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Post-Op Day 7 Oh my gosh... I actually ate some homemade chicken soup with zuchinni, carrots and beans,, "pureed!" I don't care what anyone says, after only having liquids, the soup tasted soooo good. I think I actually had like 2 oz of it last night. My family enjoyed their meal without the puree, not sure why they didn't want to join me. Nonethelss, it felt good going down & I didn't notice any issues with it. Ahh.... So, as of post-op Day 6, I had managed to lose 15 pds. Yes, I know, that's amazing. And so, I tried to prepare myself in that the weight would start slowing down once I started eating a little more normal, and walking. I started walking about 2 days ago, and to my surprise (though it shouldn't be), I haven't lost anything in 2 days : ( Yes, I know, I know. I didn't gain it all in 1 week, but I have to admit, it felt good seeing the scale go down & down each day. So, I went ahead & measured myself. Thank goodness, it looks like I lost an inch in my waist, thighs, calves & boobs. Ok, as long as it keeps going down, I will settle down...

I can not believe it has been three months since my surgery!! I am happy that so far I have been doing great health wise. No complications( knock on wood). I am slowly learning what to do and what not to do. Although I am not losing as fast as I would like, but I am pretty happy with where I am so far. If I lose another 50lbs by Xmas, I will be one super happy gal THINGS I AM HAPPY about: I am able to walk 3 miles and even jog a little I am able to fit behind my steering wheel I am able to put my socks on while standing I am able to bend over and tie my shoes without losing my breath I am able to go up and down my stairs with looking/feeling 90yrs I am more out going and people are more receptive to me. May God continue to bless me through this journey with even more success stories.

Yesterday was exactly 3 months since my surgery. The whole process seems so surreal! I can't believe that I'm down 55lbs now. I haven't been this size in over 15 years! I went from a size 24W to a size 16 so far. The changes in how I feel are amazing and seem like a miracle. I feel great, and everyone tells me that I look amazing. My diet has seen some really big changes. I now eat primarily fresh foods, and very rarely eat processed foods. When I do eat out, I'm am extremely cautious on what I choose. Since I hold so much less, I would much rather put in good quality food, than a bunch of junk. Yes, we still eat out about twice a week, but we choose restaurants that have a better quality menu than fast food places do. Also, I drink water all day. I walk 3 miles 5 days a week, and have recently started a Beginner's Yoga CD and really enjoying it. The fact that I weigh less, helps me try things that I haven't tried in 15 years, and I'm thinking about trying bicycling. I really don't want to buy one - they can get pretty expensive - until I know it's worth the investment. Looking back, it seems like a dream. All the worry, all the liquids and protein drinks, all the preparation was so worth it. Even the post-op diet seems to have passed so quickly - although at the time it seemed to take forever. I thought about the sleeve 24/7, and now it's just a normal part of life, It's been the best decision I've ever made regarding my health, and I have no regrets. I read some of the posts of others who haven't made their decision yet, and all I want to do is shake them and tell them to just do it! However, everyone is different and just because it's been a great experience for me, doesn't mean it will be the right one for them. At first, I was very vague about how I was losing weight. When folks would ask me, I would just tell them that I'm eating a lot less. Now I'm much more vocal about the surgery. If someone asks, I tell them that I got the sleeve. So far, no one has been negative about it, and if they are, I'll just tell them to mind their own business. My immediate family has known about it from Day 1 and been extremely supportive. This forum has been a life saver for me. All the friendships, support, and feedback has been fantastic, and I wouldn't be healthier today if it wasn't for this website.

Week 21 Last week’s weight – 200.2 This week’s weight – 199.4 Total weight lost this week – .8 Beginning weight – 246 lbs Total weight loss since surgery – 46.6 lbs Average weekly weight loss since surgery – 2.1 lbs Woo Hooo!!!!!! I am officially under 200 lbs as of this week. Although I didn’t have a spectacular weight loss it was enough to drive me under the 200 mark. My next goal is to get some more distance from the number 200 (right now I’m a little too close for comfort…particularly since I go into PMS mode next week). I joined our Cross Fit gym this week and am currently going through their foundations class (4 classes total $100 not included in the month rate). I signed up for 3 months (after which it becomes a month-to-month charge). It is kind of expensive ($125/month) and I hesitated to join for a couple of reasons (expense and difficulty). The expense part I will have to live with (this was made slightly easier because I had a summer job that I applied that money toward) and I can scale back the difficulty and build up What I like about the gym is that you walk in and there is a warm up and a routine of the day (once that is done you are finished). I also like that there is always a certified staff on the floor who can help. My warm up yesterday was a 250 meter row, 10 situps, 10 walking lunges (done twice). I scaled back the walking lunges because my knees aren’t great and they are difficult for me. The workout was 21 deadlifts, 800 meter run, 21 deadlifts, 550 meter run, 21 deadlifts, 400 meter run. My workout was scaled back (with the help of the staff) to 15 deadlifts (with reduced weight) and a 400 meter run/walk, 10 deadlifts with a 250 meter run/walk, 5 deadlifts with a 100 meter run. The goal is to build up from that. My plan is to go to the M-W-F classes and see where I stand at the end of the three months. Another thing I like about the gym is I really don’t care what I look like or what anyone else looks like. Everyone is just coming in, doing the routine to the best of their ability and moving on. Since we are all “in it together” people are very encouraging (some are competitive but that works for them). The one thing I don’t want to do is become bulky (there is a lot of weight lifting). There are several women who go to the gym who are quite muscular and my goal is a bit different. I just want to become tone and fit but I think I can manage that by not going crazy with adding on insane amounts of weight. I was also hoping by joining the gym it might help boost my weight loss by shocking my system (we will see how that goes at the end of the three months!). Food wise I am doing fine. I’m packing my lunch since we are back to school. My lunch the other day was deli turkey and cheese roll ups and cut up green peppers and an Atkins chocolate/coconut bar for a snack. I’ve also had a Campbell soup at hand (cream of chicken or tomato), Atkins chocolate/peanut butter meal replacement bar, travel size peanut butter cup (for snack). I still need to be better drinking water throughout the day. Yesterday I went to Outback and I ordered their new $15 meal deal which actually was quite a lot of food. I saved half of my steak and potatoes for lunch today. I need to stop ordering alcohol with my meals (habit). I wasn’t able to finish my $4 margarita and I really didn’t need it. As I mentioned last week I am getting a lot of compliments on my weight loss after coming back from the summer break. My favorite was from a former 4th grader I taught (I know her mom) and she said, “Oh my gosh Mrs. Heaton I didn’t even recognize you. You look so skinny.)

I was sleeved on 8.23.12. It was a step into a new direction. The first few days have been an adjustment. My mindset is I must endure it to get where I want to go. I know from reading various blogs, entries, comments that I am pretty much guaranteed to get to the light at the end of the tunnel. What has been even greater is that since I know I WILL lose weight, I can think beyond my body image, beyond my disappointment with myself. It is amazing how I haulted so much of thinking because of self loathing. I am not where I want to be and it may take me a year more or less to get there but I know each day I move further away from where I was on 8.23.12. I achieved great weight loss on my own before but I am so thankful for this opportunity. It forces me to think about everything I put to my mouth. It forces me to think, "drink slowly" and eventually "eat slowly." I wondered as I go through these challenging days if I would blog again. All I wanted to do is read what everyone is or has gone through. I told myself I need to still write my experience down so in months to come, I can self reflect. I see the scale now and I know I can have a positive relationship with it. No longer will it collect dust on it and I cringe as I walk past it. Anyone in the Pre-Op stage, this is a journey. It is yours and only you can walk this walk. I realized this as I planned to go to the hospital. I owned it then. You see, I had a number of other surgeries and my support system has been in place. My scariest (for lack of a better word) part has been when I get separated from my friends and family and was taken into the presurgery holding area (right before going into the operating room). This time, I faced it. I let my support system stay where they were as I knew I had to face the most challenging part on my own anyway (they did not come to hospital with me). I did it. Now of course, that is my story, my issue but my point is OWN your journey. This is yours. Guaranteed results to come and with that I know my future is brighter.

Justa waitin' only have 3 days to go before surgery. I'm having all kinds of feelings. No doubts or fears really just hopes that everything goes okay and that i never have a slip or erosion. I would like to keep my band (gertrude) forever. I am looking forward to the trip to san diego then mexico. Never have been out west at all. Never have flown on a large jet before. I'm sitting in seat 13A on the flights from home to chicago! THat's my lucky number... The large jets don't have a 13th seat... well i don't have alot to say. Started liquids this am doing okay with that i'v e had Unjury chicken noodle soup, sf jello, and unjury unflavored in water and crystal light to drink. Haven't cheated. haven't had the urge to yet. My husband is grilling chicken wings right now,(don't like them) he had mercy on me and fixed something i don't really like. I'm a vegetarian about 90% of the time. Plan on being a full-time vegetarian now that i'm being banded. I'll write more on the trip to let you know how Mexico/San Diego goes...Thanks for reading my jumbled thoughts...

July 25. 2011 Wow! I have been remiss in keeping up with my blogging. I really wanted to journal my entire journey but... life intervenes. I suppose it is a testament to the sleeve that I often forget I have it. 4 months out my life is pretty normal. Not like it was before, but what I assume most people would consider normal, lol. I eat a lot less. I make better food choices, I go to the gym a few times a week. Sadly the weight has not come sloughing off as Id hoped it would. 50 pounds down I feel good and am grateful as ever, but I did think I would be father along at this point. I try to stay optimistic. My mother, who had a bypass about 10 years ago, is constantly remonstrating me for the amounts I eat (though normal stomach folks think Im sick or something, I eat so little). She lost 75 pounds in the first 3 months of her surgery and has very vocally espoused that I should have done the same. I keep asking my surgeon when I see him, he keeps telling me Im doing great and not to compare myself to others. I need to keep working on that though. I HAVE started losing my hair. I thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones because my weight loss has been comparatively slow but... Right at the 3 month mark it started falling out in clumps. It hasn't abated yet but I am taking better care of it now. Less brushing, more vitamins. Hopefully it will end soon. Ive heard the 3-6 month period is the worst for hair loss. All told Im happy and loving my sleeve most days... though I wouldn't mind the process working a little faster, I am still losing and cheerfully waving goodbye to each and every pound.