Dannipo

Six months ago today marks the anniversary of a very important day. The day I put my foot in the Jordan River (metaphorically speaking, of course) and took a leap of faith. I decided to quit my extremely stressful, horrible, high-paying corporate job at a large wireless company, put my house on the market, had my last panic attack and jumped head first, heart open into my new life. Little did I know the changes that were in store for me, including the miracle of stumbling on to this surgery I'm about to undergo. I couldn't imagine then what I know now - happiness, serenity & peace. I don't know what the future holds but I do know this: I'm where I'm supposed to be and being guided by something greater and bigger than I could ever imagine. Don't get me wrong - it's not all roses, sunshine and butterflies, but I'm choosing to make the most of every day, despite the fact I'm selling my home, a business, a rental cabin, no full-time job (yet), a daughter that will be leaving the nest (most likely permanently) in a few weeks, a son who is starting his senior year of high school and no idea where I will land in a few months. What I DO have is faith - faith in me (after a very long time, tons of therapy, etc.), faith in my husband of 23+ years, faith in my weight loss (down 10 lbs. from high protein/low carbs in just a week!) and faith that a year from now I will be a completely different person. Just five more "sleeps" (as my kids used to say) until I check in the hospital. My husband asked me this morning if I was scared. I can honestly say I'm not. Just super excited to get rolling.

I did something I didn't think I'd EVER be able to do Saturday night: I attended a bachelorette party for a good friend, jumped on a party bus with 11 other ladies and didn't touch a DROP of alcohol the entire night. Well, ok, there was ONE sip at a comedy club after my friend sent her margarita back twice claiming it had soda in it so I just had to see for myself how truly hideous it was. And it WAS. But that was it! We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant. My FAV food in the world. Not a chip passed my lips. No beans. No rice. Just some grilled chicken with a bit of salsa on it and a few black beans. The moral? If I can spend 7 hours on a bus full of crazy drunk people, pass on Mexican, (oh and did I mention there was cake?), pass on cake (I shall leave the "shape" of cake to your imagination) - I CAN DO THIS. Just how tough was this? Oh so hard. Normally I'm the life of the party, and at my current height/weight I can put it away. Bottom line - WILL POWER. One week until surgery. I've turned down fruit, beer (gulp), chips, etc. My size 0, 19 year old daughter left a 1/3 eaten Snickers bar on the counter the other day (who DOES that?!) and I wrapped it up and stuck it away for her later. I wasn't even tempted to finish it as I would have been a month ago. I want to be healthy more than I want the 2 second gratification of tasting chocolate. The other thing I'm learning is that food is for FUEL, not for emotions. Old me: "Hey! It's sunny! I need a bowl of cereal! Oh crap, it's raining, I should probably make a pot of pasta and have 3 huge bowls. Look at that, I'm sad - better grab some chips and dip" (you get the idea). Now I'm listening to my tummy for cues that it needs fuel. Let me close this post by saying - to know me is to know how hard this has been and will be for me. BUT I'm doing it and so can you. Stay positive - eye on the prize.

This is the last weekend of my current life as I know it. No remorse, no regrets, just an urge to get a move on with surgery. I'm going to enjoy these last 2 days of actually being able to eat and chew food for a few weeks, but stick to my low carb, high protein ways as I've become very accustomed to it. Sunday is liquids only, no shakes, just WATER. Monday is NOTHING by mouth and a check-in time of 1:00. I'm more nervous about not being able to drink anything for a half a day than I am about surgery. I've grown so used to drinking approx. 64 oz. of water a day that I find I can't go long without sipping. I'm hoping the next 2 days will fly by, filled with fun activities with great friends. I find that with a bit of pre-planning I can go just about anywhere now. I make sure I have a shake with me, some water, a cheese stick, etc. with me to snack on. This will be my new way of life.

I have the greatest NSV news ever! I got the results of my first labs post-op and my triglycerides went down from a whopping (for me- I know I wasn't the worst) 298 high risk to a normal range 98!!! My overall cholesterol count is now 178, down from 260. My LDL And HDL have also vastly improved. I was so happy I thought I might just float away!
 
The last time those numbers were in the healthy range for me was in 1998, so you can understand my excitement If I ever had any doubts about having the sleeve, it would be because "what if my cholesterol stays the same? Will it be worth the risks just to come out of it with the same CHD risk factor?" Now I have my answer! If I never lose another pound, another inch or get back any discernable muscle tone, it has officially all been worth it to have been sleeved.
 
I was 3 months out on August 6th: I am now 186 lbs and bought my first pair of size 14 pants yesterday. My bra size has decreased from 44DDD to 38DD and shirt size down from 2X to XL.
 
Thanks to my sister for suggesting I look into the sleeve option and to Dr. Snyder for giving me this opportunity for better health and a longer life! Love to my sweet husband, family, friends and coworkers who have been positive and awesomely supportive from day one. I am truly blessed.
 
I am sending out positive vibes to all my current and future sleeve sisters and brothers for success in your personal journeys, as well! Don't worry about speed, just stay focused on progress - no matter how incremental - and stay positive~
 
HappyCat xxx

I want to look fabulous when I hit the operating table in 4 days. It's a little vain, but is so rare that I am. I figured I would get a hair cut tomorrow, then once home dye my hair. I want to shave the legs and pits (doc said no shave two days before surgery), and have my feets loved on some.
 
Mind you, I will look like a freight train hit me or at least may feel like it once out of recovery, but when I do feel better these will be things done to the 3 weeks I am off I will be ok. The blood thinners should be finished by then as well and on my last day of recovery do it all again in order to return to work .
 
I want to find a nice dress my new body show-off. LOL
 
My excitement is just starting to build. My niece surprised me and is doing better and has opted to take a week off of work to stay with me. I could just cry I am so happy. I plan to do something really nice for her.
 
Well I'm off to a SF drink. This hot weather has me sucking up fluids.

I am sitting here drinking my clear liquids and a million things are running through my head. What will the pain be like? Will this surgery work for me? Will people think I am taking the easy route out? No matter what the answers to these questions I will still be getting my sleeve surgery tomorrow at 7 am. I am nervous, but very excited. My journey started almost a year ago. I sat in the kitchen with a friend in my bathing suit, and we complained to each other that we needed to do something. We both signed up for the informational class and I went, and she did not. From there I found out the doctor I wanted performed the surgery at a hospital that my insurance did not take. I cried. (I cried a lot through this process!). I switched doctors and began the process again. I was super set. I started my nutrition appointments; however, I was very unsuccessful with losing. The day before my third nutrition appointment Hurricane Sandy set me back an entire month! Then after I finally finished the process (which I never thought could happen) I was denied by my insurance. They asked for a two year weight history, and based my denial on my previous year's weight not being high enough. I appealed, and this was also a very long process. I finally won! I was so happy and realized that this moment was going to change my life. I am still struggling with the pre-surgery diet, and am still feeling like when I get there tomorrow they are going to say no! I am so anxious that I am never going to be able to sleep tonight. When I go to bed tonight I am going to think of my family, and how happy they will be to see me happy.

I've finally completed all of my insurance req's and am now awaiting approval. Since I've completed my requirements I guess this entire process has become really 'real' to me and it scared me. I kept asking myself if I really NEEDED this surgery...why couldn't I lose wieght on my own? Am I being lazy and taking the easy way out? Is it worth putting myself under the knife and having major surgery when I'm already too lazy to eat right and exercise? Am I wasting my family's money by having surgery? etc, etc, etc.
Well tonight my sweet 5 year old ittle girl innocently made a statement that first broke my heart and then made me realize without a doubt this surgery is the right thing for me.
We were driving home and she asked what would happen if I started to drown (We have a pool and swim a lot. I used to teach swim lessons and water safety, so water safety is REALLY important to me). I said, "Well, if I was truly drowning and couldn't get out, hopefully someone would help me out of the water." She replied (Here's where my heart broke...) "But Mommy, you're so big. How would they be able to pull you out? You're too heavy." And THEN she tried to backtrack...that broke my heart even more. She shouldn't have to worry about what she says to me and if it hurts my feelings. She shouldn't have to try to change what she said to make me feel better - - she's FIVE!
AND THAT DID IT FOLKS. I almost broke down in tears right there in my car. I can hide from cameras, I can hide from the mirror. I can ignore the fact that my clothes are too tight I can hardly zip my pants. I can look past my double chin. I can choose to not look at my stretch marks. I can ignore being breathless just from walking from my car to my house. I can not pay attention to the fact that I now have to undo my top button to my jeans when sitting at my desk because it is digging in to my stomach. I can pop another blood pressure pill and ignore my high blood pressure...
But I cannot ignore the fact that my kids notice I'm overweight and that kills me. I guess up until then I knew I was wayyyyy too heavy but since no one else would address it I could go on my merry-way and ignore it. But there's no ignoring it anymore. I have to do something more powerful than myself so that I can stop living a hollow life and stop living in the shadows, hoping no one addresses the fact that I am unhealthy. The heck with the fact that I am so unattractive anymore, I am unhealthy and am not the role model that my kids deserve.
So I'm having this surgery.
I don't care how it happens, I need this surgery. I need to lose weight. I need to get healthy. I need to start caring about myself. I need to start caring about my family and their future - - with ME in it.

Today is the day that i saw so far off in the distance 4 months ago. A day where I would exhale and quietly rejoice with myself. A day where I found contentment in myself that I haven't had in many years.
 
I rushed around to get ready for work this morning....I was running VERY late. Before I grabbed my purse I stepped on the scale, somewhat blah, and had a little surprise. I was 199.8! Time stopped at that moment as I stood there staring. I slowly stepped off the scale and just stood there. Alone in the bathroom I took a moment to be thankful. Thankful that my surgery was even an option, and thankful that my body took so well to it. After today I am going to continue all the work that it took to get to this point. I now know today, how strong of a person it takes to have WLS. I feel like I have accomplished so much more than just smaller numbers on a scale. I gained confidence, contentment, and healthy knowledge.

I had surgery exactly 2 wks ago today. I can't help but think I'm jumping the gun going back to work (this coming from the woman who asked her surgeon if it was possible to get back to work in ONE week, now suddenly I wish I had two more weeks!). I had mush brain for most of the afternoon. I had to sit through a reallllly stupid meeting for an hour and a half this morning and I basically spent the entire day resisting the urge to run out of the building and never come back.
 
I don't know if it's a coincidence or what, but after feeling great for about a week, I get back to work today and had a LOT pain on my left hand side. I think it's from the office chairs at work, which have always been uncomfortable. They are not built for fat people, let me tell you. I always feel like I'm spilling out of the thing and that it's not long enough in the seat to sit in any comfortable way. Well, with all the repositioning I have to do all day in that chair, I think it took its toll and my left side of by belly was aching by mid-morning.
 
I hate my job. Actually, my actual JOB is something I enjoy, I just really dislike the company and management. If I could work from home, I'd never leave my job!! Being away from it really amplified that fact, because going back felt like a shock to my system. I missed having a nap, I missed being able to sleep in, I missed being able to wear comfy pajamas all day. Basically, I missed being on leave!
 
In the back of my mind, when I decided to have this surgery, I said "When I lose some weight, I'm looking for a new job."
 
I went on a few interviews in the past year or so and always get passed over. I even had an interview at a company that a fellow coworker also interviewed for. She was not as qualified as I am, had way less experience, and I can only conclude that she got the job because she's thin and pretty. I don't mean to sound hateful, she was one of my closest work buddies and I miss her, but it just seemed like that's what got her hired. I remember going to that interview and not seeing a single fat woman there. That's just the society we live in. All of the jobs I've gotten, I was interviewed by an overweight woman. All the jobs I DON'T get are when I'm interviewed by a man or by a thin woman.
 
No, I didn't have this surgery to find a job. But I think if I can be slimmer, dress better and have more confidence, I'll be headed in the right direction to getting a new gig. Hopefully one that pays as well, because money is THE ONLY thing keeping me at my current job! :\
 
That was an unexpected tangent - but I can also share that I've moved on to the next diet stage, which includes soft meats like fish and deli meat. I haven't tried fish yet (not a huge fan, but would like to try it), but the deli turkey is working out great. I can have 1 or 2 slices and feel full. I haven't felt any hunger yet, but I am still fighting the urge to eat cuz I'm bored. That should calm down now that I'm back and work and out of the house most of the day. It was tough not reverting to old habits when I was just lounging around the house for days on end! Thankfully, even if I did eat out of boredom, I can eat so little that it's not a huge impact. Everything is going into MFP - I promised myself that I would track better after surgery, and I have.
 
I'm getting in about 800-1000 cals and 90-110g protein per day. Part of me thinks that is too much/too soon, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not. I don't plan to bump my calories up too much as I move through the stages, and I'm happy that I'm not struggling with the protein. Everything I have tried has gone down just fine. I've had a bit of gas here and there, but I just burp and feel fine. No pain, no vomiting or over stuffing myself yet. Been feeling okay overall... just bummed I'm not independently wealthy.
 
I've lost 21lbs since surgery 2 wks ago, but after the first week (which was mostly gas/fluids/swelling, my weight loss has slowed down. It's been 1lb every other day. I KNOWWW that's not bad, but considering that I started with a high BMI, I was hoping to be one of those folks whose weight slides right off. We'll see what happens. I'm hoping my soreness in my tummy with fade in the next 2 weeks so I can REALLY hit it at the gym. I feel like I can't even walk that fast right now because my belly moves around and hurts to much.
 
Well, I'm going to try for that nap I've been wishing for all day! Hope all my fellow May sleevers are doing well!

Hi, Why are you still sitting out there waiting to have surgery. I know for many, it is the fear off failing just one more time. I felt like that too, and I want you to know that "sleeve" surgery was the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me. I had it over 4 1/2 years ago and I lost 105 pounds and I have kept it off. STOP giving days of your life away. Make the choice to do something that is going to save your life. I am always here if you have any questions. Do something NOW, and I promise you, that you will never have any regrets

Hi. My name is Liz and I was born, raised and live in the Chicago burbs. My story seems similar to those I have read here on this forum...I have battled with my weight for as long as I can remember. When I was 13 I remember crying b/c I couldn't fit into anything in the juniors section. Even back then I thought "When was I a size 6? Was it for 4 days in the third grade??" I have done Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers losing a good amount but always gaining back more over time.
 
April 2011 my wonderful son Julien was born (despite my battles with PCOS I had him naturally) but after I had him the pounds just added it quickly. I went in for a physical in October 2012 and was floored when the scale said 295! It was my rock bottom, I knew I needed to make some BIG changes.
 
My surgery is set for May 23rd. Last week I finished all my pre-surgical testing and today I start my 15 day pre-op diet. I can only drink protein drinks and clear liquids for the next 14 days. Today I had a chocolate strawberry shake for breakfast, a root-beer float shake for lunch, and a coffee/mocha shake for dinner. I was pretty impressed with my creations - all slightly different recipes the office provided me when I purchased the shake powder. I also had two mugs of low sodium chicken broth and 2 sugar free Popsicles.
 
I made my husband eat dinner out tonight b/c I knew I couldn't handle watching him eat in front of me. I was pretty strong all day, and I wasn't up for ending the night on a low note. I had to feed my son his dinner but I wasn't tempted at all. There is half a banana calling my name in the kitchen, but I'll blend it in with my morning shake tomorrow.
 
I'm trying to focus on how this is my choice. Back when I would do other diets I would say things like "I can't eat that." And feel that I was denying myself. Now I say "I can eat that, but I choose not to." I like how that gives me the control.
 
Well, one day almost done with 14 more to go. Staying strong and in control...
 
--Liz

Not really... my intro was written a few months ago and realized I had not published it. Yeah I am one smart cookie...which is funny I say that! So I have been lurking in the shadows of this site for over a year. Looking through all the forums, blogs, and my favorite before and after pics! While doing research aka lurking on this site I have been over the past year going to appt after freaking appt to meet my insurnance requirements for approval for sugery. I finally finished the 6 pcp visits in March and was approved for my surgery the last week of April! YAY right...well yeah so I thought! My surgeron has her own set of requirments which includes a psy eval. No biggie that's pretty standard. I schedule the appt. I am ready to get the show in the road and get my surgery scheduled. Well I go thinking okay this will be a breeze. Yeah not so much I have PMS which basically means I am one lifetime movie away from a good ugly cry and I am tired bloated and trying not to eat any chocolate. I need to reschedule but that will hold everything up. I find out in the first 5 minutes this is the first of 3 appts. Ok so I have to come back here and pay a co pay and miss more time off work. I say is there anyway we can make it all one big appt? No avail! So we procced. It starts out okay... standard questions do you eat when you are sad happy yada yada. Then he ask what is the saddest time in your life and were you ever depressed. I say when my brother died unexpectedly in July of 2011. (Side story we were on family vaca and he got sick and passed away 3 days later...I also had just found out I was pregnant. it was a crazy horrible time in my life) I was really close to him and plus being pregnant made my grief ten fold. I was honestly depressed for a few months but that is to be expected I was grieving. Well he keeps probbing about that and I begin to cry and cry and cry. Gotta love PMS! I get myself together and we move on. Then he ask have you ever done drugs or have you ever got drunk? Yeah I was a wild teenager I did both alot! Dammit Shannon you are falling for his tricks! More questions. Makes me think I am an addict. Which I am not! I haven't touch an illegal substance since I was 22 years old. I am 32 now. Did this guy ever here of experimenting sowing wild oats? I barely can finish off a glass of wine now. My patience with this guy is getting thin. He then ask have you ever been sexually/physically abused. I don't answer. I start to cry again...damn PMS! I really don't want to go there I said. It was a long time ago. He keeps on and on. I go into a little detail and he said I should talk to someone maybe a female psy dr about this. Ok whatever you think... moving on. (I am thinking he thinks I am nuts! ) Surely he has heard worse. I am emotionally mentally done! He then ask remember these words in this order. (insert 3 words) I am repeating them in my head. He then ask the date...I answer. Then who was the president of the US during the Civil War? What I don't know am I in history class now. (If I answer wrong will you not approve me for surgery?) Then what is the capital of Italy? I give him a look. I say why?...I don't know why are you asking me these things? He says just answer the questions. Rome. Yes he says now count backwards from 100 and minus 7 each time. I give a even more nasty look with an eye roll. 100....um 93 ummm 86 no thats not right. Look I am not good at math in my head. I cant do that I need a calculator. He then says I give you an easier one...count back from 30 minus 3 each time. Ok I am offically pissed now I feel like a emotional unstable, addict, who is dumb! Plus I have to meet with him after my computer test to go over his results. I swear if this quack does not approve me I will show him crazy for real! Well probalby not but I will be mad.

So this is my first blog ever.
I am blogging like most to keep a journal of my journey and maybe help someone along the way but I am sure I will need alot of that myself. Like most people here I have always been above average in the weight department. I ALWAYS needed to lose 10 vanity lbs in high school. Then when I hit my 20's the weight crept up. I always hated my body! I developed at an early age and look like a grown woman when I was 13. I had the boobs butt hips. Looking back I realized that this is when my problems with food began. It was my comfort. So I got married at 24 and got pregnant a year later. As soon as I saw that postive test it was my ticket to eat whatever I wanted for 9 months. For the first time since I could remember I was not feeling guilty for eating. I packed a whopping 90lbs. on. I was out of control! I had my beautiful baby and then realized I was huge and my body was forever ruined! I exercerised ate low fat low carb and lost 50lbs. Go me! Then life happened and things got stressful and I gained/lost it back, had another beautiful baby, over the next 6 years. I have been on every diet weight watchers atkins all the crazy fads only to go right back to where I started. That yoyoing can really play games on your emotions! So here I am I have 2 beautiful kids, a husband who loves me no matter what, and I am fat and I love myself least of all. I can give all the excuses like I am too busy or this happened and that happened but it all boils down to I put myself last on my list and now I have got to the point that I need help to get me back. The main reason I am doing this surgery is my health. I have a strong family history of early heart disease and type 2 diabetes. I have high total cholesterol high trigs and borderline high insulin levels. I am headed up the same hill many other overweight family members have taken. All of them are in poor health in their 40s and 50s or didn't make much past 50. I cannot end up like them and slowly kill myself. I have lived with my mother for 6 years suffering from heart failure and I know my days are numbered with her. She is only 52 and has given up hope. She has accepted that this is her fate. I can't let me children go through what I am going through with her. I know none of us are promised tomorrow but all my mom's serious health problem are directly related to her poor lifestyle choices. So while I need to get my head right and my emotions in check before surgery I am so glad I have made the choice to have WLS and hopefully be a happy healthy mother and wife for many many many years to come.

OMG, That stuff is nasty.
 
When I was in the hospital, my CPAP machine ran out of water. I asked for some tap water, and the nurse offered me some sterile water instead. At the time, I couldn't smell or taste anything, so it wasn't a problem.
 
It was after I got back home and tried on my mask. The stench had infiltrated every part of the mask, tubing and reservoir. It took a few rinsing, but I finally got the stench out.
 
Sterilized means that all the bacteria and viruses have been removed or killed, such as by UV irradiation or boiling.
 
Distilled means the water has been boiled, the steam collected, and condensed back into pure water.

On 4/11 I walked into the hospital to begin my pre-op/ pre-admission testing. Just a quick one and a half hours later and I was walking out a bit perplexed. I know surgery is a very serious thing and of course understand that I have to explain my medical history to the hospital so they can properly treat me. However, do I have to repeat myself 2-4 different times?!?!? Is it wrong of me to have been annoyed by this fact? Now don't get me wrong EVERYONE was super nice and professional and great to talk to. I just wish we could have sped the process up and done one big gigantic group interview. I mean you guys are asking almost the same exact questions. Then filter out the questions no one else needs and you can come into the room by yourself and ask those. Otherwise, let's get this show on the road here people!
 
Nothing beats the next part of my day - going to my surgeon's office for my pre-op appointment.There were times during this appointment when I wished I was a ninja :ph34r: so I could sneak out of there without him looking. He made me so nervous. I swore at times it felt as though I was being interrogated. "Remember Kristina, if there is anything you need us to know, now is the time to tell me." OMG what do I need to tell you. Do you want intimate details of my life?!?! Do you want to know that I stole a make-up compact when I was 14 years old? That I cut classes in high school and got caught. I mean I felt like this was SUPER over done here. "Ok well if anything comes up, if anything changes, you let us know right away."
 
Maybe he was being this way because I am a fairly healthy person besides the fact that I have about 100 pounds of FAT sitting all over my body of course! Which in the long run does not make me very healthy at all. I have high cholesterol but it is not being treated bc my primary doctor didn't think it was necessary with the surgery in the works. What do you want me to tell you Doctor Chau??? Needless to say I walked out of the office feeling a little strange!
 
Most importantly, I found out that I will need to be a participant in the wonderful Liver Shrinking diet for at least one week. I have already begun the diet in a small way and switched my breakfast for a protein shake. I am undecided as to when I will incorporate my lunch in the mix. I went food shopping over the weekend and bought a ton of fresh fruits and veggies to start using those as snacks as per the diet.
 
I EVEN TRIED COTTAGE CHEESE FOR THE FIRST TIME! MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!!! It really isn't that bad. All these years I was afraid of it due to it's appearance. And they say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. SHEESH man am I guilty of that. I am sorry to have judged you Mr. Cheese.

ooooh, my stomach cramps everytime I drink. I just had the vertical sleeve procedure yesterday, Feb. 5th, so this is my 2nd day post-op. I am following the sleeve diet regimen: 1 ounce of liquid diet every 15 minutes x 12 hours/day. My starting weight was 212.4 lbs and I my goal is 150 lbs.
 
After surgery, I had gas pain which went away soon after my nurse administereda dose of mylicon and pepcid. Other then this, I'm doing fine. As for the cramping, my new stomach has to heal.

Hi everyone. I appreciate you taking time to read this. Today's entry will be short because I am on my lunch break. I'm pretty open with my life so I've had a few people encourage me to write a blog. This is all very new to me but I'll try to make it interesting.
 
I guess I should start with the title of my blog, "The Princess and the Sleeve". Now of course I am not a real life princess nor am I a spoiled brat. I was raised by a single mother and have never had much money. My husband and I are happy with what we have but we both work 2 jobs to have that comfort. However, I do have a family that treats me like #1 and a husband that works very hard to give me the things I need and ask for. That alone makes me feel like royalty and therefore, a princess.
 
I was a super skinny kid and a beauty queen, cheerleader as a teen. My weight problems didn't come until after high school. I guess I quit playing sports and was less active. My food choices were all fast food and I was leading a party life. So along with spreading my wings, my ass was also spreading.
 
I met my husband when I was 22 and I was already 250 lbs. He has never seen me smaller than a size 16. We have been married 19 years this June. I am scheduled to have Vertical Gastric Sleeve surgery on 2/25/13. I hope you will follow me on my journey.

I had to go to my PCP yesterday for a check up and i was down 11lbs from my last weigh in. I was so excited! i'm finally seeing results in the mirror

Little behind updating but i made it to my one month post op check up last week and i wanted a bigger number but I've lost 33lbs which after i stopped and thought about how many people lose 33 lbs in 1 months! so now i'm proud of my loss. My left thigh is still numb and slightly painful but he said in 6 months that should get better. This month i'm going to focus on my walking and i will pull a big number at my next check up in march! I'm great full for my supportive people i have. I return to work Monday after being gone 6 weeks so i'm dragging my feet there. I'm going to go in with a positive attitude and see how they react. most were jealous that i was getting time off for a surgery they found unnecessary. So i may just be walking back in to the lions den or i may not but what ever it is i will have my head held high! I'm 33lbs slimmer

Excited but a little exhausted at the same time!!! Had surgery on December 20th and the first week was smooth sailing. Wasnt until about 12 days post op did I realize I had not had a bowel movement. I was in an all out panic and my surgeon was too. He ended up having me take some Miralax and Colace and this morning had my firt BM since surgery.. Glad that's over with! Stepped on the scale last night and was 235.6lbs!! Not much of a loss like in the first week, but I'll take every single pound.
 
Starting Weight: 256
Day of Surgery: 247
Day Left Surgery: 258
1 Week Post Op: 241
2 Weeks Post Op: 235
total loss thus far: 21 pounds
 
Not bad. Won't complain. But I think in this week I will begin taking my vitamins (and boy there are a lot!) and doing some cardio at the gym. So blessed to have gone through this process with little to no complications and even more blessed that I am on my way to a healthy new me! Happy losing all!

This is my first blog ever and it is on my journey to a new life. A life without pain each morning, when I wake up because half of my body when numb, because of my weight. Knowing that my first thought will not be “I will need lots of caffeine today to stay awake because I had trouble sleeping from tossing and turning and having trouble rolling over, or because I was snoring so loud I woke myself up”. Dreading what I am going to wear and will it fit today or have I out grown it. Thinking to myself am I going to make a mistake at work today because I cannot focus because my clothes are too tight. These are the things that I think about before I even get out of bed in the morning. I am so tired of these thoughts. There are many more that happen throughout the day.
To help me with all the issues listed and many more I have decided to get the gastric sleeve. I have been to the orientation and got all the information and went to the free consultation to find out if I qualify for the surgery, and I do. At the free consultation I received a free body analysis where I found out a lot about my body that I did not know. My extremities weights are torso (head to stomach) 67.2 pounds, right arm is 8.82 pounds, left arm 8.22 pounds, right leg 21.34 pounds and the left at 21.25 at this time I weighed in at 263.9. My BMI was 40.1. My lean muscle was at 142.6 and my body fat mass was 121.3 pounds. Since this weigh in on 11/12/12, I have gained much more. I currently weight on my scale at home (which is always 5 pounds less than the Doctors office) said 275.6 pounds I have gained 11 pounds since then. I believe it is because I quit smoking and snack more at night, and have not tried a new yo-yo style diet. I am waiting for the surgery. Figure I better enjoy it now because soon I will not be able to.
Today was different I did not want to enjoy eating large amounts of food. I wanted the weight loss to start. I only have a few clothes that fit me that I feel comfortable in to go to work that I am feeling depressed. I recently thought it was because of the holiday season, but it was not. It was me tired of being tired of being FAT. I am ready to get this weight off and I need all the help I can get. If that means major surgery; than that is the extreme in need to do. I am making the call on Monday December 31, to schedule my consultation with the surgeon to get it started. I am afraid of all the things that can go wrong, but I want a longer more for filling life than the one I have know. I am getting tired and could go on and on about how I feel. I am in hopes that I will keep the blog up and I am wanting to do one on youtube so that my family can see me and my weight loss, and maybe help them and others like me that struggle daily with food.
Tata for now.