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Boy has it been awhile since I have been here. I was banded Dec. 22, 2009, weighing in @ 272. 2-3 months later, discovered a band leak during 1st fill, had to have port replaced.

Since the portal replacement, I made it down to 172, and really feeling great and looking good. However the mind wasn't adjusting too well with the weight loss and so forth so it caused alot of off and on emotional eating and binging. Lose some, gain some.

Then life got in the way over the past year and a half. I had another heart attack, my husband became disabled and now we are appealing his SS denial. And now within the past 6 months I find out my mom (my best friend) is dying. So of course the person that I am, I put myself on the back burner and take care of the loved ones in my life.

So here I am back up to 236.6 lbs and struggling again. So this year my New Years Resolution was to join Weight Watchers Online and take off the weight again and hopefully for good this time. I joined on Jan. 10th and already down 3 lbs which I am sure all water weight at this point, and I am back to exercising and eating healthy.

The foods that got me in trouble were breads and pasta and portion control. I know this, and now comes out the measuring cups and food scale after hibernating in the closet for so long.

My mom said to me at Christmas that she loves me no matter what my size is, but really enjoyed me enjoying life smaller. This really hit home with me.

So I am back on the boards to learn and maybe participate once again.

I can honestly sit here and look at myself in the mirror and say I matter once again and this is a lifetime experience.

Thanks for listening! (well in this case reading)

Terri

It is time to get back to the boards for encouragement, and get back to basics.

It's been awhile since I have posted here.  Although I come here to this site daily, I kinda lost my way several months ago.  I lost my restriction, started eating anything and everything in site.  Then I was having abdominal pains and it scared me.  I thought I had a slip of the band or something.  The PA refused to give me a fill several months ago and gave me some tough love to try and get my head back in the game. 
Went back on June 4th hopefully for a fill again, but had gained back 6 pounds.  Needless to say I still didn't get a fill only because  I wasn't feeling well and having chest pains the whole week, and the abdominal pain was still there off and on as well.  She checked the position under Fluro, and all was ok, and not showing another leak or anything.  The next day I was doing something simple as pulling laundry from the dryer, and I went down like a ton of bricks.  Brought to the ER, went through a stress test and heart cath, and they discovered my stents are clogged, but not enough to place a new one at this time.  Just the one artery is bad, and they said they won't even consider open heart at this time.  So onward with more medication.  I hate pills.  
But at the same time I have been here in the hospital, almost a week now,  I have been away from the foods I know I shouldn't be eating, and feeling some restriction again also.  Maybe this whole ordeal was a wake up call to get me back on track and back in the game, but I will take it anyway I can.
I also need to take time and thank my husband Kevin, for being here by my side thru this all.  I should of listened to him earlier in the week to see the doctor when I start feeling bad, but I am the stubborn type and argued with him the whole week, til I went down.  Then I knew I couldn't go on and pretend nothing was wrong.
Well onward I will go, I get out of here tomorrow, and hopefully will stay on track with this mindset. 

Wow, is all I can say to my 1 yr. Anniversary. (12/22/09)
     I started my journey @ 272 lbs, and 1 yr later I am sitting pretty @ 187.  Didn't make the Century Club, but hey I am cool with that.  This was the best Christmas Gift I could of gave to myself.  Just wish I could of done it a heck of lot sooner. 
     Some of you may recall that I sufferred a setback right about the time of my 1st fill (alittle over a month after surgery).  I had a leak in the port area and had to have my port replaced.  I was upset at that time with my surgeon (thinking she did something wrong), then with myself (thinking I did something wrong), then thinking why the heck did I put myself through this just to have something go wrong.   Then I began to think positive things that all things happen for a reason, better now to have the problems then later on down the line.  So I went ahead with the 2nd surgery (3/03/10) to have my port replaced and at that time the Doc did my fill in the operating room of 4cc's.  I came out of that surgery with flying colors and there was no stopping me from there.
     Or so I thought!  I sufferred another small heart attack a few months later after that, but that one came with some good news as well with the bloodwork.   My endocrinologist came in with the best news, and took me off of all my Diabetes medications (3 insulin injections a day along with metformin), as well as my Synthroid.  I was estatic over that.  If I knew how to do cartwheels I would of done them right there and then. 
          I have accomplished so much since my surgery, downfalls, and such.
I have gone from a size 28/30 pants to a 16/18.
I have gone from a 2-3x shirt to a XL (due to me being busty), otherwise it would be a L. 
I no longer look or fight for the closest parking spot at the store.
My self esteem has soared since the weight loss.
I am no longer a couch potatoe.
I am off my diabetes medication (although I still test my blood to make sure I am on track)
I learned how to NOT TO COMPARE my weight loss with another bandster, thinking I am a failure or the band is failing me.
I learned to accept my tool (the band) as my friend and not my enemy....to blame myself for trying to eat something that I       know I shouldn't, but do it anyways and pay the consequences of getting stuck and so forth.
I get up every other morning and do either the 3 or 5 mile walk with Leslie Sansone depending on my mood, and on the        alternative nights when I come home from work, I do my Gazelle for another 3-5 miles.  I fight with my husband over the  WII (but we fight nicely).
     I want to thank my family and friends for the inspiration that they have all given me during my journey.  I also want to thank everyone here on OH for all the inspiring stories and trials and tribulations  to let me know that I am not alone in this journey.
      Thanks again,
           Terri     

It's been awhile since I have posted here.  Although I still stop in on a daily basis to read the posts and all.  My journey has seen its ups and downs, NSV, and everything in between. 
Let's see, I am down 71 lbs since surgery, flirting with onederland.  Who would of thought I would ever see this again.  Haven't seen onederland in almost 25 years.  Yes I am crying here.  I am down to a size 16.   I have to wear a uniform for my job as an emergency dispatcher, so they are not too happy getting new shirts for me every few months or so.  I am however providing my own pants cause their pants make me feel like I am in a clown suit or something, and I am tired of hiding behind big clothes. 
Now to the down side, I sufferred another heart attack in June.  So yes this had put a damper on my exercising schedule and all.    But I still stuck to the band rules with eating  and never gave up.  
It is September now, and I am back to using my Gazelle with Tony Little, and doing the WII fit, and my walking with Leslie Sansone.  
Football season is here, and my beloved Steelers are back for another great year.  I went to put on one of my favorite football jersey's (86 Hines Ward), and it is way too big.  So my hubby had to go buy me some new ones.    He is proud of me with how far I have come in this journey.   Without him, I would be lost.  He has been there with me thru it all this year, and seen me at my lowest and weakest, and encouraged me to go on.  He is my biggest cheerleader and I love him.
I started back to school, lol....I am taking several online courses:  medical transriptionist, and web page design.  I guess I was hoping the med transcript will land me a work form home job like my friend Debbie, and the web page design course will benefit me in moving my catalog sales to the web.  
I just ordered Jean's Bandwagon book, and can't wait til it gets here.  I am sure it is a great book just like her advice she gives here to everyone.
Well got to go here and get my butt in gear.   Have some exercising to get in.
Take Care! 

Can't believe it is already Easter here.  I am 4 1/2 months out from surgery.  I am down from a size 28-30 pants to a 18-20, and a 3x shirt to a 1x.  I am happy how far I have come in such a short time, and I can't wait to see where I end up at. 
I suffered a little bump in the road last month and had to have my port replaced.  But I kept my spirits high, and kept going.  I feel great. 

Well I went for my 1st fill yesterday, or so I thought.  It turns out that my port has a leak.  So now I am facing additional surgery to replace it.  Kinda disappointed and upset that this happened to me.  But they say all things happen for a reason.  So I must keep going with this journey and stay positive that all will work itself out.  Just waiting for the doctor's office to call and schedule surgery with me.  Right now they are saying just the port to be replaced, but it may change once they get back in there.  Time will tell when all is said and done.  I know I have one of the best surgeons in town, and I am confident in her. 

Well today marks the 3 week mark since my surgery.  I am only down 10-12 pounds, but I am losing inches.  I am down 2 pants sizes from a 28 to a 24.  So I guess that is a good thing in its own.  I went for my 2 week follow up appointment and was told I was doing good, and healing nicely.  Ok to start on the pureed stage.  Yippee!  Had gone back to work last week, and great to see everyone there.  And they even expressed their (happiness) in seeing me back...lmao!  It was nice to go back to work, but hard as hell with my eating schedule and all.  I work 2nd shift and had to rearrange my eating schedule and drinking schedule.   And my breaks and lunch times change on a daily basis, so I have to check the schedule the day before all the time. 
My sugar levels have greatly improved.  Pre-surgery they were running 300-400, now they are sitting at 149-180.  Still not where they should be, but the docs are happy with that. 
I don't have any restriction at this point, and trying my best to stay at the 1/2 cup portions at each meal, and getting my protein shakes, water and other drinks in.  I know at this point I could eat more, but that would be just defeating the purpose of getting the surgery done.  I go back to the doc's Feb. 4th, and then he will decide if I need a fill yet or not.   I am hoping so, cause like I said I know that I could eat more than what I am supposed to with no problem.
Well got to go here and get some exercize in before going to work.  I use the gazelle and the Wii Fit Plus right now, and Leslie Sansone's Walk away the poiunds, (in my case it is the inches....lol)  Not going to try the Biggest Loser til I am at least 6 weeks out. 
Gotta Go!

Well I did it.  I had my surgery as planned on 12-22-09.  The time was changed 3x due to people cancelling theirs.  Almost made me want to cancel too.  But I didn't, I braved it out and went with the flow. 
Everything went perfect.  Not too much pain, which was good, cause the pain meds were giving me headaches.   Had to stay overnight which wasn't too bad, cause I know it was in my best interest due to my other health issues. 
I wanted the Lapband, but ended up with the Realize Band.   Which isn't too bad, in the end.  They both work the same and make you the master of your journey.
I was on the full liquid diet til yesterday, now I added the protein drinks, yogurt, creamed soups, and making sure I get my fluids in. 
For Christmas, my sister Val and her husband Joe gave me a Christmas Card saying they are rooting for me 100%, cause she has seen what my weight has caused me to go thru.  They also got me the Biggest Loser Workout DVD, a calorie counter book for when I am permitted to eat out again, a personal blender to make single serve smoothies and shakes, (even printed out about 3 pages of different shakes to try out), and then an 18 pack of baby food (fruits).  I cried, cause it was just so personal and it made me feel good to know that my family is behind me. 
I just hope in the end that I can let them see that I am working this tool, and making the most of it.

Here I am again.  I called the surgeon's office on 12-1-09 to verify that all my paperwork was received to send off for insurance approval.  On Friday, 12-4-09, I received a call back stating that I was approved.  I was anticipating a few weeks wait to hear anything back after reading different profiles on here.   I was also prepared to hear back that I was denied.  I was in shock that whole weekend, and estactic at the same time. 
Then the following Monday 12-7-09, was like ok this is for real, now I need to call and schedule this thing before I back out, or they (meaning the insurance company) change their minds.  I called, and was willing to accept a date in January thinking they would be booked solid prior to Christmas and all.  But again I got lucky on that too.  I am going to have an early present.  Yep, December 22, 2009 is my day to move to the loser's bench.  Can't wait to see what waits for me there....

Well it has been a while since I was here.  I was hoping to have everything done and surgery behind me by now, but things didn't work out that way. 
I had to put some things on hold here for awhile.  I go tomorrow  for my nutrition and psych consult.  Something I had to postpone from August.  Then I still need to get my upper GI done. 
Ended back in the hospital in September with some really bad chest pains.  Docs did the stress test, flew by with flying colors all ok.  I knew there was something more going on, cause the pain would not ease up.  I asked for an angiogram, and guess what?  Another stent was needed.  This was all after the heart doc cleared me for surgery, and the letter he sent to the surgeon.
I am back now to continue this journey that I started, and hopefully nothing will get in my way this time around.  I am exercizing again, and feeling stronger each and every day.