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Hi - it's me MJ!  I am doing well!  This is the close of my official 2nd week of work. I only get 8 weeks off so I am going to make the best of them!!  

I had a lovely visit from a good friend yesterday. She was here for quite a while.  I was very tired. I am finding that I am getting more tired these days.  I get up really early, and putz around I will start taking a little nap after my Pshake at 10:00 am and see if that helps.  I slept really well last night and "slept in" until 6:20 am.  

My food has lost it's magic.  I gagged on my last bite of unsweetened applesause.  I am now going to have to eat to live rather than live to eat.  I have a whole other week of the liquid diet.  I think I am going to die..... I laugh and try to be positive but it really does suck....

I measured my waist in an attempt to stay away from the scale.  (so hard for me)  I think I have already lost 3 inches of my waist!  Cool.  

I am Blessed.  I need to just relax and stop obsessing.  Do you feel that you are trying to move too fast?  Do you have something that you obsess over.  

I am going to get a pedicure at 10:30 today that should perk me up.  I am thinking that I would just like to stay on the sofa and watch a few movies this afternoon.  I want to slow down....

Thank you so much for hanging out with me - I hope you have an even BETTER day!

Hi - it's me MJ!  

Yesterday was nice.  I have to get used to the Darling BF doing everything around the house. I get up early so I do little projects like organizing a drawer or under the sink but he is doing the bulk of the housework.  I feel like a shit because it is not to my liking.  We always pick on him because he is very particular but in the last week I have notice that I am MORE particular.  He is just not doing things the way I would do it.  Bless My Heart.  I will be better about this starting today.  I really do love and appreciate him.

I posted on my personal FB wall that I was feeling great, I was blown away by the touching responses and messages. I even posted a NOW photo (asked to do so) and everyone said I look different already!  

I went to the Dr. and she is so happy with my progress.  The only thing is that I have to take Sennocot again because we don't feel things are "moving" as much as the should... Otherwise I am the picture of good health.

I did weigh myself again.  But it is because it is Wednesday!  She weighed me there but it doesn't count because it was 4:30 in the afternoon and I was fully clothed.  Everyone knows you only weight in early morning, naked after your first pee! It is the only true measurement.  So why am I so wiggy about frequent weigh ins?  It takes up too much head space.  We should trust that if we the plan are working the way we should then the needle will go down. What happens if we weigh ourselves everyday and one one day the needled doesn't move down.  It takes up our whole day trying to figure out why and adjust accordingly. THAT WAS THE OLD MJ.  Mamma's got a brand new bag (well pouch). This way I only have to be concerned on Wednesdays! LOL  I also read somewhere that Wednesday was the optimal day so I believe it! LOL

I was tired.  I took a nap, about an hour and a half long nap. It was amazing.  I feel like a retired person! I get up at 6 am and do a bunch of stuff.  The family gets up at around 9 or 10 and by then I have done so much I'm too tired to hang out with them.  I was supposed to make a bunch of calls, but I layed down at 1:00 and then it was time to go to the Dr. 

My Darling BF is off this week to help me, he goes back to work next week. I will miss him. My 13 yr old daughter is off for the summer.  Am I the only one who thinks their teenager is completly unmotivated and wired into her iPad?  

I can't fix everyone, but I can be a good influence.  

Thank you for spending time with me today, I hope you have an even better day!

Hi - It's me MJ!  Today I asked the forum how to handle emotional eating.  I did that a lot!! Binges were big too. Not just food but booze also.  I hated hangovers, but I never remembered that when I was drinking the night before.  

I love watching people on the FB groups asking so many questions.  I fashion it to when I as having my daugther Molly.  We can do all we can to get an idea of what's ahead, but we really don't know until we are in it!  It is nice though.  It's our job, the people who are ahead of them, to help in any way.

It's amazing how great I feel and it has only been a week. I was made for this surgery!  I really feel as though it is my new lease on life.  I have been in a cocoon and now I am Free!  My family came to visit yesterday. I could have stayed with them all day.  They were only able to stay a few hours but I enjoyed every minute. I do believe I over did it though.  I have been walking 3000-3500 steps a day. I thought I would up it to 5000 this week and yesterday I did almost 8000 - yikes.  I have to really easy does it.  

I received my medical bracelet finally today. It is beautiful but there is a spelling mistake on it and it doesn't flip over so that the EMTs can read it.  I think I am going to return it.  I hope it will be okay.  

I started to go through my 9 tough boxes of clothing.  I love them all!  I did take out a few pieces to give to people. There is a girl in the West end who is trying to put together a clothing swap.  I will give it to her but I will try to put one together in Central Toronto too.  I think it is important that we do what we can to help each other out.  

I have my GP check up appointment today, I am looking forward to it.  I have a great Dr. My darling BF will go with me.  He has been a rock for me. I don't know how I would be able to do this without him.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog, I hope you have an even BETTER DAY.

Hi - it's me MJ!  Yesterday, I walked farther than I have so far.  I was a woman on a mission to get my darling BF's son a gift card from Tim Horton's.  That felt good.  I also stopped using my medicine cups.  I posted on the forum to see if that was too soon.  My last steri strips came off that was cool.  I have now showered every day since I was able to.  It is nice to be clean and fresh!  

I hate the fluids phase.  There I said it.  It takes too long and it is a bit fussy. I'd rather be back on Opti!  I had sex for the first time after surgery it was amazing.  I have missed my guy and we watched an old movie called Stealing Beauty - got us in the mood!  I love our time together.  My friend Candace came home from the hospital yesterday! I am so happy for her but really hope that she is going to bounce back from her set back.  

I thought about work today and how my colleagues are going to have a Monday on a Tuesday.  I am not sure about work in the traditional sense anymore and I am looking at a few options.  I am excited about the turn my life will take once I am clear headed and lean.  

I cheated and weighed myself today.  At first, I said I would only weigh in when I started a new stage, then I said okay maybe every Wednesday.  But I wanted to weigh today because my family is coming over and I wanted to give them results.  I am down 20 lbs! from Pre-Op.  This is very exciting to me!  

I woke up late today. I slept on the couch, best sleep I have gotten in a few days.  I am behind a little so I am going to run!  I hope you all have an even BETTER day today!  

Hi! - It's me MJ. Yesterday was good (Day 5) for me.  I had a couple of questions so I called the nurses line and left a message, they didn't call back! I have to say I was kind of surprised at that. Maybe it was because I didn't leave one piece of information they asked for, that was my hospital number (who has that info readily available?) Anyway, I have been hearing a popping sound in my lower abdomen and I wanted to know about that and I have a huge bruise around one of my insicions. I was incredibly thirsty yesterday, like I wanted to guzzle a whole big glass of water thirsty.  I tried to drink as much as I could with my medicine cups but I just didn't feel like I was getting enough.  

My family left me at the house for a while yesterday.  I was really sad becuase the old me would have taken that time to binge eat and I couldn't do that.  The sadness is real.  It is a habit as bad as it is that was a regular part of my life.  I know that in the future, I will maybe meet up with friends or go to the gym but yesterday was different.  I didn't go because I didn't wanted to be seatbelted for the 45 minutes to get out there (my stomach is still sore and distended) and I certainly didn't want to drink my dinner out of medicine cups in front of them.  I wanted them to enjoy their time and not be concerned with me what I am doing.  Oh and I am obsessed with what food is in the house!  Typically, I spend about $165 a week on groceries. We have always been well stocked.  The Darling BF is in charge of groceries now and he is quite proud of the fact that he spends WAY less than me.  He is at the other end of the spectrum. I honestly don't know how they are going to survive!  He had his two grown children in for the weekend.  All they ate was left over tacos and bagels!  I asked him to buy grapes and they were in the fridge, so I cleaned them and put them out in a bowl and they devoured them.  He has one strip steak for him and Molly to share tonight. God love em!   I know in my heart they will be okay and I have to keep my eyes on my own plate or in this case medicine cup!  

I didn't have to take any pain meds yesterday. That is a good thing!  Oh and I have to say I an greatly concerned for my good friend Candace, who is my Bari-buddy.  She had her surgery the same day as me actually the surgery before me.  We were starting the liquid phase on the same day but she suffered complications and she had to go back to TWH she is still there and it looks like she may go home tomorrow but not sure.  It's sad that she is not doing well. She is in my thoughts and prayers.  Please do the same.  Well that is me for today. I hope you have an even BETTER day! 

Hi-it's me MJ!  Yesterday was AMAZING.  I was so fortunate to reach out to my Cirlce and a few FB groups to let everyone know how badly my day went on Friday.  Everyone was so re-assuring.  I had no choice but to got to bed and make the next day better and I DID!  RESPECT THE POUCH.  Easy does it.  Pay attention.  I was up early.  I did my vitamins and I drank 4 medicine cups of water SLOWLY.  Then a half an hour later I had my shake, again SLOWLY. I have decided to split my chewable vitamin it is just too big.  There is no such thing a rushing now.  I will have to be much better with my time management. I got lots of rest.  I only had to take one pain med but not even sure if that was necessary.  OH and I had my first BM!!! I was so happy it was I was like a toddler being toilet trained LOL Molly and Paul laughed so hard at me.  Well come on it was Day 4 and if I didn't get one by day 5 I was going to have to my stuff (more expense) and I didn't want to do that!  Two things I did notice is that I feel/hear a popping sound mid section close to my groin when I walk now - that is new and I have HUGE bruising where my incision is to the left of my belly button.  I hope this is normal but I am going to call the nurse this morning to be sure.  I decided to go to 10 minutes between sips, that worked out okay.  Again I was paying close attention to how my liquids went down and how they settled.  I had a lot of people checking in on me and my darling BF's children were in 19 & 22 (they are lovely and very supportive) I just couldn't hang out much because of the food, I am not ready to be around people eating just now.  I spent some time in my room when I was not walking.  I saw a movie on Amazon Prime called Funny People with Adam Sandler - quite a cast - dark comedy, not one of my favourites.  I am sad to hear my good friend Candace (same day surgery as me) was readmitted due to some complications.  She had a bad day the same day as I did but worse. She went to the hospital - saying that maybe she progressed too fast and her body wasn't ready (whatever that means) so they admitted her for a couple of days.  I pray they will figure it out and she will be okay.  

I watched something on the Baritastic Social FB group out of the States.  They have this Bari Dr. (I am not sure of his name) but he was talking about a firming cream for the face and body from Arbonne I called a friend who sells it - I will keep you posed on this. Last thing I want is a neck that looks like a Vagina! (Fat Bastard, Austin Powers) I will get you the name of the Dr. as soon as I can find it! 

For today, the family is going to Oakville for Mitchell's birthday and I will stay home.  I am not looking forward to the 45 minute car ride and again I am not ready to face all the food.  They understand.  I will be ready for Thanksgiving for sure!  

I am looking forward to keep moving forward.  I hope you have a great day! 

Hi it's me MJ!  SO yesterday was a tough day for me.  MY patience and my positivity were definately challenged! It was my day 1 of the Liquid diet.  If you saw the list of things I was supposed to drink - it was amazing.  First issue was not remembering to stop drinking water before my "meal" which was LIQUIDS - I JUST had my shake but in between the shake I was drinking my medicine cup of water - NOT RECOMMENDED!  I have to treat my liquid diet as my meal and stop drinking my water a 1/2 hour before and after. I will not make this mistake again.  The pain the richter scale was a high 10.  That happened around 8am and pretty much put me off for anything the rest of the day.  I found my couragae at 1:00 pm when my darling BF bought me some F/free cream of chicken soup. I gotta say I would have turned my nose at it pre-op but it was DEVINE!  loved every minute of that "meal"  I had it with applesauce 1/4 cup each. I continued to sip water through out the day, had my afternoon protien shake 1/2 cup  and had dinner at about 7 which consisted of low sodium V8 juice and cottage cheese.  I don't think I was ready for cottage cheese but I didn't have much of a reaction.  I am thinking that today will go pretty much the same "food" wise.  I know that we should look for variety but we are using so little amounts I would want to use up what I opened.  Unless I look at freezing left overs.....

The day was nice. I putzed around did little projects. Watch AGT with my daughter, continued to walk every hour and then watched Bad Boys - love that movie. My company sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Had some nice calls, my BF's daughter came for the weekend from Ottawa.  My family DR. was nice enough to call to check in on me and book my follow-up appointment for next week. I had my first shower (amazing) most of my steri strips came off and one of my incisioins is really bruised on my left side near my belly button.  I was told that my left side would be more sensitive because that is where most of the work is done. I had a hard time falling asleep.  It is hard for me to sleep on my back as I am a stomach sleeper - now I try to sleep on my side mostly.

Moral of the story is I was uncomfortable most of the day. Really uneasy.  THERE A LOT OF COORDINATION - with regards to timing and measurments. YOU GOTTA PAY ATTENTION AND RESPECT YOUR POUCH.  I checked in with my bari-friends via text to see how they were doing and posted a few posts of my miserable day on FB groups - I was reassured I GOT THIS and went to bed early knowing that tomorrow will be another day to figure this out.  I WILL GET BETTER!

Thank you for being here for me.  I hope you have a better day today too!

Hi it's me MJ!  So here I am 3 days post-op. Things have been good.  I got a call from the hospital and they were nice enough to check on me.  I have had flatulence but no BM yet.  I will monitor this for sure - It will be like being potty-trained all over - Look at me! I had a BM.  My BF loves the fact that I toot because in the 6 years we have been together I have refused to do it in front of him!  Now I do it because I HAVE TO. Boys are funny.  I have had pain but I have been taking my meds. My water and walking regime would make a drill sargent proud!  I think I could have slept more.  I am a huge morning person so I know I will be up before 7:00 am daily.  I went to bed at 10:30 last night because I wanted to watch a movie with my family.  All in all not bad.  Strangly enough this morning noticed a bit of a poping sound on my left side when I walked.  I will investigate this more but if anyone knows anything please let me know. I am 241 today.  I have decided that I will chart my weight with each new Stage - today I start Stage 2 - THE LIQUID DIET.  I have made a coffee protein shake (decaf) and I am excited to drink it. I can't believe I haven't eaten solid food since July 18 - that is a huge realization for me.  I am really doing this!  It is hard to navigate all of this at first. Like if you look at all the things I am supposed to during today, I don't think I will have time for little else! I am an impatient person - I think going through this will make me more patient (whether I like it or not!) and the very idea of waiting 15 minutes between sips is going to make me crazy!  But I will do it an continue to be grateful for all that I have been given.  That's it for me today BE GOOD TO YOURSELF!

SO I got up at around 4 I climbed into bed with my daughter and cuddled her (she's 13 - not easy to do) she stayed sleeping for the most part. Then I went back to bed and had a cuddle with my BF (wonderful man) I'm not going to lie, being put under scared the shit out of me.  I was convinced that something was going to go wrong and I was going to die on the table!  We got to TWH at 6:30 we wanted to make sure that we got a spot right on the property. I was due in at 8:00 am. I saw my good friend Stephanie who is an ICU nurse.  I was checked in by 8:00 am and then asked to remove my clothes and put on the hospital garb.  I waited in the nurses waiting room til about 9:00 am. My nurse was Margaret, such a nice lady. Once she got my vitals and checked my weight, the put me in a nice recliner with a warm blanket. It is a cool blanket that is powered by air - like one of those hair dryers in the 60's that had a hose and forced air into the bonnet.  It was great.  The Anesthesiologist came to see me and put in my IV then the nurse came by to verify everything, then the surgeon Dr. Okrainec (gorgeous BTW) came by to talk to me and mark my Belly - I was his second surgery of the day - My Friend Candi was his first.  (I would find that out later) Then another Anesthesiologist comes by and he is above the first.  There will be a team of 10 people to work on me in the OR.  They took me on the long walk to the OR "theatre" and we are talking about the Green Mile and Gray's Anatomy the whole time. I laid down and breathed into the mask, the next think I know I am in the recovery room! My surgery was from 11:05 until about 2:30 or 3:00.  I was up from recovery by 5:00 pm.  I was walking by 9:00 am and I got out and walked 3 times in the night. The key is to stay positive and do what you need to do.  I can't believe it is over and that it was a success.  I just have to do the work now - it's not going to be easy BUT with the help of Polly my Pouch, it will be worth it!!! I want to thank the whole staff that came in contact with me at TWH - wonderful people, my BF Paul, my brother Joel, my daughter Molly, my sister Suzanne my friends Stephanie, Candi and Susan and the countless others who posted well wishes and texted me.  I am loved and won't forget it. The scale can only go down from here!

Hi it's me MJ!  Today is my last day before surgery - who what a road this has been. I have too much to do today - it's like I am trying to cram my whole life in one day. I figure I will get pleanty of rest after the surgery.  I made a post on my Forum about things I am not going to miss about being Obese.  I want to get better.  I want to say goodbye to the old me and become MJ2.0 or the reboot.  I WANT MORE out of my life.  I want to wear nice clothes not worry too much about my health.  It is really amazing that this sort of surgery is available.  My friends that have gone through it told me that the process while you are actually in the hospital is amazing.  I know that I will be well protected and taken care of. I have have gone through almost 14 days (day is not over yet) of no solid foods passing my lips. That in itself is a miracle I have lost 10.6 lbs on Opti-fast in two weeks -WOW this system does work.  I made a CHATBOOK of my journey - before pictures, pictures of loved ones and quotes that I like - so that I can refer to it anytime I want.  I am going to go through this and GET BETTER.  Thank you for being here.

Together we get BETTER