Quick 6 month post up appointment update

Because I had such POSITIVE feedback at my 6 month post surgery appointment yesterday, I felt compelled to draft another quick blog update.

Technically, 6 months would fall on February 28th.  It was that day in August that I went under the knife.  I remember having a feeling of readiness; yet few expectations after a failed lap-band procedure in 2006.

Anyway, so yesterday I had an appointment for my 6 month follow up.  It was one of those days where you arrive on time only to sit in the waiting room for another 2 hours before being called back.  Even then you sit another 30 minutes before the first "visit" occurs. 

First comes the infamous weigh in and blood pressure check, followed by a quick consult with the dietitian.  We typically discuss any issues I've had with foods (any vomiting?  any nausea?  etc), what types of foods I've been eating, whether I've been getting a minimum of 60g of protein in daily and what my physical activity looks like.

I explained that I was sick from Dec. 24th through the first week of February; and that I'm JUST now starting to feel among the living (two rounds of antibiotics and allergy meds later).  My appetite during that time was hit and miss.  And nothing tasted good.  Fortunately, it's finally coming back.

Last Friday night we met friends at Bobby's Place on Main for happy hour and dinner.  We had half prize appetizers.  Then a few hours later ordered side salads.  My salad was so heavenly that I had a little more than my stomach was happy with.  BAM!  Nausea.  Thankfully I still had my magic anti-nausea pills.  15 minutes later, I was golden!

I also filled the dietitian in on our Valentine's Day trip to The Melting Pot....the first meal in over a month that was THOROUGHLY enjoyable.  One word:  OVERINDULGENCE.  I spent 30 minutes in pure hell before the magic pills set in.

She didn't seem too concerned...was happy the appetite was coming back and thrilled with my weight loss success.  She also seemed content with my activity levels.  Surprising I didn't get more of a lecture there.  I have a sedentary job; and the most footsteps my Jawbone logs is on weekends.

I did mention to her that I've noticed new food cravings, things I've never "craved" before, per se.  I went on to explain that on Superbowl Sunday, Kevin and I stocked up on junk food for watching the game.  I then told her that for some reason I also insisted that we get a veggie tray and a fruit tray/fresh fruit for that day.  Oddly enough, I had a couple bites of the poor choices (my former faves) and then decided I wanted/craved the fruit and veggies.  It sounded so fake; but it was true.  I ended up enjoying the fruits and veggies more.  It's a phenomena that I've noticed more and more lately.  I can't explain it.  But she did.  She proceeded to explain to me that when you begin eating healthier, your body quits craving the bad foods and starts craving healthier things.  I'm having a hard time believing it is happening to me.  Such a stark change for me.  Another very surreal feeling.  Sadly my mind and my stomach aren't always in agreement.  At times, I still THINK I want those former faves; but in the end, I can only take a bit or two of them and I'm done.  Gone are the days of overindulging on chips, dips and sweets.  Fortunately, one or two bites satisfies me.

Anyway, so long story longer.............I am experiencing very different cravings these days.  Ones I never thought were possible.

Ok, so once we were done "visiting" I spent another 10 minutes or so alone in the room before the Nurse Practitioner came in.

She went over what the dietitian noted; and then wanted to "check my belly".  I have to laugh.  She presses around my abdomen and then tells me, "everything looks beautiful".  NEVER really thought of my belly as "beautiful", so it tickles me every time she says it.

Lily, the NP went on to tell me she was THRILLED with my results to date.  She says that typically they do not see this pace of success on a "revisional surgery".  My bypass is considered revisional because Dr. Scott removed my lap-band to do the bypass.  I had a former treatment for obesity (the band) that failed me.  And typically results are slower on patients like myself.  She tried to articulate it more clearly for me by saying that I am beyond their expectations for me at this juncture.  This was certainly music to my ears.

She gave me an order for lab work to check my cholesterol and things I currently take meds for.  Hopefully soon I'll be able to cut back on my daily maintenance meds, as well as my CPAP.  But I'll need to see my specialist for another sleep study likely (as far as the apnea goes).  I've been sleeping without my CPAP for a week or so now.  Kevin swears that the mask must be too big for me now as the leaking air keeps him awake at night.  I've yet to make an appointment with Midwest Chest Consultants....mostly due to the fact that my health plan switched over from PPO to a HSA on Jan. 1.  So basically I have to pay 100% of everything till the deductible is met, then I pay coinsurance.  Not very practical.  I digress.  In addition to the lab work order, Lily gave me a prescription for my B12 nasal spray which I take weekly.

From there I was free to go.....AND, I don't have to go back for another SIX MONTHS.  I made an appointment for August and set on about my afternoon.  After the August appointment, I will be on an ANNUAL schedule.  I am so incredibly excited about only having to go once a year thereafter.  Particularly with them being an all day adventure and taking place across town, a 45 minute drive each way.  Life is Good.

But BY FAR, THE best news of the day was that I had lost 35 lbs. since my last visit, 3 months ago.  This was with jeans and bundled up clothing on.

This morning, I weighed myself.  I am at 266.8 pounds, down from 356 starting weight.  That's 89.2 pounds down in just under 6 months.  While utterly overjoyed, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this is very real, not just some pipe dream.  I've far exceeded my own expectations already; and I still struggle to imagine what the future can possibly hold for me.  To put it mildly, the loss has given me a new lease on life.  Quality of life has improved infinitely.  It's VERY difficult for me to put into words the range of emotion and pride and excitement that come into play here.  My own mind is literally BLOWN that I am only 11 pounds away from being able to say I've lost 100 pounds.  That is HUGE....and so so hard to believe.  That milestone will definitely be cause for celebration!!!  But like my sales quota, I won't be happy to leave it at that.  I'm all about shooting for the stars, overachieving.  So I look forward to seeing where this journey lands me when all is said and done.  Where will I land (weight wise) and physical appearance wise?!  I'm anxious to discover the person who dwells inside me.

For now all I notice when I look in the mirror are subtle changes.....a face that looks slightly thinner, clothes that are fitting me differently, etc.  I don't see an overwhelming change like 89 pounds would sound.  I do notice that I don't critique photos of me near as badly as I used to.  And with that being said, below is a photo Kevin took of me after the hockey game (Mardi Gras night) last night.  I had to forgo the first St. Louis Blues, Fat Bluesday event due to illness.  So he bought me a shirt at the game I missed.  And because they do the whole Fat Bluesday themes at every Tuesday night game in February, I was able to sport my new threads at last night's game.  I am very happy that I was able to not only wear a 2X but that I was comfortable with a turtleneck under it AND it went over my ginormous hips.  That was a first in years.  Just 6 mos. ago I was wearing size 4X shirts so they'd go over my hips without bunching, gathering, etc.  I'm curious to see if I ever make it down to a XL.  Strange concept.

But first a reminder of my "before" photo.  THEN............

and NOW.......

I will try to continue with monthly updates and include my annual follow up appointment updates as well.

Thanks again to all of my family and friends for their positive words and encouragement throughout this ongoing journey.

Love-

Lori

It's that time of the month...........time to update the 'ol blog.  At year end, I weighed in at 284.6 pounds and was feeling relatively ecstatic that I was able to attend a Blues game and sit in regular seating, with no issues of fitting or feeling like a pretzel when I got up.  Life was good.

Fast forward to end of January/beginning of February.  Life continues to get better.  I don't even know where to begin describing the little observations I make daily.  THE biggest and most obvious improvement in my quality of life is, by far, the increase in energy and mobility.

Shortly after Christmas, my husband bought me a fitness tracker that I'd been wanting.  After researching the Garmin Vivofit, the Fitbit and the JawBone, I ended up with the JawBone Up.  I absolutely LOVE it.  It maintains a charge for up to 14 days.  I wear it at ALL times (other than when bathing or showering).  It tracks my footsteps.  The app on my phone also allows me to log my weight, my daily meals, my drinks, and even my sleep!  Not only do I get daily tips.  But I also get a weekly report emailed to me that summarizes my average sleep, average steps per day, etc.  I love getting the summaries.  While I do not have a regular exercise routine at this point, it seems to show me that I am most active on the weekends.  Sounds right, given we stay real busy on weekends.  For the past month I've worked my full time job and spend an additional 40 hours per week at least on the trivia night planning.  I am beyond thankful that I was in shape enough to be on my feet most of the 13+ hours we worked to set up and execute the event.  I was also able to navigate the room logging over 6500 steps and squeezing my way between back to back chairs all night.  To the normal individual, you're like, "so what?".  But to someone who has (for years) avoided crowded rooms, anything physically laborious, etc.  It's a huge improvement.

I'm now down 4 jeans sizes and 2 sweatpant sizes.  I'm not really sure how many shirt or blouse sizes as I tend to still wear my roomy ones.  I used to take a 3X or 4X in a t-shirt; and I'm now in a 2XL and dropping.  It's a VERY strange feeling to think that someday I may actually be able to wear a basic XL.  In fact, I did wear an XL last Saturday; but I still prefer my shirts a little roomier yet.  The 2X thing is really nice right now as Kevin and I can share hockey jerseys, etc or take turns wearing them.  It was a strange feeling fitting back into a size 26 jeans after I can't even tell you how many years.  Now those are roomy.  It's hard to buy clothes.  Because you never know how much use you will get out of them.  I have tried selling my like new larger jeans on Craigslist and Facebook, to no avail.

It's strange when I look in the mirror from time to time.  I see some slight transformation....a slightly more narrow face, a slightly different body shape, a person I don't recall ever meeting.  I try to wrap my head around what it will be like when I actually reach my goal weight.  Will I like how I look?  What will I feel like?  So many unknowns.

I'm not one on taking selfies; so I rarely have photos to share with you.  But as I have them, I'll be certain to share.  I'm looking forward to some more family portraits in April when we celebrate my folks 50th wedding anniversary.

I was ill from Dec 24th till the present day.  I seem to have caught some crud that lingers like there is no tomorrow.  This week I finally called the doctor back for more meds.  I got another round of antibiotics and a nasal spray.  I've felt like I've been hit by a Mack truck all week; so I finally broke down and called in sick....this is the third day.  I slept most of the day.  Hoping I can power through the next two days and take it easy over the weekend.  I've got to shake this.

For Super Bowl Sunday, Kevin and I made a special trip to the store for game day munchies.  We got some frozen Schnucks appetizers, sloppy joes for lunch that day, chips, dips, etc.  But the two things I really wanted the most were dip for my carrots and stawberries and fruit dip.  NEVER in my life have I craved fruits and vegetables.  I've always loved raw carrots, broccoli and cauliflower.  But I've never been that big on fruit, much less craved it.  As I've been home sick all week, I've managed to drain a bag of carrots; and I'm down to 3 strawberry bites left.  This is going to call for another trip to the store, STAT.  I am grateful that my taste buds are changing.  But I still get a little tripped out when I go to take a bit of something I THINK I want and it doesn't even taste good.  

It wasn't that long ago that I could totally KILL a bag of chips by myself or when one cookie was nowhere near enough of a snack.  It really blows my mind.

Today I stood on the scale.  I looked down and it said 270.6.  My pre-surgery weight was 356 if you remember.  That means I've lost 85.4 pounds since the end of August.  I'm FLOORED, honestly.  I've long confided to my parents that I cannot wrap my head around the concept of losing 100 pounds much less any more.  But today I'm only 14.6 pounds away from knowing that reality.  That's about how much weight I lost over the past month.  INSANE.  I'm anxious and nervous yet excited to see what the coming months have in store for me.

Truth be known, I do not have a regular workout routine.  I work a sedentary job and remain very active with my family on the weekends.  That's all.  I try to eat right and do the right things; but I am not dieting, per se.  I just eat a whole lot less (thanks to surgery and my smaller stomach) and move more.

Every.Single.Day I wish I had done this back in 2006 versus messing with the lap band.  I can't even imagine where I would be today if I'd have known then what I know now.

We have some big plans for February.  First there's a tasting on Saturday for my parents' 50th Anniversary reception....we have to choose menu items.  Hoping I can enjoy that!!  My birthday is the 9th.......hoping I can score a sugar free birthday cake.  I'm thinking a Key Lime Mousse cake is in order....HINT HINT mom and Abbie!  ;-)

Kevin and I share February birthdays plus there's Valentine's Day.  So we have reservations for one of our favorite places for the 14th.  The Melting Pot.  I am hoping I'm able to enjoy it.  I haven't been since before surgery.  And I hope I can enjoy the dessert without getting sick from sugar.  Kevin will be thrilled to "help" me eat all that I can't.  We also get a half dozen chocolate covered strawberries.  Mmmmm  I'm looking so forward to that meal.

We also have Blues tickets for the 17th, Kevin's Birthday on the 24th, Don Williams concert on the 25th and what we hope will be another delicious dinner at Kemoll's on the 28th.

Life just keeps getting better.  For anyone considering gastric bypass surgery and lap band, I sincerely hope my story is helping you to make informed decisions.  Bypass surgery has given me a new lease on life in just 5 short months.  I can't wait to see how I'm doing in 5 more months and 5 more after that.

PLEASE feel free to share my story with any friends you have who could benefit from hearing my story.  My entire reason for blogging is to track for myself the changes and feelings; but also to share my experiences with those who face the same challenges with obesity, mobility, quality of life, etc.

I hope to have more exciting news for you in a month...........the countdown to a 100 lb loss begins, NOW!!!

2014 Year End Update

The holiday season has been a bit of a whirlwind.  As of my last post (Nov. 20th) my scale was showing 302 and the doctor's showed 304.  With all the hustle and bustle that the holidays bring, it's hard to believe that was only a month ago?!

Thanksgiving was no less enjoyable than it was pre-bypass surgery.  Whodathunkit?!  First of all, my brother was in town with his family.  So it was nice to have everyone present for a change.  Second of all, I didn't have any problems sticking to my limits, as my stomach so kindly sees to that for me.  I know when I've had one bite too many.  Fortunately, I still have some anti nausea pills that they gave me when I was released after surgery.  I like to carry them with me just in case.  They work like magic.  If I go one bite too far, I simply pop one and the nausea subsides in a matter of minutes.  Literally!  I wasn't able to enjoy mass quantities; but I certainly enjoyed what I had:  turkey, dressing, corn and sweet potatoes.  I opted out of dinner rolls, choosing to save my capacity for things that were a little more tasty.  I wish I hadn't felt full so soon; but that is the name of the game.  All in all, it was a breeze.

I'm still doing very well with avoiding carbonated beverages.  On rare occasions I may think I want a drink of soda; but I'm able to avoid the temptation.  I'm also keeping up the good work with regard to avoiding anything with more than 5g of sugar in one serving.  There seems to be more temptation here than with soda.  So far so good.

I'm not good at the whole before and after picture taking each month; but I'll post pics to show you my progress.  Below is a photo from our family Thanksgiving.  We all wore our Abbie's Army shirts to honor my aunt who is fighting ovarian cancer.  

We attended a couple housewarming parties, one Nov. 22nd and one Dec. 6th.  The first one, I indulged in the snack foods a little too much and was without my anti nausea pill.  But, as luck would have it, my friend Jordan gave me one of his.  We obviously don't take the same medication; because his had me so zoned out within seconds that I wasn't sure I'd be able to stay awake for the ride home.  My stomach was fine, though.

The party on the 6th was fun, also.  We got to try a new wine from our favorite winery, Noboleis Vineyards.  It was called Nobol-ICE.  Oh Em Gee......it was very sweet and rich and heavenly.  Probably not good for me at all.  But I was able to tolerate a couple glasses easily.  No dumping syndrome, no nausea, etc.  Remember the doctor said it will take much less for me to get drunk with my smaller stomach.  And a sweet wine or sugar is a no-no.  I've since become very addicted to this wine.  It's made from the first or first several frosts of the season and is very rare.  So it's considered a limited/reserve wine.  They only make so many cases of it.  I can't wait to stock up!!!

Every day I'm learning a little more about how to cook and eat sugar free.  So for Fox's birthday, I ordered his cake, cookies and cake pops, as usual (full of sugar).  But for the diabetics in the family and myself, I decided to try making sugar free cupcakes.  I found that Walmart carries Pillsbury SUGAR FREE cake mixes.  The varieties are limited to yellow cake mix and devil's food....but I'm okay with that.  It beats nothing.  They also carry two options for sugar free frosting:  chocolate and white.  I stocked up on both....as well as the Pillsbury sugar free brownie mix!  For some reason (in my head) I think I need to have these things on hand in the event of a sudden craving.  Color me silly?!

So I made devils' food sugar free cupcakes for Fox's party.  But instead of using one of the store bought sugar free frostings I tried my own concoction, a recipe I'd seen online for sugar free icing.


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sugar-free-frosting/detail.aspx

Anyway, so I had some sugar-free pudding  mix in cheesecake flavor; and I went to town.  The results were delicious.  However, based on the cream cheese, pudding and cool whip base of the icing, I recommend you only make these when you know the cupcakes will be consumed immediately.  The texture gets a little freaky when they are stored overnight.  My next attempt will be to test the store bought frosting for taste.  I'll be sure to comment here.

I had Kevin stop off at Noboleis as he took Fox home on the 14th and grab 7 bottles of the Ice Wine.  I figured 2 for Christmas Eve, 2 for Christmas Day, 2 for New Years Eve and one to bust open immediately.  At $40 a bottle, it wasn't cheap!!!  But it has made for some good drinking while I'd been prepping for the holidays:  baking, cooking, wrapping gifts, etc.

I'm supposed to be counting my protein grams per day; but there is just too much going on right now.  So that's not happened.  I will have to start in January and February since my next appointment is in February.  And I KNOW the dietitian will be asking me for those stats.  The goal is still to get 60g of protein in a day.

On good days I can eat near an entire Chick-Fil-A sandwich.  That has to be a lot of protein, right?!  At home, I tend to eat more veggies than protein.  Work in progress.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I had no troubles limiting my food intake.  Again, the stomach does most of this for me; but I didn't tempt fate.  Something about turning green in the gills and nausea is a turn off!!!

I went back to the winery on the 20th for another 5 bottles of Ice Wine.  Fortunately, I cannot sit and drink as much as I'd like to in one sitting or evening.  Therefore, I'm hoping it lasts a while.  We still have several bottles.  But the most I can manage is 2 glasses in a day/night.  We didn't come near drinking the 2 bottles per holiday I estimated.  That should leave plenty for the future.  In fact, all this talk about wine is making me want a glass as I type.

I've been a little under the weather the from Christmas Eve until now.  Finally got some antibiotics and an antihistamine from the doctor yesterday.  Appetite has dwindled; and I can't breathe very well.

Here's a pic of me (in gray in the center with the buzzed hair and glasses) with the extended family on Christmas Eve.

For New Years Eve I made a host of dips:  guacamole, Beau Monde onion dip, etc....and we purchased some dips to enjoy.  But I got FULL very fast.  In fact I was dry heaving at 2 am.  Lesson learned.  I simply cannot just pig out on crap food like I used to on the holidays.  Couple bites maybe; but I can't finish off an entire dinner plate of it.  I did eventually take an anti nausea pill when I got sick.  It helped tremendously.  I think I have like 5 left.  I'm definitely going to ask the doctor at my next follow up for a refill on those.  It's become my miracle drug.

Now then, for the REALLY good news.  As of today, I am weighing in at 284.6 pounds.  That's down almost 18 lbs. in the past 40-ish days.  I'll take it.  I can remember being excited to cross over from 300s to 200's.  My next small goal is to hit 250 and celebrate then celebrate when I drop under 200.  It's still so very surreal to me that I can't really articulate it or explain it to anyone.  For so long I was CERTAIN that this was IMPOSSIBLE, even with weight loss surgery (due to my failed lap band experience).  Now I am forced to see the reality every time I step on the scale.

Mind you, I have a desk job and a sedentary lifestyle.  I know this needs to change and that I'd drop more weight if I got off my butt.  The point is, this can still happen slowly even if you are in a rut like me with little to no physical activity.  The great news is, as each pound drops off, the energy level goes up.  So, for example, when I took my aunt around Main Street St. Charles to solicit donations for her upcoming trivia night fundraiser, I was able (FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS) to walk the entire distance without the need to slow down to catch my breath or to take a break and sit for a bit.  Those readers who have experienced obesity can relate to what I'm saying.  Those who are not, trust me this is a BIG milestone.

I've also flown on business recently without getting winded as I made my way through the airports overloaded with luggage.  A beautiful thing since it seems I may be doing it monthly now.  I still use a seat belt extender and take advantage of the "person's of size" policies.  But one day, soon, this will no longer be an option nor a necessity.

I can now safely and comfortably sit at a sporting venue in a regular seat without feeling like a pretzel when I get up.  It's pretty amazing, really.  No more jockeying to reserve accessible seats.

One strange thing I have noticed is some hip pain on my left joint area.  I wonder what it is and if it could be from years of carrying additional weight and having to adjust my posture/walk.  I am hoping it works itself out in time.

All in all, good news to report for the last month of 2014.  Four months post-surgery and I'm down a total of 71.6 pounds!!!!!  So this New Year's I'm celebrating the SMALL victories and milestones as they are carrying me onward to the BIG one.


Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Lori

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3 mos. down and LOTS of lessons learned

Yesterday I had my 3 month post-surgery follow up with my surgeon's Nurse Practitioner.  In their office I weighed in at 304.  I was bundled up in a sweatshirt and kept my shoes on.  At home I weigh in at 302.  Nurse said that sounds about right.  That said, I came in at 16 pounds dropped since my last office visit (9-29-14...just shy of 2 mos); and 54 pounds down over all (going by the 302).  As pathetic as it sounds, I will be soooo thrilled when I can celebrate being back in the 200s....and I live for the day I can celebrate being back in the 100s.

During my appointment they drew blood to check my B12 and Vitamin D levels.  Both were way low prior to surgery.  I now take B12 once a week via a nasal spray; but haven't taken any Vitamin D since prior to surgery.  My B12 level came back right in the middle of the acceptable range.  I'm still waiting for the Vitamin D results.

I told the NP how there are days when I have NO appetite whatsoever.  I found this to be true in Vegas.  Nothing tasted good to me.  I was tired of eating out, etc.  Eating is not something to be enjoyed now.  It's nothing more than a necessary task in my day.  I haven't really "enjoyed" a meal in a while.  Since we've returned from Vegas I'm slowly picking up my appetite; and I definitely prefer home cooking versus going out.  It's just a pain.  If I can only eat 4-8 oz.  I want to enjoy them.  The Dietitian said that there is a "honeymoon phase" for about 6 months where that can be true; and that it usually comes back.  That's a relief?!

I was a bad girl and did not track my protein; so she asked me to try logging it for a couple days a week.  I'll do that, although I haven't yet!

And while I did walk a LOT during our trip to Vegas, the goal for me would be to establish a more ritualistic exercise regime.  It's kind of hard for me to get excited about this.  It's all I can do to make it through the average work day with my Fibromyalgia (which presents itself more like Chronic Fatigue).  We are running non stop on weekends.  But during the week, I sit at a desk and by 6 or 7, I'm toast!  This will most definitely be a work in progress.  At least I noticed that I am definitely NOT getting winded as easily as I used to.  This is a plus.

The NP was very happy with my results, saying I was doing "excellent".  Beautiful, just what I want to hear.

They have a new app called My New Self, available on MAC and Android systems.  So while I waited o see the NP, I downloaded it.  One of the first things it asked me was my target weight.  This is not something that had been discussed before.  So I mentioned it to Lily (the NP).  In the interim I put 175 in the tool.  She talked me through her guesstimate and made it very clear that it's too early to know and that they look at your collar bone, body structure, how the weight loss looks on you, etc before making such a determination.  BUT, for now, she said conservatively I could shoot for 180.  It still seems VERY out of reach for me at this point.  But I was VERY encouraged to hear that it's NOT out of the realm of possibilities for me to get down into the 100's, even if it's the high end.  Who knows how many years it will take at this pace; but I've got nuttin' but time!!!!

Some of the lessons I learned over the past month are:

1)  Don't be fooled when you have a free drink ticket on Southwest and think Bailey's on ice sounds delicious.  Literally two sips in, I turned green in the gills and had to resort to this handy little thing!  Yes, folks, I was THE one who got sick from alcohol before we even made it to Vegas!!!  How sad is that?!  I'm thinking this may help me stave off any Bailey's cravings in the future!!!  Clearly it is too sweet for me to play with any more.

2)  Even though I don't get winded as easily as I did pre-surgery, I still have to take breaks from walking due to my back injury (broken back 1985).  I just can't be on my feet long at all.

3)  It helps if you carry the anti nauseal meds with you at all times.  Just.In.Case!

4)  Big Fancy $33 per person Vegas buffets are a complete and utter waste of money for me.

5)  It's amazing the things you can find these days that are sugar free or no sugar added.  I was able to enjoy Gelato with my friends while in Vegas.  I was able to order birthday cakes for my mom and dad from a nearby cake decorator....both in sugar free cake mix and frosting.  At our Schnucks we discovered that Pillsbury makes sugar free cake mixes and sugar free frosting (although our store didn't have the frosting).  I'm feeling hopeful that I can make something I can enjoy for Fox's birthday, too.  The lady I ordered his cake from said she cannot do sugar free.  I think I'll make some sugar free cupcakes for those of us who have sworn off sugar.  Also while in Vegas, we went in a candy store called LICK.  I was able to get some packaged sugar free candies.  Of all the sugar free candy I've tasted, the only one I REALLY like are sugar free Jelly Belly's.  Believe it or not, they are really good.  Can't even tell they are sugar free.  Have to be careful, though, 'cos the sugar alcohol in them has a laxative effect.  So you probably don't want to down the entire bag?!

6)  I was able to sit in a regular seat at the Hard Rock Hotel's venue called The Joint where we saw Kiss Rocks Las Vegas.  It was still cozy sitting next to Kevin; but it wasn't uncomfortable to where I felt like a pretzel when we left.  This is a new and liberating feeling.

7)  The days where I can take advantage of Southwests "Persons of Size" policy are numbered; but for the Vegas trip Kevin and I were able to preboard and there was a seat between us.  This was nice.  I will miss that.....FOR SURE.

8)  If you're going to try raw carrots, CHEW them to death.  I made the mistake of not chewing well enough this week and all of a sudden that old lap band, got something stuck feeling reared it's ugly head.  I was MISERABLE up until I puked violently and about 10 minutes later I was calmed down and ok.  Haven't touched a raw carrot since.

9)  The ONLY craving I still have is actually DIET SODA.  I still struggle and want to have "just one" from time to time; but I am too scared of sabotaging myself.  Several times during our vacation and even this week back at home, I've wished I could have "just one".  But I know myself too well.  If I have one, it will never end at "just one".  So I've yet to have any type of carbonated beverage.  I did fall prey to one craving and tried to substitute with a Icee....Coca Cola Icee........couple sips and it was disgustingly sweet to me so I abandoned it.  That seems to be how a lot of my cravings end up.  Disappointing.

10)  This is sooo not weight loss related but I have to throw it in here 'cos I'm still laughing about it.  I learned that Paul Stanley of KISS is from NY or NJ or somewhere up East.  His accent and voice are SOOOO not what you'd expect from a tall LEGEND of Rock n Roll.  "Helloooooooo  KISS, Aw-mee".

11)  I get bored of drinking just water.  I have to get tea sometimes just to have SOME variety.  I can see me drinking more wine than before since all my other alcoholic options are bad.  Hoping to enjoy some over the holidays.

12)  I was able to walk from the stretch hummer we rented which was parked outside the stadium parking lot to the UNLV football stadium and up some stairs without any trouble.  Easy Peasy for most; but monumental for me.  2 months ago that never would have happened.

13)  My clothes are definitely fitting me differently.  So in the past few weeks, I thought I'd get my act together and order jeans in a size 30, 2 sizes down from my starting size.  SURPRISE.  I wore them like a WEEK.  Fortunately, I ordered a couple of that size and the size below it (28).  Almost immediately, I was in the 28s.  Not sure how long it will take me to get in 26s.  I have none on hand.  Since I work from home, I mostly wear sweats and yoga pants.  Even my old sweats are starting to hang on me or fall off if not tied.  I have to go to San Antonio in December and January.  No idea what I'll wear.  I have a couple old skirts I can get by wearing with boots.  But don't think I have any slacks that fit.  Maybe I should put that on my Christmas list?!  Shirts I wear till they look sloppy big hanging on me.  I'm starting to buy some 3Xs and 22/24s.  I am in a 26 comfortably now.

14)  I fit into my sequined dress from my rehearsal dinner 4 years ago!!!  I can also fit into sandals I once thought I needed to sell due to my swelling!!!  That's me on the far left in the photo below:

15)  The more weight I lose, the more confident I am that I'll be keeping my hair short.  I love it short, so easy and fast!

16)  Even at 54 lbs. down, my legs and feet still swell when I am walking or on them all day.  Guess there is no avoiding it?!  However, they do not swell to the same degree that they once did, prior to my surgery.  It helps if I wear tennis shoes.

17)  I still needed a seat belt extender on the flight to Vegas but not by much.  Won't be long till I can relieve myself of the added carry on item!!!

I've heard my shoe size will go down, as well.  So far I haven't noticed too much.  Hoping it won't change by a lot.  I kinda like the collection I have going now.

Other than that I'm just trying to get through the holidays and continue learning how to live a new lifestyle, free of sugar and with some added physical activity.  I know what I have in mind.........not sure Kev's on board, tho.  ;-)

Below is a pic taken last Saturday (close enough to Tues).  It was taken at the SHAVE party we held in honor of my aunt who is battling Ovarian Cancer and undergoing chemo now.  I kinda dig the shaved head, to be honest.  So simple and easy and carefree.

And again my BEFORE Surgery pic:

Until next month.........Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night!!!

xoxo
Lori

Two Month Post Op Update

My gastric bypass surgery seems like the distant past.  Hard to believe it's only been two months....and what a couple of months it's been?!

I've dropped another 2 lbs. since my 10-16 update for a total of 10 lbs down since my one month post op and an overall weight loss of 46 pounds.

I'm down a total of three pants sizes and down one (almost two) shirt sizes.  Bras are a funny subject.  My boobs are definitely shrinking.  But my band size is shrinking faster than my cup size.  I no longer fill my old DD cups.  Instead, I look like a pre-teen who has been "stuffing" for years!!!  Yet I seem to spill out of my D's.  Either way, I look like a misfit who doesn't know how to buy a good bra!!!  I can't wait till the day I can go get fitted and have good bras that hold my boobs up where they should be.  For now, I'm getting $16 cheapies to carry me through the transition periods.

And, all of a sudden I'm buying "petite" length jeans.  Either I'm shrinking or they are changing the inseams in the industry.

I have been buying some new clothes to carry me through the seasons and body changes.  I'm trying not to stock up too much.  Yet I'm also trying to be sure I have enough to get me through trips, going out, etc.  It's a fine line.  Yesterday I hit TJ Maxx and hit the motherlode on discount Michael Kors sweaters and cardigans for the fall/winter.  Bargain shopping is a necessity.

Once upon a time, when I hit 40 and was still single, I bought myself a gorgeous diamond ring and setting.  I now wear it on my right hand.  It has a lot of sentimental value to me and symbolizes my independence and proof that I can survive on my own (if I had to).  That ring now rotates in circles around my finger....too big.  Maybe someday I'll get it re sized.  I'll continue wearing it until it literally falls off.  Then it will be stored for resizing once my weight loss has stabilized.  The ring on my left hand is similar, only less loose at this time, thank goodness.

Above Pic:  Before Surgery (left) and 2 mo post op pic (right)

Above Pic:  One mo. post op (left), 2 mo post op (right)

Because this "journey" is much more than physical, I try to share some of the mental challenges, as well.

I'm STILL trying to wrap my head around the mind vs. stomach battle.  My MIND wants to fill my plate or order generous portions when out.  My stomach is clearly not having that.  I ALWAYS have leftovers to take home or to package up at home.  ALWAYS!  I don't like to eat just ONE thing at a meal.  Sampler platters at restaurants are ideal for me.  Then I can have a taste of multiple things, at least.  Often times my leftovers end up going to waste.  I eat on them twice but never seem to want it four meals in a row!!!

Some days I have no appetite, whatsoever!  On the days I do feel "hungry", I eat; but find myself FULL very quickly.  Enjoying a meal is a rare treat!  My go to breakfast (and sometimes lunch) is peanut butter on a toasted English muffin, or a toasted thin bagel or just plain toast!  I usually have half a slice and I'm good!

Let's talk cravings.  So far I've been doing well with water and iced tea....no carbonated beverages.  On rare occasions, I crave a soda.  Last night, I turned to my husband and asked him if he thought it would be the kiss of death if I had one.  He promptly blurted, "YES!".  So I went back to water.  It's good for me to have someone to keep me honest with myself.  Accountability is important.  Every once in a while I still crave a soda.  But the reality is, I'm still MORE afraid to ruin my overall plan or goal.  So it takes over any craving I have.  I hope that will continue to be the case.

Speaking of cravings, I STILL have all the crazy sugar free snacks and treats that I was SURE I'd be craving all the time.  But the interesting thing is, even though I THINK I want them, I take a bite and either feel full or unsatisfied; so I end up abandoning the snack altogether.  My mind is still blown away by this; and I wish it wouldn't even trick me into thinking these things sound good at those times.  Because it ends up being a huge waste of time and money.  Not to mention, it often leaves my stomach feeling blah!

Instead, I've found myself enjoying hard candy for the first time in my life.  My go to treat is now a sugar-free caramel coffee Werther's.  Whodathunkit?!

Remember how I was curious to know what would happen if I had alcohol in small quantities?  Well last weekend on our annual anniversary trip to Grafton, IL, I had some wine for the first time since surgery.  We went over to Aerie's Winery.  Kevin bought a bottle of "Sandy's Candy" sweet red wine.  Mmmmm.  I followed the doctor's advice and started with a very small amount in my glass and sipped.  So far, so good.  I had a second "glass",....if I had to guess I'd say each was between 1/4 and 1/2 cup.  I would have had more except the bottle was gone, LOL.  I didn't feel tipsy at all.  No sugar reactions, nothing........just a thirst for more.  Mmmmm.  WHY didn't we buy a bottle to take home?!

And while we're on the subject of alcohol.  Kevin and I went out to Red Lobster Monday night for dinner.  I decided to "celebrate" by ordering my favorite frozen drink, a Mudslide.  I have mixed feelings about whether that was a good idea or not.  It was literally a taste of heaven.  Kevin watched my reaction as I drank it and laughed at me.  You'd think I was having an orgasm?!  I had MAYBE 1/4 of it and then got miserably FULL.  The rest went to waste.  I hated to waste such an expensive drink.  So now I'm left wondering if the cost was worth the heaven I tasted in that little quantity?!  Not sure.  Again, no tipsy feeling or anything like that.  Just a stomach that was like, "What they hell were you thinking?!"  I was thinking of immediate gratification, that's what!!!

I stand by a comment in one of my previous comments in this blog, that my weight loss has had a direct impact on my happiness.  I always thought I was a pretty happy person, in general.  But I've noticed I am happier and enjoy being "me" more now.  I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I have lost a little weight to where I can live with myself now versus that feeling of being defeated (by the excess weight) before.  Again, not sure.  I'm still processing a lot of this.

I can tell you that nothing feels greater than having your friends hug you and tell you how proud or happy they are for you.  Or a compliment like, "You look great".  It's AMAZING what it does for the soul.  Just knowing you are doing something to save yourself is empowering over that former defeatist mentality.

One of the biggest perks of the weight loss I've had so far is that I find I'm not getting winded or out of breath near as easily as I used to.  I can walk farther now.  Parking at a hockey game and walking to the stadium is not out of the realm of possibilities now.  Just a very liberating feeling.  Like I'm getting my life back, one pound at a time.

And lastly, for the first time in like 3 years, I set up an appointment to have our family portraits taken.  I've avoided it like the plague because I hated how I looked.  Now I can live with who I am on the outside 'cos I know it's a work in progress and WILL get better.

Thank you, again, for all the words of encouragement.  For the compliments on my blog and for your friendship.  Words cannot express how far that goes in motivating me to continue on said journey.

God Bless.

Lori

Just a quick post with some side by side comparison pics for you.

The first is my before on the right (Aug 2014) and my present on the left (Oct 18-2014).  I chose a very bad before pic as it's skewed from the cropping I've done to it.

Following is a comparison from last month (Sept) on the right to this month 10-18-14 on the left.

Seems like there's not much to report when I am not going to the doctor weekly or even monthly any longer.  However, I know there are many of you who are anxious to know how my "journey" is going.

My last update was Sept. 29th.  Today is October 16th, so it's really only been 2.5 weeks.

So, without further adieu, I will share the GREAT news:  As of this morning I am down a total of 44 pounds since my starting weight.  This means an 8 lb loss since my last update or in 2.5 wks.  I am a mere 12 lbs from breaking into the 200s.  I know that's astonishing to many.  But it's a landmark for me; and I will be celebrating it, regardless of the shame of how I ever got that bad off.

I've made some interesting observations over the past month that I'd like to share, as well.  Pardon the TMI....but it's important to get this out there for those reading who may choose to follow in my footsteps.

• I've been off carbonated beverages since early August, so a little over 2 months.  I really don't crave soda at this point.  Only when I am really thirsty and that seems to be the ONLY option....but I go out of my way to find water in those cases.  I tell myself that soda is the KISS OF DEATH, that I'll stretch my stomach thus sabotaging my surgery and goals.  To date, I've been able to avoid any temptation.  Water and Tea it is.
• Same with sugar.  Something I thought would NEVER happen; but I don't really crave chocolate and sweets near as much as I used to.  Once in a while my mind thinks I want a "treat"; but when I grab a sugar free snack (such as a SF Hershey mini bite), I eat one and then I have no desire for more.  Doesn't even appeal to me any longer.  This is HUGE and I would have NEVER believed it.  Regardless, my mind still seems to think I want it; and I find myself buying and stocking such snacks.  But when I take a bite, my stomach reminds me, "No thank you".  It did not, however, stop me from staring at Abbie's "Missylicious" cupcake from Jilly's when she was hospitalized!!! My mind was envious, stomach not so much.
• Speaking of the mind vs. stomach thing.  It's really messing with me.  My mind still wants to be in control; but it's clearly my stomach that calls the shots.  So it's been an interesting transition and work in progress to stop listening to the mind and start putting my trust in my stomach.  I'm not there yet.  I still want to put large portions on my plate.  Yet I never finish them.  Even though I am eating significantly less than I did prior to surgery, I still tend to put more on my plate than I can handle with my new "pouch" or stomach.
• On that same order, I wish I had an internal alarm warning me to stop taking bites and walk away BEFORE I take that last one that later gives me nausea.  This is a BIG one.  Seems I take one extra bite than I should have more often than not then I feel ill and have to lie down or take an anti nausea pill.  It would be great if my stomach just set off an alarm that told me, "Lori, I feel full, STEP AWAY from the FOOD".  But no....there is no warning system, it's all trial and error.  As an example, the other night we had Hawaiian Ham Sammies for dinner.  They are the size of a King's Hawaiian dinner roll.  Kevin brought me two of them, no sides, just two sandwiches.  I ate one and a half.  TOO MUCH.  If I had stopped at ONE....I could have avoided nausea.  Again, my mind is at war with my stomach now.  Mind says, "Damn this is good, GET IT, Gurl".....and the stomach says, "I dare ya".
• OK, and not to be GROTESQUE, but another observation I've made is that no matter what I eat, I have HELLA gas.  This is not an understatement folks.  I'm talking, wake me up from a deep sleep and sometimes wake my husband up, gas.  It's a miserable feeling that leaves you longing for relief.  This morning, my husband came into the room to kiss me goodbye before he left for work.  His first greeting to me as I was waking was, "This is a good place for a stick up!".  LOL.  I am going to look into taking Maalox twice a day or a ProBiotic (which I have on hand).  It's embarrassing.
• At only 6.5 weeks out from surgery, I am able to eat most anything at this point and long gave up on the 2 month diet progression pamphlet the doctor's office gave me as a guideline.
• I can find something on most any restaurant menu to order, although I always have leftovers.  This makes dining out and socializing easier.
• While I do have Fibromyalgia and with the exception of the events that have taken place with my Aunt Abbie over the past couple weeks, my energy level has increased in general.  This makes me happy; and I look forward to further improvement!
• To date, this entire Gastric Bypass journey seems tremendously more easy that the LAP BAND, based on my experiences.  I am not having near the complications or struggles that I had with my band.  No throwing up (my greatest fear), no foaming of the mouth, no social anxiety in public eateries, etc.  I don't want to jinx myself; but it seems like the bypass is a walk in the park comparatively speaking.  WHY didn't I just go this route back in 2006?!
• I am definitely happier and no longer hiding at home or refraining from social events....probably because I know I'm taking steps in the right direction.  I'm still in awe of the rapid recovery I've had.
• My husband looks at me with more of a sense of pride now.  He'll occasionally comment that he can see it in my face or in my clothes, etc.  Words can't describe what a beautiful feeling this gives me.
• 44 lbs. has not meant a lot to me (personally) in the way of clothing sizes.  I've pulled out some older clothes that were slightly tight before.  I can fit in them comfortably now.  But I haven't been able to go down more than 1 size, to date.  I also feel like my shirt size has only gone down by one, as well.  I would have liked it to mean more; but I'll get there eventually.  It's been fun pulling out old dresses, pants, blouses and be able to re-introduce them to my current wardrobe.  So far I've not had to purchase a lot of new clothing.  I'm not dropping so fast that I'm buying new clothes weekly or anything crazy like that.  Since I work from home, I tend to wear sweats and yoga pants which buys time.  What I'm not sure of, is how I'll stay in jeans that look nice as my body changes.  I haven't really tried them on much.  We have family portraits to be taken this weekend.  I'm praying I will have something to put on my butt that won't look too goofy.  Stay tuned for the outcome of that, LOL.
• I've discovered a new appreciation for hard candy.  I've never been much on it, personally.  But lately, I keep a personal stock of Werther's Sugar Free Caramel Coffee candies.  I'm more likely to "snack" on those than cupcakes, cookies, chocolate bars, etc.  I've been VERY good about avoiding sugar and plan to keep it that way.
• I have not had many issues with swelling of my legs and feet since my surgery.  I've even been able to wear some shoes that I once tried to sell because of that edema.  This is a wonderful thing.  Less discomfort and more fashionable!  WIN-WIN

I'm constantly making observations as I make my way down this new path in life. I will wait until the 28th to take a monthly photo to share.

I cannot thank you all enough for the words of encouragement and support.

Life is GOOD!

Lori