Shrinkage_Matters
***MOST RECENT UPDATE - 10-02-06***
I am a 25 year old who has been overweight all my life. I am wishing to have the surgery as a means to start a new life. One without restrictions. I want to be able to breathe again.
On May 16th, 2005, I have begun my journey..hoping to be on the track to a healthy lifestyle.
*May 17, 2005 - Went for blood work, testing for Thyroid and Cholesterol and hoping to hear results by morning.
*May 18, 2005 - Test Results conclude that cholesterol is high, thyroid is fine, blood platlet excellent, sugar a little high but nothing to worry about. The nurse said that the doctor is going to mail me a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid. Then in 3 months, I come back in for more bloodwork. Im guessing he is still not going to refer the surgery. He must believe that all I do is eat fried chicken and doughnuts all day. Which, I do not.
I emailed my insurance provider and a very nice gentleman got back with me through the phone and told me of some helpful info that I needed to know. Since it is not up to my family doctor if I have the surgery or not, and he still wont budge as to approve the referral to the surgeon, then I can file a grievance complaint to my insurance about him.
I hate doing things like that, I hate to complain, but, you know what? THIS IS MY LIFE!
I have the right to be able to have this surgery as long as a SURGEON permits it...not the family doctor.
*May 20, 2005*
Well, I have made up my mind..I would like to have Dr. Mark Gibbs as my surgeon. I talked with 2 of his office staff today (Kay and Tina) They are wonderful and Tina has signed me up for a seminar on the 26th of this month. I still have not been able to get my doc to send in the referral to my INS but I will do my best at that on Monday. I know Tricare will approve me because I meet the qualifications. Im going to get together a list of questions to get ready for the seminar. Gotta go for now..hope to hear some good news on Monday.
*May 22, 2005**
Well, I have been thinking about this WLS and I have to be honest, I was scared of having surgery at first, but now Im really not. I have even read horror stories about people that have had GB and im still thinking about the surgery and how I cant wait to get a start on my new life. I cant wait for the seminar this thursday. I will get to meet the surgeon that I hope will perform the surgery. I can honestly say that as of right now, the thing that scares me the most is the excess skin afterwards. I do not know if my insurance will cover a TT, and im sure that I wouldnt be able to make a payment plan with a plastic surgeon. But, who knows, maybe the INS will pick up the tab. Hopefully, I will find that out tomorrow.
Well, I just had to update that. Goodnight and good luck to all :)
*Jun 14, 2005*
I realize it has been awhile since I last updated. I am so excited. After a month of struggling with my PCM for a referal to a surgeon, he finally sent in the referal and Dr Gibbs office not only recieved it, but they called it in through the insurance themselves and just a few days later, I hear that I am approved. I still havent got the surgery date yet. Still have to go through my consultation and all the testing, but the nurse at Dr Gibbs office said that the surgery should take place around mid July.
I am so excited that I cant stand it.
A friend of mine asked me today "Arent you scared?" I guess I could be a little, but I will wait till later to be scared.
So anyway, thats all I had to say :)
Take care everyone :)
*June 17, 2002*
Drs office called today. I am scheduled for surgery on July 22nd, 2005. Im excited and cant wait. I also hope that someone who will be going through this at the same time is reading this right now, and im hoping that you will contact me. :)
Take Care everyone :)
*July 9, 2005*
ONLY 2 WEEKS TO GO!!! Wow...it has been almost a month since I have updated. Time sure does fly when you are waiting to have your surgery. I have had my nephew staying with us for a few weeks so I have been busy with him....thats why I havent been able to update much. A month ago, when I heard that I would be having surgery, I felt as if time would just drag and drag. But now, I see that I havent had much time to do anything. I am doing pretty good with my eating habits. I have limited my portions immensely and I am trying to get into drinking more water as I have heard that it is very beneficial to get your skin to shrink back (put the elasticity back into the skin) dont know if its true or not, but thats what I heard.
Last night, I had one of my "last meals" of Spaghetti and Meat Balls with Garlic Toast. I realize I can have it after surgery, it will just have to be upgraded...such as whole wheat noodles and ya know, that kind of stuff.
I am so excited...the nervousness has still not hit. Im trying to hold that off for when I get on the OR table because then it wont matter, they can just give me the "feel good medicine" and I will be ok and my worries will subside :)
I just hope that my pre-op and consultation all goes well and that they wont change my surgery date. Because right now...the date of July 22nd, 2005 is being marked as THE turning point in my life where I finally get to make a change and feel good about it. I just hope that it works out for the best. As I wish it does for everyone else as well.
I continue to pray for those pre-op and post op and for those who wish to have the surgery but are struggling through many battles with insurance, psych evaluations and all that other hoopla that you have to hurdle over to get to the big finish line. (surgery)
Only in this world, is a "Loser" considered a Winner...and a finish line...just the beginning.
God Bless!
*July 13, 2005*
Only 8 days, 10 hours and 10 minutes remaining. I have a countdown on my phone. I am still very excited about having surgery next week. I got a little jittery today..thinking about the food that I wont get to have anymore but then I remind myself at how much better I will feel and that I dont need that stuff. I look at all the after photos and it just tickles me pink. I cant wait to look amazing like all the rest of you wonderful losers :) Cant wait to be on your side.
Well..gotta go for now.
Congrats to all you post ops and good luck to all of us pre ops :)
*July 18, 2005*
Well...Dr. Gibbs nurse, Carrie, called me today to let me know that my surgery has been switched with another persons surgery. Just 2 hours. So instead of going in at 5:30 and having surgery by 7:30am....I am now going in about 8:30 and having surgery around 10:30. Its good in the sense that I wont have to get up and be at the hospital so early...but Im really just wanting to get this all over with. Im excited, scared, worried, anxious. Half of me thinks that something will happen and that I will never reach the "I reached my goal!" part and the other half is so excited and cant wait to reach the "goal". Am I making sense to anyone?
*July 19, 2005*
Visited with Dr. Gibbs today and the good news was that he said more than likely he will be able to do the RNY Laproscopically. Thats so exciting. But, im still keeping in mind that he may feel more comfortable doing open so im going to be prepared if I wake up and find an open incision. But he went ahead and put me down for laprsoscopically. YAY!!!
Im so excited. Got my pre-testing done today..they just needed bloodwork and I was given one of those breathing machine things..and I have been preacticing my deep slow breathing. The appointment with the dietician went well today. I Feel Ready....Yes indeed, I do Feel Ready!!!
Just 2 more days and I will be on the losing side with the rest of you. :)
God Bless
*July 22, 2005*
Well here I am, a little after midnight, just 10 hours from surgery. Im so excited, not too nervous, just having a horrible headache at the moment. Im sure the nerves will kick in tomorrow. Thank you all so much for all your support and encouragment and inspiration. I dont think I could have made it through without you all by my side. Thank you so much and cant wait to start posting the pics and info of my weight loss success.
Until next time remember this.
*Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.*
See you on the losing side!!!
Goodnight and God Bless!!!
***UPDATE***
*July 24, 2005*
Guess whos back??? Thats right folks. I had my RNY Laproscopically on Friday morning and I am already back home, on Sunday afternoon.
I will update more later and give more details but just wanted everyone to know that I am back, happy about the decision and I am sending out a HUGE THANK YOU to Randy Joslin and his wife for coming to the hospital and visiting me. Your visit was very much appreciated and needed.
Take care and to anyone thinking about the surgery...DO IT!!! Im so happy I did and its all over with.
God Bless, Kristy
*July 30, 2005*
Hey guys, sorry its been almost a week since I have updated. Where does the time go? Everything is going great! Yesterday I was able to take my bandages off and see my little incisions. They look great. They just look like little scratches in my belly. This past week, on the liquid diet, has been a little rough, I wont lie. But, it really is all worth it. I have lost 23 pounds so far and people are noticing. Wait till they see me at a 150 pound loss. *wink*
Moving on to the soft foods diet has been so much better. I dont feel deprived at all. When I see one of those delicious food commercials for pizza, chicken and tacos, I just tell myself...later on....later on. Im addicted to food network and watching the shows where they travel around and try new foods. Mexican is my favorite so I love when they do specials on mexican food. Basically, I torture myself. I know I should change the channel, but it also gives me something to look forward to. I will get to eat it later on..but for now..weight loss is the main thing. Im so glad that I am getting to where I can *BREATHE* again. I dont feel as if my weight is crushing my lungs anymore. Cant wait for summer next year so I can wear a bathing suit with no inhibitions. Well, I guess thats enough rambling for today. Thanks again to everyone that has supported me and left the comments on my surgery support page. You guys are wonderful!
God Bless!!!
*August 1, 2005*
Just a little update..............
My BMI is almost out of the 50s and you know it just tickles me pink. I also look at my profile and see the "Post-Op" instead of "Surgery date scheduled" and I just think...Wow, I cant believe I did the surgery and its over.
When I eat, I never really feel the feelings of fullness, but the hunger definitely goes away. Im trying hard to get my liquids in...I keep a water bottle with me at all times.
Im still feeling a little back pain when I walk...just from all the extra baggage I carry up front ;) Im down to 307 and im sure that once I start getting to where I can walk more than 20 minutes at a time, is where I will start seeing the pounds drop like flies.
Right now..its about a pound a day. I bought some Isopure protein powder the other day from GNC...its tasty but im tired of drinking protein shakes twice a day and I got at least 3 weeks left of having to do it. LOL
Im usually not hungry...today, all I have eaten is some watermelon and a few bites of yogurt. Im just not hungry..and thats a good thing..but I do need to try and stay healthy.
Well, I said this was going to be little and it has ended up to be quite a short story. So I will end it here....Just to let you know...this is hard....but still, no regrets. :)
God Bless!
*August 7, 2005*
I am sick and tired to death of Protein Shakes. I use to love them, but now..its just so sickening to have to get 2 down a day. On the good side, I have more energy to walk and exercise now. On another bad note...not really bad persay, but just not all that great.....I am also tired of the soft foods diet so I just dont get hungry...I have lost my appetite like you would not believe. I think in the past week, all I have had to eat was a half a pear, a jello cup, a pudding cup , popsicle and a spoonfull of cottage cheese. Dont get me wrong..Im craving the other things...like pastas and chicken....steak, burgers, nachos..but im being good and not touching a bit of it. :)
Hopefully this will end when I can start my next diet in about 2 weeks. When will it be the end of Protein Shakes. LOL...Cause Im ready to say..the heck with those suckers. But then again, I do love my hair and dont want it all to fall out. Ahh....LOL
Well, I guess thats my update. Hope everyone is doing great. I have my follow up appt on Tuesday (though im trying to get it switched to wednesday) and we will see how that goes. Dont worry, I will keep ya posted. :)
*August 12, 2005*
Well..I had my followup with Dr. Gibbs yesterday. My scale at home, when I weigh without clothes said I was 301...at his office, it said 305 with clothes. When he came in, I was worried that he would say Im behind on weight loss, but NOPE...he said I was ahead of schedule and that we still have a year to go...much more weight will be lost. I got so excited. He said the incisons looked fine and my bloodwork pre-op was great.
And, my next appointment wont be for another 6 months. I was a little worried about that because within the next 6 months, I could get low on B-12, Protein, Iron and such but he said I should be fine. And just to take my 2 Flintstones and a calcium supplement every day.
This morning, I weighed 298...out of the 300s...YAY!!! My mom asked me yesterday if I was having any regrets. Nope..not at all. When I have those cravings for the "bad but good as in delicious" foods, I just tell myself...Later...Later.
My exercise and walking has been great. I was able to finally walk a whole mile the other day. And I have been walking every day this week and im not stopping yet. However, my exercise yesterday consisted of walking all through the hospital and later on, wal-mart. But I did indeed, get in at least 40 minutes of walking. LOL
Well..I guess Im going to go for now. Thanks again to all of you out there that are still keeping in touch and giving me all the support I need. You are terriffic!!!
God Bless!
*September 4th, 2005*
Ok, I know there is no excuse for me not updating in the last 400 years but really..I have been busy cleaning and moving. We finally got all our stuff moved but we are still unpacking. Also, I lost my internet a few days before we moved so there was nothing I could do about that. The only way im able to get online now is because im housesitting for a friend. We should get internet in our new place by Tuesday. Well, the weightloss sure is coming along great. I weighed 289 a few days ago. So I may have lost another couple of pounds. The house that we moved into on the Air base is located near the Big Lake on base and there are sidewalks all around the lake so I will be able to, and motivated, to get out and walk and get this weight loss on the go.
Well, I guess thats all for now...Good Luck everyone and God Bless everyone who has been affected by Hurricane Katrina. May God give you comfort, peace and shelter.
*September 12th, 2005*
Well, this weekend, Saturday I think it was, I hit my 50 pound loss mark. I have never, in my entire life, lost as much as 50 pounds. Im so excited. I could have lost more, but im still cooped up in the house doing most of the unpacking. My husband is on 12 hour night shifts right now, so when he gets home in the morning, its straight to bed and he usually doesnt get up till he has to go back to work. Last night, however, he was able to leave work (they put him on stand-by) and we went out and ran some errands. I had energy to burn so we walked around wal-mart for an hour. It was fun. Losing just 50 pounds has given me energy. I cant wait till im down to 180-190, but thats another 100 pounds away. It just feels so good to be able to get out and walk, without feeling like im going to have a heart-attack.
Well, I guess thats all for now. Im still standing by my desicion that I made to have gastric bypass. Its been an adventure so far, and there is still more to come.
*September 20th, 2005*
I am loving the new website changes....looks more professional..like a medical website :)
Sorry I am not updating as much as I should. I am still busy with unpacking. We have alot of junk. You wont believe how much I have thrown out. Anyway..Life is Great! I have lost 55 pounds since my laproscopic surgery on July 22nd, this year, and couldnt be happier. I am out of the 300s, into the 270s and that number is only going to keep dropping. God has truly blessed me. Speaking of which...a friend of mine, who claims to be agnostic, well, we got into a sort of heated discussion about God. And let me just clear this up. I dont care who you are, what you believe in or what you dont believe in...A conversation about Politics and/or Religion is always going to end up in a heated debate. Because of the fact, we are opinionated and diverse. We have choices. I believe in what I want..I believe in the Good Lord and the power of prayer, but I understand others may not..so I never push the subject on anyone. I just know that when I stand up for my saviour and speak of all things he has helped me with in this trying life of mine, he helps me more. So anyway...we got onto the subject of prayer in school and how the atheist man in the news, Michael Newdow, or something, was ruled in favor...and they arent going to allow "Under God" to be in the pledge anymore..or they arent going to allow the kids to say the pledge.
Now tell me..just how do you take God out of school. As long as there are bullies, tests, bad grades and horrible school lunches ;) there will be prayer in school. I know I always prayed before a test.
That is just something you can never take away from anyone..Prayer. Because, it is in your heart.
May I just end this letter on God Bless and the Lord, which makes miracles happen, is Great!
*October 2, 2005*
Well, 60 pounds gone and loving it. My husband and I went out shopping yesterday. It feels great to get out and enjoy life again. We walked around for quite a bit, I bought some new underwear. LOL. My other ones were starting to fall off of me.
I dont have to buy new clothes yet because for the past year, all the clothes I had were too tight on me, but I could never find anything to fit me right. So, im enjoying getting back into those clothes, that use to be tight, but are now getting looser and looser on me.
I have met a few new people through the website and the WLS group on yahoo that I am a member of. Its wonderful to talk to other post-ops and pre-ops about the surgery. I knew when I was going through the approval process for the surgery, that I wanted to become an inspiration to others that want the surgery. And with just losing 60 pounds, I have accomplished that. Just think of what I can do when I lose 150 :)
Well, thats all for now :) God Bless!!!
*October 13, 2005*
Sorry, its been awhile since my last update. I have been at a plateau for the past 2 weeks, ranging from 268-271 lbs.
Tonight, finally, the hubby and I got out and started walking. He is back on 8 hour shifts now so he will have more energy to walk with me. We walked about a mile this evening and it felt great. We took the dogs and they were loving it. My weight was 272 this morning, and down to 270 after getting in from the mile walk. Yay!
Well, not much else has changed. I still feel great and when I went to the air show this weekend with some friends, my nephew and hubby, I was able to keep up with all of them. I use to have to tell everyone to stop so I could catch my breath. This time, I was walking ahead of everyone :)
Must continue walking...especially now that I have a walking partner. I would take one of the dogs, but its not fair to the other one when one gets to go and the other doesnt. LOL..they are like spoiled little babies.
I guess thats it..for now...I will try to update again as soon as I can. Take care and God Bless!!!
*Novermber 11, 2005*
Wow, its been a whole month since I last updated. I have lost another 12 pounds since then...its going kinda slow but at least its still going. Im feeling great, eating good. I can eat a huge variety of different things...I just keep it in very small portions. I never feel deprived and my energy level keeps me smiling and happy. Use to, when I would go walking with friends, I would have to tell them to stop or slow down so I could catch my breath. Now, they have to hustle to keep up with me :) The tables have turned and my, does it feel great :)
Well, thats all I have to say for now. I will try to keep updating and posting new pictures as they come along. Oh yeah..had to buy smaller clothes and im loving that. But now, the jeans I bought a few weeks ago, are too big and starting to fall off me :). Is this a good thing or bad thing ;)
*Nov. 18th, 2005*
Good news...my 100 pound mark is just around the corner! Since surgery, I have lost a total of 80 pounds...and from my highest weight, 89 pounds have left my body. God, It feels great. I have been walking and exercising more and have found that if I just take a 40 minute walk, I will lose 2 pounds. I need to keep that up :)
Im updating a new pic...my 4 month post op pic :) Hope you like!!!
Now, have a Happy Thanksgiving Everyone and keep this in mind....The 3 bite rule (from www.bariatriceating.com) The first bite is to taste the food, the second bite is to see if the food was as good as we thought and the third bite is your last..so savour the flavor.
That should make getting through the holidays alot easier with all the sweet potatoes and other yummys we aint supposed to be eating :)
God Bless!!!
*Nov. 27, 2005*
Well, Thanksgiving was my first Big Eating Holiday since surgery. It went quite well. I had great food, in very small portions and didnt feel a bit deprived. I have also lost 3 more pounds sine Thursday. I guess thats all I have to say for now. I have some shopping to do..thats always fun to do in the days after Thanksgiving...am I right? LOL
God Bless!!!
*Dec. 8, 2005*
Man, it feels great to hear all these compliments...I am getting so many that I think I need to learn how to take them a little better. Hahah...I have gone all through my life, hearing other people get all these compliments, and now, I finally get to hear what its like :)
I saw some family this past weekend, that hasnt seen me since a month before my surgery. And they couldnt believe the difference.
My uncle kept telling me, he couldnt believe it and how he was worried about me having the surgery, but hes glad he didnt talk me out of it. He sees now that the surgery isnt what it used to be. It saves lives. He told me how happy I looked and that for the first time, he could get his arms around me when he hugged me :)
It was a great visit. We have this tradition that when we all get together at my grandmas house, we all go for an evening walk..no matter if its hot or cold...well, I use to never go because I could never handle all the walking they did....sometimes, they would walk up to 5 miles. I could never get up to a half a mile. Well, for the first time, I decided to go..I actually brought it up and said...I hope we go walking tonight. My uncles looked at me like...WOW.
So 2 of my uncles, my nephew and my husband and I went walking. We walked for a good 2 miles...then later on..I took my husband and nephew downtown to see the christmas lights...we walked around for probably another mile. It was great..I lost 3 pounds with the whole ordeal :)
I need to keep it up..but something always gets in the way..I keep telling myself..just set aside an hour for walking each day..and 2 pounds will more than likely come off :)
To Do List: MUST WALK!!!
LOL...I guess thats all for now :)...God Bless!!!
*Dec. 17, 2005*
Well....It is official that, since my highest weight, I have lost 100 pounds. I was 342 at the highest my weight was ever recorded and I am now down to 242. Wow...I cant believe it. I only have 9 more pounds to go till I hit the "100 pounds lost since surgery" mark.
I cant express how excited I am and I cant believe that I have come this far. My weight loss has been slow mostly.....The fast it will be is about 5-7 pounds in a week...sometimes I hit plateus for days and even weeks at a time. But, I feel great as long as I can continue to move and breath with ease, and as long as those numbers keep going down :)
I hope everyone is doing well and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all :)
God Bless you all now and always, but for the most this time of the year!!!
*January 11, 2006*
Happy New Year Everybody..I hope people are still reading this..LOL
Well...the holidays were awful for me...I gained 3 pounds after coming back from the in-laws. I didnt eat healthy at all, because none of my husbands family knows what healthy eating is...they put sugar in everything. But its ok...I have lost the weight, plus a little more.
I am FINALLY WALKING EVERYDAY..at least for about 40-45 minutes worth..then I do a few little 5 pound free weights to try and tone the arms. It feels great. I have so much energy.
I was 244 just 2 weeks ago, now I am down to 236. Im hoping it will keep coming off with the steady walking. I also have my 6 month check-up with Dr. Gibbs next month. I hope he will be happy with my progress.
On another note, my BMI is finally out of the 40s and into the 30s. Before surgery, it was approaching 60...I believe it was about 57 or 58.
Thats all for now :).....Good Luck to everyone :)
*Feb. 11, 2006*
My updates are becoming about once a month now, to the date. I must get better on that..but darn it, I just stay so busy. I have been stuck at 232 for like 2 weeks and finally, in 2 days, I dropped 2 pounds. So, im now at 230..Yay. My 6 month check up is the 16th, Im hoping that my Dr. will be happy with my weight loss so far. Its been harder to lose the weight since I hit my 6 month mark on January 22nd.
I guess with being able to eat a little more and having to step up the exercise routine. No one at my surgeons office told me I needed to get any blood work done before the appointment, I was guessing that they did that there, but a friend of mine who is 1 year out, said that I should go to my PCM to have that done. Yikes..better get in gear :)
New pic is coming soon..hoping to get a new full body shot this weekend. The 4 month pic was showing an 80 pound loss. The 6-7 month pic will show a 100+ pound loss. :)
Well, I guess thats all for now :)
Good luck Everybody!!!
**Feb. 16, 2006**
Well, I had my 6 month checkup with Dr. Gibbs this afternoon. He said he was thrilled with my weight loss of 103 pounds since surgery and said I was doing a great job..just keep up with the diet and make sure that I exercise. I told him of some pains I had a week or so back in my gall bladder area, so he set me up for another apt in the morning, for an ultrasound...about 7 hours from now actually. Hopefully there will be no stones, but if so, he will of course be my surgeon again to take the gall bladder out. I told him that as long as he was the surgeon, I had no worries. Hes just too awesome a doctor.
Well, here is the new pic that I took tonight..not a great one, but it will have to do for now..my husband hates taking pictures, acts like its such a chore, so its very seldom that I can get him off his rump to take some full body shots for me...Im lucky to get them when I can..LOL
Enjoy...Good Luck and God Bless!!!
*Feb. 17, 2006*
Gallstones..gotta love em..NOT....Well, Whoopdie Friggin Doo!
I have gall stones and my surgery for the removal of my stone ridden gall bladder is scheduled for March 3rd. 2 weeks from today...I hope all goes well and that I will not experience any harsh pain in the next 2 weeks. Im sore right now in that area so I guess the little suckers are moving around..or what not. I looked up some pictures of gall stones on the internet..YUCK..Why is it that our bodies produce the most disgusting things..LOL
I hope mine doesnt end up as a picture of medical science and if it does..I better be getting paid. LOL
Well...Good Luck out there to everyone....I will keep ya posted on my surgery...at least its outpatient. :)
*Feb, 20, 2006*
It seems I am out of a plateau (one of my many) and I am consistently back to losing about a pound a day. I hope im not losing muscle mass. I continue to use weights and resistance bands since im not able to get out and walk in this freezing weather. Its starting to clear up and not be so slick outside, I will try to walk later today. I am down to 226 as of this morning. Yay.
Im hoping to lose a few more pounds for when I have my gall bladder surgery so Dr. Gibbs can see that im progressing. :)
Well, I guess that was all for the update..of course, when I have the gall bladder removal on the 3rd of March, I will keep you posted.
Goodbye for now...Good Luck and God Bless!
*March 6, 2006*
Oh My Goodness :)..Where do I begin?
Well, my gall bladder removal on Friday went well. Im healing great, no more pain, and the dry heaves only lasted till Friday night this time, not like last time where they lasted for 2 days.
So, Im in a great mood because im not in anymore pain and my weight was down to 221 as of this morning. So I decided, I will go try on some clothes.
Just to clarify, before the surgery, when my weight was a sky-rocketing 342 pounds, I wore a size 30/32 in tops and bottoms.
Of course, with the weight loss, I have gone down a few sizes, but nothing had me prepared for the joy and excitement that I recieved today :)
Back in November, I bought some new clothes and realized I was down into size 24 bottoms and 22 tops. Well just a few weeks ago, I was able to buy a sweater that was 18/20. Today, I was so thrilled, I was praising God in the dressing room when I was able to put on a size 20 jeans and 14/16 top :)
OH MY GOD!!! Thank You Jesus!!!
The next step down from a size 14 is a 12, of course, but what that means is that I wont have to shop on the plus size anymore. I will, for once, get to set foot in the Junior Miss section :) I have never been over to "that other side" :) Im so excited.
Still, even with the gall stones, the choice I made to have gastric bypass, was the best I have ever made in my life. I am so happy and losing this much, makes me want to get out and lose more. Its time for a walk :)
Good Luck and God Bless Everyone!!!
*March 10, 2006*
Last night, I had my first Bariatric Support Group Meeting at Baptist. It was nice....very worth the 30 minute drive through all the nasty traffic on 630. ;)
I will be going back next month as well. I am down to 218..I feel great...and its time to start walking more. I think by next week, I can get back to doing my resistance bands and toning exercises.
I took off all my bandages from the gall bladder surgery last night and found out that instead of making 4 new incisions, Dr. Gibbs only made 2 new ones and used 2 of my old ones from my gastric bypass. Thats Cool!!! So instead of having 9 incisions, I only have 7. And these are very small...Im sure they will heal as nicely as the previous ones did :)
Well...I hope someone out there is reading this and is actually benefitting from it :). Im here for you if you need me....If you want to talk about anything...anything at all..no question is too personal for me on this matter..seriously. I hope to help as many people as I can and bring some light into this world through my experiences. :)
God Bless!
*April 12, 2006*
Ok...its been a month since I updated...sorry I have once again neglected my information. I guess, it was mostly because I have been stuck in another rut...the word Plateau got old..LOL
I was at 218 for a month and it started wearing on me. Finally...I lost 2 pounds in the last 2 days and im down to 216.
I just gotta keep up the walking routine, and hopefully, if funds permit me to do so this weekend, im buying a bicycle. I havent ridden in so long and my legs need the workout.
I get a little impatient with walking because when I go somewhere, I hate taking a long time to get there. Plus, I think I will cover more ground area on a bike..and go much further...im sure I can put in at least a good 5 mile ride. :)
Hope everyone is doing great :)
Until next time...Good Luck and God Bless :)
*April 20, 2005*
Well...bought a bicycle on Monday and I have found out that pedaling up a small hill is alot harder than walking it. I havent rode a bike in 10 years and it kicked my ass. I was so out of breath, but thats a good thing. My body needs something different besides walking.
I think when you get into a routine, your body gets used to it, that it doesnt affect it anymore. So ya gotta change things up....so I have decided to do walking some days and cycling others. I havent done my resistance bands or free weights in weeks. No excuses, I just need to get back on track.
I have lost 2 more pounds and I am drinking more water...so thats good. I also managed to lose these 2 pounds during my monthly cycle...WOW..how the hell did that happen?
I dont care..it did and thank the Good Lord above.
Ok...Guess thats it for now..must get new pics up...I have some face shots, but no new body pics. Will try to get some in the next couple of weeks.
Good Luck and God Bless!
*May 9, 2006*
Well, I havent taken the bike out in awhile because of all the rain. It has just now started to dry up and it looks like it may start again..Hope not. I was going to go for a ride yesterday but a friend and I decided to take our dogs to the dog park. Boy, did they have fun.
I have set a new short term goal for myself...My mom is coming to visit next month...June, 2nd-June 5th...so before she gets here, I have decided that I need to get under 200 pounds. I hope I can do it, even though its pushing it..I need to lose 12 pounds to get to 199. Its been pretty good....I guess I am out of the rut again, seeing as how I lost 2 pounds last week. I am down to 211 now...so 131 pounds gone forever, for me :) Im so excited.
I have had about 3 or 4 episodes since surgery last year, where I wake up in the middle of the night with some chest pains..Im wondering if its from too much caffeine (im a big coffee drinker) so, im going to lay off that for awhile.
Anyway...I took the body shot pictures down because I havent been able to get the hubby to take new ones yet, so I posted the face shots instead. You can tell a bigger difference in my face, other than my body, I think anyway..LOL
Well..I guess thats it..I must get to it...exercising more is the only thing that can help me drop 12 pounds in the next 3 weeks before my mom gets here...so I better go for a walk, a bike ride, or both.
Good Luck and God Bless Everyone!!!
*May 22, 2006*
***10 Months Out Since Surgery***
Well....Only a week and a half left till my mom gets here and I have been doing pretty good. I just weighed myself and I am at 207.6
I just need to get my rear in gear and lose those last 7 or 8 pounds to get me under 200 and into Onederland :)
Some changes in my life have come about since my last post.
Last Friday, the hubby and I found out that he is being transfered to Soto Cano AFB in Honduras in either July or August (I will have to stay here) and he will be there for a year. Next year, when he is ready to move to his new base, then I will move with him also. We think its going to be in the United States...Hopefully...and one of the bases on his wish list is Nellis in Las Vegas, NV. That would be great since I love Vegas and my mom lives there...Wish Us Luck.
I have lived in Arkansas all my life, its all I know. My family and friends are here and its going to be a real shock to not have them around. I just hope everything will work out for the best.
Well...I guess thats it for now...I will keep posting about my 199 pound goal progress :) I guess I have been able to lose the weight by swimming in my best friends pool. We do this thing where we get about 5 or 6 people (at least) in the pool and we all start running around the radius of the pool....it creates a huge whirlpool effect...very fun and very effective in the exercise department :) Now, all I gotta do is get out there and walk and ride my bike. :)
Good Luck and God Bless!!!
*June 27, 2006*
Wow, I have yet again, gone a whole month without an update. Very sorry about that..things have been very hectic and busy. Well, let me give a little update from what I wrote about on May 9, 2006...The Chest Pains. The Tuesday before my birthday
(June 2nd) I awoke in the middle of the night, again, with the pains and they became so painful, that I had to go to the ER. The ER that I went to was no help...they just wanted to X Ray me and tell me they found nothing so it was more than likely Hepatitis, and that I should go see Dr. Gibbs immediately.
So, I did and he had some blood work done and an Upper GI where you gotta swallow that nasty craaaap. Well...everything came back good...just that my liver enzymes were a little high, nothing to worry about..probably just from having a fatty liver from being overweight and that it should go away with more weight loss.
My pouch size was good, right where it needed to be and they found no leaks or blockages. He said that the pain that I have should be nothing to worry about as long as I dont start having it more often. I havent had it again since the end of May. But, he did say that if the pains became persistent that I should get a GI doctor and have them run a scope. More than likely, Im OK :)
Hes so great...when I came to him about the problem, he reassured me that I was ok and that he would take care of me.
Everything has been going alright....I got down to 204 and then my period came along and I went right back up to 208. I was stuck between 208 and 206 for weeks and I have finally made it back down to 203 today actually. I might have also been gaining muscle. I have been cliff jumping at the lake and to get back up on the cliffs, I have to do a little climbing and working out my arms and legs. I need to start walking more and the bike hasnt been taken out in 2 months im sure.
I just need a work out buddy, whether they be in person or online *wink* to tell me everyday to get off my butt and start losing :)
Well, I guess thats about it...Im going to go for now..Good Luck Everyone and You will be hearing from me again :)
As always, Good Luck and God Bless!!!
*September 18, 2006*
Ok...I apologize for the long pause in between updates but I did have a computer crash and was without internet for 2 months. But, I am back online and happy to say that more than a month ago..I finally broke the 200 mark and went down to 199, then 198 and so on. I was stuck at 195 for about a month and just yesterday, I hit 193!!! So only 1 more pound away and I can say that I have lost 150 pounds.
Im excited...and shocked as well, to say the least. Over the past month...I havent been eating well at all because my husband and I had to move to another house on base so that really tore into my exercise regime and eating habits. I was feeling run down most of the time because of all the moving and not taking my vitamins like I should. And, we would go on midnight chocolate binges..LOL
But, that has stopped and im getting back on track. My husband just left for Honduras 3 weeks ago and he will be there for a year.
Yes, sad..but Im going to take this time to really get in shape so that when he sees me next, he will be wowing over me :)
Well, I guess thats it for now...I will try to keep you updated more often now...I am almost completely settled into my new place..but then, next year, I will be moving again....Lets hope my bad habits dont return ;)
Good Luck and God Bless Everyone!!!
October 2, 2006
My dear friends..I shall begin by saying that I have lost 155 pounds, weighing in at 187 as of this morning. That is one of my biggest accopmplishments, so far....I still have 20+ pounds that I want to lose till I reach my goal weight..But I must tell you this....I did something this evening that I would have never, and I mean never, been able to do 155 pounds ago. This evening, for the first time ever, I attempted to climb Pinnacle Mountain..and I DID!
I made it all the way to the top..and even to the other side of the mountain. Going down was a little harder since the sun had already set and the dark was speeding in. But, a friend and I made it and he kept pushing me..all the way to the top. I said it many times but never once thought of turning around and going back. I had to do this.
I feel so much better about myself. I cant say that I will ever do it again..but I must try it again because I didnt get very many good pics since the sun had already set. LOL
Oh I feel so exhilirated...I just had to let you know :)
I hope everyone is doing great :) Good Luck and God Bless!!!