3 month update

Jan 10, 2012

So it’s been (nearly) 3 months.

A crazy 3 months…

Update:

  • I had my surgery on Oct 20th and went home the 21st. Then, I spent the night of the 23rd in the hospital with my mother and she died the next morning.
  • My house was under serious renovations at the time and in my mother’s name. There was no mortgage protection insurance on the house, and my father didn’t want it so we had to sell. After putting over $ 6000 into it just to make it presentable enough to show, we ended up making a profit of $ 127. No, not $ 127K….just $ 127.00
  • We spent the few weeks after my surgery packing and cleaning out the house I had lived in for 7 years and moved on November 16.
  • I got back to work on November 21 to find my job had not only moved locations out to the middle of nowhere in another province where I pay more taxes, but also that it had been made obsolete. All my duties were redistributed and I had nothing to do all day at my desk except review all the old emails my mother had sent me. Jokes, pictures, anecdotes about co-workers….little nothing emails just to say “hello”

Needless to say, I had a breakdown. Right in my office.
My boss sent me home.

I started with a grief counselor and went back to the gym; 2 things that have really helped. Don’t get me wrong, I still think of her every single day! Some days it’s more than I can handle and I cry. Some days, it’s all good because I know she was spared a lot of pain and suffering. But I still miss her. I imagine I always will.

I am now 3 months out, or at least it will be 12 weeks on Thursday. So far, from my highest weight of 291lbs, I have lost 66lbs. From the start of Optifast on Oct 6th, I have lost 58lbs. Not spectacular by any means, but its pretty decent. I am certainly not complaining!

I haven’t had too many problems except that I can’t eat bread or eggs. I was able to eat eggs in the beginning, but I just can’t do it now. It started with boiled eggs that I was taking in my lunch for a snack. At first I could eat it no problem. Then, I couldn’t tolerate the yolk – it would just make me gag and feel like it was just sitting in my pipe about halfway to my stomach. I would eat just the white, but soon I couldn’t do that either. It reminds me of a Margaret Atwood story called The Edible Woman

Bread: I haven’t been able to eat it right from the beginning. Not even well toasted. I was able to eat crackers for a while but again, soon progressed to my body saying NO!!!!....and rather violently too. On Sunday, I ended up being very sick after eating 4 Triscuits.

Yep. Just 4

I also still have a problem with eating too fast sometimes and trying to fit in drinking water around my meals. Snacking after supper was ALWAYS an issue before surgery, and it’s no different now. If I sit down to watch TV, I usually think about grabbing something to eat. So I have figured out, if I go to the gym after supper, then by the time I get back, I need a protein shake anyways so I time it to coincide with my plunking-myself-on-the-couch time! Voila!! 2 birds with one stone! On the nights when I don’t go to the gym….well I haven’t quite figured that one out yet. I tried nuts, but they don’t go down very well. And I mean there is only so much cheese and yogurt that one person can eat in a day! And I refuse to eat carbs just for the sake of eating something….

I was so happy for the first 10 weeks or so that I didn’t feel any hunger! But over the last 2 weeks, that has come back. First thing in the morning, I wake up bloody starving!! I have found that Greek yogurt is a good morning food. Lots of protein, no chewing involved so I can eat it a bit faster without dire consequence and pain….then I grab my coffee in my NEW STARBUCKS travel mug that my honey got me for Christmas!....and away I go. I usually take a few slices of lean deli meat and some old cheese for lunch, maybe a Clementine or mini banana. I have either a yogurt, hummus or peanut butter & carrots or cheese and grapes for a snack. Dinner is usually some lean meat and veggies. Can’t do pasta or rice and I don’t want to waste the space in my tummy on potatoes….so ya….my diet is pretty boring. I really have to check out Eggface’s website a bit more closely to get some new ideas. For right now though, I just want to focus on getting everything in that I need to, and I figure the experimenting can come later.

I head to the gym probably 4-5 days a week. I do a lot of cardio and some strength training. I signed up for three free sessions with a trainer and my first appointment is tomorrow. I am excited but nervous as well. I hope he listens to my needs and doesn’t just design a generic workout that is not tailored to exactly what I am going through. It’s not like I really need a “weight loss” program because really, the surgery by itself is sort of taking care of that part. I need toning and strength in order to build up the muscle underneath the fat that’s still left!! Keeping my fingers crossed that he is a listener and not just there to fulfill his volunteer hours.

I LOVE the gym!! I loved it before, but I mean I REALLY LOVE the gym!! I can RUN!!!!! I do interval running on the treadmill!! For the most part, I can hold my own. Last night, I was really tired and pushed a bit too hard and I think I may have popped my hip out, but other than that, I just feel so fantastic!! I am so happy to be wearing REAL workout clothes too, rather than a baggy t-shirt and sweats…..that dri-fit stuff is awesome!! I have committed to a 5km race in May, playing tennis this summer, horseback riding, running in the Relay for Life and playing golf!! There is a big volleyball tournament here in the summer so I was thinking about organizing a team of WLSers to play…..I think that would be fun!!

I am wearing a size large workout/yoga pant right now, and size 16 jeans ….but even as I say that, the size 16 pulls right over my butt without having to undo it. On the other hand, I have size 22 jeans that I can still wear and a size 18 that are way too tight!! (I posted a new picture by the way)

A wonderful friend gave me a size 16 Jones New York dress as a gift. She gave me the gift receipt in case it fit. I know that sounds weird but I wanted it to be my “goal”dress and size 16 fitting already, well I decided to go get a smaller one.

I got a size 10!!!

Can you believe that?????

Of course it doesn’t fit, but I tried on the same one in a 14 and although it was too tight, I could zip it up. At first I was panicked thinking I had got a dress that I will never be able to wear….but the more I think about it, the more I think maybe I can do this!! Wouldn’t it be incredible if, for once in my life, things actually worked out??? I am just starting to see a glimmer of hope that someday, even *I* might be normal!!! Maybe even some day THIS year!!

And with that thought, here’s hoping that 2012 is WAAAAAYY better than 2011 was.

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About Me
Ottawa,
Location
26.6
BMI
RNY
Surgery
10/20/2011
Surgery Date
Dec 02, 2010
Member Since

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