boernecheryl

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I just had to share - I have new babies at my house!  The adorable young man who is my avatar - Tanner - is a proud daddy.  We have 5 gorgeous long coat Chihuahuas.  This is a terrific litter with MANY champions in their pedigree and I am really hoping for some show potential pups here.
I've posted their photos - Rosie and Tanner's litter - and will update as they get older. 

To recap my new life to date:
My surgery went great.  Awesome hospital, amazing physicians -- I would go back to there for ANY procedure in a nano-second. 
Very little pain - mostly the first and second day after surgery - well controlled with non-narcotic pain meds.  No pain since.
I thought I was STARVING at first when I was on clear liquids.  DR explained it was the stomach acids - not really hunger pains - because my tummy still thought it had to produce enough acids for the OLD size.  That has already started to change.  I am still taking a Prilosec every day but I honestly don't think I need them anymore.
I had 10 days of clear liquids followed by 10 days of "full" liquids - I'm now moving on to soft foods for 10 days and then all restrictions are removed.  My biggest problem?  I'm not hungry!  I have to FORCE myself to eat to make sure I get my protein in.  I'm taking my daily vitamins, but I'm supposed to make sure I get at least 60 gr of protein every day.  Thank goodness for protein shakes, but I am getting tired of sweet stuff.  When I DO get hungry and want something more substantial than soup, I heat up some refried beans with fat free cheese.  I can eat about 2 tablespoons and I'm FULL.  It's incredible.  I can see myself making an entire meal out of 1 bean and cheese taco - and leaving the tortilla!
The amazing news??? 
My high weight before surgery was 250.  After 7 days of hi protein, low carbs pre-op, I was at 240.  This morning I'm at 218.  I have lost 32 pounds and have 68 to go to reach my goal weight of 150.  I AM 1/3 OF THE WAY THERE!
Is it hard reworking my life to NOT revolve around food?  Yes - old habits are hard to break.  I used to spend a HUGE amount of time thinking about food, planning my next meal, etc, etc.  Was that healthy?  No, it was an addiction.  I'm fairly certain that God didn't intend for me to live my life just to consume food.
But I did it for so long, I'm sure it will take a while for me to learn new habits.  But I'm working on that. 
In the mean time, it no longer hurts to walk!  My feet don't ache from standing and walking anymore.  My knees feel better.  I am SO happy I did this. 

I am SOOOO tired today.
I have been waking up every morning before the alarm, feeling terrific and full of energy.
Yesterday was a lot of work.
My dad came over bright and early to help me work on my yard, which has been neglected for the past 2 years and is WAY overgrown.  He limbed up all the trees; all I did was haul the cut limbs into a pile in the side yard so I can burn them another time.  But it was a good solid hour of bending, stooping, dragging huge limbs, and tossing them into a pile.
After I was covered in sweat and bright red in the face, my stepmom MADE me stop and come inside to the air conditioning, a glass of water, and a cold wash cloth.
Well, the yard looks 90% better (there are still the bushes to be trimmed) but not all of the limbs are piled up since I had to stop.  I figured I would tackle that this morning in the cool part of the day.
Well, I did't wake up until almost 9.  I went outside, dumped one load and didn't feel good.  I came in, made my breakfast shake and sat down to check emails. 
I feel like I can barely lift my arms!
My to-do list for the day was:
dishes
floors
laundry
finish picking up limbs
plant flowers from nursery (that have been waiting for 2 days now)
make necklace for friend (thank you for feeding my dogs while I had surgery)
All I want to do is go lay down!  What's up with this?????
Is it mental?   Or did I just "over do" yesterday?
Because tomorrow is my first day back at work after surgery!  I HAVE to be able to get up and get moving in the morning.  NOT an option!
I feel like I should listen to my body and just go lay down.
But I HATE to waste the very small cool part of the day (S. Texas summers are BRUTAL).
CRAP.
Well, my yard looks like hell but the limbs WILL wait until I feel better.
The dishes ARE disgusting but I'm not at risk from a health department raid so those can wait also.
MOST of the laundry can wait as long as I at least get the girlie things done so I have clean ones for work this week.
As long as I don't look down, the floors can wait.
If I water the flowers in their tiny plastic pots, they'll wait patiently on the patio table.  They waited patiently at the nursery, so what's the diff?
The necklace is a MUST.  I HAVE to thank that lovely lady.  But I can do that later today, and it's a sit down job.
Okay - decided.  I'm going to go lay down.

1) I would have brought my smallest purse, cell phone, heating pad and laptop - NOTHING ELSE.  I will wear home the clothes I worn in, and live in their pj's the rest of the time.  I brought way too much stuff and I can't lift the bag now.  :-(  On second thought, I'd leave the laptop too.  People can live without me for a week.
2) I would pay for 1st class and arrange for a wheelchair at the airport.  I will be arranging for one for my return flight, and I will be trying to upgrade when I get my boarding pass!
3) I would have tried to find someone to come with me.  Doing this alone is not something I would do over again.

Those are the only things I can think of right now.  My tiny Tina tummy hurts and we both want a nap.  See you on day 3 when I hopefully feel better!

1) It's not "babysitting" if your wife left you at home with your OWN kids!
2) I Speak Fluent Sarcasm
3) God still loves me even though I don't forward those emails
4) Saying "You're welcome" to people that don't say "Thank you"
5) I Wish Mosquitoes Sucked Fat, Not Blood.
6) I don't care if it's 4 am, you're my best friend and I'll take care of you.
7) Let's find 1 million people who actually SUPPORT our Veterans
8) MAKE DRUG TEST MANDATORY FOR WELFARE

Well, I'm in trouble (again).  So what's new?
I told the maternal unit of my intentions.  She is NOT a happy camper.
You wouldn't believe the litany of "why's" I got. 
WHY would you consider something so severe?
WHY wouldn't you just go on a diet?  (HA!  Yeah, like THOSE work for me!)
WHY would you want to spend that kind of money?  (Hmmm, let's see...maybe there's not much of a price tag on regaining one's LIFE???)
WHY can't you just count calories like I did? (Hmmm, yeah, that's always been real successful for me also.  Sorry I'm not YOU.)
Then there are the "who's" and "how's"...
WHO is going to take care of your dogs while you're gone?  (Like I seriously didn't think about this????)
WHO is going to take care of YOU?  (Ditto to above comment)
HOW are you going to be able to afford this?  (Okay, I know you're my mom but my finances REALLY aren't anyone else's business - would you ask your friends this question?)
Then she starts (re-starts actually) sending me DIET ADVICE she finds on the web.  (Yea, she's been doing this off and on for the last 10 years -- goodness knows THAT has always been helpful!)
Well, she IS my mom, and I KNOW she loves me, and even though she makes me crazy as only a mother can do, I DO love her.
So I tried to put my feelings in an email, and tried to answer her questions as best I could and even tried NOT to be ugly about it (altho that was my first "knee jerk" reaction).  I'm HOPING that letting her know that my cardiologist okayed this is going to help her some.  But probably not.
(Gee, she was all in favor of her HUSBAND having weight loss surgery - he's 360 lbs - but now she's in panic over ME doing it...  Guess it's a mom thing.)
Reading her email made me feel like she thought this was totally elective and cosmetic  - like a face lift.  Which REALLY rubbed me the wrong way.  But then, not only am I ultra sensitive about my weight, I am ultra sensitive with any comments from HER.  Good old family dynamics...
I HOPE that my reply to her will help her - or at least win me some silence on the issue.  I haven't heard back from her about it and it's been a couple of days, so I'm taking that as good news.  Then again, it could be the silence before the storm.  Maybe she's just gathering ammunition.
Well, bring it on.  I've done my homework.  I researched this from top to bottom and am 100% comfortable with my decision.  Not that I won't get nervous the closer the day comes!  But thankfully, I have this wonderful community to lean on.
So here's to all the mothers in the world, and all the daughters who just seem to always find a way to get in trouble (again)...

I've done it!

I got myself approved for surgery, made my appointment, booked my airfare and even got the blessing of my cardiologist!  WOO HOO!
I even told the folks at work that I'd be off for surgery, planned my days off, and set it up so I can work from home the week I am recovering.  (Hey?  What's a little computer work???)

I'm lining up someone to feed "the herd" and I'll worry about the rest later.  Color me happy, and excited!

Welcome to my journey.

I am on a quest – a quest for health. The maternal unit would be thrilled but dubious. Can’t say I blame her – it’s a first in my 52 years on the blue planet. But here I am.

52 years old, 100 pounds overweight, two years out from double bypass surgery, with high LDL, low HLD and on my way to being pre-diabetic (if one believes their physician). I can’t walk my dogs because my excess weight hurts my knees and feet. I get out of breath bending over to change their piddle pads. I’d love to get into showing my wonderful herd of chihuahuas but I’m too embarrassed by how I look to want to do anything in public.

After many years of trial and error, I have discovered what so many others already know – diets don’t work! I can’t afford another diet – everytime I go on a diet and lose any weight, I gain back twice as much as I lost. That’s how I went from 150 to 250 in a little over 10 years.

And so I have joined the ranks of those in search of assistance with this problem – also known as weight loss surgery (WLS).

I am hesitant to tell anyone about my decision for WLS. In my mind’s ear, I hear all these skinny, physically-fit people rolling their eyes with a look of disgust on their faces, thinking “Oh good grief – just push away from the table, fatty!” (These are the same people I see and hear in my mind saying “That’s disgusting” when they see me, which is why I never want to go anywhere.)


If only dieting were that easy.

There are statistics all over the internet showing that diets don’t work. I know they never have for me.

My earliest recollection of feeling fat was in 6th grade. My first diet attempt was in 9th grade when I was allowed to cook for myself. I remember living off of hot dogs and hamburger patties – the Atkins diet before Dr. Atkins! I was 5’ 6” tall and weighed 132 pounds. As I compared myself to the other girls in gym class, I was FAT. Pitiful, isn’t it?

Between age 14 and today, I have been on and off almost every diet published, including going to Mexico for diet pills (the ones you now hear of on the television asking you to join in the class action lawsuits for the all the health problems they caused). Weightwatchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystems, Atkins, South Beach, cabbage soup diet – been there, done that. And I did well! I always lost weight. The sad part was, for every pound I lost, I gained back a pound and a half. Lose 20 pounds , gain back 30. Lose those 30, gain back 45.

According to the National Weight Control Registry, “only a fifth of dieters with a history of obesity sustain a loss of 10% of their body weight for a year or more.”

Luckily for me, I do have one advocate in my court. My dear cousin – the smartest person I’ve ever met – went through WLS of her own years ago. So she not only understands but can offer me real life experience, advice, and a laundry list of questions to ask. Thank you Lord for Denise!

I am especially not looking forward to telling the maternal unit. While I love her to pieces, and I know she loves me and only wants the best for me in all situations, she is, by nature, a negative person. I need positive thinking and support through this process – not doom and gloom or negativity. And so, I will avoid THAT discussion as long as possible. (Yes, I have feathers and a beak! Color me a chicken!!!)