if there could be 

a solution, or if I'm just stuck with this "side effect".  He sent me 

to my PCP to be evaluated  because he was concerned that my hernia has 

come back and may be pressing on my small bowel. A cat scan later, I'm 

waiting for the results.  I really hope they can figure out what's 

causing it.  Since I've been unable to pinpoint a specific food that causes 

these episodes, I've been especially restrictive on my diet, eating 

only foods that I know for sure have not caused problems as yet. All white 

flour products are taboo.  I eat a LOT of peanut butter on wheat 

bread...probably at least two slices or three slices a day. Dinner is usually 

shrimp or chicken, with MAYBE a touch of rice. 



I've had a lot of "firsts" lately. I wore my first pair of heeled shoes 

in probably 20 years. I bought a fabulous pair of wedge sandals from 

Avon, and I felt like a million bucks!  They aren't even "wide" width 

(actually I've had to wear "WW" shoes for years)! I also bought a pair of 

size 20 pants from Wal-mart and they fit with no problem at all. Not an 

elastic waistband in sight. How every liberating!



My sister bought me a ticket to fly to Chicago for our family reunion 

at the end of this month. For the first time since I was in my teens, I 

don't have worry about them making my purchase TWO seats! And if I have 

to walk from one terminal to another, it's NO BIG DEAL!  



The best news though, is that my brother and his wife are FINALLY 

expecting. After three very trying years on the road to conception, Tammy is 

pregnant...with TWINS!!



Nothing else to report. I still have no "significant other" in my 

life...men don't even look twice at me.  Oh well.  At least I feel good 

(most of the time) and I think I look pretty darn good too!  The hanging 

skin is a bit frightful. It's amazing to me how small my arms would be if 

I didn't have the excess skin.  My panni is interesting. I can actually 

fold it in half and tuck it into my pants.  Good times.

Well, three months and a week later, and I've only 

lost 15 more lbs.  I've been sliding up and down the same five lbs for at 

least two months now. I still have to avoid all white flour products in 

order to live a normal life. My body is shifting, and it seems that all 

my excess weight is falling down to my hips and thighs.  I actually 

GREW an inch since the last time I was measured!  How did THAT happen? 



My son Scott has moved into an apartment with his younger brother in 

Jacksonville. The house feels mighty empty.  James has fallen in love 

with a woman he met through eHarmony and is moving to NY to be with her.  

I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my life.  My son 

Matthew is SERIOUS about me moving to Kansas. He sends me IM's daily from 

Iraq, telling me to "just do it".  I'm giving it some serious thought, 

but haven't made a final decision. Being without a job for ANY length 

of time is a scary proposition.  I only know one thing for sure...there 

is nothing for me here.

I went for my first iron infusion today and it was 

such a non issue!  It took about 4 hours, but I slept most of the time, 

and they fed me lunch while I was there. I'm already warmer, which is a 

nice surprise. I was so tired of being cold all the time.  



I just returned from a trip to NC to see James and Lydia...Lydia looks 

MARVELOUS.  Please see my online diary if you want all the details of 

my "ailment" while I was there!  The great news is that I lost 5.5 lbs 

while I was there, for a new low of....drumroll 

please....248!  I'm just 3 lbs away from reaching 100 lbs lost since my 

surgery date.  My post-op appt is on 3/18, and I am realllly hoping to be 

there by then.  I also got a new PCP, who I met yesterday. I really like 

his straight forward manner, and I think I will be much happier with 

him.  The only drawback?  His nurses can't seem to draw blood on me.  I 

think I'll take all labs to an independent lab for that.

I did hear from Eric on Monday and he spoke with the 

nurse in my PCPs office. I spoke with them yesterday and they have 

referred me to an endocrinologists. They have also requested that all my 

follow-up labs be done at the local independent lab. I must admit, my 

feelings are a bit hurt by this request. 



The GREAT news is that I've lost a couple more lbs!  I weighed in this 

morning at 256.5!!

Well, unfortunately I don't have stellar weight loss 

to report for the last month, as I'm only down a few more pounds...259. 

(Finally out of the 260s, BABY!) However I took my measurements (mostly 

just to reassure myself that SOMETHING was going on!) and I was shocked 

to discover that I had lost 10.50 inches last month!  That's my biggest 

loss in inches in a single month yet! I still worry constantly that I'm 

reaching the end of my weight loss, but I have to keep reminding myself 

to let the DS do it's job!  I wear a size 16 shirt now and a 22/24 in 

pants.  I'm coming to terms with my huge panni and don't restrict myself 

to wearing only shirts that cover it. I have a WAIST now and I really 

enjoy wearing clothes that show it off!  



Unfortunately, my labs are not so good. Which really sucks because I am 

SO diligent about my supplements. I have to start iron infusions soon 

and my PTH is elevated. I'm already on 325 mg ferrous sulfate three 

times a day, and I take 2530 mgs calcium citrate a day. Sigh. My PCP is 

referring me to an endocrinologist to check out my thyroid.  I'm a bit 

concerned that I'm not near enough to my surgeon to get him involved in 

stuff like this.  I've got a call into his office so I hope to hear 

something before they decide to remove my parathyroid!