For the last several days I have felt TERRIBLE!  I am not sure if I over did it at the gym, if it's stress due to the upcoming surgery or what.  I worked out on a new machine on Wednesday.  It was an abdominal machine.  I don't know if I can explain the machine, but you stand on these pegs and hold on to these metal bars and then use your abs to swing your legs up and then put them back down. 

Starting on Friday, I had some horrible abdominal pain.  On a 1-10 pain scale it was 5 or 6.  Then came the headache.  That was actually worse than the abdominal pain.  The following day the headache was still there, the abdominal pain was still there, but now I also had some awful pain in my back right beside my left shoulder blade.  I have also been weak, alternating hot and cold, etc. 

Ok.  Here it is Sunday and I am sort of feeling a tiny bit better.  My head isn't hurting, anyway.   I feel like the biggest whiner in the world right now!  I almost went to the emergency room.  I just kept thinking, if I go to the ER, will they put a stop to my surgery?  Stupid, right?  I decided that if I feel like that tomorrow, I will go ahead and go in the to ER. 

Wish me luck!

  I am blessed.  I have a job that allows me 3 weeks of paid sick time plus my vacation, so I will have 4 weeks paid after this procedure to recover.  The entire thing from Orientation to surgery is only costing me $250.   The entire pre-op process was less than 2 months.  I did have to lose 20 lbs, but it almost seemed to melt off.  The pre-op eating plan is really just the post-op eating plan, so it didn't feel like a "diet".. just felt like "Ok, this is how things are now."   I started going to the gym and found that it isn't a struggle for me.. quite the opposite, actually.  I really enjoy it.    I had my psych evaluation and my first meeting with my surgeon yesterday.  I was nervous, but when I talked to the surgeon he said that I had done exceptionally well and told me that he had a cancellation on July 1st and asked if I could do it that early.  Arranging things at work is going to be a tiny hassle, but not so much because of the 4 weeks for surgery.. a bigger problem is going to be taking the 22nd off for my final pre-op class.   My boyfriend has gone to all of the classes with me.  I am so thankful!  
  I am praying that the post-op goes as smoothly as the pre-op.  

   If you have followed my  blogs at all, you know that I used to weigh in at the Dollar Tree.  I got myself a scale last week sometime, because weighing yourself in public when you're my size can be a bit uncomfortable.  I have to say, though.. I am developing a relationship with my scale that is unhealthy boardering on illegal/immoral.  I am on that thing ALL THE TIME!    I have no idea what I expect to change when I get on it for the 3rd time in a day... like, maybe one day it will just say "OUCH" or "GET OFF ME" or "wear softer socks" or possibly "If I tell you that you are thin, will you PLEASE leave me alone?!?!"  *sigh*

  I am having some anxiety over the idea of hair loss.  I mean, I know that this isn't a cosmetic surgery.. it's not about becoming a model.. but MY HAIR!  I am more excited about possibly seeing my va-jay-jay again someday or crossing my legs then I am nervous about losing my hair... (and let's face it, I can't really BANK on seeing my va-jay-jay.. one never knows how low one's skin is going to hang after weight loss.  Whatever.  I have lived this long without making her aquaintence face to uhh.. face). 

  On to more appropriate topics:  vitamins!  I have been taking them faithfully... with the exception of my vitamin Bs and my calcium.  Only because I haven't purchased them yet.  I think I had better go get them today.  I'm running out of time.  How exciting! 

Thanks for sticking with me this far, Faithful Reader! 

Much love,
   Punkie

Hey, everyone!  Ok, so as I had stated in my previous blog, I started my journey on 5/11 and things have just been moving right along since.  (I weighed in that day at 279.9... highest recorded weight by Kaiser is 282 and that is what they are listing as my starting weight.  My heaviest weight was actually 299.5).
  I have found out that my anemia is probably not low enough to interfere with surgery, but I am popping iron like mad (don't worry... I'm only doing exactly what the doctors said to do!) in hopes of getting that number up quite a bit.  
  My main problem, I think, is that I can't seem to drop any more weight!  I am hovering between 266 and 270.  Last time I weighed in at Kaiser, I was at 268.3. That was, I believe, on the 25th of last month.  This is now the 12th.   I need to be lower than that by this coming Friday.  That's 6 days.  I have been hitting the gym daily.  I don't mess around when I'm there, either.  I was just doing 45 minutes on the elliptical machine, but I am adding some strength training now, as well.  I have read a bit about Addiction Transfer and I couldn't imagine what I could possibly have left to be addicted to now that I have given up speed, cigarettes, fast food and coffee.  I think I have found the answer in the gym.  I am not yet showing any signs of obsessive behaviour, but I sure am enjoying it!! 
I think I have finally completely given up coffee.  I had another headache today, but they are becoming manageable.  I believe there are two things holding me up.  *TMI alert!*  Avert your eyes if you'd like.   1. I still haven't started my period.  It's about 8 days past due.  NO, I am not pregnant.  I had my tubes tied 16 years ago.  I feel completely bloated and miserable.  I used to take Midol, but the doctor says "No NSAIDS"... so, for now, I am just dealing with it.  2. I think I am going to have to take some fiber to get the old mail moving.  All that iron is keeping me from being able to .. uhh.. go to the bathroom.  It is, I'm sure, contributing to the bloated feeling.  I am considering switching to a liquid diet for a couple of days just to get things moving again.  I want to be healthy, though and not do anything drastic or without thinking through my options. 
  So, the good news is that I finally broke down and bought myself a scale!  I can stop driving over to the Dollar Tree to weigh myself!  (It was the only public scale I could find and it matched the scale at Kaiser).  
  I would love to hear any suggestions on the pre-op diet and your successes or lessons learned.    What worked for you?  What made you feel like you were satisfied and energetic? 
  Peace, luck and love to everyone!