Darla S.
I'm in 20's!
Nov 23, 2007
I've been wearing size 20 jeans for a week now! They're a bit snug, and I have a pair of 20's that DON'T fit yet, but I'm LOVIN' the ones that do!!! Heck - I can get Rich's painter pants on! Not zipped yet, but all the way up and ALMOST zipped!!! Unreal...
Did real good for Thanksgiving dinner, just had a little taste of everything, including desserts - and I didn't dump, and my blood sugar was 105 when I got home!! THAT surprised me more than anything! That, and the fact that my SIL didn't say anything to me until RICH asked her - "have you taken a good look at my wife tonight?" So they talked about me a bit, and she came over and told me I'm looking fabulous. I said "Thank you!", and that was it. Not another word. Oh well, what did I expect? Janine warned me that would happen. Maybe she's jealous? Her stomach was bubbling over quite a bit more than ususal. In fact, I think she WOULD qualify for WLS if the spirit moved her, but I doubt it will, not the way she reacted to my mention of thinking about it last winter. Oh well, God Bless Rich for telling her, for being proud of me.
Did real good for Thanksgiving dinner, just had a little taste of everything, including desserts - and I didn't dump, and my blood sugar was 105 when I got home!! THAT surprised me more than anything! That, and the fact that my SIL didn't say anything to me until RICH asked her - "have you taken a good look at my wife tonight?" So they talked about me a bit, and she came over and told me I'm looking fabulous. I said "Thank you!", and that was it. Not another word. Oh well, what did I expect? Janine warned me that would happen. Maybe she's jealous? Her stomach was bubbling over quite a bit more than ususal. In fact, I think she WOULD qualify for WLS if the spirit moved her, but I doubt it will, not the way she reacted to my mention of thinking about it last winter. Oh well, God Bless Rich for telling her, for being proud of me.
More smile/WOW moments
Nov 06, 2007
Funny how a person posts darn near DAILY pre-op, then nearly forgets to post anything POST-op! (okay, I haven't been THAT bad.... yet...)
Anyway, had a tear-jerking moment yesterday! A couple, actually! My back has been bothering me lately, so I went to the chiropractor Monday. Turns out, my KNEE was messed up BIG TIME Monday as well, so that gave us more to consider as far as my treatment is concerned. Dr. Arne wanted me to get some x-rays taken of my back, so I went in for that yesterday.
First off, my knee was hurting SO BAD, I decided to try on one of Rich's compression sleeves he has from one of his knee surgeries. He has chicken legs, so I've never been able to wear any of his contraptions before, but DAMN - this one fit! And it feels WONDERFUL on my poor knee! So that was a bit of a WOW in itself!
But back to the x-rays - heading back to the machine, the tech asked me if my jeans were elastic or zipper. I told her zipper, so she reached into a cupboard to grab me a gown, and directed me to a changing room to take my pants off.
I have had more experiences with gowns NOT fitting than fitting, so of course those old "I'll never fit in that" tapes started rolling in my brain. I went into the changing room, and discovered that what she had given me to put on were actually scrub pants, not even a gown! Yeah, like my ASS is gonna fit in those... Well, guess what? IT DID!!! My ass fits in XL scrub pants with room to spare!!!
... * THUD *
I gotta say, I shed a couple of tears over that one...
Anyway, had a tear-jerking moment yesterday! A couple, actually! My back has been bothering me lately, so I went to the chiropractor Monday. Turns out, my KNEE was messed up BIG TIME Monday as well, so that gave us more to consider as far as my treatment is concerned. Dr. Arne wanted me to get some x-rays taken of my back, so I went in for that yesterday.
First off, my knee was hurting SO BAD, I decided to try on one of Rich's compression sleeves he has from one of his knee surgeries. He has chicken legs, so I've never been able to wear any of his contraptions before, but DAMN - this one fit! And it feels WONDERFUL on my poor knee! So that was a bit of a WOW in itself!
But back to the x-rays - heading back to the machine, the tech asked me if my jeans were elastic or zipper. I told her zipper, so she reached into a cupboard to grab me a gown, and directed me to a changing room to take my pants off.
I have had more experiences with gowns NOT fitting than fitting, so of course those old "I'll never fit in that" tapes started rolling in my brain. I went into the changing room, and discovered that what she had given me to put on were actually scrub pants, not even a gown! Yeah, like my ASS is gonna fit in those... Well, guess what? IT DID!!! My ass fits in XL scrub pants with room to spare!!! ... * THUD *
I gotta say, I shed a couple of tears over that one...
The WOWs keep coming!
Oct 24, 2007
These past couple of weeks, there have been quite a few WOW moments in my life - mostly in the form of people FINALLY having the 'nards to come up to me and say something! Deb P., Dana, Cal... and the way Wendy ooh'd and aah'd over me Friday night when Trav & I stopped at the Creekside to see them? Sure does make a person feel good!
Sometime between seeing Barb J. on the 8th and Dr. Carlson on the 16th, I crossed the 100# lost mark! Down 103# on the 16th - I think I'll go weigh myself at the clinic on Saturday, my 6 month surgiversary, to see where I'm at. That night, Bailey and I will be going to see Rascal Flatts, and I'm no longer nervous about whether or not my ass will fit in the seats!! I KNOW it will! That is the most reassuring feeling - to no longer fear awkward social/public moments. When I got my hair cut last night, and ended up telling my stylist about the surgery (to explain the thin hair), she looked at me and said I look great! She'd have never known I'd have needed it! WTF??? I still have @ 80# or so I want/need to lose! But that was such an unexpected comment, I was stunned!
Just rambling here. Been feeling a wee bit spacy lately.
Sometime between seeing Barb J. on the 8th and Dr. Carlson on the 16th, I crossed the 100# lost mark! Down 103# on the 16th - I think I'll go weigh myself at the clinic on Saturday, my 6 month surgiversary, to see where I'm at. That night, Bailey and I will be going to see Rascal Flatts, and I'm no longer nervous about whether or not my ass will fit in the seats!! I KNOW it will! That is the most reassuring feeling - to no longer fear awkward social/public moments. When I got my hair cut last night, and ended up telling my stylist about the surgery (to explain the thin hair), she looked at me and said I look great! She'd have never known I'd have needed it! WTF??? I still have @ 80# or so I want/need to lose! But that was such an unexpected comment, I was stunned!
Just rambling here. Been feeling a wee bit spacy lately.
Plateau Buster Diet
Oct 12, 2007
I stole this from the boards just for "in case" I need it someday!
Do this for 10 days to break a plateau
Drink 2 liters of water per day
You must have 45 grams of protein supplement and all of your vitamins/minerals supplements each day
You may consume up to 3 ounces of the high protein foods 5 times a day:
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Turkey
Lamb
Fish
Eggs
Low fat Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Plain Yogurt or artificially Sweetened
Peanut Butter
Beans/ Legumes
You may also have:
Sugar free popsicles
Tea or Coffee (decaf)
Sugar free jello
Broths/Boullion
Chrystal light Drinks
If it is not on the list you are not to have it for 10 days...
Do this for 10 days to break a plateau
Drink 2 liters of water per day
You must have 45 grams of protein supplement and all of your vitamins/minerals supplements each day
You may consume up to 3 ounces of the high protein foods 5 times a day:
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Turkey
Lamb
Fish
Eggs
Low fat Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Plain Yogurt or artificially Sweetened
Peanut Butter
Beans/ Legumes
You may also have:
Sugar free popsicles
Tea or Coffee (decaf)
Sugar free jello
Broths/Boullion
Chrystal light Drinks
If it is not on the list you are not to have it for 10 days...
Drumroll please......
Oct 09, 2007
I was officially down 99.2 lbs on the 8th!!!! WOO HOO!!! I'LL TAKE IT!!!
As I said on the board, that's just one good turd from the Century Club!!! And frankly, after this morning, I'd have to assume - I'M THERE, BABY!!!!
Last night, we had our family pictures taken at church for the new directory. We haven't had a family photo taken for probably 10 years!!! So that was interesting. I wasn't going to get roped into buying some big package, but did end up buying a smaller package with 4 8x10's, 4 5x7's, 24 wallets, and all the proofs from our sitting. Plus an extra free 8x10 just for participating. So I guess mom will be getting a couple of pictures for Christmas!
Some neighbors of ours had their sitting right after us, and Bob - the hubby - made a comment to Rich (out of my earshot, of course) "Hey Smith, what did you do with the other half of your wife?"
As I said on the board, that's just one good turd from the Century Club!!! And frankly, after this morning, I'd have to assume - I'M THERE, BABY!!!!
Last night, we had our family pictures taken at church for the new directory. We haven't had a family photo taken for probably 10 years!!! So that was interesting. I wasn't going to get roped into buying some big package, but did end up buying a smaller package with 4 8x10's, 4 5x7's, 24 wallets, and all the proofs from our sitting. Plus an extra free 8x10 just for participating. So I guess mom will be getting a couple of pictures for Christmas!
Some neighbors of ours had their sitting right after us, and Bob - the hubby - made a comment to Rich (out of my earshot, of course) "Hey Smith, what did you do with the other half of your wife?"
A few updates
Oct 03, 2007
Well I certainly haven't been quite as chatty here recently! So I thought I'd just post a few thoughts I've been having.
I'm down nearly 100# since my surgery! Holy Frickin' Hannah!!! (Thanks, Tracy L. - I love that!) I will have my next check up with Barb on the 8th, but won't actually have my 6 month "surgiversary" until the 27th. I'm STILL hoping I might be a full 100# down on the 8th!!!
My WLS friend Tracey (and Greg) Dobbs moved to Boston this past week - which really makes me sad. I was 110% comfortable with Tracey from the first time we met, and now she lives 1/2 the country away! But there's a good chance I may get to see her as she travels a LOT, and has a branch of her company still in Maple Grove that she'll come to periodically. I wish the two of them (AND MADDIE!) nothing but the BEST!!!
My butt no longer hangs over the driver's seat in the Cruiser!! THERE'S a wow moment all it's own!!! It's completely within the seat of my office chair as well - WOO HOO!!!
I'm in 22's now - thank you Swapkins!!! I still wear the 24's from my August posts, but they're pretty saggy. I just love 'em 'cuz they're actually LONG on me!!! That's SUCH an alien feeling, to actually step on the bottom of my jeans??? I'll keep wearing them until I drop trow.
I need to take my 5 month pictures yet. Not too religious about hitting that right on the 27th of each month, but that's okay.
I'm now wearing the same size clothes as Bailey, for the most part. She's more comfortable wearing things that fit her a bit more snug than I am. Bought her a size 20 Homecoming dress this week, I'm hoping to try it on AFTER Homecoming, see how I feel in something like that! I've NEVER worn anything like it! Sadly, her feet are bigger than mine. I went from an 11 to a 10!!! Love my Haflinger mules, they're the BEST shoes EVER!!! So ME...
hmmm..... well, that's it for now. Plum out of thoughts! Except... have I mentioned I LOVE WLS???!!!
I'm down nearly 100# since my surgery! Holy Frickin' Hannah!!! (Thanks, Tracy L. - I love that!) I will have my next check up with Barb on the 8th, but won't actually have my 6 month "surgiversary" until the 27th. I'm STILL hoping I might be a full 100# down on the 8th!!!
My WLS friend Tracey (and Greg) Dobbs moved to Boston this past week - which really makes me sad. I was 110% comfortable with Tracey from the first time we met, and now she lives 1/2 the country away! But there's a good chance I may get to see her as she travels a LOT, and has a branch of her company still in Maple Grove that she'll come to periodically. I wish the two of them (AND MADDIE!) nothing but the BEST!!!
My butt no longer hangs over the driver's seat in the Cruiser!! THERE'S a wow moment all it's own!!! It's completely within the seat of my office chair as well - WOO HOO!!!
I'm in 22's now - thank you Swapkins!!! I still wear the 24's from my August posts, but they're pretty saggy. I just love 'em 'cuz they're actually LONG on me!!! That's SUCH an alien feeling, to actually step on the bottom of my jeans??? I'll keep wearing them until I drop trow.
I need to take my 5 month pictures yet. Not too religious about hitting that right on the 27th of each month, but that's okay.
I'm now wearing the same size clothes as Bailey, for the most part. She's more comfortable wearing things that fit her a bit more snug than I am. Bought her a size 20 Homecoming dress this week, I'm hoping to try it on AFTER Homecoming, see how I feel in something like that! I've NEVER worn anything like it! Sadly, her feet are bigger than mine. I went from an 11 to a 10!!! Love my Haflinger mules, they're the BEST shoes EVER!!! So ME...
hmmm..... well, that's it for now. Plum out of thoughts! Except... have I mentioned I LOVE WLS???!!!
An emotional WOW moment for me...
Sep 15, 2007
Yesterday, I had a meeting with a work group of about 40 men & women at Bryant Lake Regional Park. We had box lunches (I just ate the turkey and cheese from my sandwich, and didn't even feel conspicuous leaving the rest of it untouched), and then we explored/played the disc golf course there.
I had a mental flashback to the last time we were there... it was a fall day very much like Friday, last year or maybe it was 2 years ago now. I could barely make it up the hill to the first hole, had to rest often, and after 3 or 4 holes I was SO exhausted, my heart was pounding in my chest, and my hair was wringing wet with sweat - I thought I was gonna have a heart attack! So I left everyone and walked slowly back down to the pavilion. I just couldn't take it. This time, I had the same mentality - I didn't want to play disc golf. I didn't want to embarass myself with all my huffing and puffing and sweat. The course is EXTREMELY HILLY - very few flat areas anywhere. It wasn't until I drove out of the park that I realized - I had kept up the whole time! Hiking up all the hills, up & down all the timber stairs, the whole shootin' match - and I wasn't huffing OR puffing, my heart wasn't pounding AT ALL (well, except for the necessary beating, of course!), and I didn't even break a sweat! So I started choking up, and ended up bawling all the way back to Baker. Unreal. Just plain unbelievable, the difference. Even AS I was going up and down the hills, dreading the pain it would cause, I couldn't help but notice how EASY it was! My heart wasn't busting out of my chest! I wasn't straining or anything!
This surgery is such a gift from God...
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I had a mental flashback to the last time we were there... it was a fall day very much like Friday, last year or maybe it was 2 years ago now. I could barely make it up the hill to the first hole, had to rest often, and after 3 or 4 holes I was SO exhausted, my heart was pounding in my chest, and my hair was wringing wet with sweat - I thought I was gonna have a heart attack! So I left everyone and walked slowly back down to the pavilion. I just couldn't take it. This time, I had the same mentality - I didn't want to play disc golf. I didn't want to embarass myself with all my huffing and puffing and sweat. The course is EXTREMELY HILLY - very few flat areas anywhere. It wasn't until I drove out of the park that I realized - I had kept up the whole time! Hiking up all the hills, up & down all the timber stairs, the whole shootin' match - and I wasn't huffing OR puffing, my heart wasn't pounding AT ALL (well, except for the necessary beating, of course!), and I didn't even break a sweat! So I started choking up, and ended up bawling all the way back to Baker. Unreal. Just plain unbelievable, the difference. Even AS I was going up and down the hills, dreading the pain it would cause, I couldn't help but notice how EASY it was! My heart wasn't busting out of my chest! I wasn't straining or anything!
This surgery is such a gift from God...
ValleyFair!!!
Sep 04, 2007
To Minnesotans, you know what ValleyFair is. To those of you from elsewhere, think "Six Flags" - major amusement park. Well, this past Saturday, our whole family went, and I fit on all the rides!!! It was a BLAST! I'm such a ride whore - the worst part of the whole experience was having to wait in the lines to get on the rides. I'd rather spend most of my time riding, not waiting! But what a gas - the Extreme Swing? HELLO!!! My new favorite ride!!! The Renegade Rollercoaster? The best one there (and I believe there are 6)!!!! I can hardly wait to go again - we may go back for ValleyScare, a special Halloween theme thing for October. WOO HOO!!!
If there were any downers to the day? It was AWFULLY HARD to get my protein and fluids in - we ate a good breakfast before going, but from 11am to 8pm, all I had to eat were 5 shrimp and 1/3 of an ear of corn. I had a diet Pepsi (I'll allow myself to have one once in a while, but it got good & flat before I got around to drinking most of it!), and several glasses of water. Why? Because A) the prices are offensive! and B) who wants to waste time eating when there are RIDES to be ridden???!!! It's not like I ever get hungry these days!
The other downer? My left leg. The pain a few hours into the day was EXCRUCIATING! I really need to get back to the ortho to figure out what to do about it. My kneecap is way off track, and the pain shoots from my hip to my knee on down to my calf. I wanted to cry, I wanted a wheelchair, but I just kept going. And the pain kept on well into the night, even after I was able to take some extra-strength Tylenol.
But all-in-all, it was a GREAT DAY!!! YAY THRILL RIDES!!!
If there were any downers to the day? It was AWFULLY HARD to get my protein and fluids in - we ate a good breakfast before going, but from 11am to 8pm, all I had to eat were 5 shrimp and 1/3 of an ear of corn. I had a diet Pepsi (I'll allow myself to have one once in a while, but it got good & flat before I got around to drinking most of it!), and several glasses of water. Why? Because A) the prices are offensive! and B) who wants to waste time eating when there are RIDES to be ridden???!!! It's not like I ever get hungry these days!
The other downer? My left leg. The pain a few hours into the day was EXCRUCIATING! I really need to get back to the ortho to figure out what to do about it. My kneecap is way off track, and the pain shoots from my hip to my knee on down to my calf. I wanted to cry, I wanted a wheelchair, but I just kept going. And the pain kept on well into the night, even after I was able to take some extra-strength Tylenol.
But all-in-all, it was a GREAT DAY!!! YAY THRILL RIDES!!!
Update on "the jeans"
Aug 20, 2007
I wore them to a family function on Saturday, just 2 days after I bought 'em!! I tried them on for my daughter (who I knew would be honest about whether or not they looked good), and she said they did! So I wore them to pick up my mom, figuring I'd just break them in a bit. Well, by the time we got back to my house, they felt pretty comfy (snug, but not TOO snug), so I wore 'em - and ya know what? I LOVE 'EM!!! They fit me better than any jeans I can remember! And they're LONG enough, too - always an issue for me! I'm already a little sad that they won't fit me for long, but I'll just wear 'em to death until they're too big! WOO HOO!!!
(My co-worker thinks I should go buy another pair in the next size down from this one - I may just do that!)
(My co-worker thinks I should go buy another pair in the next size down from this one - I may just do that!)
An odd WOW moment
Aug 17, 2007
I've noticed something this week that's a - well, I guess a wierd, humbling kind of WOW moment.
All my life, being fat, I'd always have some kind of snotty comment to make under my breath whenever I'd see a woman who looked like her thighs had never met. You know, like she spent 22 hours a day on horseback, and couldn't participate in a hold-the-orange-between-your-knees relay race to save her soul?
Well, earlier this week, while drying my hair using my new upside-down method (to increase fullness as my hair continues to fall out), I looked through my shirt and noticed something that almost made me drop my blow drier. My legs weren't touching!!! I mean ANYWHERE - from my knees clear on up to the nether-regions, they were completely apart! I stood up fast and checked the mirror from a normal upright perspective, and NOPE! No contact going on! WTF??? That just couldn't be! I don't mind full thighs - I CERTAINLY never considered the possibility that losing weight may cause my thighs to divorce!!! But there it was, in living color! And I'm not even sure I was happy about it! (The whole shar-pei skin thing I'll save for another day... blech!)
Then last night at Wallyworld, doing the school supply shopping thing with my son, I decided to try on some clothes, just to see where I'm at. (Actually, it's a thrill to be able to go into a "normal" store and actually FIT in things!) They had a great price on some really nice looking jeans, but they only had up to size 24. (I'm currently wearing 26's, but they're getting pretty roomy.) Well, what the hey, everyone on OH is always saying how they surprise themselves with what happens when they try on new clothes, I'll give the 24's a shot.
(can you see this coming?)
THOSE SUCKERS FIT!!! O. M. G.!!! They're snug, to be sure, so snug I probably won't wear them out in public for another week or two, but they FIT!!! And the oddest thing to this pair of jeans is that they are actually FITTED to my legs! For YEARS, my jeans have been HUGE on my legs - like I could fit another whole leg in each side. But they HAD to be that big (or so I thought) to accomodate the size of my waist! So this was one strange - but WONDERFUL - pair of jeans! Fitted to my legs, but not TIGHT on them. And in that pair of jeans, once again, there was no denying - my thighs seem to have gone their own seperate ways! I'm sincerely not sure I like that, but ya know what? I'LL TAKE IT! If God intended my thighs to not create friction, who am I to question that?
I 
WLS...
About Me
Maple Grove, MN
Location
26.5
BMI
Surgery
04/27/2007
Surgery Date
Jan 12, 2007
Member Since
