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I've been horrible about blogging-- can I say that first? When I started this process I thought there would be nothing I'd rather do than write about my experiences before and after weight loss surgery. Well, I still would LIKE to, but life and all of its obligations have continued, so forgive. But I had to write today. Today, I got under 200 pounds for the first time in. . . I don't know. . . 14 years? That's before I started teaching. I can't believe how amazing I feel. I've lost 63.4 pounds total, putting me at 196.6 this morning. (I always record my official weight on Fridays.) I knew that I was right about there, but actually having that number pop up on my weigh in this morning was amazing. (My surgery was 12/11/12, btw.) Let's see. . . what else. Protein bars are my friend, eggs are not. Which is too bad because I used to love eggs. I'm averaging about 3 pounds of weight loss a week, and I'm working on my running. Last night I ran the most I EVER have, going about a mile and a half in 20 minutes of continuous jogging. I'm not very fast, but I'm getting stronger. The biggest challenge I've had on that front is that I'm having trouble switching my runs to the outdoors. I'm not as successful, but I'm trying to stay positive. I have a 5k scheduled on 4/20. I don't know if I will run the whole thing, but I should be able to do most of it, hopefully. I just hope my knees cooperate. So that's where I am! What a wonderful day, and I'm looking forward to blowing all kinds of goals right out of the water! My next goal is to get into the 170s by the end of May for my son's graduation. Piece o' cake!

In December, I flew to Washington State (I'm in Michigan) and then drove back across the country with my boyfriend. Like you, I got stuck a lot. I also found myself relying on premade protein shakes a lot because of it. It's definitely a challenge to travel with the band because so much is out of your control as far as food choices. I think a big part of my stuck problem was my nerves. I was so nervous about what to eat and getting stuck I think that stress alone made the band tighten up. Then of course once you're stuck your stomach swells so then it's like this nasty cycle of eating and getting stuck. The good news is, within 24 hours of getting home and back into my comfort zone I was fine again. I hope your vacation was great despite the eating challenges

I just returned for a wonderful week of warmth and sunshine in Orlando, Florida. This was my first vacation and first time flying since being banded. I talked to my doc before hand about this and she advised to not get a fill and eat and enjoy food, but with in reason. Last Saturday we had to be at the airport at 3:30, so we got lunch at the airport- first stuck episode. So embarrassing having to run to the public restroom with my hand over my mouth. We got to Florida and I just drank some Vitamin Water Zero (no calorie). First thing the next morning I figured I would go for yogurt for breakfast since I had gotten stuck so bad. Well, I just stuck on the yogurt. Again, Vitamin Water Zero. Later in the day I was dying for something, so I got some Froyo 120 calorie with protein added. That perked me up. That night after having walked over 22500 steps I really wanted food!! At a nice restaurant I order some grilled fish and that went well- I thought I finally was good. The week went on and I didn't get through one day without getting stuck at least once. I never knew what would do it. Yesterday before flying home I wasn't able to eat anything at all. I sucked on ice most of the day and drank a slim fast when I got home. Today, I have been able to eat cereal, but that is all. My weight this morning was up by 4 lbs since last Saturday. I am however on my period and since I have eaten out for a week I am sure sodium levels are up. I am not freaking out about the weight being up, just bother by not being able to eat anything. So I have learned lapband and vacation isn't the best mix, but I will make the best of it, because I don't plan on giving up either.

I started running(jogging) too and within a week I can jog a full mile with out stopping. I never thought I would be so excited about running. I am so proud of you keep it up.

I started this journy seven years ago, and at the time I was with a guy who I let talk me out of it because his self esteem was jacked up and he took mine with him while we were together after I stopped the process for surgery. Fast forward to 2010 I realized that I would be 40 in two years, and after having two strokes before the age of 40 I decided I wanted to Fabulous, Fierce, Fit, and Forty. I went for my yearly physical with my regular Doctor who is the best freaking Doctor in the world and I can't wait to see him in August to show him whats been going on since my physical early in January. I returned to the same Doctors he sat me up with seven years ago because he didn't want me to go to anyone who would "butcher me" as he said. This time around I was going through with the process because I have an 18yr old daughter to think about. I hit the ground running with pre op appointments was banging them out left and right making sure all of the reports were faxed to my Doctors office in Westchester. Most people only go for one cardio clearance but I ended up going for two visit pretaining to my upcoming surgery. Because of my history of clots and strokes I had to see a Hemotologist and she requested I have a TEE echo cardiogram which is when they stick a tube down your throat and look at your heart. I am SO SO Grateful for her ordering this test because it found the small hole in my heart which is the reason why I had two strokes back in 2007. Its small enough that it doesn't need surgery but big enough for clots to go through. I had a few set backs lost some weight getting me excited that I was getting close to a surgery date and then gained a few pounds making my surgery date look and feel so far out of my reach. Fast forward to 2012 I did the gaining of weight one more time with a surgery date already scheduled for March 20th 2012. It was nothing but the grace of GOD and CrAzY determination that I lost 4lbs in one week when I went back for my pre op class I was a few pounds below my target weight but I made it! I thought I hit another roadblock with the weight when I went for my pre op appointment with Dr. Cerabona when he dropped the bomb on me that my choice of Gastric Bypass as my surgery wasn't safe for me because I'd have to go back on my anticoagulant and aspirin which would put me at risk for ulcers and possible bleeding. I couldn't do the lapband because my insurance would only pay for 3 and the others would have to come out of my pocket, and the sleeve my insurance company hadn't approved. Again my surgery date was a week away and I was about to give up. Dr. Cerabona and his staff went to bat for me to get my insurance company to approve me for the sleeve. I was seven days away from my surgery date and was so nervous that all of my hard work was about to go down the drain. My pre op appointment was on the 13 of March. On the morning of the 15 of March I got a phone call from his office and I was so afraid to pick up the phone but I closed my eyes and did, and I'M SO GLAD I DID because they got my insurance company to approve me for the sleeve! I was so happy and my eyes were filled with tears of joy because I had finally got to where I've wanted to be. Then the anxiety set in and I almost called off the surgery but my daughter who is the best kid I could ever have and wouldn't trade her for another one gave me a pep talk putting my fears at ease. March 20th was a big day and my day started at 3am because I was catching the first train from Poughkeepsie to Tarrytown and then a cab the rest of the way. I panic because I had to switch trains in Croton -Harmon. Everything went off without a hitch. I paid the cabbie and got out of the cab and walked into the hospital to start the second part of my journey. I thought it was the best thing in the world for my surgery date to be the first day of spring because everything starts new and I was starting new. New life, New Me, New Stomach! I'm now one week post op and I'm beyond happy because I'm shedding 16yrs of weight and hurts. The weight was like a cocoon sheilding me but at the same time it was killing me. I'm happy with how my butterfly process is going and I'm looking forward to all it has for me. I've found myself actually looking at food labels now when I do shopping before I'd make a list go buy and go home. Now its different because this way of eating will keep me alive. I consider myself an expert on medicine taking since after my strokes I've been taking different medicines so adding a few vitamins to the mix was like nothing. I know those vitamins will keep me healthy as I heal and continue to lose the weight. I'm happy with the option that was provided for me because the insurance company could've said no, and I would've just continued on the regiment that the nutritionist put me on the help me get rid of the last couple of pounds and loose the weight on my own. I'm still in the liquid stage of things which is 9 ozs a day 3 ozs for breakfast, 3 ozs for lunch, and 3 ozs for dinner. Trying to prepare myself for my first blenderized meal now so I can have all the ingrediants on hand because I like to plan ahead right down to the last detail. I hope it goes off without a hitch. I know that its all about portion control because I know someone who's had GBS and they've gained plus than what they were before surgery. They are a constant reminder of where I don't want to go or be. I'm looking forward to heading to the gym in the upcoming months to tone myself up so I won't have to have plastic surgery to remove excess skin in some places. We'll see what happens come next year this time if the Lord is willing.