Tuesday, August 25, 2009

New Hope--Second Lapband Fill

Had my 2nd fill today. Dr. definitely made sure I'd feel some restriction. I think I'll be on liquids for a few days, until the fat pad around my stomach shrinks enough to loosen the band and let a little food through. Absolutely stopped the cravings I was having. I'm back to sipping tiny little sips. No danger of me eating too much. Protein shakes and water are about all I can get down. Have to drink them very slowly.

I also actually got some work done in my classroom today. I finally got all the class lists, and was relieved to see the number of my students who are returning. I'll be working on the schedule and some testing the next few days. I'll also be contacting parents of kids who were marginal whether they needed to see me or not. It helps my bottom line if I do have at least 2 contacts with them a week, since my program gets paid per contact. But these are parents who don't want their children missing a single thing in order to come to me. Other parents are in denial that their child needs help.

I want to keep an assistant 3 days a week and not have to drop to one or two. There's so much organization and paperwork required and that's not the stuff I'm good at. The more student contacts I have, the more $ come in, the more I can do with and for the students. I have some special computer programs that have been shown to improve kids reading scores by an average of one to two years in just 6-12 weeks. The high number of student contacts I maintain is what has paid for the yearly licenses for those programs and my assistant works with those kids on the computer while I teach the rest of the kids.

I also get parent involvement money and money for group counseling provided for the kids based on the number of students I see.

Its all intertwined. The loss of students at RCS impacts my funding and limits what I can do with the kids.

I know its all in God's hands. I just pray that the NCLB funding will come in and pay for me this year (its not in yet), and that next year the new vendor will hire me.

I've made my classroom such an ADHD/ADD friendly place for myself. A good part of that is my assistant who is really more like my partner. I rely heavily on her advice on how to set things up, and I totally rely on her to keep up with all the forms and files.

Meanwhile thanks to the lapband fill, I'm not eating. I had to fight to get the second fill only two weeks after the first fill. I wanted to start the school year with restriction. I didn't want to have to take off work to get the fill. This fill should last quite a while. It may even be the last one I need. It depends on how loose it gets after I lose the next 35 lbs.

I had a student who didn't recognize me at first today. I had my hair up in it's Pebbles Flintstone do. She's used to me with short hair and a much fatter body. LOL.

I'm also working on my DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) pile of clothes. I'm amazed at how fat women's clothes are designed to accommodate a huge weight range. Most of my pants definitely don't fit me, but the tops don't look too bad. Instead of being stretched around my fat, they now drape around me gracefully. I might invest in a decorative, loose belt to upgrade their style a little. Eventually I'll have to cave and get more clothes but for now I'll make do with these clothes and with my thrift store buys.

Last night I felt somewhat hopeless. The return of my cravings threw me for a loop. In the past they could have been the start of regaining, with interest, all the weight I've lost.

Thank God for the lapband. Life's vicissitudes can't throw me back into the food nearly as easily as they did. My optimism about the school year has returned now that I'm not worrying about the food on top of everything else.

I can do all things, through him who strengthens me,

Yes, I can do all things, through him who strengthens me.

"Instead of being stretched around my fat, they now drape around me gracefully." I love what you said, Thanks.

I wore a dress the other night I never tossed because I spent a fortune on it. I am so glad as it hung gracefully on me and I got so many compliments I felt GREAT in it. I love my Lapband too. I had my second fill yesterday I have 5 cc in a 10 cc band so I am full and on liquids for 48 hours. I can handle it. It has given me a new found HAPPINESS and my SMILE is back. Have a great day. imaluckydog

WOW...my doc requires that after each fill we take in only liquids for THREE days followed by PUREED foods for THREE more days....only then can we upgrade to solid food!!!

I refuse to spend any money on a "transition" wardrobe...soooooo...I got out my trusty sewing machine and have been taking in all of my 2X/22W clothes...yes my one pair of jeans too!! I also have been "shopping in my closet" - trying on a lot of the clothes I haven't been able to even dream of getting into for years! It has been fun...some people think I have an entirely new wardrobe - because they never saw some of those outfits!! I am having fun sewing again too!! I've had to alter a few things two to three times already...especially my favorites!! I will celebrate with new clothes once I get to goal....even though I am finally and FOREVER in "ONE-derland"!!!!!

I've even successfully taken in sweaters, and even took in a favorite swim-suit that had "let go" (you know - when the fabric is still intact, but you can actually "see" through it!) I took that in on the center back seam and on both of the side seams...essentially getting rid of the "stretched out" and see-through areas and giving me a "brand-new" swim suit that fit like a charm!!!

If you don't sew...find a friend who does who will help you out, or check prices of alterations...especially if it's a dress or an outfit that is a favorite and/or that you paid alot for. I found out (the hard way) that some people were offended when I gave or offered them my cast-off "fat" clothes...so now I just keep them and alter them to fit my new shrinking body!!!

Boy am I glad that I learned to sew!!!

WOW...my doc requires that after each fill we take in only liquids for THREE days followed by PUREED foods for THREE more days....only then can we upgrade to solid food!!!

I refuse to spend any money on a "transition" wardrobe...soooooo...I got out my trusty sewing machine and have been taking in all of my 2X/22W clothes...yes my one pair of jeans too!! I also have been "shopping in my closet" - trying on a lot of the clothes I haven't been able to even dream of getting into for years! It has been fun...some people think I have an entirely new wardrobe - because they never saw some of those outfits!! I am having fun sewing again too!! I've had to alter a few things two to three times already...especially my favorites!! I will celebrate with new clothes once I get to goal....even though I am finally and FOREVER in "ONE-derland"!!!!!

I've even successfully taken in sweaters' date=' and even took in a favorite swim-suit that had "let go" (you know - when the fabric is still intact, but you can actually "see" through it!) I took that in on the center back seam and on both of the side seams...essentially getting rid of the "stretched out" and see-through areas and giving me a "brand-new" swim suit that fit like a charm!!!

If you don't sew...find a friend who does who will help you out, or check prices of alterations...especially if it's a dress or an outfit that is a favorite and/or that you paid alot for. I found out (the hard way) that some people were offended when I gave or offered them my cast-off "fat" clothes...so now I just keep them and alter them to fit my new shrinking body!!!

Boy am I glad that I learned to sew!!![/quote']

I always had such sweaty hands that I would corrode needles. I would have to grab wet needles and thread with my teeth to pull them through material because my sweaty hands would slip right off.

I do have a friend who is a seamstress (among other things). A lot of my stuff is not worth saving. I tend to wear things to death. However, there are a few things I'm planning on having her take in.

I'm glad you can sew.