meesa

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Well, first of all, I regret not being around here more lately.  I've missed so much!  Everyone looks great!

The summer is winding down and I'm back teaching. It's been nice to hear all the compliments from people I haven't seen since the end of last school year! I will need to update my avatar. I've lost 80 lbs. so far. I'm very happy with that! I have not lost anything in at least the past 6 weeks. I know I'm not getting in all my proteins and that may be the biggest problem. I've really avoided the protein shakes lately as I've just gotten tired of them. They really helped me get the protein in. I do like and prefer to eat meat proteins but for some reason they are not what I've been eating! I just need to get back to basics. I still cannot tolerate eggs or mushrooms. Unfortunately fried foods are not as difficult to get down anymore, but they don't taste as good as they used to taste.

My clothes are getting very droopy and I believe I must let the 4x's go...they look ridiculous on me. I've bought some 2x's and that feels like an accomplishment. Even though I've not lost any weight lately I'm still hearing how I'm "shrinking", even from people I see all the time. They think my body shape is changing lately. If only I had taken my measurements I would know for sure. I know I have to keep losing eventually, so I'm not too discouraged.

Other than that, life is going on as usual with more energy and vitality from my newer and more improved body! I'm still very excited for the future! I don't know if I'll get to my goal of losing 100 lbs. by 6 months out but I know I'll get there eventually!

Well, at this point I've lost 73 lbs., 26% of my EWL (I think I figured that out right), and I'm at 332. I've known this weight before. I remember hovering at this weight for at least 5 years at one time. I'm actually glad to be back here and can't wait to surpass it and get down below 300! I'm doing better with getting my supplements in. I still need to work at my protein. I think I will need to go back to drinking a protein shake every day to help my intake along. DH and I have been going to the gym 3 times a week. I love the elliptical as it burns the most calories for a cardio workout. I also use some of the Nautilus machines for arms legs and back. I need to figure out some stomach exercises I can do, although that may take a little while to be able to do. I am beginning 2 online master's courses this summer. That should keep me busy along with just being a summer full-time housewife. I love summer!
I have a friend who is having a baby and her shower is this weekend. I am totally having baby fever! I've been dreaming about being pregnant. I do realize now is not the time to be pregnant but I am looking forward to that time! We tried for 1 year, about 6 months before my surgery, with no luck. I just assumed it was my weight. Hopefully this surgery will not only make me healthier and at a normal weight but it will help me to have a baby some day. Now just to keep myself occupied so that the baby fever doesn't consume me! LOL!

A quick update!

weight...started out at 405 and now I'm at 332. I will be 3 months out on July 5th.

supplements...this has been an issue for me. It's been difficult keeping up with vitamins, calcium, gall-bladder pills, B-12, Biotin. I'm scared that it may catch up with me in a bad way if I don't take these pills more consistently. At least I'm not on the bp meds anymore.

water...it's another issue to try to get all my liquids in. I try to drink a 32 oz. G-rade every day. Hate that it's 200 calories for the 32 oz. but they are the ones on sale right now so I'm drinking them. I think they help me guard against dehydration.

protein...everything seems so dry! I try to get my protein from actual food sources as I'm so tired of the protein shakes and vials. My favorite protein packed foods are mesquite chicken, hamburger and pork chops...with lots of gravy! My weakness is mashed potatoes and gravy and anything salty crispy. Thank goodness many fried foods don't agree with me as I would probably eat that when I'm craving salty crispy. It's still a struggle to not go back to the old ways. This surgery isn't necessarily the easy way out as some seem to think it is.

exercise...started at the gym a month ago but didn't get seriously motivated until last week. Going 3x's a week right now. Love all the calories the elliptical burns so that's my main cardio. Started the Nautilus weight machines too. It makes me feel great! Now all I need to do is find my mp3 player or buy a new one...very soon!

anxiety...it's returning and I will probably have to start those meds again. I hate that. Another pill, although it is smaller than all the others. Haven't taken those pills since right before surgery. I guess I'll always be a worry wart!

gardening...I'm finally able to garden again! I still have problems being on my knees for too long (probably all the weight still) but I'm able to move around better and my feet don't kill me like they did at 405. I can wear more normal shoes also, which is wonderfully freeing too!

This is my first check-in post-op. I will be 4 weeks out this Thursday. I've lost 10 pre-op + 30 post op for a total of 40 lbs. I lost a lot in the first week, had a stall for 2 1/2 weeks and have just started losing again. I'm starting to get more exercise lately. The dizziness and low bp are taken care of right now, as I went to the hospital on Friday for 2 liters of fluid for dehydration. I am feeling more like my pre-op self but so much better than ever! I will return to work this Thursday and Friday for 1/2 day each and probably return full time next week. I just bought a tennis ball recoil trainer and I'm excited to start having fun with tennis again. Can't really run around yet but who says I can't train until I can! DH and I were at the local sports store and I saw many other sports I'd like to get into, specifically vollyball and softball. I'm hoping to let my inner athlete come out as the pounds fall off! I can't wait! Oh, and I'm hoping to be able to ride a bike before the end of this year! Squee!

Well, things are going well for the most part. No true complications other than my blood pressure. It is very low, especially when standing. I don't drive more than 5 miles from my house and especially at night. If I do go to visit or go to the store one day, the next day I am so tired I sleep most of the day away. My friend who dealt with low bp most of her life without knowing what to do about it, until the past couple of years, told me to work on my upper leg strength and to drink plenty of water and get more salt in my diet. I'm getting frustrated as I want to do more but never feel like I am able to do more. I get so tired that I can't talk on the phone very long as talking wears me out. I'm going to walk my stairs a couple of times a day and keep drinking my electrolite water.

We stayed at Extended Stay America on Featherstone Rd. in Auburn Hills, MI. It was very nice and roomy...in the King rooms. At first I reserved a Queen on one of those travel websites. I wouldn't recommend that again. I requested a room with a recliner because I was told by someone else that they had them. Found out the day we checked in that the Queen rooms do not have recliners and are much smaller. The recliner helped me because I could not sleep comfortably on my back in bed for an extended time. If I were you call the actually number to the hotel to make your reservation. Extended Stay America was one of the cheapest with the full kitchen and recliner, tons of room! I'm thinking it was $80-some a night. I would also try to get a room closest to one of the elevators, as there was an elevator in the front and back of the hotel. You are able to park and enter with your keycard from the back parking lot. Oh, and E.S.A. on Featherstone Rd. is only about 5-10 min. away from POH, which is where I had my surgery.

Had my first weigh-in since Wednesday, the day before my surgery. I had hoped to lose about 5 lbs. but was astonished to learn that I'd lost 20 lbs.! I've been doing better the past two days getting my requirements in. I've been on fitday.com and it's showing that my nutrients are where they ought to be. Can't wait to see what happens by the end of this month!

Hello all! Well, I met a few of you over the past couple of days! Can we say, "It's a small world!"? Sorry I didn't get to talk to you, Margo! I think you left the nutrition class before I realized you were gone. Anyway, just thought I'd tell you what's going on here!

On Wednesday, I had my consult with the doc. It was the first time my DH was there to meet the doc. He was fine with my wl so far. Whew! I then had a nutrition class with the staff from 3-5pm. This was my clear liquid day and there was so much to do I didn't really miss food that day...thank goodness! Had some wonderful chicken soup broth from a place called "Zoup" (sp?). I may have to go there again before we leave on Monday. Oh, yeah, I'm here in Michigan until Monday. I will see the doc in his office on Monday and hopefully things will be fine and he will let me go home to Ohio.

The surgery went well on Thursday. I was more tired than nervous. Lots of waiting time before surgery does that. The surgery was scheduled for 1:30pm but I wasn't taken back until 3:15pm. The surgery took a total of 1hr 15min. I remember waking up, moaning, in a lot of pain. I was very groggy but they gave me morphine right away. I wasn't very aware until about 8pm at night. Doc said things went very smoothly and I was relieved about that.

I stayed one night at the hospital. The floor was full of patients and the nurses seemed to have difficulty keeping up. I had the circulation? boots on and every 3 hours I would wake up and have to be unhooked from them to go to the bathroom. I would then walk as far as I could and return to bed, get my morphine dose and go back to sleep. This went on all night and all the next day. I went from walking 10 feet at first to going 3 laps around the entire floor. The nurses were impressed and that cheered me on.

It took me a while to learn how to sip! I realized that when I drink water (which I really do like to drink water), I would tend to inhale and gulp my water down. Ok, that doesn't work anymore! I have to consciously exhale and then sip very little water. That is getting better and better for me though. Doc wouldn't release me from the hospital until I was able to ingest food (broth, jello) and keep it down. The cafeteria sent me a lunch and dinner that consisted of decaf coffee with splenda, chicken broth (yummy!), jello, watered down fruit juice and a high protein drink. I noticed that the protein drink, which was in its original container, had an expiration date of 2/07! I reported it but the entire batch had the same exp. date so I didn't drink any of that. I was able to eat mostly broth and a little juice and a bite of jello and was released at 7pm Friday night.

We are staying at a local hotel. I have liquid Vicodin and take it when I'm ready for it, every 4 hours. It's not as effective as the morphine but I'm doing well. My left side hurts more than anything! I've been sipping water, of course, and a New Whey Fruit Punch. It's not too bad! I'm doing better with my sipping and trying to get lots of rest. It's difficult to cough but they say it helps guard against pneumonia.

So, I'm finally on the loser's bench! So glad to be here! Can't wait to see what the future holds!

hugs to all,
meesa

I don't know if I've been retaining water but over the past few days I gained 4 lbs. overnight and lost 6 lbs. 2 days later! What is going on? I don't have time to play games like this! I'm already under a lot of stress! I was sick this week and didn't quite get everything accomplished before my surgery date. Oh well, my dirty house will be here when I get back. I'm thinking of hiring a housecleaner. I need some major prayer for this next week.

Well, I've been doing this Simflast thing for the past week and I've been quite impressed with the results! I do drink the two shakes and then eat dinner but I also added some other rules for myself: eat before 6pm and not after, and drink lots of water. I've been averaging about 100 oz. of water a day! I finally see how it does help the wl process.

On another note, I have not succeeded on staying healthy before my surgery. I have hay fever or something and it's getting really yucky! I'm going to have to buck up and go to the doctor so that I can get to feeling better for surgery. I do not want to miss out on surgery for being sick!