ObesityHelp

This is honestly the first picture in a very long time that I'm okay with.  I actually think I'm starting to look normal.

7 months, 190.8
78.2 pounds lost

The scale read 190.8 this morning!  I remeber not too long ago struggling to see 199 on the scale and now I'm heading to 189.  That would mean 80 pounds down.  I hope I can make that by the first week in May when I started this whole process last year.  Amazing!  I would never have stuck to a "diet" this long.  I like this change for a lifetime idea.

Last weekend I played tennis with Kristyna.  She had matches and we got back to the courts after lunch a little early.  I simply said that if she had an extra raquet I'd mess around with her.  Lo and behold she had a spare one.  A year ago when she was in her first season I said that she could teach me to play this year as I would be in better shape.  It felt so good to be active and running after the ball.  I even hit it back to her a few times!  The best part was that I never got huff-n-puff tired and all sweaty.  I didn't even feel self-concious about being on the courts even though a lot of her teammates were there.  Gosh, I felt normal!

My last fill has settled in for now.  In the beginning I was really wondering if it would loosen up.  It has loosened up a little but what I realized after reading the boards is that I was piggy-backing my bites and feeling the pain from it.  It is true, you do have to relearn your eating after each fill.  Now, as long as I take a bite, chew really well and pause for a few before taking another bite everything is fine.  I'm tight in the morning and have to sip my coffee.  I'm good at lunch and then start to get tight again in the evening.  If I eat at around 6 I'm good but after that I'm pretty tight.

It is so much fun shopping especially with all the great clearance sales.  I know wear size 14 pants comfortably, I have bought 2 pairs in size 12 that fit nice.  All of my shirts are usually size large with an occasional xl.  I only buy a few pairs of pants at a time because I know I won't need them forever.  And they have to be on a great sale!  I'm really into wearing jewelry everyday mostly because now it all fits.  I now have a neck and I love to wear necklaces.  I have bought several new rings and a few bracelets.  I now feel naked if I don't put on jewelry.  Weird because I used to just wear my watch and rings.  My neck was so fat that any necklace was a choker on me.

I need to take pictures and measurements again soon.  I've slacked on that.  I know it sounds weird because I look in the mirror everyday when I get ready, but I have no idea how I really look.  I need to see a picture to know how I really look to other people and also to compare against my "fat" pics.

Today the scale showed 194.  Holy crap!  I can't believe I've lost 75 pounds.  The most I ever lost before was 70 pounds years ago with Weight Watchers and of course I gained that all back and then some.  49 more to get to goal.  I can do it!

I went to Great Falls yesterday with a friend and we both got fills.  I knew I had good restriction but it could be a little better.  I was thinking I needed .5 cc.  Dr. Rohrer said we should do 1 cc and back off a little if it was too much.  1 cc was tight and the water was just barely gurgling down so Lisa had noticed that during the fill that it was back flowing .3cc so she pulled out the .3 and the water still went slow but at least it all went down.  After our appointments Vinca and I decided to get a latte and sit at the park for a bit to make sure everything was good before we left town.  3 1/2 hours is a long drive!  It was really funny because we were both pretty tight and the drinking was slow.  We kept watching each other and asking "you okay?".  It was so nice to make the drive with someone that's banded.

Fill History:
Surgery 9/29/08    2-3 cc prime
             11/11/08    2 cc
               2/18/09    1 cc
               4/08/09   .7 cc

We have family coming to town for my brother-in-law's birthday and Easter.  My little neice is here.  She's 3 and adorable!  Austin is having a blast with her.  We don't get to see them often so she grows so much between visits!

I finally broke down and told my in-laws about the surgery.  They haven't seen me since before surgery.  It's not that I ddin't want to tell them at the time but Barry and I decided to keep it to ourselves for a while.  I really didn't tell a lot of people in the beginning but I pretty much tell anyone now.  They knew I was losing weight and I was going to tell them while they were here but I jumped the gun.  I was actually met with a positive response.  I just can't wait to see everyone!