cococristallis

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Well its been a while since I last posted. the summer has come and gone and winter is here. In about three weeks I'll celebrate my one year anniversary since getting banded, and its been quite the journey in terms of me realizing my goals and dealing with myself in general.

I am not yet at goal, which could upset me, but I realize that this is a choice that I have made by not utilizing the tool that I have to its full effectiveness. Despite this, I feel and look awesome, if I must say so myself! I weigh anywhere between 192-195 right now given the day. My goal was to reach 175 by my anniversary, and although that probably won't happen, I've settled with being at 185, shoot 190, which is more realistic, and being at goal by the time of my next doctors appointment in late Jan 2009.

I really don't have much more to say, but I wish all of you reading this well and I look forward to posting again to let you know when I've reached my goal weight!

Howdy all! Its been a while...5 months actually, and man has it been wild! My personal life has been topsy turvey, but I'm glad to say that for the moment all is well.

As for my weight loss...well thats a whole nother story! I've been losing steadily since my last post, about 1lb a week. Im about 25lbs from my personal goal, but truth be told, I just Knew that I'd be at goal six months out. Looking back, it was realistic, however, as I've said in previous posts, I've proven to me my own worst enemy. Those bad habits that never really left came back in full force, and I was stunned to learn that I could eat ANYTHING I wanted, despite having two fills! At this point the only thing I can't tolerate is french fries (oh how sad I was!!! lol). Part of me wishes I could'nt tolerate anything so I could lose the rest of this weight, but realistically, I know that even if there was only four things I could eat, I would probably eat them adnaseum and inadvertently sabotage myself...

Despite not being where I said I wanted to be (note its funny what we say we want, but my actions proved again to be louder than my words!), I have had some significant successes..

I'm off one of my blood pressure medications, which was a HUGE accomplishment, and my doctor is considering lowering my doses on my other two, albiet I continue to lose weight, which I will...

Secondly, I can get into a size 12! In my last post I mentioned that it was a goal of mine, and yea for me, it has come to pass....Now being perfectly honest, the size 12 pants are a bit snug..okay, alot snug, lol..but I can get in them and breathe! A 14 fits a TON better, and 16, depending on the fabric is too loose in the booty or just right...Progress not perfection right!

 Neways, I could go on forever, but I've got to run, but look for more as I get back in the saddle!

Howdy all...

Well as is mentioned in my title, Im a little more than two months out and man, to be completely honest, its slightly falling apart. After some steady weight loss, I've actually had the audacity to gain a pound back! Im totally disgusted with myself...but I know where I have gone wrong and what I need to do to get back on track. Unfortunately, my motivation is low, despite the encouraging words that I hear from friends and family.

I've finally come to realize, or rather accept, that this is a PROCESS and not something that will come quickly for me. I didnt gain all this weight in 6 months, and I cant expect to lose it all in that short period of time either, despite what I might think. I oftentimes have pondered where I'd be if I had decided to have rny instead of the band, but I figure, that this is the journey I chose because I knew that it would be a challenge, and Im not someone who's ever backed away from a challenge that I know I can win.

Having said all that, my biggest single hurdle is simply myself. I am my own worst enemy and best support system when I choose to be (totally bipolar, i agree!). For now, what is going to have to keep me going from day to day, meal to meal, is that I didnt sacrifice and risk my health, sanity  and friendships to have this end unsuccessfully. Besides, although there is still snow on the ground...spring is forthcoming, and I'll  be damned if Im not wearing something short and sassy thats a size 12 by then...

Wish me luck, good luck and happy weight loss to you all!

Milling on the loser's bench...

Coco

Well my birthday has come and gone, and alas I did not lose the twenty pounds. I know see that it was slightly unrealistic, but its alright. For some crazy reason, I did not lose any weight for two weeks, then I had a major slide backwards, eating poorly at least one meal a day (mcdonalds, ect) and lo and behold....I lost three pounds this week alone! Whoda thought? Im thinking my body is probably like, oh shes feeding me again, I'll go ahead and let some of these pounds go...Im back on track today though, and Im hoping that slip was the plateau breaker I needed so that I can lose 16 lbs before my graduation, which is on the 16th of February. I'll defintely keep posting, especially since my first fill is on Jan 23rd.

Well, Im about three weeks out from surgery and Im doing pretty well. I lost eight pounds my first week out, and an additional four pounds in the week since then. This past week, I've maintained, which has totally bummed me out (i had this great goal that I would lose ten pounds by new years, and ten more by my birthday-Jan 11), but reality has set in and I dont know how Im feeling about it.

I know I should be applauding myself for what I've already accomplished, and I've received nothing but compliments since returning to work, but its wigging me out that I'm stuck in a rut...Ive got to be truthful..I did start my pureed foods two days early (i couldnt take ANY more chicken broth) and i did eat a few chocolate candies (the minis)  but I'm working hard at just eating a grand total of 1 cup of soup a day (over two meals) and yogurt or protein shake for breakfast. Ive also been exercising, although not everyday, but at least four times this past week.

I know this is supposed to be a time of healing and until I get my fill I might not lose anything else, but that will absolutely drive me insane as thats a whole month away....

Well the plan is to up the water (i sorta fell off when I went back to work on Wednesday), make sure im getting in my protein, and EXERCISE my butt off....and pray that I lose at least 10-12lbs by my birthday..unrealistic? maybe...but Im crazy enough to think I can pull it off! I'll update at that time to tell if I accomplished it!

Well, Im finally home, i was actually only in the hospital one night which wasn't too bad. I thought I would go home the same day seeing as though my surgery was scheduled at 730am...actually didnt start until about 830, but alls well that ends well.

Thus far my pain level isnt too bad...Im blessed to have a pretty good pain tolerance and only got pain meds three times while I was in the hospital.

The only thing im concentrating on now is making sure I get enough fluids and keeping moving. My gas is killing me though, but Mom says that if I keep moving it will pass, so thats what Im doing...

Well thats about all for now...will update soon!

Sorry its taken so long to update, but I found out Tuesday that I was approved for surgery and found out Wednesday that my date will be December 12, 2007!!!! Im super duper excited as this has been a long time coming!!! Two and a half years to be exact..
So the liquid diet sucks, but i know that as with everything, it too shall pass, and I guarantee, being 30lbs thinner(my first goal) by my bday (jan 11) will be totally worth all the hard work and sacrifice now..
Well thats it for now...I have my preop appointments tomorrow, and I will update then.

So today was the day that I was to find out whether or not I would be approved for lap band. After waiting anxiously all day, I called anthem...only to be told that i was denied due to not meeting the state of indiana qualifications...this absolutely stunned me as I just KNEW that I would be approved. Even more so, I was hurt, because I have been approved previously for LapBand (back in 05) and couldnt understand why I wouldnt meet the qualifications when Im worse off both weight and health wise...

needless to say, I made a ton of phone calls, to the hospital, my benefits specialist, and finally was told that I actually was denied because they stated that i did not have five years of documented weight loss. Fortunately, the nurses did some checking and they actually had the five years, but anthem wanted to make a big deal because i only had documentation for years 02, 03, 05, 06, and 07, and not for 04, which would have made 6 years, which is actually more than the requirement is...

irregardless, i was told that they (hospital) would remain dilligent and appeal the decision if anthem denied me despite me meeting the qualification...

well although i am a bit uncertain about the outcome of all this, i remain optimistic..due in large part to me looking online at my benefits at anthem.com...and finding that there is an APPROVAL Authorization dated today for a procedure sent to them 11/16...and seeing as though I didnt have anything done that day, but I know thats when the hospital sent my stuff to anthem...Im thinking I've been APPROVED!!!! YeAH!!!

So lucky or not for me...i'll have to wait until monday to get total confirmation, then on Tuesday, i'll have to hope and pray that i can actually have surgery next month instead of waiting til next year....

so thanks for all your good thoughts and hopefully next time i blog it will be about my op date!!!!

Well its been a few months since my last post and so much has occcured...First off ..I'm at the end of my six month medically supervised program and my letter of medical necessity has been sent to my insurance.  At this point Im just waiting...anxiously of course and will be stalking my insurance starting Tuesday to see if I've been approved.

The process has gone pretty smoothly, although in the process of taking all these tests its been discovered that I have sleep apnea. Not real excited about that discovery, but I picked up my CPAP machine today and will start it tonight...

I am extremely grateful to the staff at St. Margaret Mercy, they have been AWESOME!! Everything that I had to do was mapped out, and although these last few weeks have been filled with hospital visits for sleep studies, ekg's, stress tests and the like. 

Short and sweet I know..but I'll report more when I get my surgery date 

So I went to my appointment at St. Margeret Mercy today...The staff there all seem wonderful... I will have my bloodwork done in the morning....sending all my releases of info to my last insurance carriers to expedite the process....hopefully things will be much smoother this time than the lst time I tried doing this!!!