plzmommy

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On March 16th I had my 1 yr surgiversary. I have lost 130 lbs and seem to be at a plateau. Cant seem to drop below 170 lbs, I have a lot of extra skin on my thighs, stomach and arms and at my 1 yr appt the Dr thought I would probably be at  my goal or pretty darn close to it if I had plastic surgery. I am in  a size 12 and they are a bit baggy on me, but 10's wont fit the extra skin on my thighs. I guess that is the price I pay. But hey I can deal with that since I havent been a 12 since I was in middle school, if then.

I look back at the pictures this past year and even before my surgery and cant  believe I am the same person. It has taken a lot to get my mind wrapped around the smaller version of me. But I am finally starting to do that. It helped when I started exercizing regularly and could actually see the muscle definition start to form.  That was so exciting I thought I would never see that again.

My 2 kids and I went home to visit family in Iowa over Easter and as good as I felt, I also was a bit upset, several of my family members told me I was too skinny.... are you kidding me???  I weigh what I weighed in High School but wear smaller clothes as I was a 16 then.  They said that I needed to stop losing, how in the heck do you do that. I know my body will stop when it is time. I havent lost any lbs since Dec but I continue to lose inches, which is fine with me because it tells me that my body is burning off the fat. THANK GOODNESS. Well I figured Fooey on them. I feel great, I feel better now than I ever had, have so much more energy, and love to get out there and do things with my kids and others that you never would have caught me doing before. So I have come to the conclusion, that I didnt do this for them. I did this for me, so what they think isnt really important. I am happy, my kids and husband are happy and still love me and that is all that matters to me.

One last note. I just want to Thank Dr Hornbostel and his wonderful staff. If it werent for them I know none of this would be possible. Thank you so much for giving me my life back so I can live it the way I want to live it. To it's fullest!!

Finally, never thought I would see the scale when I was standing on it, ever read below 200 again. I am feeling great and love the decision I have made. Some days I get frustrated because I have so few clothes that fit. This AM on my way to church I asked my husband if what I was wearing looked ok. He said well your pants are way too baggy, They were a size 18 I am between a 14 & 16 depending on who made it. But with only 4 prs of pants in that size range and 2 of them are blue jeans, that kind of limits the closet a bit much.

I really need to find a consignment store worthwhile in the area. I refuse to buy clothes at walmart any more. Just cant seem to find any that appeal to me. I can look like an old woman wearing a mumu or a young kid showing way to much skin. NO THANKS on both of those.

So I am grateful that God has blessed me with seeing a declining scale and a body that is healthier and more able to do the many things I test it with now a days.

So I continue on this path and look forward to the future and what God has in store for me.

Well as of today I have officially lost 61 lbs. That was a wonderful site to see on the scale this AM!!!!

This past weekend we went camping with some friends. TENT camping none the less. In the past I hated camping, I was always hot and miserable. Wouldnt go without my AC. Luckily the weather cooperated and  it didnt rain all weekend like it was supposed to. But was beautiful and warm during the day and cool at night. So it was very pleasant for everyone. I was freezing at night, my hubby was hot, which is the exact opposite of what we used to be. But I would rather be cold than hot anyday. Then I can just layer on the clothes.

So when we were up at Osage Beach we took the kids to the go carts. I wasnt going to ride, but they talked me into it. I was positive that I wouldnt fit into those dinky cars, tried to bribe one of the kids to ride with me so we could have a bigger car. They would have nothing to do with it. So I broke, gave in and went in a small car. And I actually fit in the small car and didnt have to extend the seat belt either. It was absolutely amazing!!!

The next day we went to a Ozark Caverns and took their cave tour. Again I was nervous, small spaces to drag myself through and possible critters I dont like, not to mention far back into the cave. Well I made it through that as well. Didnt touch or bump into a thing with anypart of me. The  only thing that ever touched me was the water dripping from the cave roof.

So even though I know I have about 100 lbs left to lose. I am feeling great and loving this new leash on life that Dr. H has given me.

Having some issues with my weight loss. I have been following my diet and have even kicked up the exercise, and for the past week I have been stuck at the same weight.  I am only down 47 lbs. I am hoping it is all because of my monthly visitor. I usually swell a lot and none of my clothes fit right during that time of the month in the past. But it has been at a stall for the past 2 weeks now. I dont know what to do, my lil friend is finally done today, so I am really hoping it keeps going. Just wondering if other people have this issue. I have gone so far  as to go back to yogurt and more liquids and such, but still not very happy about my progress at this point. Hopefully this will end soon.

OK, yesterday had some creamy soup. Doc said I could, so I figured I would give it a try. Boy was that a mistake. Within 15 min I was in the bathroom and spent the next 6 hrs there. Then this morning I woke up wretching. I could not stop, no matter what I did. I never actually threw up, but holy cow did I make a lot of noise. My poor kids and hubby didnt know what to do. I didnt know what to do.

As much fun as it wasnt. I am thankful that I am 2 weeks out from surgery before that happened. I was so scared of it happening soon after my surgery and doing something that would require me being back in the hospital. So 2 weeks I can handle that.

Thus far I have lost 24 lbs. I am so excited, I made it over my 20 lb stall that I would hit on every other diet I have ever been on. I am so glad to see my scale moving down and not up. I can not even express my happiness with it. If I could do a cart wheel I would. But couldnt do it even when I was young, so my happy dance will have to suffice. I have found that dairy is not my friend. It wasnt very nice to me before surgery, but it makes me sick more so now. So I switched to the soy milk. Which agreed with me well. Thank goodness, it doesnt look that great, but it tastes pretty darn good.

I was slow starting a good exercise routine. My Bad, but I have been so exhausted lately, this past weekend has been the first weekend where I didnt crash on the couch by 7 pm. I still struggle to wake up in the AM and once I do go to bed I am out for the night, still  toss and turn a lot but am sleeping pretty good. I am hoping with increasing my exercise I will gain more energy.

I am struggling to get my water in. went to my first support group meeting this past Saturday, they said that was normal. But water even doesnt hit my pouch right for some reason.  Even taking baby sips. So I sip along all day. Gotten better at taking my protein and vitamins, which is helping as well.

But overall I can not complain, I am still very  happy to have had this done and regret nothing at all.

I had my surgery on Monday March 16th, 2009. It went fairly well, the Dr said it could take 2-3 hours and I was on the table for an hour and a half and in recovery an hour. No problems he said, nice and smooth just the way he likes it. THANK GOODNESS.

Came home on Wed. feeling very bloated and gassy. I was hurting, but not at my incisions, only from the gas and bloating. It was awful. The trip home was horrible. The first part wasnt too bad, but MO seems to like its curvey roads. The doc said to stop every hour, I couldnt make it past 30 min.  before I had to get out and walk around. The last 30 min was the worst, the road was all tight curves one after another, no breaks. Then onto our poorly maintained road. By the time we pulled up to the house I was in tears. Went inside laid on the couch and rested. My kids came home from school about 45 min later. Which was perfect they didnt have to see me so upset and I could show them how happy I was to see them.

Thursday felt a little better, but still very gassy and bloated. Not passing gas yet either, which didnt help. By Thursday afternoon the gas started to leave my system. Never thought I would be so happy to have a bodily function. Friday came and I was going stir crazy in the house. Hubby took me to Walmart and that evening we took the kids to a movie. The movie was a bit longer than I could handle in one position. Luckily no one sat behind us clear to the back of the theatre so I could sit up and lean on a seat in front of me.

when I came home I stepped on the scale I was bigger than before I started this journey. Very disappointing. I know they tell you to expect it from the air they pump in you and all the fluids but I guess I was hoping it wouldnt be 13 lbs more than when I came into the hospital.  Today I stepped on the scale again... wanted to see if any progress had been made since a sweatshirt I was wearing wasnt as tight on my tummy. I had not only  lost the 13 lbs I gained but was now 5 lbs down from when I checked into the hospital. I wanted to do the happy dance. But new my tummy couldnt handle it. But it gave me the light at the end of the tunnel I was looking for. Now I know there will be many more chances to do the happy dance.  Now that I am moving up the loser's aisle and into the winners circle. I am in for a heck of a ride and so excited to take it.

I was all gung ho over this and told myself I could be strong and do this with no problems. Well this liquid diet is awful, I have been doing it, but can not stand the smell of the slim fast. It reminds me of baby formula. Anyway, so I was talking with some friends and brainstorming options  to the limited flavors offered. I already have to put ice in it in a blender to make it more palatable and trick myself into thinking it is a milk shake. But the notebook said we could have whatever no calorie unsweetened drink we wanted. So I bought some of the single drink mixes of the crystal light. And dump it in the blender with my ice and slim fast, it actually tastes pretty good and gets rid of the formula smell. Obviously you can only do this with the vanilla, but the chocolate I can handle if blended with ice.

So the Orange crystal light makes it tastes like orange dreamsicles, very tasty in the AM. The strawberry is very good, much better than the actual strawberry slim fast, and they have a new Cherry Pomengranate, that is absolutely delicious. So even though I would oh so love to have a steak or any piece of meat right now, not really craving anything else. I am getting by with my alternatives.

I had to call Margie yesterday, because I miss chewing on things, I was so relieved when she said I could have anything from the week 1 menu as well. Didnt think I would ever be so excited to eat SF Jello and chicken broth as I was yesterday.

Only 7 days left to go. I think if I can make it past this weekend I am good to go.

I am so excited, I just received a phone call from Dr. Hornbostels office, I go for my scope and other labs on the 2 of March and have surgery scheduled for March 16th.  I can not believe how quick that was.

Well I went yesterday for my initial consult with Dr. H. It went rather well. I brought in records from an appt July of last year from a specialty clinic in Iowa where I had them check and see if my issue was for sure just my thyroid. It was, but at the same time. But it gave enough history, Margie thought, of high blood pressure to give me the diagnosis. So she sent it off to Tri-West and told me I should hear within 24 - 48 hours.

I thought for sure I wouldnt hear anything before Monday. But when I got home today I had a message on my phone from a Tri West nurse. I of course didnt make it home in time to call her. But had signed up for the website to check approvals and authorizations and such. So I jumped on my email, hoping to find good news. Well sure enough there it was in black and white. APPROVED. I am happy and scared to death all at the same time. Surgery scares me, I know I will be fine. this will be my 4 laproscopic procedure, 1 was just to investigate stomach pain when I was in my early 20's. The other was to get my tubes tied after my daughter was born. And my last one was to have my appendix removed. All went well, but still nervous.

So now I know I need to get into a support group and am looking forward to meeting the ladies in my area here on the 28th. Thanks for inviting me. Can't wait to meet you all!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Well I finally had the psych eval and that went well. I have my first appointment with Dr Hornbostel on Wed. I am hoping it also goes well. Margie called and said she wasnt sure if TriCare would approve it because I do not have any diagnoses of Apnea or high blood pressure, she named a few other things. I am anxious to visit the Dr though because I am pretty sure I make the 200% overweight mark. My last sleep study was done 7 yrs ago, and I weighed around 50 -75 lbs less than. My hubby says I snore badly and stop breathing. But I have no official diagnosis. The last Dr visit I had they told me my blood pressure was high, this last time they told me I had to go back every 5 days to have it tested. This was after they brought me to tears and gave me a bruise clear around my arm trying to take my blood pressure. I hate having that done. I always end up getting a bruise even when they do it by hand. This last time was the worst, as it was on the machine. It had to reset once, and I told the Dr it was too tight then and hurt. She didnt listen, told me I would be fine and it had to do it one more time. That time my fingers turned purple and I thought it was going to cut my arm off. I took it off myself. She wasnt happy about that but I wasnt happy that I could feel a huge bruise forming around my upper arm. I am so tired of being overweight and nothing fitting or working. I just want to look normal.

A friend of mine encouraged me to start walking with her at lunch and after work. Last week on day one we walked 1.5 miles. My hips are hurting so bad. But I am going to keep it up. I hope that it will be a stepping stone in my being able to have my surgery.