Good Morning. 197.4lbs smiled at me from between my toes on the scale this morning. I have had a good week. I walked or did the elliptical everyday, except for Saturday. I made good meal choices mostly too.I did catch myself in a few situations that could have been sabotage BUT, I talked myself down. Here is a prime example from lastnight. I got home from a meeting at 9:00pm. There was Mister, curled up on the couch... sharing a box of Girl Guide Cookies and a large bowl of Munchies with the mutt. Now in my old life, I would have sat down to join in and more than likely had a few cookies and a handful of munchies. What is a handful right? Well, lastnight I did NOT park my butt in front of the tv with the naughty snacks piled directly in the line of sight to the tv. I patted him on the head and went straight upstairs to get ready for bed. I did have dinner early because of the meeting and was hungry enough to pack the tummy before I packed it in for the night. But I did refrain. I told myself that if I was still hungry in 20 minutes, that there was greek yogurt in the fridge. It worked.... I fell asleep without the snack. That is a bigger success for me today then the 2 lbs! Old habits die hard and I am hoping that this is the demise of my caving to late night snacks! Celebrate the success!
Sparms Bestie and I decided to dig out the backyard and the firepit Friday afternoon. There is about 5 feet of snow. The weather has been fantastic at about 7 degrees celsius with sunshine all around! The hard work was worth it and we spent a few hours Friday night enjoying the fruits of our labours with a fabulous BBQ!
I CANT WAIT TO GO CAMPING!
Have a good week all!
Jenny-JigglyBits@Blogspot
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HOLY SHIT! I can't even believe it! From 262lbs a year ago to 199.6. I am elated! I celebrated 50lbs, then 60lbs lost and now... 63lbs loss. With my slowed down loss lately, I was prepared to wait until summer for this day. I didn't want to but I know that all good things are worth the wait. Then, TAH DAH! A pleasant surprise over the 2lbs gained last week. So, this week a total loss of 2.4lbs. EASY! I had surgery at 224lbs. So in 10 weeks, I've lost 25lbs. Not THAT impressive compared to others I guess but FANFREAKINGTASTIC for me!
6 weeks, 9lbs and I feel a whole lot different. Not that the photos are that drastic but I see changes. Forgive my surly face this morning. The elliptical called early!
10 WEEKS 4 WEEKS
Sunday night I had a great evening with MamaG. We played with the boys, had an awesome dinner c/o What the Crock!? (www.manicmama.com) and settled in for one of those "Bestie" chats. A great talk. A talk about our stresses. Most importantly, a talk about how super duper uber lucky we are. Lucky and fortunate to live the lives we live.
I am fortunate and thankful to have the family and the "framily" that I have! I love my Mister and the home we have made together. I do actually loathe love my job and generally my entire life! I face struggles daily when it comes to my Bandster Lifestyle. These are nothing but mental struggles. I can control this. Some people can not control the health struggles that face them and thier children. People can not control mother nature or the economy. There are so many examples of ugly situations where people are helpless.
I can control this and I have to try to keep that mantra throughout these struggles.
Another good week all wrapped up. It feels good to be home and back in the swing of things. I am not feeling any restriction these days with that elusive 2ccs during my first fill a week ago. I am still in the habit of eating out of small bowls and plates with smaller utensils to slow down and limit my food intake. I am eating what a regular person should be though and have concentrated on making sure I get enough water during the day. I got myself a fancy new water bottle and the novelty of it is keeping me interested for now.
All 199lbs of me, signing off!
I am finally home. 2 lbs heavier at 202lbs. Back face first into the swing of things. Work, home, BandLand. I got home Sunday afternoon and since stepping foot off of the plane, I am re-commited!
I had my first fill Monday. It was STRANGE. I am not a needle person AT ALL (see Surgery Day entry) and was terribly nervous! I had the sweats and everything! The Dr. offered to slowly explain as he went along to help set me at ease. REALLY?! Hell no, I don't want to see a big needle penetrating my belly!
I closed my eyes, made small talk and TAH DAH!!! He was already checking to see if it actually went in to the port by taking it all back in to the syringe. The weirdest part about it was feeling my port slide around along my muscles until he found the point. I've somewhat "babied" the port site from day 1. I was scared to sleep on it, scared to have anything rub on it or bump it. He was REALLY going at it. It didnt hurt at all. It just felt very strange.
So, here I am with 2cc of saline sitting around my stomach, feeling no different. A little anti-climactic almost. Dontcha Think?
Back to cardio and even a little ab work this week. I hurt!! It feels pretty good though. I am back to cooking my own food in my own house, prepping lunches and NOT DRINKING!! Planning ahead and being successful and NOT beating myself up over enjoying the last few weeks either.
I loved being in newfoundland and I miss it (and the family most of all) already. That kind of atmosphere is no good for the scale but good for the heart!
Here is a new recipe for trial!
Kale Pesto Penne
1 bunch kale
de-vien kale and chop roughly. Place in steamer w. a sprinkle of sea salt
Steam until wilted and dark green.
juice of 1/2 Large lemon
2 Tsp EVOO
1/4 c walnuts
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of dried red chili
When Kale is steamed, add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until fine. Add more lemon juice or evoo to taste.
I serve this over whole wheat penne w. sauted chicken, peppers, onion, garlic and broccoli. Just toss it all together.
I also like to use red chard, spinach and any other green for this pesto. So good and so fresh!
Take Care for now and dont beat yourself up over living!
Week 7 was pretty good! I had a cold that ripped me off of my schedule for cardio but I got two days in before I left for a week in Toronto. I walked allot to see the sights and make it to the different restaraunts that were reserved for us. I still didnt make the greatest choices though! We ate out every night and had pastries and chinese buffets offered in the conference. I knew it wouldnt be good so Sparms Bestie and I picked up a few groceries for the hotel room to be prepared. We had oatmeal and blueberries with soymilk every morning and packed snacks of protien bars and cheese sticks for snacks. There was plenty of herbal tea available too. I did make some terrible dinner choices (not unlike these deepfried pickles) and did cave to a few of the snackies offered. I also discovered something that doesnt sit well with me anymore. POPCORN. I have never been sick at all since surgery. I have not had any reactions to any food or drink... nothing yet. I guess there is always a first. My stomach felt as though it was in knots. Something I dont intend to relive! Goodbye popcorn!
The Pickles = AMAZING! Snooki knows her deepfry!I
I did make SOME terrible dinner choices but ate at least half of what I normally would at almost all meals. We also did a ton of walking around the city to see the sights and took advantage of the pool a few nights too!
Then, the worst of it - the booze. The days were so stressful and the nights so amped by the excitement of being with all of the staff from accross Canada... that I did ingest copious amounts of liquor.
That being said - I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I missed weigh in last week and was pleasantly surprised to discover a milestone in 200lbs on the scale this morning. I can live with that!
I am now in Newfoundland for a week. I am sitting in the warmest, welcoming home that I have ever been in and having my mind unreel from an exhausting and exciting work week in Toronto. I have no motivation. I think I left it in Toronto. I am exhausted but at the same time, feel that my time here is limited and I dont want to miss anything. Walking here is natural, not forced so I am optimistic that I will kick it up a notch or 4 tomorrow. Maybe a hike up signal hill!
I have to remind myself that it doesnt always have to be all or nothing! I struggle with this allot and find it easiest to explain in food terms. Sheesh, whoda thunk it!? lol/
If I am eating a bag of chips and get halfway through, I always say to myself, "you ate half of it already Jen, might as well finish the whole thing." In terms of getting off of my schedule, I tell myself, "you already missed 2 days this week Jen, just start again Monday."
This is the type of thinking that slid me so easily in to my 262lb body. Despite my faltering from the schedule, I am still doing just fine and it is only within myself that I will find the motivation to keep it all going.
Hoping that you all find your motivation,
UGH - February SUCKED! From Wednesday to Sunday I drove 1500 km for work. I am glad it is over. Just in time for me to fly out to Toronto this Sunday for a week-long Conference. Then... ah, yes then.... I will have one glorious week in Newfoundland. Work has been crazy and to boot I was hit with a terrible cold this Sunday. Monday and Tuesday have been spent "working" from home.
All of the time spent on the road did not make it easy to keep up with my routine at all! Exercise was fit in by a few short trots around unknown bushland at -30 celcius looking for geocaches (I think thats where I found this damn cold) in 3ft deep snow. I stayed overnight at a volunteers house where she cooked dinner of porkchops, egg noodles and mushroom gravy. This meal is not something that I would usually eat at all so I politely informed her that I didnt eat pork when I showed up with a roasted turkey breast and a salad. I did push some noodles and gravy around on my plate so as not to offend her. She was fine with it. The turkey breast actually made 3 meals for me with plenty leftover for my travel buddy while on the road. We had a picnic lunch overlooking the Grande Cache Moutain View with the turkey tit and some cheese and crackers.
To my surprise, the lack of exercise and the lack of GREAT food options totally didnt hinder anything. I think it had to do with the amount of stress that I have been facing in the office these days being deminished significantly by the view, but I HIT 60lbs down yesterday morning weighing in at 201.6. This morning the scale said 202.4lbs and I should really count todays weight as it is my Tuesday weigh in day BUT I do believe that the extra .8 of a lb is all mucous that has filled my lungs and sinuses overnight so I am celebrating the success today.
I have metally prepared myself and Sparms Bestie to be at the gym at our hotel every morning next week for some cardio. We all know what kind of food options are going to be facing me at the conference and I will not cave. I will dabble but not cave!
On a more positve note, I tried another new recipe.
FAUX-TATO SALAD - from the Atkins Diet I am guessing. It was passed on to me by a friend and I made my own adjustments to it. It was FAB and even better leftover! It is a heavy recipe with the mayo and the bacon but a nice indulgence for a side salad on occassion. I did not count the calories!
1/2 head cauliflower cut in to bite sized pieces
1/4 c diced red onion
2 stalks celery chopped
1/2 c ff greek yogurt
1/2 c lf mayo
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1tsp german mustard
1TBSP dill - use whatever spices you would like!
1/2 lb turkey bacon (I am sure you could use ff ham too)
4 hard boiled eggs chopped fine
about 14g of protien per half cup.
boil califlower for about 5 mins with lid on. DO NOT OVERCOOK! It shoudl still be sort of firm. Plunge in cold water to stop cooking - drain and set aside.
saute bacon, add onions and celery until golden.
Place egg, mayo, yogurt and spices in large bowl and combine. Add bacon, onion, celery and cauliflower. Mix well. Let chill for at least one hour before serving. It had me fooled!
Take Care All!
So today marks 5 weeks. It is crazy time for me at work these next few weeks. I have to, "HAVE TO" work hard at planning ahead during these times. For instance, I had a 0900 staff meeting and rushed home at 3 to get my elliptical session in before a 630 meeting at a neighbouring town for a banquet. So, little time for exercising, plus allot of eating on the run will equal poor choices for me in my old life. NOT MY NEW LIFE!
Last week I weighed in at 208.6 - a 4th of a lb lost for the entire week of super duper exercising and eating well 100% of the time. This week, I weigh in at a respectable 206lbs and didn't exercise as much as I would have liked to AND had a ladies only sushi slumber party with the besties Sunday night AFTER a few nachos and Irish Car Bombs Saturday. WTF?!?!? Anyone else with me on this one?
I am not complaining here either but I have noticed things starting to sag. First the boobs, which I believe most of my 55lbs lost came from, are starting to droooop. 2 o's didnt do the drooping justice.
Second, the flab around my tummy. I went from a round, robust belly to getting rolls. It does't seem fair. Give me back my boobs WL Gods and take whatever you need from my thighs or my ass. Actually, ripe for the picking from ANYWHERE else besides the boobs!
I will continue to make my exercise goals and plan ahead and HOPE that if I continue, I will hit my mini-goal of 199lbs by June 5th - My Bday. I dont really have a solid # in mind that I would like to reach but after this entire year of hard work, I would be happy to maintain whatever I do lose for the rest of my life. I think a maintenence goal is a good one for me! DO NOT GAIN! Should be easy, right?!?! lol.
THE BESTIES DO JASPER, Easter 2010.
Me on the far right.
So, 4 WEEKS! The scale greeted me to a .4 of a lb lost this week. BOO! But given the stress at work these days and my return to normalcy with meals, it was to be expected. I have done my 4 cardio days this week PLUS an extra 5 days at the off-leash park and tah dah... .4 of a pound. FML! I feel great though. Great about my food choices and great about my exercising too! You can't win em all! AND eh hemmm - look COLLARBONES!
I've been pondering how much I will miss carbs in my life and was sad about it for a while. That has changed now that I have discovered a new found love for grains and even more important.. experimenting with cooking. Before surgery I was in the same old same old menu rut. It was safe... and BORING. But alas, it has been broken!
Last week I experimented with BULGER and MILLET.
This week it is CHICKPEAS or GARBANZO beans.
So, here is what we are having tonight.
TURKEY and QUINOA meatballs and CHICKPEA salad w. curried yogurt dressing.
I actually made the salad for last night but it was such a hit we are having it again tonight.
SALAD
2c prepared chickpeas*
1c shredded carrot
1c red and yellow peppers chopped
1/2c finely chopped purple onion
1 head romaine lettuce
DRESSING
2c no fat greek yogurt
1c chopped cilantro
2tbsp curry
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1tsp roasted garlic minced
1Tbsp pepper
taste test as you go to suit you. I use more curry and more garlic.
Mix all salad ingredients except lettuce. Blend together all dressing ingredients. I served on a bed of romaine with a few slices of fresh tomatoes on the side. It was so light and fresh.
*-Chickpeas require soaking and cooking. I cooked up a whole bag on Sunday for use throughout the week.
TURKEY QUINOA MEATBALLS
2lb extra-lean ground turkey
2c prepared quinoa*
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp roasted garlic minced
2Tsbp Sunflower oil
1tbsp pepper
1tsp salt
1Tbsp chili powder
- add whichever spices you fancy.
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.
Use 1/4 c measuring cup to size out balls.
Fry in pan with no-fat cooking spray, turn meatballs often.
Recipe makes about 20 meatballs at about 12g of protein/ball. I double this and freeze them on a cookie sheet before separating into plastic bags.
So today makes 3 weeks. Again, it seems like only yesterday but also like it was 6 months ago! I have my full energy back. I am back on the beginner levels of my elliptical at least four days a week and I am still maintaining great meal choices! Another 3 lbs gone this week. For a grand total of 14lbs since surgery and 53 lbs all together. HOW EXCITING! I came out of the washroom yesterday morning after getting ready for work and the hubby looked up at me from the kitchen. "Wow, you look like a different person". Did he just say that? The man that sees me more than anyone else? He never notices. Not that it is a fault of his but they say when you see people on a regular basis, you are less likely to notice. I wasnt expecting that but it sure made my Monday start off on a good note! *sigh* He is sweet!
I had a follow-up with my surgeon yesterday. I have been a little nervous about the two upper incision sites as over the weekend, my sports bra was rubbing on one and it seemed like it was getting infected. Sunday night I had a bath, cleaned the sites well and dabbed a bit of polysporin on them. They were cleaner by morning. I had a few questions for Dr. Birch. I wanted to know when I could get back to practicing roller-derby (not like I'd ever make a team), skiing, full on work-outs and all of that. He suggested another 3 weeks. Keep doing the cardio and light weights but suggests holding off until the 6 week mark before diving right back in to everything.
6 weeks, that's it?!?!? I can live with that! Dr. Birch also asked if I had been feeling any restriction. This made me panic a bit. Am I supposed to be feeling restriction? I know my band is empty! I explained that I have been eating small portions and not pushing anything to the point of feeling any restriction. I thought for a moment that maybe I had done something wrong, that I wasnt eating enough.... NOPE! He smiled, high-fived me and told me that for such a young woman, I was wise. I shouldn't be dependant on feeling the restriction, I should be controlling my portions. IT WAS A TRICK QUESTION! Ah, that cheeky little monkey. So I left the clinic feeling awesome and booked my first fill for March 21. He said that 2 weeks would be ideal BUT I have a week-long conference in Toronto the 2nd week of March and then... as a thank-you for pulling up my socks, rolling up my pants and carrying the laundry up and down gift, I bought tickets to St. John's Newfoundland for Steve and I for a week following. There is somehting about Newfoundland that is magical. Someone told me once that no matter which walk of life you may arrive from, part of you will feel "at home" in Newfoundland. This is an understatement.
We haven't visited his family there for a year and a half. So, no worries about getting a fill and heading off to a conference with colleagues for a week and trying to adjust. This also made me feel fantastic. I wont have to worry about ANYTHING but staying on track!
So, BRING ON ADVENTURE PACKED MARCH! I am ready for it!
My first dip in the Atlantic Ocean - 2007.
The view from Signal Hill, St. John's
2 weeks today. WOW! Seems like yesterday but also seems like 6 months ago. The pain is minimal. Still a little tender here and there and definately burping allot more, but other than that I am back to the ups and downs of everyday reality.
10 lbs down since surgery and 50 LBS since I started all of this!
SUPER STOKED!
I had only taken 6 days off of work and it seemed to be good timing for me. I finished my 2 weeks of pot-op liquid diet like a champ and am moving on to getting back to my 3 meals and 2 snacks a day.
Yesterday I cooked up some lowfat mac and cheese with 20g protien per serving AND some shepards pie with sweet potatoe crust. I baked them in muffin tins for me and bread pans for the hubby. When they were frozen, threw them in to a tupperware in the freezer. TAH DAH! Lunch and Suppers if I happen to have one of "those" days at work. I knew going in to this that being prepared would be my biggest weapon against my caving to cravings. I am constantly on the road for work and drive-thu windows are the easiest fix for this. Not the easiest fix however for the ever increasing size of my ass. I have been working on this specifically over the last year or so and do well most of the time but really had to bunker down for after surgery. I feel like I am ready to take on anything!
I have been walking, and walking and walking since surgery. Its a balmy -33 celcius today and has been since the weekend so took in a few laps at Ikea and the mall - not so good on the wallet. Today started out at -27. BORING!!!! Oh Canada - youre lucky you have the mountains (and free health care) out here or I would be GONE!
So, I called my nurse and got the green light to rekindle my love/hate relationship with my elliptical. I love that I can still work out when it is this cold but I hate that I am stuck in my basement moving yet going nowhere!
I am dying to get moving again and was on a 40 mins 4 days a week schedule for the winter so far... start slow, take it easy and build it back up! Ive set my goal to be back to where I was by April. I can do this! Then summer, glorious summer. Dog Parks, Mountains, Camping, Hiking... sun, warmth.... CAN NOT WAIT!
Anyhoot - GOOD LUCK ALL!
1 week since surgery. I SLEPT ON MY SIDE LASTNIGHT FOR 8 HOURS STRAIGHT! Can you imagine?!?!?!? Yes, it was that good!
The gas pains in my left shoulder are almost unmanagable but who cares? I SLEPT ON MY SIDE LASTNIGHT!!!!!
The liquid diet is getting easier to manage too. The protien minimum my dietician wants me hitting daily is 67g. I had not complied until yesterday and it was my first day back to work. Here's the food journal:
0700 - 1/2 c oatmeal protien smoothie w. soy milk and skim milk powder.
0800 - 1.2 c water
0900 - 1.2 c peppermint tea
1000 - 1400 EVERY HOUR - 1/2 c split pea soup w. soy milk and 2 Tbsp skim milk powder (in my coffee travel mug 1 c at a time)
1500 - 1/2 c water
1600 - 1//2 c veggie chili w. tomatoe juice
1645 - 1/2 c veggie chili w. tomatoe juice
1800 - 1/2 c greek yogurt w. 3 TBSP blueberry puree
1900 - 1/2 c peppermint tea
2000 - 1/2 c water
2100 - 1/2 c water
2200 - 1/2 c greek yogurt w. pear puree.
HELLS YES! Not so bad huh? I didnt slosh at all. My eyeballs werent floating. Maybe because you wouldnt consider these things to be liquids.... Well, I dont really care what YOU (not really you) think! It worked for me! The first 6 days of post-op were spent forcing myself to eat these liquids that were full of protien but sickeningly sweet or actually kind of tasty without even 0.2 g of the magical stuff.
I did discover GREEK YOGURT - with 14.7 g of protien per 1/2 delightfully sour cup and a little bit of fruit puree on top - ITS BETTER THAN ICECREAM!!
Also, had an appointment with Dr. Love lastnight. Lol. It had been way too long! Perhaps the appointment is the only reason for my fantastic attitude? I dont care... whatever it is, Im holding on tight and ready to keep movin on!
KEEP ON TRUCKIN!
Surgery was Tuesday. I got home from hospital Wednesday. By Friday I was drove nutty.
My lady friends MamaG and Bestie were available Friday night.
MamaG was home alone with hubby away at work and Bestie had gone over to the GTeam Headquarters to help get the 2 babes to bed so that the three of us gals could have a movie night. It sounded wonderful!
This was the first time I had a chance to recount the whole surgery experience with my ladies and let me tell you, NO conversation EVER has ANY holds barred! We didnt even get to the movie. The ladies made me laugh way too much and way too hard but it was great to be out and catching up and feeling normal!
I shared all the gritty details of my surgery, my worries about the surgery, thier worries about it and EVERYTHING else.
I got home at MIDNIGHT and snuggled in to bed, sore but in fantastic spirits. Thank Goodness for friends!
Today was my Grandfather's 90th Birthday party. We drove the 2 hours each way to my hometown to be there. There was about 90 people present including all of my Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Siblings, Nieces and Nephews. Without ANY intention, I fessed up to most of the very important people in my life. I couldn't stay all day, it was a little too much for me 4 days after surgery but I did my best to soak up every minute with them all. I felt badly for not being able to stay the whole day and it just came out, naturally.
I had been so nervous about telling anyone really except for the 5 most important people in my life. I was determined not to tell them and open myself up to judgement and feedback of anyone. EVERY response was positive. Everyone had noticed how much hard work I had done in the last year to get to where I was before surgery and EVERYONE congratulated me on my past success and my future success. I left feeling tired, but so much stronger without the weight of keeping something so huge in my life from these people who were such a huge part of my life!
All in all, a great day 4 and 5. I'm still experiencing gas pains in my shoulders, my incisions are tender from all of the ghing over the last few days and I am having a super hard time getting my protein quota in daily BUT it will only get better!
Take care all! Celebrate all successes BIG AND SMALL!
I slept like a baby the night before my surgery. This for me, was a confirmation that I was soo ready for this! In fact, I felt like I was so ready, that I didn't need anyone to come to the hospital with me the day of. I just figured that my bestie and my Mr. would meet me in my room when I was all wrapped up! The bestie had another plan. She had been through a few knee surgeries and insisted that I would want the company in pre-op. I didn't agree and felt bad for most of the 3 hour wait for taking up her time when I knew I would be calling on her after the surgery for her support. About half an hour before the scheduled time, a nurse came in. She put on some TED stockings and we all had a great laugh at how hot they were. Then she whipped out the IV and the Heparin shots. My bestie let me squeeze the hell out of her hands while the nurse had 2 failed IV attempts and stabbed me in the tummy with a burning dose of blood thinner. Heparin Sucks! If it wasn't for my know-it-all bestie, I may have just gotten up and ran out then. Thank Goodness for friends!
Soon after, it was time. They wheeled me up to the op waiting room. It was weird being lined up side by side with strangers, all in the same stockings and sexy blue hats! My nurse came out, got the IV in and told me that her daughter had the same name as me and was the same age. She promised to treat me like her own. Ahh, the comfort. She then took me in to the op room where all the tools were splayed and ready to go. My nerves kicked in big time but I had no time to think about it. I was moved onto the table and given a warm blanket and then OUT!!!
2 hours later I woke up in recovery and was quickly on my way to my room. I was wheeled off of the elevator and there was bestie! She beat me to my room. I was happy to see her! She read quietly while I spent the next few hours in and out of awareness. Soon, she tagged in the Mr and was off. Mr. took me for a few walks around the unit and I was feeling pretty good besides the tightness of the gas but walking sure helped allot! Before I knew it, all visitors had to leave. I cried. I felt alone and scared and I HATE NEEDLES AND HOSPITALS! Mr. hugged me and told me he would be back in no time. I was convinced that I could sleep all night and would be getting up when he arrived in the am.
I couldn't have been more wrong! I was awake all night. Between the crazy roommate I had, the IV machine beeping all night and the nurses hellish doses of Heparin I might have slept for 4 hours in total. At 6:00 am when my surgeon came in, I was prepared to do cartwheels to prove that I was ready to leave. This wouldn't have been a good idea I know but the hospital was not helping me recoup! They said I was doing fantastic and could leave at 9:30! YES!!! I survived the hospital stay!
Mr. arrived and I wasted no time getting packed up and out of there! The nurses were fantastic - don't be fooled by my negative recount of the hospital stay!
Being that we have had about 4 feet of snow here in the last 2 weeks, the ride home wasn't grand either! The ruts on the road made for a horse and cart type ride. It was hellish. Mr, as bright as he is, had brought me a pillow to splint my tummy with on the way home. Smarty Pants. I was sooo thankful!
We got home, greeted the lonely pup and snuggled in on the couch to catch up on the sleep I had missed out on in the hospital. I took some pain meds, ate some shakes and applesauce and walked... then did it all over again. Walking sure does help with the gas. My neck and shoulders were VERY tight from the gas too, the walking helped more than the Gas-X strips by far!
I slept decently last night at home in bed!
Today, I am feeling better. There is less pain but still allot. I have had to concentrate on how to get all my protein in. My dietitian wants to see me eating about 80 grams per day. At first I thought it would be impossible but ,mid-day today, I already hit 29 grams! Skim milk powder in everything helps and the chocolate soy milk with 6g per cup is great too! I even made the bed today. I hope to sweep the floor tomorrow but wont push it! A little bit of progress daily is all I am looking for and more than happy to get these days. In short, Great friends and being prepared will make the surgery process all that much easier! Even if you think you are tough (like me).. you still need the support!
Keep up the hard work you guys! A big shout out to Martha too!!! You'll be home soon lady!
xoxo
Jen
:xena_banana: I am so ready!!! I filled the pantry and fridge with everything on my dieticians shopping list, Ive got my box of kleenex, heat bag, Gas-X strips and blanky ready and waiting near the couch along with the FANTASTIC INFO for reading that was sent by TOMANDER. (My shout out!!) My laundry is done and the house is clean. Ive cleared my schedule of everything non-recoup related and I've got my bag packed for Tuesday morning to take to the hospital...... and still another 2 sleeps.
I am going to busy myself over the next 2 days by concentrating on my post-op diet and pre-op exercise regiem and making sure that I didnt forget to do that thing Ive already done but keep reminding myself over and over not to forget to do it!
I'm psyched to get the hospital stay over with and probobly more worried about that part than anything else. I do not do sleepovers and the Mr. cant stay at all!
This too shall pass and soon enough I will be back at home, back to my kicking ass and taking names... 1st on the list is MUFFINTOP!
CHEERS and Good luck to those who share the 18th as thier BandBirthday! And to the rest of you all too!
Jen
I'm a 28 year old, hilarious, confident, easy -going, loyal professional female. I've been overweight for as long as I can remember and although I faced the same teasing that the rest of the "fat kids" experienced, I've always loved my life. I've always been healthy despite my weight. I've always been active in sports, camping, hiking and all else outdoors and because of this, I was in denial about how my weight was a major health concern.
Now, 7 years in to a relationship with the love of my life and my best friend<3, I am at the place where I want to become a parent. A healthy parent! With diabetes having deep roots in my family, my family Doctor told me that I was almost guaranteed to run in to related issues with pregnacy at my weight. So, the journey began.
I live in Edmonton. Edmontonians are lucky to have an awesome program here called Weight Wise, offered out of the Royal Alexandra Hospital for FREE! I was referred by my family doctor and was on the waiting list for 2+ years to get in. Finally, in September 2009 I got THE call. It was my time to do this! All of this. Time to change my life!
I met my nurse, my dietician, my psychologist and Dr. Sharma. He is the Scientific Director of the Canadian Obesity Network, as well as the Chair of Obesity Research and Management at the University of Alberta. A whole team, just for me! Just for my health!? AWESOME! Bring it on!
I attended 10 modules offered by the clinic. The facilitators are a mix of Psychologists, Dieticians and Nurses all coming together to teach the participants about all aspects of obesity and give each of the attendees a "bag of tools" to make the changes in lifestyle to maintain healthy weight loss and adress the emotional components of eating. All of the modules took me about 8 months to complete and I scheduled them mostly at my own convienence.
The education component was the hardest to buy in to. I thought that after living my entire life being overweight, that I knew why I was fat, how I got fat and how to lose the weight. I didn't.
I also attended an emotional eating support group at the request of my dietician. I thought that I wasn't an emotional eater because I dont cry in to a tub of ice cream when I am upset. I was wrong. Social situations and stressful situations are my most vulnerable triggers. I learned allot through the group and made some great friends too.
A year and a half later, I have lost 40lbs (leisurely) and been approved for my selected Lap-Band Surgery. All at no cost, besides parking at the clinic!
Gastric Bypass and the Sleeve were a little too permanent and drastic for me but the options were given, provided I committed to the program and was successful!
Here I am, 6 sleeps away from being banded. I am nervous, excited, anxious, scared and most of all committed to changing my life.
World, be prepared for the same old Jen, with a smaller ass!
Good luck to all of you! :grouphug:
