melly37

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Some of the people I admire on OH keep a daily food log.  I think I need to do this also to help myself be more responsible for what I am eating.  Since moving to solid foods, I have noticed a remarkable slow down in weight loss and that most of the time I can eat more than I should.  

Breakfast: 1 packet of weight control oatmeal 160 calories, half a cup of SF Applesauce 25 calories

Snack:  1 bag of 100 calorie snack crackers

Lunch:  Chicken fajita meat ( 1/2 cup) 140 calories, one South Beach multi grain wrap 110 calories.

Snack: 1 bag of 100 calorie snack crackers

Dinner: 1/2 approx roast beef, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup green bean casserole.  ??? calories


I think all in all I did okay.....I just feel like I pigged out today.  At lunch I would have eaten more, but I was scarfing down the chicken and I felt like it almost got stuck.  I had a sharp pain in my chest after about the third bite, I tried a couple of more bites but I felt like nothing was going down, so I stopped.  It was a weird feeling and a reminder to myself that once I do get proper restriction I will need to really watch how much I put in my mouth, then chew chew chew!!

A mixed week for sure!   Good new is I have continued to lose, I am down to 230 lbs now, which is a 30 lb loss!!    The other good thing is I have graduated to eating regular foods.  I started eating more regular and soft foods on Thursday, which was my 4 week bandiversary.  I am doing okay on that, I am just really trying to watch my calorie intake.  I am trying to stay at 1,000 calories or less right now.  
I had my first fill scheduled for 02/29/08, and since Debbie felt like she needed to see Dr. Frezza, she called to see if she could schedule an appointment for the same day.  It would be fun to go there together! Well....she called and got some bad news.  Dr. Frezza is moving his practice somewhere else!!   Sarah told her that all February appointments will have to be rescheduled!  ARGH!!!!!  So, what little aftercare I had from Frezza's  office is now going to be zilch!!  I don't know what I am going to do now.  There MIGHT be a band doctor coming to Lovelace which I might be able to see...but, I dont know when he is coming and IF he will take me as a patient!  I'm glad I got my surgery though, because at least I know I can use Fill Centers USA if I have to!  I would still like to have my first fill done by Frezza's office if possible.  I just don't know what's going to happen now. 

Okay, I've started walking at lunch.  It's not too much, but it's a start.  I can go to the gym here in the building, but for right now the fresh air and the "alone" time is doing me some good.  I had messaged with Ubbrgrl.  She paints.  I went to her webpage and she is amazing!!  I tried to share some of my paintings with her, but they didn't show up.  I will try posting a couple of them here and see if they do.  I need to start painting again.  I really enjoy it, and now that I am going to try and stay away from food and bad habits, it will give me something to occupy my time.  



These are two of my favorite paintings, I hope they show okay. 

As much as I hated the liquid diet, I have to say it is a fast way to lose some weight!  LOL   I started mushies three days ago and my weight loss has stalled (of course!) .  I'm not eating a lot of calories, so I am sure the weight loss will come back, and I am going to start exercising also.  
I feel really good right now, just slight pain where the port is.  I do think I went back to work too early.  I felt really weak and tired the two days I was at work that week.  I had a three day weekend and went back feeling just fine.  
Some people are noticing the weight loss, and I know I've been able to wear some shirts that I felt were too tight before.  
I am looking forward to my first fill.  Right now I am struggling a bit about doing what's right.  I don't know if I should be measuring my  portions right now, or if it matters that much since I don't have restriction.  (at least I don't think I do).  Mushies slide down pretty well, so there's a CHANCE I have some restriction and don't know it yet because I'm not allowed to test it.  LOL  
I did email with Sandy RN yesterday and she said it was impossible to stretch your pouch when you don't have restriction.  I was glad to hear that....because eating an entire large chilli from Wendy's is the first thing I did!!  LOL  It's probably about two cups...so all in all, that's not too bad, and it's real soupy.  I know that when I eat refried beans it doesn't take too much to fill me up.  I am thinking that the signs your body gives saying you've had enough are pretty subtle....and do not match with what my brain is saying.  I will definitely have to follow the advice of other bandsters and just measure and only have a small portion on my plate to begin with.  LOL  I know I am going back and forth in this one blog, but that is what's happening inside my head!  
I really want to be at a decent size come June....so I can put the top down on my car and drive around with confidence.  Proud of who I am.  I can visualize doing it.....I will make it my motivating thought and goal. 

DH and I came home yesterday.  I am getting better each day, hopefully I will be feeling well enough to back to work on Thursday as planned.  Everything went well....just a few hitches.  Dr. Frezza said that my liver and spleen were really enlarged.  I am sure that has to do with my poor diet the last 6 months!!  I have literally eaten everything in site since deciding to do this surgery.  I put on more weight, I am not sure how much since I didn't get weighed again at Frezza's office.  I have stayed far away from scales since I have been so bad also!  LOL  Anyway, because of the difficulty Frezza had getting around because of my swollen liver my stomach was swollen afterwards.  The day after the surgery Frezza has his patients go to x-ray to do a barium swallow.  If that turns out okay, then you are allowed some sips of water, and if that goes down okay you are discharged.  When I went to x-ray and drank the barium they said the fluid didn't go down.  So a few hours later I was sent to x-ray again, and this time they could see the fluid had gone down.  So I FINALLY got a few sips of water!  Yeah!  Every thirty mintues I would be given a tiny amount of water.  By the time I left I MIGHT have had a total 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water and felt really full.  I felt like I had guzzled a gallon of water at one time.  Such a weird sensation.  Yesterday on the long trip back I could only manage to drink MAYBE 10 ounces of water.  I know I probably do have restriction right now, but I am sure it's from the swelling.  So far today, I have been able to drink 20 ounces of water and I am currently sipping on some Isopure.  I will try eating some SF Jello today.   I think a lot of the swelling has gone down because I am not having trouble drinking today.  My DH has been over-protective and sweet.  He is going back to work tomorrow, so I will have to quit being such a baby!  LOL  
I just can't believe it's done.....I can't believe I am FINALLY banded.  I guess the hard part starts now,. 

I know that this is only the beginning part of my journey and having the surgery is the start of another beginning.   I am very excited to start the second part of this journey.  My DH and I drove up to Lubbock yesterday, went to the hospital today and did all of the pre-check in stuff.  They did another EKG, a chest x-ray and took blood and urine.  I wonder how much some of those numbers have changed in July and August?  I have been such a pig the last few months.  I have had to be on a clear liquid diet today and yesterday.  UGH!!  This is really hard!!  I have a head-ache tonight, I am sure because of no food and no caffeine. 
I am supposed to report to the hospital tomorrow at 9:30 am!!  I am ready for this.  I will be glad when I can have food again, although that will be weeks away.  UGH!! 

  I can't believe the time is finally here!!!  Well....only a week away.   I guess a small part of me is getting nervous, but I am more excited than anything.  I know I have gained weight since my consultation, so I am praying that doesn't hinder anything.  I quit smoking back in October, so I have a valid excuse!  LOL  
I was able to go down to Las Cruces and spend time with my brothers after Christmas.  It was great.  I even got to meet Debbie from OH.   She looks great, I know she is complaining about her slow weight loss, but she doesn't look "obese" right now!  I posted our picture.  She hates that picture, but I think she's cute!
Okay, my main fears right now are not being able to stick to portion sizes and types of foods allowed during the recovery stage.  I know my dear hubby will watch me like a hawk though.  LOL   He really wants me to succeed because he knows it will make me happy, and because it will make him happy.  LOL  *wink wink* I will be checking in again before surgery....oh, and Debbie said she would be my angel.  How sweet!!  Can't wait!!

Well, Christmas has come and gone.  I love Christmas, but I am always happy to see it go also!  This would have been one of the best Christmas's ever, but we got some disturbing news.  Joe's dad, My father in law, had a heart attack and a stroke on Christmas Eve.  They live in California.  We are always so broke, it's not like we can just drop everything and rush over there.  I know that sounds absolutely horrible, but it's true.   I wish we could take back all of our Christmas gifts and spend it on that.  *sigh*  He is supposed to be okay, but he is also almost 80 years old too.....so, how much will he recover?   All we can do is take it day by day.  I just feel guilty about even traveling to have my surgery, but we can't travel to see his dad?  UGH.  Well, hopefully it will all work out okay. 

 I had to pull in all of the smilies I could to celebrate!!!  
I called the nurse a couple of times on Friday, I was bound and determined to get her to commit to a date and she did!!  My surgery will be on January 10th!  I think that's a good way to start out the new year.  
I have been so dang busy lately, but so many good things have happened,  My promotion at work has been such a blessing.  I have been working very long hours and being pulled in 10 different directions, but it feels good!  I have already been recognized in my new position, which feels very good.  
I have so much to be thankful for.....my hubby, son, great friends, job, brothers, and now my surgery.....FINALLY!  YEAH!!  

I am sure the road ahead will not be smooth, and I will have struggles with the band and demons to slay, but for now I am ecstatic! 

I have been stuck in nuetral for 3 months straight now, but I found out this week that Dr. Frezza's office FINALLY submitted my info to Pres, and on Friday found out Pres already approved it!!!  Now will be the battle to get my surgery scheduled.  Who knew I would have to fight harder with the surgeon than the insurance company?  LOL 
I am very relieved and happy knowing that I am approved for the surgery, I just hope Dr. Frezza's office doesn't make me wait too long.  I know that once I do get banded it will be a slow go until I get several fills, which will more than likely take several months.  The sooner I get started the sooner I can get to that point!