Friday Weekly Weigh-in

Today I weigh 220.3, which is a loss of 3.7 pounds this week! Yahoo!!

Incisions Picture (G rated)

Here are my four incisions. I was surprised how tiny the three are and my port really isn't that big either. My belly is still bloated with gas but getting better each day. Sorry if any of you get blinded by my pathetic white skin! My belly hasn't seen the sun for years, maybe next year I can change that with a bikini LOL!! P. S. I hope all of you going to Chicago have safe travels and a fantastic trip! 

Post Op Visit #1

I had my first doctors visit after surgery and it went well. They did the Barrium Swallow test and my band is in perfect position and everything checks out ok. So happy for that! Fully clothed I weighed exactly 20 pounds lighter today. Woo Hoo! I seriously need to go Thrift shopping to get me by. Since my steri-strips haven't fell off yet he said I can now take them off in the shower. I am anxious to see how they really look. I have been reading all your posts about Chicago and that sure sounds like you will all have fun. Hopefully I can attend next year. Have a great evening everyone!

Beautiful U R

To all my beautiful bandster friends. Happy Saturday! No matter where you are in lifes journey just remember how Beautiful U R.

First official weigh in 1 week post surgery

Drum Roll please......

223.9!!!
Starting Wt- 243 lbs
2 week Pre-op liquid diet 234 lbs
Total Loss 19.1 lbs
down 10.1 lbs since banded
I'm doing a little happy dance!!!

Back to the grind

I went back to work today. My coworkers were so happy to see me and commented on how well I looked only 1 week after surgery. I felt so supported by everyone around me. All of the nurses of coarse wanted to see my belly incisions so I did alot of shirt lifting today. When I had finally made the decision to be lap banded I also made the decision I was going to share this journey with people I closely associate with. It was kinda scary at first because I didn't know what their reactions would be but it has turned out very well. I completely respect those who choose to keep it private as well. It really is a personal decision. I mostly spent the day catching up on emails and stuff. I really missed having my 3pm nap today though. By the end of the day I was feeling dog tired. Today, I also got to start on Creamy Soups and Cream of Wheat type foods. I guess this is what they call the beginning of the Smushie stage. Anyway, I had some delicious Cream of Tomato soup for lunch. I forgot how good food can taste!! It tasted dreamy and creamy! I definately felt my Band "Shrinky Dink" tell me when she had had enough. I got this instant sharp pain between my shoulder blades that almost feels like heartburn. Does anyone else experience this too? I have noticed if I drink too cold of water or too fast I will have to sneeze, is that weird or what? All of the new sensations I am experiencing. Well I think I will catch up on a few new posts and then call it an early night....

Wednesday Morning Cartoon

Sad, but true......

Checking In

Yesterday I had a hard time with the gas pains and trying to get it to move out. I have been walking and taking my gas x strips but I just felt blah. I could hardly get my protein shakes in and I know I didn't drink enough water. Each time I drank anything I would get those sharp gas pains in my chest like I was having a heart attack.  I am wondering  if I will ever have a BM. I have not had one since the day before surgery? I have been taking the Benefiber daily and I even tried a suppository but nothing happened...(I know its okay to talk about poop and things with you all as you understand). I really haven't had anything solid to eat so I am not sure if I should be concerned at this point. Today already seems better. Some of the swelling in my tummy has gone down and I feel more like myself. I sure am getting my fill of watching HGTV! Thanks again for all the wonderful support.

Award

Thanks to Jessica and Amy for nominating me for the Liebster Award! I am not even sure how to link to peoples names and blogs yet, any pointers?

 

 

Liebster means ‘beloved’ or 'favorite' in German and it’s an honor to receive this award. The Liebster Blog Award is designed to bring additional recognition to those bloggers with less than 200 followers. If you receive the award, you should link back to the blogger that nominated you and nominate five more blogs. Also, don’t forget to let them know that you nominated them.

Day 3

Doing pretty good, able to keep fluids down and happy I started my Protein shakes up again today. Broth and sugar free popsicles gets old fast. I was able to take a shower which felt wonderful. I took the bandages off and my incisions look great. I can't tell which one is my port yet though. I am finally starting to toot which is giving my belly some relief woo hoo! The little things in life that make us happy...I haven't started my official weigh in days but today I stepped on the scale and was 229. I was 243 just prior to my pre-op liquid diet 2 weeks ago at True Results. Yaa!! Now I think I will take a small walk and then rest some more.

Surgery Day

Hi there! Well I made it through surgery without any complications so far. We had to be at the Surgery Center by 545am which was kinda a bear but at least I was the first one up for surgery. I was prepped (I can't believe they made me wear a diaper), now I have much more empathy for my patients that have to wear them! They rolled me in to the operating room at 617am and thats pretty much the last I remember of it. By 830am I was awake and had been in recovery for about an hour. My hubby brought me home and I have been resting on and off most of the day. I have managed to get down about 8 oz water sipping slowly and about a 1/4 cup chicken broth. My biggest complaints so far are: my throat is raw and raspy and I have cotton mouth. I couldn't PEE until finally about 230pm which was relief. What happened to the days where they wouldn't let you leave the hospital until you did? Oh well. The pain is mostly in my low back right now and I think it is coming from gas. I have taken my Gas X strips and I think they are helping already. I have taken a few short walks around the house so I think I am doing good. I feel like I need to burp but all that happens is my throat kinda gurgles, is that normal? Anyhoo's,  the liquid pain med tastes like Crap but it works so I will endure getting it down. I checked out my Belly and I have only 4 bandages instead of 5 so I don't know about that one. I am going to go lay down some more but will keep in touch as the days go on. Thanks again to all my Blogster friends. I can now officially say I am Banded and a B.O.O.B.!!

Twas the night before Band surgery.....

Its here...I had my last protein shake at 6pm this evening, picked up all my post op meds from the pharmacy, took the dog on a walk, showered and shaved and I think I am set.  We have to be at the surgery center at 5:45am but thats okay because that means I will be first up on the schedule and home sooner. Nurses don't make the best of patients!!  As soon as I am up to it I will post how things went. Thanks again to everyone for all the positive thoughts and comments. I love my blog family already!!

Earn Your Body

I borrowed this from Julie Michaelson's (Personal Trainer) Blog. In her blog entry she talks about everyone has to earn their body. Yes, some are born with better Genes and DNA than others (me not included) but we all have to make decisions whether to have a healthy lifestyle or not.
Quote-
 I hate to tell you this, there really is no “luck” involved in having a great body. You earn it. You work for it…every single day. We make choices each day, each meal that bring us closer to the body we want or move us farther from it. -end Quote
I believe this is true. Thats why I get mad when I hear people talk Crap about Lab Band. Even though I am yet to be banded I know this is a huge commitment and not the easy way out. Every step I have taken so far and then continue to take after Thursday is because I really care about my health. I want to lose weight, I want to put my Diabetes in remission, I want to make good food choices, I need to exercise( sorry I just couldn't put the I want part there just yet) and YES I want to look hot in a pair of jeans!!  Last but not least I want to surround myself with positive supportive people! I have to tell you that in the past week of my new blogging adventures that is exactly what I have found. I really appreciate all the people I have met who don't even know me from Eve that have been so wonderful. Only two more sleeps until I am banded. I am ready to Earn My Body back!!!

Life after 'Frank'....

So I really couldn't stand when I opened my blog to see that yucky picture of  'Frank' my scar so I decided to post a happy picture of me tonight. Ahhh...much better. Thanks for all the posts and words encouragement from everyone it really lifted my spirits. I went and had a full body massage tonight as one of my Birthday gifts and I am feeling relaxed and good. Now if Thursday would just get here already.......

Holy Frankenstein....

So I have this skin cancer on my forehead that needed to be surgically removed and I thought "hey I might as well get this taken care of before my Other Big surgery next week.." Well I was not expecting this. I had it done on my Birthday Thursday the 8th and it was no fun people. Note to self...never schedule a surgery on your Birthday just because you have the day off. Needless to say, it is done, they got all the cancer but I am left with this huge Frankenstein of a scar on my forehead. I am so sad right now, when I took the bandage off I just cried and cried. I know eventually it will fade and there is good makeup out there that can cover it up but right now it really sucks big green weenies!!! At least it has taken my mind off of being on day 11 of my liquid diet. I must be a glutten for punishment. The bandage I have to wear just brings huge attention and everyones asking 'What happened?' I have thought of some doosies to say like "I was table dancing and...." or " i was in this really bad accident and my face went through glass" but instead I have to explain well I used to use baby oil for tanning as a teenager....Anyhoo's I have included a photo hopefully you are NOT disgusted by gross wounds.

A Band named "Shrinky Dink"

SHRINKY DINKS SHRINK to approximately 1/3rd their original size.  Watch as your creation gets smaller and smaller.
It's "MAGICAL"!!

I just loved Shrinky Dinks when I was growing up, do you remember them? I have decided I will name my future band 'Shrinky Dink' as I hope that it will help me shrink down my size!! 

Camping on a Liquid Diet

So I am now day 5 of my liquid diet and its going okay. My biggest fear is we went camping this weekend with a bunch of friends and whats the thing people like to do most...sit around and eat. There were homemade cookies, scotchies, chips, smores, bacon and eggs and the list goes on. I was so worried that I would not be able to resist temptation but I did it!!! Everyone was so supportive and kind even my friend Lita made me some sugar free hot cocoa to sip while everyone was enjoying the dutch oven Peach Cobbler. I just kept myself busy going on trail rides and hikes to keep my mind off of food. I will not say that it was easy but I am proud of my self. Yesterday we took this kinda scary hike down to a lake and I kept thinking this will be so much easier when I am thinner and in better shape. Oh, one part of the trip that sucked....I got stung by a bee, I forgot how painful those little suckers can be. Hope all of you are having an enjoyable Holiday weekend and rest from your Labor's.

Pre-op Liquid Diet, day 1

So I started my 2 week pre op liquid diet today and here is how it went.... Breakfast: The ever so yummy Vanilla EAS protein drink at 8am. By 11am I am thinking should I drink my next shake? Is it too soon, will I then be sorry the rest of the day with nothing?  So about 1130am I caved and sucked down my slightly yummy Chocolate EAS protein drink. Notice I said sucked down...well it went so quick I was left with the thought...okay whats next? Oh ya....nothing! My second shake left me feeling pretty good until about 2pm and then low blood sugar set in. I panicked and ate a protein bar but that did the trick and I felt my brain returning. By about 4 pm I could have ate my right arm off but I stuck it out and was so happy to have a small piece of grilled chicken and broccoli for my one meal of the day. It tasted like heaven! So I am sitting here writting this with a raging headache but ever so grateful for this opportunity to change my health for the good. Tomorrow is a new day and another opportunity for success and I just might live a little on the wild side and have Strawberry to drink! p.s. I drank lots of water today whoo hoo!