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"THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN (& WOMEN) TO DO NOTHING."
~~ Edmund Burke ~~
WHEN MY FATHER CAME HOME FROM THE VIET NAM WAR, HE HAD TO REMOVE HIS UNIFORM FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION FROM OTHER AMERICANS. HE HAD TO ENDURE HIS OWN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CALLING HIM A "BABY KILLER" ... HE WAS SPIT ON. THIS COUNTRY ASKED FOR HIS LOYALTY TO DEATH & THEN TURNED ON HIM. NO ONE HAS EVER THANKED HIM FOR SERVING HIS COUNTRY WHEN HIS COUNTRY CALLED ON HIM. I THANK HIM; HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY HERO.

LEARN FROM THE PAST ... DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE THEN ... WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THE WAR OR NOT, THOSE WHO PLACE THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR OTHERS SHOULD BE OUR TRUE HEROS. WHETHER A POLICE OFFICER, A FIREMAN, A MAN OR WOMAN IN THE UNIFORM OF OUR NATION - THEY DESERVE OUR RESPECT & UNENDING APPRECIATION FOR THEIR SERVICE TO US!


WHOMEVER SAID THAT FREEDOM IS "FREE" ...
NEVER LOVED A SOLDIER!





MY HUSBAND IS RETIRED WITH 30 YEARS IN THE US NAVY & MY FATHER RETIRED WITH 27 YEARS IN THE US AIR FORCE. THE CIVILIAN POPULATION ... &, MOST OBVIOUSLY OUR POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES ... HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TRUE SACRIFICE THESE MEN & WOMEN MAKE PROTECTING OUR NATION'S FREEDOM & INTERESTS ... &, TRYING TO GAIN THOSE SAME FREEDOMS FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. WIVES, HUSBANDS & CHILDREN SACRIFICE AS WELL IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR SPOUSES' & PARENTS' MILITARY DUTIES. IF ONLY OUR GOVERNMENT RESPECTED THESE HONORABLE MEN & WOMEN AS MUCH AS THEY RELY ON THEM.




WITH LOVE & RESPECT FROM A WIFE & DAUGHTER ...
DAWN (DEB)


2005

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"INSANITY: DOING THE SAME THING
OVER AND OVER AGAIN ...
AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS."
~~ Albert Einstein ~~

"IF YOU DO NOT CHANGE DIRECTION, YOU MAY END UP WHERE YOU ARE HEADING."
~~ Lao Tzu ~~

~~ 8-12 through 18-2005 ~~
8-12 ... My family doctor, Dr David Castellone, referred me to Dr Thomas K Byrne at MUSC in mid-July & Tri Care Prime authorized 4 visits. My initial appointment is on SEPTEMBER 1st. I've already faxed Dr B's initial Medical Information Packet (21 pages) back to him, requested copies of my medical records from Dr Castellone (PCM) & Dr Spandorfer (Sleep Apnea & CPAP) to be forwarded to Dr B. I also wrote a detailed document listing my health & lifestyle issues related to obesity which will be attached to Dr B's submission packet to Tri Care Prime when requesting Authorization for surgery. I have requested Letters of Necessity from both Dr C & Dr S, to be sent to Dr B for insurance authorization purposes.

NOW, WE WAIT TILL SEPTEMBER 1st.

8-18 ... We watched the best program on WLS last night on Discovery Health. It showed the journey of 4 sisters & showed one of them during her Laparoscopic RNY surgery. It was so informative, being a safer, less-traumatic procedure than open WLS.
TRI CARE PRIME began authorizing Lap WLS in 2005!

There's a new procedure called the TOTAL BODY LIFT, an 8-hour reconstructive surgery procedure where a team of surgeons work on all parts of the body at once removing large amounts of excess skin. Face lifts are NOT included. The results were FANTASTIC ... arms, breasts, tummy, inner thighs, outer thighs, back, waist & bottom. It's recommended that this extreme surgery be done in a Medical University because of the extensive staff available. Normally, it's a 3-4 day hospital stay.

My sweet husband, NICHOLAS, surprised me today with a MAGIC BULLET (seen on TV, it whips, mixes, grinds, cuts) to help me mix my drinks & soften foods after surgery.
NICHOLAS IS MY "ANGEL" ON EARTH!


~~ 8-23 THROUGH 25-2005 ~~
8-23 ... I scanned in 2 pictures for my Profile page. It's really nice of the volunteers to give of their time to make our pages special!
THANK YOU TO THE VOLUNTEERS!

8-25 ...
MOM,
Would love to be your angel to see you through your journey. You will have to let me know exactly what the surgeon wants to do once you see him. I am excited for you, and I know that it will work out well. You are becoming a new woman, and so am I. How about that??
LOVE YOU, NATALIE



NICK & NATALIE IN THE RIG HE & I DROVE CROSS COUNTRY IN AS TEAM DRIVERS FOR SCHNEIDER


SURGERY TIME: I TALKED TO THE RED CROSS & THEY SAID THAT SURGERY PATIENTS CAN "DONATE" THEIR OWN BLOOD FOR THEMSELVES IN CASE IT'S NEEDED ... From what I'm told at Dr. B's office,
I don't have problems that would indicate the need for blood to be on hand.

I was going to wait until after my SEPTEMBER 1st Initial Appointment with Dr Byrne to tell MY PARENTS about my WLS. Well, "best laid plans of mice & (wo)men", as they say. They found out today & MOMMA was thrilled. DADDY was concerned because it was such a "risky" surgery, but in his next breath, he told me I'd have to quit eating all kinds of food, so I think he's OK with it. I couldn't ask for better or more supportive PARENTS. They've watched me struggle & suffer with my weight & related health issues for decades. DAD'S side of the family is morbidly obese although he always kept his weight under control.

I definitely took after my Daddy's side of the family!



~~ 8-27-2005 ~~
We drove to MUSC to find out where we needed to go next Thursday. We must have walked around over an hour & I was so exhausted. Just normal walking wears me out now & my joints SCREAM ... I can't remember how many times we stopped for me to catch my breath.
After WLS, those limitations will be a thing of the past!!!

~~ 8-29-2005 ~~
I RECEIVED A GREAT LETTER OF NECESSITY FROM DR CASTELLONE, TO FORWARD TO DR BYRNE, TO INCLUDE WITH THE PACKET GOING TO TRI CARE PRIME.


~~ 9-1-2005 ~~
OH MY GOSH, WHERE DO I BEGIN??? NICK & I ATTENDED MY ALL-DAY INITIAL APPOINTMENTS AT MUSC & WHAT A DAY IT WAS!
!!!!! INFORMATION OVERLOAD !!!!!

We got there 2 hours ahead of time (not too excited!) & in just a few minutes, MARSHA signed me in. The NURSE weighed me (my weight came in at 273.7, a few #s under my high of 279.8). I talked to the PSYCHIATRIC INTERN. He then got Nick from the waiting room (you cannot have family/friends with you for the Psych Eval) & we saw DR MORGAN (surgeon) together. She is wonderful & really puts you at ease. She OK'd me for a LAP RNY unless the scarring from my previous gall bladder surgery hinders them & then they'll change to an OPEN RNY. DR BYRNE (head surgeon) had his talk (see my comments at the bottom regarding him). We dashed over to the WEIGHT MANAGEMENT CENTER & met the surgery floor nurses. The HEAD NURSE talked about the surgery & aftercare ... &, the DIETITIAN, TONYA SHIPMAN, held a NUTRITION CLASS.

Then, we dashed off to Applebee's on Rivers Avenue to meet 4 wonderful ladies ... (BRITTAIN, LORI & SUSANN) 3 of whom are in different stages waiting for surgery &, LISA D, who has lost 125 #s in a year!

!!! OH, WHAT A DAY !!!!

~~ 9-7-2005 ~~
I received a wonderful E-Mail from my dear friend, DONNA! She said, "One thing for sure I know about you, is that once you make up your mind about something, you sink your teeth in and don't let go!!! So I know that you will be a success following surgery and will stay with the program. I will enjoy following your progress."


"THEY ALWAYS SAY TIME CHANGES THINGS, BUT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO CHANGE THEM YOURSELF."
~~ Andy Warhol ~~

~~ 9-8 through 9-2005 ~~
9-8 ... We met LORI & MYRT at Logan's for BRITTIAN'S Celebration Dinner (her surgery is on Monday, 9-12) & had a ball. Someone needs to record Myrt's "SNORE & TOOT" story; it was hysterical!

9-9 ... TRI CARE WILL NOT APPROVE ANYONE FOR SURGERY UNLESS THE PCM (PRIMARY CARE MANAGER - referring physician) SENT IN A "EVAL & TREAT" REFERRAL. IF YOUR PCM/PCP JUST REFERRED YOU FOR AN "EVAL", THEN HE MUST SEND IN ANOTHER REFERRAL TO TRI CARE FOR YOUR SURGEON TO "EVAL & TREAT" YOU.


~~ !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! XXX !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! ~~

I HAVE A TENTATIVE SURGERY DATE WITH DR BYRNE AT MUSC ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2005 ... 48 DAYS FROM TODAY ... THANK YOU SWEET JESUS! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ALONG THIS JOURNEY SO FAR WHO HAS BLESSED ME WITH THEIR LOVE, PRAYERS, CARE & ASSISTANCE! THANK YOU TO MY SUPPORTIVE FAMILY & THANK YOU TO MY MOST BELOVED HUSBAND, NICHOLAS ... WITHOUT WHOM I COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR! I LOVE YOU, BABY!

I'M NOT THE LEAST BIT SCARED; WHAT COULD BE WORSE THAN THE LAST 27 YEARS?

~~ !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! XXX !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! XXXXX !!!!! ~~

~~ 9-11 through 25-2005 ~~
9-11 ... I just received a phone call from my Dear Friend, KATHY (Kat), in Modesto, CA. She has been my friend since the 1980s!! Anyway, she has 2 friends who have gone through WLS & they did great!




9-12 ... BRITTAIN (above) is having WLS this morning; I'm her SURGERY ANGEL. We pray, "GOD BE WITH HER!"
Her MOTHER called at 5:00pm & BRITTY'S DOING GREAT!


9-15 ... We went to MUSC's Support Group Meeting. DR BAKER & the Dietitians had a Q&A period after trying some soy products; 1 was ok, the other 2 were nasty tasting. Several ladies, who were over a year PO, said to BE CAREFUL WHEN EATING PASTA, RICE & GRITS; they SWELL in your pouch causing PAIN & DISTRESS.

9-16 ... We met friends of ours, MS SUSAN & RUSSIAN, at the Red Lobster. They were worried about my decision to have WLS but listened intently & seem OK with it now. Russian wanted to know about this "Fat-Whacking Surgery" I was going to have. I thought that was hilarious. I'll have to tell our Thursday night gang of WLS ladies ... maybe we should name our group
"THE FAT WHACKERS!"

9-20 ... RENE S has been sprucing up my profile page; HOW DO YOU LIKE HER WORK? NICK & I LOVE IT!! THANK YOU, MS RENE!!!!!!!!!

9-25 ... I received this from a LCBBuddy ... "Thank you so much for the prayer. I came in to catch up on work before surgery and was feeling blue. That uplifted me immediately.
God Bless, Mary"

(Look below at the group picture for Mary's picture.)


~~ 9-26-2005 ~~
!!! TRI CARE PRIME AUTHORIZATION !!!

I'M AUTHORIZED FOR A LAP RNY; SURGERY DATE = FRIDAY, 10/28/2005!
NICK & I WERE YELLIN' & SCREAMIN' & HOOTIN' & HOLLERIN'!!!!!! Bet our neighbors thought we were nuts!


~~ OCTOBER 2005 ~~
OUR "LITTLE" THURSDAY NIGHT SUPPORT GROUP HAS GROWN; WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY ...
"THE LOWCOUNTRY BYPASS BUDDIES"


At The Olive Garden on Rivers Avenue in early October 2005 before my surgery (10/28/2005).
These are our FINAL FAT PICTURES together!

KYLEE & KIDS, KELLY, MARY, BARBARA & SUSANN



BARBARA, SUSANN, MERLON, DAWN, SCORRO, NICK & EUGENE


~~ 10-1-2005 ~~
NICHOLAS got a medicine holder for me that has enough places for pills for a week up to 4 times a day.

The good news is that Dr. Castellone expects that I will be able to get off almost ALLLLLLLLLLLL of my meds as I lose weight!!!! How wonderful to be healthy again! Thank you, GOD & thank you, Dr Castellone, for caring enough to send me on this WLS journey ... also, thank you for your prayers, Dr C!

We also got a food scale. I'm so used to eating "normally" that I have no idea what 1-2 ounces actually is.
I probably eat that easily in a single bite!


EVEN AS STRONG AS I AM, WEIGHT ISSUES ARE MY WEAKNESS. I COULD NOT GET THROUGH THIS WITHOUT MY DEAR HUSBAND, NICHOLAS; HE'S MY BIGGEST SUPPORTER AS ARE MY WONDERFUL PARENTS & SWEET DAUGHTER, NATALIE. THEY BELIEVE IN ME!


~~ LADY D * (DAWN) & NICHOLAS (NICK) ~~
LOVE
?? Which Angel Or Demon Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla">


~~ 10-6-2005 ~~
Our WLS support group, "THE LOWCOUNTRY BYPASS BUDDIES" celebrated MS TOWANA'S walk to THE HEALTHY SIDE OF LIFE! She had surgery on the 7th & I was priviledged to be her SURGERY ANGEL & she was mine as well. Her Momma called me & my fingers were flying updating her Surgery Page & posting on the SC Message Board. We were thrilled to see her at our next LCBBuddies meeting looking wonderful with tons of energy ... Awhhh, the blessings of "youth".



This is my "ANGEL GIRL", Ms Towana!


~~ From Nancy Campbell on 10-08-2005 - Palisade, CO ~~
Hey there Lady Dawn,
I just wanted to tell you how wonderful I think you are...I've been reading your replies on the various questions here and you have such wisdom, compassion, humor and viewpoints. I think you're the greatest and I just wanted to let you know that. I know you'll do great and I hope I can track you down and keep in touch with your progress as you become the "Great Loser"!

You're my hero...Nancy

THANK YOU, MS NANCY!!!

OH, MS NANCY, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH; YOU BROUGHT ME TO THE VERGE OF TEARS. I WAS FLABERGASTED AT YOUR UNBELIEVABLY KIND WORDS. I HAD TO EVEN CALL NICK IN FROM WATCHING FOOTBALL ... "COME IN HERE & LOOK AT THIS" ... HE WAS AS AMAZED AT YOUR GRACIOUS WORDS & SENTIMENTS AS I WAS. YOU HAVE MY DEEPEST, HEARTFELT APPRECIATION FOR ALLOWING OUR LORD TO SPEAK THROUGH YOU TO TELL ME I'VE FOUND A WAY TO HELP OTHERS.
I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH, SWEETHEART.

MAY GOD SEND YOU A VERY SPECIAL BLESSING THIS DAY, MS NANCY ... DAWN & NICK


~~ WLS FOOD, FOOD, FOOD ~~

REMEMBER, your body can only absorb 20 - 30 GRAMS OF PROTEIN AT ANY ONE TIME. So, overloading is just wasteful & very COSTLY!

MY ABSOLUTE ALL-TIME FAVORITE PROTEIN SOURCE IS POWER CRUNCH (High Protein/Low Carb) TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CREME FILLED WAFER COOKIE (Bar) from THE VITAMIN SHOPPE. THERE ARE 3 OTHER FLAVORS ... PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE (Nick's & Ms Cheryl's favorite), VANILLA (Ms Brittian's favorite) & COOKIES 'N CREME (good flavor).
... UPDATE ... I found some new flavors of the POWER CRUNCH PROTEIN BARS ... WILDBERRY, PEANUT BUTTER CREME & CINNAMON BUN.

AFTER YOUR POUCH HAS HEALED ... MAYBE 4 - 5 MONTHS, TRY THE "ISS - OH YEAH!" PROTEIN BARS. OOOHHH MMMYYY GGGOOOSSSHHH, ARE THEY DELICIOUS!!! THERE IS A WARNING ... THEY HAVE REAL PEANUTS IN THEM SO IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO ANY NUTS, USE CAUTION. THEY ARE ALMOST TWICE AS BIG AS THE NORMAL PROTEIN BAR WITH TWICE THE CALORIES, SUGARS, ETC, SO NICK & I SHARE ONE. BUT, THEY ARE SOOOO GOOD. THE PEANUT BUTTER FLAVORED ONE TASTES LIKE A "PAYDAY" CANDY BAR & THE CHOCOLATE ONE TASTES LIKE A "BABY RUTH" CANDY BAR. THEY ALSO HAVE A STRAWBERRY ONE THAT JUST MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH. NOW, "OH YEAH!" ALSO HAS WAIFER-TYPE PROTEIN BARS, BUT LOOK AT THE PICTURE ... THE ONES THAT ARE OH-SO-GOOD ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE PEANUTS ALL OVER THEM.
... UPDATE ... Someone was telling me that the OH YEAH! Protein Bars now come in either CHOCOLATE MINT or MINT CHOCOLATE. OH MY GOSH, let me have one now!

MS BRITTY & TED brought STALLONE PUDDINGS for our LCBBuddies to taste, & MS CHERYL was so thoughtful to bring a bunch of WL goodies for me to try ... all high-protein items & I have loved them all! My favorite is STALLONE CHOCOLATE PUDDING (yummy & creamy). 4 of these little 6.4 OZ containers (20 GRAMS OF PROTEIN) cost $7.50 at THE VITAMIN SHOPPE. You do get a discount the next year depending on how much you purchased the previous year, but remember ALL of that these protein products are expensive.

ISOPURE BLUE RASPBERRY (good) - ALPINE PUNCH (very good)
ISOPURE PINEAPPLE ORANGE BANANA (delicious - had to fight Nick for it!!!!!!!).
ISOPURE has a "dry" taste much like a dry wine, but it sells well. A 20 OZ bottle (40 GRAMS OF PROTEIN) will bite your wallet for $3.50 per bottle at GNC. The VITAMIN SHOPPE sometimes puts it on sale by the case.

PURE PROTEIN high-protein bar - CHOCOLATE DELUXE ... These are absolutely FANTASTIC!! I found them at Wal*Mart & you can also find some good-tasting flavored Protein Shake Powders rather inexpensively at Wally World. Mix them with HOOD CARB COUNTDOWN MILK DRINK (2% White, Fat-Free & Chocolate) which you can get in half-gallon containers in the Milk Section at Wally World & at most grocery stores. There is a HOOD EGG NOG on the market at Christmastime.

Nick & I are trying everything as high-protein, no-sugar, low-fat food is good for Diabetics like Nick. We've tried S-F JELL-O, & S-F POPCICLES, & N-S-A PUDDINGS (About 10 months post-op Ms Susann made a S-F CHEESECAKE PIE with the cheesecake flavored S-F pudding mix & she added a dab of S-F WHIPPED CREAM - OH MY GOSH - YUMMY!!!) &, try N-S-A ICE CREAM (Blue Bunny & other brands), N-S-A ICE CREAM BARS of all flavors ... &&&, try N-S-A FUDGECICLES!!! I could eat these all day long & not eat another thing! They are just tooooo good!.

We love MINUTE MAID LIGHT LEMONADE, GUAVA CITRUS & MANGO TROPICAL.
My absolute favvvvvvorite is RASPBERRY PASSION.

CRYSTAL LIGHT in all flavors is good but the PEACH TEA is REALLY good. I take one tub of Peach Tea & add one of any of the RED BERRY OR CHERRY flavors & make 3 quarts at a time instead of actually doubling it to 4 quarts. The flavors really POP that way & they don't get boring. CARB OPTIONS, SMUCKERS & GREAT VALUE have S-F flavored drinks powders as well & Wal*Mart carries them all.

NICK has been using Vanilla, BODY FORTRESS PREMIUM WHEY PROEIN POWDER & GNC PRO PERFORMANCE Banana Creme in HOOD CARB-COUNTDOWN MILK DRINK. 2% WHITE, FAT-FREE & CHOCOLATE flavors are available from Wal*Mart & Publix. I used VERY BERRY VANILLA protein powder as well as STRAWBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE protein powder by SCITEC NUTRITION from The Vitamin Shoppe. Use alot of protein powder, stir gently so it doesn't foam & it's so creamy. HOOD CARB COUNTDOWN EGG NOG is on the shelves just in time for the Christmas holidays!

... UPDATE ... I began using SYNTRAX NECTAR LATTES - CAPPUCCINO - PROTEIN POWDER from The Vitamin Shoppe with water for a quick 23g of Protein in only 90 CALORIES with NO FAT, NO CARBS & NO SUGARS. It tastes like cold or warm coffee & if you add HILLS BROS. CAPPUCCINO FRENCH VANILLA Carb-Wise & Sugar-Free flavoring from Wal*Mart, OH MY GOSH, IS IT GOOD! BE WARNED ... DO NOT USE BOILING WATER OR HEAT THIS SHAKE IN THE MICROWAVE OR YOU'LL HAVE A GLOBBY MESS OF "SCRAMBLED" PROTEIN for your disposal to devour!

I enjoy PROTICA PROFECT, which has 25 GRAMS of PROTEIN in ONLY 2.7 OZs of fluid. The flavors are very sweet & the texture is like syrup. But, anyone can drink less than 3 OZs of fluid to get a WHOPPING 25 GRAMS OF PROTEIN!!! Try some chipped ice with it! A CASE of 24 costs $56.92 + S&H with the 15% discount (see my link below). The Vitamin Shoppe also has a similar product ... just like PROTICA, 3 sips & you have an amazing 25 grams of protein. WOW!

OK, THERE WILL COME A TIME DURING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY WHEN YOU WILL WANT CRUNCHY SNACKS & SWEETS. NOT TO WORRY ... WE CAN FIND BOTH & STILL MAKE "GOOD" CHOICES. AS FOR CRUNCHY SNACKS, CHECK OUT QUAKER SOY CRISPS IN WHITE CHEDDAR FLAVOR! THEY ARE MY FAVORITE, BUT I THINK THERE ARE OTHER FLAVORS AS WELL. I'VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM IN SMALLER BAGS (3.03 OUNCES) BUT THEY ARE WELL WORTH IT. THEY HAVE THE GREEN & WHITE "SMART CHOICES" CIRCLE ON THE FRONT. THE GREAT THING IS THAT YOU GET 5.5 GRAMS OF SOY PROTEIN WHILE SNACKING A SERVING OF THESE YUMMIES. BE CAREFUL CUZ YOU CAN EASILY GRAZE ON THESE & END UP EATING THE WHOLE BAG ... NOT THAT BIG, BUT BIG FOR GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS. THEY ARE $1.85 PER BAG AT WAL*MART & A GREAT SUBSTITUTE FOR CHIPS.

AS FOR SWEETS ... THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL CHOICES THAT ONE NEVER NEEDS TO LOOK AT SUGARY SWEETS AGAIN. WAL*MART HAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST SELECTION OF ALL TYPES OF S-F CANDY. MY ALL-TIME FAVVVVVV IS DOVE DARK CHOCOLATES (RASPBERRY, MINT & CHOCOLATE) ... LET ONE MELT IN YOUR MOUTH & YOU ARE IN HEAVEN!

RUSSELL STOVERS ALSO HAS A GOOD VARIETY OF S-F CANDY & THEIR PECAN TURTLES ARE DELISHHHHHHH!

BE CAREFUL, ESPECIALLY WITH S-F CHOCOLATE CUZ IF YOU EAT TOO MUCH AT ONE SITTING, YOU'LL BE RUNNING FOR THE LITTLE ROOM IN A HURRY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SUGAR ALCOHOL CONTENT!!!

AS FOR COOKIES, PUBLIX HAS A REALLY GOOD SELECTION WITH THE PECAN SANDIES MELTING IN YOUR MOUTH BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE STORE.

I RECEIVE A SMALL FINDERS FEE FOR PROTICA PROFECT; CLICK ONTO THE LINK NEAR THE BOTTOM OF MY PROFILE TO ORDER.
THANKS!


We've been having a great time at the meetings of THE LOWCOUNTRY BYPASS BUDDIES. We're even getting supportive husbands & friends attending... NICK has always gone with me ... TED, Ms Britty's husband, is back from Germany so he's been coming ...


CECIL, Ms Barbara's hubby, came last week for the 1st time ...

Ms Wendy & JIM both came for the 1st time ... & Ms MERLON & Mr SOLAR are always there as they both had WLS. Ms Cheryl & Ms Towana just had WLS & our DRAMA QUEEN, Ms Kate, is the longest Post-Op.

MS SUSANN is our new (unpaid Fearless Leader ;-)) CHAIRWOMAN & somehow I've become the
UNofficial "TOWN CRIER" posting our shinanigans on the SC message board.


ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12th, I WAS APPROVED FOR MY LAST STEP TOWARDS WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY - MY PRE-OP APPOINTMENT, WHICH WILL OCCUR ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20th!
!!!!!!YYYYYIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPEEEEE!!!!!!

I've been glued to the OBESITYHELP.COM message boards; such nice, helpful people. What an amazing group of society who are usually shunned & excluded because of their weight. Such a shame because I've never met kinder people!


~~ IT'S A "GO", HOUSTON! ~~

ALL SYSTEMS ON STAND BY. T - 6 DAYS & COUNTING TILL BLAST OFF TO THE LOSING (HEALTHY) SIDE OF LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!

~~ POSTED ON 10-22-2005 ~~
MY PRE-OP WAS A BREEZE; MEDICAL HISTORY CHIT CHAT, QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY DR B, NO PROBLEMS WITH THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR AS TRI CARE PRIME HANDLES EVERYTHING (THANK GOD!), I PRE-REGISTERED, MORE MEDICAL HISTORY, BLOOD DRAWN & AN EKG - TOOK ALL OF 4 MINUTES ... &, I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO FIND MY CAR EVEN THOUGH I WAS WALKING 10 FEET OFF THE FLOOR!

I WAS WOUND SO TIGHT WITH EXCITEMENT THAT I DROVE DOWN 1-26 IN A "FOG" . I THINK I GOT HOME 10 MINUTES BEFORE MY CAR , I WAS "FLYIN' SO HIGH". I RAN TO THE PC, TURNED IT ON READY FOR MY FINGERS TO FLYYYYYYYYYY ... &&&&&&&&&& ... ALL THE AIR WENT OUT & I C-R-A-S-H-E-D BIG TIME. I CALLED NICK & SAID THAT I THOUGHT I MIGHT TAKE A "LITTLE" NAP . HE CALLED ME WHEN HE GOT OFF WORK & I KINDA REMEMBER SAYING, "I CAN DO THAT" WHEN HE SAID HE NEEDED ME TO PICK HIM UP. ABOUT 25 MINUTES LATER, I JUMP OUT OF BED LIKE I HAD BEEN SHOT OUT BY A CANNON ... CALLED NICKY APOLOGIZING PROFUSELY THAT I HAD FALLEN BACK TO SLEEP. THANK GOODNESS HE WAS YAKKIN' WITH HIS BUDDIES SO NO HARM-NO FOUL. I DASH OFF TO PICK UP MY TIRED HUBBY ... BACK HOME FOR HIM TO SHOWER & OFF TO LA HACIENDA FOR A "CELEBRATION DINNER" ... RAN SOME ERRANDS & THERE I WAS ... C-R-A-S-H-I-N-G AGAIN!!!!!!!



~~ SHARING INFO FROM PRE-OP ~~
~~ WHY DRINK WATER? ~~
http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm

CALCULATE YOUR DAILY WATER/FLUID NEEDS
Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies show that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually decrease fat deposits.

Why? The kidneys cannot function properly without water. When they do not work to capacity, some of their load is dumped on to the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But, if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it cannot work at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat, so more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.

The overweight person needs more water than the thinner one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the overweight person needs more water.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving the muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent some of the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss. Shrinking cells are buoyed by water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. In weight loss, the body has more waste to get rid of--- all that metabolized fat must be shed & water flushes out the waste.

Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is a primary source. Result? Constipation. But when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function should return. Retained water shows up as excess weight. To get rid of excess water, you must drink more water.

On average, a person should drink eight, 8 oz. glasses every day. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 20 pounds of excess weight. The amount that you drink should be increased if you exercise or if the weather is hot and dry. Cold water is absorbed more quickly into the system than warm water. Some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually burn more calories.

When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, its fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have reached a breakthrough point. Endocrine gland function improves. Fluid retention is alleviated, as stored water is lost. More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat. There is a loss of hunger almost overnight! Need a breakthrough?
Drink, Drink, Drink!

~~ NO TO ALCOHOL ~~
I FOUND OUT SOME INFORMATION FROM AN MUSC SUPPORT GROUP MEETING ON NUTRITION REGARDING ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AFTER GASTRIC BYPASS THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT ...

GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS ARE MORE SUSEPTIBLE TO LIVER DAMAGE FROM THE EFFECTS OF DRINKING ALCOHOL THAN THE "NORMAL" PERSON ... SO MUCH MORE SUSEPTIBLE TO LIVER DAMAGE THAT IT IS SUGGESTED THAT WE DO NOT DRINK ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT ALL FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST 6 MONTHS AFTER SURGERY ... & THEN AFTER THAT, KEEP OUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION TO A MINIMUM. CONSIDERING THAT ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ARE JAM PACKED WITH SUGARS & VERY HIGH IN WORTHLESS CALORIES, IT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO DRINK REGULARLY ANYWAY.

~~ GOOD DRUGS/BAD DRUGS for our POUCHES ~~
DRUGS THAT CAN DAMAGE YOUR POUCH:

ALL "NSAIDS (NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS)
“I want to help everyone understand the reason NSAIDS are dangerous for us. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just that they are “pouch burners” as the industry wants us to believe. It goes much deeper than that. According to an article published in the June 1999 New England Journal of Medicine, NSAIDS, once absorbed into the blood stream cause a chain of chemical reactions that affect the prostaglandins and this in turn reduces the production of mucus in the GI system. The mucus is what lines our GI system and protects our pouch and intestines from damage.

If the mucus production is reduced, this would allow ANYTHING, including eating
something with too sharp of an edge or food that are too spicy, to inadvertently begin a marginal ulcer. The best answer is to avoid NSAIDS at all cost. Taking an H2 receptor drug, such as Prilosec, Prevacid or Nexium is only a band aid and no guarantee it will protect you.

If you are desperate to try an NSAID, I would recommend Arthrotec since it has a
prostaglandin compound in it that tries to prevent the chemical reaction mentioned above, but you are still at risk for marginal ulcers anytime you take an anti-inflammatory.”

*By Michele Van Hook-Troesch, RN

Advil
Aleve
Amigesic
Anacin
Anaprox
Ansald
Anthra-G
Arthropan
Ascriptin
Aspirin
Asproject
Azolid
Bextra
Bufferin
Butazolidin
Celebrex
Clinorial
Darvon compounds
Disalcid
Dolobid
Erythromycin
Equagesic
Felden
Fiorinal
Ibuprofin
Indocin
Ketoprofen
Lodine
Meclomen
Midol
Motrin
Nalfon
Naprosyn
Nayer
Orudis
Oruval
Pamprin-IB
Percodan
Ponstel
Rexolate
Tandearil
Tetracycline
Tolecin
Uracel
Vioxx (off market...not safe for anyone)
Voltaren (Diclofenac Sodium)

DRUGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED POUCH SAFE:

Amigesic
Bendaryl
Colace
Dimetapp
Dulcolax-Suppositories
Fleet Enema
Gas-X
Glycerin Suppositories
Imodium AD
Milk of Magnesia
Peri-Colace
Phazyme
Robitussin
Safetussin
Sudafed
Triaminics (All)
Tylenol
(All) Tylenol Cold Products
Tylenol Extra Strength
Ultram

MAYBE, MAYBE NOT?????

ADVIL LIQUID GELS – CHECK WITH YOUR GASTRIC BYPASS SURGEON OR SPECIALIST SINCE THIS IS A NSAID.

RE: DRUGS & GASTRIC BYPASS POUCHES
Response from Kimberly H

Just as info, I found that Arnica Montana works like Advil but is not in the NSAID category. It's one of those homeopathic drugs that you can get from GNC. I've used it after several of my plastic surgeries as it works at the 'ache' level where the pain meds don't touch.

~~ VITAMINS/CHELATED MINERALS ~~
IF YOU FIND YOU JUST CANNOT REGAIN YOUR ENERGY, TRY SPECIALLY-FORMULATED VITAMINS/MINERALS LIKE OPTISOURCE (from Walgreens) OR, VISTA VITAMINS/CHELATED MINERALS FROM THEIR WEBSITE or FROM
www.bariatriceating.com .
Do NOT, NOT, NOT waste your time taking Flintstones Complete. These supplements were formulated for the nutritional needs of a 40 # child, NOT for an overweight adult with malabsorbtion issues & limited food/calorie intake after
Weight Loss Surgery (WLS).


~~ CRUSHING/SPLITTING MEDS ~~
IF YOU'RE ON A MEDICATION THAT SAYS, "DO NOT CRUSH OR CHEW", BRING THIS TO YOUR SURGEON'S ATTENTION AS IT IS TIME-RELEASED WHICH THE POUCH CAN'T ABSORB CORRECTLY.

IF YOU CANNOT TOLERATE THE TASTE OF CRUSHED MEDS, GET A PILL SPLITTER & CUT THEM INTO TINY PIECES NO LARGER THAN AN M&M, & SWALLOW EACH PIECE UNTIL THE ENTIRE PILL IS GONE.


~~ RISKS OF WLS (During & After Surgery) ~~
http://www.obesityhelp.com/surgeryrisks/
KNOWING THE POSSIBLE RISKS WILL ARM YOU WITH POTENTIONALLY LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION. IN MY OPINION, THE PRESENTATION AT THE ABOVE SITE IS SUPBERB & WELL WORTH THE TIME TO VIEW IT.


~~ LAP RNY VIDEO & INFORMATION ~~
http://www.pennhealth.com/vitalsigns/april04-2/video1.html
THEY USE BLUE DYE DURING THE SURGERY TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO LEAKS IN THE POUCH. DR BYRNE, AT MUSC, GOES ONE STEP FURTHER. HE USES A SCOPE DOWN YOUR THROAT TO LOOK AT THE STAPLES FROM THE INSIDE OF THE POUCH WHILE THEY FILL YOUR POUCH WITH WATER & AIR SO THAT THE CAMERA IN YOUR ABDOMEN THAT THEY USE DURING SURGERY CAN WATCH FROM THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR POUCH FOR "BUBBLES" WHICH WOULD INDICATE A LEAK. DOUBLE SAFE THIS WAY.


~~ BLOOD THINNER AFTER HOSPITAL STAY ~~
IF YOU HAVE A BMI OF 50 or MORE & YOU ARE VERY SEDENTARY, ASK YOUR SURGEON ABOUT AFTER-SURGERY HOME INJECTIONS OF LOVENOX TO STOP THE FORMATION OF BLOOD CLOTS.


~~ CPAP ~~
IF YOU USE A CPAP ... BRING YOURS & YOUR MASK TO THE HOSPITAL! IT IS IMPARATIVE THAT YOU KEEP YOUR BREATHING REGULATED PROPERLY AFTER SURGERY & YOUR CPAP IS DIALED IN TO YOUR NEEDS.


~~ SUPPLEMENTS ~~
DON'T WASTE YOUR $$ GETTING ALL ONE NUTRITION - CALCIUM COMPLEX POWDER TO PUT IN LIQUIDS AFTER SURGERY FOR CALCIUM CITRATE INTAKE. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SWALLOW IT - THE TASTE & TEXTURE ARE AWFUL! INSTEAD, TRY CHEWABLE GNC CALCIUM 600 DIETARY SUPPLEMENT with VITAMIN D & BORON in a natural cherry flavor, which is a combination of Calcium Citrate & Carbonate. THE VITAMIN SHOPPE sells CALCIUM CITRATE Chewable Wafers by TWINLAB - they taste like a Sweet Tart.

DO NOT TAKE ANY TYPE OF CALCIUM, GRAPEFRUIT or GRAPEFRUIT JUICE WITH ANY MEDICATIONS, SUPPLEMENTS OR NUTRITION PRODUCTS. THEY WILL INTERFERE WITH THE PROPER ABSORPTION OF THOSE IMPORTANT SUPPLEMENTS.

I TAKE SUBLINGUAL B-12 (MELTS UNDER THE TONGUE) & FEEL SO MUCH BETTER - MUCH MORE ENERGY. GET THE REXALL BRAND AT WAL*MART ... JUST AS GOOD & LESS EXPENSIVE. I FOUND I NEEDED MORE THAN A NORMAL DOSE, SO I TAKE 2 2,500 TABS A DAY GIVING ME 5,000 mcg OF B-12 DAILY. REMEMBER, WITH OUR MALABSORBTION ISSUES, DOSES OF ANYTHING MAY HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED.

I began with FLINTSTONE'S COMPLETE chewables but they WERE NOT strong enough, so I have taken OPTISOURCE & VISTA VITAMINS & CHELATED MINERALS since they are specially-formulated for Gastric Bypass Patients & have found BOTH PRODUCTS TO BE SUPERB!. I also take chewable VITAMIN C, BIOTIN (for hair, skin & nails) & B COMPLEX FOR GENERAL HEALTH.

~~ RE-ADJUST ALL MEDICATIONS ~~
Once you really begin to lose weight quickly, usually around the 1st 50 #s, you will need to go to your Doctor(s) & HAVE ALL YOUR PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS READJUSTED ... most probably to a lower strength &/or dosage. This is due to the fact that your Co-Morbs (obesity-related medical conditions) will, most probably, be improving greatly & you won't need to take as much medication. TOTALLY, I GOT OFF 29 DOSES OF PRESCRIBED & OTC MEDICATIONS THAT I TOOK EACH & EVERY DAY!

After another 6 months, or so, have your Doctor(s) check your labs again to see if you need your meds readjusted again, or can even be taken off of many, if not ALL of them!

Conditions like Diabetes, Reflux, GERD, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Sleep Apnea, Weight-Bearing Arthritis, & many more, dramatically improve or disappear ALL TOGETHER. EVERY SINGLE CO-MORB I SUFFERED FROM COMPLETELY CLEARED UP JUST BY CHANGING MY DIET & LOSING WEIGHT through Gastric Bypass Surgery, &&& FOLLOWING THE POUCH RULES!

I COULDN'T HAVE RECEIVED A MORE BLESSED GIFT THAN MY HEALTH IMPROVING!

As for things medications like Anti-biotics, you may not experience as good of a result, or may have to have 2 doses because of your malabsorption issues. We simply don't absorb as much of anything any more. That is why it is so important to use as many specially-formulated supplements that are just for Gastric Bypass patients ... &, to take them regularly. Malabsorption is great for weight loss, but not go good when it comes to medications, nutrients & supplements.

For instance, I have had to use up to 10 times the amount of sublingual B-12 than is a "normal" dosage. I've also had to take 2 doses of Z-Pack anti-biotic as it just didn't take care of my "bug" like it did before surgery. &, I've taken up to 3 times the "normal" dosage of Biotin for my skin, nails & hair.

Don't forget ... WE CANNOT TAKE TIME-RELEASED MEDICATIONS, CAPSULES, ASPIRIN PRODUCTS or NSAIDs ... EVER!


~~ "OGP" ~~
POSTED 10-25-2005 ... I'VE DECIDED THAT WHEN MY POUCH IS BEING A PAIN, "HE" SHALL BE KNOWN AS MY "ODIOUS GROUCH POUCH" ... I'LL LOVE MY MALE POUCH OF COURSE, BUT YOU KNOW HOW MEN ARE ABOUT LOVING TO "SCRATCH, SPIT & FART" SO WHEN MY POUCH IS EMBARRASSING THE TAR OUT OF ME ... "OGP" IT IS.

MS CHERYL'S REPLY ...

Golly, we're a fine team! Oscar the Pouch, Odious Grouch Pouch, the lovely Ms. Sweet Sippy Pouch, and Putt-Putt the Pouch. My 11-year-old son who coined "Putt-Putt" for me has also decided that I have the Pepe LePew Pouch in honor of my occasional lapses in decorum.
Stay well, everyone.

Cheryl and Putt-Putt


"I'M NOT TELLING YOU IT IS GOING TO BE EASY - I'M TELLING YOU ...
IT'S GOING TO BE WORTH IT."
~~ Art Williams ~~

~~ 18-MONTH WLS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY ~~
AS WE ARE REPEATEDLY TOLD, THE POUCH IS ONLY A "TOOL" & IT SEEMS THAT IT TRICKS THE BODY INTO LOSING LARGE AMOUNTS OF WEIGHT QUICKLY. BUT, AS WONDERFUL AS THIS IS, GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS MUST FORM HEALTHY HABITS FROM THE BEGINNING BECAUSE THERE IS A LIMITED WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY ... ABOUT 18 MONTHS ... AFTER THAT, WE ARE BACK IN THE SAME SITUATION AS THE REST OF THE "DIETING" WORLD.

From: Dr. T. Karl Byrne - my Gastric Bypass Surgeon at MUSC

Weight loss after gastric bypass usually slows to a stop at 18 months. No one really knows why but your body compensates somehow and the pouch stretches out.
KB

FROM AN ARTICLE ...

The first year after gastric bypass is usually very rewarding, but this time can also be confusing, frustrating and frightening. The function of the stomach pouch "tool" changes almost continuously over the first six months, and continues to change periodically over the first year or so. Just when the patient feels they have begun to understand the stomach pouch/tool and how to use it, things change all over again.

There is an especially frightening change that takes place around 6-9 months after the surgery. The stomach pouch softens and expands slightly so that a patient regains a regular appetite and can "suddenly" tolerate a significantly larger amount of food. Patients frequently worry that something has pulled apart or broken on the inside, though this is rarely the case. This increased interest in food and increased capacity for food is a very natural and appropriate part of the recovery process after gastric bypass surgery. The reason it frightens patients so much is that they had previously felt they had control of their weight for the first time in their lives, and the renewed appetite threatens that they are losing control once again.

The first thing to realize is that for the first six months or so after gastric bypass you did NOT have control of your weight. The pounds were going to come off almost no matter what you did. The stomach pouch could not handle enough calories to maintain weight for the first few months – we call this the "honeymoon" period after gastric bypass. The return of appetite and the increase in food capacity signal an end to the honeymoon period and
the transition to the rest of life.


"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN FEELS."
~~ Author Unknown ~~

Mom,
Just wanted to let you know that I am thinking about you,
and praying for you. I hope everything goes well for you
tomorrow. I didn't know if I would get a chance to call you this evening.
Love you, Natalie



~~ EATING TO LIVE vs. LIVING TO EAT ~~


~~ WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY - 10/28/2005 ~~

AFTER SURGERY WEIGHT = 279.80

DAWN'S TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS 10-28-2005 THROUGH 12-31-2005

WEEK 01 ..... 11/04/2005 ..... 267.60 ..... 12.20 LOSS = 12.20 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 02 ..... 11/11/2005 ..... 254.40 ..... 13.20 LOSS = 25.40 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 03 ..... 11/18/2005 ..... 253.40 ..... 1.00 LOSS = 26.40 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 04 ..... 11/25/2005 ..... 247.80 ..... 5.60 LOSS = 32.00 TOTAL LOSS

1 MONTH (30 DAYS) ... 11/27/2005 ... 246.60 ... 1.20 LOSS =
33.20 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 05 ..... 12/02/05 ..... 245.80 ..... .80 LOSS = 34.00 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 06 ..... 12/09/05 ..... 245.40 ..... .40 LOSS = 34.40 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 07 ..... 12/16/05 ..... 241.20 ..... 4.20 LOSS = 38.60 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 08 ..... 12/23/05 ..... 238.60 ..... 2.60 LOSS = 41.20 TOTAL LOSS

2 MONTHS (60 DAYS) ... 12/27/2005 ... 235.20... 3.40 LOSS =
44.60 TOTAL LOSS

WEEK 09 + 1 DAY ..... 12/31/2005 ..... 232.80 ..... 2.40 LOSS = 47.00 TOTAL LOSS



1st 30 DAYS ... LOST WEIGHT 11 DAYS ... DID NOT LOSE WEIGHT 19 DAYS

2nd 30 DAYS ... LOST WEIGHT 11 DAYS ... DID NOT LOSE WEIGHT 19 DAYS

IN 22 DAYS OUT OF 60, I LOST 47.00 #s ... DURING THE REMAINING 38 DAYS, I STALLED OR WOBBLED UP & DOWN IN WEIGHT.


~~ GONE FOREVER ~~

MY HIGHEST WEIGHT: 279.80

11-02-2005 ... 005 DAYS ... 269.60 #s ... 270s ARE GONE FOREVER!

11-09-2005 ... 012 DAYS ... 259.40 #s ... 260s ARE GONE FOREVER!

11-24-2005 ... 027 DAYS ... 249.20 #s ... 250s ARE GONE FOREVER
ON THANKSGIVING DAY!!!!

12-23-2005 ... 056 DAYS ... 238.60 #s ... 240s ARE GONE FOREVER!


~~ BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) ~~

10-27-2005 ... 000 DAYS ... 279.80 #s ... BMI 51.2 = Super Morbidly Obese

11-01-2005 ... 004 DAYS ... 273.40 #s ... BMI 49.9 = Extremely Obese

12-31-2005 ... 064 DAYS ... 232.80 #s ... BMI 42.6 = Extremely Obese


"YOU GAIN STRENGTH, COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE BY EVERY EXPERIENCE IN WHICH YOU REALLY STOP TO LOOK FEAR IN THE FACE."
~~ MRS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT ~~
First Lady of the United States of America

~~ LAPAROSCOPIC PROXIMAL ROUX-EN-Y (RNY) GASTRIC BYPASS (RGB) ~~



MY HIGHEST WEIGHT BEFORE SURGERY WAS 279.00 ...
I LOST DOWN TO 268.80 BEFORE SURGERY ...
IN 1 1/2 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL ...
I GAINED 11.00#s IN FLUIDS WHICH TOOK 7 DAYS TO LOSE ...
I CAME HOME HEAVIER THAN I HAD EVER BEEN AT 279.80 #s!!


~~ HOSPITAL SHINANGINS 10-28-2005 ~~

I WANT TO THANK EACH & EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SIGN MY SURGERY PAGE OR SEND ME A POST/E-MAIL. IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL THE GREAT WISHES & PRAYERS COMING MY WAY. Y'ALL ARE THE BEST! I'M DOING FANTASTIC FOR JUST HAVING MY PLUMBING REARRANGED. ACTUALLY, I'M SHOCKED AT HOW WELL I DO FEEL. A BIT TIRED AT TIMES, BUT THAT'S JUST ABOUT IT. IT TAKES ME FOREVER TO DO SOMETHING;I WASHED DISHES THE OTHER DAY & MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER COULD HAVE DONE THEM FASTER ...
&, SHE'S DEAD!

I'LL LET YOU HAVE A COUPLE LAUGHS ON ME ... YOU GUYS MAY NOT CLAIM ME AFTER THIS,
BUT HERE GOES ...

I WAS WALKING ON AIR GRINNIN' EAR-TO-EAR! NICK & I ARE IN THE PRE-OP ROOM WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE LOOKING DOWN & SCARED TO DEATH ... ONE EVEN CRYING ... &, WE'RE LAUGHIN' & GIGGLIN' & HAVING A GREAT TIME. I EVEN HAD A "GREGORIAN CHANT" CD PLAYING WHICH IS VERY CALMING BUT, THERE WAS NO CALMING ME DOWN!

"BUTT" (a play on words here), I DID SPREAD A LITTLE GIGGLE UNKNOWINGLY ... I HAD TO GO POTTY, SO THE NURSE CAME & GOT ME. THEY HAVE LARGE GOWNS SO NO PROBLEM ...
OR, SO I THOUGHT!

WHEN I GOT TO THE RESTROOM & TURNED AROUND WITH MY BACKSIDE TO THE MIRROR ... SURPRISE, SURPRISE! MY BARE BOOTIE WAS HANGING OUT JUST AS PRETTY AS YOU PLEASE! I MUST HAVE WALKED PAST 5 MEN & 15 WOMEN ON THE WAY TO THE RESTROOM ... SO, WHAT IS A LADY TO DO?? I PLAYED IT UP BIG, OF COURSE ... I HAD THE GREATEST NURSE & SHE PLAYED MY "STRAIGHT MAN" AS I WAS "COMPLAINING" TO HER ALL THE WAY BACK THAT SHE ALLOWED ME TO "FLASH" ALL THESE HANDSOME MEN ... IF NOTHING ELSE, THEY COULD DREAM OF A VOLUMPTUOUS TUSH WHILE IN SURGERY! AS FOR NICK & I,
WE WERE "ROFLOL"!!!!!

AS IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH, 2 DOCTORS CAME IN & TOLD US HOW THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE SURE I'M SAFE UNDER THE ANESTHETIC BEFORE THEY ALLOW THE SURGEON TO PROCEED; THAT'S COOL. THEN, THEY TELL US THEY WILL GIVE ME SOMETHING IN PRE-OP TO "RELAX" ME. I WAS REALLLLLLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT! THEY TELL US WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN I'M IN THE OPERATING ROOM AS THEY PUT ME TO SLEEP, THAT THERE WILL BE SOME BURNING AS THEY INJECT THE ANESTHETIC INTO MY IV - DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE THAT BUT I CAN HANDLE IT. GUESS WHAT? NOT TO WORRY ONE ITTY BITTY BIT.

THEY CHIT CHATTED ... LAUGHING IT UP WITH US ... THEN, THEY GAVE ME A DOSE OF THE "RELAXING" JUICE & ONE OF THEM SAID, "OH, GIVE HER ANOTHER DOSE" & THE OTHER GUY PRETENDED TO DO SO ... I HAD JOKED WITH THEM ASKING WHICH TUBE THEY WERE GOING TO INJECT SOME "LOGAN'S ROADHOUSE ICE TEA" (a really, really gooooood drink at a local steak house that just mellows me out wonderfully). THEN, THEY START TO WHEEL ME OUT OF THE PRE-OP CUBICLE & THAT IS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER. NICK SAYS THAT I WAS GIGGLING MY FOOL HEAD OFF SAYING, "THIS IS G-R-E-A-T; I'M F-L-Y-I-N-G"! AS HE TURNED AROUND TO GO TO THE WAITING ROOM, HE COULD HEAR ME GIGGLING ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE PRE-OP ROOM TOWARDS THE SURGERY SUITE. WONDER WHEN I FINALLY SHUT UP & KONKED OUT?!?

BUT, SHAME ON MY NICHOLAS ... HE ABANDONED ME IN MY MOMENT OF NEED ... AS HE'S LEAVING THE PRE-OP WARD, HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD & SAYING, "I DON'T KNOW HER ... NOPE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WOMAN!" HEART BREAKING ISN'T IT?!!! haha!


~~ RECOVERY WAKE UP & WALKING NOISES ~~

WELL, Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW WHAT A GIGGLE HEAD I WAS GOING INTO SURGERY ... AS I WAS WAKING UP IN THE RECOVERY ROOM, I LOOK OVER & SEE THIS MAN AT A LITTLE TABLE WRITING AWAY & HE ASKS ME WHAT WAS THE LAST THING I REMEMBERED ... I CERTAINLY DIDN'T REMEMBER ACTING THE FOOL, SO I TOLD HIM JUST AFTER THEY GAVE ME THAT "REALLYYYYYY GOOOOOOD STUFF" ... I RAMBLED ON ABOUT HOW GREAT IT WAS & GOT TO LAUGHING ABOUT WANTING IT BOTTLED TO TAKE HOME! ... HE SAID I WAS THE POSTER GIRL FOR FANTASTIC RECOVERIES ... &, IF EVERYONE WOKE UP AS HAPPY AS I DID, HIS JOB WOULD BE SOOOO MUCH EASIER. HOW COULD ANYONE WAKE UP CRANKY ON THAT STUFF?

IT WASN'T EVEN A COUPLE MINUTES & THEY WERE WHEELING ME OUT OF RECOVERY & DOWN THE HALL TO MY ROOM. I WAS LOOKING TOWARDS THE LEFT AS ONE OF THE ORDERLIES WAS DOING SOMETHING ON THAT SIDE OF THE GURNEY. WHEN I LOOKED TO THE RIGHT, THERE STOOD MY HONEY, NICHOLAS ... POOR BABY WAS WHITE AS A SHEET. I FLASHED HIM A BIG SMILE & SAID, "WELL, H-E-L-L-OOOOOO B-A-B-Y!!!!!!" HE GOT THE BIGGEST SMILE ON HIS FACE & GRABBED MY HAND. WHAT A SWEETIE!!!!!!
HE STAYED WITH ME THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL ...
&, TREATED ME LIKE A PRINCESS!

I WAS IN MY ROOM AROUND 6pm ... BY 9pm, I WAS WIGGLING AROUND IN THE BED & FINALLY TOLD NICK THAT I JUST "HAD" TO SIT UP, SO HE HELPED ME OUT OF BED & INTO A CHAIR ... OHHHHH, THAT FELT SOOOOOO GOOD TO SIT UP! I TOOK A LITTLE NAP & AROUND 11pm, I TOOK MY 1st WALK DOWN THE HALL.

NOW, DO NOT, NOT, NOT EVEN THINK YOU WILL GET ANY SLEEP AT NIGHT ... I DO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WAS IN MY ROOM EVERY HOUR CHECKING OR CHANGING SOMETHING. BUT, THEY WERE SOOOO SWEET, HOW COULD I GET IRRITATED AT THEM? NOT! SO, I JUST HAD TO TALK TO EACH OF THEM & THANK THEM FOR MY CARE! BY 4am, IT SEEMED LIKE THE ENTIRE STAFF WAS IN & OUT OF MY ROOM, SO I TOLD NICKY, "TIME FOR ANOTHER WALK" & OFF WE WENT.

THANK GOD I DIDN'T HAVE NOXIOUS GAS AROMA, BUT THE FUNNY THING IS THAT I HAVE HAD THE BURPS EVER SINCE MY 1st WALK ... SO, IT WAS LIKE ...
STEP, STEP ... BURP ... "OH, SCUZ ME" ... STEP, STEP, STEP ... B-E-L-C-H ... "OHHHHHHHHHHHHH, SCUZZZZZZZZ ME" ... STEP, STEP ... BURP, BURP ... "GEEEEZZZZZZZZZZ, EXCUSE MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!"
IT WAS CERTAINLY BETTER THAN TOOTING A CHOKING CLOUD OF GAS DOWN THE HALL, BUT EVEN NOW, MY BURPING/BELCHING COULD EMBARRASS A SAILOR!
(NICK'S FORMER NAVY, SO I CAN SAY THAT!)

I CAN BELCH ON WATER ... HOW DO YOU DO THAT? DON'T KNOW BUT, I'M REALLY GOOD AT IT!
BURP! "OH, SCUZ ME!" haha!


~~ THE ROAD HOME! 10-30-2005 ~~

I HAD ONLY 2 MINOR HICCUPS IN THE WHOLE SURGERY ORDEAL ... DOC FOUND ADHESIONS ON MY OLD GALL BLADDER SCAR SO HE REMOVED THEM WHILE HE WAS IN THERE.
TWO SURGERIES FOR THE PRICE OF ONE ... NOT A BAD DEAL.

THE OTHER LITTLE SET BACK WAS THAT I HAD A "SLEEPY BLADDER" MEANING IT DIDN'T "WAKE UP" FROM THE ANESTHESIA, SO THEY PUMPED FLUIDS/MEDS INTO ME TRYING TO FORCE IT TO WORK. THEY DIDN'T TAKE MY IV OUT UNTIL JUST BEFORE I GOT IN THE WHEELCHAIR TO GO DOWN TO THE CAR!

NOW, THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE ... I GO IN FOR WEIGHT "LOSS" SURGERY & COME OUT 11 POUNDS HEAVIER - THAT GAIN WAS IN LESS THAN 2 DAYS!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSHHHHHHHHHH, WHEN I LEFT THE HOSPITAL, MY FACIAL FEATURES WERE SO BLOATED THAT I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE MYSELF. SINCE THEY PUT THE WEIGHT ON ME, I'M GOING TO COUNT THOSE BLASTED 11 POUNDS IN MY WEIGHT LOSS FIGURES!!!!!!!!
IT TOOK ME 1 1/2 DAYS TO GAIN IT & 7 DAYS TO LOSE IT!


~~ HOW MUCH PROTEIN IS RIGHT? ~~

Divide your IDEAL WEIGHT (realistic weight) by 2.2 to convert pounds to kilos and then multiply this number by 1.25 grams per kilo.

MY IDEAL WEIGHT IS 126 / 2.2 = 57.2727... x 1.25 = 71.59 GRAMS OF PROTEIN A DAY FOR ME PERSONALLY.


~~ WEIGHING DAILY by Shape Magazine ~~

QUOTING FROM THE MARCH 2006 ISSUE ...

"Get on your scale today and again tomorrow. Sure, the idea may sound as appealing as a standing date with the dentist, but a new study from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis found that daily weigh-ins may be the key to shedding pounds. Women who followed that strategy lost twice as much weight of the course of two years - dropping two body mass index units - than those who stepped on the scale weekly. Avoiding checks entirely was linked to weight gain. The findings are counter to the advice of many weight-loss programs, which often suggest that the daily up and down can be demoralizing. But for many women, lead author Jennifer A. Linde, Ph.D., says that doesn't have to be the case. "The number is a feedback tool," she says. "Unless you have had an eating disorder or severe depression, knowing where you stand every day can be very helpful. You can spot an upward trend so that you can make adjustments to your plan quickly." For consistency, weigh in at the same time every day and think big picture. "Expect fluctuations of 1-3 pounds daily," Linde says. "If the numbers go up more that that and stay elevated for a week,
it's a sign to reevaluate your diet."


~~ WEEK 1 (7 DAYS POST-WLS) ... 11-04-2005 ~~
267.60 = 12.20 #s LOST THIS WEEK ...
THE 270s ARE GONE FOREVER!!

I FINALLY DID IT ... A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH!!!! ... IT TOOK 7 DAYS, BUT THE HOSPITAL WATER WEIGHT (11 #s) IS FINALLY GONE FOREVER & I'M INTO REAL WEIGHT LOSS!!

I AM STILL FEELING GREAT & LOVIN' THIS WLS LIFE!!! I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOOOOOO APPETITE AT ALL. I'M ADDING "REAL" FOOD TO MY DIET 1 ITEM EVERY COUPLE DAYS. EVERYTHING TASTES FANTASTIC, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY DESIRE TO OVER EAT. I MUST, MUST, MUST MEASURE EVERYTHING BECAUSE I CAN'T JUDGE THESE SMALL AMOUNTS. SO, I USE THE FOOD SCALE NICK SURPRISED ME WITH AS WELL AS MEASURING CUPS.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO "ODIOUS GROUCH POUCH"!

I WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE MY DRAIN REMOVED MONDAY, 10-31-2005, THE DAY AFTER I CAME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL, BUT I STILL HAD A LARGE AMOUNT OF DRAINAGE. DR MORGAN TOOK IT OUT THE NEXT DAY, JUST 4 DAYS AFTER SURGERY.


~~ WEEK 2 (14 DAYS POST-WLS) ... 11-11-2005 ~~
254.40 = 13.20 #s LOST THIS WEEK WITH A TOTAL OF 25.40 #s LOST ...
THE 260s ARE GONE FOREVER!!

**WOW MOMENT**

I NOTICED THIS WEEK THAT MY WEDDING BANDS SPIN ON MY FINGER! TOOOO COOOOOL! I CAN EVEN REMOVE THEM WITHOUT TORTURING MY FINGER!

AS I SIP MY SPLENDA ICED TEA IN LOCAL EATERIES ... WATCHING OTHERS EAT WILL CURE ANYONE OF ANY DESIRE TO GO BACK TO OUR OLD WAYS. THE WAY WE AMERICANS "SHOVEL" FOOD IN &, THE AMOUNT WE EAT ... IT'S NO WONDER WE'RE ALL FAT. I NEVER SAW IT BEFORE, BUT SINCE WLS, I CAN'T BELIEVE I USED TO EAT LIKE THAT ... FOR 27 YEARS I ATE LIKE THAT. IT DIDN'T SEEM WRONG AT THE TIME ... BUT, SEEING IT FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE "LOOKING GLASS" ... I WAS MY OWN WORST ENEMY! I SUPER-SIZED MYSELF RIGHT INTO BEING SUPER MORBIDLY OBESE.
NOT ANY MORE!! I'M LOVIN' THIS NEW LIFE!!

I'M UP TO ABOUT 400 CALORIES PER DAY.

I WAS CHATTING ON THE "OCTOBERITES" MESSAGE BOARD ABOUT HOW WE HAVE TO INCREASE OUR CALORIES. IT USED TO BE THAT IF A DIET WAS 1,000 CALORIES A DAY, I'D THINK (&, FEEL LIKE) I WAS GOING TO STARVE TO DEATH. NOW, I'M TRYING TO GET UP TO 800-1,000 CALORIES & CAN'T ... &, REALLY DON'T WANT TO.
WHAT A CHANGE!!!!!!!!

THIS WEEK FOUND THE EMOTIONAL UPs & DOWNs ARRIVE (I WAS THE WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST - POOR NICK ... HE WAS SO VERY PATIENT WITH ME), WHICH WAS BROUGHT ON BY A PROBLEM WITH MY HEART RATE MEDS. I WAS UTTERLY EXHAUSTED MOST OF THE WEEK FIGHTING HIGH/IRRATIC HEART RATES (TACHYCARDIA/ARRYTHMIA). I TALKED WITH NURSE BRENDA AT DR BYRNE'S OFFICE & SHE SAID THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE ALL MY MEDS RE-EVALUATED BY MY PCM, DR CASTELLONE, SO I SAW HIM THE MORNING OF 11-11.

~~ WHY ARE WE SOOOOOO EMOTIONAL? ~~

When it relates to the gastric bypass bariatric weight-loss patient, the “mood” is a very funny thing to measure since we find ourselves on incredible mood swings at times. Why is that? Why do we have such mood swings for about the first six months of our weight-loss journey?

It’s basically because fat cells harbor our hormones; and when we are shrinking away our fat cells, our hormones are affected tremendously, and often, they appear out of control. Some of us are better at coping with these drastic hormonal changes, and others certainly are challenged with disguising their mood swings…. I bet right now, you can identify a few situations where you didn’t understand why you suddenly lashed out at someone, cried unexpectedly, or totally misunderstood something and took it offensively. You’re confused as to why you have reacted in this fashion when it’s not even in your character. If it normally isn’t in your character to behave in such a manner, then you have to realize that your fat cells and hormones are on the roller coaster ride of their life and they too are confused! They’ve never before been subject to such sudden and dramatic changes because you’ve never lost so much weight so rapidly before in your entire dieting history.


**WOW MOMENT**

!!! MEDS I NO LONGER NEED - 12 doses per day GONE !!!

... LEXAPRO ..... 10mg ......... APPETITE SUPPRESENT
... HYZAAR ...... 100/25mg ... BP/DIURETIC
... ZOCOR .........40 mg ........ CHOLESTEROL


~~ MEDIC ALERT BRACELET INFO ~~

IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET SOME KIND OF MEDIC ALERT BRACELET(s) OR NECKLACE(s) ... &, WEAR IT/THEM CONSISTENTLY. ALONG WITH YOUR ALLERGIES, MEDICAL CONDITIONS, SURGERIES, & SURGEON'S or PHYSICIAN'S CONTACT INFORMATION, YOU NEED TO NOTE THAT YOU ARE A "GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENT".

ALSO, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT ...

Due to our sensitivity to sugar, note "TREAT LIKE A DIABETIC" ...
"NO GLUCOSE OR DEXTROSE"
&, be sure to order a "Diabetic Menu" if hospitalized. It would be wise to take your Protein Products & a couple drinks like Crystal Lite.

"NO BLIND NG TUBE" (NASOGASTRIC TUBE)

"NO NSAIDs or ASPIRIN PRODUCTS" WE CAN'T USE "TIME-RELEASED MEDICATIONS or CAPSULES" EITHER.

&, WE HAVE "MALABSORBTION ISSUES", WHICH SHOULD BE OBVIOUS JUST BECAUSE WE HAD THE SURGERY, BUT REMEMBER, NOT ALL DOCTORS OR MEDICAL STAFF ARE KNOWLEDGABLE WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPECIAL ISSUES OF GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS, SO BE PRO-ACTIVE & ASSERTIVE!

http://www.americanmedical-id.com/home/

http://laurenshope.com/

http://www.medicalert.org/home/homegradient.aspx

http://www.medicassist.com

https://elijahsmom.com

www.thebattlezone.com/dogtags/medtags.html

www.aboutmejewelry.com

www.lifejewelry.com

www.n-styleid.com

www.diabeticdrugstore.com

www.medicid.com

www.goldware-id.com/index.asp

www.creativemedicalid.com

www.makemethis.com


~~ WEEK 3 (21 DAYS POST-WLS) ... 11-18-2005 ~~
253.40 = 1.00 # LOST THIS WEEK WITH A TOTAL OF 26.40#s LOST ...
APPEARS TO BE MY 1st STALL!

THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST WEEK. I TRIED LIVERWURST & HAD A MAJOR 5-DAY DUMP. OH MY GOSHHH, I FELT AWFUL! I CHECKED MY FOOD BREAKDOWN BOOK & FOUND THAT 2 OZs OF LIVERWURST HAS 12 CARBS IN IT, SO I AM ASSUMING THAT EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T EATING PROCESSED SUGAR, THE TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN CARBS SENT MY GLUCOSE SHOOTING UP & THEN SLAMMING DOWN LIKE A DIABETIC REACTION.

BP IS NOW UNDER CONTROL BUT I AM STILL HAVING HIGH, IRRATIC HEART RATE PROBLEMS SO BACK TO DR CASTELLONE I WENT TO HAVE HIM RE-ADJUST MY LOPRESSOR. HE WAS THRILLED WITH MY WEIGHT LOSS PROGRESS, BUT VERY CONCERNED WITH MY HIGH HEART RATE SINCE I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL IMPUSE PROBLEM IN THE LEFT VENTICLE OF MY HEART (PSAT). HE INCREASED MY LOPRESSOR BUT WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT THE AMOUNT I NEEDED TO TAKE.

I'M IN MY 7th DAY OF THE DREADED STALL. THIS APPEARS TO BE NORMAL FOR THE 3rd WEEK AFTER SURGERY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SCALES MOVING DOWNWARD AGAIN.

**WOW MOMENT**

RIGHT AFTER WE MET, I GAVE NICHOLAS A HEART WITH A KEY SAYING THAT HE NOT ONLY HAD MY HEART BUT THE KEY TO OPENING IT SO ALL MY LOVE COULD BE HIS.

HE GOT ME A HEART RING WITH 7 LITTLE DIAMONDS IN IT ... 7 IS GOD'S NUMBER OF "COMPLETION" SO NICK WAS COMPLETE IN ME & I IN HIM. OF COURSE, I GOT TOO HEAVY TO WEAR THE RING AS I WAS 202 #s WHEN I MET HIM & TOPPED OUT AT ALMOST 280 #s.
JUST FOR KICKS, I TRIED HIS HEART RING ON & I CAN WEAR IT AGAIN!!!
I WAS SO THRILLED!!! IT ISN'T EVER COMING OFF!!!


~~ WEEK 4 (28 DAYS POST-WLS) ... 11-25-2005 ~~
247.80 = 5.60 #s LOST THIS WEEK WITH A TOTAL OF 32.00 #s LOST.
THE 250s ARE GONE FOREVER!!

I TRIED RIDING MY RECLINE BIKE & WITH THE HIGH HEART RATE ISSUE, HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE. I HAD IT ON THE LOWEST RESISTANCE SETTING OF 1 & BIKED 1 MILE IN 10 MINUTES, BUT MY HEART RATE WENT UP TO 188 & STAYED BETWEEN 165 - 188, WHICH IS DANGEROUSLY HIGH, SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE LOPRESSOR CALMS MY HEART RATE DOWN.

THIS HAS NOT BEEN A PLEASANT WEEK THUS FAR ... I DUMPED ON POTATO SALAD. MS CHERYL WAS TOLD BY OUR NUTRITIONIST, MS TONYA SHIPMAN, THAT WE COULD EAT "WHITE CARBS" SO I TRIED A LITTLE. WRONG MOVE!!!!! I DUMPED ON CARBS AGAIN & I'M NOW IN MY 11th DAY OF A STALL ... ONLY LOSING 1.40 #s IN THE 1ST 4 DAYS OF THIS WEEK
(IT'S TUESDAY, 11-22) &, 1.00 # THE ENTIRE LAST WEEK.

~~ THE GREAT WHITE-CARB DEBATE ~~

I E-MAILED MS SHIPMAN FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE "WHITE CARB" ISSUE. AS SHE EXPLAINED, WHITE CARBS SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN THE SMALLEST AMOUNTS DURING THE TRANSITION STAGE FROM LIQUIDS & PUREED FOODS TO REAL FOODS AS THEIR TEXTURE IS SMOOTHER.

ONCE ON "REAL FOODS", ONE SHOULD EAT PROTEIN, DAIRY, GREEN VEGES, FRUITS, WHOLE GRAINS (in order of importance) ...

& THEN ONLY THE SMALLEST AMOUNTS OF "WHITE CARBS" IF YOU CAN TOLERATE THEM &, ONLY IF YOU HAVE NOT GONE OVER YOUR DAY'S CALORIES. THIS IS A MORE "COMMON SENSE" APPROACH.

~~ REFLUX & DUMPING ~~

THE STALL & REFLUX ISSUES ALL STARTED WITH MY 1st DUMP ON LIVERWURST & HAVE CONTINUED WITH MY 2nd DUMP ON POTATO SALAD ... SO, COINCIDENCE OR NOT ... THE LAST 11 DAYS HAVE NOT BEEN MY BEST. PER NURSE BRENDA, I CHANGED FROM PEPCID TO ACIPHEX AS IT IS STRONGER. I'M GETTING SUCH SEVERE REFLUX THAT IT IS SCALDING MY THROAT & EFFECTING MY VOICE. I SOUND LIKE I HAVE "SMOKER'S" THROAT; IT'S RASPY & GRAVELY SOUNDING & FEELS RAW.

AFTER EATING A LOW CARB BAR, I HAD THE WORST DUMP EXPERIENCE & THREW UP EVERYTHING! THEN, AS IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH, I STARTED MY PERIOD, THE 1st ONE IN ABOUT 1 1/2 - 2 MONTHS, SO I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS & AM EATING ONLY CREAMED SOUPS & PROTEIN PUDDINGS & WARM OR HOT FLUIDS. THAT SEEMS TO BE CALMING MY GROUCH POUCH DOWN.
THANK YOU LORD!

THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!!!!!

I DID FANTASTICALLY ON THANKSGIVING DAY, EATING JUST A TASTE OF SPECIAL FOODS. I COOKED & SERVED MY PARENTS & NICK ... &, EVEN PREPARED "DINNERS" FOR MY PARENTS TO HAVE LATER. I WASN'T TEMPTED TO OVEREAT & I DIDN'T FEEL CHEATED SINCE I GOT TO TASTE MY FAVORITE FOODS. ON THANKSGIVING DAY, I MOVED INTO THE 240s SO,
THE 250s ARE GONE FOREVER!!!


~~ 1 MONTH (30 DAYS POST-WLS) ... 11-27-2005 ~~
246.60 = 1.20 #s LOST WITH A TOTAL OF 33.20 #s LOST!!! ... IN JUST 30 DAYS!
THAT'S A REAL **WOW MOMENT** FOR SURE!!!

I AM OFF ALMOST ALL OF MY PAIN MEDS!!!!!! THAT IS 10 DOSES OF MEDICATION I NO LONGER TAKE DAILY. ALONG WITH THAT, THE PREVIOUS MEDICATION I NO LONGER NEEDED, REMOVED ANOTHER 12 DOSES A DAY FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 22 DOSES OF MEDICATIONS I NO LONGER HAVE TO TAKE OR WILL EVER HAVE TO TAKE AGAIN!!
WOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY "GROUCH POUCH" HAS CALMED DOWN AS HAVE MY INTESTINES ... &, THE REFLUX HAS BEEN RELIEVED BY THE ACIPHEX ... SOOOOOOOO, I'M DOING SO MUCH BETTER THAN BEFORE. I'M GOING TO STAY ON THE BASICS FOR A BIT LONGER, ADDING THINGS LIKE PUREED SEAFOOD, WHICH I TOLERATED WELL BEFORE. EVEN WITH THE 11-DAY STALL, I LOST A FANTASTIC AMOUNT OF WEIGHT
(33.20 #s) IN THE 1ST 30 DAYS & COULDN'T ASK FOR MORE ...
SO, HERE'S TO A SUCCESSFUL 2nd MONTH AS WELL!

EVEN WITH THE DUMPING STRUGGLES, I WOULD DO THIS AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT!!!!!!!! I'M THRILLED WITH MY WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY THUS FAR & HOPEFUL FOR MY FUTURE!!


DON'T LEAVE SPOUSES & LOVED ONES BEHIND
~~ ~~ ~~

I'VE WATCHED TALK-SHOW PROGRAMS WITH HUSBANDS & WIVES WHO ARE LEAVING ONE ANOTHER AFTER THE GASTRIC BYPASS SPOUSE LOST WEIGHT. I ASSUMED IT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS SOMETHING "WRONG" OR MISSING FROM THEIR MARRIAGE PRIOR TO THE SURGERY, SO THE MASSIVE CHANGES IN THE SPOUSE WHO WAS LOSING WEIGHT JUST PUT THE NAIL IN THE COFFIN.

MAYBE MY ASSUMPTIONS WERE A LITTLE TOO CONVENIENT AN ANSWER.

I DON'T THINK THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE A MAN MORE SUITED FOR ME AS MY HUSBAND & VISA VERSA. WE MET, & NICK & I HAVE BEEN "STUCK AT THE HIP" SINCE. SO, I WAS COMPLETELY SURPRISED WHEN HE WOKE ME UP BEFORE HE WENT TO WORK THE OTHER MORNING TO TELL ME HIS HEART WAS BREAKING.

AS HE RELAYED IT TO ME, HE HAD A VIVID DREAM IN WHICH I HAD LOST MY WEIGHT & AS HE PUT IT, WAS EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN I AM TO HIM NOW. I WAS GOING OFF TO COLLEGE OR SOMEWHERE IMPORTANT, BUT IN THE DREAM, I TOLD HIM HE COULDN'T COME WITH ME. HE DIDN'T ARGUE, OR BEG, OR FIGHT, OR CHASE AFTER ME OVER MY DECISION TO LEAVE & EXPAND MY LIFE WITHOUT HIM.
HE JUST WATCHED ME LEAVE WHILE HIS HEART WAS BREAKING IN PIECES.

THE DREAM WAS SO "REAL" TO HIM THAT IT HAS STAYED WITH HIM FOR DAYS. HE'S BROUGHT IT UP SEVERAL TIMES &, OF COURSE, I ASSURE HIM THAT HE IS THE ONLY MAN I WANT IN MY LIFE & THAT I COULDN'T IMAGINE LIVING WITHOUT HIM. HE LOVED ME WITHOUT LIMITS WHEN I WAS OBESE, SO HOW COULD I NOT LOVE HIM WHEN I FINALLY LOSE THE WEIGHT & AM HEALTHY & ABLE TO ENJOY A FULLER LIFE WITH HIM? BUT, EVEN THOUGH NOTHING HAS EVER SHAKEN HIS BELIEF IN OUR UNENDING LOVE UP TILL NOW,
THIS DREAM HAS SHAKEN HIM DEEPLY.

IT WAS SUCH A SURPRISE TO ME ... SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD COME UP ... & YET, PROBABLY VERY NORMAL WHEN YOU TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT. HE'S WORKING & DOING THE "NORMAL" THINGS OF LIFE WHILE I'M ON THIS FANTASTIC JOURNEY TO A "NEW" ME ... NOT, A NEW "US" (EVEN THOUGH IT WILL WONDERFULLY EFFECT EVERYTHING THAT IS "US"). I GET TO EXPERIENCE ALL THESE NEW THINGS THAT I'M ABLE TO DO ... &, SEE & FEEL ALL THESE WONDERFUL CHANGES IN MY BODY & HEALTH, WHILE HE HAS TO GET UP DAILY TO WORK UNTIL HE'S EXHAUSTED & THEN COME HOME TO HEAR OF MY "ACCOMPLISHMENTS" & CHANGES.

I CAN SEE WHERE HE MIGHT FEEL "LEFT BEHIND" EVEN THOUGH I INCLUDE HIM IN EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON. SO ...

... MY WORDS OF WISDOM ... GIVE YOUR SPOUSES & LOVED ONES EXTRA SPECIAL GIFTS OF LOVE & APPRECIATION TO ASSURE THEM THAT ALTHOUGH YOU ARE CHANGING, YOUR LOVE FOR THEM IS ONLY GROWING DEEPER WITH EACH POUND YOU LOOSE!


~~ WEEK 5 through WEEK 9 = 11-28 / 12-31-2005 ~~
The successes first ... I LOST ANOTHER 13.80 #s FOR A TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR of 47.00 #s.
THE 240s ARE GONE FOREVER!!!
&, WE ARE THRILLED WITH MY PROGRESS SO FAR!

But, it seems like things have conspired against us to almost the breaking point. Nick & I had several upper respiratory infections over the holidays; one after another that we couldn't shake.

Then, we went through horrific times while Dr Castellone was trying to get my heart medications readjusted. It was exhausting & extremely frightening at times. Nick began having nightmares about losing me. He would wake up almost screaming, "WHAT DID YOU SAY? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" The truth be known, THE THOUGHT OF MY OWN DEATH CROSSED MY MIND SEVERAL TIMES.

I BEGAN WEARING A HEART RATE MONITOR TO TRACK THE PROBLEMS. IT EASED OUR FEAR A BIT, BUT WAS A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT I WAS IN SEVERE MEDICAL DISTRESS. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE STILL DON'T SEE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THIS BLEAK TUNNEL & ALTHOUGH WE WOULD STILL CHOOSE GASTRIC BYPASS, THIS HAS SHAKEN BOTH OF US.

BECAUSE OF OUR MALABSORBTION ISSUES, MEDICATIONS DON'T ALWAYS WORK THE SAME OR WITH AS MUCH STRENGTH AS BEFORE SURGERY. ALSO, THERE ARE MANY, MANY DRUGS WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT TAKE ANY MORE ... NSAIDs, ASPIRIN PRODUCTS, TIME-RELEASED MEDICATIONS & MEDICATIONS IN CAPSULES, to name a few. SO, UNDERSTAND THAT READJUSTING YOUR MEDICATIONS IS A MUST, BUT COULD BE A HUGE CHALLENGE AFTER SURGERY. I SAY THIS NOT TO SCARE YOU, BUT SO YOU WILL NOT BE BLIND-SIDED THE WAY WE WERE.

HERE'S PRAYING FOR GOD'S MERCY & THE ANSWERS WE DESPERATELY NEED.


~~ KATRINA SURVIVORS NEED OUR HELP ~~
... IT WILL TAKE 5 YEARS FOR THE GULF STATES TO RECOVER

~~ BRCC SIFE's DEC 2005 TRIP to HANCOCK COUNTY, MS ~~
OUR DAUGHTER, NATALIE, GOES TO BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (BRCC) IN WEYERS CAVE, VA NEAR WAYNESBORO. SHE BELONGS TO A BUSINESS GROUP CALLED "STUDENTS IN FREE ENTERPRISE" (SIFE) & EACH YEAR THEY MUST PERFORM PROJECTS IN WHICH THEY KEEP STATISTICS OF HOW THEIR EFFORTS HAVE AFFECTED THOSE IN BUSINESSES & IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS YEAR, HER SIFE GROUP DECIDED TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN HANCOCK COUNTY, MS (BILOXI & KEESLER AFB AREA) WHERE SOME OF THE WORST DEVASTATION FROM HURRICANE KATRINA OCCURRED.

THE BRCC SIFE STUDENTS STARTED "STUFF-A-BUS" IN WHICH THEY HOPED TO FILL A SCHOOL BUS WITH DONATED ITEMS. INSTEAD, THE RESPONSE FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WAS MORE THAN THEY EVER EXPECTED &, THEY FILLED A 40' SEMI VAN (TRACTOR/TRAILER RIG) WITH $40,000.00 OF DONATED ITEMS FOR NEEDY KATRINA SURVIVORS!

T/SGT JULIE SARGENT, THE HUMANITARIAN RELIEF COORDINATOR AT KEESLER AFB NEAR BILOXI, MS LOST EVERYTHING SHE OWNED. BUT, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON HER LOSS, SHE & OTHER MILITARY PERSONNEL FOCUSED ON HELPING OTHERS. MOST OF THOSE SERVING AT KEESLER AFB LOST EVERYTHING AS 800 UNITS OF BASE HOUSING WERE DESTROYED. BUT, THAT DIDN'T STOP THEM FROM LENDING A HAND!

THE STUFF-A-BUS CAMPAIGN HAS MORPHED INTO PROJECT K.A.R.E. (KATRINA ASSISTANCE RELIEF EFFORT), AN ONGOING EFFORT BY THE STUDENTS IN SIFE AT BRCC TO HELP KATRINA SURVIVORS & STRICKEN BUSINESSES.

IF YOUR BUSINESS OR FAMILY USES IT ...
THEIR BUSINESSES & FAMILIES NEED IT TO START OVER!

http://www.brccsife.org

kare@brccsife.org

Blue Ridge Community College
Students in Free Enterprise
Project K.A.R.E.
PO Box 80
Weyers Cave VA 24486

100%, EVERY PENNY OF DONATED FUNDS, WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE OR SHIP DONATED ITEMS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT & CONTRIBUTIONS!!!! ...
FROM THE VERY PROUD PARENTS OF MRS NATALIE ALMARODE!

(LADY D *) ... DAWN & NICK TO Y'ALL ...

MRS DEBORA A D & DON A NASH, JR, MCPO - US NAVY RETIRED



THEIR $40,000.00 WORTH OF DONATED ITEMS WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST RECEIVED IN THE AREA FROM ANY INDEPENDENT CHARITY.


EVEN THOUGH MOST MILITARY PERSONNEL & THEIR FAMILIES AT KEESLER AFB (MS) LOST EVERYTHING DURING HURRICANE KATRINA, THEY HELPED OTHERS IN NEED. "STUFF-A-BUS" ALLOWED COASTAL THERAPY, A CHILDRENS' PHYSICAL THERAPY CENTER, TO RECEIVE SUPPLIES SO THEY COULD CONTINUE THEIR MEDICAL EFFORTS.


BRCC SIFE's EFFORTS IMPACTED OVER 5,000 PEOPLE LIVING AT, OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.


STILL WITH THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IN THEIR HEARTS, THE LOCAL GIRL SCOUTS SANG CHRISTMAS CAROLS DURING A "THANK YOU" MEAL SHARED WITH THE VIRGINIA GROUP.



~~ LADY D * (DAWN) ~~


~~ NICHOLAS (NICK) ~~


WHAT BOOK OF THE BIBLE ARE YOU?

http://quizilla.com

2006
"HAPPINESS IS DIFFERENT FROM PLEASURE. HAPPINESS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH STRUGGLING AND ENDURING AND ACCOMPLISHING"
~~ George Sheehan ~~

**WOW MOMENTS**

** MY HANDS, LOWER LEGS & FEET DON'T SWELL ANYMORE, EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN OFF DIURETICS SINCE THE 3rd WEEK AFTER WLSurgery ...

** I NO LONGER GAIN 5 - 8 #s OF FLUIDS BEFORE EACH PERIOD. IF I GAIN ANY, IT'S BEEN NO MORE THAN A SINGLE POUND ...

** I CAN SIT CROSS-LEGGED (INDIAN STYLE), WHICH I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR 5 YEARS ...

** I CAN TIE MY OWN SHOES, TRIM & PAINT MY OWN TOENAILS ... OH MY GOSH, I CAN ACTUALLY BEND OVER & NOT LOSE MY BREATH ...

** I CAN GET IN & OUT OF THE TUB/SHOWER BY MYSELF ...

** THE LIFE-LIMITING DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS, REFLUX/GERD & LOWER INTESTINE DISTRESS, PAIN & CRAMPS ARE GONE ...

** MY HIPS HAVE "REALIGNED" & DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BEING PULLED OUT OF JOINT ...

** I WAKE UP REFRESHED INSTEAD OF ACTING LIKE A ZOMBIE FOR 2 HOURS EACH MORNING ...

** NICK DOESN'T HAVE TO DROP ME OFF AT THE DOOR OF A STORE OR DOCTOR'S OFFICE. I CAN WALK ACROSS A PARKING LOT WITHOUT HUFFING & PUFFING LIKE A BLOW FISH ...

** I CAN DRIVE OUR LITTLE SPORTS CAR WITHOUT MY BOOBS & BELLY RUBBING UP AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL; THERE IS ACTUALLY A LOT OF SPACE BETWEEN IT & MY BODY ...

** I CAN GET IN & OUT OF OUR CAR WITHOUT NICK HAVING TO HELP ME.


~~ 1/5/2006 = LOST 50.00 #s IN ONLY 69 DAYS ~~
~~ THE 230s ARE GONE FOREVER!!! ~~

ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE READ POSTS FROM MS HEATHER KNOW WHAT A CARING, GENEROUS PERSON SHE IS. SHE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE TIME OUT OF HER BUSY DAY TO PUT TOGETHER A COUPLE FAMILY PICTURES, MY HOSPITAL PICTURES & THE FOLLOWING COMPARISON PICTURES FOR MY PROFILE. BE SURE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM & AT THE BEGINNING OF MY PROFILE THAT SHOWS ME AS MY WEIGHT WAS INCREASING. SHE'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT HER KINDNESS MEANS TO ME; I SIMPLY CANNOT THANK HER ENOUGH!



BEFORE SURGERY, MY BEST EFFORT WAS LOSING 60 #s IN A YEAR'S TIME; AFTER WLSurgery, I LOST 50 #s IN ONLY 69 DAYS!





I HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD NOT EVEN STAND WITH MY LEGS TOGETHER; MY IMITATION OF A SUMO WRESTLER!





&, I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY I HAD SUCH SEVERE SHOULDER & LOWER BACK PAIN ... UHHH, DAH-UHHH!





PRIOR TO WLSurgery, I COULD HAVE PLAYED LINEBACKER FOR THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS IN THIS YEAR'S SUPER BOWL GAME!


~~ POSTED 1/20/2006 ~~
~~ I'M FINALLY MEDICALLY RELEASED, THANK YOU, GOD! ~~
WE SEND OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO ALL OF YOU FOR SUPPORTING US THROUGH MY HEART MED READJUSTMENTS. FINALLY, AFTER WHAT? ... 8 WEEKS OF HORRID SIDE-EFFECTS, & CHANGE AFTER CHANGE IN MEDICATION COMBINATIONS ... DOC SAYS MY HEART IS NOW STABLE &
I CAN DO A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G, INCLUDING EXERCISE!!!!!!!!! WOWOWOWOW!

I'LL TELL YOU, THE SITUATION WAS MUCH WORSE THAN I SAID IN MY POSTS OR SHOWED AT OUR LCBBuddies MEETINGS. NICK HAS BEEN HAVING NIGHTMARES ABOUT LOSING ME ... WAKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ALMOST YELLING, "ARE YOU OK?"
THE THOUGHT THAT I MIGHT NOT GET THROUGH THIS CROSSED MY MIND A COUPLE OF TIMES, FOR SURE. BUT, WITH PRAYER, MY SWEET HUSBAND & PARENTS, I WOULDN'T GIVE UP!

FOR ALL YOU NEWBIES ... MY HEART CONDITION IS NOT, NOT, NOT RELATED TO OBESITY OR THE SURGERY. IT IS AN ELECTRICAL IMPULSE PROBLEM. IT CAN'T BE WORSENED OR HELPED BY WLS. SO, DON'T THINK THAT IF YOU HAVE WLS WITH A HEART CONDITION, THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH WHAT I DID.

I GOT MORE WONDERFUL NEWS WHEN THE RESULTS OF THE ECHOCARDIOGRAM & NUCLEAR STRESS TEST CAME BACK ... AFTER 25 YEARS OF OBESITY, MY HEART & ARTERIES ARE PERFECT ... NOT A PROBLEM TO BE SEEN IN THE MUSCLES, CHAMBERS OR WITH BLOOD FLOW THROUGH THE HEART. ALSO, WHEN QUESTIONING DOC ABOUT MY BLOOD/URINE TESTS, HE SAID THAT MY NUMBERS ARE BETTER THAN EVEN HIS ARE ... THEY ARE NORMAL OR BETTER THAN NORMAL FOR THE 1st TIME IN LITERALLY DECADES.

WHAT A BLESSING STRAIGHT FROM GOD!! WELL LADIES & GENTS ... THANKS AGAIN FOR STANDING BY US IN A VERY DARK TIME IN OUR LIFE ... THE BOARDS & MY DEAR LCBBuddies BECAME AN EARTHLY REFUGE FOR NICK & I.

SENDING OUR LOVE & PRAYERS ... DAWN & NICK


~~ POSTED 1/26/2006 ~~
~~ LADY DARLIN' - 1st BIT OF MALE ATTENTION ~~
WELL LADIES, MY HEAD IS BLOWN UP SO BIG WITH THIS HUGE SMILE ACROSS IT THAT I CAN'T GET IT THROUGH THE DOOR! I AM STRUTTIN' MY STUFF TODAY! BEFORE SURGERY, WHEN A GENTLEMAN WHO DIDN'T KNOW ME SPOKE TO ME IN PUBLIC, HE USUALLY CALLED ME "MA'AM". WELL, TODAY AT PHILLY'S, A YOUNG MAN IN THIS LATE 20s OR SO CALLED ME "DARLIN' " ... OH MY GOSH, I ABOUT FELL ON THE FLOOR IN SHOCK! FELT PRETTY GOOD, I MIGHT ADD.

OF COURSE, I HAD TO CALL NICK & TEASE HIM HE BETTER WATCH OUT AS THERE WAS SOME "COMPETITION" OUT THERE. HE HAD TO KNOW EVERY LITTLE DETAIL (SNICKER ... WAS HE JEALOUS?), THEN I SAID THAT I SHOULD HAVE ANSWERED, "THANK YOU SWEETHEART!" HE GOES,

"OHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOO, YOU HAVE ONLY ONE SWEETHEART & THAT'S ME!"

I LOVED IT! BET I GET EXTRA, EXTRA ATTENTION FROM MY SWEET MAN TONIGHT! THAT YOUNG MAN WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT HE DID FOR THIS OL' LADY'S EGO! I EVEN GOT MY HAIR CUT & STYLED AFTER THAT! BET YOU THOUGHT "LADY D *" STOOD FOR "LADY DAWN" ... THINK AGAIN! IT NOW STANDS FOR ...

"LADY DARLIN' "!!!!!!

Response from Heather St Louis
Go Dawn - I want details, details of the SWEET LOVIN' you got last night when you got home. Teasing you (*well, nah, i'm not ..give us the dish..) Heather

TALKED TO NICK ABOUT REVEALING OUR "SWEET LOVIN' SECRETS" TO YOU, MS HEATHER, & HE CHECKED BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A HIGH ENOUGH CLEARANCE. IN THE CASE OF "NATIONAL SECURITY", IF WE DIVULGED OUR BEDROOM ANTICS TO YOU, FUNNY LOOKING MEN IN BLACK SUITS & REFLECTIVE GLASSES WOULD GRAB YOU & SPIRIT YOU AWAY TO THE UNKNOWN. MUCH TOO SENSITIVE A TOPIC TO TRUST OVER THE INTERNET! DAWN & NICK :-)


From: Dstone on 01/27/06

Dawn, Thank you so much for that special prayer. It brought tears to my eyes and now I have to drive to work... I know we have never met, but you are very special to me, and I treasure all the advice and prayers that you give me.
Love, Dianne

WE GOT TO MEET MS DIANNE IN MARCH 2006 & ABSOLUTELY LOVE HER! WE WENT OUT TO DINNER AT LA HACIENDA & THEN OVER TO MEET MS CHERYL AT JC's BAR & GRILL ON ASHLEY PHOSPHATE FOR A LITTLE ST PATTY'S CELEBRATION. WE'RE HOPING THAT SHE WILL GET TO COME BACK DOWN HERE ON A THURSDAY EVENING SO SHE CAN MEET ALL THE LCBBuddies.

1/2007 ... MS DIANNE CAME DOWN FOR A SHORT VISIT & JOINED US AT JC's BAR & GRILL FOR OUR LowCountry BYPASS BUDDIES MEETING. SHE LOOKED FABULOUS, JUST A SHADOW OF HERSELF FROM THE LAST TIME WE SAW HER. HER BEAUTY WAS SHINNING THROUGH & HER SMILE WILL BRIGHTEN ANY ROOM. WE WERE THRILLED TO SEE HER DOING SO WELL & LOOKING SO RADIANT!

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

From Leisa Rice - Simpsonville, SC on 02/01/2006
Ms. Dawn! You offer so much encouragement and support! I am gonna nominate you for sainthood! HUGS, Leisa

OH GOSH, NOT "SAINTHOOD"! NICKY LOVES "THE NAUGHTY LITTLE DEVIL" THAT COMES OUT IN ME!!


**WOW MOMENTS**

I NO LONGER HAVE TO TAKE ACIPHEX OR ANY OTHER MEDICINE FOR ACID REFLUX OR DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS. WITH ALL THE OTHER MEDS I NO LONGER TAKE, THAT IS A TOTAL OF 29 DOSES OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATION THAT I NO LONGER TAKE ON A DAILY BASIS. THE ONLY PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS I TAKE NOW ARE MY HEART MEDS.

I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET READY FOR OUR LOWCOUNTRY BYPASS BUDDIES SUPPORT GROUP MEETING (Monday, 2/6/2006) WHEN I DECIDED TO THROW ON A BLOUSE I HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO WEAR FOR NEARLY A YEAR PRIOR TO SURGERY.
I GOT IT ON OK &&&&,
IT WAS ACTUALLY TOOOOOO BIGGGGGG!!


BACK ROW = Rex & Dona, Scorro, Barbara, Dawn, Cheryl, Brittain, Susann, Merlon & Solar
FRONT ROW = Becky, Nick & Lisa


~~ 2/17/2006 ~~

FRUSTRATING STALL/SLOW WEIGHT LOSS

I FINALLY GOT FRUSTRATED ENOUGH TO WRITE TO DR BYRNE & HIS NURSE, MS BRENDA, ASKING FOR THEIR HELP ...

WEEKLY WEIGHT LOSS IN POUNDS ...

WEEK 1 - 12.20
WEEK 2 - 13.20
WEEK 3 - 1.00
WEEK 4 - 5.60
WEEK 5 - 2.00
WEEK 6 - .40
WEEK 7 - 4.20
WEEK 8 - 2.60
WEEK 9 - 5.20
WEEK 10 - 3.40
WEEK 11 - 1.60
WEEK 12 - 4.60 = <56.00 # LOSS> = 223.80 DOWN FROM 279.80

From: T. Karl Byrne
Date: 02/21/06 17:14:40
Subject: Re: EXHAUSTION & MAJOR, LONG STALL

Ms Nash,
My suspicion is that the blood pressure meds are making you tired. Your wt loss is a little slow but as long as you're eating small amounts it will pick up again. Come see me in the clinic on a Monday. KB

** UPDATE ** UPDATE ** UPDATE ** UPDATE **
... FOR THE NEXT 14 WEEKS, I LOST AN AVERAGE OF ONLY 1 # PER WEEK NO MATTER WHAT I DID ... THEN, MY WEIGHT LOSS BEGAN TO INCREASE SLIGHTLY & BECAME MORE CONSISTENT. I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT ALL IT WAS, WAS MY BODY ADJUSTING TO THE RAPID WEIGHT LOSS DURING THE FIRST 12 WEEKS BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T CHANGE MUCH OF ANYTHING IN WHAT I WAS EATING OR DOING ... A LITTLE MORE EXERCISE & STILL EATING ABOUT 700-900 CALORIES A DAY. I DID CHANGE FROM FLINTSTONES COMPLETE TO OPTISOURCE & VISTA VITAMINS WITH CHELATED MINERALS WHICH REALLY, REALLY HELPED THE EXHAUSTION ISSUES. THEY ARE SPECIALLY-FORMULATED FOR GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS & REALLY MAKE AN AMAZING DIFFERENCE IN HOW I FEEL. EXPENSIVE, BUT WELL WORTH IT.


~~ 2/18/2006 ~~




HAPPY, HAPPY 53rd BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!
... 56.00 #s LIGHTER & SOOO MUCH HEALTHIER & HAPPIER! LIFE IS GOOD!!!


**WOW MOMENTS**
~~ 2/23/2006 ~~
I NOW WEIGH LESS THAN MY DRIVERS LICENSE SAYS!!!
I'M OUT OF THE 220s FOREVER!!!


~~ PLATEAU BUSTER ~~
SEVERAL OTHERS ON THE OCTOBER 2005 BOARD ARE IN LONG STALLS OR LOSING VERY SLOWLY SO THEY ARE TRYING THE FOLLOWING PLATEAU BUSTER. ACTUALLY, THERE ISN'T ANY SECRET TO THIS; IT'S SIMPLY A HIGH PROTEIN/NO or LOW CARB ATKINS-STYLE EATING PLAN WHICH WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE STICKING TO ANYWAY. THE CARBS, ESPECIALLY WHITE CARBS, ARE SNEAKING BACK INTO EVERYONE'S FOOD CHOICES, SO THIS WILL GET ALL OF US TO PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE EATING.

#1 - Do this for 10 days to break a plateau
#2 - Drink 2 quarts of water a day
#3 - You must have 45 grams of protein supplement and all your vitamins/minerals supplements each day
#4 - You may consume up to 3 oz of the following high protein foods, 5x a day

beef
pork
chicken
turkey
lamb
fish
eggs
low fat cheese
cottage cheese
peanut butter
beans/legumes
plain or artificially sweetened yogurt

You may also have: SF popsicles ... DECAF tea or coffee ... SF soda ... SF jello ... broths/boullion ...SF Crystal Light drinks

#5 - If it's not on the list, you can't have it for 10 days!



SHANNON had WLSurgery at MUSC in April 2006 & MS CHERYL & I were her SURGERY ANGELS. This picture was taken in September & by the end of November, SHANNON HAD LOST 87 #s & is STILL LOSING!!!


~~ 4/22/2006 ~~
I'M OUT OF THE 210s FOREVER!!!


~~ NICK'S BEST BUDDY, NATASHA ~~

She became a part of our family 4/29/2006 when we adopted her from the Frances Willis SPCA. Because of her reaction to Nick in the beginning, we verified with our Vet that she had been previously abused by a male but Nick won her heart in no time!
Now, they cuddle & play "kissy face" when "Daddy" gets home from work.


~~ APRIL/MAY 2006 - 6 MONTH POST-OP UPDATE ~~
SW = 279.80 ... CW = 204.80 ... 75 # LOSS






~~ 5/2/2006 ~~

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY PRE-SURGERY PICTURES & MY 50 # LOSS PICTURES WAS DRAMATIC, BUT THESE LAST 25 #s (75 #s TOTAL) MADE AN AMAZING DIFFERENCE - MY BODY REALLY SHRANK DOWN TO A MORE "NORMAL" LOOKING SHAPE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE IN MY SIDE VIEWS ...

OHHHH MYYYY GOSHHHH!!!


~~ WHAT HAVE I LEARNED IN 75 #s???~~

THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT & THE HARDEST JOURNEY I HAVE EVER TAKEN.

Every minute of every day is a decision that can have an effect on your health, weight, emotions & ever-evolving lifestyle. The trick is to become so comfortable with your decisions that it becomes second nature to you. It really takes alot of effort to get to that place! BUT, AS HARD AS IT'S BEEN, I WOULD STILL DO IT AGAIN WITHOUT EVEN A SECOND THOUGHT.

*** EAT TO LIVE vs LIVE TO EAT ***

I THINK THIS IS THE # 1 INDICATOR FORESHADOWING WHETHER YOU ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT. If your every thought is about what you CAN'T eat ... If your moods are dependant on what you put in your mouth ... If you don't learn to "JUST SAY NO" to yourself at times, then your journey is not going to be successful. Even if you lose all the weight you want to, you'll never be happy or enjoy life until you put "FOOD" in the proper perspective.
IT'S NUTRITION ... PERIOD!

* ATTITUDE & PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ARE "EVERYTHING" *

If you look around the message boards, it will become very apparant who is going to be a long-term success & who isn't. Either we make up our minds to grow up & fly right, or we stay our own worst enemy. SUCCESS or FAILURE is our responsibility alone! 'Nuff said on that subject.

*** RELAX ... RELAX ... RELAX ***

MAKE "FRIENDS" WITH THIS JOURNEY ... ENJOY THE JOURNEY & REVEL IN EVERY SINGLE STEP OF SUCCESS!!!

*** MAKE LIFE-LONG CHANGES ***

We have an 18-MONTH WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY when our pouches really help us; after that, we're in the same "diet" boat as the rest of the world is in. If we don't make wise choices & changes ... if we don't put a good foundation in our lives, what else is there to help us? WHAT ELSE COULD WE POSSIBLY TRY THAT IS BETTER THAN WLSurgery?
THIS IS "IT"; MAKE THE BEST OF IT!

IT'S UP TO US ALONE ...
SUCCEED OR FAIL ... IT'S ON OUR SHOULDERS, NO ONE ELSE'S!

I CHOOSE TO SUCCEED!!!!!!!!!!!!


From: NAN054@xxx.xxx
Date: 05/11/06 17:01:37

Dawn,
I sit here reading your email as hot tears roll down my face ,, You can NEVER know how your words of encouragement touch my heart Oprah is on .. I have been watching it .. It was about self worth and loving ourselves and the false message we sometimes recieve growing up ..and basically how even as adults we need to learn to love ourselves .. I guess I have to believe Im worht it .. your email helped and you dont even know me . Your words are a ministry darlin and please dont forget it . Your kindness helped this soul alot . I will try again to get up early FOR ME and get on my treadmill and not look at it as a dread but rather look at it as a gift of love from me to me because I am worth it .

God Bless you Dawn .. LOVE, Ruthie


~~ 5/19/2006 - 203 DAYS ~~

I'M IN "ONE"DERLAND!!!


MAY 2006 = 6 1/2 MONTHS POST-OP AT 199 #s (I'M FINALLY IN "ONE"DERLAND!!!) ...
&&&, 81 #s LIGHTER!!!

ALLLLLLLLLLLL MY MEDICAL CO-MORBS ... EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ... HAVE DISAPPEARED; I'M OFF 29 DOSES OF MEDICATION A DAY (YUP, A DAY) ... &, I'M MORE ACTIVE THAN I'VE BEEN IN LITERALLY DECADES. WITH THE USE OF GASTRIC-BYPASS FORMULATED SUPPLEMENTS WITH CHELATED MINERALS, SUBLINGUAL B-12 & OTHER NUTRIENTS, MY ENERGY LEVEL HAS IMPROVED 70%!

I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE 100s SINCE 1998-1999. WHEN I MET NICK IN EARLY 2000, I WEIGHED 202. WELL, LAST SUNDAY, I HIT 201.20, MY LOWEST WEIGHT IN OVER 6 YEARS!!! & TODAY, I ENTERED "ONE"DERLAND & NOW WEIGH 199.60!!!
I'M DOIN' THE "HAPPY DANCE"!!!

I'M CHASIN' NICK ... I'M ONLY 1.20 #s HEAVIER THAN HE IS RIGHT NOW ... I'VE NEVER BEEN LIGHTER THAN HE WAS IN OUR ENTIRE 6+ YEARS TOGETHER SO WE HAVE REALLY BEEN HAVING FUN WITH THIS. HE KEEPS TRYING TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT & I KEEP CHASING HIM!

I'M IN "ONE"DERLAND!!!
I'M OUT OF THE "200s" F-O-R-E-V-E-R !!!

OH YEAH, MY BMI HAS DECREASED 14.7 POINTS FROM 51.2 = "SUPER MORBIDLY OBESE", DOWN TO "EXTREMELY OBESE" & NOW INTO JUST "OBESE" ABOUT HALF WAY TO JUST "OVERWEIGHT" ...
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE HOPE FOR OUR FUTURE; MY DREAMS WITH NICK ARE ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE, EVEN AT OUR AGES (53 & 62)! BOTH NICK & I FEEL SO UNBELIEVABLY BLESSED AT BEING GIVEN THIS "SECOND CHANCE" FOR A HEALTHY, ACTIVE, ENJOYABLE LIFE TOGETHER ... THANK YOU SWEET JESUS & MAY GOD BLESS THE TRI CARE PRIME PERSONNEL, DR BYRNE & ALL THE MUSC STAFF, & DR CASTELLONE, WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE FOR US!


**WOW MOMENTS**
A COUPLE SATURDAYS AGO, NICK & I WORKED ALL DAY IN THE YARD IN THE HEAT. I KEPT UP WITH HIM & DIDN'T HAVE TO QUIT EARLY LIKE I USED TO HAVE TO.

I CAN NOW BE BUSY THROUGHOUT THE DAY ... I DO NEED TO TAKE SMALL BREAKS, BUT WE'RE SO SURPRISED AT MY IMPROVED ACTIVITY LEVEL. NICK WAS AMAZED THE OTHER EVENING WHEN HE GOT HOME FROM WORK & I HAD DONE LAUNDRY, VACUUMED & STRAIGHTENED UP THE WHOLE HOUSE, DONE DISHES & CLEANED UP THE KITCHEN PLUS TAKEN A SHORT WALK WITH MS NATASHA.

JUST THE OTHER DAY, I GOT UP EARLY & STAYED WITH MY MOMMA WHILE DADDY WENT TO BIBLE STUDY & DID THEIR GROCERY SHOPPING. NORMALLY, I'D TAKE A NAP WHEN HAVING TO GET UP EARLIER THAN I USUALLY DO, BUT NOT THIS TIME. THEN, I RAN ERRANDS FOR HOURS, TOOK NATASHA TO THE VET, DASHED DOWN TO PICK NICK UP FROM WORK ... &, COOKED 2 EXTRA DINNER MEALS FOR MY PARENTS & FOR NICK TO EAT LATER THIS WEEK ... I TOOK THE MEALS TO MY PARENTS & FINALLY SAT DOWN TO WATCH A LITTLE TV ABOUT 9pm, HOURS & HOURS LONGER THAN "NORMAL".


Posted at 5:48 PM PST on 06/01/2006
~~ REAR ENDED BUT BLESSED ~~
WELL, WE WERE AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME, BUT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU JUST KNOW THAT "IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE" FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE WILL LEARN IN THE FUTURE.

NICK GOT OFF EARLY (NOT NORMAL) & I WAS SO INTERESTED IN EVERYONE'S PROGRESS ON THE BOARDS THAT I STAYED HOME LONGER THAN I NORMALLY WOULD HAVE TO READ MORE OF THE POSTS ... &, IT WAS RAINING IN JUST ONE SMALL PORTION OF COLLEGE PARK, NOT OVER THE ENTIRE AREA LIKE IT USUALLY DOES. NICK HAD CHECKED OUT OF WORK BEFORE I CAME TO PICK HIM UP (NOT NORMAL) INSTEAD OF WAITING AS HE USUALLY DID ... SO, ANY ONE OF THESE ABNORMAL ACTIONS WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AT THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE ROAD AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT ... SO, THAT'S WHY I SAY THAT IT WAS JUST MEANT TO BE.

TWO CARS WERE STOPPED AS THE 1st ONE WAS TURNING LEFT. I APPLIED MY BRAKES & BEGAN TO SKID SO (THANK YOU SCHNEIDER TRUCKING FOR TEACHING ME THIS) I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO GIVE MY TIRES A CHANCE TO BEGIN ROTATING AGAIN TO GRIP THE ROAD. AFTER QUICKLY ASSESSING MY OPTIONS, I BEGAN TURNING TO THE RIGHT INTO A LARGE ENTRANCE TO A BUSINESS JUST TO GIVE MYSELF MORE ROOM IN CASE I BEGAN TO SKID AGAIN &, THANKFULLY, I CAME TO A STOP WITHOUT HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.

BUT, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS OF SAFELY STOPPING, THE YOUNG MAN BEHIND US SKIDDED & RAN INTO THE BACK OF OUR CAR. BECAUSE I HAD POINTED MY CAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, I WAS NOT PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHICH SAVED ME A TICKET & FRONT END DAMAGE. IT ALSO MINIMIZED THE REAR END DAMAGE SINCE HE HIT THE DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER OF MY BACK BUMPER WITH A GLANCING MOTION INSTEAD OF SMASHING INTO THE CENTER OF OUR CAR. THE BUMPER IS SHOT & THE TRUNK IS SLIGHTLY WARPED, BUT IT'S ALL FIXABLE & WE DON'T THINK THE FRAME IS DAMAGED BUT WE WILL HAVE SOMEONE CHECK THAT OUT.

NICK & I & MISS NATASHA (OUR DOG) ... & THE YOUNG MAN ALL CAME OUT OF THE ACCIDENT BASICALLY UNSCATHED EXCEPT FOR SOME MINOR STIFFNESS ... SOUNDS LIKE WE WERE ALL VERY BLESSED!

IT TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE TEMPERS COULD HAVE FLARRED BUT DIDN'T. THE YOUNG MAN WAS RESPECTFUL & EVEN APOLOGIZED. HIS MOTHER CAME TO THE SCENE & SHE APOLOGIZED PROFUSELY & THANKED ME FOR MY UNDERSTANDING. I TOLD HER WHAT AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG MAN HER SON WAS ... WE HUGGED & WERE ALL VERY THANKFUL FOR BEING ABLE TO GO HOME TONIGHT ...

NICK'S WATCHING THE HOCKEY PLAYOFFS & I'M POSTING TO MY WLS FRIENDS ...
LIFE IS GOOD!


**WOW MOMENTS - SWIM SUIT**
I can't even remember the last time I wore a bathing suit! BUT, I AM WEARING ONE NOW!!! It is a one piece with a cute skirt that ties on the side. THE GREAT THING IS THAT NO ONE LOOKED TWICE AT ME WHEN I WALKED INTO THE POOL AREA! I wasn't the "Fat Chick" at the pool in a T-Shirt & Blue Jean Shorts. I was finally "NORMAL", wearing a cute swim suit & enjoying life with my wonderful husband, Nicholas!

Someone is gonna be real happy because I gave away a ton of BIG clothes! It became apparant that I needed to do something when I put on my last remaining pair of shorts & they actually FELL DOWN AROUND MY ANKLES when I walked into the livingroom.

Some of my missing body parts have been found ... I actually have a neck, can you imagine? I have bones that Nick can actually feel ... like my knee caps, hip bones & collar bones ... Oh yeah, I have ribs as well!!

My fingers have knuckles & I have to wear ring guards to keep my wedding & heart rings on.



LOWCOUNTRY BYPASS BUDDIES - Sept 2006
Bob & Rose, Susann, Kylee & Baby Tummy, Barbara, Sandy, Becky, David, Dawn & Ana


Posted at 1:45 PM EST on 10/20/2006
EXPLANATION TO ALL OUR DEAR FRIENDS

PLEASE KEEP MY MOMMA & DADDY IN YOUR PRAYERS!

Many of you have been so sweet & kept tabs on Nick & I in our absence. Even though we may not have answered e-mails & such, we have so appreciated your efforts ... Believe me!

We recently received horrible news about my Mother ... She has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's & is already showing many heart-breaking symptoms. We all thought the issues were "just" from the numerous strokes she had, which could still be somewhat reversed with therapy & medical treatment.

But instead, it appears that the strokes have actually been the major catalyst to activating the Alzheimer's. Seems she was genetically predisposed to getting Alzheimer's but since she is 79, this may or may not have occurred, or if it had ... It may have been quite mild. Instead, the strokes became the match that lit the fuse causing an explosion, so to speak.

Caring for my Mother was one thing - well within my abilities - but watching her struggle with every breath & movement, & slip away from us has nearly broken me. My Nick has been with me every step of the way or I know I wouldn't have made it through even these last couple of months, let alone what is facing us in the future.

Legal issues ... Medical issues ... Long-term care issues ... Safety issues ... Daily care issues ... Handling all this while trying to hold on to every moment we have left has left us exhausted.

So, a couple of requests ... Hug & kiss your loved ones!!! Keep us in your prayers as a miracle from God is our only hope. &, know that Nick & I appreciate each & every one of you!

God bless you ... Dawn & Nick

PS: When I asked if I would also get Alzheimer's since genetics were involved, Doc said that "the best thing I could have ever done" to stop or slow the onset of Alzheimer's was to lose weight. Soooo, another medical blessing from our gastric bypass surgeries.



It took 343 days to finally enter THE CENTURY CLUB, but I'm a LIFELONG MEMBER now!

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10/6/2006 - 100 #s GONE FOREVER!!
279.80 - 179.40 = 100.40 #s LOST!


I'VE LOST 100 #s !!!


I'VE LOST 100 #s !!!


I'VE LOST 100 #s !!!


I'VE LOST 100 #s !!!



11/30/2006 - I wore these pants home from MUSC after my Gastric Bypass when I weighed 279.80 (look back at my hospital pics & you'll see me wearing them). I now weigh 173.60 which is a loss of 106.20. No wonder they look like clown's pants instead of summer capris!!!!


Date Sent: December 13, 2006 - 1:30pm
Subject: Thanks

I wanted to send you a personal a BIG THANK YOU for your kind words of wisdom. I am going to carry your words with me during this visit home and hope find strength in them during my moments of doubt. Thanks again Dawn your words were a real help and comfort to me.

Jamie S


Posted at 11:07 AM EST on 12/18/2006
This is a reply to a post by Robin H
RE: Why can't I just get into Christmas already?

READING ABOUT YOUR CHRISTMAS BLUES ... WE'VE HAD A FUNNY KIND OF HOLIDAY SEASON, MS ROBIN. OUR YEAR HAS BEEN VERY STRESSFUL WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS, FINANCIAL STRESS & STRIFE AMONG OUR FAMILY MEMBERS. SEEMS LIKE ALL WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH IS ONE ATTACK OF SATAN AFTER ANOTHER & WE HAVE BEEN SO FOCUSED ON HANDLING EVERYTHING THAT CHRISTMAS HAS COME UPON US WITHOUT US EVEN NOTICING, REALLY.

NICK & I ARE SO BUSY & EXHAUSTED THAT WE DON'T THINK WE WILL EVEN HAVE TIME TO PUT UP OUR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS OR TREE, & I WAS A BIT SAD AT THAT. BUT, LAST WEEKEND WHEN WE WERE BOTH AT THE HOSPITAL WITH MS TOWANA & MS KYLEE, IT ALL HIT ME. THIS IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT ... DOING FOR OTHERS AS CHRIST DID (&, DOES) FOR US. SO, WHILE CHATTING WITH MS TOWANA, I SUDDENLY HAD SUCH A JOY, SUCH A FEELING OF THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BECAUSE NICK & I WERE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE AS JESUS HAS MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES.

WHEN WE DROVE INTO OUR DARK DRIVEWAY WITH CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS GLOWING ON OTHER PEOPLE'S HOMES, OUR HOME SEEMED ALIVE ... &, I REALIZED THAT THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS CAN BE FELT IN LIGHTS & TREES & WRAPPING PAPER WITH PRETTY BOWS ... BUT, IT'S THE LOVING TOUCH ONE PERSON GIVES TO ANOTHER THAT IS THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTmas.

WHAT WAS IT THAT THE GRINCH FIGURED OUT? SOMETHING LIKE ... "MAYBE CHRISTMAS ISN'T JUST PACKAGES, BOXES & BOWS ... MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING MUCH, MUCH MORE" ... &, THEN HIS HEART GREW 3 SIZES THAT DAY.

SO, I NOW THANK GOD FOR ALL OUR NEIGHBORS WHOSE HOUSES ARE SO BEAUTIFULLY LIT THAT WE CAN ENJOY ... &, I'M THANKFUL THAT GOD HAS GIVEN NICK & I SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP OTHERS & EXPERIENCE THE JOY THAT OUR EFFORTS GIVE NOT ONLY TO THEM, BUT TO US!

GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICK

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ON THE EVE OF THE DAY WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR HOLY SAVIOR, JESUS, MY MOMMA & DADDY CELEBRATED THEIR 56th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, & NICK & I CELEBRATED OUR 4th.

LIFE IS GOOD!






2007

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A NEW YEAR; NEW ATTITUDES!!!
THOUGHTS FROM A CANCER PATIENT ...

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."
So she did ... AND SHE HAD A WONDERFUL DAY!

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today."
So she did ... AND SHE HAD A GRAND DAY!

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did ... AND SHE HAD A FUN, FUN DAY!

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEA!" she exclaimed,
"I DON'T HAVE TO FIX MY HAIR TODAY!"

And she didn't ... AND SHE LIVED THE REST OF HER LIFE TO THE FULLEST!


Response from Joan M at 6:57 AM EST on 01/13/2007

Dawn...I would especially like to hug my Sis with all the encouragement and info...gosh I started coming here in January of last year before my surgery and you answered so many questions for me. And for countless others too. And you always lift others up...just like the Lord....you are a precious jewel here my friend...if you don't mind me calling someone I never met in person friend.

Looking forward to June and meeting all of the wonderful people here.

In Christ Who Knits Hearts,
Joan M


Posted at 4:17 PM EST on 01/08/2007
DOUBLE "WOW" MOMENTs!!!

IT TOOK 5 DAYS BUT I WENT BACK TO THE BASICS ... PACKAGED PROTEIN PRODUCTS, FLUIDS, SUPPLEMENTS, CUT WHITE CARBS, NO GRAZING/SNACKING, 4-6 SMALL SNACKS A DAY ... &, I'VE LOST THE 3 #s I GAINED OVER THE HOLIDAYS. ("WOW" # 1)

(WOW # 2) ... WELL, I STEPPED ON THE SCALE THIS MORNING & I'M NOW LIGHTER THAN I'VE BEEN SINCE 1995/1996 WHEN I STRUGGLED TO GET DOWN TO 172 #s BUT COULDN'T MAINTAIN IT EVEN EXERCISING 5 DAYS A WEEK. I'M NOW AT 171.8 #s & AM AT THE LOWEST WEIGHT SINCE I BECAME OBESE SO NOW, EVERY POUND LOST IS JUST (sugar-free) ICING ON THE CAKE, SO TO SPEAK!

HW ... 279.80
CW ... 171.80
LOST ... 108.00
TO GO TO GOAL ... 31.80

A NICE LITTLE BENEFIT ...
Has anyone noticed that since losing weight, your heels don't crack & bleed ... &, you don't get that layer of dried out, calloused skin that used to get so hard you had to scrape it off? My heels are just as soft as can be now.


Posted at 7:28 PM EST on 01/24/2007
TRIPLE WOWOWOW!!!

... I GOT INTO A SIZE 12 PAIR OF LIZ CLAIBORNE BLUE JEANS & THE LEGS ARE LOOSE. THEY ARE NOT STRETCH & THEY HAVE A REAL ZIPPER & TIGHT WAISTBAND, NOT AN ELASTIC WAISTBAND. I'VE NEVER WORN PANTS THAT WEREN'T STRETCH WITH AN ELASTIC WAISTBAND SINCE MEETING NICK NEARLY 7 YEARS AGO ... SO, THIS IS A MAJOR BIGGIE "WOW" FOR ME!

... I AM FINALLY INTO THE 160s & HAVEN'T BEEN THIS LIGHT SINCE SOMETIME IN THE 1980s ... YES, I SAID THE 19 "8-0s". I WEIGHED IN AT 169.60 THIS MORNING. THAT MEANS I'VE LOST 110.20 #s.

... SINCE JAN 1st, I'VE LOST 6.40 #s (3 #s I had to RE-lose as I gained it over the Christmas holidays). I'VE REALLY BE ON A FAIRLY STRICT EATING PLAN WITH A LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM SO I DON'T STRESS TO THE MAX, BUT IT HAS BEEN WORKING ...

FRIDAY IS MY 15-MONTH ANNIVERSARY, SO AT LEAST I'M AT A NEW LOW!!!


XANGO & My 1st VISIT with a CARDIOLOGIST - 02/06/2007

Most of you know that I have a heart condition (PSAT), one that is caused by irregular electrical impulse problems in the left ventricle of my heart. I've probably had it all my life but it became extremely problematic in the early 1970s in my early 20s when I began having non-specific, left-brain Noctural Siezures which continued for nearly 20 years. Even after the siezures calmed down in the early 1990s, my heart issues became more & more serious ... only somewhat controlled by stronger & stronger medications until now being on the strongest dosage of Beta Blockers they can safely prescribe for me. & yet, I still have numerous Tachycardia & Arrhythmia attacks daily.

Although being obese is a strain on anyone's heart, my specific heart condition is not particularly hurt or helped by my weight issues, or even the loss of excess weight. Actually, we had serious complications after Gastric Bypass surgery when trying to re-regulate my heart medications (look at my postings around December 2005). From then on, we were just in a "IT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO" medical situation &, we just had to live with it.

The major issue is that I'm always tired or exhausted from the contant battle between my heart trying to beat faster while the medications try to keep my heart rate as low as possible (around 45-55 BPM resting rate) ... the two being in a constant state of war, it seems. Considering that being tired or exhausted is also one of the common side effects from our low calorie "diet" after Gastric Bypass (I'm still eating only about 1,000 calories daily even at 16 months post op) ... I'm living with a double whammy that is leaving me in a state of tiredness.

Several times along this journey, I've had improvements in my energy levels, but not to the degree of ever being able to consistently maintain a "normal", active lifestyle. I'm certainly better than I ever was for the last couple of decades, but I want to be even better! &, we may have found at least part of the answer!

One of the things we are trying are vitamins & minerals, & natural supplements, specifically in juice form of the MANGOSTEEN JUICE from SE ASIA sold under the brand name of XanGo. NICK & I ARE BOTH AMAZED AT HOW MUCH BETTER WE BOTH FEEL. WE STARTED DRINKING XANGO IN MID DECEMBER 2006 & CANNOT BELIEVE THE IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED (See my post near the bottom of my profile at the scrolling XanGo sign).

The other thing we are looking into is a laser surgical procedure that kills the nerve endings that beat irratically. Obviously, there are benefits & problems with such a drastic procedure especially when you're talking about the heart.
~~~~~

I JUST HAD MY 1st VISIT WITH A CARDIOLOGIST & HAD A 48-HOUR HEART MONITOR TEST. NEXT COMES THE DOPPLER/ECHO ... HE DID SAY THAT I HAVE A HEART MURMUR. NEVER KNEW THAT BEFORE BUT WHEN I QUESTIONED MY FOLKS, THEY SAID THEY WERE TOLD THAT WHEN I WAS REAL YOUNG ...
I'LL LET YOU KNOW THE RESULTS WHEN THEY COME BACK!
~~~~~

Well, DID WE RECEIVE GREAT NEWS FROM MY CARDIOLOGIST! For the FIRST TIME IN 35 YEARS, MY HEART CONDITION HAS ATUALLY IMPROVED ... it DIDN'T IMPROVE WITH MEDICATION, GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY OR LOSING WEIGHT. THE ONLY THING I'VE DONE DIFFERENTLY IS ADD VITAMINS, MINERALS & XANGO (Mangosteen Juice) to my daily intake.

WE ARE SO EXCITED!


FUNNY STORY ... NEW DRIVERS LICENSE

I JUST GOT MY CDL (COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE) RENEWED TODAY & LAST TIME WHEN I WAS AROUND 260, I PUT DOWN THAT I WEIGHED 220. THIS TIME, I WEIGH 169 & I PUT DOWN THAT I WEIGH 145, BUT I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO BE LIGHTER THAN THAT SINCE MY GOAL IS 140 OR LESS, SO IT'S NOT REALLY LYING, IS IT?!!! :-) MY FACE WAS ACTUALLY OVAL IN THE PHOTO INSTEAD OF PUMPKIN-ROUND WITH TRIPLE CHINS!

NOW, THAT'S JUST WAY TOO COOL!


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

I MET NICK 7 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS 46 (he was 56) & I REALLY THOUGHT MY OPPORTUNITY FOR FINDING A LOVING MATE WAS OVER. BUT, WAS I WRONG! THANK GOD!

IT HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT EASY FOR US ... BUT THROUGH IT ALL, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE TOGETHER ... WHEN THE DAY IS DONE, NO MATTER WHAT WE HAVE FACED, IT'S ALL OK WHEN I LOOK ACROSS THE PILLOW & SEE HIM NEXT TO ME.

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER THAN APART ... WE ARE BETTER PEOPLE JUST FOR BEING TOGETHER ... WE ARE TRULY "ONE"; I CAN'T EVER TELL WHERE HE BEGINS & I END.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I'M A BETTER PERSON WITH HIM
THAN I EVER WAS WITHOUT HIM!

ProfileMix.com - Free MySpace Glitter Graphics

Posted on 3/26/2007
DRINKING WITH MEALS
I DRINK CRYSTAL LITE WITH MY MEALS & I MAKE SURE I LIMIT MY CALORIES TO 1,000 - 1,200 A DAY SO I NEVER THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT THE SUBJECT. I NEVER KNEW WHY SOME DOCTORS SAY NOT TO DRINK WITH YOUR MEALS ... HERE'S A PART OF A NEWSLETTER ABOUT THE SUBJECT ... INTERESTING.

" ... The one sure foil for that restriction is to drink while you are eating, essentially making a soft squishy slurry out of your food by adding liquid to it. The soft wet food sloshes around in the small pouch, and squishes out the other side when you force it. Drink a little more and you can wash it all right on through. Then you can fill it again! Do it a few more times and you can eat the entire plateful of food if you really want to.

I know someone who thought she was smart that she figured out that she could eat cake and drink a glass of warm water to wash it through the area where she would normally absorb all the sugar and dump. Ha! She was so smart that she fooled the surgery. So smart in fact that she is now 200 pounds again.

When you ask us for help and we ply you with a few questions to identify where your problem may be... and we find the problem... please don't argue and tell us that NOT Drinking With Meals is a THEORY that some people have.

NO, it is NOT a theory that washing your food through your pouch is a bad thing. It is a FACT that washing your food through your pouch is a bad thing.

I can assure you that every single person we have met that has gained back substantial weight after not getting to goal in the first place, or who simply lost that first freebie 100 pounds and nothing since, have two things in common.

One is that they drink with their meals.

Two is that they are washing that food through their pouch with vast quantities of Diet Coke. ..."

HMMMMM, VERY INTERESTING ...


Posted 03/29/2007 ... This is a reply to Deborah G

SPEAKING OF YOU BEING A HOT TODDY WITH TRENT WHEN YOU GET WELL ... NICK & SOME OF THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE TALKIN' "MEN TALK" & ONE OF THE GUYS SAID THAT HE WAS FEELIN' SOOOOOO GOOD LATELY THAT HE WAS CHASIN' HIS LADY ALL OVER THE HOUSE ... NICK PIPED UP & SAID THAT NOW THAT I'VE LOST ALL THIS WEIGHT, THAT I WAS CHASIN' HIM ALL OVER THE HOUSE ... GUESS THAT GOT AN "OH WOWOWOWOW" FROM THE OTHER GUYS!

MADE ME FEEL LIKE A HOTSY TOTSY!


"HITTING THE WALL"
Original Post by Lady D * on 04/17/2007

OK, IT'S MY TURN TO PICK YOUR BRAINS, LONG TIMERS. IT SEEMS I'VE "HIT THE WALL" WEIGHT-LOSS WISE. I WAS STILL LOSING WEIGHT IN JANUARY & THEN NOTHING NOW FOR 2 1/2 MONTHS EVEN THOUGH I'M STICKING TO THE RULES & NOT CHEATING. I'LL BE 18 MONTHS POST OP ON THE 28th OF THIS MONTH. I'VE STOPPED LOSING WEIGHT ABOUT 30 #s FROM DR BYRNE'S GOAL.

I KNOW THAT OUR POUCHES LOSE THEIR WEIGHT-LOSS ABILITIES AROUND THIS TIME, SO WHAT ELSE SHOULD I DO TO LOSE THESE LAST 30 #s? I'VE BEEN READING AROUND THE BOARDS HERE & AT OTHER SITES & THIS SEEMS TO BE A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION BUT THERE ARE NO COMMON DENOMINATORS & NO REAL ANSWERS. THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION ... SOME EAT PACKAGED WHEY/SOY PROTEIN PRODUCTS/SOME DON'T ... SOME EXERCISE/SOME DON'T ... SOME DRINKS GALLONS OF WATER/SOME DON'T ... SOME DRINK WITH THEIR MEALS/SOME DON'T ... & ON & ON ... IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AT ABOUT 18 MONTHS, YOU "HIT A WALL".

I'VE STARTED A WHEY PROTEIN DIET TO SHAKE UP MY BODY ... 6 WATER/PROTEIN SHAKES, 1 PROTEIN BAR & 1 PROTEIN PUDDING A DAY ... KINDA A MODIFIED LIQUID FAST JUST FOR A FEW DAYS TO HOPEFULLY KICK-START MY WEIGHT LOSS.

HAS ANYONE LOST WEIGHT THIS FAR OUT & IF SO, HOW DID YOU DO IT?

THANKS & GOD BLESS ... DAWN & NICk

*****
RE: "HITTING THE WALL" QUESTION
Response from J Williams 04/17/2007

I have heard to "mix-up" your exercise routine, and that does the trick.... cardio and strength training and that if you have more muscle mass that you will burn more calories... I know that when I get my protein shakes in 5x a week in the mornings to kick start my day I always have a better week on the scale.

I have had pretty good success, so I am just going by me, and I am by no means an expert.

Also, I know that if I cut out the white carbs and stick with high proteins and greens and then healthy fats and get in all the water I am supposed to for my weight/height I have a good week on the scale.

and finally.... sleep is key! You really need to get the right amount of sleep average sleep per night in a week. It is so important. I was having trouble for a while and I was gaining and I went to a dr. for this. If you are not getting your zzzzz's you need to get it looked at.

*****
RE: "HITTING THE WALL" QUESTION
Response from Lady D * at 5:21 PM EST on 04/17/2007
Summerville, SC – RNY (10/28/2005) – Thomas K Byrne M.D.

HERE IS DR BYRNE'S REPLY ... NOT TOO ENCOURAGING ... SEEMS STRENUOUS AEROBIC EXERCISE MAY BE ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT MIGHT HELP AT THIS POINT.

HE ALSO SENT MY E-MAIL TO OUR NUTRITIONIST SO I'LL SEE WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT.

AS FAR AS THE SURGERY, I'VE ALREADY SUCCEEDED AS THEY LOOK FOR A WEIGHT LOSS OF 60 - 70% OF YOUR EXCESS WEIGHT (154 #s) FROM YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT (126 #s), WHICH WOULD BE A LOSS OF BETWEEN 92.4 - 107.80 # LOSS. I'VE NOW LOST 112 #s ... SOOOO, I AM A GASTRIC BYPASS SUCCESS. BUT, MY SURGEON, DR BYRNE, SET A GOAL WEIGHT OF 140 FOR ME & THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACHIEVE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MY MOTABOLISM IS SCREWED 2 WAYS ... 1st FROM YEARS OF YO-YO DIETING & THEN BECAUSE I'M ON 2 SEPARATE BETA BLOCKERS FOR MY HEART CONDITION & SO MY RESTING HEART RATE IS NORMALLY BETWEEN 45-55 WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN "NORMAL" PEOPLE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH INCLINE I PUT ON THE TREADMILL, THE BETA BLOCKERS WILL NOT ALLOW MY HEART TO GO ABOVE 84 WITH THE AVERAGE HIGH BEING AROUND 77 - 80 BPM.

-------Original Message-------

From: T. Karl Byrne
Date: 04/17/07 16:23:44
To: livinourdreams@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: HIT THE WALL

Dawn, After a while (1.5 - 2 yrs) the weight loss with gastric bypass stops unless you take up marathon running! I sent your e-mail to Debbie our dietician. She will help you understand. Also don't confuse your Ideal Body Weight with your target weight which is to lose between 60-70% of your excess weight.
KB

*****
E-MAIL TO MY NUTRITIONIST ...

Hey Ms Debbie ...
My question is ... am I getting too FEW calories/protein a day? My husband & several ladies on the board (several who are working with personal trainers) thought that at 1,000-1,200 calories/75 grams protein a day, I might be in "Starvation Mode" & that is why I'm not losing weight. I was told that to be in "Fat-Burning Mode", you must have 10-11 calories per pound of weight which would be a whopping 1,690-1,859 calories a day for my weight of 169, an increase of somewhere between 659-690 calories daily.

They also say that for "Maintenance", you should eat around 15 calories per pound per day - Holy Cow, that would be 2,100 calories at my goal weight of 140. Does all this apply to Gastric Bypass patients as well? I look at my calories, but I really focus on my proteins, white carbs & sugars more - high protein with low white carbs & sugars.

ANSWER FROM MY NUTRITIONIST ...

From: Debra Petitpain
Date: 04/18/07 15:48:10
To: livinourdreams@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: HIT THE WALL

Hi
No, you are not eating too few calories either. These numbers you wrote do not apply to people with a weight history such as yours which changes your metabolism and needs. Start exercising and add some veggies and attend POSTOP and Transition Nutrition and keep up with the food diary. You should expect a weight loss of about 1/2 lb per week on this diet + exercise.

Debbie


PIVOTAL FITNESS
Original Post by Lady D * on 04/18/2007

WELL, NICK & I DID IT ... WE BOTH GOT A MEMBERSHIP AT THE GYM & 3 SESSIONS WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER FOR EACH OF US. WE ATTEND OUR ORIENTATION TOMORROW EVENING! MS JUDY HAS ACTUALLY TRAINED SEVERAL GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS & HAS 2 NEWBIES WHO JUST HAD SURGERY THAT WILL BE STARTING IN ABOUT A MONTH.

NO EXCUSES ANY MORE!!! THEY WANT US TO START OUT 3 DAYS A WEEK FOR THE 1st MONTH - THEY'RE BEING EASY ON US OL' TIMERS!

IF ANYONE WANTS TO CHECK OUT PIVITOL FITNESS ON OLD TROLLEY IN SUMMERVILLE, OR ON SAM RITTENBERG IN WEST ASHLEY, I HAVE ONE DAY GUEST PASSES THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE TO ANYONE.

GOD BLESS ... DAWN & NICk

*****
RE: PIVOTAL FITNESS
Response from Lady D * on 04/20/2007

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVE WORKING OUT AT PIVITOL!! WE ARE HOOKED, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!

THE EQUIPMENT IS FANTASTIC ... REALLY MAKES IT "EASY" TO PERFORM THE MOVEMENTS. JUDY IS A FANTASTIC PERSON & TRAINER, & REALLY HAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION OUR AGES & MEDICAL SITUATIONS.

OH MY GOSH, IT WAS TOO FUNNY ... WE FAILED ... FELL FLAT ON OUR FACES ... WE ARE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE THAT WE COULDN'T EVEN FINISH THE PHYSICAL EVALUATION ... NICK'S HEART RATE SHOT UP LIKE A ROCKET & HIS LEGS TURNED TO RUBBER ... &, THEY CAN'T REALLY EVALUATE ME CUZ OF THE BETA BLOCKERS I'M ON FOR MY HEART BUT SHE SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT LIKE ... UHHHH, I DON'T THINK YOU TWO HAVE THE PHYSICAL ABILITY TO DO THESE MACHINES SO I'M GONNA START YOU OUT ON THESE. AAAAAArrrrrrgggggghhhhhh, HOW EMBARRASSING!

I GOT ON THE FIRST PIECE OF EQUIPMENT & SHE PUT 50#s ON IT & I WAS READY TO RUN FOR THE DOOR. SO SHE DID WHAT ANYONE WOULD DO ... TOTALLY HUMILIATED ME TO GET ME MOTIVATED ... "NOOOOOOOOOOOO ONE HAS EVERRRRRRRRRRR FAILED ON THIS MACHINE BEFORE" SHE SAID. I HAD TO USE MY HANDS TO PUSH ON MY THIGHS TO MOVE THE MACHINE & EVERY MUSCLE WAS QUIVERING, BUT I FINISHED 12 REPS. HOOO-RAYYY FOR ME! IT WAS LIKE THAT FOR BOTH OF US ON ALL 4 OF THE MACHINES, BUT WE DID IT!

THE REALLY ENCOURAGING THING WAS THAT WE WENT BACK & STARTED OVER FOR THE SECOND SET OF REPS & IT WAS ACTUALLY A LOT EASIER EVEN THOUGH WE HAD ALREADY STRESSED EVERY MUSCLE WE OWN.

SHE FIBBED WHEN WE SIGNED UP ... SHE SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO COME 3 TIMES A WEEK FOR THE FIRST MONTH. THEN WE GET THERE LAST NIGHT & SHE SAYS, "I WANT YOU DOING THE MACHINES 4 TIMES A WEEK ... &, OH BTW, YOU CAN DO THE TREADMILL EVERY DAY IF YOU LIKE!" SNEAKY, SNEAKY WOMAN (but, we love her)!

SO, WE'RE ALL DONE & PROUD AS PEACOCKS STRUTTIN' OUR STUFF CUZ WE CAN STILL WALK UPRIGHT, & WE GET IN THE CAR & BOTH OF US SAY, "WE'RE HUNGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" FIRST THING WE THINK OF IS FAST FOOD, BUT I LOOK IN MY PURSE & I ACTUALLY HAD 2 PROTEIN BARS - SAVED THE DAY!

WE GOT HOME & STARTED "COMING DOWN" & I WAS SO TIRED THAT I TOLD NICK THAT I COULDN'T EVEN MOVE MY FINGERS TO TYPE AN UPDATE TO Y'ALL! THEN IT HITS US LIKE A TON OF BRICKS ... EVERY MUSCLE IN OUR BODIES INSTANTLY TIGHTENED UP & WE'RE GOING, "OHHHHHH MYYYYYY GOSHHHHHH!" I GOT CRAMPS IN THE FRONT OF MY SHIN & HAD TO WALK IT OUT ... NICK SAID I WAS DEHYDRATED SO DRINK, DRINK, DRINK I DID. COULDN'T EVEN STAY AWAKE TO WATCH TV ... FELL OFF TO SLEEP & WE BOTH GOT THE ABSOLUTE BEST NIGHT'S SLEEP WE'VE HAD IN AGES.

GOT UP THIS MORNING & FEEL FANTASTIC ... NOOOOOOOOO PAIN ... WE'RE GOING BACK TONIGHT & POUND THE TREADMILL.

WHY, OH WHY DID WE WAIT SO LONG TO DO THIS?????????????

GOD BLESS ... DAWN & NICK


"HITTING THE WALL" - BIGGIE NEWS!!!
Original Post by Lady D * on 04/19/2007

MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT I "HIT THE WALL" & STOPPED LOSING WEIGHT OVER 2 1/2 MONTHS AGO ... WELL, LAST MONDAY I STARTED A MODIFIED LIQUID (VERY HIGH) PROTEIN DIET USING ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY PACKAGED PROTEIN PRODUCTS. WELL, SOMETHING IS WORKING CUZ NOT ONLY HAVE I LOST ALL THE STALL WEIGHT, BUT I JUST DROPPED DOWN TODAY TO MY LOWEST WEIGHT EVER!!! WHA-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

THE ONLY THING MY NUTRITIONIST WANTS ME TO DO IS TO ADD ABOUT 2 CUPS OF VEGES A DAY TO MY HIGH PROTEIN DIET.

1/27/2007 = 169.4

1/28 - 4/15/2007 = 169.6 - 175.0 = HIT THE WALL

4/16 = 172.2
4/17 = 171.8
4/18 = 169.4 = lowest weigh ever hit on 1/27/2007 the first time
4/19 = 168.0 = LOWEST WEIGHT SINCE THE 1980s

SURGERY WEIGHT: 280

CURRENT WEIGHT: 168

LOST WEIGHT: < 112 >

28 #s TO GO TO DR BYRNE'S GOAL WEIGHT & POSSIBLE PLASTICS ...

42 #s AWAY FROM MY "IDEAL WEIGHT" OF 126 BUT I THINK THIS IS WAY TOO LIGHT AT MY AGE OF 54.

CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE ... GONNA CELEBRATE WITH MY HONEY TONIGHT! (after our session at Pivotal Fitness Gym!)

GOD BLESS YA'LL ... DAWN & NICk


3 KINDS OF "WEIGHT"

THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT WEIGHTS THEY TALK ABOUT ...

"IDEAL" WEIGHT IS IF EVERYTHING IS PERFECT & YOU'RE 18 AGAIN ... YOU CAN USUALLY FIND THAT ON WEIGHT/HEIGHT CHARTS. I THINK I FOUND MINE (126) SOMEWHERE ON THIS SITE, ACTUALLY.

"TARGET" WEIGHT IS LOSING 60 - 70% OF YOUR EXTRA WEIGHT OVER YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT = 280 SURGERY/HIGH WEIGHT - 126 (IDEAL WEIGHT) = 154 #s OVERWEIGHT x .70 = 107.80 I NEEDED TO LOSE TO BE CONSIDERED A GASTRIC BYPASS SUCESS, WHICH I HAVE DONE SINCE I'VE NOW LOST 112 #s TOTAL.

"GOAL" WEIGHT IS A REASONABLE WEIGHT GOAL FOR YOUR HEIGHT, AGE & MEDICAL CONDITION. DR BYRNE GAVE ME A GOAL WEIGHT OF 140. I'M 54 & AM 5' 2 1/2", NOW IN PRETTY DARNED GOOD HEALTH SINCE LOSING ALL THIS WEIGHT. SO, I HAVE 28 #s TO GO TO HIS GOAL. ASK YOUR SURGEON WHAT FIGURES HE FEELS WOULD BE RIGHT FOR YOU.


Response from Sundi R on 04/26/2007

Hey Nicole,
I had to chime in here about Lady D's page and she's right! I practically printed her page and carried it with me like the WLS Bible until I was comfortable making my own decisions (I bet you didn't know that did ya Lady D?) Of course I listened to the nut and docs but her page was the most inspiring to me. You are doing great and are very "normal".

*** *** *** *** ***

Response from Lady D * on 04/26/2007

OH MY GOSH, MS SUNDI ... I'M BLOWN AWAY! NOPE, DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU DID THAT ... WOW, I'M FLOORED ... UMMM, SPEECHLESS & YOU KNOW ME, I CAN USUALLY BABBLE ON FOREVER ... I'M SO TOUCHED. GOOD GRIEF, I'M GONNA BAWL LIKE A BABY ... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR POST ... I'M SO VERY HAPPY THE INFO IN MY PROFILE HELPED YOU. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY CARRIED IT AROUND WITH YOU ... WOW!

I JUST GOTTA PUT YOUR POST ON MY PROFILE!

GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICk

PS: I JUST WENT IN & TOLD NICK WHAT YOU SAID & HE HAD THIS GREAT BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE & SAID, "OH, THAT IS GREAT!!!!!" YOU'LL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH I NEEDED TO HEAR SOMETHING SWEET LIKE YOUR POST TODAY!


PLAY ON WORDS!
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
~~~ Thomas Edison ~~~

I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY DRESSED IN SPANDEX & LOOKS LIKE
E-X-E-R-C-I-S-E!!!


BACK FROM VA - WOW MOMENTS!!!
WE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TIME IN VA WITH OUR DAUGHTER & FAMILY. NAT & I WENT SHOPPING FOR HOURS WITH 3 EXCITED TEENS & ACTUALLY SURVIVED! THE GRADUATION WAS FABULOUS & I GOT TO THINKING HOW JUST 18 MONTHS AGO, I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO ... ALL THE WALKING & STANDING & SUCH ... NOW, I HANDLE EVERYTHING WITH EASE! WOW! IT'S SO GREAT BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANYTHING & EVERYTHING ...

WE WERE SLAM BUSY ALL DAY LONG ... UP EARLY, DROVE UP TO THE GRADUATION WHICH WAS A COUPLE HOURS THEN DASHED OFF TO TAKE OUR GRANDSON TO HIS BASEBALL GAME, THEN BACK TO CHANGE & UP THE ROAD ABOUT AN HOUR WE GO WITH HYPER GRANDKIDS IN TOW TO NATALIE'S GRADUATION DINNER, THEN BACK DOWN THE ROAD WITH HYPER GANDKIDS IN TOW AGAIN, STOPPING AT THE FUN PARK ... &, THEN HOME FOR THE EVENING.

SPEAKING OF THAT ... OUR GRANDKIDS WANTED TO GO TO THE FUN PARK SO OFF WE ALL WENT & HERE ARE "PaPaw" & "MaMaw" IN THE GO CARTS RACING AROUND THE TRACK RIGHT ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, BUMPIN' & PUSHIN' & HAVIN' A GREAT TIME ... &, MY BACKSIDE FIT IN THE SEAT JUST FINE, THANK YOU! THE GO CARTS WERE REAL LOW ALMOST ON THE GROUND & I COULD SCOOTCH DOWN TO GET IN & HOIST MYSELF UP OUT OF THEM WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM. IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOL!!

WE WERE NON-STOP FROM THE TIME WE LEFT UNTIL WE GOT HOME & THEN WE STILL HAD ENERGY TO GET DINNER & UNPACK. AAAWWWHHH, LIFE IS GOOD! GOD BLESS Y'ALL ... DAWN & NICK


SUICIDE BY FOOD in the USA
STATISTICS NOW STATE THAT 40% OF ALL CANCERS DIAGNOSED IN MEN ... &, 60% OF ALL CANCERS DIAGNOSED IN WOMEN ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO DIET & NUTRITION. THAT MEANS THAT HALF, 50%, OF ALL CANCERS OVERALL ARE PREVENTABLE JUST BY EATING PROPERLY & SUPPLEMENTING OUR NUTRITION.

IT SEEMS LIKE OUR COUNTRY IS COMMITTING SUICIDE BY FOOD.















Make your own custom scroller sign at ProfileMix.com!


http://EssenceOfHealth.mymangosteen.com

In late 2005, both Nick & I had the WORST annual physical & lab reports ever!

JUST BY US CHANGING A FEW EATING CHOICES AFTER MY GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY TO PACKAGED PLANT PROTEIN (soy & whey) & EATING LESS FAT, WHITE CARBS & SUGAR, HAS BROUGHT ABOUT MAJOR CHANGES IN BOTH OF US ... SO, IF JUST CHANGING WHAT WE EAT CAN MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE, WE BELIEVE THAT ADDING HEALTHY SUPPLEMENTS LIKE XANGO CAN PUT THE ICING ON THE CAKE HEALTH WISE.

OUR RESULTS HAVE DEFINITELY SUPPORTED OUR BELIEF!!!

In late 2006, both Nick & I had the BEST annual physical & lab reports ever!

AFTER TAKING XANGO (Mangosteen Juice - full fruit & rind puree) ...
... OUR ENERGY HAS SKY-ROCKETED
... OUR PAIN LEVELS HAVE DECREASED, & IN NICK'S CASE, HE EVEN QUIT TAKING MOBIC, his prescribed anti-inflammatory/pain medication that he had been taking daily for a year
... OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE IMPROVING ... instead of beng sick all winter long, MY ENTIRE FAMILY HAS NOT HAD EVEN SO MUCH AS A SNIFFLE SINCE DRINKING XANGO
... WE'VE BOTH HAD A COMPLETE DECREASE IN GASTRIC PROBLEMS with Nick being able to QUIT TAKING ACIPHEX because he is problem free ... &, my "pouch" has calmed down tremendously to where I CAN EAT ANYTHING NOW, even hard-to-digest items like chicken, steak & pork, & fried & spicey foods
... Nick had a decrease in RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME (RLS) symptoms
... &, the greatest thing for me is that for the 1st TIME IN 35 YEARS, MY HEART CONDITION (PSAT - Arrhythmia & Tachycardia) HAS IMPROVED & IS CALMING DOWN TREMENDOUSLY ... even to the point to where my Cardiologist is no longer considering surgery!

... My parents, who are 78 & 80 years old, have even experienced wonderful results as well in an amazing increase in their energy & stamina (they're able to do things now that they haven't been able to do in years), an improvement in memory & communication skills (Momma has Alzheimer's), they've both stayed well the entire winter FLU season (never had happened before XANGO), a decrease in pain, & a decrease in Daddy's symptoms of Depression.

THERE ISN'T A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT THE 4 OF US DON'T DRINK THIS AMAZING,
ALL-NATURAL SUPPLEMENT.

I am now beginning to get similar reports from my clients ... I remember when Aloe was brought to market & the amazing benefits it gave, & still gives to those who use it ... well, this is like that only better (in my opinion) - If anyone is interested ...

DAWN NASH
XanGo Independent Distributor - #7476505

livinourdreams@earthlink.net
843 270-0455 (Cell) ~~ 843 821-0345 (FAX)
http://EssenceOfHealth.mymangosteen.com


~~ FROM 279.80 #s - WEIGHT LOSS since SURGERY 10/28/2005 ~~

1 MONTH (30 DAYS) ... 11-27-2005 ... 246.60 #s ... 33.20 TOTAL LOSS

2 MONTHS (60 DAYS) ... 12-27-2005 ... 235.20 #s ... <11.40> =
44.60 TOTAL LOSS

3 MONTHS (90 DAYS) ... 1-26-2006 ... 223.20 #s ... <12.00> =
56.60 TOTAL LOSS

4 MONTHS (120 DAYS) ... 2-25-2006 ... 218.40 #s ... <4.80> =
61.40 TOTAL LOSS

5 MONTHS (150 DAYS) ... 3-27-2006 ... 214.00 #s ... <4.40> =
65.80 TOTAL LOSS

6 MONTHS (180 DAYS) ... 4-28-2006 ... 208.80 #s ... <5.20> =
71.00 TOTAL LOSS

**203 DAYS ... 5/19/2006 ... "ONE"DERLAND ... 199.60 ... 80.20 TOTAL LOSS
... 1st TIME IN THE 100s SINCE 1998-1999**

7 MONTHS (210 DAYS) ... 5-26-2006 ... 199.00 #s ... <9.80> =
80.80 TOTAL LOSS

8 MONTHS (240 DAYS) ... 6-25-2006 ... 190.60 #s ... <8.40> =
89.20 TOTAL LOSS

9 MONTHS (270 DAYS) ... 7-25-2006 ... 191.40 #s ...
GAINED .80 of a POUND - I'VE BEEN GOING INTO MENOPAUSE & DOC PUT ME ON HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT) WHICH CAUSED ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS ... 88.40 TOTAL LOSS

10 MONTHS (300 DAYS) .. 8-24-2006 .. 188.80 #s ... <2.60> =
91.00 TOTAL LOSS

11 MONTHS (330 DAYS) .. 9-23-2006 .. 183.00 #s ... <5.80> =
96.80 TOTAL LOSS

**343 DAYS .. 10/06/2006 .. "CENTURY CLUB" = 100 #s LOST .. 179.40 .. 100.40 TOTAL LOSS**

12 MONTHS (365 DAYS) .. 10-28-2006 .. 179.40 #s .. <3.60> =
100.40 TOTAL LOSS

13 MONTHS (395 DAYS) .. 11-27-2006 .. 174.20 #s .. <5.20> =
105.60 TOTAL LOSS

14 MONTHS (425 DAYS) .. 12-27-2006 .. 173.00 #s .. <1.20> =
106.80 TOTAL LOSS

15 MONTHS (456 DAYS) .. 01-27-2007 .. 169.40 #s .. <3.60> =
110.40 TOTAL LOSS


~~ GONE FOREVER ~~

11-02-2005 ... 5 DAYS ... 269.60 #s ... 270s ARE GONE FOREVER!

11-09-2005 ... 12 DAYS ... 259.40 #s ... 260s ARE GONE FOREVER!

11-24-2005 ... 27 DAYS ... 249.20 #s ... 250s ARE GONE FOREVER
ON THANKSGIVING DAY!!!!

12-23-2005 ... 56 DAYS ... 238.60 #s ... 240s ARE GONE FOREVER!

1-5-2006 ... 69 DAYS ... 229.80 #s ... 230s ARE GONE FOREVER!
TOOK ONLY 69 DAYS TO LOSE THE 1st 50 #s!!!

2-23-2006 ... 118 DAYS ... 219.20 #s ... 220s ARE GONE FOREVER!

4-22-2006 ... 176 DAYS ... 208.40 #s ... 210s ARE GONE FOREVER!

5-19-2006 ... 203 DAYS ... 199.60 #s ... 200s ARE GONE FOREVER!

I'M IN "ONE"DERLAND!!!

6-30-2006 ... 245 DAYS ... 189.80 #s ... 190s ARE GONE FOREVER!

10-6-2006 ... 343 DAYS ... 179.40 #s ... 180s ARE GONE FOREVER!


I HIT THE "CENTURY MARK" - 100 #s LOST!!!

01-24-2007 ... 453 DAYS ... 169.60 #s ... 170s ARE GONE FOREVER!



~~ BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) ~~
Range Meaning
over 50 Super Morbidly Obese
40.0 - 50 Extremely Obese
30.0 - 39.9 Obese
25.0 - 29.9 Overweight
18.5 - 24.9 Normal
less than 18.5 Underweight

10-27-2005 ... 000 DAYS ... 279.80 #s ... BMI 51.2 = Super Morbidly Obese

11-01-2005 ... 4 DAYS ... 273.40 #s ... BMI 49.9 = Extremely Obese

2-28-2006 ... 123 DAYS ... 217.20#s ... BMI 39.60 = Obese

5-19-2006 ... 203 DAYS ... 199.60#s ... BMI 36.50 = Obese
"ONE"DERLAND!

6-30-2006 ... 245 DAYS ... 189.80#s ... BMI 34.70 = Obese

10-6-2006 ... 343 DAYS ... 179.40#s ... BMI 32.70 = Obese
"CENTURY MARK" = 100 #s LOST

1-27-2007 ... 456 DAYS ... 169.40#s ... BMI 30.90 = Obese
ONLY 1 ITTY BITTY POINT TO ENTER THE "OVERWEIGHT" CATAGORY!

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LOST 79.30% OF DR BYRNE'S GOAL
GOING FOR A GOAL OF 140 #s

LOST 72.08% OF DAWN'S IDEAL WT
GOING FOR A GOAL OF 126 #s

1/27/2007 = 15 MONTHS = 169 #s = SIZE 12/LARGE

THOMAS K BYRNE, MD BARIATRIC SURGEON at MUSC (MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA) in CHARLESTON, SC

DIGESTIVE DISEASE CENTER at MUSC

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One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to him and the other to the LORD. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me." The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you".
~~ by Mary Stevenson ~~

How tall are you? feet, inches. (Note: don't put " or ' marks in the spaces above.) How much do you weigh?pounds?

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