IT's been a year since my surgery!!!!

Aug 20, 2009

It doesn't seem possible that it has been a year since my surgery... last year at this time I was a ball of nerves... very sleep deprived... since I was worried I/we would miss the ferry thus miss my surgery check in  time.

I was in pain most of the time... legs, back and feet... any walking was both painful AND I would get sweaty!!

I can believe how much my life has changed over this year....I am 130# down from my highest in 2008 and 100# from my OR date,  I started out in a size 26-28  and now I wear mostly 14's and some 12's.  I am very happy with my results so far.  While I have extra skin... spanx usually keeps it not so wiggly.  I hope I can get my insurance to pay for plastic surgery in the next year or so.

I am a bike rider now... and while on vacation last week... my DH and I biked a total of 55 miles... and 21 on one of the days!  I walk uphill about 11 blocks to work most days... I am a little out of breath... BUT NOT SWEATY!!!

I still want to lose about 18 to 20 pounds... I know this is possible! 

Having WLS is a major decision NOT to be taken lightly.... WLS is a tool to help me get to my health and fitness goals... NOT a cure for obesity ... which a part of me early on was hoping for!

I have learned that  for myself  planned meals; eating  protein first; drinking at least 64oz of water; eating high fiber foods and NO grazing is the best way for ME to use my WLS tool. Have I done this every day...NO... but since I went to the OH event this past weekend in Bellevue... I have recommitted to using WLS tool better!

Some recent observations.....
I can wear "skinny jeans" and look great in them...
I can wear high heels again... and NOT be so wobbly and /or have my feet hurt so bad that I could barely walk in them. 
Wearing clothes that fit help me see have far I have come this year.
I can finally buy bra's from Victoria Secret!!
I love bike riding.... I love that I found an exercise that I actually look forward to doing  ... AND this is an activity that my DH and I can do together.
I tried kayaking this summer and definitely want to do more kayaking this fall or next spring and summer.
I need to write some goals and an actionable plan to get there.  Almost every speaker at the OH event (AND other 2 emails that I received this week) stressed the importance of goal setting.  If you don't know where you are going or how you are going to do it ... how are you going to get there???

Most of all... I would have never have had such a great first year without all of you on OH.  You have been my lifeline, my support, my inspiration... and some of the best people I have ever met!!!!

Thank you....

Helen
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6 months Out

Mar 07, 2009

Its hard to believe that I am 6 months out and over 100 pounds and down from last January! What a wonderful ride this has been.

The big thing that is happening now is figureing out what I can do now that I could not do before... last week I discovered that I can walk up to work from the ferry and NOT get sweaty!!!  So now I am walking up the hill 2 or so days a week.... as the weather gets better I will probably walk up more.

I don't mind getting my picture taken... I went and got an enhanced driver licence yesterday...so I can cross the border without a passport (by land and sea)... and I liked the picure they took... AND I got to lower the weight on my license!!!

The "girls" started shrink.... I don't think I am DD anymore.. this is probably a good thing.. since I  have only gone down from a size 46 DD to a 42 DD.   As soon as my bras are too loose around... I will think about getting something new ones.  I did buy undies for the first time in Decades from a non plus size store.... that was fun!  I even got some fun for me to wear on Valentines day!

I am wearing my Husbands fleece and sweatshirts now...




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This week makes 4 months....

Dec 15, 2008

Its been so long since I post anything here.... bad Helen  bad bad bad!!!

I still have not gotten my lab results back from my 3 month check up... I hope they come in this week... it would be nice to know  the results! The PA at my Surgeon's office was very happy with my weight loss.

I am down to size 14/16... closer to 16 than 14... but I am loving my new clothes from my sister in law.  Without them I would have nothing to wear!  My favorite is the "little black dress"... I wore it to the only Christmas party I am going to this year. Most of the people at the party had not seen me since surgery...I made quite the enterance!!  I felt so beautiful!!!

As of this morning I am down to 245.6... I just endured my first stall... OMG... I thought I was going to have to cut off a limb so that I would have lost some weight this month!  But over the weekend, my stall broke and I lost almost 4 pounds this week!  While I know stalls are part of the WL journey....  but when I was in the middle of this one.... I was going crazy!!!  I really struggled not to graze.. even tho I REALLY wanted to!!!

I have discovered that I can handle a little bit of sugar... this has kind of scared me... the good news is that after a bite or 2... I am done!  So different than before surgery... I am gratefull for the fear of dumping... just because I can a little sugar... does not mean I can have lots of sugar!



I am a Size 18

Oct 04, 2008

I knew I could wear my LB sz 18's... but of course I thought I could wear any of the sz 18's... So I went shopping downtown on friday... and I tried on a woman's sz 18 at Coldwater Creek and one at Macy's!!!  I am so excited!

My next size to buy will be misses 18 or woman's 16! 

Almost 6 weeks out

Sep 28, 2008

I progressed to soft foods and found out that thinly sliced deli meats are not my pouches friend.  After having a couple of stuck episodes... that included the dreaded foamies...I stopped eating deli turkey.  Clearly I am a slow learner.  I asked a WLS surgery friend about it... and she said try some thicker cuts... and  I and it went down just great.

This  week I can start on full foods...

Today I ate lettuce for the first time... not much... but it was great.  Tonight for dinner I had 2 small pan squashs. It is great to start eating veggies again.

I have decided to keep a small pouch of tuna and some canned green beans with me... so at least I know that I will some thing I can eat... sometimes there are not great pouch friendly foods to choose from.

I am down almost 24 pounds since surgery... 54 pounds overall... I feel great... I am sleeping much better... and my knees feel so much better... going up stairs is not so much of a problem.  I was part of a group photo this week.. and I can say that I looked pretty good.  I did not feel like I was so huge in the picture... I guess 54 pounds makes a difference!  I am wearing my 18 pants and 18-20 tops.

I am still struggling to get much exericise in.. but my DH and I have been doing more walking, I am taking a yoga class once or twice a week.

I am still struggling with occasional constipation... Miralax is my new friend.


2 week post op appointment and graduation to pureed foods

Sep 04, 2008

I met with both my nut and my surgeon yesterday.  I was so ready to move up to pureed foods...  and I got the go ahead to move up to pureed foods.  My first pureed foods was cottage cheese... I was so wonderful to be able to "chew" something.  I tried some well cooked chicken that that I ran through the blender... but  I think I ate too fast or too much...and my little pouch was not happy for the rest of the night... so I am back to mostly liquids and cottage cheese today. 

I am excited to start eating other foods... but I have to say I am very nervous to try other foods... there is safety in only being able to eat from a short list of foods... I am gratefull for the next 2 or so weeks to start trying new foods. But I am nervous about the soft stage ... and I have to start creating my meal plans... and get all my protein in.

My visit with my surgeon went well too... he was happy with my weight loss... and how well I had done after surgery.  He also gave me the ok to do any exercise that I want... so Wii Fit ... here I come!  He does not want to do any weight lifting for another couple of months.

According to my Dr's scale... I am down 22 pounds from my last visits... and down 41 pounds from my first 6 month diet appountment. YEAH!  I am loving my RNY!!!

Surgery and first few days at home....

Aug 25, 2008

WOW...  its hard to believe just a week ago I was all nervous... drinking liquids... and hoping that I would  sleep the night before surgery.

Surgery day started out with me waking up at 3 am... and watching the clock untill 4am when I could get up and take a shower and get ready to take the ferry.

I checked at 6:30am, Cheri took some before pictures... which I will post when I get them. By 7am they where taking me upstairs to the pre-op area.  I got changed... then talked to the anes, the anes resident, and the OR nurse.  My surgeon stopped to see me briefly. Then about  8am I got my IV... the resident did it and it was almost painless... yeah!  I got moved to the OR about 8:20.

I remember being in the OR... then the anes said we are giving you the sleep medicine.... then next thing I knew I was in Recovery... and it was about 1 pm.  I finally woke up... then I went up to my room...

My husband and my friend Cheri came up to my right after I arrived.  They told me my surgery ran long because Dr Hunter had to take down some adhesions for my gallbadder surgery 30 years ago... so I have 1 extra hole... 6 rather than 5.

I was a little uncomfortable... thank goodness for the pain pump!!  Dr Hunter came by about 5:30... we must have been laughing about something.... since he said.. it looks like we are having a party in here!  He told me the surgery went smoothy.. except for the adhesions... which he was surprized to find.

The nurses got me up and out of bed that evening... just a short walk to the sink.... which was only about 3 steps away... I think I had the smallest hospital room at VMH... but I had a great view of Seattle.

I got up and walked again about 9pm... but this time ... I walked to the nurses station.

I slept until midnight... until my IV started beeping.... I was still drugged.... since I could not remember if it always beeped.  The pct come in to take my vitals...and got the nurse to change the IV.

By 5 am my IV got blown and my hand swelled... thank goodness the IV team was on the floor... so my IV got changed right away.

Dr Hunter's resident came by... and told me that I did really well... and that Dr Hunter said I wanted to be on the fast tract and get out of the hospital today.  All I need to do is pee... walk independenly... and pass gass or have bowel sounds.... I had the latter....

I spend most of the day.... drinking 1 once of liquid every 15 mins... and walking down the hallway.  After the first few trips... my husband decided to stay in my room.

Dr Hunter's  resident came by about 3pm... and once they knew I had my post-op meds at home.... I got discharged about  4:30... on the 5:30 ferry... and home by 6:45.  I took pain meds almost every 4 hours... for the next day or so.  By friday.... I didn't need the pain meds as much. By Saturday I only needed pain meds at bed time.


I'm Approved and have a Date

Jul 27, 2008

I was approved in a week after my papeirwork was sent in to my insurance.  YEAH!  I am having surgery on Aug 19th. 

With my surgery only a little over 3 weeks away... I am not really nervous since it still is a little surreal for me.  I am sure when I start my 2 week pre-op diet... it won't be "surreal" anymore.!

Down 1 pound...

May 10, 2008

Well I saw my nut this week... and in spite of all the emotional eating ... I actually lost a pound... I have to say that I almost cried.  I had beat myself up for going back to my old habits... but had gotten back on track for the last week. She reminded me to focus on the changes that have made... drinking more water, getting in at least one cup of veggies each day and taking my vitamins most days. I definately need to make taking vitamins a habit!

My knee is finally feeling better... turns out I the Physical therapy I was doing was making my knee worse.  So I got a cortisone shot last Monday...and its a miracle... I can finally walk up stairs with on a little discomfort.

I bought a Pilates machine and set it up yesterday.  I really like it ...  it's fun... and even my husband likes it!



Not doing so well on the food plan this month

May 04, 2008

I lost another 9 pounds in March.... but I think I have gained it all back in April.

The first week or so... I go a little "cocky" and stopped writing down my food (big mistake)... then I started to eat my husbands snack foods... then I just plain binged.  Getting back on track has been difficult.

Then I found out that my father was critically ill and died within days of me finding this out.  Thankfully my brother and I were able to see him before he died... he was lucid, talkative, funny and I was able to tell him how much I loved the aspects of my personality that I got from him that I love about myself.  I was able to say I loved him, and he told me loved me to... and "to be good"... which I thought was pretty funny!

I did great with my food the first couple of days... then I got sloppy... started feeling sorry for myself (as least that is the excuse I used)... and decided to eat whatever I wanted.  I know I am retaining water.... but I hope I have not done too much weight gain.  I am still too heavy for my home scale.,.. athough I could weigh at work... I am chooseing to only weigh at the Nut's office.

Today is a new day.... and I will make better food choices!!!  It sunny out ...so I may try to take a walk... no hills.. my knee is still not healing.

This month I have not walked as much or exercised... the PT exercises make my knee worse... and I have done any other exercises with other body parts... but next week I am starting to go into work later and stay later one day... so I hope that will give me the time I need to work out.

As much as I hate this waiting period ..... I need this time to change my relationship with food.




About Me
Bremerton, WA
Location
33.1
BMI
RNY
Surgery
08/19/2008
Surgery Date
Dec 21, 2007
Member Since

Friends 53

Latest Blog 15
This week makes 4 months....
I am a Size 18
Almost 6 weeks out
2 week post op appointment and graduation to pureed foods
Surgery and first few days at home....
I'm Approved and have a Date
Down 1 pound...
Not doing so well on the food plan this month

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