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Woo Hoooooo...  I finally saw the scale take a good size jump - 3 pounds since yesterday.  My plateau is over!!!  I'm now down exactly 48 lbs., and the 50 mark will hopefully happen before the week is over. 
Life is great!

Since going back to work, I've definitely had less time to post as often, but I don't want to forget any part of this journey, so I'm going to try to do better this week.  For the past week and a half I've been battling a plateau and major issues with not being able to have regular BM's.  Sorry for the blunt reality, but that's the truth...  I have gone for 4 and 5 days without being able to go, and it's been very uncomfortable and frustrating.  I had been taking Benefiber 3 times a day, hoping that would help, but it didn't.  I tried Milk of Magnesia, and it took almost a whole day to kick in just a very little bit.  I finally made an appointment with my PCP on Friday, and he suggested Miralax.  Thank goodness - it worked!  I kept seeing the scale creep up 1/2 lb. each day I couldn't go, and it was making me so mad!    I always get in my 64 oz. of water, and I'm trying to walk as much as I can.  Hopefully, this week will be more normal in that department. 

As for everything else, things are great.    I have tried lots of new foods, and have still not had any problems.  I do make sure to chew everything until it's basically mush before swallowing, so I'm sure that really helps things go down smoothly.  I'm getting 60-65 grams of protein every day, even if I have to drink a whey protein shake as an evening snack after 3 regular meals, but I'm hoping that will help with the eventual hair loss that is to come in a couple of months.  I'm also taking 5,000 mcg of biotin in the hopes that it will help with the same thing.  Only time will tell...    I'm also continuing to track all of my nutrition content on www.my-calorie-counter.com, and I'm getting between 550 - 700 calories a day.  I just need to increase my exercise a bit more still.

So far, I've tolerated all meats, which I hear not everyone is able to do, so I'm grateful for that.  I've had roast beef, chicken, pork chops, turkey, deli ham, carnitas, ground beef, tuna, etc. (all prepared by me, so I can calculate the proper nutrition content and keep things as healthy as possible).  Beef definitely takes the longest to eat, and requires twice as much chewing, so I probabIy won't eat it quite as often as the others - it's just so much work to get it mushy enough to swallow!  I also tried a piece of low carb whole grain bread this weekend from Great Harvest (a local bread bakery), and was able to eat a 1/2 small turkey & swiss sandwich with lettuce, tomato and pickle.  It was heavenly!!!    I know it may be a bit soon to be introducing bread, but I was kind of desperate to find something with a little extra natural fiber, considering my recent predicament...  I have wondered recently if my pouch is really only 2 oz., because I don't really feel full after eating that amount, and can tolerate a little more.  I hope I'm not pushing things, but I do take a very long time to eat, so that may be part of it.  I'm still only 5 weeks out, so I need to be careful not to overdo it.

I've noticed that I don't feel like I need Crystal Light or S/F Kool-Aid quite as much lately, even though I did more so in the begining.  Plain water is tasting better than it did a couple of weeks ago, so I'm glad for that.  I've also noticed in the past several days that I am all of a sudden able to drink water much faster than even last week, which makes me happy.  It used to be so incredibly hard to get in my full 64 oz., but I'd force myself to do it every day anyway.  Now, it's not as big of a deal to do, and I can actually drink a 16.9 oz. bottle in 30 minutes, as opposed to 2 hours.  It definitely makes it a lot easier to time meals at more normal intervals.

The other exciting thing is that I'm officially out of the size 30's, even though I've continued to wear them lately because they're loose and comfy.  I can very easily button and zip a size 26/28 pair of jeans without a problem, and have even tried a couple of 24's with some success, depending on the cut.  The only obstacle is my big hangy tummy, but my top half is really starting to show some thinning.  It's such an exciting process!  Once I get on a more regular schedule of going to the gym at work, I'm sure it will speed things up a bit more.  Even though I've lost 44 lbs so far, only 23 of it has been since surgery.  That doesn't seem like a lot for 5 weeks out, but a nearly 2 week plateau can really slow things down.  Hopefully, things will start moving more steadily this week...

Many thanks once again to all my family & friends for your continued encouragement & support.

Well, my first full week back to work was something else...  My boss had saved a giant project just for ME, and I worked 10-12 hour days all week long!  THANK GOODNESS I was up for the challenge and feeling good, because it could have easily been a disaster.  The entire management team that I support had an offsite retreat at Sundance (where they have the film festival) first thing Friday morning, and I had to assist with a lengthy presentation that involved gathering information and taking/editing photos of everyone in our department of 80+ people.  You know human nature... everyone waits till the last minute to do their part, as I'm stressing out, waiting for them to give me their portions for the presentation.  Anyway... It finally came together around midnight Thursday evening (after a 2nd trip to the office that evening to fix a huge last-minute problem).  Now I can finally breathe!!!  (I sure hope this coming week is a little less stressful, cuz that was a heck of a week to return to!)    I didn't realize just how tired I was, until I slept most of the day on Saturday, sitting in my recliner!

As for the weight loss, it was kind of a slow week watching the scale, but then again, I hadn't quite had enough fiber either, so things were just not "moving" like normal.  I just kind of chalked it up to that, because I was so stressed about work stuff, and didn't pay as much attention to all of those minor (major) details.  I finally saw a small drop on Saturday, after lots of extra BeneFiber did it's job...  I also had some fun last week going through old clothes I had boxed up quite a while ago, and found lots of things I had long since forgotten, but are still really cute and now fit.  I also ordered a handful of new skirts and pants off of eBay at pretty low prices, so I won't feel too guilty when they get too big and I can't use them anymore.  I have plenty of tops to last me until I'm a size 14, but I needed some things for work for my bottom half, since I don't buy many of those items.  I am completely amazed at the sheer volume of clothes I have - it's actually pretty ridiculous, to be perfectly honest.  What I will love most is saying goodbye to the bigger sizes forever, once they're too big.  No more hanging onto the big stuff "just in case" I ever need them again, because this time, it won't be happening.

Well, my first day back to work went pretty well.  It was nice to know I had been missed...  Several people said they could tell I had lost weight, but I know it will take a bit more before it's terribly obvious.  That's just what happens when you start out with such a huge amount to lose.  Last time I lost a significant amount, it was about 50 lbs. before people started to take notice.  I'm not too worried, (although it's nice when others can see your progress) because the real prize will be regaining my health and feeling better than I did previously.

I did have my first significant food challenge today (a hard-boiled egg) even though scrambled eggs have never been a problem for me.  I had forgotten to buy more yogurt over the weekend, which is what I always do for breakfast, so I decided to get a hard boiled egg from the salad bar in the cafeteria at work.  I chewed really well, just like I always do, but it just DID NOT sit well with me.  I didn't have to go and throw it up, but it took several hours for it to feel like it actually got past my stomach pouch - it just sat there forever, and was REALLY uncomfortable.  I'm just grateful I have tolerated so many other things, but it will be a long time before I attempt that one again...  After that, nothing really sounded good, because I was afraid other things might get stuck on top of that darn egg, but I did manage to keep lunch down.  Oh well...  if that's the worst I've had up until now, I don't have it so bad.

The thing I was most concerned about was not having enough energy to keep up for the entire day, but that was not the case.  I no longer feel weak or dizzy, thankfully.  Tomorrow should be better overall, though, since I will be sticking strictly to foods I know agree well with me.  I also picked up some paperwork so that I can sign up to use the gym onsite.  I thought it was around $15 a month, but it's only $2.50 per paycheck (every 2 weeks), which is an awesome deal!  I will have to start out slow with the treadmill, then work my way up to other things after I've had a chance to meet with a personal trainer one-on-one.  I'm always concerned about hurting my back, so it will be nice to know what is truly safe and what is not, rather than making excuses because I really don't know, and haven't ever bothered to ask until now...

As for the actual weight loss, I'm down exactly 40 lbs., including what I lost in the 3 weeks before surgery (18 since surgery).  It seems to be coming off much slower than I had expected, but I guess 40 lbs. in 6 weeks is still pretty good.  I think once I start becoming more active, things might pick up a bit.  I have finally been able to work up to about 55 - 65 grams of protein a day, and all 64 oz. of water.  I'm also averaging about 600 calories a day, which isn't much compared to a normal person's intake, but I'm just glad not to feel hungry on this amount :)  I could never have imagined how this would be possible before surgery, but sure enough, it is a reality.  I just hope that my pouch will not stretch out too much over time, so that I can maintain this feeling of not being hungry all the time.

That's about all for now.  I'll try to post some new pix in the next couple of days...

I went for my first post-op visit since surgery this afternoon.  Dr. McKinlay was pleased with my progress so far, and said I'm doing better (recovery-wise) than the average person.  I was actually a little discouraged because my weight has been exactly the same for the last 3 days in a row, and even went up 3 pounds by the time I weighed in at the doctor's office later in the day.  I guess I need to cut myself some slack, though, since I've basically been on my period for almost 2 weeks straight (since 2 days after coming home from the hospital).  I guess my hormones are pretty much out of whack, and it will take some time for my body to get used to all these changes.  I haven't been totally normal in that department for about the last year, so I shouldn't be too surprised.  Today was just worse than usual, and my stomach was doing flip-flops.     If I try to turn this into a positive scenario, I should really be grateful that this "joy" didn't begin WHILE I was in the hospital, or during surgery, like I've heard happens to a lot of women...

On a happier note, my foods are all still going down well, and nothing new has disagreed with my little pouch yet.  My favorite 2 meals lately have been stewed chicken with homemade gravy and baby carrots (Sunday dinner), and the insides of some chicken enchiladas that I made for my husband last night for dinner (shredded chicken with mild green chile enchilada sauce and shredded colby jack cheese, with some diced tomatoes on top)....  YUM!!!  I bought some little 4 oz. containers and lids over the weekend, and was able to make 8 more meals from the leftovers of each (filling them about half-way).  I froze half of the containers for when I go back to work next week, and left half in the fridge for meals this week.  My other new favorite protein drink is Atkins Milk Chocolate Delight (tastes like thick chocolate milk with 15 grams of protein).  I bought lots of them to keep on hand for the next several weeks.

I'm getting geared up to go back to work next Monday, and will genuinely miss my naps every day...  Sigh...  It will be great, though.  I'm excited to get back into the real world again, and I hope I will have enough energy to make it through that first week back.  I did have to buy some new shoes for work over the weekend, because the two pairs I was wearing before surgery are FALLING OFF and way too big.  What a bummer... shoe shopping... J/K - It was great!!! 

More to come soon...

I now officially have a BMI of less than 50 - that was my first goal!!! 
I've graduated from "Super Obese" to a mere "Morbidly Obese".  Don't you just LOVE these terms some wonderful person came up with?  LOL    Anyway...  I couldn't be happier today.  My only regret is that I didn't take my measurements before starting on this journey.   I can make an educated guess based on how my clothes are fitting now, but I guess I'll never know for sure...  My goal for this week is to start keeping track of that.  I'm still doing incredibly well with my foods.  I'm now eating refried beans and cheese, canned tuna or chicken with a little light mayo, scrambled eggs with cheese, bean with bacon soup, etc., plus a tablespoon of very soft cooked veggies with my meals.  I had steamed zucchini with a tiny bit of margarine, salt and pepper last night with my bean with bacon soup, and it tasted INCREDIBLE!!!  I still have no regrets about my decision to have this surgery, and can't wait to continue reaching the many goals I have set for myself.  More to come soon...
As always, many thanks to my friends & family for your continued words of encouragement. 

My RNY surgery was exactly one week ago today, and already I have had a couple of milestones (I actually need to include my 3 week pre-op diet success as well).  I am down exactly 32 pounds in one month (only 9 of that since surgery last week), but I am seeing a big difference in my clothes, and I am feeling more confident than I did a month ago.  I am so blessed to have done incredibly well with the surgery / recovery part, and have really had no pain or discomfort to speak of since returning home from the hospital.  I have had no intolerence to food of any kind so far, and almost feel guilty in saying so, because many of my online friends have not been as fortunate.  I don't know why I'm the lucky one, and others aren't so lucky, but I am truly grateful, whatever the reason.

Some of my friends from church were completely shocked to see me there yesterday, and on top of that, singing in the choir and helping my husband teach our Primary class (the 5 year olds).  I figured if I was fortunate enough to be feeling this good already, there was really no reason I should stay home. 

After church, Erwin and I went to my Aunt Shelley's house for dinner.  She had made homemade lasagna, salad and garlic bread, so I asked her to set aside some ricotta cheese and sauce for me (I also had 2 very small pieces of cucumber from the salad).  My cousins who were also there said they felt bad eating in front of me, but I told them not to, because this is just how it is.  I spent about 25 minutes eating my tiny little bit of food with my baby sized spoon, and we all finished about the same time.  It was almost a victorious feeling for me, knowing that I CAN do this, and will be a much healthier and happier person in the longrun for it.

After we left my aunt's house, Erwin and I went for a drive, then stopped by my friend Launie's house to say hello.  She told me my face looked so much thinner already, and that was nice to hear.  I thought I was starting to see it as well, but it's so nice to know I'm not just imagining it :)  I'm so excited to be on this journey and will accept all of the challenges and victories equally along the way - I didn't get to this place overnight, and it won't all be resolved overnight.  I'm just grateful for the journey... 

Again, many thanks to my family and friends for your continued words of encouragement...

Today I graduated from 1 oz. broth & 1 oz. sugar free jello to 2 oz. of real food -  I can't tell you how happy that makes me!!!    I was getting incredibly bored with that little bit of the same thing for every meal.  I am now able to eat 2 oz. of cottage cheese, yogurt, cream soup, string cheese, etc. for my meals, and it tastes soooooo good.  I am now getting in my 64 oz. of water by sipping all day long.  Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade and Sugar Free Kool-Aid are some of my new best friends, so all that water doesn't get too boring.  In a couple more days, I will be able to eat soft deli meat and cheese, refried beans, canned meats, etc., plus a small amount of vegetables.   I think this will help with the monotony. 

I did have a pretty bad case of head hunger yesterday.  I kept thinking I was hungry, but if I'm really paying close attention to my body, it was really the unsettled bloating still left in my system since the surgery.  I heated up some creamy chicken enchiladas for my husband for dinner, and I found myself absolutely dying to taste just the sauce.  Luckily, I was able to snap myself out of it by adding Crystal Light to my water for the first time since surgery - all I really needed was something new to taste.

This morning I was feeling really weak after I got in the shower.  For some reason, the hot water made me feel nauseous, and I had to get out for a minute and sit down until the feeling passed.  I don't like that I was feeling very weak, and was concerned that I'm not getting enough protein.  I REALLY don't want to pass out somewhere if I feel like this again, so I sent an email with questions to the education director at my doctor's office.  Since I'm following all of my post-surgery guidelines and getting more than enough water in, she agreed that I should get a snack or two in during the day, and suggested including nonfat milk or V-8 juice as part of my fluids for the day.  I was soooo relieved, because I didn't want to do anything outside the rules, but you can also understand my concern...

Late this morning, my Aunt Shelley called to see if I'd like to get out of the house for a while.  I said absolutely!  We just went over to the new Sam's Club by my house, and walked around the entire store for over an hour.  I was hoping I wouldn't get too exhausted since it was my first real outing since surgery, and I did just fine.  I went through an entire 16.9 oz. bottle of water while I was there, and I'm sure that helped to keep my energy up.  Anyway, I was grateful to break up my day with something new, and I'm glad the extra walking didn't wear me out (although I was glad to come home and sit in my recliner for a while).

I think things will be a little more smooth with my new foods in the coming week.  This is definitely a learning curve, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I can already see and feel my clothes getting really loose, so I'm going to go through some smaller clothes over the weekend, and have those ready for when it's time to get rid of the big stuff I'm wearing right now (it shouldn't be long!)  As for pain, I haven't had to take anything since Thursday morning, which I'm still surprised about, but very happy at the same time.  I probably could have left the hospital after the 2nd day and not taken any more, and still have been fine.  I just took a couple Percocet on Wednesday, then one on Thursday to make sure I was OK.  I'm guessing I'm probably an unusual case, as far as the pain level goes, but I'm very encouraged by this.  I'll post a little more over the weekend, after I've had a chance to graduate to a few more foods.  We'll see how I tolerate everything...
Thanks to all my new friends for your words of encouragement. 

I have soooo much to be grateful for!  My surgery was on Monday at noon, and I was released to come home last night (Tuesday).  I was told it was "textbook perfect" in every way, and my pain has been very minimal.  I had more pain with my gallbladder surgery in February than with this!  I'm starting to feel a little bit of the residual gas from the surgery trying to work it's way out of my system, but it's very minor.  Dr. McKinlay said he tries to evacuate as much out as he can before finishing up, so I was very thankful for that!  My only complaint after surgery was a bit of nausea and not being steady on my feet because I was a little dizzy, but that has subsided.

The first thing I was allowed in the hospital was 1 oz. of water per hour, starting at 6pm Monday evening.  After noon on Tuesday, I was able to increase my water to 2 oz. per hour.  I had my first meal of chicken broth and sugar free jello (1 oz. each) for lunch, and the same thing for dinner (waiting, of course, for 30 min. before and after to drink any water).  Before leaving the hospital, all of my staples were removed, as well as my drain.  I know when my brother had his surgery, they left his drain in for 10 days, so I asked the nurse why they would take mine out so early.  I guess every surgeon does things a little differently, but I haven't had any issues related to mine coming out sooner than later, and it wasn't painful having it removed. 

Today, my 3 meals will be the same as at the hospital - 1 oz. broth and 1 oz. jello, but my water increases to 4 oz. per hour.  I am also doing my breathing exercises with the spirometer 10x every hour to avoid any problems with pneumonia, and I'm getting up and walking just a little bit, as often as possible, to avoid any blood clots.  I will probably venture outside of the house in a couple of days to get a little more distance to my walking, but for now, I'm really feeling pretty good!

After my husband brought me home from the hospital last night, he fixed himself some dinner.  I found myself thinking I should be hungry, but I'm really not.  It's such a strange feeling for a change!  I think the biggest challenge will be between my head telling me I should be hungry and my body telling me otherwise.  Years of habit will have to give way to a new way of doing things.  I will need to learn how to listen to my body more carefully, so I'm trying to pay close attention. 

Later in the day, I'll post some pre-op pix from the hospital.  Erwin got a kick out of the purple paper gown they put on me before surgery!  It had some little vents where they could hook up a big white tube to blow cold or warm air underneath your gown, and they handed me the control to adjust the temperature to whatever was comfortable.  The gown was actually twice the size I needed, so I had to wrap it around quite a bit.  Anyway... more to come soon. :)

By this time tomorrow, I'll be recovering from surgery.  It almost seems surreal, since I've been working toward this day for 2 years now.  I can't believe it's finally here!  I had a few moments today where I felt my heart start to race and my nerves start to kick in, but I'm OK - no cold feet.  My bag is packed for the hospital, and all that's left to do is wait for  the magnesium citrate to finish working it's "magic" (that stuff is soooooo nasty!).  I went to visit with some of my family this afternoon and had a blessing, which definitely helped calm my nerves.  I've talked to my brothers and Mom on the phone, taken care of the dogs, and cleaned up a little around the house.  I'm just hanging out now and watching last week's episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance" while I wait out the magnesium citrate.  Once everything's over with and I'm home recovering, I'll post some new pix from the hospital and give everyone an update. 

Wish me luck!!!