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Source: Sweets, Snacks, Sneaks And Lies This isn't my blog entry.....but it's so wonderfully written and inspiring, I am adding it to my blog so I know where to find it again.....Thank you WriterGirl!

SO TONIGHT IS MY LAST NIGHT I WILL BE AT MY HOUSE FOR A FEW DAYS... I AM GOING TO MY MOM'S WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE HOSPITAL FOR RECOVERY.... MY MOM WORKS IN THE SURGERY DEPARTMENT AT THIS HOSPITAL SO EVERYONE THERE KNOWS ME AND THAT I BAKE... I DO ALL THE FUN DECORATING AND WEIRD THINGS... I HAVE MAKE THE CUPCAKES THAT LOOK LIKE MINI GRILLS TO A TOWER OF MINI CAKES JUST ALL FOR FUN... WELL THEY ARE EXPECTING SOMETHING YUMMY SO I AM GOING TO MAKE A ORANGE POPCYCLE CAKE... AND ABOUT 5 DOZEN COOKIES..... SO I WILL BE EXTRA HUNGRY TONIGHT FOR SURE! SO I JUST WANT TO SAY IF I PASS OUT OF WANTING TO LICK MY FINGERS BUT I CANT!!!! THE DOGS WILL ENJOY IT THO! I ALSO WANT TO ADD, IF YOU ARE READING PLEASE ADD ME AS A FRIEND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP UP WITH PEOPLE AND THEIR PROGRESS AND GOOD WORDS TOO ! THANKS LOVE ELLIE

Here's some tough love.....and sometimes we need to hear this.....still have 12 days of my pre-op, but want to make sure I can find this again 2 months down the road......soda = battery acid -- I like that! Thanks Doug for this post. Source: Three Years Later - What I've Learned

So I am on the sleeved side! I am doing ok...sore but ok. Surgery was uneventful and the first evening and night I just walked and pushed my happy button and slept. The next day is when the GAS hit. I was FULL of IT! Walking is helping but it is still there but much less. Until I could fart I was very uncomfortable. Now I am ok. I havent felt sick and I am handling all the fluids I have tried pretty well. I have had ISoPure power Zero with protein added decaf coffee and stevia broth jello and tea. Coughing hurts like hell burping can be uncomfortable. So day two the worst is I am just SORE. I have cleaned up a little and helped get the kids to camp and sitter and I am pooped. I have no desire to eat at all which is good since my family still has to eat. The smells don't make me sick either. Nothing too eventful and I hope it stays that way. Each day seemd to get eaiser. I havent even weighed myself. I am focusing on healing not the scale right now. Well I need a nap!

I've started going through that massive pile of clothing......So far there is a garbage bag going to the curb this morning, something for goodwill.....and I've found clothing that fits and clothing that's too big.....that's always a good thing! The coolest thing--I ran into a favorite maxi dress---and it fits.....have decided it's going with me to wear after surgery in the hospital.....Hey, why not look stylish while walking the halls, right? Plus nothing around the waist, and the material has a lot of stretch. I'm on the pre-op diet, and keeping busy.....I painted my nails....all 20 of them! I can't tell you the last time I had my toes painted....over 20 years ago, I'm sure. Day two went well. We went bowling last night, and there was a snack bar.....I ate my "yogurt-protein powder pudding" in the car, tossed in a water bottle with crystal light......and refilled it with water all night long....the pre-op diet now a mindset....it's my personal challenge. People could eat around me last night...I could care less......and trust me, the smells from the snack bar all night were quite delicious smelling....BUT.... Getting on the scale this morning and seeing it go down is much, much better. Gotta Run.....for my pre-op fellow sleevers, keep busy and be good to yourself....stay on your plan.....you got this! Have a great day!

Yep, the Big 4-0! As much as I wish that was my current age, alas it is not. That ship sailed many moons ago, some where around George Bush 1 (The old guy). But it is the number of unsightly pounds that I have shredded since I began this journey on April 9th. My deconstruction has been in full swing for 15 weeks. If we look back to my first appointment in January, I have been fully encompassed with this project for 7 plus months, over half a year. Time does fly. Let's talk about what 40 pounds really is. A 15 foot canoe weighs 40 pounds. FYI - My old ass would never fit in a canoe. The kids at camp always made me go in the big boat. An average 3 year old child and a full size Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier each weigh 40 pounds. In case you're wondering, I did check. A strange kid or a lost dog was not wedged in my butt crack. An average full size human leg weighs 40 pounds. Really? I think one of my legs is the average weight of a full size human. 5 gallons of water weighs 40 pounds. Did you ever try to replace the big bottle on the water cooler? They're friggin heavy. It takes 2 skinny kids in my office to change it. 2 car tires weigh 40 pounds. Wow. I've been wearing two radials around my mid section. My goal is to lose a whole set of tires .... and the spare. Yikes. 4 ten pound bowling balls weigh 40 pounds. Try carrying those up and down the stairs a few times. Need we go on? It's mind blowing to me that this much excess blubber was attached to my paltry frame. AND I'm not even half way done! I still gotta lose at least a kid and a Chihuahua to hit my goal. Remember the guy who said " I treat my body like a temple." That obviously wasn't me. I've treated my body more like an all night diner. Attached to a liquor store. Years of binge eating, binge drinking and party chasing have come back to haunt me. There's always a price to pay. Reminds me of that 70s era bumper sticker: "Gas, Grass or ass, nobody rides for free." The good news is that I should hit the half way mark to my goal some time next week. If I average losing 1-1/2 pounds per week I should hit goal near the end of January. In the mean time, if your missing a kid or a Labrador Retriever, I'll bend over and give you look in my handy lost & found area. Chow Chow! Johnny P.S. I see Dr. X Monday for another fill. I'm guessing he's going to take me up another 1.5 ccs. That will be a 30% closure on the band. Another new adventure. Visit my blog at; TheDeconstructionOfJohnny.blogspot.com

Tonight is the bariatric seminar. It is mandatory to take to become a patient with the practice I have been referred to. I am very excited, I want to get this party started! I have to keep myself motivated, keep pushing forward. I am the kind of person who will give up all too quickly if I do not see progress. Not exactly a shining personality trait, but it is who I am. It explains a whole lot about my lifelong weight struggles. Also explains how so many of my "big ideas" have never panned out. But this time is different. I have to stay focused. I cannot give up just because things aren't going at the speed I want them to. There are many steps in the process that I have no control over and I must accept that. At the same time I am being little Miss Proactive and I am trying to speed things along as much as I can. My GP told me I would have to get clearances from all my doctors relating to my recent DVT/PE. I already went to the vascular doctor and got his blessing. I go to my hematologist on 8/6 for my post hospital check up, and I will get his clearance at the same time. My GP is already on board, although I am aware I will have to do a full physical. And during my research I read that some doctors prefer you have your pap tests / mammograms current. I went ahead and scheduled my pap for next month ( not really due until September) and will get the mammogram scheduled from there. Like I said, I am doing my part. I won't lie either, there is a financial motivation involved in all of this as well.. Since I had the issue with my leg, the hospitalization, the minor surgery to have an IVC filter placed, all the tests that go with being on blood thinners, and all the doctor visits stemming from it all...I have met my cap out of pocket amount through my insurance for the year. Therefore, if I can get the whole process approved and surgery done before the end of the year I will have little to no out of pocket expense. I am not fully motivated by this, but it is just another component of my decision. Might as well kill two birds with one stone! LOL But the idea of losing weight and feeling so much better in my body is the biggest draw of all. I long for a pain free day. It has been a while since that existed. It has gone from a minor irritant before this last DVT, to a daily chronic problem that I seriously have problems dealing with. I do not want to be a pain pill addict. I do not want to learn to live with chronic pain. I want to learn to live again, without pain and without the fat that is holding me back!

During which week of the post-op diet is foot on the menu? I'm teaching a summer chemistry class to adorable little teenagers. My post-op week we were using small, round candies (not using names - don't want to trigger anyone) to represent atomic particles during radioactive decay. Of course, they could eat whatever they weren't using. At the beginning of class, seeing the HUGE and numerous bags of candy on my demo table, they asked if we were going to be doing something with them for that day's class (they are masters of deduction - watch out, Dr. House!) and I joked that it was all for me. Fast forward to the end of class, as they're cleaning up/inhaling their candy like Dysons. One of them asks if I'm going to have any and I reply, "Nah, I have surgery next week and I'm on a liquid diet." WAY TO GO, BIG MOUTH. Of course, they wanted to know more. I joked that I would tell them about it afterwards. That way If I died on the table they could make up whatever story they wanted ("Did you hear Ms. Diamond had a brain aneurysm and farted out her spleen???"). Well, I didn't die (thanks a lot, Dr. Illan), so now I'm in a pickle. I have no idea what to say if they ask me about it in class today. Do I lie and say I was just trying to crash diet before my beach/wedding/girls' weekend vacation? Or do I go the evasive route and imply it's gross and personal and they wouldn't want to know? I know some of you are wondering why I don't just tell them the truth. I'm sure when I'm 50+ pounds down and everybody's asking, my attitude may be different, but as of now the only people I've told are my immediate family and therapist. Something tells me that revealing my very personal secret to a room full of Tweeting teenagers may not be the best way to maintain an ounce of decorum in this very small town. Any fellow foot-eaters who can offer follow-up advice?