Dedra Ellis

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Well...it has been almost 3 months since I have posted. Its funny that in the beginning you are on this site all the time reading and posting to your page and then after surgery you visit sometimes and post seldom. 

I am almost at 6 months and I personally feel that i should be furhter along but I haven't had the time to work out like I should. I guess I should have asked for a gym membership for Christmas.

I am now wearing a size 16 from a 24 and I will probably be in a 14 soon. I don't buy alot of clothes unless they are on clearance because they are so big so fast. Like today I went to Belk's and found some nice pants for $7.00. That's about my limit if I buy something. I am determined to wear my clothes until they fall off. My family says I need smaller clothes and I know I do but what's the point if I wear my scrubs during the week and my pajamas on the weekend.

I have problems seeing myself like other people see me. Like I still see the big Dedra. I am thinking about seeing a therapist for this.

There is not much else to post. I hope that it won't be another 3 months again.

Take Care OH Family,
Dedra

I am getting slack in posting. There isn't alot to tell. I am still losing weight and inches. Seems like I lose 5 pounds a week now--Thank God! I have had some stalls and they were my fault because I don't have the time that I use to for walking in the evenings and it has been so hot. Hopefully it will get better now that the weather is changing.

My birthday is in 17 days. I won't to at least have lost 15 more pounds and if I don't then I will do it by Thanksgiving. I will be 38 this year. And then 2 days after my birthday I will be 3 months out. 

I am glad that I had WLS. I feel more confident about myself. I am finally learning who Dedra is and what Dedra likes. I can sit in a regular desk at school where I use to go to class extra early so that I could sit at a table so I would be comfortable and not embarassed because I couldn't fit. I went shoping for the first time and bought some "sexy" clothes. I haven't worn them yet but just to have them is amazing. All of my clothes are way to big for me now including my underwear. I can't believe it. Who would have thought!

Well I have to get out of here. I am going to post some pictures again soon. This week is the first home football game at ECU!!! Go Pirates. I am planning to have a good time and be comfortable sitting in a regular seat without worrying if I am crowding the person beside me.

Dedra

Note to self...Increase Protein!!!

WELL...NOT MUCH IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. I HAVE BEEN DOING OKAY WITH MY WEIGHT LOST I GUESS. I DID SEE THE NUT AND SHE SAID I WAS RIGHT ON TRACK. I SEE DR. BAUMAN ON SEPTEMBER 19TH- A DAY BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY- AND I REALLY NEED TO GET SERIOUS AGAIN ABOUT MY WALKING. I CHANGED JOBS AND I NOW WORK 2ND SHIFT SO I DON'T GET TO WALK AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO. I WANT TO BUY A TREADMILL BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO PUT IT WITHOUT IT BEING IN THE WAY SO MY ONLY OPTION IS TO WALK. I DON'T EAT LIKE I SHOULD BECAUSE I AM NOT HUNGRY. I AM ON MEATS NOW AND WILL BE ABLE TO EAT SOME VEGGIES THE END OF THE MONTH. OKAY- I HAVE ALREADY TRIED SOME VEGGIES. I WANTED SOME GREEN BEANS SO BAD. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I JUST GET THESE CRAVINGS. ONE BITE AND USUSALLY I AM DONE. I HAVEN'T THROWN UP NOR CAN I SAY THAT I HAVE DUMPED. I AM REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I EAT. I DON'T LIKE BREAD EVEN TOASTED. CRACKERS ARE OKAY BUT I CAN DO WITH OUT THEM. I JUST BOUGHT ME A NEW DIGITAL SCALE AND REALLY NEED TO GET BACK INTO WEIGHING MY FOOD INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GUESS ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM NOT AT HOME. NOTHING ELSE TO REALLY TALK ABOUT. I WILL POST AGAIN SOON. I AM STARTING SCHOOL ON MONDAY AND HOPEFULLY AFTER THIS SEMESTER I WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN THE NURSING PROGRAM

DEDRA

Well...I am almost 4 week post up and have lost a total give or take of almost 40 pounds. I feel better. I am a happy camper since I can taste different foods. 

I can now walk 3 miles andnot be out of breath. The only problem I seem to be having now is shutting the exercise energy off. Dr. Brown put me on Ambien for 4 days to try and get me a cycle.

I will be seeing Dr. Bauman on Thursday and I hope that he will be happy with me progress.

Until next time...

Dedra

GOSH DO I HATE THIS STAGE OF THE JOURNEY. I HAVE BEEN ON ALL LIQUIDS AND I HAVE BEEN STINKING DEPRESSED ABOUT IT. ONE DAY I EVEN CRIED BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS ENJOYING BBQ PORK CHOPS AND I AM DRINKING THE STINKING PROTEIN SHAKE. EVERYONE SAYS THAT THIS IS THE WORST STAGE OF THE JOURNEY AND THEN I HEAR THAT THE PUREE STAGE IS SO I GUESS I WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU AFTER FRIDAY WHEN I START PUREES. I LOOK FORWARD TO SOME TUNA AND CHICKEN SALAD ALONG WITH EATING SOME EGGS AND CHEESE. NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER WANT AN EGG BUT SHUCKS I WILL TAKE ANYTHING RIGHT ABOUT NOW. WELL I AM GETTING READY TO GO TO BED. ON A GOOD NOTE AS OF TODAY I HAVE LOST 27 POUNDS. NOT BAD!!!! I AM WEARING CLOTHES THAT I HAVE NOT WORN IN 3 YEARS AND THEY WILL PROBABLY BE TOO BIG IN ABOUT A WEEK OR SO. I AM GOING TO HIT GOODWILL AND THE LOCAL CONSIGNMENT SHOPS SO THAT I CAN BE PREPARED WHEN THAT TIME COMES. UNTIL NEXT TIME--TAKE CARE MY OH FAMILY!

DEDRA

TODAY IS OFFICIALLY 1 WEEK FOR ME. I AM STILL TIRED AT DIFFERNT TIMES OF THE DAY AND I HATE DRINKING PROTEIN. NOW THE SMELL OF IT MAKES ME SICK AND IT GETS SO THICK IN MY MOUTH BEFORE I SWALLOW. (GRUMBLING AND COMPLAINING)

I AM GOING TO GET THESE HORRIBLE STAPLES OUT TODAY. THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE PULLING MY SKIN AND I AM HOPING FOR SOME RELIEF IN ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO WHEN I SEE DR. BAUMAN.

I AM NOT SURE HOW MUCH WEIGHT I HAVE LOST BUT I KNOW THAT I MUST HAVE LOST A LOT OF INCHES. I WORE A BLOUSE YESTERDAY THAT I HAVE NOT WORN IN A YEAR AND IT WAS LOOSE ON ME. SO THAT WAS A MOMENT WHEN I SAID THIS IS REALLY WORTH EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH.

I HAD A BAD DAY ON WEDNESDAY. I WAS SO DEPRESSED AND WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING IN MY MOUTH TO CHEW. I DON'T THINK THAT I NECESSARILY WANTED TO SWALLOW IT BUT I JUST WANTED TO TASTE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THE HARDEST PART FOR ME RIGHT NOW IS COOKING FOR MY FAMILY. I KNOW THAT ENERYONE IS GROWN BUT MY SON WORKS THIRD SHIFT AND SO DOES RICK AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY EAT. SO I MADE BBQ PORK CHOPS FOR THEM. THE AROMA OF THE BBQ COMING FROM THE OVEN WHEN I OPENED IT...OH MY!!! THEN I WAS THINKING-WHY DID I DO THIS TO ME, I COULD BE EATING SOME OF THIS RIGHT NOW? SO I CRIED AND WENT TO BED FEELING BAD. I COULDN'T TALK ABOUT IT TO THEM BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FEEL BAD BECAUSE I DID. SO I GOT PAST THAT AND I AM SURE THAT IT WON'T BE THE LAST TIME THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN.

I GUESS I WILL GO GET DRESSED AND GET READY TO LEAVE FOR CONCORD. I AM GOING TO MY GODMOTHERS AFTER MY APPOINTMENT AND WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE GOING TO GET SOME THINGS THAT I NEED. I NEED A BLENDER. I TRIED TO USE MINE THE OTHER DAY AND COULD NOT GET IT TO WORK SO I AM GIONG TO WALMART TO GET A CHEAP ONE. I AM ALSO GOING TO START LOOKING FOR A GEORGE FOREMAN GRILL SINCE I WILL BE EATING LOTS OF GRILLED FOODS WHEN I CAN AND I AM LOOKING FOWARD TO THAT DAY.

DEDRA

I AM HOME AND THINGS ARE GOING OKAY I THINK. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I AM NOT HUNGRY HUNGRY. I THINK I AM DEALING MOR SO WITH SOME  LEFT OVER HEAD HUNGER. 

I FINALLY GOT TO TAKE A SHOWER AND THAT HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A HOT SHOWER, A GOOD BOOK, AND SOME PROTEIN AND WATER.

I HAVE BEEN EXERCISING. THAT INCLUDES WALKING WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT FOR AS FAR AS I CAN GO WITHOUT GETTING LIGHT HEADED. MY DAUGHTER VIVICA HAS BEEN WONDERFUL WALKING WITH ME. I AM GOING TO TRY AND WALK MY ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD TODAY. THIS IS LIKE A 20 MINUTE WALK SO IT SHOULD GO JUST FINE.

I HAVEN'T WEIGHED BECAUSE I DIDN'T PURCHASE A SCALE. OF ALL THE THINGS NOT TO BUY. I KNOW THAT I HAVE LOST SOME WEIGHT BECAUSE MY FACE IS LOOKING SLIMMER AND MY PJ'S ARE KINDA JUST ON ME.

MY INSICIONS ARE HEALING NICELY AND I GET MY STPALES OUT ON FRIDAY WHEN I SEE DR. BAUMAN. STILL HAVING SOME GAS BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN BAD AT ALL. I AM ACTUALLY ABLE TO SLEEP ON MY SIDE INSTEAD OF SLEEPING ON MY BACK.

WELL I AM GOING TO SIGN OFF FOR NOW. I HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS TO DO AND I HAVE TO GO TO WALMART.

DEDRA

I HAD SURGERY ON FRIDAY AND I GOT HOME TODAY RIGHT AT NOON. I AM TIRED WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED BUT OTHER THAN THAT I AM OKAY. DR. BAUMAN DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AND THE STAFF AT NORTHEAST MEDICAL CENTER WAS THE BOMB.

DENA WAS MY NURSE LAST NIGHT AND SHE IS JUST A JOY TO BE AROUND. SHE ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS AND WAS ABLE TO OFFER ME SOME TIPS. 

I DO REALIZE THE KEY TO ALL OF THIS IS TO START WALKING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HAD SUREGERY FIRDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING I WAS UP WALKING AND THEN EVERYTIME I GOT UP TO GO TO THE BATHOOM I WOULD JUST TAKE A LAP AROUND THE HALL WHICH IS LIKE A TRACK.

I HAVEN'T LOST ANY WEIGHT YET--I GAINED 13 POUNDS WHICH THEY SAY IS NORMAL BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE FLUIDS BUT HOPEFULLY ALL OF THAT WILL BE OVER THIS WEEK. 

WELL I AM TIRED SO I AM GOING TO MAKE THIS POST SHORT. TAKE CARE EVERYONE AND IF YOU ARE LOOKING INTO WLS AND DON'T HAVE A DOCTOR YET PLEASE CALL DR. BAUMAN. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED AT ALL.

DEDRA

Well I finally completed every test, evert appointment, every insurance call....everything!!! I had my last appointment today at NEMC. Now the only thing that I have to do is show up on Friday and have WLS.

I am still not feeling anything..no frets and no regrets. I am just ready to move on to the next phase in my life. 

There's not really anything else to talk about. I am going to try and post tomorrow if I have time. I have to do my boewl prep tomorrow as soon as I get home from work so I will probably busy with that.

Take care everyone and wish me luck!!

Dedra

I have been trying to imagine what it is going to be like to lose a significant amount of weight. I wonder how I am going to look after all of these years of just seeing this obese body. I wonder what people are going to say to me when they see me and haven't seen me for a while. They will probably think I am sick and you know what to some degree they are right because I am sick and tired of being a big person.

I am still not feeling any anxiety or stress about the surgery. I still have a peace that passes all understanding even mine. It's as if it just follows me around everywhere I go. I have been sleeping better at night and I am much more relaxed even after going to a job that I don't really like anymore. (Please join me in prayer for another job OH Family!)

I am going to meet with the people at the surgery center tomorrow at 8:30 am and then the next time that I go to Concord I will be going to the hospital for surgery. 

I want to say to everyone who hasn't gotten a date or feel as though this surgery is not going to become a reality to you please don't give up. You are so close trust me I know.

May God bless us all and continue to keep usin His all knowing!

Dedra