Julie M.

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Today was a great day.  What makes a day great?  Going to a job that you truly feel called to and love!  Followed by a fruitful shopping trip that involved buying size 8 jeans!  I am 9 months out and wearing a size 8!  Even better than I ever dreamed it would be by now.  I know that a lot of people lose faster than I have, but I am quite pleased with my progress.  I skipped a 10 altogether and I thought the 8s were probably a fluke, but then I tried them on in 4 different brands and all of them fit.  I bought 2 pair and a size M tank top. 

This is a huge blessing.  Especially after a tough few days last week.  The carb monster got a hold of me on Christmas Eve and I couldn't shake it until Monday.  There were too many sweets in the house and I don't have severe dumping.  I only get a little dizzy or a stomach ache and I've learned to beat the system by spreading them out during the day.  BUT, I found out that doing that only keeps me from getting sick.  It doesn't keep me from craving more and more junk and it certainly doesn't keep the scale going in the right direction.  Not to mention that I felt so much more tired and lethargic!  SOOO, back on track and feeling fantastic.  I'm sure I'll stumble again, but with God's grace I'll get right back on track and maintain my newfound health. 

Today I took my daughter to a soccer tournament in Lancaster.  We went to the mall between games and found out that the second game had been cancelled due to air quality. (a lot of fires in the area)  We had the best time shopping that I can remember in a very long time.  Dillard's was having a fantastic sale and since I officially wear a "normal" size now, it was actually fun trying on all kinds of clothes.  I bought a little too much, but I'll probably be in a 14 for a little longer than I was the other sizes I've hit on the way down!

It's been 5 months today since I had my surgery.  I can't think of a single regret or negative to having had this procedure.  I feel remarkable most of the time.  I have lost 65 pounds and gone down several sizes.  I have more energy so my house is cleaner and my family better cared for.  I also sleep sounder at night and got rid of the sleep apnea and snoring early on.  I am a little more than half way to my goal and hope to meet my goal by one year.  I have weeks when I lose only a pound or so and weeks like this one where I lose 4-5 pounds.  (I post my weight once a week on Tuesdays)  My skin is looser in my arms and breasts than I would like but I'm a long way from looking into plastics.  
A typical days food and drink intake looks like this:
B - fage yogurt with blueberries (total 1/2 cup)
S- Nectar protein drink
L- 1/2 small Wendy's chili (or leftovers, or meat and cheese or beans)
S- Nectar protein drink
D- Small serving of meat and vegetables or salad
S- Nectar protein drink
48-80 oz water  1 multivitamin, 3 calcium citrates, 1 B12
I don't always get in that third protein drink, but when I do it seems to help my weight loss.
I feel blessed that I have had such a positive experience and wish the same for anyone else taking the plunge!
 

I've been thinking lately about the little things that are easier or better since surgery...
1. My belly never touches the steering wheel when I'm driving.
2. I can reach the center of my back to scratch it.
3. I can undo my bra without turning it around.
4. I can go up the stairs at work without totally losing my breath.
5. I can play tennis with my husband and do a decent job of it (for someone who hasn't played in 15 years).
6. My fat rolls don't touch either side of my office chair at work.
7. I no longer snore! 
8. I don't sound like Darth Vader on the phone. (My family says my breathing used to be so loud!) 
I'm sure there are more, but I'm pretty happy with these little blessings!

I just wanted to record the change that may be responsible for my decent loss this week.  At the recommendation of a friend (Kim), I increased my protein to close to 100 grams a day for the last 8 days.  Last week I had no loss and this week I lost 4 pounds.  I'm going to keep my protein up that high all week and see if it continues to increase my weight loss.  I usually only record my weight once every two weeks but for the next few weeks I'm going to record it weekly on Tuesdays. 

Had a good week last week.  Lost 4 pounds.  I only weigh once a week on Tuesday and was surprised when I weighed this morning and hadn't lost anything since last Tuesday.  This is the first week that I haven't had at least a 2 pound loss.  This is my bloated week so that had better be the reason.  I hope the scale reflects a better than average week next week as I have upped my protein intake to around 100 grams for the last two days and will continue until I weigh next week and see if it helps.

Highest Weight  263                                                   Before Surgery: 9
Surgery Weight  254     (-9) 
3/30/09         1 week                 242.5 (-20.5)            Since Surgery   (total)
4/21/09         1 month               233.5 (-29.5)             First Month :  20.5
5/5/09           6 weeks               228    (-35)
5/19/09         8 weeks               224    (-39)                
5/26/09         2 months             220    (-43)                Second Month: 13.5 (34)
6/2/09          10 weeks              217    (-46)
6/9/09          11 weeks             213.8  (-49)
6/16/09        12 weeks             213      (-50)               
6/23/09         3 months            209.6   (-53.4)           Third Month: 10.4 (44.4)
6/29/09        14 weeks             206.8   (-56.2)
7/23/09         4 months           197.6   (-65.4)             Fourth Month: 12 (56.4)
8/23/09         5 months           189.4   (73.6)               Fifth Month: 8.2   (64.6)
9/23/09         6 months             181.6   (81.4)              Sixth Month: 7.8  (72.4)
10/23/09      7 months             174.6  (88.4)             Seventh Month: 7 (79.4)
11/23/09      8 months             165.4  (97.6)              Eighth Month: 9.2 (88.6)
12/23/09      9 months             157.4  (105.6)            Ninth Month:  8 (96.6)
1/23/10      10 months              149.2  (113.8)           Tenth Month:  8.2 (104.8)    
2/26/10      11 months              145     (118)              Eleventh Month 4.2 (109)
3/23/10      12 months               142.2 (120.8)             Twelveth Month    2.8 (111.8)

I am 3 weeks out from surgery and still feel amazing.  I think I'm already reaping the benefits of this surgery.  I'm not sure exactly how much I've lost, but somewhere around 17-18 pounds.  I have more energy and I'm even thinking clearer.  I think it's because I don't have all those preservatives and junk in my body anymore!  I do feel hungrier now so I've increased my solid food to 3-4 times a day about 2 ounces each time.  This is in addition to my protein drinks and all that water.  I am looking forward to having some choices added to my diet next week after my one month check-up.  I started riding my bike yesterday, but didn't go today.  I am shooting for at least 3 times a week for now.  I also play games and do light exercises on the Wii.  So far I'm so glad I did this!

I am four days out from my surgery now so I thought I should post my experience before it becomes a blur.  Surgery was Monday afternoon, got out of the hospital on Wednesday and am writing this on Friday morning.  I feel remarkably good.  I have had no big complications.  I am on potassium because my in hospital labs came back low.  Hopefully I will be off of them soon.
On the Friday before my surgery I was convinced that I was going to die.  It sounds kind of funny now, but it wasn't then!  I stayed convinced of that until mid afternoon Sunday when I started focusing on the positives and the future.  I also had spent a pretty good amount of time in prayer and had others praying for me.
I arrived at the hospital early as requested and was taken back for surgery at about 1:15.  I'm not sure what time I went in or came out due to being on a "margarita" :-) at first and then the big guns after.  I was wheeled to my room at about 6 where my husband, daughter and friend were waiting.  My friend who has had a few surgeries commented on how coherent I was.  I don't know how because I was pushing the morphine button way more often than it was allowing me to have some.  My family watched me for a while and every time I would drift off to sleep someone would say something and it would wake me up and send my pulse racing so the nurse suggested that my family and friend go home.  They did and I mostly calmed down and slept.  I discovered that I didn't like the way the morphine made me feel so I took my last shot of that around midnight and didn't do anything else after that except for liquid tylenol, one dose a day.  I think that is part of the reason that I feel so good already.
I am really grateful for the Kaiser classes because I learned so much and pretty much knew what to expect.  The one experience that I did have and that wasn't mentioned in any of my classes and I haven't read about on here was on my second night in the hospital I had about six straight hours of anxiety attacks.  I have only had one other one about 10 years ago so it was pretty scary.  The one I had ten years ago was nothing compared to these in the hospital.  I'm still not sure what caused them but I talked to a great nurse (Misty) the next morning and she said that she has seen it before.  She reminded me that it has been a long time that I have been trying to have this surgery and so much of my time and energy has been focused on it and now it's over.  I think that makes sense!  I haven't had any issues with it since that night and I pray that I don't because it's extrememly uncomfortable and scary.  I think being cooped up in a small space with no fresh air played into it and another factor was that feeling of loss of control that comes with being in the hospital and at the mercy of all of the nurses and vitals checking.  Also, why do they insist upon cleaning the floors with a very loud machine in the middle of the night and pushing around carts that squeak.  HELLO, anyone heard of wd-40?
Anyway, it's over now and on to a new portion of this lifelong journey.  I already feel better and am looking forward to being a more active person with healthier habits!

Got a surgery date.  Started on high protein, almost no carbs today.  Feel fine so far.  Pretty motivated to succeed.  Surgery is two weeks from today 3/23/09.