Jeanne417

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Shannon and Corey had their baby in February - a beautiful baby boy:  Landon Corey.  I just withthey weren't so far awy.  I am dying to hold my grandson.  HOPEFULL SHANNON AND Landon will be coming before long and will spend a couple of months here.  I'm so excited.  He's adorab le.  i can't get enough pictures - but it's not the same as being able to hold him.  Hopefully his passport will be ready soon.
SinceChristmas I've hit a plateau on weight loss and am waiting to start losing again.  I would like to get down to 135 lbs. - another 36 to go.  The only nice thing about plateauing is I haven't had to go right out and buy new clothes - I'm broke!  So here I am living on 3 pairs of pants because I know the second I go out and get clothes I will have lose enough weight again that the clothes will be too big!  I would like to start losing the weight again over the summer so I won't have to buy clothes until school starts up again in August and hopefully will be at my ideal weight.  I've been lucky when it comes to loose skin.  I don't have any hanging skin on the face or neck.  Where I do have hanging skin in on the upper arms - as a kindergarten student described it "you have skin like jello!".  So I guess 3/4 or long sleeves are a must for my wardrobe as I cannot afford any more surgery.
I am looking forward to swimming this summer  to get my exercise.  Since I no longer belong to the gym, I need to swim and take walks.

 

Happy New Year to all!
"Hopefully the more you see of me - the less you see of me..." has been my motto since May 31st when I had my sleeve gastrectomy.  And my motto is true to its word:  I've lost 97 pounds and there is a lot less of me.  I still have a ways to go, but I'm confident that day will get here when I can say once and for all that I weigh a normal weight.  I've had a very good experience from the very beginning.  The surgery went well - I did not feel I had surgery - the tiny incisions were the only indication that I had surgery.  I never had any side effects like nausea or vomiting.  I have maintained a steady loss.  I exercised at the gym twice weekly - both strength training and cardiovascular exercise.  A few times I have had some carbohydrates - but I've always maintained small portions.  It's hard to imagine losing almost 100 lbs. in 7 months - but I did it.  I still plan on losing another 58 pounds.

Shannon has now joined Corey in Italy.  In less than two months, Landon Corey will arrive.  I am looking forward to my first grandson - I just wish they were close by.  I hope to be at my goal weight when I visit them this summer.
I like my new job for the most part.  I just wish I was with only one school.  I dislike travelling between two schools - I don't feel like I made a lot of headway part time.  Sometimes I miss the classroom - but not too much!  I just hope this position stays open and the funds don't get cut.  
I wish everyone a very happy new year.

I've now lost 79 pounds!  For the most part I feel good.  I do have some aches and pains in my joints but don't know if that has to do with the weight loss or age!  Wouldn't you know - they give us a whole week off for Thanksgiving ( a first in the school system) and I get jury duty!  Shannon's birth certificate finally arrived and it won't be long until she has her passport and will be joining Corey in Italy.  I'm hoping she can come to FL before she goes, but it may not happen.

I am really pleased with the change in BMI.  I just donated 10 garbage  bags full of clothes that no longer fit to the Vets.  I hope to be close to my goal by my birthday or when I go to Italy to visit Shannon and Corey and my future new grandson.

Shannon and Corey are having a boy!  I'm so excited for them.  Corey is now in Italy and Shannon is anxious to get her passport to join him.  Corey  already has found a house for them so they are estatic.  My trip to see them was great - I just wish I could have had more time to spend in El Paso.  I enjoyed having Shannon and Corey coming back with me and having all of their friends over to visit.
It was good to have extra inches on the belt in the airplane.  Now I do not feel so intimidated flying.  Now I just need money to be able to fly and go places!  Serving two school as reading coach and my strength training with Bill are keeping me active.  I continue to lose.  My new clothes I bought to start the school year are already too big.  But I am too broke at this point to buy new clothes.  What I have will have to do until the weather changes.  
 

I am getting on an airplane for the second timesince I started the diet.  The best was still a little tight the first time - but I'm hoping to see the difference tomorrow when I board. It's sad that I have avoided travelling for so long  - of course now I don't really have the money... oh well!  I have been feeling tired alot.  I don't know if it has to do with weight loss, new job, or other stressful going ons...we'll see.  But I was able to get pants a size 16 - what a great feeling to be away from size 28 and 3X which were just barely fitting (tight) when beginning this journey.  Single digit sizes are beginning to look possible - a year ago it wouldn't have crossed my mind - actually I had given up hope years ago.  I'm taking a break from strength training as I tackle personal/family matters right now.  However, after Shannon returns to El Paso and then off to Italy, I will be back to business with the gym.  Meanwhile I will keep active, active, active... 

 
Everything is going good so far!  None of my clothes fit anymore - not even the essentials!  I've made do for the summer but with my new job as Reading Coach, I had to do some shopping - I tried to stay with things that hopefully will last me and that are versatile so I wouldn't have to buy too many things.  It was hard to spend the money because I know they won't last long but I needed some professional clothes for my new job.  Hopefully when I get closer to my goal weight, I will have more luck with sales because of my new size.  Large size clothing did not offer too much choice.  I have gone from size 28/3X to size 18/20 or 1X.  My upper arms are proving the most difficult problem - there is still a lot hanging - not just from weight loss but also from age.  The biggest comment everyone seems to have has to do with the loss of weight in my face and neck.  Of course, I want them to notice the rest, but that will come.  All in all, I am very happy.

 

 

I have now lost 33 pounds and am feeling great.  However I am very bored with the foods.  I don't like to eat before noon which makes it hard to get in all of the liquids and meals required.  I am doing good with swimming - when it doesn't rain.  On Monday I am beginning training.  I have a trainer who I am paying for 14 weeks.  He's going to help me get my back muscles stronger - and hopefully some kind of therapy for my tendinitis in my right elbow.  I want to strengthen up up back muscles so that once school begins and I can't swim, I will continue exercising by walking - and be able to do housework without pain.  The training includes free membership to the Celebration fitness center which is really awesome.  However the trainer is very expensive but becoming healthy is worth it.  I have a long way to go yet and am looking forward to results.  People are telling me that my face looks thinner.  My clothes are beginning to hang - I know I've gone down a couple of pant sizes.  I was disappointed when I flew to St. Louis.  I thought I'd be able to see some extra room on the seat belt.  But that isn't to be yet.  However my visit to see my aunts and uncles and cousins turned out great.  They are very happy for me and are rooting me on.  I also think my cousins would like their sibling to try the surgery.  My heart is with all of them.  Teddy has suffered more than me and I hope he will consider it.  It is such a depressing cycle to be overweight and I do believe if I had not elected to have surgery that I would never overcome it and it would have probably led to my death. 

I'm off to a good start.  I have lost 25 pounds to date.  I'm feeling great.  On my first doctor's visit, they said I must have a strong stomach because most patients suffer from nausea the first week.  It's still no nausea - no vomitting - no pain!  I am also now eating "soft food".   the doc said I can now go swimming, so I am enjoying the pool when it's not raining. I went in to work for 2 days last week writing curriculum.  This week and part of next week I am taking my final ESOL class.  The last week in June I am attending a reading workshop.  So June is busy. I will be able to enjoy July.  I don't return to classes until Aug. 13 - with students beginning on the 20th.

Before I had surgery, I had a sleep study done.  I have sleep apnea.  Every 8 seconds throughout the night I would stop breathing - which would cause me to wake up but not remember the next day that I was waking up every 8 seconds.  It's interesting what I learned about sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea can lead to cardiovascular problems and cause strokes.  It also can effect your memory, lose train of thought etc.  One of the big characteristics of sleep apnea is loud snoring ( more or less the snoring is like gasping for air).  Anyway, dad always was  a huge snorer and I think he may have suffered from sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is not uncommon for overweight persons - but it's also not limited to overweight persons.   This could explain a lot of dad's forgetfulness and small strokes.  Anyway, I also believe mom had it.  There were times when she matched dad with her snoring.  I had never real thought a lot about sleep apnea - I knew I was tired all of the time, had become forgetful, and would have to be careful driving so that I would not "nod off".  The snoring I contributed to mom and dad and the thought crossed my mind I might have sleep apnea abut never asked to be tested because I didn't know that there was anything that could be done about it.  I am now using a CPAP machine (a kind of respirator) when I sleep at night.  It forces my airways to stay open so I can get some sleep.  It has really made a difference how I feel - more alert and not tired.  I can watch a TV program after work without falling asleep.  Like I said, it's common but not limited to overweight persons.  Since I think both mom and dad suffered from this, I just wanted to let you know in case you may suffer from any of these symptoms.  Because of the surgery I no longer drink coffee (caffein), but a good night's sleep has felt like a couple of cups of strong coffee.  Anyway you can look sleep apnea up online to read all of the symptoms and see if you have enough that you might want to look into having a sleep study.  Just an FYI.

Meanwhile, on another note, I'm doing fine and will go for a post-surgery doctor visit on Thursday.  I'll let you know what the results are that evening.  By the way.  I had no stitches.  There are several small incisions that were sealed with some kind of adhesive bandage.  It does not look like surgery - more like I was playing too rough with the cat. :-)  I really don't think I'll have much of a scar left from any of the incisions.  It's amazing how laperascopy has changed surgery.  I just wish I could have had laperascopic surgery when I had my gall bladder removed - I just waited too long to get help when I wasn't feeling quite well.  Anyway, everything is going great from the surgery.  It's nice to be able to actually feel what "being full" feels like.  Many obese people do not know that feeling.  I know that the surgery in itself is not a cure, but rather it is a tool to help make the change to a healthier lifestyle.