RondaR12

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Just at 6 months out...and I feel great!

This month was only a 9 pound weight loss month, and I will update this again with my measurements, but I know I'm still losing pounds and inches so I'm excited.  I am finding that its easier to eat more of the "not so good for you" foods, so I am needing to try and make a no-fail environment for me.  I also need to get back into the gym more regularly since I haven't been working out regularly and that might help the weight loss.

I'm definitely seeing areas where I'm gonna need some PS after I'm done with all this.

Oh, and for the first time in my life, I am in a relationship with an awesome person.  I truly hope it works out...he's very quick to tell me he likes me for me, and thinks I'm doing wonderful things for myself.  He has the two most adorable kids also...

so...89 pounds down...11 till 100, so I'm hoping I'll hit that in the next 3-4 weeks, and we'll see how this new dating and relationship thing goes.

*here's my edit...I'm down 90...but haven't weighed this week yet...and down 49.25 inches!!!  from a 26 to a 16/18, I'm loving it*

Time for my 5 month update...

Down..80 pounds!!  My next goal is to hit 100 down.  Only 20 until then!  It's crazy to think about that!

I lost another 4 or 5 in. this past month.  I'm getting back on track with my eating and working out since being gone for a wedding last week.  Let me tell you, it's so different having people give me attention...it's a good different though.

I've gone from a size 26 to size 16W in dresses, normal misses sizes XL in tops(not t-shirts)...XXL t-shirts to L in t-shirts, 26 pants to around an 18 or 20.  I'm pretty happy with that...but apparently, I'll be able to pop some babies out later with these hips of mine!

Anyhow, I have to say life is good.  I'm just starting to realize what a prison I was in with the body I had before and I'm embarrassed that I put myself and my body through that.  I know it will never be the way a 25 year old body is supposed to be, but I'm thankful I've gotten this chance to be healthier, and hopefully one day, I'll be able to share my health and new habits with special ones in my life.

June 20th marked 4 months since surgery.  I'm glad to say that I'm currently 74 pounds down and only 3 away from 50% EWL!!!

That's not to say that I've been doing everything correctly.  My 4 pounds lost this week I attribute to mostly being sick and not feeling that great.  I actually feel I ate crappier food and couldn't satisfy my cravings because I couldn't taste much, but I also didn't eat as much.  So little food and when I did eat, it probably wasn't the best.

I've been struggling with seeing my bad habits come back into my life...although it is nothing like it was.  I would say not even 10% of what it was.  Having the tool makes it a lot easier to tell myself I don't need it.  I'm going to try and use these 4 pounds I lost as a point to start again and do the right things.

As far as measurements, I've lost close to 37 in.  Here's how it breaks down.


Feb 15 Measurements from Pre-Op/Mar 5. 2 weeks Post-Op

2/15 Neck-- 15 in                         4/12 Neck--14 in
2/15 Thigh--32 in                         3/5 Thigh--28.5 in
2/15 Arm--16.5                             3/5 Arm--16.5 in
2/15  Abdomen--59 in                3/5 Ab--57.75 in
2/15 Hips--60 in                          3/5 Hips--58.5
                                                       3/5 Bust--52 in
                                                       3/5 Waist--48.5

6/15/08 Measurements

Neck--13.5                (-1.5)
Thigh--24                  (-8)
Arm--14.5                  (-2)
Bust--47.75               (-4.25)                                       
Waist--42.5                (-6)
Abdomen--51.5        (-7.5)
Hips--53                     (-7)

                     Total inches lost:   36.25!!!

Anyhow, that's the news for now...other than my dear friend Robin is having her VSG today...I'm so excited for her!

Today I'm exactly 3 months post op...and I couldn't be happier.

First...I'm down to 252 pounds which is 62 total, and 46 since surgery.  I'm no longer considered Extremely Obese or Morbidly Obese, I'm just obese now.  I never thought I'd be that excited about that...but I will be just "overweight" soon.

Some NSV's...people are finally noticing me.  And it might be just the fact that I'm more open to people since I'm more confident.  I've dropped from a size 26 to a 20 in 3 months, and I could stand to have a couple 18's in some things, but definitely in 20s from most places.  Even a Gap skirt fits me and I've never wore clothes from the Gap before.

I'm so excited to say I only have 38 more pounds until I hit 100, and I feel I can easily do that before next school year.  I've been doing ok with exercise.  Mostly getting my minutes in in a big chunk rather than a daily thing, but I know once school gets done, I'll be better at that.  But I am going to get back in it this week.

On a non-surgery/weight loss note, I'm moving this weekend.  I have to move back home for a bit a least because I don't have a 3rd roommate for the house my cousin owns that I was going to rent, so hopefully in the next month or so, I can find one.  I want that master bed and bath...really...I want the bath the most!  Anyhow...

I love the fact that I did this for me!  I'm just anxious and what's to come.  I'll add some more updated pics in a bit...

I was going to wait until 12 weeks out...3 months, but I couldn't because of the milestone I hit...

I have less than 100 to lose until my goal!!!  It's nice how a double digit number is way nicer to hear than a triple!

I'm 55 down since 1/4 and down 39 since surgery which is avg. 13 pounds a month.  The past three weeks I've lost 7 pounds which is a bit sad...but I'm going back to basics on eating so I can push those out.  It'd be nice to lose 5 more by the end of May so I still have time...

My goal is my remaining 45 pounds till I hit 100 by August.  That's when school starts back up and the kids are excited to see how things are different.

Anyways...I'll be glad when summer is here and I don't have to teach or grade papers for a while...I can do my workouts whenever and not be pressed for time in the evening.  Anyhow...more to come next week on the official 3 monther...

8 weeks since surgery...down 32 since surgery (that's 4 pounds a week avg) and down 48 total.  I'm really pushing for those last two pounds.  I'd be ecstatic to have that off by next week!

My goal was to lose 50 by May and it looks like I could maybe hit 60!!!  Only 7 more pounds until I have less than 100 to lose.  When you have a 100 to lose, that seems so big, so it's getting better!  

Lately I've been noticing a lot of the little changes physically in terms of health which is what I'm the most excited about.  The school I teach at has stairs and this morning I had to run up the stairs and back down to the office on the other side of the school in about a minute and made it.  And I wasn't out of breath!  Yay for that.  I'm not having the knee pain I used to and it was getting to where my hips and lower back ached everyday and I'm most excited about my hips not hurting anymore!

I'm actually down to the weight I was my junior year in high school.  I'm even just as active now, which I love.  I've always been bigger, but was really active and in shape and I'm active now...just working on the getting in shape!  I can even tell a huge difference in my confidence with people.

Going out with friends before was not fun to me.  I usually just sat there and waited for someone to make conversation with me, but now, I feel I can make conversation myself and it's nice.  I'm not closing myself off anymore.  I can't imagine how it's going to be when I hit goal!

Next week will be my official two month surgiversary, and it's on Dominick's birthday.  How fitting.  I can't wait until his mom has her sleeve and we are doing this together!  I can only say that I know he's been looking down and cheering me on.  I only wish he was around.  I know I could count on him to be an amazing support to me and his mom!

Anyhow, before I start crying, I'll sign off!  

I actually do love my sleeve now!

I have to say this is probably the best decision I've made in my life, but I'm definitely finding myself struggling the most with getting my in fluids.  Between work and then having to wait so long to drink after meals, etc, I need to focus on it more.  There have been two times where I know if I have called my surgeon (one is tonight), I probably would have been told to head into the ER to get an IV.

So here I sit, trying to get some more fluid in before heading to bed.

I've been having issues with my gag reflex lately and not sure if that is due to dehydration or what, but usually it's every morning when I wake up, regardless of whether I've had food or not, or vitamins or not yet.  I had it tonight for the first time at night, and felt like if I threw up, I'd feel better so, tried, but only mucus came up.  

Anyhow, otherwise, everything has been going fine.  I'm down 44 so far total.  I'm waiting until I hit 50 to take pictures and post a comparison, so...but I have gone down two sizes already so that's fun.

Oh, and I'm participating in an exerthon thing.  My goal is to be able to complete a 5k by the end of the 9 weeks. Even if I'm jogging at a snails pace.

March 5th was my two week post op appointment.

I have to say I was a little disappointed that I had only lost 2 pounds the second week, but have attributed most of that to retaining water, etc. as the day after my appointment, I had a week long visit from a friend...

Anyhow, I've been trying my hardest staying off of the scale, and have only weighed 1 time today.  I'm hoping for no more until tomorrow.

I think I am experiencing my first go round with Ketosis.  I've just had the most nasty taste in my mouth, and didn't feel right in my stomach when I ate...regardless of what it was.  It's getting a little better, because I was able to eat some chili today.  I need to go grocery shopping tonight to get stuff for dinner.

Either way, I still pretty tired.  But slowly feeling better.  I've had a lot of my students notice I'm losing weight pretty fast.  They are excited for me, and I'm so excited about that.

I had a bit of an NSV today.  In faculty devotions we sit in the lab and all of the chairs are armed but one.  I typically arrive early so I can grab the lone unarmed chair to sit comfortably, but today, I didn't and sat comfortably in the armed chair.  It's amazing what a couple weeks have done for me.  I also have some awesome faculty members and friends.  Two of the former teachers I had in high school whom I now teach with gave me a card with $100 bucks.  They said it's for new clothes since they know I don't have a ton of money to buy clothes so much, so they would help out a bit, and another faculty member told me that she admired me for having the surgery.

Such nice people I'm blessed with.

Anyhow, I still find I can't eat much, and now that I'm eating actual food and not pureed, I finally see how little I can eat!  Crazy!

Anyhow, have a good one!

Tomorrow is technically my 3 week post...so I guess this is a double post.

I guess I can a give a run down of my experience at Celebration Health and my first week as a healthier person!


Day of Surgery (2/20/08)

My report time was 6am for hydration.  Once I got there, they set me up in my room, in my gown (which was small--I'm there for weight loss surgery--give me a gown that fits!!!), with no underwear (I'm pretty modest so this was odd to me), and got my IV started.  It was a long few hours until my pre-op set up before surgery.  I slept most of the time, and I'm so happy---I never hit that nervous stage.

When they took me back, I got a gown that fits, and had the anethesiologist come in and talk with me, and at around 1pm I think they finally came in and gave me meds to relax before sending me back to the OR.  I wasn't out, but I don't remember anything after they gave me that!  My mom said I was giggly.

Next thing I knew, I was waking up in recovery and I believe it was around 3pm.  I pretty much slept the rest of the time, but when my mom and aunt decided to go get dinner from the cafeteria, that was my worst moment.  I used the buttons on the bed to call the nurse because I was nauseous and had lots of pain, but they didn't work.  Turns out, those were the wrong buttons and they didn't give me the right ones, so I used my cell phone to call my mom and they came back up...with a hippo stuffed pillow for holding against my belly...but honestly, I didn't even care, but I love the hippo now!

I got my pain meds, and nausea meds and wow, I loved them!! lol

Day after surgery was better, but still sore.  Every 2-3 hours after surgery I'd get up to pee, and the day after they began bringing me water, broth, tea, to sip.  Didn't get much down in the hospital.  Maybe 3-4 oz the day after surgery.  That day was rough as I slept the majority of the time, and had one more nauseous moment but once I had the phenergan, it cleared up in seconds and haven't been nauseous since the day after surgery.  My best advice for that is follow the instructions as much as possible!!!  Get in your water.

Day 2 after surgery was as if someone took the filter out of my throat and I was able to drink so much better.  That was also supposed to be the start of my pureeds but wasn't getting in a full 64 oz of fluid yet, so waited until the next day! By the next day I was so ready for something with some substance that I am now thrilled to be on pureeds!!! 

Things have been fairly decent since.  I'm just waiting for my belly to feel normal again.  The eating hasn't bothered me too much.  I just don't like feeling that something is different with my body.  Went to work yesterday (I'm a teacher), and I believe I over did it, because today I couldn't make it.  Tomorrow I will probably go back, but it might be a half day for me.

Anyhow, in January I started at 314--Day of Surgery I weighed 298 (16 pounds pre op) and today at a week out I've lost 11 since surgery. for a total of 27 pounds since January.  Almost better than anytime I've been on WW or Jenny Craig, or any other diet. 

I hope that gives you a little insight.  Good luck to any new sleevers or those thinking about it!

Four more days, and I'll be sleeved.

Not really nervous yet, just excited.  Went for my pre-op yesterday and talked with Dr. Kim.  He's a really nice guy and I felt so much more relaxed after being there and meeting nurses and him.  And it always helps to see Kristen.  She's so nice!

I report to the hospital at 6am for hydration, then to the pre-op room.  I wish my dad could be there, but he has to work, so my mom and my brother are coming to the hospital with me, and my mom refuses to let me be alone, so she is going to stay the night with me there.  After surgery she wants me to stay the next two weeks with them so that she can make sure I'm doing fine.

Dr. Kim was very happy that I was doing this surgery now, rather than waiting too long, especially because he said "this will change your life so much", since I have so much left to live.  I just ask that God continue to grant me the strength to help me through the tough times that I know I will have...

I couldn't ask for a better support system either.  I have so many people that are so excited for me, and that are willing to do anything for me that I don't worry about thing at school and whether or not my sub will be good, because it's Stacie and I trust her with everything!

Anyhow, I guess that's enough rambling...just can't help it...I'm excited!!!