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Surgery Countdown

It is Sunday, my surgery is Wednesday. This is the last Sunday I will be at this weight. My heaviest. I'm not nervous, I am excited. There are not many friends I have told about this surgery because when I was thinking about doing this, one friend put me down and begged me not to do it. Well, guess what? That friend is 8 years older than me and thin. She hasn't had this weight battle her entire adult life. I look back over the years at my pictures and I look good and back then I thought I was a cow! Will I think the same as I lose weight? Will I ever see myself as anything but a cow? You see me from the shoulders up and I look normal but look below and all I see is big. Big boobs, big stomach, big butt, big hips, big legs, big calves. But I am proportionally big. I'm going through my second divorce and all that rings in my ears is my STBX texting me over and over that I am a FAT A**. I know he was trying to hurt me and he did. I know he was abusive, which is why I kicked him out of the house. But he didn't go without a HUGE fight. That was March. During that time my first ex husband and father to my children, we got closer. Even though he still did things that got on my nerves, we were talking and working together for the betterment of our children. Then WHAM!!!! I got a call August 10th from the coroner. My kids dad was killed in an automobile accident. He was the passenger, the driver lost control and the truck flipped. Neither one of them had on a seatbelt. They were both ejected from the car and the truck landed on top of both of them, killing them instantly. The hardest thing in my life was telling my 11 and 14 year old that their dad was dead. My mom almost died in April and I had to call 911 and rush her to the hospital. My dad was helpless, my kids were there, my nephew was there but there is something in me that just kicks in and I am calm, take control, make decisions and calm everyone down. My mom is so much better now after 2 surgeries this summer. Can you say stressful???? I tell all this because it is time I start taking care of myself and be there for my kids. Who knows when is the right time to have this surgery? With all the negative things that have happened to me and my kids this year, this was just easy. My doctor said it would be good for me, my surgeon said I was a perfect candidate for it. I was nervous about the psych evaluation given all that I have been through this year. But once I passed that it has been easy. When things go this easy and you don't have to put any effort into being approved, setting up the surgery and you aren't nervous? Well, it is a sign it is a good decision for me. I look forward to my journey to be healthier, feeling better and being able to run and play again with my kids.
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

2
 

Stuck stuck stuck

How do you get unstuck on the scales??? I workout 4-5 days a week, I got my fill 3 days ago, I'm getting my protein in, I don't snack, however I don't quite get all my water in. I talk soo much all day long at work, I constantly have something to drink in front of me but know I don't get enough. I've lost tons of inches, but the scale has been the same for 6 weeks, up and down the same 3 pounds but basically stuck. Has anyone one else had a scale plateau for 6 weeks? My surgery was 11/4/9, my first fill was 2/3/10. I'm not giving up but I am frustrated. People say but how many inches have you lost? 8 off my hips, 7 off my waist, 8 off my ribcage and 0 off my breasts. I'm still not out of 16 pants, ughhh. :drool:
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

2
 

Starting to get momentum

All right! I am down 22 pounds and I am one day away from my one month! Woo-hoo! Already dropped a pant size and getting into some of my 16's again! Feeling better, like I am finally recovering from my surgery, popped port, stitches, etc. Brought my gym bag to the office finally! So now I hope to get serious about my walking. My gym just built a brand new, HUGE gym across the street from my office, now I have no excuse!! I am so encouraged by bandsters on this site and they keep me motivated and not depressed. So if you are reading my blog and you are contemplating this surgery, I am ALL FOR IT!!!! :wink2:
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

3
 

Port trouble!

So I made it to the two week mark post surgery. Any weight loss I was experiencing has stalled. Not sure why. I stepped up the excercise, getting the two shakes and 45 g of protein, sticking to the mushies list.......then last night I do what I do every day when I get home. Reached in the back seat to get my purse and something in my stomach ripped or popped! I immediately thought it was my port incision and felt and it was fine. It was internal! My port felt like it popped out! I carefully got out of the car and lay down on the bed to feel it. It felt more prominent and I could feel the tube coming out of the port along my stomach! Ouch! What did I do? I didn't lift anything heavy! In fact it was my nearly empty purse I had reached for! This morning I had my normal network meeting at 8am but I was soooo nauseated the entire time. I wasn't feeling so hot. So after that I called the doctor's office and eventually spoke with the nurse. I told her what happened and she said to come in and see the p.a. She said she doubted I did anything but should get it checked out. I met with the p.a and she felt it and couldn't believe what she was feeling, the plastic piece coming out of the side of the port and something running up my stomach. She said she didn't think it could be the tubing but it definitely felt foreign not like scar tissue. She left to talk to the Dr. Great! What the heck did I do to myself? She came back and said the doctor said to wait until my first fill and he doubted I flipped the port. When they put the needle in for my fill they will be able to tell if I flipped it or if my tube came out if I don't feel restriction! That's not until December 28th! Why me?
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

6
 

Not getting my first fill

OK, so I wasn't expecting this the day before my first fill. See I am going through a divorce and my soon to be ex was court ordered to provide me with health insurance until the divorce is final. But of course he didn't. He took me off affective the first of the year! My first fill was scheduled for January 6th and I called the insurance company just to make sure I still had coverage and was told he terminated me with the reason that I had other insurance. I was told there was nothing they could do, he had to have me put back on! Fuming I emailed my attorney and she immediately sent his attorney a letter stating that he was in contempt from the judge's order to keep me on the health insurance. What a complete jerk! It cost him nothing more to have me on the insurance than to take me off! Now I have zero insurance until we haul his butt back in to court and the judge makes him put me back on. He is so vindictve it will take the threat of jail time to put me back on. Now he has jeapordized his job and who knows what they will do to him. We may both be going on COBRA. With divorce I can get 36 months of COBRA. With him losing his job it drops to 18 months. But as it is right now I can't even get COBRA! I need the insurance since I can't get individual with my health issues and weight! The reason I had the surgery was to lose weight, get healthier and better to be able to get my own individual health insurance. So what do you do when life hands you crap like this? You have to work harder. So I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill for 50 minutes. I haven't been able to go much more than 30 minutes so far. Well, I blew that out of the water. And could have gone longer, but my daughter was ready to go.....tomorrow is another day.
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

5
 

New Phase

So I must be in a new phase of this journey. Phase one was the pre-op period, where I didn't know what to expect, was on pre-op diet, only told a handful of friends, was not really scared but excited. Phase two was the surgery and recovery. Day one in hospital was rough! They told me I had double surgery so I was lucky I stayed in hospital overnight and I agree! Then home to recover eating more jello and popcycles than in my whole life. Getting used to the restriction and remembering not to drink while eating and chew chew chew my food. And phase 3 is the fill process. I got my first fill last week and didn't feel a physical difference, followed my 2 days of liquids then 2 days of mushies. You would think I would really drop some pounds after those 4 days but no. Just 2 of the 3 pounds that I had put on the week before. But my excercising has been consistent 4 days a week at an hour to hour 15 at a time. So I see that phase 3 is a long journey to getting the proper amount in my band or find the 'sweet spot' as I have heard it called. So my next appointment is the 23rd of this month. The hell I went though this past month with my soon to ex taking me off the health insurance is over. I got it back. I have never fought for something so hard. I just couldn't walk away and go 3 years without a snowball's chance of getting any health insurance. I'm a business owner and the only full time person who doesn't have any other choice for health insurance. So my fellow bandsters, keep your job. If you used your insurance to cover your surgery, you may not be insurable for 3 years unless you have a job that has group health, and even with that it needs to be a group with more than 20 employees. Since I can't get in the chat room anymore, I have been blogging.....Any comments are appreciated! My journey is what it is to help motivate and inspire others!:biggrin:
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

I'm home!

It's the sunday after my surgery (Wed Nov 4th was the surgery). I was in the hospital from 6am to 1pm the next day. Surgery must have been a breeze according to the dr. But my dad said the doc was very proud of himself for finding a hiatal hernia and 'fixing it'. Now I don't know too much about them but I do know that I have had many years of misery with my stomach! Was told I just had acid reflux. The gastro doc did every test imaginable and that was the diagnosis. Here take this pill, there is nothing else I can do. And then it was the allergist to test for food allergies. No allergies there, but I had asthma! Where the heck did that come from? Never had it in my life before! Then it just was one thing after another....bad back, sleep disorder, stress....and now the hiatal hernia is 'fixed'. It seems that was the problem! I ate because it relieved the a nausea. I woke up every morning sick to my stomach and green looking even after trying 5 different acid reflux medications. And it took me deciding to have lap band surgery and taking my health into my own hands to figure out what was really going on. Dang! I feel so much better. Sore from the staples, stitches and surgery and I didn't do too well in the hospital with the anesthesia, but I would do it all again just to get rid of the constant nausea, lack of sleep and continual weight gain!!! What a blessing! After a horrible year, this has been the easiest thing I have dealt with. I look forward to my journey and again being a 'hot mamma'! And will gladly share it all!
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

2
 

How Strange our Bodies Respond

I have been limping around since December from my hip and back. But I thought I had to keep working out. So I found two cardio machines that didn't put pressure on my back and hip, at least most of the time. And I have been going no less than 4 times a week since christmas at least 45 minutes, but mostly for an hour! But I was in a lot of pain. It took 3 months to finally get to a specialist. I saw him last week and had an MRI on my back, he put me on steroids and told me to stop working out, that it was putting to much pressure on my lower back. So I was fearful that I would gain this weight back by not working out and being on steroids. So I started drinking lemon water 2-3 bottles a day. I squeeze the juice of a whole lemon in my water bottle and a packet of splenda. Tastes like lemonade. So I get on the scales today and I have dropped 6 pounds in the past week! Working out took me 2 months to lose 6 pounds! Wow! Now I go back to Dr. tomorrow to start getting steroid shots in my back, ugh! And still no working out for at least 2 more weeks. I think lemons have just become my new best friend!  
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

Got my first fill!

Yay!!! Got it finally! After 3 months! I went from insured to self pay, but dang is it worth it! Now on clear liquids again for 2 days, then 2 days of mushies, then back to food again! But little bits. Looking forward to breaking through the plateau! And I was able to talk to a couple of other patients in the office who had gastric bypass. One guy looked great! I asked him if he can look in the mirror and see himself as he is today or as his old heavy self. He said, you know I was looking a recent picture of myself and said, who is that man? He said it was me! He couldn't believe it. And I never would have pegged him as ever having a weight problem. It was his confidence that was so appealing! Not that we were 'interested' in each other, he looked to be my dad's age, but I admired the quiet confidence. I hope to be there soon.....
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

Got Insurance Back!

Got back on insurance yesterday! Then called my Dr. and said, file that insurance and get me my refund! It took the day before filing for a court hearing to show I was serious about putting me back on insurance. So all he had to do was call and put me back on and I was back on as if I never lost the insurance! Now I can stopped being so stressed. The P.A. who did my fill said that stress was definitely a factor as to why I hadn't lost any weight and I had been working out so much! Plus he said I wasn't taking in enough calories and my body was holding on to the weight. Imagine that? So day 2 after fill and eating mashed potatoes again, but no pain, just a big fat bruise at the port site. No weight loss this week, GRRRRRR! And I have another appointment for my next fill in 3 weeks! Wow! Spring is coming quick and I am hoping to be down another 40 lbs for my final divorce hearing! Strut my stuff and be proud of it! Having the lap band is not a magical overnight fix it, I am still putting in the hard work and won't give up!:drool:
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

Going Down Down Down Down Down

Wow! I've never lost weight like this in my entire life. I stepped into my spinal specialists office March 1 and he put me on steroids for my excruiating back and hip pain and told me to stop working out. So paranoid me starts drinking lemon water because I knew it would flush out excess fluids and in my mind counteract the weight gain affects of steroids. I went back to my Dr. yesterday to get a steroid shot in my back. He said my face looked alot more relaxed, but I still had pain. Nothing like it was the week before but still a problem. Not sure I will ever be back to normal but I am feeling alot better. I've been trying not to jump on the scale every day but that hasn't happened because I am steadily losing a pound a day now! It's like it is just melting off my body. My doctor told me it is because of the pain I was in that held on to the weight, now that I am feeling better, my body is letting it go. I believe maybe part of that is true, but not to the extent of losing 7 lbs in 10 days! So as long as I'm on the these steroids and still losing weight, and even when I get off the steroids, I am still drinking lemon water. I've read about it online and it states that it cleanses the body of toxins and flushes them out. I believe it, I am feeling soooooo much better too. And I am only 3.5 lbs away from passing the dreaded 200 lbs mark! That day will be a celebration and you will hear from me on that day for sure!!!!! :tt1:
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

False alarm

Well, I was not put back on insurance after all. The soon to be ex send a false insurance card to keep him out of jail. Still no insurance but this time I did talk with a customer service rep for the 2nd time at the insurance company and she was very helpful. She told me since he has a court order he will have to put me back in then it retroactives back to the first of the year. And I can have my doctor's offices refile my appointments and then they will reimburse the doctor's office, then give me my money back for paying out of pocket. So long story short......I made my appointment for my first fill Feb 2nd! Woo-hoo. I have been on this aweful plateau since christmas and need to break through! I work out now 4 times a week, one hour cardio each and 2 circuit training sessions. I guess I need to pick it up to 5 days! And tweak my diet even more!
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

Diet Ticker

Just filled out this weight loss ticker online. Not sure how it will show up on here if at all or how to do it. But the url is http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wn2JIKJ/"> > I see it on other posts and the chart shows up but can't figure out how to do it. I am a chart person and get more excited with graphs and charts than numbers on a page. Go figure and I am a financial advisor. I haven't lost a pound in a week and I am 2 1/2 weeks post op. Not sure what is up with that either. Oh, well, from the other blogs and pics on this site I am not too discouraged. It will come. Hard to believe that the amount of calories I am eating are drastically less than before and I am still not losing anything. What's up with calories in calories out?
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

3
 

Chat Room

What's going on with the chat room on this thing? I haven't been able to log on for 3 days now! I need the interaction with other bandsters to help me!!! The support! It's just not the same......no wonder I see so many posts for people being depressed:sad:
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

Broke through!

That's it! I finally broke through a plateau I was stuck in since Christmas! Been up and down the same 3 pounds, then got a ravenous appetite for a couple of days, cut back on my hour cardio workout and only did 30 minutes, but it was enough to lose 1.5 lbs and break through! Yippee!! My doctor suspected I wasn't eating enough to match my workouts, so I caved and ate some more calories, increased water by one water bottle and increased protein and calories. It worked! Dang never would have thought that would do it. So I am going into a new 10 pound increment on the scale. Haven't been here in years! What doesn't help is two pairs of pants that I had just wiggled my way into shrunk big time in the wash by like 2 sizes. I could barely zip them, so it messed with my brain and told me I was gaining inches! Same thing happened to my 11 year old son. I had to grab him some clothes for boy scouts and he tried to put on his jeans and they were shorter and he couldn't even button them. Poor fellow, he cried that he had to wear the red shorts that he had on. So I know it just wasn't me. I just need to pull my dryer out and clean the lint out of the back. Now any advice on how to do that? This port thing has me scared that it might pop out if I put too much weight on my stomach moving it:blink:!
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

Broke through plateau!

Phew! Broke through it and during the holidays to boot! I was stuck at the same weight for a month, well up and down the same 3 pounds. 3 weeks ago I did something to my hip, well, I wore boots at a party and woke up the next morning and could barely walk. I limped along all day until I couldn't take it anymore. My left hip felt like the muscle had ripped! Or I tore something. I went to Doc in the Box because there was no way I was making it through the night without pain killers. They X-rayed and found only mild arthritis and the doc thought I had pulled the muscles or ligaments around my hip and I had to take it easy for two weeks! Are you kidding me? I was just starting to walk! No walking he said for two weeks and especially not for one week. Hell, believe me I couldn't! So I limped along for 2 weeks, taking muscle relaxants and pain killers when it got too bad. But never missed a day of work. I think that is my tenacious character at work. When you own your own business and are partners with your father, you don't show any signs of slowing down. But I didn't feel well, and I was losing my ability to stick to the doc's recommended diet too! Throw the holidays and christmas goodies around me and I was hopeless. But I stayed on track with maintaining my weight. Then I got brave and stepped on the scales the day after christmas and had finally lost 4 pounds! Just like that? So I have started back at the gym, working out on the eliptical machine, reclining bike and some other climbing machine. All no impact type cardio machines. I have signed my 14 year old daughter up at the gym and she is working out with me. So we are working out on the circuit weights too! And again I got brave today and stepped on the scales, another pound down! Wow and my hip is feeling better! Thank the Lord! Now I have my first fill January 6th! It was originally set for December 28 but the doc's office rescheduled it to next week :tt2:. But I am doing ok. My goal was to break the 200 mark by new year's. I will be short of that goal, but that is a hefty goal less than 2 months out from surgery with no fill. So let's see what January brings with my first fill, my new gym workout, and my hip healing! I am officially ready to retire my biggest pair of jeans, they are so baggy on me, it is almost embarrassing. But will try them on and post a pic showing how HUGE the waist is on me. Heck I lost 4 inches off my waist, but I didn't even measure until after surgery and I had already lost 10 pounds. So who knows how big that sucker was when I started! There is nothing stopping me now! :w00t:
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
 

Back on Insurance!

Just got word Friday that I was put back on the health insurance my soon to be ex took me off of just to be mean. So now I can go back and get my fill without paying the full price for a fill, $200! Weight loss has been very very tough. I've been working out at gym 4 times a week and now up to an hour of cardio 3 days, 2 days of circuit training with 30 minutes of cardio one day a week. And the inches are just falling off, but the weight doesn't budge. Which I guess is good, but there is no way I can stay this weight and ever be a size 10 again, unless I plan on heavy weight body building!!! No thanks, not my thing. But once the band starts getting fills, I think it will make a big difference. Why the heck did I have the surgery if I couldn't have the fills??? The ex was one week away from court and possible jail time, so I guess he wised up and realized he was in trouble for taking me off. I did find out one thing.....with the lap band surgery I have to wait 3 years before I could be eligible for individual health insurance from one major company!!! I had no idea that would happen nor did I think about it. Luckily with a divorce I can get 36 months of COBRA, then lose weight, get healthy and be eligible for my own insurance. Good to know this now! Maybe that's why I had to go through this process! So even though your insurance company may approve the surgery, they may make you wait a time period before you can get individual health insurance.
girlcoulter

girlcoulter

1
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