hopeful4success

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

It's hard to believe that it has been seven months since my surgery!  I am feeling well, with one exception.....bad gallbladder. It has been giving me some pain, more right flank but also some right upper outer quadrant abdominal pain.  So after some tests and checking things out, I had my gallbladder out last week. For anyone who has been there, done this, my HIDA scan which measures gallbladder function, was 4%.  Anything below 35 % is considered a diseased gallbladder, normal is like 70%!!! So I decided that I would have surgery on my terms and time than my gallbladder's.  I certainly didn't want it to act up during our beach vacation next month or even worse the week/day of my daughter's wedding in June! I weathered the surgery well.  Had it laparoscopically.  Went into surgery at 4:40 pm on Wednesday after working until 3 and was on my way home at 8pm!  I am truly blessed, I recover sooo quickly and easily from surgery.  I took a few days off and was back to work on Monday.
This was a long, tiring week, but finally made it to Friday.
I have now lost 99 lbs.  I feel great and once again, my only regret is that I didn't do this long ago.
Will post new picture soon.

Well, I missed posting at 5 months. I continue with awesome success, although it has definitely slowed!  I am down 88 lbs.  Have had two serious plateaus; one about 10 lbs ago and another the last couple weeks.  But I think that is to be expected.  I feel soooo much better.  I have more energy and self confidence. 
Buying new clothes is a fantastic adventure.  I actually bought a pair of size 10 jeans last week.  Wooo-hoooo!!! Its so great to walk into a regular store and fit into things. 
Been very busy planning my daughter's wedding.  Enjoying each moment, even with the craziness! They had planned to get married in May of 2010 and moved it up to June 5,2009.  So we are BUSY!  But everything is coming together very well!
Did upload a few new pix, more later.
If you are debating this life change: consider it seriously, research it thoroughly, but believe me, I wish I had done it years ago!

This is definitely one of the BEST decisions I have ever made in my life!!!

I continue to do well.  Biggest regret: I should have done this years ago!  I am down about 77 pounds.  I took measurements pre-op and each month since.  I have lost 2.5 inches in my neck, 8 in my upper chest, 7 in my bust, 9 in my waist, 5 in my hips, 2.5 in each thigh and 2.5  in each calf. It just amazes me! I am wearing a 14 in pants (including jeans) and larI ge or x-large shirts/sweaters. I actually tried on and could fit in a 12 pants yesterday!

I haven't been on OH much lately. Busy...in a good way. Holidays were great.  I did get off of my routine a bit.  But overall did well. Especially if you stop to think about the changes between how I have handled them in the past and did now! My weight loss slowed a little, but has gotten back to normal since I have gotten back on track. I know I will not continue to loose at the pace I did before.  But a few pounds a month are still wonderful! We got a Wii and Wii fit for Christmas.  I have been using Wii fit for my exercise routine.  It is fun!

My brother and nephew from Texas were up for Christmas and we had a wonderful family time. They about flipped when they first saw me. It was so fun!  I even joined in and played paintball for 5 hours with my brothers,nieces/nephews and my kids over the holiday!  Something I never even dreamed of doing a year ago!  It is so great to be active and able to do things!

I saw my uncle at a family get together out of town just before Christmas.  He was so amazed at my accomplishment.  He had thought of WLS before but didn't know if he should do it or not.  After seeing me, we have talked a lot and he is planning surgery with my dr. soon.  Even though that is a couple hours from his home, he is doing it here.  I am excited for him.  I just know how much this has changed my life.  I am thrilled to share this with him and others.  A couple friends are in the process of jumping through the hoops too in preparation for having surgery. with my dr.  The only thing is I have been so blessed and, relatively speaking, this has been so easy for me that I sometimes feel guilty....am afraid others may not be as fortunate and have as positive experience as I.

It is so great to feel so much better! I continue to be off of eight medicines.

My daughter has been home from college and we have had so much fun shopping together!  It is so nice to fit into things and shop together!  Love it! And she got engaged at New Years.  We love her fiance, so totally approve.  He is/has already been part of the family. Starting to make wedding plans, even though they aren't getting married until May 2010 after she graduates from college. 

Will try to update pictures shortly!

Three months out, wow! It was actually three months ago today, that I came home from the hospital.  But it really seems as though this has been my lifestyle for longer than that. It is hard to remember not living this way!  Not in a bad way necessarily though. I feel like I am/have found how to work my new lifestyle into most all situations.  I make good choices and really don't feel deprived.  "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels!"

I continue with what I consider a very smooth recovery. I have lost 67 lbs.  Which is good, but I do see the losses slowing.  Guess it has to! I often bounce around with it taking a few days to "own" a new low weight. Yes, I do weigh everyday.  But if I didn't, how would I know if I caught myself at a low or high weight?  I often bounce around 2-ish lbs for a few days. 

The inches are falling off though.  I have lost over 5 inches on many parts of my body.  My upper chest, bust, waist,lower abdomen and hips.  It is cool! My upper arms and thighes are slimming too. I am so glad that I did my measurements pre-op and have continued to do so monthly. It definitely is encouraging to watch the inches melt away. 

It has been over 15-16 years since I have been this thin.  My kids who are 19 and 21, don't remember me ever being this low. I get compliments everyday.  Boy, does that feel good!  I am trying to learn to just say thank you and appreciate the comments.  It is so different to allow myself to do that, not allowing myself to deny or put a negative twist on it, just appreciate and accept the compliments.  Its one of those "head things" I guess.  Self image!

Shopping has gotten so much fun.  I am trying not to buy too many new things but have gotten a few things.  So much fun to not even go to the "fat stores or sections".  My daughter who turns 21 today (Happy Birthday, Kristin!) and I went on a girls' day out the other day.  Shopping, lunch, etc. (Cheesecake Factory, yes, I managed it.  Just ate meat, cheese and vegies off sandwich.  Ordered mashed potatoes instead of fries. Even one bite of my daughter's cheesecake! Yes, one and it was enough! My son enjoyed the majority of my lunch later that day!)  Such fun going into stores and trying on things together...not in the plus sizes!! I have actually bought some size 14 jeans!!!!!!!  That does an ego good!

I am learning that my body still needs slow and steady on eating. Chew, chew, chew. I occasionally get what I call a "stuck episode" .  If I eat too fast or don't chew well enough I will get an incredible pressure under my sternum and/or in my anterior, right shoulder. It usually is accompanied by a deep burning sensation in the back of my throat.  I usually end up in the bathroom spitting up the saliva that I can't even swallow. I guess this is what they call "the foamies". Sometimes I can throw up which brings relief. (Speaking of which, throwing up is a different feeling than pre-op.  Kind of weird. It just comes up not the retching...sorry if TMI!!! haha!) The 'stuck episodes"  can easily happen if I am hungry and I forget and eat too fast.  I still haven't "dumped".  Don't know if I really have that or not.  I really  haven't pushed it to find out!!!

I realize I am truly blessed and have had much more than an average positive time with my recovery. I wish everyone could have as relatively easy time as I.  I would have surgery again tomorrow if I needed to do it.

Have taken pictures.  Will try to load them soon.

God bless us all!  Happy Holidays!

Well, its two months since I had surgery.  In some ways it seems like so long ago.  Like I have lived this lifestyle much longer.  Yet in other ways, it wasn't that long ago.

I continue to do exceptionally well.  I have lost about 55 lbs. I tolerate basically everything, although I haven't pushed it too much.  I haven't tried to see if I dump!  Have really been able to stay away from high sugar and fried items. (Although, I must admit, I thought about it while giving out candy to the trick or treaters.  But I didn't give in; not even a bite!)  I have had a couple of "stuck" episodes which weren't the most fun times!  One occurred eating grilled chicken breast, which I have had before and since that time.  I think what happened is that a friend called while I was eating and I continued to eat but obviously didn't pay enough attention to what I was doing.  After only a few bites, I had this intense pressure under my sternum. The next half hour or so, I spent in the bathroom, trying to throw up.  I think I had the "foamies" and finally was able to throw up this little piece of chicken.  Can't believe how this tiny peice caused such discomfort.  But then it passed.  So lesson learned: pay attention while you are eating!

The inches keep melting away.  I am trying not to buy too many new sized clothes.  My sewing machine is helping; I have taken in several pairs of pants, although I am not a great seamstress.  I have had to take in waist, legs and butt, quite a few inches.  Hopefully, I can get through most of the winter doing this then start getting more things as it warms up!

Its really fun to get the compliments and positive comments from friends, family and co-workers. I have a few friends/acquaintances who are considering the surgery now.

I made reservations for my family to rent a island beach house off the Forida coast this May.  I am so excited.  Hopefully by then I will be way down, maybe almost to goal.  It will be a blast!  So looking forward to it.  I think it is like 180 days away.  (But who's counting, haha!)

Looking forward to my support group meeting again this week.  I enjoy touching base with my WLS friends.  If you don't attend a group, I encourage you to do so.
Not much else new. Will update soon.

It's hard to believe it has been over a month since my surgery!  I continue to do well.  Have experienced a few "stuck" feelings from eating too quickly.  Weird that I get right anterior shoulder pain, too, when that happens. But it's good; reminds me to slow down or stop!

Went back to work this week with reduced hours. It was a bit tiring, but not too bad.  Go back to regular hours next week.  Fun, fun!  Oh well, at this point I think I should be thankful that I have a job!

I have lost over 40 lbs now since I started this journey.  That does include some weight that I lost pre-op.  But, I figure I worked for that too, so I am going to count it.  Actually, when I put on a high school pullover for the football game last night, I realized last year when I wore it, it was much tighter.  Its loose and kind of baggy now!  When I stopped and thought about it, I realized I was probably 50 to 60 lbs heavier than I am now, at this time last year!!  Wow!  That was a neat realization!

I have also lost several inches all over.  I did measurements of many body parts!  Several inches have disappeared here and there.  Too bad you can't measure your face.  I have lost a lot there!

Excited to go to support group meeting next week.  Looking forward to seeing some of my friends who had surgery about the same time as I.

Broke into a new "set of tens" on the scale today.  That is so much fun to see new numbers!

Well, a miracle has happened!!! I had lab work drawn last week.  Went to my diabetes doctor today.  He said,"you are no longer diabetic!"  WOW!!! This is what I hoped and prayed for.  Thank you, Lord!  My hgb A1c was 5.1 off all diabetic meds!  It had been 5.4 pre-op but that was with meds including insulin.  Since surgery I have dropped 8 meds, including all diabetes meds (even insulin once a day), bp meds and cholesterol meds. so needless to say, I am ECSTATIC! Doctor says there are no clinical indications of diabetes.  I don't have to check blood sugars anymore.  Will get blood work in 6 months.  Yeahhhhhh!!!!!!!!

We are still recovering from Ike, and his wind storm in Ohio.  Still have some repairs to be done, but getting there.  Got the important ones done that would have caused more problems if rain, etc. We were so fortunate though with getting power back quickly and could have had much worse damage.  If the big tree at the back of our house had been a few feet over......we would have lost roof and back wall of our house! So, I am counting my blessings.

I am still doing very well.  No issues.  Have had only a couple minor stuck feelings when I ate too fast.  Really weird, but I know common.  It causes me right anterior shoulder pain. No problems with any foods I have tried.  Overall, I still don't know how it could have gone any better!!!

I have my appointment with my surgeon tomorrow.  Will update after that.

I continue doing well.  Biggest problem: trying to relax and chill as much as I should!  I am tolerating all soft foods I have tried.  Continue with no nausea/vominting, etc. I am truly blessed!
BUT, dear Hurricane Ike decided to pay us a visit two days ago.  What??....we are in Ohio!  We had winds up to 85 mph in our area.  Massive electric outages and wind damage.  We lost two big trees, one coming close enough to our house that it pulled off gutters and trim boards, and is laying across our back yard, also covering a third of our deck! It could have been so much worse though.  We also are some of few who were lucky enough to get our electricity back only after being out about 14 hours.  Many/ most surrounding areas are still without electricity. So, it's been a bit crazy around here!
Blessings and prayers to all.  Especially, those of you affected by Hurricane Ike!

I am truly blessed!  I had my surgery, laparoscopic roux-en-y ,on Sept. 8, 2008.  I came home yesterday afternoon, Sept.10!  I really feel good.  I walked and walked in the hospital. I have had some pain, but not too bad.  Had a PCA at first, then went to oral liquid pain med.  I also have an ON  Q pain ball. It delivers a local anesthetic to your abdomen through tiny tubes tucked into your abdomen.  The ball part of it decreases in size as the medicine is used up.  It lasts up to 5 days post op.  Mine is almost empty. I will probably pull it out (they told me what to do and gave me dressings, etc.) tomorrow
I started my "new lifestyle" today. (Notice, I did not say that nasty word, diet!) I am eating soft foods,slowly. Of course, I can still have my clear/full liquids. So far, so good. I make things as fine/tiny as I can and take a bite, put my fork/spoon down, and chew, chew, chew!  I have gotten all my fluids in today and am getting close to my 60g of protein.  I think I will have a protein shake later and that will make it! Nothing has gotten stuck or made my nauseated or vomit. I swallow pills whole. Did buy chewable children's vitamins, so I chewed them. 
I had very good care at the hospital.  The nurses and PCT's were wonderful, caring people. My doctor is very kind and obviously a talented surgeon.
The best part of this is what I hoped and prayed for has begun to happen.  I came home from the hospital on NO diabetes, blood pressure or cholesterol medicine!  The last diabetic meds I took were Sunday night before surgery.  I took no meds for diabetes during my hospitalization and the highest blood sugar I had was 101! I am to check my fasting and one pre-prandal blood sugar each day.  This am my fasting was 108, my pre-prandal was 94.  My battle has always been with my fasting. So far, so good! I am slightly anxious about what will happen when I continue/increase my diet to more regular foods. Of course, though, my exercise will increase, too.  But, one day at a time.  Hopefully, it will continue!
I will try to update soon and note my progress!