Holy Shit: The 180s

I am in awe.  I finally hit the 60 lb mark -- 60.4 to be exact and I couldn't be more elated!  Of course I have to be specific and say that I have lost 60 lbs. from my highest weight of 250 in April 2014. If we're just talking surgery date, then it is 45.6 lbs....still not too shabby and I am happy with that!

My primary care physician informed me that my blood pressure is too low -- it was 100/something so he slashed my BP meds in half for three months and is going to re-evaluate me then.  My cholesterol skyrocketed, so I am stuck on my statin for now.  He was pretty happy with my weight loss though.

My 6 month post of appointment with Dr. Gatmaitan was this past Wednesday, 17 December.  I will say that in all of my appointments with him, my nurse Jenn, and my dietician Ashton, I have not lied one bit.  I always come clean with my diet/exercise/protein/water questions -- and this was no exception.  I admitted to drinking more coffee than water, not exercising much at all, signing up for aquaerobics and not going, maybe getting in 50g of protein a day.... and of course they encouraged me to turn all of that around, and I plan to!

My weight loss in the last two months has been VERY slow -- only about 7-8 lbs total and before I was losing about 10 lbs each month, so I am behind in my opinion.  They wanted me to be at 50% loss of excess weight at 6 months but I only hit 44.8%.  Check out my chart...

Despite not being where THEY want me to be, I gotta say I am pretty darned happy with where I am.  Not that I don't want to lose more -- I do -- but the slow loss has helped me save money because I've been in my 12s for a while LOL.  I do have a couple 10s lined up to "try on" for fun, but I'm no where near the next size down, so I'm enjoying things.

So my next "mini-goal" is of course to get to the 170s....and my "GOAL GOAL" is probably going to be 157.  I know it's an odd number, but first, I like the sound of the 150s and second, while maintaining my goal weight, if I hit 160 at any time, I know I need to re-focus and watch myself more closely.

Here's what I'm going to do to help myself get there:

1. First, I am going to try the Couch to 5K app again.  A while back I was on a walk with Samson and decided to jog and it came easier than I expected, so I think it is time to start running (jogging, really)...the first time I tried it I was a lot heavier and made it to 3 workouts before quitting.
2. AND I'm going to limit myself to one coffee a day for now -- and only after I've had at least half of my daily fluid intake (32 oz) first.
3. I am going to re-focus on getting 90-100g of protein each day, so this means having a protein shake and possibly a protein bar daily.

 I can't wait to report back on how I'm doing with these goals!

Coming up on 6 months & PCP Visit

I am still so surprised that I'm shopping for mediums and size 12s.  Size 12s, I have found, seem to be a pretty popular size.  On more than a few occasions, I have found a pair of pants or jeans that I absolutely ADORED and all the 12s were gone already.  Kind of funny to me.

Today I went to Kohl's to spend my Kohl's Cash and bring a return in.  That place was HOPPING crazy.  I think everyone else was spending their KC.  Anywhooooo I wandered around and found three scarves (can't grow out of those in either direction!) and a pair of size 10 jeans on clearance.

When I picked them up, I was thinking it would be nice to have a couple of size 10s ready to go once my 12s get too big.  I decided to try them on just to see how they fit now and I was able to get them on and button/zip....but they were super tight and not presentable to public.  LOL  I think they may have been on clearance because they were marked on the tag size 10 SHORT, but they were NOT short.  I had to roll them up a few inches to avoid tripping.  Anywho, they were practically free after my $40 KC plus 20% off.

My 6-month anniversary is coming up on December 16th -- my appointment is the 17th but I don't think I'm going to make their "goal" of 50% excess weight loss by then.  I think by my calculations it would be a weight of about 183 and I'm about 10 lbs. short of that.  I'm not that worried about it, actually.

One more thing about my Kohl's trip -- I found this off white v-neck sweater that had pink crystals all over the front -- so cute.  The only had one left on the model -- size small.  I held it up and it looked like it would fit me.  It did.  A small.  A SMALL fit me!  But I didn't buy it because it had a snag on the front.  Made me happy, though!

I had some labwork done last week and my 6-month primary care physician follow up Thursday. This was THE appointment I was hoping he'd tell me I will be off my high BP and high cholesterol medications.  My blood pressure was low -- 107/70 or something.  He said that is normal because BP generally lowers with weight loss; however, it was TOO low, so he is reducing my dosage and hopefully I will be off of it in 3 months...he didn't want to take me off cold turkey.

The cholesterol was the complete opposite -- it had gone from the high 80s/low 90s to over 140, so I am to remain on my cholesterol meds and will be rechecked in 3 months.  I admitted to him that I had been slacking pretty good on my meds so he wanted me to be more consistent with taking them daily.

That is all for now!  Happy holidays!

Current weight: 193.2 - Total Lost: 56.8

I just passed my 5 month mark two days ago.  I have about four weeks to lose another 10 lbs for my doctor to be happy with my progress.  Hope I can do that!

I won the Small Group Training raffle that was held during United Way, which is pretty cool since it was worth about $150.  I decided to delay participating until early next year because I'm just not in the mood and I think the "new year" feel will motivate me to go to all of the classes.  Going during the holidays -- not so much.

The boots I mentioned in my last post did not fit well enough.  They went back, along with many other items I purchased in the last month or so.

I got a bag full of new work pants/jeans/tops for free at the consignment store I frequent.  I had credit from selling my bigger clothes, so that was nice.

I am eating a protein bar daily but concentrating less on getting a certain number of grams every day.

I am drinking coffee daily (sometimes twice) now and have learned to make a very close match to Starbucks' White Chocolate Mocha (I purchased the same brand of chocolate they use in-store), which will save me money but is not helpful to my weight loss efforts.  I find myself getting a coffee instead of a meal -- justifying it by saying to myself that there is milk in it.

Exercise is non-existent.  I know, I know.  Water intake is decent, though.  Which for me is more important with my coffee habit.

I should probably take measurements again soon.

That's all for now!

Clothes Whore

That's what I'm becoming.  I am buying stuff like crazy because I'm in a new range of weight that is putting me in a bunch of size 12 pants and medium tops!

I know my husband is trying not to say anything.  Hell, he's not paying for any of my clothes, but the closet is getting fuller by the week.

I'm ready for another trip to the consignment shop with my size 14 dress pants and several tops that I purchased there a couple months ago.

One clothing item I went nuts on is new bras.  I'll tell ya, it's not a good look to wear a bra that doesn't fit.  I went from a 42C to a 38B.  While shopping for new bras (in the beginning), I was told by a Soma Intimates clerk that my right boob is bigger than my left boob.  Apparently this is quite common.  Has it been that way all my life?  Why haven't I noticed this before?  I was dumbfounded.  What a difference it made to wear the bra that fit my new body!  Yay for bras!

My wedding rings are also super loose.  I told my husband that I'll get them sized once they start flinging off my finger, but maybe that's a bad idea.  I don't want to be like my brother and fling a very expensive Tacori band into the Atlantic while hurling a football.  Lesson learned -- I will get them sized soon.

I also decided to purchase a brown and a black pair of tall leather boots.  My calves are still larger than normal women's calves, so I had to get the "wide calf" version.  I sure hope they fit nice!

My hair is falling out like crazy.  It really sucks, actually.  So much so, that I'm trying to train my hair to be washed less often because when I wash my hair, it comes out.  I don't even blow dry my hair straight anymore because I don't want to put more stress on my tresses.  Luckily I am blessed with tons of hair already, but my hairdresser even noticed it had thinned out a lot since she saw me last.

My nutritionist says that it is due to the stress on my body of losing weight fast and that there is nothing I can do about it and that it should subside/stop after my weight loss slows after December (6 months).  I sure hope so, otherwise, I'll be shopping for wigs or Rogaine or something.

I still can't believe I'm under 200 pounds.  I really was hoping I'd made it under 200 by the end of the year.  Now I'm setting a goal of getting to 175 by 2015.  Looking forward to the challenge of the holidays!

My last thought:  it is so very nice to not dread getting dressed for work every day.  And I may just have to buy my first pair of shorts in Florida for next summer.

ONEDERLAND!

Two days ago I finally got to visit ONEderland, which is when one gets into the 100s on the scale!  As of this morning, I am officially at 198.2 with a total loss of 51.8 lbs.

I have to say I am pretty damn happy about it.

April 14, 2014 was a very sad day for me -- I weighed my highest EVER:  250.0 lbs.  I am never going back to the 200s.  NEVER.

My nurse, nutritionist, and doctor were VERY pleased with my progress thus far.  My nurse, Jennifer, said that she expects to see me lose 50% of my excess weight at the 6 month mark, which would mean I have to lose an additional 14 lbs. by December 17th.

Here is a picture of my updated chart, which chronicles every weigh in since I started my 6 months of supervised nutritionist visits in December, 2013.

Something I just noticed on this chart the reference to "IBW" -- Ideal Body Weight....and that it says 131 next to that....Ummmm.... I don't plan on being a STICK.  That weight seems WAY too low for me.  When I graduated high school I was about 155 and my graduation dress was a size 12.  Since I'm in a size 12 jean/pant right now, it seems ludicrous that if I lost another 50 lbs that I would still be a size 12.... did I forget what size I wore at age 18?  I am not as clear as to what my jean size was then, but I do remember my graduation dress size.  I know I'm thinking too hard about it, so I guess I will just have to wait and see what size I will end up as.  

Getting below 200 is so exciting for me since I haven't been under 200 since the 90s.  And I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the attention.  I feel so good about my body and how my clothes fit - there is no way I won't be wearing shorts next summer and that's a huge bonus in Florida!

Current Weight: 201.6 - Total Lost: 48.4 lbs.

Just got back from Ireland a few days ago.  Did some MAJOR walking -- I averaged about 9,000 steps every day.  But I was on vacation and ate some things I shouldn't have (in moderation), had more alcohol than I would ever have at home -- one night I had 5 rounds over the course of 4 hours or so....and didn't feel so great the entire next day.  But I had so much fun!

I weighed in the morning after I returned and was a bit disappointed at gaining about a pound and a half to two pounds....however, as of this morning, the extra weight has dropped off and I'm at my lowest weight so far, so I thought it was worth a blog post.

Today I wore my favorite grey dress pants to work.  They are way too big now... and they're a size 14.  Soooooo I decided to go to Kohl's after work today and just try on some size 12s.

I must've grabbed about 12 pairs from different brands and a pair of jeans to boot.  I got them ALL on.  This made my day for sure!

Current Weight: 202.8 - Total Lost: 47.2 lbs.

Last night I went for a walk with Samson.  Just to see what he would do, I started jogging.  He kept looking at me like he was saying, "Mommy, what is THIS?" except he kept crossing a bit in front of me where I kept stepping on his toes.  I don't know how long we were jogging together, but you know what I do know?  It was a helluva lot easier to jog than it was when I attempted the Couch 2 5K program a while ago.  Surely this means I may be a little more in shape than I was -- or perhaps losing close to 50 lbs has really made a difference in the lightness of my step... either way, I feel like something has changed for the better.  And that makes me happy.

I decided to put together some before and after pictures at this point.  The before pictures were taken in January and the new pictures were taken today (except for the face pic which was on Labor Day).

Three more pounds and here I come, ONEderland!  And this is for next summer:

Current Weight: 203.8 - Total Lost: 46.2 lbs.

Scale finally moved after two weeks.  Not by much, but I'm not complaining!

Starting to get really excited about going to Ireland next week.  Only 8 days away!  Speaking of countdowns (or countups), today marks 90 days since my gastric sleeve surgery.

We'll be doing a LOT of walking around Dublin city center, and on several day trips we're planning, so I am looking forward to coming back to some weight loss!

Got some great used clothes in the mail last week - and brought a TON of clothes to the consignment shop this weekend, too.  My closet gets happier and happier.

I think I'm going to be in between sizes for a while -- as in, in between a 12 and 14.  Some of my 14s are getting baggy in the bum, but I can't squeeze into 12s (no where near).

Current Weight: 204.2 - Total Lost: 45.8 lbs.

Gah!  I'm so close to the 100s and have been hovering between 204.2 and 205 for over a week now.  I know why though.  I have been eating stuff I used to eat -- boneless honey bbq chicken wings with ranch dressing, a few french fries one day, even drinking white chocolate mochas from starbucks.

So I really need to take a step backwards and refocus on my main goals each day: 80-100g of protein and 64+ oz of fluids.

In the mean time, my go-to jeans and work pants are starting to get a teeny bit baggy.  My new favorite jeans are a pair of size 15 sweetheart Old Navy boot cut in a dark wash.  They make me feel so good, but after most of the day has passed, they stretch a bit and then I'm pulling them up after I get up (I need to wear a belt from now on).

This is a good problem to have, I know, but it kind of stinks to be in between sizes because 12s will certainly be too tight on me and some 14s will soon be just a bit too baggy to look right.

Luckily, I do have a pair of size 12 jeans and a couple of 14s that still don't fit me yet.  I also put in a big order to www.thredup.com -- an online thrift store -- and have 9 new tops (mainly for work) coming.  I can't wait to get that box!  I have an awesome BCBGMAXAZRIA cardigan -- retail was $198 but I paid just under $40:

I also got another cardigan -- from Dress Barn I think, for $4.99 on ThredUp.  I LOVE the detail at the shoulders and it is a great neutral color.  LOVE LOVE LOVE

One of the other pieces I got was from a company I had never heard of - C & C California, known for their casual clothing -- I absolutely LOVE the color and style of this top and picture wearing it with some black leggings.  Retail $88, paid $20.49:

And here's a Banana Republic cardigan that retails for $60 I got for $15.99.  It has ribbing which is so much more interesting than plain!

So, I did some shopping.  Packing for Ireland should be pretty easy.  Packing for trips -- even short weekend ones to Virginia were so depressing.  I usually had just one pair of jeans that I wore over and over and I hated all of my clothes.  Now I have so many things to pick from that are cute and FIT great and I feel so much better in my skin now -- that sure makes a huge difference!

Current Weight: 209.2 + Measurements #3 - 21.5" GONE!

Decided to do my measurements today since I am at my 2 month post op mark.  

Neck 14.75" (-.75")
Arms 16" (-2.0")
Breast 40.5" (-5.0")
Waist/Stomach 38" (-4.25")
Hips/Butt 46.5" (-4.5")
Thigh 28" (-3.0")
Calf 18" (-2.0")

I am pretty happy about my waist going into the 30s -- puts me closer to my size 31 (about a size 12) Miss Me jeans that are sitting in my closet (aren't they HOT?).

The most loss has been around my breasts.  OF COURSE!  Weight loss always hits the places you don't want to lose, doesn't it?  But I'm not complaining because that does mean less back fat, doesn't it?  :)

My weight this morning made me do a double take -- 209.2!  That puts me at 40.8 lbs. lost from my highest weight of 250 in April 2014.  I am pretty happy about being so much closer to the 100s.

Chugging along!  

Current weight: 210.4. Total weight loss: 39.6 lbs.

So close to FORTY pounds lost!

Since the scale finally moved, I decided to try on a pair of gray work pants I've had for a while, but haven't fit me in years and years.  I tried them on a couple weeks ago and they were just too tight but today, they slid right on and fit perfectly.

It's times like these, that all of this hard work makes it worth it.  The good eating, the workouts, the water...

I've been trying to up my protein intake to 80-100 grams per day and it hasn't been easy.  Today I had 75g, yesterday 96g, Monday 66g, Sunday 76g...I'm all over the place.  To help get me there, I bought some protein bars -- Quest, Luna, another brand...they all taste pretty good, but it was the Quest bar that was the most filling and satisfying.  And it has 20g of protein in one bar!

The training class on Tues/Thur is going well.  I definitely feel challenged each time.  I really have to push myself to make it to the 60 minute mark, though!  And I need new workout shoes that give me more support/structure since I'm bouncing around so much.

Someone I used to work with passed me in the hallway this morning and I smiled at him and continued on my way.  He had turned around at some point and came to find me in the cafeteria and said, "Oh my gosh, I didn't recognize you!  You're the incredible shrinking woman!"  That made my day and I felt great today anyway, so I guess it showed.

Looking forward to whatever's coming my way...

Current weight: 212.0. Total weight loss: 38 lbs.

Yesterday was my 7-week Doctor follow up appointment.  I have lost 23% of my excess weight, which they said was great for the 7 week mark.  At 3 months I should be at 30%, and Nurse Jenn seems to think I will be ahead of the game for that milestone.

My nutritionist says I should be eating more fiber, so I am now going to work in a supplement or something to help with that.  

Doctor G says if I want to break my stall (although, I went down slightly on the scale this morning), I should bump up my protein intake to 80-100 grams!  I have been consistently getting about 65-70.

In a couple weeks I'm going back to do a Basal Metabolic Rate test which is an estimate of how many calories you'd burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours. It represents the minimum amount of energy needed to keep your body functioning, including breathing and keeping your heart beating.  Whatever that number is, apparently you're supposed to eat 500 calories LESS to lose weight.  Ashton says mine is probably 1400-1600 -- a calculator online says it is about 1663 based on my current weight, height, and age.  But I want real numbers.  The test takes 10 minutes and costs $50.  Should be worth it, I feel.

I recently signed up for a small group training class at work.  It is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 PM to 6 PM.  It involves Bosu balls, exercise balls, treadmills, and circuit machines.  Tonight I hear we'll be doing jumping jacks while holding two heavy ropes between a partner.  Sounds interesting and difficult.  I am so sore from this past Tuesday's workout, but I will go and I will do my best to keep up, but I'm not promising anything!  LOL

I've been taking Samson on walks sort of regularly, so that is the only other exercising I'm doing.  Next month I was thinking about redeeming a Groupon I purchased for a one-month membership at a local indoor pool that has classes and aqua Zumba.  My friend goes and seems to love it.  I have been there before with another friend but honestly the workouts were kinda boring.  These should be more interesting, I would think!

That's all for now -- hoping to do my measurements this weekend to see how they've changed.

Current Weight: 212.8; Loss: -37.2 lbs.

People are starting to notice.  Which is kind of cool.  Especially coming from those that didn't know I had surgery.

I am still hungry more often than I was before.  And I can eat more than I used to eat in one sitting.  If the protein is more dense (chicken),  I fill up faster than less dense (yogurt).  But I'm sticking to good, nutritious foods for the most part.

Tonight I branched out a bit -- I had a small slice of Sam's frozen pizza -- it was a thin crust bacon chicken ranch pizza and it was DIVINE.  I think I do OK with thin crust, but pizza will be a once or twice a month kind of meal.

I'm eating a yogurt once a day and at least one protein shake a day.  I am getting over 60g of protein every day easily now.  Getting closer to 80g a day is more of a challenge, but basically means having an extra protein shake....which is a lot easier to get down than it used to be.

Just taking it one day at a time and enjoying feeling comfortable in clothes again.

214.6 - Down 35.4 but Hungry!

Thirty-eight days post op and a few days ago I started to get hungry more often than every 4 hours and today I was able to finish a whole container (5.3 oz) of yogurt.  It is possible that I am actually feeling thirst as opposed to hunger, so I will have to remember to drink drink drink before I eat anything to make sure.

Now that my appetite is back, I seem to be losing focus on what I am supposed to be eating (and not eating).  Today I had a bite of one of the cake pops I made.  It was delicious.  I gave the rest to my friend.  Luckily, it didn't upset my stomach and I really truly savored that bite.  It was a treat!  But it is too early to be eating those types of things, probably...

This week Rich helped me make a breakfast quiche with bacon, cheese, and onion.  It was pretty tasty.  I want to try another version with egg, cheese, and ham next.

The scale isn't really budging lately...been a few days since I saw a drop on the scale.  I am hoping to see something change in the morning.  Inching closer to the 210s!!

Current Weight: 215.4; Loss: -34.6

I think it'll be way more exciting to watch my post titles as time goes on -- so I think I will just use my current weight as the title.  Aaaaaand that way I don't have to think super hard about it.  :)

This weekend we went to Hard Rock for two nights.  Eating was somewhat of a challenge and I took a few risks that I probably shouldn't have.  Luckily I didn't have any negative side effects from anything.

My favorite meal by far was the hickory bbq pulled pork at the Hard Rock Cafe.  YUM!

Today I decided to "get back on track" with my eating and did pretty well today with my protein (55 grams) -- shooting for 80, but that is damn good.

I just got my box of Isopure 8 oz protein drinks -- one is punch and one is grape.  The taste is very good at first and then there is this very strange aftertaste that sometimes makes me gag.  But for $50 (for 4 six-packs), I'm planning to drink them ALL.  Each 8 oz drink has 15 grams of protein!

For lunch today I ate turkey pepperoni and Babybel mozzarella cheese melted in the microwave.  Sooo good!  This meal weighed 2 oz and I ate all but one of the bites.

I took a full-length selfie in our hotel room because I will appreciate the butt shots one day.  I have definitely lost a bunch of inches around my waist because I could pull these jeans down while they were zipped and buttoned!!  They ended up being very annoying to wear walking around because I was constantly pulling them up.

Now that I am doing well with my protein and fluids, my next two life habits I MUST get used to more are taking my vitamins regularly and exercising at least 3 times a week.  I signed up for the President's Challenge at work and committed to working out 3 times a week, so I plan on sticking to it.  My bicycle has been outfitted with a new cruiser seat so my butt won't hurt riding for a while.  Rich also put some flashing lights on the front and back for me, AND I just got a cell phone holder that clips on to the handlebar so that I can mount my phone and track my rides via Map My Ride app.

Tomorrow will be my 5-week mark!  Looking forward to a week of nutritional food, good bike rides, and a bit of weight loss, too!

Chugging Along

Yup -- chugging along....as of this morning I weighed in at 217.2.  Down 32.8 from my highest in April 2014.  I am so pleased with my progress!

I still have been struggling to get in my protein.  I think it is because I am not hungry very often and I am not making it a priority like I should.  So this morning, to get a jump start, I made a 4 oz chocolate pb2 protein shake.  It was delicious and filling.

I think tomorrow I am going to make a regular 8 oz version and use my 10 oz thermos to drink it throughout the morning tomorrow.  I am so going to get more organized and pre-mix my powder with the additions like PB2 and SF chocolate pudding mix.

Lately I've been getting head rushes where I'm dizzy for a few seconds when I get up or bend down and then come up.  I am not sure why.  It could be mild dehydration so I am trying to get in my 60 oz PLUS of fluids.  If it goes on much longer, I will call my doctor.

As of this Friday the 18th I'll officially be on "soft food phase" so I won't feel guilty for eating scallops then.  ;)

It's Tuesday

I stink at making up titles for each blog entry.  So today, it's Tuesday.

Back to work yesterday -- getting up at 5 AM again wasn't so bad.  I had plenty of time to pack a lunch!  I also had time to scramble an egg for breakfast.

By 10 AM I was sort of hungry again so I got a hard boiled egg and then I had my lunch around 1:30.  After lunch I walked around the building and up all the levels of the parking garage for 30 minutes.

When I got home I was so pooped out, I laid down for a nap.  Rich woke me up around 6:30 and I made myself dinner: tuna and mayo with a dill pickle spear on the side.  I ate it all except only took a few small bits of the pickle.

In about an hour, I ran to the bathroom and had to go #2, and throw up.  Not pleasant.  But I hadn't gone #2 in 4 or 5 days so it was a relief even though I wasn't uncomfortable.

I asked at the support group tonight about taking Miralax daily -- they recommended every other day or I can take Colace daily.  I may look into that especially if it is a pill -- hard to get down Miralax since it mixes into fluids.  I prefer my fluids pure -- tried to make crystal light tonight with unflavored protein powder added and I had trouble liking it.

This morning I weighed in at 219.8 -- for a total of 21.1 lbs. down since surgery; 30.2 lbs. since my highest weight of 250 in April 2014.

Tonight's support group was open forum since Dr. G. couldn't make it to give a presentation.  We talked about all sorts of topics.  When I got home, I took off my jeans and realized they were a size 14.  That was cool!

I ordered a new food scale with a removable bowl (Amazon).  I plan on weighing some foods -- like my scallops I'm making twice a week I like to know how much I'm eating.  I've been estimating or using the weight off the deli sticker.  Tonight I made them myself -- had half a dozen (almost 3 oz) and was full and happy!  I LOVE SCALLOPS RIGHT NOW!  They're the only food I get excited about for dinner.  Saturday I'm going to Joe Patti's to get some for lunch on Sunday.  Can't wait to cook those up!

Back to Work Soon

I can't believe my three weeks is almost up!  I am ready to get back to work, though -- I've done enough recovering!  My weight as of this morning was 220.6 which is down 20.3 lbs. since surgery according to the bariatric office and 29.4 lbs. from my highest weight in April 2014.

I am still technically on the pureed stage until July 18th but I have been "cheating" with some soft foods.  I've had bbq pulled pork, canned peaches, watermelon, omelets, cheese sticks, a bit of fish, and my favorite -- scallops.  I chew really well and try to take my time, but some foods will cool too quickly and stretching a meal to 20-25 minutes long is almost impossible.

I've been on a stall for the last week or so, so I am taking it day by day and just trying to get my fluids and protein in.  The protein (80 grams) is definitely harder than getting 60 oz of fluids/water in.  I am still not hitting either of them, though.

I think work will be distracting, but I plan on setting timers to remind me to eat and sip the entire day.  I think for breakfast I may bring either cream of wheat or a protein shake; however, I may have to wake up and make my shake and throw it in the freezer until I leave so that it stays colder longer.  For lunch I'm planning to have yogurt and I may try to save what I can't eat for a "snack" later in the afternoon.  I think lunch planning will be easier once I get further out and on soft and regular foods.  My options seem so limited right now.

One of the possible side effects of surgery is experiencing "dumping syndrome" -- this can be an array of symptoms from eating something that doesn't agree with you -- such as profuse sweating, rapid heart rate, stomach ache, nausea, and diarrhea.  Two days ago I experienced my first dumping symptoms -- diarrhea and profuse sweating.  Guess what from?  Watermelon.  I had three large chunks from a small container I bought recently.  I freaking LOVE watermelon.  It is so sweet and watery and just YUM.  I figured in my head -- hey, it's FRUIT...AND I'm getting fluids in without having to drink more boring water.  Dumping wasn't fun and definitely not worth risking it for more watermelon.  I posted on a board on FB and a nurse said that watermelon is a natural laxative.  Sure enough it is!

I will probably try watermelon again in smaller quantities -- like only one piece once a day.  I've learned my lesson, though and trying to get back to what I am supposed to be eating.  Pureed foods just don't appeal to me, though -- I may just have to stick with eggs and soups and yogurt.

Back to the scallops.  I bought 4 at Publix the other day and after looking up how to make seared scallops, Rich prepared them for me in a matter of minutes and they were TO DIE FOR.  And I had no ill effects, felt full, AND got protein in.  They were amazing.  I plan on having those at least once a week because they were also only $2.60.  Cheaper than any dinner out somewhere!

So come Monday morning it'll be fun to put on my "go to black dress pants" that I wore to work twice a week because that was all that fit me.  I wouldn't mind if they're too big.  I still hate my closet though -- I hate my work clothes in general and would prefer to wear under armor pants and tank tops.  They just don't make me feel good and look frumpy.  That will all change soon, though.

I can definitely see a difference in my face.  My skin is clearer and it has slimmed down a bit.  I've noticed my husband has lost weight too -- his face is slimmer!  He is not eating out as much as we used to together - I am very proud of him!

Tomorrow we're going to a Fourth of July party and one of his co-workers' houses.  I will probably eat before I go because I have no idea what she is serving.  I'm making a very yummy looking banana  pudding cake to share - hope it comes out like the picture!

First Post Op Follow Up Appt

I made a pan of chocolate chip cookie bars to split with the bariatric nurses that took care of me last week and the bariatric office.  My appointment was at 9:15 but Dr G. wasn't in yet -- he was on call for general surgeries and had to do one in Gulf Breeze this morning.

Nurse Jennifer took me back to get my vitals -- my BP was 148/87 or something, which I thought was kind of high, but she said that was normal.

This morning I did weigh myself and it was an even 222 lbs.  Nurse Jennifer weighed me in at 222.8. According to them, my "official" surgery weight was 240.9, so they say I lost 18.1 lbs. since surgery.  But they took that 240.9 weight on 6/11 which was 5 days pre op -- I lost even more weight on my liquid diet after that.

I'm sticking to my HIGH weight of 250.0 and deducting what I get at home, so officially I'm down 27.2 lbs.  What a difference 27 lbs has made.  I am amazed how much better I feel so far, how great my clothes fit, and I think I am sleeping better, but won't know for sure until I get back to work.  I am not getting up at 5 AM while I'm off, so might be tougher next week -- but maybe not!

When I finally got to meet w/Dr. G., he seemed surprised I had lost weight (WTH?).  He said I could start my pureed diet today and I will be on that for three weeks (through July 18th), then I will transition over to Phase 4 -- Soft foods.  He also said I may resume all of my meds and can expect to be on all of them for 6 months post-op, then they will do labs on me to see how my vitamin levels are.  I will also be starting my vitamin regimen.  I need to fill up my pill organizer today so I can start up everything tomorrow.

Dr. G wanted to look at my incisions and he said they looked good.  I told him that there were two that were way more sore than the others and pointed them out to him.  The worst looking one was the one he pulled my resected stomach out of....the 2nd to the worst was the one he had to stretch for his instrument.  Each of the incisions still has the surgical glue on top of it -- I am allowed to peel it off in 10 days if it hasn't already come off, but now that I look at them, they are starting to peel a bit.

I also asked Dr. G about the 2nd hernia he said he fixed -- he mentioned it to me the day after surgery but I didn't catch what kind it was.  It was a diaphragmatic hernia.  Which means that right next to my hiatus I had another very small hole along my diaphragm.  I asked him if there would've been any side effects to having that and he said that organs could have sunk into it or possible pushed through, but there was fat in the hole so it may not have happened.  He closed it up for me.

My next visit it 6 weeks post-op (on 8/6).

So of course I was SUPER excited to be on pureed foods and I went home and made my first pureed meal.  I had a Starkist Creations Tuna packet (Herbs & Garlic flavor), a single dill spear, and a tablespoon of Olive Oil Mayo.  Stuck all of that into my Ninja and WA-LA!  It was sure tasty and different but I barely ate much before I was full.  I am going to finish it off for dinner I think.

I have been doing better getting my fluids down -- I am able to take 3 "gulps" every few minutes or so and that is helping. I make sure to carry water or something with me every where I go so I can keep sipping.

Protein hasn't been great -- I was getting maybe 10-20 grams down a day, but I think Phase 3 will help with that. Oh and I "cheated" a bit last night -- I bought watermelon yesterday thinking I was going to soft foods today and since Rich doesn't eat it, I had a piece.  I took small bites and waited between bites to see how my stomach would do.  I chewed it well and it wasn't a problem.  I am planning to finish what I bought over the weekend and I think it counts a little as fluids too.

I think for breakfast I am going to make eggs and either puree them or just chew chew chew each bite.  I can't wait to find some more recipes -- but I have a feeling I'll be eating a lot of eggs and tuna in the next three weeks.

Ohhh and while I was shopping at Publix yesterday, I just happened to notice a thermos on their shelves that I have on my Amazon wish list.  It is sooooooo super darn cute and will be perfect to throw my oatmeal/cream of wheat/eggs into when I return to work.

Wow, wow...

So as of this morning I am down a total of 26.4 pounds from my high weight of 250 in April 2014: 223.6 lbs.  Down 11.6 since my surgery on Monday, 6/16!

Spontaneously, I just HAD to try on the many pairs of jeans I've had sitting in my closet for a while.  Keep in mind I have been wearing ONE pair of jeans (size 16 from Lane B) that fit me at 250 but barely.  I am sure I was really an 18 but wouldn't buy a size 18.

So I have a lot of "true" 16s that were retired long ago when I started gaining more weight.  I am so pleased that ALL of them now fit me just fine (at least 4-5 pairs) and even one size 14 (Lane B) fits me too!

I gotta tell you it is really nice to see the scale go down EVERY DAY since surgery, but I know that a stall is typical 2-4 weeks out.  This is because my body is getting used to my new weight.  Also I hear when you're not losing on the scale, you are probably losing inches!

I forgot to mention in earlier posts that my doctor fixed my hiatal hernia while we was operating on me AND a 2nd hernia (forgot the name) as well -- which is awesome!

Instead of trying to think of ways to keep myself entertained the next two weeks, I'm going to concentrate on getting my 60 oz of fluids in and getting 2-3 walks in every day as well as 3-5 meals.  I cannot let myself get dehydrated....dangerous, dangerous!

So back to my weight.  It is sure nice to be back in the 220s (and so quickly!) but the real joy will be in getting under 200 since that is pretty much my lowest adult weight I achieved on my own.

I also meant to mention that my skin has never looked so good -- my face in particular.  I haven't had any breakouts since a week before surgery AND my psoriasis seems to be improving as well.

That is all for now!

Wow.

So it is post op Day 6 and I am already down a total of 20 pounds from my highest weight during my 6 month pre-op supervised diet.  If I'm just counting the pounds lost from my surgery date, I'm down FIVE, but I also weighed 235 before surgery and 244 after, so technically I re-lost 9 pounds (of fluids) this week plus an extra 5.  However you see it, I personally see the number on the scale: 230.2 and am amazed.

Last night I suggested we go out to eat -- somewhere that has soups I can eat.  So we hit Ichiban and I got egg drop soup.  I barely ate much before I was full but it was damn good!  A nice change to eating at home every meal when I was so used to eating out all the time.  So it was a treat, for sure and as Rich called me, "a cheap date" since my meal was only $3.50.

I forgot to go on a real walk or two yesterday, so I am going to make it up today.  I woke up early this morning with a mild headache that I couldn't shake, so I got up and took a half dose of my liquid Lortab and eventually it dissipated and I slept.  I woke up with the same headache, though, but my abdomen feels even better than yesterday.  I am going to get some water in and see if that helps my headache -- I can't imagine that I'm dehydrated as I've been doing well on getting fluids in.

Four Days Post Op

Yes, I'm alive.  I didn't feel much like updating my blog this week.  

Monday morning we got to the hospital so early.  I had my bag of essentials and my pillows from home.  As soon as I got my hospital band they did another EKG on me, then back to the waiting room.  They they took me up to a room where I got into a gown and waited until after 8 AM before they brought me to the surgery room.  Once I got on the surgery table they put me under pretty fast because I don't remember a thing until I woke up in my private room.

I think I first remember Jim & Joyce in my room talking to Rich about something and I was disagreeing in my head with some detail Rich was talking about but I couldn't speak or open my eyes.  I was still VERY out of it, but somehow conscious?  It was surreal.

I heard Rich say, "Open your eyes, Jame." and I remember trying very hard to open my eyes but they were so, so heavy.  I kept thinking why won't my eyes open?  Gosh I'm so tired, I really want to sleep.    

Eventually I did open my eyes and said hello to Jim & Joyce and Rich.  Alisha stopped by later but honestly I can't remember much about the day of surgery afterwards.

Throughout the day and night I kept having my vitals taken, and at 3:15 AM Tuesday morning I had blood taken for labs (also on Wednesday morning).  I asked for pain meds on Tuesday sometime because I had severe back pain and my belly hurt pretty bad -- more soreness than anything but SO uncomfortable.  They put morphine in my IV.  Boy, that felt really weird.  And good.  And instantly took my pain away.  I could feel it coursing through my veins, my fingertips and down to my toes.  How weird!  I felt great.

I got up and walked as often as I could, knowing it would make me feel better.  I'm not sure how much gas I had to expel in my belly -- I wasn't passing gas at all but I was burping a lot.  

I craved crushed ice, so my nurses kept me stocked.  On Tuesday morning I did go down for an upper GI to ensure I had no leaks in my new sleeved stomach -- I passed and they let me know that right away.  So that meant that lunch I got broth and tea and pudding I think.  They kept bringing me yellow jello which is nasty.  I liked the cream of wheat -- added a little butter and sugar substitute and that made it palatable.  

Wednesday morning, Dr. G. came to see me and picked up  my sheets of paper where I'm supposed to track my walks, my spirometer usage, and my fluid intake, but I hadn't filled out much because I really didn't know that was my job.  Four ounces of fluid every waking hour?  Yeah, I don't remember those instructions, so he wasn't happy with me.  He said he wanted to see three straight hours of doing everything I'm supposed to be doing and then he'd discharge me.  I never saw him again though -- the discharge nurse came in around 2 PM and Willie gave me a ride down to the entrance so Rich could take me home.

Thursday at 3 PM I got to take a shower finally -- boy that felt GREAT!  My hair was rank.

So the last couple of days I've been sleeping, eating, watching TV a lot, napping, drinking water, and taking walks around the house since it is so hot outside.  I did go for a 10 minute neighborhood walk this morning but it was really too hot outside.

I weighed as soon as I got home on Wednesday and I was 244 or so -- the result of LOTS of fluids being pumped into me 24/7.  Today I'm around 237 which is just a couple pounds higher than my Monday morning pre-surgery weight.  

My stomach is super sore and alien looking.  I have 5 holes and one drain hole -- they all have some kind of skin superglue on them that will eventually wear off.  I guess due to swelling, my belly is super bumpy -- strangely so!   

Rich is taking good care of me.  I am so glad he was able to be with me all week.  I am already getting stir crazy in the house, so I have to figure out how to entertain myself for the next two weeks before I get back to work.  I have a list of stuff I can work on.  I guess I have to use this time to heal as a priority, but I feel so unproductive!  Looking forward to the weekend - maybe we can go somewhere besides home.

Day Before Surgery

Grape magnesium citrate is VERY sweet! I had a hard time drinking it yesterday just because of that alone. My palette is so used to bland, sugar free, water, etc. that even Powerade Zero is a shock to my mouth.

I feel empty. Literally. I didn't feel much hunger yesterday, surprisingly.

What has gotten me through these 14 days? Knowing that it will help me be more successful after surgery. Knowing it will make my surgery easier for my doctor. Knowing if I complete the 14 days successfully, that there is a high chance of success afterwards. I took it day by day, trying not to dwell on how many days I had left.  It helped a lot to have a supportive husband that talked me out of cheating...although I'm really not sure if I would've followed through.  I'm down 13.4 lbs., so seeing the scale go down almost every day was also very motivating.

Rich took me to a book store and I got James Patterson's Mistress and a book called Shoe Lovers Anonymous which looks like it's right up my alley!  I'm hoping I will feel up to reading in the hospital.  If not, I guess I have three weeks to get through them.

I don't have much energy at all but I'm going to try and make one card today and do my "before pictures" scrap booking page.

Tonight before I go to bed, I'll be drinking two bottles of water and taking what they call a "surgery shower".

Since we have to be at the hospital at 5:30 a.m., I will be getting up around 4 to leave by 5. Glad it is early because nothing should delay my doctor AND I won't be awake very long to think.

Day 12 Pre-Op Liquid Diet

Last day for protein shakes.  :(

Tomorrow and Sunday I will be prepping my bowels!  Yippee.  That means I have to drink a bottle of magnesium citrate before 2 PM tomorrow.  My diet for the weekend consists of cranberry grape juice, sugar free popsicles, sugar free jello gelatin, G2 Gatorade, Powerade Zero, beef broth and OH, don't forget H2O.

The protein shakes have really been sustaining me and keeping me full enough not to turn into a complete bitch.  So this weekend will be challenging.  I hope my husband is prepared. LOL

As of this morning; however, I am down 11.4 lbs!  And BOY do I feel it.  My go to jeans felt great today.

So I have to ramble a bit about my recent thoughts.  Right now at this very moment, I am craving food, of course, but not just any food.  I am craving healthy foods!  It's already like my brain is saying, "ok, fine, I guess we're going to do this healthy thing!"  I daydream about fresh salmon and green beans, edamame, asparagus, shrimp, salad...you name it.

Sure, I am also thinking about Waffle Chicken Fingers from Popeye's (limited time only, people!) and General Tso's chicken, Publix subs, pizza, and Reese's cups.  

But you know what?  This whole 12 days that I have been essentially food-less has given me a new appreciation for food. Seriously!  I imagine my self truly savoring each bite and letting the smell of food touch my senses in a new way.  Good thing, too, because I'll probably only be able to have 3-4 bites of food at a time when I start having a regular diet in mid-August or so.

I will admit I did cheat while on my liquid diet.  Four days ago or so, I had an M&M.  Yup, just one.  And I let it sit on my tongue, rolled it around a bit, and eventually it melted.  I savored and appreciated that M&M.

Today I sucked on a french fry at work -- just to get the flavoring on my tongue.  I just wanted to have a different taste in my mouth.  

I stop at doing anything "worse", for example, a #1 Big Mac meal at McDonald's with a chocolate shake (large combo, of course) -- because I know after this long time on a liquid diet, eating that way would make me very, very sick.  And I know it wouldn't be worth it.  And I'd be mad at myself.  

So I've made it this far -- what's two more days?  I can do this.

Final Pre-Op Appointments

Today I had my last two pre-op appointments -- the first one was with Nurse Lynell.  She asked me about all my medications, instructed me about the two antibacterial showers I would need to take (one the night before surgery and the 2nd the morning of).  She gave me a bottle of Hibiclens and I have to shower regularly then put half the bottle all over my body except my girly parts and my face, then let it sit for 2 minutes and pat dry.  Cuts down on infections apparently.  Yay for that.

I also had some labs done by a lady that a few minutes before she stuck me with a needle, said, "I hate my job" to another coworker passing in the hall.  Nice!

My second appointment was at the bariatric clinic -- I weighed in with Jennifer.  My "official" pre-surgery weight is 240.9 lbs; however, my high weight during the last 6 months was 250.  It's bugging me that I don't know the exact number (250.?).

I'm thinking about the general stats for gastric sleeves -- I'm expected to lose 50-70% of my excess weight.  If I am supposed to be around 155, that means that I can expect to lose 43-60 lbs or get down to 197-181 lbs.  That's fine and dandy, but I don't want to be 197 lbs.  Or 181 lbs.  I want to be between 155-165 tops.  I think that's a healthy weight and I plan on doing my damnedest to get down to where I want to be in the next 18 months.

After I saw Nurse Jennifer, I met with Dr. Gatmaitan.  He gave me a 6 page consent form I had to read over and sign.  Three of those pages were a list of all of the side effects and complications I could have from surgery.  Yeah.  There were a TON.  Makes me think a bit.  I usually have the mindset about things that "Oh, that'll never happen to me!" -- it's how I feel about major complications, getting cancer, dying young...but you never know, I guess.

So that's that.

Days 5-8 - Pre-Op Liquid Diet

Much of the same!  Weekend was difficult for me because we used to eat out at least 4 meals on weekends.  I feel like I'm mourning at this point.  I have been brought to tears a couple times because I couldn't eat what I wanted.

But I got through the weekend just fine.  And this morning I am down a total of 9.4 lbs.  It's amazing what 10-ish pounds difference can make.  Ten-ish pounds ago my ONLY jeans I can wear comfortably (size 16) were getting tighter by the day.  My wedding ring didn't fit.

Ten-ish pounds down and the jeans fit OK again.  I can wear my wedding ring again.  :)

Then I think....this is just the beginning, Jamie...next thing you know it, I'll be slipping on my special size 12 dress I bought for New Year's Eve...only time will tell.

Friday last week Rich accompanied me to my pre-op education class.  It was interesting!  The only things that freaked me out a bit were hearing about my catheter and drain.  I was also pleasantly surprised that I could have NSAIDS after surgery because I'm getting the sleeve.  That'll be nice to pop an an Advil when I need it, knowing it'll work.

My last pre-op appointments will be Wednesday this week.  At 12 I'll meet with a nurse and my anesthesiologist.  We'll go over my medical history then.

At 1 PM I'll meet with Dr. Gatmaitan for final instructions before surgery and to sign the consent for surgery.

So, six more days to go.  

Day 4 - Pre-Op Liquid Diet

Today was GREAT!

Had my typical breakfast and lunch, but I changed up dinner a bit.  Since the Herb Ox granulated bullion packets were so bland, I added one instead to my UNJURY chicken soup flavored protein shake.  YUM!

This morning I weighed in at 242.2 -- down 6.6 lbs. since Monday morning.  Wow!

Tonight I made 80 cookies -- half for the bariatric office and half for my work peeps.  It was hard not to eat one out of the oven -- I thought about it!

Besides that, this was another temptation I faced today -- my favorite...

But I resisted all the temptations today!  Success!  I can do this!

Day 3 - Pre-Op Liquid Diet

Ugh.

Today sucked.  I got to bed early last night and thought I slept well, too.  But I just couldn't get out of bed...well I did eventually, but for some reason it was so much harder today.

Made my breakfast shake -- it was vanilla UNJURY with raspberry sugar free gelatin and raspberry SF Torani syrup.  It tasted Ok but the texture was horrible.  I don't think the gelatin dissolved properly?  Regardless, I finished it.

I left work to go see my primary care physician, Dr. Nichols.  He reviewed my blood test results and said that my cholesterol was still good but it was better last time.  He mentioned increasing the dosage on my cholesterol med and that's when I revealed that I had surgery coming up.

That changed his recommendation.  He wished me good luck and said that he couldn't wait to see me in 6 months.  I said, "me too!"

After my appointment I sat in my car for a few minutes and really thought I could just lean back and fall asleep.  I was feeling very weak and overwhelmed with fatigue.  I read on different boards more than once that "day 3" was the worst for a lot of people.  Not sure why -- I'm sure it's a physiological reason of some sort.  All I know is that I just wanted to sleep - desperately.

So I got the OK from my boss to take the rest of the day off and I went straight home and slept for 5 hours.  I feel a bit better now that I have some UNJURY chicken soup in me, plus a 20 oz Powerade Zero and a bottle of water.

This morning I weighed in at 244.0 so I'm officially down 4.8 lbs.  At this rate I'll be down 20 lbs by June 16th!  Yeah right!

So I'm pretty sleepy and think I'm just going to call it a night.  Hoping day 4 will be better.

Day 2 - Pre-Op Liquid Diet

Today went well.  I wasn't as hungry as I thought I'd be!

This morning I weighed in at 246.2 -- down 2.6 lbs!  It's nice to go in the OTHER direction on the scale for once.

For breakfast I had Advocare's Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake which had 24 grams of protein.  I mixed it with skim milk and it was pretty darn good -- no Torani syrup this time, but I did add an ice cube.

Started to get a bit hungry around 10 AM so I made a cup of tea -- Tazo's Passion, with two Truvia sweeteners.  DELISH!

For lunch I made UNJURY Chocolate Splendor shake -- straight up (which means w/skim milk only).  It was pretty good, but when I use my Blender Bottles, I don't get NEAR the volume as I do with my Ninja.

Around 2 PM I drank most of a 32 oz Powerade Zero - Mixed Berry flavor and I had a snack cup of the cherry Jell-O.

Dinner was a freaking science experiment -- unexpectedly!  I decided to try the beef buillon powder in hot water.  The instructions say to heat up 8 oz of water to a boil, so I put a cup of water in my Pyrex and miked it until I saw the boil.  Then I added the powered and BOOM it bubbled up suddenly up over the rim!  I was so startled that I lost some of my powder on the oven top.

It tasted verrrrry bland (read: SODIUM FREE).  I like sodium though, so I added a bit of salt to liven it up a bit.  I finished it but I prefer the UNJURY Chicken Soup for flavor.  I also bought the chicken version, so I will give it a try, but I'm tempted to use two packets per 8 oz of water to strengthen the taste.

For dessert I had an orange sugar-free popsicle.  It was fun to eat because I could suck out the juice.

I have found it helpful to brush my teeth after dinner so I feel "done" with eating for the day.

I'll tell ya one thing, I have to pee every hour or so -- but it helps me at work to get up and walk even for a minute.

Taking this a day at a time - I know I can get through 12 more days.

Day 1 - Pre-Op Liquid Diet + Measurements #2

Today is my 37th birthday.  It is also a sort of "re-birth" as today was the first day of my pre-op liquid diet that I will be on for 14 days leading to my surgery.

To mark this date appropriately, Rich helped me take my measurements again.  Interestingly enough, I gained in some areas, stayed the same in others.  I cannot believe my calves are 20" now.  I need to lose at least 6 inches to be able to get some hot boots.  I digress!

I AM APPROVED!

Today at 11:11 AM I missed a call from Nurse Jennifer.  Her voice mail made my day.

"Hey Jamie, it's Jennifer at the bariatric center.  I was calling to see when you want to get your surgery scheduled. I got the approval, so call me back!"

Music to my ears.

I gave her a call back and my surgery is set for Monday, 16 June at 7:30 AM.

So.

Happy.

I have to attend a pre-op appointment on 6 June for two hours.  I think this is the part where they go over everything to expect before/during/after surgery and to provide an opportunity to ask more questions?  We shall see!

The morning of my surgery I have to be there at 5:30 AM.  I'm not going to be able to sleep that night anyway, so that probably won't be an issue getting up at 4 AM to wash my hair and straight iron it (heh heh).  Besides, I will probably be sleeping most of that day anyhow!  If I'm not taking a walk up and down the hallway or to the restroom, I plan on catching up on my beauty sleep!

So I owe Amber some of my chocolate chip toffee cookies.  I will bring them for her on the 6th.  Small price to pay to expedite my paperwork.  I can't believe it only took 5 business days (Monday holiday doesn't count!).  I don't know what I was worried about -- thinking I'd be denied and have to make an appeal -- I did everything by the book though!

I start my liquid diet on June 2.  I really don't think I'm going to have any problem complying.  Honestly, I've had enough "last" meals the last few months.  I am ready to do whatever it takes to be SUCCESSFUL.

Oh, I forgot.  While I was at work today I instant messaged my brother and let him know the news.  He asked me if I had heard of some guy on MasterChef that had lost 155 lbs. since the show last year.  Apparently he was 400 lbs. and shocked viewers by his weight loss.  He had a sleeve gastrectomy.  He sent me an article about it which led me to a doctor's blog about WLS.  Thought I'd share a link to a very interesting article about how weight loss surgery resets the bodyweight set-point.

Waiting Game

Today marks one week since my paperwork was sent to Carefirst for review and approval.  I hadn't heard anything all week, so just because, I decided to call Carefirst myself.

I thought it would make me feel better to hear that they had received the paperwork at the very least.  I spoke to Shanika, gave her my ID, confirmed my birthdate and gave her my call back number.  She brought up my record of sorts and told me that nothing had been received.  I asked her if a week's time was sufficient to show up to where she could see the request and she said it was and that it normally shows in 24-48 hours.  So I politely thanked her and wished her a nice weekend and disconnected.

Then I furiously dialed the number for the bariatric office and chose the option to speak to the insurance specialist, Amber.  She did not answer so I left her a desperate email telling her what I had found and asked her to check into it and call me back.

Next I stewed in my chair.

Then I pulled out my medical card and flipped it over to study the numbers more closely.  Hmm.  There was a separate phone number for "Inpatient Pre-Certification".  Well THAT sounded more promising.  And I'm just the kind of person that has to be told TWICE before I believe something like my fax never arrived.

So I dialed.  I hit the option that led me to "my nurse"....A lady answered, I gave her my ID, confirmed my birthdate and gave her my call back number.  I asked her if she showed any documents received for me and she paused...typed...paused...then she said.... wait for it... wait for it....

"Is this in regards to your June 16th surgery?"  I was like OMG OMG OMG OMG (inside).  Then I was cool, calm, collected...and responded, "Yes, yes it is."....then she said...."well....TENTATIVE date for June 16th".....  :D

She said it had been received on Friday of last week and that it was still under review.  I asked if it would be OK to call back next week for a status update (as if I need permission -- HA!) and she said, "Oh yes, that will be fine -- in fact, take down this reference number and provide it when you call back so that they can find your case faster."  (Inside I said "I LOVE YOU NURSE LADY")

So I am pretty excited about having a TENTATIVE date.  I am really hoping I'll hear about approval next week.

After I got off the phone with nice Nurse Lady, I immediately called back the bariatric office insurance lady and said "oops never mind, they got it!  LOL.

Next, I looked up at my calendar and started doing calendar math in my head.  Let's see....Monday, June 16th minus 14 days on a pre-op liquid diet brings me to.......to......to.....

Um.

June 2nd.

My 37th birthday.

Which means.  I have.  Basically.  ONE WEEK.  To eat my heart out! OMG OMG OMG

Ok I actually don't mind that I'm down to one week (technically 9 days).  I have kind of over done it for the last 6 months with eating my heart out.  I am ready for the change honestly, but I will still allow myself one or two (or three) "last meals"....Rich and I already made reservations at Melting Pot for Sunday night (All You Can Eat Fondue, no less).  I may have to get some McDonald's fries (super damn fresh, of course -- otherwise, they're not worth eating).  Hmm what else.  I may need to have a slice from Sky's Pizza Pie.  That should do it.  Oh and maybe a large sweet tea from Chick-Fil-A or McD's.  That'll do.  Wait, I forgot about Reese's Cups.  And pop secret popcorn with peanut M&Ms.

So that was my excitement for today!  Yay!!!

JUNE 16TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(maybe!)  

Nutrition One-Hour Wrap-Up

Friday morning was my one hour wrap up with Ashton.  I weighed in beforehand at 249.0.  Half a pound less than the day before.

Ashton went over in more detail each phase of my eating plan before and after surgery.  Here they are in a nutshell:

Phase 1
This comprises my pre-op diet which could be up to 14 days before surgery.  I can only have clear liquids plus protein shakes.  Clear liquids include sugar-free jell-o pudding, sugar-free popsicles, broth, crystal light, Powerade Zero.  The protein shakes are what's going to keep me full and the popsicles and pudding is what'll keep me sane LOL.

Day of Surgery
= NPO.  NPO means "nothing by mouth"...no ice chips, no gum, no NOTHING.

Post Op Day 1 is also NPO until I have my UGI which is a procedure that checks for leaks -- I believe it is the same procedure I had a little while ago when I drank some barium mixture so they can take pictures of my stomach.  As long as this is clear, then I can have clear liquid after.

Post Op Day 2 is when I begin Phase 2.  Phase 2 lasts up to 10 days until I follow up for the first time with my surgeon, Dr. G.  When I'm on Phase 2, I'm supposed to "eat" 3-5 times a day with at least two of those meals being "food" meals vs. protein shakes.  On this phase I can have watered down juices, broths, cream of wheat when cooked with lots of water or milk, milk, yogurt, and protein shakes.  I have to try to get in 80 grams of protein a day.

Phase 3 - Puree Diet
Well this should be interesting.  I'll be on the puree phase for days 10-30, approximately.  Ashton suggested mixing tuna with a bit of olive oil mayo in my Magic Bullet as a meal.  I'll only be eating 1-2 ounces at a time for each meal and my meals should last 20-30 minutes each with about 5 minutes in between each bite.  I can have all the stuff from Phases 1 and 2 plus pureed cooked eggs, high protein meats (pureed in the bullet!), smooth peanut butter (yay!!!!!), cereals like cream of wheat, melted cheese (double yay!), fat free cottage cheese, skim milk, mashed potatoes, pureed/mashed green beans, canned fruits (awesome), baby foods (NOT).  Things I can have but in moderation (once a day I think) are sf pudding, sf gelatin, low sugar or sugar free ice cream or yogurt, salt, mayo, butter, sour cream, herbs & spices.  This will be a fun phase I think!

Phase 4 - Soft Diet
I'll transition into Phase 4 at about the 30 day mark and be on it for approximately 4 weeks.  At week 6 post-op I'll meet with my surgeon again for follow up.  Again I'll be eating 3-5 times a day but only about 1-2 ounces per meal.  This phase basically includes any non-irritating low residue foods.  Everything I eat has to be thoroughly chewed to avoid obstructions or blockage.  I can only add in one new food to each meal so if I have an adverse reaction I will know what did it.  Protein will be the "star" of each meal and what I eat FIRST.  The foods I'll be allowed will include everything from Phases 1-3 plus low fiber cereals such as cheerios, rice krispies, or special K.  At this stage I won't have to puree anything but I just have to chew, chew, chew!  I have a feeling I will be eating a lot of eggs, cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, and chicken here.  I am going to change things up though and make some flakey fish here and there and have thin deli meats for lunches.

Phase 5 - Regular Diet
This will start at around Week 8 which will be mid- to late-August I think.  Initially, I can have all foods except those that cannot be thoroughly chewed or which cause discomfort or irritation.  I have to avoid bread, rice and pasta for SIX MONTHS after surgery and avoid solid red meat until I get my surgeon's OK.  I am supposed to have 2 cups of milk or yogurt daily and a protein supplement that provides at least 20 grams of protein.  A sample breakfast is 2 tbsp of eggs and 2 tbsp of oatmeal.  A snack would be 1 oz of cheese and 1-2 slices of apple or 1 ounce of chicken salad and a couple of whole grain crackers.  It's hard to believe that will fill me up, but I bet you it will!

Eventually on Phase 5 over time I'll be able to eat slightly more at each meal.  When this happens, my regular diet will consist of three small meals per day limited in volume to 3-4 ounces per meal.  I have to remember to listen to my body and stop at the first signs of fullness.  I have read on my Facebook groups that some people's first "signs" are hiccups, burping, or just an uncomfortable sensation.  That's why you have to space out your bites of food and take your time so that you don't eat too much and your body has time to TELL you it's full.  A typical breakfast for me on this second part of the Phase 5 diet would be 2 oz of high protein greek yogurt and 2 oz of Kashi Go Lean cereal. A snack might be a slice of cheese if I really felt I needed something between meals or there is a long time between meals, but I have to limit my snacks to 1-2 ounces.

So that's about it for my wrap up appointment.  Afterwards I went back to the front desk for Ashton and I to talk to Amber the insurance girl.  Ashton asked if they could submit to my insurance without cardiac clearance and Amber said they could, yes, since it isn't the insurance that requires the cardiac clearance, it's my doc, so we can get that later if need be.  While we were standing there, Nurse Jenn comes out and says she just got a call from the cardiac office and they said they didn't receive the results yet.

I decided to go up there to see what could be done to expedite things.  I was firm but nice and they told me that most likely my results were in "transcription" which is where they go to be written up for the doctor to interpret.  Ashton assured me when I went back down to report on my findings that she would keep on top of things.  When we asked Amber about submitting that day I told her there would be cupcakes in it for her...then Ashton mentioned to Amber that I was the "cookie lady" and Amber's whole face lit up!  She said she LOVED my cookies and she'd rather have those than cupcakes any day.  I told her you got it!  So I have some baking to do before my next appointment LOL.

This afternoon as I was reviewing the eating plan for this blog, I came across Amber's email address, so I sent an email to her and to Ashton asking if they were able to submit Friday.

Oh and I also got my lab work results -- I was deficient in Vitamins A and D, but being on the multi should take care of those levels.

This week is clear as far as appointments go, Thank God.  I am tired of driving around places after work, even though it is for this.

Ashton mentioned that once I get insurance approval, Jenn will call me to schedule the surgery AND my pre-op class which (again) goes over Phase 1 pre-op diet and other things.  I thought I remember her saying I'd have to have more labs before surgery too, but I honestly can't remember now.

What a whirlwind it has been and my poor leave balances at work have taken a beating.  I will be working the next few holidays to bank hours for my surgery so that I can be paid 100% of what I am used to getting.  And to ensure I have enough leave for our trip to Ireland in September.

One additional thought.  My husband and I often entertain ourselves by eating out or ordering in.  Once I have surgery, I have a feeling that eating out (in Phase 5 +) will be frustrating and a waste of money, which will totally take the fun out of it.  I hope that we can come up with new (more active) ways of spending time together like working out or taking more drives to the beach with our pups.

I am nervous about Ireland and what I'll be eating there.  I have a feeling I will be taking a bunch of protein powder with me to ensure I get 80 grams in.  At least I'll be thinner by then and feeling better.

So now that I don't have any more appointments scheduled (although I do have a PCP appt 6/4), it is now just a waiting game until insurance approval.

I have a guess as to my surgery date:  the 17th.  It's my lucky number.