Amanda W.

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It's hard to believe that this time last year I was living on oatmeal and protein drinks on the ever so fun pre-op liquid diet.  My how things have changed in a year!!  I'm down 110 pounds, and less than 50 from my goal weight.  The weight-loss has really slowed down in the last two months, but I attribute most of the slow loss to what I put in my mouth.  I struggle with eating too many "bad" carbs (chips, pretzels, rice, potatoes, etc.), and last week, I made a decision to really watch my intake.  It must have worked to some degree because I lost two pounds.  I walk almost every day, and get in my water, and protein, so I think the "evil" carbs are my downfall.  I did buy some high-protein crunchy snacks a couple of months ago - they even had high-protein pretzels, but they were NASTY!!!!  I also think I am able to eat too much at each meal, but I still eat far less than I did pre-op so I'll take it.

I feel so much better than I did this time last year.  My experience with the surgery has been great, and if given the choice, I would do it all over again.  Nothing except food that has been overcooked makes me ill at this point, not even sugar, but I really don't push the sugar envelope too much.  Overall, I've been doing well, I just wish the scale would go back to moving like it did a few months ago.  I'm hoping that scaling back on the carbs will move me along, but whatever comes, this tool has been worth it's weight in gold.  I wish all the other June surgiversary patients a Happy Re-Birthday!!

Well, it's been awhile since I've updated!!  I'm not good about getting on the computer at home now that I'm back at work and spend all day in front of one there.  I'm down almost 56 pounds, and I'm happy with my progress.  I haven't lost as fast as some of the other June sugery folks, but luckily, I haven't had any problems other than a couple of episodes with chicken breasts.  I can eat chicken if it's cut of in cubes or shredded, but if I have a chicken breast in front of me and try to cut into my own bite size pieces (which are apparently too big or something), I get sick.  Other than the chicken drama, everything else has agreed with me.  

I've been back to work for almost two months, and I'm sad to say that going back to work hasn't really helped to put me in more of a regular routine.  I still struggle to get all my water in and for about two weeks, I wasn't getting all my protein in, which I'm now paying for with hair loss.  Fortunately, I have enough hair that missing some doesn't make that much difference, but I definitely feel for people that can't afford to lose it.  My clothes have been baggy for awhile now, but I'm refusing to buy anything since we are at the end of the summer season, and I have plenty of smaller fall clothes in my closet.  Another 10 pounds or so and I'll comfortably fit in some shirts and pants that I've never even had on!!!!  Looking forward to that.

Hubby and I are headed to Las Vegas for vacation in three weeks, and I'm so looking forward to that.  We've already decided to split all of our meals since I won't have anywhere to keep my leftovers like I do at home.  Hey..at least we'll have more money for gambling.    Also, we've been dining out at various locations to see what kinds of foods work and don't work.  Based on my past experiences, everything so far seems good.  I haven't eaten anything with much sugar and don't plan to on my trip so hopefully, nothing else will disagree with me, and it will be a fabulous vacation.

I uploaded a new pic tonight.  Looking back at my surgery eve pics, I can't definitely see the loss in my face, but it's harder on the rest of my body - probably cause my clothes are so freaking baggy!!  Oh well, I refuse to cave in...I did buy a pair of shorts for the upcoming vacation that were on clearance.  I paid $3 for them, and I figure that I can use them to exercise in when I get back home.

Well, I guess I need to wrap this up for the night as it is way past bedtime.  Hope anyone reading this is doing well!!!

Happy 4th of July!! I'm not very good about keeping this thing updated!!  I'm down 32 pounds, but I'm very disappointed that I've been on a plateau for the past week.  I decided last week that I would quit weighing every day and limit myself to once a week.  I was very disappointed though when this morning I hadn't lost anything over this past week.  I know that my body has to catch up with the loss, but it just makes me feel like I'm not doing something right.  I've been struggling to get all my water in this past week so I'm trying to improve on that and hope that it takes off some more weight!!  

I went to the Dr. this past Monday, and according to their scales, I've lost 35 pounds since my initial visit.  I'm pleased with those numbers, and that means that I've lost five pounds since I was there two weeks ago.  I guess I expected the weight loss to continue to kind of "melt" off over the first six weeks, but I'm finding out that is not the case in my situation.  Hopefully, it will pick back up over the next week.  I have a friend coming in from Florida towards the end of July, and I would really like to be down fifty pounds by the time she arrives.

I finally graduated to the soft food phase of my diet plan, but to be honest, I kind of skipped ahead to this phase over the last 3 or 4 days of the puree portion of the diet.  I've had one *horrible* experience with food and that was with pork tenderloin.  I'm not sure if I ate too fast or didn't chew well enough, but I thought I was going to die.  It felt like I had a bowling ball on my chest, and I couldn't get any air.  I surely don't want to repeat that experience anytime soon so no pork tenderloin for a while unless it's fixed in the crockpot.  I have found that drier food is harder to get down, but other than that one little episode, I haven't found anything that doesn't agree with me (yet!).  I haven't pushed the envelope on sugars either so I don't know my real tolerance for sugars, and I don't plan on pushing it for awhile.

I ate for the first time on Monday...I had some soup at Max & Erma's.  Yum!!  It was nice to go out and sit in a restaurant and be social, but it certainly felt weird to order a bowl of soup and take most of it home.  It was a nice weird but still strange all the same.

I go back to work on Monday (July 9).  I'm only getting paid 70% of my regular salary, and since I'm feeling tip top, I don't see any reason to sit around the house any longer when I could be making full $$$$$$.  I'm kind of excited to see how things will go when I'm on a more regular routine.  Hopefully, I can manage to leave work everyday somewhat close to on time so that I can get home and whip something up for dinner.  

Well, I've rambled enough.  Hope all is well with anyone reading this!!

It's hard to believe that two weeks ago today I was preparing to be wheeled into the OR.  I had my first follow-up visit with my surgeon and PCP on Monday, June 18th.  According to my surgeon's scale, I had lost 29 pounds since my very first visit in their office, and my PCP scales said that I was down 26 pounds since my last visit with her.  I was very proud of that loss.  I was also given the all clear to start on pureed foods.  Thank the good Lord!!!  I was sick of soup!!

My PCP also took me off all but one of my mediciations (Lipitor for my cholesterol), and she indicated that in six months I may be able to eliminate that one from the medicine cabinet as well.  Wooooohoooo to that!!

I've been walking twice a day.  I walk different routes in my neighborhood, and my husband tracked the mileage on one of my routes, and it was a mile.  So most days, I'm walking between 1 to 1-1/2 miles each day.  I try to walk when I first get up so I can avoid the heat and then again with my hubby after dinner.  So far it's working pretty well, but I know when I go back to work, I'll lose my morning walk and have to do it all in the evening.  It feels pretty good to get out there and move.  I hope by the time I go back to work that I'll be up to two miles.

I go back to see the surgeon on July 2nd, and we'll make the determination at that time about when I return to work.  I'm sure it will be shortly after that visit so I'm trying to enjoy my time off while I'm feeling pretty decent.

I also had my first mini WOW moment on Monday.  I had been driving with my steering wheel in the highest position so that my belly would fit, and I was finally able to lower the steering wheel all the way and still be able to fit comfortably behind the wheel.  It was a good feeling!!  

I haven't noticed any change in my clothes still, but I'm hoping in another 10 pounds I'll be seeing a difference.  My friends and family say that they notice the weight loss in my upper abdomen below my breasts.  I want to notice it in my waistband, but I'll take it any way I can get it. :-D

I'm feeling pretty good.  My three main complaints at this stage are that my left side is still pulling when I bend over (I'm a fanatic about shaving my legs, and it really hurts to do it in the shower),  and the incision just above my belly button opened a little at the bottom and is oozing a little drainage, and I'm SICK  of the full liquid diet.  I was on this same diet for the 10-day pre-op diet, and if I'm to the point that the thought of more soup makes me want to hurl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  However, I'm committed, and I only have 3 more days after today and then I can move to puree.  Hallelujah!!!!!

Since I went to the hospital, my scale tells me that I have lost 18 pounds.  WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!   I'm very pleased with that result, and overall, I've lost 24.  I'm not down any sizes or anything (of course, all my clothes have elastic waists so who knows how long it will take to actually get into a different size).  I've been walking twice everyday.  Today, I walked around two blocks in my neighborhood, but I'm not sure what the distance was.  It took me about a half-hour to walk it.  I was proud of that accomplishment.

I go to see my surgeon for my first post-op visit on Monday, and I also see my family doctor to discuss the plan for chaning the dosages on my medications.  Hopefully, I can come off of one of them cause it tastes icky in anything!!!!!  I'm excited to see what they have to say!!

Well, that is enough posting for the moment.  I have to go find something to slurp on!!

I meant to post the day before I went to the hospital, but I couldn't ever get any time on the computer with trying to prepare for my big day.  Oh well!  Better late than never!!  

One funny note from my surgery date - everyone kept asking me if I was ready, and my routine answer was "Yes, I'm very hungry and just want to get this done."  My clear liquid diet from the day before had definitely worn off by my 2:15 pm surgery time.  I wasn't exactly thrilled to go under the knife, but I knew once I woke up that hunger would no longer be my main issue.  Silly, huh??

My surgery was a success, and apparently, for a fluffy person, I'm very healthy...so healthy in fact that my surgeons thought I would come home yesterday.  Unfortunately, that did not happen.  I ran into a bit of nausea on Thursday night and was give anti-nausea meds which put me out like a baby.   At my 7 am vital check on Friday morning, I had a slight temperature of 99 degrees so I wasn't discharged yesterday.  BOOOO!!  However, everything went like clockwork this morning, and I was finally discharged!!!! 

I came home and took a much needed shower, but it really wore me out, and it made my incision sore, but I feel much cleaner so I think it was worth it!!  At the moment, I'm pretty sore at my incision site on the left side, but in a few days, I imagine I'll be feeling much better.  It will probably also help to finally have comfortable furniture to rest on...hospital beds and chairs are the pits!!!

I also have to confess that I weighed myself after showering, and I lost six-tenths of a pound from when I went in the hospital and that was with my hair wet.  I came off my IV yesterday, and I was pretty much only eating/drinking what I put in my mouth, which admittedly wasn't much because I'm just not hungry.  However, I must say, the very first popsicle I ate tasted like manna from heaven.   After two days on 1 oz. of ice chips every hour, it was nice to take in something that had some taste.  BTW...an oz of ice chips was not enough during some of those hours so if you are reading this with an upcoming surgery date - here's my word of advice...ration your ice chips carefully!!!!!!!!  My only other problem at this time is that my left hand is really sore (that's the hand with my IV), and it's a little swollen, but I imagine it will feel better in a day or two as well.

I'm looking forward to weighing tomorrow when I'm all dry and can see what's what around here.

My husband was a real trooper this past week because I was an emotional wreck the last week before surgery (questioning my decision, wondering if I would make it through, etc, etc).  He kept me up with pep talks and a shoulder to cry on.  He also slept on a highly uncomfortable recliner the entire time I was in the hospital.  He's a good guy, and he's been the most supportive person throughout the journey thus far.  

I'm sending out good luck wishes to all of the upcoming June surgery dates and speedy recoveries to all of those that have gone in the last few days!!

T-minus 9 days and counting to the losing side.....I'm very excited about seeing the new me.  I'm currently on day two of my pre-op liquid diet, and I miss chewing.  :)  I've been reading people's profiles to keep myself motivated, and it has helped.  It's amazing to see the before and after pictures as well as read many of the same thoughts and feelings that I am currently having.  This website is truly a godsend!!  

Saturday was a difficult day for me because it was my last day of "real" food.  I think I was in mourning or something because I felt like crying twice at the thought of not being able to eat many of those (admittedly not so great for you) foods.  I'm not an overly emotional person so it was a bit surprising to me.  I guess this is when the true mental battle with yourself begins, and you find out what you're made of.  I went to bed hungry last night, and I dwelled on my thoughts of if I could do this.  Thankfully, I fell asleep fairly quickly, and I couldn't think about it too long.  Luckily, I have to work the rest of the week, and I'll be too tired to give it much thought, and I'm hoping that being at work will keep me too busy to think about food.  

I had my pre-op testing on the May 24th, and everything went pretty well.  I was the most nervous about the upper GI, but that went like clockwork.  It was the pulmonary function test that about did me in.  I felt like I was dying when I had to breathe into that machine.  I hope I don't have to do one of those tests again for a long time.  I'm going to have my hubby take some "before" pics of me sometime this week so I'll be able to look back and see how icky things were before I gained the use of this wonderful tool.