Melanie S.

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Okay, I go in for another visit in the next two weeks. I have been finding I get stuck really easily if I dont drink my hot coffee and let things relax before I eat.

I have slowely been shedding pounds and hope to be in wonderland soon. Stil have to get to the gym. I chased my kids around in Safeway yesterday and actually RAN! It didnt hurt it didnt pull, i wasnt panting like a dog in the sun! What a great feeling. Also dyed my hair black. it looks really good! 

Since I found a doc out here (finally) I have dropped 8lbs! Gotta keep on keepin on..

Love you all! 

Okay so the last time I wrote it was Thanksgiving! Well here I am 5 months later and updating. So much has gone on since then.

I took a job in another state, 2100 miles from NC. I am working as a Blackberry Admin at PetSmart. I was flying home to see my family every two weeks. The original plan was that they would move out to AZ after school got out in June, but the kids said they had enough and wanted to be with mom..   So here we are!

I have been stalled and have gained about 4lbs since january. So I finally said enough and contacted a doctor here in AZ. I have an appointment on the 27th. I have another appointment for my Thyroid checkup. My body is losing all of the loose skin and toning up, but I just cant drop the pounds. So I am hoping that the two appointments will get me back on track.

I have officially dropped from a size 26/28 to a consistant 16. It is hard to believe that it has only been 1 year.

Thank you all for your continued support. I promise Im not going to let this stall get to me. I have got so much going for me, and so many wonderful people around and pulling for me. I am not going back.

Talk to you all again real soon!

Melanie

Today finds me sitting at the office watching the Macy's parade from one of my plethra of demo phones. This morning I looked around my closet and decided to try on that 16W pants that have been sitting there.. Not only do they fit, but they are kinda big in the legs. WOW! What a nice feeling. That makes the last item that is too small in my closet.. Guess this means for the next go around I need to go shopping.

Unfortunately we are unable to go to see the family this year for thanksgiving and christmas wont be any better, but we want everyone to know that we are thinking about them and miss them terribly.

Well, I believe I've spent as much time as I can stand here at the office. Im going home. See you all soon! Have a great day! Dont eat too much.

-Melanie

Okay so its been a while, but I just wanted to share some really great news! This saturday I weighed in at 225! I have 60lbs till my goal. I am at the half way point.

This weekend we went to the mall, we went into Lane Bryant to look at clothes. My husband made a comment after seeing the size sign that I wouldnt be shopping here much longer. Lane Bryant caters to 16 - 28. We went inside and I tried on a sweater, size 18. Too big. Okay, size 16. Too big. My next thought.. No WAY!

So after getting the shell shock of my favorite store being too big, we decided to go into the little girls store next door. Fossil. We looked around and they had this really cute top in an XL. So I looked at him and said should I try it on? Next thing you know the nice young man was showing me to a dressing room.

I started to change when my husband came back with a skirt, he threw over a skirt for me to try on. It was a really cute wool skirt, XL.

To my suprise, it went on. So did the shirt. Not only did it go on but it wasnt too tight. I laughed for about 5 minutes before coming out of the dressing room. Both of us started to tear up from me being able to put these on and they looked great!  So for the next 2.5 hours we went into every clothing store on the first floor of the mall and tried on clothes. It has been 17 years. The hard part now is not shopping. 

I cant wait until the next time we go into the mall.

See ya!
Melanie

I cannot believe it! I am down 50+ lbs since starting this journey in April.

I went in for a fill last week, WOW was that an adventure. I got 1.5 cc added to my band and that was too tight so she took out .5cc's. I am now not able to eat as much as before. I also find that in the morning I am a little tight and cant really eat anything, so Im drinking shakes right now and getting used to the new restriction. I lost another 2.6lbs last week!

Posted some new pics that Aaron took of me in the park. Hope you like them!

Talk to you all soon!

Went to see my doctor on Thursday for another Visit. I am down 18lbs since surgery on 6/15. That is an average of 2.5lbs a week. She was very proud of me and I did not get a fill. I find that I do pretty well being satisfied with what I am eating for the most part. I do find that dinner is a meal that I feel like I could eat more of. I think it just may be my head telling me that it is still hungery and not my body. I have had one or two more bites after that and feel just bloated. So I think I'll let my tummy do the talking not my head.

Like all weight loss patients I am finding that my really nice shoes dont fit anymore. Which just means I'm going to have to go out and buy some more. YEAH for me! Boo for Aaron! lol.. Although Kess will get plenty of cool new shoes to accent her outfits for school this year.

I went to a yard sale this weekend and bought a couple of more outfits. This lady dry cleaned everything before putting it out for sale, including the mens polo shirts. So i picked up 3 suits, one light jacket and a denim shirt.  I was so excited about one of the suits, it is a formal suit with a floor length cream colored jacket with beaded accents that go up the arms and lapels. It is a size 18. It fits a little snug now. I was hoping that it would be good for christmas. Then Aaron brought me back to earth to say that it might not even be close to making it until christmas.. Which is what I was thinking of. He asked me how many pounds would it take for it to be too big. I said something like 15. Well I must be failing at math or something. Given my current track record that is 7 weeks not even. YIKES.. I still struggle with the idea that the weight is coming off. Its a hard thing to come to reality with. It feels like 6/15 was months ago, not a month and half.

I finally found a protien shake I can tolerate as well. They are from Costco. They are $24 a case, have 30grams of protien and 4 carbs. Not a bad trade. I am also drinking lots of wylers light, pink lemonade, citrus blend, and raspberry. Good stuff. Easy to drink and nothing bad for me.

Kess and I started going to Zumba class last monday. It is every monday. Last weeks class was a real eye opener. I am not coordinated thats for sure. Want to start doing water aerobics again at the YMCA. So gotta go out and find a bathing suit.  YEAH right.. they got winter coats out now. So we shall see.

Okay gotta get back to work...

It has been almost 3 weeks since my surgery and I feel good for the most part. I did something stupid and pulled a muscle on sunday. That was awful. Then my allergy to "percocet, rocecet" kicked in. I spent the better part of yesterday morning heaving.. Guess its time to come off the good drugs.. lol..

I have lost an additional 10lbs since surgery day. I got lucky this weekend and went to a yard sale that had all size 18/20 clothes. Most were in great condition and some had tags still on them. They were $1 for pants and $.75 for shirts. How lucky can you get!!

I also had a great co-worker who has undergrown(?) her clothes, so she gave me a good bag full! 

I had a wonderful wow moment when I was digging through my drawer of pants, and found two pairs that I hadnt worn in a couple of years. They were too tight, I put them on and found that I was swimming in them. So I have two new pairs to wear! One is a pair of work pants. The other is a pair of brand new black jeans, they say one size and they fit like they are 2 sizes smaller. Why oh why cant the figure out how to make womens pants all the same?

I am also going to be working with a family member for support on her weight loss. It has been pretty exciting here so far.

Hopefully tomorrow when I go see the nutritionist and my doctor I can graduate to mushies.. Soft foods like fat free refried beans stuff like that that is easy to go down and digest. This liquid diet is killing me, well okay not killing, but Im so tired of drinking stuff.

Talk to you all soon!

Melanie

Today is a beautiful day. I say that because I am healthy. I am happy. I am working. I am loved.

I got my staples out today. I will be contacting the dietician to see if I can go on creamy liquids not just clear. I feel really good right now and wanted to share with everyone.

Just remember you are all loved!

-Melanie

Okay, sorry all that I havent let you know how I'm doing. I had a couple of days of gas pains, and didnt know if sitting in front of the computer was the best thing.

Surgery went well. I weighed in at 262!!. A total of 27lbs lost since last july when I started. They got me in early, which is always a good thing, and from what my Dr said, I did so well on the preop that my liver was way down and she had no problems getting in there. She stated that it was one of her more text book surgeries. I was on the operating table for 35 minutes!!!  Of course we got up to the room around 1:30-2pm and pretty much dozed in and out. My husband went and got the kids and they came up to see me for a few. I was so out of it that they pretty much got to watch me sleep. We did get up that time and go for a quick walk down the hall. Man did that ever feel uncomfortable. I swear they should just leave an open whoopie coushen hole or something in your belly to get rid of the gas. At least you could laugh at it escaping.

I had air trapped under the top incision, which is at the base of my sternum. The best analogy I have is that it felt like I had a lump of peanut butter trapped there and no amount of milk was going to dislodge it. I FINALLY started burping at 12am. I was finally able to get it together and sleep for longer than 30 minutes.. I slept for 1 hour 30 min. My husband was relieved. He was finally able to get a little nap. Then it was up, bathroom and a walk. I pretty much got all my walking in during the night. At 530, I sat in the recliner in the room and fell asleep. I was soo tired. I got my pain med and was out within a couple of minutes.

We came home, and I hardly remember the ride. I slept in the chair for the first couple of days/nights. I just couldnt lay down because I always had that same feeling in my sternum. I finally was able to lay down for the first time thurs night. I slept for about 3 hours and was back in the chair.

I was able to get some of my Ice Slushie in on thursday night. Just ice cubes run through the blender to make snow mixed with some water. The shakes completely grossed me out. So since then it has been Isopure and broth.

I have been getting up and moving more, which is fantastic. I feel pretty good. I cant wait to get my staples out next thursday.
Well enough for now.

Love you all!
Melanie

Okay, So after 3 weeks of my preop diet, it finally comes down to this. ... Im excited, scared, nervous, you name it. I cant seem to settle down.

We have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off for the past couple of days. We went to GNC yesterday and stocked up on all sorts of different clear protiens. The manager used to intern in the bariatric ward where I will be staying tomorrow night. Got my liquid vitamin. Its kinda gross looking, but it doesnt taste too bad. If anyone wants to look it up it is Source of Life Liquid from Natures Plus. Im down another couple of pounds too which is a good thing.

I have to be there at 9:45am and will be in surgery at 12:15. Here it is still an inpatient procedure so I am required to spend one night. I should be leaving the hospital tuesday morning.

Aaron will call or send email to everyone. Dad he will call you after 6 your time. Well the kids are at a pool party, and we were invited to drop back by and go swimming, and I need a distraction.

Love you all,

see ya on tuesday!!!! (I may have my laptop with us at the hospital)