March 2003-February 2004

This is when my investigation into Lap-Band began. While listening to a morning talk show, Kidd Kraddick, they talk about a new weight loss option called Lap-band. They were giving away 2 free operations. I quickly jumped on the Internet and started reading about the procedure, anything I could find. Reason this procedure lured me in was that nothing internal gets cut, stapled, changed, etc. This was a big asset also to help convince my family, the very low risk operation that is involved. Well after doing some extensive research in facilities in Missouri, Georgia and Arizona and understanding what is involved in the follow-up steps, or choice for the Lap-Band operation was Scottsdale Bariatrics, Dr. Blackstone and staff. Because I’m currently finishing up my senior year in college, "untraditional college student", flying out to Arizona has been a bit of a problem. So my aunt, who lives outside of Phoenix, has been doing an excellent job at researching the facilities also out there and agreed that the doctors and staff at Scottsdale Bariatric seemed to be the perfect choice.
     

March 16, 2004

       
• Being healthy
         
• Spending time with my niece
         
• Going out and spending time with family and friends again       
  
• Graduating from college fit and ready to hit the work force
         
• Ice skating
         
• Snow skiing
         
• Not being embarrassed to ride an airplane again
         
• Being able to landscape without tiring out
         
• Fitting in stadium seats
  
• Golfing      
   
  

March 23, 2004

April 3, 2004

April 6th, 2004

April 14th, 2004

     
• Hemoglobin A1c
  
           
  • glycated hemoglobin: indicates a patient's blood sugar control over the last 2-3 months.
       
• Cholesterol and Triglycerides
  
           
  • Cholesterol and triglycerides are two forms of lipid, or fat.
       
• CBC - Complete Blood Count
  
           
  • One of the most important blood tests that your doctor will order for you. Shows : red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
    
• CMP
           
• 
       
• PT/PTT - Prothrombin Time / Partial Thromboplastin TIME
                 
• PT is used to evaluate extrinsic clotting mechanism: I, II, V, VII, X. PTT tests intrinsic & common coag pathways (XII, XI, IX, VIII, X, V, II
          
• UA - Urinalysis
  
           
  • Checks the urine as a screening test to look for chronic infections (not all urinary tract infections have symptoms), diabetes (sugar in the urine), kidney problems (protein in the urine), and a host of other things.
       
• Pre-Albumin
                  
  • Diagnose patients with malnutrition and to monitor patients at risk for poor nutrition.
       
• Analyzed Calcium
  
           
  • During a calcium urine test, urine is collected for a 24-hour period. The urine will later be analyzed for the amount of calcium content.
       
• Chest X-Ray
       
• EKG - electrocardiogram
  
          
  • Is an electrical recording of the heart and is used in the investigation of heart disease.
      
• Abdominal Ultrasound
           
• Is a method of obtaining images of internal organs by sending high-frequency sound waves into the body.
  
  
I'm sure I butchered the spelling on some of those...
   
I thought for sure I would have gotten a call from the center by now giving me a date. So maybe I will call them today and see whats going on

April 15th, 2004

1. May 7th, 2004 - Go to Dr. Clippards office and get all
           the pretest done.
            
• I have two more test to do, but so far I've been billed $510.00
         
2. May 26th, 2004 - Scottsdale Bariatrics to do the Psych Evaluation. Initial $5000.00 due.
        
3. May 27th, 2004 - Talk to Dr. Blackstone, Nutrionist, Excersise Specialist
        
4. June 1st, 2004 - PreOp Surgery Class / Discussion. $10000.00 and $650.00 due.
        
5. June 7th or 8th, 2004 - Surgery!

   

                                                
   

May 8th, 2004

May 14th, 2004

Fixing some things...  Probably gonna make my own site soon.

                                            

June 7th, 2004 at 2pm West Coast is my Surgery!

June 10th

I went in on Monday, of course my 2pm operation was delayed until 3:30pm... When I got to the hospital my anxiety, emotions, etc all faded... I figured if I there, then I gotta do it, no turning back. Well in pre-op I waited and waited and waited, seemed forever... IT was forever because they were running behind.

Finally the time came, the rolled me in and all I remember was getting my arms tied down and a shot of goody juice... CLONK..

Operation was difficult my doctor said, this was first time she had done someone with a BMI like mine and the lap band. I woke up normally from anesthesia, and then all hell broke loose. When they pushed me over to the other bed to go to recovery, I had so much anesthesia in my body, my throat muscles decided they didn't want to wake up... BAM... my throat muscles collapsed... I turned purple/blue... No air I was getting... Luckily, I had one of the best anesthesiologist in Phoenix and he recognized the systems right away... They shoved the breathing tube down my throat and there it stayed for 28 hours.... PURE AGONY... But everyone said I was a great patient, didn't complain, once the tube came out I was up on my feet moving around... Suppose when there are cute nurses all over the place you gotta show how man-ly you are... LOL

I finally got moved to bariatric ward, where I was also praised for being so strong, after having such a trauma even and being in ICU... I was released yesterday, but had no computer service... Also the pain in my stomach isn't the nicest thing I've felt... Especially the port side. I barely got any sleep at the hospital because the beds were like rock and to short for me...

Anyways, 3 more liquid meals and finally get something substantial! Hooray... I'm not hungry at all though, and actually just eating the Jell-O sort of feels me up...

Been doing my walks every 2 hours like told, I'm still in the yellow zone I guess for a month cause I've had a blood clot in my past... So they are just taking special precautions... I gotta give myself a shot everyday... YUCK! Doesn't hurt, but it is just the thought you know...

Whelp there is my update, I'm a live, "not kicking" lol, and holding that oh so sore left side.

Thanks for all the great messages and prayers, I know that is what helped pull through the slightly dangerous trauma episode I had.

~Dirk (Big ole loser!)

By the way, my doctor called me a cute teddy bear... She’s real cool... But how embarrassing in front of all those nurses. LOL

Did I mention I need pain medicine? Oh my aching side..

June 21st

My weigh in.... So I go in to the physical trainer, definitely not expecting as much as I got last week... Stepped on the scale and another 11 pounds shredded off!


                                                     

July 3rd

Me, young, thin, sexy?  LOL  Not with that hair!
http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/dirkyoung.jpg">

July 12

May 27th, my Body Fat % was = 48.0%
Today my Body Fat % is = 36.6%
I have lost 11.4% of that yucky body fat from my body!!!!!

May 27th, my Fat Mass was 223.01lb
Today, My Fat Mass is 154.51lb
I have lost 68.5lb of FAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 27th, my weight from muscle was 241.51lb
Today, my weight from muscle is 267.01lb
I have gained 25.5lb of muscle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At this point I was estatic, happy, overjoyed... Didn't know what to say.. The surgeon and nurse figured that I was doing so well, NO FILL FOR ME!!! HOOORAAAAAAAAY! Anyways, I took off and went to the car to call my mom, and then it happened... Stupid broke out in tears of joy, took about 5 minutes to control myself so I could tell my mom it was tears of happiness, not pain... Do I think the band works, hell yah...

Little extra Tid Bit:
4 Really's Rule
Thought I might share a rule that my therapist gave us at our pre-op and post-op meeting. She made sure to stress though that you shouldn't use this rule until you are signed off on your full diet. Anyways, the rule goes something like this. If you see that fattening food you have been craving to have ask your self. - Do I "Really" want or need that? If you use Really once in your sentence then you probably could get by without having it. This pattern continues with the same question like "Do I REALLY REALLY" want or need that? "Do I REALLY REALLY REALLY want or need that?" So if you use Really 1 - 3 times in your sentences, then most likely you can get by without having that high calorie fatening food item. Now if you get to the point that you say, "I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY want to have a bit of that"... Then you should releave your craving. Now remember, lets take for example your 4 REALLY craving is Cheetos (one of my big favorites). Don't rip the bag open and start eating them like you would with any other food. First of all, they are just air and cheese dust, so you could basically eat a big bag of cheetos and not even have that full filling in your 2 ounce pouch!!!! Instead, go to the store or grocery store and by one of the very small bags, take it home, wait till your dinner, and then take 4-5 pieces of them out and put them on your plate. Throw the rest of the bag away. And tada, you have satisfied your REALLY craving, without hurting your self fat intake etc.

July 16th

Today I had to remind myself and take a look at the 4 rules my surgeon gave me.

These 4 rules, after you read them will seem pretty simple.   Of course this is MY program, or atleast the one that my surgeon tells people, but really makes a bunch of sense if you think about it.   You will see some lines that apply to just gastric bypass, but in a nutshell it is for all weight loss surgeries.

============================

The Four Rules for Post-Operative Success

Although these rules are essential to your post-operative success, you can start applying each and every one of these principles before surgery. You don't have to wait to change your life through following these simple guidelines.

Thanks to these four easy steps, you don't need to worry about counting calories, fat or carbohydrates ever again. It's important not to follow any other program, whether it is off the Internet or from another surgical office. Your surgery is a tool to be used with these 'Four Rules' and experience shows that unless you follow them, we cannot predict any weight loss results.

Age, overall health and genetics make each person's progress a little different from other patients. Don't compare your progress to another patient – either your weight loss, the amount you eat or how much you can exercise. As long as you follow the 'Four Rules,' you are on the road to success. With commitment and dedication, you expect to achieve the same long-term success within one year.

When patients reach a 'plateau' and stop losing weight, it is usually because they are not following these simple but very important rules!

1. Protein First Every Meal

Eat the protein portion of your meal first – every meal – one to three meals per day. Eating protein helps the body feel full and sends a signal to stop eating.

Protein is also very important to building tissue in the body. Muscle, your organs, your brain – everything is built with proteins. The body does not necessarily need three meals a day, so listen to your hunger cues and don't worry about the clock. At the beginning, after they can tolerate solid food, most patients only eat one or two meals a day.

2. No Snacking Between Meals

Eating anything flavorful or containing calories in between meals is considered snacking. Do not eat between meals at all! If you absolutely have to snack, the only snack that is acceptable is protein. In the beginning, turkey jerky is a good protein – and you must work at it a little to eat it!

Later on, after six months, beef or venison jerky is acceptable, but only if you feel like you have to eat something. The main problem with snacking on flavorful food is that it contains glucose or some other sugar. You feel good when eating sugar and when that sugar is gone, one to three hours later, your brain sends a message to snack again.

Snacking actually makes you hungrier and it will slow down or even stop your weight loss. And depending on how much or how often you snack, you can actually gain weight!

Remember that surgery has only changed your digestive system and not your eating habits. Your commitment to a change in lifestyle is the key to making the surgery work for you for the rest of your life.

3. Drink Water - 48 to 64 oz. Per Day Minimum

The importance of water can't be emphasized enough. Especially in the beginning, when you can only tolerate a mouthful at a time, it is so important to continually sip water all day. Make sure you drink 48 to 64 oz. a day minimum – that's 2 to 3 quarts per day.

Eventually, you will able to drink 2 to 4 oz. at one time. No tea, soda (with or without sugar), coffee, or juices are allowed. Drinking flavorful liquids actually encourages snacking and flavored drinks with sugar.

4. Exercise

Exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. Walking is fantastic exercise and is probably the easiest way to get started exercising. We understand that in the beginning you may struggle with a simple walk down the hall and that your energy level can be very low. Your job is to move your body a little more every day. At 4 to 8 weeks (everyone is different!), you will mostly feel back to normal. After you have been cleared by your physician, you may begin other forms of exercise. Eventually, incorporating both aerobic and resistance training into your daily exercise routine will help you remain healthy, at a healthy weight, for the rest of your life.

July 18th

My mom said just now, "would of anyone or myself thought I could do a mile of walking this time last year?" The answer is no, I had a tough time just making it to my car outside my apartment building...

The other goal I recently have done is to walk up a couple flight of stairs with very little huffing and puffing, actually almost none... Now this was my true enemy, just going up one flight would make me feel like I was about to choke and die... I would almost faint from the lack of oxygen...

Sooo, things are going well.

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/wolf_eyes_md_blk.gif">

August 6th

Sooo, August has arrived and to my surprise and many others I am slamming on this weight loss.   Lets all say it together, but 63 pounds in 2 months!!!   Hooray.

I had a goal to be 399 before classes started, and I am 9 pounds away from getting that goal.   Think I can make it?   By August 23rd?   I truelly hope so, considering if I don't do that much weight loss it will be time for the ole fill.    The FIRST FILL!   Yikes!

Anyways, real reason I signed on, was I thought I would post my bill I got from my hospital telling me what my cost COULD of been, if I hadn't had such a cool surgeon and a special price plan.

Intermediate Care / Telemetry --------------------------  3600.00
Pharmacy -----------------------------------------------------  4088.06!!!
Pharmacy IV Solutions -----------------------------------   796.02
Inonsterile Supply ------------------------------------------   416.01
Sterile Supply ------------------------------------------------  3458.10
Other Implants -----------------------------------------------  6735.50 (Thought my breast looked bigger?)
Chemistry -----------------------------------------------------   656.00
Hematology ---------------------------------------------------   284.00
Radiology, Diagnostic -------------------------------------   649.00
Chest X-Ray --------------------------------------------------   300.00
OR Services --------------------------------------------------  5984.00
Anesthesia ----------------------------------------------------   168.00
Respiratory Services ---------------------------------------  1373.00
Cardiology ------------------------------------------------------   889.00
Self-Admin Drugs-No Det Coding ---------------------    16.68

----  Total Charges ------------------------------------------- 29413.37

Surgeons special package ----------------------------- 10000.00
Surgeon Fee -------------------------------------------------  5000.00
Anesthesiologist  -------------------------------------------   650.00
Nutrionist & Physical Therapist (3 visits each)-------   300.00

Total for the whole operation and program ------------ $15950.00
 
I saved umm, $19413.37!!!!

August 29th

Well, haven't posted in awhile...  Guess it is cause I have been waiting for that big Scale Victory that I am so close to!   But the band has been really fickled for me the last few weeks, and my hungier pains seem to be above average.

I think it is time for that first fill, although I am still losing 8 pounds a month..   I guess I will call my surgeon tommorow and get some advice on what to do. 

The image of that long needle going into my ribs is bothering me a little bit.

The good news, I did reach the 70 pound goal in two months, how can you say that is bad right?   But things have basically come to a stop, a plateua, so time to adjust I believe.

Anyways, I will post soon, when that big SV happens...   Till then, I continue the walking and exercising in hops to reach it!

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/phoenixflames.gif">

September 7th

(drum roll please)
I can now say....... that....... I weigh in the 300's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right, no longer am I a 400's person, never never never again.... I am proud to say, I past that mark with a 5 pound lost over the holiday weekend. No fattening food for me! I never thought I would get past it, I mean I was stuck at 401, 405, 402, 405, 401 and on and on for 2 weeks! (does the SV dance) Today I can proudly say I weight 397lbs!

Now, I have only told a couple people this, but while I was at my plateau of lower 400's I did check my stomach measurement. Since August sometime, I have lost a total of 5 inches around my waist!!!!!!! Hooray again for me! (does the NSV dance)

Before classes started this month, I had to get some new clothes. Everyone, I think, has seen the pics of those HUGE shorts I was wearing that barely fit me anymore. Well when I ordered them, I thought they were a certain X size. So I ordered what I thought was just 1 X size smaller. Well they arrived and when I put them on, I could fit into them, but they was still a little tight. I was like, hummm, that is odd? So I picked up the old pair and then the new pair and noticed that I had ordered 2x smaller shorts!!!!! And I actually fit into them!!! Somewhat? Another 10-15 pounds I will be fitting into those... So another NSV of a 2x clothing drop! (does another NSV dance!)

Now one of the most important NSV that I could post and the one that gets this old man a bit teary eyed. I met my 3 year old niece over the weekend. I had not seen her since she was 3 months old. I was very nervous that she would be scared of me cause of my weight, or I would be that one relative she didn't get along with. Because of my huge weight in the pass, I always missed going to family outings and things. I just didn't want to people to see me huffing and puffing etc. Well anyways, 95% of the time I kept up with a 3 year old girl who wanted to show me EVERYTHING she did the whole weekend.. It felt so good... I had wanted to meet her for so long and it only took like 5 minutes for her to open up to me.. I was a very proud Uncle as I got to see her olympic swimming event and her olympic horse show.. Of course those are her goals at age 3 already... LOL

September 26th

Wow, almost a month since I last updated.  Things haven't been all great, but then they haven't been bad either.  I'm in my last semester of college and this year semester isn't easy.  Don't they suppose to be nice to us our senior year?

Anyways, my weight loss had hit a big plateau, I couldn't get pass the 399 mark and kept going from 410 to 399 to 405 etc.  Wasn't making any progress like I had before.

This Friday I finally had my first appointment for a fill adjustment.  I didn't really like the hospital at all I went to, was in the ghetto, old, and the staff seemed a little second rate.   It was definitely not Scottsdale Shea.  While waiting for the surgeon, I was about to freeze, they had the air conditioner blasting in the middle of fall!  Another 10 minutes probably would of had to be diagnosed for freezer burn!  lol

Anyways, the surgeon finally arrived and I got up on the flouro table and there it was, the image of my little port inside my body.  All straight, nothing twisted, etc..  Was neat to see.  The nurse started prepping me up with the iodine etc and then the doc turned around with that 6 inch needle!!!!  What the hell I said!?!?  your not gonna numb me first?   He was like no, the needle is very thin ...  And actually, I barely felt a thing when it went in.  Once done there, had to do a sip test, and wow, definitely a new sensation.  Water wasn't going down very well at all.   Rest of the day I made sure I didn't eat, didn't want to take a risk or anything.

So the next day, I went to lunch sort of early..  Ran to Wendy's to get a small thing of chili, at first the two first bites were pretty hard to get down..  So I made sure I chewed the food well and it seemed to go down ok, this was about 11am.  All of the sudden around 2:30 my stomach just began to give me cramps and I began to get nausious..   I started dry heeving several times.. 

Rest of the day I was miserable, nautious, sore tummy and diareah..   Still not sure what is going on, but sort of shows signs of food poisioning.

This morning I'm little better, but stomach is still a bit woozy and tumbling.

I am down to 393 though, I guess that is a good thing?

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/wolf_eyes_md_blk.gif">

October 13th

You know, even though the weight continues to fall off and that is great, the emotional or psychy side of things can be hard to deal with.  You are feeling better about yourself, you have more energy etc, but the facts of life it doesn't solve things like companionship or dating.  I am sure it will in the future, but I wish it was a snap of the fingers type thing you know.   Guess I am blue cause the holidays are coming up, and just another year of not being able to share it with anyone.

As far as the band, took this long for it to really start to fill tight.   Odd huh?  About 2 weeks after the fill I start feeling the affects, well that is good, means I should start losing again at a good rate.

I focused again a little harder on my exercise, then I was doing before.   Before it was mostly just walking and a few weights, but now it is full fledge weights and really working at it hard.  To be honest, I am a bit sore today, but I think that is the workout + being cold outside.

Anyways, a year from now, I should be in a better mood huh?   Maybe in love?   Or better yet, someone loving me.  :)   Talk to you soon.

October 28th

This is for all of you who say "I can't exercise" for whatever reason...

I'm to out of shape....
I'm to big....
I'm scared it will hurt my band....
Etc etc...

Let me tell you, I was all of the above and I am doing just fine....

Just got back from the gym, right now it is averaging about 1:20 - 1:50 hour:minutes.

My Routine:

Stretching / Warmup - 6 laps around inner track.
Bike - 10 to 15 minutes (I really do hate the cardio part)

Deltoid Machine
Abdominal Machine
Lower Back Machine
Lat Row Machine
Tricep Pulldown
Tricep Pushdown
Bicep Curl Barbel
Shoulder Press Machine
Chest Incline Press Machine
Peck Deck Machine
Leg Extension Machine
Leg Press Machine
Bench Press Machine
Abductor Machine
Adductor Machine
Shoulder / Back Pulldown
Shoulder Pullover
Calf Raise Machine

If I can do it, you can do it!!!!  Rarely, I do feel a little pinch from the port, but that is about it.. I know I have shed about 6-7 inches around my waist, and my bat flap arms are now become batman muscles

Now get out there and exercise!

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/phoenixflames.gif">

November 1st

Hooray!  Made it through Halloween without buying any candy at all!  No bags... Not a one!  Hoooray!    I did have a sugar cookie though decorated with halloween theme, but about it.

November 4th

Ok, so I don't understand why all these boards people are sometimes to hateful or backstabbing?  Aren't we all here to help each other?   To give support etc?  Doesn't make since people would toy with other peoples emotions, or say nasty things behing their backs etc.   I just don't get it, and it has really turned me off to posting on the boards at all.  You also put trust in some people, or believe in them and they turn against you as well.   The internet at times can be a cruelier place then the real world, atleast I can see their face when they insult me or talk bad about me.   Here you gotta hear it throw the grapevine.

Now with that all being said, I guess I am again sort of at a plateau.  But, let me say I am feeling a ton better overall health wise.  The exercise is really doing some wonders in my shoulders, my chest and my arms.   My knees as well are getting stronger.  The only thing about doing cardio (if it isn't the bike) is that walking and jogging does a number on my feet.  I have upped my time doing walking and cycling though, so hopefully it will pay off.

Interesting test next weekend for me though..   Going to the Rams football game and I have avoided stadiums quite sometime now cause of having to fit into those little tiny seats.   Never been to the Rams stadium though, but I have done a few seats lately at the auditoriums at the college and other places, and I finally fit into those..  So wish me luck!  Will see if I have a new NSV or not next week.

November 4th

Today I did some measurements, so these are my 5 month measurements:

Upper stomach:  58" (66" start)
Waist (belly button):  66 (75")
Chest : 55" (58 1/2")
Neck : 18" (19 1/2")

So thats what? 22 inches gone?   Yay for me!

Oh, I am at 375lbs now, 4 more hits my Century mark! (-100lbs)
 
http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/wolf_eyes_md_blk.gif">

December 5th, 2004

December 5th, 2004...   There is a day to remember, why? 

Cause today, I officially hit the:

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/number1.gif">http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/number0.gif">http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/number0.gif">LBS!

Hooray!

December 21st, 2004

I do have recent pictures from thanksgiving / graduation / pre-xmas celebration I will try to get up later this week.  I am buckling down for a big winter storm tonight in SE Missouri.  Supposedly we suppose to get from 7 - 14 inches of snow!   Hooray?  Sort of, I love snow... Always have, but I got to admit since losing all this weight I am just constantly freezing my arse off!  I guess I need to grin and bare it to be able to see my snow!

As far as my weight loss, it continues to go downwards...   I have lost another 5 pounds since my century mark which is great.   Basically, this whole lapband thing and watching what I eat etc has become second hand now, I don't really focus on it anymore or stress about it.   It has now become a habit and I just let things happen like they should.

A big NSV/SV?  Not sure what it falls under is that I am now in the 40's of my BMI!!!!    Yes, I started in the 60's and now I am in the 40's!  Miracle... hooray!  Oh yah, bought a new suit also and I think I look pretty good in it?  Heh, I have pictures, those will come soon as well.

I had an early Xmas celebration because of graduation and all, and one of the big surprises I got was a new set of clubs.   My mom said my face was in shock when my aunt/uncle brought them out... and I was I really wasn't expecting anything so nice for a graduation/xmas present.   I am so excited about getting back onto the greens next spring.   Golf has always been one of my favorite things, but walking with all this weight wasn't.

So now the question is, how much time will I be able to spend on the computer?  That question is unsure.   My focus now is to find a job, any job, anywhere in this United States.  It is scary to go back to the workforce for sure, especially at my age, and just having that new graduate feeling of your not sure you are ready for your field of study?   Did that make since?  Hope so.

I have peeked on a few times to see what people were up to, sorry I didn't get to post responses.

Whelp, to wrap this up, I am going to be in Phoenix next month, so if anyone lives around there a few OH people I know are going to meet up ..  So maybe you can come by and say hi!   Of course I am still nervous about the plane flight, not the fact of crashing or flying, but just the possibility of being embarrassed or such about my size...

Talk to you soon!
I am going to try and make a little Xmas present for the boards, but not sure ill have time

Love ya all
Dirk
http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/wolf_eyes_md_blk.gif">

March 15th, 2005

So here it is, March 15th again, my birthday... 38 years old now... unreal...

I'm closing in fast to my 1 year anniversary of my Lapband surgery and I am not sure what to think of my life currently. I have mixed feelings and emotions on how things are right now and how I feel.

Am I healthier then I was a year ago? But of course, without a doubt! Thats exciting isn't it? I've had to move out of my apartment this month, so been moving everything out on my own.. Something I couldn't do a year ago or two years ago (I had to have my family move for me last time)... Moving was something I use to do on my own about 10 years ago with ease. So having the energy to move on my own, thats a good thing right?

I pulled out my clubs yesterday and started swinging again. I haven't played golf in like 4-5 years, something I have greatly missed, but I defintely plan to play quite a bit this year Unfortunately, I still have a stupid slice on my driver

I flew on a plane for the first time in 10 years! A huge thing for me and my confidence. Was a little cramp, didn't need two seats though, just a seat belt extender... I suppose I can handle that.

But wasn't the lapband suppose to fix everything in my life? Awwh yes, a ridiculious statement I know, but I think a statement that some of us say to ourselves deep inside when we considered this operation. At 130 pounds lighter in my life, I thought for sure that my love life, social life, work life etc would all be different by now... But as I sit here this morning typing on the computer, nothing yet has changed really in my life but being healthier. Now don't get me wrong, that is probably the most important aspect of it all right? To be healthier and to live longer, but it sure would be nice to be able to share that lifestyle with someone or people? Spending the holidays alone (meaning a significant other) and then confronting my birthday alone is still a tough aspect for me to handle. So I wonder, whats the problem... I've been told im cute, I have a handsome face (or atleast been told that) and then I look in the mirror and i see the problem! I'm still fat, worse yet, im fat with sagging skin now as well! Morbid I know, but it is some of the demons that I am fighting with right now and for some of you.. you have already heard it before from me.

So what next... Awwh, this diploma from college im staring at? Waste of time? How do you impress an interviewer at age 38, when your starting basically a whole new career and your coming into the job as an entry level worker. Worse yet, how about those horrific looks you get when you walk in for an interview, all I can think of is they are thinking "Great, my health insurance is gonna go up with this guy around."

Now for the Lapband, how has that been? For the first 8 months it was great! Actually, when I went back to Phoenix in January they were over pleased at my progress, 100+lbs with only 1 fill? How could you not be pleased right? I was for sure as well as my surgeon. But something happen in February, not sure what? Was it slight depression? Was it just the winter months? Not sure what it was, but everything I did was wrong on the steps to follow for the lapband.

Things I did wrong:

- Wasn't drinking my 64oz of water a day
- Any time I felt just a tad bit of restriction I would immediately try to throw it up. Basically I was beating the lapband.
- Was sitting in my apartment all day doing very limit amount of exercise each week.
- Sweets became my friend (dairy queen), easier to go down, melted in mouth etc.
- Worse yet, I haven't been using OH message boards as a support place for several months now.

Gained 15 pounds... Not good

So finally, a couple weeks ago I guess I woke up again and have been trying to fix my bad habits that I fell into. I am letting the band work for me again, instead of trying to throw things up when I feel restriction. This of course helps with the feelings of fullness longer. Back to drinking my water as well as excersing each day. Lucky for me, I dropped the pounds I had gained right back off and I'm back down to my last successful weight measurement. I actually hope to be in the 350's next week which would be a new target goal for me.

I believe that sort of sums up everything for me and what i've been doing and going through. I think one of the biggest mistakes i've done is not use these boards like I use to get support and warm feelings that all of you use to give me on a daily basis. I also miss giving out support to those who need it and wanted inspiration as well. I know when I first had my operation, people like Kim K., Sharon T, Dana and several others were around to push and encourage me.

Ok enough! Sorry about my rambling on lol

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/phoenixflames.gif">

April, 2005

I wonder why?

I've been that way also, I guess now maybe it has just become a way of life?  Or maybe it is cause the weight loss speed has slowed down now, so your not like Holy Cow!  another 5 pounds?

Anyways, why I bring this is up, I noticed that my post are now like in month intervals and was trying to figure out why.  :)

Well the other news is, im crushing on this friend of mine.  Good right?  Hooray?!?   Well sort of...  Remember when I posted that its nice to look like im 27/28?   Well now it seems women that age or younger are interested in me.  Should I go for it?  Someone that much younger?   I mean, losing all this weight not only for my health, was to get a social life also. 

This week I hope to hit my 150 overall weight loss mark!   Wooo Hoo!

Why did I choose band against RNY...

Four Reasons....

1 - about 100% less abrassive surgery... The soreness, down time, the chance of something happening on the surgery table etc is minimized a ton... Since I was completely scared of any surgery (being a virgin to the surgery table) I did not want to take any extra steps something could happen.

2 - I wanted to keep my internal organs just how they are... I didn't want to lose anything from my body, or change anything inside my body.. With the band, all it is, is a little restriction to slow down eating... Also, if something would ever happen, I could easily get it taken out... where as RNY is for life, and people have to deal with any problems that occur with it....

3 - Funny enough, I do like exercising and since the band is a tool that works with healthy eating and exercise, I knew I would be successful... Why I hadn't exercise like I should of before the band, the weight had gotten so high that it was just way to much on my knees anymore...

4 - Unlike RNY where you suppose to lose just about everything in the first 4-6 months, Lapband full success is in about 2 years... This would give my body time to get back to a normal size etc... The chances of flabby skin all over is less minimized as I exercise and drink plenty of water....

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/grimreeper.jpg">

May 8th, 2005

Tuesday of last week I was working out in the yard and got hungry, so got a Wendy's salad.   Well, instead of eating slow and sitting down I sort of took it with me while I was working.   And I guess ate it to fast.   Mind you, salads have never really given me any problems before.   Well I felt discomfort and restriction, so I stopped eating it.   The restriction lasted basically all day and finally around 5pm I had to drink some water and throw it up.

So I threw it up and felt fine, was hungry that day for some reason, I had really worked hard in the hard I guess.   So I ate a small dish of lasagna, but I ate it normally and fast.   Big mistake I think!   From then on, I was in a world of pain and discomfort for 7 days.   I probably at most, got 30oz of water down and two fingernail size pieces of chicken down.   Something definitely wasn't right!

Well after searching for 4 days for a surgeon who would take an outside lapband patient, finally found one.   Walked in, talked about 5 minutes, and then after that, it took about 6 minutes for them to unfill me, flush me out, whatever was stuck dropped down, refill me and I was back to normal.

Yah, the last couple days I have still been a little swollen or sore, but I guess that is to be expected from a week of throwing up and heartburn.

May 27, 2005

After bloodwork, 20 x-rays etc... I was clogged again, which was the good news I guess?

What sort of made me mad though, was this surgeon said, the 2 weeks ago, when I was first stopped up and they took the fill out... They should of kept the fill out for about 2 weeks or so until my stomach had time to heal and the swelling went down. He figures that over the last 2 weeks I have just kept it irratated over and over again and just swelled up again. He also started thinking that maybe the bad was just a bit to tight.

So, they took 1cc out of me, which of course instantly releaved me from my pain... It still leaves about .5cc in and I still feel a tad bit of restriction, so that is good news...

But MAN what a month, it hasn't been fun month at all ...

Other then that, the good news is, I have a date tommorow... LOL and it is actually with a gal from OH ... So wish me luck!

http://promize.brinkster.net/wlspictures/phoenixflames.gif">

June 7th, 2005

What can I say about this experience. It has had its up and downs for sure, but mostly positive of course. I have lost 140 lbs, which is basically an average person. So imagine not having to carry that around on my back all the time and on my joints. It has opened up doors that were closed for so long. Like confidence, health and many other things... But let me say, it hasn't solved ALL my problems in life, which I think in the back of our minds when we first have this surgery we think it might.

I did make a little flash movie, sort of put it together fast, and well of course it isn't completed yet cause my journey isn't completed yet!

http://promize.brinkster.net/flash/losing2.html

Takes a bit to download and you might need to install flash player.

http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&promoid=BIOX

P.S. - The date didn

About Me

Friends 62

Latest Blog 2