Kaley J.

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Total Inches lost in the last month: 9
Total Inches lost Post-Op (June 2008-January 2009): 51.25
Total Inches lost Pre-Op (March-June 2008): 16.5+
Total Inches lost Since Started Measuring (March 2008-January 2009): 67.75+

Date               Pant Size        Bra Size           Shirt Size         Shoes
3/2/08             4X/32W            52G                  30/32                M 7WW
4/7/08             4X/32W            50F                  30/32                M 7WW
5/3/08             4X/32W            50F                  28                     M 7WW
6/1/08             4X/32W            50F                  28                     M 7WW
6/23/08           3X/28W            48DDD              28                     M 7WW
Surgery!
7/25/08           24W                 48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
8/25/08           24W                 48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
9/25/08           24W                 48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
10/25/08         1X/22W            48DDD              22/24                W 8.5W
11/25/08         1X/22W            46DDD              18/20                W 8.5W
12/25/08         16WP               44DD                14/16                W 7.5W
1/25/09           16WP               44DD                14/16                W 7.5W
           
Date               Upper Arm      Forearm          Wrist             Neck
3/2/08             17”                   13”                   8”                  17-1/2”
4/7/08             16-1/2”             13”                   7-1/2”            17-1/2”
5/3/08             16”                   12-1/2”             7-1/2”            17-1/2”
6/1/08             16”                   13”                   7-1/2”            17”
6/23/08           16”                   13”                   7-1/2”            16”
Surgery!
7/25/08           15-1/2”             12-1/2”             7”                  16”
8/25/08           15”                   12”                   7”                  15”
9/25/08           14”                   11-1/2”             7”                  15”
10/25/08         13”                   11-1/2”             7”                  15”
11/25/08         13”                   11-1/4”             6-3/4”            15”
12/25/08         13"                   11"                   6-1/2"            14-1/2"
1/25/09           12-1/2"             11"                   6-1/2"            14-1/4"

Date                Thigh              Calf                 Ankle              Waist
3/2/08              34”                  24”                  12”                   57”
4/7/08              34”                  23”                  12”                   56”
5/3/08              34”                  23”                  12”                   56”
6/1/08              34-1/2”            23”                  12”                   55”
6/23/08            34”                  22-1/2”            12”                   55”
Surgery!
7/25/08            32”                  21-1/2”            11-1/2”             51”
8/25/08            31”                  21”                  11-1/2”             49”
9/25/08            29”                  21”                  11-1/2”             49”
10/25/08          29”                  20”                  11”                   48”
11/25/08          27-3/4”            20”                  10-1/2”             47”
12/25/08          27-1/2"            19-3/4"            10-1/2"             47"
1/25/09            26-1/2"            19"                  10"                   44-1/2"

Date               Knee               Elbow              Hips                Ribcage
3/2/08             20”                   13”                  **                   52”
4/7/08             20-1/2”             13”                  **                   47-1/2”
5/3/08             20”                   12-1/2”            **                   48”
6/1/08             20”                   12-1/2”            **                   46”
6/23/08           19”                   12”                  **                   44”
Surgery!
7/25/08           17”                   12”                  63”                  44”
8/25/08           17”                   11-1/2”            61”                  44”
9/25/08           17”                   11-1/2”            58-1/2”            43”
10/25/08         17”                   11”                  56”                  43”
11/25/08         16”                   10-3/4”            55”                  41”
12/25/08         16"                   10-1/2"            55"                  40-1/2"
1/25/09           15-1/2"             10-1/2"            53"                  39-1/2

I had my follow-up appointment with my surgeon on Friday.  He said my labs looked normal except my iron is still a bit low but he said for that to keep on my prescription iron that I've been taking and it should be kicking in soon.  It's too early to tell whether lowering my anti-psychotic and my diuretic have had any effect on the severe lightheadedness I've been having as we've only been able to lower those within the last week so we've got to give those more time but he thinks those will prove to be helpful.

He also thinks that part of my problem is that I have developed in response to my surgery hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, though at this point not too severely.  Basically because of being type 2 diabetic before surgery because of insulin resistance and now (and even some before surgery) not needing medication for the diabetes, my pancreas is being sporadically hyperactive about producing too much insulin because it used to have to because it was the only way for it to get some insulin through to my cells.  Well, now my cells are letting the insulin in like normal cells should so when my pancreas has these random moments of going into overdrive I get hypoglycemic because my cells get too much insulin.  It doesn't happen with any regularity so I never know when it will happen, though I have noticed it tends to happen more in the afternoon and evening (though this may be because I check more regularly at those times so I need to be more vigilant about checking my blood sugar while I'm at work).  At this point our first line of treatment is nutritional.  He wants me to start carrying almonds and cheese with me at all times and always eat a protein and a fat whenever I eat and to eat whole grains.  Interesting.

So at the last minute I got to fly down to San Antonio to visit my family because Travelocity had fabulous rates, yay!  And for the first since I don't know when,... I did not need a seat belt extender.... AND... I could use the restroom on the airplane!!!  NO JOKE!!!  Double WOW!!  So exciting!!!  Yay!

And seeing my family was so great!  It was so relaxing and awesome.  All my tension from work just melted away it was fantastic!

It was a little weird doing the whole "first Christmas after the divorce" thing but it all worked out.

And my sisters and I all went out to a club together for the first time (minus my oldest sister who was still in Califormia and couldn't come).  Well, two of them had been to clubs before but three of us hadn't.  We had so much fun!  Two guys tried to dance with me (my sisters said it's because I have a ba-donk-a-donk)   That actually made me feel real good even though I tried to discourage it because the kind of dancing they were trying to do was not the most appropriate if you know what I mean.  Plus I was there to dance with my sisters.  I had so much fun.  I have never danced before and so it was really a new and liberating experience.  But I will admit I drank more than I intended on drinking.  My sisters wanted to drink a bit so I had told them before-hand that I would have one drink with them but that I would only have one drink.  Yeah, after my sister wanted to do shooters with a toast to singleness that one drink policy kind of went down the drain and I think I got a little drunk for the first time in my life but not much.  Just to where I had to be careful with watching my footing and stuff.  I think what happened is that I have always been able to drink a ton and never have any effect from it because of weighing so much. And when we did the shooters/toast after I had had my one drink I could feel it affecting my body and I was "woah!  this is really cool!  I wonder what it will feel like if I have another one?"  Not the best line of thought I'll admit.  Curiousity, you know?  I know we're not supposed to really drink during the weight loss stage because it's hard on our liver and I don't plan on doing it again believe me, but it was definitely an experience.

Total Inches lost in the last month: 2.25
Total Inches lost Post-Op (June-December 2008): 42.25
Total Inches lost Pre-Op (March-June 2008): 16.5+
Total Inches lost Since Started Measuring (March-December 2008): 58.75+

Date               Pant Size        Bra Size           Shirt Size         Shoes
3/2/08             4X/32W            52G                  30/32                M 7WW
4/7/08             4X/32W            50F                  30/32                M 7WW
5/3/08             4X/32W            50F                  28                     M 7WW
6/1/08             4X/32W            50F                  28                     M 7WW
6/23/08           3X/28W            48DDD              28                     M 7WW
Surgery!
7/25/08           24W                 48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
8/25/08           24W                 48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
9/25/08           24W                 48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
10/25/08         1X/22W            48DDD              22/24                W 8.5W
11/25/08         1X/22W            46DDD              18/20                W 8.5W
12/25/08         16WP               44DD                14/16                W 7.5W
           
Date               Upper Arm      Forearm          Wrist             Neck
3/2/08             17”                   13”                   8”                  17-1/2”
4/7/08             16-1/2”             13”                   7-1/2”            17-1/2”
5/3/08             16”                   12-1/2”             7-1/2”            17-1/2”
6/1/08             16”                   13”                   7-1/2”            17”
6/23/08           16”                   13”                   7-1/2”            16”
Surgery!
7/25/08           15-1/2”             12-1/2”             7”                  16”
8/25/08           15”                   12”                   7”                  15”
9/25/08           14”                   11-1/2”             7”                  15”
10/25/08         13”                   11-1/2”             7”                  15”
11/25/08         13”                   11-1/4”             6-3/4”            15”
12/25/08         13"                   11"                   6-1/2"            14-1/2"

Date                Thigh              Calf                 Ankle              Waist
3/2/08              34”                  24”                  12”                   57”
4/7/08              34”                  23”                  12”                   56”
5/3/08              34”                  23”                  12”                   56”
6/1/08              34-1/2”            23”                  12”                   55”
6/23/08            34”                  22-1/2”            12”                   55”
Surgery!
7/25/08            32”                  21-1/2”            11-1/2”             51”
8/25/08            31”                  21”                  11-1/2”             49”
9/25/08            29”                  21”                  11-1/2”             49”
10/25/08          29”                  20”                  11”                   48”
11/25/08          27-3/4”            20”                  10-1/2”             47”
12/25/08          27-1/2"            19-3/4"            10-1/2"             47"

Date               Knee               Elbow              Hips                Ribcage
3/2/08             20”                   13”                  **                   52”
4/7/08             20-1/2”             13”                  **                   47-1/2”
5/3/08             20”                   12-1/2”            **                   48”
6/1/08             20”                   12-1/2”            **                   46”
6/23/08           19”                   12”                  **                   44”
Surgery!
7/25/08           17”                   12”                  63”                  44”
8/25/08           17”                   11-1/2”            61”                  44”
9/25/08           17”                   11-1/2”            58-1/2”            43”
10/25/08         17”                   11”                  56”                  43”
11/25/08         16”                   10-3/4”            55”                  41”
12/25/08         16"                   10-1/2"            55"                  40-1/2"

I had my 6 month follow-up today (all right, all right, it was 7 days early).  My surgeon didn't recognize me, yay!      I have lost 70 pounds exactly since day of surgery, 128 since I started trying to get surgery!  I now weigh 256 pounds, a weight I have not seen since before I was 16 years old and I am 28 now.  Incredible!  I have lost 1/3 of my excess weight!!!  Yay!

You know that commercial for window cleaner where the man is sleeping in his chair by the window and the wife comes in to clean the window? She leaves when finished and the light streaming in from the now clean window shines on his face waking him up. He looks around in confusion and then runs around in circles saying "This is not my house. This is NOT my house." and finally he runs into the now clean glass door falling down in a heap. That's how I am feeling about my body. I feel like screaming, "This is not my body! I don't know who this is but it's not me!"

I am so used to being the largest one in every group, whether in my family, at church, at work, among my friends, wherever. Now I look in the mirror and I don't recognize myself at all. I have to consciously tell myself, "That's you Kaley, you are the only one standing in front of the mirror." I have not been this weight since I was an early senior in high school and I looked different then, younger and less mature. Now I am an adult, a woman, and I don't know myself and it scares me.

My body moves differently, sleeps differently, sits differently, wears things differently, does everything differently and quite frankly looks much differently than I am used to. I am used to having so much bulk to me that all I could see was flesh, no definition.

I am working on this with my therapist, trying to connect with my body through yoga and stuff, and I'm sure it will get better but still...

My sleep-deprived EEG was normal but my second MRI showed that I have some scarring on my left temporal lobe in an area that typically results in seizures.

My neurologist still wants to schedule me for a video-EEG monitoring at the hospital to try and catch one but that may be a while before they can get me in.

So for now they are starting me on anti-seizure medication, I have to get a medilert bracelet/tag that says seizures, and I can't drive for at least 6-7 months.

Right now I'm able to get all my protein in and liquids doing about 6 small meals/snacks a day, sometimes a protein drink and drinking crystal light and tea throughout the day. But I still have a hard time with that because always in my mind has been "no wonder I'm fat if I eat so frequently" so in the past with my ED I would restrict liquids always and foods regularly, then I would binge because I was so hungry and emotionally wrung out and then would come the purging (the purging was cleared up before surgery and the binging was much improved). I don't tend to talk about this much on the boards because even as understanding as people are if they don't have an ED they might not be able to understand. Example, I regularly have trouble keeping my carbs below 120 (generally it's 120-160), even though my surgeon is wanting me to stay in the 20-25 grams range. That is probably why my weight loss has been slower than some. If I posted about that on the board though there is a good chance I would be told to "go back to the basics" and eventually that "I'm screwing around with my DS." People mean well but they don't understand. For me I have had to come to terms with the fact that I can only do what I can do and while I strive for improvement I am not the standard DSer. Yes my weight is coming off slower but that is still weight I would have never seen lost otherwise. And before the DS, I would not have been able to get even near staying under 400-500 grams of carbs a day and my eating habits have changed in general. So I would still consider myself to be being successful even though others who have not dealt with an ED might not see it that way.

Total Inches lost in the last month: 7.5
Total Inches lost Post-Op (June-November 2008): 40
Total Inches lost Pre-Op (March-June 2008): 16.5+
Total Inches lost Since Started Measuring (March-November 2008): 56.5+

Date                Pant Size         Bra Size           Shirt Size         Shoes
3/2/08               4X/32W             52G                  30/32                M 7WW
4/7/08               4X/32W             50F                   30/32                M 7WW
5/3/08               4X/32W             50F                   28                     M 7WW
6/1/08               4X/32W             50F                   28                     M 7WW
6/23/08             3X/28W             48DDD              28                     M 7WW
Surgery!
7/25/08             24W                  48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
8/25/08             24W                  48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
9/25/08             24W                  48DDD              22/24                M 7WW
10/25/08           1X/22W             48DDD              22/24                W 8.5W
11/25/08           1X/22W             46DDD              18/20                W 8.5W
           
Date                Upper Arm      Forearm          Wrist               Neck
3/2/08               17”                   13”                   8”                     17-1/2”
4/7/08               16-1/2”             13”                   7-1/2”               17-1/2”
5/3/08               16”                   12-1/2”             7-1/2”               17-1/2”
6/1/08               16”                   13”                   7-1/2”               17”
6/23/08             16”                   13”                   7-1/2”               16”
Surgery!
7/25/08             15-1/2”             12-1/2”             7”                     16”
8/25/08             15”                   12”                   7”                     15”
9/25/08             14”                   11-1/2”             7”                     15”
10/25/08           13”                   11-1/2”             7”                     15”
11/25/08           13”                   11-1/4”             6-3/4”               15”

Date                Thigh               Calf                  Ankle               Waist
3/2/08               34”                   24”                   12”                   57”
4/7/08               34”                   23”                   12”                   56”
5/3/08               34”                   23”                   12”                   56”
6/1/08               34-1/2”             23”                   12”                   55”
6/23/08             34”                   22-1/2”             12”                   55”
Surgery!
7/25/08             32”                   21-1/2”             11-1/2”             51”
8/25/08             31”                   21”                   11-1/2”             49”
9/25/08             29”                   21”                   11-1/2”             49”
10/25/08           29”                   20”                   11”                   48”
11/25/08           27-3/4”             20”                   10-1/2”             47”

Date                Knee                Elbow              Hips                 Ribcage
3/2/08               20”                   13”                   **                     52”
4/7/08               20-1/2”             13”                   **                     47-1/2”
5/3/08               20”                   12-1/2”             **                     48”
6/1/08               20”                   12-1/2”             **                     46”
6/23/08             19”                   12”                   **                     44”
Surgery!
7/25/08             17”                   12”                   63”                   44”
8/25/08             17”                   11-1/2”             61”                   44”
9/25/08             17”                   11-1/2”             58-1/2”             43”
10/25/08           17”                   11”                   56”                   43”
11/25/08           16”                   10-3/4”             55”                   41”

First let me say how incredibly thankful I am for all of y'all's support and stuff. It means a lot.

I had my initial appointment with the neurologist on Thursday. He did say that my echocardiogram and carotid dutlex were fine and that while it does not rule out that I am having arythmias he does not think what's going on with me is heart related.

I have no news on my original MRI yet because he said there was some slight trembling of my head during the slide he particularly needed to see and so it was slightly blurred and he doesn't want to give an opinion on it yet. He has ordered another MRI with an included MRA to look at the arteries and such with my brain for December 1 to see if he can get a better picture and also to see if it has changed at all.

He has also ordered a sleep-deprived EEG for Monday to see if we can catch one of the episodes that my work is talking about. If we can't catch one the next step would be a video-EEG monitoring at the hospital for a couple of days to see if we can catch it that way. At this point I'm wait-listed on that because they are booked through to spring (there's only a few rooms set up to do it).

I have a follow-up appointment for December 9 with him to see what we find/don't find from the MRI, MRA, and sleep-deprived EEG. He said at that point he would probably start me on Topomax even if we don't catch a seizure or something and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of hesitant to start another medicine when we're not even sure what the problem is. So I don't know.

So at this point, no real answers just more tests. He did say that I need to live/operate as though it is seizures so no driving still, showers instead of baths, no swimming alone, etc.

Yeesh, this is going to be interesting.