Leaderboard

Hit another milestone this morning Down 60# since my surgery, 75# total...it's amazing to look back through pictures and see the transformation that I've made. I'm so much happier than I used to be. I'm more active, I'm more outgoing- and everything I do- I realize I do with more pep in my step, more sparkle in my eye- and just generally more enjoyment and appreciation. This is without a doubt the best decision I've ever made for myself. Hope you all are doing just as well!!!!

I have been drinking cucumber water for a while now and I must say it really taste good. There are so many benefits to drinking this drink and aids in getting rid of water weight. The only thing you need to do is have a pitcher of water and sliced cucumber, put It in the fridge and enjoy. If you are carrying around water weight then this is a great help to get rid of it very cheaply. Enjoy! Health Benefits of Cucumbers antioxidant properties anti-inflammatory benefits anti-cancer benefits rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene & manganese free radical scavenger anti-estrogenic effects helps with hydration helps with blood pressure beneficial for pyorrhea aids in digestion helpful with constipation natural remedy for treating tapeworms high silica content helps brittle nails may relieve gout & arthritis pain beneficial for diabetes may reduce cholesterol levels may help with kidney stonesids in weight loss good source of B vitamins effective hangover cure

Yesterday I signed consent papers and was instructed on the diet that will in effect "detox" my liver. Limited carbs, no sugar, avoid alcohol (gulp) and tons of protein. I can do this (I keep telling myself) but have some events coming up in the next 1 1/2 weeks that will be challenging. If I can get past those hurdles, I should be ok. Last night I spent time with a friend that had the sleeve 4 years ago. It was encouraging to have the support and she joined me in one last round of cocktails and chips and salsa to celebrate. The one thing she said that stuck out was how she wished she had journaled her experience so she could look back on it. I'm committing to doing that on this forum so I can remember the big and small things. I also came home with 3 huge containers of protein shakes, vitamins, etc. from the Center and filled my prescription for some surgery day meds I will be taking. Now counting the days until I check in - 10 days to go.

Today I am 3 weeks post op and I tell you what, many things have happened in the past 3 weeks. I am going to tell you about the positives things because those are the ones that matter and are worth remembering! I’ll start with the fact that I have lost 31 lbs so far! I am 2 pounds away from being in Onederland! At this point I have mostly figured out how much I am able to eat. I sometimes eat a little fast or a little too much and feel uncomfortable for about 30 minutes but then it passes. The only thing my stomach hasn't really liked was some creamed corn I ate from Rudy’s BBQ. Other than that I have been able to keep everything down…ground beef, fish, chicken, turkey, rice, beans, etc. I have not had the problems others have had with eating bread. I can eat pretty much anything, just not a lot. For example, we took our youngest daughter out to eat for her birthday yesterday and my husband and I split a plate. I basically took enough food for about 8 bites and he ate the rest. My girls both ate and the whole thing was just $32 with tip for all 4 of us. That’s another great thing…saving money when we go out! Something else I love is that many of my clothes are very loose and you can tell I have lost weight which is cool. I had to go digging in my closet for some smaller jeans that I haven’t worn in a while and they fit perfectly. I also wore a dress that I haven’t fit into since my husband and I were engaged over 5 years ago. That was a nice feeling! I am excited about fitting into other things that have been just sitting in my closet waiting to be used! Now to get a little more personal, a difficult but great thing happened to me last week. I was dealing with some emotional issues that made me cry a lot. I walked home from where I was and on the way there I just kept thinking about how much I wanted to go stuff my face. I got home, opened the fridge and just imagined myself getting sick if I did it. I couldn’t do it. In that moment I was forced to deal with my emotions a different way. I cried some more and then talk to God about it. About 30 minutes after that I talk to my husband about it too. It was such a big moment for me. To realize that I can walk away from the food that will do nothing but make me sick in that moment and over time and rely on a God that loves me unconditionally. It came to the surface…what I already knew….that I wasn’t giving Him all of me. Now I am surrendering the rest of me…slowly but surely. He deserves it all, not just the parts I am comfortable giving. What a wonderful experience! Such a moment of growth! I am grateful for all the special moments I have had so far and I can’t wait to see what new adventures await me!

I'm doing good! Both surgeries went well. The doctor said the gall bladder was more difficult than he thought but was successful. He called my sleeve "beautiful" and all went without a hitch there. Can't eat very much at all and still having pain but its only 4 days post op. I was in the hospital 3 nights because my blood pressure and pain were a little out of hand. They got the blood pressure under control by Saturday evening. They had to do a test on Sunday because they gave me 4 pills to take by mouth and it gave me a lot of pain. They had me drink this special liquid while they took pictures and the doctor said there were no leaks but the sleeve is really tight and it's going to take a while for the inflammation to go down. He also said that because the sleeve is so tight that even over time as my stomach might stretch some it will never be all that big. All in all, I'm doing better and just waiting to get to my "new" normal. My tongue has been slightly numb since surgery and I'm still waiting for that to go away. I have a follow up with Dr. Shukla next week. Thanks to all who have checked on me!

I woke up happy, joyous, and free this morning. I had a dream last night that my two BFFs were trying to talk me out of surgery and saying, "Just try one more time to do it on your own." I responded, "IT WON'T WORK." I woke up feeling so secure about my decision. The feeling I had in the dream is so right on - I have tried and tried and tried and tried. And even if I could take off 75lbs, the chances of me keeping it off are slim. Also, on Good Morning America today they showed results of a study showing that 18% of premature deaths are caused by obesity. That's another good reminder. Bottom line: Today, I am at peace with my decision. Caveat: It is only 8:30am. When I'm hungry later today, I may start questioning again. Hahahah. What a ride this is....! 6 more days til surgery!