Tabitha Person
2 years worth thoughts about my band!
Sep 17, 2007
July 15 2005- I had my meeting with the dietitian today. It went really well and she gave me some great suggestions. I've been so surprised by how quickly things are going. I attended the information seminar Wednesday night, was able to get into speak with my surgeon on Thursday after he had a cancellation, and today, Friday, I was able to get into the dietitian. It just all feels so right. I'm still waiting to hear back from the people for my psych exam. I was hoping to hear from them today, but I guess it'll have to wait until Monday. I plan on reading up on everything this weekend. I want to make sure I know what I'm in for best I can so that I can make the best choices.
July 19- I called the psychologist yesterday and was happy to hear that they had a cancellation for this Thursday! Things just keep falling into place. After that I should be good to go. I also mailed off my medical release forms to my past and current doctors. I'm a little worried that I don't have a complete 5 year history. I've hated going to the doctor since it seems they love to tell me all my health woes will be solved by losing weight. Like I didn't already know this? So I've avoided them like the plague. I have pretty good records for the past year, but before that I only went once over that five year period. Oh well, not much I can do about it. If it seems to be a real problem I'll deal with it when it comes up. I had my echocardiogram today, and I'm guessing since the tech didn't cry or start screaming it can't be all that bad. My doctor asked that I have one since I took Phen Fen for almost a year. The test took place at the same hospital I'll hopefully be having surgery in. Very nice.... for a hospital.
July 30- Just got back from spending the week in Canada camping on the coast. Had a fantastic time, but was again reminded how much I hate being fat. I was so excited to go on several hikes during the day, but found out real quick just how out of shape I really am. I found myself huffing and puffing after just a few minutes and ended up having to call it quits. My family and I had been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and it ended up being a bit of a letdown with me staying in camp reading while my husband and son hiked.
I was hoping to come home to good news that my lapband had been approved, but no such luck. Please keep me in your thoughts. Everything up to this point had gone so quickly and now I have to play the waiting game, which I'm no good at.
August 24-I'm APPROVED!!! I came home from taking my son to football practice and I had waiting on my answering machine a message from my doctors office. Let me say that again since it feels SO GOOD, I'M APPROVED! I plan on calling first thing in the morning to take the next step. I am just over the moon right now. I do believe I was approved on the first letter, but will clarify once I speak with the surgeon. I know there was a bit of back and forth with the faxes, but not sure what it was regarding. One more time, I'M APPROVED!
Sept. 1- I have a date for my surgery! Sept. 21! My birthday is Sept. 30 and I couldn't dream of a better early bday present! Not nervous yet, but I'm sure that will come!
Feb. 20 2006-Wow! It's been a long time! I am so happy with my band. I'm down over 50 lbs. since my surgery. The band has given me the confidence I needed to really get out in the world. I'm now in school again working towards my MBA. It's something I've wanted to do for years, but just haven't been able to bring myself to do it. I always had this feeling that people were watching me, laughing behind my back. A bit paranoid, but not really when at times I actually heard them laughing. Now I'm so close (within a few pounds) of not being obese and instead just overweight. That's such a huge deal for me! I'm enjoying being able to walk with my family and not get tired and out of breath. I'm loving the fact that I need to buy new clothes. I love that I even ordered TWO new bathing suits for this summer. While I know I have a long way to go, I'm so proud of myself with what I've accomplished so far!
March 15, 2006- Still chugging along. I'm now UNDER 200 lbs! Still can't believe it. I've now had three fills and seem to be doing well with my restriction. I can pretty much eat anything. That can be a blessing and a curse. Blessing because it means I haven't had to worry about things getting stuck and the pain that comes from that. Curse because I have to really watch what I put in my mouth. No matter what though, the band keeps me from having the major pig out sessions I used to have. Now I eat one veggie corn dog and I'm set. I don't even want to think how many I could have eaten before the band.
Finals are coming up for me in a week. I'm a little stressed, but happily I'm not turing to food. Instead I'm induldging myself with pedicures and shopping trips. Got to replace one vice with another!
March 23, 2006- FINALS are OVER! I won't know for sure what my grades are for a couple of weeks, but I feel good about it. This week I'm finally getting around to cleaning the house from top to bottom. Oh, and napping. Lots and lots of napping. Okay, I might get some exercise in as well.
Weight and band wise, I couldn't be happier. I'm eating normally which really is the goal. Things aren't getting stuck, but I'm also staying full. I even seem to be losing my sweet tooth. My weight is hovering around 195. It goes up and down a pound or two depending on, well, I don't know. I don't get overly stressed about the scale. I like to go by how the clothes are fitting, and in that department things are FANTASTIC! I wore a size LARGE this week. LARGE! Not EXTRA large. With pants I'm a size 16, but can zip up 14, but still avoid them. I don't want to be one of those women that look like they're stuffed into a sausage casing just so I can brag and say I'm a size smaller. I'm also beyond stoked that my BMI is below 30! It's all good.
April 10 2006- Well I haven't lost any weight, but I'm getting smaller. The size 14 jeans I could just barely zip up a few weeks ago now fit perfectly. Not tight, not snug, just right. I have been doing weight training so perhaps that's it. I think some might be water weight as well. Whatever it is, I'm not complaining. I really care more about what size I am more than how much I weigh. I would LOVE to be down to a size 12 by the time we go to Europe this Christmas. I have never been smaller than a 13, EVER. That would be beyond cool! The new picture I posted is of me sporting my size 14's! I couldn't be happier!
May 03 2006- Well I'm in the 180s! Tonight I weighed in at 189. Since it's that time of the month, and I ALWAYS gain 2-5 lbs. I'm sure in a week or so that number will be closer to 185. I'm feeling fantastic! I have a Girls Weekend planned for June in Scottsdale, AZ and booked my flight tonight. It was so great not having to worry about how I'll fit in the seat. No belt extenders for me. No worries about spilling over into the seat next to me. No worries at all! (Well maybe one or two, but those are all school related.)
May 12, 2006- Well I'm at 184! Just as I posted earlier I knew as soon as Aunt Flo left town I'm be in the mid 180's. My 14's are starting to get too baggy. WOO HOO! Never, ever, ever thought I'd say that! Here let me say that again, my 14's are getting too baggy! I bought two pairs of size 12's last month and they were just too snug for me to feel comfortable wearing out and about. Today I wore a pair of 12 jeans and they fit fine. No Muffin Top over the top of the jeans. No holding my breath to zip them up. A little baggy in the butt just like I like them!
The band has been such a blessing. I know when I first decided to get it I was scared I would mess it up. That I would eat around it. I thought for sure that I would need the RNY because I loved sweets. Well I'm living proof that sweet eaters can do well with the band. VERY WELL. Do I still eat a chocolate or two now and then? Sure. Life isn't worth living if you don't have chocolate. But that's just it, I take a bite. After eating a band style meal I'm too full to eat more than just a bite or two. I just can't say it enough, I LOVE MY BAND!
June 13, 2006- I had an AMAZING day today! Anthony Bourdain, the hottest chef ever, was speaking at The University of Washington bookstore. I just adore this man. His biting humor, his curly gray hair, the fact that he can cook. Be still my heart!
Now preband me would have been a shrinking violet, too ashamed that I was the "fat girl" attending a chefs book signing. I would have felt that every eye was on me thinking, "Man, of course she loves him. She loves ANYTHING that has to do with food!". Not today. Today I proudly claimed my seat close to the front and stood in line for him to sign it. Yeah, I still got a little chub, but who cares really? I was over the moon at being able to overcome my shyness and meet a man I've enjoyed for years!
June 30, 2006- Welp I'm still just chugging along. I'm weighing in at 182 lbs. To tell you the truth if I never lost another pound I'd be happy. I'm not giving up or anything, but I'm happy, actually satisified. I've lost more than I was "supposed to" according to the lapband literature. I can shop in the normal sizes. I can fit comfortably in a plane seat. I can take the dogs on a five mile walk. Life is good. It's really hard for me to find reason to complain about anything. My band has been a lifesaver and I thank the heavens above for it every single day!
July 7, 2006- I'm so close to the 170's! I've been weighing in at 181 for the last few days. I can't remember how long it's been since I was in the 170's! Summer really isn't the same since losing weight. While I'm not parading around in bikinis, I'm certainly a lot cooler in short sleeve shirts and shorter skirts. This is a good thing since I just got back from having a great friends getaway in Arizona. I can't imagine facing those temps with all the extra weight and clothing!
July 28, 2006- Well I'm in the 170's!!! For the last two days I've been weighing in at 177 lbs. The heat might have a lot to do with that drop. When I'm hot I just don't feel like eating much. I used to just drink my calories with juice or slurpees, but not this year. I'm drinking plenty of water and for a splurge, Crystal Lite. I'm also back in school and that helps SO much. My only on campus class starts at 11:00. I eat a pretty small breakfast, usually yogurt with protein powder mixed in, and don't eat until I get home at around 1:30. I never would have believed I could go that long with such little food.
Looking back at my first entry more than a year ago I can't believe how far I've come. Sometimes it's easy to get discouraged because I don't feel like the weight is coming off fast enough, but wow, last year at this time I weighed in at 263 lbs (I lost a few pounds before surgery). I've lost almost a hundred pounds in a year. There's no way I can complain about THAT!
August 17, 2006- I'm still chugging away. I found a fantastic Chip and Pepper jacket, size large and on sale. I hit the scale this morning and it said 173. I never count it as my official weight until I've weighed the same for three days in a row. Still made my day!
February 22, 2007- Man, it's been a long time since I updated. It really bummed me out when I first began looking into the Lap Band to see profiles that hadn't been updated. I always wondered what happend. Well I'm here to report that everything is going great. My BMI is within normal range now. I'm wearing size 10 jeans that are actually a little loose around the waist. I have a great relationship with food. It doesn't consume me anymore. No problems with the band. No throwing up or things getting "stuck". I really feel like I've got the hang of it. Chew slow. Chew often. Chew a long, long, time. Those are sort of the eating rules I follow. Seems to be working.
September 17, 2007- Another update that took me way too long to post! It's been two years since I got my band and I get sort of teary eyed when I think about how much I've changed, both physically and emotionally. I'm a totally different person. I've lost over 100 pounds, I have more confidence, and I'm in much better shape. Prior to my band anything new scared me, now I actively search new experiences out! The band has been a personal miracle for me.
