Tina65

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Today is officially 9 months since I had surgery.   I am still in awe of this whole process.  I wish I could say that the weight is just falling off....okay, I wish I could say it was coming off, but unfortunately, it is a very very slow process at this point!!!  I am sort of wondering if I will take off all that I need and want to.  I know there are a couple of things that I am not doing right.  The first is I'm not taking in enough protein and the second is I'm not going to the gym enough.  Why is it so hard to get on a regular schedule?!  I know my life is crazy and I'm always running here and there, but deep down I know I have to get into a regular routine.  I'm sure I'd feel better and I'm betting the weight would start to come off again.  

I had some labs drawn for my new job and believe it or not, they are okay.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was happy to see I am normal.  

Speaking of new job, I start Monday.  They are twelve hour shifts and I don't like cafeteria food so I am going to have to plan my meals out and take them.  This is the only way that I will be able to eat healthy and feel good. 

I am still having nausea issues, which to be honest, doesn't bother me anymore.  I'm pretty use to it.  I saw the nurse the other day for a visit and she said that should be gone by now, so back on the Carafate I go.  I don't mind it.  It just complicates things again since I cant take it with my other meds.  So, this is my morning routine.  First I take my thyroid medication.  Then I wait for 30-45 minutes to take my PPI.  Then I wait another 30-45 minutes to take my Carafate.  Then I wait 30 minutes after taking Carafate to eat anything. By that time, I am out the door and it is hard to eat.  So, I don't mind the Carafate, I just  don't like the additional waiting.  Luckily I'm not a big breakfast person.  :)

Life is so amazing!  I'm not even sure what it is that is amazing, and yet I just feel good.  It is so hard to explain.  I feel like I always wanted to feel.  I guess I feel alive and full of life.  I no longer run from cameras, I no longer worry that people are looking at me because I'm fat, food isn't a priority, I get involved in so many things that I would have only watched in the past.

I went shopping for some scrubs the other day and was pleasantly surprised.  In some brands I would have been a medium, but in the brand I liked, I am a large.  What an amazing concept since I use to be an XXL in the style that I would now wear a medium in.  When I held up the large, I didn't think they would fit.  They looked too small.  I was kind of disappointed since  I really liked them.  I decided it wouldn't hurt to try them on and they actually fit.  I was amazed!  Sometimes I have to stop and ask myself, who is this new person? I love it!!  I'm sure all of you post-ops can understand what I am talking about.  For the pre-ops, you will be here soon.  Your life as you know it now, will forever change.  :)

Well, I have to run.  I have an appointment this morning.  I hope everyone is doing great and life is treating you well!  

Hope you have a great weekend!!  :)

I am still in awe at times at how different life can be after WLS.  Life is so good.  Yesterday was my birthday and my husband and kids both got me something that I absolutely love......gift cards to my favorite stores.  They know how much I have been enjoying buying clothes so they wanted me to be able to go out and buy some stuff that I would really enjoy.  Last year, I wouldn't have a clue as to what I would buy since I hated buying clothes.  Now, so many thoughts are running through my head. I could use another pair of high heals, more jeans, cute shirts, belts, the list could just go on and on.  lol I only buy what I will use, so these should last me a little while.  In case you couldn't tell, I am so excited.  lol I still can't believe that I can go into a store and buy out of the normal clothes section.  Wow, what a great feeling.  :) 

I posted my 8 month photo.  I was a little late, but it is there now.  It is funny how busy we all get living life that it can be hard at times to stop and post.  :)

What a difference 8 months can make.  I had a job interview yesterday.  I was a little nervous because I knew there would be a test, but not once did I worry if I looked too fat, or if they were staring at me, etc.  I walked in feeling good about how I looked and what I wore.  I still can't believe I wear high heals at least 5 days a week.  Eight months ago, I would have been completely focussed on how I looked and what everyone might have been thinking.  Not now, the new me has a good feeling about myself and is enjoying everyday.  I know I still have more to lose, but I didn't think about that at all.  I felt amazing and I'm sure it came through in my attitude.  

I got the job.  I never expected them to hire me on the spot, but she said she really liked my positive and upbeat personality. Yay!!  I'm pretty excited.  Now, I just have to quit my current job.  I hate having to tell them that I'm leaving.  But, this is really a good opportunity for me and I feel that I need to take it.  

I hope everyone had an extra special Valentine's Day!  

Shopping for clothes has become one of my favorite things to do now.  I use to hate the idea of having to go buy clothes, but that has all changed.  I no longer worry about finding something that will fit since I now have so many things to pick from.  I refuse to pay full price since I'm never in it for more than a couple of months, if that.  The other day I went to TJ Max looking at the jewelry.  While there I decided to look at the clothes, even though I don't need anything right now.  I found a pair of designer jeans that I absolutely loved!  They are the kind that all the smaller girls are wearing.  My first thought was, "I wish I could wear a pair of those".  I looked at the sizes and realized that I could.  They didn't have a 12, which is what I'm wearing, but they did have a 10.  I decided that was better since I don't need anything right now, so I bought the 10's with the intent of wearing them later.  My mom kept telling me I should try them on when I got home but I thought they looked too small.  I decided to make her happy and to my surprise, they fit.  Me in a 10, I totally can't believe it!!  The next day, I wore them with a shirt tucked in and a belt.  This is the first time I've tucked anything in, in a long time.  I was so shocked and excited.  My husband told me several times how good I looked.  I am so happy I had the surgery!  What a life changing even this has been.  :)

I decided to go back and look at all the photo's I have posted each month and couldn't believe the difference.  When we go through this journey, it is easy to not see a difference in how we look, since we see ourselves each day.  Monthly pics is a great way to remind ourselves that we are changing, even when we don't see it in the mirror.  It can also be a great motivator to keep doing what we are doing.  It is all worth it in the end.

I keep forgetting to post about my hair.  I had a couple of days where I was extremely afraid that I was going to lose my hair.  I pulled out a lot of hair in the shower.   I am 8 months out now and have been extremely fortunate.  I still have all my hair.  I'm not sure why I have it since I don't always take my vitamins and getting in all my protein is hit and miss.  I took biotin for a short time, but I didn't keep that up.  I guess what I'm trying to say to anyone that hasn't had surgery yet, is that not everyone loses their hair.  I never had very rapid weight loss and struggle to take the weight off, so I'm not sure if that is part of the reason I haven't lost my hair, or if it just hasn't happened yet, or genetics.  In any case, I am happy for that since anyone that knows me, knows how much I love my hair.  :)

I hope everyone is having a great day today.  :)

Wow, where does the time go?!  Today is 8 months for me, since I had surgery.  I am still in awe over all that has changed in 8 months.  I never could have dreamed of how good I'd feel and how happy I'd be.  Things are going pretty good for me.  I still feel sick sometimes, but my stomach was so sensitive prior to surgery that it really doesn't surprise me.  I absolutely love shopping for clothes now.  I use to hate it and now I love it.  It feels so good picking something up and knowing that It'll fit.  I love the new me and look forward to what the future holds.  I know I'm not done losing yet and can't even imagine how I'll feel in another 6 months.  

I realized recently again that if I want to lose, I can't eat very much food.  I dropped my calories wayyyy down again and have been losing weight again.  If I eat three small meals a day, I don't lose so that isn't an option at this point.  Everyone knows their own body and we all just have to do what works for us since we are all different.  I'm okay with it as long as I see the scale going down.  

My tastes and likes for foods has really changed since surgery.  I never use to eat bananas, or any fruit really.  Now when I am out and hungry, if there isn't anything healthy to choose from, I get a banana that is a little green.  If it's too ripe, I still don't like them.  Or, if I want something sweet when others are eating desert, I have a few raspberries.  Beef use to be my favorite meat, and now it is chicken.  I don't like all the fat in the beef anymore.  Eating healthier feels so good!  

I hope everyone is doing well on their journey.  :)

Today is kind of a big day for me.  I haven't seen either of my in-laws since way before surgery and my father-in-law is in town today.  The last time I saw him, I weighed at least 40 pounds more, if not more.  I never told him I had the surgery, but I'm not sure if he heard from someone else or not.  I guess we'll see today.  :)

At this point, I don't really care if he knows, but my father-in-law is a fitness nut.  He looks amazing and has as long as I've known him.  I think his feeling would have been to not have the surgery and try exercise and diet.  Well, I tried that many times and it didn't work for me.  In fact, even after the surgery, I struggle to lose weight.  

He has always been so sweet to me and very loving, no matter how I have looked and has never mentioned my weight so I honestly can't say anything negative about him.  He is the absolute best father-in-law that anyone could ever want! 

I am just curious to see if he notices the difference.  I'm sure he will, but I still can't help but wonder.  I know I feel better about myself and can't wait to see him.  I'm excited to dress in my cute jeans, with my high heals.  If nothing else, he and his wife, will see someone with a lot more confidence and excitement about the world!  I'm not where I hope to end up, and I'd love to be really tiny the next time I see him, but for now, this is a big start.   :)

Happy Sunday to everyone and I hope you are having a great weekend!!  :)

Why is it so hard to get rid of clothes that don't fit right anymore?  I see people blogging about it and the same thing is happening to me.  I have gotten rid of a few things here and there, but this past week, I went through my closet and dresser and actually filled a large trash bag with stuff that I should have gotten rid of awhile ago.  It feels good to know that there are that many clothes that are too large and need to be purged, but there is also a little bit of discomfort.  Hmmm, not sure why that is.  I don't ever want to be large again, but I think it probably has to do with all the times I've lost weight only to regain it again.  I'm sure I have more to discard, but that will happen next time around.  :)

Things are going well for me.  I had a cold about a week ago (first one I've had since surgery) and took Nyquil gel caps like I always use to.  I wasn't ready for the response I had,  Luckily I wasn't driving and my son was since I couldn't stay awake.  I literally felt drugged.  I even found myself stumbling a little a couple of hours later when I was walking in the house.  I haven't slept that good in a long time.  I use to take those during the day and now learned that those days are over.  They can only be taken before bed.  lol

My weight loss is still happening, but very slow.  I: plateau all the time for a long period of time and then all of a sudden I'll lose a couple of more pounds, followed by another plateau.  I'm use to it now and it doesn't really bother me anymore.  As long as it keeps coming off, I'm happy.  

I know I'm not taking in enough protein.  I am only getting what I eat.  I haven't been drinking my shakes.  I know being busy really isn't a good excuse and yet that is what has been happening with me.  I am constantly running out the door.  Getting a job has really caused me to have no free time.  Then, yesterday, school started again for me.  This ought to be a fun semester, and an exhausting one.  lol

Everything else is going great!  I rode the local tram this last weekend with my kids.  Had a lot of fun, and actually went down this longgggg path to get to the area where the kids sled.  Before I would have freaked knowing that I would have to walk it back up.  This time I was concerned, but knew I could do it, and I did.  My butt muscles burned, but I did it.  It felt like such an accomplishment to me.  Also, I was able to do something strenuous with my kids.  What a great feeling!!  

I hope everyone is doing well and feeling well!!  :)

I finally finished all of my classes to graduate, as well as the classes that I need for the RN program.  I went to the college yesterday with my best friend who is also doing the same thing I am and we were both accepted into the RN transition class. This is the class that we need to transition from LVN to RN.  We were both so excited.  I guess all of this schooling is finally paying off.  We are  able to continue on with our dream of being an RN.  :)

Where has the time gone? I honestly can't believe that it has been 7 months since I had surgery!  So much has changed for me in that short period of time.  I'll name just a few that I can think of quickly:

1. I no longer feel self conscious when being around people or meeting people for the first time, about my weight
2. Food isn't a very big priority to me anymore
3. When I sit, I routinely cross my legs
4. Back pain is almost non-existent
5. I love having my picture taken and don't run from the camera
6. I LOVE shopping for clothes! I never thought I'd say that.  
7. I am able to buy cute clothes off of the sales rack and they fit
8. I have to ask myself if I should buy a smaller size instead of wondering if it came in a bigger size
9. I'm not afraid of getting tired when walking
10. When someone asks if we should drive or walk, I'm the first one to say walk
The list could go on and on.  I honestly never imagined life would be so different in such a short period of time.  
The weight loss is slow, but it is happening.  Sometimes the scale doesn't change for a few weeks, but I'll notice that my clothes are looser during that time.  Stalls don't bother me anymore because I now know that the scale will change again, sometimes it just takes time.  

I continue to always be in a hurry and to be honest, probably don't get in 100 grams of protein in a day.  I also forget my vitamins and don't work out as much as I should.  I really need to change those things.  I know.  Despite all of this, I feel better than I have felt in many years!  Life is good even with all the negative things that happen, because I finally feel good about myself.  I really look forward to the future. I figure if things are this good at this weight, they can only get better with the smaller I get.  Now don't get me wrong, my self-worth isn't all wrapped around my weight.  I was a very happy person at a higher weight, but things are different now.  I just feel good and I am enjoying it.

I realized the other day that even though I thought I was going to lose a lot of hair, it was only for a few days that that the hair loss occurred.  I still have a full head of hair and no signs of any loss.  This amazes me since I have always struggled with protein shakes.  Even when I found one that I could handle without getting nauseated, it seemed to be constipating so I backed way off of it. I've heard that most people lose their hair between the 4-6 month mark.  Since I am at seven, I am hoping I am beyond it.  

My nausea is much much better.  It isn't all the time or every time I eat.  I do notice it coming back after dinner and I'm not sure why.  I don't really eat meals throughout the day, but instead just snack on little things.  At dinner I try to eat a meal. Maybe that  is why, I'm not sure.  Although even when I just snack for dinner it seems to happen too.  Huh, it doesn't make sense when I think about it, and since it is only a minor inconvenience, I don't worry about it.  I guess I'm use to it and all the good outweigh the short period of time that I don't feel good.  Besides, my stomach was very sensitive even before surgery so why would I expect it to be any different now?  :)

I am currently in the 180's......wow, me?!  What a dream this has all been!  

I am behind on posting pics.  My son took some pictures of me at six months, but they are on his computer.  I just need to get them from him and I'll post them.  I also need to post my seven month pics.  When I look at them, I don't see much change, and yet I know that I don't wear the same jeans anymore.  So, I guess things are changing, but I just don't see them in the mirror or pictures.  

I hope everyone is doing well and had a nice Christmas and New Year!!  Hopefully 2011 will be a great year for everyone!! :)