Amazongoddess29

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Okay... so I'm not the most well-behaved bander on the planet... but I have lost 25 lbs now!!  Woo hoo!  I had teetered back up to 318 a couple of months ago. 

I had a lot of anxiety about having my band filled and not being able to eat.  Now... I have days that I make good choices and have no problems... and I have my not so good days... but it's worth it.  My back pain is better and I can notice a difference in my level of comfort. 

Just thought I would throw that out there.

Here I am... day four post op!!!  I was so overwhelmed with emotion in the recovery room.  I know that it is a side effect of the anesthesia, but the thoughts were genuine.  I had my son in mind... thinking of how we would be able to enjoy so much more together.  He told me yesterday that he could see that my arm was already "much skinnier"(he's 7).  He tries so hard to be encouraging and sweet... I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful little boy.  I was also thinking about how the goal for my husband and I to have another baby had become a real opportunity in a matter of minutes.  I'm very excited about the next few years of my life and the leverage this has given our family. 

Okay... so what you really want to know is:
How much have you lost at this point? 

I started at 312 lost 12 prior to starting my first round 10 day diet... lost six more in the first five days of that round for a total of 17 lbs... found out my job was in jeapordy.. cancelled surgery at 294lbs... regained 11lbs... back to 305 to start the second round of the 10 day diet (a very difficult decision to get back on the diet... it's tough) lost 15lbs total on 10 day diet... 290 day of surgery... gained 2 pounds in the hospital... I assume it has something to do with swelling... and now.... drum roll please!......... 283lbs!!!!   That is a total of 29 lbs... one more pound and I am at the 30 mark!!!!  You just can't even imagine how wonderful it feels.

Next Question... How bad am I hurting????

In the hospital I was great.  The nurses had already pushed the morphine button for me before I woke up... I have no idea how many times... but... I never pushed it again.  As a matter of fact, I took my button off so it didn't get hit by accident.  (I tend to get ill with narcotic pain meds... not what I wanted to do... and it wasn't hurting me too bad)  I requested the anti nausea meds and the liquid loritab twice I believe.  Once that evening and once before I went home.  I knew the ride home would be difficult with my incisions because we live in the country(bumpy roads).  We did stop at walmart to get the meds filled at which time we discovered they had put some other man's name on my RXs.  WTF!?! Janice, Dr. Gornichec's nurse was super speady and faxed new RXs immediately.  The Walmart Pharmacy was pretty great too!  They already knew what I needed and just waited for the RX to come in to finish the fill.  Anyway... the pain was minimal as long as I held still.  When I got up or down... I did feel like I had been in a car wreck, rescued by a group of thugs, who proceded to kick in my ribs and gut after pulling me from the wreckage.  I thought I would feel that for a while... but I would say each day you get 80% better!  I don't feel like that anymore.  I can tell where my port is.  With the weight loss... your skin hangs a bit more and pulls at your incisions as you move.  Getting comfortable isn't so easy the first night... but I was off the couch the second night and in my bed... ahhhh

I was supposed to go back to work today, but I'm still a little loopy.  I tend to have an odd reaction to surgery that keeps me in the clouds for the next few days.  This is another reason I don't use the narcs.  I have only taken the Loritab twice since coming home... once the night I got home and once the next night.  The rest of the time I'm taking tylenol for a headache that will not stay away.

And Of course... What Am I Eating???

You get nothing but clear liquids in the hospital, but when you go home you can have anything that will go through a straw... minus the straw... or anything that melts in your mouth.  Because the shakes aren't something that I can stand... I have just started blending the chunkier soups or thinning anything I can to get my protein.  There are loads of yummy things you can have that would fit through a straw... but you have to remember why you are doing this and you don't want to lose the head start that the pre-op diet gave you.  You want to continue where you left off and be a superstar!!!  I do anyway. 

A little tip...On the shake business... I'll tell you my secret. I feel like it is super important to get that morning dose of protein and such so that you feel good all day. I use the Milk Chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast (Sugar Free) and I put that whole pkg plus 1/2 a pkg swiss miss hot chocolate (sugar free) in my big coffee cup... and add about 10-12 oz hot water instead of 4 oz of milk. It goes down so much easier!!! I don't know who actually likes that slimy stuff... but the water takes that undesirable thickness away.  A lady at the hospital told me that warm liquids when you wake up tend to set you up better for the day. I'm finding that to be true at this point.  I use something cold if I get a "tight" feeling in my chest.  My idea is to tame any swelling later in the day.

If you want to know more... or if I have left something out... just shoot me a message!!! I'm happy to share!

I'm back on the 10 day diet..  and I have to say... it sucks!  I have done better this time around... but I work in a place now that does not have food lining the halls.  I love my old office and all the folks in it... but I do believe this new job will encourage my weight loss.  They say your environment has a lot to do with your success. 

I don't do well with shakes... so I am having to watch what I'm doing with protein and such.

8 days in and I have lost 13lbs... can't ask for anything more if you ask me.

I have to admit... I have chewed up a lot and spit it out... just to get the taste.  I don't think there is anything wrong with that and it has benched a couple of my cravings.  It grosses my husband out... and it makes me not ever want it again.  If you ave never tried to keep from swallowing something... you just haven't lived.  Just kidding... it has given me a taste aversion to a couple of things of which I am thankful for!  Anyhoo... I haven't swallowed anything I'm not supposed to and I am proud of it!!

Most of us aren't here because we are good at following diets... ya know what I'm sayin'?  the Pre-op diet is murder... but apparently... I would do it all over again to reach my goals!! 

I use a spreadsheet to track my daily intake, exercise, moods, and water.  If you would like to have it.. just ask.!

I have got to be the bounciest little ball on this site!  I was gonna have RnY... changed to Lap Band... changed docs... had a date... gonna get fired... had to cancel(5days into my 10day diet )... and now... here I am.  My surgery is the day after tomorrow!!  Nervous, excited, depressed, happy... I'm everything I have felt during this 10-day diet!  I have to say... the 10-day diet is nothing to laugh at.  It darn near killed me!  I know I have to go to mushies after the surgery... but... it can be different mushies... Thank goodness!!  however... I have gone from 312 to 305 before the diet and from 305 to 290 as of right now!!  That is 22lbs lost before surgery!!!  Not bad if I do say so myself.  So... Needless to say... I am thrilled!!

I'm back in the saddle... no new date scheduled... but shouldn't be too long till I get one.

I will not be having surgery this week due to unforseen complications.  I'm cool though.  One week of the pre-op diet has proven to me that I can do something about my weight if I want it bad enough.  So wish me luck!

I started my 10 day diet yesterday.  I get to eat light yogurt, cottage cheese, some soups, broth, sugar free popsicles, pudding, jello and fudgecicles.

At work I'm fine.  Last night was tough.  I worked as the cashier at back to school night and there was pizza all over the place.  I started to get a little nuts... and it was only the first day!

People ask me constantly... "If you are able to do the 10-day diet, why do you have to do the surgery?" 

Here's why:  If I had not been told it was necessary for me to stick to my diet in order to make my surgery successful and insure that the surgery could be done with out complications... I would have dang sure had a piece of stinkin' pizza last night!    But, because I have a doctor that has told me I have to follow the diet, or he might not be able to do the surgery... I can do it!

I don't think it is unusual that my first day was easy in the morning and gut wrenching in the evening.  I'm used to fixing a really good meal and sitting down to watch Big Brother.  Throw in there the fact that my monthly is visiting at the same time and I had volunteered to help out at the school (which parents seem to think you are getting paid to put up with their crap) and you have a ferocious tiger ready for a fight! 

Then when I went to bed, I couldn't hardly turn myself over because of my back pain.  I relaxed and told myself... It will be worth it when my body feels better!

Copied from my old profile to the new one up until October 18th, 2006

21 September 2006- (296-BMI 37.0)
First step- Seminar- Done!

I am a 6’3”, 31 yr old woman, and I weigh 296lbs. I have gotten tired of not being able to play with my son when I want to, not fitting into the go-carts and roller coasters, and not being able to pick my big butt up off the ground once I get down there. I would like to have at least one more child at some point, but wouldn’t have the energy to even consider it right now.
I am considering the Roux-en Y procedure, mainly because my insurance won’t cover anything else I don’t believe.

22 September 2006- (294 BMI-36.7)2 lbs lost
Family Dissapproval

My mom is so against this that she is offering to put together my food in effort to show me that I can do it without the surgery. I don't think I can, but she doesn't think I am heavy enough to have this even though I have a lot of the co-morbidites. I'm afraid that I will just fail again I guess... any thoughts?

September 27 2006-
No need for a letter of approval

Apparently my insurance, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program, doesn't require the approval letter if you meet the criteria for surgery. They can get me in as early as 4 weeks!

I am following my mom's plan right now, and I can eat a lot. I told her that I don't see how I can lose with it, because I dont think its a lot different from how I already eat. I'm not a big snacker. I don't eat a lot of individually wrapped cakes or anything. I don't care much for chocolate. I don't think I'm an emotional eater. I eat less when I'm distressed. My biggest problem is fast food, soda pop, and having a problem leaving anything on my plate. It just seems to be wasteful. My mom has got me not doing that anymore. I am a huge fan of meats and potatos as well. I guess I do sometimes eat because I'm bored and there's food. I am afraid I might lose with mom's plan and then gain it all back when we both get tired of doing it. Failure is my biggest fear because I have failed so much in my life already. I don't want to be depressed and feel hopeless for any amount of time. It is really difficult for me to pull myself out of those slumps.

Monday, October 2, 2006-
Mom's diet

I am actually doing really well on her plan. She counts my points (and I'm not sure what her source is) and she gives me what I can eat through my work day. All I have to do is stay away from fast food, eating out, soda pop, added sugar, and watch my bread. It really hasn't been that difficult. She has told me not to allow myself to get hungry and gives me extra fruit to eat randomly throughout the day. I can only eat certain fruits because some of them tend to make me feel yucky. If I just have to have a taste of something bad... she says "taste it." ... so I taste whatever it might be and decide if I really like it or not, if whatever I'm eating doesn't just curl my toes, I don't finish it. And yes... I have thrown some food away this week! Major step for me. I really don't see how I am going to lose weight, but I am following her advice, if I can't be successful it may tell me I need to take further "action." Wish me luck!

PS- The pic of my son and me is from August of 2006. I tend to "hide" my body behind my friends and family every chance I get during picture time. I will post one that shows my actual size soon. I know the weights don't match, but I did a slim fast diet for one week and lost 8 lbs in 3 days! I was so sick and had no energy so I blew off the diet and ended up with a 10 lb weight loss for the week of which I earned back all but 2 lbs.



Thursday, October 5th, 2006-
(281-BMI 35.1) 15 lbs lost!

Woo Hoo! It's official! 13 pounds lost last week, and 15 total since joining this site! Apparently mom's plan works after all. :) I've copied Ms. Dee Mackie on the goals and rewards because it just made sense, and I think it will help me to recognize and reach my goal weight.
Friday, October 6, 2006-
Fitness Training assessment

I went for a Fitness Training assesment this morning. Yesterday I was walking to my car and decided if I didn't go check it out, I may never do it. (I work on an airforce base and they have a few workout gyms on base. We are allotted 3 hours a week during work time to go work out. It is called "Fit For Life." I started parking in the lot furthest from my building and it just happens to be right by the gym.) Anyway, they have a couple of aerobics classes that they didn't have in this particular gym when I was working out before. I am going to start with M-W-F morning Cardio Aerobics. After a couple of weeks of that, I am going to start the T-R afternoon Cardio Crunch which focuses on abs. In addition to all this our base offers a free trainer, and she is going to be working with me on my weight training. I'm getting pretty excited about this. I just hope I can stay with it. I really think keeping this journal has and will continue to help me stay focused. I just can't wait to get on here and post when I'm doing something good for myself. I would really encourage any of you to do this for yourself more than anything, but then you might be able to help encourage someone else as well. Seeing other people's profiles has given me the idea to journal here.
I'm still 181! Yeah!

Tuesday, October 10th, 2006-
Still going...
I had a bit of a "party" this weekend. It was OU/ Texas weekend and we had some party foods goin' on. I think I did all right though. I had four little weiners with a biscuit on each one (

Allright... I just got the news.  My date is set for Aug 28, 2008!  I am so excited and nervous... but Yeeeeaaaahhh! 

Just wanted to move this to the top!

Okay... so it's been forever... but.  The pregnancy failed along with another to follow it last year.  Two miscarriages and now I'm scared to death to get pregnant!  So... I'm having the Lap Band done... no date yet... but I'm almost there.

I did everything that was required of me right off the bat!  Finito in less than two weeks... so then I went in to set my date... WRONG!  I have a heart murmur and after my echocardiogram... I found out there are some issues there as well.  So again... pray, pray, pray, pray, pray!!  Hopefully soon I will have a date.