KarenGirl

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Well I just passed the three month mark since my surgery on April 2nd and i can't believe it but I am down 65 lbs!  I feel so great and am looking so much better in and out of clothes!  We got back from St. Maarten on the 29th and I lost 5 lbs on vacation.  First time that's ever happened.  It felt wonderful to wear clothes I felt comfortable in and that kept getting looser as the vacation wore on.  My favorite "new" black capris are now too big for me and am now into the 18's now that were in my closet.  14/16 or XL in tops.  It's fun to "shop" in my smaller boxes of things i've been collecting from yard sales and from clothing swaps at support group.  

I've begun to notice that my hair is coming out a bit faster than usual.  I've been told that could happen but it kind of freaks me out when it was already getting thinner on top beofre the surgery.  I'm told my hair is like my grandmothers which was pretty thin.  I've always had thick hair and my scalp is starting to show thru and gets burned easily in the sun.  I bought a hat in St. Maarten to wear when swimming and sunning to prevent my scalp from getting fried!

I'm down in Florida this week visiting a dear friend and her family that I haven't seen in about 5 years.  It's so great getting caught up.  I'm sure I'll come back even smaller from this trip too!

I'm sooo glad this surgery was available to me.  It's the best thing I've ever done for myself!

Later gators! (haven't seen any yet!)

Hi Everyone!

I am 7 weeks out now and feeling awesome.  I have so much energy (I've been walking 3-4 miles a day listening to my new MP3 player)!  My 6 week meeting with the nutritionist was last Wednesday and the official loss (last week) is 38.4 lbs and inches lost (she measures chest, waist, hips only) and those were 5, 4 and 6 1/2 each (in the same order).  Since then I've lost another 4 lbs!!!!  So 42.4 altogether.  I'm getting rid of a ton of clothes, and fitting into favorites that haven't been worn in a long time. I have boxes of clothes that I have been getting from yard sales, so I'll have a variety of s"shrinking" sizes to wear!   People I haven't seen for awhile are beginning to notice the loss and say it.  I notice it a lot in my face, losing chins!  I'll have to get a new picture to add to this profile.  I want my DH to take them monthly to track my progress.

Take care you all!  Keep up your good work and for those who haven't had this yet, ITS WORTH IT!!!

Well, it's been 4 weeks from surgery and I am feeling so good.  I've been walking an hour every morning this week (up from 35 the past few) and enjoying more energy, and the Spring sunshine.  Now if I can only get my new MP3 charged and loaded with music, who knows I might shoot for two hours!

I am down (on my scale) from 291 to 254!  That is from my presurgery diet and since.  I am stoked!!!  I am hoping to lose another 25 before vacation in June (14-29th) in the Caribbean to celebrate our 20th anniversary.  I am hoping that is doable.  Well whatever I lose, I know that my bathing suits I have been wearing the last few years are all to big on the top!  What's with that???  I haven't lost the inches as much yet on the bottom half where with all the walking and bike riding I've been doing, you'd think that's where it would come off.  Oh well, at least I'll be able to buy Victoria Secret bras sooner, ha ha.  Actually that is one of my goals, i've never bought anything in there before!

Having some trouble with foods getting stuck sometimes, so I'm trying to stick with my softer things, like yogurt and peanut butter.  Otherwise feeling good and glad I did it!

Today is Saturday, April 12th , a week since I got home from the hospital and I'm feeling sooo much better.  Keeping everything down finally.  Still have to remember to chew thoroughly.  My mom who has been here for two weeks made me  spinach omelettes for dinner last night (remember in Ratatouile -for those of you who may have seen it - when the rat made the two omelettes for himself and the chef boy) that's the size of mine (rat portion!)  Well the pieces of spinach were not chopped up and it kind of stuck going down, but a bit a applesauce helped.  I'll remember next time to really chew well!

Just got back from a 1.4 mile nature walk at the park near where we live.  Really trying to get my exercise in walking.  It was a beautiful spring morning about 60 degrees and a little too breezy (definitely need a light jacket) but great to get out in the fresh air.

Mom's been helping me clean things out of here, like my boys dressers and we even started cleaning out my closet of things I know won't fit me next fall and winter.  It felt so great to get rid of the "BIG GIRL" clothes knowing I'll never wear them again!!!  We are having a yard sale at the end of May so I'll have lots to sell!  I was sooo tired of all my old things and ready for all the new cute things I'll be able to wear. (I have 4 clear bins filled with clothes in descending sizes that I can't wait to get into!!!

That's all for now.  GOt to get mom ready to leave for the airport.  I'll sure miss all her help.  What a lifesaver she's been!!!

Karen

Today is Tuesday, a week since my all clear foods day before the surgery last Wednesday.  It went well, my hubby says only an hour!  I had to stay in the hospital an extra day as my blood pressure, which runs normal usually, was really high in the hospital.  I also had nausea and was throwing up for two days.  I got home Saturday afternoon, did well that day, except for all the gas pressure, and even ate a bit.  Sunday went well for awhile, I actually went to church, ate all my meals, and then threw up dinner.  Yesterday Monday I threw up everything I ate all day.  I called the docs office and they put me on just protein drinks for awhile, but then I threw that up too.  Yikes!!!  That's one way to lose quickly but not too healthy!!!  This morning I felt a little better, kept down two bites of applesauce I had before bed, and this morning my mom (who is here for two weeks to help with the boys) made me a scrambled egg with a little cheese in it and a couple bites of applesauce.  It was the BEST eggs I ever ate!  And they have stayed down!  Knock on wood!!!  I am still having an issue with the gas pains, trying gas-x, mylicon, pushing on my stomach, pulling my knees up, and just trying to squat and push it out.  Haven't had a BM since before the surgery, but considering not much food has stayed in I'm not all that surprised.  The staples look like railroad tracks and one incison (i'm told the docs right hand spot) is black and blue but the rest looks good.  THey are a bit itchy though.  I go back to see Dr. Weaver next Wed. the 16th to get them out.  According to my scale I'm down already over 25 lbs since I first got weighed in and measured in November  I had lost 13 before surgery on the liver shrink diet, so I am on my way.  Yippee!!!  I should be looking much better by June 14th when we go to the Caribbean for our 20th wedding anniversary.  Can't wait for that.  

I have tons of clothes to get into that I bought yard saling two years ago, during one of my weight loss attempts that failed.  So I have a wardrobe of many sizes to wear all organized by descending size order in bins stacked in the corner of my bedroom.  Can't wait to wear them!!!

Keep me in your thoughts, especially about this nausea situation.  Not fun!!!

Thanks, Karen

Well the date is finally almost here and I can't wait!!!  It's a week from today, April 2nd.  Have to be at St. Francis at 6:30 am and surgery is scheduled at 8:30.  My mom is arriving from California Sunday night to help with my two boys who are 11 and almost 9.  Been on the "Liver Shrink Pre-Surgery Diet" for a week now.  I don't know why everyone thinks it's so awful.  For me it's a "piece of cake" (although I wish I could be eating one of those instead!!! :))  I've lost about 5 lbs and feel good except for I've developed a horrible sinus infection and sore throat and cough.  Doc has me on a Z-pack, Medent, and a cough syrup that tastes nasty!  I woke up this morning with the reddest eyes I've ever seen!  It looked like I had been on a bender, and I don't even drink!  Pray for me that all goes well and I can knock out this cold/flu whatever it is before next week.  

Then on top of it all to make matters worse, I went grocery shopping and when I got home and was unloading the bags from my mini-van, I slammed the tailgate down on the bridge of my nose!  OUCH!!!  I almost passed out from the pain.  I have a 1/2 inch cut that wouldn't stop bleeding and some bruising.  It's not broken (at least I don't think so), but what else can go wrong before I make it to the table next week???  My pastors wife says I should just sit in a chair and not move til then.  HaHa!

Thanks and i'll see you on the other side!!!

I am meeting with Dr. McGrath-Weaver on Feb 27th and hopefully she will be scheduling my surgery for the beginning of April.  I have passed all my pretesting (Upper GI and Heart/Stress tests) and according t the office everything should be a go!  I can't wait.  I cleaned up my closet the other day and was I excited thinking that I will never have to wear most of those clothes again after this year is over!  I was putting away my "Christmas clothes" and wondered what I'd be wearing next December.  It seems like the waiting is taking forever.  I've been exercising a lot more, walking and riding my bike and even signed up to use the gym at the church.  Now if only I could start getting my mind around controlling the eating I'd be in great shape.  I've been thinking about the high protein small meals I can make, getting some ideas from Biggest Loser (good one this past week), and thinking "is this the last time I'll eat this" when I eat some of my favorites like popcorn and cheesecake!!!

It will all be worth it when it finally happens.  We are going to the Caribbean this summer for our 20th anniversary and hoping to look much smaller!!!

Bye for now!!!  

I am one step further into the process of getting approved to have this surgery.  Today I met with a psychologist  in Memphis (Dr. Ross) and she was great.  I took the 569 question "MMPI test".  I thought I'd go blind!  The office building's a/c was out as well as the running water.  Like I wasn't going to sweat enough!  I also went to visit Dr. Weaver's office to turn in my preliminary paperwork and find out what I still neede to turn in.  Got to see a video all about the sugeries offered.  I am pretty sure I'm going for the gastric bypass.  I am going to a SUpport group meeting on Thursday so hopefully I'll learn some more about everything.  I'm told that I might get in for surgery late November or mayber early December if I'm lucky with the insurance company.  I'm getting psyched and scared at the same time!  Thanks for "listening"