Can't believe but it's already been two years since I had my DS surgery.

I've lost 204 pounds and got to the BMI of 24.9, i.e. i'm in the normal range. Well, it's post plastics, but who cares, right?

My tummy finally healed after TT and only a little bump under my belly button reminds about a huge seroma I had there. Boy, it was messy... more than two months with drains and gauze pads and constantly wet and bloody underwear, lol. And the smell!!! - when the "hole" became infected... I had to wash it with disinfecting solution just to get rid of the stench. Thanks goodness, it's over.

My abdomen looks quite nice and though it's not really flat, it looks very natural. Can't wait for the scars to lose their color - it usually takes about two years for my skin to even out. I'm planning to have a boobs-n-arms combined surgery in April, hope this one won't cause that much hustle.

Well, it's been 5 months since my DS.

113 lbs down from my highest weight and almost 100 since the surgery. No longer diabetic, sleep apnea has improved, but I still snore.
Yesterday I saw collar bones. MINE. Feels really weird.

I joined a gym and take some personal trainer sessions (it all is free for me, as it's a part of my work benefits. Surprisingly I loved cardio - I do the elliptic. Started with10 minutes, but very soon felt it was too easy and increased both duration and resistance. Also I  do some weights, but this part has always been easy.

my liver is doing poorly as it was quite bad before the surgery and seems to take the weight loss a bit hard.

Now a little whining - I am losing weight slower than expected. Have experienced some very long stalls and my overall progress is below average (for my bmi range).

I'm beginning to doubt my ability to achieve the goal... Actually I don't remember myself less than 150lbs... - that was the skinny me.

 

Yep, I did it - I survived the surgery, and even the horrible, dreadful post-op stay in Crittenton.
Don't get it - Lutrzhykowski is a superior surgeon, why does he deal with this crappy hole? Nurses were the worst. I was hospitalized twice before, at Civic hosp in Ottawa. It's just day and night (Civic's the day). Maybe Americans just didn't like my European accent, lol?

Anyway, pretty soon I was in Drury with my family. This place I really loved. Nice, clean , staff are very friendly and helpful. Met Greg and Barb and their families. Very nice ppl, very supportive. This part of the journey was pure joy.

The pain. It was bad in the first 3-4 days, but totally manageable with drugs. A week after surgery I almost didn't feel any pain, except for this strange sensation of your internals moving inside of you, when lying down or turning in bed. Kinda gross...

My butt really surprised me. I expected stinky oily explosions, like I had on xenical. Instead, I've got practically normal stool, maybe just a bit more  loose than before DS. No foul smell that early out and, surprisingly, almost no gas.

No vomiting in the first three weeks and later only twice - popping out the last bite, not the  entire meal, with no pain or discomfort. Just ate one bite too much and felt it "asking to go out", so I went to a washroom and let it go.

Dr. L allowed me to eat chicken and fish starting day 12. On my 10th and 11th day I drove my family back to Ottawa. We stayed overnight at my SIL place in Rochester NY. Driving was easy, I didn't feel a thing. All pain was gone by then.

So here I am - 6 weeks out, 60 libs lighter, bmi under 50, no insulin, practically normal sugar, sitting in my size 22 pants (before DS I couldn't fit into 32 and Pennington didn't carry any bigger). Yesterday a co-worker said "Hey, you are melting". And the day before, another one said that I should buy new clothes, these look too baggy. And I was wearing my size 24 pants with 4x top. - way smaller than I was wearing this summer.

Whoo Hoo! I love my DS!

Well, today I've got my tests, and the only "remarkable"  thing was my liver, it's fatty, enlarged and some enzymes are quite elevated. I hope it's just the fat affecting my organ, but my doc wants me to follow up with it after the surgery. And I think it's a good thing to do.

To the much surprise my lungs were clear. NEVER, never, never smoking again. I'm almost four years smoke free and so proud of myself!
And of course proud of my DH, who quit with me, for me and our baby.

And as of this morning, I've lost .... 12 libs!!!! Doing nothing special, really. Eating a bit healthier, less carbs, no night time snacking with cakes, pies, smoked meets and everything eatable I can find in my fridge.

Today my sweet little princess is 2.5 years old. She is not a toddler (officially!) any more.