Lori S.

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 And doing really great!  Super happy with life right now.  I am down to 135lbs so I did reach my goal.  I had a small fill on the 17th along with a yearly check up with Dr Kam.  Actually he likes it if I see him at least twice a year.  Not sure what my level is I saw Dr Kam in Petoskey and he was unable?  to check my level, but he could give me a fill???  Whatever.  
 A lot has happened in this past year.  My daughter graduated from college getting her degree in Biosystems Engineering with a concentration in BioEnergy Engineering .  She also landed a job in mid August in her field.  Which is pretty good considering we live in Michigan.  I'm going to be a first time grandmother around March 14th!  A baby girl is expected by my son and his wife.  My Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer stage 3.  She tried chemo but her body was unable to metabolize the chemo so after only 2 treatments she discontinued it.  They are going to follow her with blood work and pet scans and the like.  She did have surgery to remove the tumor but it had spread and there's no way of knowing if they got everything or not so we are praying they did and it doesn't return.  During that time when Mom was having her surgery and treatments is when I lost this last 10 lbs that were hanging on.  I was so tight because of the stress that I was thinking about getting a slight unfill.  But before I could get in she quit treatment and she was quickly feeling better so I wasn't needed at her house every other week.  My band felt better so I left it as is.  Stress really effects my band!!!  Everything is running along smoothly and life is good!

 I have lost count!  I got another fill last Thursday.  Dr. Kam gave me .2cc.  I have a total of 6.6cc total.  My highest was 7.1cc I lost some due to evaporization.  I feel pretty darn tight right now.  After the first couple of days on liquids than soft foods I was starting to feel good about this last fill.  Today however, not so much!  I had a protein shake for breakfast which is usual for me.  I actually slimed just a bit while drinking it.  It took me quite awhile to get it down, but I did get it down ok.  Tonight I tried to eat some potato and sausage soup and it just didn't want to go down very well so the dog had a special treat.  Later I made chicken noodle soup and drank all the broth and tossed the noodles.  I've also had a glass of 1% milk and water with benefiber added.  I don't feel hungry at all but know I need to eat enough for continued weight loss.  I'm with in 10 lbs or where I really want to be.  So I'm pretty happy about that.  During the past 2 yrs I've pretty much maintained my weight - one small weight gain of about 10lbs about a year ago that I lost easily after a fill.  I've been very good about exercising and pretty good with good food choices.  My daughter graduates from college in May and I want to buy a new outfit something really nice so I want to lose just a bit more weight - actually since my fill I've lost about 4lbs so in 6 lbs I'm going to go shopping!  Several pairs of slacks that I've been wearing over the last 2-2.5 yrs are getting kind of baggy on me, so I need to start thinking of getting some new stuff anyways.  I love to shop but I have kind of expensive taste so I want to make sure I'm at the weight I  want to be AND able to maintain it before I buy much.  

It's about time for bed so until later.....

 I was 3 years post op on Oct 19th and my how the time has flown.  I am doing great!!   It hasn't always been easy but it has always been doable.  Lap band is not a miracle worker YOU are going to have to put some effort into your weight loss sometimes alot of effort.   But what the band does for me is help me maintain, that has always been my problem.  I don't log on to OH very much anymore there's just not enough hours in the day.  Hope all is well with everyone here on OH.   Until later...

We'll yesterday was my appointment with Dr Kam.  He did not give me a fill which was ok with me.  My last fill a month ago was boarder line too tight.  I thought he said he gave me .2 or .3 cc but yesterday he said he put in just under .5cc.  He does that alot, talks out loud sort of too you saying one thing but in reality it's a bit different.   Anyway, he wants to see me in 3 weeks which I thought no way would I be able to schedule an appointment that soon since his office staff is always saying they can't get me in for 2-3 weeks longer than he tells me in the exam room.  He walked up front with me and told them he wanted to see me in exactly 3 weeks and sure enough just like magic they found me an opening!  Of course it was on a day that he usually does just paper work in the afternoon and catch up on stuff but hey, it works for me.   I do not feel too tight now, the tightness lasted about 2 weeks and eased off a bit.  I lost 7lbs which was good.  I am hoping to lose another 5ish before my next appointment on Aug 25 at 1pm.   I think I have a dentist appointment on the 26th which I'm going to have to cancel.  I drive about 300 miles round trip to see Dr Kam and my dentist is about 200 miles round  trip and I just don't want to make both trips back to back.  Plus we're getting new software at work and I know that training for that software falls right in that same time period. 

Yesterday I bought a Total Gym on QVC.  I've been wanting to get something like that for quite awhile now but just didn't want to spend the money.   I can't wait to get it.  It should be delivered on Aug 13th.  I am going to clean out my daughters bedroom.  There is SO MUCH stuff in there!!  I use it for extra storage space.  I have several cases of water, jumbo packages of toilet paper and paper towel ect.  If I can get that room cleaned out it will be the perfect spot for an exercise room upstairs.  So I have a project now to work on.  I get alot more done when I make it into a project. 

My dad had surgery last Monday.  He had torn his rotator cuff again!  I went down on the Tuesday before for a sort of vacation.  I had my last appointment with Dr DiNick on Wednesday.  I will miss him.  He such a great guy, but I don't need to see him again unless I decide to have more plastic surgery!  Which I would love to do but just don't have the money.  I'd love to get some minor work done on my face particuarly my eyes and over all my skin on my face but that would be 100% out of pocket and I don't want to spend that kind of money right now.  I met up with my best friend from high school who lives in Texas now.  We had dinner at my parents and talked and talked then went for a 2 hours walk/stroll thru our hometown.  Neither of us have lived there for over 30 years so it was fun to do.  I did a bit of shopping but not much.  I somehow got volunteered to paint my parents second bathroom!  I didn't really mind it but I hate the prep and clean up that comes with any painting job.  I went to see a couple of movies, Despiciable me and I can't remember the other one but both were good.  I bought 3 books all just quick reads.  I finished one and will probably start another one today.   My daughter and I went and got new cellphones.  We've been with out a contract for about a year or so.  We had Alltel then Verizon bought them out.  It's weird because with Alltel we had great reception at our house and just about everywhere we went.  But with Verizon according to them we would not have reception at our house.  Something to do with Alltel's towers.  I guess Verizon  were unable to get all of Alltel's towers?  Whatever, I had a friend come over to my house who has Verizon and sure enough she have very poor reception.  There's no way I am paying for a cellphone that I can't even use at my house.   So we went with AT&T.  I know of several people who have AT&t and they have no problems with reception and I knew from my daughter in law that we would have good reception here at our house.  Since I use my cellphone alot instead of my land line that was important to me.  So I got a cool new phone!  It's alot easier to use than my last one too.   Sunday is when I did the paint job, Monday was my Dad's surgery so that entire day was spent at the hospital.  Tuesday morning I came home.  Wednesday I worked, and Thursday was my Dr Kam appointment.  All our offices are now closed on Fridays and since no was actually going to be  working in our office I decided I'd just take it off instead of working to make up for some of the time I'd taken off. 

It's been a pretty busy summer so far.  I like busy.  I am thinking of repainting my livingroom before the fall gets here.  But I don't know, it's a pretty big room and I have some ugly wall paper border that I want to take down.  I need to think about it some more I guess.  Plus I want to change colors so I need to start thinking about what color to change too. 

I got my walk out of the way early today.  I did 12 or 13 laps (I lost track) which is about 3.5 miles.  The dog pooped out on me after 1 lap!  but I found her in her kennel when I got done so I locked the gate and left her outside.  She likes outside especially if it is windy out.  When my curtains blow in the wind it makes her very nervous.  She hate storms and I think she thinks a storm is coming or something. 

I believe that's about everything for now.  I will post again later, especially after my next appointment. 

I love Fridays!   I worked for 5 hours today, got my oil changed, car washed, dog walked and will walk her again later.  I am down 6lbs since my last fill 8 days ago.  I'm hoping to be down at least 10 lbs by my next appt Aug 6th.  My husband has been gone visiting with his parents and our two kids since last Thursday- I really have enjoyed my alone time!  I've exercised everyday for at least an hour and I've read two paper back books his past week.  The weather has been really great, what a perfect vacation for me!  Even though I worked everyday I still had a great time doing just what I wanted for a change.  Hubby will be home on Sunday but it's my turn starting July 28th thru Aug 2nd.  I have an appt with Dr DiNick July 28th - just a follow up appt. then nothing but swimming and being lazy until Aug 2!!  Life is good!

It's a really beautiful day out!  Got my walk out of the way today early as it's suppose to be up in the mid 80's  with a 40% chance of thunder showers this afternoon.  I do hope it rains, we need it.  My husband's been gone since Thursday afternoon- he is on vacation.  I think this is the first time he has gone on vacation alone.  Of course he's not really doing anything really special.  He went to stay at his parents house.  He is going to cut down  several trees in his parents yard and hang out some with our son and daugther in law.  He's also going to fix or at least try and diagnose our daughters car problems.   Kids- I don't think you ever really stop helping them out!! 

This last fill has been really wonderful!  I'm not hungry at all!!!  Today I'm going to make either grilled steak or salmon. I haven't decided yet.  So far I've had a protein shake with added fiber and some water.  In a few hours I'll make dinner and see how that goes. 

We'll gotta go do some housework.  Later-

I went in because I was not losing but gaining a little bit and thought maybe, just maybe I needed an slight unfill in April.  It had been over a year since my last fill and it just seemed like I was having too many slightly stuck episodes and giving myself permission to eat slider foods because of it.   Dr. Kam is now in his new office space- man is it ever nice!!  Anyway, he kind of scolded me since it had been too long since my  last appointment he said.  He checked my level which had been 7.1cc last March and it was down to about 6.  I must admit, I was worried!!  How could I be thinking I might need a slight unfill when I was over 1 cc down!!  Had my band slipped!!!!  After talking to me he assured me he didn't think I had a slip.  Just had normal evaporation and gradual loss of some restriction.  I still had some restriction but it was so gradual a loss I didn't really notice and over time had started to eat bigger bites/more food- thus the sight stuck episodes-  which then lead to eating more and more slider foods which then lead to eating some stuff that I knew I shouldn't and that lead to a couple pounds of weight gain which then lead into this bad routine of eating maybe too big a bite or a food that was too dry then getting stuck then, well you get the idea.  So in April he just checked my level and told me to start logging my food and paying attention.  I made another appointment for this past Thursday July 8th.  On the 8th he gave me a small fill of .3 or .4cc.  I couldn't believe what a huge differenced that made!  Today was my first day on soft foods and am happy to say I am doing really well.  I had about half of a one egg omelette with about a tablespoon of low fat cheese.  It tasted so good and I had no problems with it.  I am hopeful that I will  lose this last 10-15 lbs before my 3 yr anniversary in Oct. 

I have a new netpad I'm using that is so nice to use anywhere in my house so hopefully, I well blog more than I have been.  Unil later....

Thank you MidWestern Girl!  I haven't gotten it yet but I just ordered a 3 book set.  I reviews were very good about as high as you can get.   I am so tired of gaining and losing the same 10ish lbs!  I really need to deal with the "why" am I eating!  I am hopeful this will give me some insight along with some tips and ideas on how to deal with the " just wanting a little something"  I felt better when I was newer post op and eating almost no carbs at least no white carbs.  I need to get back on track and lose this 8-10lbs I've been playing with since christmas and maybe a additional 10lbs to get me right at my goal.   The set should be here on March 22nd and I will start reading and doing the workbook right away.  I will post again once I get it and get started.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

It's been over 3 weeks since I last posted anything.  I've been avoiding OH I think.  I have been playing around with the same 10lbs for quite awhile now.  In 10 days I have an appt with my plastic surgeon and I really do not want to weigh more than I did last time I was there!  Ice cream has been my down fall!!!  Which is kind of weird, since prior to banding I didn't eat much ice cream at all.  I don't think I'm too tight, but maybe I am.  My last fill was Mar 31 last year.  I have 7.1cc in my 10cc band.  I think I will make an appt with Dr Kam just for a "check up" since I missed my 2 yr appt due to having plastic surgery done and was still recouperating.  I need to committ to myself to eat "right" this next couple of weeks and if the weight doesn't start to drop then go see Dr Kam for some ideas.  I have been exercising but not as much as before.  For some reason my walking partner at work and I are only walking once a day for 30 minutes instead of twice a day.  With my husband now on days when I get home from work he is here so my evenings which used to be my own are not any longer.  I was hoping that he would walk with me but he has some leg cramping issues that get much worse when he over does it.  So he and I haven't walked as much as we had in the past.  One good thing, spring is near!  The days are getting longer and it is a bit warmer.  I can't wait for spring/summer!  I just feel like doing more when it's nicer out.  I have gotten up around 4:30am a couple times to walk before work.  I am NOT a morning person so I've only done this 2-3 times.  For me I get pretty tired by mid morning when I do this.  I don't see myself doing this regular.  I do feel as though my attitude is getting better so that's a good thing.  Work is... well it's work and I am just grateful I have a job to go to.  I am working full time this month as our payroll person is getting ready to go off on short term disability.  I am filling in for her since I once did payroll.   I like being pretty busy at work, it makes my days fly by and I don't having any munching problems.  I now need to make my evenings busy too.  Evenings have always been harder for me.  I get bored then start looking for something to eat. 

I am going to try and post more here.  Use this blog as my journal.  It might help to keep myself honest.  Later...

We'll I was so tired of my excuses!  So this morning at 4:45am I got up and walked very briskly I might add, on my treadmill then did another 15 minutes or so of mild stretching.  I've been allowing myself to just skip exercising way too much lately.  I have a friend who will walk with me during our breaks/lunch but for months and months we've only been walking once instead of twice.  So I got up early and walked on my treadmill.  Let's see if there's any truth in it energizing me for the rest of the day.  It helped alot that I just couldn't sleep anymore.  I have a hard time getting up in the mornings as it is so this will be a chore if I keep it up!  Gotta go get ready for work- Later.