cindyl57

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I am 45 yrs old. I suffer from sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. I am about 100 lbs over weight, and want to loose it for my health. I have tried ever diet under the sun, many of them worked. But I could not keep it off which is very depressing. If I am not dieting, I am gaining.

After trying to get started on my journey and calling a few doctors. I could never get anyone to call me back... I called my GP and ask for a referral. He has sent my information to Dr. Jett. Now I wait for a call from them....I have begun the journey....

I called Dr Jett. He does not do the RYN... I am leaning towards that. So I called my GP back, and the sent my information to the Mercy bariatric program. I will either have Dr. Thomas, or Dr. Tortora. I spoke to Marilyn in the office on Friday, May 30. She told me all the things that I needed to get together. She is suppose to be sending me a information packet.
I also will go to the seminar on June 10. She scheduled me a date to come and see her. She said now don't freak out, because I will see you as soon as you get everything done, but this is just a date to get you into system. September 17. She said that doesn't mean anything, she has seen people get everything done including the surgery in just 1 month. I am going to try and get it done by the end of July....Well maybe I can. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I have an appointment with the psychologist on June 10. That is the same day that I go for my Weight Loss Seminar... I am thinking that I might just get all pulled together before the end of summer.

I went for the seminar at Mercy Surgical Weight Control Center.
I talked with Marilyn about what I needed. I did my psych evaluation yesterday. They are suppose to fax her the results in a couple of days. I am trying to locate the results of my echocardiagram(needed since I took Phen/fen). I have the medical records of all my doctors except from Dr. Schwartz. He is the one who has my records of sleep study and Pulmolary test.
Also an EKG. So I am going to push for that this week. When I get those two things, I will meet with her and she will set an appointment to see a surgeon. Then he will write the letter to the insurance company.
I also looked up about what the insurance pays. It says under not covered items "obesity weight reduction or dietetic control EXCEPT FOR SURGERY NECESSITATED BY A SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIABLE MEDICAL CONDITION OF MORBID OBESITY." Well I am pretty sure that is me. And I also have co morbidities.....
I am shooting for around the first of August....
More later

Well I think that I have everything I need. I have to fax Marilyn a copy of my insurance card, and then make sure the psych evaluation got faxed. I just want to know when????
I bet that is the question Marilyn gets asked more than anything.
I would love to do this in July. I guess that is too much to ask.
I am asking. I'm thinking if I have it done by July and then by Christmas I could possibly be under the 200 lb mark....OH WOW!!!!

Marilyn was suppose to be out of the office untill Friday. She suprised me with a call today. I don't know why. She said I called and didn't leave a message. Oh well Fibro Fog... Anyhow She said she had everything except a copy of my insurance card. Now she has that. She said that she would call me probably tomorrow. How great is that? I will probably walk around the house with the phone tied to my arm.LOL

I talked with Marilyn today, and she is making me an appointment with the surgeon....
How groovy is that... Will let you know more later..


6/25/03
I have an appointment to see the doctor,finally....Yippee.
I go to visit with the cordinator at 9:00 am on Monday July 7th.
I also see Dr. Tortoro on that same day at 12:45. I will see the nutritionist on the 17th...I am so excited.....
Mercy is on the other side of the city for me, so I will have to find something to do from the time I see Marilyn and the time I see Dr. Tortoro...
Also, I didn't date my journal very well so that I am not sure when I started this. I know it was probably in March or April. I only contacted Mercy since about the first week in May....
So that is not too bad...Getting the appointment with Dr. Tortoro is a big step. I feel like the first leg of the journey is over and that the next will be getting the insurance to approve. I would like to have this done by the first week in August at the latest. I guess I can keep on wishing. My newest grandchild will be born at the end of August, and I want to be able to help my dear DIL and Son....And be there when the baby pops out. I started to say little baby, but she has two sons already,they tipped the scales over 10lbs Thier first was 23 inches long....I am rambling, but you can guess that my grandchildren are the light of my life. As well as all three of my Children and my wonderful husband. I have been married almost 29yrs. He is been my rock all these years. Although he has mentioned that I need to lose weight sometimes, I know that he worries about my health. He has never been cruel about it. He has always supported me what ever I do. I will update after I see the doctor.



July 2,2003
I called Marilyn this morning to get directions to their office.
Monday is the day. I was able to get my nutritionist app changed for that same afternoon. So I am killing 3 birds on Monday. Praying that I get approved quickly. One of my daughters and I had a perm day today. We had our beautician who is also her best friend from high school come and help us. So now I am curly headed....Starting to get excited about changing
my life. Also I have noticed that this last week, I have not had much of an appetite. Good good good.We finally got our above ground pool, and maybe the added exercise has curbed my
appetite. The only thing is, my Rhuematologist, said that swimming would be good excersise for my Fibromyalgia...Well maybe it will get better, so far it is making me hurt worse.
Well let see if it is the storm before the calm....
Have a great 4th. Hugs to all.




July 5,2003
I am just feeling a little blue..I guess I keep forgetting to take my Lexapro. Seems that you have a little depression with
Fibromyalgia...Yuck. So I took it this afternoon, and will remember it in the am...I have to apologize to my husband for being a grouch and a negative person the last few days. That is not my style...I am getting ready to go on long term disability from my job because of my arthritis in the knee. I know that I would probably be off because of the fibro if I wasn't already off..
This is the first summer that I haven't worked since I was 16.
I have been hanging out in the pool, and working on my tan :).
I was always dark as a kid, but then when you start working in a dungeon all day, you kind of get to looking like a vampire.
So I am getting a nice golden brown.
Okay, Just rambling.
Have a great Sunday




July 7,2003
Well I just saw Marilyn Minter at the Surgical Weightloss Center. She is so sweet. Some how I never got the packet that
she sends with the video and 5000pg questionere...So I sat in her office this morning and answered all the questions. You know I would love to have her job. Helping others find thier way. She is so very kind and spunky.... We measured and took before pictures... I guess that is a start. She said that if the insurance cooperated with in two weeks. We are looking at an August surgery date....Wooohooo..I see Dr. Totoro and the nutritionist this afternoon. So I will up date when I get home this afternoon.



7/7/03pm. So now it is the afternoon. I found Dr.Totoro very helpful and kind. He is very positive and makes you feel very comfortable... The nutritionist is Stephanie. She too is very helpful and explained alot about the po diet.
Dr. Totoro also likes for his patients to follow the full liquid diet for 2 weeks before surgery. He said that it makes the liver smaller, and makes for an easier surgery. I said I would try. Also his office will schedule my gallbladder ultrasound soon. So now they say that the letter to insurance will be sent out on Friday... IF the insurance goes without a hitch, and they get an answer within the next two weeks Hear this.....Surgery in August....I am excited





7/11/03
Well Today is the day that my letter will go out to the insurance. Pray for me that I get an approval quickly.
I am not very good at waiting. I had my gall blader ultrasound yesterday. Was quite pleasant experience considering I had it confused with an xray and thought I would have to drink that yucky stuff...So I don't know when I will have the results of those. She just kept asking me if I hurt at all or was ever nauseated...nope. I wonder if she saw anything.
More later....



7/14/03
I received a copy of the letter that Dr. Totoro sent to my insurance company. I hope that it will be enough. I realized that I may be turned down. I have been just thinking positive, but there is the posibility that I will be denied as many of you have. I just want this so badly. I guess that I will have to wait. I even called the insurance company today and they said it would take 10 to 15 days before I would receive an answer.
So the waiting begins...Oh one more thing for today. I was looking up my benefits for the year....I have used up my out of pocket dollars, so my surgery should be covered one hundred percent if I can get it done this year....HOORay



7/16/03
Well a very nice friend that I met here has promised to be my angel. How do I add her to my profile. Do you wait untill you have a surgery date? Her name is Dayna Blailock. Okay and I promised to be her angel. So there it is.
Cindy



8/1/03
Well after waiting 2 weeks and calling the insurance company every couple of days just to make sure they received every thing, we found out we sent it to the wrong place....So after researching for a while, I got a new fax number and address. Marily mailed it and faxed it. Today I called another new number that they gave me and I got through...The nurse received it 2 days ago and they said I should hear something(crossing my fingers that its good news) 5 to 7 business days....
Well they have had it for two days already, so I am thinking 3 to 5...




8/4/03
I received my letter today... I was denied...Why? Because this is a long story. I just went from short term disability to long term. When this happen, I pay my insurance...Well part of it. I have coupons that I am to send in and I have untill Sept 3 to do so....Well untill they receive the coupon with a payment, it tells them that I have no insurance. As soon as they get the payment it will have me down for July 29th through Sept 1....Okay so now I mailed in my payment and will just have to resubmit the information....Bad day, alot of personal stuff along with this on top. Duh, when I went to pick up my meds today, I got the same story at the pharmacist...Luckily we go to one that is small located in the same building as our doctor. We have been going there since the beginning of time..So they filled it and will run it through the insurance in about a week...It is good to have a pharmacisist like that..
Will update soon I hope.
Cindy




8/10/03
Friday I called the place to whom I send my insurance payments now. They received them on Friday. Then I called the insurance and they have not downloaded the information as of yet. They do it one time a week. She did not know when. She thinks maybe they do it sometime on Friday. So I hope that they did not do it before my it was posted by the people I pay...
HMMM. Well I am going to get back to the fight on Monday. I am going to bug those people at Unicare to death. I really want to do this now...Okay Monday is a brand new week. My pool is almost ready to swim in again. Our pump broke, and we had to buy a new one for it. Now we are trying to get rid of all that green stuff...Soon I hope.



8/17/03
Well this is a whine day....My insurance mess is still not straightend up.... I am feeling so much stress with that. I have been having a fibro flare form Hades...My pool is still not swimmable... I feel like a beached whale. I am getting more and more depressed. I want to play golf so badly, but I can't.
Okay that feels a little better. I probably have gained another 100 lbs. Can't think to spell words I never had a problem with.Brain fog.
I guess I wasn't done..
Well Tomorrow, I am going to do some yelling.
My husband had a procedure done and the insurance is going to deny payment on that as well. He is suppose to have another one done on the 18, and if I don't have this straightend out I don't know if they will do it.
More later when I finally get something figured out.



8/21/03
I finally got the insurance fiasco straightened out.
I hope that I do not go through that again. Joy at the Drs office now can resubmit my information and maybe I will hear something soon.
I am in such better spirits. We finally got the pool swimmable again. I am excited. I went for a dip this morning, and will get in again this afternoon. I am having a sever Fibro flare, but am trying to work through it.
Just wanted to share my insurance news....



8/28/03
I recieved my certifcation in the Mail today. I had just decided that I was not going to get approved at all...
Maybe I will have a date soon...



9/7/03
I am going to call Dr tomorrow and see if I can schedule my surgery for the 24th...
Wish me luck. If I do get it sched for Sept 24, that means my last meal has to be before Wednesday as I have to follow the full liquid diet 2 weeks prior to my surgery... After I make the call in the morning, I am going shopping for all the things I need for that...



9/12/03
Woo Hoo, I have a date...ON Sept 24th I will be on the losing side... I am doing the happy dance..
I am to be there at 5:30 am .. So it will be over with early.
Wish me luck.



9/22/03
I am getting very excited now. I am also a little nervous.
I have been trying to follow this liquid diet for the last two weeks, and have done fairly well except for a bite or two of this or that. I know that has to stop after surgery. I am a cook that taste while she cooks. I guess that I will have to taste and spit out while cooking. How else will I know if it taste okay or if I need to add something?
This is going to be tricky. I am ready though. I know I am. I have to be. This is not a decision based on want, but more on need. If I want to live to be happy and healthy and have a good quality of life, I have to have this surgery and I have to use my tool...
The quality of life is the most important. I have 6 grandchildren and they are a little hard to keep up with. I want to watch them grow and feel like being a part of their lives. I don't want to hurt when I take them to the park, or shopping or whatever. I don't want them to be embarrased by me at all.
I want to be healthy enough to help my children.
I probably won't ever get to play golf again as my fibro will just not cooperate. But I can do lots of other things.
I know that losing the weight will not help my fibro except for the benefit of being able to excercise.
I plan on swimming all winter long at the Community college here in the city.
I think that will be the best plan for me. As the weight comes off then I can do some walking. But untill I get some of this weight off, my oa will not let me walk much.
I am rambling, but I guess that is okay too.
I want to thank everyone for their support. You guys here all are the bestest and I want to say how proud I am to be a part of the AMOS family.
Cindy



9/29/03
Well I am about 5 days po now. I feel pretty good, but I am sore and have a bloated feeling. I try and drink and stuff the right way, but it is hard to get use to getting 1 ounce every fifteen minutes. I know that I am not getting everything in. But I am trying, and I think that a few more days post op and I will be great. I really am getting around quite well. I am not much of a layer arounder, I am quite good as a sitter arounder though. So I am not spending too much time on my back. It seems to make my back hurt. Like I didn't already know that. Always has. I miss sleeping on my side. But I know that by the end of the week that will be better too.
So here we are. They weighed me 2 days post op and I weighed in at a whopping 288. I don't have a clue what I weighed before I went in. My scales have been broken for a long time...
I know that in July I weighed 283 and had gained some kind of weight. But then while I was on my 2 week pre op diet, I know that I lost some. They also say that in the hospital you will usually have a wieght gain with all the iv fluids they give you. Any how my official before weight will stand at 288.
I guess I should tell my experience at the hospital as I know that before surgery I was interested in everyones experience. It took some of the anxiety away. ( Also this is not easy while you are taking narcotics LOL I am wearing out the backspace button)
Well I arrived at Mercy at 5:30 am. I was checked in and taken back to the holding area around 6. MY dear husband was with me.
I was given a huge gown:) to put on. I also had to strip down to my nothings. However I started my period and they let me keep my underpants on untill they got ready to take me down to surgery. Great timing HUH! They came in and put my IV in. I don't know what they used, but I didn't even feel it. Then they also gave me a shot of blood thinner in the stomach. This I got twice a day while I was in the hospital. They put my pretty designer hose on. Oh yeah they also gave me an antibiotic in my IV. I had another after surgery. Then the Anestheseologist came in and ask me some questions. Then the Doctor. At about 8:00 they came to wheel me to the operating room. I thought it to look very small and crowed compared to others that I have been in. They got me on the table, and covered me with warm blankets. Everyone said hello. They told me they would put my arms in those arm holder thingys and I don't remember anything untill I woke up...YOWIE!!!!!I hurt. They were giving me morphine in the iv and I kept hurting. I thought "What the hell have you done and done it on purpose" When I got to the room though, they gave me a shot. I am trying to remember what it was, but I think that it was called Dilaudid. After about an hour, the pain was under control, and I did fine. When I got to my room they put my "Leg Squisshers" on. Also I had a two jp drains. I also had a local pain reliever that was admisterd by a small tube that was in my incision.I guess it is to help the pain at the incision. It is something new. I wore this little black bag from my neck... I also had a catherter and a wonderful little nose tube. YOu know I had never had one of those before, and was surprised that it wasn't that big of a deal. Now, then next day it was irratating my throat. My family was allowed to see me at this time...Is it hard to follow. I am a little stoned at this time.
My daughter said that I was asking all my nurses and anyone else that came into the room if they were having a Good Day.
She said she was about to die laughing at me.
My husband and mother and daughter left a few hours later so that I could rest. My daughter came back that evening. They got me up and sit me in the chair. That was okay. They were giving me my shots every 3 hrs. I did not sleep well that night. I was allowed sips of water and ice chips.
The next morning they came and took me to xray to check my pouch. Now I know that they use that barium stuff, but was never sure how exactly I was suppose to drink that being as I could only hold 1 ounce every fifteen minutes. They put it in my NG Tube. It was a little cool on my throat and that was it. Now they did have to tip the table, and I will have to say that it was quite uncomfortable. Oh they gave me a pain shot before they took me down. The doctor that does that can see right then if you leak or not and was able to tell me that everything looked great.
Now I was taken back to my room and put back to bed. The doctor made his rounds soon after, and said that they would start unhooking me from a few things. I got to loose the ng tube and the catherter. Now that is not necessarily a blessing. Now you have to get up and go to the bathroom...
Actually after I got my pain shot, I went to the bathroom, and then took a stroll down the hall. I would try and walk when I got up for a bathroom break. The most annoying thing was the leg squishers. You had to ask for help everytime you got up. I could not unhook those my self. Also on Thursday, it seems like the nurses got very busy and I had to call and ask for anything. Sometimes it seems like I was bothering them.
Friday went much smoother. Thursday I started getting juice and popscicles and jello. On Friday I got mashed potatoes. Saturday morning, I got Carnation Instant breakfast and for lunch I got pureed cream of chicken soup.
Friday I got a shower. Friday evening they took out the IV. That was great. Then now all I had was leg squishers, and jp drains. I lost them both on Sat before I left the hospital.
So now that I am at home, I am trying to get my liquids in, but I do feel full all the time and it is a little painful when I drink or eat anything. But You know I think that as I get more use to it the gas will be less and as the soreness goes away, I won't feel the pain when I eat or drink.
I just can't wait for the pounds to begin to let go and I can honestly say I am glad that I had this done. So far it has not been any worse than you would expect from a major surgery.
I see the doctor a week from today and they will take out the stapels. I will get an official weigh in and if it is not good, I think I will just shoot myself.LOL.
Hope this has not bored any of you and I will be updating as I go.
Cindy



10/06/03
Today I drove to the doctor and they took out every other one of my staples... I am to go back on the 9th and have the rest removed. My incesion where the staples are is very tender. My swelling in the stomach is beginning to subside. I have Lost 15 lbs from the second day postop... I know that I was 283 in July when I first saw Dr. Totoro. Then I gained some weight. Then during my preop liquid diet, I lost some. In the hospital 2 days postop, they weighed me I was 288. Practically butt naked and no shoes. Today at the office, dressed and shoed, I weighed 273... So I am counting a weight loss of 15 pounds in 10 days...Yessssss. But he is counting from the 283 that I weighed in his office in July....
Either way, I am excited... Can't weight to get to feeling better so that I can move easier... And able to eat more than liquids.



10/8/03
Today I had some real pureed food. I was suppose to pureed chicken but I had some pureed shrimp with an ounce of cream cheese. The doctor said that after a couple of weeks I could have a cracker every now or then, so I had one with my supper...
I don't get really hungary.
Now I can have 2 ounces every thirty minutes. In about 3 more weeks, I can start introducing more and more into my diet...
So I still have trouble getting everything in, but I hope it will get easier.
I get the rest of my staples out tomorrow, and I am stopping by Marilyns for a weigh in...
I am anxious to see if I am still losing.
I don't have a scale at home that works, and I don't think that I will buy one either untill way on down the road. Maybe Marilyn or Donna will be there to measure me. I would like to know if any inches have fallen off.
More tomorrow....



10/10/03
I got the rest of my staples out today and weighed in at 267.
That is 21 pounds gone in just 2 weeks. I am excited.
My husband will be home from his hernia and mesh removal surgery tomorrow. I hope that he does well...
His surgery was last Saturday. I have really felt for him.
I know that he is anxious to get home. I am ready for him to be home...I surely miss him.
I know that it would be a real stretch to loose 20 more pounds this month, but hey it would be great....
I am having trouble getting my protien in. I think when I am able to eat more, that we should be able to get it in better.



10/19/03
Well it has been almost four weeks now. At three weeks, I had lost 25 pounds...I am having trouble with this Bariatric diet that I am suppose to be on. I am starting to add a few foods to my diet. I can no longer do juice. I dump. I can't do eggs either... So I tried some beef jerky. I can do that and cheese too. So I am trying to get in my protien everyday.
I am noticing a little bit of wieght loss. In my legs and and in my face...Can't wait for a big change. I can tell my clothes are getting looser...
Just took too big a swallow of water..THat hurt...




11/2/03
I am doing fairly well. I have had that horrible pain in the chest where everything is stuck, and you want to throw up.
Now I try real hard not to get that too often.
I was thinking that I haven't set any goals for myself.
I go to the doctor on Wed and I will be 6 weeks out.
You would think that I would have some sort of goal set for that, but I don't.
I plan on seeing Marilyn on that day and let her measure me.
I will then post my before and after measurements, and try and keep up with them. I have been crossing my legs, At the knee.
I can tell my clothes are getting bigger. But the thing that has me down a little, Well last year when I stopped working, and then I put on about 50 pounds. Well my winter clothes will be tight for awhile, and I probably won't need new clothes untill spring. So I am a little down that after say three months out I will still be fitting into my clothes...
But This too will pass.
My osteo arthritis and Fibromyalgia is preventing me from excercise. I am going to have to find a place to swim.
I could do that.
Well I will post more on Wed after I see the doctor. I am going to be thinking of goals and I will post them then.



11/11/03
Happy Veterans day. Well I didn't update after my visit with the doctor last week. At my 6 week checkup, I had lost 33 lbs.
So I am now at <255 lbs. I need to buy a scale as I don't own one now. I would like to be able to keep up with my weight loss. I think that I have to see the doctor in 2 months now...
I don't want to wait that long to weigh. I have been having trouble getting all my water and protein in a day and I sure don't want to stop losing.
My husband ask me the other day before going to the doctor how much weight I had lost and I told him I didn't know. He said he thought I had lost a bunch...
More updates later...



Dec 2 2003
It has been awhile since I have updated my profile.
I am not sure how much weight I have lost, but I know that I am losing inches. My problems is that I can't excercise. My OA and fibro is giving me fits. In Oct and then again in November, my knees became so swollen that I had to use crutches to get around.
I was dx with pseudo gout. Another one of those weird things with no explanation as to why you get it. Regular gout is too much Uric Acid, and can be controlled with diet. This gout causes calcification to develop and store in your joints.
So any way I have had trouble getting any excercise.
I think that I have lost about 50 lbs.
My daughter said that I had a sudden melt...
Prayers are needed as I lost my Dad on the 26th. We buried him on Saturday. I miss him so badly. He was 67 and had a congestive heart. He was in remission for lung cancer.
He was outside working in his yard when his heart stopped.
At least he was doing something that he enjoyed.
I will be a little sad this holiday season.
Will write a little later.


Dec 23,2003
Two more days untill Christmas. The house is full of its usual last minute Christmas stuff. I will be making pies and more candy tomorrow. I have done really well, but I did find that sugar does not make me sick...YUCK... After the first of the year, I am going to start going to counseling. I need that.
My fibromyalgia is kicking my butt, and that does not allow me to exercise. But on a better note, I have gone from my mens 44 jeans to a 38... and getting looser. Yes!!! I don't own a scale, but see Dr.Totoro the first week next month.. I can weigh then. I don't like the evil scale. I just go by inches. I have lost 10 inches in my hips and my waist since I started. Well actually probably more as my measurments were done in July. I gained more weight from July to September...
I am having trouble finding things to eat that I actually like.
I like oranges and apples. I like crackers. Ground beef or steak is okay... I do chew chew chew... I dump on chicken...What is up with that? Pork is okay, but it doesn't set really all that well. I eat Try to get in all my water..
Well I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....Will post after I see the Doctor...

Jan 5 2004
I saw the doctor today and I am now officially at the half a century mark plus I only have 45 more pounds till I get to the century mark...He said I was doing great and he would see me in 3 months. As I don't have a scale at home, I only weigh when I see him. I have lost about 15 inches from my hips and another 15 from my waist... Life is good.
I haven't figured my BMI yet but I am getting ready to.
I am only 3 pounds heavier than my husband, but since he is now working out and says he is going to leave the beer alone, I think he will be going down himself.
Well I will write more later.

Feb 11,2003
Well this is a red letter day...I am smaller than my husband..He weighed in at a whopping 238 today and I am down to 218 lbs. I can't wait untill I am below 200. I actually fit pants that were too small for him. I am excited. I don't usually weigh, but I went with him to his pcp today and thought I would see how I was doing...So at 4 1/2 mths out, I am down 70 lbs. Woo Hoo....
When I reach my century mark, I am going to have a little makeover. I am going to see the beutician for a professional hair color and streaking...I am going to have my nails done.. And hopefully a little shopping as by then I will have absolutely nothing to wear...Isn't that a shame LOL.
Hugs Cindy

Feb 18,2004
Hey Guess What???I went to my GYN today and weighed in...Down another 3 pounds this week. I am now at 215..I am so excited. I think that at this rate, it is very possible to make the century club by my 6 mths..I may not make it, but I will be very very very close. I am beginning to think that I can do it...I can do it.....
This is a great feeling.
I do feel a little guilty...Because I am beginning to believe that this feels like the easy way out...
For me, and I know I am a minority, I had great insurance. In May I called The Mercy Bariatric Surgery Center... I found out everything I needed to get. I went to the seminar, I met with the director, the nutritionist and the Surgeon all on the same day. I had my psych evaluation and went for an ultrasound of my gall bladder...I got my approval on August the 28th...I had surgery on Sept 24....I know that I am in the minority... Of course the first one to two months after surgery are difficult, but now I feel like I am on my way to permanent weight loss.I have been on diets for up to a year at a time and every day was a struggle. I feel like my life has been changed. I have started taking the steps necessary to put all the bad eating habits out of my life. I am going to a counselor to learn why I used food as a crutch...I am finding out that lots of foods I thought that I loved taste really bad. I think that I must have eaten it before just to be stuffing something in my mouth...
No I know this is not the easy way out, but it is getting easier every day...I thank God for leading me to this, giving me a surgeon that was capable, and giving me all of you here. You all are such a great support.
Hugs Cindy

March 29 04
Well on the 25th I went to the doctor with my husband and I weighed. I am now down 87 pounds...Only 13 pounds from the century mark and only 41 pounds from goal...I am doing the happy dance. My lab work is great and I am feeling better and better. Can't wait to open the pool.
I have an appointment with Dr. Totoro on the 5th of April.
Hugs Cindy

May 3 2004
Yeah this is a red letter day...Weighed in at 187 today...
Officially a member of the CENTURY CLUB!!!!!
-101 lbs.
Only 27 away from goal. I am so excited. My reward was a professional hair color and new style. I normally color my hair myself. But my Hairdresser came to my house and colored and highlighted it...Then I had my pictures taken. Will post them as soon as I get them back.
I never thought that I would be at this point. I knew I that I had the surgery, but I never thought it would really really work.
I expected to loose but would stop at 200. I figured that was just me...
I am doing the happy dance, and now I know my goal of 160 pounds is in reach. I have 5 months till my 1 year anniversary, so Maybe I will be there by then..Heck, maybe I could even get ot 150...Well it is worth thinking about...
Hugs Cindy

May 26 2004

Well I am now at 183 lbs... I just past my 8 month anniversary.
I am down 105 lbs. I know that it will be slowing down now. But now I am swimming and so I hope that by the end of the summer, That will be my year anniversary, that I will be at goal. I think that I can do it. I just have to loose 2 lbs a week. I am really going to start excercising and drinking lots of fluids. Mostly water and crystal light. I love the sunshine orange...
Hugs Cindy

June 27 2004

Hip Hooray...I am down to 178. One hundred and ten pounds...I never really thought I could get here....I am doing the happy dance...With my Fibro and OA I have a hard time excercising, but I am swimming everyday and so I am hoping that is going to help me...
Have a great day...

Aug 8 2004

Well I am about 6 weeks from my one year anniversary and I have ten pounds to go to goal..WL has slowed way down, but I hope to kick it into gear...It was unseasonbly cool for Oklahoma and we have had alot of rain. This has kept me from doing too much swimming...I am losing my tan..Whaaa!
I am now at 170 lbs and can wear a size 12 jean. A size 6 underwear...I hope to be in a size 10 before I stop losing. Maybe won't get there without a tummy tuck, but oh well. That will never happen. Can't justify the cost...
My birthday will be here on the 22nd...I can't believe the difference of celebrating my 47 birthday then when I weighed 288 last year...
Keep on keeping on...
Hugs Cindy

8/19/2004
I went shopping on Sunday and I bought two pairs Size 10 jeans and a size large top....I am so excited...I am also under 170 and I am loving it. I hope that I can be close to my goal by my 1 year anniversary....
All I can say is Yippeeee.... I am almost no longer overweight...Thinking of going to Padre Island in September and I won't be worried about wearing a bathing suit...
I know this all sounds vain, but I can't help it...I have not been this small in 28 years...
Thank you God for letting me get this surgery and making it such a huge success....
Hugs Cindy

9/18/2004
I have been pretty busy lately, and the weight is just barely coming off now...I am down to 165 lbs... If I could get a tummy tuck, I would probably loose about 5 more pounds and I would be at my personal goal...
I know the doctor said I could get down to 150 or 140, but if I don't lose another pound, I would be happy...As long as I never gain another pound back...I have not been eating very healthy.
I just don't care for protien that much...I can't drink the protien drinks...I am going to have to try a little harder to find one I like...I am still not eating sugar, but every now and again I will have a bite...Well I do eat a graham cracker sometimes or a few animal crackers...But mostly saltines and salty things...

So If I want to keep this weight off and be healthy, I am going to have start eating right...
I have been talking to my counselor about my fears of gaining my weight back. I have always been an emotional eater. Although he is helping me with my depression, we are inching into the eating issues...I wish that I had started seeing Randy a long time ago...I have been going since Jan or Feb and I so enjoy seeing him....He is so easy to talk to.

My birthday was Aug 22...Last year on my birthday, My last grandchild was born..Ashton...I was thinking the difference in one year...When we celebrated his birthday, I was a new person...
Take care and hope everyones journey has been as great as mine...

Oct 12 2004
Today I am officially at my personal goal of 160 lbs...It feels great. I know that I am could lose more, but I am satisfied if I never lose another pound....My only concern and fear is gaining it back. I have nightmares about that. I am in counseling and we are addressing that...I know I don't eat right, but I just don't eat much...At all. I know that is not healthy and I can't stand the protien drinks...But I try to eat protien and I don't eat much sugar...a few animal crackers now and then..but that is all..
I take my vitamins almost everyday, but sometimes I forget...
Would I do this again...I hope I never have to, LOL, but if I knew now what I didn't know then HECK YES....Id do it in a heartbeat...Is this the easy way out...Not before...Not the first six months..But after a year yes...Yes it is. Because on all the other diets I was on for a year and lost most of my weight, everyday was a struggle to stay on the diet. not to overeat...Has this been a life changing experience and lifestyle change...Absolutely..But all I can say is Thank you God for allowing me the oppurtunity to do it. I could mourn the food that I can't have anymore...But that is what made me fat and like others have said Nothing taste as good as thin feels...I just checked my BMI...I am now officially normal weight...I can't stand it...YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs Cindy

10/20/04
Well I am in the 150's now...I haven't been that thin since 11th grade I think...Only 13 lbs away from what is on my driver's license....Never had it changed...
Cindy

11/05/04
Today I got on the scale and had to step on it about three times move it and climb back on...Yep it said 153...I am in shock...I can't stay off of it today...
I am wearing size 10 jeans and in my Lee stretch, probably need a size 8...But you know I live in fear everyday that I am going to go backwards...I will then have no clothes to wear...well I hardly have anything now. I do have 3 pair of jeans, a sweat suit that I bought off the clearance rack the begining of summer that is too big, one shirt and one sweater that I also bought off the clearance rack that is too big...

What am I going to do for clothes... I guess I should ask for some gift cards from Kohls, Wal Mart and maybe out new store Gordmans for Christmas...LOL...Do I sound upset because my clothes are all too big....LOL..NOPE...I am not....
Looking forward to Thanksgiving. It will be sad as it will be one year that my Dad passed away.
Hoping everyone has a great month and gets ready for The holidays a new person...

Hugs Cindy

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