jessica0378

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Ok, so the scale has began to move again, and guess what? I've finally pooped.  haha I came to the conclusion that if I haven't gone in 2 days, I'll take a swig of stool softener so I can go, then all is good.  I guess if you only put a little  in, you only put a little out!

I have started my new job at a new office, and since my first day, last Friday, I have dedicated myself to getting on my treadmill on Mon, Wed and Fri morning before work.  I have not missed a day, and I feel great that I have been able to stick with it.  I put the crappy garage radio on, and walk briskly to songs that come on, and once a fast tempo song comes up, I increase the speed.  Yesterday, I actually jogged a 1/8 mile! Doesn't sound like much, BUT I HAVE NOT JOGGED SINCE I WAS FORCED TO IN MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!!!  It felt awesome! For each day that I walk on my treadmill, I give myself a star on the calendar. Once I collect 10 stars, I'd like to buy this dress from Old Navy.  I tried it on in a size XL and it was a little big, so I'm shooting for a size L. Maybe the treadmill will help, so it's a WIN-WIN situation! Now that I think about it, it'll be too warm for Spring...might have to shop?!? Maybe I'll buy my fashion show outfit?!? Oh, did I mention that I was asked to be in a fashion show in April at the YorkWLS support group meeting? FUN!!! FUN!!!

Maybe this can be my easter dress? It doesn't scream SPRING, but the 101 Dalmations movie IS coming around again....LOL!

I have noticed that my thighs are getting kinda nasty and wrinkled due to the skin, and my boobs look deflated.  I HATE my upper arms, but there's not much to do about that.  I figure that I'll be pregnant next year, and maybe for another year or two or three, depending on how the first one goes.  So, after we're done having kids, I'll be ready to get a boob/upper arm job.  I can wear shorts and cover the thighs, and unless we hit the lotto, wouldn't worry much about getting that done.

I'm celebrating my 30th Birthday this weekend. I'm a St Patty's baby!  Tonight a few friends are coming over to cook out, then were heading to the Hershey Bears game.  Tomorrow we're headed down Jim's parents for a family party, then Monday is the BIG day.  I can't believe I'm going to be 30!!!  I kinda wish that I had had this surgery 10 years ago, but my life wouldn't have turned out like it has if I had. I am married to the best husband a girl ever have, and have an awesome loving and supportave family. Now that I've beat my obesity (remember, I'm now just "slightly overweight", I'm sooooo happy!

I think I was 2 or 3 in this photo!

I only wish I had taken a photo of me trying to squeeze into this dress when I bought it 6 months ago! I thought it would never fit, but I bought it anyway as a goal dress, and now it fits!  It snaps up the front, and has some stretch to it, and although I'm not ready to wear it (still have a few more lbs to go before it'll look right) IT FITS! (SNAPS CLOSED)!!!

I think I broke my 3 week stall, lost 2 lbs this weigh in, still in the 180's, at 185 lbs.  Planning to make a treadmill schedule and award myself with a gold star for every 30 minutes I walk on it.  If I get 10 gold stars in 3 weeks, I'm going to get that spring suffari dress at Old Navy in a size L and a pair of shoes to match. On Thursday I tried it on in a XL and it was almost too big!!!! WOWWWIE!

I know, I should be on that treadmill everyday since it's here at my house, but it's easier said than done.  It's hard to get motivated!  I know there's no good excuse, but I could give many reasons, like working FT, come home and cook for another hour, keep up with my ebay and sewing projects, dr appts and etc.  I PROMISE myself that I am going to "find time" to start this week.  No more putting it off!!!!

Here's a pic of me in the TH dress....you'll have to excuse the hair....I often jump out of the shower and try on the next size smaller from my other closet before dressing for work!  I can't wait til it looks great on me and I feel comfortable to wear it out! Maybe for Easter in 3-4 weeks?

I don't know if it was the 5 day pouch test that did it, or what it was.  I lost 2 lbs after last weeks pouch test, but I can't poop!  It feels like it's right there, but hard as a rock and hurts to strain to try to get it out.

I KNOW< TOOMUCH INFORMATION!!! But as always, I try to be honest and hopefully someone reading can help me, or I can help someone else in their journey.

 Anyways, I bought some Phillips MOM stool softener, and I think it did the trick, as I have pooped 4 times since I took my 2nd day dose, and the 4th time it was "the runs".  I DO feel a little better, but the hiney hurts. Baby wipes work wonders, and I put a little hydrocortizone down there too.  Hopefully things will go back to normal.  I guess I'll never know what caused it, but I'm going to take a fiber chewable daily from now on.

I'm starting to wonder if I am going to lose anymore weight and get to my goal of 155 lbs.  I have been at a stall for a few weeks, but I also don't exercise as I should.  I have a treadmill in the garage, and no good excuse not to use it.  I'm signing up for Aqua Aerobics again, which starts March 18th. Hopefully my new job work schedule will comply to my swim schedule. If I get stuck at where I am, I know it's my own fault for not exercising and working harder.  I've just been feeling really lazy, working a ton of OT and sewing like crazy!

Anyways, here's a pic from yesterday.  No makeup, I was headed out the door for my cousins baby shower and was going to do it in the car.

So, the scale has not moved from last week, so I'm doing the 5 day pouch test.  I survived today just fine, and I think the fluids did me some good.  I drank more today than I have since the day before surgery, and chewing gum here and there helps too.

I almost fell off the 5 day pouch test wagon at dinnertime with a bite of noodles, since I made Jim salad, burgers and mac n cheese.  I made a pot of MD crab soup, and although I did have some crab meat, I had mostly the broth. Tomorrow it's liquids again, which is not so bad, then day 3 soft protein (tuna) then day 4 ground (beef chicken)protein then day 5 back to solid protein.

Things are working out well with my upcoming transfer at work.  I'm leaving the "clinic" to a more "private" office, but a lateral move.  I think that with the new me, I need a new atmosphere too.

I can't believe that in less than a month, I'm going to be 30 years old!  That sounds so scary!

So I checked the chart, and I'm now 189 lbs.  I am considered Slightly Overweight until 159 lbs, then that's considered Normal.  My Goal is 155 lbs, and I'm currently 34 lbs away from my goal.

I don't recall Dr Monk giving me a goal....but he had said that he wanted me to lose 50% of my excess weight (about 75#), which I have already done.  I know the hard part will be maintaining after I hit goal.

I'm currently wearing regular size 16 pants and xl tops.  Size 38DD bra, 91/2-10 regular width shoes. (see pic)

Bitten Slim Fit Jeans $8.88. TH Sweater $9.99. Wearing name brand clothes(bargain prices) in normal sizes....PRICELESS!!!

Tomorrow, I'm wearing my size 16 CK jeans (I won on ebay for $1.05 WOW). Can you tell that I LOVE to bargain shop!

I had my 6 month f/u with Dr Monk on Monday.  All of my labs and vitamin levels were perfect, and my liver function came back to normal like they said it would.  My BP was 118/70, which is also great, and he was very impressed at how well I've come along.  His 2 biggest "statements of wisdom" were, "stick to 3 meals a day...no snacking", and "remember to take your vitamins" (I take Optisource, sold only at Walgreens)"  I hit my personal goal of 100 lbs lost in 6 months about 2 weeks early, and I'm on to my next goal!  I hope to be at my goal of 155 lbs on or before July 12th, my 1 year surgiversary.

I went shopping over the weekend for scrubs, because they just changed our dress code at work to mandatory scrubs.  I've been enjoying wearing sweaters and khaki's, but it only takes 1 person to ruin a good thing (she kept wearing denim jackets and hoodies).  Anyways, I was shocked to try on a XL and it was too big!!!  The last time I bought scrubs there, a 4X was tight!!!  Those are often cut small, and I was taking a guess with the XL, in hopes that I wouldn't have to go up to a 2X, but I walked out of the store with 5 pair of size LARGE!!!!  WOO HOO!  Now I have to get started on sewing my scrub tops!!

I've been having more pain than usual in my neck and upper back.  Bill, my neuromuscular  massage therapist said that it could be due to my weight loss.  He said that my neck muscles have to work harder to support my head since the fat and stuff is gone now, and they are overworking.  Sucks for my neck problems though.  I have pain patches to wear, which don't seem to help at all, but I wear them in hope that they will.  I'm scheduled to see another pain specialist, Dr Scicilia on Jan 29th, and maybe he can help with acupuncture or trigger injections.  We'll see.

I'm supposed to go for a vag US and a mammogram cause my uterus is "enlarged" says my PCP, and she wants to rule out fibroids in my breasts.  I have breast pain a week before my period now, and that never happened before surgery.  I'm going later in the month for those things though.  FUN FUN!

Well, overall, I'm very happy and healthy and feel great, with exception of my neck, and am so glad I had this surgery. 

Celebrating 100 lbs lost, at 199lbs! New York & Co Misses size 18 dress!!!

I did my weekly weigh in this morning and..............

I'M IN ONEDERLAND!!!!

103 lbs lost since surgery (123 since Dec 06) I am now 199lbs!  WOW! I haven't been this weight since MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!  It feels so good to be at a weight that starts with a 1, and not a 2 or 3!!!!!!

I'm egarly waiting for the BMI scale to ease into the overweight stage....not too far off though!

I just did my weekly WALK OF HOPE to my scale and it tells me that I've lost 101 lbs since surgery, 121 since Dec last year!  I'm so excited to have met my own personal goal of 100 lbs in 6 months!  I'm on track baby! 46 lbs to goal!

I have to figure out how to make a century card and soon celebrate ONEderland!  I can't wait! I just bought size 14 and they are snug, but they button and zip!  FUN FUN!

  Nothing has made my throw up, but I do get foamies and that horrible chest pain when I eat too fast or don't chew good enough.  I MUST learn to drink more water, and have to get on my newly uncovered treadmill.  Hairloss seems to have peaked and is slowing down.  I have muscle pain, but I'm told it's because my (neck) muscles have to work harder to keep my head up since I've lost so much fat and support.  That's ok though.  I can take a pill to help that.  Overall, things are great!  I'd do it all over again and again.  I update almost weekly on my profile, and have my 6 month f/u with Dr Monk on Jan 14th.

Ok, so Christmas was really nice this year, and I did get a gift from my husband.  We had a little talk a few weeks back......his father always gets his mom a piece of jewlery for holidays and birthdays, etc. And since I have a nice new BIG jewlery box, I would like the same.  Past holidays, I'd usually get NOTHING, or if by chance I DID get something, it was something that he wanted too. (iPOD, foot bath, etc).  He did good, though probably spent way too much on a 1/2 ct journey diamond necklace....very very pretty!

I did very well over thanksgiving, and thought Christmas would be a breeze too, but I was eyeing up and being called upon by the cookies, fudge and cakes that were laid out way before dinner was ready.  Overall, I feel that I did well....I had a nibble of PB fudge, a 1/2 choc chip cookie, a taste of homemade bananna bread and a few bbq chips.  This big spread was on the kitchen table, and impossable to ignore, and very very hard not to induldge.  Once dinner was ready, I had turkey, ham and meatsauce with a taste of sourkraut, olives, potato salad, etc.  I started to feel real sick, and got the foamies and pain that comes with it, and still can't determine if it was from the mixture of flavors, or from eating too fast/not chewing enough.  Sucks though....it could also have been from the Norwalk virus AKA "stomach flu" that's being passed around. 

Jim had off work yesterday for his Birthday, and it's a good thing because it saved him from calling out of work! Around 12:30 am, he was throwing up like crazy!  I got up at 6am and went to work, then after awhile, started to feel sick myself.  I didn't throw up, but had stomach pain and once I finally got home, had the "runs" once.  I took a nap, then got up around 8:30, ate some chicken & egg noodle soup, then went back to bed to watch some tv.  I got the "runs" 2 more times, then took some immodium and felt much better. No more problems, and today, we're both feeling 100% better.

Tonight was my holiday party for work, and although Jim wasn't wanting to go, we went and had a good time.  Last years party was a little lame, but we laughed our asses off at the skits and games the residents pulled off.  I humbly received many compliments from co-workers and Dr's and even last years residents who came back to visit that haven't seen me since before surgery. 

Today I'm down 93 lbs since surgery 5 months ago, and 113 since my journey began.  I know I should celebrate the 100lb mark, but I'm waiting to be under 200 for the bubbly and confetti.  That's a big accomplishment, and I can't remember a time I weighed under 200 lbs.  Most likely middle school! I've started to carry a photo from last year, kinda as a comparison. I'm just starting to see what others have been telling me for months.  I'm greatful for compliments and support that everyone gives!  Co-workers and patients tell me everyday how good I look, or call me skinny minnie or say i'm melting away.  Yes, it does feel good to finally, once in my life, get some positive attention.  BUT, at the same time, it feels like too much since I'm SOOOO not used to it.  I was ALWAYS the shy one, who didn't talk to many people and didn't attend social events.  YUP, your average WALLFLOWER! 

Currently I am wearing a size 18 or XL from almost any normal size store.  I'm shocked that if I could afford a $45 bra, I could walk into Victoria's Secret and buy one off the rack.  Yes, my bra size has gone from a 46D to a 40D, and that's getting big already!  I think my feet have even lost weight(inches), as before, I bought a 10W or 11, and now a 9W to 10 fit ok.  I'd like to get a pair of knee high boots, but they don't zip right over my calf...yet.  I'm still looking though (maybe calls for a trip to the mall tomorrow...if we don't get a bunch of snow!)

My niece Sarah is visiting this weekend until Sunday, unless it snows big time.  Can you tell they're calling for a big storm???  Anyway, it's so exciting cause she's almost 3, and Christmas is going to be more fun this year since she's really getting into it.  She's singing "not Jingle, but Gingle bell rock" and dancing.  She's so cute you just want to eat her up!  Well, I'd better be hitting the hay here soon.  I know the wee one gets up early, and Uncle Jim doesn't do mornings, lol.