stormy
scroll to the bottom for most recent updates.
3/29/06 - It’s been almost a year since I started this journey and I am still trying to get everything together for the Insurance company. My fear is that they will deny me. I feel like I’ve jumped through their hoops so I shouldn’t be so negative. I did my 6 months Dr. supervised diet, although it wasn’t very successful. I’ve seen the dietitian. I’ve started going to a monthly support group. Right now I’m waiting for my therapist to send in the paper work to Dr Reads office and then they will send it all to the insurance for approval or denial. I’m kind of glad it has taken so long because it has just made me more determined to have the WLS and has left little doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do. hopefully I will know soon if it is going to happen....
4/10/06 - I have been approved by my insurance, and I have a date 4/25/06! WOOHOO! Susan from Dr Read's office sent in my paperwork on Friday 3/31/06 and by Thursday 4/06/06 we had an answer from them. Now the real fun begins.....
4/14/06 - I'm unable to think about much else these days, all I want to do is read other people's profiles and learn as much as possible. I am excited, nervous, and scared, but I am also 100% sure this is what I want to be doing for myself. I have made a choice to put me 1st for once.. what I need and want... this is really hard because for so many years I put everyone elses needs and wants above mine. WOW, it's my turn. I have my pre op on April 17th, then I have my surgery on April 25th... I guess I better get prepared for the ride of my life. my DH is scheduled to work on the 25th, so my youngest daughter will be with me in the hospital. DH is planning to be at home with me to help when I get out of the hospital... I love him so much! We've been married almost 24 years now and he is just awesome. I hope he will still love the new me, which will be the old me only better :o)
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4/16/06 - I have my pre-op in the morning tomorrow... My countdown has started, I have only 9 days until my surgery and I don't feel quite ready, I will go into town today and pick up some supplies, such as chicken/beef broth, crystal lite, sugar free popsicles and whatever else I think in need for after the surgery. I'm still excited to start my new life. Of course in the back of my mind is a little voice saying why and what if... I'm not going to let that little voice take control of my thoughts but I will be ready with a letter to my family to read if something goes wrong.
It's a chance I'm willing to take so I can lead a better/healthier life. God bless everyone who is on this journey and their families too. Happy Easter to you all!
4/18/06 - I thought I would put some of my goals in writing so, here goes.
_05/13/06_ lose 25 #'s
_06/17/06_ lose 50 #'s
_08/28/06_ lose 75 #'s
__11/10/06__ lose 100 #'s 6.5 months since my surgery date :o)
_________ lose 125 #'s
__________ lose 150 #'s
_done______ sit indian style
06/05/06_ able to bend over and tie my shoes
_06/17/06_ Sit in a booth with out my boobs on the table
_done_____ fit in the bath tub so I can soak the world away
__10/23/06__ get on my horse with out a step
__________ to be able to share clothes with my daughter (size 8 pants and Med top)
__done____ to get out of my car with out having to pull myself out
__done ___ to sit in a movie theater seat and not take up the seats next to me.
4/23/06 - Today is a beautiful sunny spring day and I went on a short walk with my husband and friends, I was amazed as to how old I felt, my hips hurt, my knee hurt, I was out of breath, I could barely speak.... I'm only 44 years old and I feel like I'm 80. I can hardly wait to have surgery.... only two more day then I'll be on the otherside.
4/24/06 - Here it is less then a day left in fact 18 more hours to go and I will be in surgery. Today I am being good to myself, I got a hair cut, and I gave myself a pedicure and I allowed myself to just sit in the pasture with my horses listening to the birds and just being. I am at peace with what is about to happen, I have faith in my surgon and his team. I am very excited to become the person I know I should be. I know I won't wake up tomorrow after surgery skinny, but I know I will have the tool to help me become healthy....
4/28/06 - Good morning everyone.
I made it to the otherside :o) I'm happy to report that everything
went well. My Doc said my surgery was textbook. I have to say after I got to my room and my insides started to wake up there was quite a bit of pain, but I had my little friend the drug pump to keep me company. I was up and walking that evening.. this was not an easy task but I did it. The other thing that was hard was sucking on that thing for my lungs... ouch... but I did it and it got better. I was able to come home yesterday and slept in my own bed last night. I feel much better this morning. My stomach feels like I've been kicked by my horse, every thing is very tender but it's nothing I can't handle. I have been slowly drinking my clear liquids... I've not felt hungry at all.
5/3/06 - I'm a week out and I've started on my cream soups, cream of wheat cereal, yogurt, and pudding... 2 oz looks like so little. I think I fed my kids more then that when they were babies, however I am full on less then 2 oz. I am retraining my brain to not look at the amount, but let my new stomach to tell me when I'm done. The other thing I notice these days is how much everyone around me eats... it's no wonder I ended up where I am today. I haven't gotten on a scale yet, I'm saving that for my 1st post op appointment with my Doctor on Monday.
Good luck to all who are trying to have the surgery and do well to those of you who have had it already. I am so happy that I was able to have the surgery and I'm looking forward to a healthier life.
5/09/06 - Well I had my 2 week post-op visit with my Doctor yesterday, 1st time I got on the scale since the surgery and I'm down 23 pounds.... wow! Doc had me start my vitamins again, I'm taking Centrum liquid.. yuck! I will be switching to the chewables as soon as this bottle is gone. I've started my mushy foods, had a scrambled egg this morning and it was so good. I haven't had any issues with nausea. Oh and I don't have to restrict my fluids to 4 oz an hour any more I can drink when ever I want, my goal is 64 oz of fluids a day. Next appointment is in two weeks, but I have a support group meeting this weekend.
Happy Mother's day everyone...
5/22/06 - had my 4 wk Doc appt. I'm down 31 pounds. Doc said I'm doing very well and is proud of me. I was feeling pretty great about myself until I ate one too many bites of dinner and boy did I regret that. I was throwing up for a couple of hours... yuck!
I think I learned my lesson to stop eating when I'm full. Started working out again in the gym.
5/29/06 - I'm at 5 weeks, and am down 34 lbs. We went to a BBQ yesterday and it wasn't too hard to resist the food... I found myself watching how much everyone else was eating. I really don't miss it, although the strawberry shortcake looked yummy!
6/6/06 - 6 weeks out, weight 256.8, went to my PCP and he said I don't have to be on my blood pressure meds any more :o) This last week I went up two pounds... don't know what that's about but today I'm down three, so I hope I'm on the downward slide... This isn't a magic cure and you wake up skinny one day, like everyone says it's a tool to help you get to a normal, healthy weight.
6/7/06 - I went to see my NUT today, she said I was doing great. I have lost 35 pounds, she said I should be between 35 and 45 by 6 weeks. Weight today 256.2 so I lost 4 oz since yesterday... man this is slow...
6/10/06 - Had my support group today... weight 251.6 Yeah!! the stall is over for now. I'm down 40 pounds total... 10 more pounds and I'll be at my second goal. I am going to have a pedicure when I reach it.
7/31/06 - Life is getting so much better.... I'm riding my horse again. Today I'm down 66 pounds, that's only 3 months and one week out. I would do this all over again what a change. People are really starting to notice the change too.
8/17/06 - Seems like I've been stuck for the last two weeks but today I'm down some, total lost 70 lbs..that equals to about a 4th grader. I wore a size 16 yesterday... Yeah! I'm getting lots of compliments from family, friends and co-workers, it feels odd, but good. I went to the fair with my daughter and walked all over the place. We went to see Tarri Clark (country singer) and sitting in the chairs I realized "hey I fit in the seat" that was awesome. 291/221/145.
8/28/06 - Wouldn't you know it now that I am able to go shopping in a regular store I can't find anything I like. I'm going to have to call what not to wear and have them help me find some clothes that look good on me...LOL!! I'm now down 75 pounds!!
This weekend I did have a taste of my daughter's birthday cake, I just couldn't help myself. It did taste good, bad news though, apparently I don't dump on sugar :o( or maybe I just didn't have enough to tell, but I won't push it to find out.
I need to exercise more, that will be my goal for this week to walk at least 30 munutes every day.
291/216/145
9/24/06 - Well tomorrow I will be 5 months out, and I'm feeling so much better. I am going to the gym 3 times a week and actually jogging on the treadmill... who would have ever thought I would be able to do that. I'm much more active these days. I'm riding my horse every week. We took the horses to the beach and spent the day riding and I didn't feel like I was hurting my horses back. I still have a way to go but I'll get there. This month the weight loss slowed down but it's ok, it's still going down. If you want to see more photos go to http://www.picturetrail.com/homepage/stormygal
291/207/145
10/04/06 - I'm having so much fun being smaller but I'm paying too much attention to the #'s on the scale. I want them to drop faster! I have taken my measurments and those #'s are moving down and that should make me happy but I'm hovering right above the 200 mark and I want it to drop below... UGH!!! I know if I just hang in there a little longer eating my 2 oz or protien and drinking my water and taking my vits and exercising this # will drop... I'm in such a hurry to see the smaller #'s I can't stand it.
291/201/145
10/25/06 - Well I'm 6 months out today, I'm down 94 pounds that puts me at 197. I'm losing so much slower now but it's ok, I'm still going down. Dr said that I'm right where I should be, he expected a lose of 80 to 100 pounds by 6 months out. I'm still eating the protein first, and stopping when I'm full. I need to make myself drink more water... I've reached all of my health goals such as, no more blood pressure pills, and I'm more active these days. It is getting hard not to eat the Halloween candy that is sitting around the office but I'm doing good with that too. I see it will always be a challange for me. I am setting a goal of 175 pounds by January 22nd... my 45th birthday. That is 22 pounds in 3 months.... I can do that. Then I would like to be 150 by April 25th which will be 1 year after WLS.
Wish me luck! 291/197/145
1/22/07 - I reached my birthday goal of 175 in fact I was 173... good for me! my next goal is 168 by Valentine's day. I should be able to reach that.
291/173/145
